Welcome to My Journey Back . . . I hope you enjoy the new look. I changed my background a few days ago because I loved the snowy look. And then when it snowed here on Christmas day I knew I needed to add the photo of the house.
Sorry it isn't prettier. If I had planned I would have moved the stuff off the porch and walked out the back door so there wouldn't be any footprints but that is the way it is around here.
You'll find this year as you visit here that I'll be spending more time sharing with you about my faith and what God is doing with me.
And you'll find through the year I'll change the backgrounds because I love all the fun themes. But you'll know your here because you'll be seeing photo's of my house. And maybe some of them will be prettier.
My goal this year is to make my Home a Sanctuary. And to make my blog a Sanctuary. If your tired or hurting. If you need a few minutes to relax and unwind and just need an encouraging word I hope you'll come by and visit.
If you need decorating ideas or ideas to become more organzied at home then visit me here. My Home Sanctuary is my other blog dedicated to making my home a sanctuary. When you visit there you'll see where my inspiration for My Home Sanctuary blog comes from. And you'll see lots of photo's of the inside of my house.
I am looking forward to this year. Are you? I am looking forward to reaching my goals. And I am looking forward to meeting new friends. So come back often and join me on the Journey.
Wishing you a Blessed New Year filled with God's love and grace.
So many things going on I am in awe and wonder. Here are a few: . . . So many amazing things have happened in our ministry. First chapel service on Wed. at the girls halfway house. 2 girls accepted Christ .
Began a "I wanna 'be a daddy' program" at the boys facility yesterday. 4 boys wrote letters to thier child/children and wrapped a package with a bear donated (by Family Christian bookstores) to give to thier child or children.
. . . Some bizarre things are going on with family members. They need prayer. I need prayer.
. . . We had the greatest time last night. A friend called and asked us out to dinner (thier treat) then we went to thier house for a movie. Got home by 9:30 and watched the news. It was so much for to go out. And so sweet that they would offer.
. . . Our landlord called. One of those on the list that you dread to hear from when you behind on the rent. He called to wish us a Happy New Year and to tell us they were giving us a gift. We were only able to pay half of Novembers rent and they gifted us the other half!
So many things are going on they makes me think God has great plans for 2010.
As I was thinking about the service Wednesday night and the girls accepting Christ I remembered back to New Years Eve 2004 one of the girls we were ministering at the time accepted Christ. She was the first girl that had been assigned to our program to accept Christ. She struggled for months. She was 14 and deeply involved in a gang and I mean deep. She was so young and so sweet. But she tried to be so tough. One of my staff began mentoring her and on New Years Eve she prayed to receive Christ. (That was the beginning of the phone calls I began to receive at all hours of the night. Being woke by the telephone used to be one of those things that startle or alarm you. It is normal to me now. I am always getting texts or calls from kids that are up late hanging out and decide they want to chat. )
2005 turned out to be the most succesful year in our ministry.
And I as look toward the next few months and the programs and projects that are being planned and developed I pray that 2010 turns out to be just a little bit as great as 2005 was.
My prayer for you today is that you will be filled with God's love and grace. That through the joys and the trials of this year that you will grow closer to God and believe and trust him.
Proverbs 31:21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
Welcome to the last Wordfilled Wednesday of the year. As I think about this photo and the verse I realize it is fitting to end the year and to start next year. This is my sweet little house which I love. Which God Blessed us with. Christmas day we had an unexpected snow and I was able to take a photo. You can see I wasn't prepared wagon in the yard, chairs from Goodwill waiting to get stored and the footprints in the snow. If I had been thinking about It I would have gone out the back door. I would have moved the wagon the day before and the chairs. But isn't that they way we usually are? We act or speak without thinking.
I am glad to use this photo because it reminds me that I want to: . . . Dedicate this blog to God's glory . . . Make my home a sanctuary . . . Stop before I act or speak
I hope your New Years is Blessed please come back and visit and leave a comment.
I thought this was an adorable photo. I am sharing it because it illustrates the post I started to write. It is now sitting awaiting as a draft. I realized it was close to a book. And I realized that you probably didn't want to read a book this morning.
So today I leave you with two verses that will hopefully give you encouragement today. These are the verses I was writing about. But they really don't need anything added from me.
First. . . Psalms 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
And. . . Proverbs 3:5&6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understand; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
This weekend I started working on some ideas for my blog and how I wanted it to look, what I wanted it to say, and how it is used. I really want it to be an encouragement to you and especially over the last couple of months except for my whinney day I tried to leave something uplifting and thoughtful for you to consider. And so in between Christmas and New Years I started working on a few changes. I work much better when I am organized and so I am working on organizing my thoughts and posts. I hope you’ll enjoy the new look(s) and come by often. I try to post every day. Sometimes it isn’t early in the morning but by mid day there is something up.
Today I want to share with you my inspiration. I love Rachel Anne at Home Sanctuary. Here are her thoughts about preparing our homes for the new year. "In between the Christmas hustle and bustle, I've been thinking a lot about Home Sanctuary and the Small Things. The days before a new year begins always bring a sense of anticipation to me. I like to set a few goals and get re-organized and agonize over which new planner to go with. Surely there MUST be one that will cure my forgetfulness and distractedness and whip me into shape? It's probably too much to ask, but I can dream.
But there is one thing I always come back to each year. The thing that never falls off my radar. The thing that brings me back here every day.
I want my home to be a sanctuary - a refuge - for my family.
My reality is that I'm a tired mom, living on a shoestring. I'm haphazard in my organization and quite a few of my ideas are half baked, at best.
But I've got this unshakable belief that a home can be wonderful, even if you don't have it all together. I believe that God takes the little bit that you have, and He can make much of it." We believe that Sanctuary is possible. This was only part of Rachel Anne’s post this morning. I invite you to go over and visit her and join us this New Year and make your Home a Sanctuary.
Please visit me here daily and you can also stop over at My Home Sanctuaryfor my daily log where I follow Rachel's simple thing challenges.
Over on my messed up sidebar is a button to visit my dear friend DeniseI put the title on the button. Always a hug here because everyday Denise visits me and many others and leaves a comment. She is the biggest encouraged I know. Right now she needs our hugs and encouragement. Her wonderful husband has been in the hospital. And Denise's own health struggles especially with the stress of her "lovebugs" illness. Please go over and send a hug her way.
Yes it is me Sherry at My Journey Back. Took down the fun Christmas look and put up snow.
Today I am sharing a song I heard for the first time today.
Yesterday I began a new journal. The lyrics of this song really spoke to me. I am still on that journey to growing closer to our Savior. The reminder that He is here even when I don't feel him. And the reminder that I just need to be still and rest in Him.
Doesn't that just make your day? I hope you enjoy this song today. And go over and visit Amy for more Then Sings My Soul posts.
Believe in the Reason for the season. For God so loved the world he gave his only son. That whoseover believes in Him will have everlasting life. John 3:16.
This seems like De ja vu . . . I think I wrote a Thankful post last Tuesday or was it the one before. Anyway. I wanted to do a shout out and Praise God for some answers.
And some Praises and it makes me want to . . .
This is a video we shared on Sunday.
Our son in love lost his job the middle of October. He starts training for a new job today! Praise God. Everyone kept telling him not to expect to find anything till the first of the year. They have been in thier house (a rental) since April so don't have much relationship with the landlord but he told them just before the first to lower the rent by $200.00 this month!
God is so faithful to take care of us and give provision.
My other huge Praise is for our ministry. God continues to Bless.
We began Chapel services in September at a drug and alcohol treatment facility for boys. It is part of our states Juvenile Prison sytem.
Let me tell you friends when you pray that God will use you may be really surprised where he puts you. I don't know anything about this environment. I don't know much about boys. And I really know nothing about drugs and alcohol.
But, I have never once felt out of my element. We were leaving the facility yesterday and I was suggested that I don't go on Wednesday because I have so much to do. (We will be taking some of the boys to deliver Chirstmas meals) And my Cowboy said to me "They really enjoy you being around." I kind of blew him off. And said something about them just being nice to me. But what he said next got me to thinking. "No really your the only mom/grandmother". . . Oh thanks this is great. . . I want to be the jammy fun adult and they look at me like a grandmother. What a minute I am not old enough to be thier grandmothers!
But I realized he was right.
I really am the only female that is there regularly. There are a couple of other ladies that come with thier husbands ocassionally and they mentor certain boys. But I am the only one that is there two or three times a week. We work with different groups with each of the programs we provide so we get to know almost all 48 boys.
And I am Blessed. I am Blessed to do Chapel every Sunday. We are beginning to have a regular group of 6 or 8 boys. And usually about 5 or 6 new ones every week.
And I am thankful. I am thankful God is using me and that he is so much smarter than I am because I never would have ever imagined being where I am.
I pray that whoever is reading this will be encouraged to answer God's call. No matter where you are or what season your in God has a place for you to serve him. Your service may be the blog your writing now. You may be encouraging me and others through the words you are writing. Your service may be raising a pre-schooler and teaching him God's ways. But even while raising a pre-schooler God can use you to touch someone elses life. It might only be through a cheerful shopping trip. Believe me grandmothers like myself notice the mommies that are happy with their children during a trip to Walmart or Target. And we all notice the ones that pay no attention to thier children and let them act up or ignore thier needs.
Don't ever think your 'Just a mommy' or 'Just a grandmother' because given the chance God can use you to be a Jammin' mom or Grandmother.
Post Updated 8//13/14 . . . Then Sings My Soul Linky is no longer operating. This is a lovely song.
Welcome to my really late Then Sings My Soul Saturday post. Today was a day of catch up for me in the kitchen and laundry room.
While working on music for chapel service tomorrow I found this and just had to go ahead and post it.
I hope you enjoy.
You may visit Amy Wyatt for more illustrations of God's word and Promises through song.
Are you looking for a last minute gift idea? This is a wonderful devotional book by C.D. Baker. 40 loaves includes daily readings to renew a hungry spirit. I enjoyed reading this book so much. It is a great book for mature believers as well as new believers. It is a great book to give to someone searching or asking questions.
Each chapter includes a story backed up with scripture. And ends with Food for thought which include questions for further reflection. And finally a prayer. Here's a few of the topics:
Here’s a summary:
“Why don’t I have more faith?”I was encouraged by the idea that we shouldn't worry about not having enough faith because we should take comfort that Jesus has all the face we need. "Why am I so confused about finding God's will?" What a great chapter and great questions to consider. Here's a couple: have I been afraid of missing God's will for my life? What is wisdom? And, how do I know when I've found it?
And in Chapter 32 a question Why am I so easily disappointed in life? This chapter ends with a prayer.
Open my eyes to see as you see;
Open my heart to expect by faith;
Open my hands to hold hope loosely;
And let my disappointments fade away in your love.
The book includes 40 short simple to read chapters based on 40 questions the author asked himself. Readers will be encouraged, challenged and invigorated. And readers will be drawn to explore thier own questions.
So now your thinking I have to have this book. Or, this would be a great gift for _______. Well I checked it out you can get it at Amazon. com.
Here's thier offer . . .
Forty Loaves: Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day by C. D. Baker (Hardcover - Oct 6, 2009) Buy new:$10.19 Get it by Friday, Dec 18 if you order in the next 22 hours and choose one-day shipping. Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=40+loaves
It's not too late to order.
It is also available at Barnes and Noble.
You can also purchase from: RandomHouse.com
I really enjoyed reading this book and I would like to thank WaterBrookMultnomah Publishing Group.
We are enjoying our grandson so much. Last night we let him decorate the Christmas tree with a little help.
This was just after the afternoon nap I didn't notice I should have combed his hair.
Rachel Anne over at Home Sanctuary got me to thinking about Christmas traditions and decorating. I remember when I was a young and actually not so young mom I was a little festidous about how things needed to look. Actually that is why the kids had trees in thier own rooms. That was when we moved to our dream house and we had a tree in every room. The trees in the living areas needed to look just right. Actually I think the whole idea of the children having their own trees is a good idea if it is done for the right reasons.
Mine weren't. And that is just one of those things I wish I could do over. I wish I had been a little more relaxed in some areas.
This is the tree that the toddler decorated.
And by the way remember the ornaments that weren't used on the trees in the family and living room well this is part of them. Somehow or another when I went to get ornaments out the only box I could find was my son's box. Hence cats. There were a few random ornaments mixed in with greenery and candles they made thier way onto the tree too.
And if you look really closely some are clumped together. And some spots are empty but that is what happens when a toddler decorates the tree.
I haven't had a chance to join Sonya for Thankful Thursday in the last few weeks so I thought that I would do a special Tuesday edition of Thankfulness....
First of course I am thankful for Jesus. Even when I am down I can trust that he isn't. He is our comforter. He is our redeemer. He is our counselor. And boy do I need a counselor sometimes!
I am thankful for my family and that I get to enjoy my grandson. At least for now the plan is for him to start pre-school in January. I suspect this expectation is part of my little 'bouts of depression.
That and the fact that I am Dr. Pepper deficient. Cold turkey is un just! But I was praying last night and I came to the realization that since I work with kids that have drug and alcohol problems then I need to have a little bit of an idea of what it is like. That sounds flip but it isn't you don't know how much I love my D.P.
I am thankful for heat. It has been so cold. Hello. . . this is Texas! We aren't supposed to be this cold!
But I am thankful that we did get Christmas lights hung and the outside of the house looks festive. And we did it on a day it wasn't cold! Thank you!
I am thankful that God uses me in this ministry and that even though I am going to be crazy busy the next few days that I am serving him and 25 families and I have no idea how many children will be Blessed, Thankful and Joyful this Christmas.
And so after a day of Whining yesterday...if you didn't read that post Don't it is bad...today I am moving on. And I resolve to be thankful.
This is what I am whinning about. I need a kick in the _____. I have been writing and posting about the reason for the season. And I have been trying to encourage everyone that stops here to remember the needy, to remember all the things we need to be thankful for. To focus on the meaning of Christmas.
And yet with all those good intentions I find myself a little depressed, annoyed, frustrated. And yes if I were to really think about it I am probably somewhat angry.
The other day I went shopping with my mother who was going to loan me $16.00 for a tree that was on sale at Big Lots. We got there and found it was a 3 foot tree. The 6 foot tree was $20.00.
I became a 52 year old whinner. I told my mother and I quote: "This is the woman that used to have a tree in every room. " Yes a tree in every room. My kids had a 4 foot tree in thier bedrooms. There was a 6 foot in the living room. A 6 foot in the master. A 12 foot in the family room. A 3 foot on the kitchen counter.
That was then. This is now.
And I am whinning. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. I guess you can tell by the way that I have decorated in the past. But this year it is different. When we moved last year we weren't able to take and keep a lot of things. All my outdoor decorations and trees were left behind because we just flat ran out of time during the move.
Today I have a toddler helping me decorate the tree for our living room. And even though I wish I had a bigger tree. Even though I wish I had more than one. In fact the tree we are decorating is a small tree that I had in the baby's room decorated with horse lights. But this afternoon when he wakes from his nap I am getting out all the decorations and I might end up with most of the ornaments in a clump but. I have a feeling it will be the prettiest tree ever.
Today I practically killed myself in my attempt at finishing the decorating. Since I have a tiny house I had to move furniture to make room for a tree. I have some wonderful prints that I hang every year at Christmas so that meant taking the other prints off the wall and storing them. And moving allt he furniture around was good because it gave me a chance to do som major vacuming. And now I am spent.
As I think of all the effort we expend in the decorating, shopping, cooking and parties. I pray that the real reason for this season is not forgotten.
I wish the above photo was larger but I thought it was great.
If your tired and worn out from all the things surrounding this time I pray that you will take a few minutes and rest and remember the real reason for the season.
Giving you just a little glimpse of my decorating and a family tradition. . .
Totally not done. But you can see a tiny corner of my table set for a meal with the family. When our daughter was 8 and our son 10 I stumbled onto some sets of Christmas dishes at Sam's Club. Little did I know what I was getting into. They were Spode Christmas Tree. I had no idea what I was buying. If I did I would have bought the entire stock! They were cheap. They were there two years in a row and I bought two sets for each kid so they each have a serving of 8. We used them every year beginning on December 1st. Each year I bought a different serving piece. Now my daughter in love uses them and they love them. Now if your on a budget and trying to be frugal I don't advocate buying the spode. I sort of got myself into a pickle with it. I had no idea how expensive they are. But, there are adorable dishes everywhere now days. And, I think this is a great tradition. I hope you enjoy my little glimpse. Keep coming around because next week I will be sharing the entire tablescape and I'll be showing how I got that tree in the pot. Happy decorating and
Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." This post may seem un-Christmasy but it really isn't ...
As I was thinking about gifts and family and baking
I thought of this verse because shouldn't
we be thinking of those that don't know the real
Joy
and
Reason
for the season?
So my Pray for you this season is that Jesus becomes the real reason
for this season for all your friends, family and loved ones.
Thought I would share this cute photo with you today while I finish the decorating and listening to Christmas songs Fa la la la . . . That is my kind of snow. I have to dig out my snow globes and figure out where they will go but the house is coming together slowly. Bet you can't wait to see photo's! 'til I get it done here's a cute one . . .
Best wishes this day as you prepare for the birthday of our savior.
as planned.... But I got the background changed. Although I loved the water scene and the quiet peacefulness of it I needed something that spoke of Christmas. I wanted to join the blog Christmas decoration blog tour but had problems that I won't mention getting the decorating done and camera problems.
But today I am taking the day off (at least part of it) from normal things and playing and having fun because it is my Birthday . . .
Happy Birthday to Me!
Ya'll have a good day and I will be back tonight. Maybe with photo's of my day. I can't decide.
Welcome to My Journey Back . . . I hope you enjoy the new look. I changed my background a few days ago because I loved the snowy look. And then when it snowed here on Christmas day I knew I needed to add the photo of the house. 
