Angie's Answer

Thurs. May 1

"Signs, Times and Appointed Times"

My friend Jessica said this in a conversation awhile back.  At the time I was like, "Huh?"  But over time it just begun to resonate in my spirit over and over.  Can any of you relate to that?   Well it happens to me sometimes where this phrase of words will just seem to take root and then God uses it to teach me things.

Just at the beginning of this year I told my husband I wanted us to think about getting a new van in the spring.  April was the month on my heart.  Now you have to know we had been praying for our van to continue to last (even though the last mechanics to look at it had given it a death warrant over 15 months ago).  Ohter than an oil leak and a sluggish transmission she runs and gets us where we need to go guite sufficiently.  But I was ready and I told my hubby so.  He on the other hand told me he was going to pray for it to last another year.  Eeaks!!!!  Really I was tired of standing in Faith over Besty and I had a peace that that was okay.    Well in February, Besty began to have a siezure (electronic spasms; lightrs blinking, bells dinging, locks locking/unlocking, etc.)  on the way home from a trip to Mount Vernon.  My husband says well maybe it is TIME to start looking for a new vehicle.  Yeah maybe!

           So in April Besty is not having her spasms anymore, in fact my kids missed the "singing praises" (that's what they called it when it would start).   But we began to look.  At first it looked like we would find nothing decent.  If it was in our price range it had @ 100K on it or it was repainted PURPLE ( I had prayed for red or blue which together make purple!  , or had an obvious oil leak.  So we went back to prayer, went out looking again and that's when we found our new van "Mrs. Plum" which we purchased just a week ago.  I am so enjoying seeing that new blessing in our driveway each day.  She has less than 55K mi, beautiful engine, great start up sound, no leaks,  pretty deep plum red (hince the name, but definetly not purple), and she is clean!  I am so grateful and the timing is perfect!!!

            As for the timing to loose weight that is another thing that has been bouncing around in my head.  I have tried to master this issue for years..... most of my adult life in fact.  But for some reason it seemed this was the year, the appointed time, to break free from this bondage.  It began with such sweet love from the Lord.  And then a true desire of mine to exercise self-control and go for it one more time!  But really I did not feel like it was one last ditch effort at loosing this time.  It is a change that is so deep in my heart.  I have not been the perfect eater and I wouldn't say you could really call my behavoir dieting.  If it was I might would be loosing faster.  But I am pleased.  I have lost about 12 lbs. which is about a 2 lb./wk. average.  But it is so much more that is going on in my life.  It is the peace I feel.  I just know this is my APPOINTED TIME to overcome.   And when I am on the Precor (eliptical machine at the Y) I have been having the most awesome times with the Lord.  I usually have a time alone with the Lord first thing in the AM with my tea.  But now that I am working out I am adding a teaching time since I am listening to teachings via my MP3 while on the machine.  I can not explain it any other way than to say that when I am listening and praying and working out, I get the strongest impression that I am just bursting through the enemy's camp.  I am breaking those wrong thinking patterns that have held me captive for so long.  I am claiming my healthy body back and I am conditioning it for the glory of the Lord.   There are other things I am praying for though that have nothing (or nothing directly)to do with weight.  Oh there is so much in my heart that I wish I could explain.  Some of it I just do not have words for yet.  And some of it. well.... it just is not time to tell it yet.

          Planning (future times?)... my son has been talking about going on Mission trip since he was little.  He has decided that next year is the year!  And he has started his own website.  He is cutting grass this summer to earn money for this and he is making doll beds like the one he made for his ister for Christmas this past year.  His website is : www.freewebs.com/headedtothefield .   I am tickled that he has a passion to do this.  Sometimes it is hard to motivate a teenager to use any of his/her energy in a constructive way.  If you have a teen then you will know what I mean!  They wake up at 10am ( if allowed to sleep at will), then wake up and eat everything/anything, then procede tp  bounce around and bang on walls (mine loves noise!), and finally crash like sleeping beauty at 10:30 am!!  

           Not sure how often I am going to be able to blog.  Just doesn't seem like there is TIME to consistently blog daily. but hopefully it will be a little closer than a week apart like it has been for the past 2 weeks.