Tuesday, January 7, 2014

A Move Is Coming Soon!!



 Well......the time is nearing for our precious kiddos to move out of Pop's and Shug's home!     I don't think I've given you an update on their NEW HOME.....lately.  



It looks like the builder will be finished in about three, maybe four weeks.   While I'm extremely happy for Trista and her family......it's going to be a little bittersweet for both me and Sam.

They've been living with us now, for about seven months and I can truly say that we have enjoyed every minute of this time.


The washer and dryer has been running non stop and the kitchen never closes, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
My cooking skills have improved greatly......I do believe!!


Once again.....I've been a taxi cab driver, taking kids back and forth to the golf course, to school, to the doctor, to friends houses.......and to the mall.

I've been a nurse......supplying many bandages, cough medicine, and so forth.

I'm now a professional at being the master of the lost and found basket.   When something comes up missing.....guess who is suppose to know exactly where the loss something is?

That's right.......Shug, of course!

Here's a new one for me.....OR.... maybe I should say that I had forgotten that when you have kids in the house, there must always be a person who settles disputes!!!  LOL..


 We are truly going to miss them......I know that their new home is only about 4 miles down the road.....BUT, it's going to be a little quite around here and this is what we will miss.

ALL of the daily laughter....the DANCING that takes place around here every evening....the crazy jokes that they love to play on Sam and I.....  PLUS....all of the Cranked up activity that goes along with having 5 other people living in your home!!     Life has been GRAND with them here living here!

Their new home is beautiful.......just like them!!

I plan to post photos of their new place.....SOON!

Shug ~

All of the above photos were taken this past summer....while their family was vacationing at 
"Roaring River" Missouri.   

Monday, January 6, 2014

Clean House, Clean Diet, and A Clean Soul.....

It's that time of the year again for "The Daniel Fast" at our church.  This year, Sam and I have decided to do things a little different from the past years.   Fasting is very important and our prayer life will indeed be more in depth during this special time......However, we have chosen  to do a smaller version of the Daniel Fast.   We are giving up Beef, along with sweets and soda's, but at this particular time, I really do not feel comfortable in putting my body under stress, due to the lack of certain nutrition's.

My blood test show that my ANA is still elevated and for this reason, I plan to do what I can with this spiritual fast........but, I want to definitely be smart and try to protect myself from any kind of autoimmune disease that may me sitting dormant in my body.

God Is First:

Who of us does not come up against Sin......each and every day of our life?

The answer to this is NO ONE!

How many make a list each day of all of the sins that you have come up against in any given day?
Do you call out every sin when praying to God?

Number one.......God I allowed my eyes to look at things that are not Christ like.
Number two.......  I charged something on my credit card, knowing full well that I did not pay my tithes.
Number three......   I said a bad word today, out of anger towards my friend.
Number four...... I allowed myself to have a jealous outburst today.
Number five.....   I envied my friends New BROWN boots.
Number six......  I was not a good servant of the money you blessed me with
Number seven...... I stole (borrowed) my friends beautiful scarf.
Number eight......  God, you know I love people, but I refuse to love someone that I feel is less than me.
Number nine......  I lied today about something that I know would make a difference in someones life.
Number ten......   As a Christian, I failed today.

And you're asking.......Where are going with this Shug??  

Well......It's my belief that as Christians, we are aware of our sins......even when we have adapted to committing certain ones every single day.   If you are like me, I can not rest peacefully without asking God to forgive me of my sins.   HE already knows the things that I have done, and HE knows my heart when I ask HIM to forgive me of my sins.  I still feel the need to ask forgiveness of my sins.

I know people who are unable to move forward, because of past Sin that has been in their lives.   They refuse to believe that God can forgive them and that HE wants to see good for them.  Does it mean that in the past, since one has not been a good steward of what God has given them, that they will never be able to live a life that has financial freedom.   Will God not ever Bless them again?

I know that there are consequences for the sin that is in our life, but I do not believe that with God, we are doomed forever, due to our failures.   To be honest, it irritates me when I hear people say things like "We've made our bed and now we must lie in it."   So not true!!!!!   confess your sins before God and seek His wisdom every single day.   If we are honest before God....He is Faithful and Just to forgive us.  

God wants good things for HIS people.....HIS desire is for us to prosper!     I just want to kick people like this in the bottom end and say:   "Do you have such a lack of Faith in your Heavenly Father to believe that HE would rather see you live in misery just because in your past you have been a poor steward of your finances?"   "Get on your knees....confess before God that you have failed and ask HIM to direct your every step for a strong and financially Blessed future!"   Who knows the plans that God may have to Bless you financially, in order for you to Bless others!

Here are some other words I've heard before.....something like "I've discredited myself and now no one will EVER trust me again."  Wrong!!   Or.....  "It's too late for me....I've sinned way too much."   What?
When we say things like this, we are denying the POWER of GOD!


Same holds true for any sin........Reach out there.....  Ask God for forgiveness and then, make it a new day in the Lord.  As I said before....we know what our sins are....God knows our sins.   We just need to bind them up and repent...Give them to the Lord!  We have no idea of what God wants to do in our lives when we confess our sins before HIM....

I John 1:19      If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to 
                       cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.   


I guess I really am cleaning things up......Clean house....Clean diet....and a clean soul.

Blessings Friends...

Shug





















Sunday, January 5, 2014

It's About Time......

I've got the bug!!!  Not a sick bug......a bug called the "Organizing bug!"   My kiddos are beginning to think that I've lost my stinking mind.  They look at me as if I were some kind of Alien or something.   One of them actually said:  "I think Shug has a chip on her shoulder!"
Who?  ME?     Just because I want everything to have it's very OWN place????

Not only have I been hit with the organizing bug.....BUT, I have also been hit with  the "Savings" bug.  I've made myself a jar for this and a jar for that....   I told Sam that he needs to keep a close watch on me and if I start burying the jars out in the yard, then he just needs to slap me back to normal.   

 I feel like something must have taken over my body during my sleeping hours......and changed my whole inner thinking.....   It must have been during the wee hours of the night....just before Christmas.   Maybe Santa really did come and maybe he spread some of his Christmas magic on me!!


If all this enthusiasm stays with me......I'm sure to be a Thousandaire" by the end of the year!!
I'm sure to be known as the Organizing Queen!!




Check this out.......There's not a single thing about this that I don't LOVE.   


What I need is a NEW kind of clean.....a new start to the year of 2014.   


Don't get me wrong.....I've always kept a clean home and I've been somewhat organized.   I'm one of those people that likes to have everything picked up and in it's place.   For several years....(when I was younger and didn't know any better)....I kept my counter tops, absolutely free of any kind of clutter.   This included a coffee pot, toaster, and even canisters!  I've had a powerful breakthrough since then, and I do keep things OUT on the counters,  that make life easy in the kitchen.

Right now, I have a strong desire to do a better job and to save more money.   There are so many ways that I can cut back on spending......I just have to apply myself to making sure that it is done.

Number 1.......   is to refuse getting hung up in the material scheme of things.   This world that we live in is full of material things.   We all want the BEST of everything.   The newest phone and all of the newest kinds of gadgets.   I can be content with what I have!!

The other day.......I overheard someone saying that the "IN" thing for this season is to make sure that your closet has a pair of Brown Boots in it.   Seems that the new fad is to wear brown boots with black slacks!!  I have three different pairs of black boots in my closet and none of them even have a scratch on em'.  Is it really important for me to buy a new pair of Brown boots, just because everyone else is doing it?   I didn't think so either.
I can look just as cute as fashionable wearing my black boots with a Brown pair of slacks!!
I'm laughing out loud right now.....this thought "cracks me up!!!!"

Number 2....... It's the wasting of food!   The truth is, I don't like to eat leftovers of any kind.   The only way that I can make any sense of this is in knowing that as a kid......we didn't eat leftovers!!
There were NO leftovers when we finished a meal.    We always had Plenty to eat, but nothing was ever leftover.  My mom fixed three meals a day and all three were completely different kinds of meals.

Number 3......  every time that I want to pull into a drive-thru to grab a coke or snack......Take that money and put it in a sealed container and keep on driving!   I can easily bring a snack and a container of water with me when I have to go somewhere.  Surely I can make some kind of game out of it.   Like..keeping count of the drive-thru's that I pass up throughout the year!

It's a new year.....a new start.....a new kind of clean.....and a new way of life!!



Life is good......oh yes it is!!

Shug ~





Saturday, January 4, 2014

My Big Surprise!

Happy Saturday morning to all my friends out there!  It's cold outside.....and I love it!!!

I want to invite you all to take a look at what arrived at my door this past week......



Thanks to my awesome blogging friend.....
Pam

and....
Hickory Farms......


A few weeks ago, Pam had a give-away on her blog.....and guess who the winner was??

                     ME!!!!!


and WOW..... such an awesome gift this is!!

A huge assortment of cheeses, summer sausage, nuts, and mustard.  


I can't wait to try the Cranberry Mustard!! I'm a huge fan of Cranberries, which leads me to believe that this is going to be super tasty!



BBQ Chicken Pizza

Boboli Pizza bread
Red onion, sliced
Fresh cilantro
Boneless barbecue chicken, cooked and sliced
Barbecue sauce
Smoked Gouda cheese, grated
Using the barbecue sauce as a base, layer all other ingredients and bake in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes.


As Phil Robertson might say:  

Happy, Happy, Happy....I'm one happy camper!!

Stop by and visit Pam...tell her I sent you!!

Thanks Pam...Thanks Hickory Farms!  You have made my day.  

Blessings to each of you.  Stay warm, stay dry!

Shug ~

Sunday Thinking

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