Trekking with Me

The morning sun had yet to make its appearance, my heart and mind were feeling the dark despair as I mindlessly drove my now familiar route to work.  My normal positive outlook had been under fire for a few months now.  The recent few days had brought on a new grief;  since August, life had taken a turn from lovely light paths lined with poppies to dark, hard and lonely. It was mid-October, a shocking death had shaken my church, personally I was in a place of despair over work;  again wondering, had I made terrible mistake .   That morning The Counselor lead my mind to this verse and counseled my soul: " For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." The Spirit led me to realize that this hard place, where I was crying, fussing and complaints were gushing out, was an altar: a place to die.   T hat place over there looked a whole lot bet...

Merry Christmas to my Blog friends and Followers!  I pray you are well, and that the Joy of Jesus fills and drenches your heart and mind this season.  I have a half a dozen blog posts I would like to write up and as soon as I have some days off I will share as the Lord leads.  For right now, I can say I have a very thankful and full heart!  God is so very good; I sing His praises over and over!  Christ is so beautiful, He continues to faithfully open my eyes to see Him more and more through my days and experiences.  His Truth and Love is truly unfailing and unending!  Indeed He has been enlightening my heart and mind with His beauty.   Moving from glory to glory... it's truly Living! His Richest Blessing to you! Love Tammie

It's about time for a Golden List.  If you do a "golden list" search on my site, you will see it is a often repeated theme.  Since today is the 14th, I will share 14 things I am thankful for: 1.  Progress, even though small, in the daily challenge of teaching. 2.  Vitamin D: a simple solution to a long time fatigue problem. 3.  Mashed potatoes: my mouth has been sore, my tummy hungry - soft, yummy potatoes hit the spot. 4.  Sight! Having a foggy, fuzzy right eye for over three weeks makes me exceptionally grateful for clear vision.... it's 95% clear now. 5.  A spontaneous concert: Stephen Curtis Chapman, Laura Story and Jason Gray! 6.  My students 7.  Jim Brickman Pandora Station: so soothing... 8.  My parents surprise visit: they blessed me by cleaning my yard, house... and cooking. 9.  Beauty I catch in photos... 10.  New Friends: I work with some neat people whom have made me feel very welcome. 1...

This week I had two different doctor appointments: one with the eye doc and the other with the dentist. Both made me HAPPY!  Just call me weird. Turning 40 has flipped some kind of switch!  Over the last year or so, I have had more and more difficulty reading names on rosters or my Bible.  I have been using my online Bible reading guide, reading the Word from a computer screen makes it bigger, but seems a lot less holy than holding my Bible!  It finally got so bad that I went running to the eye doctor. I will admit, I am a little bit excited to get new reading lenses in my new scripts; I may even post a self portrait with my new glasses when they come.  I have new contacts too, and my doc recommend I simply buy a cheap pair of reading glasses to have when I am wearing my contacts.  I can't wait!  Seriously! I have been straining to see for over a year and now, problem solved! Yah!! My second medical visit this week was with my dentist.  I ...

It's been since August that I have posted.  Unusual for me to take such a hiatus from blogging.  I have been under a bit of stress, and to be honest, wrestling it through with myself, and the Lord. I feel like the proverbial tea bag in hot water.  My circumstances have heated up and it's causing not such good stuff to come steeping out.  Frustrations, anxiety, stress; add physical exhaustion in the mix and it just isn't a pretty picture.  I don't like what I look like when the "water heats up"... but I also know that it is in these "trials like fire" that my faith is strengthened, ugly dross comes to the surface to be washed away bringing growth and transformation.  It's uncomfortable to say the least, it is hard, I have cried my share of tears in the last weeks.  2 Corinthians 4:7-10 comes to mind:   But we have this treasure in  earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of  the power will be of God and not from ourselves; ...

"take these truths, day by day... preach to yourself... may you sing with confidence that you are made NEW and CARED for..." I have been in Job recently... and this video is perfect as I think about the deep, unimaginable suffering Job went through... and my own response when I have a bad day. Hope you are blessed through this video.

This past weekend God did something that I don't want to forget.  If your life was written as a biblical account, how would it sound?  This past weekend would have been a "God-Moment" for sure in my account. As you know if you have been reading my blog, I have stepped back into the classroom; with that comes new and old ground.  The old ground is not necessarily my best moments, and honestly, feelings, I did not want to repeat.  But, in a God-like fashion, He gives redeeming experiences, to reframe, so-to-speak, things that seemed painful yet hold eternal treasures of joy and beauty.  Not sure if that makes any sense to you - but I guess I am trying to say, sometimes the things, times, relationships, or experiences that have caused us deep pain are places we need and must revisit in the power of God, to know true healing.  Just a tid-bit from my counselor heart and mind.  And since I am living it... It's simply testimony to His glorious work in me. ...

Ahem.  I turned 40 this past week.  I missed blogging on my actual birthday but its good I did not blog because I have been an emotional mess this last week. Confession: it's been hard swallowing this one. With this past week being my first dip back into teacher land and my BIG birthday tucked in the middle, I was a little emotionally overwhelmed.  I still have not wrapped my brain around it. Just being vulnerable here! I was tremendously blessed through lots of cards, birthday wishes, calls, and even a visit from my parents as well as a series of comments on Facebook regarding the significance of the number 40, especially this one: I'm hearing that after 40 years of gathering/experiencing/processing/feeling/digging.....you are ready for a new era - an era of refreshing/being refreshed/walking in your true identity. Because nothing is wasted, and all that you have already walked through will be empowering you to live in the Spirit and listen to Him as you neve...

Good Morning! I am revving up with excitement this morning. Less than 2 hours until the Willowcreek Leadership Summit commences!  And, the cutest outfit has come together this morning - gals you know that gets you in a fun mood when just the right earrings matches up with the perfect top  and shoes... it is just positively joyful! :-) 3 days until teachers officially ascend back down into classrooms.... 6 days until I officially begin a new decade :-) Mountains of thoughts to share! This is just to whet your appetite: is your cup empty?  God directly answered the cry of my heart this past week, thus pouring shameless Joy all over me!  As one of my favorite preachers commonly says, when you get to the root, you rid of the fruit of worry, anxiety, and fear. I just Love Him for being so faithful! Just this morning... I was so blessed in Psalm 84 (one of my favorite psalms - the subtitle of this blog comes from this!): O God, behold our shield, And ...

If you have been following me here, you will be well aware I have been neck-deep in a huge renovation project.  This last week, it has about done me in! I don't know if I am receiving some physical notices that I am getting older... but every part of my body is "powerful worn out" (know where that quote comes from??)! Since I am in the renovating mindset, I thought it was time to make some updating changes on my blog.  I wanted to add a few gadgets to make it more interesting, give me some better feedback, and freshen it up a bit.  As you can see the "gadgets" are on a slide out thing to the right of the screen: notice I have added a "Popular Posts" gadget.  You will also notice there are some feedback and sharing tools for you! I also added a few links to my "about me" page, if you are just coming through for the first time (or have only visited a few times), stop by and let's officially meet! I would LOVE more feed back, so plea...

I can't believe it's only been a week since last Monday - see previous post and you will understand.  Funny how time can seen to go so fast and yet seem so slow and long or full and more than it actually was: it seems like a month ago!  Maybe I just mentally and emotionally distance myself from humiliating experiences.  My own form of denial? ;-) Update on my Kitchen:  testing a stain color, all cabinet doors have been sanded and wiped down, last of the paint over and around the kitchen window and shelf area is being extremely difficult to remove.  My goal is to have the cabinets stained, and put all back together by the weekend.  The rest can and will need to wait a few months... but it will get finished, Lord willing, by Christmas. So... I have been inspired through a fellow blogger's series on singleness.   Not an unfamiliar topic: I could have easily written " Times I hate singleness " - in fact I may come up with my own post of reasons soon....

Right this moment my arms feel like rags, my kitchen looks like a well used workshop with old paint scrapping covering the ugly linoleum, exposed shelves as at least half the cabinet doors are propped up along the walls and bottom cabinet area.   It's a mess. I am worn out.  I am pushing harder to finish this project before I start up with my school year responsibilities in a week!  (A Week!!) I would like to have my kitchen reassembled, maybe even with a new coat of stain on them by next weekend??? My best helper is showing up Monday, hopefully: Dad, my hero. I have had some unusual circumstances this week... On Monday, just as I was unscrewing cabinet hardware and prepping to brush on the paint remover,  I heard a nice friendly knock is at my front door.  A comfortably dressed young man in a bright orange shirt was standing on my porch.  I greeted him, he politely introduced himself.  He had a few clipboard size items in his hands and sinc...

Good Morning! June flew by like a tornado in my neck of the woods, and it seems July is doing about the same.  Though here in South Carolina, it's more like a flood with all the rain dumping on us!  I am glad I don't have to worry with building an ark! With the exhilaration of a new job, the summer weeks have opened up for me to do a few little projects around my house.  So far, with the sweet helping hands of a few friends, two rooms have been painted and my kitchen is finally getting some attention!  Here are a few pictures: This is my "little Miss Sunshine" room.  As the yellow paint dried, it's glow grew brighter and brighter.  I may have to provide a sleep mask for any future guest and/or housemate! ;-) The other room is not ready for posting yet... though it is a nice soft (very soft) blue! The Kitchen:  As you can see, I have begun stripping the cabinet's!  I have been wanting to do this since moving in five years ago.  I s...

Need I say More?

This past week I have been blessed by this song by Kristian Stanfill,  called "Holding My World,"  I loved it so much I bought the album on itunes.  Here are the wonderful lyrics. And this is Your world, You made it And all of creation is breathing because You sustain it Jesus, by Your powerful word, You spoke out the earth and the heavens So I will not worry or fret My God is the God who will never forget All of His goodness and all of His promises He's holding my world in His hands And these are your days, You give them All for your fame and all for Your glorious kingdom Jesus, You have ordained all things to dwell in Your purpose [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsty.com/kristian-stanfill-holding-my-world-lyrics.html ] So I will not worry or fret My God is the God who will never forget All of His goodness and all of His promises He's holding my world in His hands And I am Your child, Beloved And all of my days my future is laid in Your promise Jesus, to the end of t...