Ready

 

read·y

[red-ee]  read·i·er, read·i·est, verb, read·ied, read·y·ing

1. completely prepared or in fit condition for immediate action or use.

2. duly equipped, completed, adjusted, or arranged, as for an occasion or purpose.

I went shopping at the commissary a few days ago for groceries and I love it there. The people that work there are always so friendly and make sure I find everything I need. I ended up striking up a conversation with an older gentleman as he was restocking the potatoes. We were just making the usual small talk. "Where are you from? How long have you been here?" Etc. He retired here from the Air Force but originally came from Alabama. We both laughed in agreement as we concluded we missed the scent of pine trees as you walk outside and the predictability of hurricane's down south as opposed to the tornadoes dropped on us here. After a few more questions asked back and forth and "Really? Small World!" answers, he asked "Do you know what you're having?" I smiled (Since only recently have people been able to tell I'm pregnant) and I said yes, a girl. He asked me "When are you due?" And I paused for a second and almost freaked out as I said "Next month!" 

I AM DUE NEXT MONTH!

Am I ready? No. Even if all her baby furniture was finished, I would still not be ready! It's nothing like preparing to run for a race, you can train to physically prepare and you can learn the track you're running on. You train your mind to focus on everything from breathing patterns to cutting out the outside world. But parenthood isn't something you can go into 100% fully prepared for. Sure, I know how to dress a baby and change diapers. But am I prepared to have a little life fully dependent on me for everything she needs? Some days I can hardly take care of myself and my husband, it's a scary thought that very soon another person will be put into that equation. I know of course insecurities are normal. I've taken care of my friend's children growing up and recently more times then I can count, but it's different when I picture my own. 

While I have many doubts in my own strength and abilities, I have a peace about it that passes all understanding. A very supernatural peace can only come from One very irreplaceable figure in my life, the Lord Jesus Christ. Without
Him I can only imagine how much more overwhelmed by my emotions I would be. Anyone who knows me knows I am an emotional person and it's just the type of person I am. If I'm not careful I very easily drown in those emotions whatever they may be. BUT GOD pulls me out and puts me under His wing. I know that parenthood is something you learn as you go and mistakes are made, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and that, my friends, makes next month a very, very exciting new life chapter for me. Not only do I have God with me, but my amazing husband as well who has always supported me with encouragement and loving kindness. I can not wait to walk down the path of parenthood with him. We want to be full of love and guidance for little Rosalie and be the very best we can.

So I would like to thank the Lord God for this little life He has entrusted to me to carry for these short nine months and for many years into the future. I would like to thank my husband for being a reliable constant through this pregnancy who has comforted me when I felt like I couldn't do it and massaged my aching back when I asked. (: I would like to thank my mom for always uplifting me and telling me how proud she is of me. That may not seem like much but it renews my confidence and is irreplaceable. I would like to thank all of my family and my family-in-law for the support and help you've been in getting items needed before little Rosalie's arrival. I'd like to thank my friends near and far rooting for me and believing in me! To anyone who has been praying for me, no matter how often, even if it was only once, THANK YOU. I firmly believe in the power of prayer and it means the world to me that you took time out of your schedule to think of me and pray.

This has been a very "easy" pregnancy on me and I am so very blessed for it. My doctor has no worries and says everything is going amazingly well. Other than being anemic I am going strong and Rosalie is already a master mixed martial artist. (Just ask my husband, he gets a kick out of feeling her go crazy. Get it, kick?! Hahah, cheesy I know.) All-in-all I feel like the most blessed pregnant woman on the planet and I can't wait to meet my daughter face to face!

As always, thanks for reading - and God bless America and our troops!

 Rosalie Catherine Conner - Due to make her appearance 11-21-13

Redo

re·do

verb

rēˈdo͞o/ 

1. do (something) again or differently. 

 2.  to redecorate.

Okay, okay, you're right. It's been way too long since my last post. I agree with you! Sorry, the past month has been hectic. Between moving, having my brother visit from Alaska and redoing baby furniture I have been pretty busy! I am not completely done with the furniture but I have managed to complete a few pieces that I can show you today.

Now, I try my best to be frugal. The way I see it, if you can get a deal for something, and are capable of fixing it, then why buy it new? God has been throwing deals my way left and right for items I've needed and I have been overjoyed with it all!

First I found this chest of drawers. It was not pretty and was covered in stickers, but with a little paint and goo-be-gone it would work and for $15 I couldn't pass it up. But then my great friend Ele told me she'd give me her son's chest of drawers, which was in better shape and just needed some rough spots sanded and a coat or two of paint. It also was a more girly looking chest of drawers and was a lot less work for me! It was a huge blessing. Bye-bye troublesome dresser! Hello new dresser!

After a trip to Lowe's for the necessary supplies, I got to work. The redo was super easy and after sanding some edges and a few coats of paint, it was good as new!

Next I set my eyes on the changing table I bought for $20 from a yard sale. It was in decent shape but wasn't what I had envisioned.

The brown just didn't match the all white furniture I was selfishly seeking.

I have to say, I had no trouble hand sanding the dresser, but for me this table seemed impossible.....but God had other plans! I got a Lowe's gift card rebate from buying our washer and dryer, and it came in the mail. So off I go to Lowe's for an electric hand sander, and let me tell you, it is a-maz-ing! It was still an insane amount of sanding though, most had to be done by hand simply because of the tight fits and angles.

My brother had flown down from Alaska to help me unpack and get my decor hung on the walls and what-not. 

He was put to work! From hanging curtains and pictures to sanding the changing table and crib, he made life a lot easier for me straight after moving.

I was sad to say goodbye at the airport after his 3 week visit, it went by so incredibly fast but if not for him I would probably still be sanding this darn changing table!

After much sanding, it was finally complete! After a good washing to remove the sawdust it was time to paint, my favorite part!

I moved outside to our back patio because it was gorgeous outside! There is a sneak peek at the crib in the corner, and in the right corner is the shelves that go on the changing table. The bottoms were an icky brown so here they are after the first coat. One more coat and they are ready. I started the first coat on the top of the changing table but the husband came home for lunch so I stopped to cook!

But after a few days and 3 coats later, I'm happy to say it's finished!

Now, I don't know if you remember the brown fake wood pattern that was on the tops of the shelves previously, but I couldn't sand them and I couldn't paint them because of how slick they were. So after some internet research I was able to completely transform the shelves with just 3 things! All it took was Mod Podge, gift wrap, and a paint brush. After washing the surface of the shelves, I just applied a coat of mod podge, laid my gift wrap on top of it, and applied another layer of mod podge. Once it dried I added one more layer and that was all!

A completely different, updated look. Not bad for a $20 investment right?

It's all set up in Rosalie's room now and I must say, I am very happy with it!

In case you were wondering why I chose this gift wrap to refurbish the shelves with, it's because it matches the knobs on Rosalie's chest of drawers! If you look close enough you'll see.

I bought this at Goodwill for $8. My grandmother had made baby Rosalie a quilt and I had no where to display it but of course the teal just did not match the room at all! So I broke out the paint. (:

Good as new!

Next is the crib and the glider chair! Her nursery is coming together smoothly and I couldn't be more excited!

 Thanks for reading!

 

Married

mar·ried

[mar-eed]

1. united in wedlock; wedded: married couples.

2. of or pertaining to marriage or married persons; connubial; conjugal

 

I've decided to go ahead and document my wedding day while I can remember most of the details. So in case you haven't heard it, here it is!

 

My husband-to-be/fiance' at the time was currently at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas finishing up his tech school before he would move on to bigger and better things. While I was, at that time, in Clovis, New Mexico with my family. I knew in my heart of hearts this goofy guy was the one for me so why not go ahead and get married? We both loved each other to the moon and back, and even throughout our dating period we had been under scrutiny from certain people about us being together and we didn't care. Yes, we were young and in love. Apparently that combination signals bad flags for people...but anyways, I had the support of my mom and that was all I really needed. So step one was to figure out exactly how I could get married. We'd need a certified person to do it and a marriage certificate. So I got to work, and boy I tell you something, it was work indeed to get this certificate.

 

 

 

My stepdad was stationed at Cannon Air Force Base(All the way to the left side of the above map) now if you look all the way to the right, you'll see Texico and Farwell. Where they meet in the middle is the New Mexico/Texas state line. Farwell is in Texas and it's where we headed for my Marriage Certificate since my fiance' was in Texas as well, I needed a Texas certificate.

 

I looked into other options before as well. I asked them about a proxy marriage and having my fiance' on skype for it. They wouldn't work with me on that one. There's not many nice things I can say about the women who work at the Farwell Courthouse, other than they made it seem like they were doing me a favor since I was so young and not ready for marriage because they made it nearly impossible to get my certificate. I had to keep returning to the courthouse to give papers, or sign this, or confirm that because they kept delaying and dragging everything out.

 

 They wouldn't tell me I needed certain paperwork from my fiance' until the very last moment. At this point I had given up on the proxy marriage idea and I had a deadline. I had already bought tickets to go visit my darling in San Antonio and to not have this certificate in time would of been the most heartbreaking thing for me. The women were always so sour with me but in the end, through fighting tooth and nail it seemed, I had my marriage certificate ready to go a few days before it was time to fly out. 

 

So then I began calling the chapel on Lackland to see if a person out there could wed us, but alas I was met with the answer of "We can only marry a couple after they've gone through a 2 week pre-marital course." My heart sank, my fiance' was pretty much a full time student at the time, it would be impossible for him to fit a 2 week class into his schedule, plus I had bought a round trip ticket for a few days. So the chaplains on base were a bust. I needed to start looking into the San Antonio area for help. I called up all the Justice of the Peace' that were sort of around the base in case we had to get a taxi to go to a courthouse. The weekend I had set aside for our special day it seemed everyone was booked.

 

Now, at this point, this just felt like one thing after another. I was just so depressed because things were not looking up. I started to believe it just wasn't meant to be right now, but if anyone knows me they know I can be stubborn as a bull.

 

So I called an office and lo and behold, I got in touch with a Justice of the Peace who was free on Saturday. (I had wanted to get married on Friday, but suuure, Saturday works!!!!) and even better was He could come on base and do the ceremony! I was on Cloud 9 people, Cloud 9.

 

I started packing my suitcase and then I freaked out. I don't have a wedding dress!!! How can I get married without one?!

 

My mom just smiled at me. We went shopping and picked out cute white summer dresses. I tried one on that had a polka dot pattern and it fit perfectly. I came out of the dressing room and my mom cried. That's how you know it's the right one! Sure, it wasn't your traditional or typical wedding dress...but what part of this wedding was traditional or typical.

 

So after a hop and a skip plane ride I was on Lackland. It was Thursday and I was getting married Saturday. I couldn't believe it. I would be Mrs. Candice Conner! I loved every syllable of it. I got to visit with my darling when he got out of class and we were both anxiously anticipating Saturday.

 

After a long, grueling Friday, Saturday morning appears. We were supposed to get married at 11am. So I get ready and David comes over so we could head to where we were meeting the JOTP. We were going to get married outside the nearest chapel.

 

So it's 11am and already smoldering hot being the end of May and in south Texas. After 10 minutes we get a call from the JOTP. He went to the wrong gate, apparently that one was closed, so he'd have to loop around and find an open gate.

 

10 more minutes passes and he calls again. They won't let him get to us without a visitor's pass, which my fiance' had to sign for him. So I have no idea where anything is so I pass the phone to darling and he says we have to go to the welcome center. It's about a 20 minute walk from the chapel. So we head out in the 100+ degree heat. I'm in my pretty white summer-dress-turned-wedding-dress and cheap non supportive flip flops while my fiance' is in his full ABU's. We're overheated and starting to sweat by the time we reach the welcome center. We walk up to the front door and it's closed. We're confused. Darling calls the JOTP again and get's a Sergeant on the phone to explain the location, because it obviously wasn't the Welcome Center.

 

What we had failed to understand was it was the welcome center, but it was the welcome center for the base. It's the lovely little building that exists right outside the main gate. We had walked 20 minutes in the wrong direction. So we had to walk back and tack 10 extra minutes onto that to reach the main gate. (Lackland is a huge base.)

 

Now, every bride dreams of her Wedding day being the most beautiful day in her life. One that she is flawless and beautiful in and her husband-to-be completely falls in love with her all over again.

I was dripping sweat, my hair was sticking to my head, my make-up was running and I was as red as a tomato. I wanted to pass out as I was borderline heat exhaustion (but thankfully we had bought water bottles to bring on the walk over) 

I didn't feel the least bit beautiful....until my darling looked at me as we made it to the welcome center and he smiled at me. I cried a little bit, partly from the fact I wanted to collapse but mostly because his smile has always had a way of making everything better.

 

So we go inside and I slump down into one of the chairs, some of the guys in uniform look over at me in my pitiful state. I didn't care though. I just wanted to get back to the chapel and be Mrs. Conner! We get the JOTP his visitor's pass and we walk out to his truck, he takes one look at me and apologizes. (Yeah, I must look pretty bad if the guy we just made wait 40+ minutes is apologizing)

 

He offered to give us a ride in his 2 seater truck. So as not to get in trouble at the gate, the love of my life walks back through and I ride in with the JOTP. After we get through the gate we pick up my darling and all squeeze into the tiny truck and make for the chapel. That was probably the best air conditioning I've ever felt. We get under the patio of the chapel's front porch and I hand the Marriage certificate to the JOTP and he starts the vows for us to repeat to each other. We had written vows to each other but wanted to say them to each other in private. I don't remember much of anything that I repeated, I just remember taking his hands in mine and looking deep into my husband's eyes and it being the most heartfelt, memorable moment of my life because in that moment all I could see was him smiling at me and his eyes so full of love and utter joy that it made everything I just went through that day and every day in the past nonexistent.

 

The kind JOTP signed off our certificate and took a few pictures of us. I paid him a little extra for all the trouble because I was so thankful and felt it was deserved. The picture at the top of this post is the very first picture of Mr. and Mrs. Conner.

 

Everyone says they never forget their wedding day, and I'm fairly certain I can't forget mine. I put my heart and soul into making that day possible, and yes, it was probably one of the worst weddings ever, but it was my wedding. It was just me and the love of my life and a justice of the peace. No friends or family present and that's okay. I didn't need a fairy tale wedding, I just needed my husband to be my husband and I got just that.

 

 

 Thanks to two wonderful childhood friends, I did get a photo shoot for my 1 year anniversary in a gorgeous borrowed REAL wedding dress. I do cherish these pictures and memories of having so much fun with them as I experienced what it's like to be a beautiful bride for a day. Thank you Rachel and Gabby. (:

 

 

Now here we are a little bit over 2 years married and going strong with our first little bundle of joy due in November. I didn't get to spend the first 3 months of my marriage with my husband due to the military, and we've had our ups and downs in between then but I wouldn't trade any of it. I wouldn't trade my wedding day hardships for a fairy tale wedding and I wouldn't trade the hardships I've gone through because they've made my husband and I stronger and closer.

 

I love my life and this journey I've been on.

 

I'm not afraid to say that either! Thank you so much for support you've given to me. It really means the world to me!

 

Thank you for reading and God bless our troops and God bless America!  

Sacrifice

 

 sac·ri·fice [sak-ruh-fahys]

1. the offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage.

2. the person, animal, or thing so offered.

3. the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.

4. the thing so surrendered or devoted. 

This past week I had the privilege of having my eyes opened a little wider, my sense of pride for my country expand a little larger, and my view of the word sacrifice deepened a lot. 

Being a military wife I understand the word sacrifice to an extent. My husband's job comes first, and then I do. So at times I realize what that word means, but this week that level of understanding was greatly broadened as I got to visit Arlington Cemetery for my husband's grandfather's funeral. He completed 30+ years of military service retiring as a Colonel, making him able to be buried at such an extraordinary piece of history.  

Now like most people I had seen pictures of Arlington. It's a lot of gravestones. Over 450,000 are buried there and that number didn't really sink in until we were following the horse-drawn carriage of my grandfather-in-law to his burial site. 

 

 As I rode past the endless rows of gravestones tears came to my eyes and I had no words I could express at the time for what I was feeling. It was a mixture of sadness, pride, and respect.

It's one thing to see something in pictures and hear about it and it's a completely different thing to experience it. I feel so extremely privileged to have seen an Arlington burial. The Honor Guard at Fort Myer did a spotless job in making this important and emotional occasion the very best possible. 

The ceremony was as beautiful as it was sad. I cried as they folded up the American Flag over the coffin and handed it with many condolences to my grandmother-in-law. 

I'm sad I never got to meet my grandfather-in-law before he passed. But I will be eternally grateful to him because without him I would not have my husband and our country would have missed out on a soul who truly understood the meaning of sacrifice.

In the letter he had prepared for his passing he made mention of his first great grandchild. I'm so honored to have brought a piece of joy to his life in some way. I can't wait until Rosalie is old enough that I can tell her about my experiences at Arlington and use it as a means to teach her what sacrifice is and how important it is not only in our country, but in our family as well. This trip will be forever embedded on my heart and memory.

God bless America and the families who daily sacrifice for this country. 

Thanks for reading. 

 

Inadequate

in·ad·e·quate 

 
[in-ad-i-kwit] adjective

1. not adequate or sufficient; inept or unsuitable.

2. Psychiatry. ineffectual in response to emotional, social, intellectual, and physical demands in the absence of any obvious mental or physical deficiency.

In your mind, you're just never going to be good enough. This thought process can apply to everything we do in life. Now that doesn't mean we think we are inadequate enough to go to the store and grocery shop but we might think we're too inadequate to take those ingredients we bought and try to make a new recipe. 

We just feel inadequate at our jobs. You can always do better, sometimes John or Sue is the one who can always show you up and take all the glory. If they are and will always be better than you, why even try anymore?

Ann is the perfect mom. While you're trying not to pull your hair out and wondering how your kid got on top of the refrigerator, Ann's child sits perfectly quiet playing with a toy. Your child never listens to you and Ann's child does whatever they are told. You just want to give up and you envy Ann for her control over her kid. She's perfect and you think you never will be because you certainly aren't right now.

Joe and Jane have the perfect marriage while yours is in a rocky place. It seems like you're constantly bickering about every little thing and they are nonstop raving about how great everything is going for them. You just want to shut off and hope everything fixes itself.

You are inadequate.

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” 
⁶ “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

⁷ But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. ⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
  ⁹ Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.

  
This passage is so intimate I'm so happy Jeremiah shared it with us. Let's break it down.

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

So here we see God knows us. Everything about us. He intimately formed us in our mother's womb. Every minor detail He created and knows.

  
before you were born I set you apart;

Even in the womb He had an amazing plan for our life. We are set apart.

  I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Look at the plans God had for Jeremiah before He was even born! Can you imagine God telling you, you were born for things greater than you could ever imagine? Well He is.

 ⁶ “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

We often answer God with an excuse. Alas is the same as but, so Jeremiah is saying "but, God...I can't." He feels inadequate to live up to the amazing plan God had designated for his life.

 ⁷ But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.

  
God is not a fan of a pity party. He loves us, His creation from before the womb, more than we'll ever be able to comprehend. How do you think He felt as Jeremiah told Him he couldn't do it? Because he felt he was too inadequate to accomplish the calling God had placed on his life? I think God's heart breaks when we give up, when we say "I am inadequate." If you're a parent, or a sibling, or a friend, and your child/sibling/friend comes to you and says 'I just can't do it." You don't say "Well of course you couldn't! I knew that from the very beginning!" You encourage them! Of course they can do it, how silly of them to think otherwise. Doesn't it break your heart when someone you love downplays how strong they really are and they are defeating themselves?

⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

What a beautiful, comforting Word from the Lord! Don't you just want to yell "Amen!!!" You are probably right, you are inadequate by yourself. God knows this and He's there to say I will rescue you. Amazing.   

 ⁹ Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.

Don't be afraid of the challenges of cooking new recipes, or your "perfect" coworkers at your job, or those friends who are the "perfect" moms, or those neighbors with the "perfect" marriage. God is always, always, ALWAYS on your side. In our weakness He makes us strong. In our inadequacy He makes us adequate. He reaches out His hand to us and wherever we are struggling He is there to lift us up.  

I fully believe I am living out the plan God has for me. My main reason for posting this was because I was feeling inadequate. God is forming a baby girl inside of me and I feel inadequate. It's scary knowing in a few short months I will be a mother and I don't know if I can handle it...and I can't. Thankfully I'm not alone because God is reaching His hand out to me saying I will put the words in your mouth, the strength in your body, and my spirit to restore and renew that feeling of adequacy. 

You are inadequate. Aren't you glad God makes up for it? Smile, He's there with a helping hand, don't forget to take it. 

In God, you are adequate. 

Thanks for reading! 

God bless America and our troops!   

Prosper

pros·per  (pros'per)

intr.v.pros·pered, pros·per·ing, pros·pers

To be fortunate or successful, especially in terms of one's finances; thrive.

 

 

 Prosper. Everyone's heard the word at one point or another.

I know one thing that jumps into my head when I think prosper...

Yes, you thought it too, didn't you? Money. Lots of money shows you're prospering!

Or so the world says.

Yes, money is important. It's needed to survive in this day and age. But if you don't have a lot of money, does that mean you're not prospering? 

Absolutely not!

 

Life is all about perspective. What we deem very important, important, less important, or unimportant. Everyone has a view on everything because we are humans, we can't help but make an opinion on everything we've ever encountered. For example:

I still remember to this day going to a veeeery nice steakhouse called Ruth's Chris when I was a lot younger. I remember them bringing the steak out to me. It still sizzled and popped because the plate and the steak were so hot. That steak melted in my mouth and was amazingly tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned. It is to this day the best steak I've ever had. I have formed that opinion and that view until that opinion and view is changed if ever a better steak makes it's way onto my plate.

I'm sure if you were to think of everything you've ever come across in your life that you can remember, and you will have a view on it.

Perspective is a powerful thing.

You know, last time I wrote my blog post about living long, I was writing it at 3 am (just couldn't sleep) and all of a sudden as I'm typing away on my computer in bed I hear a loud crash and the sound of shattering glass. Yes, I did jump and my first thought was my cat has gone and jumped up on the counter and knocked over something breakable. Well I climb out of bed and make my way to the living room, I don't see anything broken, so I walk over to the kitchen. Somehow, someway, my wall clock fell off the wall and the glass face shattered on the kitchen floor. So I stop my blogging to grab a broom and dustpan and I sweep up the shards (after putting on some shoes). I return to blogging, finish up and go to sleep. So I sleep, wake up that morning and then go and vacuum the kitchen floor since my vacuum has a hard floor setting. Yay, all safe! I was in a somewhat okay mood so I decided to do the dishes (haha.) Well I start loading up the dishwasher and not paying full attention to detail, I hit a drinking glass on a hard part of the dishwasher and yes, you guessed it. It broke. Oh the frustration. I carefully throw the glass away and clean up the shards in the dishwasher and finish loading the dishes.

I had hit my limit then and it wasn't even 9am. I slept terribly, my clock broke, I had to clean up the glass at 3-something-am, slept terribly till I woke up again, now when I decide to do the dishes more glass breaks!

At this point, I am ashamed to say, I was complaining away in my head. I mean, I was frustrated. I was pretty tired and I was surely tired of cleaning up shards of glass. 

The complaining and frustration had made me hungry. I decided on a bowl of cheese grits with some eggs.

I take out the carton of eggs to grab a couple to cook (remember I'm still complaining in my head) and I open the carton and right there on the inside of the carton was written;

"For this is the day that the Lord has made;

 I will be glad and rejoice in it." - Psalms 118:24

 

I laughed. I laughed a great laugh because God just trolled me with an egg carton. Right then and there my perspective on my morning was changed in an instant. Why was I complaining? I felt ashamed. I smiled and thanked God for how truly blessed I was. I sang worship songs the rest of the time I cooked.

That's just one personal example of how perspective effects our way of thinking which effects our every day lives.

Any-who I've gotten a little off beat about prospering. What I'm trying to get at is prospering means more than having money. Prospering also means to thrive. I think that can be applied to how we view what we do have in our life and how we value what we have. We aren't prospering much in the money department, but our friends, family and happiness departments are overflowing! You form an opinion on everything in your life, so in your opinion is having money more prosperous than having family? or friends? or happiness? or a right relationship with God?

I think everyone is prospering in some way or another. Some of my friends have such an infectious joy you can't be unhappy around them! My other friends are so supportive out here in Oklahoma since none of my family is close that I feel like they are family. My family is loving and supportive from afar and cares about me. God is always there, reminding me when I'm less than happy that I should rejoice and be glad because I really don't have a reason not to!

I am one overly blessed woman who is prospering! 

 

If you don't feel like you're prospering I implore you to check your perspective on everything. I guarantee you are prospering in one way or another! There's a saying, "count your blessings", and when times get hard it's a good one to remember because I bet you can't count them all! God is too good. All the time. Just know next time you complain, if you have eyes to see, or ears to hear, or an open heart to receive, God may just speak to you through an egg carton. (;

 

Happy prospering, and thanks for reading!

 

God bless America and our troops!