Some Random Thoughts!

Where are you going today? What is consuming your mind? What people (family/friends/strangers) will cross your path today? Will you be given a chance to minister to anyone today? WILL YOU TAKE THAT CHANCE?????? Here's my chance to minister: Our Heavenly Daddy wants you to know that he loves you more than words can say!!! He has tried to show you by actions. He sent his ONLY son to die on the cross so that you can have eternal LIFE!!!! He wants to be your everything!! He wants to be your shelter, protector, provider, sustainer, comforter, supporter (& the list could go on forever)! He's your biggest fan sitting on the sidelines of your life! He's there & all you have to do is call on him-----he's always listening!!!!!! Take a moment today to answer some fan mail from your #1 fan! Talk to him today - have an ongoing conversation all day today with your best friend! He gives the best advice/counsel! Just listen to all he wants to share with you! Enjoy the day with your bestest friend/fan! Just some thoughts! Love to y'all! Joannie

I need to be more like my children???......

This was a phrase that my husband shared with me Saturday morning. Needless to say, I was very surprised! Let me try to explain this. Beware: This is going to be brutually honest!!! As you know from my previous posts, Douglas has been having serious problems with his seasonal asthma. It began last Tuesday. I took him to the dr. She prescribed all the asthma usuals: inhalers, asthma med, antibotic, & steroid. We went to the pharmacy to get scripts filled & BAM! He has not had insurance coverage since 11/30/08! (His father is required by the divorce to carry health insurance.) I WAS SSSOOO UPSET!!!!!! After talking with his Dad, long story short no real explanation but no coverage! I can't begin to go over all of the ways that HD has taken care of Kirsten & Douglas over the past 4 months of not having coverage but also how HD's hand has been at work just since Douglas got sick!!!! But now to get back to explaining the title of this post. Momma (me) has been more than frazzled! I've felt the stress of a sick child-who has experienced the fear of not being able to breathe. The stress of a little boy wanting to practice ball & not being able to even be outside. The stress of what to do legally to fix the insurance thing. The stress of missed work (no work---no money)! Then the real problem--ANGER!!! I have been very angry over all of this!!!! To see what Douglas has gone through. To be put in a situation to make an adult be responsible & mature. ITS MADE ME ANGRY! I've prayed about it A LOT! I asked friends to pray about it also. I appreciate that my friends even the Jonathon ones have said its just the Momma coming out in me because someone was messing with my babies & my anger is justified! OK, but I'm a Christian & I know what the bible says about anger. Anger turns to bitterness & bitterness will consume you from the inside out! If I let this anger continue it will become an open doorway & take control!!! I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN! I was talking to my wonderful, supportive, loving husband (Gary) about this Saturday & he told me that I have to be like my children with all of this. Yes, I was very confused! WHAT? He explained that the children get up every day & never give a thought to what they will eat (you always have food for them), they never worry about what they are going to wear (you buy them clothes & make sure that they are cleaned), they never worry about anything because even if they are sick & don't have insurance they know that you are going to do whatever to take care of them. You have to put your faith into action & know that HD is taking care of you & you don't need to give it a second thought! Just be thankful that he(HD) is!!! Give your anger over to HD every time it comes to your mind! WOW - Gary is a man of few words but those few words --- WOW! The anger part has been enlightening! I have had to pray every time I give Douglas his meds, make him calm down (meds make him even more hyper), and hear him cough-----HD take away my anger replace it with love, help me to forgive & forget! I'm still praying its not gone yet. But if it were taken away immediately would I be learning anything!?!?!? Like everything about my relationship with HD, its a daily walk/journey not just a destination. I've taken several steps backward over the last week. The positive is that I'm moving forward again!!! Pastor Jason spoke to me Sunday & again tonight. I love the fact that his words are hitting me where I live. They apply to the situations that I'm facing. I am an overcomer! So......to sum this up for you-----had some bad days, HD taking care of me even though I wasn't paying attention & appreciative, working on letting go of anger & replacing it with forgiveness. Honestly can't say that I've accomplished this goal completely but definitely working hard on it! I'm very appreciative of HD, Gary, Pastor Jason & my Jonathon friends who are speaking to me & keeping me accountable! Also, if your faith is not being stretched....is it really faith????? HAHA-& you thought I wouldn't leave you with something to ponder!!! Love to y'all! Joannie

Douglas a good heart even when sick

Hey friends!
I seem to be continually apologizing for my lack of posts. I have A LOT to share but as most of you know that have children....blogging (or anything else) has to wait when your children are sick!!! Douglas has been sick! His seasonal asthma is in full force. I took him to the doctor last week but he went back to school & was around other sick children (there were 15 out sick last Tuesday when he was out). The problem is most of those parents sent their children back to school even though they were supposed to stay home! ANYWAY....Douglas got worse. He was in a healing service Sunday at church & he was so sweet Sunday night before he went to bed. Momma, Jesus healed me, I haven't coughed as much today as yesterday! He was right but the cough was still deep & sounded worse than when I originally took him that I had to take him back Monday. His doctor increased the number of times he takes his inhaler & gave him more medicine. He has really been pitiful! (He's on 2 inhalers, allergy med, antibiotic, & steroid.) He has wanted to be held & upset that he can't practice ball! It has been hard to find a happy medium for him. He's out on Spring Break & can't get outside & enjoy the weather, his medicine makes him mean one minute, crying the next & then he's sleepy & has to have a nap. Its a bad cycle! He has been very sweet too! He has been so loving at times & apologizing for being sick!! It has been a roller coaster of emotions! We have been through so much over the past week!! (Those details to follow in a different post!) Please pray that Douglas will be better soon!!! He really wants to practice ball & play outside in the sunshine. Thanks for the prayers & I'll post more details later today about the events of last week. Love to y'all! Joannie

Apology

Hey Friends
Sorry for the delay in posts. Things have been very busy around our home. I've worn many hats (as we all do) & somewhere in there blogging took a back seat. I took the parents to the VA again, 2 softball games (Kirsten), baseball mtg (Douglas), Wed. church, Thursday trip to Montevallo for art (Kirsten), work, menus, groceries, meals, laundry, homework, & etc. Today has been catch up day. Its crazy though because house cleaning, menus, groceries & laundry are still being done today!!! Some jobs are never-ending (I know each of you can relate).
I want to share a few things with you! There are times when life seems overwhelming. This past week was one of them. But as I tried to put into practice what I've been learning in this Frazzled Female bible study, things didn't automatically change. They were still very busy but I changed how I was dealing with it. I put my HD first, had those few minutes of devotional time & prayer time! It helped me to stay focused not only on HD but it truly made me more organized & efficient in all the tasks that I was juggling. I can't explain it but I just know I experienced it! I don't always share the negative side of things I'm going through BECAUSE there are usually plenty of people sharing their negative situations. I try to keep a positive attitude in all I do. I hope for some of you that this doesn't appear things are always perfect or great in my world. I'm just like all of you. We wear many hats! These hats create a tremendous amount of stress. Our job is to handle each hat/task/responsibility to be best of our ability. I have just learned that if I stay positive about each of them that they are easier to deal with. This doesn't mean I don't get upset/frustrated/tired & sometimes angry. But over time I've realized that only made things worse if I stay in that frame of mind. If I focus on the positive of my blessings things work out better. HD has blessed with a nice vehicle so that means that if I want to keep it nice, I need to have the oil changed, may need to buy a battery, check the air in the tires & put gas in it. I have a nice home so to keep it that way I have to clean it. I have nice clothes so to keep them that way I have to wash them. It may sound very elementary but it really works & I'm focusing on my tasks as blessings. Our minister spoke about this one Sunday & it really stuck with me. He said that if we don't take care of the blessings HD gives us WHY would he bless us with more??????? There's some words to ponder.

Just because your positive & happy doesn't mean your fake --- your probably more real than most. At least you see that HD has filled you glass half way because if its half empty you emptied it! OUCH that hurt!!!
Love to y'all!
Joannie

Sitting with & Listening to Heavenly Daddy

There are several ways to have your time with Heavenly Daddy(HD). Be pre-occupied with HD. (We can be pre-occupied with other things, why not HD?!) Sing Praises (I do this whenever I'm in my truck, at home cooking or cleaning). Spending AM quiet time with HD-----this can be reading my bible, bible study, singing, talking about things or praying about things & people. Thinking about HD throughout my day. Invite/Ask HD to be in every detail of my day & life.
As I spend more time with HD, I'm learning several things & my love is growing stronger. Out of this growing relationship, I experience many awesome benefits & so are the people around me. Thats really amazing!!!! Our relationship with HD has a goal of intimacy and we can celebrate the journey every step of the way. John 17:9 Holy Daddy(my change) guard them as they pursue this life that you conferred as a gift through me, so they can be one heart and mind. (MSG)
I try to relate this to the joy I feel as a parent when my children show me they love me by wanting to spend time with me. This may be snuggling, talking, watching a movie, playing games, etc. I always remember the love & joy I felt being in my Dad's lap when I was a little girl.
Sometimes because we are so pre-occupied with the great demands for our different roles (i.e. mom, wife, employee, daughter, sister) we forget the important one: Child of the KING! Thats when we are like Eli not recognizing HD's voice. Thankfully, HD's persistent with his love. He wants to enter our hectic schedule & minister to us by soothing us with peace & joy. We have to recognize his love. There are several ways he sends his love. These could be something said in a conversation & you know its from HD, the beauty in nature, a scripture passage or part of a sermon that you recall. I ask God to open my ears to hear & eyes to see. BTW--be prepared when you pray this prayer b/c he definitely answers this prayer!!!
A revelation that HD showed me is: I can't fulfill the call he has on my life if I'm not making HIM a priority.....no matter what "good" things I may be doing. Also, HD knows the longings of my heart & he wants to give them to me. But we have to pour out to HIM our everything--heartbreaks, sorrows, concerns, passions, loves, desires, dreams, etc. As we run to HD with our stuff, our focus goes from our stuff to HD!!!!Then HD can comfort us & ultimately give us our hearts desires. Through our prayers & bible study we gain the strength to overcome our emotions & circumstances!!! I'm praying for each of you today to see the love notes that HD is sending ya!!
Love to y'all! Joannie

Day 2 of my journey

The Message bible says Mary listened & was hanging on Jesus' every word. When Martha complained---your fussing to much & getting yourself worked up over nothing! One thing is essential. Webster's dictionary defines essential as most important, indispensable. Mary chose the main course not just an appetizer. This speaks to me in two ways. 1) When you first start dating someone you listen to their every word. You REALLY listen! As you begin to fall in love (you listen even more) but as you get to know that person you start to slack off because you feel you know them. This process may take years but it usually happens not only with your spouse but even sometimes with friends. Our goal is never to take our spouse, friends, and especially our heavenly Daddy for granted & not listen! OK this next one may be one everyone can relate to easier. 2) I like an orderly home. Everything clean & in its proper place. (everything has a home & put it back in its home so anyone can find it when they need it) Granted in my home it never stays clean & I'm known to stress out about it & my "To Do" list. (FYI--I'm ADD (easily distracted) & if its not on my list--I don't get it done. Just ask my family!!! Cleaning my home or my "to do" list should not take precedence over spending time with my Heavenly Daddy (HD)!!!! Moving on....This is one reason I'm doing this study. My husband & I recently sat down & re-prioritized our lives. One ? we asked ourselves: Are we so busy trying to do these "good" things that we've pushed the number 1 thing needed to the back burner. We believe in God-first, family-second, but we weren't always living that way. THAT WAS SCARY TO US!! How did we get to that point??? It crept in slowly--like the Casting Crowns song: Slow Fade. The decision to put off quiet time from morning to evening. Then evening comes & your tired & you put it off until the next morning. And the routine/cycle/habit beings! We have to strive to spend time with our heavenly Daddy (HD) regardless of the things going on around us!!!! I'll leave you with this: Is there a way for you to re-adjust or re-prioritize things for you to have that time??? Or maybe you have that handled?? If you do, GREAT--Kudos to you! If not, maybe its something to ponder today!!
Love to y'all! Joannie

Bible Study Day One

To introdue the bible study that I'm doing, lets take a short quiz. Do you feel any one or all of the following: Overwhelmed, Stressed Out, No Peace, Longing for More, No Enthusiasm, In Need of Fresh Hope? To sum this up Frazzled! I'm sure all of us have felt these. Sometimes God has to take us away from everything, (even if we think its good) to show us what he wants us to do. He really just wants us to "sit at his feet." God can speak clearly to us if he's not haveing to compete with all the distractions in our life. This is why our "Quiet Time" with God is so important. Sometimes its hard for us to let go of a few things to spend time with him. There are times when you need to step back from all the "good things" your doing to experience the BEST thing! As I journey thru this book & you tag along, I pray that we're all blessed!!
Matthew 6:33 Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be provided for you. (NIV) Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. (MSG) Today the lesson is titled: Mary chose the one thing needed, So will I! Luke 10:38-42. The Message version of this story speaks more to me. My focus is becoming intimate with God. Have you ever experienced a time that you felt "love deprived"? I'm sure you had some of these feelings: empty, cheated, angry, neglected, unloved, lonely, desperately sad, helpless.
The "story" of every believer is a journey of the heart. Jesus longs for you. He wants a relationship with you EVEN in the middle of your daily stresses. I have received a fresh new hope & excitement about discovering a more intimate walk with my Father and experience the deep love of our renewed relationship. God had already begun to speak to me in new ways & show me things also. One thing I was shown in this story of Mary & Martha was God is my heavenly Dadddy---not Father. Dad because Father is so formal. (Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a Daddy) I was a Daddy's girl at one time and loved being in his lap. In his lap is where my heavenly Dad wants me to be. If you feel thats disrespectful.... sorry but that will be your issue to deal with or overcome. My heavenly Daddy wants to love on me by me crawling in his lap & spending time with him, or sitting at his feet sometimes when he needs to discipline or have a hard talk with me. Either way he loves me & is always there for me.
More to come tomorrow. Ponder on these things for now!!Love to y'all! Joannie

The First Day of Study-Tomorrow

Its officially here! Tomorrow will be the first day of the bible study. I have been doing it for over a week & writing & taking notes & God has been showing me things & transforming things all around me. But Satan has his demons working to put obstacles & situations & problems in the way. But if serving God were always easy everyone would do it. Then it would not be a sacrifice?..... Just a fore-warning we begin tomorrow & I pray that each of you will allow God to bless you through this process. I'm praying for you today (read the jspates-corner. blogspot.com) for all the specifics of that prayer. Love to y'all! Joannie

Prayer Request

Hey Friends!
I have a prayer request for you! Our church sponsored a marriage retreat for this weekend. Gary & I could not go because its his weekend to work. I want each of you to pray that the couples attending will come away renewed, refreshed & more in love with their spouse & the Lord. I'll let you know all the answered prayers I hear about! Have a GREAT evening & count your blessings tonight before you go to sleep! I guarantee you'll go to sleep before you get through all of them!!
Love to y'all Joannie

Obedience can be hard!

Obedience can be harder at different points in our lives than others! I've recently had to have very difficult conversations with people. I HATE CONFLICT OF AAANNNYYY KIND!!!!!!!! (That story is for several other blogs!!!!) I will say that sometimes its needed to clarify the perception of others & even our own at times! This verse spoke to me this morning in my devotion time & God spoke to me that some of you may need to hear it so....

This is the KJV Psalm 119:34 Help me understand Your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart.

This is the NIV Psalm 119:34-35 34)Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 35)Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.

This is the MSG Psalm 119:34 34)Give me insight so I can do what you tell me -- my whole life one long obedient response. 35)Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway!

I didn't have the KJV of verse 35 but that gives you something to look up & compare the translations!! I enjoy the various translations because it helps with my understand.

Some of you are facing very difficult things today & I want to give you a reminder that I got last night from our pastor during the service. (Seriously if you weren't there get this series on cd!) PLEAD the blood of Jesus! We are made an over-comer through the blood of Jesus Christ! I'm praying for you, your families & any situations/problems that you are facing! Enjoy this GLORIOUS day that God has given you-----problems & all!!!!!
Love to y'all!

P. S. This wasn't the bible study just a love note from our Heavenly Father! More to come! J

The Vision for Words to Ponder

Hey Friends!
Through a lot of prayer & re-adjusting priorities, God gave me the vision of how to continue the calling on my life by using blogger. Let me explain how this will work. I am going to be doing a bible study online. This means that I will blog about the things I'm learning as I journey through it. I will share scriptures, questions & answers as I & hopefully we deepen our walk with the Lord. As I mentioned in my other blog, I'm praying that this will be an inspiration & a place that you will look forward to visiting often! The best part is you visit when your schedule allows & your not deadlocked into a specific day or time. I'll be here whenever your available &/or need me. The bible study/book is entitled "The Frazzled Female" (Finding Peace in the Midst of Daily Life) by Cindi Wood. I bet some of you like me can relate to that title!! Also as I blogged originally, PLEASE don't feel obligated to put this on your "to do" list. None of us need to add to that list BUT......if you are not in a bible study & your having a hard time committing to personal/quiet time with your Savior...............COME JOIN ME as we sit at his feet & allow God to minister to us in various ways!!! I pray that each of you enjoyed your Wednesday night service at church. Our service was AWESOME! Pastor Jason has been teaching on "I AM AN OVERCOMER!" If you missed any of these....order the cds. It will be worth the investment! Have an AMAZINGLY JOYOUS Thursday (its your choice)!!!! Love to y'all

The New Blog Page

This is the page for my new blog!
Please come & visit often, everyone is welcome.
I'm praying that this page will be an inspiration
for each of you & you will look forward to
checking it out everyday. More details to
follow soon.
Love to y'all!