Tough Cookies

Within the past couple of weeks, a friend of ours used this phrase to describe us.  I often wonder what has caused us to be seen as "tough cookies" in retrospect.  I remember so many events in our lives, individually and in our married life that has formed us to the people we are today--for better or worse.
I know that many, countless times we've had seemingly insurmountable occurrences in our life that had caused us to immediately hit the floor on our knees in a puddle of tears because in our own strength, we could not do "this", whatever "this" was.  Miraculously, as if by only the strength of the Holy Spirit, we stood to dry our tears and put one foot in front of the other.  There were times that many times EACH DAY we were in a puddle of tears, surrendering everything to the Lord, telling Him that we can't do "this" alone, that He's going to have to do "this" for us because in our own power, we're nothing.

With each step we've taken, we often times get to see a few steps ahead.  Other times, we can only see the step we're on currently.  These lessons have been "hard learned" and wrought with heartache, pain, and rivers and rivers of tears.  So, to use the term "tough cookie" to describe us is not as accurate as perhaps someone with the strength of a piece of jello or as sturdy as a river of tears.

That said, the Lord Himself has etched Himself in and through every aspect of our lives, from our finances, to our home and everything in it, our vehicles, our pets, my Mr. G's retirement from corrections and on to his current job, as well as homeschooling, and moving on in to our lives very soon as post homeschooling parents.  Our lives have been filled with trials and triumphs, but only by God's grace.

So, it is only by the strength of the Lord that we rely on daily that we can be remotely compared to "tough cookies."

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,

but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 

And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, 

because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,

 for those who are called according to his purpose." 

(Romans 8:26-28)

This verse has become our very own in the past 3 years through the trials we've faced.  We've clung to it tightly when the winds blew so hard and things we thought were "ok" suddenly disintegrated.

We were helped by many folks posting different scripture at just the right time, praying for us and loving on us just to let us "talk it out" and vent.  There have been priceless friendships formed that had those occurrences not happened, we would have missed those friendships.  God brings about things in our lives to bring people together who wouldn't have normally crossed paths.  What a blessing these folks have been to our lives!  They don't even know the true depth and breadth of how much they honestly helped us just by being there for us when we needed them most.  We feel the Lord Himself put them in our lives and we are truly grateful for their friendship.  

Many times, it was only through the gift of music that was able to sooth our aching hearts.  Many times I leaned on these two songs.

The Lord has blessed us, and given us peace so many times through so many ways. 

Praise His Holy Name!

God Bless,

Unexpected Blessings and a Course

"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you should also love one another. By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love toward one another." 

(John 13:34-35)

Many times we've come across people who have asked us, "What brought you to southern Georgia?"  Our response has usually been that the Lord has brought us here.  We share our story with many many folks, but honestly, we didn't know what God had in store for us here where He has placed us.  The reason for putting us right here has been fuzzy for a few months.  We only know a couple of our neighbors, we attend church and other activities in Albany, so the question still was a bit perplexing, "Why did you bring us to this house, here in this little town so far from where we have appointments and activities?"  So we prayed.

"If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall 

give you another Comforter, so that He may be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth, 

whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. 

But you know Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you. I will not leave 

you orphans. I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world does not see 

Me any more. But you see Me. Because I live, you shall live also. At that day

 you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who 

has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves 

Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him." 

(John 14:15-21)

We decided to just live our lives, just open to God's guidance and direction.  We were not sure what work God still had for us, so we just waited.

The past couple of weeks at Sherwood Baptist Church, the topic has been "Next Level Praying" where the pastors preached about the importance of not only praying and how to pray, but why.  I have always prayed for a variety of people, prayer lists, family members, leaders, and whoever else would come to my mind, but this was different.  This was not only encompassing those people and things I'd already prayed for, but taking them to a whole new level of prayer.

Through all of the teaching on prayer, one of the things that has weighed heavier and heavier on my own heart and mind is not only the need for prayer, and not just surface prayer--but broken hearted prayer knealing at the throne of grace with a love unmatched by anything we've ever experienced type of prayer.  I've experienced this type of prayer many times for the loved ones I hold dear, but the Lord has been teaching me that I need to be broken hearted and pray like this for my neighbors too.

"Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, 

and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great 

commandment. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 

On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." 

(Matthew 22:37-40)

While many folks here where we live, I'm sure, are praying for our little town, I'm sure this little town could handle just one (if not 4 more--to include our family) people praying with a broken heart for the people here in our town.  

That sounds so very simple, doesn't it?  God brought us here to pray for this little town.  Not just any prayer, but a special type of praying that will I'm sure, add ministry of some sort to it eventually.  

How am I going about this?  I'm glad you asked!  

On Valentine's Day Sherwood launched a prayer initiative for it's members and all those who wish to participate.  As I sat there listening, that still small voice told me that this is one small reason we were here.  We need to pray for our neighbors by name, by address for their families, for their troubles, challenges and ailments, and for their salvation.  The website pray4everyhome.com is where I can keep track of who I pray for and where they live.  Yes, it is a bit stalker-ish, but the information is available from the last census, so it is public record and not illegal.  Besides, I have a hard time remembering names 5 minutes after being introduced to someone, so this is perfect!  God knows their names.  I don't need to remember them.  I just need to pray for them!  

"You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your 

enemy." But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do 

good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and

 persecute you, so that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven. 

For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the

 just and on the unjust." 

(Matthew 5:43-45)

There are unexpected blessing through all of this experience.  I have personally experienced a greater burden for my neighbors and their eternal home.  I cannot explain it better than that.  I've also experienced greater peace, greater purpose, greater vision for my days.  I have less to do with schooling now that I have one graduated and one more graduating this May.  She is more independent and I have only to check her work every so often and be available if she has a question.  My youngest I finish up with him in about 15-20 minutes, discuss things with him, correct his papers, and move on.  With all this free time on my hands, instead of going back to school, I've been praying about which direction to go with my time.  I get a gentle push for other areas where I can volunteer too, so I'm praying about that.  I'm praying and using Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 as my guide.  I'm just trying to push myself aside to be open to the guiding of the Holy Spirit.

How are you loving your neighbors?

God Bless,

A Day At the Beach & Life Lessons

Weeks ago, we decided that it was time to bless our kids with a trip to the Lake Erie beach that we love the most.  With all of the cleaning and packing we've been doing, it was time to stop, grab a friend, and go to the beach.

Lake Erie when we arrived and set up to relax.

It was such a beautiful day! 

I could barely see to take the picture, but here is one where Mr. G and I were sitting in the shade under the tree.  I take medication that makes me photosensitive, so we spent most of our time under the tree.

After spending over 3 hours in the sun, the kids were sufficiently crispy--even with 70+spf sunscreen--we went to Panera Bread before heading home.  It was something new for a couple of us, something familiar for others and just fun to pick out some neat treats that we don't normally have.

On the way home, my hubby didn't take pictures because he wasn't feeling well, but he did get a couple on our way up to Erie.

Small town with American flags waving.

Lonely old silo

Small grassy area on the hill

The valleys and scenery is breathtakingly beautiful.  I love looking as far as the eye can see and see hills and trees with an occasional splotch of green grassy patch.  It gives me a chuckle.

Upon arriving at home, we found a phone call from our Georgia realtor waiting for us.  We called and left her a message and within 5 minutes she returned our call.  The house that Mr. G put an offer on last week, we had been counter offering with 3 days in between each offer--it's a bank owned/HUD property thing where they get 3 days to reply to an offer.  The last offer, the bank/seller did not accept.  We are taking a step back and praying about how to word another counter offer, if at all.  The bank/seller would not budge on the price, but to come down $1,000.

We need to take a step back, regroup, get some things done here on our house in Pennsylvania, then see if there have been any other offers on this house.  We're waiting 2 weeks, then starting with the offer process again.  If the Lord wants us to have it, then He will make it available.  

For now, we get ready for a "Moving Sale" next weekend.  I'm getting so many things ready to sell so that the things we have to move will be limited and as small as we can possibly get it.  We are selling curriculum, too.

This journey through life is by far the most important time because it builds character, helps us to enjoy our time in the here-and-now, and it makes us linger to ensure the needful lessons are learned--sometimes whether we like it or not.  Our attitudes on the journey can be ones of thankfulness, or selfishness in which case it causes great heartache and stress for those who love us due to our own selfish responses to the unfamiliar.  

For now, though, we rest in God's will.  It's a good place to be.  Learning to rest there is difficult for many, but a very important and integral part of the journey.  I often visualize sitting in the passenger seat and letting God be the one in charge of my car.  How much I actually trust Him is directly related to how much I rest while He is driving.

It feels good not to have to drive this car through life, but to rest and let Him take the wheel.

God Bless,

When in the Course of Human Events

There comes a time when one needs to make some changes to make the young folks uncomfortable, to accommodate aging parents, and create greater peace in one's life; it is time to make that happen.

Our oldest is 18 and he is graduating this year.  We've gradually made him do things that have been uncomfortable for him--like filling out his own forms at the Dr's office(s), making his own appointments and writing them on the calendar, giving him very defined guidelines for assignments and following through when he doesn't live up to those expectations.  He is to get a job here in the next couple of months and start working, but he has to get some things completed for school to be finished for him.  He has to take care of his own application for college and paying for it himself.

It's time for change.  It's time for him to grow up and accept these responsibilities.  Most of the time I am met with resistance.  Perhaps a year of being accountable to others would help.  Change is coming for this young man and he may not like it, but this is the way of life.

It's time for a change for our home.  We've extended the invitation to my Mother to come live with us so she has someone to care for her when she needs care.  She's been in the hospital twice from November to mid-December for pneumonia related issues, but no one to help care for her once she returned home.  She lives with my sister currently, but my sister has 2 restaurants she'd been managing and cannot take the time to care for Mother when she needs it.

It's time for a change.  We're continually praying about this concern because we know that we can help my Mother.  She just needs to be ready for the change too.  Right now, we don't think she's ready.  So, we figure out a variety of ways to prepare ourselves for the inevitability of her coming to live with us eventually--if not this year, then next year perhaps.

Changes are happening everywhere, inside us, all around us and we're helpless to stop it--just to enjoy the "status quo" just for a little while longer.  I look around at my kids and the condition of my house, the size of my house and think, "If we had a smaller house there wouldn't be so much to keep clean, to keep track of, to organize, dust...(and my mind wanders to that possibility)."

We're still living in limbo with my husband's retirement.  We're not sure if he'll retire next year or 6 years from now.  We're keeping our options open, he's keeping his eyes open for possible job openings down south, and keeping all of this stuff in prayer.  Our greatest desire is to honor and glorify God & to go where He is leading us as a family.  We want to greater serve Him.  Sometimes that means leaving the familiar, uprooting everyone and moving south.  Sometimes it means to stay where one is and continuing to serve there.

Changes are coming, we must be ready.  God is a God of order, so while we wait patiently (at times, not so much), we're deliberately organizing, painting, cleaning, praying and getting ready for the next chapter God has written for our lives.

God Bless,

Week Number One Finished

Upon returning home from church on Sunday, we found "No-Feat" in a bucket where Daddy placed him so that everyone could see him.  No reticulating python here.  Just honest to goodness wild critter fresh out of God's creation.

In true "G" family style, the new school year began with holding a wild snake.  Me?  I went in to the house.  LOL  Notice HJ has her gloves on.  She loves this kind of thing.

I prepared the kids, letting them know that they needed to remember that we were starting school again on Monday.  Their weekly assignment sheets had been copied as well as their Biology 1 & 2 assignments.

Something has happened this week that I truly loved seeing.  There was a calm that fell over the house.  It was most like a gentle spirit of peace and comfort in the return of our scheduled activities.  What a blessing!

An experiment illustrating ocean currents.  

Perfect Peace

This is a picture of my lilac bush in our back yard.  Yes, it's mine.  My beloved Mr. G said so!  LOL

Why did I name my blog "Perfect Peace?"  I didn't come up with the idea until I had the most perfect weather--not too hot and not too cold--last year when my lilac bush was in full bloom.  The day was gorgeous!  I was able to hang out laundry.  And who doesn't like hanging laundry out while enjoying the wafting scent of lilacs? 

For a couple days, I'd hurry and get all my work done inside so I could work outside around my lilac bush while it was in full bloom. 

As I sat on the back porch working on menus and my Mega Shop list, I was listening to a Twila Paris song based on the scripture from Isaiah 26:3 and it came to me, "Perfect Peace." 

With all of the said, I would love for all of my life to consist of nothing but "Perfect Peace."  I would be the first to admit that with living with my own sinful self as well as 4 other less than perfect, sinful blessings from God, my life is full of excitement and love, but also times of grasping for that Perfect Peace.  Life is full of challenges and how I handle those challenges brings me to my knees, humbling me...bringing me to the position where I surrender and the Lord can work in my life.  I am so very grateful.

To the right, there is a road just behind the trees where we walk.  This whole area brings me such wonderful peace when my soul is full of grief and struggles.  This walk also brings me such joy and gratefulness to my Lord for such a blessing.

Nothing on this earth will ever be "perfect", but when placing our thoughts and minds on Him, that is as close as it will get.  I am so very thankful.  What a blessing to have that "Perfect Peace" amidst the storms of life.  Praise God!