Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Overdue Blog For You

First of all please forgive me for my lack of blogging, things have been a bit hectic. So much has happened I don't even know where to begin or how to word this or when to end, AYE YA YA!!!

So we moved to texas, hugs hugs kiss kiss, days go by, days turn into weeks, Mike gets job at sears I get job at subway, tear tear, God heals, restoration begins, everything is hunkey dorey, we go to the devil's play ground, ouch, tear tear, anger/frustration, God's sweet salvation, find true friends, grrrr, God brings peace and comfort, yay we got a home, woah God blows our socks off, home sweet home, today was a great day...The End! :)

Ok ok so I can't get by with just that lol. I will not elaborate on certain things for my own reasons. I will say that my husband is a NEW man, praise God. God grabbed his heart in a hotel room and hasn't let go. We watched Fireproof and started doing the love dare, we're on day 16 and oh the things God has done! Mike is doing well in his job at Sears they really love him there and his work and he is making new friends. We found this really awesome restraunt here in town called Pedro's just so happens the owner of the restraunt has a daughter and she works with mike.

I am doing well. I feel I've been on one heck of a roller coaster ride the last month and a half but I can't say I regret any of it. Work is going well for me too. I am like a shift leader/assistant manager type of thing. I was just given a set of keys to the store and was given a raise this past week, praise God! Also, I am working more hours...my back was holding up but this past week...well God is still healing me I am standing in faith and claiming that. I have found out who my true friends are and what they are all about. I've seen true love, mercy and forgiveness demonstrated throughout the weeks.

Mike and I are still going to church at Journey every other Sunday and the other Sunday's we attend church at The Ark. We also attend The Ark on Wed nights and I go on Tuesday mornings for women's bible study. Every time the door is opened at The Ark, Mrs. Connie is in the kitchen and let me tell ya something...that woman can COOOOK!!! God has really blessed us the last couple of weeks. A guy walked into Sears a couple of weeks ago talking to the manager (Mrs. Linda) about a home that had just opened up that he was trying to rent...said he had it rented and they just backed out. Mrs. Linda knew of our situation and said that's great I know the perfect people for the place. We called the guy, we met, we signed papers! We were in a tight situation though. We wanted to move out as soon as possible we were eager to have a home of our own, but our taxes were skrewed up so bad we didn't have the money to do the deposits or anything.

I made a phone call to one of my truest friend who I've only met in person one time. I told her of our situation and without hesitation she offered to make us a loan of $450 for our deposit so we could get moved in! Donna Ketring we are forever thankful, mi casa es su casa! I got a raise at work which brought in enough money to cover deposits for water and electric. Feburary 20th 2009 we moved into our very own home! Mrs. Connie, God bless her heart; took me out on Saturday and bought a lot of supplies for our home that we did not have and couldn't afford after we paid out all the deposits and such. We've had furniture donated to us all from different people, all destined by God and all matching!

Today Mike went to the bank just for kicks and giggles to see if we would qualify for a loan...we did! So Mike and I took out a small loan with our new bank of about a month now and we got our internet and phone hooked up and other supplies we still needed for our home. The place doing our taxes called us and gave us a rebate for all the troubles we've had filing with them which paid for more groceries, PRAISE GOD!!! Mike took me out today and let me pick out things for the home. Also he bought two movies that I enjoy out of the clear blue sky. That's nice and all but his reply to me when I asked "Thank you but why are you doing all of this" shocked me more than anything. He replied saying "Thank God it's all from him, I haven't treated you the way I should and it's time I start investing in you and our relationship." I almost fell off my chair...thank God the truck door was shut ;).

Our home is coming together really nice, we could use a couch but I am happy and satisfy with all that we have now. We have been truly blessed and God has had His beautiful graceful hands on us the last month and a half. My marriage is at a place I never dreamed it'd be, God forgive me for doubting you. I am growing personally so is Mike...things are just going marvelous. It's not always rays of sunshine but now we have new ways of dealing with things.

Thank you to God first and foremost for making all of this possible. Also, Thank you to the Schnabel's, Donna Ketring, Mrs. Connie and Pastor Phil, Journey church, The Ark, Danna Anderson, Melissa Doddridge, Sylvia Hiller, Sherry Lily and everyone who has lifted us up in prayer through this all.

Oops almost forgot...we got an email from Mike's old boss today telling us that Valley View Estates has been sold...Mike would have lost his job if we would have stayed as originally planned and may have never made it down here. God is so faithful. Although we may not understand His direction...always follow! He will reveal all things in his time.

Love, Hugs & Blessings.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Home Team

So last night was our first time attending a home team. I would explain what a home team is but for the 5 that read my blog I think you all know what it is. (lol) I admitted last night and I'll admit it here again, I was 'scared' to go. A part of me wanted to go and the other part of me would have rather crawled into a deep deep hole and bury myself.

I made cookies at work and decided to take them to the home team. I love my cookies but oh my gosh my cookies had nothing on the other food there. That tator tot hot dish from Birgit or the king ranch chicken from mom or that butter cake from Laura...I believe if I continue in these home teams I may stand a chance of gaining a pound or two. When we first got there I felt ok as it was just me, Mike, mom, dad, Krysten, pastor Danny and his wife Birgit. As more people came in my anxieties rose and I felt myself going into my hole. What would they think of me? Would they be like mom and dad and accept me for who I really am? What's going to happen? What do I do next? Can I just get by without saying anything so I don't sound stupid? Yeh it's that bad people. I may be able to make stupid random videos on facebook or wherever but in reality I am a really shy person. Face to face is A LOT different than in person.

So we 'broke bread' as Pastor Danny likes to call it and just had a little small talk. I just peeked out of my hole every couple of minutes to see what everyone was doing. After dinner we migrated to the living room and I knew I was about to face my big fear of having to open my mouth and actually speak. This wasn't like church where there's 75-100 people around you and you can get by without responding to a question. No, no, no we had about 12 people in our home team last night and I just knew I was going to have to speak. Every time Pastor Danny asked a question I just sat there in silence avoiding eye contact in hopes he wouldn't ask me directly. Although I had answers in my heart, I prayed that God would give the answers to someone else, we have a good God. (lol)

God began to deal with my heart and I knew He was not going to continue to just let me sit there on the couch with my sweaty palms and anxiety and have everyone else participate and not me. I can't even remember the question exactly but I know we all had to give an answer. I saw God grinning from ear to ear as I just looked toward heaven and gave him a "ha ha VERY funny God" kind of look. So I braced myself and raked my brain to think of something genius and astounding to say that would blow everyone's mind. Again I don't know what my response was but I know it was nothing "Einstinish" as I was planning on. To my surprise my response was accepted and I didn't feel stupid. So I waited in anticipation for the next question to see if it would work again. To my surprise it did I was like dude I am getting pretty good at this. (lol)

I began to lighten up and just allow my heart to speak. I was there for me and for God to teach and change me. I SHOULDN'T be there to try and impress anybody and I found out last night I don't have to. I was accepted for who I was and although I was the 'new gal' I felt love and acceptance and it felt good. We had a really great time last night and we look forward to next week as well. I highly suggest that you plug in at your church. Check with your pastor or whoever and see if they have small groups that you can get involved in. If they don't...maybe it's time they do...maybe you will start the first 'home team' at your church. The food is great and I love me some food especially when I am not the cook, but that's not even the best part of home team. Food can fill you up physically but that spiritual fill up will blow you away!

Love, Hugs & Blessings
Tracey