Don't say what comes after "but..."

I know this is a random topic; however, as I was taking a nap this afternoon these thoughts started running through my head.

My conclusion was that usually "but" is a bad word. People (especially kids) don't want to hear what comes after "but" in a conversation..

EXAMPLES:
You can have ice cream, but you have to eat all your dinner first.
I do love you, but I don't like they way you did ______.
We can go on the swings, but we have to leave after that.

What I am saying is that usually whatever follows the but negates the first statement. I remember in Misawa, one of my teacher friends said something to this effect but I never got it until now. Weird how some things hit you.

My thoughts lately have been this..
I do love you, Lord, but I don't have time to read my Bible right now.
I know I should pray, but I'll just wait until Lilly takes a nap.
There is church tonight, but I don't feel like going.

I know I am slacking and I truly want to get back to where I was 2006 when I was brought to my knees and knew I needed Jesus to be Lord over my life. I want to take the "buts" out of my life and just do what I know I need to do. I keep praying for that and I'm asking that you pray with me too. Help to have that passion and strong desire back. Thanks!

Friends=Home

I have realized this past year that I do not fully call the place I live HOME until I have friends there. The definition of friend is this - one attached to another by affection or esteem. When I sit and think about it, I can name every person who has been that friend to me and I am still in contact with all of them today.

1st - my sister Susie and my 2 cousins Laura and DeeDee
Throughout middle school - Tara and Julie
High School - Julie, Janet, and Daniel
College - Laurie, Melanie, Dawn, Shannon K.
Charleston after college - Susie, Faith, and Mark*
Jacksonville - Mark, Natalie, Shannon T
Misawa - Mark, Janice, Heidi L., and Rose
Houston - Mark, Heidi W., Karie, Yajaira

*I met Mark after graduating college and he has been by my side since then, but I can honestly say that we didn't truly become friends until we got to Misawa and started having a relationship with Christ.

Each person that I have listed probably has no idea how much they have impacted my life. In many cases (especially in my adult years) I was miserable and depressed before I met them and I honestly think God sent each of them into my life at just the perfect time and for a specific purpose too. I have learned so much from each of them - how to be a friend, how to love, how to pray, how to be a better wife to Mark, how to look at the world w/ different eyes, and much more. I started to put memories of each of them in this blog but realized that that would be a really long entry and it would take forever, so I'll just say that I have many fond memories of each of my friends. Thank you to each of them!

One thing that God has taught me through this realization is that I need to let HIM be the one that completes me and let HIM be the one who helps me call a place home. As great as all these friends are, I can't take them with me when I move and sometimes friends do let you down but HE will go with me wherever I go and HE will never let me down.