So it's been awhile!!!

Hi bloggy world! I have been away for awhile but I visited one blog tonight and found myself clicking on another, and another...and before I knew it my heart was overflowing and my fingers needed to type. You girls do that to me. Seeing God in you makes me a better person. I sure love you guys!!

I will spend a few minutes telling you what has been going on around here since the last time I wrote...which was September 9th! Wow I haven't written in over 3 months...time flies when you are having surgery I guess!

Back in October I had some sickness and ended up needing my Gallbladder out, I was out of work for about a month and then went back to work and worked until the first of December. I had an MRI and as some of you may know I have had back problems for years and years. I fell about 4 years ago and ruptured a few disk's in my back. I had one surgery about three years ago and things had been going fine then about 8 months ago I started having lots of pain in my left leg. I had a new MRI in November and we found out I had a HUGE disk rupture my nerves were in bad shape, I had began to lose use of my left leg and my doctor worried that I would lose control of my bladder and other bodily functions...so less than a week after the doctor saw the MRI I had a back fusion. This is a huge deal since I am just 30. I now have 4 screws and 2 rods and a mesh "fake disk" in my back. I have been out of work for over a month now and my doctor estimates that it will still be at least 2 to 3 more months before I am able to go back. Thank God for Short Term Disability and for a wonderful husband who has taken care of me!

Things have been rough we went through Christmas with me barley able to sit and it was hard not to be able to do the things I always do for Christmas. But God provided and we improvised and everything worked out!

I have to say I have been a little bummed because of the outlook that I have been given with the steel in my back. I won't be able to bend as easily and I really can't be lifting or carrying anything or anyone...this makes the idea of adopting seem a little far fetched but I know all things are possible through Christ and I look forward to being surprised by exactly what I am able to do after my healing is complete.

I will continue to try and catch up with everyone..I hope that you are all well! God Bless!

In Christ Alone,

Sherri

Operation Giggle

Operation Giggle is in full swing! Please visit the blog at http://operationgiggle.blogspot.com/ to learn more!

In Christ Alone,

Sherri

Memorial Box Monday: Writing on the Wall

One day I was having a particularly down day. My love tank was on the south side of empty and I honestly just didn't feel very great about myself. I was having a bad hair week, my clothes felt all wrong, I had realized I put on a couple of pounds...just felt like YUCK. Know what I mean?! Well I called my husband, hoping to get a little pep talk and when I started whining talking to him about how I felt he pretty much told me to get over it...he was busy at work and I think he just didn't feel like dealing with an emotional wife at the moment. Well I decided to stop by a store that I loved and I parallel parked and sat in my car and started praying. I just spilled my guts to God about how awful I felt and I asked Him to please help me feel better about things. I got out of the car and I happened to glance up and I saw this:

My heart skipped a beat...who wrote that? How did someone get up that high to write it? I know you can't tell from the picture but this is very high...I was holding my phone up over my head to get this. I'll never know what human hand wrote this or why but it sure felt like a message straight from my Heavenly Father to me and I suddenly didn't feel quite so frumpy.

It's amazing how God knows just what we need and He cares enough to provide it.

I am going to print off this picture and put it in my Memorial Box to remind me that even on my ugliest days God sees the beauty of what I can be.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING!

God is so real. I know that seems like such a silly statement. But the REALITY of HIM is so wonderful that it has me breathless. His Spirit is such a rich wealth. I know sometimes I take it for granted but where HIS SPIRIT is there are healing, freedom, salvation, power, and so much more.


I have been listening to an online service and even though I am sitting in my bedroom. I can feel the Holy Spirit all over me. It is everything I can do to keep myself sitting here at these keys. In the service I am watching there was just a soul saved. The Spirit of God is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing we can have in today’s church and sadly it is the one thing that is THE MOST LEFT OUT. We come in at an appointed time, we have our appointed prayer, our appointed songs, our appointed message and we go back to our appointed cars and drive to our appointed homes. The problem is that we need less appointment and more anointment.

God would rather that we have one anointed service that HIS SPIRIT is the MAIN ATTRACTION at than a weeks worth of perfectly planned productions. I am convinced that it is up to us. The sons and daughters of God to show this world that they are missing something and it’s not there name on a church role, it’s GOD’S SPIRIT!

They will never come to church just because we have so much fun, they will never come because our program is so well put together. The thing that will bring hungry hearts to Christ is to allow our own hearts to be come ravenous for CHRIST and HIS SPIRIT.

Then we must FEED on the WORD of God and allow HIS WORD to shape who we are. I know that God is doing some reshaping in my life.

Take me LORD! MAKE ME DISAPPEAR! I want anyone who looks on me to only see YOU!

Transitioning...again.

Hello! I haven't blogged in awhile but I NEED to blog today.

Life is great but busy. I got my new position at work, PRAISE THE LORD! I needed insurance so I can get my health concerns under control and now I am going to be able to do so. However I am having to work 40 hours min per week. Couple this with homeschool and my health problems and I have been stretched VERY thin.

We have been homeschooling since July and we honestly have had a ball so far. Don't get me wrong it is SUCH a challenge but it has been so much fun. That is why the decision I am facing is b.r.e.a.k.i.n.g me. I know God led me to homeschool. I felt it so strongly and I still feel such a great need to educate my children. However I am not super woman and I am putting in some MAJOR hours right now at work. I honestly have no choice. I need back surgery that means I need insurance and my job is the only way to provide that insurance. I have prayed so hard about all of this and I feel very defeated at the idea of "giving in" and putting my children back in school.

The only sense I can make of it is that God wants me to take a more active role in my children's education. I plan on still teaching the Science portion of our curriculum because I know they are not learning about creation at school and it is my job to teach them the truth. I have also developed a new love of reading with my children that will continue no matter what I decided to do. We have also made daily bible study priority and I want that to continue as well. But is that enough? Is that enough to satisfy the longing God has given me to teach these children? I am not sure. But I do know that my plate is full and the last thing I want is my children's education suffering because of something I have done or not done. Opinions, comments, and general chatter are welcome but please be gentle and kind...even if your opinion is that I am making a huge mistake say it in love. I want to hear what you guys think. Is there anyone out there that supplements what the schools teach...how is that working for you?!

Also please pray for my children the school they were going to is very crowded and has lost a few teachers so we may have to make a switch to a new school. They are both ok with it but I am worried about how they will fit in. Please pray for my family during this time.

In Christ Alone,

Sherri

Hello Friends!

* insert quiet clearing throat sound here* Umm Hello bloggy friends, I have missed you guys. I love you all. I have been on-line for a little while catching up with some of you, reading your blogs, looking at your pictures, and feeling very ashamed of myself. You see part of my calling is to pray for those like-minded people who are adopting or have adopted or will adopt but I have been kinda in love with my flesh, and blinded by my pet sins for a few weeks. I have sort of been in limbo. As I have told you before to read your stories and to follow your journeys has a tendency to make my heart bleed quite a bit and I decided to take a break but unconfessed sin is still sin and an unfulfilled calling is still a calling and things have been pretty miserable here in the land of disobedience so I think I better get off my kester and do a little something.

I can't visit bloggyland as often because I homeschool 20 hours a week and work 30 hours a week outside the home but I can visit for a few minutes every day and I can spend a couple of minutes blogging. I can let people in...matter of fact I need to.

My back, that I firmly believe God touched and healed, has begun to give me fits again. My left leg is completely numb and my left knee is in bad shape. I am in MAJOR pain and I have an appointment with my the surgeon who did my first surgery on Wednesday. Please pray about all of this.

We are leaving for a MUCH needed vacation on Thursday and I know that this will lift my spirits, being at the ocean is always a time of soul searching and renewal for me. It reminds me of my BIG huge GOD and I really need that now. I am going to go catch up with a few more of you and then start to pack. Love you all!
In Christ Alone,

Sherri

I'm still here!

Things have took a turn toward busy and I haven't been in bloggy land much lately but I thought I would check in. I have started a new position that lasts until October 1st. I am homeschooling from 8-12 and working from 1:30-8. With the two hours of driving I have to do to get to work and back that means I am going for over 13 hours...so I am pretty tired and I normally fall into bed before I even think about blogging.

It is very hard to get everything done right now but I keep telling myself I can do anything for three months, RIGHT?!

I received some bad news from the doctor a few weeks ago. My back has another pinched nerve and I am losing feeling in my left foot and leg. I need another surgery but I am uninsured right now. I am going to call a local hospital today and see if there is anything they can do for me there. Please keep this situation in your prayers.

Homeschool is going great and I am very surprised with how quickly the kids are picking up on things. I will tell you it is the hardest, most rewarding thing I have ever done. Maybe I can post more about that later. Hope everyone is well! God Bless!

Sherri