Reflection of Providence

You know I’m just using up dirt, sopping the ground dry with my desires for thirst with little to no desire to produce fruit. The truth of the matter is that I desire to be more well rounded, beautiful, thought highly of, that I’m placed in the best space of the garden, rather than if I’m producing fruit. My focus is continually on what God will do “to” me, not what He will do “through” me. I also have this great fear that the great Lord, the great Lover of my soul will leave me high and dry. Not only that, if I do indeed follow Him with reckless abandon that it will be a journey that I will not like. We often don’t know the truth when it hits us in the face because it isn’t the truth we are looking for. Let me share with you a little snippet of my “Sacred Romance” journal: Question: How does it feel that God is inviting you to “faint” into His arms? And, what are the ways you are trying to redeem yourself instead? Answer: First, I have to be completely honest, as much as going through...

Oh I just can get all gooey and gushy about this time of year! I LOVE IT! I love fall, I love the holidays leading up to it (Halloween and Thanksgiving!) I love everything about it. I think many people, like me, are trying to rediscover the beauty and the wonder of Christmas this year. Without Christ in your Christmas it just won’t be a complete and fulfilling Christmas. However, I get all gooseflesh about a lot of things that go on this time of year. The beautiful lights, gorgeous carols, cantadas, and Christmas plays. The events you get to be a part of like the wonderful UK collage I took my family to or the Southern Lights show that we have at the Kentucky Horse Park. It is a time for hot chocolate, hot apple cider, and pumpkin pie. It is a time to snuggle up to that special person and go for a sleigh ride or catch a showing of “The Nutcracker”. It is a time to watch “White Christmas”, “The Bells of St. Mary’s”, and “It’s a Wonderful Life”. It’s a time for Hallmark commercials and ...

I think I may have mentioned once or twice my love for Christmas. Pretty much everything about it resonates with me. Oh, the commercialism of this holiday has sort of gone bonkers, but I really try not to focus too much on that fact. Especially, since I have had the honor of not working in retail this Christmas. I did say that I wouldn’t be and I’m not…thank you Jesus! I’m blessed beyond measure to know the true meaning of Christmas. That the Lord of the entire Universe loved me so much that He came as a tiny child and died for me. The awareness of His presence personally in my life is one thing I never quite get used to. I grew up in church, so the Christmas Story has become just as much a staple in my life as Jonah and the Wale (or Big Fish!), Noah and the Ark, or Adam and Eve. In fact it has become almost too familiar. I have struggled with finding a passion for what the Christmas Story truly means and the impact it has on each of our lives. We are teaching my beautiful two-year-old...

These past few days have been really excellent for me. I have had a lot of Christmas JOY! Last night I went to see “The Nativity” with my Mom. IT IS SOOOOO GOOD! You all should go see it. I totally wasn’t in the frame of mind to really watch it so I said a little prayer before I went in. I left crying my eyes out thanking God for what He did. It is just really beautiful and simply done. The characters are rich and full. It is a soft movie, a beautiful movie, almost looks like a moving painting. I loved the music. They mixed some traditional carols to the score. The only thing I missed was the Herald of Angels proclaiming His birth, and I would have liked to have seen Simeon see Him, other than that a flawless and breathtaking film. It really got me into the Christmas mood! It is definitely going to be a classic in my house. My kids were simply beautiful this Thursday and I got to love on them. I can’t wait until Tuesday…we are throwing them a Birthday Party for Jesus on Tuesday and I j...

Alrighty! I LOVE me some Christmas music. Classics like Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Rosemary Clooney, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, etc… I love traditional albums like those done by Jaci Velasquez, Martina McBride, Linda Eder, and Bebe Winans. I also love less traditional albums like SheDaisy, MercyMe, SC2, Smitty, and now…drum roll please…Todd Agnew!!!! I truly feel that “Do You See What I See?” by Todd Agnew and Friends is probably the best album release of the year. It is one of those you find yourself pulling back out when you really need to listen to some Crosby or Mrs. McBride but can’t seem to help yourself. IT IS GREAT!!!!! It is basically what I would call a piece of art! Yep, I said it, piece of art. Each song tells a different perspective of the Christmas Story. This personal telling allows you to get into the lives, hearts, and minds of all those that were impacted on that first Christmas. It reminds us, as Todd himself has pointed out, that these individuals were living this. Th...

Little House on the Prairie has been a part of my life as far back as I can remember. To be perfectly honest I cannot recall the first time I ever saw an episode. They have engrained themselves so deeply into who I am and what I am about that there is not a beginning or ending point to the thread sewn through my tapestry. I thank God that I was born in a time for a show like LHOTP and I thank God that He allowed Michael Landon to create such great work. They have created many great loves in my heart and many profound memories in my life. My sister Michelle says that I often spout LH philosphy. It is just a HUGE part of who I am. I have just recently received my last box set in the LH series, and now I have all LHOTP episodes on DVD. What a huge blessing! LHOTP gave me a love for the old West. I know it is very romanticized in this program, but I don't care. It also gave me a great love for film and television and what it really meant to create quality family programming. I also der...

...About this certain person. How I want to share certain things with them, tell them certain things, but I can't. Why may you ask? Well, I don't really know this person. I've been praying for this person. Hoping God blesses and moves this person. I even got a simple email from this person. Why am I sharing this on my blog, well, writing for me is cathartic. It just makes me feel better. *HUGE SIGH* Well, needless to say that is all for tonight folks. I promise more productive and fun blog posts...such as why I like Little House on the Prairie and Christmas! Love to all have a great night! (To that person: I hope you will enjoy "The Nativity" I wish I could talk to you about it, among other things!)

Per some interesting things that have been taking place around my neck of the woods, particularly with comments on blogs, I'm wondering if I really think I'm vane enough to think that I can post something on a public forum where anyone can see it and not expect feedback, whether it be positive or negative. Furthermore, is it fair to the person who has come to "my space" and took the time to read what I've written and then respond for me to go back in and delete that comment because I didn't like it. I get freedom of speech. I like that we can have our own little spaces in this universe that can be solely for what we think, believe, etc... But, am I kidding myself that everyone is going to love my thoughts, views, and ideals. PLEASE...give me a break. Especially, since I'm a Christian...I know that many will hate me for that. To further that statement, if I'm putting a persona out there of who I am! Such as a Christian, and then I go off and act very un...