Another Year Come and Gone

As I'm riding home from a wonderful vacation in Colorado, I have been thinking how impossible it seems that another year has come and gone.  It seems that in the past few years I have started off my new year saying, " This one has got to be better than last year's", but I feel this past year (2014) has been just fine.  As I sat and listened to a friend lead a lesson Sunday on just needing a little bit more and having it a little bit better, I couldn't help but think about how good this year has been.  I have 3 perfect boys.. They are perfect because that is how God made them. They can be challenging at times in all different ways but I find myself proud of them everyday.  They love each other , they love their family and are good people all together.. Even though they do have their times that I question where they came from..I have a wonderful loving husband that takes care of us, backs me when I need backing, supports me,  loves me and loves  God.  We have all been blessed to help with the homeless this year and I know I have learned to not be afraid to offer my hand when they hold their hand out. Jesus did that.  I have learned that it doesn't matter if they need it, what they are going  to do it but that I am doing God's work and that they see HIM in me.  God's work.. God's work.. Not Amie's work ... I have learned that I have been placed on this earth to do God's work of spreading his word.
I have also learned that I can not judge.  And even if I say "hey, I'm not judging here but..." I'm still judging. I have learned that God doesn't give us the pain in this world... That he might allow it so that something bigger can happen.. That he didn't  promise me a beautiful earthly life.. He promised me a perfect Heavenly eternal life... I've learned that he didn't spare his own son on this earth so why would he spare mine...I've learned ... This isn't it!! This world isn't it.  This is just our chance to get it and take anyone that we can get with us.
  As I think back on the year and think of all the things that have happened I find myself taking for granted the answered prayers, the accomplishments , the protection around us and all the surprises that went along with that.  It wasn't that long ago that I was subbing and wishing I had gone to school but felt defeated with the thought of going to college.. Now I can see so clearly God's plan on me going to school and even though I sometimes feel I will never finish.. I can't believe I am where I am today. Oh how I love my job and how it all started with the encouragement of Billy's Pre-k teacher ,Kathy Elmore, by telling me that I would be good at it and my sister in law that one day said it is time...:)  Brian has made a new job change and I look back at how comfortable he was working at Red River Army Depot.. I mean that was The Plan... Right? That's why we moved here .... Oh no ... Then he was blessed by getting a job by the help of his friend from church... He really liked it. Not sure what Gods new plan was but it was comfortable, paid good enough, and he was good at his job.. So must be Gods plan........ Hold up! Here we go again... He is asked to come help run a Car lot in Deklab Texas.  Totally out of his comfort zone... (Even though I thought he would do good at it) totally out of the blue... We prayed about it and prayed some more and he chose to go with it... And it's been good.  And yes he is good at it .... Just like I thought he would be :)  I know he questions his purpose at times but  I see who he is and I'm proud of him and I know the Lord is too.
Another thing that  I look back on are the friends that come into my life in the past year.  It amazes me when I look back at the people that I crossed paths with that are my friends now, how they all connect to something else In my life.  I love my friends and feel blessed to have you each in my life.  I know that God has placed you all in my life in his own way for his own purpose. I truly can say that I strive to be the person God wants me to be and not miss the true purpose of why you are in my life.
2015 is going to be busy... Not doubt about it.  But I plan on giving everything I do my all... Loving and taking care of my family ... My school 100% ,  and God 110%  . Staying 1 step ahead instead of 10 steps behind. Please pray for me because I need it. Love you  all... And Happy New Year!!

A Godly Man + A Godly Husband + A Godly Father = A Family in Eternity

It has been since January that I have posted but with school, work, and with raising the boys, it gets kinda busy around here. I can say proudly that I have just finished my Spring Semester at Texarkana College and managed to get 4 more classes under my belt.  The boys survived the school year as well and every one passed and managed to walk away with many accomplishments . So we are All Good and ready for Summer Break. As I have come to the end of the school year I have caught myself several times thanking God for holding my hand through this year and finding myself  amazed that it all happened. When I decided to go back to school...or you can say... was talked in to , I had many doubts that it would even happen.  I registered and as I did I just knew I couldn't do it but I was going to go ahead  so I could say that I tried.  Here I am finishing up my 3rd year (kinda slow with also having a job) and I am amazed at myself. Well, I say with myself but I really am amazed at God.  I know I shouldn't be amazed by God because he can do anything but I am. I am not amazed because I doubted that he could help me through but that he wanted to. We all struggle at times with what our purpose is here on earth and sometimes you never find it.  We take paths that we think might be or that we want to be our purpose but then we end up hitting a dead end. Why is it so hard when we are told over and over again that God loves us so much and will take care of us that we are shocked when he does? Maybe because it keeps reminding us how Awesome he really is. I just can't get enough of him and of the fact that HE LOVES ME! I have managed to get enough classes behind me that I needed to transfer to Texas A&M to finish up. It isn't that big of a deal at all but it is the next step and will be the final place before I graduate.  It was much more exciting registering for the fall being able to start Education Classes and feel like I am ready to learn what I am getting my degree in. 

Made it feel a little more real.

Another thing that I am so blessed to have to get me through is my husband.  I have a huge fan club to finish school and I appreciate that more than you know but my husband is my biggest fan.  He is my cheerleader, he is my Blue Crew ( for all you Redwater Dragons).  He is my strength and he is my sanity most of the time.  This past semester I had class until 9:00pm 2 nights a week and he always had the boys taken care of.  Not only was I gone 2 nights but I spent many, many, ok let me say most nights in my room with the door closed studying.  He fixed dinner almost every night, he made sure homework got done, kids were bathed (most of the time, they were really good at talking him out of it) and was always ready to talk to me about my long day after I would come in.. He always wanted to know if I had eaten (sometimes I would have not) and he would tell me how that wasn't good and would encourage me to eat a snack or heat me up some leftovers that he had made.  He never complained about the house  being dirty and if it did bother him, he blamed the boys every time. He made sure the laundry that was needed was done and it was never expected of me to do it.  With all that said...you ask me how I do it. I don't... he does. All of these things are so important to help us  get through and make it work but more than all of these things, he is our provider. (1 Timothy 5:8)  He works long hours at least 5 days a week, including one 14 hour day  and one Saturday a month.  He is my provider because he provides me with the love that the bible instructs a husband to give.(Ephesians 5:25). He is my boy's provider because he is living the example that Christ has asked us to live and he is doing everything possible to bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. ( Ephesians 6:4) Brian is our leader in our home.  He knows what God expects of him and he does it.  I can honestly say, what you see is what you get with this guy.  He is strong in many ways but he is strongest in his belief and relationship with God.  He keeps me going, he keeps me on track and I'm glad he plans to keep me forever. 

With all of that said above, I hope we don't claim to be perfect. Things seem to be going our way on paper and they are going pretty good, but it is work... It is a lot of work.  We have been through our ups and downs and we have learned to love each other over the years.  Not that we didn't love each other when we got married ,but our love has grown through time, challenges and changes.  Marriage and family is a lot of work... A whole lot of work. It doesn't just happen. God doesn't promise YOU happiness in marriage but he does give us instructions on how to make it work and if You do what it says there will be happiness.  Yes God wants you to be happy but he doesn't expect you to give yourself that happiness. You receive that by giving it to others.  Sanctus Real has a song out called Lead Me.  It has been out a long time and many of you have probably heard hit.  I am posting it on here for you to see and listen to.  The first one is story behind it and then I have also posted the music video.  God is Awesome and he is always right. SO, with knowing that, if he gives us the answers of how to make it work....why would we fight against it? Selfishness is not the way so don't try and convince yourself that....ok? Sometimes we get so comfortable with things here on earth, that we forget our main goal. We want to go to heaven but remember we are responsible for our kids salvation also.  AND if we don't lead them not only will they not be in heaven but we won't either. Guys, Husbands, Dads this is for you. If you need a wake up call...let it be now because there might not be a later. 


  

My Pocket Bible

  On April 21, 2009, my dad gave me this bible.  It’s a perfect size to carry in my purse or bag and to pull out during a lunch break or in between classes.  It probably makes sense that my bible is important to me but not because of what you think.  This was my grandma’s bible.  This wear and tear you see and the folded down corners inside are not from me but from her.

   I was privileged to know my grandma for many years.  We actually lived with my grandparents in a big house in Fort Worth and then in Burleson until I was in the 5^th grade.  My grandma was a funny grandma that would do things like run to go get us something to eat in a drive thru, pay, and come all the way home and realize she didn’t have the food. Or would take us Christmas shopping and have us pick out what we wanted and then tell us to turn around as she hid in the buggy and we had to act surprised like we didn’t see her hide it in the cart.  And Oh she was famous for her vinegar potato salad. Not because it was delicious but because it looked like a yummy bowl of mashed potatoes with lots of melted butter on top.  No one but her own kids would eat it but it was perfect for tricking our friends and boyfriends into trying the “Mashed Potatoes”.  Everyone would stare as my boyfriend would take a big bite and he would have that awkward moment of not knowing what to do with it because you couldn’t swallow it and you couldn’t spit it out because the whole family was watching.

  She was a funny grandma and sometimes fun to make fun of. But there is one thing about her... She was a true woman of God.  Growing up I knew that but now I had the proof.  You see this bible was given to her in 2003.  So the bible isn’t very old.  But if you looked at the bible you would find that almost every page has some form of marking on it. Even though I find my self still laughing when I look inside the cover and she has all her great grandkids listed…most of their names spelled wrong, the middle name with the wrong first name and the right birthday month but the wrong day. Or the best one…a pretty poinsettia sticker by my dads name where she covered my mom’s name from when my parents divorced. She might have had many mistakes in the cover but when you got inside the pages you would find none.    Sometimes I spend hours unfolding and folding back and holding the little slips of paper she perfectly placed as I read what she found so special to her.  Sometimes I feel like she is reading me the scriptures.

   On a warm breezy day on April 21, 2009, my dad gave me this bible.  I remember that day so vividly because you see…that day we stood at my grandma’s grave.  Even though she was in her 80’s we lost her suddenly and no one was able to say goodbye.  That day I felt like I had lost a big part of my heart and my dad handed me a part of hers.   

This was a speech that I had to write about my most treasured item.  When I was asked to speak on this topic I immediately knew what I would speak on.  My grandma was an amazing women and even though most of my growing up was under the same roof with her, I wish I had spent more time with her.  I miss her every single day and can't wait to see her again one day.  She was the ideal grandma that most have never had but she was more than a grandma, great grandmother, and a mother...she was a true women of God. She was a strong willed Christian and I want to grow up and be just like her. 

Grandma loved her great grand babies

Our Wedding Day

Me and My Grandma

Grandma, Billy, and My Dad