Its the end of August and summer vacation is slowly coming to an end. Samantha doesn’t go back to school until after Labor day and I don’t start work until then as well so we still have a week or two to enjoy sleeping in, going to the gym and the thrift. Samantha is currently working on her summer school work. With the schedule she put herself on she should be finished by next week which I’m glad about. I do not want her doing this work the night before school starts. I’m not a fan of summer school work.

Today I’m on my way to the isle of Manhattan for an appointment. It’s a gorgeous day to be going. The sun is out but it’s not hot and not a rain cloud in sight. The windows are open on the boat and there is the best sea breeze coming in. I’m sitting on the Brooklyn side so there’s no view of the Statue of Liberty but that’s ok I’ve seen her before. I forge the name of the boat I’m on but it’s one of the older ones with the blue and yellow seats on the lower level. Very 1960ish although I could be wrong. The boat is docking.

It’s days like this I’m reminded of how great our God is and how when we obey and walk in the footsteps and direction He sets forth; how it feels so right. There are no coincidences, I know this as fact. There’s too much that has happened in my life and the lives of family members to  believe otherwise. The most incredible example is me being pressured by the state to accept group home placement for my son in Brooklyn. I declined even though they were pushy. The following week at Bible study I mention this to my o leader and bam! She knows of an agency that has an opening in our borough. That is Gods timing. Always perfect. I enjoy thinking about when I interviewed for my current job. I was so nervous, texting and Facebooking friends for support. In the middle of all that I prayed; deeply and heartfelt. I remember almost saying aloud, “Ok God, if this is what you want from me; if this is where you want me to be I’ll do it…”  In the next moment I was being called by one of the interviewers to tell me I was hired. Amazing, our God is amazing. There is no other explanation.

I wish everyone a happy end of summer. I hope it was a relaxing season, relaxing enough to carry you into a new school year and for some of us a new career.

 

 

 

 

For my new job I had to collect letters of employment verification. Essentially letters from former employers stating that I did work there as stated on my resume. One letter was short and sweet; just stated the facts and that is ok it’s all I need. Other letters however made me sit back and remember what it was like to work for that employer. One such letter was from when I worked for a private practice  physician. The letter was full of praise and compliments in addition to verifying that I did work there. I felt like blushing when I read it and wondered if what he wrote was indeed true. Part of me thinks he just writes the same thing about everyone but then I think why would he go the extra step if it wasn’t true? It’s funny how we are our worst critic. I know for me it’s easier to believe the not so great things I say to myself about me than to believe the really nice things someone is actually saying to me.

Before I began to lead a bible study group for mom’s of special needs children, my good friend and mentor wrote for me a letter of recommendation, that she felt I could lead the group among other incredibly positive things about me. I almost fell over reading that letter. The woman who wrote it is a very honest person and doesn’t sugar coat things. Traits I really admire in a friend. So I know the positive things she wrote about me truly came from her heart. While I loved reading her letter I doubted what she said as truth. Why do we do that? We doubt the good and positive others see in us.

I remember when I first came to Christ as an adult. I accepted Him as my Savior. I was so happy to be born again as His child. And then I met the Lord, it was amazing! But…I still had a hard time back then believing that I deserved to be saved. That I wasn’t good enough for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I was too sinful of a person. Even though He met me where I was (on more than one occasion) and even though I knew the Gospel I still doubted whether I was worthy of His sacrifice.

Today things are different. I am confident in who I am in Christ. I am the daughter of a King and the Lord loves me I spite of my sins. When it comes to people however I still have a hard time believing the praise bestowed upon me. Such as what was written by my mentor and more recently, former employers. Today is a good day to start. To start believing what was said to be true, to be confidant. I printed out the email of the letter from the physician. I’ll keep a copy to remind myself of the positive.

Off to Brooklyn to meet with Human Resources about my new job. I’m taking public transportation since the area I’m going to is notorious for not having any parking. The first leg of my trip begins with the ferry into Manhattan then a subway into Brooklyn. I’m excited and nervous all at the same time. Last night I had to gather a ton of paper work and original documents such as my original college diploma, original nursing license, the first registration certificate I was ever issued as a registered nurse. Don’t ask me why but I had that one. It shows you how God is always in control even back then in 1994. Some of you may think I’m being silly but I know God is always working things for our good.

The ferry is crowded; mostly people going to work at this time of the morning. Very few if any tourists. The ferry is really nice to ride in the summer, all the windows and doors are open and the breeze from the water feels like air conditioning. For once I don’t see anyone I know, that’s ok I’m enjoying the solitude and the opportunity to people watch. It always amazes me how many women put their makeup on while riding the ferry. And they do it with such precision. I don’t think I’m that good.

I’m going to arrive at my destination early. I didn’t know how else to plan the trip without cutting it close timewise. I’d rather be early and kill time than be rushed and running to the appointment or God forbid late, yeesh no!

It is such a beautiful day. The sky is clear and the air is dry but now it doesn’t matter much that I’m on the subway platform. It’s warm but not hot. I’m nervous waiting for the train. I’ve never taken this train to Brooklyn before. Here’s the train. I’m off…thank God for an air conditioned car.

It’s 9:16 and I’ve arrived.  Appointment isn’t until 10. Let the people watching commence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m home and it’s Sunday. It feels great to be home again. I’m the only one up and I’m sitting here next to an open window having my coffee and listening to the sounds of home; my neighbor working and whistling in his garage (our houses are one driveway apart; just the way I like it), a police car siren on Forest Ave behind our house, and the dogs roaming around looking for attention. For whatever reason one of the cats is sneezing.

Today I’ll go to church and be inspired by the message preached by Pastor John. I missed church while we were away. I love the worship songs we sing praising our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I don’t know what or where I’d be without Jesus in my life. I see things differently than I did in the past and I react in a different manner to challenges in my life. I know God is in control and there’s nothing He won’t or can’t do for His children.

The house is waking up. Time to get on with my Sunday.

Our week at the beach is over and we’re driving home. We drove down there with only Lelly and Samantha and are coming home with Alyssa and her boyfriend Sam. Alyssa flew down to see her boyfriend’s mother’s new house a few days before we left. Sam’s mother then drove them to the beach house last Saturday and his mom and sister stayed for dinner. It was really nice to see Sam’s mom and spend time with her. She’s a great woman.

As I write this we’re in the great state of Delaware. A few hours from home. For the record I’m starving, ok maybe not starving but I am hungry. I was outvoted for stopping for lunch, everyone wants to “plow through” to home. Fine I’ll live.

I’m really going to miss the beach or rather being so close to the beach. I’m already planning our next beach day after we arrive home. I am ready to go home though. I miss my house and I miss my pets. I’m ready to get back into whatever routine I’ll have going on with Samantha being finished with camp. This week I do have to meet with Human Resources for my new job. I hope the weather is nice. While I was in vacation I received a few work related emails. I’m glad to have gotten them although all it made me think was,”Wow…$h!tz getting real!” I’m still awaiting an employment verification letter from one of my former employers. I’ve been calling and asking for this letter since May. I have no idea why they are having an issue with this when all my other former employers sent me their letters within days of me asking.

Another part of being home I’ve been missing is church. I miss my church family and I miss the Pastor when he preaches his message. I really enjoy listening to Pastor John. He teaches so much when he preaches. He’s great.

We had a great week away. Good times with great friends. I had a wonderful beach buddy in my friend Martha. I even convinced Samantha to come with us one day and she came along. She did lose her enthusiasm after a few hours. I neglected to bring snacks so it was partly my fault. Thankfully Tommy came back from jet skiing with the older kids and collected Samantha and brought her back to the house so she could enjoy the pool.

So farewell to the beach! Hello again to my life.

 

As I’ve blogged the other day I love the beach. I love watching the waves come in, I love people watching as well as hanging out with my girls. Samantha and I went in the water earlier today and she got slammed by a wave with the boogie board. She’s fine but it soured her taste for the beach, well that and I was her only source of entertainment and I’m not a big go deep into the water kind of gal. Thankfully Tommy came by and went in the water with her and all was right with the world on the beach.

Today is about 76 degrees Farenheight and sunny. Perfect. Sunscreen is a must not even a “maybe.” I love feeling the sun on my skin.

It’s funny that I love the beach so much, I don’t remember our parents taking us to the beach when we were kids. We had a pool and that’s all I remember. Going in and out of the pool, having friends over and just having a fun time.

The first time I went to the beach I was 16 yrs old and it was with Tommy and 2-3 other friends. I remember getting tossed by the waves and not in a good way. Like tossed in my a$$. Tommy taught me how to ride and jump the waves. We had such a great time. I remember coming home with a sunburn, nothing major I just don’t remember the importance of sunscreen being promoted back then. Tommy and I still talk about that day.

So today I sit and soak up our last couple of days here at the beach. I do miss being home so I think after a week we’ll all be ready to go back. But in a few more weeks school will start and I’ll be starting a new job. I’m excited yet a little sad because then summer will truly be over. And I had a really nice summer and I hate to see it end.

But, it will be nice to have a change of season, that’s why I love living where I do, we have all four seasons and each has their ups and downs. Until then I’m just hanging out at my favorite place.

 

 

 

 

So it’s a rainy day here at the beach house. There’s kids here of varying ages so thank God there aren’t any very young, hard to entertain children on board.

Theres talk of bowling, the movies and of course more shopping. There’s an antique/salvage shop we’ve been visiting the past 2 years that had very cool and unusual merchandise. The verdict hasn’t been set as of yet.

Im holding out hope that the skies will suddenly appear blue but the odds are looking pretty slim of that happening.

Its funny the more I’m away from home and away from my church and radio stations playing worship music the more I feel like I miss God. I know He is with me always but not hearing Pastor John’s message on Sunday which would send me on my way for the week feels odd, like a void. I guess you don’t realize how much it means to you to have The Lord and worship as a part of your life until it’s not there for a while no matter how small the time frame. Yesterday Alyssa played new to me worship music by a group called “Elevation Worship” and I so enjoyed it! To hear the group singing and worshipping our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ just felt so good, like the sun shining on my face good. When we go out today I’ll ask her to play it again.

Tomorrow the weather is suppposed to be great thank God. It’s not the end of the world to do other things than go to the beach at a beach house but it could get old if the weather doesn’t cooperate for an extended period of time. Thursday is supposed to be nice as well and Tommy is planning a fishing trip on a boat. I’m going this year. Last year I didn’t want to go and I think Bill and I went thrift shopping; of which absolutely stinks in this part of the state. So I won’t be wasting my time thrifting down here again.

The weather aside from being rainy is also quite cool, quite the change. But that’s ok I get to wear my ultra fab new Harley Davidson tee shirt compliments of my Harley riding husband.

So here’s to tomorrow being a gorgeous beach day and the next day as well !

It’s that time again, summer beach house time!  For the third year in a row we’ve rented a beach house in North Carolina with 2 other families and it’s been wonderful. This year and last year have been with the same families. It’s really cool as we all get along and even if we all do separate things no one gets offended or pressured into doing something they don’t want to do.

My husband still doesn’t understand my need to shop wherever I am. If there’s a shopping center I’m there! Yesterday we spent most of the day at the beach. It was fabulous. The sand was so soft and clean, the water was crystal clear and so refreshing. I brought a book to read but spent most of my time just staring out at the ocean watching the waves come in and go out. It was mesmerizing and calming. At one point Alyssa, Sam, Lelly and Thomas (the son of one of the families) joined us at the beach. It was nice hanging with the “teen” division. Lelly is always fun and says the funniest things.

While scrolling on Facebook yesterday I noticed my church was doing a life feed of Pastor John preaching. I couldn’t find my headphones so I missed it. Hopefully I’ll have time to catch up before next week. I’m really enjoying his series on “The minor prophets”. Last week was Jonah and I left church with such a great understanding of Jonah as a prophet and why he was so hesitant to go and preach to the people of Nineveh. It’s more than a story about a guy being swallowed by a whale…I highly recommend the book of Jonah, it’s a great read.

So today is Monday. I still don’t know what we’re doing for the day. Some of the kids are baking a birthday cake for Bill, one of the husbands.

Alyssa and Lelly want to visit this quaint outdoor shopping village in town. I’m all for it of course. It’s cool to walk around there and the shops are quaint and charming. There’s a shop run by local artists. One year Tommy and I purchased a stunning painting of the sun rising above the ocean. It hangs in our dining room. Last year it was handmade wind chimes.  We’re trying to figure out what will be this year’s purchase?

I’m so glad to be here with all these people. It’s quite relaxing, I keep falling asleep early in the evening and sleeping way past the time I usually do at home. It much be the beach. I’m sure if it.

I’ve been thinking lately. Thinking about the difference between being religious and having a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In my opinion being “religious” means you subscribe to performing certain works pertaining to the culture of the church you belong to.  In my opinion, given that explanation I am not religious I have a relationship.

Having a relationship with Jesus is personal and intimate. It’s different for every believer. In my experience it’s acknowledging that you are not in ultimate control of your life, God is. That He makes all things work together for your good. It’s surrendering your life to walking with and following the teachings of Jesus Christ. When the storms rage and things look dark; still you praise Him and know He’s with you. It’s not having it all together because He will meet you where ever you are. It’s wanting other people in your life to experience the life changing grace you have received. It’s worrying about the salvation of friends and family. It’s also spreading the Gospel as we’ve been commissioned to do.

In my life I have people who are religious and people who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Also in my life are agnostics/atheists. Does their relationship with Jesus Christ or lack there of change how I treat or feel about them? I don’t think it does.

There is my church family who I feel a deeper connection with than other people since we all believe the same things and know where the other is coming from in conversation. There is no hesitation in recognizing the power and greatness of God. And we all acknowledge our need for a Savior and the fact that we need God in our lives. We have great fellowship.

“Religion” and relationship with Christ are not the same thing. One can be religious and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ but one doesn’t have to be religious to have that same relationship.

God wants us to know him.
The Bible says God is at work in everyone’s life. “So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:27)

 

 

Everyone who knows me know the thrift store is my favorite place; besides the beach. I get lost at the thrift store and focus only on what I’m looking for. And what I’m looking for varies from day to day or even week to week. This past week I found a great bag by Botkier, its blue; a color I don’t have believe it or not. The bag is in really great condition and it’s times like that I wonder why someone would donate such a great item. It’s so true that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, well woman’s…

I love when I’m on a mission for someone like my girls will send me off with instructions of what they want and their sizes. In this age of technology I don’t have to worry that they will not like what I buy. A simple text with picture and bam instant answer! I also keep in mind what other members of my family like. My mom is a big Coach fan so I love finding bags for her. Just the other day I was cleaning out my hall closet and “found” a cute coach crossbody bag I forgot I had bought. I sent my mom a picture and there you go she likes it.

In the coming weeks I’ll be on vacation so I won’t be in the thrifting game. Where we go has thrift stores but there’s nothing worth buying. One year my friend’s husband drove me to every thrift store along a strip of highway and I brought home nothing…a sad situation for me anyway. There is one store I love to go visit. Its kind of a salvage store. They sell big pieces of older indoor furniture and vintage outdoor sets. They also have quirky galvanized wall hangings, key chains and an antique or two or three. Definitely a good place to go rummaging around.

I think thrifting runs in my blood. My grandfather was a huge yard sale fan. We used to go every Saturday when we were kids and both our parents were working. He used to get the Saturday paper classifieds and we were off! “Get in the car!”I love those memories of being with him. He was also an avid coin collector and on some Saturdays he used to take us into Manhattan by ferry. In those days you could drive your car on the ferry and go sit upstairs. The ferry would dock and you’d drive off the boat, right into downtown Manhattan. Very cool. My grandpa would take us to these very dusty, old looking stores with creaking floor boards in search of some elusive treasure of a coin. The shopkeepers were always so nice to us. I loved those times with him.

My Aunt Marge, my mother’s duster was also a huge thrift shopper and yard saler. When we would visit her in Upstate New York she had a mental map of what thrift stores we would visit and it was an added bonus to find a yard sale while driving around. I remember calling her cell phone many a time while at a yard sale asking her if something I came across was a good deal or not. I needed that expert opinion of her’s. She was awesome at spotting gold jewelry, she just knew by looking at a piece if it was ” good ” or not. I’d say she was gifted in that manner. Aunt Marge passed away 7 years ago and I still miss her.

So the thrifting gene carries on in my own children. They love seeing what I come home with and many times Alyssa will go either by herself or with me. Last week Lelly came along with me and we had so much fun! It’s nice to have company every now and then.

So wish me luck this week!  You never k ow what you’ll find at the thrift!