Victory is Only a Second Away

Last year, during our annual New Year’s Eve, Minister Tamara Joy Scott released  this word from Amos….

Amos 9:13-15 {The Message (MSG)}

^13-15 “Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” God’s Decree.

“Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I’ll make everything right again for my people Israel:

“They’ll rebuild their ruined cities.
They’ll plant vineyards and drink good wine.
They’ll work their gardens and eat fresh vegetables.
And I’ll plant them, plant them on their own land.
They’ll never again be uprooted from the land I’ve given them.”
God, your God, says so.

As I mediated on this word, I also begin to reflect on the Alabama versus Auburn game that took place over the weekend. It only took one second for {tides} of the battle to turn in their favor… I remember looking at my tv screen in disbelief… thinking, {WOW},  now that was fast!

And then I began to meditate on the word that God gave us in Amos again this time last year… “Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” God’s Decree. “Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other…..” 

God wants to bless us just that fast… But we must be in the right position to receive the provision that He has predestined for us!  That moment for me was not about luck… It was about the importance of being in the right place at the right time with the right people and getting the right results… It was about not giving up or not preparing to go into overtime; when there is still now time… It was about holding on to the hope of winning…when everyone has around you has doomed you for defeat! 

If you follow me… you know that I am really not an avid football fan. I do sports because I want to be able to create memories with my husband… So this for me is not about a college football game… It was about real life and being able to see and receive a message through any messenger.

I have been holding on to this word and believing God for a head swimming blessing all year… But I have yet to see it manifest in the natural… I have believing God for jobs for friends, healing and deliverance for family members and breakthrough in my spiritual physical, mental and financial life… and I have yet to see it manifest in the natural… Yes, I have experienced some trickling here and there, but not the full manifestation of the rivers that He wants to flow in my life.

So, I thought to myself, God… I am ready… I am really ready for a head swimming blessing.  I want things that you promised us in Amos! 

Promises from Amos

1.      Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. {Before I can walk through one open door…. Another will open… And then another…Leading to a path of open doors…. I receive the key of David {according to Isaiah 22:22}!  May your blessings rest upon my shoulders!

2.     You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—{I receive the bountiful blessings that you are pouring into my life… I thank you that every seed that I have sown, prayer that I have prayed and words that I have confessed are manifesting… Everything is maturing at once.  My harvest is here… I am reaping something new every day.  I will need help to gather all the crops that are coming in the form of {speaking engagements, new opportunities, witty inventions, investments and appointments}.

3.     and everywhere you look, blessings! {Lord, I thank you for the eyes that you have given me to see the blessed side everything that I look upon… I thank you for the eyes to see areas of untapped wealth in a time of famine}.

4.     Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. {I receive the streams of blessings that you have granted to us… Blessings that are flowing from the high places; because You have allowed our gift to make room for us and are ushering us into the presence of great men}.

5.     I’ll make everything right again for my people Israel:  { Lord I thank You, for I am Your Child, and you are making all things new in my life because I choose to trust and obey You}.

6.     “They’ll rebuild their ruined cities. {Father I thank you for rebuilding the destiny changing connections that I have ruined in my life due to making poor decisions. I thank you Lord that every cancelled appointment is being rescheduled, every late appointment is on time and every missed appointment is in remission.

7.     They’ll plant vineyards and drink good wine. They’ll work their gardens and eat fresh vegetables. {We are eating and drinking the good of the land… Everything is fresh… Everything is new…Everything has life…}

8.     And I’ll plant them,plant them on their own land. {You are giving me a land that you have predestined just for me}...

9.     They’ll never again be uprooted from the land I’ve given them. {And I will never have to endure the hell, the frustration, the rejection and the pain that I have endured up until this point in my life… My mind, my emotions, my will are fixed upon You.  And because I am anchored in You Lord… I will never have to be uprooted again}.

10.God, your God, says so. {And it is so, Amen}!

 

Father, I thank you for this word and this revelation!  I am holding on to it because I know without a shadow of a doubt that you are going to fulfill it! You said that Your word never returns to you void…

So no matter how many giants I have to fight, champions that I have to defeat or enemies that I have to face…. You don’t need a year, you don’t a month, You don’t need a minute and you don’t need a day!  Lord You have shown me that, “Victory is only a Second Away!”

 

 

Why I Create

I was recently asked why I create... After giving it some thought... Here is my answer... This is a must read for all women... If you NEVER READ ANOTHER STATUS OF MINE... READ THIS... I PRAY THAT IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND PERSPECTIVE ON CREATIVITY.

All women are made to create something…. Some of us are crafty, some of us are artsy, some of us are sewers, some of us are designers, some of us are artists, some of us are entrepreneurs, some of us are cooks, some of us are stylists and some of us are fashionistas…. Whatever your gift may be it is one that coerces you to create.  Now the problem occurs when women don’t have a creative outlet….

When women do not have a creative outlet they are forced to create something {because we were made to create}.  We create drama, we create rumors, we create gossip, we create jealously {because we see other women doing what we don’t have the courage to do}, we create envy, we create deceit, we create backstabbing, we create bad relationships with men, we create hurt, we create pain, we create boredom, we create depression, we create anxiety, we create low self esteem, we create a lack of self worth, we create ways to self destruct and we create walls that are a wedge between us and our destiny and purpose because we refuse to create what we were created to create by the Creator!

Creativity can be a blessing or a curse… Positive or negative….A launching pad or an anchor…. I challenge  you today to tap into your creativity and cause all the confusion, catastrophes and calamities in your life to cease!!! 

Create something some positive and watch the Creator work in your life like never before…. Create something positive and watch the happiness, joy and fulfillment that will flood your life like never before.

And that is why I create….

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 8 thru 30 + Update

I would like to start by deeply apologizing for seemingly falling off the face of the blogland right in the midst of My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness…. If you would give me just a few more minutes of your time… I promise you that I will make my best attempt to set the record straight point by point…

1. Somehow in the midst of the Blogger system updates, I was unable to post in blogger using my hotmail account. After doing some preliminary  research I thought that it was an issue using my company computer; so I continued journal for a while but I lost motivation after not being able to post and reaching my fitness goal.
2. Yes! I did reach my goal, but it was short lived.
3. Read #2 again… I learned that reaching, obtaining and maintaining Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness is definitely a journey and not a marathon.  It takes everyday to maintain this level of fitness.
4. I am going back to square one and implementing ways to make this a way of life for me!  I will share them as I journey along the way….

Do I still have your attention… I do???? Wonderful!!!! Well, I have since learned that one must possess a gmail account to log into to blogger and that I really miss blogging… I really miss sharing my thoughts and ideas and all that has been going on in my life! 
This lil’ ole piece of the bloggy world houses so many precious moments in my life and I have got to get back into the habit of capturing them here…

Now, that we have all of the preliminaries out of the way I would like to share a few exciting things that have happened in my life since I last posted!!

• My brother-in-law got married and I was able to fit comfortably in my dress on the day of the wedding!!!! What a feat and the wedding was absolutely stunning!

{Photos taken by Appear Photography}

 

• Robert and I celebrated our one year anniversary Ochio Rios, Jamaica.

 

• I have literally been on a bargain shopping kick and found some unbelievably amazing deals!!!!

 

•       Our new home is shaping up nicely…..

• We celebrated our 26^thChurch and Pastoral Anniversary {I had to so the tablescape} and my mom visited our home for the first time!!!

 

•       I made my first YouTube video and posted it on Facebook!!! So does that make it a FaceTube video?  LOL!  Here is link to my second one :  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200883762193117&l=8146895043631076688

• And last but not least… I am ready for the holidays!!!!!

 

It feels so good to be back!!!!  Let me know if you are still out there???   Role call!!!

Until Next Time,

M’Shonta

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 8

I woke up this morning rushing to Facebook to wish my dear little sister a happy birthday only to realize that it was the 21^stand not the 22^nd!  Ha!  What a relief and a prime example of what my week has been like.  I am still in expectation…I believe that something good is going to happen in my life! 

It’s actually happening now… Change is always good when it is for the better … I must admit that the change that I now desire will impact my life immensely.

I have a very full day ahead of me… So I don’t have time to belabor this point… However, today I am back on course to change!  And it feels so good!

Until Next Time,

M’Shonta

It is my hope that sharing this will be useful to someone, somewhere who desires change… Be blessed and follow me on this journey!

For the Mind:  The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges. - Martin Luther King Jr.

For the Body:  Drink 8 bottles of water. Walk 5 miles. Don’t eat after 6.

For the Spirit:  The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. -Proverbs 24:16 (NLT)

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 7

This week has been quite a challenge and it’s only Tuesday!  I am not sure why, but when you commit to change-challenges always seem to cling along. 
Physically and mentally, I am exhausted. This will make the 3^rdday in a row that I didn’t get to work out!  I have had extremely early mornings and very, very late nights due to delayed flights and prolonged work days!  Managing what I eat has been even more challenging, as the choices have been rather limited.  However, I have managed to maintain my commitment towards drinking water and getting as much sleep as my time has permitted. 

Tomorrow seems to be a bit more promising and I can see a glimpse of time that I will be able to complete my five mile workout and still be in bed at a reasonable hour. 

I must admit that it would be impossible to do all that I am able to do in day without the help of the Lord.  My spiritual life is the only thing that keeps me sane…keeps me seeking…keeps me going…keeps me joyous….keeps me creative and keeps me at peace.  I really don’t know what I would do or where I would be without my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Nevertheless, I must push pass the challenges and through the commotion and get back on my track to change!  I will not be SIDE TRACKED on my journey to physical, mental and spiritual fitness.  I am fully committed to change.

Until Next Time,

M’Shonta

It is my hope that sharing this will be useful to someone, somewhere who desires change… Be blessed and follow me on this journey!

For the Mind:  When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change…  -Paulo Coelho

For the Body:  Drink 8 bottles of water. Walk 5 miles. Don’t eat after 6.

For the Spirit:  "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair .. 2 Corinthians 4:8 (NIV)

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 6

Six days down and counting.  Unfortunately, being a host on yesterday prevented me from getting my 5 mile walk in prior to the dark hours setting in… However, there are challenges in this journey in which you will have to make practical and wise choices… In this case, I chose to act logically and eat sparingly.  Due to my intense traveling schedule with my job; spending quality time with my husband and church friends trumped my walking {this time anyway}.

On the other hand, I weighed myself this morning and in spite of my failure to achieve my 5 mile goal on yesterday; I still managed to drop .2 pounds.  Not much, but definitely better than the alternative J.

This weekend was beautiful and I am so looking forward to a productive week.  There is something brewing in my spirit and I am in expectation of something awesome to happen in my life.  I have no clue as to what it may be, but I am so elated to serve a God that always gives great gifts.   He is awesome!

The word was so good on yesterday… I mean hmmm, hmmm good!  It even inspired me to come up with a series of posts on “Change” that I will share with you all on this blog over this 30 Day Journey.  I can’t wait to share and see the great revelation that He will reveal unto me!

 

Until Next Time,

M’Shonta

It is my hope that sharing this will be useful to someone, somewhere who desires change… Be blessed and follow me on this journey!

For the Mind:  If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. - Maya Angelou

For the Body:  Drink 8 bottles of water. Walk 5 miles. Don’t eat after 6.

For the Spirit:  "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." {Romans 12:2}

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 5

Day 5. Five is the number of grace.  I need the grace of God as I continue on this journey.  In the midst of thunderstorm warnings; I managed to get in my five miles on yesterday!  Talk about grace and dedication!!! God held off the rain as I held on to my commitment!

Today will be a total different battle in my mind as I will be tempted with turnip greens, corn bread, baked chicken, pork chops, grape salad and the like.  Today I will battle with portion control and choices and I am in it to win it!

It is my hope that sharing this will be useful to someone, somewhere who desires change… Be blessed and follow me on this journey!

For the Mind:  “If you conquer yourself, then you conquer the world” ― Paulo Coelho, Aleph

For the Body:  Drink 8 bottles of water. Walk 5 miles. Don’t eat after 6.

For the Spirit:  “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace...gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Until Next Time,

M'Shonta

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 4

It’s Saturday… there is a slight overcast here, but there is a happiness and a warmth in my heart that I can hardly contain! I am just at peace….  Blessed are the peacemakers!

I had a wonderful evening with my hubby yesterday watching our favorite shows and relaxing… It really did a lot for my mind, body and spirit to just rest!  However, today is a new day filled with new opportunities and obligations.  I will conquer them with grace!

I forgot to mention that I tried on my dress for my BIL’s wedding yesterday and it DID NOT FIT!!!  I literally gained about 15 pounds from the time that I ordered this dress until now... This journey could not have begun at a better time… It makes it so much easier to achieve a goal when you have an incentive…{BTW, I measured and I am about 4 inches away from bring able to zip this up}.

 I am not sure when I will be able to get my five miles in today due to the rain…but I can assure you that I will.  Until then, I will check off the other items on my list.  One of these days, I will be able to complete my closet organization project. LOL!

But I am learning through this journey to take one day at a time, one project at a time, one goal at a time…because I want to be around for a long time!

It is my hope that sharing this will be useful to someone, somewhere who desires change… Be blessed and follow me on this journey!

Saturday Morning Weight Loss Update: I weighed in today and I am at 139.8 pounds… Not a bad start, 1.8 pounds in 4 days…

For the Mind: I've been saying for a couple of years now that people need to let God out of the Sunday morning box, that He doesn't want to just be with you for an hour or two on Sunday morning and then put back in His box to sit there until you have an emergency, but He wants to invade your Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.-Joyce Meyer

For the Body:  Drink 8 bottles of water. Walk 5 miles. Don’t eat after 6.

For the Spirit:  And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. –James 3:18

Until Next Time,

 

M'Shonta

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 3

Today is Friday and I will be journeying home from a long, hard, enduring week of work.  My plane leaves at 7:00 a.m. so that means I will have to leave my hotel no later than 6:00 a.m.  So basically, after I finish 5:00 a.m. prayer I will have to jet set!!!

 

Yesterday was so mentally and physically exhausting that I have opted to take my cheat/break day today instead of Saturday.  I have to rest/regroup in order to prepare for some quality time at home with the wonderful hubby this weekend and another challenging week of work next week.

It so strange for me to say rest…because it is something that I rarely do.  I am not even sure that I know how to do it… Rest! But today I shall learn…

And so my friends… I am signing off… Shortly, I will be up, up and away… Heading back to Alabama the beautiful!’

See ya Saturday!

It is my hope that sharing this will be useful to someone, somewhere who desires change… Be blessed and follow me on this journey!

For the Mind: Ultimately, it’s not what you do every once in a while; it’s what you dedicate yourself to on a regular basis that makes the difference.

For the Body:  A day of rest!

For the Spirit: “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken {62:1-2}.”

Until Next Time,

M'Shonta

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 2

Yesterday was H.A.R.D. but I made it through!  Glory to God!  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

Sleep is so important when embarking on this type of journey.  So I have decided that I am going to incorporate it into my daily regime.  This is big deal for me because I never get enough sleep. I’d often skimp on sleep in order to portray being the superwoman that I am not!  In doing some research on sleep I found the following article from The Harvard Women’s Health Watch suggesting six reasons to get enough sleep:

 

1.         Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.

2.        Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.

3.        Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.

4.        Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.

5.        Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.

6.        Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.

After reading this it confirmed what I already knew… Sleep is too important for me to shortchange!  There is power in SLEEP!  I use to try to sleep as little as possible in order to fulfill the tasks that I had that ultimately outweighed my time. I now understand that just as exercise and nutrition are essential for optimal health and happiness, so is sleep. The quality of your sleep directly affects the quality of your waking life, including your mental sharpness, productivity, emotional balance, creativity, physical vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort!  I am taking it!  It is one the easiest things that I have to do on this 30 day journey! 

Today I am making sleep a priority!  Tonight I will make a conscious effort to pay off my sleep debt once and for all! 

It is my hope that sharing this will be useful to someone, somewhere who desires change… Be blessed and follow me on this journey!

For the Mind: You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. C. S. Lewis

For the Body:  Drink 8 bottles of water. Walk 5 miles. Don’t eat after 6. Sleep at least 7.5 hours.

For the Spirit: When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet {Proverbs 3:24}.

Until Next Time,

M'Shonta

My 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness: Day 1

It all started with a photo that was taken at a wedding over the weekend.  There is nothing like a real look at reality… How did I let this happen?  How did I get so out of shape?

A million thoughts thundered through my mind…but only one stuck.  You have got to whip yourself back into shape…

So I am starting today… I don’t like where I am mentally, physically or spiritually. Mentally, I have consumed myself and my time with too many things… My plate is heaping with helpings and I have to learn how to serve up delegating tasks.   Physically, I have become inactive.  Once the wedding was over and my goal was reached… I have just been basking in happiness… I have to get back active and vow to stay the woman that my husband promised to spend forever with…

 

I understand that weight fluctuates… However, my dedication to staying fit and healthy should not.  I want to have a healthy family and I must commit to doing so today.  Spiritually- I am just not where I used to be… Yes, I still pray and read my word faithfully every morning, but I desire that intimate relationship with God.  I love being in His presence and hearing His still soft voice.  There is nothing like parking in the peace of God.

 

The reasons listed above gives a high level view as to why I am beginning this 30 Day Journey to Physical, Mental and Spiritual Fitness.  This will take discipline, hard work, dedication and determination.  I am all in.  I want to change more than I want to stay the same… I don’t desire to go “back” to where I used to be, but I’d rather journey to somewhere I have “never been before.” A place where my spirit, mind and body are all in agreement and living out God’s perfect will for my life….

My spiritual mother teaches that we are three part being: mind, body and spirit.  So each day I will share the tools that I am using to motivate my mind, body and spirit to achieve my ultimate goal of being fit in every area of my life.

It is my hope that sharing this will be useful to someone, somewhere who desires change… Be blessed and follow me on this journey!

Starting Weight: My starting weight is 141.6 {the heaviest I have ever been}! Going forward, I will update my weight loss on Saturday Morning.  My ultimate goal is to get back down in the 125-128 range and to continue to live a healthy lifestyle.

For the Mind: Today you will only do that which you can do… The rest will remain until you arise tomorrow.

For the Body:  Drink 8 bottles of water. Walk 5 miles. Don’t eat after 6.

For the Spirit: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, but to he that endures until the end.

Until Next Time,

M'Shonta

An Eye for Entertaining

Planning events is fairly a newfound talent for me… However, my friends think differently.  After doing a few friend-a-views, I discovered that I apparently had a niche for planning and entertaining that dated back to my early high school years…  Perhaps it was the practicality that I saw in everything…or the fact that I leaned towards purchases that would serve a dual purpose…or maybe that I loved all things beautiful and believed that a Simple Sunday Dinner could be easily converted into a Stunning Sunday Soiree… I am not 100% sure of its origin, but like fashion, I believe that entertaining starts with an eye.

I love to plan and I love to entertain.  Nothing makes me happier than making someone else happy!  Over the past few years, I have planned numerous events… I have carried out countless themes… and I have delivered smiles to many faces… When I look back at some of my earlier events… I cringe!!!! Much like looking back at my 7^th grade photo when I wore hunter green overalls, white Ked’s, a blue striped sweater, unkept bangs and unibrow!  Then I quickly remind myself that time has brought about tremendous growth and change.  How true!  This is also applicable in my event planning and entertaining!  Over time, I have been able to develop my personal style and to incorporate the trends of today’s top party planners…

I don’t have a desire to become a professional event planner nor do I have the desire to do a million parties for the general public… However, I do have a desire to celebrate those in my life first class!  I want to make birthdays, baby showers, anniversaries, retirements, holidays and etcetera a big deal because they are!  Celebrating monumental moments in life are a big deal!  Oprah Winfrey said it best, "The more you praise and celebrate your life; the more there is in life to celebrate."   

I recently styled and planned a baby shower for a church member and dear family friend… The theme started with a cute stuffed bumble bee that I found on clearance in Hobby Lobby for less than $3.  The wheels immediately started turning and I immediately started scouring my home, the stores and the internet for inspiration.  Many of the items that I used to style this {bee} themed shower was already in my possession... I set a very small budget and found some really cute pieces that aided in tying the theme together.  All in all I was in love with the outcome… People are still {buzzing} about the shower… The mother-to-{bee} is still glowing… And the love and compassion that was poured out during our time of fellowship is still {flowing} like {honey}…

 

It’s true… Beauty is in the eye of the {bee}holder… We, who are blessed to possess the {eye}, are responsible for sharing the beauty that we see {in fashion, art, makeup, music and even event planning} with others..

Do you have an {eye}?  How are you showcasing the beauty that you are blessed to {bee}hold?

Until Next Time,

M’Shonta

Mrs. Turner Cooks: Scotch Eggs

Happy Freedom Day Everyone!

I am sure that many of you are grilling all around the country today!!!! My wonderful hubby and I will journey over to our parents home this afternoon to enjoy the best grilled steaks in the world!  His dad makes the most flavorful and delicious steaks that I have ever placed in my mouth :)!  But... we will have to wait until this afternoon to savor that deliciousness!  Until then....I made something new for breakfast and it was a hit with the hubs....

A few months ago my forever friend found these eggs while watching a YouTube channel... She later found the recipe below:

{Source}

 

 

These turned out phenomenal!  I can’t wait to pair these with some waffles or crescent rolls in the future… but today we enjoyed them with steamed rice and bacon!  Yummy!

 



The Joy of the Lord is My Strength: It's Renewed Every Morning

"....Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning!" Psalm 30:5 It's morning time!!!! Thank you Jesus for the beautiful gift of {Joy} that you have given me!!!! Thank you for the deep, abiding joy that has come into my life as a direct result of the trials, tribulations and traumatic experiences that I once encountered! But with the Holy Spirit, which is my ever present helper, my faith has matured and I have been strengthened. I am no longer in pursuit of happiness, because I have come to the realization that happiness tends to be short lived and depends upon temporary factors like circumstances or other people.

Joy, on the other hand, is true contentment that comes from internal factors like our faith in the Lord. True joy is everlasting and not dependent upon circumstances. Joy is a gift that God promised to give us every morning... All you have to do is wake up and receive it!!!!

So, now you can understand why I say... this {Joy} that I have... the world didn't give it to me and the world can't take it away!!!! Wake up and walk in joy that God has blessed you with this morning!!!! It's morning time!!!! Joy is here wake up!!!
 

{God} Things Come to Those Who Wait | Rosanna Crown Plates

Several years ago when I was {daydreaming} about planning my wedding... I ran across these images on Iffer's Little Nest Blog.  I fell in love instantaneously and tucked these images away in my wedding file folder...

 

 

Just two years later, I found myself frantically searching for those plates in hopes of having them grace our head table at the wedding... After months and months of searching I threw in the towel and moved on to the more pressing details of our special day....

Fast forward...almost nine months into marriage... On a random Sunday afternoon... I was scrolling through Dillard's and I ran across these!!! I could not believe my eyes!!!  I began to shake and tremble... my heart skipped a beat!!! I grabbed them as quickly as I could and dashed to the register... I didn't ever bother looking at the price!

To my dismay... they were only $15.75 with 50% off!!! Yes, the plates and mugs were only $7.87 for a set of four!!! Can you say score??? That was less than $2 a plate!!! I immediately asked the sales representative to search the Internet to see if she could find me more... But it was not a successful search!!! Every store that she accessed in the system did not have any in stock!!! So in the end I purchased 8 mugs and 4 plates for less than $25!!! I will continue my search for another set of salad plates as well as the matching platter and tea pot!!! Until then... I will enjoy this glorious find!!!

My heart is so happy... All I could think was that God brought these pieces all the way to Florence just for me!!! {God} things come to those who wait!!!

"Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."

—Habakkuk 2:1-3, King James Bible