Overwhelmed, but Believing

Today is one of those days where I just plain feel overwhelmed. Not because of the tasks ahead of me, but because of the choices ahead of me.

If you are someone who knows me personally, you know that decision-making is not one of my strong characteristics. I am a great follower, co-captain, second fiddle. Though I can lead and have a strong personality to lead, I often choose not to because I know that there are others out there who are much more well-equipped than I am.

So we have some big decisions in front of us...and though I am overwhelmed and struggle with unbelief, today I am choosing to believe God.

Father, I am so grateful for Your love. Today, I choose to believe You. Help me to listen for Your voice and not the other voices of doubt, unbelief and self. I love You. Amen.

A co-worker just shared this a moment ago..."God whispers in your soul and speaks to your mind. Sometimes when you don't have time to listen, he has to throw a brick at you. It's your choice: Listen to the whisper, or wait for the brick."

I choose the whisper...and I will wait.

I've got a lot of living left to do...

Here is a very neat list that I found on another blog. You go through the list and bold the ones you've already done. Interesting!

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo's David

41. Sung karoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a lawsuit

98. Owned a cellphone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day

A Pittsburgh Gal at Heart...

So this was definitely a big night for all of us Steeler fans! What an awesome game! Both sides played their hearts out.

We haven't lived in PA for several years, but I grew up just north of Pittsburgh, so I will always be a Pittsburgh girl at heart. My guys decided this year to cheer for the Cardinals...a little bit out of orneriness and a lot because of the fact that Kurt Warner is a believer.

Towards the middle of the game, my seven year old started getting upset because the Cardinals weren't winning and Kurt Warner is a Christian.

Sometimes I think that we as believers feel that way. We are offended when something goes wrong in our lives. We act as if we should be the "winner" in every situation. But that is not true. Christ promised to be with us...but He never promised everything in our lives would magically work out simply because we are a Christian. We will face tough times...disappointment...heartache.

However, all things do work for our good. We may not see it at the time. We may only see the trouble we are facing. But if we allow Him to work, Christ uses those situations for His glory and our best good.

In the end, we do win. We have eternal life with Christ...a Super Bowl trophy doesn't even come close to that!

The Quote on My Desk

"But in Friendship... we think we have chosen our peers. In reality, a few years’ difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another, posting to different regiments, the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting – any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of Ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,' can truly say 'You have not chosen one another, but I have chosen you for one another.' The Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all the others."
-C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Randomness...

Hi, friends. Sorry it has been so long since I have posted.

We had a wonderful time on our cruise to Mexico. It was nice to be together as a family without the crazy business of cell phones and computers. Though I love these conveniences, sometimes I think they make our lives busier than they need to be.

Anyway, before I go off on a tangent, we woke up to beautifully ice covered trees this morning. It looked a bit like Narnia around here. I was waiting for the characters to come out of our woods. :) It amazed me to see the beauty that surrounded me. All I could think is "How Great is Our God!" The ultimate creative One who made this beautifully intricate world, the King of Kings, Great Jehovah cares about me...insignificant me with all of my faults, failures, shortcomings and selfishness.

Quite an overwhelming thought, isn't it?

Cruising...

Hi, Friends.

The Stanton Family will be taking a break from blogging this week. We have an amazing opportunity to go on a Christian cruise to Mexico thanks to my wonderful boss, Charles Billingsley. You can check it out here.

Anyway, we are looking forward to some time together. Hope it doesn't rain!

Thanks, Kathy and Sarah, for holding down the fort. And thanks, Jacque, for taking care of our house!

Hope to have pictures to post when we return.

Happy New Year, Friends!

Hard to believe that another year has come and gone!
Things have been a bit crazy in the Stanton house lately. We spent Christmas in Atlanta with Tim's family. Jonathan had a WONDERFUL time with his cousins Riley and Walker. We were also able to catch up with Angela and Larry Prince.


My brother got engaged over the holidays and is planning a November 2009 wedding. We are so happy for Kenny and Andrea.

Tim turned 31 on December 29. Boy, are we getting OLD! :)

Jonathan also got his tonsils out the same day. So this past week has been pretty mellow in the Stanton house.

Hope your new year has started out well. Looking forward to what God has in store in 2009!