God is Good, All the Time

I'm back.

Well, at least for today.  

(This may take awhile.  Read at your own leisure.)

It hasn't been an easy two weeks for me. 

My daughter and her husband went to NYC

and left the baby with me. 

That was a first!

Then I got, a horrendous virus on top 

of gastric issues that have plagued me for months.

I'll spare you the details.

Just let me say, Harper thought her playroom was the little blue-tiled room,

you know, the one with the tub, sink, and toilet.

My sweet DIL helped on Friday, 

the worst day of the bug. 

My husband took care of us on Saturday and Sunday.

Monday I was still sick.  I literally laid on the floor to 

change her diapers.

A little better on Tuesday.

Feeling better enough on Wednesday to take a walk outside.

Yes, all this while keeping a 16 month old baby.

Luckily (or by blessing) the gastrologist I 

had an appointment with on May 11, called and asked if 

I could come in the next day, Thursday.  

YES!

My tummy woke me up Thursday morning rumbling.

I thought I was better.

I sat on the toilet and cried!

Yesterday was one day, I could not, could, could, could NOT, keep my baby.

I would not have made the drive over. 

I managed to make it to the doctor's office. 

My blood pressure was low and I was dehydrated.

(I'm glad I had sense enough to leave off medications this week.) 

He felt that I was over the worse of it, 

but agreed that there were issues that we needed to address.

He did several cultures (yes that kind!) ouch and yuck.

I am scheduled for a colonoscopy on Wednesday.

I'm feeling better today.  

Does anyone know what happens after surgery, 

when the gut has been emptied and filled with air. 

Yes, that's what today is like!

Stay out of the way.

Better out, than in is my motto.

But yikes, who knows what may come out!

Just let me say again, 

God is faithful even when we don't know the outcome, 

especially when we are unsure of the outcome. 

He knows our need for peace.

I was praying on the way home and God 

began to speak to me through a song, 

Good, Good Father by Chris Tomlin.

Confirmation #1

One of my friends Debby 

from 

My Favorite Things blog

posted the song on her FB page. 

Confirmation #2

The word "Good," kept coming to mind.

"If your father, although evil, knows how to 

give good gifts to his children, how much

more will your Heavenly Father give good

things to those who ask Him."

Confirmation #3

"For I know the plans I have for you, 

declares the Lord, 

plans for WHOLENESS 

and not for evil, 

to give you a hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

EVS

(There's a story behind that verse that I'll share later.

One that made me doubt for years.  God used a verse 

that I still couldn't read without pain to teach me to trust again.)

Confirmation#4

My baby girl brought me one of her books to read.

One that she doesn't usually like for me to read. 

God is Good, All the Time.

I have a wonderful church family.

I wasn't able to attend the last women's gathering. 

They made me these.

The vase and cross. 

Kitchen towels. 

Ain't God good?

Hope to visit you later this evening.

Bonnie:)

Home on the Inside

I'm sneaking in here. 

Hiding my face.

I haven't forgotten you.
I promise.

Keeping babies adds a whole new demension to working.

But,really, who can resist those eyes???

"For this child we prayed."

She's a snuggly, loveable, sweetheart.

It's a joy to go to work every day.
She meets me at the door
with hugs and kisses.

And at the end of the day,
I am exhausted.

Between building a house
and all the stresses that go with it,
and tax time,
I'm mentally, physically, emotionally,
and financially,
SPENT!

I can't believe all the paper work and documents
and bank statements and credit reports and back tax reports
and insurance appraisals and house appraisals and
and, and, and.

Well, you understand.

At the end of the day,
all of these are meaningless, things,
that will pass away.

No, I'm RICH in the things that matter most!

This weekend my DIL and her best friends
had a little get-away
and we helped Daddy.

The kids were great and they helped Grandy.

Well, sorta.

Maybe I should say, they helped each other.

The Big Guy really did enjoy helping Grandy.
Little Miss Priss helped her brother.

I watched:)

I got a chance to vist the house last week.

The walls are up.
This is the front door and foyer.

Kitchen

Living Room.

I went this afternoon and I was so excited.

My Blue Door

The taxes are paid.
Yes PAID!

It looked on paper like we made money.
Guess where it went.
Three months with no job, insurance premiums
out the wazoo, 1/2 cut in salary
taxes to Uncle Sam, you get the picture.

Ugh!

In spite of all that, I'd gladly give it all up,
for those little ones.

There will be a few items from thrift stores
and redos and re-covers,
do-overs and shifting here and there,
but it will be home on the inside
with few purchases.

It will be HOME on the inside
where a family gathers and little ones
laugh, play, fight, bite, and kiss and make-up.
There will words spoken without thought,
misunderstandings, apologies
and reconciliation.

That's Life!

There will be good days and bad days.
Broke days and days with more than enough.

I pray God's presence fills every room
and that all who enter will be blessed
with His presence.

That's where it's home,
on the inside.

Bonnie:)

My Blogging Dilemma

I need to check in with my blogging buddies. I keep needing to apologize for my absence. Keeping this little munchkin has me working harder than I have worked since my "babies" were really babies.

Blogging is not easy via cell phone and my computer battery is dead and won't recharge. I have an old one. When I get home, I plop down and am too tired to sit at desk. This one finger texting is for real birds. Thus my blogging dilemma.

We are making great progress on the house. I'm done making all the selections and we are hoping the weather will continue to cooperate.

Lots of family time lately. Birthdays, ball games, family in Nashville, Top Nazarene Talent at Trevecca Nazarene University, and I'm beyond exhausted.

These photos were taken at Opry Mills while waiting for family to arrive.

They love each other so much.

Family and friends did arrive for TOP Talent where our youth compete in various categories against 11 SE regional districts.

My niece and great niece both took home 1st place trophies. Sarah (left) was 1st in Dramatic Monologue and Interpretative Worship and 2nd in Instrumental Strings. She plays the classical guitar. Her dance group placed 1st in Interpretative Worship.  Bailey (right) is super talented too. She plays all instruments and was on softball team and played the keyboard in Worship Band and placed 1st.  Our softball team won 1st and the soccer team won 2nd. 

That's him in the red shorts. He too plays several instruments but the sport teams keep you on the field. You can't do it all.

I don't know when I'll see the light of day but I'm enjoying life. Seeing family was good even though a moved chair caused me to bust my butt and sent me home on ice and heat. 

So there you go!

Teenagers worshipping together always stir my soul. That's really what this TNT thing is all about.

My precious little nephew has grown up on me.

And another generation will follow.

Under Construction

It's now 1:00 am and I'm awake. No meds this week so I'm all of sorts. Yes, I'm being brutally honest as always or authentically transparent. 

The difference in living in a small town and the big city?  Number one, if You don't see the doctor, you don't get your meds. Never! No expections. In my small town, no chance of not seeing the doctor especially when a life-long friend is the office manager. The life long friend has seen the break downs and wants her other friends and family safe. Number 2, the pharmacy. In a large city, people are murdered or commit suicide everyday and nobody knows your name so who cares. In my small town, my pharmacist knows me, went to school with my children, loves her some Ms. Bonnie and has seen clearly what Ms. Bonnie is like when she's off her meds.  She'll do what is necessary to keep the town safe.

Now, I clearly can't blame my present state on the doctors or the pharmacy. We continue to anxiously await all the necessary "stuff", legalities and preparation on the construction of our new home as it continues to go up. Yes, I'm under construction too or under demolition? What if it doesn't all go as planned? What an embarrassment! 

So, yes I guess I have reason to be anxious. When it's all said and done, I hope I'm not designing someone else's home.

I love the color of my brick. My??? Brick??? 

And my garage??? Did I tell you I've never had a garage?

So I took a walk and guess what I found? Yes, a reminder once again of how God cares for the little birds.

And you know what? If by some chance everything crumbled, I'd be fine because I am blessed beyond measure to be near my children and to be loved by my Good,  Good Father because that's who He is! Good!