The Rained In Vacation!

Have you ever been disappointed when your plans got 'rained on' and a door was closed and then been pleasantly surprised when God opened the view to His plan? Well, that is what happened to me this past week.

My husband and I have been planning a long awaited, way overdue vacation to see his mom.

As the days drew nearer to our departure the weather both here in AZ and our destination near Lake Tahoe became rainy and snowy (did I say rainy and snowy? I meant RAINY and SNOWY). We desperately wanted to go on our trip but wisdom told us otherwise and we cancelled the vacation.

My heart was pouting until God spoke: Cindy, you need to rest!

Truly, I felt that driving 700 miles in one day and spending 3 days with his mom, visiting various friends, celebrating a birthday, going to a 40 year retirement party, then driving 700 miles home on another day was restful, don't you?

Well, I guess God didn't either!

This past year, since Mark officially 'retired' from work (actually went on disability), I have run myself ragged working and trying to keep the family afloat financially. When God said rest, He meant rest.

God blessed my socks off because I quit pouting and did just as He said.

I enjoyed time with my son, helping him clean his closet and re-organize his room. I enjoyed time with my hubby, shopping, going out to meals, cooking together, puttzing around the house, watching Barrett/Jackson, making silly fantasy bids, and truly laughing at and with each other. I took naps and stayed in my jammies most of the time.

Sunday all the kids came over to eat and watch some football, what a fun and relaxing afternoon we all had. I was able to spend some quality time with my daughter-in-love and do some baking together with her and my granddaughter while the guys built a toy box. I was able to make an official announcement that the kids are expecting a baby in late September. Oh, the joy we had!!

And then today I was able to spend 5 wonderful hours alone working in my home office, getting tax papers ready while listening to a wonderful 'A Woman Inspired' Webinar!

I am well rested and ready to go back to the office tomorrow!

God took what could have been a very discouraging 5 days and made beautiful things happen. No visitors, no phone calls, no cards in the mail or words of encouragment, which under normal circumstances is very discouraging to me, but God cheered my weary heart and gave me strength to run the race.

Here are just a few shots taken this past few days.

Brass Armadillo

40,000 sq ft of antiques

This is my find of the day

The cutest pencil sharpener ever!

$4.99

Kori and Melissa preparing the Rocky Road Fudge - Andrew's favorite!

Finished!

Andrew and Mark playing Carpenter!!!

Not finished YET!!!

Happy kids ~~~ Happy Grandparents!!

Matthew took a sabbatical from the camera, but he was here!

Considering a Rained~In Vacation Very Joyful,

Cindy

Where I Spend My Time...

My blogging is certainly not as regular as I would like it to be. Everyday I think of things I want to write and then before I know it, it's 10 or 11 pm and time for a little sleep. I began thinking about where the time goes and why I don't seem to be able to accomplish as much as I would like to each day.

It has occured to me that there are three places I spend most of my time and one of them in particular is not the best place at all. So, in my attempt to be open and transparent I am going to show you my three hideaways:

Below is my desk at work. I spend at least 40 hours a week right here.

Oh, yes it is true that I spend more than a few steps going back and forth between this desk and my employers office and everywhere in between, yet my back side spends many hours right here. I do love my job and YES...my desk looks like that EVERY night when I leave the office. I don't like messes...a little OCD and a bit over organized.

Below is my desk at home. It is not quite as organized as my office at work but it's tax season and I have piles of 2009 stuff everywhere. Can't wait until my taxes are filed and I can put 2009 behind me (in more ways than one).

So, (confession time), in this chair I spend way too much time on Facebook, playing FarmVille and Spider Solitaire when I should be in this spot blogging and writing books. I believe I have become a procrastinator in my older (50+) age.

Below is my comfy place.

In this place I wear my jammies, wrap myself in a blankie and CONTROL the remote.
Yes! I don't know how that happened but I really do keep the remote.
Hubby just watches whatever I choose, but we really like the same things...well, that is when I'm home. If I'm gone then he watches fishing and hunting shows...Yuck~


It is no wonder that 2009 was not only a tough year for me personally but~ uummm ~my back side grew Waayy toooo much. I don't really understand how that happened either, because I worked so much this past year but I suppose when I wasn't working I was sitting in the place above ~ EATING ~ and of course, it was ALL the wrong stuff!!!

So, now you have my confession.
And NOW I need to make some changes.
I do desire to blog more, write my three books that are in progress AND quit watching so much TV!

Here's to 2010 and some new habits:)

Considering All Things With Joy,
Cindy

A Year Of Change!

So, here we are in 2010...A new year, a new decade.

What is past is past and what lies before us is still unknown.

I am taking a few moments in this new year to reflect briefly on the year behind.

It was one year ago that my husband joined the ranks of those over 50 and unemployed, not by choice but by economy. {Change}

A new Bible Study starts at church and I get to teach again for the first time in a couple of years. Love it! {Change}

March brought additional employment for me, cleaning a medical office at night. {Change}



With April came unemployment for our youngest son. A young man with very special needs doing his best to be 'normal' yet the economy and anxiety caught up with him also. {Change}



May was a difficult month for our oldest son, no details needed but ... {Change}

As June approached a new set of challenges made themselves known. Applications for disability for both husband and youngest son left our heads spinning. Numerous doctor appointments and visits with social workers were the order for this month, actually not so new for this family, but for different reasons. {Change}



No July vacation this year. I needed to work too many jobs and well, quite frankly the economy was just too shaky. {Change}

August brought some much needed news in the acceptance of disability for my hubby! When you have end stage renal failure and a kidney transplant I guess disability is automatic, yet hubby worked for 5 years post transplant, for which I am so proud of him. {Change}

September came and in my exhaustion from working 4 jobs, I stepped down as the Women's Ministries Director at our sweet church. Sadness and {Change}

As our family approached October I became a bit depressed. The difficulties of the year and the shear exhaustion I had been experiencing caused me to sink into sadness. I wanted to sleep a lot and I sure was caught by surprise when I realized I was sad that I would not be '50' any longer. {Change}

November brought with it a long-term business decision that took me to Baltimore, MD. The first time I have traveled anywhere east of the southwest. (Did that make sense). Me, on a plane for 5 hours each way... (Susan, can you believe that?). {Change} Also, the news that our oldest son would be getting married in December...Ummm...Hello!!! December is in 5 weeks son and you want us to plan a wedding? YES!! We did! {Change}

So you know what change December brought - a beautiful wedding! A new daughter! A wonderful reunion with all of our family! And then Christmas!!!!! Oh yeah, and I quit cleaning the medical office at night ... sigh... happy relief!!!!! {Change}

As you can tell 2009 was a year of Change.

What are we expecting and anticipating for 2010? ... {Change}

Why?

Because life is always changing around us. Constantly in motion...every breath we take brings a new moment.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" Isaiah 43:18-19a

God is always doing a new thing...He never changes...but we change!

Considering Change a Bit Exhausting...Yet filled with JOY!!

Cindy

Celebrate

Happy New Year Everybody and Welcome to my Blog!

I begin this post with a picture of my hubby who celebrated his 60th birthday tonight.

Yes, I fortunately married a New Year's Eve Baby.

So, the end of each year brings joy to our home.

2009 was a difficult year in many ways but especially relating

to my husband losing his job 01/09/09.

Finances fluctuated

Stress levels soared

Exhaustion enveloped my life

However, God supplied

December brought a beautiful wedding

and a daughter into our family.

And now an opportunity to celebrate 60 years of life

It wasn't too long ago that we couldn't see this day

As we journeyed through Mark's illness and transplant.

But here we are: Celebrating God's Goodness

This year we chose a quiet family dinner.

Melissa had to work so it was just the 5 of us

But it was a great night.

On the menu

Sparkling Cider

Filet Mignon

Veggie Salad

Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes

And Dessert

Individual/Mini Angel Food Cakes

(And yes, I prepared and cooked all the food)

With a choice of four different Haagen Dazs Ice Creams

Cherry Vanilla worked just fine for me

But the Carmel Chocolate Cone

Was good too.

One last 2009 photo with our precious granddaughter

And another year comes to an end.

Where 2010 takes us

Well, I have no idea but I know that wherever we go

God goes with us.

Our family motto:

Through It All: FAITH!!

Peace and God's Best Blessings for you and yours in 2010

Thanks for becoming my bloggy friends

I plan to see more of you in 2010.

Considering 2010 with JOY,

Cindy

UPDATE...Urgent Prayer Request

Newest Update...

Christmas Night

Todd is awake,

talking and joking

Doctors say he is in the less than 1%

who will recover from

a massive brain hemerage

Surgery is scheduled for Sunday

But tonight

It would seem

that GOD has choosen to do a miracle

On this Christmas morning

Todd is beginning to respond to commands

Continuing to Pray!

(Original Post)

Calling all prayer warriors

on Christmas Eve

Friend of family

Todd

36 years old

Has wife and young kids

He had headache yesterday

Son found him this morning having seizure

In hospital now

Bleed on brain

Unsure of outcome

Family is just waiting

Very critical

Will update when information is received