in you

I am up way past my bed time right now. About two hours to be exact. So please excuse any typos or spelling errors that may occur. That is because I was in the car chatting it up with a wonderful gal after our bible study. Bless our husbands for putting up with our inspirational talks that have made us late more than once.

Anyways, one topic led to another, and before I know it I'm laying on my living room floor listening to Chris Tomlin's "I Will Follow You"..... and then I hear it.

"In You there's joy, unending joy."

My word for 2012 has been JOY... it was my new years resolution to learn more about joy and develop more joy within my heart. What I didn't know was that I was going about it the wrong way.

You see, joy is not something that you seek to develop within your self. Joy is something that you allow God to develop in you. God's got the joy, and He's got to give it to us.

Let me put the above quote into more context of the song.

"In you there's life ever lasting.
In You there's freedom for my soul.
In You there's joy, unending joy.
Where you go, I'll go."

Yes, I've know that God is the key to having joy, and that when we allow Him, there can be a supernatural joy that takes over us.... but it's more than that.

I don't gain more joy in my life by trying to be happy and positive. I get JOY in my life, through God.
I get true JOY when I ask God's spirit to dwell within me and free my soul from the bondage of sin. When I am truly allowing the Spirit to reign in me that I can experience His JOY.

In God there is JOY and when I allow God to be in me, JOY will be in me. 

I know that I've talked a little bit about this before, but it just hit me in a much clearer way tonight. Praise be to God for talking loud and clear to me! And perhaps I realized it before, but tonight I was refreshed. Heavens knows I need constant refreshing!

Autumn Fancies

Seriously, autumn can not get here soon enough! I know that so many people out there savor the last days of summer... not this gal. I find myself pretending it's already fall.

I've broken out the denim jacket! I don't care if it's still hot outside.... It's finally staying in the low 90's and 80's and besides, it's cool inside. I spend most of the day inside anyways.

I'm dreaming of the leaves changing.... romancing the idea of it anyways. It's not exactly Vermont around here, but we do get a little bit of color in some areas.

My taste buds are watering in anticipation for loads and loads of my mother-in-laws incredible chili recipe along with made-from-scratch cornbread. Along with roast and stews and turkey/ wild rice casserole.

Oh, and how about desserts? Pumpkin muffins, apple pies, crock pot apple sauce... oh that reminds me... pork chops and apple sauce.... pumpkin pies, CRANBERRIES!!! Oh goodness. Apple cider anyone?

Or how about Starbucks's pumpkin spiced latte? In the words of Jessie Tanner.... "HAVE MERCY"!!

I'm ready to pull out my pumpkin table runner and spiced candles. Ready to put our Pottery Barn duvet back on our bed.

I'm ready for Big Red and Dallas Cowboys football.... which means jalapeno poppers, home-made pizza sticks, veleveta cheese dip, and all those different dips I make from mixes I get at the fair.

The fair? Oh yes! The lovely Oklahoma State Fair! Where I can find my most anticipated treat... cheese-on-a-stick!

How about cooler weather? With all of this yummy food, I'll definitely be needed to take more walks/jogs. Oh that cool crisp air will feel so wonderful!

Have you noticed? Autumn is my favorite season of the year by a landslide!

Some how, everything seems so much more friendlier, cozier, and wonderful during the fall. I know we still have a few days to wait.... but I tell you what. When September gets here... wait no longer. It'll be fall in my book!

crazy days & blessings

Is it just me or does summer go by at turbo speed? It seems like only a couple weeks ago I was sitting beside the previous administrative aid at school getting in some training for my new job. Now I'm actually doing the things I learned... with my own pictures on the desk and my own sentsy warming my favorite scents.

I've gotta say, I think it was the fastest summer of my life. I don't say that every summer either. Summers tend to drag for me (even when they are packed with fun things), but this one really went fast.

August is by far going the fastest it's ever gone. It's like we are almost to the half way point! Well... there are still a few days but STILL!

OK so enough about that.

Anyways, I just find it so funny that I pictured things going so differently right now. Little did I know what was in store for me this month.

From going back to work - to buying a car in another state - to buying a washing machine. These 9 days have been insane. I've pulled frozen chicken breasts out to thaw and thrown them back in the freezer to instead have sandwiches or something else not needing cooking. I've had the same chicken in and out of the freezer probably 3 times. I know they say not to do that...but we haven't died yet.

As soon as things slow down something happens.

Tis life, I'm told. I guess we have to just hold on tight and brace ourselves.

In the mean time, I'll be counting my blessings as the hymn goes:

"Count your blessings. Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings. See what God has done."

Looking forward to going to the Women of Faith conference this weekend with my good friend Glory and some of the gals in her family! That is the next blessing coming my way!

facebook

As I eat my breakfast and watch Good Morning America I realize something. Every single thing they are talking about, I've already read about on facebook. I find myself wishing they would hurry up and quit taking so long to tell me the stories. The sad part? Most of the stories are only told in under 2 minutes! 

Before I go to bed, I check facebook on my phone. When I wake up, I check my facebook on my phone. Plus, multiple times throughout the day I check facebook on my phone. Then when I get home, I check facebook on my laptop. 

It's pretty crazy how far facebook has come. I got my account back in high school, I had a few friends and the fun part of facebook was giving each other bumper stickers and picking out flair for our boards. Never thought that everyone I knew would have an account along with every business out there. 

Hard to believe that facebook is how I hear most of the news and current events. It is though. 

And as much as people talk bad about facebook- I love it. I don't want it to go anywhere any time soon!