Week Two A Confident Heart questions

1.Think back to your childhood and your first memory of God. Describe your image of Him growing up.
I grew up in Catholic church and school so God was all about following rules and trying to be good enough for God to answer my prayers.

2. How does your childhood perception of of God compare to what you see in Christ through His interaction with Sam? List similarities and differences.
My childhood perception of God is very much like Sam's she thinks that is somewhere out there and she can not get close because of what she has done. Sounds very much like the god of my childhood. I also thought I was not good enough to get to God. But I did know God was God of all.

3. Do you ever feel like you are the only one who struggles with insecurities or doubt? Why or why not?
I do sometimes trick my self into thinking I am the only one with these doubts. Sometimes I can not comprehend the magnitude of God I think to myself this can not be true because it is not logical. Then in the next instant I realize God is not logical He is God!

4. Jesus wants to create a safe place for you to be transparent with Him where you can ask questions and be real about your desires, doubts, disappointments, and dreams. He knows you and wants you to really know Him. Is thought of this relationship with God comforting or uncomfortable and why?


It is very comforting to me that the God of the universe, the God who is everywhere at once, the God who created the earth wants to be in a relationship with me. It makes me feel special and I know that I am when I realize God sent his son to die for me. Me, who is right/left challenged. Me, who is fat. Me, who is so not perfect although I try to be. It is very comforting to me.

5. Has anything ever happened that caused you to distance yourself from God or other people? How does it make you feel to know Jesus understands, and He is still there with you for every moment of every day? When do you need His assurance and presence most?


When I was 19 years old my grandfather died. I had not seen him for a while. He went into the hospital on Christmas day and died on January 5, 1980. I prayed and prayed for him to get better. I cried and prayed and went to the hospital and prayed. He did not get better he died. I was mad at God for not answering my prayers. I was mad at him for taking my grandfather. I did distance myself from God then.I felt so lonely at that time. Even when I was in a crowd of people or with my family and friends I still felt lonely and could not understand it. Later after accepting Jesus as my savior I understood that I had shut Him out of my life and that is why I felt so lonely. Now I realize that God's spirit is with me always and it is very comforting to me to know that I can be myself with all my warts and God still loves me.
I need His assurance most when I am anxious or worried. I know I should not worry because God is in control but I do and I need Him then.

6. Reread Sam's story (the woman at the well)in John 4, asking Jesus to meet you there and show you things in your heart that need repair. Is there a part of my story or Sam's story that you relate to most. 
I can kind of relate to Sam's story because you can tell by reading she is feeling lonely and not good enough. She comes to the well in the afternoon sun and not in the morning like the other women because she does not want them to see her. I can relate to that and sometimes feel that way also. My younger sister was always prettier or smarter or tougher than me and it sometimes made me feel invisible.

7. What lesson from this chapter will you walk away with and hold on to so that you can live in the security of God's approval and acceptance?
 I am good enough for God to send his son even on my worst day to die for me. I am accepted by God the Creator of the universe so why should I worry about what a mere person thinks of me.

Happy Thanks giving

Today is Thanksgiving and I have much to be thankful for! Thank you Lord for the many blessings in my life.
I start with your son Jesus Christ I thank you for him and for his sacrifice. Without Him I would truly be lost.
I thank you for the family you gave me in answer to a prayer from a little girl who thought she would never have a family again. You gave me my husband, daughter , son, son in law, daughter in law and 4 wonderful grandsons! Thank you for them!
I thank you for the family I never thought I would have again my mom, dad, step-mom, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. We sometimes fight but we all love each other and I thank you for that.
I thank you for moving us closer to home, taking care of us in the move, and now as we wait for a house. I thank you for being there for us.
I thank you for helping us find a church here in our new home. You knew the old church would be hard to leave so you gave us a similar church.
Thank you for our jobs. Both of us.
I thank you for my life Lord and everything in it. For with out you I am nothing.

To all Happy Thanksgiving may your life be filled with wonderful blessings from our Lord Jesus Christ!

Hodge Podge Wednesday

Its Hodge Podge time!!!!

1. Let's start with something controversial...dressing or stuffing? What's it called in your house and what's included in your recipe? cornbread? oysters? sausage? chestnuts?

Its stuffing where I come from in Western Pennsylvinia in a little town called Pittsburgh. No crazy stuff in the stuffing just the original stuff, bread, celery, eggs, onions and seasoning, I add broth for flavering and mushrooms just because.

2. Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?

Wow this is a hard question. I really do not compare myself to anyone. I would like to think I had a body like Cindy Crawford; but that was just a dream, just a dream......



3. When was the last time you were in an airport?

This summer to pick up my daughter, and grandsons. We had a great time and I am hoping I can get all the home stuff settled so I can go to visit them soon!

4. What is the one dish that must absolutely be included in a turkey dinner?

Mashed potatoes and gravy!



5. What Christmas song do you dread hearing?

Gramma got run over by a reindeer! Gosh I can not stand that song! It makes me crazy!!

6. If someone approaches you and asks for money do you give it to them? Do you drop money in a 'tin cup' that belongs to a person on the street? Do you have a specific charity you support at the holidays and/or year round?

I do not always give money to people who ask, but sometimes I do. I am fickle but have a tender heart; a good sob story can make me cry. (It is why I can never win the lottery.) I do give to a specific charity besides my church it is http://www.ifmissions.org/Welcome.html right now they are looking for sponsors to donate a one time donation of $30 to get the kids a coat and shoes for the winter. The children are from a remote part of China. Friends of ours from church are on the board and are in China for a few years with their family.

7. Share a favorite Thanksgiving memory.

Thanksgiving at my grandmothers house was always a bounty of food. She was italian so along with a full course Thanksgiving meal we always had a full Italian meal also. I remember sitting in the basement at the children's table. I also remember moving up stairs to the adult table. We always had a great time.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I am so excited we will close on our new home on December 9!!!! We are allowing the sellers a week after to move out then our stuff will be delivered from South Carolina!! The first thing I am going to do is get a Christmas tree!!!!

Odds and Ends and whatever else

Just wanted to jot down some odds and ends and whatever else was on my mind tonight.

1. I am getting all the paperwork together for our new house here. I am getting excited but you know how it goes. We need this ; o and we need that. The house passed inspection except for 2 things the electric plug coming into the house is frayed needs changed and the radon test failed. We said we would fix the plug if they fix the radon because they will have to do it anyway. I want to get excited but I can't just yet.

2. My husbands company is paying to move all our stuff here so DH is hiring a moving company. They will go into my house in SC. Pack everything and move it to the new house. All we have to do is set it up in new place. They even put beds and stuff together. Can't wait!

3. I love the holidays but lately it is not the same for me. My kids are grown and moved away with their families. As you know I lost my darling grandmother this year. I want to decorate like crazy to make up for it. I will do that in my new house!

4. MY precious grandson Ethan is having a hard time at school. There were some bullies picking on him. He started defending him self and now they are saying HE is aggressive! He is definitely not!! He is the kindest sweetest, loving boy but he will defend himself. Pray for him please.

5. One of my other precious grandsons Nate is having some physical problems. He has had several colds and ear infections in his 11 months of life. Doctor's think he may have asthma and need tubes in his ears. Pray for him too please.

6. My other two grandson Asher and Remy sweet as can be can always use prayers.

7. I am so blessed in so many ways why do we always tend to look at the bad things in life instead of focusing on the GOOD Blessings!!!

Thank you Lord for all my many blessings!!!
Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Ok, so I am a little bit early! That's a first for me!



1. What song reminds you of a specific time in your life and what is it about that song that makes you remember?

The song "You Can Tune a Piano but You Can't Tune a Fish" by REO Speed wagon reminds me of a road trip my hubby and I took way before we were married. We took a trip to Myrtle Beach SC July 4th weekend with out making a reservation. Boy was that wrong... Needless to say by 6pm that night we were in NC hotel because we were up all night driving the night before and spent all day playing at the beach when we found out there was NO PLACE to stay...We listened to that cassette tape all the way down and back.


2. What's something you've given up on?

I gave up on loosing weight. I have tried and tried and tried. I've done Weight Watchers, South Beach, Jenny Craig, Nutra System and what ever else is out there I have no problem loosing weight just keeping it off once I loose it. Now I just want to be healthy. I joined the YMCA to exercise a bit and I just wanna get healthy.


3. What's something you'll never give up on?

My family. My husband and kids and my mom, dad, step mom brothers and sisters. We have our differences at times but we are family

4. If you had to cook something from scratch in the next hour what would it be?

From scratch??... well the only thing I could cook right now is hot coca..I think I will be right back...Ok I am back and I lied could not even make hot coca used my Kerug..

5. Have you started Christmas shopping? Decorating? Listening to Christmas music?

Shopping yes, but can't decorate in this small apartment hope to be in new home by Christmas. Will decorate there.

6. What do you know about your parent's wedding?

They were married at the JP and in church. I was there; my mom was pregnant with me.

7. I can't believe I ___________________.

Am thinking about getting another job. All this orientation and I am thinking about applying for another job. This morning it took me TWO HOURS to get to work! I left a half hour early and was still late. Its just to far to drive so I am looking closer.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We are buying a house AAAAHHH!!!!! The inspector is coming tomorrow. We close on Dec 10 but they ask to stay for a few days more we move in Dec 16. We are hiring a moving company so all we have to do is unpack! I am so excited I keep driving by the house.
We havent sold the house in SC yet but we can not stay in this little apartment forever so we have to tighten our belts. I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!