Peace comes in the morning....

I'm going to make this short and sweet tonight, then I'm going to get to bed and get some much needed R &R  (for me that stands for Reading & Rest).

I entitled this post "Peace comes in the morning...."

For those of you whom have ever had their heart broken then you probably know what I'm talking about.   The nights are always the hardest.  I'm not sure why.  I'm not sure if its because you are alone, have quiet time to think, are exhausted from the day, or you notice your routine is different than it "used to be", but whatever the reason when your going through something the nights are always the worst.   Kind of like when our kids are sick, they seem to be OK, but the fever always seems to peak at bed time......I don't know the reason for that either.   Just something about bed time I guess.  Maybe its the enemy trying to steal our rest, the fuel we need to make the next day an enjoyable one, I don't know but seems logical, and why not blame Satan...if your going to blame anyone.  :)

I'm having one of those moments now....I did last night too.....and the sad part is I've been here before.   When I'm in the midst of it, I am calling to God asking him to stop the hurting and all I can think of is if I could take this pain away from someone else in the world I would because I don't want anyone to ever go to sleep feeling that way!   I'm assuming those reading know what I'm talking about.  I try to tell myself scriptures I know like "Greater is he that is in me than is in the world" and "all things work for the greater good of gods plan" (I may be a little off on that one) but you know all those that are supposed to make us feel better.   Notice I said a keyword:  "Supposed"....that's because they don't.   Why?  Because we don't let them.   We hear them as just words rather than from the voice of our heavenly father talking directly to us!  

I just received an email reassuring me that God is a patient God, he doesn't hurry us, rush us, he lets us take our time.....so if we are feeling "rushed" then it most likely isn't from God.   I haven't had time to meditate on that one yet, but I'm putting it out there because I think maybe someone else who reads this might need to hear those words as well.

I wrote on Facebook the other day a quote it was this "Don't be afraid to fall in love, you just fall in love with as many things as possible..." Gwyneth Paltrow from the movie Country Strong.

At the time I thought it was such good advice, and not that I don't now, but falling in love means you can get hurt, and that part isn't any fun.

So I'm going to give myself my own advice tonight:

"Remember this too shall pass, God doesn't give us anything we can't handle even when it seems like it.   Just think back to the times you've felt this way before and remember how you were able to gather the strength to get through.  When I think back to all those moments in my life the one thing I've learned is to look to God first, not after when you understand and are thanking him (not that you shouldn't) but look to him in the beginning for guidance, in the middle for strength, and at the end for thanksgiving!" 

That will be my own quote for this evening.

Because he is there, when you think you don't need him...he's there, when you are down on your knees....he is there, and when you are lifting your hands in praise....he is there!

So Good Night my Friends, and don't forget......He's there!

May you have Peace tonight & in the morning!



What is a Christian woman?

The other day I was asked the question of "How do you be a career-oriented, working mom, and also conform to what the bible says in regards to how woman/wifes/mothers should be?"

I was ready for this question, because I have asked it myself before and saught out answers.  Although, I don't know if I have it all figured out, which I'm pretty sure I don't.   I do have some of the answers that I've found that have helped me make sense of it.  

For one I believe that God knew when we were born how our lives were going to end, what choices we'd be faced with, whether we'd make good choices or bad ones, and whether we would reap the fruits or the hard time for these choices made in life.

Awhile back I had quoted a verse that I think is appropriate to quote again because to me it defines EXACTLY who God wants everyone woman/wife/mother to be;

Epilogue:  The Wife of Nobile Character

A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value

She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

She gets up while it is still dark;

she provides food for her family

and portions for her servant girls.

She considers a field and buys it;

out of her earnings

she plants a vineyard.

She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her task.

She sees that her trading is profitable,

and her lamp does not go out at night.

In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

She opens her arms to the poor

and extends her hands to the needy.

When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

for all of htem are clothed in scarlet.

She makes coverings for her bed;

she is clothed in fine linen and

purple.

Her husband is respected at the city gate,

where he takes his seat among the

elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them,

and supplies the merchants with sashes.

She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom ,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also , and he praises her:

"Many women do noble things,

but you surpass them all"

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Give her the rewward she has earned,

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 31:10-31

Now here is what I take from reading this, and how I can relate as an independent working woman (as well as the other side, the wife & mother).  It mentions she gets up while its still dark and provides food for her family.  Does this sound familiar to any of you mothers out there?   I know if I want to get a shower for myself, actually look decent for work, and have the kids bathed, dressed and fed before school I am definitely getting up before dawn, and that isn't even counting if I work out in the mornings!

This verse talks of her considering a field and buying it.   Hmmmm.......sounds like she's buying Real Estate, now I don't know but interestingly enough it does not include her husband as any part in this??? 

She then from her earnings she plants a vineyard!  Now she's going into business........now ladies who wouldn't love to own a vineyard?!?  

It says she see's her trading is profitable and her lamp doesn't go out at night.   Its funny because usually when I'm on here blogging, or working it is long after my kids are in bed, dinner is put away, dishes are washed, counters wiped off, outfits laid out for the next day, and then I go to "work".   I know this is the same for many of you.

She feeds the poor and gives to the needy.......how many of you volunteer in your childs school, or local community, be it the food pantry, community garden, working with children, etc.   Sounds like the woman of noble character, is a giver and a doer!

Most of all it tells us she is a hard worker, but at the end she reaps the best rewards of all and that is the appreciation, acknowledgment and blessings from her husband & children.

Now whom of you ladies wouldn't love to go into your childs room wake them up for school and they "arise and call you blessed"  or in modern terms "Ok, mom....wow do I smell pancakes? Your the best mom in the world, I am so lucky to have you, Johnny's mom down the street only gives him cereal."  Ok, well I may have went to far with the pancake thing, but you get the jist!

I have more to say though so hang on with me a little longer......

Of course we as modern women all strive to be this person, I mean who wouldn't?   But I'd be willing to bet 99% of us come up short.   Why?  Because we live in a different era than that woman in the bible, our grandparents, our parents.......yet we constantly are trying to compare ourselves to what was "normal" decades ago when circumstances were much different.

I was lucky and was able to have a mom who stayed home with us while we were little.   I remember my friends coming over and saying "Your house is always so clean!"   Well, that is because my mom was always cleaning!  Don't get me wrong she was a great mom, did tons of stuff with us, gave the best parties, etc.  but as for our home life I do remember her always cleaning.  

When I grew up and had a house and family of my own, I started down that route.   My family would all be huddled together in the living room watching a favorite show, and their I'd be "Ms. Cinderella" doing the dishes, mopping the floor, cleaning up after dinner, etc.   All I did was build up resentment towards my husband and children, and missed out on the fun family time.  Now there are two ways I could argue this, and they are I could have MADE them help or I could have JUST let the cleaning wait.   I found out that a little of both made us function best.   Was it hard for me to leave that mess sitting there?  Oh my gosh, you will never know!   But now I know that what is most important are my children and other than when things get way out of control I try to let a lot of stuff go, and make sure the basics are done.   Then every once in awhile I'll get in the mood to do a big deep clean, and around and around we go.   This may seem chaotic to some, but to me it seems very organized as we are all different.

This is once again longer than what I wanted but I am going to share a little more.  If you ever have the chance to read any of John Gray's books Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus he will teach you in very short easy to read ways on how the opposite sex acts and why and how our differences can be complimented rather than tear you apart.

So I'm going to start a series and quote a section from his book "Mars and Venus In Touch" by John Gray.  I think you will find it very informative, familiar and entertaining.   Maybe you'll even be able to print out this small blurb and get your spouse to read it????   Let me know how that works for you.....hey you could always copy & paste it in an email.....its so short he'll have read it before he realizes what your doing.....LOL

What Women Need Most and Men Really Want

The women who attend my relationship seminars are always amazed by the fact that half the audience is composed of men.   They find it hard to believe, but men really are seeking ways to make women happy and are just as interested as women in improved relationships.  The problem is that their traditional ways of doing so aren't getting through to the women.

If problems arise at home, the traditional male approach to solving them is to become more successful at work.  If a relationship is troubled, a traditional man doesn't take a seminar or purchase a book on relationships; he takes a course or buys a book on business and success.  Why?  Because from time immemorial, a man could always make his parnter happier by being a better provider.

In the hunter/gatherer days, this arrangement worked out fine.   IT worked well enough even for our fathers.  For us, however it doesn't work at all.   Today's wives do not leave husbands because they're not being provided for.  They leave because they are they are emotionally and romantically unfulfilled.  When a man does not understand a woman's new needs, it is inevitable that she will be unfulfilled.  This increased dissatisfaction is also what turns men off.  Husbands do not leave wives because they no longer love them, they leave becaues they can't make them happy.  Generally speaking, a man gives up on a relationship when he feels powerless to succeed in fulfilling his partner.

By understanding how circumstances hve changed for both sexes, we can gain the insight and compassion necessary to master new approaches to mutually supportive relationships.

So for today take heart in knowing your problems are not isolated to only your family.   We live in a world that is constantly trying to break up marriages, and tear apart families.   When you get frustrated with your husband look at what he's doing, because he just might be using all the "tools in his toolbox" to "fix the problem" he just doesn't even realize that he's missing the one right tool that would make it all better.   Husbands when you are frustrated with your wives because they seem to always be giving you unsolicitated advice or they don't seem to be as welcoming as you feel they should be when you get home from a long days work, remember that they are just more than likely exhausted in more ways than one, and when they see that you are dissapointed or a little angry about how they didn't greet you at the door with a smile and a kiss, and instead through a baby into your arms and a clean diaper in the other hand and said "Here he's your child now", is just her way of showing you she's overwhelmed and needs your attention NOW.   Most women just need some validation for what they do, and for someone to listen (key word LISTEN) to them while they vent for a moment (for some of us that stay at home it may be the only adult conversation they get all day) and just love them, compliment where you can, how they look, how the house looks, that dinner smells good, or if they all are out of wack, then say "wow honey looks like you've had a rough day, go take a bath and some time to yourself while I get the kids corndogs or grilled cheese for dinner.   If just these two peices of advice were taken from both men and women.....I'm sure it would reduce the divorce rate across our country significantly.

So look for some more quoted chapters from John's book in future blogs.......

What happened to teaching our children to vote?

Today I could go in a lot of different directions but I woke up with something on my heart so I'm going to try to stick to that.....

However, I will first say this:  I try to not get into politics with people and I consider myself very uneducated in this area really, so for what I'm going to say you can take with a grain of salt if you even care to read.   My son and I just got done watching the Presidents Town Hall Meeting with CBS.   Griffen just turned 3, when he got up it was just starting, and I made a big deal of it (rather than having his usual PBS cartoons to watch) I said "Today is special, we get to watch our President of The United States of America, where we live."   (I've taught him about this before, and both Brett and I have taught him the pledge of allegiance, etc.)  So he jumped up and down, and sat and watched the whole thing, despite having a very bored look on his face it was as if he some how knew this was something important and he should be listening.   When it went to commercial he would play with his truck and then when it came back he would yell & jump, clap and say "Mommy he's back on, its back on, our President!" 

Now I'm not going to tell you my political stance or which party I'm on.........but I'm going to say a few things:
1.)   I think it is really sad that it has become publicly acceptable to bad mouth, have bumper stickers and T-shirts poking fun, or plain being disrespectful to the man in the highest position in our country.  Whom "We" as a nation voted for.  Especially, when most of these people probably didn't even bother to vote at all, yet they feel the need to post their derogatory opinion on the back of their mini-van for everyone to read.  Then we wonder why our children disrespect their teachers, parents, and other adults in authority????   Yet, these are the children riding in the mini-van with the bumper sticker on it, where their own parents are publicly announcing that they "disrespect our President of the United States????"  This angers me to no end, and seems to be a completely assanign thing to do!

2.)  What happened to teaching our children to vote?  Or better yet, the importance of voting?  When I was a child I attended a school that rarely had over 90 students.   Yet every voting season they would give us age appropriate info. on the candidates, the different offices, then they would bus us up to the Grange hall where we would go into the voting booths and physically vote.   Now, in this day and age of mail-in ballets, etc. I know this is a little harder, but yet with budget cuts we can barely afford as a school district to "bus" them to school and back home, let alone on a field trip.  Yet, we are in the midst of the largest recession since "The Great Depression", we will know doubt read about this in text books some day.   Many baby-boomers are concerned that they will not have any social security or medicare to depend on when they reach age (I just don't plan on it at all for my generation), yet we are not teaching our children the importance to "vote"?  I've read many publications on our children and the problem of "Entitlement", so many parents living beyond their means and going into debt just to make sure little Johnny gets everything they didn't have as a child, despite whether little Johnny even wants it!  Anything to make sure they are keeping up with the Jones' next door.   With problems like these, it should seem to be even more important to teach our children on the value of living in a  "Free Country" (now you can argue that if you want, but hopefully you get my point by now).   Just by living in America we are already richer than 93% of the rest of the world!  Yet, do we tell our children that?  Are they taught that at school?  No, they throw a fit everytime they walk into walmart with their parents and aren't allowed to buy the toy they spotted (that was probably made in China no less).  We already are living in a population where half of us don't bother to take the TIME to EDUCATE OURSELVES to vote and we don't even have to leave our home!!! (I've been guilty myself)   So even if for some reason our childrens generation (the ones paying for our social security, by the way) bother to vote, they are so uneducated, they are unlikely to spend the time reading and educating themselves on whom to actually vote for.........which means the media will now have total control of our country (if you don't already argue that they do).   Our childrens generation are technologically savy, if they aren't watching commercials on TV, they will see ads on the side of their email, or on the radio, everytime they log-in to their computer, trust me, the media, the politicians will find a way.   So they will be voting, based off a quick blurb, and which candidate has the best hair style, or is the most attractive, just as we would pick someone to dance with at the bar, or the one car salesman that sworms you, or the realtor in the magazine.    Seriously?   We cannot as parents sit back and think that someone else is going to teach our children the importance of this!

Ok, I'm going to split this blog up into two because I seem to be a little more verbal on this subject than I thought (Go figure!)

So I'm adding one more....
3.)  I mentioned that we have taught our 3yr. old the "Pledge of Allegiance".   When I was in elementary school we started our day by singing "Good Morning" to our teacher (ie. paying respect), we then faced the flag (which was in every classroom) and said the "Pledge of Allegiance", followed my singing "My Country Tis of Thee"........so why don't they do that anymore?   I don't have the answer, but could it be that in the Pledge of Allegiance it says the words "under God" which might offend some students.   Yet, we are talking about what our country was built on!!  People who believed in God, people who believed that God was the way and the only way that we could be so blessed to live in a FREE country!  Many others in our world are not so lucky.   When did this change?   When did the need to be so removed from the creator of our world happen to people?  I mentioned how we started the day when I was in school (not that long ago I'm 31).....yet I remember specifically that we had an aetheist and two Jehovah's Witnesses in our class.   Yet, they started class the same way, the Jehovah's Witness got to go home early when we celebrated holidays, such as Christmas (You know the Birth of Jesus, the son of God)........we didn't call them "Harvest Days", "Winter Celebration" or "Spring Concerts".......we actually sang real Christmas Carols, you remember the ones that mentioned "God".  Now, I think that most Christians prefer their children not dress as devil, or scary monsterish characters for Halloween, yet even though asked not to I see children dressed like this every year.  I also see Angels, they haven't banned that one, maybe they just disregard and call them "fairy's"??? Who knows. 

I'm getting a little off track but I feel very passionate about it.   Its hard for me to believe our schools are "public" when we pay taxes to support them, and then that doesn't even ensure us that our children will get a good education.   Every year our parent club is responsible for raising thousand of dollars (additionally from parents and the community) just so our children can have PE., Art, and go on Field Trips.......in addition any special programs are usually funded by grants that our wonderful giving teachers and principals take their own time to write and apply for, yet still most are not funded by our government.   So I consider my children's public school a "Public/Private School"  if it were not for the Parents and Volunteers our children's education would be severely less than acceptable........yet, we are raising the future leaders of our "FREE" Country!?!?!?!?!

OK, I'm stepping off my soap box.  I'm sure I ruffled some feathers, but hey you can't please everybody.  
Just notice I'm not telling you whether I like or dislike our President, I'm not telling you which party I choose to side with or how or if I even vote.   I'm simply stating some very obvious concerns of mine, that should be obvious to all parents, and I guess even more concerning to the people in my generation who choose not to have children (at least I know I have influence over a handful of people...LOL)......with that being said, I don't tell my children my opinion either other than I do not allow any disrespectful comments to be made to any adult let alone the President of our country, and I'm sure they've heard be gripe when I've seen the bumper stickers.  :)   I encourage my children to share their opinion (I love a healthy debate), and I make sure that their opinion is "THEIR" opinion.....not because they saw a commercial on TV, or heard one on the radio.  Not because their teacher shared only their opinion with them, or because they saw a lot of signs all over town, or because it's cool to be different, or the same.....whichever age group their in!    I want them to do their own research and feel proud of their opinion, and ready for the debate when the questions are asked.

So I just ask you who have children.....think about what you do and say in front of them.   None of us are perfect and we are all guilty of something in the sorts I've been talking about.  Hopefully, I'm just making you more aware.   Take some time to talk about voting & our country, and the differences in other countries.   Just know that we cannot sit back and depend on an under-funded education system to raise our children!  Values & Ethics are taught at home. 

Remember that you are the most influential person in your children's lives, and that is a large load to carry at times.......but you are just the person for the job!!  I know it!

Have a good day!  Sorry for talking Politics  ;)

It's always cool to learn from your mistakes...

So I've been a little busy lately and haven't been able to blog as much as the ideas and topics have popped into my head, however I have taken the time to right them down in a notebook so now I have a "backlog" of ideas.....LOL    However, today I'm just going to write and see where my fingers take me since my ideas are not where I am   :)

Part of the reason I've been so busy is I've been putting my life in order; I guess you could call it Spring Cleaning of the brain, and with that has come the start of a new business and the change in some others.   Hopefully anyone who is reading this has read my other post where I kind of explained "what I do" and why I seem to be associated with so many different companies.

My new project is really a labor of love and I truly believe it was God's will that put it in my heart, and he has been driving the boat ever since.  I really feel that I'm just along for the ride, the cool thing is though I'm prepared.   By that I mean, I am getting to have A LOT of those moments that finally come full circle and you realize why something that you went through that maybe was negative or "not real pleasant" happened, and I'm now able to use those as learning experiences as to not repeat them.   See God let me fail when I was working in the flesh but it was not all in vain, he had a plan for me and knew I needed to learn from those mistakes so that I would be equipped to do things right when working for him.   Very creative our God is!!! 

So I've been taking every business/marketing course/class I can possibly take lately.   I am also learning a lot on non-profits (in hopes of having a ministries some day).   I used to do daycare and teach Pre-school as many of you know but its been about 7 years since I've done it.   For the past couple years I've found myself missing working with children, and looking for opportunities where I could.   Finally, the idea came to start a new Pre-school, and without going in to all the details (I will save that for later), as soon as I let that become a reality the Lord has just been opening the doors!  It has been a really awesome experience, and what is really cool is to know that you are doing things "right" because you have learned from your previous failure or just plain lack of knowledge.   I know this probably is cooler to me, than it sounds to you reading this, but if you've ever experienced this then you know what I'm talking about.

So that is what I've been up to......starting this process, and simplifying the rest of my "projects" so I have time to do the Lord's work.  I will keep you updated on how this goes along with the rest of stuff I have going on its all really cool!

If you are interested in learning about the Pre-school, or any of the summer camps, baby-sitting certification course, etc.  please feel free to call or email me!  swensonandhurst@gmail.com  or find me on facebook.

My family is crying out for my attention so gotta run.....

Have a great week everyone!

Expect Favor in Your Life...

Happy Monday Everyone!  It was nice to get a weekend with sun, but unfortunately it also means Spring cleaning time........so not always as fun as we want it to be, especially for the kids!

Like I said in my last post I have a ton of different ideas on my heart that I want to blog about, but for your sake I'm really trying to stick to one topic without jumping around too much........incase you don't know me well enough the is a VERY HARD challenge for me, but one I must push through if I want to speak & teach, and I really don't think God's giving me much choice in the matter.

So I have a testimony to share.....
The week before last I took a class at the Lane Business Development Center.   It was titled "Marketing on a Shoestring".   As I walked into the classroom I saw a middle age man with glasses working on the projector, I immediately thought Oh no this guy does not look like he should be teaching this class, he doesn't even look successful himself, how is he going to teach us?  Then I realized there was another man in the room who seemed to be preparing some papers and chatting with the man working on the projector.  I then thought "Oh Great this man looks like Orville Redenbocker and is probably near his 80's and ready to keel over dead!"  I thought what a waste of my time, gas and babysitting.

Then instantly I caught myself.   I had only been in the room maybe 3 minutes and had already judged the only other people in the room with me!   Here I've been studying the bible, and blogging about not judging others and how its a goal of mine, and God gave me one simple test and I failed miserably.   The good thing is I caught it, repented, asked for forgiveness and cleared my mind to "receive" whatever message was going to be delivered to me that hour.

Two funny things happened.  One he was doing roll call (oh by the way, the older gentleman was the teacher) and my name wasn't on the list even though I had registered, several others had the same problem.  So he handed out a paper for them to fill out with their personal info. on it, but skipped me for some reason????  I didn't really care, I didn't want to fill out the paperwork anyway but thought it was odd that he gave it to everybody but me when I was almost exactly in the "middle" of the room.  The second odd thing is he asked a question and started three people on my left, then got to me said "I'm going to skip over you" and asked two people on my right.   Now, I was really thinking something was odd.........but that leads to the true testimony.

Before he had even started teaching the class I had this feeling come over me and the only way I can describe it is "Love", I just felt like jumping up giving the man a hug and telling him I love him (this was before he even skipped me).  The other word I had on my heart as he was speaking was "Hero"  I felt as if I was listening to my hero, and at the end of the class I had determined he really is worthy of being my hero, but I didn't yet know this. 

Throughout the whole class there was a picture on the screen of a white haired man, with some words.  Now the desks were arranged in a horse shoe setting, so I'm usually a front row girl but in this case I sat in the back so that I could be "facing" the teacher and the screen......however I must be going blind, and I could barely read the text on the screen and I just assumed the picture of the white haired man was him (the teacher).   About halfway through the class, after all these feelings have happened and I am now engrossed into what he is saying he turns to the screen and points, says a name, and says "This man is my hero", he then tells of how he learned of the man, his history, how he came to meet him, and why he is his hero.

At that moment I didn't know whether to laugh or cry it was so inspiring, so in my head I do as I always do and I thanked the Lord.   I have this thing that i sing a song in my head that goes "Thank you for your favor, Thank you for your favor....."  over and over again in prayer to the Lord.  I do this when I get the closest parking spot in a busy parking lot, or when I am broke and find $20 in my pocket just what I needed to put gas in my car, things like that.   Just before that moment I felt God tell me "You are favored", I've had this in class settings before.   When I attended the International Management Academy and there were probably 300 people in the room, I was chosen to go to dinner with the teacher (who I was in awe of as well), I seemed to know that before he chose me, it was like God had already told me "you will be favored".   I had the exact same feeling in this class, but nothing unusual happened other than what I've already told you, which to some probably sounds pretty unusual.

At the end of class I waited for the room to clear and I approached the man and thanked him and told him how great I thought he was and that I've traveled across the country and paid thousands to hear people speak and I probably learned more in an hour with him than I ever did at any of those fancy seminars.   I told him I had one question (for your sake I won't say or go in to depth about what it was), he looked at me smiled and said "You have my card, I am Free, call me and set up an appointment or we can go to lunch.  I will answer your question then." 

So now I'm definitely in awe of the whole situation, but mainly excited.  I felt like I met a new "Hero"  a "mentor" and for me having a mentor that I can actually sit across the table from has been hard for me to find.  Then I felt God was just blessing me, so with all those things put together how could you not be excited?  I felt as if I was being anointed!

So today is the day I will call and schedule the appointment to meet with him.   I needed to get some stuff in order before I did so that I could make the most of our appointment.  I will let you know in future blogs how it went.  :)

So that is just one testimony for the weekend, but as I already mentioned I'm trying to stay on one topic.  :)  I will say that it reminded me of my Easter post where I told the story of Joseph and his brothers and how Joseph was "favored by the Lord".   Now I definitely don't think I have the Lord's favor in the same way that he had but I also know better than to not "expect" it.   I know our God wants to favor us all if we will submit ourselves completely to him, he is showing us that all the time (like when we get the good parking spot, or find the $20 bill in our pocket). 
I am reminded of this verse:

"No eye has seen,

No ear has heard,

No mind has conceived

what God has prepared for those who love him"

1 Corinthians 2:9

Is this verse not cool or what?   I love it.   It is confirming what I said that our God wants to favor us, he wants to bless us, but we must step out in faith first.   We must recieve his love as the first gift, and from there the possibilities are unimaginable! 

Something I heard in class that day, something I was in conversation about yesterday morning, then arrived at church only to hear again (God was making sure I didn't miss this message!!) was about succeeding, and fear of failure.   This is not my quote but it was told to me "You fall forward toward success."   and  "the only time you fail is either when you quit trying, or you have succeeded!"   Now these two quotes are ME,  anyone who knows me very well knows that they must have been talking about my life or directly to me when these quotes were said.   Of course, that was not the case, but God was talking to me.  In that moment, I had an "Aha" moment, and I LOVE those.   Its like you figured out a puzzle you've been working on forever and you get to advance to the next level.   When I say this I'm speaking in context of the things that happen in our life that we can't understand the "why?", and it feels so wonderful when the blinders are lifted because no matter how bad the situation was, when you learn God's reason for "why" it all makes sense!   So I was floating on a cloud yesterday.    In respect of time I will say my "Aha" moment had to do with a certain set of circumstances in my life, and how they played out, and how they resulted in where I am right now, and WHY I am where I'm at.   Which of course then gave me PEACE, knowing that although I'm not where I thought I wanted to be, I'm exactly where God wants me to be and that is the best place to be!!

So I will close with this verse which I found in my bible.   When I read it the first time I circled it, and then wrote in the margin "This is ME!!!!" with an arrow pointing to it:

The Narrow and Wide Gates

"Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Have a good day Everyone, and remember to EXPECT favor in your life today, and give thanks when it happens.   It happens to us far more than we realize, and much more than we give thanks for!!   God Bless You!