Queenies Little Kingdom

Last week, I read a post titled Nine Doors Down by one of my very favorite bloggers…Karen Ehman.  She wrote about a missed opportunity to meet and love on a neighbor who decided to take her own life.  Oh she'd exchanged waves as she walked by and spoke as she saw her out watering flowers but she never stopped and introduced herself.  They never connected.

Missed opportunity.

Those moments can't be changed.  I'm no different than Karen and neither are you.  We're busy people.  It's a game of hustle most days just to take care of work, kids and dinner.  But God has divine appointments for us.

Are we listening for His nudges?

I blogged about my aching back on Tuesday.  What I didn't tell you was that I actually called in to the sub line.  I reached the answering machine and instead of leaving a message asking for a sub, I hung up.  In my mind, I was thinking…no big deal, I can make it in.  Later, I regretted it and felt horrible all day at school.  By the end of the day, I let a secretary know I would need Wednesday off.

God had plans.  I didn't know it, but he was orchestrating an important need.

After taking some good med's and sleeping much better Tuesday night,  I managed to do a little housework.  I noticed on my computer an instant message popped up from an old high school friend (from Florida).  I haven't spoken to her in years and her question really caught me off guard.  She asked me if I'd heard about the gunman on the loose in the next town over.  I answered with a yes and she told me it was her nephew.

Divine appointment.

We spent most of the morning communicating back and forth.  She shared about his being bi-polar and that he'd never hurt anyone before.  He had served time in prison for a burglary but he wasn't a killer.  On Monday night, a police officer pulled him over and he fired a shot into the air causing the officer to shoot back. He then fled the scene on foot and the whole community was on alert while they searched for him.  He was still missing today.  Her family was so distraught.  They believed he was trying to get the police to shoot him.

Desperate. 

As I was about to start dinner, she messaged me again.  He'd been found.  He had taken his own life.  My heart broke for her and the entire family.  His mother (my friends sister) and other relatives had gathered at a local hotel hoping for a happier ending.  Instead, the news would break their hearts and change their lives forever.

God wanted me home today.  If I had been at work, I couldn't have chatted and encouraged her throughout the day.  Nor listened to her as she shared the darkest few moments of her life as an aunt.

Divine appointment.

Lord,  You have a plan so important.  Help me to be open to your nudges and allow my heart to love like you do.  I pray for this family.  They are broken into many little pieces and they need your peace like never before.  Thank you for using me to love and minister in their time of need.

Amen

Once again I was up & down all night. Two nights in a row!  Last year I blogged about a pinched nerve in my back. I wandered around aimlessly for a week with some of the worst pain ever. Finally, the pain was so bad that my principal had to help me to the parking lot where my hubby had pulled up to get me.

Away we went to the doctor, who lovingly prescribed truth serum and pain medication so I could breathe and pull up my own pants again.

So the news today is I'm down in the back …. again!

Pray for me…I don't want to share how I really feel by way of good drugs. I'd rather be like everyone else and hide it! Hehe

I'm a sucker for a good long weekend.  I had big plans to enjoy this one but somehow fell into the pit of DON'T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH lady!  When I came home to chaos on Friday, I knew….dun dun dun, home would not be the haven I had dreamt of all week.  
 

After verbally wounding all the people I love, including the dogs….I crawled up on my bed for a retreat nap cry escape rest and prayed for God to help me face all the attacks satan was throwing my way.  Then, I called my husband and confessed my meanness to him and begged him to come home and help me.

Before they killed me and hid my body.

No, I wasn't PMS'n either.  Trouble was just knocking on my door and I was caught unaware and answered it.  Idiot!  I did mention it was FRIDAY?  I love Friday's.  Just not this one.

The new puppy, it's up and down with the potty training.  My house smelled terrible and the laundry was piled high because of cleaning up the "accidents".  Not a good thing to come home to.  I work hard all week, I didn't want a puppy and I don't want to come home to work cleaning up after one.  Would you?

While I'm crying sulking praying on my bed, I hear my son yell, "Oh no, she peed on my iPad!".  Then I hear him stomping around up and down the stairs obviously taking his bedding to the laundry room and cleaning up the mess.  I can only assume that his new 64g iPad 2 is ok, since he isn't in my room having a total meltdown.  So, I let him handle his problem.

Until I hear the scariest screaming banging noise I've ever heard.  I jumped straight out of bed and ran searching for the source only to smell stinky smoke coming from my laundry room.  NOT THE LAUNDRY ROOM!!!  I cannot believe my eyes when I walk up to my washing machine and see that  E V E R Y blanket, cover, sheet and pillow case off of his king sized bed is in my washer!  It's poking out of the top (just like a scene from a Lucy & Ethel shenanigan) except it's not funny at all.  The washer is dead and my 21 year old son is the killer!

I have to walk away.

All of this kickstarted the "fun" weekend of searching everywhere for a belt (hoping that was all it needed) which NO ONE carried.  Why did I stop at 3 children?  I'll never know.  Laziness, maybe?  Remember all the smelly laundry?  Yea, it was now moved to the living room because hubby had to pull out the washing machine to work on it and needed to clear out the floor space.  Note:  House messy, smelly & cluttered!

After driving all over southern Indiana and biting my tongue at all the sales people who informed us they do not sell parts only new appliances–we ended up at a farm store that sold belts (for tractors and such).  We were desperate and after measuring them all against our washer belt decided to try it for $8.99.  Otherwise, we could order one and wait the week out for it to arrive.  Uhh, trying it!

By that evening, the tractor belt was on my old Maytag washer which now has a permanent screamy screech when it spins and can only handle baby loads.  Thanks hubby!  According to him, the damage is beyond the belt (a bearing, maybe) and it's only a temporary fix.  We need a new washer!  🙁

I spent all of Sunday washing the piles of gross wet laundry.  But I wasn't complaining.  Downton Abbey (my favorite show) was coming on at 9pm and not only was it the season finale…..I didn't have to get up for school this morning!  Weeeeeehawwww!  

I was almost caught up with all the laundry…

Until 1am when Ally came into my room flipping out because her dog was sick all over her bed.  By morning, she had barfed on everything repeatedly and even managed to hit the staircase.

Awesome.

Guess what I'm doing on my first President's Day off in 10 years?

"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Ps. 90:12

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Jer. 29:11

My friend (she's a librarian) and I both have Kindle's.  Each of us love books but hate paying BIG DOLLARS to put them on our e-reader.  So, often we share about our sneaky finds that are either cheap or free.  Free being the most special, ya know?  If it's something really important, I'll pay for it otherwise I wait or search it out in a giveaway or the online Library system.  

Every once in a while I luck up and find a good one.

This past week I purchased the new hot-off-the-press book about JFK and the mistress who had an 18 month affair with him.  I wasn't sure if this was something I could enjoy especially after paying full price for it.  Yea, I'm that cheap!  I've always been intrigued by President Kennedy.  His life, his story & his tragic death all fascinate me.  I'm not sure why (we're on opposing parties, politically) other than the history of it all.  No one, democrat or republican deserve to be assassinated for the position they hold.

This story isn't about his death.  It's about a girl who was raised by a good family, educated at a prestigious prep school and given an exciting opportunity to intern at THE WHITE HOUSE during her summer before college.  But things would take a serious turn.  As a mother, reading it was heartbreaking!  As a woman, I felt humiliated for her.  Even though she doesn't try to paint the President in a bad way…it's hard not to judge him by his actions.

I devoured the book.  The author kept me glued to every page.  I admire her for the courage to write such a revealing (and not in a flattering way) book.  I can't think of too many women that would want the world to know the secrets that this lady held onto for a lifetime.  I wish more young people could see the devastation of promiscuity that she so openly shares in her story.  She recognized the effects of it in her failed marriage.

Profound news, people.  Don't give yourself away UNLESS IT'S YOUR SPOUSE!

I totally recommend the book.  If you're looking for a peak into Camelot and ready to have your eyes opened to some painful truths.  Get it!

Once Upon A Secret by Mimi Alford