Hello...

 

 

 

 

It's me, I was wondering if we could meet after all of these years....

Just kidding.  Getting in on the Adele humour of her Hello song.

 

So, it really has been awhile. Over 2 years to be honest.  A lot has happened during that time.  Where to begin.  I don't know.  Truth is, I'm finding it difficult just to write.  Anything.  I feel the rumblings of words trying to escape.  To break through the barriers that I've put in place to protect the innocent.  You and me. ;)  But the war is raging. The dam is starting to feel the pressure of my silence.  The words are leaking out.  Seeking refuge through my fingers.  Begging to be written upon a page.  Looking for a voice of their own. One to call their own. 

 

Where do I start?  In the present? The past two years?

 Mix them up a bit?

 

Maybe this is more about me and processing what has happened the last few years.  About finding the joy in writing and expressing myself through words once again.  Embracing my calling.  Encouraging others who might find this place.  These words.

 

Maybe it's also allowing the words to flow so that I can find that voice once again. To give my words the voice they long for.  To fan the embers back into a fire.  To find a way to do some good in this world.  Not just with words but through action.  Sharing with others the things I love and care about. Pointing you to needs that are around us.  Here in the United States as well as across the ocean.  Calling others to action. 

 

I don't know how often I will post.  But I know that the rumblings are growing louder and louder.  This was the first step.  Putting aside the fears.   Typing before editing.  Just allowing the words to come as they may.  I don't know what will be shared next.  The present or the past or the passion.  But I will find something to share with you.  I don't know that anything will be worth reading.  What I do know is that God has to be the one to breath life into the words that want to escape.  That are begging for their release. 

 

This is raw.  This is almost unedited.  Almost.   It is what it is.  Fear didn't win.  Unless I refuse to push the publish button.  :o

 

Blessings and hugs,

Laurie

So changes are a happening

The biggest change is the added Facebook page for seeing the world (badge to the side over there --> ) I have added some photos of the tiles and trivets to a new page here, but I haven't gotten them all in order nor the pricing info and stuff up so that will hopefully be happening between all of the laundry, cooking, the orders that have come in, and finishing the Facebook page. Need to rethink the ordering as well. So please be patient. You can always order through email of the things you like. I hope to have it all done by this weekend. Ambitious I know! But I'm liking what I am seeing so far and I really am trying to make it easier for all of you as well as myself.

Change is in the air.

Quick prayer request for a friend of mine and her husband. He got a viral infection that hit him hard and landed him in the hospital. The good news is the infection was out of his system within 24 hours. The bad news is it ravaged his body, organs and the docs don't know exactly what kind of virus it was so they don't know exactly how to treat it. He's had some really bad days and things didn't look good. Some answers are coming in finally - Praise GOD! He is still in the hospital. It is taking a toll on this family. Please pray for wisdom for the docs, for rest for the family, for healing for my friend's husband, for her continued strength and endurance as she also takes care of their three kids.


Enjoy the beautiful day God has made just for you!

STWTHE,
Laurie

Making some changes ~ I think....

Things have been so busy around here. I haven't been doing all I need to do and yet, there seems to be no time for much at all. We have started back to school this week and that is one more thing on my plate. Not looking for sympathy, just wondering when my time management skills are going to kick in. That's assuming I had any to begin with. :-/ I will eventually be moving all of the items I sale to a new blog(or my personal stuff to a new page) as well as a new Facebook page. Trying to streamline a few things and keep things simple. I'm not good at that so it may just complicate things a bit more. Lol. That's me. I tend to make things complicated yet deep down, I really long for them to be simplified. We'll see what happens. Maybe there will be no change whatsoever and this post will have been for nothing!

Headed back to Ethiopia in March! So excited. Working on that. Needing to update and load the new stuff I'm doing. Again, you can click on my Facebook badge and look at the photos that I have made public. This is where the fb page will come in handy :) loading pictures in both places gets a bit time consuming. But I will do both eventually.

I also want to highlight another friends journey to Ethiopia with Because Every Mother Matters in March. Linda is her name and she is such an encouragement. She is selling homemade goats milk soap to help fund her journey. Will you please check her out? Here is her link. I know she would be very blessed by you if you would purchase some of her soap. Read about her journey. Help her out. Get her there so she can love on the two women her family sponsors. You would bless my socks off by doing so!

By the way, Happy New Year! Our new years celebration was a quiet one at home with just the six of us. We played wipeout on the wii (totally got beat), then our annual sports competition. Still got totally beat! I blame it on the 32 hour drive we took in one week. 16 hours one day and 16 about 4 days later. That's my story and I'm sticking to it ;) not to mention, I haven't picked up a wii remote in quite sometime and I'm out of practice. :D

Ok, time to work on changes and see if they will be worth it or a waste of time.

May the Lord bring you His best this year as you seek His face and draw closer to him!

STWTHE,
Laurie

Proverbs 24:12

I was sharing with someone special yesterday about what? Child trafficking. Recommending a couple of books to read, though fiction, based on real life experiences and even suggested a couple of movies as well. You know, to get in the know. So they could be informed about what's going on around us. Even here in the U.S.

To this was their response,"Oh, I couldn't read those books or watch those movies."

"HHMMMM, why?", was my question.

"Oh, because it would make me sick. My heart couldn't take it. What am I suppose to do about it anyway? It's up to the government(s) to protect their own."

To this I said,"how could we not know and not do something about it? How can these kids live through this day in and day out and us not respond? Do you know that some are Bella's and Nantuckett's ages?"

{insert birds chirping}

Needless to say, I was in shock. But knowing this lovely person the way I do, it didn't really shock me as much as I wished it had. You see, this blessing is not an adventurous being. This person plays it safe for the most part. This blessing has talked many folks out of doing hard things and into walking the road most travelled. This blessing has, whom I love dearly, convinced me that I couldn't change the world with even one child much less make an impact on the world through taking a chance and stepping outside of myself. Of giving of myself. Of making a sacrifice for the one who has nothing. (Though this person is very giving, loving and would give their life for the ones they love.)

I fell for it for a long time.

That is until God got a hold of me and told me differently. He brought Proverbs 24:12 (NLT) to my attention:
Don't excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn't know." For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

I'll be honest and say that sometimes, I really wish I didn't know. I guess at times, ignorance is bliss and yet knowledge is suppose to be a way for us to guard and protect ourselves. Yes, sometimes, it seems to be to much.

Sometimes, it seems to be overwhelming and arrogantly I think, "Who am I that I can make a difference?"

Then God so sweetly speaks to my heart and says,"Dear one, you are not to make a difference on your own. It's through Me, My power, that I will make a difference through you."

How can I not say to my LORD, just as Isiah did,"Here I am LORD. Send me!" I don't want to play it safe. I want to be the one that goes. I want to be the one that says,"I didn't ignore the voice that was saying to me,'Go left or go right.' Yes, I went right where He told me to go." That's the legacy I hope to share with and instill in my children, grandchildren and every generation that comes after until our Saviour comes to get us.

Please hear my heart when I say that I am not judging this person at all!!! My heart is for this precious child of God to step outside of themself and grab hold of the things that are much better. Grab hold of what breaks God's heart. Know that they can't change the world but with God's help they can change one person's world. I adore this person. Love them so much. I do. I just want more for them and for my family. I want to live as Jesus did, caring for the least of these. Stepping outside of my comfort zone continuously. Sharing in the life of those the world says are useless.

So what are you going to do? Are you going to be the one who says,"Oh my heart couldn't take knowing that?" or are you going to be the one that says,"Here I am. Use me to make a difference in one person's life."

Be blessed friends. May God pour out His riches on you today as He has on the birds chirping outside of my window.

Seeing the World through His eyes.
Laurie