"Thank You Lord"

A lot of days working in ministry is not easy.  Some days, it's just plain hard, but you keep at it. You get up every morning, you go into work and you take what the job or ministry throws at you.  Then in the midst of a hard day, the sun shines and your heart gets blessed.  Right there out of the blue.  You aren't expecting it. It just happens.  One of our pastors came back from visiting a member of our church in the hospital today.  This gentleman has dementia and is very sick and was very agitated. His wife began to sing to him. She sang "Thank you Lord for saving my soul." He then began to join in. "Thank you Lord for making me whole." Isn't it amazing?  The things of this world fade away, but those things that you've hidden in your heart, they remain.  As this wonderful gentleman began to sing, his agitation faded and he began to rest. "Thank you Lord for making me whole."  We who believe in the name of Jesus will one day be whole.

When your day is filled with agitation all around, when things are out of control, breathe His name. "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. There's just something about that name. Master, Savior, Jesus. Let all heaven and earth proclaim. Kings and kingdoms may all pass away, but there's something about that name."

The Gaither Vocal with Gloria Gaither

My mom and I used to sing this song all the time and I can still hear her singing it in my mind and heart.  She would do this recitation as well.  I still sing it when things are getting me down and are just hard. 

"Jesus, Jesus. Jesus."  Call on His name. 

With love and until we meet again.  Fifi

A Little Mud and Oil

As this is the year of "new" I decided to try out the Mud Ministry at our church. So on Monday night last week I went. MUD is made up of a group of people, all ages, who meet once a week for strength training or to work out on an advanced or modified level. There is WAY more to MUD than just exercise and I will talk about that a little later on. The big deal about this week is that I went. Seriously, there are people, both male and female, that do the Marine Mud Runs. I will not ever participate in a Mud Run. No way, shape or form. I do think that this is a great way to  hang out with some great people and hopefully, get in shape, lower my cholesterol. and maybe lose a little weight. After Monday night's workout I was a little sore in my shoulders.  I'm always sore in my shoulder area because of Fibromyalgia but after doing planks (oh my word) I was more sore than usual.  I have been using essential oils since September so I grabbed the Young Living Panaway and asked James to rub a few drops on my neck and shoulders.  I love how quickly the oil makes me feel better.  My muscles feel better,  much quicker than if I had used alternative methods.   So, if I work out, strengthen muscles, lose weight and don't have sore muscles it's a win-win situation.  Not to mention, I got a great massage in the process.  Tuesday afternoon my new shipment from Young Living came in and Deep Relief Roll on was in my monthly order. So I asked James to roll some of that on my shoulder's. If I could compare it to an OTC it would be something like an ointment that feels cold/hot at the same time.  (Without naming any names of course.)  It was wonderful!!!!!! If you are on the bubble about essential oils and have any questions, just ask.  If I don't know the answer, I will ask and find out for you.

Panaway

Young Living

Deep Relief

Young Living

MUD ministry is not just about exercise.  Part of the group does participate in the all out MUD run. While they are battling it out through the obstacle course of mud, hill and dale, etc. the others hand out water bottles inviting people to our church. The water bottle has our logo on one side and the Gospel printed on the other side.  This is the "other" side of  our MUD ministry that I spoke of earlier. We use these events as both a spiritual and physical work-out. The main goal is to produce a healthy Christian lifestyle which encourages an active outreach mentality capable of sharing the Gospel with anyone we may encounter. So, we get the best of both worlds, a workout here and the possibility of introducing Christ to someone there.

Mud Ministry

So...just sharing something "new" with you. If you have any questions about either, just let me know.  Would love to chat with you about oils or to work out beside you at MUD Ministry.

Until we meet again,  Fifi

"Silver Liquid Rain Drops"

The transition to silver has begun. This is my before photo.  My base color was brown with a reddish tint. My roots were maybe a quarter of an inch this morning.

I had a hair appointment on Friday with my precious hair dresser, Morgan at Ego Hour.   Love her!!! Going to Morgan isn't just a hair appointment.  It's a therapy session for me.  She is amazing!  My Aunt Sonja was my hair dresser for over 30 years.  After she retired I needed to find a new stylist and Morgan was a perfect fit for me.  If you are looking for a hairdresser you should make an appointment today.  If you are ready to transition to your natural color and your hairdresser makes statements like "You will look ten years older," "Your gray won't be a pretty gray," or  "No we can't do that" then find another hairdresser.  Do some research ladies.  Silver is in!!! Even young women are dyeing their hair silver.  Seriously!  Research it.  There are tons of pictures and blogs on this topic.  Check out my Pinterest page. Fif's Hair/Makeup  I've been pinning hair styles like crazy.  There is no wrong color of gray. I had a lady comment on my last post and she said  "No need to worry about the perfect "shade" for my skin because God is my hairdresser and he is a perfectionist."  How true that statement is. God makes no mistakes. I don't know why we think we could do a better job.  Funny huh?  We are so silly...

Ok Now on to the "process."  Here we are in the "processing" phase.  We decided to phase into the silver in a kind and gentle way.  I didn't want to let the roots grow out a quarter of an inch at a time and have two "levels" of or definitive lines of hair color.  We think by the end of the year I should be down to one color. My natural color. Phasing out the old bottle color, phasing in the new natural color.

                                          Before                                                                             After

My next appointment is in six weeks.  I will be even lighter after that appointment.  Any of you ready to jump in yet?

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby."  Langston Hughes

Until we meet again,  Fifi

Copy "Cow" Guest Room

Last summer I was clicking through blogs and ran across this picture of a bedroom on a blog that I frequently visit. I just totally love Heather's style.  Seriously, look at that cow! Oh my word!! I couldn't even stop talking about that cow. I showed that cow to everyone.  Well, anyone that would listen and maybe even a few that wouldn't.  Who am I kidding? I talked to myself about that cow.

 The Heathered Nest

This room rang my bells.  I was completely drawn to every aspect of this room but didn't have anything to make it happen. I did have an empty bedroom though.  A few weeks later,  my aunt Sonja, after having their house on an off the market several times, sold their house and downsized. She called and said, "I have a bedroom suite. You want it?"  What??? Yes!!!!  Whoa!!! Wait just a second horsey!! We need to paint. I need curtains and bedding and holy moly, I need a cow!!!  This bedroom can't happen without a cow.  I stalked Etsy, Ebay, Amazon, Overstock, you name it, I searched  and searched and finally  after digging on Heather's blog I found where she purchased her cow painting.  I rushed over there and Whoa again! It was totally out of my budget.  I couldn't even mention that I wanted a cow that cost that much to James. Well, I could have, but he would have thought we would need to pasture it for raising and eating in the future. I think decor, he thinks steak. Seriously! So...I put the cow on hold and off we went.  

We got busy stripping the popcorn ceilings.(I'm thinking cows.)  James' dad came over and helped us paint and we changed out the door knobs. (I'm still thinking cows.) I painted the hardware on the furniture from brass to silver and then I got busy shopping for a cow.   After shopping at World Market, Home Goods, Target, Hobby Lobby, etc. and not finding a cow in my colors, it happened. One Sunday morning, I had an "AHA" moment. Ever had  one of those?   I decided to ask a precious artist friend. Carrie, who attends our church, if she would consider painting me a cow.  I showed her a picture of the cow above and she agreed to paint one. She named her Fifi. Haha! She is gorgeous.

My aunt just happened to have white bedding and asked if I wanted it after seeing my inspiration picture, Yes! Of course! My niece went shopping with me and we found Toile pillow shams at Kohl's for 50% off and I found the ruffled pillow at Target. The last ruffled pillow in town. The lamp was on clearance at Home Goods and the curtains came from Lowe's.

Although, my room isn't totally like the one at the The Heathered Nest, I still love it. What do you think?  Do you like it?   When I get ready to redo a room, I start looking for inspiration pictures. Blogs, Pinterest and magazines are great places to start getting ideas of what you like. I always look for deals and shop with a budget in mind. I shop consignment and thrift stores for  similar pieces. It doesn't have to be exact and I love a can of paint. Anything can be updated with a can of paint. My mom says that she is always afraid to come over for fear she might get painted.  Right now we are working on a downstairs den/man-cave, Rustic/Industrial/Farmhouse style. I know. Weird.

Our fearless helper

Be sure to stop by and see Heather and view her awesome blog. She was so gracious to give me permission to use the picture of her beautiful room. You won't be disappointed.

Until we meet again,  Fifi

Psalm 50:10  For every beast of the forest is mine and I own the cattle upon a thousand hills.

Linking to: Savvy Southern Style
All Things Heart and Home
The Scoop At Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Your Hair Becomes You... or Does It?

Most of the time when we hear something like the phrase, "your hair becomes you,"  we think of it as a flattering statement .  "That dress is becoming" "Your outfit is becoming."  What I'm talking about here is a tad-bit different.  I'm playing on the words, so to speak.   Does our hair define us?  Does our hair become who we are?  Should it?

This might come as a shock to some of you, and then again it might not be shocking but I've been highlighting and/or coloring my hair for many years. Having a hairdresser in the family for 30 years (not including the practicing she did on me before becoming licensed) made hair adventures really easy.  I've had every color you can think of. Every length and style possible.  Seriously, I don't even know the true color of my own hair.   I do know that it is truly a different color than it was 30 years ago when I started the coloring journey.  Hide a couple of gray hairs here today. Hide 20 of them five years from now and before you know it, the roots have you rushing to the salon every four weeks. 

I have a dear close friend who doesn't mince words. She is as honest as the day is long and a couple of years ago she walked right up to me before church and said, "your roots look awful, you need to do something." YES!  I knew that already. Thank you very much.  I love her dearly but that truly hurt my feelings.  I knew I was a couple of weeks late in getting to the salon but really!!!! I am quick to forgive so she need not worry that I haven't moved on. I really have and to be honest here, I am as equally honest with her. We keep an even score in the most kind and loving way. Seriously, we are wonderful friends. 

Deciding to not color my hair has been a process. Yes, I'm going to do it! No! I'm not going to do it! Yes I am, No I'm not. Off and on for several years.  Then a few weeks ago the tide began to turn.  I had a defining moment at the cardiologist's office of all places.  We were discussing  my cholesterol levels and he was very frank with me about my health.  We got a little off topic as we were talking and he said something to me that had absolutely nothing to do with my visit. Much to the contrary in fact, but it made quite an impression on me. We were talking about the natural aging process.  A subject that keeps coming up more and more in my life lately.    He said that women and men are so consumed with being younger than they are. They get plastic surgery and Botox and etc. etc. to make themselves look younger. They take medications to enhance their passion and prowess and it's making them sick.   There is nothing wrong with being 50 years old.  50 is great! What is wrong with 50?  God made you 50. You've already been 30.  It's time for someone else to be 30.  There is nothing wrong with  being healthy but be happy with the age you are and be a happy, healthy 50 year old and stop trying to keep up with someone that you see on TV. Someone that you think you are supposed to look like. What?  Is that what I've been doing, trying to be someone that I'm not? Me? Really?

After thinking on this for many days, I consulted with my best friend, (who is always up for "partner in crime adventures" and because there is safety in numbers) and proposed my latest adventure. She actually had proposed this to me a couple of years ago and I said to her in my most convincing voice, "friends don't let friends go gray!!!"  and she is IN! We are doing this together. We are no longer going to color our hair.  I personally am done with chasing roots to the hair salon.  So with my theme in mind for this year "Behold, I will do a new thing," I am embracing the new me, a more free me. A woman not bound by the color of my hair.  God gave me this hair for this time in my life and I'm going to embrace it.

Will you join us for this journey to freedom and liberation from colored and dyed hair? Are you fed up with the process of hair color as well?  If so, I would love to know and Sharon and I would love company on this roller coaster. Remember, there is safety is numbers!

I will be posting updated pictures as we go along this journey.  (Oh, by the way, Yes! Our husbands are totally on board and are giving their full support.)  Keep your eyes open for updates and changes.

I will leave you with this verse. Psalm 119:37  "Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things and give me life in your ways." ESV

My sweet friend Sharon and her husband James.

Me and my James

Until we meet again,  Fifi

Love Grows

I was singing in the choir as usual. This particular Sunday we were singing a song entitled  "Love Grew Where the Blood Fell."   We finished the song part of the service and the choir went down from the choir loft to sit with their families. My daughter Kristen, who was probably five or six years old, was sitting with her dad.  I have no idea why she wasn't in children's church this particular Sunday. She usually was. However, today she was tucked in under her dad's arm. Snuggled in close, she was drawing on the back of a church bulletin.  I sat down beside her and settled in for the message. I  gave her knee a gentle squeeze and smiled at her. As I looked down I noticed something very interesting about her drawing.  A simple box style cross with heart shapes dropping from the beams. Drops of blood in the shape of hearts.  "Love Grew Where the Blood Fell."  Simple childlike faith, drawn out on the back of a church bulletin.  I sat with tears in my eyes. You see, I just sang that song with no feeling. Just sang the words. It wasn't until I saw that my precious little girl had actually heard the words to the song that they began to mean something to me. Precious words falling on precious ears going straight to a precious heart. A precious drawing meant to speak to my heart as well. 

This video isn't of our choir but this is the same arrangement we did.

First Baptist Church-Jacksonville, Florida

Love Grew Where the Blood Fell

Until we meet again, Fifi

"Where Are They Now?"

As I wrote this post, I was listening to my little brood, giggling and marathon watching old reruns of reality shows they used to watch years ago when they were teenagers. Brad and Kayla were here for Christmas and when they are in town, Kristen is "in town." She moves back in and they are all "here."  It's great and I love having a full house.

I began to notice a pattern as they were watching their shows.  As an episode would end they would Google the people to find out "where are they now." I started thinking to myself. It's always dangerous when I start thinking, but bear with me a second. They do this for child actors and stars all the time.  The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, Boy Meets World, Saved By the Bell, etc.  What if we did this for general, everyday people.  Would it be something that we would want people to see? As I was thinking through this process, I was reminded of a funeral service that I attended and provided music for recently.  Pastor Sears was speaking and my heart was blessed to hear all of the wonderful things about this precious lady. Things about how she had lived her life before God and her family and friends. As I sat there listening, I thought to myself, what will someone say about me someday?  I mentioned this to another lady that was there and she said that she had the very same thought.

Where is Felicia now?  Is she making millions of dollars? Is she in a foreign country feeding the hungry? Does she go straight to work and back home again every day, day in and day out? Does she party all day and every weekend with nothing to show for her life but a good time?   What good has she done? Did she make a difference in someone's life? Does she live her life in a way that is acceptable to God? If someone put our life up on a screen in front of everyone with a headline that read "Where Are They Now"  would we be able to  look at it and say that we made our life count for something?  What will someone say about you someday?  You know, it's never too late to write your story.

I saw this on a website http://spiritualinspiration.tumblr.com/ and I thought it was very appropriate for this post.

You are not too dirty for God to cleanse.
You are not too broken for God to fix.
You are not too far for God to reach.
You are not too guilty for God to forgive
And you are not too worthless for God to love.
Anonymous
(I've tried to find the author. If you know who it is, please let me know and I will give credit where credit is due.)

Until we meet again,  Fifi