Thank You, Lord!

No pictures of food to display, so, I'm sorry to disappoint you! Here are some pictures from the weekend! I love my family!

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God has an amazing opportunity for me and Mom. I cannot wait to share it with you! We will find out tomorrow if it's a "yes" or "no" from God. We have been praying for a "yes" obviously, but who knows what He'll do. I have been praying for His Will to be done. And to God be the glory. I cannot wait to see what happens!!

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I hope your holiday was blessed with family and friends!!

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-katie

For Freedom

I've been thinking a lot about people going into the Army. My cousin, Blake, is in the US Army. My good friend, Kristin, is in the US Air Force. My other cousin, Tony, is in the military, but I'm not sure which branch.

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Blake and I are best friends. He's getting married in April to Tara, who I love. I'm in their wedding as a bridesmaid and I couldn't be happier to be there to support Blake. I know that God has a plan for Blake, Tara, and Dawson's lives. His Word says so in Jeremiah 29:11. Blake is set to be deployed next summer, I think. And I don't know how I'm going to handle him leaving or being gone for a year. HE has a plan. I just have to keep telling myself that. This song is so incredible. It's so powerful and inspiring. I cry every time I hear it because I think of Blake.

Somewhere a trumpet sounds in the night

A soldier is standing there

It's calling him out to the stars and stripes

It's calling him God knows where.

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He kisses the ones he loves good-bye

And leaves in the dead of night.

For freedom he'll heed the call

Leave all he knows

And for freedom he'll stand and fight.

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And somewhere a man and wife

can't believe they're waving their girl good-bye

For gone are the days of pig-tails and curls and candlelit lullabies.

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If they had their way she'd stay young forever

And never be far from home.

But freedom has drawn her heart to danger's shore

And for freedom they'll let her go.

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And somewhere a thunderous crash in the night;

It echoes all through the hills.

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Though many escape it's wrath and it's rage

A soldier lies wounded still.

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Remembering the land he loves; he cries

I've loved you with all my might

For freedom said I'm her son whatever comes

And for freedom I'll say good-bye.

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And somewhere beneath the stars and the sky

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Our flag is still standing there

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She bled and she brought one land under God

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Her colors still lead us there

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She's carried the lives of those before us

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She's buried the bold and brave

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For freedom she holds our hopes and hand up high

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And for freedom she'll ever wave.

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Silence and Awe

I haven't had a lot to say lately and I'm not sure why. Maybe because the people at my job are driving me nuts. Maybe it's because I have to change some things in my life right now that I don't necessarily want to--at all. Maybe it's because I've just been thinking instead of talking.

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"Be still and know that He is God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in all the earth."

Psalm 46:10

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I've been reading the Psalms lately. And I couldn't be happier reading them. Now, granted, I'm not in that 46th chapter just yet...but I'm getting there. I love reading the Psalms. The words bring joy to my heart and the knowledge that He is with me all the time. He holds me close and never forgets about me.

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"Keep me as the apple of your eye.

Hide me in the shadow of your wings."

Psalm 17:8

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He doesn't ignore me. He hears whenever I call out to Him. How powerful! I am the scum of the Earth to Him and yet; He still wants a relationship with me. Awesome. I have done Him so wrong and still He loves me. That absolutely blows my mind.

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"The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;

the Lord accepts my prayer."

Psalm 6:9

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This really neat this happened at work on Wednesday. As you probably know, it was Veteran's Day and we were giving free smoothies for anyone in a service uniform. These two people in uniform came in to order and it was clearly their first time, right in the middle of the lunch rush--no doubt. As they were ordering, this lady behind them caught my attention and mouthed the words, "I want to pay for their meal." So the couple finished ordering and after I took the smoothie prices off they were left with a certain amount and the lady behind them stepped up and said, "I would like to pay for your meal to say 'Thanks for serving our country.'" I almost started crying! How moving is that! It's so incredible that there are still good people in this world. I would have paid for their meal if I had thought of it myself, but I didn't. HA! May God bless that lady! Anyway, the end of the story is the couple was so thankful and the lady in uniform was so moved that she hugged the one who paid for her meal! I will never forget this for as long as I live.

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Thank you to all who have served my country.

katie

Got Any Change?

Last week was a huge reminder of change in my life.

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A change from childhood into adulthood.

A change from life to death.

A change from light to dark.

A change...

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I'm not very good with change to begin with, especially when that person or place or event has been in my life for long. It will take me a lifetime to get used to the fact that my Daddy is no longer here on this earth. I may know that he is not here and I may cope with it but I will never be used to it or okay with it. You know, when he passed away, people said, "Think of God as your Daddy". Well thanks for the advice, but it's not the same. But trusting in my Lord makes it better and bearable.

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I hope that one day there will be a big change that I'm excited about...like marriage! I don't want to be afraid my whole life. I know it will come for me and I honestly cannot wait, but I also know that I have a lot of things to work out in my life before that can happen.

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"And we know that God causes everything

to work together for the good of those who love God

and are called according to His purpose for them."

Romans 8:28 NLT

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I know that He has and will work everything out for my good because I love Him. I cannot wait to see how He has planned my life! I just can't wait!

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Speaking of change, like my blog change? I thought it was time!

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Until next time...

katie