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| Brrrr! I went outside this morning to take Charlie to work, and there was frost on the windshield. It was think enough that we had to scrape it. It was not going to be removed simply by using the windshield wipers. I am listening to the furnace for the first time in several days. The high today is supposed to be 60. I wonder when it's going to warm up. I have a load of laundry that's about ready to go out on the line.
I have decided that I'm not going to allow myself to leave the house today until my housework is caught up. Yet, here I sit pounding out a blog. NO WONDER I'm behind! Self-discipline escapes my grasp!
I have found discipline for one thing in the last few weeks, though. Back last month one of our pastor's gave the challenge to read 1 John each day for 30 days. I decided to do it. Amazing stuff there. Lots and lots to think about. I thought I'd post a couple of verses here and see what kind of feed back I would get. Please, post your thoughts. Send your friends my way. I'm curious to see what others have to say.
1 John 3:13-24 (NCV)
13 Brothers and sisters, do not be surprised when the people of the world hate you.14 We know we have left death and have come into life because we love each other. Whoever does not love is still dead. 15 Everyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderers have eternal life in them. 16 This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters.17 Suppose someone has enough to live and sees a brother or sister in need, but does not help. Then God's love is not living in that person.18 My children, we should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring. 19-20 This is the way we know that we belong to the way of truth. When our hearts make us feel guilty, we can still have peace before God. God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.21 My dear friends, if our hearts do not make us feel guilty, we can come without fear into God's presence.22 And God gives us what we ask for because we obey God's commands and do what pleases him.23 This is what God commands: that we believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, and that we love each other, just as he commanded.24 The people who obey God's commands live in God, and God lives in them. We know that God lives in us because of the Spirit God gave us. Post away! I can't wait!
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| Yesterday I said that we may have a computer soon. Uh, yep, we did! I had one last night! A man at the outreach center had one that he was willing to sell to me at a very reasonable price. I actually borrowed the money from my ex-husband, who just got a mega-huge tax refund! I'll pay him back in just a couple of weeks, though. ;)
Let's see...I would post pictures of our house, but I can't find the usb cable to upload pictures from my camera. I could tell you all about the house and the furniture we have and how we came to have all of it. I could just keep typing and typing about random things. In stead...I am just going to head out to meet a friend of mine at Border's for the Twilight Release Party and sip some coffee before hand. I am sooooo sleepy....not sure why I agreed to go!!
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| It's been a while since I updated again, but life has been so busy! We still don't have a computer at home (we may soon!) and I am rarely in a place to spend time typing out a blog. Today, I happen to be doing some volunteer work at our church's outreach center. Without too much to keep me busy today, I am able to update! Let's see...we moved in to our new home a day earlier than I expected when I last posted. We have been very blessed in the last few weeks, and things have fallen in place nicely. We have been given lots of (nice!) furniture from several different places, and our house is really starting to look (and feel) like "home". There are a few conveniences that we lack, such as a clothes dryer and a microwave, but I'm surprised how much we don't really miss those things. I have lots more I can say, but I think I will leave it there for now. God has been more than good to us! I look forward to keeping in touch with all of you on a more regular basis soon! | | |
| I have just about thirty seconds to type out an update, but wanted to post that we do have a house, signed a lease last Monday. I am pretty happy with the place, and the price is great! We started moving in furniture last night and things are beginning to take shape. We are hoping to get beds for the kids in the next few days somehow, and we think we can probably move in by Sunday afternoon!!!!!! Yay!
I'll update more later. :)
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| Here I am with another update. I am struggling with this entry a little bit. I am tempted to make my blog private again, but I won't let myself. I will not be ashamed...I will not hide. This is tough for me. Very few people would want a struggle with homelessness to be public. I feel, though, that God has been preparing me for this for a while now. In fact, the quote in my header was added before I knew that we'd be without a house.
We have been in a local homeless shelter for three weeks now. It's a very nice place, nothing like I had imagined. The shelter is run by Catholic Charities in a building that is just three years old. We have our own "room", which is actually two rooms. One room has a couch, chair, end table, large dresser with mirror, and a restaurant-style table with four chairs. There is a tv/dvd player mounted on the wall. The second room has two bunkbeds, one with a full size bed on the bottom. There is a large closet with great storage, and a large vanity with lots or storage, and our own bathroom. It's designed much like a high-end hotel room. The colors are modern, and everything is in good condition.
We are served three meals a day in the common dining room, and the kids are given two snacks a day. There is staff on duty twenty-four hours, and we have access to a LMSW for counseling needs, and each family is assigned to a "family advocate", or case manager. Our family is assigned a daily chore, and there are classes that we are required to attend at different times. We have access to laundry facilities, and we are required to keep our "room" clean.
It is a struggle most days to keep my kids happy, and the schedule is ever-changing.
We are struggling a little bit today. We believed that we had found the perfect home for our family this week, but it was not to be. The reason is a bit unclear, but the landlord may have decided to back out based soley on the fact that we are currently homeless. Ouch. Affordable, safe housing is very hard to find. I have a strong conviction when it comes to my kids and being there for them, but I'm beginning to wonder what I am missing....is God asking me to do something else?
I have applied for a part-time job, but it's been a couple of weeks and I have heard nothing.
It's time for me to head to lunch with my sister, and then back to the shelter for a class this afternoon.
Continue to pray for us, but not only that we will find a home soon, but pray also that we will be an example to those around us. I want others to see Jesus in me, it's my number one prayer! I want to be an example of what we can all be when we are walking with Christ.
I will attempt to post some pictures soon.
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