Mom and AVON

The other day I had the chance to give a part of my testimony to a friend of mine., which then later made me think of my Mom and all she did to try to show me the right path to take....which I didn't until later in life. I can't remember Momma without remembering how she smelled when I was little and she would hug me good night. She used AVON....it was a lotion she would put on that was in a yellow bottle and it was sort of off-white in color. She would put it on her face and neck everynight at bedtime. I grew up thinking this was how all my friends Moms must smell too! I was in a store a while back and caught just a whiff of that smell and it took my back to a time when things were so much simpler.....

Anyway, before we all get too teary eyed over me having the Mom that smelled like heaven....I'll finish the story about why my testimony the other day made me think of my Mom and just moms in general. You see I grew up being just a little stubborn, and didn't want to listen to her and did my just to make the opposite decision that she advised. She told me one time that my stubborn pride would be the death of  me..... and it almost was. She is the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman, and I, well let's just say I wanted to run as far from the "Far above rubies" woman as I could get! Because of those decisions, I took a lot of bumps in life. One day though, we were sitting in a church service ( I was raised in church my whole life), I heard my mother pray for me. Nothing, I mean NOTHING, can penetrate the hardest heart, the coldest person, the most rebellious 20 something daughter filled with pride and hate than hearing your own mother beg for mercy from her God for her daughter. To ask Him to draw her to His side, to find true salvation....I was the only one sitting up in the pew, the entire congregation was on their face before God that night...so it was a little more than obvious who needed to repent...and I did, I remember just feeling so new and clean again, like I had never sinned. All of you who are believers know that feeling as well. I wish all of you could have grown up in a home that had wonderful Christian parents....what a treasure they both are. A living testimony of God's goodness and grace, and a legacy for all of my sisters, brother, and myself to carry on what they started.....

I wish I could tell you that life was great for me from that time forward....oh I did and still do live my life for Christ. But, receiving salvation that's only part of  it. And, I've slipped a few times to say the least. I will say though that I cannot imagine facing the challenges in life that I have had without Jesus, I  would venture to say that I probably wouldn't be here today. But, like I wrote to you the other day, God always makes provision for us! Another thing I learned is that Mommas prayers can reach any distance.....

When Savannah was around 1, I went back to work at UAMS....now keep in mind that God knows our needs, and also bear in mind that I am beyond doubt that Momma was a praying. Life was not great for me about this time. Yes I still lived for Jesus but had some areas in my life that I wanted to control. I worked PRN, so I floated over the whole hospital. But it always seemed they would assign me to the same unit everytime. I was on the HEM/ONC unit and on that floor was the absolute most regal black woman working as the unit secretary. She reminded me of my mother. She walked in the righteousness of God everyday. Nothing deterred her. She had some difficult moments in her life that she had come through....physical abuse to name just one. She was always at peace, nothing rattled her. And it didn't matter how crazy the day got, she would not allow griping, or bad talk in her presence. Anything you brought up, she could relate to you about how good God was. I felt myself drawn to be around her. She became my spiritual mother. 

It happened gradually. Day by day, she talked with me, listened to me and always pointed me to God and His answers. She prayed for me, cried with me, loved me, regardless of what I said or did. Over a course of several years, God changed me. A large part had to do with the things I learned from her. She walked with me through a very rough spot in my journey with the King. And I am glad I can tell you that my life is so much sweeter for the lessons I learned. Today when I talk to her or see her, she always says the same thing "DAUGHTER, tell me how good God has been to you lately!" and I call her Momma. Like a good Momma, she reminds me of where I have been and the lessons I have learned and where I am going! 

During that rought spot, my Mom was praying for God to send someone that could help me (she was several miles away by this time), and I was just praying for a friend. God answered both our prayers and sent me Marilyn Brown. He always knows what He is doing, and He is always making provision for us. 

I am blessed beyond measure to have these two women as a part of my life. My physical mother that is a strong spiritual warrior (when she prays, God listens). And, my spiritual mother that exudes the peace of God in every aspect of her life. 

Be blessed my friends and no matter what you are going through, God will make a way!

Walking into Hobby Lobby does not a Craft Goddess make!!!

So yesterday I went to Hobby Lobby in search of 3 t-shirts. Of course the Christmas items are all up front and 50% off....so we had to stroll there. Good thing too, Beth found something for the name she drew this year. Then I see it....it is a Christmas stocking you make yourself, complete with appilque and sequins....I'm thinking how cute this will be for my husband b/c it shows Santa on a motorcycle. I'm standing in Hobby Lobby thinking this will be the absolute greatest thing! I must be good at crafts, I am in Hobby Lobby afterall. I buy it, get home and am anxious to see what to do. Well.......first of all, the stocking is in parts, you must first sew the thing together, then you must cut the pattern, then cut out each individual piece that makes the scene, then after that you must HAND sew ALL the sequins and attach a bead that is so microscopic I am not even sure I can see it to put it on the needel. Once all that is done, you can put the name of the person on the top. I got tired just reading the directions. I did manage to cut out one piece of felt.....looking like he may not have this wonderful masterpiece until next Christmas!

Meanwhile back at the ranch......I did find the shirts I needed to finish up my Christmas orders for bling art. So after lunch today, I thought I would do the Arkansas Razorbacks shirt. Seems simple enough, but for some reason when it was shipped to me, a portion of the rhinestones became detached. So what to do?? I pull up the pic on the computer and very painstakingly with tweezers managed to get all the beads back where they belonged and now I have the final product

There is still time to order one of these if you would like it in time for the cotton bowl. Let me know!

I still have two more shirts to do today, then I will take a break and who knows, I may tackle the stocking project.....

I was thinking last night after our Christmas party with the cell, about how people come in and out of our lives. I thought about how so many years ago, that God knew ahead of time that we would need a Saviour and He provided one for us through His son. You know it occurred to me that God is always going ahead of us and making provision. It was about 3 years ago that we were led to the church we attend now. I didn't know why we were supposed to be there, but just that it was the place we needed. A year after being there, a couple in the church lost their son to cancer. My heart went out to them. I didn't know them very well.....but then another year passed and through some unusual circumstances, we became friends and now they claim my three children as their grandchildren. They are YaYa and Doodah.....YaYa says that having this relationship with them has fulfilled a void in her heart. So I'm thinking about that last night how God had us in the right place at the right time to help meet a need in another person's life. There are so many other times this has happened in my life too. People become your friends or co-workers then when you look back you see that God placed them in your life for a reason. He's always thinking of us, always working to provide for us what we need, regardless if that is a material need, physical need, or an emotional one. What so you think? Have you at some point been used as answer to prayer in another person life, or vice versa?

About

Doctors Appointments and Sleepless Nights

Today has been a long day that started with a long night.....apparently Savannah decided to wake up around 2 this morning, and stayed up until around 7ish...she and Beth share a room so Beth tried to get her to lay back down, that was a fail....so Beth falls asleep around 6 this morning. But, we have a neuro appt @ ACH this morning for her and she and I both overslept and got up with about 15 minutes to spare before needing to leave. We made it to the appt on time though.....she gets to see Dr. "B" over there. The B stands for his name, but I cannot remember how to spell it. He is an older doc that moves pretty slow but otherwise we have heard from others that he is the best doc for neuro.

At the appt. we find out that the involuntary movements that Beth has been having, are not being caused or left over from when she had rheumatic fever. So the plan is to schedule an EEG, and also an ophthalmologist appt. In the meantime we are to increase the Topamax....again.

 We leave LR come back into Sherwood, ran by the bank, out to Wal-Mart, fueled up, picked up lunch and finally home. At home, there was a package on my door. It was a card and a bag of rice to make fried rice from my friend Tricia....this was the highlight of my day. Just to know that someone thinks of you enough to go out of their way to show you they care.


Once home, Beth and I were really tired. But, we came home to water in the kitchen floor. Apparently the garbage disposal needs replacing. So Frank came home around 2, and started working on that. Later our neighborhood plumber extraordinaire, Billy, came to help him. Billy leaves shaking his head and states he will return in the AM to fix it.

I still have lots left to do before Christmas, but it looks like I am done for the day. I am so tired now, I think I could go to bed and not get up until tomorrow!

 

My daughter Beth

So tonight Frank and I went with Beth and Hank to their youth Christmas party. It was a lot of fun, but I realized at one point that this would be the last youth Christmas party for her. After all these years, of going and doing.....wow! Of course I know that when this chapter in her life is over, another one will begin....

 Beth with her friend Martha.

Day 1

         Wow my first blog post! I've wanted to do this for so long and today decided I would plunge right in. Well, like the title of my blog says, I am the "Queen of the Bling"...simply meaning I make bling art shirts and other wearable items......but that is not all I am about. I do lots of other things as well. I consider myself an extreme couponer....at least most of the time. I love to send out tips on the latest, greatest deal. I am also a home educator, meaning I home school my children.....Beth age 17, Hank age 14, and Savannah age 4. These guys fill my days with lots of love and laughter! I am so proud of all three of them. Beth is the praise and worship leader for the youth at our church. She has a passion for living her life for Christ and she encourages others to do the same. Hank just went to his first healing conference and came away with an excitement to pray for and see the sick healed. Last week he did just that! He went to a healing service at our church and prayed for a woman who had fused vertebrae in her spine and neck. She was unable to turn her head and had extreme pain. After  praying for her, she was able to turn her head and neck with no pain and walked out of our church pain free! God is so good! and Hank just knows to believe and God will answer....all it takes is a willing vessel for Him to work through. Savannah, she is our miracle. We were told that I could never carry her to term, that my heart was unable to perfuse both my body and the baby and the best thing to do was to abort. We chose to continue the pregnancy and now here she is full of life. She watches her brother and sister and attempts to imitate the things they do. So back at that healing service at our church, she was right in there with her brother praying for others.....it was precious! And, she loves to worship and refuses to allow me and her daddy to stay in our seats when it is time for worship at church.....she wants to go to the front everytime....priceless! 

I am married to Frank Sullivan. He is a managing partner with Sonic. Currently he is at the Sonic on Crystal Hill in Maumelle. He works lots of hours, but at the end of the day he comes in with a fresh route 44 Dr. Pepper for me.....he's the greatest!

One thing I did this year in addition to homeschool was that I taught 3 vocal music classes for our homeschool co-op. Monday night was our finale to our semester with an open house and a Christmas concert. All of my kids did a great job and I was so proud of them.

If you are interested in a bling art shirt....let me know and I'll get one made for you!


Regina