Embrace Life!

Back in December I wrote a post for my father-in-law in honor of his birthday. Today I am writing to ask for your prayers. Papa Joe was diagnosed with cancer a couple of weeks ago and is having surgery tomorrow.

We are praying for God's healing and strength for him as he goes through this procedure. He is a strong man of faith and loves the Lord. Because of his faith, he has a very positive outlook and attitude.

Psalm 121:1-2
I lift my eyes unto the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

Embrace the hope of Jesus, our Maker, our Helper.
Ginger :)

I haven't sat down to write for the last few days. Things have been so busy with the end of the grading period...TIME CRUNCH! Unfortunately, I've not made the time to pause, reflect, read my bible the way I like to and really pray and have those conversations with God! My soul feels spiritually malnourished when I don't take the time. Not only does my soul miss it, but so does my attitude.

Our message on Sunday really put me in my place! I guess you could say it stepped on my toes. I needed a wake up call. The message was: You're Not Normal...Embrace Your Uniqueness! "O.K." I'm thinking to myself. "I've known for a long time that I'm not normal....where's he going with this?"

Lately, I've been really having the woe is me attitude about a leadership role I'm in and having my own little pity party! In the sermon on Sunday, the pastor pointed out that God is not going to use your life just because you're like everybody else.

God intends for us to stand out...not blend in! Think about what makes you unique, may also make you useful. Sometimes this means taking those painful situations we've been through to help others and step up to the plate. Being the man or woman of God at work you know God has intended you to be...can be a challenge. Stand up for what is right...don't blend in.

He referred to 1 Peter 2:4-9 Verse 9 particularly stands out to me. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

God is calling us to stand out...not to fit in! Embrace your uniqueness!

Ginger :)

Friday afternoon when I got home from work, the same question was posed that is normally posed on Friday afternoons after a long week! What do we want for dinner? We had actually decided to just stay home and put something on the grill, which sounds really strange after the chilling temperatures we've had this week, but yesterday was absolutely gorgeous!

Our daughter was getting together with one of her girlfriends from church and the two of them coordinated plans for the parents to go out...sweet! We ended up going to one of my all time favorite restaurants Miro Spanish Grill. Fortunately, I had a gift card that had been given to me by a student, which made our meal even more delicious! Our friends suggested we go see a movie afterwards which sounded like fun and since we had saved on the meal, we thought...why not!

We decided on the movie Slumdog Millionaire. A friend on my second grade team, that actually grew up in India, which is the setting for the movie, and several others from work highly recommended it. This movie had me on the edge of my seat from the get go. Slumdog Millionaire follows the life of two little boys growing up in the slums of Mumbai. I won't give too many details except to say that it really makes you stop and think how blessed you really are. This story embodies perseverance, endurance, faith, and undying love. I laughed, cried, sighed and found myself praying for these boys...wanting to bring them home with me!

While watching this movie, I made a connection to the sermon our pastor preached last Sunday on Mephibosheth...try saying that name several times in row!

When he was very young, he was dropped by his nurse, which left him crippled in both feet. 2 Samuel 4:4. Many in our society have been dropped by someone that should have been caring for or watching out for them. Others have been dropped in ways like the character in the movie by a torn society. According to our pastor, we all are in a crippled state called sin and it has left us far from the King's Table. However, In 2 Samuel 9:1-7,13 Mephibosheth was in the land of Lo Debar, which was the land of no communication. His name indicated shame, but David wanted to show God's kindness to Jonathan's son.

Over the last week or so, I've felt as though I've been in my own Lo Debar...not communicating with God, because I've been dealing with my own hidden disabilities. Sometimes there are disabilities that we can't see...one will look perfectly normal. Uncertainty, doubt, loneliness, anger, depression, fear, being overwhelmed. I know that my crippled state is something that I am very good at covering up! Only God sees and knows my heart. What's your crippled state?

A point made by our pastor caused me to stop and think, he said "Your crippled condition may not change overnight, but your position can change in a moment. You can eat at the King's table." Mephibosheth's position certainly did change, but his condition didn't. Verse 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the kings' table, and he was crippled in both feet.

Allow God to carry you and all your burdens. You can take your place at the King's table even with your limp.

Ginger

There's something to be said for the routines and consistency of our daily lives! Keeps me focused. It's also very nice to have those unexpected little interruptions that cause us to just slow down and not do the ordinary. Having a snow day while enjoying hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, reading, watching t.v., eating chili, and relaxing while grading papers on the couch was a real treat! I guess you might say I was quite a couch potato.

For me, the last couple of days have been far more relaxing than my body is used to. The only problem with a "bon bon" type day is that it puts a real hitch in my giddy up! It was all I could do to get out of bed at 5:15 a.m. this morning!

After the second snooze, I knew I wasn't in La La Land anymore and had to get up! Just like me, my class was a little tired at first, but very enthusiastic to share Snow Day memories.

During our Writer's Workshop, the boys and girls enjoyed writing about "I I were President I would".... and they really came up with some absolutely amazing ideas to share with President Obama. For example, help those that are in need; the helpless, the hungry, the poor and the homeless. They even went to the extent to explain how they would do it! Part of my instructions were to explain what they would do, how they would do it and why! They did a fine job! One little girl explained that she would approach builders to build homes for the homeless. Another, remodel old churches or abandoned buildings for shelters! I asked for her plan to accomplish this task. "Fundraisers" she shared excitedly! These ideas are amazing coming from 7 year old children, because they come from their hearts. They are so sincere and genuine. No task seems too big!

I thought about this quite a bit coming home this afternoon. Imagine if we had the faith of a little child. With God, no task is too big, too great, too far reaching if we put our trust in Him.

Luke 18:16-17 "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
We need to be "such as these" that's the key.

Embrace the faith of a little child and carry it in your heart!

Ginger

There's nothing better than to wake up to a beautiful snow! I had gotten up at 3:00 to let our beagle out and there was already a good dusting on the ground. By 5:00 a.m. the deck, yard and street were covered in a beautiful blanket of white. When I first turned on the news at 5:00 a.m., CMS had not closed. I quickly switched to another station to see if there was some mistake and sure enough, that station was reporting that CMS was closed. What a relief! I liked that news better and went back to bed!


It has been a good day to sit and watch the inauguration ceremonies. I had quite a few papers to grade so I took advantage of camping out on the couch...grading and watching all the celebrations. One of my favorite parts of the entire ceremony was to see 5 Presidents together on the same platform at one time. I love the patriotic music and all the trivia shared by the media. Despite how you may have cast your vote, the President needs our prayers during this most trying time in our nation's history. We should pray that our President seeks God's wisdom in every decision he makes.

Psalm 62:5-6
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be
shaken.

Ginger

I've always prayed, not always like I should, but in the last couple of years, it has been more of a conversation with the Lord, not just one of those things that I'd check off on my "to do" list. When I would lay me down to sleep, that's exactly what would happen, I would fall asleep and I'd never talk with God. Or I would fall asleep in the middle of a prayer...wake up and forget what I'd been praying about. I decided something needed to change.

What is so beautiful about talking with God is that you can do it anywhere. "He can hear you now". No dropped calls. It doesn't have to be any specific place. There are many mornings on my way to work, I spend that time in prayer. It might be cooking dinner for you or taking a walk when you have that conversation with God.

Unlike many of our phone plans, you're not limited in the number of calls you make...the beauty of prayer. What a friend we have in Jesus.

I found this reflection in my NIV Women's Devotional Bible written by Mother Teresa and wanted to share it with you.

Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of
containing God's gift of himself.
Ask and seek, and your heart will grow big
enough to receive Him and to keep Him as your
own. Wherever God has put you, that is your vocation.
It is not what we do but how much love we put into it.

-Mother Teresa

Embrace Life,
Ginger

This morning I woke up to the birds outside my bedroom window singing and chirping. I looked to find several blue jays, cardinals and other little birds in the Japanese maple and in the bird feeder. I hurried to get the camera, but by the time I got outside, they must have sensed I was coming and fluttered off. They were just beautiful. How comforting to know that God looks after these beautiful creatures and takes care of us too.

Psalm 84:3-4
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young-
a place near your alter,
O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your
house;
they are ever praising you.

Selah

Embrace life,
Ginger

We still receive the newsletter from our church back home and this list of inspirational thoughts was listed in it many years ago. You may have seen it before. I keep it on the side of my refrigerator and read it often. Thought I would share it with you this Saturday! It was the inspiration for my LPM memory verse.

Proverbs 4:26 Make level paths for your feet and take only the ways that are firm.

Inspirational Thoughts

*God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

*Dear God, I have a problem---it's me.

*Growing old is inevitable, growing UP is optional.

*There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

*Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.

*Do the math...count Your blessings!

*Faith is the ability to not panic.

*Laugh everyday, it's like inner jogging.

*If you worry, you didn't pray, If you pray, don't worry.

*As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.

*Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.

*The most important things in your home are the people.

*When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He
can untangle the knot.

*A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

*We do not remember the days, but moments. Life is moving too fast so enjoy your precious moments.

Embrace Life,
Ginger

Sometimes when Sunday night rolls around, I'll admit that I get the "I can't believe it is time to go back to work...almost Monday morning blues"! Amazing though, Once I'm up, showered and had my second cup of java, I'm pretty good to go! The week just seems to fly by...so busy and Friday is always faithful!

I do love Fridays and I do look forward to the weekend!

***I can wear my jeans to school on Friday and I don't even have to plan on Thursday night what to put on Friday morning!

***Much needed time with my family and much needed time in God's word!

***I know that I can kick my feet up if I want and the laundry can wait another day!

***Staying up late...if I can stay awake and sleeping in on Saturday morning!

***A nice leisurely breakfast to look forward to on Saturday and Sunday morning with several extra cups of coffee.

***Out to dinner..or even take out! I'm not picky.

***No rushing out the door by 6:40 a.m. to get to work!

The list could go on and on! I am so thankful to be able to come home on a Friday afternoon and just have some down time. After a busy, hectic week. It's needed!

I found this poem by Ruth Bell Graham! Enjoy and embrace it. Hopefully it will help you look at future Fridays and weekends in a whole new way!

Recharge

Lord,when my soul is weary
and my heart is tired and sore,
and I have that failing feeling
that I can't take it any more;
then let me know the freshening
found in simple, childlike prayer,
when the kneeling soul knows surely
that a listening Lord is there.

- Ruth Bell Graham


Ginger

I wanted to share with you a really great conference that is coming to Charlotte. The Love and Respect Conference will be at Calvary Church on February 13-14. What a great way to celebrate Valentine's Day with your honey! From what I understand this is a great conference and men enjoy it just as much as women. The conference is led by Dr. Emerson and Sarah Eggerichs. If you're interested in learning more, click on the Love and Respect website at my favorites to get more information.

My husband just recently read the book Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. Tony is an avid reader and reads lots of different genres. He said this book "just made good sense". This book focuses on the love that a woman desperately desires in a marriage and the respect a man desperately needs! Wow. Pretty deep stuff. You may ask...how do I get to that point?

We must know how to respond! For example if you're in a conflict, the way you choose to respond will result either positively or negatively. Makes good sense! According to the book you could end up in what is called a crazy cycle depending on those responses. You don't want to go there. Our marriage was there and stayed there most of the time. I won't give all the details of the book away...give it a read!

This is one more thing I feel very passionate about! Marriages and families are being attacked..Christian families that were once strong coming apart at the seams! We were one of those couples and for several reasons. Unfortunately our marriage just seemed to have slipped away a little bit at a time. We grew apart. Each of us not really listening to the other or speaking with love and respect to each other. Not to mention that I was somewhat of a control freak...a perfectionist!

Then came the stress of a medical crisis that brought us to our knees, but not to the cross. It took two major jolts in our life...almost losing our daughter and almost losing our marriage for us to realize that Jesus Christ was not the center of our home like we proclaimed He was. It was all talk! He certainly was not the center of our marriage. From the outside looking in..looked pretty good. On the inside we were hurting, distant and lacking love and respect.

Another book by Dr. Emerson and Sarah Eggerichs that I highly recommend and a great discussion book is Motivating Your Man God's Way. It too focuses on how to meet your husband's greatest need...respect,using the words he needs to hear!

For so long I just flat out was clueless I guess as to what made my husband tick. This is probably one of the most helpful books I have ever read. At some point I will share more of our story. For now, just know that God is continuing to work a miracle in our marriage and family little bit by little bit...day by day. It is hard work, but very worth it. I love the words of the song "Love is not a fight, but something worth fighting for". Know how to fight!

Ephesians 5:33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself and the wife must respect her husband.

Embrace life and embrace the ones you love,
Ginger

I had so much fun this afternoon! Several of the teachers I work with and myself were asked to sing at an upcoming function at our school and we had our first rehearsal this afternoon. We had such a great time of fun and fellowship practicing our school song...singing in harmony...A Capella. Singing is something I love to do and have always enjoyed since I was a little girl. I guess you could say it is a passion, because when I sing I feel so alive.

I try to sing any opportunity I can! The very things in life that make us feel the most alive are often the things that we don't embrace. That is music for me. In 1 Peter Chapt.4:10 we are instructed to use whatever gift we have to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in various forms. How often do we really use that gift, talent or true ability that God has given us for His kingdom? I'm not so sure that I do all that I can.

My gifts, my purpose, my passions are all ways I can serve God. They weren't given to me to serve myself, but to serve others.

My hope is that one child at this dedication service will have their passion ignited to say if my teacher can do what she loves...I can too!

Embrace your passions and embrace life!
Ginger :)

It's been almost a week since I've had time to write! Last Wednesday I had what Grandma used to call a "sick headache"...I'm pretty certain it was a migraine...been there, done that. From that point, life just got really busy just trying to catch up. It usually takes me a good 2-3 days to catch up after missing just one day of teaching! Life goes on and Thursday night was my women's small group meeting, our first since before Christmas....at my house! So much catching up to do. So many nuggets to share. By Friday, I just needed to catch my breath!

My good friend Betsy had been telling me about this really good little Mexican restaurant in Indian Trail called La Unica, so Tony and I went there on Friday night for a date! It was delicious and reasonable. We'll definitely go there again. Saturday was just a fun day! I didn't get a lot done at home, but I'm really trying to embrace every moment and enjoy the spontaneous! Katie and I took some time to do a little shopping at Kohl's...great deals on fun jewelry! She had to babysit Saturday night for folks in the neighborhood going to the Panthers game and we went to see a movie with our good friends the Sherrills before the game started! No comment on the game... just sad!

We didn't make it to church on Sunday due to a day trip out of town, but it was really a great day...a day to remember a day to embrace!

Ginger :)

Rainy Days and Mondays has always been one of my favorite songs...still enjoy hearing it! Teaching in a learning cottage can be quite a challenge on a rainy day. Today was one of those days. It was quite messy going in and out of the building, to the bathroom, and to music. On the bright side, my students were very good during all these transitions while the bottom was falling out...whew!

Oh well! It is what it is and I must say that most days I love being in my learning cottage. Those of us teaching in the cottages have really grown to love our little village and have such a good relationship. I am very blessed to work with such talented teachers...always have been!

The gray of the day inspired me to change my blog background...couldn't take the gray anymore. I needed a lift! The background has a little of a "messy snowflake" look to it. In fact, that's the description. I think that describes me perfectly some days. Unique in my own way and quite the perfect mess on others!

What keeps me going is knowing that God loves the imperfect! In Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren says that "God is never limited by our limitations". That is so encouraging, because there are days when quite frankly I feel very limited! With my evaluation..observation coming up, I get a little nervous, because I tend to be a little bit of a perfectionist when it comes to my classroom. Did I mention that the observation is unannounced? They've always gone well, but even after all these years, I still want to make sure I'm doing my very best.

For me, knowing and being able to recognize my strengths and admit my weaknesses make life a little easier to handle and juggle. More importantly just allowing God to take my life and use it the way He wants me to be used should be my focus.

In my last blog, I shared one of my favorite scriptures from Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Wouldn't you know it? This morning a little boy in my class had this scripture on the back of his t-shirt! No doubt this was a sign to just to relax and turn all my plans over to the Lord and not stress! God is good!

Embrace Life,
Ginger

Over the last couple of days while things were quiet, I spent some time writing in my journal...a lot of what ifs were going through my mind and just needed to be written down.

....What if I kept God's word as close to me as I did my cell phone? I'd really feel connnected and closer to Him.

....What if when planning ahead as I've been doing over the last few days for my classroom, my women's small group, my week....what if I would just simply commit all my planning to God? How much more successful would it all be? Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

....What if I followed through with my husband's challenge to take that step of faith to do what I've been feeling the Lord leading me to do? Hearing His still small voice and acting on it.

....What if I really recognized Who I am in Christ? How would my life look? How would it be different?

....What if I were more of a friend to the lost just as Jesus was and reached out to that lost sheep? See Luke Chapt. 15 1-7. Recognizing that I am nothing more than a sinner saved by grace. Our Pastor spoke on this Sunday and encouraged us to reach out to those that are lost and bring them home.

....What would the world be like if I were more like His arms, His hands and His feet?

....What if in 2009 I Embrace the What Ifs?

Ginger :)

Growing up I can remember having pains here and there...a cramp in my leg or in my side. Mama always called them "growing pains". According to mama, when you're growing, your body is changing and it's going to hurt a little. Life parallels this so often.

Strange, empty, and weird would be understatements as to how I feel without having Katie home. She's been visiting her friend in Greenville, SC over the last couple of days and quite honestly I feel a little lost. The house feels empty and far too quiet without her coming in and out constantly, or wanting to go somewhere 24/7. It is hard for me to grasp that she is almost 17 and beginning to look at colleges. Tony and I have enjoyed having a couple of date nights, but it still feels a little "empty nest" like!

Change...growing pains! Time really does go by so quickly. You want to cherish every minute. I guess you could say I'm experiencing growing pains. Having to learn to let go. Not so easy, but necessary.

Life is all about changes. More often than not change can cause growing pains, but it's all about our perspective and attitude. Our growing pains usually reveal a beautiful purpose in the end. I'm so very thankful to experience these beautiful growing pains in my life. These are the good times..the way they were meant to be.

One thing that never changes is God's grace and abiding love for us. This we can count on. He is there to help us through all the growing pains in our lives. I'm reading a wonderful book right now that my dear friend, Candy loaned to me titled "The Power Of A Praying Parent" by Stormie Omartian. Excellent resource and guide for the situation you're praying about over your child.

Growth means change and
change involves risk, stepping
from the known to the unknown
Author Unknown

Whatever growing pains you face, pray about them and know that God is always with you.

Embrace Life,
Ginger

It's so hard to believe that 2008 has come and gone. For us it has been a year filled with blessings. Normally for the Buffkins, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day isn't a huge celebration and keeping with that tradition, we kept it pretty simple this year, because we're pretty simple!

Yesterday we drove Katie to Greenville, SC to visit one of her really good friends, Hannah. Before heading back to Charlotte, we took advantage of the opportunity and spent the day in Greenville just walking the tree lined streets and eating at our favorite little Mexican restaurant. I absolutely love Greenville...it is charming to say the least.

Today we continued our yearly tradition with our good friends the Sherrills and had New Year's lunch at their house. Delicious! We had the traditional southern New Year's Day lunch of black eyed peas, greens, corn bread, slaw, baked sweet potato strips and BBQ wings (a variety of flavors) and sweet tea! The best. I needed a nap afterwards. Always a blessing to ring in the new year with such special friends!

For 2009 I really don't think I want to make too many resolutions, but focus on areas that I know in 2008 were weak for me or at least needed some improvement!

*More time talking with God!

*Being still to hear His voice.

*Focus more on the really important things in my life...my husband, my daughter!

*Sing more...something I love to do!

*Share more!

*Give more!
Many blessings for a healthy and a Happy New Year!
Psalm 96:1 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Embrace Life..2009
Ginger