100 miracles in one lifetime, humility,I once was lost but now I'm found:)

Hi..I'm back. I don't know about this "if you have a blog you have to write every single day" stuff.  I don't know how to find the time, energy and focus in each day to process thought, much less organize it,  in the form of a blog for the whole world to read...or at least those affected by MY cozy big world.

I'm pretty excited to report that My mom came to visit Sunday & she even stayed over.  It was amazing!  Our Life Group met that evening and our Bible study portion went right along with the message her pastor just preached (at her church in San Antonio).  Her giddiness was endearing.  During her visit  she was able to have tons of grandbaby time (that's all Tiernan talks about now...wanting to go see Bamaw).  To top it off my birthday gift was working with me in the garage for as long as I wanted.  1 in the morning wasn't even too late for her.  I was the one who wanted to go to bed!   We laughed, moved stuff around, hung things, loaded our cars down & laughed some more.

Here is my point....although it may take a while to get there I think you'll be blessed with this story.  Over a week ago I was driving to a friends' house in Lakeway (Austin).  When my phone GPS said "turn left here, your destination is on your left" I knew there was a problem. You see my friends live in a really fancy neighborhood with things like houses & streets & lights.  The farmer, on whose road I was about to drive down, had posted some pretty fierce "you aren't welcome on my property" signs.   I guess I'm having an impromptu road trip   An hour later I arrived unscathed...blessed actually.   My praise God time was amplified by not only the extra time in the car but the huge white moon behind light billowy clouds  and diamond like stars blanketing the country sky.  Beautiful.  No one even gave me a hard time, perhaps not realizing I"m one of those gals who can have a laugh on herself. ... therein lies my "funny".  

Moving along.....ONE week later I'm in a car with some friends, one of those friends happened to be the same lady whose house I was on my way to that beautiful big moon evening.  Driving home from a Joyce Meyers conference at Lakewood in Houston we were all entwined in conversation when we stopped for gas.  We pumped gas & went to the restroom.  While inside  (10 minutes after pulling over) it dawned on me that the roadsign said Shertz!  I asked my friend "are we in Shertz? Is this Shertz?" I ran outside looking frantically around.  My friends were unsure of how to handle my hysterical fit and assured me we were fine.  I looked to my right & there it was.  The sign!  "Entering San Antonio".  For those of you who don't know Texas very well we live near Austin (an HOUR away).  Continuing my fit back to the car I threw down my keys and asked who was driving us home.  I insisted that I WAS NOT going to drive any further.  I lost....clearly these ladies weren't going to back down.  I needed to revisit my notes on patience & long-suffering  maybe one on joy as well. 

"This never happens to me" I assured my friends as we headed home from 1604!  "I need the cheesecake!!!"  (last night's left overs from The Cheesecake Factory...dutch apple streusel caramel cheesecake....can you contain your drool???)  Nummy.....that hit the spot!  Then my friend sitting in the front proceeded to tell funny story after funny story to the point where we were all laughing so hard to the point of tears....mushy tears:)  I thought "this lady is hysterical!"  Just then something came up in me.... pride.  YUCK!  My pride was magnified when I started telling funny stories of my own.  My friends' laughter carried an "I'm sorry you're not that funny" kinda sound.  But I AM FUNNY!  Oh, that's the pride speaking...don't listen. Didn't we JUST leave the Joyce Meyers conference where she taught on humility.  WOW....here we go...my first test not even 24 hours later.   

Hold up.  That's not the story I started out wanting to share.  I have to believe I'm lead by God so take it as a bonus.  
The reason for this blog entry:  the stories that came to mind were: 
--the time my best friend, Kim, & I went to  Puerto Rico on a last minute standby flight with not so much as a hotel reservations.  "we can sleep on the beach" was our way of looking at it....it's meant to be an adventure!   Long story made into a teeny tiny one:  Island totally booked, Penthouse suite, rental car road trip landing on the WRONG side of the island, out of gas and no clue where we were.  Boy did I have a blast!  Pretty sure getting lost without knowing a lick of spanish wasn't part of the adventure that Kim enjoyed too much.  I told her it would all be wonderful & I would take care of it all.   What an adventure!  Story of my life.  
--Big Bend trip with Melissa: as the sun starts going down on the way to Big Bend National Park we realize we're lost.  shortly after we realize we're really lost.  Like 5 hours out of the way lost deep in the heart of the STATE park.  Realizing we had to find new sleeping arrangements for the night we pulled over at the only building we saw in a town of about 40 people.  LONG LONG story short...we found a place, an interesting place, down a long winding pot hole filled dirt road with cattle in no rush to move out of our way,  another adventure.  actually just the start of a week full of excitement, fun & surprises.  To tell it all would be about 13 pages.  I would know, Melissa typed out the whole amazingly wild story in letter form and sent it to the entire family afterward:)  

First point I'd like to make is this: God has saved me more times than I can count.  Miracle after miracle after miracle.  My mom & I tried to list some of them in my garage Sunday night...FUN memories.    
 
Second point:  Just like my friend who has a tendency to lose things with nearly impossible chances of finding those things.  With each story, facing the impossible situation, God shows her just where to look...miracle after miracle she can recount.   Every time.  God is faithful....in all things at all times!   She loses things & I get lost...He shows her where to look for something lost & shows me how to get out of the situation I've gotten myself into.  He shows me the way!   He'll show you too if you just call on Him.  Ask Him for help, don't just assume He's there to bail you out.  You've gotta have faith that He will....that His word is truth & it'll work for you.  Find out what the WORD says about your situation.  Believe me, I'm doing that right NOW in a few areas of my life.  I know He WILL lead me....Psalm 32:8 tells me "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise you and watch over you."  Good stuff friends!~

love you & miss chatting with you everyday.
Trish. 

what if someone offends me???

. tonight I learned about being open & honest in friendship.  
I learned that while I was traveling I didn't have any real, come over on friday night kinda right around the corner friendships.  I made friends then left and am blessed to say that MOST of those friendships still exist at various degrees of depth.  So now that I'm living on land ....in ONE town (a very small one, at that) ....at one church making loads of new friendships.  

 I had to ask myself...what do you do when a friend disappoints you ....or lets you down....or frustrates you?  Do you say something?  I believe so, yes.  

I would feel better if a person came to me and (gently) told me about something I did or said that offended them. Its so much easier when its all out in the air...with LOVE and kindness...then you can move forward & all will be well....the relationship grows & the spirit of offense has no where to live inside you:)   yay!!!  I have the victory!

i encourage you to share your heart with your friend even when you don't know how the other person will receive it. WAIT!!!  STOP HERE!
DO NOT ....i say....DO NOT go to that person without FIRST going to your Maker.....God in heaven.  Give him any offense or bitterness or anger you may have.  Ask Him to help you communicate IN LOVE .....He is LOV E & He said we're to LOVE our neighbor as ourselves.  Love them even if they did something unforgivable.....NOTHING is unforgivable....Jesus paid for it all & if you don't know Him, you really should!  He'll set you free, heal you & love you all the way back to wholeness....joy & peace is what you get when you serve Him!  

whooohoooo!  I love this life He has given to me....His grace & favor are amazing
love 
t

3 STRONG...life changing lessons

yesterday I was a part of a Secret Sister event with some ladies from my church.  I showed up at 10am, all the while thinking I was going to be a few minutes late.   I called my girlfriend to ask where she was (although I didn't see anyone else I knew either).  Standing in her pjs finishing breakfast cleanup she informed me it was at noon...I was TWO hours early....then she said the restaurant we were meeting at was actually 12 miles away...I was at the WRONG PLACE!  After deciding I was simply too far to go home now I prayed...and I drove...and I called a couple people.  I had the best time doing nothing.  I wished I would've had a better plan & accomplished more while I was out without the kids but I wasn't exactly planning to get it all that wrong.

that story to preface this question: Do you ever get it wrong?  like, really really wrong?  ever feel as if you've just regained your composure & strength after a left hook from the devil just to be caught off guard with a sucker punch?  Well I'm over it!  I took authority...the authority given to me by the shed blood of Jesus....over the "caca" I had been facing. the past little while...all the time after my party till last night I've been getting "it" wrong.  That is, not doing my best or giving my all.  

3 messages came to me this weekend & I changed my course. I will give you the cliff notes version for your reading pleasure. 

Lesson #1
remove the quit option from your life...Pastor Alison taught us about this using a poignant story about a Navy Seal who was the sole survivor of a battle in Afghanistan. Don't quit! Remove the option at all so you don't even have a thought about it...so much more than just that, it was really touching. He was shot but told his body to shut up...move! so he ran to excape the enemy...then he had to jump over a cliff and upon landing broke both of his legs...he MADE himself get up & NOT quit...he RAN until he was rescued. He removed the quit option & didn't give up...we can too.

Lesson #2
John gave a wonderful talk today at our greeters ministry meeting at church. he told of a time where he was corrected about his attitude. about serving God with your whole heart. Doing whatever you do with excellence. (side trip: which reminds me, it was really strange not being on stage this week--praise & worship) Guess what?!?! I'm grateful for correction....gently given:) when you get "it" wrong...ask forgiveness...from God & the one you hurt or offended...be forgiven!

Lesson #3
faith & thanksgiving go hand in hand
if you're standing in faith for something make sure you're being thankful for what you have right now. let your words say what The Word says about you & your situation
I am thankful for my husband, my kids, my house, my car, our businesses thriving, our debts cancelled, our bed, my backyard, coffee, good lighting, furniture & art, my cat, MY FRIENDS!!!! our Pastors, anointing, paint, candles, a dryer (in the name of Jesus!), speaking of....I'm thankful for clean clothes! dozing off yet?


ok okay...i'll sign off. not sure if jumbled & incoherent grammar patterns bother you but they will certainly bother my honey...he hates reading poor grammar:) sorry babe! I didn't get too bothered with the shift key either, did i?!? hehehe

love ...some kisses....a big hug to you
t