Sweetheart, You've Got Your Girl!

My obstetrician was going on a 2-week vacation right when my baby was due, and since he had been my "go-to" doc throughout my pregnancy, I didn't want to take a chance on him not being there for me. Doc told me the baby was "fully cooked" so "Let's help her make her debut on Monday", and that's what we did. Back in those days, most of us were "out" when the baby arrived, while the dads were in the Waiting Room.

When I woke up, my husband said, "Sweetheart, you've got your girl." Oh, the inexpressible joy that I felt. Of course, I would have had that joy if God had blessed us with another boy, but, I loved that God's plan was for this precious baby girl, born today, December 8th.

I'm celebrating that precious girl today because I've seen God's purposes for her life being fulfilled in some of the most miraculous and tremendous ways. For the first months of her life, she was a sick little baby with having many bouts of pneumonia and was eventually diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Not only did the enemy lose that battle, but he lost it in trying to steal our faith. She was ultimately healed, and my husband and our faith grew exponentially. "What the enemy meant for evil, God turned it for good." Genesis 50:20

She was a "Daddy's girl and she became his God-given "project". He understood right from the beginning that she was special, and that God was going to use her life in many ways. He was her sports, voice, stage and life coach. You think a Stage Mom is something. You should have seen the likes of his training and coaching our girl. So many times in tears, she'd come to me asking for my intervention with Daddy who was relentless in pulling out the best in her. "Practice. Practice. Practice" was his philosophy. He succeeded, and that little girl eventually knew no fear to be on the stage, to belt out another song on camera, to speak to huge audiences, and be with high profile people. But more than all of that, her name, Staci Michelle -- "resurrection life" and "close to God" have held true. She has brought so much life to us and so many others. She has led by example in integrity and character in business and life -- sincerely making a difference in so many people's lives.

I spoke at her surprise birthday party with close friends two nights ago and said, “Seedtime and harvest”. Her Daddy and I planted many seeds of faith into her from her very beginning – she knew that the enemy lost his battle on stealing her life at a young age and she has been giving him “hell” ever since with her relentless passion to change the world. Now, more than ever, it seems those seeds are producing a harvest beyond our wildest dreams.

As I'm typing this, I know I must sound like a proud and braggadocios Mom. In a sense, I am, because our greatest investment paid off. The time we invested into her -- through tears and time and finances -- paid off. I tell you this story -- celebrating this day and the precious life God gave us, but mostly to tell you, Moms and Dads, out there -- "INVEST in your kids. Take time to give them the best of you. Cultivate their talents. Speak into them that they can do and be anything that God wants them to be. Teach them about God and His faithfulness and absolutely knowing that "nothing is impossible with Him". What a payback for an investor! The payback of years of growth, rich rewards, paying forward to the next generation (their children and grandchildren) is the greatest reward. And the multiplied blessings of that investment goes way beyond our own family -- it spreads to others -- these seeds bear fruit in so many other people's lives. I promise you....after many, many years of investing into what matters most, it is worth every effort. Just imagine what your investment will reap in rewards.

DisAPPOINTMENT or His APPOINTMENT

Day 301 of Photo Inspirations -- DisAPPOINTMENT or His APPOINTMENT
Did some-ONE or some-THING really disappoint you?   We can't stop disappointment, but we can stop staying stuck in it. I know how easy it is to dwell on something or someone that hurt me.  But, that gets us nowhere.  I remember the void I felt when my sweetheart graduated to heaven.  When I would dwell on that void, sadness and grief would try to fill me and I would become miserable.  But, when I would snap out of that dwelling place to go to the "secret place of the Most High" -- the better place, I'd experience joy, gladness, comfort and peace.  .

God has incredible plans for us and the enemy of our souls would like to keep us from ever experiencing those plans and just stay "put" in woe and distress. God's purpose for our lives goes way beyond times of disappointment. In fact, that disappointment today may just be the SET UP for His APPOINTMENT where hope is found and comeback has major assignments that produce many successes and joys. That's what happened to me.  My days are filled with purpose and I know that I'm walking in my destiny, getting to bring others with me on this road.

I saw Christine Caine's daily post a few days ago that really inspired me. She said "Isn’t it interesting that the word "appointment" comes from within the word disappointment? I’ve often marveled at that because I’ve seen again and again how disappointments take something FROM us: a dream, a piece of our hearts – maybe whole chunks of it. But disappointment GIVES us something too: a gift, an opportunity, the possibility of creating change. This means we can move from the valley of the shadow of death to new horizons and bring others with us on that road."

Yesterday my blog was about the steps of a comedian's joke.  First he provides the set up, then he goes another direction with the punchline.  For example, Michael Jr. told how his 4 year old son came to him and said, "Daddy I want to be a doctor when I grow up!"  Michael Jr. was so excited and happy about his son's aspirations.  Then his son said "Or a dinosaur!" LOL!  (The set up.....shift happened.....and then the punchline.)

Let's remember God is in the "set-up" and appointment business.  There are many future God-appointments on the other side of whatever disappointment we may be encountering today.

God has got your name on His appointment schedule.  He'll be right on time.  Don't you be a minute late!

Are You Living in the Zone?

Have you ever been inspired as you watched an athlete play HIS GAME and you'd see him at his best, doing his best and having remarkable results? Commentators would say..."He's sure in the zone, today!"

Being "in the zone" is when someone’s actions seem effortless, almost as if they could score at will -- just a sweet spot where their confidence, talent and abilities produce winning results.

Are you "living in your zone" -- that moment when you enjoy and love what you are doing so much, and are so passionate about doing it, that you don't even consider it a job or task or service project or ministry endeavor? It's just that sweet spot of "living in your zone".

In general, I live that way, but weekends are when I really feel the most "in the zone". I attend two church services to worship and thank God for His many blessings to me, but I also serve in two other church services. And I have a Life Group in my home during the week. It's my calling. I know it. A calling is when we are passionately using our God-given gifts in a way that pleases Him. I know that when we find God's purpose and destiny for our lives...we begin to feel "in the zone" -- passionate about OUR GAME in life.
Have you discovered your calling? Are you living "in your zone"? If not, pray and ask God to help you find that sweet spot. In time, He’ll reveal it to you and you'll soon be "living in your zone"!