What's in a Name?

I know this may sound a bit crazy to some, but that's okay with me.  One thing that is really improtant to me when looking at a house is the street name.  It is something to consider when putting your return address on your Christmas cards:)  I don't want to have a lame street name, and it would be a potential deal breaker for me. 

Our first house Landon and I lived in was on...

Linda Avenue was not particularly my favorite street name and it also reminded me of one of my dearest friends mother who passed away not long before we got married.  Linda Maynard was like a second mother to me and this was a constant reminder that she was taken too soon.

Our first home that we owned was a better street name...

Not quite this Madison Ave, but it has a nice ring to it.

While building, we lived on...

I really like this street name as well as the next destination...

Our final stop (hopefully) has a great name.  Actually, it's one of my favorites...

I looked on a map at all the street names in Sparta and White County.  I made a list of the ones that I loved and some that I wonder, "what were they thinking?"  I don't mean to offend anyone if you or someone you know lives on a road that I don't like.  It's just a matter of opinion and more than likely, you didn't pick out the name:)

Street Names I like:

This good one is a waste.  There isn't even a house on this street.

Doesn't it sound like Winnie the Pooh lives in this street?

I love this one.  It means "Creator God".

And my top two favorites....

and...

Many of the ones that I don't care for are named after someone.  There are LOTS of streets named after people in this county.  It is fine if you have a regal name like...

But, there are lots that aren't so fortunate...

Say that one quickly.

I wonder if these two are related...

I should move on this street because it was my maiden name:)

Here are some other ones that I would really hate to put on my return address...

Is it old or is it new?  No one knows:)

The best one...

Right next to Big Bottom, which has no street sign (that I could find).

Although I could have simply written down the lists, this was much more fun to do.  Even though I spent two afternoons and a half a tank of gas on this adventure, it was worth it.  I usually stay in my few mile radius and don't venture out very far on a regular basis.  This was a fun way to see the beauty in our community from literally one side to the other.  It was beautiful weather and I got a chance to roll down the window and sing at the top of my lungs.  It was a great time to clear my mind and enjoy the beauty all around me that I don't take the time to see. 

I went many roads that I have never been on before.  Some were a little scary:)  I even did something that I can't remember the last time doing...I peed on the side of the road.  There was no where to go.  I NEVER do this, and I am so thankful that no one was around.  Anyway, here are a few things I saw along the way...

Some places in the most beautiful part in White County...Hickory Valley.

Check out the Caskey's drive with their blooming trees.  Someone should plan a wedding at their house this time of year so the bride can be processed down this drive in a horse and carriage...breathtaking.

Other places in the county...

How cool would this be???  A covered bridge crossing a creek to your house.  This is Landon's dream.

Oh, yes.  I crossed it.  I couldn't help myself.

I would love to see it at night with the lights turned on!!

I saw some great yard art...

Also, in my travels, I took a stroll down memory lane. 

I spent many summer days at my Granny Sallye's house.  I don't drive by it often, but when I do, I am flooded with lots of memories.

I can't tell you how many times I rode up and down her driveway on my bike listening to my portable cassette player.  (Probably New Kids on the Block).  It seemed like such a long driveway as a child.

On the other end of the county, I used to come here to get circus peanuts with my great grandfather.

And here with my mom to buy fabric...

Anyway, thank goodness for a GPS system to get me where I was going.   This has sparked another interest in something my friend Trish told me about after I told her what I was doing the last few days.  Her sister does this in Georgia...Geocaching.  I think we are going to try it out.  I think the boys will like it.

Sorry if you start looking at street signs now:)

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Logan has been counting down the days for St. Patrick's Day.  It is one of his favorite holidays for some reason...I guess because he loves to pinch others who aren't wearing green:)  So, to celebrate, we had a green breakfast for dinner.  The boys helped...

Dinner included...

Green Eggs

Green apples

 Green Grapes

Toast with butter and green sprinkles.  This was actually really good.  I was just trying to be festive and make the toast green, but we will have this again.  I had to make more for everyone.

Green milk.  Looks appetising doesn't it?

Those are supposed to be clovers on top.  It didn't turn out so well.  haha.  They didn't care though.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Loving the Yard

One of my favorite things about our new house is the yard.  Mrs. Nixon, the former owner, loved to work in the yard, and I look forward to seeing her flowers throughout the coming seasons.  We saw our neighbor in a restaurant the the other day and he said the only thing he ever saw of Mrs. Nixon was her rear end.  haha.  I do not have a green thumb, so I sincerely hope that I don't ruin all of her beautiful work.   Last month, Landon said there were some flowers that were coming up and I thought they were onions.  I was wrong:) 

This is what turned up.

I love forsythia and I told Landon that I wanted to plant some when we first moved in.  As it turns out, we have it al over our yard.  I LOVE IT!



One of my pet peeves is when people cut forsythia bushes really short.   I think they should be wild and carefree and look really stupid when it is trimmed short.  Sorry if you cut yours back like this and you find this offensive...to each his own.  For example...

Here is one of the prettiest forsythia bushes I have seen.  It is in HL and Norma Kirby's yard...

This is the way it should be:)

Anyway, back to our yard.  Here are a some flowers that are blooming.

Birds like the yard too.  I'm talking LOTS of birds.  They are here everyday.  I wonder if it is the same ones or an entirely different flock.  I have enjoyed watching how they gracefully move all together.  Landon wants to set off firecrackers to get rid of them.  (Steel Magnolias flashback).  I think they are eating all of the overseed that he and Logan put all over the yard Saturday.

I tried to sneak outside to snap a picture but they flew away.

Bringing the outdoors in...

It's Gone & Some Comforting Advice

I should have written this actually on Sunday night, but I haven't gotten around to it.  This in in response to my previous post The Return of Fear and Anxiety over the end times.  Like I said in that post, I know that it is not of God to be fearful or worried.  The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy us, and at the moment he was stealing my peace.

Sunday night after church I talked to Wanda Newby and hit her with about five really difficult questions one right after another.  She said "Sugar, I don't know the answer to all of those questions," but she was so wise and told me exactly what I needed to hear.  She told me that worry and fear is not of God, and actually worry is a sin.  One of my questions to her was, "What can we do physically to prepare for the end times?"  I have another friend who mentioned some of her friends who were storing up massive quantities of food.  When I heard this, it made me wonder if this is what I need to be doing too.  Wanda said she had prayed about this very thing and didn't feel the need to store up food.  She then asked me, "What did God do for the Israelites in the wilderness?"  I felt an immediate sense of relief because I knew where she was going with this.  He provided manna.  She said if God wants us to survive, then can He not provide for us? 

Another thing I told her about was my worry about my children.  She reminded me that God loves my children even more than I do and He will take care of them.  Also, God knows how many hairs are on my head and my children's.  If God will not take care of the sparrows in the air, will He not take care of His children?  These are all things I have heard and have known for my entire life, but in that moment, I needed to be reminded.  I felt like God was asking me "Do you really believe me when I tell you that I will take care of you?"  So, thank you Wanda for being God's instrument to bring back the peace that had been stolen temporarily. 

Some more comforting advice came the next day from another dear friend, Tabitha Merritt.  She reminded me of when Jacob wrestled with God the entire night when his name was changed.  Sometimes we must do the same thing and wrestle with God over certain issues.  When we come to the other side, we are stronger and our faith is strengthened.  On Wendesday morning at our bible study group, guess what the video was about???  Jacob wrestling with God!  I asked Tabitha when it was over if she watched the video already.  She just laughed and said no.  I also said that the video was just for me and Trish said, no it was for her.  It never ceases to amaze me of how God can use the same message recorded around seven years ago for two different people in two different places in life and it be exactly what we each needed at that moment.  His timing is unbelievable sometimes, almost laughable. 

The third bit of comforting advice came during a revival message this week.  It was an incredible week and I loved listening to the word of God preached by Bro. Jimmy Arms.  He talked about John the Baptist in one of his sermons.  He reminded us that he was the forerunner to Christ going forth to prepare the way of the Lord.  He was a man of great faith knowing well his purpose in life.  Then soon after, he ended up in prison for calling a relational sin out in one of the governing officials.  As he was sitting in prison, he began to doubt everything he thought to be true.  Jesus told him exactly what he needed to hear..."No one has been greater than John the baptizer, yet the most lowly person in God's kingdom will be greater than John is today."  (Matthew 11:11).  This included all the heros of the faith from the Old Testament.  Jesus knew he was doubting but still said none was greater.  Bro. Jimmy reminded us that is doesn't matter how strong our faith was yesterday, but it can still be shaken.  That's exactly what I was going through. 

When I look back over the week, I am just thankful that I serve a God who cares enough to send me multiple people and different stories to apply right to what I really needed to hear.   He is faithful and will provide.  So for now, the fear and anxiety is gone.  Hopefully for good, but I will probably need another reminder I am sure.

The Return of Fear and Anxiety

For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with fear and anxiety over the end times.  As a child and throughout most of my adult life, I was taught that the church will be raptured and not be a any part of the tribulation.  So, when studying Revelation in different studies and listening to sermons on end time events, my thoughts were "glad I am not going to be here for this," but really didn't think much of how it applies to me other than I need to witness more to those around me. 

I am a visual person so images that I see can really stick with me.  I remember watching a video series on the tribulation when I was in elementary school at church.  It has haunted me for years...scenes of a woman being chased down by a helicopter in a forest, captured, and then taken to a chamber where she was in line with countless others where they were all going to be killed if they didn't denounce Christ.  It's amazing what things stick with you from childhood that can haunt you later. 

My thoughts on this subject were challenged about three years ago by one of my dear friend, Jamie Sullivan, who doesn't believe the church will be raptured before the tribulation.  She questioned me on my beliefs.  I really couldn't back up my beliefs with scripture other than the main argument for this theory in Luke 17:34-35, "I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left.”  She had lots to say about why she didn't believe that is what that scripture really means, and I was left perplexed.

I am not a scholar, but after my own studying, I do not believe the church will be raptured out before the tribulation anymore.  I didn't set out to study this particular subject when I came to this conclusion either, because for a while, I just didn't want to even think of the possibility.  I was doing an inductive study on 1 and 2 Thessalonians and when we were asked to put everything in order chronologically, it just didn't add up to me in my former way of thinking. 

My biggest reason for changing my mind was in a scripture that used to support my other theory.  I didn't really read the passage in context before, which can really mess it all up.  The passage is 1 Thessalonians 4:17, "Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, so we shall always be with the Lord."  I always thought that this is when the church is taken up before the tribulation, but this is actually when Christ returns.  He only returns once.  In my own limited understanding, we won't be taken up to be with the Lord until He returns, so how will the church be raptured pre-tribulation?  It just doesn't make sense to me. 

If this isn't true, then my worst fears could be validated.  Let me just say that I know that fear and anxiety is not of the Lord, and He is in control and will take care of His children.  I just have phases where this grips me, and it is almost paralyzing.  I dream about it and wake up afraid and unable to sleep.  In the fall, in our bible study group, we did Beth Moore's Revelation series and I also did Kay Arthur's Revelation Inductive Study along with it.  During that time, I had a complete peace about the whole thing, even looking at it from a different perspective than I have in years past.  However, over the last few weeks, that peace has vanished, leaving me with the old fear and anxiety that I once had. 

Part of it is from attending Wanda Newby's class on Egypt in Prophesy two-part series.  Back in December, I studied Isaiah and Egypt was the main focus in many chapters.  I didn't really understand it all (and still don't fully), but she explained how some of the recent events could be fulfillment of prophecy.  She lead us to Ezekiel 29:1-16 to prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled.  In verses 3 and 9, it talks of a river.  Some translations put the Nile in here, but she said that it is a wrong translation.  The Hebrew word is talking about a canal or shaft, which can be man made.  She said that this could be referring to the Suez Canal because in the scriptures, the Egypitan leader says he owns it, the Egyptial leader says he made it, and it appears to be a source of controversy with Israel. 

There were lots of other interesting details that she shared, and I won't write them all.  Another thing she did was compare the biblical Anti-Chist to the Islamic Anti-Christ.  It was a very scary comparison.  Obviously, we don't know the time He will return for certain, we are called to watch and not just stick our heads in the sand.  She also lead us to 1 Thessalonians 5:2-7.  Many often read verse 2 and stop..."for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night."  If we keep reading, we know that He will come and the ones who will be caught off guard are not believers, but unbelievers. "While they say peace 'Peace and safety' (talking about government leaders) then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.  But you, brethren (talking to believers), are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day.  We are not of night nor darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be ALERT AND SOBER."

My biggest fears aren't necessarily for myself, but for my children.  Jesus promised persecution would come, and I feel that it is fast approaching, maybe sooner than we think.  We have had the luxury in this country to be sheltered from having to make sacrificial stances for Christ in ways so many others around the world have been forced to do.  One thing in the Beth Moore Revelation series that stuck with me on this subject was Christ is returning for His bride, a pure and spotless bride, not bridezilla.  Persecution will purify the church and weed out those who aren't true members.

One of my favorite authors is Francine Rivers.  She has a way of making her characters so real that you feel the need to pray for them:)  One of my favorites is the Mark of the Lion series,

which i STRONGLY reccommend.  Don't be intimidated by their size because once you get through the first fifty pages or so, you will not be able to put it down.  In fact, at the end of the first book, it totally leaves you hanging, and once I finished it, I RAN upstairs to get the other one.  I was warned to have the second book before I finished the first one.  Anyway, one of the characters really made an impact on me.  Her name was Hadassah.  She was an amazing character and at the end of the first book, she was faced with her worst fear.  When she had to endure it, and came through the ordeal, she lived the rest of her life with no fear because her worst one had already been realized. 

I know that even if I do have to endure the tribulation, God will provide in my time of need.  I don't know why I can't get past this.  I am probably the only one who struggles with this because I hear no one else talking about anxiety on this issue.  Anyway, this should motivate me to keep studying, sharing the gospel, and training up my children in the way that they should go...and above all, be prepared, not caught unaware and off guard.  I also need to write this verse on my heart..

The LORD is my light and my salvation—
   whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
   of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1

Rejuvenating

I am finally returning to a bit of normalcy this week.  On Monday, I was on the verge of a meltdown because of all the chaos surrounding me.  We moved into a construction zone, and it is difficult to get back to normal when there is still work going on.  It is pointless to try and clean or unpack anything.  Also, we sold our bedroom furniture so we have been living out of our redneck packing...garbage bags.  We ran out of boxes so we had to resort to throwing everything in garbage bags. 

Over the weekend, we had a few minor setbacks.  First, on Friday when we were trying out the new shower, Keith came over a little while later to do some work and he yelled up to me and said there was water all over the kitchen floor.  Of course, I was thinking the worst case scenario...we were going to have to rip out the entire freshly laid tile and find the problem.  Luckily, it was a minor fix and nothing had to be ripped out to fix.

Then, on Saturday, our appliances were delivered.  This was a pleasant sight to pull up to...

I couldn't wait to have the kitchen put together and have a washer and dryer.  Of course, it wouldn't just be an easy thing to just deliver appliances and it all work smoothly.  When they brought in the refrigerator, it didn't fit. 

The microwave didn't fit either.  It was a simple fix for Keith to come and cut the cabinets, but then there would be more mess and more painting!!  So frustrating!!

Anyway, Landon sensed my near anxiety attack on Monday and he came home from work and said to get our bags packed because we were going to go to Atlanta for the night.  We had to make a return anyway and were planning on going Tuesday.  It was a nice surprise and was a much welcomed mini-getaway, even if only for the night.  The weather was beautiful and we saw some budding trees!! 

We went to my new favorite store....

 You've just got to love a store that has food and childcare.  I think other stores should look into the childcare part.  Think how much faster your shopping trips would be:)

We bought several new things for the house.

I didn't ever think we would fit it all in the van.  Landon is a master packer.  Why would I ever doubt him?

I am still impressed!

 It was a short trip but it was rejuvenating. 

Today was a beautiful day as well.  I decided to clean off the front porch to get outside for a little while, and the boys got to enjoy our awesome yard.  It is one of my favorite things about our new house. 

Help!  I can't reach!

I love the trees!!!

And flowers...

...so do the boys.  They pick me flowers often.  

Yep, that's all of them.

 

He picked them all with a very short stem.  I managed to get them into a bud vase, and they were so proud to see their creation displayed on the mantle.  I am reminded of a time when I did the same thing.  My mom's favorite flowers are irises.  She had several planted in the yard, and I wanted to go pick her some.  I picked them all with a nub of a stem.  I remember her forcing a smile and telling me thank you so much because really she would have rather enjoyed them in the yard:)

Welcome Spring!  I have missed you!