Life's Image

So before our trip in August 2008, I had a countdown til we were to fly out on my profile page...Yeah, I was sooo excited about goin back to my roots and even more excited that I was to experience it with My GirL J "Jamie". So the day is finally here...I stayed out at J's house due to us having to drive to Phoenix at 2am. We are on I10 and Dad is acting really strange, 3 miles from J's house we have Dad pull over due to involuntary mov't.We are finally at a Gas Station next to Sky Harbor Airport. It took Dad 10 minutes to give me a debit card for gas for his way home. Meanwhile he is passing out, slurring his words, has short term memory loss and cannot move his legs real well. Dad decides to get out of the car and stumbles and drops his belongings. He then decides he needs a soda, as I pump the gas, J takes dad in very slowly to get his soda. Now I'm on the phone with Mama, telling her to get her butt to Phoenix NOW. Dad returns to the car...we procede to ...

Over the years My Lil' Man Alec, has been bullied. Bullied because he has a mild tick from his Tourette's Syndrome. His tick's truly are mild. Though when he is bullied, his ticks worsen, sometimes he has more than 6 different ones at a time. They also become more noticeable when he is afraid or stressed. Last summer he was invited to swim over at a friends house with his cousin Austin. I was in attendance. Where I was talking with a friend on the patio while the kids were swimming. Alec and Austin removed themselves from the pool, sat on the patio acting very strange. Scared really. I asked both of them if they were okay and if anything had happened. They both denied anything was wrong and stated they just didn't want to swim anymore. (odd if I do say so myself) At the dinner table that evening, I noticed a new tick. Alec was complaining that his eyes hurt really bad! His tick was so bad that it was straining his eyes beyond belief! It was a horrible momen...

As a child, I learned that my daddy collected agates. I knew that every time we went on long walks, we’d keep our eyes peeled for that special rock. To this day I remember him saying happily, “hey Kel, look at this one! Oh! No, look at this one!” Sometimes we would see who could find the most. Looking for these types of rocks was fun, but I enjoyed the time spent with daddy more. The craziness of the world was left behind; it was just me, daddy and the open trails. I will never forget those times. In fact, now that I’m a mother of two, I too began this time with my own children. Each time we go to Mt. Lemmon, Patagonia Lake, or any lake for that matter, we keep our eyes peeled for that special rock. My son Alec, has really taken a liking to this. When he was four, he found a rock (not an agate), just a rock that he liked. He came home and gave it to me. I asked him why he chose that rock. He said, “because it is soft and smooth like you mommy.” That very thin, smooth rock ...

The key to a woman's heart is when He studies her; He hears her when she’s silent; He anticipates her needs and fulfills them joyfully; He embraces her with all his being, yet gives her free reign to be herself; He provides for her needs because it’s a priority in His life; He loves her because he knows, no other way; He accepts her flaws because that’s what keeps her unique; He gazes upon her and smiles because He knows He’s blessed by her presence…jus some morning thoughts.

Who wants money? Me me me! I do I do I do! Of course we all do. One major factor is that we need it to survive. Money is what puts food in our bellies, provides us with a place we call home, transportation and entertainment. But at what point do we seek money so much that it compromises and contradicts our lives and beliefs? However good your intentions are, do you do what you say you’re going to do? Or do you just say you’re going to do things to build your self image? If you’re one who feels the need to be in control all the time, no doubt this area can consume you. This world is just ‘Wow’! We are hard wired to believe that we need more, want more, I will get more syndrome. But you know, when you think about it… That brand new Camaro in the drive ~ only provides temporary happiness, after all, it is not worth how much you’re paying for it. Your new hair color ~ You may say: I can’t believe how much money I spent! In four weeks, I’m going to have to do this all over again, be...

It all began in our toddlerhood…not only NO, but, NO NO NO! Don’t do this, don’t do that. And guess what! If you have children of your own, chances are, you have found too, that the word NO may have become your favorite word (not necessarily your favorite word, but one that has found itself in every statement made to your child) or maybe even your child’s middle name! hahahalol! Now that you have chuckled a bit, you may even think, I wish I had focused more on the yes’s in my child’s life and heck, mine too! It’s so much easier and comfortable to just say no. No to: new opportunities, a new job, new friends, a new game, a new type of food and even no to volunteering your talents and time. WOW! That’s a LOT of NO’s! Let’s look at what we rob ourselves from by saying NO all the time. We are given many choices/opportunities; yeah some may be good and some not so much. But let's focus on the good... That new job you turned down, You weren’t present for that most outstanding employee a...

Do you illuminate "light" or "darkness"?

Every day we are bombarded with temptation. Our earthly flesh desires things it does not need. Though we take the bait anyway. On our strongest days, out of the blue, that temptation tantalizes us. Attempting to cause us to stumble. There are a whole slew of temptations and desires in our lives; some may even be what we call, "good" ones. Whatever your temptation/desires are, stay strong, fight for your eternal life. Things that are ever lasting. Our choices, the ones we make every day...may we all be slow to speak so that we may process them and respond objectively. For over a week now, I have been bombarded with a temptation in my life, one that I thought, I had laid to rest. Just when I believe I'm strong and know what I want in my life, this temptation knocks on my door. The doorstep to my heart. Sometimes I think it's an emotional attachment, one that I need to fulfill. Other times, I find myself crying out to God for the answers and ask why He allow...

After having my baby girl Alexis in 1996, I knew that I didn’t want to have another child until she was at least in kindergarten…having two children home all day and in diapers, was something I did not want to have to go through. Alexis reminds me so much of myself and more and more each day of her daddy; with her strong will and need for being right. She has a heart of gold. She brightens the darkest of rooms with her quick witted personality and hysterical humor! Her heart longs to help those in need and often carries others burdens. She is a problem solver. When someone is in need or hurting, she does her best to fill their needs. Learned New Years Eve of 2001, I was with child. Nervous? Yes, but excited to embark on this new journey with Jace and Alexis. Alexis was tickled pink that she was soon to become a big sister! Jace, he was skeptical and nervous. We knew this was in God’s Plan and not ours, as the timing didn’t seem right. I was seventeen weeks into my pregnancy. Alexis was...

As a child, we are told what to do because we are inexperienced and need protection. We are guided by our parents, family members, teachers and other adults in our community to make good choices. Sometimes even those who are telling us what to do or guiding us, make bad decisions. But their intentions are always good. Over the years, we hope to learn to be a good person and friend, making good choices and to not base them on our emotions. Now that we are grown and have put all that we have learned into practice, we continue to learn by trial and error. We learn from both the good and bad decisions we have made. We then take that new found knowledge and apply the principle to our life to hopefully be successful in an old relationship or a completely new one. It’s a cycle really. We just need to choose whether we want to continue to grow fruitfully or remain stagnant in our old selfish ways. One may say that they don’t want any friends because of the drama it will cause in their...

We live in a power trip world. A world where it feels as though every man is for himself, no matter the cost. We all want to believe we are always right…some go to great lengths to prove they are. But, at what expense? I’d like to talk a bit about how this behavior is detrimental to one’s self and to any relationships this personality has. No one likes a know it all. It is difficult to befriend these types of people. The ones “who have it all together; who have an answer and a solution to everything; who are almost paralyzed in thought until they have proven themselves right to you, no matter who is present.” This personality repeats themselves repeatedly in the same conversations; argues as to why he/she is right; will utilize their resources and sometimes study and search until they have obtained the information they were looking for. They will then seek you out, and in a not so friendly manner present you their “facts” on why they are “right.” They typically interrupt conve...

I was reading a blog post this morning written by my Mama. It was very thought provoking! She wrote about Our Garden of Life and how Jesus needs to shine in every aspect of that Garden, no matter how “muddy” we become. While reading her blog, God revealed to me the muddy aspects of my life. Opening my eyes to see what this mud has given birth to in my life and all the lessons I have learned through the muddy terrain. It is a great blessing when I can recognize and rejoice, knowing that the mud that has covered my face has helped mold me into the person I am today...for the Glory of God. If we do not fall once in a while, are we really learning? The way I see it, is that I have been given many opportunities where mud has hit or been smeared in my face; I have been given these opportunities for growth; when my garden is pruned there are lessons learned so that God is able to bear much fruit out of the muddy Garden I’ve once again, gotten myself stuck in... (I am not saying that mud...

The question that plays in my mind about blogging is...when I am wanting to be ever so transparent in sharing a life experience, it's difficult in sharing what needs to be said as it could obviously irritate and even hold someone accountable...even when I think I could change names, the ones who enjoy the drama know who they are and eventually catch on...I am young, have experienced much already in my life and do believe that sharing it could be of great encouragement to others. I have many friends who have said to me, "how is it possible for you to go through ALL THAT and you come out stronger?!" or "It amazes me how You & Jace are always so in love, even after all that's said & done." and I've even been told,"I know God is Real KeL, because I see what he's done in your life and how wonderful your children are." Unfortunately, there are days when my hormones get in a bunch and I'm blinded by so much emotion that I can't se...

Do you ever get tired of being nice and do you ever feel the need to tell it like it is whether it hurts someone’s feelings or not?! When I say this, I only refer to circumstances that I am consistently reminded of by another person. You know the finger pointing, the cheap jabs, the irrelevant things that do not edify all parties involved. I have done horrible unspeakable things in my past! To this day, I sometimes still cry over! But I have learned from those mistakes and choose to not bring them into the present! I have asked for forgiveness, I am forgiven and so blessed He forgets them! But we all have people in our life to remind us or to make us feel 2' tall every time we make a mistake...We long for them to be supportive rather than always tearing us down! We REJOICE because we are certainly blessed to have a God that not only forgives, but forgets! The One who loves us Unconditionally, GOD. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniqui...

Through seeking counsel from my Pastor I have learned that there are times that you have to turn someone over to the Lord and ask Him to send a person into his/her life that can better meet their needs. There are some people in life that you have to accept that it is going to be a "sandpaper" kind of relationship. I would be sweet (Thank you _____ for your input.), smile (even if you want to scream), and separate (don't try to intentionally eat together, sit together) as often as you can. I am thankful for the advice he has given me. Thank you Pastor A. Does this mean you haven’t forgiven the other person? No. It just means you have learned to keep appropriate boundaries in areas where they are necessary for your well being. So what do you do when you are accused, “you haven’t forgiven ____, if you had, things would be different.” Ignore, all cheap jabs and undesirable accusations. As they do NOT edify all parties involved. The beauty of all this, is that...

We all need guidance, but we have to want it and we need to realize that God’s Word is our primary source for guidance. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. Proverbs 4:11 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Psalm 37:23 If we want God to direct our way than we need to seek his advice before we make our decisions. I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. Psalm 119:60 God’s word is pure and helps us to grow in our faith. The Bible is our guide to live a pure life. “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 None of us want half of someone’s heart, we want a full commitment. Jesus wants our full heart as well, so that when we are focused on Him, we allow nothing to distract us from his guidance. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth...

When our actions and words do not correlate, we are not allowing God to take the lead. We hold on to the thoughts & ideas that we can do it on our own. All too often we hear and say things we know we cannot follow through on. Physically we can, but when & how will we be able to fulfill the commitment? Our Actions are so crucial for all the non-believers in our lives. When conversing, be sure to be realistic. It is okay to say I will get back with you on that or let me think about it, or I will check my calendar. Don't be afraid to ask yourself WWJD? You will know in your heart if what you say is glorifying God. We are called to be an example of the Bible that they may not be reading. Sure we are human and we will make mistakes. But are we to use that as our escape? We can easily fall into that trap. Excuses, Excuses, Excuses. Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. James 2:17 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, ...

When you lie in bed at night and reflect on your day, Do you remember the times during the day when you did not guard your heart and tongue? Yes, we all are guilty at some point on this. Whether It be something we said or did or even did not do even though the Lord nudged you to do it. When we are in rush hour traffic, even though you may not say it, but you are thinking it. Or that annoying Telemarketer who will not stop calling. Your kids won’t listen even though you told them a million times you feel like you’re at your end of the rope. 3Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. 4Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties. - Psalm 141:3-4 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. - Proverbs 4:23 13Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 14Let all...

mask - concealing thing: something that conceals or disguises something else, for example, true motives or feelings Masks are things that we wear sometimes to hide from other people, and sometimes to hide from ourselves. Sometimes we wear so many masks that when we take one off, there is another one right behind it. Often times, we have so many different masks, that we don't really know who we are so we become that which we wear. We hide behind these masks…when asked a question from a friend or family member; do you answer with the real you? Or are you answering through the mask? Do you ask yourself, “how should I answer this question so that they don’t feel differently towards me?” Sadly we feel the need to impress others, so we are afraid to be ourselves in front of people. We short-change ourselves into thinking we need these masks to be accepted and loved. Is your mask still present when you approach God? God already knows us and he requests for us to be real with him. God ...

Have you ever felt you were backed into a corner? Have you ever put someone there? Many times we pass judgment without giving it a second thought… …it could be someone walking down the street, the mother who spanks her children in public, the pre-teen with the vulgar vocabulary… …the list can go on and on in our society. Whatever the case may be, we are called to pray for others, not judge. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. Matthew 5:44 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. Luke 6:28 In Matthew 7:1-2, it states that we will be judged in the manner we judge others. Are you in a position to be rightfully judged by our Lord? Or is judgment holding you bondage? Matthew 7 and Luke 6:37 are great places to learn more on judgment.

Your family loves you, your friends adore you, you are always doing kind things and thinking of others…is that enough? We all long to be remembered when we are gone. The question is “What will they remember?” Will they remember that you are a follower of Christ? Have you given all Glory to God, did you take the time necessary to be with those you love and care about or did you keep yourself too busy? Or will they remember you as… …a self-centered person; an un-trustworthy person; perhaps you are in the WIFM category (What’s In It For Me?) Sometimes it takes harsh words to really help us focus on what is important! Like your checkbook...you can tell whether or not you are allowing God to lead you just by looking at all the debits...what do you spend your money on? Where are the credits? God has a plan and a purpose for each one of His children. We need only to let him take the Lead. When you enter a cemetery, you see all the headstones…they all have a beginning and end date. What ...

There is a saying that says when you’re UP, you’re UP, but when you’re DOWN, you’re DOWN! We all reflect on how things are going, whether it be daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly. Many times the reflection starts off like a fierce fire, one that cannot be burned out. The blessings are apparent, you find the joy you have been seeking…and BAAAMM! You’re thrown a Left Hook! So what happened? What could possibly happen to break such a beautiful thing? How could we go from total JOY to being Lost, so Lost? We can sit here and talk about it, try to strategically change it…but…are we truly lost? Or are we just side-tracked? Did we just lose sight for a moment? Yes the moment may seem like a lifetime, but really it is just a moment. So, what can we do to prepare ourselves for the next Left Hook? Many people go through Physical training at some point in their lives, but what about Spiritual Training? Or recognizing our need for Wisdom that only comes from our Father? Be sober, be ...

Many times we go through life thinking and even believing we are owed by others, whether it be a: family member, friend, boss, co-worker, government and/or God! We think that because we have given our time, money and/or servant hood we expect (maybe not consciously) the people on the receiving end to feel even obligated to return the favor/treatment. This could really be just as "simple" as the story I'm going to share… For years I have thrown birthday parties and sent my husband places not just because of the goodness and love I have for him, but almost like, when we treat others the way we would like to be treated really. My birthday would come and go each year...hoping that there was a surprise awaiting me...but the truth was that because I had this hidden subconscious expectation of him owing me, I was the one who ended up planning my own gatherings. I know that I truly enjoy serving others and planning gatherings and birthday parties for my husband...just struggl...

Often times we overlook things because they may sound good or because it may be humorous. Often times we accept something less than desirable because it made us laugh. Often times we agree with unintelligent comments because our friends are the ones speaking them. Often times we say things without thinking clearly. Often times we listen to jokes and music that will change our hearts for the worse. Often times we get caught up in the gossip of life. Often times we hurt others feelings and damage relationships because we can’t see past our own nose. Often times we blame others for our own lack of self-control. Often times we make unwise decisions for self gain. Often times we befriend the bad influences in our life because they seem cool. Often times we lose sight of our purpose here on earth. Often times we become so busy that we fail to greet our Lord each morning. Often times we place God on the need to know basis because we place our earthly best friends before him. Ofte...