Calendar Please!?!

August brings a change of life to the Ragsdale household. The free-spirited days of summer, baseball, and cookouts are traded in for Dad returning to work (the paid kind), Ethan beginning 3rd grade, and Isaiah starting daycare (Ms. Sarah his babysitter just had baby Timothy...so sweet)!

This summer has been wonderful, family time, serving in our church and community, forging friendships. This summer has also been very stressful...job unknowns, changing roles in serving in ministry, family health issues, and many friends who have lost love ones. Last week work was especially difficult and by mid-week I just had to breathe! So, my wonderful boss agreed to a three day vacation, which with the weekend resulted in a five day break from work!

Wow! It is so great to have that freedom and time to just take a break from the regular routine, to spend time with your wonderful family, and to spend time in reflection and prayer.

Sunday Brother Greg's sermon was on God's "Sustaining Grace" - after teaching the first grade class with my husband, well, I think I could have hit the alter with or without preaching. God is moving in our lives so abundantly. There are so many unkowns right now, yet God is speaking so clearly and providing guidance in areas that we didn't know were unknowns...kind of funny how that works. So I want to share one of the verses....

Philippians 2:13 NLT

"For God is working in you, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases Him.

I underlined and highlighted the entire sermon notes. You know those sermons when you hang on every word as you know the message is meant for you! Wow, God is moving, it is amazing, and yet scary, for although some things are very clear, we still have so many unknowns in our lives at this time. Please continue to pray for our lives and that we will continue to fervently seek God's will and guidance.

So, now that you are at the end I am sure you are wondering about the title of this post, right? Well, I do not need a calendar...I need to locate one of the two or three I already have and make haste to start scheduling...just in the next couple of weeks I know at some point we have...

Adoption meeting, back to school potluck, blank, event, blank, dinner with friends, drawing another bank...the memory stops there...horrible...I can't remember or keep all of the many events straight in my head. Just today I realized I double-booked for next Monday and had to call to cancel one of the commitments!

Nonetheless the bills...Friday paying bills I couldn't figure out why one bill wasn't showing due. I sent an email to the company and asked if there was a problem with their website...Sunday while cleaning out emails I saw a receipt for paying the bill....quickly I went to the budget...bill marked paid...then to the checkbook....bill recorded as paid...now for the bad part....I had paid it just one week before!!!

So...over my three day hiaitus from work...I organized the house a bit, got my teeth cleaned - good bill of health...propped my feet up for two of the three days (shin splints) - realized I am not as young and agile as in highschool....watched our Ethan successfully start 3rd grade...our youngest, Isaiah start daycare in the 3 year old room...went shopping and bought the practical shoes versus the very daring yet impractical shoes (AMY - It was a terribly hard decision...but my shin splints quickly decided they did not like 3-4 inch stelletos!)...watched two funny movies & one wierd movie...did a bunch of web research....prayed....pondered the future for our family, ministries, and life in general...prayed some more...talked to family....slept, aaaahhhh, the sweet time of vacation!

All in all it was a wonderful break with much needed stress relief and some God winks that warmed my heart! Please pray for us....God is at work...the results I believe will impact eternity and with God there is no limit to the possibilities in store for the future!

Have a blessed week & remember to be a blessing!

Wyatts ~ GOD bless little Lennon and bring her safely from Korea to your arms on Thursday...THANK YOU GOD...for the miracle and testimony you are working in this family!

Disclaimer:

"Candor and a glimpse into our world" ...sometimes my mind (scary, huh!)...I can't promise that you won't walk away more confused than when you came, but I pray at least some of these shared thoughts will be a blessing to your life!