JOTOS... Serene Sunday

Ahhhh Sunday...

There's just something about Sunday afternoons that I find relaxing. Even if there's an agenda, even if I know it's gonna be a late night, I always enjoy the few hours of downtime on a Sunday afternoon.

Sounds of football are filling the room as I sit and type this overdue blog post. I'm sure it's a sound we will hear pretty often over the next day or so. The Holidays always seem to bring it to surface for sure. Not that I'm complaining, because unlike most women, I actually enjoy watching/listening to football. My team(s) of choice? (NFL) The Houston Texans, (NCAAF) The Texas Longhorns. I'm a Texas girl all the way!

My uncle, Kevin, has been down for a visit from Arkansas. Things have definitely been interesting since he arrived. He got here just in time for all the Christmas festivities. Christmas Eve, my Mom hosted the big Christmas dinner at her house. Then, Christmas Day, we ate breakfast, and exchanged gifts again at Mom's. Around lunch time, Kevin wanted some Mexican food. Well, we figured everything was closed but we tried anyway. 2 hours later we decided on just getting TV dinners from Walgreens and hanging out at home. Well, the weather decided it wanted to drop 20 degrees in 2 hours and kick up winds strong enough to knock down a small shed. So, when we got inside Walgreens, the power went out. We went ahead and got what we needed thinking it would all be fine at home. At the checkout they were accepting cash only and tallying everything up with a pencil, notepad, and an iPhone. Poor things had no idea what things cost, or how to add everything plus tax. (Goes to show you how little kids are ACTUALLY learning in school. Sad. ) Finally, a after checking out, we made out way home only to find that the power was also out there. Still, we didn't let that stop us. We lit up the stove, (thank God for gas powered stoves) put on a griddle, and started slowly heating up the burritos we bought. When they finally finished, we ate and shot marbles in the living room until it was finally time to go our separate ways to sleep. (Our power wasn't restored until nearly midnight) Needless to say, Christmas was very memorable this year.

Tomorrow is my Dad's birthday. Can't believe he will be ## years old! Haha. He said that the Plexus (a supplement for losing weight that my husband and I sell) that he's taking may not be working anywhere else but it sure is making his hair thin! I hated to break to him that it wasn't the Plexus making his hair thin out, that was all him. Maybe I should get him some Rogain, or a toupee for his birthday!

My 20th birthday is also coming up. My friends say I'll be so sad that day, but I am actually so excited to be 20! Can't really say why, because I don't know, I am just very excited.

Hope you all have a safe and blessed New Year!

P.S. If you're looking for a wonderful lotion/moisturizer, check out this St Ives cream! I love it!!!! Leaves your skin soft am is so affordable. Approx. $5 at Walmart!

Want to keep up with my crazy life?

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JOTOS...Sweet Saturdays

Hello everyone!

Only 3 more days until Christmas:)))

We are spending this weekend with my in-laws. Mama is busy making peppermint bark, Faith and I are playing on the wii and Dad and Noah were going to pick up a few last minute things from Wal-Mart.

This time of year is my favorite! I love the smell of sweets baking in the oven and candles burning on the countertop. It makes my heart warm!

This Christmas, more than ever, I have felt sentimental. Not sure if it's because of everything that's happened as of late, or if it's just me growing older. No matter what it is, I have learned to cherish every laugh, every candid picture and every corny joke. I cannot believe how fast time flies. It's so very bittersweet.

This Christmas, take a minute to look back, and relive all the wonderful memories. Every parade watched, every pie baked, every ornament hung, everything.

Love you all!!!!

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JOTOS....Festive Friday Filled with Joy!!!

I love this picture! Excuse me, hello everyone!! I am back! Sorry for the long vacation, you see, I have been planning a Christmas musical for my church over the last several weeks and have not been able to blog as often as I would like. BUT I'm back now;)

Joy is in fact contagious. If you are joyful, those who come around you will sense that joy and in turn become joyful themselves:) it's so simple to spread! Give a little Joy this Christmas;)

Honestly, I cannot believe we are 11 days away from 2013! That is insane! Our years seem to be flying by quicker than we can enjoy them. It's sad. I feel like I can't hardly enjoy a holiday before its over. Guess that just goes to show you how busy we are. We definitely need to slow down and simplify our lives. We would all be much happier AND healthier.

Quick update on grandma: The chemo did its job and all that's left of the cancer is ashes!!!! However, to prevent it from returning, they will still do the removal surgery on her bladder in Mid January. Please keep her in your prayers!

Noah and I have been doing... Okay...he lost his job right after we got back from our anniversary trip but quickly started looking for a new one. He was hired on to Schwans Food Delivery a few weeks ago and started on Monday! God is faithful. Now, I'm not gonna lie, it was really rough for a while... But God always provided right on time!! I am blessed.

Tonight begins our weekend full of Christmas festivities with all of our families. Should be fun!!!

Love you all!

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Happy Birthday Pixie!!!!

JOTOS.... Simply Saturday

Good morning everyone!!

I am sitting here relaxing with my yummy cup of coffee (cafe vanilla with Cinnabon creamer)... It is so good! With everything that's been going on recently, relaxing is nice!

Tomorrow is my 1 year wedding anniversary and I can't believe it. One year ago today I was the biggest Bridezilla. I tried not to be, but I was. It seemed like everything was going wrong and I felt totally out of control.
The closer it got to my wedding the more I freaked out. Then, my Mom told me to chill out and it would all be fine. I don't know how that worked but it did! I calmed down and enjoyed the rest of the day and then my wedding day.

Today, we are going to go to Downtown San Antonio and walk around the River Walk. Then we're going to dinner. I can't wait!!

Before I go, I heard a song yesterday on the radio, I'm not sure of the title, but I'm pretty sure Israel Houghton (sp?) sings it. Anyway, the words are Oh, Jesus, Oh, Jesus... Your presence is Heaven to me! I heard that and thought, that's exactly how I feel! His presence is so amazing and it definitely feels like heaven to me. I turned it up and sang along the whole way to work. If you haven't heard it, look it up. It's an awesome song!

Have a great weekend!!!

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JOTOS.... Man! It's Monday.

Today is definitely a Monday...

Both Noah and I got little to no sleep last nigh due to both of us being in horrible pain. Mine was because of PCOS, his was his stomach. He claimed to be having sympathy pains for me... um pretty sure he would be crying if he was having sympathy pains! I nearly went to the ER yesterday afternoon due to how bad I was hurting. Thankfully, the ibuprofen kicked in right on time.

This morning Grandma had her head shaved. Her hair was already falling out so badly and she wanted it shorter so it wouldn't be such a hassle. She is still so very beautiful. I sat with her this morning as she ate her breakfast and just watched, and listened to her talk. She is such a remarkable and inspiring person. I want to be just like her when I "grow up".

Yesterday we had the most amazing church service. In the prayer room before church ever even started we had a young man get the Holy Ghost! We were shouting, dancing, singing, and praising so much that you could hear it in the Sanctuary. Church started 15 minutes late because we were still praying! Then came the praise & worship and the Choir. All of it was so awesome! We (the choir) sang, Jesus At the Center, combined with, Lead Me Lord. The power of God fell so strongly in the house that we sang for 20 minutes before the preaching began. I'm still in awe...

This coming Sunday marks 1 year that I have been married to Noah. Time really has flown by. A year ago this week I was definitely a "Bridezilla"! Go ahead, ask my bridesmaids and my family. It was pretty bad. Thankfully, everyone still loved me through it and no harm was done! :)
Here are a few pictures from the big day!

My brother did such an awesome job making this sign!

Love of my life.

I had the BEST bridesmaids EVER!

The wind was so bad that day.

He makes me smile so much:)

 

I love my little family!! I am so blessed.

 

Before I go, please make sure to pray for our nation! We need God's favor in this election. If you have not voted yet, PLEASE, GO VOTE!!!

 

Have a blessed Monday! 

JOTOS.... Wonderfully Wednesday

Happy WEDNESDAY everyone! I do NOT celebrate Halloween so I am determined to make today as happy, cheerful, and BRIGHT as possible. My shoes are gold, and my shirt is multicolored today for that very reason.

Tonight, many wicked and evil things will be done. Tricks will be played, children harassed, Elderly vandalized and so much more. While all this is going on... there is a church, my church, in Magnolia, Tx that will be worshipping Jesus and learning more about his word. Our children will be having their own celebration, A Hallelujah Night, as they call it. I will rest easy knowing that my friends children and my Sunday School children are safe and out of harms way.

On another note, I have discovered the most fun app ever! It is called Smule. It's a global karaoke party and SOOOOO much fun! You can sing by yourself, duet with someone from across the world, or join a group and just have fun singing along. There are lots of songs to pick from. You should check it out! You can find me on there and follow me (LindsStrawn).

Oh, all you Sonic lovers... They have their corn dogs for only $.50 today!! I may stop in after church and pick up a few for dinner;) I love me some corn dogs!!! (Though they aren't very good for me)

I promised I would share the recipe for my Fruit Salad (or pie filling, you can make it into either by just adding to a pie crust and topping it with whipped cream). My fruit pie got 3rd place at our Fall Fest btw!! :))

It's called:

Sunday Best Fruit Salad (allrecipes.com)

Submitted by Pattie Price
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Ready in: 45 Minutes
Serves 8.

Ingredients:
1 20oz can of pineapple chunks (reserve juice)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (or one really big one, I used a Jonagold I bought at HEB.)
1 21oz can of Peach Pie Filling
2 bananas, peeled and diced
3 kiwis
1 pint of strawberries

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, toss the chopped apples in reserved pineapple juice. Allow to sit for 5 - 10 minutes.

2. In a large salad bowl, combine the peach pie filling and pineapple chunks.

3. Remove apples from pineapple juice and add to pie filling/pineapple mixture. Add chopped bananas to pineapple juice and let sit for 5 - 10 minutes.

4. peel and slice kiwi and 1/2 of strawberries. Chop the other 1/2 of strawberries and set aside. (Only do this if you are wanting to make your fruit salad decorative or want to use some as garnish atop your pie. If you are just making it as a salad, simply chop and mix all ingredients)

5. Remove bananas from pineapple juice and add to pie filling mixture. Add chopped strawberries, toss together.

6. Arrange kiwi slices and strawberry slices around the edge of the serving bowl. Chill and serve.

ENJOY!!!!

JOTOS.... My little Monday

The weather outside today was absolutely gorgeous! Highs in the low 70s and tonight it's 46 degrees!!! I love sweater weather:)

My sister is getting married in July of next year and we have been discussing who was gonna plan the wedding since she got engaged back in April... She FINALLY gave me and my future BIL's sister the reigns to plan it! Woohoo!!! I can't wait:) I downloaded The Knot's apps to my iPhone and have been searching for hours for things to use. This will be so much fun!

Her tastes are so much different than mine. I like vintage, classic, elegance and she like modern, clean lined, simplicity. So here begins the long journey!!! Lets just hope I come through this without any gray hair! ;)

Tonight we are sitting at my grandmas ... I love when we all get together. The jokes just keep rolling.

Fingers crossed that I can find a dress somewhere that will fit my sisters tiny self! Do they make triple 0 dresses?! Seriously, she's so skinny. Sigh. We'll find one eventually. I love this one but she doesn't. What are your thoughts?

JOTOS.... Fruit Filled Friday

Having a loved one with cancer is a very difficult thing to cope with at times... Grandma makes it feel as if everything is peachy keen though. She is such a trooper. She has been very sick because of the first round of chemo but she still finds time to worry over us and make sure our needs are taken care of.

Today was a good day. She had to go down to MD Anderson for some more bloodwork and some maintenance to her port. On the way home she wanted a Veggie Delight sandwich from Subway so grandpa stopped and got her one... She was upset though because there wasn't enough veggies on it. Which is progress seeing as how a few days ago she couldn't keep anything down.

Mom and I cleaned her house for her while she was out. So. Much. Dust. It's amazing how fast it accumulates even though you clean house weekly. Anyway, we had to be sure not to use too many strong smelling cleaners because of her sensitivity to smells.

Grandpa cracked me up today. He needed help figuring out something on his kindle fire and so he called me over. He couldn't figure out how to bring up the keyboard on a website he was trying to log in to. So, I took the stylus and clicked on the box... Up popped the keyboard. Poor thing was so embarrassed!! He couldn't believe he couldn't get that figured out. We both had a good laugh over it:)

Okay... Now time to explain about the fruit... Tomorrow is our annual Family Fall Festival and I am entering a pie, a fabulous fruit pie to be exact. I had to go to HEB and get some produce. I am now up to my ears in fruit!! Strawberries, pineapple, peaches, kiwi, bananas, apples and more!! This pie will be epic!

I will be sure to post the recipe later;) Fingers crossed that it wins!!

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JOTOS.... Things to Know About Me Thursday

Ahhhh it's almost Friday! Are you looking forward to your weekend? I know I am.

A few blogs ago, I posted a comment about my health. Well, since I never explained what all is going on, I will do so in this blog today.

Now, before I go any further, let me preface this by saying this is probably not the best post for men to read. So, if you're a male and reading this, here's your last warning... the following is probably not something you would want to read. Last chance! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! :)

Back in  late April / early May, I had a few changes in my body. At the time, I had no idea what was going on and chalked it up to an imbalance in my hormones. (Which I have struggled with since I was 14 or so) Then, the totally unexpected and the most awful thing happend.... I had a miscarriage. I did not know I was pregnant. I had taken tests and all results were negative. I, even though I had not known, was devastated. No, I didnt really need a baby right then... No, I wasn't ready to truly be a mother quite yet... still, the knowledge that I had lost a child left me broken. To top off the cruelness of it all... it happened a week before Mother's Day. As you can probably imagine, Mother's Day was extremely hard for me. I ended up excusing myself from the Mother's Day presentation that I CREATED during our church service that morning so I could go get a grip on my emotions. I ran to the nearest room, closed the door, and sobbed quietly. No one really knew at this point... just my husband, my parents, and a few close friends. I felt alone. I felt defeated. I felt... broken. The news broke slowly among my other friends and family and the pain worsened with comments like "Oh, don't worry over it too much. You're too young to be a mom right now anyway." or "You've got your whole life ahead of you and plenty of time for more children." and my absolute favorite "Well, just think of all the money you can save now by not having to pay for a baby. You can enjoy going out with your husband and just being a couple." People's words hurt more than anything. I was screaming on the inside begging them to just shut up. They had no idea what I was feeling. They looked past the pain in my eyes and just threw out their words without any regards of what I was dealing with. Did they really mean to harm me? Probably not. When you're going through that though... you just need a shoulder to cry on. No words. Just to be held.

It took me a while to get over the loss I had experienced. Especially when I learned of my 2 dear cousins who had just found out they were expecting. My due date would've been right with theirs. Another round of tears came. There was seemingly no end to this long dark road I was walking. Eventually, I found myself able to be happy for them. I realized that God indeed had a plan that was bigger than I could even think. Still, I longed for my lost baby, my child that I would never have the chance to hold, or even name.

A few months passed and I managed to only experience a few breakdowns. I had busied myself with things at the church, my family, and my friends to keep my mind off of things. It's how I was able to maintain a level of sanity. I was having some pains in my abdomen and lower back more and more frequently. Other symptoms had flared up and left me feeling sluggish, sick, and frustrated. So... off to the doctor I went. When I got there, she had be do a full hormone panel. (blood work) Which, if you know me very well at all, you know I am terrified of needles, so that was a very frightening thing to do again. She told me due to my symptoms and previous problems I've had, she was 75 - 90% sure I had PCOS. (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Where cysts develop on the ovaries and your body produces too much androgens and not enough insulin) I had googled my symptoms and come to that conclusion on my own... years ago. I just never did anything about it. (I know, I know, shame on me)
She then rushed me down to the Hospital for some ultasounds to see how extensive this was and what was causing the problem I was currently having. 6 hours later, I was home and thouroughly exhausted.

My results came back a little abnormal and I got put on a medication to help the PCOS. I will go back in a few weeks to a gynecologist to figure out what else can be done to fix the problem.

Other than that, I have to go on a low-fat diet due to my cholesterol being high. So, no more sonic for me :(

I know that God is able to heal everything going on with me right now. While I'm waiting for that healing, I'll continue to serve Him! He has the power and He has a plan! :)

Alright... enough about me this week... tomorrow I will give you all an update on how Grandma is doing and our funny adventures thus far with her!

Have a happy Thursday!

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JOTOS.... Well... It's Wednesday!

Thank you so much for your incredible response to my blog post yesterday! I received such sweet feedback and my page views jumped from 169 to 444 overnight! It felt so good to just be real.

Today, I busied myself with preparations for another Children's Musical I am directing in December. Copying activity pages, highlighting scripts and casting rolls filled my day. I am excited to see the outcome. This musical is one of my favorites we've done.

Tonight Noah is preaching at home, wish I could be there to listen but alas, duty calls. I will be teaching my kids choir another new song tonight. This one should be fun!

I caught myself daydreaming today. Well, maybe remembering is a better way of putting it. I went back to the first day I talked to Noah and the joy I felt then. He still makes me laugh and gives me butterflies 3 years later. I'm a blessed girl. Then I started contemplating some "what if's". You know what my conclusion was? There really is no point in thinking about those missed chances or untraveled paths... None of them would have brought me to where I am now. And right where I am.... Is exactly where I want to be.

Do yourself a favor... Don't waste your time and tears on what could have been. Instead, be thankful for where you are and rejoice in the fact that you've made it this far. Some people don't live to do the things you will do or have already accomplished. Be thankful that you've been given an opportunity to live another day and have another moment. Smile and rest easy knowing you, are loved.

P.s. how do you like the new blog layout??

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JOTOS....Tell All Tuesday

Since my computer decided not to work, I will have to do all of this from my phone. You'll have to excuse me if there are any spelling or grammatical errors... Autocorrect is not exactly my best friend at times.

My name is Lindsey, and I battled mild depression for years. This will probably come as a shock to some, but it is so very true. I was never medically diagnosed with depression, although had I shown outwardly what I was feeling I would surely have been placed on some kind of anxiety medication. It all started years ago....

When you're 13 you think you've got the world figured out. You are a teenager now after all, and teens lead the most exciting lives, right? Eh, not entirely. I was 13 going on 30. I had a lot going for me, a stable home life, good church, school was going well, I had plenty of friends, and was even somewhat popular among my peers. Yet, something kept eating at me. A little voice in the back of my head that told me I wasn't good enough. I allowed that "spirit" to control my attitude towards other people. It was terrible.

Outwardly, you would have never known a thing was wrong. I had the world on a string, and everything was perfect. Ah, there's that ugly word... Perfect. The word I thought I would never live up to. The word that literally haunted me every single day. You see, I didn't have name brand clothes and purses like some girls... I must not be perfect. I didn't have a clear complexion like other girls... I'm certainly not perfect. There was (like every young girl) that one boy who I thought about every waking moment but I would never have, why? Because I wasn't perfect. Perfection became my worst enemy. I resented anyone who had it all together and inwardly longed to have the same things they had. I was desperate to be seen as the epitome of perfect. By the time I turned 14 I had already contemplated what the world would be like had I never been born. That voice that snuck its way back into my dreams and daily thoughts told me there was no use for someone like me... I should end things now before they got worse. I had lost my best friend, because of other circumstances, but I blamed myself because I wasn't perfect. I had myself convinced that the world would be a better place without me in it. It was one of the darkest periods in my life.

Rejection came next, I had prayed and felt like God was ignoring me because I wasn't worthy of him. I tried dressing differently to please other people and possibly fit in with the older crowd only to find myself crying to sleep because they had no time for me. The boy I had dreamed of liking me for years had moved on to bigger and better things and I was left feeling the worst pain a young girl could feel. No one knew. No one saw the tear stained pages that read "I hate myself". No one heard me crying in the middle of the afternoon. I would get lost in thought in the middle of the day and excuse myself to the restroom just to look at my reflection in the mirror and pick out every flaw. I had become addicted to perfection. 15 came, and went, along with a relationship with a great guy that I didn't deserve at the time. Then 16, my parents, for my birthday, set me up with an orthodontist because I wanted a perfect smile. Over the previous months I had put on a few pounds and when I started the braces process I dropped weight pretty quickly because of not being able to eat due to sore teeth. I noticed myself getting slimmer and sometimes would fake a toothache so I didn't have to eat, or would get away with just drinking a meal replacement shake. I went from 165lbs to 125lbs in a month.

I then took to laying out during the warmer months so I could get that sun kissed glow. I, again, was striving for perfection. I got down to about 120lbs before I plateaued and couldn't drop anymore weight. I could now share clothes with my size 00 older sister. 120lbs may not sound like a big deal, but on my 5'6" - 7" frame - it was. I finally looked like the person I always wanted to see in the mirror. Skin and bones with a perfect tan complexion. Only, still, something was missing. I resorted to flirting with whichever guy would look my way at the time... Which at the end of the day left me in tears because I didn't really like any of them.

I was so empty. I prayed to God for him to help me through this mess I was in and I never realized he was right there with me all along.

In October of 2009 a guy named Noah stepped into my flawed world and was in awe over how.... Perfect.... I was. Me? P-p- perfect? Ha! The thought was too much. As weeks passed and I got to know him more I quickly realize that what I saw as imperfections he, and more importantly, God, saw as absolutely flawless. A warmth unlike any other flooded my heart and my mind and I became broken before God. How could I have missed this all along? Our relationship grew an together we encouraged one another and found ourselves closer to God than ever before. God had taken my broken pieces, and Noah's, and blended them together to create the most beautiful of masterpieces.

Now, Noah and I are very happily married and living our lives as a testimony of what God can do. Looking back I realize that had I not gone through all that heartache, I would never have been broken enough to relate to Noah... Had Noah not been through what he had, he never would have been able to relate to me and help me out of the funk I found myself in. The moral of this story? Well, it's simple really...

God takes us through some things that we don't understand and takes us to places we never wanted to go not to harm us, but to form us into just the right material for someone else's miracle. We may not realize at the time just who our life will impact further down the road. So don't give up. Don't give in to those lying voices. Keep on believing. There is a light at the end of the tunnel... and a blessing waiting for you there.

I hope my testimony had ignited something in your soul that inspires you to keep on moving. God has a perfect plan for your life.

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JOTOS....Monday, Monday, Monday

Whew! It has been a crazy month since I've posted last. Sorry for not keeping you all updated.

Grandma is at home recouping after her first round of Chemo. The Doctors found the cancer to be aggressive and are trying to contain it as much as possible and will then remove the bladder in late December. She has been a trooper through this whole process. Poor thing can hardly keep any food down, yet she's more concerned over others well being than herself. She is one of the most amazing women I have ever met! Things started looking better today. She was able to eat a grilled cheese sandwich so we are hoping that tomorrow she can eat something solid again.

This past weekend we had guest ministers at our church. I have to say, it was probably one of my favorite times to have an evangelist. All Nations Sunday was the 21st, so, Sis Green taught we who are in the choir some new material. My voice has never been so worn out in my entire life! From one end of my range to the other, I strained to hit some of the crazy notes she had us doing! It was all so wonderful though! I was blessed by both Bro Green & Sis Green.

I try not to get involved too much in the political scene due to the messiness of it, however, this years debates have me completely fascinated! I have enjoyed listening to the plans for America all the while knowing that no matter who is elected, GOD's got this! I am excited to go and cast my vote this week for the candidate of my choice. I believe brighter days are coming for both America and the Church!!

My mind went back to several songs today... One in particular really stuck out.

"He Will Carry Me" by Mark Schultz

This song perfectly describes the things I have felt over the last few weeks as well as the battles I've faced. I don't know why I'm walking through "the valley of the shadows" but I will still hold tight to His hand.

My own health has been in pretty bad shape recently... More on that later.

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JOTOS....Monday Again

Took a break from blogging to spend time with my family this past week.

As many of you know, my grandma had been diagnosed with bladder cancer and had to have a surgery to remove the tumors. The Doctors were able to remove most of it and were pretty confident they had it under control.... but then the Doctor saw something and sent off part of the masses for further testing. Thursday of last week we got the news that Grandma's cancer was deeper into the tissue than they originally thought and she would have to have another surgery along with chemotherapy. She is right at Stage 2. Please remember her in your prayers! We still believe that God can heal!!!

On a much happier note, My husband has been up to something lately. He has been planting clues here and there hinting towards a surprise trip for our Anniversary/My Birthday. I am so excited!! I have only received 2 clues so far, but I think I know where we are going!!! All I need is one more clue and I'm pretty sure I'll figure it out;)

 

Hopefully, I'm right and our trip will be to this lovely place:

 

And then... to this AMAZING place!!!

 

Ahhhhh... Nashville!

 

 

Not sure what exactly it is about this place that I love so much... I wish I could go back every single year! After we went to Nationals in 2009, I fell head over heels for this city. The music, the history, the people, everything about it is so enthralling! I about had a heart attack when it flooded a few years ago. I cried for days! (Seriously!)

 

 

Fingers crossed that this is my surprise destination;)

 

 

Hope you all have a blessed week!!!

 

 

 

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JOTOS... Monday Madness

I took a break from blogging over the weekend. (Seems silly to take a break after 4 posts lol) I spent it with my family. Grandma's surgery was successful, they were able to remove the cancer and they did not have to remove any of the bladder! She goes back on Thursday for a follow up appointment. Thanks for all of the prayers:))

On another note... We had tremendous church yesterday. The power of God was so evident in both services. I love it when the spirit moves and we break out in dancing and singing. :)

With all the happenings in the middle east, it got me thinking about the end of the world. (Eventually it has to end, right?) What if we are the last generation... What if there is no "50 years" from now? What if He returns in the next 5 years? Will you be ready? Will I be ready? What will I have accomplished in my few years here?

I don't know about you, but it inspired something in me. A spark flew in my mind... I've got to do more! I need to teach more people about the good was of Jesus! I've got to share as much as I can about the Word! Time is going by ever so quickly and I refuse to waste another second:)

Hope your weekend was awesome! What did you do?? Leave a comment:))

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JOTOS....Rainy Thursday

What a dreary day today is! The clouds are in full force. The rain is peaceful as it drips down the window to make a splash on the window pane. I, I am waiting. Waiting for texts from my Aunt to know how the surgery is going. I should know more soon. Praying it all is fine.

To distract myself from all the stress of the day, I decided to play princesses with the girls my sister keeps. It was such fun! I got out some party flutes and napkins left over from my wedding and we had a party! The girls had a blast and I succeeded in keeping my thoughts off of the procedure for a while.

Makayla loves to act like a grown up and decided she wanted to wear my shoes;) She is so silly.

Now, I sit here listening to Devan read Prince Caspian to them as they drift off to sleep. I love these stories. Such great adventure for the reader or listener to imagine.

I will let you all know tomorrow how everything goes.

Do something nice for someone today. You never know what someone is going through and your kind act may turn their day around:)

JOTOS....Wonderful Wednesday

Wednesday.... hump day.... middle of the week.... whatever it is for you, for me, today is not the best day.

I'll just be honest here, my Wednesday has not started off very well at all. HOWEVER, I must say it isn't the worst day I've ever had so, I'm thankful.

My grandma called me early this morning and told me not to worry about taking care of her house while she's in the hospital, that everything will be fine. (She's amazing. All this stuff going on and she hasn't worried once!) She also said that my grandpa was a mess LOL He is so worried about entertaining everyone while they're here for the surgery. Poor man, he doesn't realize there won't ever be anyone at home cause they'll all be at the hospital with them!

Over these last few days I have realized just how much I take my family for granted. It's sad that it takes something like Cancer to wake a person up. I spend too much time away from them (and I live right down the road!). I really have allowed myself to become so "busy" that I have wasted so many opportunities to make memories. Makes my heart hurt. From here on out, I vow to make more time for ALL of my family. (No matter how much they annoy me sometimes. *cough cough* Ethan *cough* ;) )

If you're my friend on Facebook, you may have noticed that I changed my "cover photo" to the music for Joy On The Other Side of Jordan. (I told you, it's my favorite) I love pictures of sheet music!!!! I don't really know why... It's just a weird thing I guess. :)

OH, one last thing....

Thank you SONIC for having EXCELLENT sweet raspberry tea today;)

Lindsey Strawn- So Small

JOTOS...Tuesday Morning

Tuesday....

The hope for the rest of the week. The day after monday. The day before hump day. There are many things that can describe this day of the week. For thousands of people 11 years ago today, this day was the end of life as they knew it.

Today we reflect on our Country and those that fell in the 9/11 attacks. What a nightmare that day was. I remember where I was... safe and sound at home getting ready to start my schooling. Where were you? My thoughts and prayers are still with all of those affected by the tragedy of 9/11. We will NEVER forget.

On a much happier note, today is the birthday of one of my dearest friends. I called this morning to simply wish her a happy birthday and ended up talking about lots of other things. She is a true inspiration to me. Happy Birthday Sis Teresa!

This morning we found out that my Grandma's surgery will be on Thursday morning at 11:30. We are believing that God has already been working on her behalf. I will let you all know the results of the surgery as soon as I get the information.

It's funny isn't it? How we tend to get so busy in life that we leave God in the shadows until we need him. Lord, I pray that I never get so busy that I forget about You.

Today I challenge you, my readers, (whoever they may be) to spend an hour in prayer and meditation. You will find your day to go much more smoothly when you include a little talk with Jesus!

Have a happy Tuesday!

A New Adventure

I am not much of a writer so beginning this blog is uncharted territory for me. However, I have many thoughts so this seemed the best way to broadcast them. :)

"Joy on the Other Side" is in reference to the old hymn Joy on the Other Side of Jordan, which just so happens to be one of my favorite oldies.

I have grown a lot over the past few years, (inwardly and outwardly HA!) well, at least I feel I have, and my views of a lot of subjects have changed. For example, toe socks. They are NOT a good fashion statement. ;) In all seriousness, there has been a lot happen in my little life span that I couldn't see the joy in. I couldn't find the good in a bad situation, until now.

Recently my Grandma was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder. My whole world came crashing down around me. MY grandma? MY best friend? How could this be? I have been faithful to God in every way I know how. I've been giving all my time to the church, all my life, my everything I have poured out into the ministry and now this? Why did I deserve this... what am I doing wrong... Hundreds of questions I asked God in a matter of minutes. Yes, I was angry. I was scared. I was hurting. Then, like only He can, a still small voice entered my chaotic thoughts and brought me to my knees...literally. "It's not about you." Wow! Something I should know, something so obvious brought my emotional hurricane to a standstill. It isn't about me. This bad situation I found myself in was NOT about me. It wasn't another major trial that I had to face in order for me to grow. This was a way for God to prove himself to my family. This was a long awaited answer to a prayer I had prayed a long time ago. I just had to be still and trust Him.  

We are still awaiting the news from the doctors as to when surgeries will be scheduled, what the other options are, etc... But I have full faith that God has already been working. I have a peace in my heart unlike anything I've ever felt. I found Joy on the Other Side.

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