We're All Ducks

 I’m gonna get straight to the point today! What does the word prejudice mean to you? Do you think of someone of a different race or social status? I have to admit this happens to me more often than none. I see a lot of homeless people in Baton Rouge everyday & I automatically have the ugliest
thoughts, “Poor thing, is addicted to drugs & now has nothing.” Whether this person is or not is not my place to cast judgments. I am shamed by these thoughts b/c I have no clue what they’ve been though in life or their current situation. But my prejudice eyes sometimes overpower the truth & what I know as right. Below is a common saying we’ve all heard that I looked up in Wikipedia (online encyclopedia) along with an explanation of the phrase. <><><><><><><>

“

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

”

*The test implies that a person can identify an unknown subject by observing that subject's habitual
characteristics. It is sometimes used to counter abstruse arguments that something is not what it
appears to be.
           I’ve attached a verse below that is very straight forward & to the point. To me it’s saying some people’s sins are obvious while others aren’t, seen or not they’re still sin.      ²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; also comes to mind. I want to leave you with this challenge. When you see someone that intimidates you or looks different, STOP, & put yourself in their shoes; imagine what they’re thinking when they see you. Do you look like you just sucked a lemon? Remember, God loves everyone equally & wants us to be like Him. I hope this humbles you & opens your eyes as to how we see others. I hope you have a great weekend! I love you & remember to Praise God Always! 
 1 Timothy 5:24-25 (NIV)²⁴The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of
judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. ²⁵In the same way, good deeds are
obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden.

Fleeting Beauty

How long did it take you to get ready this morning for work or school? Like fully dressed, hair & makeup, shoes & accessories, purses or whatever else you need? (Not including those who have kids b/c that alone is another hour) Why does it take so long to primp & get all “prettied” up? Most of the time when I get where I’m going I wished I had worn something else or different shoes. Let me ask you this….Have you ever been somewhere that you’ve felt out of place? Maybe you didn’t have the “right” clothes or shoes, or your makeup wasn’t just so…This is something I struggle with. After a while your self-worth & confidence are obsolete b/c “We’re our worst critic”. The thing is in God’s eyes we’re always beautiful, loved & most importantly accepted with open arms.

The following verse gets straight to the point…Don’t take it lightly; I want you to
think about this verse when you’re stressing over your clothes or makeup, etc.
or when you feel out of place.  

1 Peter 3-4Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. ⁴Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which
is of great worth in God's sight. 

I read this yesterday & found a lot of inspiration in it!  “Don’t apologize or cower away from your authentic self. “ EMBRACE IT!  I hope this brought some encouragement to you today! Remember to Praise God Always!!! In conclusion, I’m leaving this final verse with you today! 

Proverbs 31:30 ³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Week to Weak

So I’ve struggled all week about this Friday’s encouragement. I couldn’t figure out what I should talk about….The thing is it’s not my word its God’s word & I’ve been slacking on study & prayer w/ Him. Have you ever been there, where you’re physically & emotionally tired?

 Jeremy just got back from his “GUY TURKEY TRIP”. They were gone for 5 ½ days so you can
imagine my physical exhaustion thus leading little to no time w/ God. (We’ve all tried using this excuse) The thing is when we stray for any amount of time we become sluggish. I love the saying “7 days w/out Christ makes one weak” How true this is! In Luke 5, the Bible talks about Jesus calling
the first disciples & Him healing the leprosy man. As the good news spread, more & more people came for healing. Just imagine how loud & chaotic that probably was. I’d feel like I was being pulled from all directions & needed some peace & quiet. Well read Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. When I leave church, bible study, or finish praying I always feel “lighter” (unfortunately not lighter in pounds *S*), refreshed, & overall happier knowing that I’ve
just been recharged in Christ. This in turn makes me a more pleasant person to be around. I have more patience w/ my husband & children & I feel like I an roll w/ life’s struggles easier.  So I pray today for you some quiet time w/ our Lord. Take 5 minutes & pray or read a Bible study, be
still & let God’s love embrace & comfort you.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend & Happy Mother’s Day. Remember to Praise God always!  I love ya!!!

James 5:13, 16b ¹³Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise…. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and
effective.

What did I do to deserve this???

So I keep thinking about the question, God, what did I do to deserve this? To hear this we normally think of this as a cry of sorrow & hurt. Stay w/ me here! A man just receives an unexpected bonus @ work & asks God,”Lord what did I do to deserve this? Thank you Jesus! “ on the other hand his wife may have received some bad news from the doctor & he cries to God, “Lord, why me & what did I do to deserve this?” Both are the same question in context but can have completely opposite meanings. Well the answer to either question is b/c HE LOVES YOU! Now all of you know this but we rarely think that turmoil happens b/c He loves you. We immediately think what have I done to upset God that He’s punishing me…Right? Although we may not know the reason we go through trials we know that God is the answer & He loves us. We can hold on tight to this truth that God Love Us ALL the time! Well I’m giving you 2 separate passages today…One of trials & one of praise!!! I pray this has been encouraging to you & will give you some insight as you go about your day! Remember to Praise God in good times & bad…
*Trials*
James 1:2-3
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

*Thanks*
Psalms 72:18
18 Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.


Thanks for your time & I pray you have a wonderful day!

God is moving....Are you?

So a lot has happened in the past week....My daughter, Hadley, dunked a whole roll of toilet paper in the toilet & then proceeded to splash around in it causing little piles of toilet paper mush to fly all over the bathroom....By the time I got to her she was soaked w/ toilet water & toilet paper mush...there was mush sliding down the walls...on the floor & in her hair. Normally I would've exploded but the sight of her was hilarious. I wanted so bad to be mad at her but I couldn't. She just smiled her sweet smile...covered in water & paper mush & I just laughed.
I have started a weekly encouragement e-mail every Friday morning. I send it to a few friends & relatives to kick their day off to a good start & to let them know I'm thinking of them. I've recieved really good feedback about this. I really can feel God moving in my life. I believe that this is the first time I can actually say this w/ 100% certainty. I've been praying for a while for God to show me what He wants me to do. I often yearn to feel needed & God has came through loud & clear to continue the e-mail & also to witness to more people. Ontop of the weekly e-mail I've been praying for some people @ work. I've prayed to open a door to speak w/ them about God's love & today the door opened. I gave it all I had & know that God was right there w/ me. I feel like I can shout from the rooftops w/ this new confidence I have in God. On my lunch, I smiled & held the door open for a couple & the lady smiled but had a bewildered expression on her face.....You know the quote "smile, it'll make some people wonder"? Well judging by her expression I totally shocked her. *S* It's really the small things we do for people that could make the most impact. A smile, saying bless you when they sneeze, letting someone go ahead of you in the checkout or in traffic. The thing is you never know how someone's day is going or what they're going through. I have this overwhelming passion to encourage & lift up as many people I can. That's what God has called me to do....I know this in my heart!!!! Thanks again for your time....I love you..& remember to Prase God at all times!!!!!

It's been a while.....

So sorry it's been a while since my last post. It's crazy how wasy it is to get caught up in the hustle & bustle of life. I mean it's already April!!!! Where has this year went? I've really tried to cherish life & live it to the fullest lately. There has been a lot of tragedies happening in our area & it really opens your eyes to how precious life is. I know you've heard "We're not promised tomorrow", but do we really grasp that reality?? I know I don't at times when I'm rushing around screaming @ my 2 year old to hurry up b/c we're gonna be late for something. Or when I take for granted holding Carson a little while longer to go fold clothes or do dishes. B/c these, in my mind, are things that NEED to be done! But in reality I'd rather hold my children & play w/ them forever if these "chores" didnt exist! As would every parent. When these stressful times occur, I've really tried to step back & look @ the situation. Do I really have to do these dishes RIGHT NOW or fold these clothes RIGHT NOW when my 2 year old is begging me to put her puzzle together w/ her. The answer is NO!!! Please know that I don't always put these things to the side but after I get them done I wished I had waited & spent time w/ my beautiful children &  husband. The same way we flow through our day haphazardly(spelling) we also get into a routine in or relationship w/ Christ. I am the first to stand up & admit to this. I have a huge burden speaking the words of Christ to people & praying outloud. I'm not shy nor am I quiet. I just choke when I want to pray out loud or talk w/ someone about Christ. (This is another reason I've started this blog, to break these walls I have up) So please bare w/ me b/c this is a new beginning for me. Thanks for your time & remember to Praise God at all times!!!

History...

So let me just start off by saying that I'm so excited about this Blog. It's the one thing that's completely MINE, untouched by my husband or my wonderful kids. Now don't get me wrong, those of you who have children know that our every being is about our family &  we are always doting over them. But this is the one thing that won't get broken, spilt juice on, chewed on, spit up on, or any other bodily fluids on. I'm very grateful to call this MINE. (Just like Hadley, my 2 year old daughter, does when someone plays w/ her favorite toys.) *lol* Now with that said, let me tell you a little about the past couple years of my life. In 2004, I joined AmeriCorps*NCCC which is like a domesticated peace corp. It truely changed my life. I met my amazing husband there & we were married in August 2005. November 2007 we had our first child, Hadley. She's the smartest 2 year old I know...(she's mine of course) Then this past January we had our 2nd child, Carson. He's a little butterball. I love them so much & thank God for them. My husband, Jeremy, is such a beautiful man. He's a Christian man that loves Christ our Lord. God sure knew what he was doing when he put us two together. We are blessed to have each other. I love where I am in my life now, however I miss my family in Alabama terribly. My Mom is my best friend. I call her 2-3 times a day...sometimes more. We share recipes, men stories, parenting advice, & anything else that comes up. My Dad is such a jolly man. He's a joker as well so there's never a dull moment w/ him. I love you Daddy! I guess that's all I have time for right now...until next time. Praise God at all times!!!