Never Stop Dreaming for Christ

         I've been writing a lot lately because of this winter weather I've stayed home and have to get up early and I'm done with everything early.  This morning I was saying my prayers and praying for some people when I had a thought come though my mind because I see it in their lives as they get bigger with their dreams and goals. Ever heard the saying. "When you reach your dream, make a new one."? Well, that is what I see my friend doing and somehow I want to do that too. If you do that your life is never dull or boring. It might not be perfect but that is not important.
          I've seen my friend start out small and grow bigger every year with new things and new ways of doing things. My friend would keep adding things just to keep it new and fresh. It was still the same passion and the same thing but only more was added to it because it started slowly to see where and how it would go with God every step of the way. It is kind of like my friend was listening to God and when God told my friend to take that step, the step would be taken in faith and trust. It's like every time an old dream came true then my friend would make a new dream.
          The 1st dream was to make a show that reaches people in everyway and at least in Northwest Arkansas. Well, my friend did that and now the dream is to impact the world with the show and I believe it can be done with God helping of course. The very 1st dream was just to have people like it on YouTube and Facebook. That's where it all started and then sponsors came along and my friend went to different shows and conventions to get more people involved in the show and what was going on. I talk a lot about my friend on here and that might make my friend uncomfortable because my friend doesn't want to admit to any of this. Pretty humble person if you ask me about all of this.
           Thinking about all of this and my life though, I'm thinking I'm just starting at my dream and it can only get bigger from here. A year ago I started it when I took this job that I'm doing now and it is my passion the more I think about it and love it. I can't even be gone a day without going back and having the children love on me and telling me things. It also feels like God just pours things on me too like the childrens' problems and teaches me new things some of the time. I love it though and it's what I want to do. I've reach one of my dreams and that is working with my passions. Now, my thoughts and dreams are how can I use my passion to make a different? I know I am know where I'm at but I want something new and on my own like fostering or my own children's home somewhere whether in a state or another country or do I just want a different spot at the place where I am now. I need to make my dream bigger now and try and reach for that one.
             I might be moving to a bigger apartment or house this summer so that is one of my dream come true and then what? It is just strange how things should start out small and then when you learn more about yourself and what you can do and learn more things, it is then you can grow and do bigger things. I might be working at this job for some time but that is great because I love it and right now I can't think of a better place and when God is ready for me to move on He will let me know and give me the opportunities and things in my path like He did this one but hopefully not as hard. Kind of strange because I have given myself 5 years after college to find out and I'm in my 3rd year but you never know what can happen with God for you. I guess my lesson in this entery is NEVER STOP DREAMING because it can always be bigger and better FOR CHRIST.
            

Girl in the Woods-Part 1

      Once upon a time there was this girl that moved in the woods all by herself with her dreams and goals. Dreams of being a preschool teacher and teaching at one of the biggest preschool for 5 years and being married by the age of 25. Goals that were unbelievable. She thought, "I won't be in these woods for long so I can play and mess things up." She told herself before she moved into the woods, "If I stay here for 5 years, then that is a sign that I'm pretty much going to stay there for good or at least for a little while more. " She lived there, for the first 2 years without any life boundaries and then something happened in the 3rd year that hit her and made her realize something.
       She needs to make life boundaries now before she moves on or her life will be out of control if it isn't already and go nowhere. She thought all about it has she looked back at the past years in the woods. When she 1st moved to the woods she did it because she had friends in the woods that she truly cared about. She was doing okay by trying to find places to fit in by being someone she wasn't, which was a city girl. City girl and the woods do not go together.
        An angel suggested to her, "Maybe you need to get out more instead of trying to stay in the woods." The girl might have took that advice too far because she went out into the city and tried that life. She would stay up late at night, go to parties, go to other countries (which was interesting and fun), and getting to know more people but that just didn't work for her. It felt like she had to be someone else not her true woody self but put on this city look.
        It ended up being so bad because a tiger came out of nowhere and tried to hurt her in every way. She would get use to the tiger that she would cry when she wouldn't see the tiger. She would feel lost when she didn't see the tiger. She would try and be with the tiger every chance she got. Even though, the tiger would not want to talk or see her she would cross the line to try to talk the tiger and that just made the tiger madder. The tiger would just walk away and never come back. The tiger tried to talk to her but she just wouldn't listen or believe what the tiger was saying. That is why the tiger walked away and gave her no attention. Yet, there was tiger's friend, Rabbit, who would too walk away but Rabbit came back when she was ready to talk and listen.

More to come later.

Fill My Cup

       This is the 100th entery on this blog and it came just in time for me to write about the 100 children I have touched within a year at work. The title of this entery is "Fill My Cup" because that is what I have been feeling like the Lord has been doing in my life this past year. He is filling up my cup more then I can handle but I love a challenge like that.
        I have paper stars on my wall with each of the childrens' names on a star after they leave and I've only reached a 100 children in a year. These are abused and negetled children here in the states that I'm working with. God "fills my cup" everytime I get a new group of children because I have to relearn everything and see what works for this group. Sometimes there are some kids that are more then I can handle because it could be mostly a group of 3 year olds but then it could mostly be a group of 4 and 5 year olds which is easy. Maybe a cup with the words "Fill My Cup" should be this next years wall display and see if I reach 100 kids again by next year.
         In Psalm 23, it says, "My cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." If God sends this many children to me and makes my cup overflow then surely He will give me enough goodness and love to use of these children. Making the difference that I am, I hope and pray that those children will dwell in the House of the Lord forever with me. That is what gives me the energy some days, I won't lie.
           It's not a easy job espically when you have to firgure out 100 children, but it is worth it in the end. To make different people and jobs see this in their jobs, mine isn't the only one that you can do it in. I have a friend that I got this idea from because of what my friend is doing right now. My friend is traveling to shows to tell people about the show he puts on and trying to get more sponsors to sponsor his show. God could "fill up his cup" by giving him more sponsors then he can handle and he wants that. His show is all about God and hunting. He goes to these shows not only to get sponsors and show people but with the hope to impact those people in some way. There are 4 guys and they all do it for the same reason because they are passionate about it. Once you are passionate about something, don't you want God to fill your cup up with that passion?
          

EveryTHING is Meaningless

        I'm loving the book of Ecclesiastes right now more then ever and that I have to say is my favorite book because of chapter 3 and it was my Grandma's favorite book and those verses in chapter 3 was her favorite verses. I have looked a lot at this book over and over just because it fits my life right now and it keeps fitting. I first looked at it to remember my grandma by but then I started seeing more of those verses in my life and how I wanted to live. I got to looking at my grandma's life and that is how I want to live too so I put one and one together and firgured if I live by these verses and remember and look back at them every so often that they will stick with my but most importantly my grandma will stick with me.
         The part of this book that is getting to me now in this new year is that "Everything is meaningless". I know that sounds like a negtive way to look at things in life but when you really look at it the way the book describes it, to me, it is all that I can ask for right now in life. This past year has been hard in some ways but great in others. I got a new job that I love and I have been focused on that but that is my passion. I look back at last year and I can't complain at all about anything because it was one of the best years I've had in a long time. Every family member was well, loved my job, and just enjoyed life. I'm not saying there wasn't hard times at all because there was with friends and even at my job because it isn't an easy one.
          The reason the saying "Everything is meaningless" points out to me this year is because everything that matter or happened last year to me has more meaning in my life then anything can ever have. When I say "thing" I mean material things in this entery so everyTHING is meaningless, every material thing was to me this past year. The blessings come from people and God. Like I said everyone was well that I knew. I got a job that I love and am learning a lot from and my parents moved closer to me during last summer. Even though, I had a hard time being okay with certain things I've held on to old friends. I got to see a friend's dream come true and get big only in 3 months and still growing. I'm still talking to that friend off and on.
          I don't know a better job that could show you the true meaning of "EveryTHING is meaningless" then I have. Once you work and see the children that I work with everyday and the things they have to go through those material things will mean, sorry for my French, crap to you. Nothing means anything more then to have those family and friends around you everyday in every way. The people you care about most and that care about you. You see the children asking to go home or to talk to their parents or see their faces at their 1st birthday party and you would just want to cry. I don't think my family or friends have meant so much more to me then they do after this job and even though I don't hang out as often as I should with some of them I still care about them and if they are a true friend they know and understand that.
            It will be a year next month for me working at this job and in a year I have put 100 new stars in the sky and am trusting God with each of them. Just think would everyTHING be meaningless to you if you could change a 100 kids lives in a year every year? Would you see the important things after a year of changing lives? I need to remind myself on the hard days that I am impacting the world 100 kids at a time. It might be in a different way then my friends or other people but in a way I'm impacting the world and hopefully changing lives and that is what I want to do with my life. I've grown more this past year then I feel like I have any other year thanks to my job and my friends even if they were tough on me. Sometimes a hard headed, country girl needs the truth straight forwards and some were willing to give that to me. I'm lovin' NWA. Hard to believe I'm saying that and this but I might be here for awhile longer. I can't see me moving out of a place that has helped me grow so much over the past 3 years and I feel like God still has more for me here. :)

NEW ERA IN HUNTING SHOWS!

       I just wanted to introduce people to a hunting show that one of my guyfriends put on himself. This past fall was the first season for TV on the HuntChannel but it is his third year doing the shows. The shows are called "The Huntin' Ground". He has been putting them on youtube and his own website for that long. The show is all about hunting, youth, family, traditions, and most importantly God.  He does it along with 4 other guys and they all do a great job and has hunting as their passion. I know the host from college and seen this dream of his, if not the beginning, close to the beginning getting started. The website to see the shows is: www.thg-tv.com. His show is on tv in the Fall but he has clips of them on the website. He even does some plot and deer management so he has some clips of those throughout the year too. He has a Facebook Page too. It is called "The Huntin' Grounds". Please go like his page and watch the videos on youtube or their website. Thanks.

New Title Means New Life

      Yesterday's post didn't make much sense and I'm thinking about deleting it but as I was rocking my little boys to bed last night I was thinking about somethings a friend of my said years ago, ok well maybe not years ago, but now it would be 4 years ago. I changed the name of my blog because things in my life are changing in every which way and the name descibes it perfectly whether I'm by myself or at my job. I see things more clearly now thanks to my job.
       The saying that the title is part of is this one: "Life is not always perfect but who would want that. If that was the case, then we would have boring lives." At first when you read it, you might think God never gives us a boring life. That is true. God works with us and we are messed up. We are no way, sorry to say it perfect people. We have sinned and will keep sinning. We plan out this what we think is our perfect life and then God comes in and turns the whole thing around. We wonder why He did that and even ask Him sometimes but it is for the better or at least it has been for me. I'm really seeing the part "Life is not always perfect" at my job. All of us have perfect lives compare to the children I work with but ours might not be perfect. We are live different lives so why compare ourselves to another. God has a different story for each of us and we need to live that story.
      Another saying that I'm been thinking about and the same friend wrote me is "God is always changing and growing us, and it is never good to be comfortable, because if we are we aren't open to the things God could be making in us." I have almost spent a year at my job and I still don't feel comfortable in it because things keep changing like new workers, new children every 3 months, and so on. People have their different ideas that I can learn from. I'm not comfortable but yet I'm learning things at the same time. God is teaching me things about myself and the children and the children are teaching me things about them and me plus workers are teaching me different things about the children and maybe something I can use in the future.
         It is strange how my blog is turning out to be about how Life is not always perfect. I mean I have stories about the children on here and sometimes they aren't perfect stories and mine certainly are not either. Where would the adventure be if we all did live perfect lives and not let God have control. My mottos for this year and I think it would be neat for a family/ my future family if it is in the future is: "Life is not always perfect but why would we want it that way. If that was the case, then we would all have boring lives" and God is always changing and growing us, and it is never good to be comfortable, because if we are comfortable we aren't open to what God could be making in us".
         Those two sayings wraps up one main thing we need do to for God. TRUST HIM and let Him lead our life and things will turn out perfect. Maybe not to our liking at all or right away but in His Timing and Love.

2014 is God's Year

      Let's see. What did I get done last year? I got a job that I love and still working at it by happy about 100 children. I also helped my parents move closer to me. That's about it on the good part of it. This is is going to be more then that happening on the good side. I know who I am now and I'm trusting God all the way because I have no idea what is in store for me after He has worked in my life this past year. Things have changed a lot for the good and the bad and it is mostly because of my job but I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.
       My main goal this year is to let God have control and just be me in Him. I realized why try to be something that I'm not. I love my job but has always I feel like there is something more for me this year that is bigger and better. I can tell you two things I do plan on looking at bigger apartments and learning to shoot a hunting gun or bow. Other then that, I have no idea what God has for me this year.
        I've learn a lot about myself over the past year. The children have taught me a lot. I really do have compassion for the children and when you are the only one that takes the time to understand them that can be hard with as many children as I have to work with. I wish I could make a list of what I have learned about me. I know I'm not the same person as I was a year ago for sure. The biggest thing that God has taught me this is though is to Trust Him with everything. Trust Him with the children, trust Him with a job, trust Him with my friends, trust Him with the little things in life, and trust Him to lead me. I hate it when I can't put things into perfect words and that is how this past year has been. I've tried but don't know if I've done a good job with it or not.
       I just feel like I wasted my year sometimes because I felt like I have become a work-a-lic but it is for a good reason. I try not to say that I wasted a yea because helping about 100 children is not wasting anything for me because it is my passion. I've also learned a lot about my passion and it is just getting deeper. It's strange and I'll be real hear for a second. I've been crying a lot these past two days because it is just one of those times you have no idea what God has in store for you. Nothing is in my control and even though God tells me to trust Him I'm still scared. I'm hoping to work on my boundaries and maybe that will give me some control, but God most of the control, of my life this new year and I pray that they are God's boundaries not mine. Question is: Will I really stick with them and make my life worth living this year? Will I look back at 2014 and say those boundaries helped me have a happier, healthier life?
        I think I can do the boundaries better then I could have last year (2012) or in high school because I know now that boundaries is all that life is. I have the books "Boundaries" by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend and then two books by my favorite childhood star Candace Cameron Bure called "Reshaping it All" and "Balancing it All". I know you have to live life to learn and you can't just learn by a book but these books can be tools to help me. My biggest thing to work on this year with God is my motivation for physical and spiritual fitness. I'm sure bow and gun hunting can help with with my physical part somehow. :)
          Just thinking I need to write out a daily schudle for me too to start my year off and put it where I can see it so that would help with my days. I was thinking about putting it with some of my boundaries and I still could but putting it in like a schulde can help me a lot too.