Confessions.....

can i just unload a little......

1. I totally just bought the best "dress up jacket" ever from Target.....purple satinish.....i look fab in it and yes.......it was in the maternity section.

no, i am not dreaming of being pregnant.

yes, i do love...I MEAN love jackets. I have tons....they are wonderful and this one will be great when I am all dressed up this fall and winter!

so there......of course, i am not pregnant but i am so rockin out a prego jacket and not ashamed!

2. I have gold polish on my nails and gold eye shadow on. Why am I sharing???? no reason I just thought you all should know that I am lovin gold all over the place.... plus I bite my nails and I am trying to not do that....even though I have done it MY WHOLE LIFE! ha

3. speaking of gold......my hair is no long white blonde but golden blonde. It looks ok.....more fallish now. Yes, I dye my hair out of box for 8 dollars. Yes I also do not have a hair dresser but go to Super Clips and just get whatever girl is available..I only pay $13... GASP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know you must be shocked but I don't spend money on makeup...minus a few Mary Kay products....or hair. I would rather spend money on great food or vacation haha...or a great dress! ha

4. I am doing a SINGLE GIRL CHRISTMAS CARD this year.....I put it in all in caps because I am so tired of being

A. left off the Christmas card list by friends and family

B. because I am 28 and if I wait to do a Christmas card...WITH A PHOTO...til I get married then I might die before then.

C. Single people NEVER get cool things in the mail. I mean, I practically cry when Southern Living shows up every month and don't even get me started on National Geographic....i pretty much do a back flip in the street. Every other day.....it is either nothing in the mail or crap.

So I am getting my picture done in my AWESOME GREEN DRESS that is for Laura's wedding, getting a photo card designed and sending that baby out to whom ever sends me their address! ha!...of course I am doing this all within a budget......mom says card sending can get out of control and EXPENSIVE!

I ran the idea by a coworker and his response was..."Why, you don't have a family".....OH REALLY.....well I may not have a family in my own home but I HAVE FAMILY! and friends and blog friends that love me and so I told him to shut it and leave me be. Now, you must know that I have prayed about this.....i did not want a Christmas card, with me alone on it, to be like an 8th grade prom. Prom is for HIGH SCHOOL KIDS....not junior high. Anyway, the Lord reminded me that the Christmas card should not be about me but about Him. It was not such a terrible idea to Him....as long as it had some joy attached and verse that shared about His Mighty Love! . haha

I think I can handle that. So family members reading this and dear, dear friends....send me those addresses and YOU PUT ME ON YOUR LIST TOO...and I mean you too Daddy Bob........because think about it......what makes you leave someone off your list??????? Do you really leave off family members that are widowed or divorced or single........do you? Do you only send out cards of your beautiful family to other beautiful families? Maybe you send them to people you never see.......Think about it.....why don't we start sending out cards not only to the usual "usuals" but also to those that really could use a smiling face during the holidays......whether we know they will send one back or not.................and of course keeping our budgets in tacked while we do it!

5. I am a cooking machine lately...............I can't stop and I am having to really watch my weight because I am cooking up these things that feed an army...............ps...next time you make brownies cook them in foil and add a whole lot of Mexican Vanilla...oh mercy it is good!

6. We have a fair day tomorrow.....no kids but teachers have meetings. I am relieved for a break. I had a crazy student show up to my first class of the day...he was new.......and explode at me with verbally abusive language, then doing a sexual dance at me, then followed that up with trying to beat down my door and break my windows into my classroom to get to me. Of course by that time I had shut my door for my own protection and called the police. He was arrested and taken away.......I then had to figure out a way to calm down and go about the rest of my Friday. Nothing like being attacked verbally then it growing into the fear of potential physical attack. Of course, by the GRACE OF GOD, I am able to turn my emotions off during moments like these......strong and in control...brave and firm....then I crumble, alone, with tears in the restroom.

My God is my Warrior. He is.... year after year I am in these situations and NEVER ONCE has God EVER allowed them to really "get me"....to hurt me or to try and destroy me. Never. Oh His love for us is deep and wide. You know what I mean? It is deep and in moments of chaos and evil, He puts His hand between me and the danger never allowing satan to touch me! OH I PRAISE HIM! I praise Him! He protects His children and then gives us the ability to go on about our day with JOY....and love for all the other kids around us without being bitter or fearful. And I just love Him so!

7. I have been writing all week about "Abounding in Love"...."Grace Abounds". I hope I can share it with you soon. I have a hymn that I literally sing at the top of my lungs every evening.....

Little is Much when God is IN IT

Labor Not for wealth or fame

There's a crown and you can win it

If you GO in Jesus Name

Little is much when God is in it.....hymn that we sang in church a few weeks ago. I can't shake it especially as I read email after email of believers grasping to little as they walk the road less traveled. Like the mustard seed....that is all God needs to make mountains move. Every little bit counts to God...every little desperate plea and every little mumble or act of praise MEANS SOMETHING BIG TO GOD! He can feed thousands from just a few fish and loaves of bread.

one of the stanzas says this.........

Does the place you’re called to labor
Seem too small and little known?
It is great if God is in it,
And He’ll not forget His own.

and then this stanza....

Are you laid aside from service,
Body worn from toil and care?
You can still be in the battle,
In the sacred place of prayer

great hymn right? No matter what we do or where we work.....IT IS GREAT IF GOD IS IN IT! AMEN RIGHT???? oh yes friends!

I think my favorite part is the end of the chorus where it say...."if you go in Jesus Name".......that speaks a lot to me. Seriously, how many times have we gone our own way through trials and journeys and praying the whole time that God would show us the way......while we keep on walking in our own way. There is a crown and you can win it if you go in Jesus Name.

I don't know about you, but I want to go in Jesus Name where ever His name leads me. I want to go with His Name on me, before me, around me and behind me. I want to obey His every direction on the path and I want to take the journey He chooses for me. Little is much when God is in it.......if we go in Jesus Name.

I have been chewing on this song for weeks now. What a song of HOPE for someone in the middle of an ugly battle to keep walking with Christ or someone that is in a journey that has little hope of turning out victoriously....but they refuse to believe the lies and chose to keep on trusting. Man, we serve a good God.... who can take the nothing in a situation and make it something beautiful. That warms my soul!

8. I realize this was all random....I am not sure why God even let me write tonight! ha! I do hope that you have a wonderful week. I pray He gives you a song in your heart this week that you can't help but sing over and over. I pray that He would give us TIME to just sit with Him...even if there is no talking going on. I pray that this week He would ask something MORE of us and that we obey to whatever that is.

Father, thank you that little is much when you are involved. Thank you that you just let me get all this off my chest ha! Let not even one word be offensive to those that read. Thank you that we are not standing alone against evil. Thank you that we have YOU to FIGHT FOR US! Amen