Journal - Feb 2

Today the groundhog saw his shadow. More winter for us??

Typical Sunday with church and  a little grocery shopping. Watching movies for the afternoon.

Saturday Feb 1

Did the laundry and lots of reading. Watched a few John Wayne movies. :)

Texted with sister about her hat remake. Hope to finish it Monday. May have to mail it to her so that she can wear it while it's still cold. We really need to see one another face to face more often!!

Friday Jan 31

School and worked the ball game gate.

Journal

Jan  25

Saturday a day of knitting and rest

Jan 26

Church and then a nice afternoon at K's with baby Katie Belle. Sewing and catching up on family!

Jan 27

School

Revival at The River - Code Blue with Dave Edwards

Jan 28

School

Revival at The River - I'm only doing two nights of revival. Wednesday is for the youth and it will be standing room only. I would rather a kiddo have my spot and hear the Good News.

Journal - Jan 19 &20

Jan 19

Great morning at church, I wasn't working media and I sat in a different part of the worship area. I was closer to a speaker than I'd been in months. I could really hear the music and it was awesome! A quick lunch and I decided I was going for a Sunday drive. I really took the long way home and drove out to an area near the lake and I think I may have found a new "peaceful" getaway. It is only 25 minutes from the house and I used to make the drive all the time because is was near my parents farm. But yesterday was the first time I remember driving to the boat access area. The water was so quiet and green yesterday. I will have to go back again.

I spent the rest of the afternoon at my friends house and played with baby Claire. Nice day!

Jan 20 

I spent the day reading and trying to make bread. It hasn't done a lot of rising and I'm really thinking it won't turn out the greatest. I'm going to make a stomboli for dinner using the dough. I'm going to put a twist on it and use a tex-mex filling. We'll see how it turns out. I also did a little productive sewing today. I made a new ironing board cover for my pitiful ironing board. It is extra wide which is great for quilting but hard to find a new cover. I could have ordered one from Amazon but I decided to whip one up myself. I love it!

Journal - January 12 & 13

Sunday - church, lunch and quiet day

Monday - Quiet day at work as well, students were ready to get to work for the most part. We were notified of a coworkers death. Karen had been out almost all of the fall semester and passed away Saturday. We didn't know she was back in the hospital. Sad day. Funeral is Tuesday and visitation is just before the service.

Weekend Pleasures

I really enjoy the weekend. School has started for the teachers in my county and students will return Monday. So I'm cherishing this weekend.

Today, I'm doing laundry and planning a day of stitching. I have a goal of taking the border off two quilts (wee size) and working on redoing them on Monday (a half day for students and teachers). Quilting on Monday will check those items off my summer to do list and be an official ending to that list. Not everything was finished. I will put those items on my list of things to do over several weekends.

Most weekends include a busy Sunday. I often run the media for my church and I'm at church by 7am and out at 12:45pm at our main campus. When I'm at the satellite I get to arrive a little later. If I have grocery shopping to do and want some variety of items, I will shop after church. My little grocery store just doesn't have a great variety of vegetables and fruit as well as other goods. Sam's Club is near church and I like to run in and stock up on bulk items every few months.

I also like to pick up simple things at Sam's like frozen broccoli and whipping cream. I love the broccoli and eat a lot in my lunch. For a quick lunch, I'll fill a container with broccoli and a frozen mesquite grilled chicken breast. They microwave in about the same time and are delicious.
Today in addition to stitching, I'm watching the humming birds at my feeders. A few weeks ago I put out a glass feeder. The birds really didn't like it and had a hard time drinking from it. It was pretty but not functional. So I moved another one to my porch and the birds loved it. Last week, I bought what I called the big gulp, a 32 oz feeder. I've had four birds flying around this morning as well as two wasp. It is time to put out fresh food. I'm really glad I put them on the porch, I can watch the birds until sunset or later every day.

Have an awesome weekend! Enjoy!

Sentiment Time

I'm sitting in my living room, enjoying the peace of the morning. I'm trying to be a little reflective this morning and thinking about the new year.
I don't make resolutions. But I do know there a few things I want to do differently in 2013.
My church has done a church wide reading plan every year I've been a member. This year we are challenged to read through the Gospels and Revelations four times. It is a simple plan. I don't think we read more than 2 chapters a day most days it is simply a chapter.
This morning I read the first section on the lineage of Christ. Many people want to skip this and get to the "good" stuff. But I love reading about Rahab, Ruth, and Tamar. I want to carry out this plan all year.
I want 2013 to be the year I fall in love with Jesus again. I want to read His Word and fill my heart with Him. I want more focused time with Him.

So in addition to the reading, I'm starting with Beth Moore's Siesta Memorization Team - for a second time. I hope to complete the year this time. I made it to May in 2011. I'm starting with the same verses as last time because I honestly can't tell you what they were and that saddens me.
My first rememorization is Isaiah 40:8 NASB The grass withers, the flowers fade, But the word of our God stands forever. If I find these being recalled quickly, I will add new verses.

I am also jumping into a Precepts study of Matthew so that it coincides with our church study/plan. I'm looking forward to it. I'm not trying to teach it, just make this a personal study.
Sound like a lot as I read what I've typed. But it really isn't. I just want more time with Him and I know that if I do that, everything in my world will fall into place or fall apart and try to separate me from my plan. By putting this out on my blog I can have a visual public reminder of what I want and why I want it.
Praying everyone has a blessed New Year!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Compassion Blogging

I realize I don't have five people who read my blog, that's ok at the moment. But I have several things I'm passionate about and Jesus is at the very top of that list. I love the Lord and through working with my youth group at church, I became a Compassion Sponsor in 2007.

We went to a Student Life conference in December 2007. Student Life and the worship band really talked about how Compassion was changing lives. Our group was moved by the stories and wanted to sponsor a child. They asked the leaders what they should do and we said Pray! Talk to Jesus. ;)

One of the leaders and I made a Starbucks run and were praying for youth groups we encountered coming back into the auditorium (we were between sessions) and I commented on a big group circled up, holding hands and praying. It was very moving to see, no adults were with them. James recognized them first and said Hey that's our kids.  LOL It was a darkened hall and tons of teen groups around.

We joined them and realized they were praying for the children at the Compassion Sponsorship booth. It was so moving and after they finished they decided to sponsor not one child but two! I was so proud of them. I was so moved that I decided if they could do it, so could I!

I went through the sponsorship kits and because my heart is in Guatemala, I chose a lovely young girl, 6 yrs old and living in a small village north of Coban. I've been sponsoring her for almost 6 years. I've loved getting her messages and sending my own. Her photo is on my fridge and computer desktop. I would love to some day meet her on this earth, but I hope that through Compassion's love and Bible teaching I'll one day get to meet her in Heaven.

I'm proud to become a Compassion blogger. If you are one of my five regular readers, please consider sponsoring a Compassion Child! If you have found my blog through Compassion's links, Welcome and I hope you become as passionate of Compassion and Jesus as I am!

Blessed Evening

I have the privilege of serving with Rising Above Ministries. The ministry serves families with special needs children. Jeff and Becky Davidson head the ministry and they have become dear friends. I left tonight reflecting on Jeff's message, Jesus searching my heart.

I serve as the media person, I put the verses, music and bible, on the big screens. Very easy job. But I get to worship with them once a month and I just feel so blessed every time I leave. I love getting to know the kiddos and the parents. I'm developing a much better understanding of the difficulties they face, but also I can see the blessings and actions of God.

I get to attend/work the retreats. Although, so far Jeff hasn't asked me to work the men's retreat :) he did have men working at the ladies. LOL I am attending the couples retreat. I'm sure I will be a little bit of an odd ball, but I know it will be a great weekend.

Just reflecting on a wonderful evening,
- Tracy

New Year - Changes

I ended 2011 with church and friends. I spent the day working on this small quilt. I enjoyed the process so much and I realized how much I missed my quilt guild.

Our small guild group dissolved years ago. We just kept getting smaller and smaller. We met in the evening, members moved away, lost interest and we drifted apart. As I set sewing and fondly remembering my quilts friends, I realized I needed to find a new group and made that a goal of 2012.

 

I spent most of my evening at church. We have a church family night and hosted a chili cook off and talent show. We had great food and a wonderful assortment of talent. The winner was a young man under the age of five who quoted several Psalms from memory. Cute factor played well in his winning. :)

After leaving church, I went to a friends annual NYE party. There is always good food and entertaining conversations to be had. Knowing I had to be at church early, I left well before midnight and was tucked into bed nice and snug.

Today after church, I've worked in the garage and almost have it ready to put the car back in. I still have my old water heater sitting in the way! Hopefully I will get it moved soon. I also changed the back door locks, a project that has been on my to-do list since moving 1.5 years ago. LOL I accomplished a lot today!

I hope that this new year brings more things checked off my to-do list. Starting with more Bible study and more quilting and needlework.

Be blessed!

Tracy

Just a few more thankful posts

I have missed several days throughout the month. I still don't feel like I've gotten into the blogging habit. I'm trying be reflective and put my thoughts on line.

I think part of the problem is that I'm single and tend to live a solitary life. I don't make a lot of small talk and tend to talk to myself or the kitties. So I'm not used to put my thoughts "out there". I noticed today when sis and BIL were here that we didn't just fill the air to hear ourselves. :) Sis and I are quite comfortable spending a lot of time together, reading or vegging and not talking. Quiet is nice!

Today, I'm thankful for Bible study. I'm teaching an inductive bible study at church in January. I've been a student of inductive bible study for 20 years, I've trained at Precepts Ministry several times. I really love how much information I get from this type of study. But even more, I love how much more God teaches me about Himself through each study.  I am excited to be sharing inductive study methods with members of my church. It is the reason I'm at The River. I strongly felt God leading me there to disciple others in Bible Study. I'm thankful to use my gifts and talents in this area.

Have a blessed Monday!

Tracy

Thankful Day Five

Today was an awesome day! I'm thankful for my church, specifically my Elder team. My church is run a little differently from other churches. We have an Elder team of approx 5 men who shepherd the church. Three of the current team are our pastors or have been. Two of the Elder team answered God's call of missions and they are currently serving in Central Asia with their families.

Today, our lead pastor (Elder) is serving in India on a mission trip and another member of the Elder team was preaching in his place. Jeff became ill during the night and couldn't preach this morning. We currently have two campuses and Steve (campus pastor and Elder team member) was preaching on his campus. He stepped up and offered to preach at both campuses. God had an awesome message to share through him today. 

Steve traveled to both campuses, preached 5 services, and didn't get one speeding ticket traveling between campuses. :) Our worship and media teams were completely flexible and changed up each service and led wonderful worship times. If we hadn't been telling the congregations what was going on, they would have never known at times we were going with the flow! 

I proudly serve on the media team. God has totally blessed me to be able to serve my church with the gifts He has given me with computers and I am totally in awe of how He uses us. It was awesome to be a part of the prayer teams this morning and to see God answer those prayers. Today God really let us depend on Him and it reminds me I can be thankful for my dependence on Him every day!

Have a blessed day,
Tracy

Welcome Fall Break

I realize no one is ready my blog, but that is ok! I don't have but a few sweet followers and friends who check the blog out when I post to Facebook.

I'm am welcoming a break in the school calendar. The students and faculties are so ready! This year feels stressful for many of my educator friends in Tennessee. The new evaluation system seems to have so many stressed and ready to give up on educating our future. I hope they can work their way through this latest attack on our profession.

I'm planning on spending my break quilting, stitching and doing needlework on my sweet friend Keisha's bridal veil.  She is getting married next weekend and I'm so excited for her and her fiance. I don't know how my friend Cindy (her mom) has made it through this year, all four children have added spouses!

I've also jumped off the deep end in a new area of my life. I've become a Scentsy consultant. I have a long background in retail and I love sales. I saw the warmer on Plumstreet Samplers and knew it was something I'd love to have in my home. I had my first party this week!  Big shout out to my friend Leigh who hosted for me. We had a lot of fun and sniffed a lot of fragrances. If you want to try it out, check out my Scentsy page.

Last, please pray for my worship leader Jimmy and his sweet wife Kim. They are expecting little Ruthie in the next few days and we are asking God to work miracles in Ruthie's life. She has a health issue and as a result is being born at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. God has worked major miracles in her life already and we know He has more planned!

In His hands,

Tracy

Weekend Wonders

This weekend has felt like a roller coaster. I hung on tight for the ride!

Friday was the 2nd anniversary of mom's death. It was a very emotional day. I chose to spend the evening and Saturday working with Rising Above Ministry at By the Brook. This is a retreat they hold for mother's with special needs children.

I am blessed to be friends with Jeff, Becky, and Jon Alex Davidson. They head this ministry. I have served as the media person on the worship team at all the By the Brook retreats. I started the summer mom battled cancer and I often think I was ministered to more at the retreat than the moms!  

This retreat I had the privilege of teaching a class on quick inductive Bible study. There were such sweet ladies in the class, some very new to Bible study. It was awesome of God to give me the privilege of starting them on the journey of studying His Word.

Sunday was a full morning of church, working media for three services makes for a full morning. I took the night off from The Source which is our single's ministry. I had too much laundry and other home jobs to catch up on. I'm feeling very blessed and God answered my prayers of Friday morning to please let me feel His love and arms surround me. He is so good!

This one of my all time favorite pictures of mom taken on our trip to Key West.