If I were still working, yesterday would have been the last day of school and today would be the beginning of my summer vacation.  I can’t believe it has been 2 years since I last worked.

Today, I started the day as if it were my first day of vacation, sitting outside, reading, planning, journaling, enjoying the birds and the dogs ‘till they started to drive me nuts barking.  Unfortunately, I was without the coffee I would have normally enjoyed.  I haven’t been able to drink any for a week but even then it’s down to less than a couple of cups per week.  I cut back when I found out I had cancer.  It’s bad for us cysty breasted girls.

And Chuck says that’s pronounced “sexy”. 

I sat outside thinking about when I worked and how I always looked forward to my “off times”.  I think that was a huge reason I liked my job, summers off, 2 weeks at Christmas, sometimes a week at Thanksgiving.  I do miss my kids though.  I saw two of them a month back and didn’t recognize them at first.  The last time I saw them they were 2^nd grade and K5.  The change in them made me feel old.  They didn’t recognize me either.  I no longer have dark hair and wasn’t wearing sunglasses.  Even when I was working kids wouldn’t recognize me off work.  They only saw me sitting down and with sunglasses on.  I would have to put them on and say, “Now do you know who I am?” and they would.

I’m off track, thinking about not working and what I’ve gone through, starting to feel sorry for myself but remembering how much I enjoyed my first day of summer vacation and how hopeful it made me feel to think about all the things I would be able to do and get done.  And, again, sorrow begins to creep in because of all I can’t do and not having a car and being able to go when I want to – finally to the true subject of this writing;

I read from “In a pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day”

  The more problems you have the more potential you have

 maybe God is “remodeling” you

  maybe the problems you thought you’d never overcome will turn into a sacred opportunity

  God wants us to learn to see bad experiences through the good we have gained from them.

 God recycles our pain for someone else’s gain

  the circumstances you complain about become chains that imprison you and                 

             worship is the way out.

Then I went on to read from Unstoppable;

·      suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character 

    and character produces hope;  

    HOPE has been my word since finding out I had cancer.

·      We are afflicted so we can comfort others as God has comforted us

             Even though bad things happen God still loves you!

And from the book 1000 Gifts;

It is suffering that has the realest possibility to bear down and deliver grace.

And grace that chooses to bear the cross of suffering –

overcomes that suffering.

Interesting that all that I’m reading is about persevering, suffering,

 illnesses, and problems being good things not bad.

Finally, I read from Ephesians my prayer for my family, myself, friends, and whoever reads this;

…the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

Ephesians 1:17-18

New piece in Etsy shop:

Hope and Faith

 still working on:

Story time;

Why I remembered this today I don’t know but thought I’d share.

Some of you know I drove a tractor trailer with my husband for a little while.  We were team drivers.  When we started, I was the day driver and he had the night shift but we ended up switching.  I preferred the night, how it was less crowded, cooler and quiet.  But I didn’t like how you couldn’t find a parking place at night and would always have to park really far from the bathrooms.  Which brings me to this story.

We were in LA.  I think it was actually the first time we were there.  We were at a company owned operating center which is fenced and locked and only drivers who worked for them were allowed to park and use the showers, restaurant, laundry and fueling station.  It was about 2:30 in the morning and I needed to go to the bathroom.  Chuck was exhausted from the drive and did not want to go with me.  I was very angry about this because of the time and having to walk to the facilities by myself.  In my anger I did not think about what I was doing.  We were trained to never walk between trailers in the dark, or alone, and to always go the most lighted route for safety.   I was muttering under my breath, walking in the dark between trailers and finally got onto the parking area that was flooded in light.  Walking toward the building I could see the fuel pumps and this Asian man dressed in red and green, rather bright.  He was stepping back and forth in place watching me, like he was waiting for me. 

When I got close enough he said, “You know you shouldn’t be walking between the

trailers in the dark like that.  I know the company’s picky about who can work for them but you just never know if someone might be a little crazy.  You need to stay out of the dark and stay in the light.  I care about you and I never want to see you get hurt.  Remember, stay out of the dark and stay in the light.” 

I was so shocked I just said ok and turned to walk up to the building.  I turned back around to say, “thank you”.  But, there was no one there.  And there was nowhere to go that I would not have seen him.  It was a large open area and in the second it took me to turn around it would have been impossible for him to have gone out of sight.   On my way back to the truck I made sure to stay in the light and anytime I had to be out at night after that I always remembered him and what he said. 

Someone asked once if I believe in angels….

puppies, visitor, mother's day gifts and reading

We don't know what Finn was doing with his bum in the air but
he seemed very comfortable.

Minion wanted to match his mom in his choice
of footwear

an early morning visitor

Mother's day flowers from Jesse that she
actually grew.  Really pretty, she's got quite
a green thumb, unlike her mom.

Mother's day flowers from Corey.  So pretty!

Reading today:

Unstoppable by Nick Vujicic

I don’t believe God causes us to be hurt, sick, or to suffer a loss.  But I do believe that God finds ways for us to use bad things for a good purpose. 

The Bible says suffering comes from Adam and Eve.  We all have sin because of them.  When Adam and Eve fled the Garden of Eden, they had fallen into sin and were banished from the supernatural world to the natural world.  Because of their sin, they and all their ancestors—including you and me—were separated from God’s kingdom.  So while we seek eternal life through God in heaven, we first have to go through a temporary life in the natural world to get there.  Still, while we are in the natural world, we should live with purpose so that God can bring the good out of even bad situations.

This is a difficult concept to master with logical thinking.  A positive attitude is helpful, but it takes more than that to deal with a major medical issue.  You need the love of your family and friends.  And Christians can draw upon the incredible power of the Holy Spirit that transforms us from the inside out.  As bad as your injury, illness, or disability may be, you can allow God to make something beautiful out of it.  Personally, I can’t make beauty out of pain and suffering, but in His mercy and power and greatness, God can.

This is how I feel about my situation.  I believe God has allowed a great deal of good to happen because of it.  

Sanford art festival

2nd year for this festival.  I didn't know

about this show.  Chuck found it online.

 I've always liked downtown Sanford.

 I liked that it wasn't overly crowded and that they had 

"live exhibits" showing how different types of art are done.

 I saw this hawk nest on the top

of this building.

 Nice place for a nest.