What God Showed Me While I Was Making Jello

     I recently stumbled upon a recipe for finger jello by The Pioneer Woman. I was intrigued because I have been on a gummy candy kick lately. So, last night I thought I would give this a try. I love The Pioneer Woman. She has very specific step-by-step instructions with pictures. This particular recipe was easy, just time consuming. I started out great. I made the first batch of jello and was supposed to put it in the fridge for 15 minutes to set. While I was waiting, I went ahead and made the next layers to go on top. Well, I kept checking it and it wouldn't set. But I never waited the full 15 minutes. I finally thought, "Well, half of it is ready. I'll just go ahead and pour on the next layer." Big Mistake. Of course, it all mixed together. So, what did I do? I continued to pour the rest of the layers on. The result was not The Pioneer Woman's perfectly beautiful layers of red, white, and green jello. No. What I ended up with is a square pan of mostly white and pink mixed jello with hints of green, lol. And I admit---it is completely my fault. I did not follow the directions. I was impatient and thought I could speed the process up and get the same result. Wrong. And as I realized that, I also realized the same is true in my life. Sometimes Many times, I don't follow God's directions. I get impatient and try to speed things up. The result is never good. But maybe, just maybe, if I wait on God and follow His directions, the end result will be beautiful, just the way He planned. Scratch the just maybe. Definitely. It would definitely be the way He planned. But doing that is hard for me. I'm still learning. There, that is what God showed me while I was making jello. :)

Have Faith in God

     Last night before I went to sleep, I was talking to God. I think I said something along the lines of "I don't understand, I wish I could understand." I turned off my lamp. Seconds later, the chorus of the old hymn "Have Faith in God" was in my head. I haven't heard or sang that song in years. I could remember the chorus  but not the verses. So, I did what everyone does these days when they want to know something. I googled it! :) What the song lyrics contained amazed me. The fact that God put the song on my heart amazed me. In essence, He was telling me to have faith in Him---that He knows what is on my heart and has heard my prayers. Here is the song, written by Baylus Benjamin McKinney:

1 Have faith in God when your pathway is lonely;

He sees and knows all the way you have trod.

Never alone are the least of His children;

Have faith in God, have faith in God.

Chorus:

Have faith in God, He's on His throne;

Have faith in God, He watches o'er His own.

He cannot fail, He must prevail;

Have faith in God, have faith in God.

2 Have faith in God when your prayers are unanswered;

Your earnest plea He will never forget.

Wait on the Lord trust His Word and be patient;

Have faith in God, He'll answer yet. [Chorus]

3 Have faith in God in your pain and your sorrow;

His heart is touched with your grief and despair.

Cast all your cares and your burdens upon Him;

And leave them there, oh, leave them there. [Chorus]

4 Have faith in God though all else fail about you;

Have faith in God, He provides for His own.

He cannot fail though all kingdoms shall perish;

He rules, He reigns, upon His throne. [Chorus]

And Jesus, replying, said to them, "Have faith in God [constantly]. Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!' and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him. For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]." Mark 11:22-24 AMP

End of an Era

     This week, I was able to visit my very first "real" job to wish my former supervisor a happy retirement! I also was able to see some of my former coworkers/friends that still work there. I suddenly remembered all the memories I made working there. My job was at a local bank in the Imaging Department that I got about two weeks before I graduated from high school. The Imaging Department processes all the checks from all the local branches. We sorted the checks, scanned them, keyed the amounts, keyed the routing and account numbers, and finally balanced everything. I started out working part-time but soon was offered a 32 hour position. With this I was able to get paid vacation and insurance! I worked my first two years in town and was able to go to a community college. My mom encouraged me to save as much money as I could to put towards my four year college. So that is what I did! I was able to transfer my job to the Imaging Department in that city. I worked there for three years and was able to pay for my college and other living expenses with this job. God really provided for me with this job even though it was difficult at times to balance college and work. I was able to pay for my education without taking out loans until I went to graduate school. I learned the value of hard work plus I also was able to work with many fun, interesting people along the way. Anyway, it seems like the end of an era so to speak because I found out that the place I worked during my time at the university is now closed. :( It seems unreal that we processed so much work there and now with new technology and procedures it is no longer needed. It was the perfect job for a college student and I made tons of memories during my 5 years there.

Wishing Ms. Linda a happy retirement!

Because I Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself....

"Real faith isn’t a hopeful wish. Real faith is making the 

decision that no matter the outcome, we’ll choose to see it as 

God’s perfect answer.

Through the good. Through the not so good. And even 

through the down right awful- we will trust God. Now this 

doesn’t mean we won’t cry and express hurt. But it does 

mean we’ve decided it’s better to have lived trying to take

leaps of faith with God, than to walk away from Him." ~ Lysa 

TerKeurst

SO TRUE!!!!!

Family Tree and "Jewells" of Names

     About a year ago, my Aunt Dianne asked me to redraw a family tree for the annual family reunion. This reunion is on my dad's mother's side of the family. I think I have been once, right after I graduated from high school. I really don't know very many of the people that attend simply because they are such distant relatives. Nevertheless, I felt I should attempt to draw this family tree. Let me just say, it is a huge family! My grandmother was one of nine children! And she alone had seven children, so you can imagine how big and complicated this tree is. There are roughly 281 names on it. Whoa! Something interesting I discovered is that my great-grandmother got married when she was 14 years old!!! She had her first child at age 15 and her last one at age 33. I could not even imagine. Here I am 29 years old and single as ever, lol! What a different life it must have been 100 years ago. My own grandmother got married at age 25, which I find interesting because I thought most people got married really young back then. I never met my biological grandfather, but have seen pictures of him. He was a handsome fella! I would have loved to hear how they met and fell in love. 

The top is the original; the bottom is my version-couldn't resist putting a swing on the tree and a bird nest in the tree! :)

     Anyone who really knows me well, knows that I have an obsession interest in names. :) I just love to discover unique or interesting names. As I was working on this project, I discovered some "Jewells" of names. Jewell was one of my dad's uncles. I like the name Jewel, but have to say I definitely picture it more on a girl this day in age. Other interesting names that caught my eye:

Shelby-the patriarch of the family

Lula-matriarch of the family

Estelle

Ruth-had to include this as it is my grandmother!

Vanessa

Millie-love this name!

Genell-yet another lovely

Royal-how cool

Delphine-loving this for some reason

Ophelia

Dorinda (Dorie)

Mariela-very pretty

Pearlie-believe it or not, this was a man!

There were lots and lots of the following as first and middle names:

Lloyd

Elzey

Shelby

Jewell

Elma

Letting Go and Letting God

Quotes from my daily email devotion this morning: 

"Throughout the pages of His Word, you're going to see the hidden hand of God...working in mysterious ways, in inexplicable ways. God is in the shadows arranging things, moving things people cannot see. That may be true in your life right now. God is working, but you cannot see Him working.We do not live by explanations. Life is not a problem to be solved; it is a mystery to be lived. Sometimes we must back off and simply see what I call the hidden hand of God. Just because today you cannot see the hand of God working doesn't mean God is not working."

~ The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. Psalm 138:8

~ I will cry to God Most High, Who performs on my behalf and rewards me [Who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them]! Psalm 57:2 

Jesus knows my heart and how I've tried to do what I believe He has been leading me to do. I've cried out to Him over and over and over. I pray with all my heart that He accomplishes His purposes and that He is working things out even though I can't see what He is doing. Even if He doesn't, He is good! Even though I may never fully understand His very mysterious ways, knowing Him is worth it. There is no way I could ever know Him enough!

What Are You Doing This Summer???

     Several people have asked me what I'm doing this summer. I usually respond vaguely simply because I don't really have any big, exciting plans. No trips to the beach or Disney World, lol. Although, I would totally love to be able to do those things! My plan is simply to relax and enjoy myself. Take it easy. Why, not right? Why not enjoy these single days and do whatever I want, when I want, ha! Kid-free + man-free = stress-free :) So, I think my summer will look a little like this:

Sleeping late

Laying by the pool

Going to the gym

Taking naps

Visiting family

Visiting friends

Watching movies

Reading books

Working on my quilt

Crafting

May seem kind of dull, but I plan to enjoy every bit of it! There are no rules on how to spend my days this summer and that is the best part. Hopefully I will be refreshed and renewed and ready for a great year of speech therapy in August! So, tell me, what are YOU doing this summer???