Hearing God's Voice

I was just reading today's Proverbs 31 devotion and can totally relate.

So many people I know are listening to hear God's voice. They want to know their calling, their purpose, to hear God's reassurance. I find the times I have heard the still, soft voice of God moments I will never forget. When I recall them even years later, I am filled with love for my mighty God and God's love for me. It is a reassurance I cling to as I continue to seek to know God more.

Do you hear God's voice?

How do I hear God's voice? The first time I was filled with an overwhelming sense of peace in a time of great stress. A peace beyond all understanding. Way beyond.

Another time it was the moment I laid each day of the remaining 7 months of graduate school at his feet, and I suddenly knew he would get me through one day at a time.

He has surrounded me with friends moments after I have called out to him in anguish. He has answered my husband's and my questions when we wake up the next morning resolved in the decisions we have lifted up to him for guidance. He has flooded me with laughable "aha" moments when I finally understand the process of our lives.

These lives we lead can often bring us to our knees before God. And yet sometimes we seek God's voice to know the next step in our ordinary existance.

I'm still amazed at what I think I understood about God's will for my life lately. And yes, I'm pretty sure, I know what he wants, but I'm keeping my self open to the fact I may have misunderstood. Someone in my church emailed me about what some would call an opportunity, and what I see as somewhat of a challenge. Would I be interested? I said I would pray about it.

As I got in the car a few minutes later and began to pray, I burst into tears as I was overcome by the fact that no further prayer was necessary. I was going to attempt this new opportunity. However, I sure did not take any steps to meeting the deadline. As the deadline was a day away, my friend called again. "Have you been praying? What have you decided?"

I waited until after 5 that evening to finally turn in the necessary paperwork, and thought, "Hey, maybe they won't choose me! Maybe there's still a way out."

Are you laughing at me? You should be. My interview went beautifully. I couldn't even work up a hand-sweat. Oh, I'm still filled with fear of what's to come, but I'm also filled with peace that this is where God wants me now.

No, I never hear God's booming voice and exact instructions. As my husband will tell you, there's no Batphone to God. The manual is the Bible, and I love that it's the only one I need.

How does a plain, old, mom hear God's voice? She listens with her eyes and heart wide open.

I May Post My Thanksgiving Gratitudes By Christmas

I finally found a gear a little faster than slothful about 4 pm today. By 4:30 I was all ready for a real post about the Thanksgiving weekend and all the wonderful things for which I am grateful. But first I decided to turn on the outside Christmas lights.

And now I'm sitting here with my big girl "can" of Mommy juice without the beautiful Christmas lights twinkling from the rain outside my window.

I think the rain could have been part of the problem. Plugging new lights together with wet plugs was probably not a good idea. Or the cheap net lights I have may have shorted out in the rain. Who knows??? I do know I ran up and down the basement stairs approximately 47 times hitting the reset on the outlet in the basement every time the outside plug shorted. I would like to know who planned the connection between those 2 outlets together with the reset in the basement. No lover of Christmas lights, I'm sure.

So, what I'm thankful for today, 4 days after the day set aside for Thankfulness, turkey, and family is that the plug tripped its circuit rather than starting an electrical fire before dinner, in the dark, with a light drizzle outside.

Maybe I'm starting to get being "thankful in all circumstances," but probably not.

I have concluded that this post does not have the reverent tone I wanted to list the many things for which I am deeply grateful. Maybe that's what happens when I rush to light the Christmas lights before giving thanks for the many blessings in my life.

We Will Return to Regular Programming...Soon

Now that I've played with my template some, I should actually consider writing some thoughtful content...

...Ummmmmm...

...hmmmmmm...

...well...

...I may have post-Thanksgiving-I-ate-entirely-too-much-and-don't-want-to-do-anything-yet disorder. Look it up. I'm sure other people have it. I'm not sure it's supposed to last 4-5 days after the big eating frenzy, but considering our relatives hang around the whole entire looonnnggg weekend expecting more and more wonderful food, you can understand the delay of my recovery.

Maybe after a little nap I'll have the energy to post about all our excitement and the gratitude I felt this weekend and today. But first things first, I'm sure a nap is the prescribed antidote to my post-Thanksgiving-I-ate-entirely-too-much-and-don't-want-to-do-anything-yet disorder.

Thawing My Turkey and Methods of Relaxation

I don't know about you, but I've got a 20 lb. bird floating in my kitchen sink. It kinda makes me giggle. Obviously defrosting in the refrigerator has not been entirely successful, but perhaps in another week it would have been. So in all hopes that my turkey becomes soft and pliant, totally relaxed or thawed as it may be, I've given her a little quiet tub time. I could probably learn something from this lesson.

Buying a fresh turkey, that I pick up the day before Thanksgiving is not what I mean.

As my dear friend Karen pointed out last night - I could use a little quiet tub time to prepare for the big feast. I need to take time for me in the hullaballoo of having 7 house guests for the next 5 days. This morning instead of running to the grocery store before the kids get up, or cleaning until they wake, I'm enjoying my quiet time. Because let's be serious this is the last time I'll have morning quiet time for 5 days. I also plan to sit down and put my feet up for a full 30 minutes this afternoon before the relatives arrive.

My tip to you today is don't let the stress get to you. Even if your list is a full mile long take time for breaks. Use your kitchen timer and give yourself at least 5 minutes to sit, drink some water, watch the birds, and/or a little dumb tv. When the buzzer goes off, you will go back to your tasks rejuvenated and most likely a little more focused.

However, if you find you have absolutely no time to spare in your holiday preparations, go with plan B.

Make sure you buy some champagne or wine today. When the relatives arrive, declare prep time over and enjoy the company. Let your guests join you in the kitchen and actually help. My father-in-law and I have a few ground rules that he repeats each time he comes to our house.

"You want me to get my own drinks, right?"

"Yes, yes I do."

"I can just get myself some cereal in the morning? Right?"

"That's right. You know where it is."

"You'll let me know when you need help setting the table? Right?"

"Thank you so much!"

I found out a long time ago that my husband's parents run their house a little differently than me. Surprise! But, I also learned that if I asked for what I needed and gently laid the ground rules, "Everyone gets their own drink," I don't go completely crazy.

Happy Turkey Day! May your eyes be wide open to the abundant gifts God has given you. Check out other great tips at Works For Me Wednesday.

She Will Survive One More Thanksgiving

I found it! I found it! Here's the link and my favorite Thanksgiving Song. Enjoy!

Random Thoughts Preparing for Thanksgiving

I truly wanted to put up a link to a hilarious Thanksgiving card that went around a couple of years ago. It was a turkey singing "I Will Survive." I loved it. But alas, it is "No Longer Available for Viewing." I tried all the new cards on that company's site, and I have to tell you none of them compared to that turkey singing "I Will Survive, Hey, Hey."

What I wonder is how my hands will survive Thanksgiving preparations, cooking and cleaning. Are anyone else's hands dry and cracked already? I'd love a manicure, but I can't see the point with all the housework and cooking I have in the next few days. Maybe I'll make myself a deal. If I can get the housework completed today, I can take time for a manicure on Wednesday morning.

Speaking of housework. Does anyone else make themselves insane before the holidays? All the nooks and crannies that I can completely ignore and not see any other time are suddenly filthy and calling out for my attention. I just spent a half and hour scrubbing the grout in my hall bathroom. I seriously do not think it looks any better. I also don't think any of my relatives will be grading the whiteness of our grout. Please help me in my obsessive craziness. My time could be much better spent...

...Getting a manicure.

Freezing Thanksgiving Foods Before the Big Day?

It's backwards day at Works For Me Wednesday today. And oh boy, do I have a timely question.

I've come to that advanced age of motherhood and daughter-hood and daughter-in-law-hood when I've realized that I love hosting the holidays, I just want to make it a little easier. And while I know the easiest thing would be for us all to go out to eat, that's not the route I want to go. I'd just like the meal preparation to go a little easier on me, so I can take a minute to sit while talking or even see part of the parade. And did I mention that when the family comes for Thanksgiving and Christmas, they come for 5-6 days?

Yes, I am insane. In-laws, my mother, and at least one set of aunt, uncle, and cousins, sometimes two sets.

I'm a glutton for punishment, who's kinda of excited.

So, what I'd like to do freeze a few meals. That I know how to do.

Has anyone ever frozen a sweet potato casserole or dressing for Thanksgiving?

I'd love to know how it went, because I really don't feel like trying a test run in the 14 days left before Thanksgiving. Please, please leave me some great information. I'll even take links to freezable food.

Try helping out your fellow bloggers and their questions at Rocks In My Dryer.

Cleaning Out the Basement

The online, ongoing faith retreat I'm doing has been difficult the last two weeks to say the least. We've been looking at the sin in our lives. Aaahhh!!!

I did what I normally do when things are really difficult.

I avoided it.

Totally. Acted like I wasn't participating. Refused to print out the guide for the week. Didn't look at it for days.

I'm so mature and really growing in my faith, can't you tell?

But I just love the Lord, so much!!!

He knows me so well. He is faithful, constant, loving, and thankfully merciful. And have I mentioned humorous. He knows how to reveal things in a very concrete way for me. He puts my life together in wonderful, "Aha!" moments. I am so thankful that He has opened my eyes to see His work.

I finally faced the retreat guide for the week. I took the time to sit, pray, journal, and even listen. God's timing is always spot on. Here's how.

Sunday, rather than spending the day in observance of the Sabbath, I spent it cleaning out the storage area of our basement. After the move last year, I pulled the things we needed out of boxes and simply made a mess down there. Now, I will say I was led to clean out our basement by last week's retreat guide and something from our Beth Moore, Jesus, the One and Only study. (I just love how God ties the story of the life we're living together.)

Last week in the retreat, we contemplated the sin of the world and how ignore serving the poor.
In Jesus, the One and Only, Beth commented on how many of us spend money on storage units for things we don't use daily, while others have nothing. I don't have a storage unit, but I do have a storage area in my basement filled with things that could benefit others. So, God brought me to a place where I realized that I definitely can share my hidden treasures with others.

I cleaned out the larger section of the basement. It looks great. I got rid of things that I had bought and never used but had selfishly held onto for "someday." In typical fashion, I did avoid the section with all my teaching materials and Hon's tool area. There was only so much I could face in one day. As I went to bed Sunday night, I realized I could face those two sections easily, and there were things I had decided to keep that I should donate to someone else. I needed to go back and continue cleaning out the basement. I know that God laid those thoughts on my heart, because...

The next morning I finally read the retreat guide for the week. Wouldn't you know that it said,

But, in every house - in every life - there is a basement...where the less than
presentable stuff is kept. This week, we can imagine going down in that
basement. Even if there has been a lock on that door, and I haven't
visited it in a long time. I need not be afraid, because I'm going to go
down there, accompanied by Jesus, who will show me all the stuff that is
there. There's old stuff there I wouldn't want to show anybody else.
There's embarrassing stuff there, in hiding. As I walk around it all, I
can imagine Jesus telling me he loves me here, in this place. He loves all
of me - the whole me. To avoid facing the fear, negatives,
past sins, and patterns of sins in my life would be to avoid a tremendous
grace.

I realized that the sins and patterns of sins in my life had been in my subconscious all week. I have delved into some areas I didn't want to face, and I mined some gems that I can carry forward and apply to my life to avoid sin in the future. I realized that while I often pay lip service to the sin of pride in my life, it is so much worse than I realized.

Which ties back into the Jesus, the One and Only study which said, "Conviction is never for the sake of condemnation but for liberation." If I give it over to Jesus and accept his mercy and grace, I have received a priceless gift, not eternal condemnation.

The contemplation of my sinful patterns isn't over. Yuck! I have just straightened up a little bit. I pray that God grants me the faith, strength, love, and mercy to continue to realize the pattern behind my sin. I have also realized that by not facing my sin patterns, I cannot meet Jesus and ask for healing. I noticed in our readings in Luke that in most instances where Jesus healed the sick in spirit and body, the person, or a person who could speak for them, knew he/she needed healing. They knew they needed Jesus's healing and grace.

You can't seek healing when you don't know you're sick.

So This Is My Blog

Oh, my, look at this. I remember this place. It's my blog. I can't believe I haven't posted since Halloween - 6 days ago! I guess that just means my life has been really full and busy.

Um, yeah, that's it...

I have been out of my routine, and I've found I'm a girl who loves her routine. What I'd love even more is to sleep late. I've had the perfect opportunity with the kids' teacher workdays yesterday and today. And yet there was that little time change. Now I'm laying in bed wide awake before my husband's alarm goes off. It just makes his day that I've gotten up with him the last two days instead of sleeping in with the kids. What I should do is get up and exercise. And that's something I'll need to tackle tomorrow. I mean the real tomorrow, not the tomorrow that's way off in the future that I never have to face.

Anyhoo, I don't have much to say today. I just wanted to make sure I remembered how to type. Here's the only semi funny thing that's really happened around here this weekend.

Fred, our oldest was jabbering away in the car the other afternoon. He turned to me and said,

"Pudding."

I, of course, laughed. It was totally in the randomness of how he said it. He then explained that just about any girl will laugh when you say, "Pudding." He also thinks they laugh if you say their name. Which brought me to the idea of...
...my son is trying to figure out how to make girls laugh.

Very, very, interesting. And hopeful, because a good sense of humor is golden.