TerriTalker

It' Just a Little Thunder

2018-06-18T09:00:00.002-07:00

It amazed me, how she just laid there in the rain, with the impending storm approaching,unencumbered by the raindrops rolling from the thick black coat of hers. She seemed oblivious to the rumbling of thunder, as she focused on the fun of the occasional leaf or mosquito passing by. This puppy of ours had not a worry in the world, she remained calm and content on the adventure at hand.

I could not help but be reminded in this moment,the importance of letting the little things of life, just roll off my back, and find joy in the little things that I often let encumber me. Also remembering so often, after the storm a rainbow appears at the hand of a wonderful God's love showing HIS continual and promised care as a wonderful distraction from the storms passing by.

John 16:33 "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Blessings,

TerriTalker

Stand Tall & Be Strong

2017-03-09T03:36:00.003-08:00

I stand five foot two and a half, and that half is important when you are among the front row standers, club. I spent my life on the front row of choir and every class photo or group photo I have ever been in. I hear it in my sleep, " short people in front, that's you Terri!" It is all good, there are advantages to being short, you meet people in stores who are kind enough to help you get things off of high shelves and you learn to "take a joke" early in life. Now add red hair to that scenario and well, that is a blog for another time.........

All of that to say, no matter your size you can Stand Tall & Be Strong. It may not be all that apparent by the inches your stand tall or the strength in your frame, but with God's help you can be short and rather wimpy, yet Stand Tall & Be Strong in HIM!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17

photo from aprilthegiraffe.com

Over the past few weeks I have been (not solely, but faithfully) watching the gestational progress, rather impatiently, of an expecting giraffe, named April. Every day for two weeks it has been possibly, "the day" this tall, beautifully strong animal, would give birth to a hundred and fifty pound, 6-foot baby(See why I can't look away?)

During this time I have also been in a bible study of the book of James with a couple friends of mine and strangely enough, I am strengthened in different ways by both. So many lessons to learn from the calm patience. of this animal that coincide with lessons that we take away from the book of James:

Here are a few observations for your consideration:

Stand tall- you may not be eighteen feet tall, but as a child of God, you are a chosen people, Stand tall and proud in the Lord.

Be Strong-God gave this giraffe strength to protect and survive,likewise use what God has given you to conquer and navigate through life.

Perseverance- To be carrying a baby for 15 months, sounds challenging, even before you factor in the size of her calf,( 150 lbs) but she waits calmly and patiently, we need to do the same, stay the course, it will be worth it in producing a beautiful life.

Keep a rein on your tongue- this is a TALL order for the giraffe, if you have ever seen their exceptionally out of control tongue, that resembles a SNAKE, but they do a pretty good job. I do not know about you but my tongue often feels that out of control when I speak, but good news, God tells it is possible and necessary.

Don't Quarrel -Although is natural when alfalfa is at the heart of the quarrel for April and her mate Oliver, but we have an advantage over the instinct of the animals and it is a direct line of prayer to our Heavenly Father, Conversation that yields what is best for us over just our basic wants.

Heart matters- it just so happens April has a heart shaped spot that is so evident when looking at her. I am sure it is the handiwork of our creator. He has also placed within us a heart that should beat for HIM, no matter our size, shape or stature in life.

I suppose I could do this all day but these are a few things that have been rambling around in my head and heart.

Blessings,

TerriTalker

No hand~ holding required

2016-11-04T06:33:00.003-07:00

I knew the day would come when they would not need me to hold their hand, I mean, who thinks their child is in need of hand-holding their whole life? It is just something you know from the moment you become a mother, that someday they will be able to navigate through life, no hand~holding required, by you.
So why is it that when the need for the hand holding stage passes, mama's still feel the need for the hand~holding? There are many years to prepare.....
Seems it is so much a part of who we have become, that it is almost impossible to separate the mother from the hand~holding child, even when the child is no longer, a child.
I guess, I speak from experience, I think I have stayed in the hand holding stage much longer than is necessary, for my child. This child you look at everyday, has changed.. You look at your child and if you look closely you will see, as if magically appearing, changes and maybe, like me, you loved them just the way they were....... But these changes are necessary, essential, and unstoppable! They will need room as they grow, less hand holding, more holding them in prayer.
If you reach out for the hand holding you might find that,they are using both hands in an attempt to balance through the changes, to steady themselves. There will be adventures, triumphs, and danger filled paths. The balancing acts won't be easy for them to face or for you to watch, but are necessary for navigating this life they are figuring out. There will be days when you will reach out for the hand of your child automatically, quite possibly for your own reassurance and find they are balancing just fine. But some days the need for the hand~holding will feel a little stronger, you will want reach out, to strengthen, encourage, protect, shelter and hopefully cause less regret for the child you love so deeply, bow your head in faith, knowing God has a plan.
  Parenting is faith building, and demands that you put your trust in the one who entrusted you with them in the first place. They are only ours for a short time. Use that time wisely.

Deut 6:7 "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

2 Tim. 3:14-17 "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."

And rest in His promises!

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths."
Trust God when the holding them close in prayer days, become the norm, over the hand holding days.
Blessings,
TerriTalker

Which path will you take?

2016-06-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

I was determined to go for a walk. I picked up the leash and connected it to my faithful canine and off we headed. Off of the porch and to the end of the driveway, no problem. Now what? Which way? If I went right, that would take me to the big hill to climb right off the bat, if I went left, it would lead me to the, path of least resistance and there was a sidewalk to follow....perfect! We headed out and were met with the sweet smell of honeysuckles. It was cool and the walking was easy. As I walked I was reflecting on the unsolicited advice I had just given, so generously, to my youngest daughter. Talking about choosing godly paths, looking down I followed the sidewalk with my eyes. My thoughts were interrupted by a big barking dog and Maggie could not walk fast enough to escape this monster of a dog's fierce acknowledgment. As I began to focus again I looked up to find I was out of sidewalk and heading to the grassy park, not ideal but not a huge derailment. Back into the swing of the journey another smaller barking dog wanted Maggie to run the fence with her and Maggie was up for the challenge but I double downed and put the stronghold on her leash. So many distractions on this walk. I just wanted to walk and think and pray and so many other things kept interrupting my train of thought.
So often as I had just told my daughter we can be distracted by lots of pretty, beautiful, fun things and if we are not careful we can be led down the wrong path that might lead us places beyond our control. Not all distractions are bad, but distractions are just that, distractions, that take us off of the path. I do not consider the beautiful flowers or the pretty homes bad things but they did take my focus off of what I was wanting to focus on!

Col. 3:2 "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

Blessings,
TerrtTalker

Small Moments with Big Impact

2016-06-22T07:53:00.001-07:00

   This past Sunday morning in our bible class, the topic up for discussion was a scripture in Joshua, Joshua 1:9 " Be strong and courageous." It reminded me of a conversation I had had with the chief a few days prior to this moment.  The strong in this verse has little to do with physical strength and everything to do with mental strength of mind control and the ability to separate yourself from a situation accompanied with a strong reliance on God. Recently we had been talking about his job and the requirements and demands it makes on his person. So often times he has to control his mind in a way that allows him to complete a task that would prove very difficult otherwise. He has seen death, dealt with grieving parents and witnessed a myriad of things no one should ever have to see or hear. If he had not acquired  the skill of controlling his thought process early on in his career, he would be in a way different place today career wise. It has come in handy in his personal life also. It helped him when his father was dying and multiple situations that could of driven him over the edge had he not been able to control his thoughts and emotions.   Although he is also physically strong, it is his strength of mind that is superior and serves him under pressure along with a great reliance on God's provisionary care.

                           I am so glad God does not require physical strength to be HIS child.

                           Phil. 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

   Being strong and courageous in mind develops us through tough times. We need to know HIS word, have it in our hearts and minds so that it will strengthen us for all of the situations life will throw at us. We may not be able to strong arm trouble but with a strong mind and God on our side we can conquer problems, just ask the chief.
   I am afraid it will take my whole life to get to where he is today, but I will continue to strife to be strong and courageous when it comes to my spiritual life and just life in general.

Blessings,

TerriTalker

Pity Party for one, your table is ready

2016-05-02T08:15:00.003-07:00

I am a mom. I stayed home with my daughters and enjoyed our every adventure, and we had a lot of them. Having a firefighter husband/father in our life as our super hero, we did a lot of cheering him on, complaining when he had to go and filling our time until he came home. It was life. Some 25 years later, I am still a mom and the wife of a firefighter. I have seen my share of worry. Late nights and early mornings claimed much of my time with either prayers for his safety, prayers he would be home soon, prayers for sleep or prayers for sick kids, school decisions, life challenges and how to keep it all together when he was away from us. I know, just the life of a mom.
Pity Party for one, your table is ready!!!!

That was not said over a loud speaker but I heard it none the less,loud and clear!! As I would sit down it was always very apparent, not all parties come with cake, balloons or merriment. Pity parties come with less pomp and circumstance. I have had forty-nine years of birthday celebrations with cake and cards and gifts, pity parties come less often but are as memorable for sure! They are a one of a kind, come as you are, no one else would want to come to, kind of Kleenexes not always provided,type of party. Had I always had cake, it might of changed the mood of such of an occasion, but who needs the calories!?

As I grow older, and more mature........well, older for sure, these types of parties bring great insight to a mother's heart. They are a bit more of a BIG deal and sometimes last a little longer than planned and keep you longer than you want to stay....still no cake, but there is complimentary coffee.

There have been countless themed parties over the years in our house, with two daughters we have had princess parties, bug parties, spa parties,make your own pizza parties and get away weekend parties. Pity Parties also come with themes such as, no one believes in Santa in our house, anymore parties and a mother is only as happy as her saddest child pity parties. You know what I am saying, you have had them, right?
Just as birthdays celebrate passages of time, so do these pity parties. Birthdays are a time of reflection, appreciation and putting many things behind and forging ahead! As I get older Pity parties are a chance to do the same type of thing! Sometimes on the table is sorrow of all that has been lost, but with the loss, comes great gain.
As I sit at this table today with my coffee cup, I grieve the loss of two carefree children, and it is a grief. They are beautiful young ladies now, strong and capable of many things.
A grief that little hands do not need yours to cross the street or reach something from the top shelf. When they call your name now, it is not because they scrapped a knee or need a nap it is hopefully because they need your wise words, or a reassuring hug as they spread their wings to fly. Your role is ever changing, as is life. It is OK, to grieve what is lost, as long as you can begin to rejoice in the gain!
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit". -Psalm 34:18
It is what you do, who you are and what you love. You are MOM, no one can replace you. I am so very thankful to God for a husband who wanted me home and did everything in his power to make that happen, even if he had to wear many hats and put in many hours away to accomplish that. I am also thankful for times like this when life is real and when putting it all out there on the table causes me to pause and take notes even when reflection is such a bitter sweet process.

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28
My coffee is gone, I have embraced my mother's heart, been thankful for each precious memory and taken a few notes for the journey ahead. I have looked inward, outward and now I am looking upward, next time, I may have cake!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” -Jeremiah 29:11

Blessings,
TerriTalker

Do not grow weary in the wait......

2016-04-11T07:29:00.002-07:00

At nearly fifty years of age, I say out loud often, “This is not my mama's world!" and I know she feels the same way about the world she grew up in. Each generation seems to stray a little bit more than the last generation. From their beliefs, traditions and teachings.

I sometimes see something or hear of something that instantly brings to my mind my grandmother's words, "What are all of these new 'fandangle' things!?" It does seem our world is expanding with more and more people, yet getting smaller and as technology increases. We can stay in constant communication, 24\7. That is awesome, right? As a mother I like the fact that my worrisome heart can be relieved at the push of a button, but the more we live in an instant gratification society the more impatient we become with everything that takes over a minute to achieve. I think we all fall victim to this mentality, or at least I do. I like quick supper ideas, fast drying paint and craft projects that I can finish in 30 minutes! I want a wifi signal that delivers the information I am in need of, like right now and I want to access the movies I love on the channel I watch available whenever I want them. I want instant weight loss and for that wrinkle cream to work its magic as I scrutinize its projected promise!

As a child the ketchup took forever to "download" but we knew the anticipation was well worth the wait, right? And I heard, "patience is a virtue" more often that I cared to, but I was a kid!

The bible says Love is patient, so shouldn't we be? Especially with those we love and care about? And also those we may not love as much...... (But that is another blog post!)

What about Proverbs 14:23 "Whoever is patient has great understanding,
but one who is quick-tempered displays folly."

Proverbs 16:22"Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city."

I do not see any instant gratification in these passages do you? You see if we will apply these bible principles to our current situations, we will receive something better than instant gratification, long term peace and contentment. Yes PLEASE, sign me up! (Oh I wish it was as easy as an app, I'd be all over that!!!)

I guess the biggest down fall of an instant gratification society is sometimes we give in or up too soon, we perhaps grow weary in the wait. God promises, if we are not weary in doing good, and trust in God, there will be a harvest to reap.(Proverbs 3:5-6) Do not be mistaken, it may take A LOT of waiting, and waiting and waiting...............

A LOT of patience, and I MEAN A LOT....

But well worth the wait!

Gal 6:9"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Be patience my friend, and faithful.

Blessings,

TerriTalker

Role Models

2016-04-01T08:00:00.002-07:00

The struggle is real for us at any age, to find good solid role models. The bible tells us that those of us that are older are to teach the younger women how to conduct themselves and treat those in their families.

Titus 2:4"Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children."

Recently having a birthday, it is ever so evident where I fall in this line up of instruction. Although with each stage of my journey, there is ample opportunity for me to learn more and more so that I can pass that on to younger women. (Especially my own daughters) I have found in this life, it is a matter of readjusting attitudes and habits continually in attempt to grow.

Recently, I have been watching the DNR Eagle Cam that in on a local eagle's nest. It may not seem like a good use of one’s time, but I have learned so much from watching nature at its’s finest. I have learned a lot about God's providential care. I have been front row to how He puts a natural instinct into the birds of the air to care for not only their mate, but for their young. I am not sure how one can watch this process without knowing there is an all-knowing and caring God behind the process.

Ecc 4:9-12 "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart."

The bible says in Proverbs 6:6 “go to the ant you sluggard, consider his ways and be wise." That can be said of all of God's creation. God has not left out the slightest detail in giving us instruction and role models to help us on this journey we call life.

As I have learned lately role models come in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few things I learned from observing these brave, free, gentle but fierce birds of the air.

I have learned:

Learning is a continual process that pays off with consistency.
Love always protects and provides.
Independence is the goal in raising our young and is just as important as love.
Good parents always watch out for their young, no matter how old their babies are, they will be there.
Storms will come, and must be weathered, but they will pass
Be resourceful.
Protect what is yours.
Occasionally look the other way.
Sometimes only you will understand the order of your own nest
Be alert to your surroundings.
Enjoy the view from where you are.
Kids will be kids. Period.
Naps are necessary for growth
They are only little for a little while....
You are always being watched by someone, always let your creator be seen in your actions
Arms or wings provide great comfort in trouble.
Teach without words, actions speak louder than words
More soaring less flapping!
Life can be downright awkward, but you will grow into each season with enough time.
Sometimes you just need a break, and a snack!
Family time is of great value for learning life skills.

The most important thing I learned from these smallest of role models is that if God has taken the time to place in these creatures everything to survive in this world, how much MORE does HE care for US! What a comfort knowing this as we head into our day. God loves us so much that he sent his son to die for us, for you. Amazing isn't it!?

Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"

Blessings,

TerriTalker

Every Day kind of Love

2016-03-08T06:52:00.000-08:00

It was Valentine's Day 2016,this past Valentine's Day that I got the greatest gift I have ever received.

The chief and I have been married for 25 years, I have

received dozens of roses and countless boxes of candy, but this year, I hadn't received anything, (or so I thought.) Not even a card. For a moment I felt, well, sad and disappointed. It was only one day, how could he forget with all of the hype of the day??

I sat down at my computer and opened it up, and there it was, a large pink envelope with words of love beneath the lid of my recently purchased,computer. The chief had purchased it right after moving into our new home (of almost eight months)........................... and a sadness gripped my heart.

I felt sick, and foolish and disappointment flooded my heart, disappointment in myself. The disappointment was the same selfish disappointment I had felt earlier, but now in a fuller, more telling form.

How could I have place so much emphasis on the importance of one day when, we had shared twenty-five years of love. I shared this story with my husband, and I purposed we never, ever celebrate Valentine's Day again. (He agreed, and I think he was relieved!)

I learned a lot about myself that day. I learned how easily it is to fall victim to the worlds definition of love, and let it override what one knows in her heart to be true. What a wonderful gift indeed. This gift is the gift that keeps on giving with a greater appreciation of what love really means. It is an everyday love, not just a display for a day kind of love.

The chief is a patient man, he stands tall in my books for many reasons, but his faithful and protecting love is a blessing to me and our girls. Always has been and always will be!

As children of God we know this to be true that God is faithful and loving and always there for us. His love is an every minute of the day, not just a display for a day kind of love!! I hope you know this kind of love and if not, grab a bible and start reading!!

Isaiah 41:10 - "Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

"Be completely humble and gentle; Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace."- Ephesians 4:2-3

Blessings

TerriTalker

Alliance & Reliance

2016-02-10T06:33:00.001-08:00

Reality TV… you have seen it...

people get together and form an alliance.

It is an alliance to win the grand prize, like money or weight loss or even a chance to be on the show next week!

Sometimes our tires need an alignment, for safety ,

but what does this mean for us, as Christians?

How do you know if you aligned with God?

Think about this: alignment with God is when you feel a strong interest in God's feelings, putting HIS preferences above our own. It is the absence of rebellion against God and wanting less to do it our way. I read a quote that said,

" As long as our soul is groaning over sin, our soul is safe on God's side."

Sin itself does not knock us out of alignment, but the rebellious heart.

We are all going to sin, we are human. God is the only sinless and self reliant being.

We should align our heart and mind with God's will for our lives. Trust HIM to keep HIS word and Rely on HIS promises.

In aligning to HIS will. we will:

Not rely on ourselves. Proverbs 3:5

Rely on HIM for ALL of our needs. Philippians 4:19

Rely on HIM for strength. Philippians 4:13

Rest in HIM. Matthew 11:28-30

Rely on his promise of Eternal Life. Romans 2:6-8

We will not conform to the world but to HIM. Romans 12:2

It is hard in this society of "it's all about ME" to align with God and Rely on HIM. As my grandma would say, fully relying on God and not ourselves is " a hard pill to swallow."( pretty self explanatory) If we are being told, to fully rely on ourselves, live for today and do what makes you happy, where is there room for alliance and reliance on God? It is a struggle, no matter your age, young or old, releasing control to God is hard. We want control, but we should want alliance with God more. We want the prize of eternal life with HIM.

I will leave you with this verse, “I delight to do thy will, thy law is written in my heart.”

Psalms 40:8

Blessings,

TerriTalker

On Target

2016-01-06T18:12:00.003-08:00

                                                           Target. Shopping. Groceries.

If you are like me you frequent Target. And if you don't, well, you probably have more money than me! This morning as I stopped at the stop light on my way to meet a friend for coffee, Target was right in front of me. There was the huge bulls eye target big as life, hard to miss. I thought to myself, as a new year begins, "I want to be more on Target this year." (And this has nothing to do with shopping!!)

                                                                     More    ON TARGET.....

       As a Christian we should always be striving to hit the mark or target of being as Christ like as we can. Sometimes we just have to aim in the right direction, aim for what is right and hope we get close to the mark.

How can we be more on Target?

                   One way to be closer to the center of the target is to study.   If we do not know what it is we are aiming for we will miss it every time.

                           Philippians 3:12"
I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize."

                Another way to be on Target is to set the mark HIGH, so when we fall it won't be such a long way down, because we will not always hit where we aimed, we are human.

Friends the biggest thing that will cause us to miss the mark in the New Year, is sin.
'
                          James 1:14-15

“But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.

Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

Let's try to stay on Target this year, aim high and study so that we can resist the snares of Satan.

Blessings in 2016

TerriTalker

Cross Road Moments

2015-12-30T12:23:00.002-08:00

If you have ever seen the movie Cast Away, you will probably remember the very last scene. Chuck (Tom Hanks) is standing at a crossroad, looking in all directions, trying to decide which way to go. Upon being rescued from a 4 year stint on a deserted island due to a plane crash, he realizes, life has gone on, without him. So he stands and stares down this road in every direction.......which way is the way he should go? What should he do?  This is where the movie ends.

         North or South, East or West..........

   Where do these roads go and what do they hold for him?

I have not been on a desolate island, thought to be dead, but I have been in places where I felt isolated, alone and fearful. Fearful of what I had no control over, trying to survive something beyond my control. The thing about being in a desolate place is if you look hard enough, that is the place you find God. This is the purpose of the struggle, that if we do not give up, we find help. God loves us in spite of our circumstances and in spite of ourselves sometimes too.

                          I John 4:18"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear..."

If things always go the way YOU WANT them to go, you may never experience the isolation, loneliness or fear intended to bring you to those crossroad moments, those sink or swim times that bring us closer to our heavenly father who is our anchor and hope. Finding meaning in the crossroad moments, that otherwise, do not make sense to us is what gives us meaning and strength, with God's help to go on.

As hard as it might be to admit, the difficult times in my life, the crossroad moments that led me to places I felt uncomfortable in, taught me lessons that have been invaluable in my Christian walk.

God promises to never leave us nor forsake us. He is with us no matter where we go. We have an anchor that keeps that soul. This should give us confidence to keep going!

Deuteronomy 31:6"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Isaiah 41:10"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Hebrews 6:19 "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure...

In the New Year as you find yourself in the crossroad moments of life, my hope is that you seek guidance from the righteous right hand of God.

Blessings,

TerriTalker

In the middle

2015-12-02T07:11:00.001-08:00

Middle age..... although I know it has been a slow process and not unexpected by any means,  I am still a bit taken back at times. I do not consider myself middle aged, but the mirror begs to differ....daily.

   Things change in the middle, they really change. As I sit here sipping coffee there is a fresh coating of snow everywhere. Winter is here...wasn't it just fall?   This year, not only have the seasons changed, our address has changed, where I get my hair cut has changed, schools and jobs have changed and so many other things in our life right now have changed. That led me to think about my faith.

    In the middle of all of this change, I see moments of total faith in a God who keeps his promises and never changes....EVER! That brings me great comfort in the middle of all of the changes around me. Sometimes I find myself in the middle of cooking dinner (yes, in spite of what my girls will tell you, I do cook!) or running errands, or heading to my part time job, and I have to stop and pray, for Doug and I as parents of older, young women, that we parent according to God's direction, that wherever our paths lead us during our days, that we are safe and walking with God, shining a light for HIM, in all we do.

    I think about my prayer life now as opposed to 25 years ago. My prayer life is full and active and some days a constant dialogue with a God who NEVER CHANGES. HE promises this in Phil4:6-9

   ^"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. .

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

   HE will be with us.....if we put these things into practice. HE will be there in the middle, when you can see mistakes from the past and hope for the future.

   The funny thing about this is, although I know it has been a slow process for me and not unexpected by any means,  I am still a bit taken back at times by the fact that this God of the universe wants good for me and my family and has been a constant in our journey.  Jeremiah 29:11"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future..

    Whether you find yourself in the middle or just starting out in life, rest assured, through the changes you have a God who remains faithful and unchanged.

Blessings

TerriTalker

Knots & What-knots

2015-10-31T06:37:00.000-07:00

He put in hours of untangling and rerolling balls of yarn for my Mamaw. He was the go to man for knotted necklaces and broken items that needed to be salvaged. He was patient, and kind. He did not mind the tedious things of life. My Papaw had a stick-to-itiveness that not all people have. I wish I was more like my Papaw because life can get tedious at times and I need a stick-to-itiveness in the worst way. Relationships, jobs, raising kids and managing money...all these things and more take patience, kindness and a stick- to- itiveness.   The bible speaks to such things in Luke 16:10 he says, "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much."

What do the little things like knotted necklaces and (knotted Christmas lights) tangled yarn have to do with being faithful? In doing the little tedious things in life with patience and kindness, it glorifies God, whether anyone is watching or not. Recently a man stopped by my parents house and got to talking to my dad. He told him he knew my dad was a Christian by the way he mowed. He could tell he was working for the Lord by the care and concern he had for the job he was doing for his neighbors. You just never know......
Patience and kindness and stick-to-itiveness often gives us a front row seat to a new friend, a mended relationship, a listening ear to someone who is struggling or a chance to lead someone to Christ.

I have always pointed out sunsets, and little wild flowers, beautiful clouds and dragonflies to my girls. They are the small things in life that so many people miss because they do not have the patience for the tedious things in life, the little things become a blur in all of the hustle and bustle of life.

My Papaw has been gone for 3 years now but I remember these treasured characteristics like it was yesterday. Be an encouragement to someone today by allowing God to work in in the minuscule, knotted necklaces and Christmas light, tasks of your day. You never know where the knots and what-nots of life can lead you.

Blessings,

TerriTalker

New Adventures

2015-10-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

Hello From beautiful Minnesota where,

ADVENTURE AWAITS!!

We are only a few days into fall and I am in love. Fall is the time of the year that makes me feel alive and energized. It makes me want to get my organizational legs under me and start planning bonfires and birthday celebrations!

September and October are months that hold adventures of grand proportion around here,

especially this year, our oldest just turned 21. Oh the adventures that await her.

One of my favorite movies is UP.

In the movie a young Carl Fredrickson meets an adventurous and spunky red headed, freckle faced Elie and they dream of adventure that surely await them.

I can relate.........

Twenty-five plus years ago, I met and fell in love with the chief and we had no idea of all of the adventures we would encounter. As we look back over 2 guinea pigs, a handful of fish, a lizard, a couple fiddler crabs(not sure what happened to them...) one faithful dog, three addresses, 9 vehicles(Oh the stories in this chapter),hundreds of fire calls(a novel), sleepless nights, and faithful friends(Blessed is the name of this chapter), we never dreamed life could be so good or so hard and oh so, bitter sweet.

It has really been quite a continual lesson in learning what living by faith really means and it is a bit scary at times.

In the midst of all of this change I know one thing for sure, My God will supply all of my needs and He is an unchanging God.

With a new home and new adventures ahead I hope you will share in some of these with us. I hope you will stop by often, find something relatable, uplifting, and something to make you smile and even share some of your own adventures with me!

Blessings,

TerriTalker

Be a Digit Changer

2015-06-04T08:12:00.005-07:00

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Be a Digit Changer

So, I woke up this morning thinking about Math.................this is a new development. I seldom think about Math, unless, I have to use it and then I am not that happy, thinking about it, but waking up thinking about it...well, things can only look up from here.

Math: numbers...place holders...subtraction... division....
Math is relevant today in a new way.

It has been fourteen days since we moved from the house we had lived in for twenty-three years.  We raised two daughters and have had one faithful dog. There were four of us that lived in that house and the security we felt within the walls was nothing money can buy. Doug and I went from being two to four and we grew up there right along with our daughters. All of our firsts were there and the only "home" our girls knew.
Since the move our youngest has been staying with a friend of our family, until school is out
(which is tomorrow.)
Subtract one....
Man, we miss her and what she brings to the foursome, we call our family. Her presence is definitely missed. She holds a special, important place in our home. It cannot be duplicated, and when she is gone, it throws things off and leaves a kind of quiet that is hard on the ears and heart.
I started thinking about the place our girls hold in our hearts and our home. They are different as night and day, always have been and probably always will be, but our hearts are not divided. It is amazing how God gives us all the love we need, to multiply through the years for each child. All of us are different, unique but we all bring something to this family and our new house that is invaluable.

On Monday of this week our oldest, started her FULL time job...

Subtract two
Each day she heads to her job and is responsible and present to the needs of the company she works for and is a shining example of the kind of employee an employer wants to hire, every time! She leaves us to a very quiet house, void of melody and creativity. She is the background music of life.

And like every day minus a few sick days or deserved vacation days sprinkled in through the years, the Chief headed off to work.
    Subtract three
You see, the confidence and strength he contributes to our home is beyond value. His fair and thought out wisdom changes those around him. Isn't that what a place holder is supposed to do? Change the value of the digits around them.
We all have value and a valuable place in our homes, and as Christians in this world, we need to be a digit changer!  Jesus died, raising our value to priceless, and forgiven and saved. Let's share that. It is free to us, this price paid by God's son on the cross. We hold a place in Heaven with God if we are baptized followers.


I John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."

Phil.1:3-11 "3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.?

So I was right, my day has gotten better, reflecting on the importance of being a place holder and a digit changer is a great way to start the day!
Blessings,

TerriTalker

Large Traveler's Roast

2015-05-18T08:01:00.002-07:00

Wow, I know I have read that before, it is even underlined in my bible!

But as my experience goes, God reveals clear understanding of scriptures as we need them, and today I needed clear understanding. Clear understanding that in whatever circumstance, good or bad, all we need is to call out to HIM and HE will make us strong. As a mother, open arms, holding a crying child (at any age) it not only is a comfort to the child but to the mother. God is no different; HE wants us to come to HIM. HE wants to hear from us in the circumstances of our life, good or bad, HE will make us strong.

I love the imagery of being made BOLD and STOUTHEARTED! Stouthearted is a great word. It is a word that paints a picture of, bravery and courage being fearless and determined!

YES. In coffee talk I will take...

A large, Traveler's Roast with a:

Double shot of bravery,

Two scoops of BOLDNESS

And Extra time for prayer,

No whip (worry)

And leave room for cream (family, friends)

Blessings,

TerriTalker

Got Focus?

2015-04-23T05:30:00.005-07:00

Hebrews 12:2 "We must focus our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith."

Amid the chaos of life right now, I looked up the other day and realized the Eagles are back in full force! I grabbed my camera and pushed the button to turn it on, zoomed in (or tried to) but something was loose in the lens and it kind of did a little jerky, jump thing before focusing in a non focusey way.(makes sense right!?) The Eagles were blurry and I was sad that I missed a great shot.

This is not the first time I have lost my focus in my photography or in life, for that matter. Losing the ability to focus clearly on a subject made me stop and think about how important it is to A.Stop for a moment and B.Focus on what is at hand and what is most important, whether the focus comes easily or not.

Proverbs 4:25"Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you."

Sometimes it's easy to get spoiled when we have the time and energy to be all in and focus is clear and precise and what we are looking at is beautiful and easy on the eyes. It might be a beautiful Eagle or a precious child, a sunset or a full moon. But other times the working to get the focus can be hard and we may or may not get the clarity you need to get what it is you are looking for.

God makes all things new and clear and even though we might be surprised by what we see once the focus is repaired, we do know, He is there for repair at any time.

There may be times when we feel like the repair will come with such a high price, that we need to just start over. Unfortunately as far as my camera goes it is more cost effective to purchase a new camera, the cost is too great....but fortunately in our lives the cost of starting over, fresh and new has been paid by a loving God as He sacrificed sending His Son to pay the ultimate price for our sins.

1 Cor. 7:23 "God paid a high price for you so do not be a slave to sin."

How's your focus? Refocus or Start over the choice is yours because God's focus has always been on YOU!!

Blessings,

Terri Talker

Inhale...Exhale

2015-03-16T06:29:00.001-07:00

Now, more than ever, in my lifetime, the world around me seems like it is spinning out of control.

Now more than ever, in my lifetime, the world around me seems smaller and dangerous.

Now more than ever, in my lifetime, the world around me puts me on edge.

Now more than ever, in my lifetime, the world around me is screaming, somebody, help me.
Families are saying it, young people are saying it,our environment is saying it.
Everyone you meet is in need of something. Maybe they are in need of a friend, money, support, more time, a job, a car, more coffee, less coffee......... sleep......
Maybe they need to Exhale the past and Inhale the future!
I am a firm believer in Yoga.
I am a firm believer in breathing. But even beyond these two important things,
I am a believer in the God who created me.
He created me and you and He even created this world that seems to be spinning out of
control.
Now more than ever, in my lifetime, I need to fully rely on God in a world that not only seems to be spinning out of control, but that is.
Now more than ever, in my lifetime, I need to seek safety in a God that is bigger than this dangerous world we find ourselves living in.
Now more than ever, in my lifetime, when life is closing in on me and putting me on edge, I need guidance from the Master planner, creator and designer.
His plan was not for his people to live in a wicked world. But since that is where we find ourselves we can seek to know what He wants for our lives as we live IN this world but strive hard not to be OF this world. It gets better as you come closer to a Loving and Merciful God. I know because the Bible tells me so.........

Zach. 4:6 "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."

Prov.3:6 "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path."

Matthew 6:26-27 "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?"

Isaiah 43:1 "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."

Matthew 28:20" ....I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

Plot Twist

2015-03-04T04:55:00.003-08:00

Lately blogging has taken a back seat to life. As my eldest would say, "Plot twist!" Life has its own set of rules,a mind of its own and it can be very persuasive. There seems to be a continual flavor of change in this world in which we live. Places to go and problems to solve. I sometimes long for the backyard swingin,ice cream cone lickin, lazy evenings of summer, type days. They seem more appealing than the, rush around,stressed out, problem riddled world we find ourselves in today. I am afraid our children will never know how simply simple life can be. The Chief and I have tried to bring a bit of that into their lives. We have taken them camping,spent time around our backyard fire pit and summer evening,family walks and devo time to try to restore an inner peace, in an otherwise chaotic state.

2Samuel 22:3-4 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. 4 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

Here is what bring real peace,and I say this from a point of view that I know this, but still struggle to always remember it in a way that brings peace into my own life. God got this! Our youngest, walks around saying," I got you!" She is saying I got your back and God so has our back, but as mere men we do things a little conditionally, He has our back unconditionally. Even when we get bogged down in this life we live each day, He is still there, watching, and waiting to help, all you have to do is call on Him. He is the friend who is always there. He will not unfriend you or play games with you. There is no emotional roller coaster to ride, it is not a popularity contest, it is genuine sacrificial love. Sacrificial love, do you know what that means? It is not "selfie" seeking. It is not an all about me, type of love. I know, Plot twist, right? Sacrificial? Do we see that today at all? Well hopefully you have seen it. Hopefully you know the one and only GOD. He has your back. He loves you through all of the "Plot twists" of life, and He will support you and care for you, like no other.

2Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

BLessings,

TerriTalker

Living,Learning, Loving and Losing.....

2015-02-04T04:56:00.000-08:00

Living,Learning, Loving and Losing.....

As I sit here sipping my coffee I am thinking about my age. I am at THAT age. If you are at THAT age you probably know what THAT AGE is. It can be basically any age over forty. I am forty- seven and three quarters.(I say that as to become better able to accept the age after forty-seven and three quarters, which is .forty-eight.) I have heard my grandmother say for quite some time now that she cannot believe how old she is, and I understand what she is saying a little better today.

But it is all relative. To a child forty-seven may as well be one hundred but to someone one hundred they might want to go back to forty-seven, they would feel like a whipper snapper again! I can assure you I no longer feel like a whipper snapper........( What is a whipper snapper? ) I will say, being THAT age does bring wisdom because of all of the,

Living, Learning,

Loving &

Losing

Here are forty-seven and three quarters worth of things I have learned so far.

Three quarters: Life goes on........ Breathe

47. I am proud to be a Christian.

46. People change, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.

45. I may be short but being loved by my husband and daughters make me feel ten feet tall!!

44. Green peppers are so good; I wish I had of learned to like those YEARS ago.

43. One should not drink their calories, unless it is a yummy coffee then, go for it!

42. I do not feel forty-seven.

41. Seasons Change

40. I love children, but no longer, long to have another child.( what a relief)

39. I see strengths in my daughters, I desire for myself.

38. I no longer am able to be turned down because I weigh too little to give blood.................

37. I can no longer fit into clothes from high school days. (And that is OK)

36. I proudly only wear dogs tags that say, "I love my firefighter." and Doug wears one that says, "Firefighter."(I regret not having these for the past 23 years.)

35. I know what true friendship is and what it is not.

34. Life is not fair. I no longer expect it to be.

33. I love fall in MN. EVERY YEAR.

32. I still have the coat my father in law bought me to welcome me to MN some 26 years ago.

31. I still have a box filled with memories from high school and many of those memories involve friends I have on Face book from HS and I treasure both.

30. My mother and grandmother remain my biggest fans and support me 100%

29. Life changes but true love never does.

28. In good times and bad times are not just empty words, they are faithful and true and we have lived those vows and seen them take on a life of their own, and are stronger for it.

27. It is OK to look back once in a while to see how far you have come, just don't stay there.
26. Not everyone will have your back, but there will always be one person who does and that is God.
25. Baggage is acceptable for vacations but not for carrying around every day, it is too heavy, unpack daily.
24. Parenthood is not just getting up for late night feedings, and the smell of baby magic, it is a lifetime commitment, enjoys the adventure.
23. My purse is very representational of my life, I have everything I need, I just can't always find it when I need it.
22 .When your kids are little and say I love you, it warms your heart but when they are older and say I love you, it warms your soul.
21. Prayer is the key to the day and the lock of the night.
20. Snarky (snide and sharply critical) and pontificate (talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner) are two of my ALL time favorite words to hear and say. I am not sure if they could be used in the same sentence but going to give it a try. She was snarky that all he did was pontificate about himself. There you go!
19. Sunrise and sunsets are the prettiest along the North Shore of Minnesota, with the people I love to share them with.
18. Camping has brought us closer as a family, but we knew it would.
17. You should always strive to be a better version of yourself, not a version of someone else.
16. Being the wife of a fire fighter has taught me many things, but at the top of my list is it has taught me to be flexible (you know so I don't snap!) Things can change drastically in the blink of an eye or at the sound of a tone in our world.
15. If they don't like you, they won't tease you.( learned that very early in life.)
14. If God leads you to it, He will see you through it. Period.
13. Time is a strange, strange, thing.
12. Childhood memories become sweeter as the years go by.
11. Early fall snow is beautiful and thrilling, snow in April not so much.
10. Life does not always turn out like we planned, but every moment has led us to the place where we are. Do the best with what you have.
9. Math would be more useful if it could fix problems instead of create them.
8. Thinking of others always feels better than thinking about yourself.
7. Perspective and Perception should not come into decision making, but often they do.
6. Everyone should have go to scriptures, scriptures that speak right to their heart.
5. It is OK to be a list maker, just don't get stuck there.
4. An amazing thing to me is how love is multiplied with each child you have and a mother's heart has enough room to love a child that is not her own the same way.
3. Home is where the heart is.
2. Oreos are delicious, any amount, any flavor, any time.
And the number one thing I have learned in my 47 and 3/4 years is: Life is a continual process of Living, Learning, and Loving & Losing

BLESSING BAGS discounted $5

2015-01-28T03:38:00.003-08:00

It has been a blessing for me to participate in Service Learning with my daughter's school. I have seen how little it takes to make someone smile. It could be a pat on the hand, time taken to sit and chat with an elderly person, or just a smile. In an effort to pay it forward and spread a little friendship I have created these little Blessing Bags for you to gift to someone to cheer their day. There is so much sadness in the world today it is so fun to make someone smile, just because. If you purchase one of these I also include an adjustable friendship bracelet for free!

Message me here or at cookiemom2u@yahoo.com if you are interested. Each bag of blessings are ($5.00 a piece) Have a great day.

Love and Kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them and they bless the giver. Barbara De Angelis.

Proverbs 11:25 "...he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."

*Bonus for purchasing the little blessing bags

Anything worth thinking is worth over thinking.

2015-01-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is true it is my secret motto. But who has a motto like this!? I say secret but not secret in the sense no one knows it, just secret because I have tried to hide it, but to no avail; it just oozes out of my mouth and floods my life with not so positive things.

I over think, oft times, without really any effort at all.

I over think past conversations, future conversations, relationships, to do lists, PEOPLE and people's problems (why? not sure I have enough of my own without borrowing from the plates of others.)

I over think movies, FB posts, purchases, texts.... OK, Point made.

As much as I dislike NYR(New Year's Resolutions) I hope to work on changing this motto and I hope there will not be a need for me to add this slogan to a t-shirt because, it is just who I am, but I hope to kick the habit of over thinking...........

Hmmmmmm,If only I knew how to accomplish this.................................

And so I digress........

How about these four easy steps.... OK, not easy, but it is a start, it's a plan for the new year!!

Step one: Cast your cares on HIM for HE cares for you. I Pet. 5:7

Step two: Be the master of your thoughts Phil 4:8

Step three: Remember, God is just a prayer away! Phil 4:6-7

Step four: Be thankful. Psalm 107:1

Maybe you too over think some things, most things or EVERYTHING. Maybe these four steps will land somewhere in your mind or heart or both and be the fodder you need to kick the over thinking habit and search out a new motto!!

Blessings,

TerriTalker

From Fear to Faith

2015-01-19T19:14:00.000-08:00

Parenting is not for cowards. Agreed? Sunday mornings at church we are watching a video series on parenting. We discussed how fearful it can be at times to be parents, especially when we have to watch our children hurt and go through hard times. As parents we want to protect them from harmful, toxic situations, why? Well, it hurts, it hurts them and it hurts us to watch it happen. It is fear, but as parents we cannot be fearful and definitely we cannot be cowards, it keeps us from being productive. A point this guy made that keeps coming back to me is this, “we should not sacrifice comfort for character."

That is powerful. As parents we should not sacrifice COMFORT for CHARACTER.

Our kids have to take some hard knocks so they can apply those lessons to the harder knocks in life. Years ago I had lunch with a really wise lady. She told me the current hardship my family was undergoing at the time would help us for harder times to come. I heard her words but they did not impact me as they do today when they surface, and boy was she right! If we are parents protect our children and shelter them too much from the hurt or painful lessons of life, then they become weak in character, no knowing how to muddle through the struggles that come their way. We have to move from fear to faith in God as we raise our children. This DVD reminded us of the many people, powerful people in the bible that heard these words, "don't be afraid" It was just about every major character in the bible. Here are a few:

Gen 15:1 to Abraham

Gen 21:17 to Hagar

Matt 1:20 to Joseph

Acts 18:9 to Paul

Just think how He has been with you throughout the struggles in your own life. Share those with your children. Help them see how you struggled from fear to faith, they need to know it is OK to struggle on the journey. He is our God and He will go before us and behind us and walk with us on our journey from fear to faith as we raise our families to walk with Him. Let us not as parents do anything out of fear but raise our kids in the admonition of the Lord.

Blessings,

TerriTalker

Etch a Sketch Days

2015-01-01T05:07:00.000-08:00

Etch a Sketch Days

When I was a kid I had an etch a sketch. I spent hours creating on it. I would turn one knob this way and the other knob that other way, in hopes of creating a masterpiece, or well just anything that resembled, something identifiable. If I was not careful and did not spin the knobs in the same direction I would get to going in circles. If I forgot and twisted the knob the wrong way, I ran the risk of ruining the whole picture. So I would get to a certain point, get frustrated and well....START OVER! I would shake and shake and shake until the slate was clean and fresh and again held endless possibilities

Wouldn't we all like to start over some days, and with such ease as starting an Etch a Sketch picture over?

Maybe you have been working on what you thought was a masterpiece, and then hit a wall of frustration that begs you to shake it up and start over. Then there times when you are dealing with a dilemma only to find out you are going around and around in circles. Maybe once you got the hang of it, drawing on it was fun and you learned to master a few shapes, but still no masterpiece was on the horizon and something about it was just all wrong.

I would be surprised if you didn't have at least one friendship, one relationship,

one decision or

One day where you would give anything if you could just shake

The picture imprinted on your Etch a Sketch and start over.

Begin again with a clean slate so to speak, go slower and be more precise at each turn, mastering one thing a time which would in turn, lend itself to the end result, a masterpiece to be proud of. Oh maybe not everyone would call it a masterpiece, but it would be your masterpiece, unlike any other.

I guess the Etch a Sketch has a lot to teach us about starting over, but so does the bible. People have been starting over since the beginning of time, since Adam and Eve turned over a new leaf after leaving the garden (OK, I know that was a lame pun but a little funny right?!) Starting over is not always easy, it takes work to stop the direction you are going and turn the knobs in such a way to change your direction and then remembers which way you are going. I am thankful for a God of new beginnings. He makes it easy to start over and HE does not remember your old ways! Now that is good news. It is always good to have a friend that does not remember the dumb or ridiculous things of our past.

Isaiah 43:18-19

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

So here is to Etch a Sketch days and new beginnings! Happy New Year to you and yours.

Blessings, TerriTalker