God...U and I dance

I received this email from a friend of mine. Loved It!
Dancing With God When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other... My eyes drew back to the word Guidance. When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". "God, "u" and "i" dance." God, you, and I dance... As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead. My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God, as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.

Beautiful......yes?

HAVE FAITH

Today is turning out to be a day that I can't wait to get through.............

The lack of sleep is beginning to come down on me and some things are mounding up--emotions soon to burst, I think.

Lukey complained of some pain last night and I think I've diagnosed him with a UTI--which I've had and know can be terribly painful if left untreated. With that being said, most people know I will not be running in to the Dr. anytime soon (unless it be my chiropractor :0)), which leaves me to fend for myself in any natural way possible. Soooo... I have the knowledge that cranberry juice cleans out the kidneys and is a good preventative, but as it says on the internet, I'm afraid it won't cure a full-blown infection. Dic ran to get 100% cranberry juice and I administered probiotics (natural antibiotics--which won't kill every good bactreia in the system while trying to get the bad), and also gave him some echinacea. He awoke this morning with a smile and no pain. That problem seems to be conquered (only lots of lost sleep worrying).

THEN......our cat, Oliver, came to us with a hurt paw on Sunday, which I have been using tea tree oil and hydrogen peroxide to disinfect. No worries until it started to smell and we knew it was infected and he began foaming at the mouth (more like bubbly drool). So I called the vet to see when we last updated his rabies vaccs. Oh....hmmm.....really, never got rabies vaccs.? OMG!!! So we begin to worry that he indeed been bitten by a rabid skunk or raccoon, or whatever may be lurking about. I took him to the vet this morning and he has blisters in his mouth that could be causing the drooling. And the cause? Well, could be any of three things: kidney problems (may have lapped up something caustic), celitis ( a fatally infectious disease), and then there's the rabies thing. So we are administering antibiotic (after I refused x-rays and blood-work) twice a day and hoping he gets better. But IF he should "pass away" we have been instructed to bring him in to be tested. And IF he should have rabies our entire family will have to go to the doctor to have the battery of "whatever" done to us to see if any if us has contracted it.

NOTE TO SELF: from now on get all animals properly vaccinated to avoid further complication and worry/stress.

Last VERY BIG weight on my heart today.........

Our lead pastor at our church has resigned as of yesterday. I am just hoping that he knows how much we all love him and will support him through everything. God must have something else in mind for him, and for us, and will strengthen all of us through this pain. The Chiolis family is praying for you and your family and your church, Pastor Eric!!

Have faith.

Tonight I Pray......

Everyone is feeling the pain of the economy right now....some so much more than others. It's a good time to count our blessings that Dic has his job and every day we pray that it stays that way. I was watching 20/20 last night and a devoted teacher of a high school in California decided to interview the students in his classroom to see how they are all affected by the shock-wave going through our country. Unsurprisingly, most of them are right in the middle of it...some just feeling the stress their parents are going through and some are in fear that they will eventually loose their homes, and that time will probably be sooner than later. Their tears were flowing, and of course, so were mine. A boy opened his refrig to show the amount of food left... or lack thereof. He said,with a smile on his face, mind you,"we usually have butter, but not today."
These interviews can be found on You Tube and it was shared with our president. While 20/20 was shooting this show a fax came into the classroom which contained a speech that President Obama had given. He mentioned the students' video and quoted one young lady that inspired him. Their video was titled, "Are You Listening?" ARE we listening? Anyone who isn't either isn't affected...yet, or just isn't paying attention. In President Obama's speech he declared, "I AM Listening!" I don't know what he will do for us, and I don't care what anyone says about him....it's difficult to have faith in someone we know so very little about, but I feel in my heart that he's a good man. Once again, I was overwhelmed with emotion watching this show.
This past couple of weeks the recession has hit our home town a little harder. We were all wondering when it was coming.....well, it's here. The furniture plant right behind our house is closing which will cost some 300 people their jobs (also being one of my husband's good customers), and a computer-building company is closing their doors June 1st, leaving another 300 jobless. This past week hospital employees were told they would get no additional vacation or sick time on top of the fact that the didn't receive their normal pay-raises. So it's hitting home and it's very scary. Again we have soo much to be thankful for. Our kids are healthy and we have a home......our prayers each day are for those who aren't as fortunate. I am relying on God to provide and hopefully everything will come back as quickly as it went away. I can't even imagine what some people are going through. I just want them to know they are in my constant prayers. I pray for them to have faith...to be strong...to count any blessings they may have.

Tonight I pray....for you....for me.....

Tonight I pray.....

My Beautiful Son

We were called in for a conference with Cole's teacher and this is what she showed us---with lots of tears, mind you. :0) My sweet sweet boy and the love in his heart........

by Cole Chiolis 2/19/09-age 10

Sometime I want to meet the Lord Creator of Heaven and of Earth. I think that would be cool because He created the whole world here and He provides everything for us; water, food, clothing, pets, and every thing you think about.

Some day all of us will get to see Him, I hope. In years to come all of us will go to Heaven. After all, He is the Creator of Heaven and of earth. Come on, you have to admit you want to go to Heaven, don't you?

I hope in all my years to come I'll get to see everything I want to see before it's my time to go, and do what I want to do in my life before I have to go. In the beginning of my story I said I want to meet the Lord, but I don't want to meet the devil...the ugly devil. I mean I don't want to meet the devil when I die. I want the Lord to be pleased with who I am--not angry for who I am.

I hope you're taking advise right now, because if you are I'm giving you an important life lesson right now. In your life do what you want to do. Just make the Lord happy, not mad. You have a good life to live....nothing more. Live it right. Make the Lord happy with who you are.

In your life you have a lot to live for--I hope you live it wisely. Make the Lord proud of who you are--not mad of who you are. I sure hope He's proud of me and I hope it's the same for you.

Oh, He's proud of you, Coley. He's proud.

March--a time for giving..........

well, here it is March, Christmas is long gone...and i'm thinking we need to be giving more. people are in need all the time, but this is the typical time we focus on them. it isn't just important to give those who are so desperately in need physically, but also to remember them emotionally and in prayer. and in our homes....where we think we are all so safe--are we taking care of each other? are we taking the time to listen to each other, to embrace one another, to just be present? sometimes i wonder if i were being tested.....how would i rate? it worries me.

sooooo........with much thought i want to make some changes and do things differently. we get stuck in such a rut, especially in the winter when we are stuck indoors so often. we turn to the TV, the computer, the WII games, and loose sight of the importance of being together. i watched an inspiring taping of Oprah yesterday. families were asked to give up the things they could survive without--for just a week. one family was asked to give away the "things" they didn't need. the mom was in tears when she realized how another family desperately needed many of her things that she was basically just storing. i was touched....cause i've been there. we did it this past christmas, giving so much to families in need. they were soo appreciative and we didn't miss a thing.

it's time to get back to basics. our kids are at perfect ages to teach them the value of money, that we as a culture are soo very spoiled and ungrateful, and that we don't have to be this way. we are over-indulged....we are so lucky and yet we always want more. i want more. i'm not an angel. i want us to have nice clothes, and my house furnished and decorated, and to own a nice car. it's hard to let go. so we start with baby steps. we've done it before. not to say that we've ever had lots of money, but we've survived. we can do some things to make a difference.

i'll keep you posted on the brain-storming ideas that we decide on, like; turning off the computer for a week, turning off the TV for a week, and no video games for a week. we've already talked about actually saving some of the money we earn, kids included, and giving some back to God, in whichever way that may be. if any of you has any amazing ideas or things you've tried--let us know. we're up for challenges (of course i'm speaking for all of us right now)--we'll give it a shot!

we are trying to be better at spending time with God and in the word and we can always use your prayers. here's to doing the best that we possibly can as a family.