New York City

I am on a trip in New York City this weekend with some of the bestest friends you would ever want to have, Robin Harris and Fonda Goode!

Last night we went out to eat at a great restaurant and then to a play, "Love, Loss and What I Wore", it was very good and has given me a lot to think about from my past.

The play was basically 5 women recounting times about their past and what they were wearing. This started me thinking this morning, first of all I have some great memories of shopping with my mom, family, and friends. Buying outfits, shoes, accessories, all those sorts of things and what was going on when we were shopping and why.

Like the times my mom and I would shop before the first football game so that I could have a new sweater to wear for it or going with her to buy material and a pattern for my prom and winter formal dresses. Buying maternity jeans for my sister when she was pregnant with her son (I am big on jeans!), or going with my oldest to pick out her wedding dress. Times that I have shopped alone trying to find that perfect top for my youngest, hoping that she would just love it or surprising my son with a shirt from one of his favorite shows. Looking at shirts knowing that my husband would just look so much more handsome in it OR going to the rodeo and buying a shirt that I just had to have, because hey, it is the rodeo!!

But this morning I also started thinking about what blessings I have had throughout my life. Growing up in a small town and knowing almost everyone you went to high school with (that can be good and bad -lol), having my dad watch me cheer lead, run track and cross country. Meeting my husband in 1981; becoming great friends and then best friends before we were married in 1987. Moving to Texas meeting wonderful friends that have your back, you enjoy going out with and don't judge you. Having my sister and my cousin be such close and wonderful friends - it is great have family that can also be best friends! Having my children grow up to become wonderful adults that I enjoy being around and having the most awesome grandchildren (I think in the entire world)!

I also enjoy where I work and who I work with, the staff, volunteers and clients. So many blessings from my past that have brought me to this moment in time; this part of my journey. I know I have the strength and courage to go through what is ahead because of my past.

This past week I have had another door open, I think, that reveals my future. I am starting to see such a need to reach out to "at risk" and troubled teens. Seeing how affected my client is by her past makes me want to make me step in and help not only her but other youth not go down that same path or if they have, help them to heal and overcome so that they can have a wonderful and productive future.

This new open door also includes my horses. It takes a lot of trust to work with horses. You have to trust your horse and believe it or not, they have to trust you. So putting them with kids that need to work on trust issues would be awesome.

I feel the Lord bringing this together in my life, I am walking through this door to see where it might lead me. I am excited about this new journey and feel energized thinking about all the possibilities this open door could have for me.

Hmmmmmm, all of this from a play where women basically talked about clothes and feelings - how funny is that?!

I have some more exploring and research to do, I want to make sure this is an open door that I am supposed to walk through and that it will be productive and excellent. Also that this is all from the Lord.

Well, more about this after I have done more research! Thanks again for joining me on this journey! Stacy

A good General

So as I have been on my journey, the Lord has lead me to read "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu. Why you ask? Ah, I don't know, but I am reading it.

This is what I have learned so far - A good general knows his enemies, knows his soldiers, knows when to battle and when to rest his troops. A good general knows the battle field and how to director his troops through that field to victory. He knows ever piece and how to put it together and work it out so that he wins. I often imagine the board game Risk while I am reading this book - not that I really played that game, but that is what pops into my head.

To me, God is the good general. He knows me, knows how to put all the pieces of my life together and when I need to move forward and when I need to stay put.

He has already won the war, but I still have daily battles that I must go through. So, I need to listen to the General, move when He says to move and stay put when He says so.

Ah, so the word TRUST comes into play. If I know that He is a good general, that He has my back, that He knows me and only wants me to win each battle, then can I trust Him enough to move forward when He says and stay put when He says.

Ok, so now let's combine this with Sunday's sermon - ah the book of Nehemiah - no kidding - God is so amazing putting all of this together for me as I am on this journey! We are now studying this book and I must say, once again the subject of trust comes into play.

Nehemiah was on a journey as well, the journey to rebuild the wall. He had to trust God and move when God said to move. He had to listen to the good General as well.

Not sure if any of this makes sense, but this is where I am right now. Still waiting for God to reveal and move in my life. Which He is doing - I must say.

So the question is do I trust Him? Will I jump off the high dive into the deep end with Him? I think so! Not sure what it means, but I will move and go through the doors He has opened - I am excited to find out what it all means, actually!

He has been leading me to look up a couple of things online and to call the vet for the horses. So I need to do that - follow through with what He prompting me to do.

So, there will be more to this story. Aren't you glad you are along for the ride - lol! Until next time! Stacy