30 Days of Insight Day 3

Thanks again to my fellow blogger for posting this challenge.

Day 03- The five songs you would have with you on a desert island and why. 


My goodness.  That is a  tough one.   I would want "It is Well With My Soul," "Love Story" by Taylor Swift, "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" by Sarah Brightman, "Younger Than Springtime" as sung by Placido Domingo, and "Shout to the Lord."


Now, the reasons.  My all-time favorite hymn is "It is Well With My Soul."  That is mainly due to the story behind it, and the story it tells.  For the author of this hymn to write this when he had lost his children at sea is amazing.


"Love Story"--it is kind of a promise song for my relationship with Martin.  Don't ask me why, but God always seems to speak to this song.  And I love the chord progression.


"Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again"--Phantom of the Opera--need I say more?


"Younger Thank springtime"--I don't know what there is about this song, but whenever I hear a guy sing it, I go weak in the knees.  It is from the musical South Pacific if anyone is interested.


"Shout to the Lord"--an absolutely beautiful chorus!


I chose these because I just do not tire of hearing these songs.  Thankfully, since I am a singer, I could certainly sing the songs I could not have with me!

What are Your Dreams?

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)


With inspiration from Mary Beth's blog on Proverbs 31 ministries.


First of all the past two days have put me WAY behind, and  I mean it.  I unexpectedly worked both days--especially this morning.  And I just don't have the time the lazy summer afforded  me.  I am committed to blogging--I find myself thinking about my blog on the way to work, in the middle of the night--it has been addictive.  


I was drawn to the post I linked tonight as I was clearing out my inbox--now at around 750 messages or so!!  And I read this devotional.  I haven't even done my Bible reading today.  But I'm glad I read this.


That opening verse speaks to me.  What were my little girl dreams?  Am I doing anything like I expected I would?  Well, no.  I wanted to be a musical theatre star.  I wanted to be a gospel singer.  I wanted to be a great writer.  I wanted to be single.  I wanted to have 8-10 kids after I got married.  I wanted to adopt a child like Annie or Anne of Green Gables.  I wanted to live in New York.  I wanted to homeschool my kids.  I wanted to be a stay-at-home Mom.  And back then, I was sure everything was going to happen.  Just like in the devotional, I never doubted I would do it.  


And here I sit.  Living with my parents.  Facing possible foreclosure.  A divorcee, a single mother, a substitute teacher, a blogger (okay, that's a good thing), daughter of a rejected church member (that's another long story I must share some time), in love with a non-Christian who treats me with such respect that I sometimes forget he's not saved.  (Don't worry, we're not getting married or anything.  But it doesn't mean I'm not in love with him.)


Things didn't turn out as I thought they would.  But what is the dream nearest my heart.  I long for Martin to be saved.  There was a time I selfishly wanted him to be saved so we could married.  No longer.  Seriously, even if Martin were to get saved and we could never be married, I would still long for him to be saved.  I long for him to know the peace I have found.  


Maybe my life did not turn out as I thought it should.  I once had it all planned out quite neatly.  I think it was when I was they rejected my application for graduate school that I realized that planning my life out in that kind of detail is not what I need to do.  I need to take it one day at a time.


But it doesn't mean I shouldn't dream.  If I just sit here blogging, I would get nothing done.  Nothing.  If I sit here talking about my dreams and don't try to do anything to accomplish them, nothing will happen.


Dear Heavenly Father,  I pray that all of us right now will turn to you and not be afraid to dream.  May the practicality and cares of this life not bog us down.  Lord God, may we give our dreams to You but not be afraid to act on them even if it means stepping out of our comfort zone.


Amen.

Tell the Truth Thursday--Morning, Afternoon or Evening

One of my favorite blogs hosts this each Thursday.  The Red Headed Riter is fantastic.  Be sure to check her out.

The question this week is :

Are you a morning, afternoon, evening or night time person? Has it changed over the years??

Well, this is an interesting one for me to answer.  I have always been an early riser.  When all the other kids in school were sleeping in till noon, I couldn't do that.  I would get up at 5 or 6 in the morning.  Sleeping in was 7:30 or 8:00. 

Well, as I got older, I found that generally I could make myself sleep in till 9:00 on Saturdays.  I appreciated this especially after having my daughter.  She is a little nigh owl, and the only way I could get any down time as a single mom was to stay up late.

And so began my night owl behavior.  I used to stay up till 10 on "school nights."  (Yep, I'm a teacher.) But since I worked out from 9 P.M. till 9:45 or so, it took me a while to calm down.  And now I had Direct TV!  So I stayed up till 11.  And then I would get up about 5:45 in the morning.

Then Martin entered my life.  He is my best friend, but we often were over at each other's homes for the weekend.  (It's really a long story, but don't worry.  We weren't living together or anything.  Nothing improper happened.)  He is an absolute night owl if there ever was one.  He would stay up till midnight or 1 A.M.  on the weekends.  This was really hard for me because no matter what time I went to bed, I was still up by 7 in the morning or earlier.  Often 6 A.M.  

When I moved back to live with my parents last summer, I truly became an early riser.  Sometimes I was up before 5 A.M. like I was this morning. And amazingly, I wake up and am ready to have conversation.  So I now go to bed around 11 or 11:30, and I'm up by 5 or 6 in the morning.  

In conclusion, although I generally am a morning person, I can definitely be a night owl.  I don't seem to require a lot of sleep.  As long as I get 6 hours of sleep, I'm fine.

We have a winner!

Well, my first blog giveaway has been chosen and claimed.  It was comment 3 Emily Greene!  I know she is excited.  Remember, if you don't enter, you can't win.  Seriously, I won 7 things yesterday!  I have been on quite a streak!!!  So don't give up.

30 Days of Insight Day 2

Thanks again to my fellow blogger over here for creating this challenge.

Day 02- Something that inspires you.


Well, there is so much that inspires me.  I could talk about so many things.  But I think I'll go the spiritual route.  It's been a busy day, and well, I need this.

The Bible is the thing that inspires me the most.  When i consider the fact that God used men to write down the words He wanted to speak to us, it boggles my mind.  The Holy Spirit came upon these men of old, and they wrote the very words of God.  There are so many stories, truths, and help in this Word of God.  I could  go on forever.  Here is the most inspiring verse for me, and I hold onto it and claim it when things are tough.


Isaiah 40:31  "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.  They shall mount up with wings of eagles.  They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."


Day 2 done.  Sorry it's short, but I have hundreds of messages still to read, and I am far behind!

30-Day Song Challenge Day 15

Here we go again.  Halfway through!!

If you want to see the original challenge, look here.

So onto today:

Day 15 – A song that describes you


Wow, that is something.  Okay, this is not exactly me, but I always felt good when I sang it.  It is mostly me although i never had scads of guys after me.


"I Enjoy Being a Girl" from Flower Drum Song.  Here is the original:







Ooh, la, la, la!

A-Z Music Challenge Day 2-B

I did a lot of thinking about this today in spite of being very busy.

B--Bonjovi!!

I saw him in concert earlier this year, and I certainly have some favorites.

The first time I ever heard and liked a song of his, it was this one:

Bonjovi and Jennifer Nettles "Who Says You Can't Go Home?"



He can certainly sell himself on this song by himself, but the duet is the best!

And now his signature song--"Livin' on a Prayer."  Very apropos considering the current state of things.