A Very Busy Life

To say that I am busy in any one particular day might be an understatement.

I often lie awake in bed unable to sleep with such a large "To Do" list looming ahead of me for the following day. When Steve is out traveling for work, then all of the daily things needing to be done, fall on my shoulders. It makes me wonder just how much sleep can I skip out on, and still get it all done. I find myself staying up later trying to cram it all in, in hopes that tomorrow might have less things needing to get done in it.

Starting a small home based business can be fun, but it is a lot of hard work. You have to not only make the product, but market it, post about it, and get it sold if you can really say you have a home based business. You have to sell quite a bit to get it from simply being a hobby, to being a business as well. So you have to also become a part time accountant. You need to know if you are really turning a profit or merely trading supplies from one project to the next.

You also have to stay up with the latest trends because business now a days are not run like they used to be. Everything I am discovering is that it is all online driven, so you also have to be your own shipping and receiving as well as Customer Service department as well. I can't wait to be able to hire those who are really good at what they do from handing operating and maintaining a website, obtaining more supplies, production, marketing, oh you can see where this is going on top of spending some time learning about the business trends of a home based business.

Doing it in your mid-50's isn't hard, it just is mastering where your proficiencies are. Good luck with that. Plus there are so many variables you don't consider in doing that. You have to put in an 8-hour day if you hope to make this a full time business. For me, it is keeping it fresh and fun, while still using the talents and time God has given you to keep things interesting. So when I am not running my small business, I am still reviewing books, even though I have cut it back by 200%. No longer reading them every single day, I have scaled it back to 2 per week, but even that can seem difficult as well.

You want to be great at it all, but some days just seem a bit overwhelming. Like yesterday, I had gotten so far behind on my devotions and reading my Bible, that it was going to take some time. It was something I didn't want to stop doing, and found there is blessings when you are obedient to God over your own wants and needs. He can help you to manage your schedule, to help build your business and thankfully use the talents and resources He has provided to help you move forward just a bit day by day.

So remember, if you feel down in the dumps or overwhelmed, grab your Bible, spend some time with God first, and see how much better your day can go. 

It Feels Like Only Yesterday!

17 years of being married. Hard to imagine not because it's been so difficult, but because it has been so exceptional. In fact, Steve just mentioned it last night how when you think of 17 years, you would expect that to be a really long time, but in fact, it seems like only yesterday when I was telling him this marriage outlasted my first one of ten years.

The best part is that 17 years has given me time to see my amazing husband in a variety of situations to see how he responds to when storms batter our marriage and family. He is my Rock. He remains calm, at least that is how I see it on the outside. He may in fact, be a turmoil waiting to erupt on the inside and I need that in my life.

I've often told him, he's a mentor of how I want to be. I can let my emotions run away with me quite a bit, but Steve holds his tongue. It's a perfect balance of why our marriage works. But don't let that fool you.

Our marriage remains strong because of the foundation we have built it on. We have God, front and center in our marriage. We pray for one another when we are together and apart. We pray in happy times, and in the midst of storms. We pray for our children, for decisions, for how to manage our marriage and our day to day responsibilities as a husband and wife, but as parents, friends and family members.

That is why when things rock marriages not ground in Christ, it can be more than a challenge to deal with because you are dealing with it in your own strength and not God's. We have supernatural help beyond our world attempts and that is why things are so great for us.

It doesn't mean we don't deal with adversities like the rest of the world, but we have a supernatural strength and peace that come from God that help us manage through this and we don't fall apart as much as I've seen family and friends do.

We also have a great network of Christian family and friends but that we know and through social media we can rely on when we need some extra prayer. It comes in handy to know that there are so many believers petitioning the heavenly throne room on your behalf.

To stay that Steve is the perfect guy would be false, but he is the perfect guy for me. God knew it when he sent him into my life more than 20 years ago, when my heart was so broken and I was completely out of hope.

It began simply as a friendship that grew into something only God could orchestrate. He took on the role of a father to my oldest without any reservation. Later we would add to our family with the birth of our youngest, now 16. We've grown into such an amazing family watching both of our daughters accept Jesus into their life. It's been an experience walking through some times I would never want to repeat with this rock by my side in this life, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

To say he completes me, would be an understatement. He adds to me and makes me a better wife, mom and friend. He is the person I would give up anything but God for, just to spend time with him and I wouldn't want to spend time with anyone over him. We make one another priorities and always take the time out for each other. I look back and think that I am so proud that this man, not only has filled his godly role as my husband, but as a father, he has role modeled what I can only hope our two daughters will want to find in future husbands of their own some day.

So thank You God, for giving me this time with an amazing man. Help me to remember to continue to lift him up daily in prayer. Help me to acknowledge the many ways he helps provide for us as a family besides bringing home a paycheck. Thank You for the many years I have had up to this point and it literally puts a smile on my face, knowing that when this life ends, our eternity together begins!

I love you Steven Smith, for being the very best part of me! Happy 17th Anniversary!!!

How Commited Are You Really?

This year God has laid the word Commit on my heart and that is my lesson for this year. For me I tend to join things with the best of intentions but often times don't follow things through to completion. I often look back and wonder just what things would look like if I followed them through to completion. How very different my life would look. Even taking my own personal spiritual walk for granted. Here in this blessed country, for now, we have the ability to order a Bible or even get one for free if times are hard. Not in other places in the world. They would be grateful for the things we take for granted every day. I've seen the videos where groups of people long with great desire for God's Word and they truly treasure it like it is the most precious thing in the world.

Do we see it the same way?

Or have we simply taken even having the Word of God for granted?

Do we rush to stress filled levels like we do when our car keys or phone or even ATM cards are misplaced as we do when we can't find our Bible?

Why is it that we don't treasure it like we should.

"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you^, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God". ~ Proverbs 2:1-5

I happened upon Proverbs in my morning devotional this morning and it really spoke to something my husband had been struggling with and that is learning scripture and keeping it in your heart. Able to memorize it and recall it when you need it the most. He struggles even after learning it to keep remembering it. I asked it he had prayed to God to help him commit those verses to his heart and he admitted he hadn't.

So why are our committments to God often times half hearted attempts. Why do we put time with God on the back burner? Shouldn't God be the most important thing we do every single day? This is why I believe that God has called this word to my heart this year.

I wanted and felt drawn to God more so this year. Maybe we are going home soon, but I do know that the more time I spend with family, the greater my relationship is. The more I share my thoughts and fears with them the less of a burden they become. Why then, is it so hard to commit to spending more time with God?

I feel that we often will come to God when all else fails or when we find time in our busy days. I wonder if we could see God that perhaps it might help more for us to spend quality time with Him. But do you realize that God is all around you. When you are rushing to work, do you spend any time noticing the handiwork He has so lovingly created, from the sunflowers on the side of the freeway, that wave to you each morning, or the one of a kind masterpiece of sunrises and sunsets, you do realize that they are never the same twice? Oh how often do we take the things in front of us for granted simply because we have seen them a thousand times?

Want a different perspective on life?

Spend just a few hours with a toddler! Everything they see, in most cases they are seeing for the first time! That is why they stop and look at things in the greatest sense of wonder and detail, even if it's just an ant walking on the sidewalk or a weed sprouting up from a crack in the street. Imagine if we all took just a little more time today and changed our perspective and commit to making some changes in our day. Placing God first instead of last. Seeking Him each day.

I would love to hear what you "saw" today in a different way. Please share those thoughts today with me! If you need prayer too, please reach out to me, I'd love to pray for you as well!