Scarlet Threads: The Ideal Valentine

Scarlet Threads: The Ideal Valentine

Ok so I am joining my friends over at www.scarletthreads.org and I am going to tell you about my very worst and very best Valentine's Day experiences.

So let’s start with the worst and end on a positive note. On February 14, 2007 I woke up and went to work, I jumped when the phone rang just knowing my knight in shining armor would be having some beautiful flowers delivered...finally when 5:00 rolled around and there were no roses on my desk I just knew that he was going to have something special planned that night. When I came in from work all I got was a "Happy Valentine's Day" and an excuse about how it had been a busy week and we would celebrate on the weekend. Not a card, not a chocolate, nothing...I was so upset but I didn't want to be a brat so I acted as if I was ok.

I called my sister and she had the same story to tell...busy week...do something on the weekend...NOTHING for Valentine's Day. Well my Dad who has ALWAYS done something for us on Valentine's Day had been out of town for work and was just coming back into town. When he got home he called each of us to say that he loved us and he wanted to take us to dinner that WEEKEND for Valentine's Day. We both said that would be great and he asked what "the boys" as he lovingly calls his son-in-law's had gotten us when we both replied NOTHING he said he loved us and would talk to us the next day. It was about 10:00 and I was surprised he even called because he goes to sleep at 10 EVERY NIGHT. Well, at about 10:45 I was sitting on the couch (still to mad to go to bed) and there was a knock at my door. I opened it and my sweet Daddy was standing their with roses...he said he could never let "his girls" have a Valentine's Day that they had to do without...the son-in-law's were in the DOG HOUSE in a big way!

So after the embarrassment he had received in 2007 my husband really out did himself in 2008. He paid for me to have a whole day at my favorite Day Spa (Debutante’s Salon and Day Spa in Cleveland, TN). I got a manicure, pedicure, massage, facial, and got my hair and makeup done. Then we went to dinner and spent the night in a wonderful bed and breakfast. I had a wonderful night and he said that he wanted to make sure I always knew how special I am to him. Last year was just as wonderful...another day at the spa and we had a wonderful dinner at a spot I had been dying to try. The thing that made both of those nights so great is that he took care of every detail. I am normally the one that get's childcare and books rooms...ect. It was nice to have him taking care of it all. I love him and I am so blessed to have him in my life! But if he ever messes up I have a wonderful Daddy to step in and show him up! ;-)

I wish...

Where to post oh where to post...here I know just a few read it but those few are so precious to me so I will just post my heart here.

Sometimes I just want a redo. I mean I want to start at 17 and redo some things. I want to unmake bad decisions. I want to go to school. Get a great job. I want to marry Mitchell the love of my life in a huge church wedding done just the way I want. I want to save money, buy a house, then try to get pregnant and bring sweet little Sarah into this world. Then I want to enjoy being a mommy. I want to have handsome Colton. Then I want to start adopting children from all over this world. I want to have a house full of homeschooled children. I want to cook three meals a day and move to a farm like Mitch has always dreamed of. I want to be the mom of a huge family. I want to have family meetings and spend time teaching my kids the word of God instead of answering phones. That is where my heart is. Being mom. Being wife. I just feel so out of place sometimes. But I know that for now this is what our finances need. Me working. Me being mom and wife as much as I can but also being employee. I just wish that life could be different sometimes.

Don't get me wrong I am SO thankful! I praise God for my children and my wonderful job and my home. But I sometimes I just wish things were different.

Anyhow Wishing never did anyone any good so I will just make the best out of the way life has turned out, after all...I am sure there are those that wish that their life looked more like mine.

Lord, help me be what you would have me be. May I only be satisfied when you are.

Sherri

The Wind Blown Look

Well my Daddy should be happy...I took down all of the pink! He hated that pink blog, it really got on my nerves too but I had to leave it up for awhile after he said he hated it. Just because he's the Dad, I am the daughter and it's my job to annoy him!


I also added a different picture (Dad said I didn't look like "myself" in the old one.) Not sure about that but I went with one of my favorite pictures I was much younger in it plus I only had one set of stretch marks gracing my hips. Sarah was only a few months old. It was one of those fun pictures when it is just you and the love of your life. Mitch took the picture. My hair was in my eyes...I kinda like that windblown look. It means I was more concerned about living in that moment then how the picture might turn out.

There are plenty of moments when I have let the picture be more important than real life...I promise you I have said the words "stand still or I'm going to knock you into yesterday" to my son more than one time when we are trying to take pictures and he has other ideas! But when I think back on moments it is the less than perfect picture of a wonderful moment that I value the most.

I said all of that to say this I want my whole life to look windblown. But not windblown by physical wind or by the wind of change but I want my life to be windblown by the Holy Spirit. I love when things don't go how I want and a situation ends up so much better than I could have ever imagined. So many times the Holy Spirit blows my plans all over the place and I end up frustrated and upset. However if I can slow down and see that the one who made the wind is in control of every single thing in my life I love the way it feels to be in the moment with the True Love of my life!!!

Holy Spirit blow on me even if it means that my hair is out of place!

Sherri

The PURPOSE is closer than ever!

Esther 4:14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"


Wow I'm not ready to share here what is in my heart but this verse is just what I needed to read. I have come to the royal position as daughter of the King of Kings for such a time as this. I know that God is about to do awesome things in my life. I am willing and waiting for his hand to guide me. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Dirt to Destiny

I have been neglecting this blog a bit but that is because Operation Giggle is keeping me busier than I have words for! I do want to invite everyone to our Dirt to Destiny Women's Conference on November 14, 2009. It is called Behind the Veil "An intimate encounter with Jehovah". Sometimes the dirt of our past has us thinking that we can not enter into the Holy place with our Jehovah but He longs for an encounter with each one of us that will change us forever. Please feel free to email me as sdrgodsgirl@yahoo.com if you would like more information. Or click on the icon on the side of the screen and it will take you to our website. Click on Ministries and the womens conference will be the first page you see.

There will be great singing, speaking and worship! We would love to have you!

In Christ Alone,

Sherri

He's an On Time God

Timing. I have none. I am late to EVERYTHING! My Dad always says I will be late to my own funeral...that is one thing I would like to miss altogether! Anyway I am so glad that my God has timing...perfect timing...impeccable timing. Even when I don't understand what the wait is all about or when I don't understand why my plans were all ruined. Even when I don't understand why I can't just get everyone (including Him) to do things my way...he is not rushed one bit, he is never late and he is not swayed by my jumping up and down telling him when and what to do. I don't understand how he puts up with me acting like an impatient two year old but somehow he knows me and loves me. When I listen to His voice I can reap the benefits of his timing.

The reason I was thinking about timing is because my best friend Tara, that I accompanied to China last year to pick up her daughter Nora, sent me an email today. She had gotten an email from her Adoption Agency it was a monthly update. It said that they were placing children with an LID of March 2006. Tara's LID was May 2006. That means that if she had not added her name to the Special Needs list she would still be waiting to get Nora. Of course Nora is worth the wait but the problem with that would have been that Tara's mom, Bunnie (see the post before this for more about her) passed away two weeks ago. If Tara hadn't followed God's leading and added her name to the Special Needs list then Bunnie would have never touched Nora or looked into her beautiful eyes. How many times do we miss something by a month, a week or a minute because of our disobedience? We should all challenge ourselves to obey God's will even when we don't understand why he tells us to do something. Just Do It! He has good plans for us...Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that. We need to just trust Him and obey Him in every situation. I praise God for His wonderful favor and impeccable timing in my life!!

I'm just me.

The last few months have been hard for me. I have been in a slump...or valley...or whatever you want to call it. It hasn't been constant. I have had mountain moments but overall I have felt far away, not just from God but from my family and even from myself if that makes any sense. I would like to begin the next sentence with "It all started when..." and give some example of some reason that this valley came to be but I can't do that. See it didn't happen overnight. It didn't occur one weekend. It was a slow fade. I was right in the center of God's will when I checked and then I got busy and distracted and looked up and realized I had moved...I was no longer at "the spot where the honey falls out" (as my Dad puts it.) I looked around and at first I thought where did you go God? Instantly I realized He never changes, He never leaves me, He never walks away. It's always me that moves. I hate being wrong, I hate being the one who messed up, the sinner. Oh I know that we all fall short of the glory of God but sometimes I feel like I do it better than anyone. Sin is sin and one sin is no bigger or smaller than another. So I don't mean that I commit "bigger" or "greater" sin than the next person. What I mean is that I find myself in sin so many times when what I long to do is serve God and please my heavenly father. My flesh is selfish. That is the main problem. I want to do what I want to do. I hate that part of me.

Paul said it best when he said: Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me." I want to be all God wants me to be. It took me a long time to say that. But now I truly do want what he has for me. But I know my God and he expects me to overcome sin with His grace and help. He wants me to stop giving in to "the sin that dwells within me". I am more than a conqueror through him. We all are.

Why is it important to keep striving to do what is right? Why is it important to fight against our sin nature? Because if we don't then we will live a defeated life. If we try to hide who we truly are from God then it is impossible to enjoy our life. My friend Bunnie died last Sunday. She had a long battle with cancer and through it all if I had to find one word to describe her it would be VICTORIOUS. She was not defeated and she didn't live her life like someone who was. She didn't hide who she was from God, she enjoyed her life. She loved her Christian walk. She loved to worship God and read her bible. She decided, with God's help, what was right for her. She didn't need anyone else to give her a long list of legalism to follow. (I pity any fool who might have tried!) She knew that her God loved her. All of her, not just the parts that were considered "Godly". He loved the part of her that liked to put on Motown and dance. He liked the parts of her that took her daughter on her first honeymoon after the wedding was called off and spent the week showing her that life was by no means over. He loved the part of her that none of us even knew about the parts of her that she might rather be left hidden. She loved Him and He loved her. That is the kind of life I want. I want to be me. Completely and totally me. I don't care if everyone likes me. I don't care if I fit your mold, I don't care if I offend the "religious". I know that to be accepted by God I don't have to be perfect, I just have to be me. I am going to enjoy being me. So who am I? I like to dance too...maybe not to Motown but some Seger will work. I love my kids, I love my husband. I love girls night's out with Tara. I love the color Pink. But most of all I love Him and He loves me. (pic above on right is Bunnie in high school)