Pray the Hardest, when it is the hardest to pray

      God really worked on my first day back from my Christmas break. He got me in gear right from the start. I was so lost and confused because of children leaving and different people working but He got me where He need to be even before I went into work this morning without me knowing it. These are the verses that I wrote down before work and the ones above them if you look them up. It talks about how people are God's house and we should the good architect or carpenter. Hopefully, I was the Architect today. Here are the verses:                       "  Or, to put it another way, you are God’s house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your build...

      I can already tell 2014 is going to be a life changing year for me. I'm having the most relaxing time this week then I have in a long time not worrying about anything but yet I'm out trying to shoot a bow and arrow, shopping, cooking, sewing, and just being me out in the country. I wrote a testimony too about how a friend's TV show as changed my life and really I can't describe it in words. I've been thinking about and talking to my little brother that hunts and shoots and just seeing how much arrows costs gets to me. If you make a living out of hunting it does cost a lot of money.        It is a whole new way of life and strangely enough I like it. There are no words for a lot of my life right now and might not be for awhile. I'm still trying to firgure out where I belong in AR and what my boundaries should be. I don't have a settled life and yet I want one in AR. My dad said I could start looking for a house instead of my apartment down there ...

      I usually don't do two a day but there is a memory verse that has been hitting me a lot this Christmas season and I saw it again just now and and with it passing I wanted to/felt like I needed to share it. It is:        “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."-Luke 2:8-10        I seem to be hearing and seeing a lot about Joy this month and I don't know why but it is hitting me too. We should be joyful and rejoicing that Jesus was born on this day. We should be happy with exceed...

      One of these days I will get to enteries about me and more devos but I have one more I really want to share that just broke my heart last night. One of my little girls were just having a hard time yesterday. I try to leave her alone and let her cry it out but my heart couldn't take it on Christmas Eve. I took a break from all the work and let her sit in my lap a little while while watching a Christmas movie before bed.      After supper, she just broke down crying and screaming and wouldn't stop at all. We tried to leave her alone in a room where we could still watch her to see if she would calm down but it just kept getting worse and louder. I gave her a chance to go watch the movie by herself but that didn't work. I tried having her sit on my lap and that worked wonders. She just needed that one on one time at Christmas but I don't blame her at all.      I rocked her to sleep and had a little talk to her before bed and she said that...

      You don't realize how blessed and nice it is to be with family after you have spent it with people and children who don't have a family to spend the hoildays with. I'm sure there will be more about after today on this same topic but I just had to share what happened yesterday. I got 3 presents and for me that is a lot and keeps me busy. Those presents aren't material things but children who need to be loved on. I had 3 situtations that I had to comfort children yesterday and some just broke my heart.          The first one wasn't too bad. It was just one of my little boys coming back from a visit and he needed encouragement to go play with the children once he got back. He was "away" for a second but he got over it really fast. The other one was my normal little girl that I talk to and comfort a lot lately. It seems she likes to be by herself more and more. I had to comfort her after something that she got to do and then at bedtime whe...

      Yesterday was just another day with blessings pouring in from right and left. It was sad blessings most of them but it helped me understand the children more. I'm starting to see to that I can love all the children at once but I can only really focus on one one at a time like really talk to them and hold them at night, which is sad. I need more arms to hold all of them and mind space and ears to listen and take in everything they are saying.        Start out with the good one that happened to me. I think one of my little girls will be a real encourager if she gets with the right family. She says the sweetest things that are so encouraging even to us grown ups. It was the same girl that called me adorable Weds. that called me sweet yesterday. I just want to take this one home with me but can't. She keeps telling me that she loves me every time during bath like 3 or 4 times and then adds something like "you're sweet" on the middle of it. ...

     It always seems like the little gifts that are unnoticed during a plain day is noticed during a really busy day or at least to me that is how it seems. I had a busy day at work yesterday but it was God's present to me because I haven't had a day like that in a long time. One little sweet thing happened one after the other and I got to know the children more and love on them more it felt like. I had 3 amazing things happen to me yesterday and it just made my day. Some of the things were just trying to make a different in the child's life too and I got joy from that as well.      One was from a little girl when I was putting her pjs on her before bed. She hugged and kissed me. She also said, "I love you, Miss Tiffney" a muiltple of times and she also said, in those middle of I love yous, "You're adorable." Just broke my heart to hear that from a little girl. It was complient after complient from her while getting her pjs on. Then I was rocking an...

       I'm thinking and going to be learning a lot about boundaries in the New year and try and set some for me to get my life under my control along with God. It will be a process. How I wish I could be on a mission trip doing this but it is good either way. You will see a lot of enteries here about boundaries because I am reading the book called "Boundaries: When to say Yes, when to Say No To Take Control of Your Life".  It is by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. It has some pretty good points and verses from the Bible so I will be using those as enteries maybe to tell what they mean to me.          I've already come across Gen. 1:28 where it says  that we must do what the Lord has given us on this earth to do. To subdue this earth and name every living creature and thing but that was Adam's job and purpose here on the earth from God. God has a plan for each one of like that though we just need to follow Him for it. As my fr...

       The sermon at my church this morning was amazing. They talked about how God sent His Son into a Dark world. They showed us with the lights by turning them off and on and everything. We don't think much about the lights we put up on our houses or trees but we should and this sermon got me thinking about it a new way. Lights around Christmas is to light up everything whether house or tree. God made a plan for us to be saved and to be the light for Him when Jesus went to Heaven.          They metioned Matthew 5 where it says we are meant to be the light now for God because Jesus died on the cross. Jesus passed that job onto us. They also meationed a lot about the dark valley of death and that God came to light that path up too. I loved it when they said the people of faith had to cross that valley into the Light. God had a plan for us so we could do that. His Plan was talked about in the Old Testament but happened in the New testament. G...

       I know most of you are already reading my title and are like "you got to be kidding me about this." If you really stop and think about it though, He did and that reason was to slow down at this time of year. I feel like I am behind on my Christmas shopping and parties and everything else that has to do with Christmas but yet I spent this last week more then any other way caring like I should. Taking time for God like I should and it's not just through the present and it won't be this week either. I feel like I'm rushing to get things done but I shouldn't be. Yeah, I'm rushing to get the pysical things done but what about my spirit and God. Do I remember the true meaning of it and resting in that? Am I happy with that when all the present are gone and all I have is family and friends to go to?         You know maybe it is harder on me this year too because I don't feel like we need the material things in life. I spent almost a year wit...

       Who knew that you could have a mission trip in your home state at your own job in a big snow storm? AR friends are going to kill me for saying this but I want this all winter. LOL! :) They know where I work though so they understand why. I would have to be able to go outside with the children though most of the time. :) That is where I have been the past 2 days and it has opened up my eyes so much. God knew what He was doing when He put everything in order for good. I had a hard week last week but this week just seems so much better and yet I started it off at work after having a good talk with a family member.           It seems like I just needed to get a way from my apartment and people around me like sorry to say it but friends for awhile and have no way of talking for long for awhile. You don't know how hard something hits you until it hits you hard and then you are like duh! First off, I think my apartment is too small and ...

      I thought I would write one about my first big snow storm that we are having here in AR right now. I'm learning a lot about life and the weather is not helping because it is just going right along with it teaching me the same thing. I have seen how my job now works with the snow and knowing me that is not good. I have been driving in this mess everyday but when you have children that need you, there is nothing else you can do. You can stay there and make it like a short mission trip but I haven't yet.         This weather is also getting to me emaitonally because I'm stressed when my work calls and ask if I want to come in. I'm the kind of person that says, "yes" espically when it involves children and that could get you in touable sometimes. I was in a wreak on the way to work one day. It was just me hitting a little metal pole and bared wire and all I got was a dent in my car. It also was the first time that I drove in snow in AR bec...

       We went over this in church last Sunday for the 1st week of Advent. The word or thought for this week is "Hope". We started in the old testament where David said and did almost the exact same things has Jesus did and said on the cross. The verses are Psalm 22:6-10 for today and I might give some more verses later on but this is all I had time to write about on Sunday. "But I am a worm and not a man. I'm scorned and despised by all! Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, "Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves Him so much, let the Lord rescue Him!" Yet you brought me safely from my mother's womb and led me to trust you when I was a nursing infant. I was thrust upon you at my birth. You have been mu God from the moment I was born."-Psalm 22:6-10          Here are my thoughts on these verses. Here is what I get from them and what the Lord is saying to me....

        I had this story that happened at work and I just had to tell it to someone. It might be short because I have to hurry but I knew if I didn't write it down I would forget it later. A lot has been going on that I need to write down on here. Hopefully, I will get caught up when I get snowed in. This talk with this little boy started the night before and I just wanted to see what kind of morning he had after he woke up for the morning.          This little boy, as I was putting him to sleep, was telling me that he was sacred and kept seeing a monster when he was closing his eyes so he couldn't go to sleep. That monster seemed to be Harry Potter with a knife. Now, I have never watched those movies because I know they would scare me too. I don't know if this is true or not. He also said that he was made to watch them because someone else watched them. I just kept reminding him that he was safe and I will stay by his bedside until he ...

     Here are my ideas for the kinds of yo-yo teddy bears I'm going to start making and maybe once I get enough teddy bears sold I will start making other things like hair pieces, blankets, and wreaths. -Brown just because I found brown patterns I liked for the 1st one -Pink and maybe Hello Kitty for little girls-thinking of making one for my niece -Disney Princesses for little girls -Black and Lime Green -Baby Blue for little boys -Pale yellow or green for any gender of baby -John Deere colors (yellow and green) -Camo and maybe orange -Red and white for the Razorbacks -Maybe yellow and black for MIZZOU -Any Holiday/Seasonal ones -When I get really good, I will take suggestions. I could and wouldn't mind any suggestions right now but they won't be made just for a person right now. I'm hoping to get to that spot though and sell them to raise money for some kind of mission trip or traveling overseas for sometime longer then a week, maybe a year is ...

       I will admit right off the bat that I was going to do an entery on Thanksgiving but I can't help it but it is a different kind of thanks espically after what I heard today. Yes, my title is from the idea from the book "Kisses From Kate" but I need something better that starts with a "T". I would usually be upset because I didn't get to spend time with family the morning of Thanksgiving this year but I'm not. I got to make some Turkey cookie treats and think about what I am most thankful for and that got me ready for my day.          I have a 2nd family and that 2nd family are my children at work and there was no place I would rather be today then there. How many people can say that about their job? I was thinking here are all these statuses that talks about family and I don't get to spend it with mine but I did in a way. My 2nd family. The family I spend 40 hours a week with. When you work just for the extra pay for the holiday or whe...

      This might be a short entery but I just wanted to share something that has happened this week and that I got to be apart of even though everything was crazy afterwards. I got to be apart of one of my little boy's birthday party and it is the little boy that I gave the snow boots to. I usually would come in to a party in the middle of it or at the end of one but this time I got to set up for it and everything. It was neat to see the smile (aka big grin) on his face when he saw his cupcake but more when he opened his presents. Everything was spiderman. The tablecloth, the napkins, and well the plates were blue to match everything and his favorite color was blue.          His sister got to come down and celbrate with him and got to play with him for a little bit so he really enjoyed that. It was so cute because he kept telling everyone he saw it's my birthday, we're going to have a birthday party for my birthday. There are no words t...

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."-Psalm 24:17         I read this verse yesterday in one of those email devos. that I get everyday and it just hit me right on the spot. I think this is my new favorite verse for right now in this time in my life. There were two words that hit me hard at they were "Be Strong".  As women or even girls, we think that we can't be strong and if we are that is a bad thing. To me, God is saying in this verse, "Wait for me and while you do that be strong and take heart and wait." God gave us three commands in this verse and they are very important ones.          First command is to "wait for the Lord". We need to wait on Him before we move ahead in what we think are the plans for us. We might be wrong and what to go ahead because we what something now and God isn't giving it to us. Wait and see that the Lord is good. He will make things happen in His Perfect Timing. ...

        I had a day of miracles this past Thursday. I got up at 6:30 and went to work at 7 and stayed there until 10 at night. It was a full day but it was a day of miracles and God knew I needed each and every one of them. I also learned a lot that day through everything that I did. I just became more mature and saw a side of my job that I have never seen before and I guess a side of me that I have never seen before because I was amazed at half of the thing.         It started out by taking a middle schooler and a teenagers to some appointments that they had. It was strange but I could relate to both of the appointments because I had the same things done to me like they were getting done without knowing what I would be doing. It is like God put me together with those two and knew exectly what they needed. One appointment was getting teeth checked on for braces and see if the child could get braces even and if not what needed to be done so t...

Inspired by: A Teenage Girl that I talked to this week.       I've been thinking a lot about my dreams again and who I truly am and who I want to know the real me. Sometimes we have to be careful to who we tell our secrets to. This blog is not a good example but it is helping me get my thoughts out. I have a farm that I grew up on my first 4 years of life so I call my home and it is really my 2nd home. No one really knows all the story behind it or why I went there and it is still a secret and will be because that story is something meaningful to me and I want to share it with people who I know will stick around. I also got to thinking though one of the adults is not doing too well. He is getting sick and has been getting worse the last 2 times I have been down there over 6 months. I always like going back because I hear stories of my life as a child and it just feels like home and peaceful. She was the one that taught me how to sew, some manners, starting me liking bea...

       It all started last Friday. It kind of started before then because the girls had dressy, cowgirl sort of boots and the boys didn't because we didn't have any for the boys. This little boy saw the boots that the girls had so he wanted some just like theirs. Well, we went to look for some but couldn't find anything but some work boots. This little boy was not happy with his work boots because he wanted snow boots. It took us a half a hour and almost 3 people get him to put them on Friday so he could go outside and play. I sat down with him and started talking to him about what was wrong and if I could help. He said he didn't like his boots because he wanted snow boots.          I had this feeling in me like I did with my little girl and her Bible. That feeling of he just wanted something really bad that he never had how much is it to us to buy a pair of boots if he wanted them. You just need to talk to and find out what they want and if...

       Something just come to my mind when I was in my small church group last night. We were talking about prayer and being delivery agents for God and it has really made me think. I think what made me think was we can pray wherever we are to be a delivery agent just by a short, simple prayer and be willing for God to use us in the way He has Planned for us. He will bring the people to match us and that needs what we are learning and what He is teaching us too. Then I got to thinking about how I live my life and the kind of life I like compared to my prayer life. I live a simple life yet I have long and confusing prayers.          By living the simple life I mean I don't need to stay up to date with clothes or anything like that. I would love to live the simple, country life when I get married or someday by myself. I don't mind a small house/apartment. I don't need anything big or fancy. I would rather give my money to help people that need...

      "The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you. Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as though God is speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ. All glory and power belong to him forever and ever. Amen."-1 Peter 4:7-11          These verses were the verses that the sermon tonight at my church were based off of and I want to put them on here because I want to share part of the sermon too. It's funny sometimes how we don't see what we are doin...

         I saw this on a friend's Facebook page and thought it was so true espically for the job that I am in. I love the way it makes you look at attachment and the prayer at the end. I saw it when the stubborn little girl was at my job. It's crazy to even think that you are giving away a piece of your heart to a child just like you would in any other relationship. I thought at first so is it like loving your boyfriend or husband but it is a different kind of love. It is true because if the child knows that there are people out there who care enough to get attached to them and can and then they might hopefully try harder to be good for the people they go to.              "People often ask how do you deal with loving a kid that might not stay with you? How do you protect your heart? How do you not get attached? Trainers warn “don’t get attached too soon, you never know what is going to happen.” So what do you do if you start ...