Which states have had the privelege of my presence?

30 states have been graced by my presence!!! My goal is to visit all 50 before I turn 50. The only place I've been outside of the US is Mexico. (Went to Juarez on New Year's Eve 1990, while on a ski trip to Angelfire, NM with my family. We also checked out Carlsbad Caverns on that trip....good times!!!)



create your own personalized map of the USA

I first saw this on Katie's blog and then on Snuffy's. I'm just now taking the time to actually post it!

It will officially be official this evening but.......

We're moving!!!!!

Okay, I've known for a week or so that it was basically a go, just hate to jump the gun, ya know?!? Hubby's now getting ready to start a new position as a Youth Pastor at a new church. I can't wait until we're all settled and living our "new" life! I've so missed working with youth on a regular basis. Yes, I'm with kids everyday, whether at my work or at home with my own, but there's something so invigorating about working with MS and HS kids! Also, just being that involved in a church again will be awesome too. We've been on cruise control the past few months, just waiting to see what would happen, now it's time to start being more active and involved. "Sigh" (a sigh of relief and a sigh of contentment).........I'm just so happy this is working out finally!

Now will be the challenge...once notice is given, he'll be gone, staying with friends....and I'll still be here. Single mom, working mom (still working 3 jobs--my FT one at school, tutoring, and after school care 2 days a week), packing and organizing and sorting through stuff mom-----you get the picture. "My" goal is to get everything ready and have it all packed up so we can move as soon as school is over.....now to find a new home, unpack/repack everything in storage (after it's taken out of storage), finish the school year........"sigh" (a sigh of wow, that's a lot of stuff to accomplish!).

Okay, now to make my lists and actually follow through on them! Any prayers said for us would be appreciated!!! :)

Songs Have Always Been Landmarks On My Journey...

I always can relate almost any instance in life to a song, or as a smart aleck comment I burst out in song (or a phrase of a song) that relates to the conversation. I know, a corny thing I do, and it bugs my husband to no end sometimes! (Too bad, hon!) Anyway, on a recent thread on a forum on which I post, someone asked to share a song or part of a song that has touched you. Most recently it would have to be the one in my sig on that forum by RelientK. But then I started thinking, and a few years back when life seemed really bleak (yeah, I've been there more than once), I stumbled across the hidden track on the WOW 1999 CD, and it just really helped me out. Boy, if I'd had this song recently it could've helped too, but for the life of me I couldn't even remember the title or the words, just the artist and that it truly was a God-send at the time. I finally found it (after an hour-long on-line search last evening) and here it is....

HARD TO GET
by Rich Mullins

You who live in heaven
Hear the prayers of those of us who live on earth
Who are afraid of being left by those we love
And who get hardened by the hurt

Do you remember when You lived down here where we all scrape
To find the faith to ask for daily bread
Did You forget about us after You had flown away
Well I memorized every word You said

Still I'm so scared, I'm holding my breath
While You're up there just playing hard to get

You who live in radiance
Hear the prayers of those of us who live in skin
We have a love that's not as patient as Yours was
Still we do love now and then

Did You ever know loneliness
Did You ever know need
Do You remember just how long a night can get?
When You were barely holding on
And Your friends fall asleep
And don't see the blood that's running in Your sweat

Will those who mourn be left uncomforted
While You're up there just playing hard to get?

And I know you bore our sorrows
And I know you feel our pain
And I know it would not hurt any less
Even if it could be explained

And I know that I am only lashing out
At the One who loves me most
And after I figured this, somehow
All I really need to know

Is if You who live in eternity
Hear the prayers of those of us who live in time
We can't see what's ahead
And we can not get free of what we've left behind
I'm reeling from these voices that keep screaming in my ears
All the words of shame and doubt, blame and regret

I can't see how You're leading me unless You've led me here
Where I'm lost enough to let myself be led
And so You've been here all along I guess
It's just Your ways and You are just plain hard to ge

Songs have a way of hitting me, and this one did today...

Chris Rice - Untitled Hymn (Come To Jesus)

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!



That song was sung by our worship leader during Communion this morning, and on the screen during each verse they showed a different picture of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. It was so touching and really hit me. It seems that there are many times in life when these verses can apply.....recently I've been in the crying and falling stages, but have been able to find myself to the singing lately. I am hoping that soon I will be dancing and flying (figuratively, I want my soul to be so much at peace with my life that it's soaring to Heaven.....no, I'm not wishing to die yet!!!).....so I'm hanging out and waiting until I can dance and fly!!! (I feel that the time for that will be very soon!)