New Business....

Real quick ~ really a shameful plug...

Most of you know my story about a business gone bad (well, a partner gone bad really). Anyway, God opened the door for my husband and I to restart a coffee business of our own.

If you are on facebook, our fan page is running a contest this weekend. Staring tomorrow (Friday 1/28) running through Sunday 5pm if you post I love Living Java on our fan page you will be entered into a drawing for free coffee. 1st prize wins 4 bags, 2nd 3 bags and 3rd 2 bags. You need to become a fan of our page, and all you have to do to get there is click on my facebook banner to the right of this post. There more times you post, the more chances you have to win.

What do you have to lose? You may just win some great coffee ~ absolutely free!!!

A Quick "YEAH GOD"....

Oh thank you, thank you, thank you God...

Another unexpected blessing.

Remember the story of the money given to us for Christmas presents? Well, my son lost said money the night of New Years Eve. We had gone to dinner and jokingly he pulled out his wallet and said he's pay. Much to his dismay he ended up recieving a lecture on how foolish it is to carry around that much money ~ yadda yadda yadda I'm sure you know how the lecture goes....

Wouldn't you know it, a week later he trys to locate his wallet and it can not be found. His room is torn apart and the car is searched top to bottom. We know he lost it that night. We call the restaurant, no such luck. He is beyond depressed, there was over $200.00 in that wallet.

I prayed and prayed and prayed for God to show us where the wallet could be. I prayed that my son would see an answer to his prayer just as he had seen with his prayer for his sister (and the lost i-touch). Finally I had given up on it, praying that it at least fell into the hands of someone who needed it as much as I had desired it.

Funny thing ~ this morning I prayed "God, I'm sure the wallet is long gone, but it would be really nice if it could just show up". 

Before dinner my daughter was in our car looking for a book - the garage door swings open and she excited yells "I just found Trevor's wallet - it was underneath Mom's seat"!!!!

My husband swears he searched under my seat at least 3 or 4 times. She said it was under a paper towel (I swear my car is relatively clean, not sure what a paper towel was doing under there). My son glowed with pure joy.

And our prayer at dinner was thanking God for answered prayers....

He is so faithful, loving, generous....

Thank you God!

Facebook....

Is sucking up my time...

We want to utilize Facebook for your new business for the social marketing aspect. You can reach a lot of people very quickly. I have a friend who has done so well at this Facebook actually did an email interview with her to assist others. Lucky for me she's a short drive away and she's going to help me out.

So, as much as I want to sit down and write out the next installment of how God blessed us during December, this week I'm burying my head into the world of FB...

But I am reading your posts... You are all such wonderful writers and inspired people... You encourage me, uplift me and motivate me daily...

May God continue to bless you all...

Unexpected Blessing.....

I had no idea I would add this to my post of recent God blessings...

I came home yesterday with an email from my boss with nothing in the subject. Hm... A bit of nervousness came over me, although I did not have a reason to be. She will email me at home from time to time to let me know if we can wear jeans on a "non" jean day, etc...

Let me back up a bit with a little history. I went back to work in September - part time - Wednesday through Friday from 9 till 2. Perfect with my kids school schedule and my Monday/Tuesday commitment to my bible study. So, I've only been back to work for three months...

Back to the email...

I opened it up and realized I was copied - the email was to personnel stating I was to receive a raise effect immediately. Oh ~No ~Way... 

Thank you God!!!!

Another God Blessing....

So as I said, God showed Himself in many ways the last few weeks of December...

My daughter bought herself an Itouch with her birthday money in September. The newest 4G model. Of course that thing is attached to her hip. Since my children do not have cell phones, their Itouch has become their link to appearing they may have one (since they look just like the Iphone), and therefore they are "cool".

Anyways...  my family (Aunts, Uncles, Cousins etc) went bowling during our Christmas get together. After bowling and bull riding (yeah, don't ask) we headed out the door. My daughter at this point realized she was no longer in possession of her Itouch. Ugh.

Typical scene ensues - we talk with the guys behind the counter: No, nothing has been turned in. We survey the area where she put down her touch while she put on her bowling shoes. Nothing. We ask the people around the area if they have possibly found it: Nope, no such luck.

Here is what transpired - she took it out of her back pocket, set it on the table while she put her bowling shoes on, and then walked away. We are now talking three hours later when she realizes she doesn't have it.

So, we leave a phone number to the guys behind the counter. A few people send texts to the device (she has an app that allows her to text, make calls and do face time), but we consider it long gone, never to be seen again. We assume my daughter has just learned a very expensive lesson.... All at her expense.

The next morning a call is received, the touch is locked in the manager's safe and can be picked up anytime after 5pm. Praise the Lord! My daughter is beyond excited and my son says, "Mom, I prayed that it would be returned".  

I love when I see answers to prayers - I'm extra blessed when my children see them....

Thank you, Lord! 

New Ending....

Do you ever experience your post rolling around in your head for a while after you post it?

Well, my last post bothered me...

It ended like this ~

Because of the gracious loving nature of Our Heavenly Father, our children ended up having a wonderful Christmas. God had blessed us with what we needed....

It should have ended like this ~

Because of the gracious loving nature of our Heavenly Father, our children ended up having a wonderful Christmas. God had blessed us not with what we needed, but what I had desired...

The desire of my heart was to give my children more then we could. They didn't NEED more - the only things we NEED, we have ~ our health, our home, food, clothing... 

God honored the desire of my heart which made this all the more special. He didn't need to, He chose to...

"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires"  Psalm 37:4 


How grateful I still am.....

God's Christmas Gift....

So as I said, God has blessed us with many wonderful things of late. Not sure of where to exactly start, I'll begin with the latest and move backwards...

I really had no idea how we were going to swing Christmas this year. The end of November brought the painful decision to list our home for a short sell - money was simply scare for anything not necessary. I had $300.00 owed to me for some contracting work I had completed, I thought at least I'd be able to use that money for a few gifts. Then, life threw another curve...

I serve in a leadership position for a national bible study I attend. This year they have a weekend retreat happening and I'm expected to go. The cost is $350.00. The deadline for the payment was December 6th. Boy did I struggle with this one. I had money coming to me that would cover the cost, but what about Christmas, God? Now what was I suppose to use to pay for some gifts? Prior to Thanksgiving I resigned myself to write the check for the retreat when the date came trusting God would work something out. And work it out He did.

I have an annual shopping date the day after Thanksgiving with one of my girlfriends. The purpose really is to spend the time together, if we get great deals and purchase Christmas gifts, it's a bonus. Knowing that I had these plans with my friend, my Mom gave me a check (against my protests) so that I could do some shopping. I did not look at the amount until I returned home - the check was for $300.00. God provided. 

In all honesty, I was still struggling with this amount. I have an eleven and a twelve year old. They are very aware of our financial situation - but they are preteens none the less and their Christmas list was typical of their age. Our family knows very well what this time of year really is about, and we all say out loud how we wish we could get back to focusing on the real reason for the season..... but.... we all know that most everyone around us is sticking to the over spending over indulging idea that Christmas has become, and as a mother, I want my children to be excited and joyful Christmas morning with the rest of their friend. 

Because I'm now working part time, and I was a bit paralyzed with how I was going to make this money stretch and get them gifts under the tree. For the first time in at least five years, come December 17th I still had not purchased one gift. I was a bit stressed to say the least...

The evening of Dec 17th a friend of ours asked my husband if he could have a minute. Rick was running out the door to get to FedEx in time and told him he would come over after he was done. He ran his errand, came home and headed down the street to see what he needed. When he came home a while later, our friend had told my husband that God had laid it on his heart to give us this gift, and he handed Rick some folded up bills and told him to go buy gifts for our kids. God had gifted us through our friend $400.00. I don't think I've shed so many tears of appreciation in one evening. It was a very emotional night to say the least. God had provided...

Because of the gracious loving nature of Our Heavenly Father, our children ended up having a wonderful Christmas. God had blessed us with what we needed....