New Year: I'm swearing off of Computer Evernote type stuff

It is December 29, 2015. The New Year lurks around the corner and I begin the plans for 2016. I've been searching the new Apps available to help us get organized and am throwing my hands in the air. I'm done. I look at the recommendations and the comments of these computer whiz ideas and without fail there are those that have been dissatisfied with these organizational help apps. Usually the disappointment lies in the app not downloading something correctly, or upgrading and not picking up the past information so it all must be re-entered, or a new way to work the app so a learning curve hits right when you are in a very important meeting, or in a conference. Yes, I am honestly done with the whole concept of having to constantly be on a learning curve to take care of mundane and unimportant daily endeavors. I have decided to go back to my own organizational planning system that has served me well in the past and I believe will rise to my aid now and in the future.

Are you with me in this? How do you handle the upcoming year? Do you set goals and resolutions?

At the beginning of my first marriage, I was young and a bit naive about the new year and it's power and excitement. I simply looked at life from day in and day out. I was a mom at age 20 and I was clueless on many life lessons.

By age 30 I was a single mom and operating in total survival mode.

By age 40 I can honestly say much had changed and life was really rocking pretty smoothly. LIFE had become an adventure and a Joy! If I only knew then what I know now - I can honestly say I would have been more content more quickly.  What is fun to know: I'm here again. In a place of the unknown. Difference between me now and me at ages 20 and 30: I do know what I have learned in the past will profit me in this new year of new marriage and new life. Now, setting aside a few days to implement what I've learned in the past. I invite you along.

Are you ok with me sharing some helps that transformed life from chaos to productivity in those 10 years? Helps that changed me from survival mode to exciting life adventure mode?  I hope they help you as you enter into this new year of 2016, I'm re-investing in them.

First, a disclaimer. I am a random/abstract thinker. I rarely think linearly. I found a system years ago that was begun by two sidetracked home executives and it worked for me. I implemented this system then and over the last 35 years the system has been re-invented numerous times. (due to moves, life changes, and culture changes)

I am here again. Needing to revamp the system. I was introduced to all sorts of computer planning apps in a course I'm taking on goal setting: '5 Days to you Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt'. It is a great course. I am enjoying it. But, I got hung up on the computer planning apps.

There is within me a hesitancy to enter into something that will either change on me (i.e. update...) during the year, not copy what needs to be copied, or even drop or delete what I've worked so hard to get in place. Is it just me? Or, are you in that same frame of mind.

Oh I don't know. I just don't need any more stress. I would rather have something on paper. Something I can count on. Something that isn't going to go blank when I am ramping up to a really important deadline.  So here is the nuts and bolts.

Write everything that you would like to do in your life on paper. I mean everything. If you would like to clean inside the light switches (don't laugh, I have family members that do that) - write it down. If you want to have clean windows, clean toilet, clean kitchen cabinets, dishwasher emptied/loaded, write a novel, or even replace batteries in your smoke alarm - write it down. Make a list no matter how long.

Using this abbreviated system: How often a job is done on a color 3X5 card.

Excerpts from Sidetracked Home Executives pg 58:

http://www.amazon.com/Sidetracked-Home-Executives-TM-Paradise/dp/0446677671

Frequency: How often a job is to be done.
D = Day
W = Weekly
EOW = Every Other Week
S= Sasonally
EOM = Every Other Month
2/Y = Twice a Year
M = Monthly
Y = Yearly
EOD = Every Other Day
2/W = Twice a week

Color: Which color 3X% card to use for each job.
Y = Yellow
B = Blue
W = White
P = Pink

1. Transfer ALL jobs to cards - one job per card.
2. Make Menu Plan
3. Label blank dividers: Storage, Christmas, Family and Special Projects: any projects that light up your life. File the newly labeled dividers between the months and the alphabet in your box.
4. Put dividers in card file in this order: 1-31, with current date forward; four special dividers; January-December; ABCs; extra cards in back.
5. Make piles of cards according to colors (four piles).
6. Using the calendar and Basic Week Plan, file pink cards first. (Most of them will have specific dates.)
7. File yellow (daily) cards in front of today's date if job has not been done today. Daily jobs already completed can be filed in front of tomorrow's date.
8. File yellow (every-other-day) cards in front of today's date if they haven't been done, or the day after tomorrow if already completed.
9. Sort out blue mini-job cards from the blue pile. Mini-jobs can be filed for any day, even a free day.
10. File all blue (weekly) cards on moderate-cleaning or heavy- cleaning days (except quiet activities, which go on your quiet day).
11. File all blue (every other week) cards up to fourteen days from current date.
12. Separate white (monthly and every other month) cards into three piles: mini-jobs, monthly, and every other month. File white minis anywhere in the numbers.
13. File all white (monthly) cards in the moderate - or heavy cleaning days of the month
14. File every other month white cards in the January-December dividers, TWO MONTHS from the current month.
15. Transfer birthdays and anniveraries from calendar and file in January-December section.
16. Make out white card "Check date" and file in front of number 25.
17. Using old address book or phone book, make out cards on loved ones and often-used phone numbers or places of business and file in ABC section

Please buy the book:

http://www.amazon.com/Sidetracked-Home-Executives-TM-Paradise/dp/0446677671

Blessings in this New Year:
RoRoEbenezer
& HoneyB + Ebenezer and Ginger&Bourbon

Christmas 2015

I sit in my little 'Once in a Blue Moon' home, snuggled into the family room with all of our puppies settled in around me, beside The Man. It is hard to realize only two years ago I lived in Germany and was bringing in this Christmas season alone (24 years single) on the side of a mountain in the Black Forest.

Years of living as a single mother means that I learned how to cope and even enjoy this season, content in my place sans husband.

I learned that Christmas was filled with making new memories and not mourning over the memories that brought back huge holes in my happiness and inadequacies within my spirit. It was a conscious decision. I remember making it. I don't remember the year, or the exact date (I'm sure if I looked in my journals I could retrieve it). But, I remember the moment.

One of the negatives about my situation: I had to share Christmas with my ex and his family (he remarried about 3 months after we were divorced).

One of the positives about my situation: I had to share Christmas with my ex and his family.

What happened? What prompted it being an Aha! moment?

I was sitting in my red prayer chair. I believe it was just a few days before Christmas.

For years, I had been frustrated about Christmas. I felt I was the one that got the raw end of the deal - you might relate.  Every year my ex and I would flip Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. So, some years I had them over Christmas night and some he did. But, either way, my Christmas was pretty much screwed. 

As a teacher, we started Christmas Break on the 23rd.   This didn't allow enough time for me to go home to family and get back in time to exchange the kids. I was about 5 hours away from my family.   If I had my kids on Christmas Eve and they were able to sleep and wake with me on Christmas Day, I still had to be available to exchange them at noon on Christmas Day. If I had them on Christmas Day, I couldn't drive 10 hours and be back in time for me to get the kids exchanged.

And as for a family Christmas dinner - it never happened. From the time my children were 5,7, and 9 they were unable to enjoy their Grandmother and/ cousins, etc.  on Christmas. And neither was I.

I could handled even that except that once they were gone, I was alone. I didn't have a spouse to enjoy and I was cheated out of having my own family to enjoy. So, I became a little cynical. It wasn't all the time, it just creeped up, bit me in the face in spurts. This cynicism, when it raised its ugly head, brought me quickly into a deep drop of emotional sadness. 

It was the pits. Truly the pits!

I was sitting in my red-prayer-chair writing in my journal. I specifically cried out to God and asked Him to please change my attitude. It wasn't healthy for me, for my kids, even for my job. I was simply tired of being sad about Christmas. There had to be something more.

A friend of mine dropped by to deliver some home-baked Christmas goodies and asked me how I was doing. I decided to get honest with her and not veneer over my response with a smile and I'm doing great. I simply said, "Not so good".   She probed and I answered openly. I explained the whole exchange frustration and she understood the dilemma.

She offered an idea. Why not go somewhere you want to go when the kids are gone.  Someplace that will give you some good memories and bring you some joy.  I was shocked that I had never thought of it myself.

The idea slipped into my head and I had a little window of hope of making new memories. This idea morphed into several different plans. Rent a hotel room in a city you want to visit. Travel to a fun area and get a cabin. Staying in Dallas and going into the city for an evening of Theatre or Concerts. I even came up with an idea of planning to have the kids and I take a trip to my mom's and our family plan around another favorite holiday. Make that special holiday a memory building time. I chose Easter. I got them every year for Easter and I took them out of school a couple of times two early. It put a hardship on me, because I would have to plan for a sub, but it was well worth it.

And so began a little new hope called: My new Christmas Memory Files. I went to Houston, I went to Denver, I went to cabins.  This gave me the opportunity to take time before the New Year to make plans and goals that I would never have done if I had not decided to live my life seeking peace within my own soul  This, I believe was one of the greatest gifts I gave to my children.

I simply decided to have Christmas as a time to enjoy my kids and a new adventure. The family time was another time of year. I no longer felt cheated. I no longer felt less-then.

It was a great time from then on. And oh the sweetness I discovered with God during those times was amazing. You might not share my faith, but for me I found the relationship with Him deepened and sweetened.

A memory shared from my life in Germany.

And now?

I look forward to sharing some eggnog with The Man. A sleepy, happy Christmas time. A heavenly time with his sister. And, the joy of peace on earth, Good Will Toward Man.

Please know that your single parenting does not keep you from a joyful Christmas time. Take this time to discover more of who you are. It will always behoove you to know what makes you happy. Don't hesitate to find it and enter into it. You are worth it. Your children deserve you to be all you can be!

May you be blessed this wonderful Christmas time. Remember that it is a time of Hope, Joy, and LIFE!

RoRoEbenezer
& HoneyB (The Man)

Lara - thank you

Apologies to the readership of this blog. I must admit, I didn't think anyone was reading on a regular basis. Now that I do it won't happen again. Please forgive me Lara!

It will be up on Tuesdays.

Christmas.

It's Christmas time. I've had some really big revelations in the last three weeks that I will write about later. These revelations deal with a few unsung heros of the faith. But right now it's Christmas.

As a new single mom, this time of year ranked right up there with a medical breast mammogram. Don't get me wrong. I love Christmas. I love this time of year! Snow, Santa, Presents, Lights!
But there was a time...

I didn't decorate for Christmas for several years after my divorce. In fact, the first time the house was decorated, I came home from my University class to find my kids decorated the house by themselves. Christmas seemed to remind me of a broken home. I was surrounded by happy people in beautiful homes and they had it all together. I wasn't able to do it all. I wasn't able to pull it off. I was flawed and sad and broken.

I've talked before about getting in the car for icecream runs at night.  Well, we would get in the car sometimes just to drive around. Granted, gas wasn't as expensive then, but it appeared to be our little safe haven. We weren't reminded that there wasn't someone missing when we were driving around. We could just talk about anything that struck our fancy. And talk we did.

One night during one such drive my firefighter man-child said, "When we're in the car I feel like we are in this bubble of love and nothing hurts as bad".

This particular Christmas the kids asked for some 'Bubble Love Time' and I was pleased to oblige them. I needed a break too.

As we drove around a very prestigious neighborhood we took in all the Christmas beauty. The lights flashed, the trees stood, lit and gorgeous, in the open front windows. As we drove I began  to feel a horrible knot growing in my throat. The thoughts of inadequacy and failure trickled into my mind and darkened my heart.

The van was silent as we drove through neighborhood after neighborhood.

And then...

A very quiet man-child voice began to speak.

"You know what, Mom... silence...

Just because these houses are filled with lights and Christmas Trees ... Silence...

Just because everything looks clean and perfect doesn't mean that there's not pain and heartache and problems behind those windows. Everybody has something to get through".

Wisdom from the 13-year-old firefighter man as child.

And everybody does have something to get through...

And get through you will!

RoRoEbeneze
with HoneyB, Ebenezer, Bourbon & Ginger.

A daily HELPER for single parents with children

I'm 59 years old.

I was 30ish when my husband left me and married another woman with her own children. The pain I have felt over the years over that 2 year time frame could fill buckets.

I am not here to tell you that the pain will end tomorrow. Your pain could be different than mine.

You might have chosen to leave a bad situation. You might have lost your husband to an accident. The lists of how you might find yourself a Single Mom are endless. But, if you are visiting this place of encouragement, a Single Mom is more than likely your status.

I believe that there was one activity that unfailingly pulled me through the years of raising my children until they were on their own. It is pretty common to talk about. And admittedly I dipped my toe into this activity from the time I was young.

Something changed when I hit this place of confusion. When I hit this place, this place of single with children,  for some reason I really found it to be a lifeline to sanity.

A dear family friend once told me: If you read 5 Psalms and 1 chapter of Proverbs every day, you will go through all of the Psalms and Proverbs in one month. I did that as a teenager and thought - Cool!
(We said Cool! back then :0))

What I did during the years I could barely put one foot in front of the other, I read through them every month, month after month, after month. The entire Psalms. The entire book of Proverbs.

Why?

Psalms is an Emotional Book. It deals with anger, fear, hunger, sadness, frustration, betrayal...

Proverbs is the Book of Wisdom.

I was an emotional roller coaster as a single mother.

I needed as much wisdom to raise my three kids as I could find.

I sat down and counted out 5 Psalms and marked them at these breaks: Psalms 1 (Day 1) Psalms 6 (Day 2) ... Psalm 121 (Day 25).
So on the 1st day of the month I read Psalms 1-5, and follow the month through. Ex: on the 25th day of the month I read Psalms 121-125.

Then after reading the Psalms, I would read the Proverb that correlated to that day of the month.
So on the 1st day of the month I read Proverbs 1, and followed the 2nd day of the month with Proverbs 2.

I know that these two books brought me through years and years of hard life, happy life, sad life, and healed life.

One day in the month doing this is better than none. Every day of the month is a miraculous month. But reading these over the years stabilized me in ways that I could never have known. They grounded me.

Healing is a process. Coming into your own is a process. Finding the right next step is a process. Put into your heart and mind thoughts that build you up and give you honesty within yourself and then follow where your heart and mind lead.

I am 59 years old. My children are grown, with children of their own. I moved to a foreign country as a single woman. I worked there almost 10 years. I met my husband on line and married him two years later.  I am still reading these two books on a daily basis.

I have had a wonderfully adventurous life.

Not all of my life has been happy, not all of it has been sad.

But I can tell you this. All of my life has been richer for reading these two books regularly.

RoRoEbenezer
& HoneyB

As a single parent you might feel this. Feel free to copy it and send it anywhere:
Author unknown:
"Dear Non-Custodial Parent:

Have you called your child today? Seriously. Have you? Did you call them yesterday? The day before? The day before that? Regardless of your physical proximity to your child, you are a PARENT. They know when they are ignored. Think for one moment...Do you have other kids in your home? Would you go days or weeks without speaking to them? Asking how their day was...congratulating them on a test grade or soccer goal? The difference between a non-custodial parent and an absent parent is YOU. How YOU choose to parent your child. "Visiting" you shouldn't be visiting. It should be like finally getting a plate of grandma's biscuits and gravy. It should feel like HOME. How can your house be a home to your children if they don't even know the people in it? If you don't know them. I constantly hear people saying they "can't" because they only get to see their children 4-6 days out of the month...welcome to Oklahoma. The home of the oilfield. Welcome to law enforcement...or fire fighting...or nursing...or, even better, the military. These people continue to have good relationships with their children because they CHOOSE to. They utilize every moment and every new technology to ensure that the bond with their children remains intact in spite of their absence. Co-parenting is what YOU make it. Fancy vacations are not what they will remember...never seeing your face at a football game is. Going to sleep feeling like they have been forgotten is. Anxiety when it is time to "visit" you is.

I do not say all of this to knock NCPs. I say it because it NEEDS to be said. We aren't kids anymore. Times have changed. This isn't our parent's divorce. We have the power CHOOSE the kind of relationships we have with our children. We HAVE Skype...and texting...and picture messaging...and voice notes...and 40 mpg cars. USE THEM. Let your kids know you. Know them. Show them that they are more than a responsibility. Actively seek out ways to communicate. Because I promise you, they are watching and waiting for your call. They are looking to see just who out there is rooting for them. And, really, is it fair to rely on a 5, 8, 10, or 14 year old to facilitate a relationship with a parent? They can barely navigate surface relationships! You have got to meet them halfway. To teach them how to put in work for those they love. How will they learn how to be a husband or a wife, or parents themselves, when they don't see examples of how to work hard for intimacy. How will they know their value when they are expected to fiercely love someone who gives the minimum. Near or far, you have a responsibility to teach them what their love is worth through your actions. Take that responsibility seriously. Love them, learn them, lift them up, answer their questions, celebrate their victories, and dry their tears DAILY. Because, even if you can be distracted from their absence by the tasks of the day, I assure you, they are ALWAYS aware of yours

Share....Share....Share...Share..."

When I was going through this time in my life, we didn't have so many ways to stay connected. But my kids' dad tried. He made most big events and came to games on his weekend. That trying mattered.

RoRoEbenezer
& HoneyB

Where You Live

Every woman should have a castle outside our bedroom window.

I left this castle fairy tale land in November 2014 never to return to live again. My home was within a short 6 minute walk from this castle. I lived in this small resort town for almost 10 years.

Now I reside in another fairy tale. In this fairy tale I have a Prince and we are living a somewhat magical life of marriage. But for over 25 years I lived as a single woman, mother of 3.

I have moved 40 times in my lifetime. Places from East Texas tiny towns to Mega cities. I lived longer in this tiny German resort town than many homes in my past. I learned that where we live does not define us, God does.

This is such an important part of a woman alone raising her children. We can become overwhelmed with the apartment, the tiny house, the big seemingly empty house. Focusing on where we live reduces us to questioning if we have enough for our kids.

Not just enough food, clothes, toys, or activities. But even enough LOVE. Will they be filled up enough when they leave? By making this a priority we tend to leave so many things in the balance. We walk around on eggshells in our own homes. We question everything, and every move we make.

What is the answer to this dilemma? Redefine yourself. Defining from a correct view, a holy viewpoint, a Godly YES!

You see, when we are in this place of questioning and comparing, defining ourselves as anything but lacking is where we end up. And lacking is honestly where we will always end up. Why? Because we do not have the perfect home -- EVER!

We were not made for this world. We were made for the world that we are going to. And how we arrive is through a lifelong journey of ups and downs. So defining ourselves by where we live, and the home we live in is beneath us.

Who are you? A princess. A child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He bought you with a precious price. The blood of His only Son, Jesus. And because He has paid that price, how He views you can define you.

By accepting that view that He has given you, you remove yourself from comparing yourself to others. You are uniquely ordained. Your place in this world has been given you as a precious gift. And how you live your life becomes an adventure.

Think about the excitement that is instilled in a child that knows their mom is on an adventure. Life is the greatest adventure available. The place you live is simply a place to protect your body from the elements. And if you have that, you have a blessing. It could be a car, a shelter, a hotel room, an apartment, or even a house. But wherever you can cover your body from nature's elements is your place of residence, NOT your home. Your home is beyond this point.

Someday, God may give you a home. He may even give you a Prince to abide with you in that Home. But for now, focus on the wonderful truth that you are on an adventure with the God most High. Share that with your child and watch the light begin to grow in their eyes. It is a wonderful thing to behold. I know. I watched my children as we walked through this adventure, one step at a time.

RoRoEbenezer
&HoneyB

Ebenezer explained

Whose are you?

The season of sweaters, warm-snugly blankies, and sizzling fireplaces is upon us. We wake to crisp mornings and go to sleep with footies on. It is Autumn. (In German: Herbst) I love the German word for this.

October and November are my two favorite months. This is a time for family fun and remembrances.
As a single mom it isn't the easiest time. Halloween parties at schools, fall festivals, and even the thought of upcoming Thanksgiving make us apprehensive – will my kids have good memories of this year or crappy ones?  Can I move beyond our memories of the past years and actually make new ones? What happens when I can't put one foot in front of the other and everyone around me is enjoying the season?

If you did your assignment from last week you are thinking more and more of who you are. As you travel this new Halloween/Fall Fest season I challenge you to take your kids for a nighttime dessert run. That means getting them ready for bed, tucking them in, saying their prayers, and turning out the lights. Of course for teens just sending them to bed and giving them the normal time for their rituals to be over. Then open all doors, turn on all lights and order them with smiles and giggles to the car. Climb in and head them to their favorite dessert place. Pjs and all! Be sure and have yours on as well. Not fun unless mom too is in her robe and slippers. If you have teens and they would be mortified in public like that, go to a drive thru.

You are a child of the King. You are a princess! You were made for JOY. And your children will blossom in a moment by moment adventure of discovering ways to make happy memories.

Last week was a heavy and thoughtful week of journaling who you are.

This week your assignment deals more with Whose you are. This week do this by being present with your children. Remember you are a parent. Stop and enjoy it. God is our heavenly parent. He is enjoying you, even in the midst of the chaos.

Find the JOY in your children. Remember those shoes won't be under your feet in 15 years. Remember those toys and that homework scattered over every part of the floor will be a slight impression when you're 20 years down the road.

How did I learn this?

Many years ago when my now firefighter, chiropractor, and chaplain were 6,8, and 11, my university class began at 8:00 am. This meant I had to leave the house two days a week before my kids were off for school. I would leave the 11 year old in charge to get them where they needed to be. In those days there were no cell phones readily available so I often felt I was walking in the dark in my parenting supervision. But if I was going to get a job that would be for our future, we had to make many sacrifices.

One evening things were more than chaotic. It was this time of year. Autumn. My favorite season was being catapulted into disaster because of all the projects due. At night I fell asleep in a bed filled with books, poster boards, pens, papers. The house was beyond horrible. The kids were overwhelmed with their reports and even my youngest was aware of homework being THE priority. We had a delicious meal of Mac and cheese with some kielbasa sausage and I'd sent them to bed.

After getting them down I went into my own bedroom. Sitting down on the bed I slid my head down on my pillow only to find a note paper on it. I slid the paper over and laid down. Then I realized I didn't recognize the paper I had in my hand. Looking at the paper carefully I realized it was written on with a handwriting I wasn't familiar with. I sat up and begAn to read the note:

Dear ______,
This morning at 9:00 our patrol car found your home garage door and house entry door open. We entered carefully. We could not tell if your home had been ransacked. Please contact your police department of you are missing anything.

Signed,
Your local police.

You can imagine the horror! The humiliation! The pain!
I cried myself to sleep that night. The following morning when I scooted my kids out the door for their three block bicycle ride to school I made a decision.

My life is chaos. It will be chaos until I graduate and get some kind of job. So today, we will laugh at this crappy situation. The kitchen was healthy, the bathroom was healthy. Albeit, neither one was spotless. But, we were coping with the beginnings of divorce and this was where we were.

That night after kids got to bed I woke them up and we went for an ice cream run in our pjs.

It was a moment I still remember.

The house was still in chaos, the pain was still there, but that night I put it all away and laughed with my kids.

Your assignment this week.

Laugh with your kids.

RoRoEbenezer
And HoneyB i

ABOUT THIS BLOG

EWSM is for you. But, who are you?

Are you a single parent, ministry partner, friend, or family member of mine?

You are reading this blog because you are curious about what I have to say about Single Parenting, or just plain curious.

If you are a Single Mom, you are probably looking for answers, help, or just an understanding ear. Possibly you will find something helpful you can use or pass on to someone that might need an encouraging word. Be willing to stretch a little while you're here. I'll be asking lots of QUESTIONS!

The first question for you.
Do you know who you are?

Seriously.

How long has it been since you stopped and remembered who you are?

Now, when I ask that question the first thing that probably popped into your head: Single MOM! Divorcee/Widow/Never Married...
Our identity far too often gets magnified by our responsibility for the kids or our marital status.

But what if I ask you to dig in. To remember the identity before all the world pressed in.

Imagine you are just climbing out of bed, your feet hit the floor and you slip on warm-snugly-slippers. You wrap your robe around you and head for the kitchen. Opening the kitchen cabinet you pull down the fun-filled cereal and plop down at the kitchen table laid with milk, bowl, spoon and even sugar. You pour the cereal into the bowl and out tumbles the most magnificent secret decoder ring you have ever seen. Within seconds you are reading the directions.

Directions: Discover your hidden identity.
1. Stop.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Breathe.
4. Get back to the basics.

So what are the basics? Well, there are a few that over the years have surfaced as being the most important. The first one is Who am I? Hummmm...

I'm a woman, mother of three, now married to a man that I adore, which makes me a step mom to one.
But how does that help you? Pretty much - it doesn't. My life today really can't help you in any way except in the reality that your life today will not be the same as it will be 30 years from now. So in that, I think I can safely say: Today, get through today.

Yes, but how? you probably are asking. Good grief RoRo, you are really not helping matters much.

No? Then let's think about this. Who are you? Not gender, marital status, mom, job, number of children to bathe - feed - taxi to and from - forfeit sleep over... let's go on.

5. You were created by someone that knew you in your mother's womb. That is as basic as it can get.


Back to the basics.

5.  yes... #5 again. Remind yourself that you were created by a perfect Creator.

I find that when I am spinning around in my head so fast I can't even take one more step in any direction, my next best step is to stop. Why stop? Because in stopping I can settle my brain back to the basics. Now that you are thinking and shall we go so far as to say meditating on this Creator, place yourself at the beginning of your beginning.

You were planned. Your life was planned. As chaotic, crazy, and totally overwhelming as it appears right now. You are on a journey. And no matter how often you think it will never come to an end, it will.
 
6. You were CREATED to be LOVED.

Everything that you are and have ever been was known by Him before you were even born. You are precious to Him. So precious He sacrificed all to have you in His family. You matter to Him. And who is He? Think about it. Who is this being without borders? Who is this Creator that created you and all you see, hear, touch, smell, and feel?

Today I am asking you to simply start with the very simple question of Who Am I?

As a human being you are a child of the Creator, the Great God who IS. And if you have agreed to recognize Him as who He is: Creator, Master, Redeemer and Friend, then we are at the same beginning page.

Your assignment this week: think about 3 things.

1. Who is this Creator that created me and knows and loves everything about me?
2. How Big would this Creator need to be if He created me and everything around me?
3. What would it feel like if I really believed that He was that Big?

That's all - think about these three things. I'll meet you here again on Tuesday of next week. If you want to write down what you think about, hummmm that might be a really good idea.

RoRoEbenezer
Bible References of Ebenezer

ABOUT ME PAGE: Who am I?
Simply a woman that has been there and done that. After divorce in 1990 I returned to get my degree in Education. My three children ages 5, 7, and 10 were up close and personal to many a classroom at the University. We made it through, I got the degree, a job teaching and began investing in God, my children, my job and my church.

After all my children were grown and either in University or married, I was called to go on the mission field. I sold my house, my car and left all of the known in the USA for the unknown with God. I lived almost 10 years on the mission field in Germany working in Women's Ministry.

Now, I see a need to minister to women through the internet. My children are a testimony to God's grace and mercy, as is my new marriage to the man of God's design. Heretofore called The Man!
I live in Maryland and have a heart here, in the big state of Texas, and in Germany.
Looking forward to finding out if what God has blessed me with will meet a need throughout the world.

What can you expect?
1. I am here to be real, challenge you in your faith, remind you that You are A Child of God, making you a princess - so act like it. I believe in encouraging gently, but recognizing that sometimes we need a simple - Just do it, or even more often, Just stop doing that! :/

Themes will answer these questions and more:

1. What does singleness mean?
2. How do we make decisions from this new frame of reference?
3. How do we walk when it feels like we fail in everything?
4. How do we find our footing again?
5. How can we be mom AND dad ALL THE TIME?
6. How do we cease being a victim and live in true and honest contentment?

How will I address these questions?

I will write memories, encouragements, resources, and things I have learned in the trenches. I am even thinking about offering a few bible studies if readers would be interested.

I will post once a week on Tuesdays.

What do I expect?
1. If this is something that has helped, tell me by leaving a comment.
2. If this is something you want to hear more about, a theme or verse, tell me by leaving a comment.
3. If you have a question, ask me by leaving a comment.
4. If you have a friend that could help from this blog, share it.
5. If you enjoyed this and want more, go to the bottom of this page and leave your email for updates.

Why am I doing this?
I recently retired from the mission field. There were many doors closing and one door opening. I stepped through this door and found myself married, back in the states, with writing as the only option to help people. More on that later...

So here we are.
I look forward to us getting to know each other.

RoRoEbenezer