He Has Made Me Glad

I feel sad today. It will be my Dad's birthday soon. I truly miss him.  I miss him everyday.  I miss the times when we were little... when Papa would wake us up and run after us.  My brothers and I would then race towards the dining table.  My mom was there preparing breakfast and we would all happily gobble up the food.  No camera captured that scene but I remember it vividly.  It was etched in my heart.  Precious memories.

My Mama and Papa separated when I was around seven years old and they both have different families now whom I dearly love.  I learned to accept how things are but the pain of separation lingers.  It is like my back pain.  It is just there.  I learned to live with it but it is just there.

This is not always what I feel.  But there are just days like these when I think of 'what could have beens'....days I feel "senti".

At times like this, I turn to my Father, the Great and loving One.  He knows my heart, my feelings, my pains.  He knows how to lift me up, ease the ache and make me smile once more.

"The Lord has done great things for them.
The Lord has done great things for us;
We are glad...
Those who sow in tears 
shall reap with joyful shouting.
He who goes to and fro weeping, 
carrying his bag of seed, 
shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, 
bringing his sheaves with him."
Psalm 126:3-6 (NASB) 

John Piper said sowing is simply the work that has to be done even when there are things in life that make us cry.  He said "... when you are full of sadness and tears are flowing easily, go ahead and do the jobs with tears.  Be realistic.  Say to your tears, 'Tears, I feel you. You make me want to quit life.  But there is a field to be sown (dishes to be washed, car to be fixed..) I know you will wet my face several times today, but I have work to do and you will just have to go with me. I intend to take the bag of seeds and sow. If you come along, then you will just have to wet the rows". (http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/talking-to-your-tears)

At the end of the day, I would have to make the choice to continue living a joyful life.  My parents would never be reunited, problems would probably remain, conflicts would arise but God is still in His throne.  He has done great things for me and I will be glad. (Psalm 126:3).

I choose to be glad.

My Papa singing a song for us during my wedding
- created using Leaving a Legacy Designs'
FIND YOUR VOICE

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FIND YOUR VOICE
by Leaving A Legacy Designs
Click the photo to grab the kit

For Better "Back" and For Worse "Back"

I started feeling lumbosacral back pain in Mid-January of this year and it has never left me since that time. I find it hard to sit or stand for long periods and I find it painful to bend.   I felt like Paul asking the Lord to remove the thorn in my flesh and I felt myself responding the way he did - the Lord's grace is sufficient for me and His power is made perfect in my weakness.

Last month also, Alvin had his ortho check up and was diagnosed to have rheumatoid arthritis.  I am afraid I have it too because the very symptoms I have are the very symptoms Alvin had when his back pain started four years ago.  Being a homeschooling mom, I took that as an opportunity to teach the kids the pathophysiology of the disease.  lol. But this is not about that.

Just this month,  the Lord impressed in my heart that He allowed me to have this pain because He wants me to feel what my husband feels.  In the many years that Alvin had his back pain, I have never truly empathized with him because he always appeared strong and able. He played basketball even better than when he was younger.  He always carried the heavy stuff at home and helped me whenever he can without complaints.  I felt the Lord telling me that He wants me to feel what my husband feels.  He wants me to remember praying for Alvin most especially in times I am in pain and to be more understanding when he seems tired.

Alvin said maybe the Lord removed some of his pain and transferred them to me because I am his help meet.  The thought of that brought me joy because I feel that I am able to share his burden.

As I was reading Nehemiah 9 this morning, I was reminded to focus on God's goodness and His greatness rather than the physical discomforts I feel.  I would like to focus on the many blessings He showers us, indeed there are many.

"You alone are Lord, You have made the heavens, The heavens of heavens with all their hosts, The earth and all that is on it. The seas and all that is in them.  You give life to all of them.  And the heavenly host bows down before You." (Nehemiah 9:6 NASB)

That is who my God is.  He is a big God and my pain is but a speck.  I thank Him for these discomforts because it made me look forward to the glorified body He will give me in the future.  I thank Him for this pain because through this, I feel more connected with my husband.  I would gladly share his pain - for better "back" or worse "back", ' til death do us part.

He Loves Me

Love is in the air, and it seems that most of what we see are the colors red and pink.  But what about those men in our life, our main squeeze and wonderful sons?  Kimberly of Leaving a Legacy Designs and Tammy of Memories by Digital Design have collaborated to bring you a kit and bundle full of love, perfect for the leading man in your life.  Introducing He Loves Me...with lots of blues, greens, browns, and just a hint of pink, these will be perfect to complete your manly layouts.

Grab the kit, journal cards, and cluster pack (or the bundle for an even better deal) while they're on sale at 50% off through 2/19.  The kit contains 27 pattern papers, 7 cardstock, 7 glitter sheets, a full alpha, and 91 elements.  The bundle includes the kit, 6 journal cards, and 6 clusters.  Previews are linked to Scraps N Pieces store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Need some inspiration?  Check out what their amazing creative teams did with He Loves Me.

Have a great day!

Love Ya To Pieces

Feb. 10, 2013

This morning, hubby's hug was different.  It was something really special. I felt so loved that tears started falling.  I whispered a prayer to God and I said, "Lord, I really, really, love this man.  Thank you for the circumstances that led me to meet him. Thank you that I knew You through Him".

To my dearest hubby:

I thank God that He is the one writing our story
... that he meant for us to meet,
to fall in love,
to start a covenant with Him,
to build a family,
to serve & worship Him ,
to be filled  & be satisfied in this life
& together look forward to a  glorious future with Him.
I thank God because He chose you to be my lifetime partner.
I love you & I will love you forever.

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layouts created using LEAVING A LEGACY DESIGNS' Love Ya To Pieces.
Love Ya to Pieces is the perfect kit for preserving special moments with the people that you love to pieces. Inspired by puzzle pieces this kit is great for scrapping Valentines, game time and everyday sweet moments. Kit comes with 2 alphas (red puzzle pieces and blue puzzle pieces), 61 elements, 18 pattern papers and 6 solid papers .

Additional credits: andrea gold template 770, Ang campbell

Grab Love Ya To Pieces HERE:

Creating for Leaving a Legacy Desigsn

Leaving a Legacy Designs Sale and Speed Scrap

Leaving a Legacy Designs is the featured designer for the second half of February!   Join us in the store for a 40% off sale, visit her blog for daily freebies, RAKs and more!  Visit Leaving a Legacy Designs Blog for more information!

 

Here's a sampling of the awesome kits you can find in her store:

Join her also on February 13th, 8pm CST for a fun speed scrap and chat HERE.

Head on to the store now and scrap your heart out!

Love, Love, Love

February is love, love, love month for hubby and me.   This month, we will be celebrating our 12th  wedding anniversary.  Yay! The Lord has made these twelve years, the best years of my life ... and I believe that the "best of the best" is yet to come.

Love this quote by John Piper:

"Love     

can't be equated with any action.

Love is the overflow of joy - in God.

It is not duty for duty's sake

or right for right's sake.

It is not a resolute abandoning

of one's own good with a view

solely to the good of the other person.

It is first a  deeply satisfying                           

experience of the fullness 

of God's grace, and then a

doubly satisfying experience

of sharing that grace with

another person."

12 years ... without God's love, Alvin and I wouldn't be able to love each other unconditionally.  Without God's love, we cannot forgive and overlook irritations.  We are not a perfect couple but our marriage gives us a "deeply satisfying experience" which is but an "extension of our joy in God".  Whenever we serve God together, we feel the fullness of this joy.   What greater intimacy is there when even our soul and spirit unite?

12 years and counting ... We are looking forward to more wonderful years together.  I know there will be trials and tests but there will also be victories. The Lord is faithful and because He is, we can rest in His love ... together.

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Here are some layouts I made using LEAVING A LEGACY DESIGNS' PAINTED LOVE and HE LOVES ME kit

PAINTED LOVE  is part of the Scraps N Pieces Bits N Pieces Collection.   I love, love, love this watercolor painted kit!!! The paper, elements, alpha and journal packs are $1 each this week!

created using Painted Love by Leaving  A Legacy Designs
Grab it HERE

HE LOVES ME is a collab by LEAVING A LEGACY DESIGNS and TAMMY OF MEMORIES BY DIGITAL DESIGN.  With more blues than pink, this kit is perfect in scrapping the memories with the special man in your life.  :-)

HE LOVES ME - grab it HERE

PREVIEWS:

PAINTED LOVE
Bits and Pieces at $1 only for this week!!!
Grab it HERE

HE LOVES ME BUNDLE PREVIEW
30% off!!!
Kit includes: 27 pattern papers,
7 cardstocks, 7 glitter sheets,
 a full alpha with numbers and
some symbols and 91 elements!