"I get to..."

While listening to the radio the other day a song came on that really got my attention. This man was singing about the fact that when he was growing up his father would dress him up in his shirt and tie, and take him to church....but now that he's older "I get to." When he was young his dad made him mow the yard and wash the car on Saturdays...Dad had a heart attact last fall...and now "I get to." Three little words that could make a huge difference in our lives if we would let them. No more feeling sorry for ourselves for the things that we "have" to do, no more resenting the family and friends that have need our time...
I have been so blessed in my life and so resentful sometimes, but today I would just like to try to list the things that I "get to....."

I GET TO:
get out of my nice warm bed in the mornings(I have a bed, some people have cardboard boxes)...
fix a cup of tea...
choose what I want for breakfast(some don't get breakfast)...
wash the dishes in my sink(MY sink...)
wash the laundry and hang it out because my dryer is broke( I have a closet full of clothes)...
read my Bible....
pay bills (God has provided me with so many luxuries-electricity, gas, water, tv, computer)...
worry about my 2 boys in the military(they are fighting for our freedom)...
talk to my boys that are in the military(in other wars you could go months without hearing from your soldiers.....
talk to my wonderful daughter (God was gracious enough to let her stay close to me)...
over the weekend I kept my grandkids( thank you God for letting dd share them sometimes)...
run the sweeper over the carpet (I'm sure cardboard boxes don't have carpet)...
clean the toilet (I remember going to outhouses when I was much younger)....
cook dinner (I have a choice of what to eat...some people would be grateful for anything)...
and one of the most of the important is-----
on Sunday mornings I GET to attend church (Praise God from whom all blessings flow)...
So, tonight maybe your're sitting at home feeling sorry for yourself, maybe you feel resentful of the things that you HAVE to do...why not try to be grateful for the things that you "get to"...

well, I'm waiting for the 2-6 maybe more inches of snow to start here in Newton. thinking about the weather reminded me of warmer weather and the fact that I learned something new this summer....see, an old dog can be taught new tricks. I learned how to ride and drive a 4 wheeler. My family has owned 4 wheelers for many, many years, and this year I actually got on the back of one and had a wonderful time. But, of course WV is a good place for this kind of recreation. The pic was taken during the fall before it got too cold. We rode for about 3 hours down dirt road, up creeks, through water, around water....fun!! And, it was really special because this was one of the last things that Geary and I got to do with Ben and his girlfriend before he was deployed. I praise God that I live in a beautiful place that has lots of things to do with the family. Unspoiled, free things that are so hard to find in this world today.
I'm working on a poncho for Liberty-isn't she adorable-and tried to take a pic, only its not showing up as pretty as it really is. I can't wait to see it on her!
Chris called today and has pneumonia...poor Chris if its not one thing its another. Pray for him as you go about your evening.
If any of the ladies at Newton Baptist stumble onto this page...thank you so much for your invitation to scrapbook Friday evening. (Actually I think I invited myself). What a lot of fun we had, God has blessed me and my family with wonderful friends. And, thank you Miss Debbie for the lesson on sponging the paper.
Well, I want to go check out Tara' s blog.

Lost and Found

While checking out some sites that I like to visit I was introduced to the concept of "365". You take a picture every day of the year and scrapbook it...sort of a calender of the year in photos. Neat idea huh? Well, I thought what a wonderful way to keep up on scrapping and sharing the year with others, especially my two boys that are deployed.
I rushed to find my camera, it was a wonderful day to take pics...beautiful snow covered the yard, and more was expected. But, to my horror (and I do mean I was upset) I couldn't find the camera anywhere. Not only was it sort of an expensive camera, but my youngest son gave it to me. And most importantly I had a whole lot of wonderful family pics on there. I was sure that I had last seen it in the car. So, I ran outside and looked-no camera. I looked again-same thing. I scooted into the house and looked everywhere I could think of-the study, kitchen, bedroom, in my pocketbook, etc. But, there was no camera. I went back outside and looked again, but it still was not to be found. But, while I was moving stuff around in the study trying to find the camera I found a book that was quite special to me. My daughter in law gave it to me, and I had really enjoyed reading it. It was a book of devotionals for military families. It had been missing for several day, and I just assumed that I had left it at the school I volunteer at, I hadn't even bothered looking for it here in the house. What a pleasant surprise to find it.
Well, lo and behold I finally found the camera, of course in a place that I shouldn't have put it.
Praise the Lord that when he was looking for me he didn't assume that I wasn't interested in becoming a Christian. Praise his name that he didn't look just one time and then give up, he kept coming back and coming back until he found me. Praise the Lord, that through the years when I have strayed away from him, he kept calling my name, kept whispering in my heart, and leading the way back to him.
Like that camera I have been in places that I shouldn't have been, hanging around things that I shouldn't have been, but he found me. I once was lost, but now I'm found.