Celebration of Life

On Monday morning my husband and I attended a funeral celebrating the life of his cousin's husband.

He was young.

He left behind a wife and three young boys.

Many questions were unanswered as his life here on earth seemed to be taken early.

His story is one that will amaze you and leave you asking questions, too.

I did not know Ryan. However, when I left the sanctuary Monday morning the story of his life and his faith, forever changed mine.

Life here on earth is not forever. We do not know how long we will be here. We are given an opportunity each day to live for Christ and store up treasures in heaven.

At times I feel that I live out my faith when it is convenient. When I get outside of my comfort zone I am often quiet. I have felt stretched and pulled over the last few months and now I know why.

Thankfully, God isn't finished with me yet. Tomorrow is another day that He is giving me to live for Him.

I encourage you to take some time to read Ryan's Caring Bridge journal. He was a man that lived out his faith and he loved his family. I have no doubt in my mind that when He was greeted in heaven, God smiled at him and said, Well done my good and faithful servant.

Tuesdays Unwrapped: Living Life

It is way past my bedtime.

But, my husband and I are on a little adventure.

You see, my husband loves music.

Let me clarify, my husband loves live music.

My husband loves really loud live music.

I prefer to sit in a theatre and watch a musical, but I really love this man.

I thought about sending his brother with my ticket. . .

But I went along and I am so glad that I did.

Sometimes, in marriage we need to step out of our comfort zone a little bit and enjoy life through our spouses eyes.

My feet are killing me, my ears will probably ring for days.

But like I said, I love this man and honestly I would go anywhere with him.

I am linking to Emily at Chatting at the Sky for Tuesdays Unwrapped. What gifts are you unwrapping today?

Counting My Blessings

My husband and I are getting a way for a couple of days. I am so looking forward to hours in the car. He and I just focusing on each other.Talking about the past.Dreaming about the future.Celebrating the present.
We haven't even left yet and I am already so very thankful.
It has been such a blessing for me to sit on Sunday evenings and think about the week we have just been through. I try to recall every moment. Every blessing. Every struggle.
So today I join Ann from A Holy Experience and the Gratitude community. . .

#46 Trips to the Zoo
#47 Clean Faces and Big Smiles for School Pictures
#48 DQ Mini Blizzards
#49 Baking Cookies with Grandma
#50 Back to School Shopping with all the girls
#51 25 cent boxes of crayons
#52 Brand New Empty Notebooks
#53 Open Windows on a cool summer day
#54 Giant Bookstores
#55 Starbucks Coffee, Strong and Black
#56 Lazy Sunday afternoon
#57 Quiet times in my Rocking Chair with my Bible.
#58 My dad's Sunday Supper Cooking
#59 Daddy taking care of bedtime with the girls
#60 Listening to my husband laugh with old friends until he has tears in his eyes

Second Chances

I am still journeying through Genesis. Taking my time and focusing on every word of every story.

I just finished reading the story of Cain and Abel.

It has me pondering competition between siblings. My sister was four years older than me. She was a very good athlete. From a young age she excelled at every sport she was involved in. As the younger sister I decided early on that I didn't want to compete with her success. I chose to go in a different direction.

While she won medals in gymnastics, I chose to sing. While she won races in cross-country, I chose to cheer for the football team.

One thing we both did was run. She was out of high school before I entered. I was slow to gain success, but in the end we were both successful.

In Genesis 4, Cain and Abel took two different roads. Cain working the land and Abel keeping the flocks. They both had equal opportunity to find favor in God's eyes in the paths that they were on.

Abel offered the best he had to God. Cain did not. God found favor in Abel and his offering. God gave Cain a second chance.

Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Genesis 4:6-7

God gave Cain a second chance to find favor in His eyes. Instead Cain chose to sin and he took Abel's life.

I am so thankful that I worship a God of second chances. A God that looks at me and tells me I have a chance to do what is right. I know that at every corner sin is waiting. But I also know that I can overcome it. However, I cannot master it on my own, I can only master it with His help.

There are times that I don't master sin and it starts to win in my life. I fall down, but God is right there to pick me up and offer me a second chance.

The Door Is Open, Please Come In

It is a beautiful summer evening in South Dakota.

Take a seat on my front steps and we can chat.

If this is your first time visiting Girlfriends Get Real, welcome. I hope you take the chance to stay for awhile.

This is a little glimpse into my journey.

For a long time I was trying to fit in to the world. I really wanted everyone to like me. But, somewhere in the midst of it all I lost myself.

Girlfriends Get Real is a place for me to find myself again. This is a place to be real. Life is too short to live a life pretending to be someone that you are not. None of us a perfect, no matter how hard we try.

Exciting changes are on the way here. Girlfriends Get Real is going to have a new home on Wordpress with a new design, new pages and a lot more places to stop by and be real. Some of us are moms, some of us are grammys, some of us are married, some of us are single, but one thing is true of all of us, we are Girlfriends getting real.

I would have loved to join all of the bloggers in New York City for Blogher this weekend, but I am holding off for Type-A-Mom in September and Relevant in October. So, I am joining Robin for Blog Hop '10. Thanks for stopping by!
~Amy~

Listening

I have just started a new Bible Study by Priscilla Shirer on Discerning The Voice of God: How to Recognize When God Speaks.

I stared at blank lines as I did my daily study.

Questions about unanswered prayers, waiting on the Lord.

I realized as I was trying to fill out the blank lines that so often I do not even take my requests to Him.

I am not waiting patiently for answers when I am not even taking Him the questions.

I sit with my Bible open and I drink in the Words on the page.

They resonate deep inside of me.

I feel God's presence.

But He is waiting patiently for me to speak.

He is waiting patiently for me to ask.

He is waiting patiently for me to listen and obey.

A Trip to the Zoo

Five little girls giggling for 45 minutes in the car.

One stop along the side of the road for a potty break.

Animals so hot they just wanted to sleep.

Goats that made even the littlest, that was tired and hot smile.

Ice Cream that hits the spot.

A trip to Wal-mart with five girls.

One very tired mom.

I am joining Emily at Chatting at the Sky for Tuesdays Unwrapped. Today I am celebrating the last days of summer. Unwrapping the gift of a trip to the zoo on a hot summer day.