Everyone is still sleeping.

My coffee is no longer hot, but that’s okay. In a few minutes, I will head downstairs, pour another cup and sip in silence.

I will wonder and marvel of all the things that have yet come to be; but I’ll know it will work out in His due time.

Isn’t God amazing?

I want to thank you all for your kind words and your prayers. I know things will be okay. As much as I’d like to stay cooped up in a dark room, isolated from the world and the people that love me, I know isolation isn’t the answer.

I’m leaning on Him.

Last night, while I was working at my desk, my husband was sitting on the bed watching me. I was about to say something endearing like, “Do you have a problem that requires you to be all up in my business? Can’t you see I’m working?”

I know.

I’m inspirational with my wording. It’s part of my charm.

I didn’t say any of that because when I looked over, he had grabbed one of my books from my nightstand and was reading. It was Larry Huch’s book, 10 Curses that Block the Blessing. I braced myself. I waited for a sarcastic remark or his picking out parts to read outloud in his best Southern Baptist preacher voice, but none of that happened. He read in silence and very simply put the book aside.

I was getting ready to pounce, barrage him with questions, but a small voice whispered in my ear, “Don’t. Let it be.”

It may seem small and insignificant, but I’m seeing His work take place.

In due time.

Meanwhile, keep praying for us. For my husband’s eyes to open so that he will see God is real and that He loves him. Pray for this turmoil that my family and I are going through and please Internet, pray that my hair doesn’t frizz up so much I have to go back to wearing banana clips.

Yeah. Banana Clips. I’m cool like that.

 CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. FINALISTS HAVE BEEN LISTED ON MAIN PAGE. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LIST!

As promised, I’m starting a new tradition on ChaseNKids.

GIVEAWAYS!!

 A good friend of mine is always saying ”If it’s free, then it’s for me!”

Yeah, she’s poetic that one.

Every week I will be bringing you a fantastic giveaway. I’m looking for products that are interesting, creative, helpful, funny, and something everyone should have!

For the very first giveaway, I want to promote the business of a very dear friend of mine…LippyTees. 

From the website:

Hi There! If you’re too busy, let our T-Shirts say what’s on your mind! We have a wide assortment of silly, and some not-so-silly statements for you to use. Feel free to browse our catalogue here. If you want something custom-made, we can probably get it done for you! To contact us about any custom work, please shoot us an email and let us know what we can do for you!

As someone who appreciates silly and assertive statements, these shirts are a must have. (My husband is going to get THIS for his birthday. Shh. Don’t tell.)

One lucky winner will win a $30 gift certificate to LippyTees. All you have to do is leave a comment to this post with your own creative slogan. (IE: “Where’s the Beef?” )

Your slogan must be original and not taken from a 80’s commercial…no matter how bad you want to see DUH! on a wife beater.

BE CREATIVE.  Who knows? Perhaps you’ll be so creative, someone will want to put your slogan on a T-shirt. 

Make sure you provide your email address so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open to everyone. 

I will close comments to this post on June 7th at 7pm EST.

Good Luck!

COMMENTS ARE MODERATED. DON’T WORRY IF YOU DON’T SEE YOUR COMMENT RIGHT AWAY.

READ THE COMMENT GUIDELINES.

My family and I are going through a very difficult time right now. It is a private matter, but I can tell you it is one of those situations that takes over your thoughts. A smile is no longer just a smile, but an attempt to cover the pain.

My husband is my best friend, a good man with high morals and a big heart. However, he’s not a Christian and is content to live life as is. This has always been hard because my faith is what I  lean on. When you marry someone out of your faith or a person with no faith, things are distorted. It creates havoc on God’s plan.

When I met my husband, I was twenty-one and I wasn’t thinking about his blase attitude regarding faith. I truly thought it wouldn’t be a big deal. He’d come to know God. How could he not?

 I became a Jehovah’s Witness and had babies back to back. My husband worked two jobs to support us and I was always going to the Kingdom Hall. He viewed the religion as a “Jaime Thing” and tried to understand it, but couldn’t. He gave up the holidays with me, sometimes making snide comments, but always with a touch of humor to never hurt my feelings. Of course, he hated it! He didn’t even believe in God and his wife was trotting off every Saturday morning to knock on doors! No Christmas, no birthdays, nada. He went along with it because he loved me.

My niece died in 2005, a shock as she was only seventeen. It was around that time that questions about the religion began to surface. Feeling as if I had no one to talk to, I did what I should have done all along…I talked to God.

It wasn’t just an ordinary prayer. I fell to my knees. I cried out to Him. I felt the Holy Spirit’s embrace. It was time to not rely on a religion for spiritual understanding, but to rely on God.

Thus began a two year search for Truth. I forgot about the peace I had with relying on the Holy Spirit and went out on my own. I wiped away everything I believed and studied anything and everything I could get my hands on. Metaphysical studies regarding past lives and reincarnation, Buddhism, Mormonism…the list in endless. I went into it with a non judgemental attitude and wanted to know everything I could about religions and spirituality.

My husband watched quietly. He sometimes would roll his eyes when he’d see me with another book about a religion he never heard of.

Then one day, I heard a voice whisper, “Enough. It’s time to get to know Me.”

It was God.

I started reading the Bible. Not just reading it, but studying it. Praying scripture.

The kids and I would start each Sunday morning visiting churches until one day we found our home church. A small non-denominational church with Pentecostal roots.

I found home.

My husband will attend for special occasions, like Easter. He still claims to not believe in God. Here we are in the midst of a thunderstorm wrecking havoc on our peace and we are dealing with it separately. I’m relying on God, praying and giving it to Him. I recite Isaiah 41:10 and read anything uplifting. I need Him to intervene. My husband internalizes the situation and I see the stress in his face. My heart breaks because the peace could be his as well.

I continue to pray. I will keep having faith that one day my husband’s eyes will be open to the fact that Jesus is his Saviour and he can have salvation.

Internet, I ask for your prayers.

My brother is here from Alabama. He arrived late Friday night, just in time for a weekend filled with activities such as a dance recital, soccer practice and a baseball game. Today, he got to witness the aftermath of Jacob’s dentist appointment which was a jolly good time with Jacob coming home with one less tooth and a mouth full of bloody cotton balls.

My brother has had the pleasure to witness what it is really like to live with a preteen, two energetic boys, and a four year old little girl training for her life long dream to live as a Princess.

He’s witnessed the interaction between my husband and I, which at times could probably drive any good Christian up the wall. But not my brother who thinks my husband is the funniest person in the world. My husband doesn’t need the encouragement, believe me. With my brother’s constant laughter and pats on the back, I’m just waiting for Ian to come home and tell me he’s quitting his job for a career in stand-up comedy.

This evening, after my husband impressed us all with his culinary skills, I asked my brother if he was having a good time. He nodded slightly and then asked if we had any alcohol.

I nodded, mainly because I could relate.

So far today:

• I have broken a nail.
• I was pulled over by a cop.
• I have sneezed a thousand and three times.
• I have lost a shoe.

Thankfully:

• I will go get my nails done.
• I didn’t get a ticket.
• I have a huge supply of Kleenex.
• I like to go barefoot.

I’m learning to turn things around and lean on God…not myself.

As with everything…I am a slow learner, but God is patient.

When I am pressed on every side by troubles, I am not crushed and broken. When I am perplexed because I don’t know why things happen as they do, I don’t give up and quit.

~2 Corinthians 4:8