James 4:8a  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you

Have you heard of Karon Phillips Goodman? She has written several encouraging wonderfully entertaining books such as “Grab a Broom Lord, There’s Dust Everywhere” and “You Still Here,

Lord?”. I was given “You’re Late Again, Lord!” as a gift many years ago.

I have just recently read it again for the third time. In it she suggests keeping a Coffeebook of your conversations with God. I have kept journals since a little girl, so this isn’t so difficult for me. But this time is different. God and I are having a wonderful time and I find I praise Him so much more now than in the past I was always complaining.

Oh don’t get me wrong, I do my share of complaining!

And worrying out loud even though I know I don’t have to.

These are my prayers.  Written prays of my Father.  I talk to Him all the time, but writing things down seems to really help make things stick.  I know He must get so frustrated with me but I also know He never gives up on me!

So, anyway, I thought it would be good to share some of my prayers and conversations with you.

If this is your first time here, you will see in some recent past posts, I am dealing with a lot.  Who isn’t, right? The love of my life on earth was in a motorcycle accident and recovery is very difficult.  More surgeries on the horizon in the very near future.  His Mom, who lives with us, has a very extensive neck surgery scheduled too.  Work has been very slow and I am fighting to not lose my house, car and everything else.  Credit is shot, but I don’t intend to need it again! (Learning from Dave Ramsey)  I am on constant go at all times!

But God…

He is the only way I get through the day.  And I have to take one day at a time.  Forgetting the past, not worrying about the future and enjoying the journey.

Praising Him for all things, including the bad, hard ones!

All crisis’s are opportunities to grow closer to Him.

I hope you will come back and join me on this journey.

For all those who are facing a crisis in their lives:

Hey God,  I love You so much.

Please Lord, surround those who need You so much right now.  There is so much going on in our world today, so much people are having to go through, many for the first time.  I pray they will come to You and find right for their souls.

Your word says:  Matthew ²⁸“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

I claim this for all those in need of You and I pray they find You as I know You are not hiding from them, but that they may not be reaching for You.  I pray a hunger in their hearts for You and that the closer they come to You the more of You they see and begin to understand.

Show up and show off Lord.

Have favor on them and shelter them, hold them close.

In Jesus Holy Holy Name,

Amen

The Benefit Run on June 13th 2010 was wonderful! Thanks to our daughter Nacole and our friends Robin, Dan and everyone at the Rebar and all the stops who helped make this happen.
We are so very thankful!
God Bless You All!

Smokey’s Benefit Run tomorrow. Please watch this! I must warn you, it will hit your heart. But remember it’s God’s Amazing Grace that is seeing us through. Love holds all, heals all, lifts all, covers all, surrounds all, encourages all, forgives all. Love is God.

If you haven’t read the prelude to this, do so before reading this.  It’s short and to the point.

http://carleysense.com/?p=547

I wonder, do you ever think about what if?  What if the love of my life is in an accident and is severely hurt? What if someone I love gets cancer?  What if in one changing moment…

I can honestly say that I have thought about it, but you will never know about it until you live it.

I can’t imagine, even now, what others must go through.  I know there are so many others dealing with health issues far worse than ours.  I have met so many wonderful people at the hospital.  You get to know people, become friends, encourage one another, pray together, cry together…

Smokey was 210 lbs and looking wonderful.  He is now 156, he is not taller than me anymore, and he is very weak.  The most recent complication is his right lung is not functioning well and may require an aggressive surgery.  We go back June 8th.  The Doctor told us to pack a bag.  All together we know of 4 more surgeries he will undergo over the next year, that is all long as he can stay strong enough.  This next one will be a hard one.

My days are absolutely nothing as they once were.  They were simple, at least I see they were now.  Get up, clean up, go to work, come home…

Not any more.  What once was normal, is not now.  We have a “new normal”.  And we are adjusting the best we can.  Time will make it better.  Thankfully the Lord has given us the ability to adapt.  And honestly, without Jesus, I could do none of this.  I would be used up and thrown away by now, but God…

I haven’t worked in a very long time.  First the economy had us in a big pinch and now this.  Between everyday things and doctor appointments…well we have only been home a total of 4 weeks since March 15th and they haven’t been in a row.  Not much time to do anything else although I am getting better and making wise use of my time.  Learning to lean on God and not be anxious can be exhausting!

I have leaned on His Word a lot.  Here are some of my passages that are holding me up…

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Matthew 21:21 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. ²²If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Psalm 46

¹ God is our refuge and strength,   an ever-present help in trouble.

² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

³ though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

⁸ Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

⁹ He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields ^[b] with fire.

¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

¹¹ The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,who have been called according to his purpose.

and

Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

There have been so many more, but that would take a long time… you get the idea.

That is where my strength comes from and no where else.

What I would like you to do is this.  Take a moment, just a moment, and look around your life.  Appreciate and be thankful in all circumstances.  Think before you speak and when you speak, speak with love.  Know that everyone, everywhere has something going on that is hugh in their life.

Tell those you love that you love them and tell them often.  Smile often.  Laugh often.  And always, always

Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, body and strength.  He will see you through.  He has a plan. Submit to Him, allow Him control in your life and you will see His love and power.

You may not always understand, but trust!

Trust in Him.

He is God and He loves us so much.

What are you taking for granted?  Have you given that any thought?  Are you sitting in a chair right now and are able to keep control of your body so you don’t  fall to one side or the other?  How about the phone ringing, can you reach for it and put your hand around it, find the on button and have enough strength to raise it to your ear and hold it there to talk?  Can you talk, clearly, without mumbling off something that makes no sense?  Can you raise a fork to your mouth and not get frustrated that you missed, or worse dropped it?

We do take so much for granted.  I wrote about this once before when it hit me as I was showering.  Being so thankful for the hot water, the clean towel, shampoo…etc.

But, in a blink of an eye, everything in the life as you know it right this very moment can change.  Drastically, traumatically, instantly for the rest of you life.

I am beginning this memoir of the events that have led up to, the event itself, the aftermath and long recovery, and the victory at the end.  I hope you will join me.

This is about the man I love, together now for 20 years this May 11, 2010, and how everything in our lives changed on March 15th 2010 at 7:30 in the evening when the call came in.  Smokey has been in a motorcycle accident, it’s bad, they are transporting him by medvac to MUSC…

Everything in my life changed at that moment.

This will be our story, of faith, victory, defeat, strength, wariness, loss, growth and most of all how our God brought us through and all the amazing love He wrapped us up in.

Carley….

I have been getting up at 2 am lately.

Not everyday, but many.  I do try to go back to sleep for another 2 hours, but the all the thoughts of the near days events to be tended to flood my mind.

I lay quietly, concentrating on my breathing…

And on the inside I begin saying Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, repeating His name over and over.  Holy Holy Holy, Jesus…

Many times I fade back to sleep for the much needed 2 hours, and then others, I go ahead and get up and begin my day.  Perhaps I am being helped with my schedule that has changed so much in the past 5 weeks.

I was getting up around 5-ish, jumping on the computer and taking care of updates, emails, and the like.  I was so excited to begin The 30/30 Challenge and the Hang Out forum.  But then I started my part time job.

No, I did not make a typo.  I started a part time job and have been working it for 5 weeks now.  I am thankful to have something supplementing the loss of income I have developed over the last year from our economy sinking to an all time low.  My day starts at 4am to get ready and I am on the job no later than 5:30.  Some days I do begin I bit later, but that will change soon when golf season begins.  I took a job cleaning 2 of our local golf club houses and restaurants.  They are only two of the absolute best golf courses in America!  True Blue and Caledonia.

Yes times are tough for everyone!

Is this too cute!

I have had to face situations I really never thought I would have to, but here I am. And I am okay with it all.  On days that I have art work, faux or another paid job, I go to the PT job, then off to the main job.  The only problem I have found with that is that somewhere along the way I got much older and I didn’t receive the memo!

16 hr days are not as easy as they once were!  Never the less, you do what is necessary.

That also brings me to a class we will be taking starting this month.

Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.

I have already implemented many of the things I have learned.  I am in training so to speak.  My plan?

OWE NO ONE NOTHING

I will be journaling the progress through this smarter way to steward money and you can join the conversation.  I would suggest you get familiar with the program.  I have already had great results with many of the situations I have had to handle recently.  Dealing with credit card companies, the mortgage company, pro rata plans and budgets.  I had already made the decision that I was leaning solely on God to help me through this time, be an example to others that we can choose to have a powerful over pitiful attitude through the process.  And if God brought us here, He will brings us through!  There is so much to learn and gain from an experience like this.  It’s definitely scary.  I would be lying if I told you anything different.  But with God, all things are possible!

And don’t think for a minute that I have this attitude at all times.  No, I have days that I want to give in and give up. Days when I think it would be better to stay in bed, and not do anything since nothing is happening anyway.  Days when if I have to have one more day like today I know I will just…

Then I turn my focus off myself and back to Jesus.  I know God, I know what His word says.  I know that He is in control and He has my best in His heart.  I am so thankful for today.  And then, I am back on the path, once again moving forward toward the goal.  It’s okay to have times that you don’t feel so tough!  Lean and rely on Him.  Rest in the shadow of the Almighty and allow Him to see you through.  Accept what is before you.  I like to look at it all as on the job training.  I know He has a wonderful plan for my life.  A plan that has to do with Him in every part of it and in order to do the job well and in His will, we must go to school, so to speak.  Or as I put it, we are already on the job, but always in training!

So, my challenges are:

To work through the financial tests that have presented themselves.

To rework my schedule in a healthy way.  Family time, work time, exercise time, meet you here time, create time, play time…

To be an inspiration.  In my women’s bible study I learn so very much.  One, as there are many, word that has stuck to me is this:

Are other people better for being around you, knowing you?  Are you infecting or affecting?

My prayer is that you will have patience with me as I work through this process and help to encourage others around you that you see are having difficulties.  What are you doing with what you have?

Lets join together.  God is in control.

God Bless You!

1 Corinthians 10:12 (New International Version)
So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!

I have had a long stretch of time of enjoying every day no matter the circumstances I have been in. I have known the Joy of the Lord. I have been strong against the hard winds and I have stood firm on the promises of God.

The the place I live became bigger than the in Light of There! What I mean is I allowed my flesh to over power my Joy.  Worldly thinking (stinkin’ thinkin’ -Joyce Meyer).

It happens.

To the best of us.

To all of us.

We are imperfect in a sinful world in bodies held together by flesh. I would like you to think that I hold it together most all the time.  And only with God can I even attempt to hold it all together at all.  Without Him I would be an absolute basket case.  I’m serious.  And I would bet that if you thought about it, that is true for you, you believers, too.

I have had a not so good a day.

I guess you might have got that by now.

It’s okay, we are allowed.

But I don’t like it.

I have had so much fun enjoying life.  I am going through what I am sure many of you are.  Money is super tight, jobs are scarce, I have had to down size and eliminate many things I so want and enjoy.  That is very uncomfortable.  Not the part of not having, the part that it aggravated me in the first place.  Some dear family members I love so much have made me feel like sort of an out cast.  Incapable.  That hurt me.

And honestly, I wanted crab legs for my birthday!  LOL!

I have had to handle all these same issues for some time and I have been determined to manage myself in a manner that was representative of Jesus.  Then today.

BAM!!

So what am I doing about it?  I decided to write about it before I turn in.  I have been in the studio attempting to be productive, but the work, any work, is so important to be done with the right heart that I must stop and allow myself to settle down.  When I realized that I was not concentrating on my task at hand, I knew I must need to renew myself.

I need God.  I need His comfort and His love.  I need His forgiveness for the thoughts, actions and words I have

lived today.  I need Him to hold me and just be with me.  I need Him to remind me of His Joy and how awesome it is.

I need to dwell with Him and have rest in the shadow of the Almighty!  Psalm 91:1

And that is where I am going.

For tomorrow I expect the Joy of the Lord to return to me.  I will go after, diligently seeking Him who is everything to my everything.

In Jesus Name…

Here we are, the first of the 30 minute 30 day challenge.  I am ready!  I have cleaned off the ol’ equipment and have got my mental attitude in check for this challenge.  Let’s take this 30 days and change a bad habit into a good one for God!

I have a few suggestions to start.

SET APART!  If you can, set apart an area for your workout.  An area dedicated to just that.  If you are able to join a gym, make sure you have an accountability partner to check in with or work out with.

START SLOW!  Especially if you are like me and haven’t worked out in a long time.  Don’t make the mistake of doing to much to soon.  You will hurt yourself and that comes from first hand experience!  Take the time to streatch before and after your workout.

FUEL THE MACHINE!  Don’t work out on an empty stomach!  That is a myth that can very well hurt you.  Put something in your system at least 30 minutes before you begin to work out.  It’s like your car, do you expect it to take you down the road without any gas?  What happens to the engine if it runs out of gas?  How about if it is not maintained?  Our bodies work the same.  So take care and put something good in your tank before you begin.  I like to start with 2 pieces of toast and a grapefruit.  Coffee and water.

WATER AND TOWEL!  Be sure to have water and a towel handy during your work out.  Take little breaks to drink water while you are working out.  Don’t stop moving, just grab a drink, wipe that sweat off and get back to it.

30 minutes is a very small sacrifice for the years of benefits we are going to receive!

Let’s get this baby started!

Lord, we give this to you in worship!  Come be with us as we join together to build a healthier temple for You to live in and for You to use for Your work.  In Jesus name and in thanksgiving, Amen

DON’T FORGET to sign up on Carley’s Hang Out, The 30/30 Start Up and Measure Up discussion to be qualified for the give away after the 30 days!  Also I look forward to every-one’s input.  Start a discussion or join one already in progress.  See you there!

God Bless You and your 30 days!

Well, by now you have a really good idea how all this is going to work.  When you have time, view the new video to your right as it gives more information you might need.

I can’t wait to get started.  I am so ready for God to meet me and help me get His Home back to a healthy home.

I really want everyone to understand that I do not claim in any way to be a certified trainer at all.  I am going to use wisdom and common sense as I begin to get back to a place that working out won’t be so painful!  And that will happen.  I have done this before, but this time it is as unto the Lord!

Click here on Carley’s Hang Out or the Hang Out page tab above to go to the forum and get signed in and signed up.  You will find more instructions there and if you have any questions, please shoot me an email or comment and I will help you through the process.

You must be signed in by the end of January 30, 2010 with your measurements to qualify for the give away.

What is in the give away?

Carley Stuf of course and your choice of one new shirt from My Zazzle Store valued up to $25.00.  That’s a prize package worth $100.00!

Here it is. The 30 Minute 30 Day Challenge!

(see WARNING below)

MY BODY HIS TEMPLE

Start Date: January 30, 2010

Finish Date: Febuary 28, 2010

Give Away: TBA

What’s This All About?

If you remember in previous posts, I explained I was working on changes and now you know one of them.  See 5 years ago I was 40 pounds lighter, more active, had loads of energy and I felt good.  I felt healthy.  I took care of myself.  I ate right, drank water, exercised regularly…

Then life happened.

In a 3 year period of time I have faced family deaths, family illnesses, friends passing and when I woke from the stupor I had grown accustomed to, I realized that the world had changed, a lot.  My business was not growing any more but it was shrinking, and at an alarming rate.  I had very little work and I did the natural thing, I got depressed.  Not so depressed that I could not function or carry out my responsibilities, but I had no joy, I had forgotten WHO my joy was in.

Well, the good news is my Joy is back!  It never left.  I left it.  I turned my eyes inward instead of upward.  Now I am ready to get back to that place I once was.  It won’t be the same, oh no.  See, I also had selfish motivation back then.  It was about me!  Everything I have been through was not for nothing, and it never is.  You can decide how to react to everything that comes into your life.  This time, I have been determined to grow closer and to know God more.  Trials seem to always draw us near, but what about when life is good, do we still draw near?  Sad for me the answer to that question has always been no.  When I needed God, I called on God and when life was good and I had it all in control I seemed to forget WHO got me there…

Now I am determined to not forget, in fact, this very venue helps me stay on track.  Accountability to you.  And you to me.  In Jesus!  Now I am liking this.

So, here we are.  It’s time and I need you to join me and others!  We are going to get healthy, mind body and spirit!  God lives in us!

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.                                  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

That’s right! He lives in us!  So why in the world would we treat ourselves so badly if the God of the universe, the All Mighty Most High actually takes a place right here in our bodies.  This is the beginning.

Give Me The Facts:

WARNING: First you need to know that I am not a certified anything!  I don’t have a degree or a certificate of any kind.  I am not going to tell you how to eat or what kind a exercise program you need or anything like that.  I will share with you what works for me and continuely ask you to be using common sense in all areas.  You should check with your doctor to be sure what you can handle and what you shouldn’t, especailly if you have had any physcial issues what so ever!  Don’t jump into anything without first: Prayer and then second: Education and Common Sense.

With that said, I will be sharing in many areas, and I hope you will come to the forum, Carley’s Hang Out and share too.  I will share my weight, my measurements, before, during and after and ongoing pictures.  I will have morning videos to inspire and encourage you.  With help from forum modirators that you will meet very soon, we will have areas for recipes, healthy eating on a budget, good skin, relationships, product reviews and exercise programs you like and so much more.  You can even create you own discussions of areas that interest you!

You can participate no matter what you level is, whether you have a gym membership, or you just have some equipment at home (you know, those pieces collecting the dust in the corner, remember…).  Even if you don’t think you have anything to start with, you do and I will help you!

We will talk about good nutrition and healthy eating.  We will share links to sites to help you along the way.  And most importantly, we will offer our time to God in worship!

Now that’s the introduction!  Watch the video to get more info and go to Carley’s Hang Out create your profile, and get involved!  We only have 17 days left to get ready!  The countdown begins!…