Patience is a quality deemed to be morally excellent...

As Americans, we want things to get done quickly. We have our to-do lists, our calendars, our alarms, our smart phones, our faster Internet connections, and the list goes on. When we face a delay, we quickly become frustrated and impatient. The same can be true in our spiritual lives. There are times when we become impatient while waiting for God to answer a prayer regarding a major storm that has entered our lives. During these times, we must understand that delay can be part of God's design and that everything will be done in God's time, if not in ours.



Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 states, "There is a time for everything and God has made everything beautiful in its time." Embracing this truth is so important. As we live day-to-day in an "I need it and want it now" culture, we sometimes forget the simple truth that God is in control.



Are you facing a delay in your life? Choose to focus your attention on God and not on your fears. Don't give up or give in. Invite God to be a part your everyday life. Get in a growth group, associate with other Christians, go to church, read the Bible and stay connected. Continue to move forward, following his path and trusting in his timing.



React: Are you impatient and frustrated as you are waiting for God to answer your prayers? Remember that God is actually waiting on you to have faith and trust in him.



Pray: God, help me to be aware of your constant presence today. Help me to trust you and have faith that your timing is perfect.

Guide me?

Since our move I have experienced my share of disappoints. The cost of living here in California is much more expensive than what we were prepared for. Finding a job was a challenge to say the least. I applied for more than 30 different positions before getting an interview. My stress level increased when we had to fight the military tooth and nail for a proper reimbursement of our moving expenses. I can't begin to describe how homesick I am. When I say "home" I am not referring to a specfic place on the map but more like place where I can hug my family and friends. A place that feels like home because I am a part of their experiences and surrounded by their love. I am beyond tired of getting lost and being in a strange place. I think the most dicouraging event took place last week at my doctors office. I went in for a flu shot. I left with a possible heart condition. I will admit that I am still in shock. When everything seems to come crashing down around us my husband takes it all with a grain of salt and always comes out strong. He is steady like a 100 year old tree in a hurricane. He has an ability to camoflauge weakness that is comforting and leaves me feeling safe and secure. But lately my husband, my family, and my friends have been unable to reassure me that I can get through these next few years. When I am struggling with a difficult situation the last thing I want to hear is "everything happens for a reason". Why do we say this? I've said it many times when comforting friends or family, Ive even said it to myself.I guess it was last week after church when I had my Aha! moment. EVEYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. The reason is God. I have always believed in God. I have always prayed.But no matter how hard I prayed I felt like my prayers werent getting answered. I now realize that instead of praying for a baby, money, or relocation I will pray for faith and ask God to guide me and to help me except his plan for me. I learned this weekend that faith is like a muscle that can be strengthened. All we need is a small spark of faith and the willingness to make it grow. We all have times in our lives where we are faced with overwhelming obstacles. God allows hurdles to land in our path to remind us of our need for him and to draw us closer to him. These hurdles are a part of our walk along this journey of faith. The Bible states that "...we had this sense of impeding disaster so that we might learn to trust, not in ourselves, but in God who can raise the dead." I will continue to strengthen my faith in God and ask for his guidance to lead me to peace during difficult times.

Coast to Coast

I did it!!! I drove 2,728 miles. It was....interesting. Instead of allowing the Marine Corps to move our household goods we had the BRILLIANT idea to move ourselves!! The idea was to take advantage of the uhuals ability to tow. This allowed us to tow my husbands mustang cobra on an auto trailer. Then, the military would have to pay us for the move, we would make some extra money, all that goodstuff. So I strapped on my Super Wife cape! I secured our condo in Chula Vista CA, spent a month packing our house in Camp Lejeune NC, 6 hrs loading the uhual, an hr hooking up the auto transporter and loading the mustang, 1 full day cleaning the old house for our move out inspection and then finally moving day- as our 34 feet of truck and trailer pulled out into the street I followed in my little SUV, complete with bulldog, two cat carriers, and a giant suitcase. Oh and the diaper bag containing Mollies food, water, dishes, and toys. Oh and the diaper bag for the cats. Oh and my "goodie" bag containing snacks, gingerale, and road trip cd's from my best friend.

The first day the Paz convoy successfully drove 390 miles to western NC where we enjoyed time with my family for a few days. The next drive was a bit longer. It required two stops for gas. $240 each time. By the time we reached Little Rock,AR we were exhausted. We could see our hotel from the interstate. Perfect! Or, not! Our uhaul was too large to make the turn and become stuck...high centered. It was 95 degrees out, the pets had been in the car for 13 hrs. One of the cats was rolling in his urine as we were paying the tow truck $250 to move our truck 5ft. The nice gentleman at the front desk opened the back gate for us and we staggered up to our room, bathed our cat and slept for two days. The next stop was at a truck stop in Oklahoma. I ate a pickled sausage, corn dog, pork rinds, mountain dew, and a sugar daddy lollipop. My dad would be proud. Next we arrived in Amarillo TX. The only memory I have of this stay was traffic and the delicious burger I ate at Whataburger, yum. The drive into Flagstaff AZ was breathtaking. The air was fresh,crisp,clean, mountain air in the middle of a forest surrounded by desert. That drive was amazing but stressful. The animals had picked up on the traveling routine and were behaving very well. However, the uhaul experienced mechanical problems due to the climate changes (perhaps). Who knew a vehicle could burn $180 in only 200 miles? Whoa. I was beginning to think we would never make it. On the 8th day of our trip we saw the "california welcomes you" sign!!!! We made our way past all of the boarder crossings and inspections and arrived at our new home at 6 pm. I guess I was still wearing my super wife cape because somehow my husband and I with no other help, unloaded the entire truck, 6,700 lbs of furniture, in 3 hrs and had the truck returned to the drop off location before 10 pm. We have been living here for one week. Everything is unpacked, we are starting to get settled. We hit some bumps in the road.... our central air went out during an extremem heat wave, the next day we experienced the massive power outage, and today we couldnt get our sprinkler system in the garden to turn off. I am not fretting or frowning. I am happy. We did it. A new journey is upon us.


"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."James 1:2-4

Best Freakin Friend

In every friendship there are different needs and purposes. You have those friends that you can cry to. The friends that will kick you when your down, providing just enough motivation to get you back on your feet. There are always the friends that run up your phone bill and the ones that only call when they need a favor. Then, there are the friends that you will never forget.







For instance, when I was a child my idol, my hero, and my best friend was my Granny. Blanch Eula Carlisle. She was a tiny little blue eyed white haired lady that treated me like a princess. She taught me to never take no for an answer and that nothing in life is free. She tucked me in every night and whipped me with a hickory switch every day. She never called me Connie. Not once. There is not a doubt in my mind that Granny watches over me from heaven. She was special to so many of my friends.


When I was about 7 years old my friend Carrie got to experience the love of my Granny. Carrie and I had the same long blonde hair. My mom loved giving us french braids. We both loved to play outside on my families farm. We didn't usually get into mischief but there was this once- when we sprayed silly string and fake snow on everything in my bedroom. Carrie was the kind of friend that would wear matching outfits to school with me and go shopping at the thrift store with my Granny on Saturdays. Sadly one day Carrie changed schools and we rarely saw eachother as teenageers or adults.



I was home schooled most of middle school and lucky for me during my transition to highschool I had another fabulous friend, my cousin Pharon. We talked about boys and subscribed to teen magazines. We fought over Devin Sawa (yes the kid from Casper) and we stayed up late giggling in the dark and getting yelled at by our parents. We used to call her dog Sampson in the middle of the night to protect us from the gobblings. Because Pharon is family we never really grew apart but as life happened we took different paths.







During my first semester of highschool I took a dance class. On the first dayI noticed a stuck up skinny girl on crutches (apparently she had dropped a bucket of ice cream on her foot at her after school job). I saw that same tall thin girl on my bus that afternoon. She was irritating. As my worst nightmare would have it - she got off at MY bus stop. The same bus stop that said "Carlisle Drive",how dare she?! I approached this loud, eccentric,pretty person and... I fell totally in love with her. And her family. Almost 13 years later Josie is still one of my nearest and dearest friends. I call her the bestest. Her mom is my mama Judy. Her sisters Brandy and Sasha are those I always wanted. Her step dad gives me the best hugs! Not to mention Josie's son Adin is the first child to ever call me "aunt". There are not words to describe how much I miss them all.



On May 16th 2009 my husband was deploying to Afghanistan. I really didnt want to stand alone waiving goodbye to those buses as they drove away with the person I loved the most. I called up a childhood friend who lives local and ask for a favor. Even though we attended the same elementary school, middle school, high school and even youth cheerleading, I hadn't seen this girl, well, woman, since graduation. Yet there she was. By my side. Prepared to wipe my tears and hold my hand. How do you thank a person like that? Samantha and I are practically inseparable. We talk on the phone every day. I'm not referring to text, I'm talking about "good ol' on the phone laughing at lame jokes" talk. She knows all of my secrets, regrets, promises, and wishes. I could call her in the middle of the night and she would run over a convoy of gate gaurds to get to me.



Then of course there is the man that makes me feel like the luckiest woman in the world. My husband. He can always make me smile. He makes me feel beautiful even on my worst day. He laughs at my corny jokes and he thinks my accent is cute. I look up to him more than any person can imagine. He is an amazing dancer, kisser, video game player, mess maker, order giver, and even a more incredible friend.



I wish I could mention every single one of my friends by name and recall all of the memories that we've had together but I would be here an eternity. I've grown as a person because of you all. You are the best freakin friends ever.