O Happy Day!!!

The Lord is amazing and He is intimately involved and concerned about the details of our lives. He wants good for us. He really does but that good doesn't always come in the way we want or the timing we want!! I know we know that, but last night it hit me smack in the face.

Alonzo and I cancelled our YMCA membership when we moved to Tuskegee. I have regretted it ever since. We know how life in Tuskegee has been a struggle for me and I really felt like having the option of going to the Y a couple of times a week would really help. Alonzo was not so sure. We've had tons and I mean tons of conversations about this over the last 6 MONTHS!!! We never could come to a conclusion. I must confess that I didn't at all times handle it well. I had to repent and ask for forgiveness at least once if not more times. I really should have left it alone along time ago and just waited on the Lord to work it out. There were different times when I felt that way,but something would happen that would be the "perfect opportunity" to bring it up, so I couldn't resist.

Yesterday was one of those times. We had a very normal and I think helpful conversation about life in Tuskegee and ways to make it work for our family. As the day was ending and we were coming home from my parents house. I thought, "what if the Lord really doesn't want me to have a Y membership and it really wouldn't be the best thing for my family?" I said to myself, "ok Lord I'm going to leave it alone and just trust you...for real this time" :)

Alonzo asked me something and I told him that I was going to leave the whole Y situation alone. I was not going to bring it up again. I was going to step back and let him lead and trust the Lord. I had never told him before that I wasn't going to bring it up and believe me telling him would give me some serious accountability! He said "ok" and I thought that was that!

I started thanking the Lord for the ways that I could exercise and trying to come up with a plan. I prayed that the Lord would open up a gym in Tuskegee (you know praying for the prosperity of the city where I'm in exile :)) I was really trying to put feet to my faith.

About five minutes later Alonzo said almost to himself "we're going to have to adjust our budget if we were going to do the Y"

I thought that was a little strange. He hadn't said anything even hinting in the direction of rejoining the Y in 6 MONTHS!!!! But I was trusting the Lord so I didn't say anything at all!

We came home and I was thanking the Lord for my home and my children. You know continuing to put feet to my faith...trusting in the Lord. We laid the children down and I started unloading and loading the dish washer. Alonzo came and sat in the kitchen just chit chatting. All of a sudden he said, "I don't think joining the YMCA would be a problem" You don't understand! I literally almost hit the floor. I had been waiting to hear those words for 6 MONTHS with NO!! response.

I knew immediately it was the Lord! I started thinking oK so what was my lesson, because clearly this was a setup and for a purpose. As soon as I truly surrender it to the Lord He gives what I've been asking for for (let's all say it together) 6 MONTHS . I was almost too overwhelmed at the Lord to realize I could finally rejoin the Y. I ran over and hugged and kissed Alonzo!

I then started asking the Lord what my lesson was. I love the Old Testament! To see the Lord full of wrath but also with overwhelming compassion. He warns and warns and warns the Israelites of the consequences of turning away from Him, but in the same breath He often tells them how He will bless them if they turn from their sin and back to Him. He is good and wants to do good to His people!! I felt like that was the case last night. The Lord really used this to teach me to trust Him. I really struggled to do that the whole time. When I'd had enough of that lesson (from His perspective) and moved forward in that area, He blessed me. Immediately!!!

I know that it won't always be that way. That's ok! I'm very grateful for this time, but I'm equally as grateful that the Lord loves me so much! Enough to order the small details of my life to teach me to come to Him. Thank you Lord!!

So if there is something you're waiting for. Know that whether that something is coming or not the Lord is using that wait to draw you to Him! John 17:3 says, "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." God is concerned that we know Him and He's willing to take us through things that we might know Him and come out on the other side with a deeper more intimate walk with Him. In that I can rejoice!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

The day started off pretty bad as you know, but after reading blogs for awhile I was really very encouraged. I'm so glad that most people are better at writing in their blogs than I am :)

My neice's mother Timika invited us to her house for bbQ and water fun for the kids. It was great and something to look forward to in Tuskegee.

The food was good. The hang time was good. The kids played on the water slide and ran screaming in terror from the puppy...it was a good time.

As we were getting ready to leave, Timika mentioned a fireworks show at the lake starting around 8:30p.m. She said it was just a little something for the kids. I didn't think much about it and of course I didn't expect much...(this is Tuskegee after all).

8:30 rolled around and I thought the kids would just like to get out of the house if nothing else so we jumped in the car to go to the lake.






Well this is what we found!! Okay this is not a pic of Tuskegee, but the traffic is really the point. There were cars and people everywhere!!! I kept whispering to Alonzo "where did all of these people come from"

I obviously had reached my limit of repeating that phrase because Alaiyah started saying (with a voice a lot louder than a whisper), "Why do you keep saying that?"

So, we finally found somewhere to park. (I'm serious yall the people were really out for this) We stood around and saw some backyard fireworks and I thought "Timika was right this is really just a little something for the kids"

Then all of a sudden



I could hardly believe my eyes. I'm talking REAL fireworks! This show was as good as the one in Winn Lakes (Montgomery's 90210 neighborhood). I just could not stop smiling! It was very impressive. I almost forgot where I was!!

When it was over, as we were walking to the car, I could not help but think that the Lord had done that for me. Timika mentioning the fireworks show was purely an after thought as we were walking out the door! Had she not said anything we would have missed a great fireworks show here in Tuskegee Alabama.

I felt as if the Lord wanted me to know that He could do BIG things in Tuskegee too!!

Thank you Lord for my fireworks and my time out with my family in our new hometown!

By the end of the night, my sweet husband was a bit tired of my low blows at Tuskegee. He said that it only encouraged me to be discontent. I actually thought it made me feel better. He's probably right so I'll do better in the future. And besides Tuskegee has shown me that they CAN do something worth writing about.

I intended that to be a compliment. I'm not sure it came out that way. Old habits are hard to break. :)