My mom

Good Morning Chicks! 
     I know that you are all as excited as I am about it being Friday!!  I wanted to first thank all of you that came to our meeting the other night.  I was overwhelmed at the amount of you that chose to come instead of being at home on the couch.  I have thanked God for the many different women that came over and over.  Just the fact that so many of us from different ages and stages came together to pray and fellowship is amazing not to mention the work we did in building walls for our family and the families around us.  I truly think God could do something big in our midst.
     Several of you have asked how my mother was doing and if she was alright.  After it was over we talked and shared a laugh about it.  My mom was just as surprised as I was about the emotion that leaped from her soul that night.  You see my mom and I have always communicated very honestly with each other.  The things I shared with her that night was nothing new.  But, she was very tired from the constant caregiving  that she gives to my grandmother and has very little time left over to come to church to get the fellowship and encouragement she so desperately needs.  We both think all that combined with being reminded of the pain from our past caused that heartbreaking sob.  Since that night I have prayed for my mom with a renewed fervor.  That praying has led to so many memories, some painful but alot of great ones too.  My mom did the impossible.  She raised 2 daughters on one income and most importantly continued taking us to church every time the doors were open when I now know she would have rather crawled into bed and died!    I recently read a quote from Barbara Johnson "If we can keep our minds open to the blessings, humor and education in whatever happens to us-if we can set that little invisible radar dish on top of our heads to constantly search for blessings instead of disasters-our lives will be enriched by the experiences we endure and we can grow from the calamities that fertilize our lives!"  The Lord did that for us.  In our home, in spite of the calamities, we laughed.  And we learned.  Boy did we learn!  In late teens and early 20's I think I was bitter over what we endured.  But now I wouldn't trade it.  I now can relish the sweetness of peace.  Also there is a deeper love in my God who can redeem,   what seems to earthly eyes, wasted years.  I don't know why God wants me to share a bit of this personal info with you but I hope that He uses it to encourage you in your walk.  Maybe you are in the midst of a circumstance that you feel like will never end.  But it is only a season.  Maybe you are in the middle of a trial where you feel like your soul is ripped and bleeding and it won't heal.  If you give it to Him, give Him all of it, He will do more than heal, it will be stronger than before.  Trust me I know.  Maybe life is great for you right now and you need a reminder of when those calamities come, and they will come, that He has a beautiful purpose for our pain. It's totally worth it!
     I love you sisters in Christ!  I have you on a list and am praying for you.  I hope you are reading some in His word everyday, so His thoughts can become our thoughts.  Have a fab weekend!
Pressing On,
Carrie Smith