My Life

My life consists of endless amounts of laundry, house cleaning and dishes. I work part time in a wonderful store a job I really enjoy. My job takes me away from the endless household chores that go along with raising a family.

I have a husband and 2 grown sons that don't seem to realize that you grow up get a job and move on with your life. I have one son who lives at home with his 4 year old child. An older son who lives at home occasionally he is nearly 30 and some days i wonder how he has managed to make it through the day without help.

My granddaughter is 4 years old and in need of constant attention. I am the only other female in the house so the duties of hair combing, bath taking, and picking out clothes usually fall on me. Most of these chores are followed by endless fights. So in my mind I wonder are the fights really worth it.

I almost forgot to mention the hyperactive dog...named Face a black cock er spaniel that came to us from a breeder mill, A rescue dog. I honestly believe she is part pig. and then we have the cat. she is getting up in years but has always had an attitude, This is my house and I just let you live in it. Today is not your day to pet me so get out of my face. When she came to us my son named her princess, she refused to answer to that name so she received a new name Kit Kat. Yes just like the candy bar. Now Kit Kat is an animal that holds a grudge. It is best not to make her angry she will pay you back. She hates the dog and slaps her at every opportunity.

So Now we add in the mix of a hyper dog and a hateful cat and 2 grown sons the endless ringing of the many phones we have in this house, not to mention the constant cartoons playing on the television. We each have a cell phone so that is 4 cellphones (when the oldest is here) one land line phone and one phone for business which my husband has in his office. The yelling from room to room calling the granddaughter to get out of that, or stop doing that, or her running screaming through the house with something she is not supposed to have with the dog hot on her trail or her grandfather or father....Three ring circus you say? Always. And those of you who know me well can now understand how I am. completely and totally over the edge. Just kidding I will add that I have Jesus and He is the one one constant in my life, The one thing that never changes, He asks only one thing from me to come to him and sit with him and allow him to love me warts and all.

You might ask would you leave if given the opportunity to do something else? I have thought about that long and hard because sometimes I just want to walk out the door and never look back. But I have invested 28 years into this marriage and into this family and I really can't see myself doing anything else. I often dream of being somewhere else and being someone else. But then reality hits and I realize that I am in the place God wants me to be and doing the things He wants me to do.

So this life such as it is, Is mine and for now I must continue living it. Until the Lord calls me home. I can however pray that it happens soon. This is the Lord's rambling rose signing off.

Basking In His Presence

Sitting here at my desk I can look outside my window. I am amazed at the awesomeness of God. Have you taken the time to slow down lately in this microwave world of ours where you have to be in high gear all the time to accomplish anything. And if you aren't accomplishing something you aren't getting anywhere. Looking out at this huge oak tree by my window I am thinking God you are mighty you created every detail on that tree and it is beautiful, You created the pile of leaves that are along my fence line, you cause the grass to grow, the rain to fall and the flowers to bloom. Often in my life I am to busy to sit and just meditate on how awesome God is.

God is reminding me how very little i sit and listen to him. This morning the house is empty which is unusual in my house. Normally I am involved in the fight of a lifetime or so it seems to my 4 year old granddaughter with hair issues, The cat slapping the dog the phones starting to ring because my husband has a business at our home. I think if only one day in this madness could be normal. But then I am reminded that I failed to start the day the Jesus way. To put him first in all that I say and do. That if I would only let the Jesus in me respond to the people that I deal with on a daily basis. If I would allow the offense to not effect me. I was reminded of a passage of scripture. Psalms 23 says " The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want He makes me to lie down in green pastures He leads me beside the still waters, He restores my soul, He leads me in paths of righteousness(right living) for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me. vs 1-4

That passage has come to have new meaning for me. I have a shepherd named Jesus who will lead me and guide me if I don't fight him and go against him. He takes care of all of my needs and each day his mercies are new every morning and He restores my soul to face another day and keep walking in him. Even when I have those valley times when I think I am not going to make it and think that God has had enough of me and left the country He is still with me, I do not have to fear. And his rod and his staff are a comfort to me. I did not understand that part of the passage until I read part of a teaching by Kay Arthur explaining about sheep and the shepherds rod and staff. God disciplines his children because He loves us. So I have to be disciplined often once a day sometimes and most day's every 5 minutes.

Take some time today to bask in the awesomeness of God's presence and allow him to take you on a journey that you have never taken. This is God's rambling rose signing off.

Simply Eeyore

I am sure you were wondering about the title of todays blog. But my life is sometimes the life of an Eeyore. Things are always half empty instead of half full. In the life of Eeyore you simply exist and you tend to be a bit negative.

Yesterday I taught my second sunday school class. I looked at it as if I had failed. Forgetting that I was teaching for the most part 4 year olds to 6 year olds. That have the attention span of a fly. The Eeyore in me looked at it as a mess! And I posted it so on my facebook. But the Jesus in me communicated to me later that I had done exactly as he had asked me to do. I stepped up and took the class reaching out to those children who would not have a teacher if I hadn't been willing to be obedient.

The class has taught me things already, I have read stories that I normally would not read. Preparing to teach has caused me to dig into the word a bit deeper because I know that children ask deep questions. Another thing that i am learning is how to pray. Big prayers with fancy words dont impress God at all. For me It is simple things like the prayer for a dead bunny or a dog that have been dead for some time.

Eeyore is learning not to take things so seriously. The world wont end over a first grade sunday school class. The name of Jesus was spoken in my class. The scripture was read and prayers were prayed. And yes Eeyore lives on. In my heart of hearts I may always be an Eeyore But who's to say that Eeyore might change his attitude someday. Yes I will admit I am an Eeyore but Jesus loves all the Eeyore's of the world. This is the rambling rose signing out May you have a tigger day full of bounces and new things around every corner.

The Dream

I am not much of a dreamer, I dont sleep well at night so most of the time there is no time to dream. But I must say when I dream I seem to dream really big. Alot of people have said that I have the gift of prophecy so when I see pictures as I refer to them I see them big and in color. Never before have I had a dream repeat it's self. But this one did. I had this dream maybe a year ago and it was very vivid then but much more now. So I have decided to share what this dream was about. I wish I was Able to draw pictures I think I could do a better job with the discription if I could draw it out.

The dream opens In a garden this beautiful green lush garden, the trees are in full bloom with the most beautiful flowers and the smells are so strong..along one side of the garden is a brick wall and along the top of this wall was hanging the most fragrant honey suckle. There was such a sense of peace and contentment in that garden the paths through the garden were polished with this rock that was almost transparent. I turned around to see where the running water was because i heard water and I saw this small like pond that was filled with the clearest and coldest water I had ever seen. along the bottom of this brook were pebbles and rocks of shapes and sizes I had never seen before. I again turned around to see a stage had been set. there were steps leading up to this white rock stage with great pillars on each side and wrapped around these pillars were 3 inch wide ribbon of gold and silver with the most beautiful white birds circleing In and out of the pillars they flew. Suddenly a blast of a horn where did it come from I couldnt see anyone else but me in this garden and I looked up to the pillars and didnt see anyone the horn sounded a second time and then a third. and out of these double french doors a woman appeared. She was standing in her wedding dress. She was beautiful with hair of gold twisted and braided upon her head. upon her head was a crown it seemed to be made of gold material the amazing thing was that there were 7 points on this crown and 7 jewels of differnt color. One was a diamond one was a ruby one was an amathest, a pearl a topaz and emerald. The last stone seemed to be of the color of an opal it was pink tinged but seemed to change color with the light. I couldnt make out her face but I could see that her complection was perfect, not a spot or a blimish marked her face. Her gown was made of white silk a gold threaded veil was attached to the back of the crown. and flowed down her back and for yards and yards behind her. The silk was covered and beaded in small fine pearls. Golden threads again were woven in with the fabric and with the beading. I also noticed that the back of this dress came to 7 points just like the crown had. The train seemed to grow as she turned and walked the light that was comming off of that dress was so bright it was hard to look at her as she began to walk a red carpet rolled out in front of her and and white rose petals were dropping it seemed from the sky But not one petal touched her or her dress. she was carrying a bouquet of flowers red and white roses and lillies and from the flowers fell again 7 streamers of pale color's that i couldnt make out. As she walked the air grew thick all of the birds stopped singing it was as if a hush fell over the entire garden. walking away from the stage and down the red carpet path I saw 2 white iron gates that were opened by hands unseen not a sound was made from the gates and there were no guests the dream seemed to be just centered on the woman. She was walking toward something with a look of anticipation on her face but I never saw a groom. I never saw anyone but me and I felt as if I were intruding on something that I wasn't to be a part of. The rambling rose is signing off to wonder what all of this means.

just another day...

I seem to have those days where nothing that I attempt works out. No matter how hard I try to make things fall into place. God reminded me of that today, as I tried to get things into proper order. He is the author and finisher of my faith. He is the one who put's things in order and disaray. No matter how hard we try to work things out for ourselves they never seem to work. 

I was thinking this morning how will I acomplish all of the things that I want to acomplish today? How will I be in more than one place at a time? How will I, How will I? do you see the what is forming here? I is the center of the universe and Jesus is sitting on the back burner. Instead of me being the one who is the center of my life Jesus should be first and formost. He is the one who needs to occupy the drivers seat of my life. When I make decesions and choices without His help I sure tend to make a mess of things. 

Today was one of those days where nothing seemed to work out the way I wanted it to. When I dont put the Lord in charge at the very begnning of the day, It seems that the day is sunk. But knowing this dosent make me any better at doing this. 

The Lord should hold the place of honor in my heart and life. His choices for me are far better than my own. My prayer for each of you that read this and for myself is that we may follow in the path that the shepherd leads.  This is the rambling rose signing off....

     What a wonderful day today. I went to church as usual this morning, I wasn't really expecting anything. But boy did I get something. I was tired after the few days in the sun that I spent at work doing a tent sale, and then Saturday spending more time in the sun at the lake (not my cup of tea). None the less I was expecting little from the service. I received I believe just what God wanted me to receive.

     After the morning service we gathered at a Spanish speaking church to have a work day a large amount of our people armed with scrapers hammers tools of all kinds, gloves Masks and hard hats yes you heard me correctly Hard Hats....we began to literally destroy this church the sheet rock was molded and the tiles were broken in the sanctuary there were pieces of paneling that bowed out. There were times I just stood back and watched as men and women alike carried pails and tubs of debree from the rooms the Spanish congregation working along side and the cool part was they didn't speak much English and we didn't speak much Spanish yet we worked as a team.

 

     The women of the church prepared food for us while we worked they cooked a Spanish dinner a huge amount of food. our church has a grill ministry where we go out and have these block parties so we had our grill and what was funny to watch we the English speaking made loads of hot dogs and chips and the Spanish church made Mexican foods for us to eat. We ate the Mexican food and the children of the Mexican church ate the hot dogs and chips.

     During the time of eating there was fellowship going on between the two congregations. It was an awesome time.. A lady and man came into the room with a guitar and began to sing the first song they did was this little light of mine..and the rest were done in Spanish. So I didn't know what the words to the songs were. I did know that they were worshiping Jesus. 

     I left that place totally spent...worn out from all the trips up and down the stairs. and completely at peace within myself for not so much being a giver as much as a receiver. This is the rambling rose signing out.

     This week has been a different kind of week for me. I can't quite put my finger on it. But I do know this God is good. He knows what we need before we ever need it. God has a way of placing people in our lives that hold us accountable, not always comfortable but very necessary. Alot of times we tend as human people to be offended and to stay offended. I have a question that was addressed to me one time on that very thing. Who are you that you have the right to hold an offense? Think about this, I have difficulty wrapping my head around this, but think about this A man who had never done anything against anyone but had been a friend to all. He was a friend to all that were in need, He touched people in a way that no one who came before him could do and no one who came after him could do. He turned ordinary water into wine. He opened blind eyes and deaf ears. And what was given to him in return? A beating he was beaten for our transgressions, he was spit upon beaten until his body looked like raw meat...he was made to carry this wooden cross that he would later hang on and die on...Many say he died from the wounds He received that day and many say He died from a broken heart.

     He didn't hold a grudge he forgave he didn't take offense to the men and women gambling for his clothes, He didn't take offense to the false charges, and He didn't take offense to hanging on a tree. So who am I to get offended and take offense. I have a tendency to lash out at others when i am frustrated, I have a tendency to take offense to things people say to me.

     As I sit holding all of my little offenses hanging on to them for dear life, not willing to give them up or give anyone a break because they were wrong they offended the high and mighty sharon....I am becoming not only a miserable person, but I am opening doors for the enemy to walk right into my life to create havoc. That's right I have extended the welcome mat to the enemy of God. I have welcomed him into the situation that I with his help created. 

     If you are holding on to any ole moldy offense or grudge get rid of it....you heard me get rid of it. It isn't worth it the person or persons that committed the offense have moved on already. And you are stuck licking your wounds and holding onto something that is absolutely worthless.

This is the rambling rose signing off. Until we meet again..May God watch over you and keep you in His perfect peace.

A Day In The Life

     What a day today was. Nothing can be said about Oklahoma summers to do them justice. Today was a day with the heat index above the 100 mark, and where was I? Funny you should ask. I was sitting under a huge tent out in the Oklahoma furnace..I was enjoying the company of good friends as we plodded along moving merchandise from one table to another and waiting on these joyous people to come and receive there wondrous bargain in the 100 plus degree weather. 

     For those of you who have never met me I tend to fall on the rather large size of the scale. So there is more of me to be hot. And the joy of this is that I get to do the same thing tomorrow. And the others will continue until Saturday.

     But God is good..He allows me to be able to work in a Christian environment around Christian women and that is the awesome thing. Not only do I learn about the business side of it I get good solid teachings and the seeing the Christian faith lived out before my eyes daily. We do have some that work with us who are a true joy. And some I must admit well I will just leave it there. So tonight I am exhausted so I will leave you for now This is the Rambling Rose signing out....

     Sunday evening and the house is quiet for the first time today. Husband and grand daughter are out in the pool, I opted out to spend some much needed quiet time. I tend to be more drained in the summer time due to the heat, and this summer is no differetempraturestures are expected to hit 105 to 115 this next week. In reading that in the news paper I was thinking we think we are suffering now with the heat can you imagine what hell might possibly be like? Just a thought not that I plan to go there..I have my retirement plan all planned out and I am retiring to a mansion, Planning on walking the streets of Gold not that I will need the exercise anymore or have to worry about weight..Now just that alone will be an awesome thing. 

     Have you ever sat and just imagined what Heaven might be like? I did a study one time that Karen Chaffin wrote on the very subject of Heaven. She said in her book  " Heaven will have all of the comforts of home all the things that we are used to. All of our favorite colors". Well now if that is the case I might want to rethink a bit. My house here on good ole planet U S of A is rather dysfunctional. Let me just elaborate just a bit. 

     First of all I have a cat that has a bad attitude. She isn't a people person she does repay what she thinks are evil deeds done to her. She slaps the dog at every opportunity and she has gone potty in my purse on one occasion I still have not figured out the offense I committed. We also have a dog as I mentioned named Face ( a rescue dog that had the name faith) now due to the inability of the Grand daughter to pronounce her name it was changed. Face is a good dog except she forgets to go outside to potty....and my husband upon many occasions has conferences with the dog asking why? Why did you potty in my floor? Why didn't you go outside? Of course none of these questions have been answered as of yet. My Husband is a good man a hard working man and sometimes a very anal man. But most are.  He over analyzes everything, He cant make a decision and often believes God is an alien. My youngest son has graduated from his views as an atheist to an agnostic. He believes now that God does possibly exist but He personally doesn't understand or want any part of a living God. My oldest son I started raising when he was 4, My Husband having had a previous marriage. I didn't have much of an example of parenting growing up so I raised the boys as best I could, Thank goodness for God's forgiving grace. The oldest son is 28 He moves around alot not by choice, When you don't work and pay the rent you tend to get evicted he hasn't figured that one out yet. He has 5 different children only 2 having the same mother. 

     This leaves only one other in the house and that is Journee, Journee is almost 4 years old. At 50 I didn't plan on starting over and raising children. But here I am. I raised the boys as a non believer. As a believer now I am trying to raise Journee up according to the word of God. Which is difficult at times. Things around here get loud and very confusing. My pastor said this morning in the pulpit that God allows things to happen in our lives, He allows the trials and tribulations to come for one reason to send us running to him. And I run to him as fast as my fat little feet will carry me. The Lord is the only thing that keeps me from going over the edge. 

     So this is the rambling rose signing out....until the next time

     What an interesting day I have had today. Saturday morning started at 7am usual time for me to get up. After having maybe 3 solid hours of sleep, I have never required much sleep but sleeping with a husband who raises up and flips over every 20 minutes or so not to mention that he weighs over 200 pounds so when he flips I tend to flop. Then we have a nearly 4 year old granddaughter that must sleep with us and she flops like a fish just pulled out of a lake. So all of that to say this I was on the tired side this morning and didn't really want to get up I had made a commitment to attend a service called a "Burn" at one of our local churches. This was my first time to attend, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The service is open to all the area churches and some of the worship teams come to minister in music sometimes the service goes for 24 hours but this one started at 9 am and was ending at 9pm.

     I arrived at about 9:15 two gentlemen were playing guitars and worshiping, I felt very much at peace. I sat and it was hard to enter in at first but I soon became focused on the Lord which was the purpose for the service. I am a person who is easily distracted so sitting at the back of the room by the door is not a good place for me. As this service is a come and go type service. 

     Soon I was able to enter in and worship I knew that for me my focus had to be on hearing God because I knew that He had some things he wanted to teach me and some things that He wanted said. I am the type person that sees pictures and how I wish God had given me the ability to draw but alas I missed the boat on that. So I took my notebook out of my Bible and began to write down in word form all of the pictures I was able to see. I wont go into great detail at this time. But I will say that when I left I felt refreshed I had been to the secret place of the most high God. I didn't have to think about the cell phone ringing I left it in the car for the entire time and I didn't tell my family where I was going. I was finally able to put aside all of the distraction's and all the people and just get alone with God. I would love to write down everything I heard and saw this morning but you wouldn't believe it at all. 

     But now it is late and my brain isn't working as well as it could.. So again the rambling rose is signing off.

Beginnings

     I am amazed at the simple things in life that somehow become difficult. As I was deciding to write a blog, I was taken so many different places. The how to section of which I signed up for finding out that was not the place that I could simply put things into words.  Words are a valued commodity..Without them where would we be? We would be walking around making rude gestures to one another. 

     So you are probably wondering by now what exactly this blog is about. It is about putting pen to paper or in this case words to screen, fingers to keyboard anyway that you want to look at it. Sometimes things just roll around in my head and to put them on paper allows me the opportunity to make sense of them. And if you are able to salvage one  thought or word that means something to you then my ramblings are worth while. 

     In the blogs to come by the way that word should be changed to something else it reminds me of someone maybe needing to use the bathroom or something. But as I feel led I will be sharing with you some of the greatness of my Father. Not my earthly Father but my Heavenly Father. 

     So I encourage you to sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the ramblings of an older maybe more experienced person....I would enjoy any feed back not sure if this blog thing has a spot for that but none the less those of you who read and know me can post comments on my face book page...

Until we meet again this is the rambling rose signing off.