Second visit to see the puppy.

We made our second visit to see the new puppies today. Justin made his choice. We made sure to take lots of pictures of the new puppy until our next visit. He is so sweet and cute. I think Justin is smitten. He was a aglow on the way home. He kept smiling and talking about his new puppy all the way home.

Gratitude?

While driving to Birmingham today I decided to listen to an artist that I have not listened to in quite a while. Nicole Nordeman. Listening to the lyrics of each song, I was taken back to many places that God has brought me through over the years. It was the strangest thing as the song "Gratitude" started to play; the sky instantly started to rain so hard that I could not see the road in front on me. I had a quick moment of panic and sent up the common prayer, "Oh God". For the few minutes I attempted to drive through the heavy rain as the song continued to play in my ear. It reminded me that although sometimes we pray and pray for certain specific things and we fail to realize when God has answered us, because it does not quite look like we expected.

In the coming months, Justin and I are lifting up heavy hearted prayers asking God to do a mighty work in our lives. We expect that our lives could completely change as Justin completes his master's degree. We want nothing more than to have His will. I found myself praying for provision, the establishment of a "door" which right now does not seem to even exist. Through it all, every step of the way, I want to be one of those people who never hesitates to thank God, no matter what the future looks like. No matter what! So, keep following if you want to see what amazing work God does as we put our plans at His feet. In "Gratitude".

Justin's thoughts: In the same vein... reading & hearing the lyrics reminded me that we have so much in addition to a "sturdy roof" over our heads. As a man and husband I have a deep drive to provide for my family. I also have a longing to rely/trust on my heavenly father. There is a tension that exists in the hearts of most men to know they "have what it takes" to provide and "bring home the bacon" as well as posses humility and gratitude. In my life, the balance is often struck when the gratitude comes before the provision. And the laying down of my pride so that God can be shown faithful, strong and capable. Surely He can see our needs, but can He see our heartfelt indebtedness...despite.

Provision is defined in this way : the activity of supplying or providing something

Gratitude is defined this way: An appreciative awareness and thankfulness, as for kindness shown or something received

Lyrics to the song are below if you are interested.

Nicole Nordeman - Gratitude Lyrics

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
What we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace

But Jesus, would You please . . .

"Man In The Mirror"

I'm Gonna Make A Change,
For Once In My Life
It's Gonna Feel Real Good,
Gonna Make A Difference
Gonna Make It Right . . .

As I, Turn Up The Collar On My
Favourite Winter Coat
This Wind Is Blowin' My Mind
I See The Kids In The Street,
With Not Enough To Eat
Who Am I, To Be Blind?
Pretending Not To See
Their Needs
A Summer's Disregard,
A Broken Bottle Top
And A One Man's Soul
They Follow Each Other On
The Wind Ya' Know
'Cause They Got Nowhere
To Go
That's Why I Want You To
Know

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change

I've Been A Victim Of A Selfish
Kind Of Love
It's Time That I Realize
That There Are Some With No
Home, Not A Nickel To Loan
Could It Be Really Me,
Pretending That They're Not
Alone?

A Willow Deeply Scarred,
Somebody's Broken Heart
And A Washed-Out Dream
They Follow The Pattern Of
The Wind, Ya' See
Cause They Got No Place
To Be
That's Why I'm Starting With
Me

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His
Ways
And No Message Could've
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make That . . .
Change!

Make That Change.

That Was Easy

I love to go to yard sales. This past Saturday I felt like I got a find. Before heading out on the town we decided to go across the street and see what they had to offer. To those of you who do not venture out early on Saturday mornings to get a "Deal", let me just tell you, "You never know what you might find."

Usually, I am only looking for specific items but lately it has been yard stuff. You know...flower pots and tools. I really do not need anything else. I try not to buy anything I do not need. I will admit I sometimes walk away with things that I don't need but those items are usually free.

Back to my deal. None of the items were priced and there was a strong stench of cat pee in the air. Needless to say I tried not to touch anything because I was not sure where the smell was coming from. Well, I spotted a glider rocker with a questionable cover on it. I felt for sure that it was more than I wanted to spend, but I just had to ask. Honestly, I got really excited about this chair when she said $5. Oh Yeah!!! I was not sure where I was going to put it, but I have always wanted one. Good thing the sale was across the street from our house because it probably would not have fit in the car. Here is a picture of the item we walked away with.

After getting it home, I washed the cushions. I then set out the make some new covers. I remembered I had some remnants of blue upholstery fabric. It did not take long. In about 45 minutes I had transformed the ugly faded denim covers into something a little more attractive, and spending no more money. Yeah!!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Why do we try to make decisions so hard. Does is really have to be that hard? Well, as some of you might know Justin is getting a puppy as his graduation gift. (No, he does not actually graduate until December). The puppies were born yesterday. The mother (Black Eyed Susan, Aka Mookie) and her puppies (8 of them) are pictures above (well only six are pictured). They are all so different. We are one of the first people that can take our pick of the litter. Yesterday after looking at them (we were not allowed to touch them yet) we had to give our top 4 choices. It seems like a big decision right. This got me to thinking about the stress that we place on decision making.

How do you make decisions? Does it always matter what decision we make? Are we putting too much pressure on ourselves? Often we toil for days, weeks, months in prayer asking God to show us what we need to do. Often these prayers are about huge things like changing jobs, who to marry, buying a house, which college to attend, etc. Sometimes we lift our prayers asking for wisdom on things like what we do that day or what we say in our conversations with others. I do believe that God is very involved in the things we do or say. I know that I can say for sure with no hesitation that I want God's will in my life in every area. Every single one, big or small. However, is there any chance that God sometimes says... "You decide."? You know, maybe, just maybe, sometimes God's direction is that is does not really matter if we buy this house or that house. Many times, I have heard testimony of people who took a seat in the airplane and ending up sharing the message of Christ to the passenger next to them. Surely God had a plan in that, right?

However, I can tell you my tried and true method. I believe that as God's word promises us, as recepients of the promise, that we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. Given as a gift, a helper, to guide us to live life a little more like Christ than our human nature would allow. I truely believe that if we ask God for direction the Holy Spirit steps into action, showing us the way in which we should go. I try not to over think it. I just try to trust.

So, does this help us to make our decision on which of the 8 puppies we will end up with. Maybe. Maybe not. The truth of it is. It is not only up to us. It is also up to the other people who have their pick of the litter. It also depends on whether all the puppies make it (there are sometimes unknowns we just can't count on). Nevertheless, which ever puppy we end up with, it will be the right one. Keep checking back. We will be sure to let you know which one will become apart of the Moore family.

Live from Chattanooga Tennessee

This is our little house. I wanted to share it because today, I am feeling especially proud of it. It is definitely not much space. Less than 1,000 sq. ft. But every time I think about it, I am reminded about God's provision for us. God provided a way for me to have this house just when I needed it. He gave it to me right before I found out that I would have a job at a school right down the street. He provided it right before I met the man of my dreams, before I knew that he would one day soon move from Chicago to share it with me. I love this little house. I love the almost dance like routine that Justin and I do each night as we try to brush our teeth and wash our face in the little bathroom. I love the new porch I have upstairs and the beautiful fountain in the backyard. I love the tile work in the "powder room" downstairs and the archway doorframes throughout the house. I love that I get to live in what sometimes seems like little english cottage.

I wanna talk about ME.

Justin and I were talking last week about all the blogs I love to read. We decided to go ahead and start one for our family. I always thought I would start one when we had our first baby. Well although it is not the human type, we are getting the first addition to our family this summer (will post later) so I thought that we should go ahead and share this journey with the “www”.

It was really weird to think that other people cared enough about our lives to actually read the blog. Honestly, I never really considered myself interesting enough or a clever and witty writer to say anything worthwhile. Well, I decided that I do not care if anyone ever reads it, or thinks it has a cool background, or likes the pictures, etc. It is a great way to reflect on your own life’s journey in this sort of on-line journal.

So…… I dedicate this blog to all the people who have allowed me to nourish my very nosy nature and look into your lives. Thanks to all of you who I have learned from your very personal stories and often very funny stories. Since reading these blogs I have learned how to be a parent of One, Two, or Three. I have learned about cloth diapering (and am even considering for our future bums). I have learned about couponing in an Extreme way. And, I have learned about broken hearts that come when you have trouble conceiving or lose a little one before it makes it to this world. I have learned ways to be a little more “green” and lots of ways to be more frugal. With the risk of sounding pretty dramatic, I think I have grown in many ways from reading blogs.

So here we go.