When life gets beyond the normal difficulties, it is challenging to give up your worries and believe with a whole heart that God bears the burden of planning our lives.

I’m writing this entry today, not just for you…my readers, but for myself.

Living a life of gratitude and thankfulness to God is living a life of praise. If God never does one more thing for me, I know I will still spend the rest of my life thanking Him for what He already has done. He has given me four healthy and beautiful children, a husband whom I adore, friends…The list in endless. I PRAISE Him and I continue to thank Him, despite the world-wind of ‘not so fun’ chaos surrounding me.

It amazes me that so many people look at their lives and don’t see anything to be thankful for. I can’t fathom it. Even in my darkest days of depression when life looked bleak, I could still look around and know I was blessed.

There is always something to be thankful for, even if it seems small compared to the difficulties you are going through. We can always thank God for salvation through Jesus Christ, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, the Bible, your Church, and even if they do get on your nerves…Your FAMILY.

When our lives are defined by thankfulness, we are able to keep ourselves in a place in which God can work out his plan for us.

Living  life of humility before God and others helps us remain yielded to God’s plans for us. Humility doesn’t mean you should be a person who is a sourpuss, timid and can’t look someone in the eye. Part of being humble is accepting that you won’t get credit for all that you do. God can’t work out his plan for you if your goal in life is to glorify yourself.

Living a life of trust in God in the midst of trouble is exercising our will to yield. When we drive around with our children and get lost, our kids are not worried because they trust us to get to where we are going. This is what we should do as God’s children. Trust Him  despite the tragedies in our life, the darkness that seems to engulf us because Beloved…God has the flashlight! (HE is the flashlight!)  He’ll get us to where we need to go. He will get us out of the dark chaos! God wants us to live without fear because we are with Him. He is taking care of us.

God works out his plans for our lives as we yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The great thing about our God is that He doesn’t force His plan on us. It’s there for us to take, but we have to yield to Him. We will receive His plan by yielding to Him an attitude of thankfulness, humility and most of all…TRUST.

“Heavenly Father,  I come to you today in a humble mind and spirit. Dear Lord, I thank you for the blessings in my life and the blessings I’ve yet to receive. I praise you, dear Lord, because I know that You know what I’m going through.  I know you are going to see me through it. You are going to grant me serenity and I thank you!  Dear God, give me the strength to carry on and the wisdom to make the choices that are fitting for Your plan in my life. I yield it all to you, Lord.  

In Jesus Name, I pray, Amen.”

Scriptures to Read:

Psalm 138

Jeremiah 29:11

Deuteronomy 31:8

Psalm 3:3

Psalm 34:15, 17

Isaiah 54:4

2 Corinthians 7:6

1 Peter 5:6,7

I am a tad bit fanatical about hand-washing. I am known to have bottles of hand sanitizer in my purse, on my desk, on my key-chain, in my car, in the kids’ backpacks…etc. Some people would label me as OCD, but I like to think it is my charming way of being a very prepared Mom in battling germs.

I’m serious.

The one thing I noticed about the sanitizers I’ve been using is that it was extremley drying to my hands. Yet, convenience always won out and I ignored the drying hand problem. I continued to use our brand of hand sanitizer, despite the damage it was causing to my hands. (Where is the sink with water and soap in my vehicle, anyway? Why not add THAT instead of a DVD player?)

Judi from BABY CRAZY was kind enough to send me a bottle of No Rinse Hand Sanitizer from Baby Crazy. It foams without the repulsive sickly smell of the hand sanitizer I normally use. I keep it on my office desk at work.  I LOVE THIS STUFF! It only takes a little bit to get the job done. (I overdid it the first few times I used it. The picture below is too much for one person) I plan on ordering more for our family. It is alcohol free, kid-friendly, and the best part? It doesn’t remove your nail polish! It is the best thing I’ve found since DVR’s and TIVO’s.

I’m not kidding. I’m OCD, er… I mean… GERM RESISTANT like that. (Only I would compare hand sanitizer to TIVO)

The winner of THE LAST LECTURE GIVEAWAY is Connie!

I hope this book will be a blessing to you, Connie!

For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh

knowledge and understanding.

                    ~Proverbs 2:6

This is going to be a very long post.

So grab another cup of coffee or margarita…whichever, and sit back. RELAX.

This won’t hurt a bit.

I started a new job/project on Monday which has my alarm clock waking me up at the ungodly hour of 4:30am. Since this was my first week on this new schedule, this site and other projects were abandoned. BUT HAVE NO FEAR!!! The Queen of Scheduling (that would be me) has worked out all the kinks out of this new schedule and will never go three or four days without posting again. UNLESS of course, I’ve announced it first. Or my husband surprises me with a romantic getaway to Italy.

You know, something low key like that.

But thank you for the emails and the IM’s reminding me I had a blog to write.

Let’s rock in roll… (I always wanted to say that!)

Let’s start with the Giveaways!

Thursday, Taunia picked a winner for the SPLASH ROCKET giveaway.

::Drum Roll::

From Taunia’s email:

“I chose this one: Mari Helms – because it was posted at the time closest to when I was picking the winner – and when I asked my daughter for a number, she said “8″ and this one had an “8″ in the time – so I thought that was a “sign” LOL!”

Congratulations Mari!!!

Thank you to all that entered!

 Taunia also had this awesome announcement:

I want to offer everyone the chance to order the splash rocket! They can order it right now for only $21.00 which includes tax and shipping!!!  

Also our Hydroblasts are on sale – two for $24 – or they can have a Splash Rocket and 2 Hydroblasts for $40!!!  All they have to do is email me by July 30th!  Offer good in the US (including territories and military installations all over the world) only.  We can sell directly in Canada, but the prices may be different.  Email me for this special pricing – taunia@discoverytoyslink.com. Since we Alaskans can’t enjoy the warmth of summer… let’s celebrate for the others that can!

I was deeply saddened yesterday to read that Randy Pausch had died. I couldn’t ignore the irony that it was just last Saturday I posted the giveaway for his book THE LAST LECTURE. I will post the winner later today. Please include Mr. Pausch’s family in your prayers today.

I have received a few things in the mail this past week to review. Oh I’m going to have so much fun with this! ChaseNKids Style and Review will launch MONDAY, July 29th and Study the Word Wednesday will resume this Wednesday. Every Tuesday is ‘Round Table Discussion’ in which I post a topic for you to discuss in my comments lounge. (There is still time to jump in THIS DISCUSSION)

I had a lot of readers ask about one particular ChaseNKids reader who often leaves comments. Everyone is calling her ”Miles”. She’s actually Mrs. Miles, but my grandmother always called her “Miles” and that is how she signs her name on this blog. Mrs. Miles was my grandmother’s best friend. Her husband was also my father’s employer and good friends with my grandfather. For the longest time, I always thought the Miles family was a part of our family… and they were, just not by blood. (All though we are from the south…so you never know!) I admired her daughter, Amy, who was a model and appeared on All My Children in the ’80’s. She was also Miss Phenix City which to me was the same thing as being Miss America.

Mrs. Miles may be 78 years old, but don’t let her age fool you. She’s still forever 28.

It is an honor that she reads my website and I am tickled pink that she has some of you as fans.

Today, is Eden Marie’s SOCCER JAMBOREE. It is raining and the thought of playing in the rain and giving out trophies in this cold drizzle doesn’t set too well with me. I’m hoping the sun will come out and the rain will cease a bit. I love the rain…but it is more when it is me under a warm blanket, watching an old movie and sipping on hot chocolate. Standing out in it with little girls who don’t like to get wet isn’t what I would describe as LOVE.

Insanity, yes. But not love.

I’m sure I will have plenty of blog fodder when I return.

Until then…

God Bless!