We Can Make Our Plans, But

If you had ask me just a few months ago if I would ever move back home to the Upstate of South Carolina I would have told you No.
As a matter of fact I signed a 3 year lease on this Awesome Condo thinking we'd stay here and take our time as we searched for the perfect place to buy somewhere on the coast.

But as we all know our plans and GOD'S PLANS are not always the same.

It breaks my heart to be leaving this wonderful place but we always Pray for God to place us where HE wants us to be, doing what HE Wants us to do. 
HIS PLAN Is Always BEST.

We may not understand it now but we know HE Has A Plan.

Proverbs 16:9
We can make our plans,
but the LORD determines our steps.

SLEEP

I'm so tired.
I want a night of SLEEP so badly.

For seven years and four months I have longed for SLEEP.

My days fly by with endless chores, paperwork (mainly forms for trying to get help), diapers changes and more.
By the end of the day I'm Exhausted.
All I want to do is lay down and get a good night of SLEEP,
BUT
I know that's not an option.
I lay down, set my timer for 2 hours and try to fall to SLEEP.
I guess my body has gotten so use to no SLEEP that one of the most difficult things for me now is falling to SLEEP.
Trammell checks David one last time before he goes to SLEEP usually around 10:00 and then turns the timer on.
I jump up when it goes off and reset it after I check on David.

The nights seem endless.

It seems as if the timer is going off right when I'm finally falling back to SLEEP. 
I check David's diaper, PRAYING that it's dry.  Hoping that if it is wet that his shirt and bedpad are dry.
(There's nothing like trying to change a 165lb "two year old" in the middle of the night)
Hoping that if I have to change his diaper that he doesn't do what he usually does by wetting the new diaper five minutes after I put it on him.
(We do what we've come to call the "DOUBLE DIAPER CHECK")
Checking his diaper after we clean up from changing his diaper.  Six times out of ten he has wet the new one AND two times out of ten he will wet a third diaper five minutes after that. Don't ask me why.
(And yes, we have tried all the suggestions about giving him liquids, not giving him liquids after a certain time, what liquid to give him and what not to give him.  We've tried it all.)

I Really feel at times that I can't go on. 
I'm so tired. 
I get so downhearted. 
I just want someone to take care of me for a change.
BUT then I am reminded of my favorite Bible Verse,

Isaiah 40:31
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Starting tonight Trammell and I are beginning an experiment we've talked about before but this time we are really going to do it. 
I feel I really Need this.
I will try and fall to SLEEP by 9pm.
Trammell will check David at 10pm before he goes to SLEEP and set the timer for 3 hours.
I will get up at 1:00am to check David and then set the timer for 3 hours and put it near Trammell (he has a VERY HARD TIME hearing the timer go off). He will get up when it goes off at 4:00am and check David, reset the timer for 7:00am which is when we usually wake up anyway, and place it near me.
Praying this gives me more rest. 
Praying this gives me more SLEEP.
THANK YOU TRAMMELL For All You Do For Your Dad and me.

The Simple Things

With all the endless chores I or any Mom/ Caregiver has to do 24 hours a day 7 days a week, we have little time to do anything "Enjoyable".
Therefore we treasure every moment that's filled with Joy.

I find, more now than ever before,  how much I truly enjoy the simple things.

My favorite times of the day are early morning, before anyone else is awake, when I sit quietly, sipping on a cup of coffee or tea, reading devotionals.  Spending Time with The Lord.
This brings me Joy.

And at night, after everything is done, everyone is tucked in and I can sit in my little bed working on crafts for my class of 2 & 3 year olds for the upcoming Sunday Morning.
This Brings me Joy.

Spending a few moments sitting down to lunch with Trammell as we watch a recorded episode of "Restaurant Impossible". (Although sometimes it takes us two days to watch one episode)
This Brings me Joy.

Spending time with David, helping him with Art Time and seeing his face when we finish his craft.  Seeing his eyes light up with childlike excitement.
This Brings me Joy.

What Brings Joy To Your Heart?

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Valleys (Written on the 1st Day Of Spring 2014)

It's Thursday morning.
The first day of Spring.
I've been waiting on this day with such anticipation.
But here it is and where am I?
In the bed so sick I can hardly craw to check David's diaper.
Trammell and I both.

With ALL that is going on in our life at this time we are in one of the lowest valleys we have traveled through during this 7 year, 3 month journey.

We know,  without a doubt that GOD is working on a HUGH Plan.
We know that the devil is really picking on us because he's soooo afraid of the AWESOME PLAN GOD has in store for our family.
BUT
With SPRING comes the promise of New Life. 
And so we wait, with Great anticipation for our
NEW LIFE.

1 Corinthians 16:13,14
Be on guard.
Stand firm in the faith.
Be courageous.
Be strong.
And do everything with love.

Roller-Coaster Life

There is one thing for sure,
I can never say our life is boring.

As my Daddy used to say,
"If it's not one thing,
it's 25 others!"

I never "Really" knew what that ment until a few short years ago.

We have A LOT going on in our lives.
Some bad
but most GOOD!

For every bad thing that has happened
something SO MUCH BETTER
has come from it.

This week has been a week of  REALLY BAD stuff.
BUT It's Also been a week of
REALLY REALLY GREAT STUFF!

I know without at doubt that
GOD IS Working on an
AWESOME PLAN.
I also feel in my heart that within a few days HE will begin to show us what
HE'S been working on.

I have NO FEAR of our Future.
I have NO WORRIES.
I TRUST Wholeheartedly in HIM.
HE has a Plan for us.
We will wait, Trusting in HIM,
for HIS Light to show us the way.

You won't see a frown on this face.
You won't see tears in these eyes over what we are going through.
For my JOY comes from THE LORD!
I SMILE for HIM.
I SMILE because of HIM.

I KNOW HE'S GOT THIS!

Psalm 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield ; my heart trusts in him,
And he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise Him.

Something To Look Forward To

It's COLD!

We Are Sick.

BUT
I'm not going to focus on the
Here and Now.

Instead I'll think about the Wonderful trip Trammell & I just had. 
The Honor of being on two TV shows and being allowed to share our story and what the GRACE OF GOD Can Carry You Through, with Thousands of people.
AND
Getting to spend time with Many Dear Friends and Family.

It was disappointing that the closing was canceled. THE HOUSE  is still sitting there with no insurance
(His insurance company sent us a letter stating as of December 26th,2013, it was canceled)
and the guy hasn't sent us a payment since December 5th of 2013. 
And now it's been taken off the market.
BUT
We are Praising God that we now have a ProBono Attorney who is beginning the Foreclosures Process.
This will be a long Process and we are going to HAVE to find a REALLY Cheap place to move because the money we had been receiving from the house paid for our groceries, David's diapers, Doctor's visits, the 4 hours of nursing care a week PLUS paid the utilities for a family in need in Greenville, SC that our ministry has been helping,  for diapers, pads and other needs for a little lady caring for her bedridden husband, also in the Upstate,  for gift cards for gas & food for others.
This is 3 months now we have gone without this income.
BUT
We are Praising GOD because through Miracle after Miracle HE has supplied our EVERY NEED!
OUR HEARTS GO OUT
to those families we are no longer able to help.
One family is now 2 months behind on their power bill, water bill,  house payment And the insurance is due on the van we were able to purchase for them last fall (through the donation of an Angel).
WE KNOW
Without a doubt that GOD has a plan. We Know HE has it ALL Under Control.
WE PRAISE HIM
in the midst of this storm
Just as we
PRAISE HIM in
the warmth of the SUN.
WE KNOW
Spring in coming.
WE KNOW
Warm Weather is Almost Here.
WE FEEL
The warmth and Comfort
Of The Arms of
"THE SON"
around us.

We know that ALL THESE THINGS
Are training.
Training to make us Stronger so that we may be able to help others whom GOD will allow to cross our path in the future.

2 Corinthians 12:10
Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size - abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks.
I just let CHRIST take over!
And so the weaker I get,
the stronger I become.

Disappointments & Life Lessons

We are so looking forward to the 6th of March, believing that part of our 7 year nightmare would finally  be over and we Would Finally be paid for our home BUT as it looks, that's not going to happen.
Have no idea what's happening.
Disappointing?
Yes.
BUT - This just means GOD is working on a Plan and will reveal it in HIS Time.
HE is also teaching us to
WAIT PATIENTLY
And TRUST In HIM.

In December we were told that our family would be receiving 40 hours a week in nursing care for David for the year of 2014. 
We were So Excited. We can hardly remember what that kind of Freedom feels like. 
It was wonderful to dream about the coming year.
BUT
We are broken hearted to find out that the funds needed to make this happen were not donated.
BUT
That just means GOD is working on Something Different for our year.
Teaching us to
TRUST And BELIEVE.

I could go on and on with plans that were made only to fall through.
Promises made only to be broken.
Help Promised that never came.
BUT
In each and every case
GOD ALWAYS
Turned our Disappointments
into Rejoicing.
HE ALWAYS
Had a BETTER PLAN.
And
HE ALWAYS WILL
for our family
and for you and your family.

Never give up
and Never Stop Looking Up
for what may seem like a disappointment now
will bring Rejoicing
and Glory to HIM later.

Praise HIM In ALL Circumstances.
Remember,
HIS PLAN Is Always BEST.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray continually,
Give Thanks in ALL circumstances; for this is GOD's will for you in CHRIST JESUS.