Welcome to 2018

Welcome to 2018!

As I reflect over the 2017 year, many things were learned in my family, some good and some not the best. All in all, we survived and are hopefully stronger and wiser for them.

Some of life's lessons included coming to terms with the fact that some friendships are only for a season even if would like for them to last a life time.

Decisions should never be made on the uncertainty of the future, no matter how much you believe that someone will be apart of your future.

Life and people change with every passing day, one day they are a part of your life and the next day they are not, along with all the friendships you thought you made along the way.

Finally, nothing and no one really matters when you step back and realize that the things and people who stay present in your life deserve your attention because they don't shift with the changing tides of life, they surf those waves right along with you and you with them.

This year holds many changes and new adventures for our family and I am both sad and excited, what mom wouldn't be?

My goals for this year.....learn to transition from the mom to my little girl to the mom of a young woman who will have her very own dreams and goals for the days ahead. Loosening my grip so she can learn to fly on her own and not swoop in to save her when she is falling will be tough, but she has to learn to fly even if that means she will hit the ground a time or two. I am confident that she will do just fine, and she knows I will be there to at least help dust herself off and encourage her to never give up when she does hit the ground. I love and hate that our lives are in for big changes, but that's life.

I am hopeful for the year ahead and feel confident, by the grace, mercy and love of my Heavenly Father that He will be my constant companion and I pray that my kids realize He will also be theirs and always will be.

Happy New Year my friends. I pray that this year holds wonderful things for you all!!!!

Tammy Sales

I am not a dooms-dayer.............

Good Morning. Happy solar eclipse 2017!



I don't know how significant this solar eclipse is to you, but for some it's a pretty big deal. Scientists are excited about getting to study this amazing event, some could care less, and Christians..........well based on some of the things I have read and watched, if they are not sleeping, and many are, then they are on high alert.


The Jewish people have some pretty strong feelings about the lunar and solar eclipses. They follow the lunar calendar and therefore believe that lunar eclipses are warnings to the Jewish people, whereas solar eclipses are warnings to the Gentiles, pretty much everyone else.

I am not a dooms-dayer, but based on the current state of our country, with divisiveness increasingly getting worse, the lack of spiritual leadership, and the unsettling feeling that something is coming our way, perhaps the Jewish people are correct?

No one wants to think about the end of the world. Rather that happens as a result of war, famine, natural disasters, plagues, or even the rapture. It's definitely easier to stay ignorant of the reality that things just aren't getting better for humanity. Aside from the ugliness that we are seeing in people around the world, there are other things to consider. The sun is changing, the moon is getting further and further away, the polar magnetic fields are shifting, glaciers are melting, and the list goes on. We are on the verge of change that will bring challenges this generation has never experienced.

You may not know this about me, but I absolutely love disaster movies! Among my favorites are Twister, Day After Tomorrow, and 2012. Although I am in awe of the power of this great planet, it amazes me to see how humanity responds. The real character of people shows up. Sadly the majority thinks only of themselves, while few others actually have a heart for humanity as a whole. I know they are just movies, and the stories may not be real, but humanities response is dead on and is real everyday around the globe. Ugliness is increasing.

My heart aches, not so much thinking about the upcoming changes that will occur, but for the lack of love being displayed. The seeds of hate have taken root and are spreading like wild fire all across the globe. We, as Christians, need to shine the light of love bright than ever, people need to see that light. It is time for the sleeping Christians to wake up and do what God has commanded up to do. LOVE ONE ANOTHER. We need to get out of our comfort zones and let God have full control of our lives so that He can use us to be the light in a world consumed with darkness. Comfort zones are death zones.

So spread the love and amp up your prayer lives, distractions are the devils playground. Remember, we are in this world but not of this world, and our purpose is to shine the light of God's love, and keep our spiritual 'bug out bags' ready always.

-Tammy

 

Hello routine.........

It has been a while my friends, I hope all is well and trust that you all had a wonderful summer! I enjoyed sleeping in a bit longer (30 minutes), but it was definitely harder to keep up with the cleaning and laundry, and the grocery bill seemed a bit higher as well.  Now it is back to school and normal, day to day, routine. I don't know about you  but as fun as summer can be there is something to be said about having a routine. I never thought I would be the kind of person who liked normal and mundane, but when you are a parent, trying to create a secure environment for your children, there is not way around it. So I say: "Hello routine I have missed you!"

It is hard to believe that my daughter is a Senior! Where has the time gone? My little girl is not so little anymore. I do love that she still likes to get in my lap and receive some loving from her momma, I hope that doesn't change anytime soon. I have watched her go through so many growth spurts over the years, emotionally and mentally speaking, but none as drastic as she has this summer. I am really beginning to see more of the young woman that she is becoming, as time and experience has shaped her thus far. How wonderful and sad at the same time. She still has so much more to look forward to, so much more to learn which means I still have so many prayers to keep praying.

My son is a Junior this year. Unfortunately he does not still get up in my lap to receive some loving from his momma, that changed some years ago. However, no one tells me they love me more than he does. He never goes to bed without hugging me, telling me good night, and saying those ever so sweet words 'I love you'. I love that about him. I see changes in him as well, he is not as forthcoming with his thoughts and feelings, as his sister, but there is no doubt in his mind that if and when he decides he wants or needs me, I will be there. I don't know why the bond between a mother and son are different, but it is. He too still has so much more to learn about becoming the man he thinks he already is, but time and experience will continue to shape him as well, and by the grace of God, and I have not doubts that he too will grow into a wonderful young man.

As for me.....I am looking forward to getting back to my bible studies on a regular basis and focusing on some things I am working on personally. Now that my children drive, I have some extra time I can spend on doing things just for me. I have to get use to that idea, because before you know it, I will have more and more of it, might as well ease into it. I also hope that I will get to spend some quality time with some of you, either walking, drinking coffee, doing a bible study, or just good ole hanging out. So hit me up so we can catch up!

Have a wonderful day!!!!
-Tammy

I need the lows to reach His highs...........

Today, I just need to blog.......vent, unburden, or whatever this ends up being, so just allow me talk.

After forty-seven, almost forty-eight years, I feel pretty confident that I know myself. I know my strengths, my weaknesses, my pretty side and my not so pretty side. I know what makes me laugh, cry, what breaks my heart and what makes me fighting mad. I have learned ways to manage my lows, fly in my highs and how to process uncomfortable feelings that come and go like waves upon the shoreline. I know myself. My biggest struggle, of late, has not been what I can and cannot do for myself, but what I fail to be able to do for those I care so deeply about, and that leaves me feeling quite helpless with a huge sense of inadequacy. I know it's not my fault, and yet I can't help but ask; "if I am powerless then why did God place me in the midst of people, who I believe, need what He is so graciously blessed me with?"

The answer is simple, but hard to share, or rather hard to give, when it is not mine to give, but rather theirs to discover and embrace, as I have. They don't need me so much as they need the love, strength, grace and mercy of that which sustains me........the foundation of a relationship with our Maker. I do not recall a time in my life when the only constant was His presence in my life, even during those times when  my path was not His path.

Discovering that the weight of this world is not this world, but rather the people God has laid in my path, can be a heavy and unbearable weight at times, especially during those times I try to bear it alone. It's easy, when I am feeling strongest, to try to take things on that are not mine to take on, and I suffer for it, struggling to remove the debris tumbling down on me because of my pride. Why is it when we feel strong we forget that strength is not our own?

I have come to believe that is necessary for us to be reminded, perhaps daily, that our greatest strengths are not what make us who we are but those moments in our lives that humble us enough to recognize that our greatest strength is our weakness. This is a true 'light bulb' moment for me. " My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am week, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

Well, there it is, my much needed manna from heaven. How strange to come to terms with the fact that I need the lows to reach His highs. I feel as thoough there is a big grin on the face of His spirit inside me as His strength carries me and my weaknesses ever so gently on His wings of Love.

-Tammy

Busy, Busy, Busy..........

Good Morning Friends!

I have a busy schedule for the next few days, but I am looking forward to every minute of it!

My sister, Joanie, will arrive today. Joanie has spent the greater part of this year in the hospital with one of the boys, so she is coming alone for some rejuvenation therapy - FAMILY!

Last night I was able to help out my friend Theresa with the High Springs Girls Soccer Banquet set up. You all know I love doing that sort of stuff. Theresa was very appreciative and told me I was a life saver but I just simply said "no even better I am your friend". Theresa I love you and your friendship means the world to me, I am glad I was available to help you out! I will drop off the food around 5:45pm tonight!

Friday is an exciting time for our juniors and seniors of Santa Fe High - PROM!  I don't remember it being so costly when I was in school there, but times have changed and so has the cost of living in this day and time.  Allie got a very beautiful dress. We were going to get it altered but having that done professionally was like $100, just to take in the top of the dress a little, so I decided to do it myself.  It never dawned on me, until I was making the alterations, that for my Junior/Senior Prom, I also wore a pink satin dress, but mine was more of a southern bell style, without all the bling! Memories.......

I understand now why alterations can be so expensive with a dress like that and I cannot guarantee that some of that bling won't come off on the dance floor, but I hope not. Looking at the dress you would not think there was a whole lot to it, but it took me over an hour to steam iron it. I can't wait to see her all dolled up in it, she is really looking forward to it. Now I just have to remember to pick up Jackson's boutonniere.

Friday night, after prom pictures and so forth, while Allie is off to the prom, the rest of us will be doing Family game night. I hope all my siblings can be there, so we will all be in one place, at one time, plus my mom LOVES it! A little too much, she totally missed her calling, she should have been a photographer. By the time the evening is done we just want to take that camera and put it......well you get the picture. This will be nice for her to be in one place with all her kids on Mother's Day weekend. I love my family, they each bring a little something different to the mix. There are lessons we can learn from those differences, if we don't get too hung up in our own pride.  Let love grow.

Saturday, coffee and blueberry picking with my Soul Sister - Leah! I have really missed her since she started working, and I have missed our conversations over coffee. but thanks to modern day technology, we stay connected in other ways. Every once in a while I will pick up two coffees and take one to her at work just so we can still have a cup of coffee together. I think some of the ladies in the office may be a little jealous, maybe next time I will bring a few more.  Looking forward to some Leah time!

Sunday, well I have no plans. Larry works all day, Joanie will be leaving bright and early to head home, and I will be headed to church. After church maybe take a little nap and get ready for the week. Look I am a mother ever day of the week and if my kids only made me feel special one day of the year than that would make me a not so good mommy and their efforts pointless. With the weekend I have planned I will not be lacking in feeling loved so it's all good.

Happy Mother's Day Friends I hope it's full of warm and fuzzy love!

Parenting.......

Parenting is such a huge job, it is by far the most challenging job that I have ever had. I specifically call this a job because it is our job to raise them, love them, guide them, teach them, protect them, clothe them, etc., etc., etc..

As Christian parents, I believe the scope of parenting becomes an even greater challenge because when someone has caused pain to one of our children we have a tendency to throw up a wall around them,  with the greatest intentions of blocking any possibility of more pain, armor up an go to battle for them.  I know because I have done this many times, especially when my children were younger.

One of the things I have tried to instill in my children along the way is to always give grace, show mercy and be forgiving, because this is what we are called to do as Christians. That is not my 'knee jerk' reaction however when one of my kids come to me in pain. Like many of you I just want to hold them, ease the pain and do whatever I can to stop them from hurting at any cost. Sometimes the cost is to not give grace, show mercy or encourage a spirit of forgiveness, all of which brings about the healing that we, as parents, cannot give to our children.


There is no greater teacher, in this life, than pain, and no greater remedy for pain than grace, mercy and forgiveness. Sometimes, as parents, we have to let our children work through the pain, and encourage that they learn how to put up their own 'temporary' walls and take some time to process their pain, and most importantly to seek the Lord for healing and guidance and the strength to be in a place to give grace, show mercy and forgiveness because we ALL need to be given grace, shown mercy, and be forgiven.

I love my children, I have never experienced a greater love in this life than the love I have fore them. It is that love that encourages my heart to show them more than just my love, but to show them the love of our Heavenly Father, and the best way I can do that is to love them they way that He loves me, with hopes that they too will learn to love others the way He love us all. He gives grace when I don't deserve it, mercy when I do deserve punishment and then wraps me  up in His arms of love and forgiveness. I will never love them the way that God can and does, but I will never give up trying and hope someday they too will be able to love others as God does them.

Have a great week my friends.

CHURCH........

After many months of struggling with this, I have come to realize what is important is not what I want personally but what is needed spiritually. As much as I would prefer that my children and I attend the same church, what I want most for them is to know Jesus, to develop a personal relationship with Him, and that requires me to let go of my personal desire of attending church together, and just trust that God will work in each of our lives, even if our church family is not at the same place.

I feel at home at Greenhouse. I love the praise and worship and I love a pastor who preaches BIBLE, things that are applicable to my spiritual life first that inevitable positively affects my human life. I want to be somewhere that stretches me spiritually, not just
personally. My spirit feels at home there.

My daughter feels most at home at Anthem. I can see the draw, especially for young people. It provides an atmosphere for both the churched and unchurched, and although I see the need for this type of church, it just isn't where I feel at home. Andy Stanley is a wonderful speaker and his messages reach anybody, and can be relevant for the church and unchurched. I have never heard a message that when applied can be beneficial.

My son feels more at home at Canvas Church. I have quite a few family members that attend there and maybe for Nick that is the draw. Pastor Mark is an incredible and knowledgeable Pastor, his sermons are similar in style to Andy Stanley. Canvas Church is involved in the community and there are a lot of people Nick knows there.

Bottom line is that regardless of the denomination or location of a church we are all members of THE Church of GOD. The church is you and I not the building that we come to corporately. My hearts desire is for Allie and Nick to grow in their personal relationships with Jesus, that they OWN their faith, not mine, the foundation of my faith is shared so that they can establish their own foundation of faith. So if choosing to go to a church that is different from my own personal preference is what it takes to LET GO and LET GOD, then I will step out of the way and trust that God will grow them wherever they chose to go, as long as they go.

My parents forced us to go to church and many of us stopped going to church as soon as we were our from under the control of our parents. Why? It was not because we did not believe in Jesus, or did not want to be a Christian, but possibly because we lived for so long on the foundations of our parents faith that we never realized that each of us need a personal foundation from which Jesus can grow us personally. I want that for them. I want them to be more prepared spiritually than I was when I left the safety of the home net. Their relationship with Christ is far more important than 'family' church time together. God will grow us where we are planted, I just want them to want to be planted.