Journal and Coloring Book Donation to Athens, GA Children's Clinic

I  finally got the chance to take a box of journals and coloring books to a children's clinic in Athens, GA. They treat various problems in children. Mrs. Gordy's Honor's Spanish class collected journals, coloring books and notebooks throughout the semester and gave them to me at the end of the school year. Life happened, and I was unable to take them until now.

An employee said, "This is AWESOME!" The kids will LOVE this!  I also bought several journals thanks to a donation from Nancy Moureau. Thanks,  Nancy, Hart County High and Mrs. Gordy's students!

I have another box filled with goodies from various companies that I will take at the end of November to this same children's clinic.

If you would like to donate to this project, feel free! I just ask that you get journals suitable for girls and boys, bright colors, and preferably no composition notebooks. It is always great to give back! Pens and colored pens are ALWAYS welcome!

Finding My Joy Again

My joy was gone for about two to three weeks. Not on a vacation. It has been completely non-existent. I didn’t check my personal emails. I went to bed with a heaviness that often resulted in me being woken up in the middle of the night, unable to go back to sleep because of a pounding heart beat.

That feeling of dread often carried over into the morning. I had things I needed to be working on, but I had ZERO desire to do anything.

How did this happen? I’ll tell you. It resulted from me carrying things I had no business carrying. Matthew 6:25-27 reminds us not to worry saying, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”

I knew my joy was gone. I hated the way I felt. If my mind and emotions were not in turmoil, I was just in limbo. I wasn’t doing anything to move forward. I KNEW I needed to pray, but I couldn’t. I would read a few Scriptures in the Bible just to get some peace…for the moment. Sometimes I would start out quoting the Word with power and authority, but end up in tears.

I KNEW I needed to confess the Word over myself. I knew it, but the circumstances and overwhelming feelings were just too much. I would try to work on things and I would just go in circles, never really accomplishing anything.

I’d had people pray for me. The feelings would lift. Then, my mouth would get me into trouble. It’s like I had an overwhelming urge to say the wrong thing whenever something happened. I am usually never continually negative, but it seemed like nothing was right. I couldn’t write because I didn’t have anything to say. The words weren’t hanging out in my mind. They simply weren’t there.

Finally, I called a friend. I talked to her for five minutes, only sharing a little of what I was feeling. She started praying for me and God showed her almost everything…even things I had thought!

I slept better that night, but the next day was a struggle. Finally, my mom said, “Something’s got to give.” “I know,” I said. “You won’t pray. You used to listen to the Word. I don’t know what you do now.”

“It’s not that I quit listening all together. The sound of anything irritated me. I irritated myself.

Mama and I committed to start praying in tongues thirty minutes every morning. If I couldn’t do it all right then, I took Mama’s advice and prayed when I could, even if that meant just a few minutes at a time.

After a few days, weightiness and heaviness that had been so prevalent lifted. I felt lighter. I wasn’t as irritated. Before I got the breakthrough, each day I had to look for something to be happy about.

When my nephew and cousin came over, I made myself get excited and do silly faces. I told Mama I felt fake doing that, but she said, “Sometimes, you have to fake it until you make it.”

If things seem bad right now, they won’t stay that way. LIFT UP YOUR HEAD! Turn your eyes to Jesus! I promise you He’s there. The enemy wants to convince you that he’s won this round. He wants you to stay down. I am encouraging you to GET UP! With God, all things are possible! All you have to do is make a choice to let God be God! He’s got this!

Empty Me

I lay myself on Your altar and say, “Here am I, Lord. Take me and use me. Make something out of me that is more than a pile of flesh. Inhabit me. Consume me. I am Yours. I surrender.

Once I was broken. Wounded by people. Cut by words said and unsaid. You healed me. You put the broken pieces back together. You mended me.

I confess there are still some areas of my heart that need mending. There are still some areas that are not whole. I don’t want to be a half-healed person.

I know You are not a halfway God. I know that You are faithful to Your Word. I know that You have started a good work in me and You will be faithful to complete it.

Empty me of my selfishness

Empty me of my pride

Empty me of the desire to have the last word, to prove I am right

Empty me of criticisms

You said, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Create in me a clean heart

I want to be pure

I don’t be full of hatred and bitterness

Anger and strife

Empty me of myself

So that You can dwell here

Empty me of my vanity

Empty me so I can clearly see

I want to see You fully 

Clothed in glory, strength, and power

I want to know Your wisdom

I want to comprehend Your ways

Know the depths of love

More than anything

Empty me so I can be filled

Empty me so I have something to give

Something of worth

Not riches or gold

Something that abides on the inside 

Forgiving Myself

Madison, I forgive you for wasting so much time

For going around in circles

Madison, I forgive you for fighting a battle that was never yours to begin with

Getting so wrapped in thoughts that you've neglected the present

You've been at a standstill

You've made yourself even more tired

I forgive you for being silent

You lost your voice for a time

You sank deeper in the mire

Fighting with yourself is utterly exhausting

Because you can't run away from yourself

Your thoughts are there

Your insecurities are there

There is no one there beating you up

You've done it to yourself

Madison, you are more than the lies the enemy tells

Madison, you hold the key to your freedom

Summon the strength within

The strength to fight the fight when life says, "Just quit."

You matter!
You are doing enough!

Believe in yourself
That is the difference between battles won and lost

Madison, there is more than what you see
There's more than what you feel

You can penetrate the noise
Rise up!

A Sudden Shift

A sudden shift

I pray for a sudden shift in your mind

I pray for a sudden shift in your heart

For so long you have labored under the burden

So many cares, so many hurts

Squeezing the life out of you

Stealing your joy

Robbing you of peace

You could find no tranquility

Try as you might

You couldn't escape

Though you changed your surroundings

Those thoughts lingered

Hanging like cobwebs in the corner of your mind

Looping on repeat

Taking you back in time

Taking you back to the bad memories

And words that should have never been said

Oh, what a sense of dread

What misery

Each time that unwelcome visitor came

He wedged himself into your innermost thoughts

You couldn't separate what was real 

You now believed that you didn't matter

You didn't exist anymore

You were always attached to someone

To that elusive dream they had

Now you are free

Instead of spreading your wings, you are like a baby learning to walk

Stand up. Stand tall.

You have something to offer

You have much to give

Find your voice

It may come out slowly at first, but soon it will ring loud and clear

Come toward the light

It is a new day

Let nothing or no one stand in your way

I know you are scared

You've been isolated so long

Put one foot in front of the other

Every step means you are getting stronger

I look at what you've accomplished in a short while

I smile

Because there is a phoenix rising from the ashes

Great good will come out of your pain

I Am Not

I am not weak because I don't fit the mold

I am not weak because I ask for help

I am not weak because I give

I am not weak because I share

I am not weak because I cry

You can't live this life like you are invincible

Being misunderstood is common

Never succumb to other's opinions

So many voices, so little time

Do this, go this way

You can't do this don't you know that?

I am so tired of the underlying current

It's in their countenance

If not in their words

It's as if everyone can feel but me

I'm not sure why

I'm not going to hide

I'm not going away

Please give me time

Please give me space

To process things

To get strong

Without you waiting to throw stones

Everyone is pointing out my weaknesses

When they have their own

They are going around in circles

Completely chaotic with no real purpose

I'm done listening

I'm done listening to the noise

Blah blah blah

Yadda yadda yadda

I've realized maybe they are talking about themselves

I'm the easy target

They like to pinpoint my problems

I'm not like you

I don't talk like that

No one is perfect

When will they see that?

Book Review: Captain Mama's Surprise by Graciela Tiscareño-Sato

Captain Mama's Surprise is the second book in the Captain Mama's series. It's another bilingual book in English in Spanish. This time, Captain Mama takes her son, Marco, and his second grade class on a field trip to see the airplane she flies on. The class meets the crew and learns what each crew member does and the process of refueling a plane in mid-air. 

I’d seen airplanes refueling in movies, but I learned lots of new things while reading this book. I didn’t know what all a copilot of an airplane was responsible for, and I have never seen an airplane map up close. So cool!

I could see many first and second graders loving this book! Since it has vocabulary words, it would be perfect for their age group.

Graciela has also included an activity in the back of the book.

When I found out the surprise, I wanted to be a kid in Marco’s class! I won't spoil the ending. Buy the book to find out what happens! I know the third book promises even more fun and adventure! Both of these books gave me an even deeper appreciation for the men and women who have served our nation.

You can buy this book and the patch at Captain Mama's website, Amazon, or wherever books are sold. Graciela would love to come speak about her newest book at YOUR school or library!