Trekking with Me

Hello!  This is an OLD unpublished blog post... it is significant in my walk with Jesus.  I share... even though it is a few years old. (August 2018) It's a great Wednesday here at home, summer as come, graciously opening up my schedule to sit here in my ugly orange chair, sip coffee, and savor the sound of my H/VAC unit humming to keep my house cool as the heat and humidity sizzle my yard in Columbia, SC. Care to join me for coffee?  Please ignore the objects strewn across the guest bed which dual purposes as my foot rest, the empty breakfast plate, and the snoozing furkids.  Make yourself at home!  How have you been? What is God doing in you? My transition into summer is always an adjustment; the adrenaline begins to fall, the to-do list lengthens, appointments and coffee dates are scheduled, and blogging mornings like this anticipated.  Still, adjustment happens, sometimes not so smooth.  Often I feel I am such an odd duck, here is what I have ...

It's 2018! A few weeks in now, and it's looking to be a good year already.  Before we focus on the brightening horizon ahead, I want to make some acknowledgements of some significant events of 2017. 2017 was a roller coaster of a ride for me.  It had some breathtaking climbs and unexpected falls with twists and turns.  It was not only this figuratively, I had several opportunities with friends and family to literally ride world-class roller coasters on a few occasions(Yes, I rode The Fury at Carowinds!!); something I had not done in many years.  Obviously the metaphoric parallels did not escape me. 1. Some of my higher, sweeter moments include doing a few rounds of Whole30  - an elimination 30-day diet that can change your life if you embrace it for what it is designed to do!  It's more than a diet, it's a transformation of how you relate to food, opening new understanding in how our body responds to foods.   The results/fruit of going through thi...

Am I really on the other side?  The air is fresher, my legs ache less, my arms freer, and my mind more clear.  The gravel crunches under me as I trod along, my feet moving in their unique, steady stride, even the ground is less resistant.  My hands grip the straps which come over my shoulders holding my now lighter pack.   My backdrop is painted with ominous clouds dancing in the sky.  Far-off drums the storm, the shouts therein fading.  Tossing a gaze behind, I gasp: the colors of deep purples, maroons, grays, oranges and pinks plum, mysterious with beauty and treasure.   Filled with wonder, I turn my gaze.  I'm thankful to see the bright sky ahead.  Remaining drops of rain wiggle and fall away with each new step.  In my pocket a few small stones roll about, smooth and rough; my thumb and fore-fingers feel for them. Each from my not-so favorite places, albeit significant.  Have I really come through, to this new place? ...

"Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me!" Psalm 66:16 The story of Hannah is one which most women can identify; a woman who has this deep desire, a desire which tears her soul up in anguish at times.  One which she tries to ignore, push aside, surrender, give up, and not allow to control her, yet... it is there, by design, on purpose... because she is a woman by nature.   Her heart is created to have these things .... this thing.    Even when we have... other things that are gifts to our hearts; a great community, love of friends, a husband, even significant roles we play.. there often is something that is missing... and though the desire can go dormant... it raises it's head in seasons, year after year... haunting us... and we feel the deep grief of the lack. Hannah's grief can be felt by us all as we read her story.... we all know that feeling, and anguish... whether it be for a wayward child, a husband, a child, lo...

Happy New Years!! So what in the world happen in 2016.... Dear friends got married... and had a baby in ONE year.... that seems almost magical to me especially that she was over 35... there is hope for me???  Marriage is still a hope but I am doing alright single.  Just for your information - free of charge! I had lots of family adventures which included Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Kansas City and South Carolina. Health and Simplification... A 5k and a 10k were completed!!  Cooper Bridge run -5th year!!  Martin Luther King Run - First and training for second. I completed my first WHOLE30!  This was an amazing experience and I am starting my second one tomorrow!! " The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up! " - WHO KNEW but this truly has transformed my life! I have embraced the process and since November I have gone through my clothes, jewelry, toiletries, filing cabinet, and miscellaneous trappings! Through this process, I have created a beautiful, or...

Hey, did you know its International Happy day? I did not even know there was such a thing.  You either? Well, I am glad I am not the only one. It's been a while since I have written a noteworthy post; I know you all were enthralled with the snow day pictures and the New Year's update.  Yet I have not posted anything from the inner workings of Tammie in a while. Mostly, its because I have been run over by a full time job called teaching.  My days are very long, my work demanding in every way, and the end of most of my days look like me crashing on the couch five seconds after walking in my front door before going to bed a few hours later; very non-typical Tammie. Sailing is my favorite :-) So, I figure it was time for a heart-to-heart post: What is God doing post.  Simple, non-detailed answer: A LOT. So here's to keep'n it real: First, it's been a very hard year (school timeframe).  The "aha" moment for me in the Fall was, "it's a...

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; ...

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...

WATCH THIS Take Notes. Think about it. Re-watch it. Know: You Are Worthy

I have just begun reading a book called Searching For Home by M. Craig Barnes.  The first chapter has brought me to tears as he describes the common human plight and deep desire for home, that wells "up from the soul." The first chapter ends with these words about hope: " The entire biblical story depicts men and women roaming from one disconnected experience to the next, unable to be at home where they are, uncertain that they will ever find where they ought to be.  Eventually, we just built a tabernacle or a temple and occasionally worshiped a God who seemed far away. But just as God was never one to settle or remain in exile, neither can he resist entering the dark wood to find us and join us on our nomadic, meandering journey. We thought we were stuck in just another day through the purgatory or hell from which there is no escape.  But from the perspective of heaven, there is purpose and even direction to our days.  If may be hard, after all these years, t...

I hope you are enjoying a Sabbath's rest today, every day.   He is our Rest.   I can't help but share what God gives me, when He rocks my world, or touches me to tears.  This happened this morning.  I was driving to church, accompanied by my new roommate, Megan.  We were noticing the beautiful fresh baby green leaves filling what only a week ago was barren and naked limbs.  How quickly it seems these little leaves fill the trees, filtering the early morning sunlight;  it was radiantly beautiful.    It triggered a memory of something God impressed upon my heart a few years ago.  Growing up in Florida, I lived very close to a pretty large fresh water lake.  Several years ago, we experienced a drought and a huge explosion of land development in my area.  Both of these factors affected the level of the lake to sink significantly.  The waterline was a good 50 to 100 feet beyond the closest dock, which in normal rainf...

I want to remember this List. I feel like I have been doing a LOT of squirming lately.  I am feeling pretty uncomfortable.  Big things are feeling shakey: my work (though I am VERY thankful for daily work) is not stable, an insignificant income.  I feel a lack, an obvious leak in my bank account.  With that anxiety rises as other buttons are being pushed - a little disconnectedness, a bit of aimlessness even though very busy days, fatigue that brings on a weak immune system causing a sinus cold laying me flat for longer than I enjoy.  Thoughts succomb to physical, emotional and mental weakness that sound very much like, "what am I doing? What is my purpose?" I hit a hard place in my soul, a place where my grip on things and places, people and money is exposed; an utter desperation rises for security, significance, and purpose.  How quickly my flesh seeks comfort in temporary thi...