A New Beginning

Let's figure out some things we know for sure.

• It's impossible to start over while remaining in the same environment
  
• The new environment must be Positive, not Negative
• We must move forward with Hope for the Future
• We need to set Goals for that future 

Now, before we move forward, I am not suggesting you remove yourself from your home, your marriage, your life, or your career - actually I am not suggesting you remove yourself from your physical environment at all - I am suggesting you remove your mindset from the environement it is currently in. 

From a mindset environment of negativity, hopelessness and goallessness to a mindset environment actively seeking God's desire for your every thought and action, a God-centered mindset. The one place, that I know, we can get this mindest is our Savior, Jesus Christ. God can give you the most positive outlook on life, He can give you hope and help you set your life goals. 

Let's talk about getting out of our current mindset environment. To make change we need to refocus. To escape our current mindest we need to know and believe our Savior. How do we do that?

• Reading Scripture 
• Memorizing Scripture
• Praying Daily
• Spending Time with Godly Friends - not isolating yourself

Creating a Poisitve environment 

• Do things that make you happy
• What are your gifts and talents? Dsicover them and Use them
• Be who God created you to be - be yourself

Hope for the Future 

• According to Jeremiah 29:11-13 God can give you hope for the future, ask Him.

Goal Setting

• Find out where you and God are together in the future
• Be specific in your goals 
• Make them achievable and realistic
• Don't get distracted or discouraged 
• Goals can change
•  Have mini goals that get you to achieve your overall goal

These are a lot of things to do - it's overwhelming. All of these things don't have to be done in one day - it takes time to make change. I am going to start today to with reding my Bible, memorizing a short scripture, praying in my prayer journal and praying for some godly friends to spend real time with. You can pray about all the other things on the "to do" list. It helps and God steps in and gives you what you need to accomplish His will and His desires for your life.

As we move along this month, I will tackle each bullet on the journey of my "New Beginning" - keep blogging to learn more.... The next BLOG entry will tackle Creating a Positive Environment.

Looking for His ultimate Grace, Mercy and Strength to encourage us both,

Sandra 

NEW BEGINNINGS 2009!

God has been so good to me today! I have the first two months of topics for the website.

January ~ New Beginnings
February ~ Love

I'm so excited!

For January's New Beginnings, my life will be revolving around my health and my weight loss that is needed to improve my health along with exercise. Weight Watchers is the method I have chosen. I had a wonderful friend recommend it to me. She has lost 30 pounds. After doing some investigating it is the program that I feel fits into my lifestyle right now, along with making a life change of eating - not just dieting....

I'm ready - I am constantly praying that I would be so energized to do it and stick with it.

One additional thing I will be adding to Weight Watchers - is prayer! I have decided that for this to work, I need God's help. He will do it - I know He will give me the strength and encouragement I need.

Join us in the CHAT ROOM in January when we kick off the NEW BEGINNINGS CHAT ROOM. We will all have different issues, but we will get answers and support from God and one another!

In Jesus Name,
Sandra

Another Mile Stone Accomplished Today

Last week Sarah and I served in Courtney's Kindergarten class every morning for two hours. Courtney's school has six kindergarten classes and all six classes hosted a holiday of a different country. Anyway, Courtney walked to class a few days by herself while Sarah and I checked in at the front office. I still carried her backpack. Then in the afternoons she said she wanted to carry her backpack while we walked to the car.

When we first started kindergarten she could not walk the full length to the classroom from the parking lot without falling down, let alone carry her backpack on her back.

Friday came and she said, "Mom, I want you to drop me off at the drop off place Monday morning. I can carry my backpack and I walked this week without you and Sarah." I was excited that she had made this plan - without telling me she had worked this out in her mind all week long. I was also scared, the "what if's" started popping in my mind.

I told her that was exciting and that I was so proud of her and yes - she could walk to class. We dropped her off this morning and she was wabbling a little - but had her head held high and walked like a pro.....

I haven't stop thinking of it since!

My Horse Rider

Well, today I am so very proud of my Courtney. She is our middle daughter, she has Cerebral Palsy and a local newspaper here in Florida did a story on the academy she goes to and she was one of the students they wrote about! She is so cute! I love her to pieces. Check out the article, photos and the video on the Ledger website by clicking Courtney's picture....

If that doesn't work, here is the link
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1569844333?bclid=1425858110&bctid=4816064001

Of course, I would love to hear your feedback! The article was also in the Lakeland Ledger Newspaper this past Sunday!

Here is the website of the Riding Academy as well! http://www.tianvica.org/

Love sharing our life with you guys!
Sandra

I Love You!

November 12, 2008


Dear Sweet Girls,

Another week already gone by. Our family has had a virus all week. Kind of like a cold but much worse. My husband and middle daughter are non-germ people {germ-a-phoebes}. If someone in the house is sick, they avoid us like we have the plague. I am a hugger and kisser so, when I'm sick I want to be hugged and kissed. My other two daughters who are hugger and kissers too are the ones that were sick with me this week. My husband and middle daughter are not sick at all.

Funny how we are all different in the way we view things. I feel neglected and they feel like they are being wise avoiding sickness. Which statement is true? Well, it depends on which one of us you ask. Here are two basic truths about our little plight this week. (1) When you are sick you want to be cared for and loved (my love language happens to be physical touch). (2) If you get close to someone who is sick, chances are you will get sick.

I would recommend reading The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. It’s an excellent book. I will share the love languages with you today and give you a slight overview; but, the book is excellent and goes into great detail. The way you receive love is generally the way you show love. So if someone speaks a different love language then it’s like you are speaking a foreign language to them. The goal is to speak the language that makes the other person feel loved. Now, when practicality is involved, be sensible. Knowing I didn’t get hugs and kisses – was quite practical and I reasoned with myself and understood. Be sensible. Don’t focus on what you get. Focus on what you can give.

Here are the five love languages:

~ Words of Affirmation This is when you say how nice your spouse looks, or how great the dinner tasted. These words will also build your mate's self image and confidence.

~ Quality Time Some spouses believe that being together, doing things together and focusing in on one another is the best way to show love. If this is your partner's love language, turn off the TV now and then and give one another some undivided attention.

~ Gifts It is universal in human cultures to give gifts. They don't have to be expensive to send a powerful message of love. Spouses who forget a birthday or anniversary or who never give gifts to someone who truly enjoys gift giving will find themselves with a spouse who feels neglected and unloved.

~ Acts of Service Discovering how you can best do something for your spouse will require time and creativity. These acts of service like vacuuming, hanging a bird feeder, planting a garden, etc., need to be done with joy in order to be perceived as a gift of love.

~ Physical Touch Sometimes just stroking your spouse's back, holding hands, or a peck on the check will fulfill this need for love.


Check out Gary Chapman's website http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/

What's This

My husband is so funny. I have been sick and so have two of my daughters. I managed to make a pot of chili and after he ate his dinner, in the bottom of the bowl was something he didn't recognize.

I'm in the bed with my head covered, moaning and groaning to feel better and he walks in and says, "What are finger nails doing in the chili?"

I just started laughing and thinking - did I put finger nails in the chili? He brought it over to me and showed me and it was two little shavings from a wooden spoon I had used to stir the chili. I told him I thought the finger nails would add some good flavor. Yuck!

So, now of course we are having a great time saying - Does this have finger nails in it? Better check your lunch mom makes.... I am laughing just typing this. If you knew my husband you would giggle too!

Too Funny!

Being MAD at GOD

What a daring title. Being MAD at God. I was just that last night. After my husband and I discussed our finances we came to the conclusion that I should be looking more eagerly for a job. We do need the extra income. Couldn't everyone right now?

Normally, I would just work my anger out on my own and then take things to God after I wrestled with myself until I came to my senses. Not this time, I took my mad, angry self straight to God. I just started a new journal - so, the first page was my wonderful prayer of Being MAD at GOD.

I started out the prayer - with my flippant attitude about the situation I was in. After every sentence I would say, "I am so mad at you.". Then I decided that I would look up the names of God and then go back to Him after that and remind Him of His promises, because He surely wasn't keeping up His end of the deal.

I looked up the following names:
Jehovah Jireh ~ Provider
Jehovah Ezer ~ Helper
Jehovah Rapha ~ Healer
Elohim ~ My Creator
El Roi ~ God who sees

After all that, my heart starting seeing the truth.

Then I wrote the following:

My heart beats harder than ever before, my anger swells inside me. I see no relief from my sorrows. I mourn for what is not, what is no longer and what will not be. Tears swell up in my eyes and run down my face. The sorrow is more than I can stand. I stop. I invite my Creator,my Provider, my Healer in and get down on my knees and surrender all. I give over my anger, my sorrow, my fear, my mourning, my tears. I trust in the Creator, the one who made me. I trust He will turn my sorrows into joy, my tears into laughter. My anger into understanding, my madness into being today's lessons. My mourning into rejoicing.

You alone are God, my Creator. I am sorry that I had the lapse of unbelief. Who am I to question what the future holds? Who am I to question who you are and what rights you have?

As I started looking up scripture to plead my case against what God has allowed to happen, I found God has all rights and all love. I am here to worship and glorify Him. I am filled with the one who loves me!

Thanks for letting me share ~
Sandra

After Halloween

We made it through Halloween! The world didn't end because we didn't Trick or Treat. We went out to dinner with Jim's parents and the girls wore their costumes in the restaurant and within 5 minutes the costumes were itching and they had to take them off. Then we drove over to Target and purchased each girl a bag of candy. They were happy as little princesses. All three of them! I had no conviction and we were all good with it.

In my five year old daughter's class they were asked to vote on "Do you like Halloween?" I have never said to any of my girls that we are not to like Halloween - in a effort for them not to judge others in any way. But when I went to help in the class on Halloween Day. My middle daughter was the only one who voted "NO". This is our daughter with Cerebral Palsy. So, when we got home I asked her why she voted no. She said she doesn't like the scary costumes and that's why she doesn't like Halloween. I had no idea that was her thoughts - I was proud of her for not going with the crowd and standing alone.

Remember, I am not saying if you participate in Halloween you are bad ~ I am only going on my own convictions!!!!

Love,
Sandra

Good Morning

Hello Ladies,

I am so stressed this morning with my four year old, I could scream. She is not obeying the first time and on Monday mornings (just this one morning a week - while she is home) I update the ministry website and the BLOG.

This morning she is being extremely difficult. She wants all my attention. She doesn't like playing alone anyway - I explained this is like my work, so one morning a week I will be on the computer and not at her beck and call. She is driving me crazy! She wants this, she wants that. She had the nerve to tell me this morning that I never take care of her. I almost flipped.

We have had company this weekend and usually when my girls are starved for my attention it is because they haven't had my attention in a few days. It takes them about three or four days of no alone mommy time to get this way.

So, I told her that in five minutes I would give her 10 minutes of total mommy time. She wanted to go outside on our lani and sit on the love chair (that's what my girls call our chase lounge). So we went and I hugged her and kissed her and let her talk (non-stop) for 15 minutes. She is off playing in a room with the door closed, singing and happy as can be.

I am in here typing the BLOG for this week. The moral of my story is two things...

1. Our children must fit into our lives, not us into theirs
   
2. We must make sure we are meeting our commitments as parents before work

So, by filling my four year old with hugs and kisses for 15 minutes, I can help her to fit into my morning schedule of commitments....

PRAISE God for loving us in our unlovable moments. Me and my four year old!!!!

Sandra

The Halloween Delima

Good Morning!

Halloween participation. I can argue both sides, of the this issue that many Christians face. To participate or not. You can check out many things on the web and many churches have different stands on the subject. The reason I posted the question on our Home Page of the website was to get some different view points from you. However, if you answered through the "click here" to respond - our email is not being received for some reason. We are working on it to try to get it fixed.

I remain in the middle as of today. I have no clear cut answer for myself. I believe we all have freedoms in Christ and that if you are not convicted by dressing your little ones up and going out for candy - then God has not deemed that an issue of you.

I also believe that if you struggle with the issue, then it is better to make an error on the side of "not participating" if that gives you peace with God.

In the past our family has participated and not participated, we have made both decisions. My heart's desire is to not put my personal freedom or non-freedom upon another Christian or non-Christian. Many Christians choose to use this night as an outreach and fellowship building time to interact and see neighbors and people they normally wouldn't meet. I see a heart intent to build relationships when believers do this.

Maybe my struggle is with the fact that I am not a hide in my house, turn the lights off or go somewhere kind of girl - because I don't want to avoid the whole issue. I do not feel if I answer the door and say, "I'm sorry, God won't let me participate in Halloween, but I think it's perfectly fine for you to. " is the answer either. That is not going to bring glory to God or better my relationship with believers or non-believers. It would be rude and come off as judgmental.

Maybe it is one of those issues that God is not ready to give me an answer to, or maybe He has given me the answer and I don't see it, or maybe He is saying it is a freedom - deal with it with me alone. Either way, I just wanted you to know my reasons for asking the question on the Home Page.

Our family has decided since I don't have a peace about participating, the rest of our family is going to support that and not participate this year. I also think I need to pray about this throughout the year instead of avoiding it and then being all stressed and confused the week of.

My heart is to love God and to encourage you. I hope I have not harmed that relationship by bringing up this topic and muddying the waters even more.

In Christ,
Sandra

I had a Naaman moment!

God really spoke to selfish ole me one morning a few weeks ago...

I am Naaman {2 Kings 5} - I have my problem that I want God to take care of - but --- I am looking for it to be fixed in the way I envision it. I thought he would surely .... God used Elisha to give Naaman a simple answer to his large problem and Naaman wanted something with a more personal touch from Elisha - he wanted his personal attention and something grandiose. Elisha gave him a simple solution and it was so simple - Naaman was mad.

These are a few things I know God is telling me to do:

1. I am suppose to WAIT - which based on what I see in front of me - is not going to be easy - not at all !!!
2. I am suppose to WRITE this book and do it faster than I personally desire. I need to be focusing all my time on it. I must work as if I am working for God.
   
3. I must get PHYSICALLY HEALTHY for God to have the strength He desires from me. I will love the Lord my God with all my mind, heart, soul and strength!!!!

God keeps giving me four doors....The doors are Mind, Heart, Soul and Strength - which equal Mental, Spiritual, Emotional and Physical!!!!! WOW! God is good....

Instead of being overwhelmed with my life - I should be thankful that the God of the universe has time for me and has clearly given me a vision for what I need to be doing. I had that brief moment the other night, like Naaman, of being angry and wanting it my way. God did go ahead and heal Naaman anyway - I am hoping He will bless me anyway and help me to move forward in His will.

Keep me in your prayers!
Sandra

Support System

I have prayed and prayed for the addict in my life and at times I have no hope and other days there is hope. There is always hope in God, I have to constantly keep reminding myself of that in this relationship.

The addict in my life has finally surrounded themselves with solid people who are not addicts. Seeing this change has been a blessing to me. This has been one of my long-time prayers for this person. Through doing this, true friends spoke up this time and encouraged the person to do the right thing. Before, the addict was surrounded by addicts and they fed off of one another from the lie that the medication was prescription and must be needed ~ even though a month's worth of pills would be taken in a two week span.

Now, mind you, the addict was in the frame of mind to also do the right thing ~ many years ago this addict had a great family support system and through many years of abuse; boundaries interceded and the consequences became so great that the addict ended up alone. The addict had no desire to do the right thing at that time.

We all need friends and people who genuinely care for us. Our main support system should be through the blood Jesus shed for us, but life is hard and takes over and we get lost and confused. We were created to interact with others - it does matter who you hang around. Everyone influences someone.

Praise God the addict threw away the prescription pills and today admitted that they can not take those prescriptions the way they should be taken. A victory for today!

In Christ Jesus,
Sandra

Providing for Family - GOD's TRUTH

I am in an anxious place this morning. Dealing with a loved one who has an addiction is never easy. I know it is not my responsibility to save this person, but it is my responsibility to provide for this person. According to God's Word. Now, the definition of "provide" is what is unclear for me today. My definition and this person's definition are defined totally different. So, I want God's definition.

I believe we each make decisions every moment of the day. Even in not making a decision we are making a decision. So, instead of calling my friends or even my husband I am going to search God's Word and seek what His TRUTH is about the matter. I believe God is going to define "provide" in this context for me today.

According to 1 Timothy 5:4-8 I do have a responsibility to this family member. It is not my heart intent to embarrass or to bring shame to this person. I don't feel I am suppose to share this person's name - hopefully I can articulate what God wants without revealing who this person is.

Verse 8, says that "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

Now, with that said - previously I would have avoided the issues with this person, disconnected myself and shoved it in my mental closet. Not today - in an effort not to deal with this issue I am sharing with you for two reasons. (1) To keep my mental closet clean (by discovering what God wants from me in this situation), and (2) that God could somehow use this blog to encourage you.

So, I am to provide for this person.

Here are a few things that I can not provide:

1. correct decisions
2. strength to overcome the addiction
3. authority in this person's life
4. a healthy mental thought process
5. money or means to support this habit
6. this person with reality

Only Jesus Christ is the Savior, not me. So, the above things are the things I will pray for this person.

Here is what I can provide this person with:

1. Love, a genuine concern and care to not harm or control them
2. Prayers
3. Speak the TRUTH in a loving manner
   
4. Encouragement to admit the addiction and to get professional help
5. BOUNDARIES, to make clear what consequences this addiction will have on our relationship

Now, after all that I am not going to mail this nice, informative letter I had written to this person's doctor to educate the doctor of this person's addiction and abuse of prescription medication. That's how I wanted to deal with it - mail the letter to the doctor and not speak to the addict and then my hands would be washed of it. That way, I could take no responsibility. After all I am not the addict. By sending the letter, I would have done a noble and responsible thing, yet been able to shift blame on the doctor if this person continued to abuse.

Instead, I am going to communicate directly with this person in my life. I am going to let them know how I genuinely love them, that I pray for them. Remind this person how God has a specific plan for their life - they are special. I will encourage professional help and refresh the boundaries, that were clearly established previously with them, of their actions. When the addiction happens the boundaries tighten, I see efforts of trying and seeking help then those boundaries are slightly loosened with the knowledge that they are adjusted based on the addicts abuse.

So, my definition of "provide" for this person seems to be:
To love them, pray for them, encourage professional help, speak only TRUTH and to not totally remove myself from them completely, but to set and keep godly boundaries.

Now, I have to call and write a letter to this person. The phone calls never go well, if they are coherent enough to talk, so I will also write a loving, but truthful letter. I will include the letter I was going to send to their doctor and let God lead from there.

I will know after taking these steps that I have done all that God calls of me, not the addict.

I am not the Savior! Only the Lord Jesus Christ saves!
Thank goodness!
Sandra

Hard Times

Times are really hard right now. The economy is not good. Many families are in hardship. This hard time is making everyone take a look at what is a real need and what is a want. From foreclosures to total financial ruin. Women I talk to daily are dealing with stress levels that they are not able to carry on their own. Husbands are feeling like failures and not good providers - this will only lead to worse things if we don't focus on the CREATOR!

Our family is not exempt from the economy either. Our lifestyle has adjusted dramatically over the last six months. We have cut back and cut deep. My teenage daughter and I have given up our cell phones. Such a trivial thing, but we have come accustom to them and rely on them for emergencies and convenience. We have cut back on all extras in our home from lowering features on cable and telephone, making sure lights are off and taking shorter showers, to cutting back on trips into town - sticking to our grocery budget and when the money is gone it is gone for the week.

No matter what your "Hard Time" is, whether it is making ends meet, dealing with a handicap or new found disease that is life threatening or debilitating , being emotionally alone, or in some other sort of bondage ~~ God is with you and He loves you and He has a way! His Word Says So! Remember it is His way, not ours.



Yesterday while we were in church service God asked me what we needed most when we are in "Hard Times". My first answer was Him, then the question came - How can you find me? I wondered the whole service.

God usually speaks to me in questions. I have the gift of discernment, but when it comes to my own life many times I am so close to the problem I can't discern my way out. So, I thought of what I was missing to help me accomplish finding God in the midst of whatever crisis I was in. Here is what He gave me:

1. Memorizing Scripture, being intimate with His Word, knowing Him more. Hiding God's Word in my heart.
   
2. Having a true godly friend, one who speaks God's truth to me daily. God loves you and has a special plan for you - you are His -- an encourager of God! When a person is in the midst of a really hard time, they have no HOPE, this person helps them have Hope! This person boldly says, "GOD IS GOOD!", even when we can't see it.
   
3. Getting Face Down - How often do I remove all distractions and get down on my knees and come into His presence? Using this time to listen - Joshua 5:13-14
4. Ask ME - God says ask and he will give you the desires of your heart. Why don't we ask? Even if he doesn't answer the way we want - His way is always much better than anything I could have ever come up with on my own. I think we don't like the answer in God's time and His way - we want our way and timing!
   

I hope in some way these ideas bring you intimacy with God, encourage you and give you hope along with knocking you down to your knees to truly seek Him; and give whatever your crisis is, over to Him, totally! He so desires to love you and give you - we give our children the desires of their heart - how much more does God love us?

So, open your Bible, begin that relationship of spending time with God to get to now Him. Find that godly friend (be that godly friend) - pray that God would provide one. Get down on your knees and listen - it may take some waiting, but He will speak. Ask Him, ask him for what you need.


In Christ,
Sandra Carter

My Life This Week

We have posted all over the website opportunities for you to allow us to pray for you. I am now going to ask that you pray for me personally. After much prayer and avoidance, I know for sure God is asking a few things of me.

• GET PHYSICAL STRENGTH - this means do what I need to do to be healthy. God desires me to have strength for endurance to glorify Him in all I do.
  
• WAIT - not to take action on a job that He does not want for me, trust He is the provider.
  
• WRITE -God has given me four doors as a visual for this book I am suppose to be writing. It will cover our Mental, Spiritual, Emotional and Physical lives. Right now He has me hand writing out over 30 pages of verses to go along with what He has to say in His Word about these topics.

Now as God has asked me to obey in these areas, I have been putting them off and now I am at a point where I feel like God is telling me that I must obey. He wants all of me. This means my eating, my exercise, my finances, my fears, my anxieties, my love, my happiness and my sorrow. ALL of it. I am scared to give over the physical part of my life, I am scared of what I see in front of many myself and many Americans with our economy, I am scared to write and to move into a deeper accountability with God. However, I am going to GET PHYSICAL, WAIT and WRITE.

In part, because I have a healthy fear of God and the other part is that I also desire that amaZing closeness to Him. I am honored that He loves me enough to stretch me, use me and mold me.

Please pray as I move forward that God would shower me with the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, that I would feel and know God's love and that I would be in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. I live daily to glorify God.

In Jesus Name,
Sandra Carter

The Carter Girls are Funny!

Good Morning! I have a good one for you....

We have started a Thursday night family devotional and prayer time. Courtney asked this week for her feet and legs get better. Courtney is our five year old with Cerebral Palsy, she so desires to wear flip flops. So, we added that to the request and then I mentioned she could pray that on her own at night if she wanted to before she went to bed. She said, "I didn't know I could do that. I will tonight." So, she prayed moving her lips and no sound coming out of her mouth, on her knees, in the floor, beside her bed. It was soooo cute.

The next morning Kelli asked her, "Have you prayed this morning for your feet and legs?" Courtney politely told Kelli that it wasn't dark outside and praying was like wishing upon on a star and there are no stars out in the day time. Kelli sweetly told Courtney that she could pray anytime. Courtney replied, " I didn't know that, Kelli.".

Kelli waited a few moments and asked, "So are you going to pray?". Courtney replied, "I'm gonna pray that you leave me alone!"

Kelli was shocked and came and ran and told me the whole thing and I laughed! It is never a dull moment at the Carter house.

Keeping Up With Life

If I did all the things I thought I should do -- Wow! I would never sleep. All the crafts I have in my head, relaxation things, movies to see, books to read, people to pray for alone would consume me, not to mention reading my Bible and my journaling, going to lunch with friends, dinner parties, sports event, laundry, cooking, cleaning, parenting, being a good wife, the list goes on and on ...

I think the older I get the more I see life in it's entirety. We go through seasons of life, not just one never ending day of life. It's okay to space things out. If I take all the things I want to do and push as hard as I can to accomplish them in this season, then I miss out on the experience of the thing I wanted to do - it becomes a task on my "to do" list and not a life experience. I tend to do that - push through to make it to the next day, stuff the things I can't get done or deal with in a closet. Instead of placing it where it goes the first time.

Remember those closets I was cleaning out?

I blogged about this several weeks ago. I finished five closets - now I think I need to move onto the dreaded (under the sink cabinets). Those are a little lower down and much more messy. Just to refresh your memory there were a few categories that I came up for my actual closets in my home and then God told me to apply those same categories to my mental closet. My mental closet is the places where I store my thoughts, emotions and feelings when I want to push through the day. Let's compare my real closets with my mental closets.

Here are the categories:

• Keep
• Throw Away
• Give Away
• Store it and/or Save it

These four areas had to be defined before I was willing to go on. Keeping something meant it had to be useful to our me or our family the majority or the year. Throwing it away meant it had no useful value to us or to anyone else in the future. It was just taking up space. Giving it Away meant that it did not fit the first two categories, but someone may be able to put it to good use. Then the all time favorite, Storing it or Saving it this meant it had to be valuable to our family in some sentimental or monetary way.

Okay, I have to confess I have been putting off the cleaning closet thing for a few weeks. I so enjoyed organizing and cleaning the closets once I got started. It was the getting started that wore me out. Although, I think I may have been working on my mental closet the most. I'm okay with that.

Now, I am sure it is time to go lower (deeper) and clean out under the sink in my bathroom and kitchen. Right at this moment I am making a face that says - yuck! I feel that means when I clean out these things that God is getting ready to take me a little deeper and clean out something deeper within my mental closet. So, to clean out those "underneath cabinet" I have to get on my hands and knees. That sounds harder to me... There is never growth without pain - or so I've heard.

I am dreading it! Why? I think it is because I get use to the dysfunction I am in and at least know what to expect. I should be sitting on pins and needles - excited about what God is going to do!!!!

Psalm 32:8-9
Is not the verse I was looking for, but this is the one God gave me today. I had to laugh out loud when I read it. It is so true! He is a God of humor too! Thanks GOD! AMEN

Psalm 32

8 Let me give you some good advice;
I'm looking you in the eye
and giving it to you straight:

9 "Don't be ornery like a horse or mule
that needs bit and bridle
to stay on track."

Our Instinctive Pull

I haven't written in a few weeks. One of the issues going on at the Carter house is that our middle daughter has casts on both of her legs. She is doing stretch therapy (serial casting). Courtney has Cerebral Palsy and is currently growing faster than our daily therapy can keep up with. The casting is necessary to get her stretched into a flat footed position to be fitted for a new pair of AFO's (Corrective braces). Our whole family has been somewhat emotional this week. Courtney seems to be handling it like a trooper. I was able to write an amazing devotional out of it this week and I also wanted to share another topic God revealed to me this week.

Our Instinctive Pull
Usually, when everything is going normal (relative word) I tend to not spend as much one on one time with each of my children. I also don't pay them as much attention in the parenting realm either. I stop observing and participating in their moral corrective training during those smooth times. I let them go on their way and then I'm here to pick them up when they need it. They tend to start thinking individually instead of family oriented, they become more selfish with toys, time and attention on themselves. And don't express how precious those around them are.

This week God has really spoken to my heart about how I react when the smooth, normal time is a distant memory. The moment something isn't right I instinctively pull them to my side. I am more protective of them and hate to let them out of my sight and they tend to want to be nestled in my arms as well. We all know something isn't right and now we are being reactive instead of being pro-active.

I think we do that with God. All is going pretty smooth (normal) in our lives and we loose track of God and go off and do our own things. We become self focused and not others oriented. We don't want to share our personal time, our space or even our kindness. Then God gets our attention with something - a crisis in our eyes. We instantly get mad at God for allowing something like this to happen to us. We were doing just great and then "BAM" something gets our attention. We know something isn't right and we react. When the crisis hits we instinctively pull back to settle ourselves. Hopefully, the next thing we do is run to God and allow Him to begin to instill in us His values again. His promises and His will for our life. I wonder if God feels that instinctive pull to bring us closer to him when we go off on those tangents? I also wonder if we were pro-active, by resting in His Word daily and praying uninterrupted daily, if we would become more proactive than reactive?

Thank goodness we have a God that looks at us and says, "I love you, come here let me hold you and nestle in me."

He is always there. Always waiting, always loving.

Have a great week and see you next MONDAY!
In the loving spirit of the Lord,
Sandra

Webstie Info

Good morning friends. Just wanted to take a few short lines to let you know where we are on the website. As you can see, some of it is still under-construction. My plan is to start doing Monday Blogs starting Monday, September 15, 2008. I am still working out some of the bugs with the website. We will be sending out a Monday email of our website. If you would like to sign up please do so under the contact us area and in the subject place weekly email.

S~

A Prayer from my Personal Prayer Journal

This week instead of sharing a thought with you, I decided to share one of my personal prayer journal entries. I started attending a women's Bible study last Thursday. Discerning the Voice of God is the name of the study. I have been overwhelmed this week with school starting, not to mention the hundred of other things starting this week.

Here is my entry on Friday, August 22, 2008
The scripture for this day was Habakkuk 1:12-13

Dear Lord - my Father,
Daily life comes and goes, my anxiety runs through my veins like a broken dam floods through a city. My earthly life will fade and my anxiety will come and go, the anxiety will consume me if I turn to it instead of you. You will always be there for me, now and in the thereafter. You have already given me eternal life. You are Holy and Pure. When I trust in You my ways will become pure and blameless.

You, God, are my ROCK. My solid stay. The unmovable portion of my life. You are in control and I am not. You are in control of our finances, my marriage, my future service in ministry, my middle daughter's disabilities with cerebral palsy, my youngest daughter's gifts and talents, my oldest daughter's college education and her life in ministry. You are in control of my husband's career. You are the author of life.

Lord, you can't stand evil, please remove my evil thoughts and give me the strength to choose the right things, and for me not to choose the easiest things. You are just. My feelings and emotions are not always lined up with Your ways; however, You are working to make great and unmeasurable things happen for me here on earth as well as in heaven. When daily life seems to be the bleakest I will turn to you and trust you. I will rest on my ROCK, my solid place. You will reveal Your plan when you are ready and I as your servant will wait and honor and praise your name.

You are here, always in my midst, waiting for me to come to you. I can picture you like a friend standing outside my door ringing the doorbell. You can hear me inside, shuffling around. You can peak through the door and see my shadow walking through the entry way. I pass right by the door. I am busy. I am doing laundry, answering my cell phone, emailing, watching TV, making lunches, doing dishes, preparing dinner and just one household chore after another. Why do I treat you like you are not there? Why do ignore the doorbell? I thank you that you don't turn away and never come to see me again. I thank you that you love me and you are always standing there waiting for me to answer the door. I pray you keep ringing the doorbell and never stop. It hurts my soul to think I have left you outside, not included you, not made you feel welcome in my home. I imagine you standing outside, knowing I'm home and no one comes to the door. I know I hurt you when I run to other things for comfort or try to fix things myself. I am sorry, I pray you can forgive me.

In Jesus Precious Name
AMEN

First Day of School Blues

How has everyone's week been? Here in Florida we are getting ready for school to start Monday! My family and I attended a kindergarten open house last night and a high school open house and on Monday we attend a pre-school open house. There's nothing like being in two different stages of life at once or needing to be in two different places at one time. I had so many emotions and feelings going on last night.

For many parents starting a new school year is a relief on that first day of school. No more keeping the kids entertained 24/7 or listening to them being annoyed with each other. Some parents are sad; their baby is starting kindergarten or even college. Some parents are anxious and worried.

Every year for the first day of school, I cry. I have relief, sadness, anxiety and worry all at the same time. I always have that movie going through my head of the past year. Then asking myself - Did I do everything each daughter needed me to do as a mother to prepare her for this new year of social, academic, physical, emotional and spiritual year of life? I used to go home, cry and be sort of sad all day after dropping off my oldest daughter. I never have let my girls see me cry on that day, I want them to have a happy first day. My oldest daughter knows about the "first day of school blues" for me and she smiles when I tell her the past years stories. She likes knowing I think of her and miss her.

Now after the drop off I've started a new tradition of going for coffee with friends to ease my "First Day of School Blues." This year, I have no one to go to coffee with. We have started a new school and live in a new house in a new town. I must make a plan of what to do my first free day. It's been five years since I have had three hours daily alone with myself. I must admit, I am looking forward to it, but also sad to see my girls enter a stage where they are no longer babies. Because of my teenage daughter, I do have the advantage of knowing that I will love each stage of their lives. She has been such an adventure, now I can look forward to two more daughters doing that adventure at the same time (that's a blog for a whole other week).

As I wanted to go with my girls, all three of them, on their first day of school I started thinking of God as our Father and how He must relate to us in our firsts. He is so unlike me. I have to stay home and wait on the girls to come home and tell me about their day. God is everywhere at the same time. He has unlimited power and authority. He has complete and ultimate knowledge, wisdom and awareness of all things. I am so glad that I don't have that responsibility. I like knowing that God has all the answers, and that He is the one that can tell my girls great and unsearchable things that I don't know. I don't always react that way, I don't always think God has them, yet I should.

So, this year I am going to pray with each one of my daughters privately to send them on their way. We are going to pray the armor of God over them and ask God to bless each one of them this whole year. We are going to pray for their principles, teachers, lunch room ladies and their classmates on a regular basis this year. God is good and He will watch my girls and they will be who they are and I will love them, protect them and continue to teach them that God has a special plan for each one of them.

Hang in there moms, we have been blessed!
Sandra