Apologies - I am in Facebook Jail!

Apparently, writing and discussing, menopause, mid-life crisis, parenting, children, faith, and telling my story is abusive.

I am in Facebook Jail. 

You cannot share any story from my blog on Facebook because someone reported that my content is abusive.

WHAT?!!! 

Several of my friends have told me that probably no one really reported me, but a BOT scanned my blog and keywords that are considered abusive popped. I believe it might be the word "crisis".  Still, that is crazy and it is cen$0r$hip.

I will update you as soon as I hear from Facebook Authorities on my punishment.

Vision 2020 - Revisiting Vision Boards

Biblical Vision Boarding

"Then the Lord answered me and said,

'Record the vision

and inscribe on tablets,

that the one who reads it might run...

for the vision is yet for an appointed time."

Habbukak 2: 2-3

Vision Board created 2011

I have been creating vision boards since I read "The Secret" and realized that there was no secret. Before dismissing the new age tome, I did grab the Vision Board tool to reveal God's desires for Him and for me to see mine. You see, God has had the secret all the time.

Yahweh has been speaking to us and giving us visions for centuries. On most occasions, we choose to ignore His voice and tune out His views. A Vision Board is a tool to refocus, reassess, redirect, represent, and record His vision to remain accountable to His plan. Placing the images down, moving it from our brains to the board through words and pictures can be revealing, prepare our hearts, and allows us to get a peek at the intricacies of the tapestry He weaving for our life. 

Putting the Vision Board together.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, I have found several articles and blog posts that will help to inform you in what direction we are going with a faith-based vision board. Please follow the links and read them. Some articles are simple and give you the gist of the power of creating vision boards, while others go in-depth and even have a video to watch. If you have learned something or received inspiration, please leave a comment of appreciation to the writer, as this is how they create followers and move up in the Google analytics in the search engines. If you are interested in creating a Vision Board, please consider coming to the Art and Worship - Vision Board Workshop at HarvestVA on February 8th from 10:00 am to 2:30 PM to create your vision for 2020. A fee of $15.00 for supplies and lunch will be collected before the event or at the door. We hope to see you there!

How to Make a God-centered Vision Board

What the Bible says about Creating Vision Boards

"Writing the Vision" - the Law of Attraction and God's Incredible Design

The Power of Vision & Creating a Vision Board

   

When God Whispers- One of the 99

If you feel lost today...

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?  And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish."

NIV Matthew 18: 12-14

Beside Still Waters by Greg Olsen

You WILL be found...He will leave the 99 to find the one that has wandered off...YOU...WE...I am that precious to the Father...His search is tireless.  You can not run or hide...He will find you and bring you back to the flock.

There is HOPE in this verse....even when we find ourselves running....escaping from ourselves...the lives we have created by filling holes with people and things of the flesh. 

Long ago during one of the many "prodigal journeys" of my life, a woman whom I had met at a conference and hardly known for 24-hours came to me saying that God had spoken to her during her prayer time. God had laid His message for me upon her heart so strongly that she had to relay it even though we didn't know each other well.  She apologized for being so bold but proceeded to tell me things she could never have known about my family, marriage and recent bad decisions I had made. She then warned me to stop what I was doing as it would destroy my marriage and family, and if I continued I would not be able to retrieve the relationships ever again. This woman then told me I was one of the 99 and God knew that I was lost and running. She told me to stop running. We can never outrun the Almighty because we are His children. The Shepherd will always search until He finds us and will carry us back to the flock even if we don't want to return. This woman stopped me in my tracks. I was amazed. 

How could she have known? 
How could she have guessed the details?
God does see and know everything.
We can not fool or outrun Him.

I tried.

I am blessed that He found me and dragged me back to the flock. I am blessed that this woman, who to this day I do not remember her name, heard the Father and relayed His message of hope to me. No other person could have delivered it. I would have ignored anyone that I knew personally. It was the only way I would have believed...to have a stranger know my most secret sins and tell me that God saw them and it was time to stop. 

I did listen. 
I did stop.
I changed that day because I truly saw God save me from myself.


If you need encouragement, prayer, please reach out here at the website. 

Do you have a "When God Whispers" story?  Please share it with us and you could be published on our new website called "When God Whispers" and possibly be included in a "When God Whispers" a compilation of stories. More details are forthcoming. Message us here.

The Lake House

My father passed away in 1994 after a terrible bout with liver cancer. Though I knew he would not make it, I also knew where he was going...into the Saviors arms that he loved so much. I grieved my father's lack of presence here on earth for almost ten years.
I was devastated and prayed.
I was angry at God and prayed. 
God spoke to me and told me that HE had to take him because it was time for me to learn to lean on Him completely...and I prayed.
Then one night in the tenth year when I prayed out loud to get to see my father for just a few minutes, so I could hug him, see his smile and smell his presence again...God gave me a dream.

In that dream, I was wandering and searching for something in a desolate area unknown to me, until I came upon a house on a lake. The part of the house that faced the lake had a wall of windows and beyond those windows, tall pine trees and a beautiful lake that was shimmering like diamonds from the sunshine that was pouring down. I had to go outside on the balcony to see for myself.

As I stepped on to the balcony deck I saw people to my left standing by and leaning on the rail, gazing off longingly at the beautiful site off in the distance. Then I turned to the right and there...sitting in a pool of the brightest light was a person who was resting in a white Adirondack chair with his feet up, his head leaning back and his hands resting on his belly. The person slowly began to smile. I knew that smile...it was my Dad!!! I almost yelled out; "DAD!! DAD!! It's me Amy!." I immediately stopped myself, covering my mouth to ensure no sound would leak out that would disturb him. 

As I stood there looking at my father resting in the light, I realized the look and smile was one of pure peace, contentment...joy! How could I be so selfish after so many years to ask my father to come back to hug me for a split second when he indeed was in the presence of the one he so loved? I couldn't...I loved that man that much and I thanked God for giving me such a great father. 

I thanked God for being there throughout my grieving. 

I thanked God for giving me this gift...a peek into heaven...for answering my prayers. 

I drank in the sight...memorizing every aspect of it, knowing I would not see him again this way until I joined him there someday on that Lake House porch sitting in white Adirondack chairs basking in the Sonlight together!

I woke up and never wished my dad back again...I celebrate him because I know where he is...he is with the father AND he is with me. He visits with cardinal visits all the time. 

God is wonderful that way! 

Look for signs from your mother and from God. They will comfort you in this early time of grieving. Pray and if you can't sit and pray because your mind wanders from the sadness ...write your prayers. It is amazing how God will take the pen out of your hand and comfort your heart with His love and peace. 

Please know people are praying for you during this grieving time.

Remember there is no time limit on grieving the one's we love.

Sending hugs and love across the miles!

2 Things Your Children NEVER Want To Hear From YOU

These kids...they can knock the wind right outta ya...Now I know what I put my mother and father through...I apologize every day to them...through prayers. I hear my mother in heaven saying:

"Well, Amy, I told you, that you would find out when you had your own children...and now you are finding out."

She would say it with love though...we are both hard headed women and never afraid to say I told you so. I fear I have born some hard headed daughters and a son. 

I have thought and said, "I told you so" to each one, without fear...knowing I would be ignored...never gloating when the result was true. But I am sure my children, just like I thought my mother was gloating...think I am gloating about being right. 

She didn't want to be right, just like I don't...but...here it comes the dreaded sentence...

"It is what it is!"  

An "I told you so" said at an appropriate time, after keeping your mouth shut and watching a child repeatedly make mistakes and not learn...well, it can be a good thing...it reminds our children that wisdom is not a bad thing and we have gained it by not listening to our parents. The key to an excellent "I told you so" is to make sure they know that you are speaking from experience and that YOU didn't listen either. Your wisdom has come from failing, but trying again in a better way or even listening to  your mother father and father...finally! 

Mom and Dad weren't perfect either...none of us are...God made us that way on purpose, otherwise we would be Him. We are only made in His image, we are not God. God subtly says "I told you so " to us also...yet, He unconditionally loves us when we rebel against His guidance. He only wants the best for us...I believe that is what parents want also.

The Voice: Are you listening to it?

What does your inner voice say to you?

We spend most of our younger lives having our parents or significant others train us to listen to this tiny voice and then we go to school and out in to the world to have that training tested. 

In our present culture, our training is muted by media...we hear the voice of television, music, social media...our experiences in college through professors, our college friends and at work through our workmates. 

IF...we have had any experience of hearing the voice of God through scripture, prayer and meditation or song....It is THIS voice we need to listen to when it speaks from our inner spirit. 

Turn down the volume of our culture and listen to the TRUTH...Listen to the voice that is within. 

Oprah has called it your gut...my father and mother always told me to listen to my gut feeling...I HEARD it as a voice and was once thought to be crazy by a preacher because I told him I heard a Voice. I always knew this Voice...I heard and spoke with this Voice often when I was young.  I am not crazy...I believe I am just open and allow God to speak to me directly, through human messengers, in visions and in dreams.  I hear and listen to the Voice all the time now and then I try to represent Him the best I can after hearing the message!

"This is the father of your children!"

When I was a little girl, God whispered in my ear that when the man that He had chosen for me came along, He (God) would whisper in my ear, "This is the father of your children!"

For many years I kept my ear attuned to hear that quiet voice. In my impatience to hear His voice I married another man who was an alcoholic and abused me...we got pregnant four times together, but not one child survived. I was even told by specialists I would never have children. I was devastated.

Then one day in Paradise, while stationed with the Navy in Hawaii and while my divorce was waiting to be finalized...a gorgeous man walked on to the elevator where I lived carrying a laundry basket...and I heard..."This is the father of your children." I am not sure if I said it out loud, but I certainly thought loudly..."WHAT...this guy?! He's hot!" I dropped my eyes and thought: "Are you sure?"

"This is the father of your children," God whispered again.

I was caught off guard and walked all the way out to my car and then decided I needed to go back in the building and check the father of my children out again. He was no where to be found...so I rushed back up to my room and told my roommate all about it. She knew exactly who I was talking about...she helped me cleverly meet this man.

Five children later and soon to be 26 years of marriage on August 8th, the man in the elevator and I have had our ups and downs...but God ALWAYS brings us back together. I love you to pieces Dave!

Don't ever question God when He has a plan for you OR a person picked out. He will let the man HE has picked cut in, as long as that man is HIS pick.

Time to turn back on the faucet...

What is it that gets you writing?

What do you do if you are blocked?

Time to turn on the faucet and let the water flow!!!

Mars and Venus Collide...again.

Wife takes seriously ill husband to doctor.

Doc to wife:

 "Give him healthy breakfast daily...

Be pleasant & in good mood.

Cook tasty dinner & don't discuss your problems with him.

Let him watching tv and don't burden him with house work.

Don't demand new clothes or shoes.

Make love as often as he wishes the way he likes it.

If you do this for one year, your husband will be OK."

On way home, husband asks wife: "What did doctor say?"

Wife: "Dr. says you will die very soon..." (unknown author)

ROFL

  

On the Flip-side:

Husband takes seriously ill W to doctor:

Doctor to husband:

"Give her a healthy breakfast every morning.

Be in a pleasant mood.

Appreciate the tasty meals she cooks and LISTEN don't fix her problems...encourage her to explore her talents and gifts.

Don't bury yourself in your computer, TV or iPhone.

Compliment and NOTICE the things she is doing for you and family.

Realize that taking care of children and a home is work too and she may be tired. SEX is NOT on the top of her list. But a bubble bath, nap, taking care of the kids or cleaning the dirty kitchen might get her in the mood more often. 

(one time doesn't count)

If you do this for one year your wife will be okay."

On the way home, wife asks husband: "What did the doctor say?"

Husband: "Dr. says you will die very soon."

Wife: "Yeah I know...I was lucky you noticed anything was wrong and brought me to him...but, what did he say?" (ME)

WE both (men and women) need love and nurturing...to be listened to and appreciated.

The Mid-life Roller Coaster

The Mid-life Roller Coaster 

OR.........A person can choose to get off the roller coaster also...sometimes it is just too scary....Exhausting or a roller coaster you didn't choose to ride on...you were forced to ride it because of someone else's' choices.  


Many women in mid-life crisis put their families on an emotional, physically and spiritual roller coaster that literally changes their lives forever.


When in MLC, as women, we must realize that WE are changing and our changes do force others to change also...BUT we must be patient and understand they may not want to be on our ride. Consider what you are doing, feeling and saying in relation to others when in MLC, which may be the hardest thing you do....MLC is a very selfish event...it needs to be as we neglect ourselves up until that point...but we must not forget we are in relationships and they will be effected by our changing and our roller coaster ride.  


To help with your roller coaster ride check out Women in MLC...a website to help Women in MLC and for the partners and family of those who are on the roller coaster.