I apologize about a few weeks off from Treasure in Heaven. It isn’t that I haven’t learned much, or I haven’t had much to say, I just really wasn’t able to really express it all into words.

I am not sure if it is the weather (blue sky and beautiful temperature) or the following of some powerful weeks of growth, but I can’t stop signing “My God, how great Thou art!”

God truly is amazing!

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

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Pamela sent me this email and I felt he prhase was very true. Whatever is inside of us eventually overflows to be what we present as oneself.

“Watch your thoughts ; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. “

It reminded me of Pauls verse in Philippians 4:8 “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.”

Just a little something for you to reflect on today.

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Coupons saved my home. No, I am not about to tell you how two years in couponing has paid of my mortgage, it hasn’t.  However, coupons once lead me out of the way and saved what could have been a major emergency.

If you have been following me for awhile know, you might remember my refrigerator recall a little over a year ago.  One Sunday I was reading Parade Magazine searching for coupons when I stumbled upon a recall that included my refrigerator (the first way coupons saved my home.) Like a good consumer and home owner, I called the recall hotline that Monday and had an appointment scheduled for Friday to fixed the recalled part.

Three days later, on a Thursday (the day before the appointment), I went to the Sprint store. The line was incredibly long and would take 45 minutes. Instead of waiting I came home to get the coupons I hadn’t brought with me on my errands. I needed to go to Publix. This was a little frustrating, because when running errands no one wants to run out of their way to go home and get the forgotten coupons.

I walked in the house and paniced. Clearly SOMETHING was burning. My initial response was that it was the dishwasher (It has been on and I assumed plastic fell down around the metal)…it wasn’t. I check the fire place (gas) the laundry room, everywhere (but the refrigerator.) After calling 911 (my mother instinct told me something was REALLY bad) I carried the baby, doggies, and cat all outside to the front yard (with my LOVELY neighbors – thanks friends.) My husband, who was on the phone with me asked if I got my computer (haha) – I had not, but I did go back inside, okay so I shouldn’t have.

The fire department ending up coming and took care of identifying the problem – it was the refridgerator (not up in full flames yet, but rather small electrical parts burning.)Had a waited longer…well you know the rest.

What to take away 1.) I am taking these recalls seriously – getting them done ASAP 2.) I will NEVER be fearful to call 911 when my daughter and I could be in trouble 3.) The Biggest and MOST IMPORTANT Lesson – GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME. I was NOT supposed to come home for a couple of hours and God arranged the events of the day so that I did. Thank you, Lord.

Sometimes things are our plans, while he has other plans. I get frustrated about detours in my life, but this story reminds me that God wants me where and when he wants me there.

Proverbs 3: 5 – 6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.”

Isaiah 48:17 “This is what the LORD says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”

Isaiah 58:11 “The Lord will guide you always…”

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Lately, I have had the opportunity to sit down with my older daughter and spend some time creating things with LEGOs and coloring in our coloring book.  Nothing beats this bonding time.  While it allows for some mommy and me time for her, I must say it really does rest and quiet my own soul.  If I am able to remove myself from the abundance of things I need to get done (it never feels like enough in this line of work) then I am able to enjoy the time of quietness and creativity.

Honestly, in most circumstances I feel as though I put my children last. This is likely part of my feelings that I am never doing enough. With my long list of to dos, time with them can take a back burner.  This saddens me greatly as I watch them grow so fast and quickly.  The evidence of their growth is especially very obvious in my youngest daughter who is still under 6 months. It seems like every week, there is a new milestone and every week I am leaving a younger child behind (she is no longer who she was, she is older, bigger and able to do more things.)

I am reminded in Psalm 127:3 that “children are a gift from the Lord; a child is a reward from Him.”

I decided to uncover the word gift see what they would really mean to my relationship with God and my children. What has God truly given me?

The dictionary defines gift as something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, to honor an occasion. What has God given me. God has given me ONCE AGAIN, something voluntary, sometime that does not required payment from me in return.  Can you imagine someone Christmas morning, tossing their gifts aside only to choose to go slave over trimming the Christmas tree or shoveling the snow off the walk?  It would be absurd, even crazy. However, isn’t this what I do every day? I choose to toss my gifts aside and go work on putting away dishes, cleaning up the toys, windexing the coffee table, etc. Items that honestly don’t need to be nurtured, loved, or emotionally developed.

This week I am going to concentrate more on enjoying my gifts. I am going to focus on creating the largest LEGO tower I can or scribbling outside every line in the coloring book. God has given me these two beautiful gifts.  Gifts that will be out the door and headed on the college or even beginning a new family of her own sometime.  There is no gift like the present. Please encourage and remind me to enjoy it!

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