Rain...Rain...

"Yet He Has Not Left Himself Without Testimony: He Has Shown Kindness By Giving You Rain From Heaven And Crops In Their Seasons; He Provides You With Plenty Of Food And Fills Your Hearts With Joy"
Acts 14:17

It is raining outside...

As I sit and listen to it fall, I feel such peace...

I have the window open and can smell the rain...

I can feel a slight breeze blowing as well...

As I sit and listen, my mind wanders...

I can hear the thunder in the distance...

I can see flashes of lightening...

I am reminded of when I was growing up...

I was always told that the thunder is the angels bowling, lightening is the angels taking pictures and the rain is the angels crying...

Amazing what you can remember from so long ago...

Crying because of all the bad things going on in the world...

Crying for the people who are in pain...

Crying for all the heartbreak...

Crying for all the torment people suffer...

Crying so many tears that hit the earth...

The sound of rain is one of the sweetest things I have ever heard...

The smell is beautiful to me...

Rain is cleansing to the earth...

Falling from heaven...

It washes away the ugly for a few moments in time...

After a long rain everything looks new again...

The grass looks greener...

The flowers look bigger...

The trees look fuller...

The animals are happy...

To feel the rain on my face is refreshing...

To take a dash through the rain is wonderful to me...

To dance in the rain is thrilling...

It is healing...

No matter how hard or how soft it is falling, to me it is a form of therapy...

Just like a good cry...

Not a cry in anger...

Not a cry in physical pain...

Not a cry in frustration...

An emotional cleansing of your soul...

I have had a few of those within the past year...

You never know what will set it off...

It may not be anything huge...

Could just be a look, possibly a song, a scent from times past, a long lost memory...

Something along the journey will seep in and turn you inside out...

You think the tears will never end...

You think you will never get up off of the floor...

You think the storm will rage on and on...

You may think you will die with tears in your eyes...

Then you realize that just like the rain falling outside, the tears have subsided...

The storm is passing once again...

All that is left is the gentle rainfall...

You feel a little bit stronger with each tear you shed...

Just like the rain is sent from above...

Tears are also God's healing gift for you.

MERCYME
And I Know They'll Be Days
When This Life Brings Me Pain
But If That's What It Takes To Praise You
Jesus, Bring The Rain

Bloom Where You Are Planted

"I Know What It Is To Be In Need, And I Know What It Is To Have Plenty. I Have Learned The Secret Of Being Content In Any And Every Situation, Whether Well Fed Or Hungry, Whether Living In Plenty Or In Want. I Can Do Everything Through Him Who Gives Me Strength"
Philippians 4:12-13

"Each One Should Remain In The Situation Which He Was In When God Called Him"
1 Corinthians 7:20

The title today came from my Church class leader last night...

She has been calling me and leaving me messages asking if I was alright...

She isn't the only one...

I debated calling her back then knew it was the right thing to do...

I went and fed the homeless last night even though my heart wasn't in it...

I didn't want to walk into the Church at all...

I have been discouraged with my walk as well as a few members speaking ill of the Pastor...

However I stood in the parking lot, took a deep breath and went in...

I was hoping the Pastor wasn't there just for the simple fact that I wasn't ready to face him...

God had other plans...

I was early so after signing in, I went straight to the Altar...

Seeking the peace and joy that I had allowed to be stolen from me...

As I knelt there, my mind went back to the last time I was in the Church, at the Altar, by myself...

I remember the peace I felt and I was searching for it once again...

It wasn't there...

My mind was jumbled with thoughts that didn't need to be there, however I couldn't shut them off...

I went to the kitchen and as I was standing there, he walked in...

Both hands on my shoulders he asked me if everything was alright...

I looked at the ground and say yes...

I glanced up and saw in his face that he knew something was wrong...

I turned around and walked away...

I stood in Gods' house and lied to my Pastor...

The first man I placed complete trust in after my husband walked away...

The man I turn to before I do anything...

The man I know I can talk to about anything at anytime...

The man I had been told not to trust in...

Not to place any Faith in...

The day he gave me his blessing to file for divorce was the day things changed...

The day it took me 14 months to get to...

The day I finally felt at peace with my decision, was taken from me with a few ugly words...

I didn't understand what was going on...

I did understand I was once again confused and extremely saddened by the turn of events...

How do you talk to the one who has become the source of your confusion?

How can you go to him and tell him what is bothering you when he has become part of it?

How do you stand face to face and not utter to him that some in his congregation are just awful behind his back yet sweet as pie to his face?

I can't - To knowingly hurt someone like that...

I am not that kind of person...

I sit there on Sundays and listen intently to what he says - I even take notes...

He has been there every time I needed him and even when I didn't, he knew when I did...

Because of his intervention, I am still standing today...

He has welcomed me into his Church with open arms...

He has taken the time to help cultivate my walk...

He has been there day and night...

He answers my questions where God is concerned...

He is the one who baptized me.

He has shown me how to bloom...

So last night I just knew I had to get this figured out because number one I lied in Church and number two it was very rude of me to walk away from him...

I called my class leader...

We talked for almost two hours and I let her know what was going on as well as what had kept me from Church...

I told her I didn't know where I belonged...

I told her what had been said to me about the Pastor...

She in turn told me there were demons even in Church and I just got to experience it first hand...

By removing myself from Church, I was allowing them to win...

She then told me I needed to "Bloom where He planted me"...

How beautiful is that sentence...

Think about it...

No matter what your circumstances are, you can still bloom...

No matter where He has placed you in life, you can still give all you have...

You can either be open such as a flower...

Petal by petal searching out the sunshine...

Or you can be like a weed...

Ugly and stifling to the flowers around you...

In order to bloom, you have to be content with your lot in life no matter how painful it may be at the present time...

In order to bloom, you have to accept that God has you right where you are for a reason...

In order to bloom in the times you feel more alone then you ever have in your life...

I am learning to bloom in the moments where I am alone in my thoughts wondering, questioning, seeking etc...

I am learning to bloom as I am called to a task that no one would ever want in order for Him to get all the glory no matter how it turns out...

Read that sentence again - No matter how everything turns out, He will get ALL the glory...

I have finally learned to look at this as an opportunity to grow...

Putting aside the marital issues, possessions, work etc...

I owe Him so much...

He put this man in my life to show me how to trust again...

To show me how to walk with Him again...

To show me just what I have missing...

To show me what a true Church should feel like...

To show me how to love someone and expect nothing in return...

To show me I am worthy of His love as well as the love of my Pastor...

To show me a man so humble he will go to his knees for me when I can't do it on my on...

By putting my Pastor in my life, He has allowed me the chance to bloom...

KUTLESS
If You Would Change Your Perspective
You'd See That It Is True
Life Is Not Always What You Want
Sometimes It's Hard To Bear
I'd Be With You, And Help You In All That You Go Through
I Love You, Let Me Change Your Heart By Coming In

Seek The Beauty Wherever You Are...

"You Alone Are The Lord. You Made The Heavens, Even The Highest Heavens, And All Their Starry Host, The Earth And All That Is On It, The Seas, And All That Is In Them. You Give Life To Everything, And The Multitudes Of Heaven Worship You."

Nehemiah 9:6

Depending on your mindset, there is beauty all around you no matter where you stand...

No matter your circumstances in life...

No matter how much or how little money is in your pocket...

No matter the type of car you drive nor the size of the house you live in...

No matter the label on the clothes you wear nor the food you put in your mouth...

You woke up this morning...

Your children woke up this morning...

You have a roof over your head, clothes on your back and food on your table...

The birds were singing...

The sun rose once again...

Have you ever just stopped to look at the world around you?

Me either...

I am usually in to big of a rush to get through the day, spend time with Tigger, clean whatever needs cleaning etc...

I will be the first to admit, in shame I might add, that I don't always appreciate all that is around me...

I will admit, in shame, that I allow the bad in my life to overtake the good more then I like...

I will admit, in shame, that I wallow more times during the day then I care to admit...


If something is not going right, my mindset is to blame the situation I am in...

If my day started off bad and just goes downhill from there, I will look at the circumstances and say to myself, "If this hadn't had happened then this wouldn't be happening right now."

It is all to easy to lay the blame on my husband and all the wrong that he has done, instead of on myself and what I could do to change things around...

Instead of looking forward to the future I have allowed myself to wallow around in the past...

There is no beauty in that...

There is no beauty in being the quintessential doormat...

The beauty came when I was finally strong enough to stand up for myself...

There is no beauty in blaming others...

The beauty came when I took fault for my own actions and then looked for ways to change that...

There is no beauty in becoming a negative person...

The beauty came when I allowed myself to look at the positives even when some of them were very hard to find...

There is no beauty in anger...

The beauty came when I was finally able to release that anger...

There is no beauty in feeling unwanted, unworthy and unloved...

The beauty came when I realized He will always want me and love me more then anyone on the face of this earth and in His eyes I am more then worthy...

There is no beauty in a broken family...

The beauty comes when you realize that something better is just around the corner, if you can hold onto your belief...

There is no beauty in friends abandoning you in the darkest hour of your life...

The beauty comes when you find new friends in the light...

There is no beauty in crying yourself to sleep because you just can't take another day...

The beauty comes when you allow those tears to cleanse your soul...


I was reminded this morning to look for the beauty around me so that is what I did for a portion of the day...

Where is your beauty?

I see beauty when I look out my window at work and there is a bluejay in the treetop singing...

I see beauty on my sons' face when he is peacefully sleeping...

I see beauty in running water for a nice hot shower...

I see beauty in the squirrels out back chasing one another...

I see beauty in the food I have been blessed with...

I see beauty in the music I listen to...

I see beauty in the sunrise as well as the sunset because I made it through another day...

I see beauty in my morning coffee when I sit outside before anyone gets up...

I see beauty in my time with Him...

I see beauty in the Spring when the leaves turn green and the flowers bloom...

I see beauty in the Fall when the leaves turn red and orange and yellow...

I see beauty in the Summer when the water is warm and the days are longer...

I see beauty in the Winter when the ground is being prepared for another round of Spring...

I see beauty in my scars, the ones inflicted by others on the inside, as well as the ones inflicted by myself on the outside...

I see beauty in the mirror, where once I couldn't even look at myself, I now catch a smile - I see teeth and cheekbones...

I see beauty in the darkness below my eyes finally fading...

I see beauty in taking a deep breath and it not be shaky anymore...

I see beauty in seeing his number on my phone and not breaking down in tears anymore...

I see beauty in knowing I am a wonderfully blessed person...

I see beauty in my Faith...

I see beauty in my walk with Him, even though I am struggling very deeply with that right now...

I see beauty knowing that while He is indeed silent, there is a reason for that.

I see beauty in knowing that no matter how hard I fall, no matter how many times I stumble nor how many times I falter, He will not allow me to drown...

I see beauty in knowing that while I may feel alone, I am never alone...

I see beauty in my "Season of Darkness" because I know that somewhere around the bend is a point of Light...

I see beauty in my newfound strength...

I see beauty in compassion...

I see beauty in unconditional love...

I see beauty in patience...

I see beauty in loyalty...

I see beauty in learning to trust again...

I see beauty in the chance to learn self-respect once again....

I see beauty in learning grace...

I see beauty in my big brother G...

Beauty in a bald head...

Beauty in tough love no matter how painful...

Beauty in the respect I get from him...

Beauty in the protectiveness he shows for me...

Beauty in the way that no matter what, he is right there...

Beauty in the way that somehow, someway, he just knows when I need him without me saying a word...

I see beauty in my Twin...

Beauty in a smile that lights up a room...

Beauty in a laugh that makes you want to join in...

Beauty in shared blonde moments...

Beauty in shared mommy moments...

Beauty in shared tragedy...


I see beauty in my fellow bloggers...

Beauty in the laughs you bring me...

Beauty in the tears you help me shed...

Beauty in the words you share with me...

Beauty in the emails you send me...

Beauty in the stories you share with the world...

Beauty in the Faith the majority of you show...

I see beauty in Him...

Beauty all around me is paint on His canvas...

Beauty in the chance to experience just one more day...

Beauty in knowing He knows just how I feel, no matter what I portray to anyone else...

Beauty in knowing I am forgiven...

Beauty in knowing I am saved...

Beauty in the Cross, where He went to die for me...

Beauty in knowing He is my Father and He will protect me like no other...

Beauty in knowing He Loves Me - No Matter What...

I see beauty in my fellow forum friends...

You all know who you are and I am humbled to know you all...

You are each beautiful in your own way and deserve nothing but happiness and inner peace from this day forward...

You come in every day and you share and help every day...

You are to be commended, respected and admired...

We may not always agree nor see eye to eye however you have my utmost respect...

The past 14 months have been nothing short of a horrific walk through hell...

I wouldn't wish it on anyone, no matter who you are...

What I would wish on you?

The opportunity I have been given...

A chance to take a very hard look at each and every aspect in your life...

A chance to begin again anew...

A chance to truly seek the beauty no matter where you are...



KUTLESS
I've Seen Dreams That Move The Mountains
Hope That Doesn't Ever End
Even When The Sky Is Falling
And I've Seen Miracles That Just Happen
Silent Prayers That Get Answered
Broken Hearts Become Brand New
That's What Faith Can Do