Which Way Did I Go?

Sometimes I just don't have a clue what direction I'm suppose to be heading - literally. I mean I start out in one room of the house heading to do something in another room in the house and by the time I get there, I forget why I was going there. I know that is something that comes along with that turning 50-getting older thing, but you just have to laugh. Ok, let's regroup and start over.

Have you ever started toward something, only to have your goal changed to something completely different than you began. That's God working in your life. There have been many times in my life like planning a career, or a house I really wanted and even things that I had hoped and prayed for for my children that didn't come out like I planned. But know what I found out. I didn't get the job I wanted or the house I wanted - God always had something better.

There was this house that my husband and I wanted to buy, we really wanted it badly. It would have taken some work to get it just right for us, I mean I had three kids and needed a room for my son and two daughters - but I still wanted the house. Well, things didn't work out on that house and I was discouraged about the whole thing. Then one day I drove past a house being sold by the owner. The house looked good on the outside, good roof, niced fenced in yard but what did the inside look like? I wrote the phone number down, went home and told my husband about what I had found. He told me to call and see when we could make an appointment to look at the house.

The following saturday, we arrived at the house and an older couple met us at the door. As I entered the house and walked into the living room, I was amazed that the walls, the carpet everything would match the current furniture that we had. I walked through to the dining room and kitchen, perfect everything just like I would have chosen. Then the whole purpose of the why we didn't get the first house became apparent. I walked into a formal living room that had the perfect carpet and wall papering for the furniture I had just received after my father had passed away. Then down the hall to the bedrooms, one room with pretty pink and lavendar wall paper for a girl, the next room had colors perfect for a boy. Nothing had to be done at all to this house to be the perfect home for my family. Financing went through immediately and that home on Mission Drive became our family's home for the next 12 years.

So don't get upset with God when things don't turn out like you plan - He has something better in store for you.

The Big 50

I have to say that when August rolled around I began dreading my birthday, August 25, the Big 50! It does put this thought in your head, I am a half of a century old. Scary! But my children went to extreme depths to put together such a memorable day for me which I really messed up by going to the hospital. But the day after returning home from the hospital was one of the best birthdays because of my family.

Little do my girls know that the work and all they put into an absolutely wonderful video has given me a new & different perspective on the subject. The video which they spent weeks on and took such care in choosing every photograph right down to the songs they chose was just amazing and brought me to tears. It started with a picture of my beloved grandparents that I absolutely adored and carried me on a journey of 50 beautiful years of blessings I have been given. From my birth to a mother who is truly a proven tower of strength and a hero to me, to my teen years, marriage, motherhood and now grand parenthood.

Images of those I love so much put to music special to me for different reasons. From songs that I loved to hear my daughter Mandi sing, or one from my wedding, there was one that just right down made 50 years of living a simple gift from God, "In My Daughter's Eyes". I realized that one line in that song had been my greatest gift in my life - my children. The line in the song said "In my daughter's eyes, I am a Hero". On this day I felt in my heart that I was a Hero in My Children's Eyes. My ultimate reason and purpose to be on this earth 50 years was to be the mother to three of the greatest kids in the world. Every time the phone rings or they walk in my door and the word "MOM" comes from their mouths there is a reassurance of my purpose on this earth.

From the first moment I looked into each of their eyes as a babe, I knew that my job was to lead, guide and direct them into the ways that God would have them to go. I feel that I have done this by the adults that have turned out to be. To add to my blessings, each one has chosen someone to share their lives with. The addition of a daughter (Kiley) and sons (Larry & Bubba) are also my responsibility and they are vital to this family. It only gets better with the addition of each new grandchild. The cherry on the top are those precious grandchildren that to them I am simply MIMI, but to me they are my world. In their eyes I see my future filled with pride, hope, joy and always sweet loving.

Turning 50 is absolutely nothing to be afraid of, it is one of the greatest blessings I have received from the Good Lord above. I have had 50 years of awesome living. There is one thing for sure, everyday that God gives me is a gift and those He places in your life make it a journey worth living.