Give Me A Break

As I sit here this morning I have so much on my mind and on my heart. I try so hard to be a wonderful wife and a wonderful mother, I know I'm not perfect, I know I am not blameless I know things don't just fall apart over night. I accept that it takes two to argue but I have gotten to where I don't argue unless the words are so hurtful to my heart but there are times my heart is numb and void of feelings. I don't like that, I don't like emotionless, I don't like emptiness, I don't like anger, I don't like harsh words because they create harsh and hard feelings, that is not who I am, it is not who I want to be, it is not who I was created to be. I want happiness, peace, love, I know blended families are hard but I also know that things at first were working great! I go back and forth on what I should do, what I want to do, what I need to do, on what is right when it comes to our relationship. I struggle so much with this! I love my husband but I can't deal with how he acts, every time I am just about down and I'm fed up I take a deep breath and I dive back in and I try harder to make it work, but what if its just me trying to fit a square peg into a round hole no matter how you try, no matter how much strength you put into it...it'll never fit...it'll never work...but yet I keep trying. I pray that God gives me guidance on how to do this, how to fix us, or which way I should go in our lives together.  I don't want to just be another statistic, I don't want yet another failed marriage, I don't want our children to grow up in a house without their father I already have 3 that have that kind of life I don't want that for the other two as well. But I don't want the stress, or the anger either. My head hurts it has hurt since yesterday afternoon from stress, from not knowing what to do I know where to turn, I know to turn to God I know to trust in his will and direction for my life, I know with God and in God I am strong even when I feel weak I know I'll get past all this and I'll overcome the stress. I just wish things would just go right for once it seems like for every step forward we take we go backwards 2 or 3 steps. I just can't bring myself to deal with the back and forth behavior one day it's I love you you are the best wife in the world, the next day it's you suck and a few other choice words I mean really??? I don't deserve this junk, no one does. *sigh* I probably shouldn't even be writing this blog but I just need to get it out of my mind and onto something. I just no longer know what to do myself stay, leave, I just don't know anymore. So here I am...about void of feelings...tired....broken continuously over and over again...but I know God will give me what I need to keep on going..I just need a little break it seems like the hits just keep coming and coming these day's. What is right always triumphs over what is wrong I do believe that. So I'll continue to push forward with God leading the way. I just need a wee little break from it all some rest, and some peace.

Life Ain't Always Beautiful

There's a country song I love called Life Ain't Always Beautiful here are the lyrics to it:
Life ain't always beautiful
Sometimes it's just plain hard
Life can knock you down, it can break your heart

Life ain't always beautiful
You think you're on your way
And it's just a dead end road at the end of the day

But the struggles make you stronger
And the changes make you wise
And happiness has it's own way of takin it's sweet time

CHOURS
No, life ain't always beautiful
Tears will fall sometimes
Life aint always beautiful
But it's a beautiful ride

Life ain't always beautiful
Some days I miss your smile
I get tired of walkin all these lonely miles
And I wish for just one minute
I could see your pretty face
Guess I can dream, but life don’t work that way

But the struggles make me stronger
And the changes make me wise
And happiness has it's own way of takin it's sweet time

No, life ain't always beautiful
But i know i'll be fine
Hey, life aint always beautiful
But it's a beautiful ride
What a beautiful ride

There are so many young people who just don't  get it, life is hard yes it'll knock you on your rear end, it'll break your heart on some days, on others it'll be the best thing ever, your heart will soar like an eagle. Life has it's ups and downs for all of us and things do not come easy at all! Things you want you have to work for, relationships, a life of your own, a home of your own, a place in this world ...... it just doesn't come easy, I wish it did but life had no easy button at all and yet so many people act like it's just them and it's not. Every single one of us have gone through some stuff in our lives. I know that I have gone through a lot of stuff, but you know what I survived it and I keep on surviving and what I've done from all the rough stuff in my life is I have learned to put it in a postive  light rather than focus on the poor poor pitiful me aspect! I have learned to grow from mistakes I've made and things I've gone through yes my friends sometimes happiness is a CHOICE! True I do struggle with anxiety from time to time it's life I deal with it, NO ONE is perfect! I also have learned that putting my faith, my hope and my life in God's hands is so much better than leaving it all in my hands! The power of prayer and of God's grace and mercy is sufficient and awesome!  Too many people put their lives and happiness in the hands of other people...you can't count on other people or other things to make you happy,  learning to walk with God can make you happier, and learning to deal with life as it is and in relation to yourself can make you happier but other people and other things....no that wont make you happy it may give you a temporary fix but it wont suffice eventually that will not work anymore. So in my life I have been given up on by medical doctors who wanted to end me before I began, I was bullied and teased in school from elementary school till I dropped out in high school, I was in an abusive marriage, I have faced a few health issues all spliced up in there through out my life, one that almost cost me my life when I was 15 and then a few other near misses. I have issues in my current marriage and I have other family issues as well. No it isn't easy but I don't complain about it I don't throw myself a pity party, there are people out there that have had it worse than me on my worst days and I have learned from each thing I have faced, each battle I have had to come up against! And life hasn't always been beautiful that is for sure but I would not trade one minuet of my life to be anyone or anywhere else this is my life I don't let situations define me I let God define me. There are moments of splendor and beauty and I cherish them and those times are well worth dealing with the not so beautiful parts of life! It's your life...it's your choice....you going to live it and be victorious....or are you going to let it defeat you and define you?

Come on 2013

That is it I am officially ready for 2013 to come on! This year hasn't been exactly kind to me but I suppose when you step back and look at it the good does out weigh the bad. My health this year has been questionable. But my faith has been stronger, my real friends have been brought closer, and God has guided me and directed me in a way that I have never allowed him to do before.So yes the good does indeed out weigh the bad but I would love for my health to improve drastically this coming year! I'm toying with the idea of working on  my weight loss again I had for a long time did really well but now I'm bigger than I have ever been and dealing with chest pains for about 24 hours has me thinking Lori you have GOT to do better than this you have five children who count on you (well 4 children and 1 adult child oh and a husband too)! I am just so weak in this area of my life! I have tried and tried again and I'd do well I'd lose 50-60 pounds I know how to do it I am totally educated on how to lose weight it's just I'll lose that 50-60 pounds and I wont lose anymore than that and I'd like to lose more than that. But I'm going to give it all I got, get back into walking, eating right, doing 5K's I'm going to break this cycle because I have to I truly do before it is my heart causing me issues I have too many people who depend on me and I'm not ready to leave them behind because I want to watch them grow. But this is one of my biggest weaknesses. I have got to find a way to overcome it. I hope that I will be sitting here a year from now talking about how well I'm feeling and how great I'm doing hopefully I will be, but there is one thing for sure no matter how that works out I'll be sitting here telling you how good God is that's for sure!Because even in the middle of my health issues here and there, my family issues, my own little issues God is great and greatly to be praised for all the good he does give me in my life!

Where Did He Go?

This blog may or may not ever see the light of day, I am not sure just yet. I have so much on my mind and my heart. I saw something that made me face a truth I have known for sometime I've seen the signs and symptoms and as someone who has take many many Psychology courses I know in my heart of hearts it's true weather or not my husband will admit it or not. Let me take you guys back about 8 years more specifically the month of September of 2004. Wayne and I had just gotten married in July of 2004, and found out we were expecting Noah in August of 2004 after we had dated for quite sometime, we were online friends first and then moved on to dating. We fell in love with each other and it was the kind of inseparable love, we didn't like being a part, we were always on each others minds. We'd talk on the phone for hours and spent time together every single chance we got. We decided to buy a house and get married and so we did, shortly after getting married we found out he was going to be deployed and then we found out we were expecting Noah. So all amid all this excitement, happiness and love...there was a sense of fear, worry and what not layered under it all with deployment being certain. He was set to leave for Iraq September 15,2004 this was the very last time I saw the man I married the loving, kind, caring, do anything for you make you feel like a princess man I married. He was only deployed four months but it was a long four months being pregnant and raising my older three children and holding down the fort while he was gone was something I did do and I did it well but it wasn't easy. There were moments of fear and anxiety and I hid it from the kids I refused to fall apart in front of them I know I probably did a handful of times but over all I did really well. My weakest moments I think was when my son Matthew who adored Wayne and Matthew was 3 years old back then grabbed a hold of some guys leg who had on a pair of BDU's and squealed WAYNE at the top of his little lungs cause he thought the guy was his step daddy he didn't look up he just saw the pants and associated it as what Wayne wore every day, the man understood he put his hand on his head and said sorry buddy I'm not Wayne but I bet he's one lucky guy to have a little guy like you so excited to see him. Then there came the instant that Matthew thought Wayne had left us, kids coming from an already broken home are at times insecure so since Wayne was gone for a bit Matthew started crying and I said son what is the matter and he said Wayne left us and he's never coming back to home. It broke my heart but thank God for an awesome first shirt Wayne had back at Pope AFB he called to check in on us that afternoon to see if he could help with anything yard work, repairs anything I needed, and I told him about Matthew's little episode and how I had tried to explain to him Wayne was away at work. Well he said Mrs.Metayer give me a bit and I'll get a hold of Wayne and have him call Matthew, an hour or so passed and it was Wayne on the phone to talk to Matthew after the reassurance from Wayne Matthew felt much better and knew he'd see his step daddy again. Wayne became a big part in my older three children's lives because their father never really connected with them and did much with them and Wayne would take them to the park, out for ice cream, hikes we had a blast as a family. Our lives all changed drastically while he was gone the fun and laughter seemed to leave with him. We had our moments but things were more bitter sweet without him. He remained very loving and supportive through out his deployment in fact he had arranged for roses to be delivered on the 2nd of every month to mark the day we got married. Never before had I ever had anyone treat me with so much love as Wayne treated me. Well the months went by we muddled through I had my ultrasound appointment in December to see if Noah was a boy or a girl I had a gut feeling we were having a boy and I had told Wayne all along our baby was a boy so Matthew and I headed off for the appointment together cause the girls were in school, it was confirmed I was correct (mommy's have  away of knowing sometimes) I took Matthew to meet up with a few other spouses and to let him play and have lunch, my cellphone rang I was expecting his call because I knew how excited he was to find out if he was going to have a son or a daughter. So when my phone rang with the DSN number I was so excited to tell him he was going to be a daddy to a baby boy. He was soooo happy and excited you could hear it in his voice he like no really really we are having a boy really don't play with me we are really having a son! He told everyone around him that he was going to have a son he was happy, and he was proud! After that the month flew by...January 17th, 2005 my husband was to return home on January 16th I got a call to confirm from him he was out of Iraq thank you God for keeping him safe because in the back of your mind the whole time you are going through a deployment you worry about was that last kiss I gave him going to be our real last kiss, will I see that smile, hear that voice, feel that touch, hold his hand, will he be here to make me laugh, raise our children there are sooo many thoughts, sooo many memories flood your mind at night time after the kids are in bed and there are no distractions, distractions like kids, friends, cleaning keep your mind from making you freak out and remain frozen but night time all those thoughts consume you well they consumed me, I slept with a picture of him and the last shirt he wore I didn't wash it I kept it cause I could smell him, some people might see that as weird or creepy but to me it made me feel close to him. but January 17th finally arrived I was so nervous, happy, excited to the point I felt sick. I entered the gate on base Matthew was with me and I couldn't choke back the tears of happiness and excitement perhaps the hormones of being pregnant added to these tears, but I doubt it cause even writing this, remembering it I have tears flowing down my cheeks. I was crying and my son said from the backseat said mommy don't cry Pooky is coming home (shhh that was my and still is my pet name for him) a 3 year old don't understand tears of relief and happiness they only think of sadness or pain when they see tears. We made it to the area where they were coming in to on the bus, Wayne's 1st shirt was there he was awesome but I about died laughing when he was talking to Matthew he said hey son what are you up to today and Matthew said very loudly and proudly we have come to get Pooky and take him home!  Laughter did erupt needless to say. Anyways he arrived I had never been so happy to see another human being in my whole life this man was my other half as corny as it sounds he did complete me I felt whole when he was home! When he left you couldn't really tell I was pregnant but by the time he got home I was 5 months or so pregnant and he was like oh wow so there is Pooky Jr. he was happy to be home with us. The first little bit of him being home was great it was as if he had never left. We were all happy and enjoying each other. Soon we were welcoming Noah into the world and then a few weeks after his birth we noticed something was wrong with our son, that's when I noticed it in Wayne....he could not cope with or deal with stressful situations anymore. He lost his temper, he yelled and he had a shorter fuse. Sure having a sick baby who required surgery is stressful but...not so much to the point you yell at people. I had noticed that certain things before made him a little edgy, Ft. Bragg would have the cannons and what not go off and if we happened to be in bed and he was holding me he held on to me tighter, I noticed that the sound bothered him. Sitting back looking at all we have been through together over the last six years fussing, arguing and etc it all started after he came back from Iraq he hasn't coped well with anxiety and stress at all. I realize that I truly did kiss my husband goodbye on that day in September 2004 because he was changed. I don't know if any amount of hoping is going to ever put things back together again! I realize being in a war zone is a life changing event, having rocket going off around you landing 10-20 feet from you, seeing a guy from the same base you were at sent home in a box, and sitting through alarm red after alarm red and fearing you wont make it home to your family  those things change people sometimes in good ways it gives them wake up calls sometimes in negative ways. I miss the man that I married so much and I often wonder where he went..deep down I know the truth. But then again deep down I also know that when he left I lost some of me too. I truly do love my husband God knows that more than anything about me is that I have so much love for him, it's just so hard to deal with him getting angry, him yelling and his man tantrums as I like to call them, it get's so hard! I pray and I pray that God will make him whole that he will heal whatever has gone wrong in him. I pray God will return to me my husband, my heart, my other half.I fight the urge to walk away, I fight the urge to throw my hands up those things would be an easy way out and people would understand if I said I couldn't take it anymore...but at the end of the day I don't know if I could live with walking away and giving up...but then again how much should one person take? I see saw with these thoughts I live in my own land of confusion, what is right, what is just, what is wrong, what can I live with, what can I live without...maybe this changed him..maybe it changed me as well...maybe we are both battling with our own turmoil within ourselves..But God please hear my cry I want my marriage, I want my children's father and I want them to know the man he was before and the woman I use to be as well. I no longer want to be who we have become...

Growing Through Learning

Four weeks ago I began my educational journey into the direction I felt God was guiding me. I am absolutely loving it! Before this class started I spent just a small amount of time in God's word, I did my daily devotional, and I did my children's daily devotional, I said my prayers and I thanked God for all that he has given me in my life. But my first class which is Apologetics has me digging into God's word more. It has shown me so much about myself and as well has educated me on how to approach others as well. I've totally fallen in love with this class and I'm eagerly awaiting my next class to start. I have learned to be quite a little bit more and to allow what I read to sink in, to get more into God's word and allow him to speak to me through his word. I know without a doubt I am headed in the right direction. When it comes to school in the past I have felt stressed out, worried anxious but I look forward to my time every day studying, reading and learning more and growing in God and going in the direction that he is sending me! Who knows which way this will lead me but as long as I play follow the leader it's going to be great because God is my leader and I will follow where ever he sends me. In fact I have loved the time I have spent studying and getting more and more into God's word that I have opted to cut out the extra time I spend on facebook which is one of my weaknesses because I love to talk to my friends and catch up on what's going on in their worlds now I will check in once in the morning and before bedtime but I am refocusing a lot of my priorities God being the number 1 priority, then my spouse and my children! I have a lot of internal sorting going on as well that I'm not going to put it out there in the public eye because we are going through a lot still have one thing hanging over our heads that is causing some intense worry but we are making plans and doing all that we can do but most of all I know no matter what God will provide a way for this situation to play out, I find myself reminding myself that God closes one door sometimes and opens and even better door for us if we just trust in him! 

My News

Hello my friends who do take the time to read this! September 17th I will starting a new university, and a new degree program. I wrestled and prayed and prayed again over this. I was officially accepted into Liberty University on August 16th into Liberty Baptist Theo Seminary where I will be working on my MA in Religion with a focus in Pastoral Ministry. This focus leaves a broader umbrella for me to move under in whichever way God chooses to use me. At the moment I fell more lead towards youth ministry work but who knows where I'll end up...well God knows only he knows and I trust in him to lead me where I need to go. This is something my mind could have never conceived that I'd be doing at 38 years old or any age for that matter. I've lived my life however I saw fit. I know that the months/year ahead of me will be filled with lots of information, lots of challenges but I trust that as long as I seek God's will, and I stay the course that he has sat me on that I will be alright. I know this has caught some old friends from my past way off guard, I have honestly struggled with talking to them about this because I know in what regard they hold God and Christianity. But I have put it out there and they know what I'm doing. They seem to have distanced their selves to the point of not telling me stuff, and avoiding me. This bothered me and ate at me for about a good week and then I just got it through my thick head that a friend a real and true friend will be there at all times no matter how you change or grow a true friend accepts you for who you are. I have accepted all my friends how they are and it hurt bad when I didn't feel that acceptance that I have for them. But for every person who has rejected me since I have grown closer to God he has replaced with loving people who know him too, that walk beside me, who talk to me, who accepts me even when I mess up. I am sure it'll take a few people some time to get use to the idea of me not being the same Lori that I was and that's alright. Honestly I have had some close family members voice their disapproval but they can disapprove all they like because it isn't them that I seek approval from, it isn't what they want that I choose to live my life by, I choose to live my life in a way that is pleasing to God, in a way in which he wants me to. He is the potter and I am the clay and he can do with my life what he see's fit because from my first day of life God has had a plan and me living my plan hasn't worked for me too well...so let's try living his plan, his will and what he wants from me and for me. With all that God has done for me and all that he continues to bless me with even when I am undeserving how could I not listen to what he wants from me!

   

Hey y'all who read my blog! I feel like I haven't blogged in forever. I have had so much going on in my life over the last month well actually this whole year but it's been over a month maybe more since I blogged. So I felt like blogging tonight!
For the past half of this year I have started feeling like I'm just not headed in the direction that God intends for me as far as my education and what I wanted to do as my career path goes. Lately I feel drawn to a different career path and I really feel like it is what God wants from me. So much of my life I have spent taking care of my family, doing what I want to do when it comes to my education.I'm three classes into a Masters degree program for a degree in Psychology and yet I feel that this is not God really wants for my life. So I have spent much time in prayer lately seeking his will and his wisdom as to what he wants for my life and my future and praying that whatever it is he will use me for his glory that others will see him through me. I haven't really said much to anyone about the direction I am feeling lead simply because I want to be 110% certain this is what God would have me to do with my life for him. I have lived so many years not truly appreciating the life he has given me, and I most certainly spent quite a few years doing anything BUT his will. But I have promised myself that I'll never be so wasteful with my time or life ever again. I have requested information from my perspective new University so I'm waiting to hear back from them and will be speaking with the advisers, and counselors about possibilities and classes. I ask my friends to pray for me as I go through this process just as I pray for you daily. I know that I am headed in the right direction with my life because sure as anything when you are living for God and seeking his will Satan will try to shake you and he has worked overtime the last month or so of my life.In June I spent a week in the hospital still trying to get all better from that, had some big major family issues but that's okay I'll get through it all and I will not waiver I might get upset from time to time but I'll never throw up my hands and give up. The path that I feel lead towards with my education will quite possibly shock a few people from my past, it could cause a few older friends to feel slightly uncomfortable, heck I could lose a few friends it isn't like I haven't lost friends before since I walked away from their way of thinking. But God has since replaced them with friends who keep me uplifted when I need it, make me laugh, make me smile. He has brought me closer to a few old friends I hadn't been close to in awhile. So for everything you lose...God makes sure he replaces it and when he does it's even better than before. So I am truly looking forward to this next bit of my life and seeing what God has in store for me and my family because I know no matter what it is, it's going to be better than anything else I had planned for myself! <3

Has He Talked To You?

This past few weeks has been really something else! I have gone through many emotions with my health issues but I'm coming out of it all and it's all thanks to God and the wonderful people he has placed in my life, my friends, my church family and my wonderful doctor. But God has really shown his self to me. I woke up one morning it was around 6AM ish cause I had to get my babies up and ready for school. But when I woke from sleeping there was a certain scripture on my mind which has not really happen to me before John chapter 3. Now I know some verses but I do not by any means have the whole Bible memorized. So I was like hmmmm what is John chapter 3, well didn't have time to look it up cause I had to get my babies to school so I just was like okay I'm going to look when I get home after I take this babies to school. I got home and opened my Bible to John Chapter 3 and here is what it was all about I will copy and paste it into my blog for those of you who may not have your Bible handy so you will know what it was about:
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” ³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^[a]”
⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You^[c] must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”^[d]
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? ¹¹ Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ¹² I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven —the Son of Man.^{[e] 14} Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,^{[f] 15} that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”^[g]
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

This scripture has been on my mind and my heart ever since I read it. It has been going over and over in my mind so I prayed and prayed about this and I asked God is this what you want me to do, is this what I need to do. I have never been Baptized in almost 38 years of my life God was trying to tell me something I truly do believe this. It has really done something to me because though I know God does answer prayers, God does speak to us I'm not use to it being so bold and so strong. I spoke with a few friends of mine about this and the pure feeling of need and want I have in me. My 14 year old has also decided to do this with me she gave her heart to God last summer at camp and I am so proud of her and I hope that she will continue to seek God and I want this for the rest of my family so I'm going to be who God wants me to be and I'm going to be the example I need to be! God has been too good to me and I will listen and I will obey his will for me and my life. So June the 3rd is going to be the day of our Baptism I am excited, happy and a wee bit nervous because I simply don't like being up in front of a lot of people but I will listen and I will do what I need to do and what I desire but more importantly what he desires for me what he desires for everyone's life. I am so happy that a few of my close friends who have really been there for me has decided that they also want to come down to South Carolina for this occasion it means a lot to me to have those who have loved me, prayed for me and with me to be there! God is good and if you don't believe that let me know and I'll tell you just how good my God has been to me! <3 

 

Untitled currently just me writing ....

Thank you for the second chance

and the third and fourth one too...

I just can't say dear Lord just how

thankful I am to you.

Once upon a time I was lost 

and hope could not be found.

But you never gave up on me

no matter how tight the chains were bound.

No matter how far I strayed from you

no matter where I went

No matter how I turned away from you word

no matter how the road was twisted and bent.

Now looking back on it all I can

see just how far I have came

without you I could not have made 

it so I praise your sweet holy name.

Never again will I doubt your power,

nor will I doubt your might

and when I think the battles lost

I will remember who has already won the fight.

Do You Ever Feel Unworthy?

un·wor·thy/ˌənˈwərT͟Hē/

Adjective:

Not deserving effort, attention, or respect: "he was unworthy of trust and unfit to hold office". (of a person's action or behavior) Not acceptable, esp. from someone with a good reputation or social position.

There are many times in our lives when we might feel unworthy of many different things, unworthy of our family, unworthy of love, unworthy of forgiveness, unworthy of respect and even unworthy of the life we have. The biggest mistake anyone can make is feeling unworthy of God's love! We are worthy of his love, it has been proven that he feels we are worthy of his love, because he gave his only begotten son so that we should not parish but have everlasting life through the greatest sacrifice ever made for us. How many reading this would ever ever give their life for people they never knew? How many would give their lives for people that they have in their lives daily?  Pretty amazing to think long before we were ever born that Jesus died on the cross for me, he died for you and every other person walking this Earth. He did so without doubt, without hesitation he paid it all for us. Just thinking of it like that our human minds can tell us that we are not worthy of such love, but really we are because he felt we were worthy of this  big sacrifice. As a parent there is nothing I wouldn't sacrifice for my children even my own life or limb whatever I needed to do to help them, save them. So I guess if you take that feeling and magnify it by maybe 1,000,000 times you might come close to feeling what God fells for us.  Now there have been many times I look back on my life and I have felt unworthy because of my past mistakes, my past stumbles, my transgressions but God tells me today just as he did the day I decided to make my way back to him that I am worthy of his love. I have shared in other blogs my past, and for those who don't care to flip back through I will share again in this blog where I have been and just what God delivered me from. There have been times when I felt alone, I felt God didn't care about me, didn't want to help me, and therefore he must not even exist. But I'm here to tell you those times I was lost it was my doing not his. I left the church during some major life upheaval, I was in an abusive marriage physically, mentally, emotionally, I was dealing with depression, I was dealing with the possibility of having cancer every time I turned around it was something else something bad it was like the light at the end of the tunnel had turned off and I was in the dark. This is the time I should have cried out to God I need you, please help me I can't do this on my own, but instead I took the mindset that he just didn't care that's why I was going through all this either that or he didn't exist. Maybe all this time I was fed some major line of bull and that there was no God or if there was one he most certainly did not care what Lori was going through or that Lori's life was miserable and that she was on the verge of losing it all. I followed a few friends of mine on a very different path, I decide that there probably was a God but I didn't think I believed just as I use to I became Agnostic I questioned everything and came up with my own theory that Hell had to have been our lives here on Earth really and here is what I used to back up my own personal belief: We suffer, we experience so much pain, loss and let down. We watch those we love suffer and we lose them and we are left here to carry own to me this was hell. Don't laugh there are plenty of people who would agree with that statement. Life is beautiful but we do go through so much that it hurts more than we can imagine at times. So here it is that I wandered into my Agnostic lifestyle, one of which even included Pagan beliefs and practices. I have always enjoyed studying different beliefs and therefore I did dabble in the Pagan ways like Wicca even though I never did give it a lot of time nor did I get that deep into it but I did dabble but part of me just knew it was wrong and not where I needed to be and that it was just not right at all. So that was short lived. Then I just went back to my doubting ways and lived my life. Then again I found myself a few years ago in England, I found myself struggling with my marriage and with raising our children. I didn't have family or friends near me and again I felt alone. By this time I had friends that I love more than anything that would tell me Lori give it to God, pray, pray pray. But I couldn't I couldn't pray I couldn't find it in me to pray. I know now I couldn't find it in me to even pray and ask God for his help or his guidance because I felt UNWORTHY. How could I ask God for his help? How could I go to him in prayer and ask him to help me with my marriage issues? How could I ask him to help me with my children's issues? I didn't deserve any of his help, I had  most certainly not been an obedient child. You'd think as a mother I would have known that though my children are not always obedient I never turn my back on them, so why should he has my heavenly father turn his back on me. But still this pattern of thought did not come to me at this time but I can see these things now. My friends stood in my place and they prayed for me and my situations when I felt unworthy of God's love, mercy and grace. One day a friend posted a song (which if you have read my older blogs you'll know this already too) but it was by Casting Crowns I Will Praise You In The Storm, this song could not had been posted at a better time God is good like that! I listened to this song and tears rolled down my face and I knew what I should have known years before when I walked away that no matter how dark the skies get, no matter how bad life is at times, God is with me. It was then that I asked God to forgive me for being a doubting child, for being  a child that ran away instead of to him. There are times even now the wind blows and I get overwhelmed and I get stressed and  it takes me a bit to get a grasp on whats going on around me and then I go to God in prayer and ask him to just be with me and lead me to deal with the situations I have to face. It don't matter how far down you fall, God is a good God and he will always take you back you just have to ask, so the purpose of this blog is to tell a few people I can think of and maybe even you who are reading this blog that it don't matter what you did yesterday God can give you a new today a new tomorrow you don't have to feel unworthy because you are worthy. The following are Bible verses that remind me daily that I am worthy, and I am forgiven. 

Micah 7:19, "...he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."

1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness."

Psalms 103:12, "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." 

 

Dear Children

I'm adding this song to this blog because I want you to listen to it and I want you to realize, you only get one shot at this life. Life isn't easy children, it wont all be a bed of roses, it wont all be sunshine, I wish that I could tell you that but as your mother I have to be honest with you because that is what I want, crave and need from you and I hope that even though my life hasn't always been a reflection of God or Godly things I hope that you will see now the changes I have made and are trying to make in my life. I hope that you see Christ's love in me and I hope that I am a better example than what I use to be. I have never hid my flaws from you, you are the ones who probably know more about me than anyone else on this earth and I pray that you will learn from where I was wrong. I want you to know that though things may go wrong and you may mess up God loves you and I love you and we both only want you to do your best with this life. When things go wrong find the good, when the sun is behind the clouds find a bright spot, instead of counting your problems count your blessings. When people look at you my babies I want them to see goodness in you! When you look at yourself I want you to see the person I know you are and can be and I want you to know that I as your mother love you tremendously and when you feel that I am breathing down your neck about something it's only because I worry about you and I care about you and I know what you are capable of not because I'm some mean woman who wants to ruin your life or ruin your fun oh contrary my dears I want the best for you I want you to be your best I want you. One day when your are truly all grown up and have children of your own you will know the worry of a mother's heart, how we hope and how we pray, how we only want you to do your best. How I hope that you will know that though my path once left God's graces that was my choice not his, through every trail I have faced he was there waiting on me to ask him for his guidance and help I was only too stubborn and hard headed to turn to him and ask. Even though I was stubborn and hard headed it taught me lessons I needed and that I can use to help myself and hopefully help others including you when you need guidance. Hopefully it can be used to God's glory. I love you all,make the best out of this life we have serve God, don't hate, don't lie, don't spread hatefulness spread peacefulness, don't hurt others. Be a blessing to others that you cross paths with, when others hurt you reach deep down and pull out the love of Christ and forgive them. Don't ever be bitter just be better!
Love, Your Mom

The Power of A Praying Wife

 This is my latest take on, I have started reading this book at the recommendation of my good friend Judy.  I got it cause well lets just say my marriage isn't perfect and neither is my walk with Christ but I continue to work on both vehemently because they are both very important to me.I want to be what God would have me to be and I want to be the best wife and best mother that I can be. I want to be the kind of wife and mother that God would have me to be. I do recommend this book to my friends it is great but please do not be fooled this book is not a guide to fix your husband no, you can't do that all you can do is pray for him, all you can do is love him as God loves you. This book really makes you stop and take a look at yourself and what you may not be doing right *gasp* I know I know say what ladies but believe me we aren't perfect and as much as we'd all like to be we aren't always right. Every time we point our finger at our spouse we can turn it around and point it right back at ourselves as well. Marriage does take two to make it work but when we focus on fixing us sometimes it helps him to be able to fix his self with God's help. If you go out and get this book make sure you get the work/prayer book to go along with it cause it is in that prayer and work book you will find yourself seeing yourself and how you need to change maybe. It really breaks it all down for you it shows you who you are and who God wants you to be, and teaches you oh so much about yourself.