In addition to being CEO of Clavier Chanean LLC, I am a senior accounting and reporting specialist for the largest custodial bank on the planet. I process dozens of trades a day. As you can imagine, each trade must have a unique identifier so it can be found in the future for research or verification. The first series of numbers of this identifier suggests the date. Today, December 18, 2009 shows like this: 109352 - which breaks down to 1 - place number; 09 year; 352 day of the year. That's right, this is the 352nd day of the year, and there are 13 days left in 2009. It's time to start thinking about resolutions - if that's your thing. I am gearing up to begin my 40 day fast on January 1, 2010. This has been quite a year for me, but as my mother tells me when I have the audacity to complain, "If God had done for me what He's done for you this year, I wouldn't have time to complain - I'd be too busy giving him praise!" This reminder, as well as scripture (Luke 12: 6-7, Philippians 4:4, Joshua 1:5) sustains me. There is no way that you could have told me on January 1, 2009 that my daughter would be cured of sickle cell anemia. But this summer -after a bone marrow transplant donated from her brother- she is!!!! There is no way I thought I'd be at a job that I look forward to coming to every morning. My boss is great. My co-workers are funny. The company is aware of my daughter's health status, and have been extremely generous with my absences to care for her. I had been looking for another job for SOOOOOOOOO long, and had begun to get discouraged because so many doors were being closed before me. However, Jeremiah 29:11 tells me "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Comfort, reassurance, peace found right in the word. And as I sit here on my lunch hour, let me tell you He will come through. So, I challenge you to forgo your resolutions and focus on what God has in store for you. If your destiny in 2010 is anything like my 2009, God is about to blow your mind! Hold on to your hat!!!!!

The Boston Learning Center's (www.bostonlearningcenter.org) Tweetathon ended at 11pm last night. The last email I saw had us at 75% of our goal of $10,000. I hate to admit it, but I didn't bid. I was going to bid, but I left my wallet in the truck, and when I went to get it, I got busy here at work and said I would do it when I got home, and then my eyes got heavy (maybe I need to read the prior post!!!!)......so suffice to say, I didn't bid on any of the auction items - and there were some good ones!!! What I will do is make a cash donation. The learning center is very dear to me because I know what it can do to motivate and inspire kids to be their best and do their best in school. Another organization that I've had my eye on is Global Partners for Development (http://www.gpfd.org/). Their site says that they are "dedicated to helping the poorest communities of East Africa as they strive to lift themselves permanently out of poverty". Their projects include providing clean water sources to villages, teaching women to become businesswomen by providing them with livestock to raise, milk, breed, and sell, as well as other health and educational endeavors. It really troubles me that 3/4 of this planet is water, but there are people starving to death because their fields are too dry to grow any sort of vegetation. Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' When we feed someone who is hungry, we are feeding Jesus. When we visit someone who is sick, we are visiting Jesus. When we come from out of ourselves and do what we can for someone else, we are helping Jesus directly!!! (Matthew 25: 35-40) This is why I sit on the board of the Boston Learning Center, and this is why I will probably begin a monthly contribution to Global Partners for Development. I encourage you to search your soul and find what you are passionate about and see how you can share that passion with Jesus on a regular basis!!!

I have recently realized that procrastination, stalling, and even the snooze button on the alarm clock are tools of the ememy to keep us from realizing the promise that God has laid up for us. When I first realized it, I completely stopped using my snooze button and I was incredibly productive. As the weeks have passed I have begun to use it maybe once or twice a week - but I only hit it once, whereas I used to hit it 4 or 5 times!! 2 things happened in the past week to alert me to God's dealing with me regarding procrastination.
The first thing happened on Tuesday. I had so much work to do. The first 8 business days of the month are our busy time anyway, but this day was absolutely ridiculous!! So I would do some work, surf the net, do some work, eat a sandwich, do some work, talk to my neighbor, etc. When I looked up, my deadline was coming up, and I was no where near ready!! I hustled, and God gave me the mind to prioritize my work and I beat my 12:30 deadline by no more than 2 minutes. WHEW!!!! Talk about wiping the sweat off your brow!!! So, with that down, I continued to mess around and avoid tasks that I knew had to get done, but that I didn't want to do. I try to make it a point to leave work by 4:50 because I have to get Chandler and get Mason. Mason has to be picked up by 6pm, or there is a late fee of $3/minute. I've been late before and that is why I now leave at 10 of 5 instead of 5. One time when I was late, I got the "We're trying to not have to charge people the late fee" scolding. Well, on Tuesday, I was messing around so long, that I didn't leave here until 5:15!!! AND traffic was a mess. Suffice it to say, I was stuck in traffic at 5:45. I found Clarke and sent her to pick him up and I called ahead and let them know that she was on her way and was on the bus a few blocks from the school. Even with all that, I was still charged $21 because Clarke didn't get there until 6:07. I was so sad and mad!!! Sad because clearly, me giving them $21 does not make me a good steward over the money that God has given me, and mad because I told them I was coming!!! I have to work!!! Nevertheless, they got their $21 and the lesson has been learned!!!
The second thing that happened is Clarke was invited to apply to the National Honor Society!!! YAY CLARKE!!!!! She got the applicaion this morning and texted me that she may not get in because of her absences and tardies. She has obviously done well academically, but this senior year she just doesn't want to go to school. I guess we used to call it senioritis. Well now, it is coming back to haunt her. We have a few weeks to turn the application in, which gives us some time to put our own spin on her attendance (or lack thereof). But look at what God had planned for her!! Because she let the enemy get the best of her on a few days, she may be in jeopardy of missing her reward. This so opened up my eyes to how costly dilly-dallying really is!!! Is there something the God has called you to do that you are putting off for one reason or another? Take it from me...whatever it is, get on it yesterday!!!! You certainly don't want to run the risk of losing any good thing that He has in store for you because of your disobedience!!! So, I'm back on the ball. If my mind says to do it, then I'm on it - right now!!!

OK....2 sites are up now - Clavier Chanean - www.clavierchanean.com/index2.html and Prove Me Now Herewith - www.provemenowherewith.com/index2.html. As you can imagine, I am very excited about the swift progress that is taking place!! Check out the sites - I'm still soliciting honest feedback.
The most amazing thing happened to me on Tuesday evening. First, a little background.....As I was looking at the selections on www.christianbook.com, I had the idea to create a desk calender around women of the bible. I found a book on the site that I thought would be a great reference book for this project, and I wrote it down....somewhere. A few weeks ago at my job, we pulled names for Secret Santa. I've only been working here for 3 months, so, needless to say, I got someone that I had never even spoken to before. I went out Tuesday to begin looking for her gifts (yeah....we gave 2 $5 gifts, and a bigger gift for $25). I had gotten one of her gifts from one store, and had gone to Marshall's browse their aisles. I did find a $5 gift and could have left at that point, but I started wandering around to see what else they had. I was looking at some stationery and cookbooks and I looked up and wouldn't you know - the book that I wanted to work on the calendar was staring me in the face!!!! I KID YOU NOT!!! Now anyone who has ever been to Marshall's knows how random their selections is - especially when it comes to books and housewares. For the rest of the night and into the next day, I kept wondering what path that book took to get to me. Who picked it up last and put it right there so that I would see it??? My mother has a habit of saying it is frightening how God works, and I have to tell you - it is!!! I could feel Him looking down at me as I slowly reached for this book in disbelief. Romans 8: 28 tells us "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Again, proof positive that I am answering His calling, and doing what He would have me to do. So I bought my book and have begun my research. Please continue to pray for me as I undertake these many endeavors, and be on the lookout for a calendar from Clavier Chanean!!!!

I have to make a concerted effort to post more regularly!!! There is so much going on!!! The initial Clavier Chanean site is up - http://www.clavierchanean.com/index2.html. There are already some changes in the works, not the least of which is a link to this blog directly on the site. I've personally sent it to a few of my friends, and they all love it. It is a good site, but I have to wonder if they love me more than the site. I'll explain:
I was trying to reach a vendor once but I had misplaced her phone number, so I went to the company website and called the number. I got a fax tone, which is fine - business has to go on in your absence. However, when I emailed her and told her that I got a fax tone at her number, she told me that she didn't have a fax. I tried the number again, and same deal. Finally, I found her phone number and discovered that two of the numbers on her site had been transposed and I was calling the wrong number all the time. She couldn't believe it and was too willing to accommodate me since I had been trying to reach her for days. But what struck me was she told me she had several people look at the site for her before it went live, and no one picked out that critical mistake.
I've been talking about Clavier Chanean for almost 2 years now while working, designing, and researching in the background. I have to wonder if my friends are just so excited about its fruition that they can't or won't see any flaws. They are so supportive and I love them all, but in this particular instance, I cannot trust them!!! So, I'll reach out to a less invested crowd. I"m looking for honest feedback on the site so far. The first round of revisions include again, a link to this blog, my contact information at the bottom of the page, and mentions of the other companies under the Clavier Chanean umbrella - namely Garment of Praise, and Prove Me Now Herewith. If you have a chance, please click on the site and give me your feedback. I'm looking for honest feedback that will improve the site itself, as well as its impact on viewers. I will not let it go live until it is just right. It's purpose is to exalt a perfect God, and He deserves nothing less!!!

I AM SO ASHAMED!!!!! It's been over a week since I've come to Blogger, and I apologize. However....I have not been completely out of touch. I've become slightly addicted to Twitter and Facebook. I'm meeting with David Ginsburg tonight to learn how to incorporate the blog onto Facebook. I love modern technology!!! Great news!!!! Gee Gee sent me the link to the Clavier Chanean website, and it is spectacular!!!!! I suggested a few tweaks, and I'm sending it around to a few more discriminating eyes, and then we'll launch it!!!! This is so exciting, but as you can imagine a little scary. But, I will trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5 NIV)!!! I've come to realize that the things that hold us back - fear, procrastination, the snooze button - are all tricks of the devil to keep us from what God has in store for us. I'm sure the best Christian in Satan's eyes is a lazy Christian : not motivated to do what he has been called to d0, not interested in learning what God has in store for him around the bend, to comfortable with the trappings of this world to strive towards the Master's promises. Dear God, now that I have heard you call over my life, let me never become the lazy Christian, and let me run with passion with the assignment you have given me. Thank God, Amen!!!! Be blessed, and be about something!!!!

As children and especially teenagers, some may have had a hard time being the pastor's kid, but let me tell you that as an adult, it is good to be the pastor's child!!! I was in a funky place this morning and I called my dad and he immediately began to pray for me as I was driving to work. He is a true prayer warrior. In addition to prayer every Saturday morning at the church, they occasionally have all night prayer. I really admire intercessors who can stay at the throne of grace for hours at a time. Please don't get me wrong - there is no place that I would rather be, but again, there are not enough hours in the day. However, I do thank God throughout the day for whatever may come to my mind. I was amazed at His presence this morning. My graphic designer (www.geegeebishop.com) and I are putting the final touches on my company's website (www.clavierchanean.com). She needed the the photo and verbiage that I was using for the site. I thought I had everything, but what I had was specific to a subsidiary site, so I told her on Friday that I would have everything by Monday evening. I gave it a little though this weekend, but hadn't really formalized anything. I had 2 keywords that floated around in my mind. When I began writing this morning, I was able to fill 2 pages in my composition notebook that completely embodied what I wanted to articulate. When I sent the email, I just looked in amazement and all I could say was WOW!!!! I had to acknowledge that God stopped by my side this morning and wrote my statement of purpose for me. In moments like these, when doubt begins to creep in, I am assured not only by His presence, but also by His power that I am on the right track. So, as we enter Thanksgiving week, I want to say Thank you God for visiting me this morning!!!

I am so excited!!! Clarke wore one of my original design t-shirts to school on Tuesday and got some positive feedback!! The idea of launching a clothing company came to me in 2008 and 18 months later, my first prototype has made its debut. On top of this venture, I am seeking submissions for a book that I am editing with a working title of "Prove Me Now Herewith....God's Promise to Faithful Tithers". If you are a tither and have a testimony that you want to share, feel free to submit it to submissions@clavierchanean.com. Also, I am on the board of the Boston Learning Center (www.bostonlearningcenter.org) and we are gearing up for our first ever fundraising campaign. My girlfriend asked me yesterday where my "me" time is. I've blogged before about how I wish there were more hours in the day, but I manage to get everything done. As far as "me" time, I enjoy doing for and giving to others. I used to go to work and go home and plop myself in front of the TV and do the whole thing all over again the next day. TV writers have done me a favor by producing such garbage that my evenings are now spent on endeavers that develop me as a person and enhance those around me. I am meeting new people, one of whom - David Ginsburg is a social media genius and has been working with me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and how to maximize them for the non-profit that we both volunteer for as well as my own business. I tell my single girlfriends all the time....Mr. Right isn't going to come knocking on your door - you have to get out and cross his path. In the same vein...a fulfilling life isn't to be found in 30 minute sitcoms or 60 minute dramas - you have to get out there and fulfill God's plans for your life - plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jer. 29:11)

As I have mentioned, I subscribe to 2 daily devotionals. I've mentioned the Streaming Faith Daily Devotional (http://www.streamingfaith.com/community/devotional/default.aspx) before, but I also subscribe to Proverbs 31 Ministries (http://www.proverbs31.org/dailydevotions/dailyDevotions.php). Yesterday's devotional really resonated with me, as it happened to me this morning!!!! I get up at 2am Monday - Friday, and 3am on Saturday and Sunday. I deliver newspapers, and as you can imagine, people want their newspapers fairly early. Once I'm done delivering, I go to the YMCA and walk on a treadmill for 30 minutes doing whatever it takes (6.5 incline, 4.2 MPH) to burn off 400 calories. Then I go home and get myself and 2 kids dressed and packed and shuffled off to school, to the sitter, and to work. I get off work at 5pm and pick the kids up by 6pm. We are generally home by 6:15. That gives me 1 hour and 45 minutes to get dinner done, give medicines, iron clothes and pack lunches. Despite my best efforts, rarely am I in bed before my desired bedtime of 8pm. The first thing I do once the alarm clock goes off is head to the bathroom/prayer closet and read some scripture and talk to my Daddy (pray to God). However, this morning, I kept nodding off during my reading and my conversation. I hate when that happens. But God knows my heart. I believe this devotional was written just for me to assure me that God knows and He cares and any time - not necessarily 2am - is the right time to talk to him. Enjoy.....
Communing Over Chaos
9 Nov 2009
Whitney Capps
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15:4 (NIV)I am out-going and chatty. I like to make fun of myself. I love to laugh. I enjoy being with people – until I don't. You see, at heart I am an introvert. At some point I can sense my energy waning. I begin to crave quiet, silence and solitude.This is why I cherish quiet time with the Lord. I love the stillness of sitting and reading the Word or a book that turns my heart toward Jesus. My husband knows that one way to fill my love tank is to give me an evening of going out to dinner alone: just me, Jesus and a good book. (All you extroverts just cringed at the thought of eating alone didn't you?) Don't get me wrong, I adore my family, but I need mental white space.However, with three kids under age four, quiet time with the Lord is an endangered species. I don't often get to go the bathroom by myself. If the water closet isn't a quiet place, you can imagine the chaos that follows me to my prayer closet.For a few months after our youngest was born I lived in a spiritual desert. My soul was parched. I was desperate for quiet time with Jesus and prayed earnestly for God to help me find time to be alone with Him. Faithfully, He always provided, but often my tired and flesh-wrapped spirit dozed off in prayer or got distracted by other things.I couldn't consistently make it work. After several months of mostly failed attempts, I cried out to God, "I don't know how to be alone with You!""Daughter, you don't have to be alone with Me. Just be with Me. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you."Rather than give up on being with Jesus because it's not like it used to be, my Savior is asking me to abide with Him all day. God has ordained this season of my life and He knows even better than I do how much my children demand of me. In the clamor of the sword fights and confusion in the playroom, He is my hiding place.I am learning to seize each moment, and see it as an opportunity to fellowship with Jesus. While my kids recite "God is great; God is good," I have a chat with Jesus. When I feel alienated from girlfriends, I read a magazine article. P31 Woman and Today's Christian Woman magazines are spiritual lifeboats for me in this season. While my kids do art at the kitchen table, I read a psalm or two. Whenever possible I try to have praise music playing in our house. Sometimes singing those lyrics is the closest my heart may come to meaningful prayer time all day.Please hear me. I am not suggesting that these brief moments should replace consistent, focused times of prayer and Bible study. Those habits are hallmarks of Christian discipleship and growth. I am learning, however, to rethink my ideas on fellowship with Jesus. In this season of my life it's not so much the quantity of quiet reflection as it is the steady communing over chaos. But hey, at least we are together!

Would you believe that I'm still getting up at 2am and have been to the gym every day this week!!! In addition to burning calories on the treadmill, I try to mind my caloric intake, although my daughter offered me a Snickers bar this morning. I thought it would be rude if I didn't take it, so I did - and promptly ate it!!!! The beauty of diets - and Christianity - is that once you fall off the wagon, you repent and you move forward.
I was talking to my mother today about a cousin of mine. Her son is going through a depression about a break-up with his girlfriend, so she asked me to pray for him. We began on the topic of prayer and she told me that she had found a stack of books in her library on the subject. I mentioned to her that I had taken a class at church on prayer and my text was a pretty good book. It was by Dr. Myles Monroe. She said that that's who her book was written by. It turns out that we have the same book!!! We both marveled at how God orchestrated that. I suggested to her that God wants us to pray for each other. There is power in corporate prayer!!!
Some time ago, she suggested creating a phone book of all of our relatives to help us keep in touch with each other. I mentioned supplementing that with a family newsletter of sorts that lists all births, deaths, and especially prayer requests. God's word says in Matthew 18:20 (NIV) "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." How much more effective would our prayers be if we touched and agreed with someone else for that thing that we are seeking?
Ours is a huge family and we have family reunions every year, but honestly, I only see most of these people at the reunion - if I go. I want to know how my cousin that I spent my childhood summers with is doing. I want to know if my favorite aunt has become a grandmother again. Again, as we strive to walk in Jesus' footsteps, we need to understand and appreciate his concern for family. Remember as he was dying on the cross, one of the last things he did was make sure that His mother would be taken care of (John 19:25-27 NIV). My father always says that God put families together for a reason. We are to pray for each other and share our time, resources, and money to ensure that one doesn't have too much while another has too little. As we approach a new year, consider adding this to your list of resolutions - call your grandmother more often, buy a package of diapers for your young cousin who just had a baby, try to touch each member of your family with the touch of Christ in the upcoming year. Can you imagine what the world would be like if each of us spent more time cultivating our own families??? We all want peace, joy, and kindness in the world, but you know what????? It all starts at home:)

Prayer and fasting really change things!!! I would participate in corporate fasting to be obedient and to support the church and its ministries, but I didn't really understand the purpose of fasting. I read a book by Jentezen Franklin simply titled "fasting". It went over the purpose of fasting and different types of fasting and that Jesus fasted. Given that as Christians we are to be Christ-like, the fact that Christ fasted sets the example. I now begin each year with a 40 day fast. I am praying for my breakthrough and just God's blessings throughout the year. Even though I know that all things are possible with God, this time last year, there is no way I would have told you that my daughter would be healed of sickle cell disease. But I digress....
I am currently on a fast from some of my favorite foods looking to the Lord for the resources necessary to properly respond to the things that he has called me to do. I deliver newspapers in the morning. One, because the money is good, but also because it is quiet and I can spend time talking to God and listening for His response. I love my route for that. However, this time of year, I begin to drag and Saturdays and Sundays when I'm not also rushing to a full-time job, I tend to sleep later. Consequently, people may not get their newspapers on time. This has been going on for some time now. Last Saturday, while Clarke and I were visiting the University of Delaware, I asked my husband and Quentin to deliver my route for me. Needless to say, they did not do a great job. On Sunday morning, I was pulled into the office and given a 30-day warning!!! I couldn't believe it. I hadn't even been in the state!! I was mad at first, and pouty. But even then, my mind kept telling me to look for God in the situation. When I'm in town, the papers get delivered fine - just late. The solution is for me to get up earlier to finish the route earlier. On Wednesday night, this came to me - like a light going on; a real "a-ha" moment. My alarm clock is set for 2am, but I hit snooze 4 times and get up at 2:40. Wednesday, I was determined to get up at 2am. My plan was to get to the warehouse 40 minutes earlier, finish my route 40 minutes earlier, and GO TO THE GYM!!!!! This is something that I haven't had the time to do since Chandler's transplant, but I have been to the gym for the past 2 mornings. The time that I am praying and fasting for has been revealed to me. I praise God that what the devil meant for evil, God used it for my good!!! Pray for me that I will be able to maintain my desire to be an early riser, that I will be able to do all that God sets before me to do daily, and that I will continue to seek Him in every circumstance!!!

Chandler, my 4-year-old who underwent a successful bone marrow transplant 104 days ago (glory be to God), is a brat. And it's probably not her fault - as I've mentioned before, she's been spoiled by family and certainly by the hospital staff, but she's on her way to being 100% well and she needs to knock it off!!! She still isn't able to go to school, so she has a private tutor. The tutor told me that she is singing and enjoying stories and actually developing very well (YAY!!!!!) However, she is very argumentative and stubborn. If she is enjoying working on her leaf collage, she doesn't want to stop for story time. Depending on her mood, the tutor can't even get a "Good Afternoon, Ms. Allen". The tutor is great. She works with sick children all the time so she has a compassion and thick skin that I lack. One of the things that I am constantly praying about is for God to help me with my impatience and intolerance - I have no patience for stupidity and no tolerance for ignorance. Not saying "good afternoon" qualifies for either or both of those categories - if you're 4 or 40!!!! So, I'm trying to work with her, but who am I kidding????? These are the same battles that I fight every morning just trying to get her out of bed. So, please pray for her that God will remove the demon of stubbornness from her little spirit. Oh yeah....she likes to argue even when she is wrong - like about whether a crayon is brown or green. And yes....she will go on and on and be as wrong as 2 left feet. But we have to find the positive - she is not easily swayed by others, she is passionate about her beliefs, she is always up for a spirited debate. Hey...sounds like a lawyer in the making to me!!!!

The devil doesn't quit!!!! If you have overcome something, been delivered from something, gotten past something, or in any other way have been victorious, believe me he will be there!!!! As I may have mentioned, on July 16, 2009, my 6-year-old, Mason, donated bone marrow to his 4-year-old sister, Chandler. He was in the hospital overnight, she was in the hospital for 53 days. She had a few complications - some major, some minor along the way. With the chemotherapy, fevers, hyperpigmentation, and peeling skin, I didn't recognize my baby!!! I prayed to God to deliver her. Prayers were hanging on her wall and I petitioned the prayer warriors to lift her up. God brought her through!!! She is still on medicines and has a tube in her stomach for overnight feeds and medicine. We are in the clinic at least once a week, but she is jumping, dancing, and clowning around. She is back to herself.....which is good and bad.....We knew that she had sickle cell disease before she was even born. I have the sickle cell trait, as does my husband, so we had an ammniocentesis done with both pregnancies. Mason has neither the disease nor the trait. She was an emergency C-section. With each contraction, her heart rate would drop to about 70, so they had to get her out of there!!! STAT!!! (The devil must know that God has a mighty work for her to do because he was trying to take her out before she could even get here!!!) She was only 4lbs, 12oz. I used to joke that a bag of sugar weighed more than my baby did:( So she was pampered, coddled, and pet. As she grew older, we realized that her sickle cell was merely a condition of her blood, as it never stopped her. She would run with the boys, play with the boys, and fight with the boys!!! Suffice it to say, the extra attention made her what you would call "bad"!!! She was used to getting her own way, and hers was the only way. I had done a pretty good job of breaking her of that demonic spirit by the time she went into the hospital. But, the nurses and staff at Children's Hospital Boston (6 West) are so fantastic. They catered to her every whim - when it was feasible. When she was restricted to her room, the Child Life Specialist - Katie - would bring art projects into the room and play with Chandler for hours. It got to the point that she would visit Chandler last because she would be in there for so long. All the nurses loved her. There was a stocked kitchen at her disposal. She was the queen bee!!! Apparently, she got used to the royal treatment and expected it to continue once she made it back home. Welcome to reality, sweetheart!!!! She has started so many fights with her brother. Not a day has gone by that she hasn't cried about something frivilous. She is defiant and moody. She cried for so long yesterday morning because she wanted to stay at home yesterday - by herself - and I told her no. It occured to me that this is nothing but Satan trying to steal God's glory. You had to see her to appreciate what God has done for her, but if you just met her, all you would see is a bratty little girl. That is Satan trying to shift the focus from her healing to her behavior. Once I realized this, I prayed for God to release the demon that has a hold on her. She's gotten a few spankings over the past few days, but the good guys are winning the battle. At least she brushed her teeth herself this morning!!!! It may not seem like much, but at this point, I'm taking all that God gives me!!!!! Please keep my family in prayer, and I'll do the same for yours:)

I read something really interesting today. It's from another daily devotional. The author of this particular message was speaking about how we, as Christians, are to speak life into our brothers' and sisters' situations. When God delivers us from something, we aren't supposed to stick our noses in the air and keep it moving. God blesses us to be a blessing to others. If you have been delivered, you are to turn around and see who you can help out of that same mess. What a wonderful world this would be if each one would reach one. Someone who was hooked on drugs and was delivered from that demon should, with God's strength and guidance, be trying to help others who are looking to get from under that same demon. Too often we misinterpret God's mercy/kindness/deliverance as our own doing. We tend to get arrogant and forget where we came from. How is that Christ-like? Jesus spent the majority of his time with those that society had thrown away - the leper (Matthew 8:1-4), the blind (John 9: 1-12), the demon-possessed (Mark 5: 1-20). In each of these cases, Jesus shows His compassion and mercy on His child; in one case even saying that this person was afflicted by no fault of his own, but so that the power of God could be revealed. Let each of us examine ourselves and reflect on where we were and what we were doing before Jesus stretched out His hand to us. Find someone who may be in that same boat and let Jesus use you to bring another one of His children to salvation!!!

I begin each day by reading at least 1 chapter of the bible - this morning it was Nehemiah 4 - and praying. I wouldn't imagine descending the stairs without touching base with "my Daddy". I also subscribe to a few daily devotionals. One in particular, is the Streaming Faith Daily Devotional (http://www.streamingfaith.com/community/devotional/default.aspx?bhcp=1). This one has a weekly theme and each devotional revoles around this theme. This week (October 12 - 16) the theme is The Power of the Tounge. Needless to say, I was convicted by a few of the devotionals this week. In particular this biblical text -

James 3:2-11 (NIV) “We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?”

Yikes!!!! So, I am on a mission - and I challenge you - to watch what you say to others. Let your tongue be used to build others up instead of tearing them down. As an old commercial used to say "use words that help, not words that hurt". I am very deliberate in my speech now. I want people to see the God in me in even my most mundane conversations. Imagine how the world would be changed if all God's children decided to use their Sunday tongues everyday!!! Like James said in verse 5, "a great forest fire is started with a small spark". In other words, it only takes one. I've decided it will be me!!

God is a good God!!!! (Yes He is!!!) That has been on my mind all day today. I am so busy at work - thank you God for a job!! It is so cold here - thank you God for a roof over my head, and a working furnace. I am so tired - thank you God for my babies and loved ones to keep me on the go. I have been praising God all morning. I can see the enemy trying to control my thoughts and invade my space, but I will continue to praise God not only for what He is doing, but for what He has in store for me. I began a fast last month - I don't even know the date. I gave up some of my favorite foods - pasta (including lasagna, macaroni & cheese, and spaghetti), sweet tea (McDonald's has the best next to mine and my mom's!!!), and trail mix (can eat an entire bag in 30 minutes - all 800 calories of it). Granted, I could probably stand to do without these things, but I want to focus on God and where He is taking me. I am praying and fasting for inspiration, resources to do all the things that He has placed on my heart, and just a closer walk with Him. He has shown me things, given me ideas that I hadn't considered before, and filled my heart with joy!!! So, I will press on, because the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10b)!!!!

Honestly....where is the planet with 30 hours to a day???? Instead of bombing the moon looking for water http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/10/09/probe.moon.crash/index.html, let's find the planet that will accomodate my in-excess-of 24-hour-a-day schedule!! I couldn't make it to the Twitter follow up session on Tuesday(BUMMER!!!) I didn't have anyone to watch Chandler. Clarke was getting her hair done for her senior pictures on Thursday and Quentin was working. So Chandler and I went home alone and waited for everyone else to trickle in. Honestly, I can't remember what we did. (Note to self - invest in some ginko biloba!!!) Clearly, I should have gotten in the bed immediately, but somehow that is never how it works out!!! Wednesday was the college fair at Clarke's school. She attends Boston Latin School, which is the #27 high school in the country according to U.S. News and World Report http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/high-schools/2008/12/04/best-high-schools-gold-medal-list.html?PageNr=1. It goes without saying how proud I am of her. At any rate, about 150 schools were there and we got to make some name/face connections with some of the admissions personnel of a few of the schools on her list. Thursday is Chandler's weekly visit to the Jimmy Fund http://www.jimmyfund.org/. If you live in New England, you know immediately what that is, but for those of you who are not so familiar, the Jimmy Fund is the pediatric center of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. This is where we spend every Thursday morning as well as an occasional Monday morning - depending on the results of Thursday's lab work. I thank God for my job. As it turns out, I work 1/2 days on Mondays and Thurdays because by the time we get out of there and I get her dropped off to the sitter's and I get to work, it's 1pm. However, yesterday ran long because they changed some medicines and she got an hour long infusion of a new medicine so I missed work yesterday. Again, I should have gone straight home and climbed into my bed, but instead, I picked Clarke up from school and she took me to lunch. Today is Friday, which generally means youth service at church for us. Tomorrow is the SAT, so no lounging around then. Sunday is an informational session with USC, and Monday, the holiday, we're going to Syracuse for the day, which brings us right back to the start of a new work week. If you are close with any children of napping age, encourage- no, demand - that they get all the naps that they can because when they are someone's parent, employer, spouse, confidant, carpool driver, etc later in life, they will long for mat time at 1pm!!!!! Be blessed!!!!

What have I been doing for the past week almost that I haven't been to this blog???? As you can imagine, my blog time fits in between some other time. It happens to be a few minutes during my lunch hour that I post onto the site. However....I am an accounting and reconcilliation specialist and the first of the month is the busiest time for me, as my clients are wrapping up the previous month end. I'll have to be more cognizent of my time. It is my goal to post every day - at least during the week...I mean, after all, I am here!!! I have actually been very busy for the past several days. Clarke and I drove to Washington D.C. on Friday night. We spent Saturday at American University. It was a nice school, wonderful people, but she doesn't think it's for her. On the way back, we stopped at my dear friend's house in New Jersey. Although we speak nearly everyday, we don't see each other that often. It was really good to see her. On Monday (yesterday), Chandler, my 4-year-old daughter who is recovering from a bone marrow transplant, had an appointment with the gastroenterologist. She can't/won't take her medicines by mouth, so there is a tube in her stomach that I put her medicine into. It is the best thing ever!!!! We used to fight all the time about the medicines and by the time I got it into her, it would be time for the next dose. This new tube allows me to get her medicines inside her in less than a minute without any fuss. Anyway....she had that surgically placed on Septemer 16, and so this was her follow up visit. They said her site looks great. I was worried that there might be some problems with it because I'm supposed to turn it 1/4 turn everyday, but that hurts her, and since I feel that she has suffered enough for a lifetime, I'm not too eager to inflict any additional pain on her - especially not on a daily basis!!! I was really relieved and so thankful to God that they were pleased with how the tube and the site looked. She is recovering very well. I truly believe that you have a greater appreciaton for a person when you almost lose them. At any rate, the God that made her is the God who healed her. She is doing well and is back to her mischievious self. So you see, it's not that I was neglecting the blog.....I was out living the life that sustains it!!!

In keeping with my quest to get something free everyday this week, I had a 2 hour twitter tutorial last night. David could have easily charged $40 per person if he were doing this at an extension school or adult education center (especially since there is a part 2 next Tuesday)!!! It was so overwhelming yet exciting at the same time. It is amazing what people think and do during their waking hours. This tutorial, which I plan to use for my own business purposes, was a part of a fund raising campaign that the Boston Learning Center (http://www.bostonlearningcenter.org/) is gearing up for. I sit on the board and we are looking to raise funds before the year ends. Honestly, what non-profit, for profit, business or individual isn't????? Our tutor is, in my opinion, a social media guru who also sits on our board. His name is David Ginsburg. He does this for a living and was too happy to share his wealth of knowledge. It was an awesome time. Who knows....maybe I'll be blogging and twitting and facebooking before the year is out!!!!! At any rate, keep an eye and ear out for the upcoming information on the Boston Learning Center's fundraiser. If you can't contribute, please lift us up in prayer. Anybody who knows Jesus knows that blessings are not just monetary!!!!

I've heard it said from the pulpit many times that God will get His tithes one way or the other. Either you voluntarily give it, or your car will break down....or your water heater will burst....or the price of oil for the furnace will be ridiculously expensive, etc.....I am a faithful tither, and although I am by no means wealthy, I get by....the bills manage to get paid every month despite my starting a new job and taking a pay cut. All that leads up to the events of my weekend. I let my newly licensed 17 year old daughter (Clarke) use my 2004 Expedition on Saturday night. I know....too much truck for such a young girl, but she's actually not that bad of a driver. Anyway, when I went to use the truck Sunday morning, it wasn't driving properly. Turns out that it was stuck in 4x4 low. I'm not sure what that means, but it sounded like an airplane, it wouldn't go over 60 mph, and the tachometer was on 4 at every speed. She insisted that she didn't do anything to it, but again, she had it last. I was further annoyed because I had just paid $1700 to get it repaired bumper to bumper. I managed to drive it on Sunday. One of my stops was to the grocery store where both my teens work. I took my 16 year old son (Quentin) to work and decided to pick up a few items. I always go to their lines if they are working a cash register, so I was in his line behind a friend of his and his family. They had a cart full of groceries and Quentin was messing around with them. A new manager who apparently didn't know who I was opened up the next register and invited me over. I didn't want to go (I wanted my receipt to say "Hi! I'm Quentin!") but I went anyway. He couldn't get the register opened. I gathered up my items and put them back into my cart and we went another register over. That one didn't work either. We went to the next register and he couldn't get it out of training mode. Another manager who knows me came over as well as a supervisor. The register just wouldn't work for them. All the while, the new manager kept apologizing to me. I told him that it was OK, because I'm not a trouble maker, but more relevant is that Quentin was still messing around with his friend and his family. Finally, he decided to pack up my groceries and give them to me for FREE!!!! Again.....had I stayed in Quentin's line, I would have still been in line. As it happened, I got out earlier and without having to spend a dime. I only had $12 worth of groceries, but that is $12 that I now have to myself!!!! To God be the praises!!!!! On Monday morning, I took my truck to the mechanic to see what was wrong with it. I thought he could fix it on the spot, but he said I would have to leave it. He told me that it needed some part or other that sounded really expensive. I called my girlfriend to drive me to pick up a rental car when I thought to ask her if I could borrow hers for the day. She was going to work, and I wasn't so what's the harm??? She agreed....another $60 saved. When I called to check on the truck, my mechanic told me that he called a friend of his who told him that there is an engine that controls the 4 wheel drive and it sometimes gets stuck. Put it on the lift and whack it with a hammer once or twice. It took one hit to get it unjammed, and I'm driving around with no problems. I asked him what the damage was, and he told me nothing!!!!! I love my mechanic, but that is an entry for another day. So....in the span of 24 hours, God blessed me in ways that I could not have even imagined when I woke up that day. He is a good God, merciful and full of grace. If you don't believe me, try Him for yourself!!!

WOW!!! I've taken the plunge and started blogging. Believe me, no one is more surprised than I am. From what I've read, blogging is to capture your musings and discuss what is going on in your slice of the world. Well, I have plenty....one month ago, I celebrated my 4th decade on this planet. On the same day, my youngest child came home from a 59 day stay at Children's Hospital Boston. I've written 2 children's books that I am trying to get published. I'm working on a novel/screenplay that I also want to turn into a TV series. I'm soliciting submissions for a fourth book that I'm creating. I'm launching a t-shirt line this year. I own rental property; I work full time; and I'm a mother of 4 - one of whom is a senior at the #27 public high school in the country. (Yes, I am bragging on her!!!!) How do I maintain my sanity you may wonder??? (Oh, I didn't mention my volunteer work, my church comittments, and my social engagements.) I look for God in every situation. That will be the focus of my blog. I may not have the most of anything, but I am blessed beyond measure!!! I hope that you enjoy reading about my life. I hope that you will eventually become customers of mine via a t-shirt or a book. But most importantly, I hope that you will be blessed in all that you do.