Pondering

Pondering...I love that word. To this day I can close my eyes and see my Memaw, "pondering" about things. Seems she always gave great thought to what she had to say before she said it. WOW...is there a lesson in that sentence for me!!
This past few weeks I've encountered God in such different ways. Lets see...first, if you follow my status' on facebook then you know my Ford Explorer was literally on her last mile. She held strong till the end and I have to say, I miss her!! If I could have had a camera inside that SUV for all the miles and years and trips we've taken together....for all the items I've transported back and forth, here and there....the stories and videos I could share!! Mitilda...(that was her name...I will miss you!! You were loyal till the end...never failing, always faithful and you always GOT ME THERE!!) now.......this leads me back to God.... HE is never failing, always faithful and IF I LET HIM....(key words) HE WILL ALWAYS GET ME THERE!! So, with the thought of a new vehicle and payments that go along with it....I simply turned it over, I mean realllllllly turned the whole matter over to God and said if it means I walk...I walk!! My mom and stepdad took me truck shopping again and within minutes of arriving on the lot the guy (Gerald) a friend of my moms asked me if I wanted to test drive the truck. My response was, nope, lets just do the paperwork and get it over with......they all laughed and he insisted I drive it. Oh me......I thought I was riding on air!! I didn't realize how "arthritic" Miltilda had become....lol!! Anyway....my point is.....I learned to give it up in another type of way, a material thing....something I obviously need and have learned to depend on and God opened the door and let me through my mom to the right man to make this happen!! Thank you Momma, Thank you Gerald and Thank you O'Malley for becoming my new means of transportation.....I'll learn to accept that you are a Chevy and love you for it.....I've just been a Ford Truck girl for SOOOO long.
Then....there comes my daddy....my daddy has always had a "rough exterior" as I call it. You know, gruff in sound. Even now he can say something and it can bring me to tears.....Now, mind you he's not a drill sargeant or anything but I do believe he missed his calling to be!! Yet.....my daddy has been and will always be MY HERO!! He is the most handsome daddy a girl could have and has the heart of cupid tho' he wouldn't want everyone to know that....haha!!!Anyhoooo~ he and my stepmom surprise me with a visit and although we had just spent the evening together a few nights earlier with my son and his wife.....this was just the three of us. We shared in some very deep, heart-wrenching conversation. Something that has pulled on my heart strings for a while now. To hear my dad and Trish sit across the table and give me some much needed advice was so rewarding.....but....more than that......to know, I mean to know and feel his support meant the world to me!! Geesh...here go the tears!! Daddy, you have always been the rock, the solid foundation in our family. I'm the quicksand!! lol (not really) I dont need saving all the time... my point is....no matter how old I may be or become his advice means the world to me!! Hearing him tell me that I needed to be firm is what I needed to hear!! To stop letting people walk over me or toy with my emotions!! When they left I felt stronger than I have felt in quite some time...and yall that know me, know my name means strong and that can sometimes be irritating to me!!! Yet...on this night, at this particular moment....I felt like Joe C Tidwells daughter and I know I can do it!! Now......this again brings me back to know that I am the daughter and heir to the King of Kings and I can do all things through Him which strengthens me! Having my earthly daddy tell me I could do this was like having Jesus or God himself in front of me showing me how to take up for myself and I grew so much spritually from that, as well as emotionally!!! I love you Daddy!! Thank you for always being that rock for me!!

Lord Jesus, I want to THANK YOU from my heart for the parents you gave and blessed me with!! For my stepmom and my stepdad! I want to praise and lift them up to you and I pray that all I do in this life reflects what I have learned from them in a positive way!! May they continue to seek your guidance in their life and trust you as their savior and Lord! Let the words of wisdom that my daddy so honestly gave come forth from me to the ones that need to hear it. May my words be forceful yet loving. Let the graciousness that you give my mom flow from me to others in my daily walk of life Lord! It is in your heavenly name I pray. Amen