Queenies Little Kingdom

I’ve shared on my blog about my new discovery of Facebook and the incredible connections I have made since joining. Just this past week, I found my long lost cousin in Florida…Lucy! We were thick as thieves growing up. She was raised on the east coast in the bustling city of Pompano Beach….me, I was the country cousin! I lived in a small rural town in the south-central area of the state. My one-horse town was a favorite place for city relatives to escape to. It was just home to me! But to them….it was horses, dogs, good home-cooked meals and family. I loved it when they would come visit.

My grandparents lived on the east coast too. In the summers, I would go and stay as their guest (and they would spoil me). Some might say….I was already that way. But my Granny….she was very good to me. I always felt like I was her favorite (even if it wasn’t so). My cousins would all be there too. We’d play, run wild, argue, have clubs, watch tv late at night, eat the best meals a Granny could make and just live it up all summer. I’ll always remember my time with all of them as great memories. I knew I was loved and cared for by each of them. They were family.

Things weren’t always smiles and sugar cookies though. It seems that after a bit of time together….we’d end up in some sort of disagreement. Me, being the bossy-ish one would usually stomp off ticked to the max. Then everyone would play “shun” Wanda! They loved to pick at me (did I mention…I was the youngest one?). They were all older but clearly….I was the leader of the pack. Either by my sheer power or them just giving in and saying….”WHATEVER”! Whichever it was……I was boss! In all my bossiness they decided on a perfect name for me (not meant with love, I tell ya)….Queenie!

I would be “not speaking” to any of them and they would taunt me as I rode by on my bike, “Queenie, Queenie!” and then just crack up laughing as I stuck my nose up in the air and zoomed on by. OOoooh I would be seething inside. Thinking of all the ways I was gonna get them! My cousin Lucy….she really was a sweet kid (but I guess she had just had enough of my drama)….Go figure! I’ll never forget her calling me Queenie and laughing. I can still see her face. The reason it bugged me so much partly was because she didn’t have a mean bone in her body. So, to me..this was the ultimate insult! How could she turn on me like that?

Now that I’m a little older (by the way……NONE of them have forgotten my very deserved nickname, Queenie) I can see that I must have been a little much for them. I mean, look at me….I’m still bossing people around and pushing my way through life. It’s just who I am. I’d like to call it a strong first-born leader personality. My cousin’s may say…..I’m just a spoiled brat! Either way, I’m embracing the name….it still fits I suppose. When I decided to become a blogger…..it was the first thing that came to mind, after all these years. I haven’t seen any of my cousins in about 17 years…..we left for ministry a long time ago and haven’t lived in Florida for ten years. That was the first question cousin Lucy asked me when we started chatting on Facebook…….”So, tell me about that name on your blog?” Hahahaha! 🙂
I love her! Thanks for being my cousin!

Oooooh I have to spit this out before I just scream with delight over it. Next week…….is the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival again. Yeehaw! Woohoo! Yippee! I am so psyched! I hope you visit….I hope you participate too. There will be over 1000 giveaway’s on this contest-palooza! Don’t forget!

And trust me….it will!  Make lemonade!  Sweet Bethany, this girl….I think she might be a sister from another mother or something.  I heart her.  She bestowed this awesome award to ME!  I AM HONORED, LADY!  I tend to be a little wild and peppy at times, but I do get low…like everybody else here and there.  This really perked me up and reminded me of what I want to be like all of the time.  So, thank you very much.

Anyway, this is not just any award. It’s the Lemonade Award. It’s given to people who look at the bright side of life and make lemonade out of lemons. So, that makes it even cooler.

So, here are the rules…
1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Nominate 10 blogs which show great attitude or gratitude!!!
3. Be sure to link your nominees with your post.
4. Let them know they received the award by leaving a comment on their blog.
5. Share the love and link this post to the person that gave you the award!

Alright, I’m going to cheat right out of the RULES gate. I’m only choosing to pass this nomination along to one gal. She’s an amazing lady! Everyday that I pop into her little part of blog world….I am totally inspired! Right now, she is going through a very difficult time. But…..Rachel Anne is still optimistic about life and what God’s going to do with her. Go see her. You’ll love her too.

Before I go any further, let me just say….I am not here to bash President elect Obama. I have no reason to get mean and ugly. I recognize full well what tomorrow’s inauguration means to all of America. This is of monumental accomplishment for all people of color across our nation. I, too celebrate that fact with America. How exciting this must be for this family at this time in our country. I can’t help but feel pride for them.

However, I am still the same me with the same values and beliefs that I was on November 4th’s election day. I am disappointed in the presidential selection and it’s not because he is a man of color. It has everything to do with his liberal stance on just about everything that matters to me as a Christian. I’ve yet to hear one bad thing about him from the liberal media. It’s as if he’s a god-like figure and all of America is bowing down to worship him. Again, I am not being mean-spirited here…..I am just blown away by the goo-goo behavior of so many intelligent people. What is that about? He hasn’t done ANYTHING to be graced with such awe! Except be black….and beat out a conservative war hero whose been around the political block a time or two. The things he’s done in his short political span….go against all that I stand for. Voting four different times FOR late term abortion? Eeek! Aye-yay yaye!

President Obama will go down as one of our most committed pro-abortion presidents, he’s in favor of most of the homosexual agenda, he’s already proven that his cabinet will be filled with people liberally loaded for bear (ie…Clinton era people) and you can take it to the bank that he will appoint the most liberal of them all as justices to the Supreme Court. Look out, Americans! It is certainly going to be a time of change. I’m sorry to say. President Obama has pledged that within the first few hours after his inauguration to sign executive orders to reverse the Bush administration’s policy limiting federal funding of human embryonic stem-cell research. He has also promised to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, which would affect a pro-abortion revolution in this nation(for more on the FOCA go here). This is not something I can be excited about or stand in awe and admiration of him for. It is a devastation!

I do not want to sound like a hater! I am certainly not that. I will continue to stand proud to be an American and to be a patriotic member of this free society. I vow to pray for this President and his family and the many decisions that will ultimately come his way. God is still on His throne (something that was said repeatedly during election time). His job is a tough one! No one man can please everyone all the time. But for our country……I pray that God will bless us and protect us in spite of our sin. We need Him more than ever.

As you watch with the rest of this great nation….our new president take his oath, pray! Pray for him and for our country.

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”

— President Thomas Jefferson

Everybody within a 3 state distance knows that I like me some days off. It’s been glorious having a three-day weekend. Unplanned of course! On Friday, the temperature was so low…..-4 to be exact….that we ended up with a no school day. It seems one of the elementary schools couldn’t get the heat on. So, NO SCHOOL! On a Friday?!?!! Woohoo, yeehaw! Yahoo! We took total advantage of it. We stayed home and hibernated!

Tomorrow is another story. It seems as though…we have to actually get up and get going. Absurd! The Nerve of those people! I am not one “to give an inch to” (you know that old…she’ll take a mile thing?). I get way too used to a good thing. Snow delay’s and day’s off…..totally warm my heart. I don’t care that my kids are all up in my business. I actually like having them around. They’re my people! We like home! It’s where the heart is, right?

We’ve had a great day today. Gavin’s girlfriend, Allison and Ally’s boyfriend, Tyler both came early this morning to go with us to the country church hubby preaches for an hour away. We surprised the congregation by filling up a few pews. They love it when we come out with him. It’s a sweet church. We came back home and feasted on baked spagetti, salad and garlic bread. If you have teenager’s then you know…..movies were next, and ballgames on tv. Then more food! The process just repeats itself. Until you make them all go home and yours go to bed. Ahh, the joys of being a mama. I just love it!

As I’m typing…I see the ground is blanketed with fresh snow. Maybe just maybe we’ll get a little delay in the morning. I could use some extra winks. How about you? If not, enjoy your Monday. Make it a point to smile and be happy (remember, there’s always someone worse off than you……REALLY). Don’t forget to let God work through you…..matter of fact, ask Him specifically to do just that. Scary, huh? I challenge you to offer yourself up to God and his service this week. There’s no better place to be…..than in His care.

1 John 5:15 “And if we know that He hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him”.

Tonight I’ve been reflecting on women who have influenced me. It caused me to think about my own life. Am I doing my part in that calling on my life? I have always had a passion for women. I can’t help but see what a person’s life could be. So many women are unhappy or miserable. It’s so easy to be disatisfied or disenchanted with what your life turns out like. I know this firsthand. I have found myself in that boat too. I’m perky, ya’ll! But I’m human! I, too, get bummed! Thankfully, God won’t let me stay there long and wallow. He sends His love somehow to this weary servant and I get a fresh perspective. Don’t ya just love that?

The odds were against me growing up. My mom loved me but she was not a Christian and her love was often very conditional. Depending on what good I was doing or how she was feeling at the moment was often the temperature of the love from her. She was not equipped in many ways to parent the way God expected of her. As I grew up I watched her behavior and felt sorry for her. Somehow I knew that God didn’t want me to act like that. I vowed to be a good mom….and I hope that someday, my kids will see that I tried to do just that. I wonder as I look into their eyes if they know what it could be like? Mom’s make mistakes! They fail! They fall short! I have tried to live a life that honors Christ….but many times I have failed and done so in front of my kids. God bless them for understanding forgiveness and granting it. God, you are so good!

I want to be a woman of influence. I want to inspire women to love Christ and follow Him with their whole hearts. If I had an audience of women to speak to right this moment I would tell them of some things I’ve learned along the way.

1) ABC– Accept Him, Believe He died for you, Confess your sins to Him! Be saved, sister!
2) STUDY-Read your Bible, do whatever it takes to know His word and hide it in your heart!
3) PRAY-Be a woman that spends time with God alone & quiet! Tell Him how great He is.
4) ADMIRE HIM-Be a woman of praise and adoration! Do and say things that honor him to other’s.
5) TEACH WHO HE IS TO YOUR CHILDREN-Be a woman that teaches who Jesus is and tell them how He loves them.
6) LOVE-Love other’s with a God-like love. Try to see them through His eyes (ours are very flawed).
7) FORGIVE-Just do it! People are going to hurt you, especially ones that you love. Let go of hurts! They will only cripple you and make you useless to God and the big picture.
8) LAUGH-Be happy about who you are in this world. God doesn’t make mistakes. When you’re tempted to be bummed or depressed….find a friend that makes you smile and hang on for dear life. It will pass!
9) BE A TEACHABLE PERSON-Nobody likes a Know-it-all! I’ve been known to be a bit knowy! Yes, it’s true! I have learned some valuable things from some very unsuspecting people. Thank you God. You are so wise!
10) LIVE LIKE YOU WERE DYING-Not just you…but the one’s you love. Your perspective seems to change. What if you never saw them again? Say what you want them to know today. Don’t hold it back.
11) TRUST GOD COMPLETELY-Don’t just say that you do. Really live as if you do. He is capable of handling everything. So let Him.

Proverbs 31:29-30 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman that fears the Lord is to be praised.”

If you live up north….above the Louisville, Kentucky line. There are a few things kids live for….and I have to say I’m right there with them. They are……School delay and snow day! Oh yea, we like to hear those words. If you have been watching the weather on the news then you know…..it’s gonna be a little chilly here in Indiana for the next few days. Colder than usual. Like below zero into the negatives. That kind of cold is a bit dangerous for little kids standing out at the bus stop. So in defense of school officials…we welcome a fabulous snow delay in the morning. We will have 2 extra hours to bebop around before school. Yahooooooo!
In the words of Donkey, “I’m makin waffles!”. Yes, a delay makes me that happy! Pathetic, I know. Don’t judge me! I love sleep, ya’ll! Oh and pajamas!

Wherever you are…I hope you are safe and warm. I especially hope you feel loved and adored. Cause that’s how God feels about you and surely your family does too. If you’re getting a little extra time tomorrow like us, ENJOY IT! Do something different and shake things up a bit. It’ll make a memory with those you love the most. 🙂

Wanna see what’s happening in my neck of the woods? Go here, WTHR-Indianapolis News. Right now, it’s 7 degrees here. Brrrr!