Well, it's been a long time.  There is a lot going on right now.  Some good, some not so good.  The good, however, is just incredibly fantastic!

Our church is opening a thrift store and it's been busy, busy, busy.  Cleaning, building shelves, sorting through donations, hanging a ton of clothing.  But God has provided help, a brand new register.  When it seems the funds have run out, He provides that too.  It's been such an emotional roller coaster.

We are also renovating our home.  Let me tell ya, though you may know that there is no telling what you will discover when you tear down just one wall, you don't truly understand until you've done it. lol  It is nice to finally see our home coming together and it will be so enjoyable when it's done.

Through all of this, though, the house, the thrift store, raising a family, running a church...I have to keep reminding myself of who I am in Christ.  I get so caught up in the day-to-day things and schedule, after a while it seems all I'm hearing are negative things about myself.  What I'm doing wrong, when I'm letting someone down, when I'm not behaving like "a good Christian" - I find myself getting really down and then being smacked upside the head.  Reading the Bible, He takes me to those scriptures that tells me just who I am, but more than that Whose I am.

I don't know if this is something that all women struggle with, but I tend to have such a constant up and down of knowing where I find my happiness and then finding it, or rather trying to find it, someplace else.  Even when it's in a place that the world says I should be expecting to find it, if I am not complete with my Lord and Savior and nothing or no one else, what or where does that leave me?

Yet, He is always there, loving me, forgiving me and taking me back - time and time again.  I pray one day, and soon, this side of heaven I will no longer feel my flesh pulling me to find my happiness anywhere other than in my Father.  Until that time, I'll keep following Him - falling on my face, but getting back up again and again.

I just pray that I don't meet Him with a broken nose and two black eyes. :)

Life sort of got crazy busy for us and I just forgot to come and post.  Let's see, hubby had umbilical hernia repair work done; the girls are busy with school; we had a Thanksgiving dinner at church as we and some others didn't have family around.

And now we're getting ready for Christmas.  We got the church decorated and it looks really nice.  My in-laws will be here for Christmas and I can't wait to see them.  We are planning on doing something a bit different this year.  We always do a candlelight service Christmas Eve and will be doing so again this year.  But because of how much everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving dinner, we're going to do that for Christmas as well.  We haven't decided if it will be the Sunday before or just get together early enough at church Christmas Eve and have enough time to clean up before the service.  We are also thinking about doing an ornament and cookie exchange.  So we'll see what happens.

I am really missing my family this year.  It's been at least 3 years since I've seen my side of the family, longer for some members.  So my emotions have been playing tug-o-war with me.  One minute I'm excited about the holidays and the next I'm weepy and missing my family.  This is the worst ever for me.  I miss them in years past, but not like this year.  I'm not sure what it is, if it's just missing them or something more.  So please keep me in prayer.

Things have been going pretty well at church.  God is moving within the people and we are all striving for more of God.  One gal is excited about me discipeling her, so I'll need prayer in that regard.  I've been at her end, but this will be the first for me on this side of it.  I'm really excited and can't wait to get started.

Until next time - and I'll try to blog more often.

That is what God is in the midst of doing right now.  Since the first of the year, dh's paycheck has been questionable - we don't know each month how much of or even if there will be a paycheck.  This past paycheck is the lowest it's ever been.  So he and I are excited to see how God will provide.  We've been here before and it's always amazing to watch.  However, our church is being stretched.  They have never really known what it means to live by faith and so they are about to see it happen.  My prayer is that they allow this to broaden their relationship with God.

So Saturday I put on a pair of shorts for the first time.  I had never worn them and had gotten them from a thrift store type of place.  I put my hands in the pockets and pulled out $50!!!!  See what I mean???  Who would have ever thought or expected something like that to happen??

So it's going to be exciting.  We are on the edge of our seat, waiting and watching our congregation.  What a place to be! :)