Gig Joy & Pain

We love gigging. It is how we met, is extra pocket money for us, is a shared music passion, is our only mutual hobby and really all we do together other than eat. So gigging with our band or at church is amazing to us, we live it. God gives us joy but we get our sheer happiness and bliss from music, the talent God gave us.

However, as we are not younger and younger but quite the opposite is in fact true, it is quite a pain to load and unload the equipment twice per gig, lots of gear and we carry for everyone. It is a lot, it is heavy, and it is time consuming. We try to minimize this by having our kids be our roadies (for a little pocket money). This helps but today that didn’t work because they were not here. And as my husband’s knees are needing replacement, I have the crux of the load. It is a lot of work.

But I have never been a stranger to hard work. And to be truthful (and please add dramatic pause for I am about to make a deep, poignant statement), you receive much fuller joy when you have to work for it, even if it hurts. When it costs something, it is worth more. When you work for it, it is sweeter.😄 ❤

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Days of Serving

I enjoy working hard, adore serving others. I do this knowing that the majority of people kind of take for granted work done for them and pretty much think they deserve it. So why do I do it, knowing this? I figured it out, with God’s wisdom and help, that I work for and serve Him and He loves that from me. I am worshipping when I work. Sometimes whistling too, but always worshipping. Lol. And so it does not matter the state of the heart of the beneficiary of my efforts. What matters to me is my heart and that I am working for and serving God and my secret is my goal. Here is the secret… my whole big picture goal is to please God. And sometimes I please God by fasting and praying in quiet, sometimes praising through my voice and piano, sometimes painting, sometimes hard labor, sometimes spending time with a friend listening, sometimes teaching my children, whatever it may be. But when I want more than anything to please God, I have found that He is pleased and blesses me. Sometimes He blesses me in a tangible way but always He just gives me peace and joy and contentment and makes me feel so good. And now you know my secret. And feel free to adopt it and give it a test drive and you will like it. 😄❤

Procrastination Can Have Eternal Consequences

We humans often put off doing some hard work until we feel more like it or want to or are ready to. But as we know, tomorrow never comes. It is always today.

When people procrastinate with important things like salvation, forgiveness, working for the Lord, serving others, helping people, using the gifts God gave us, it can have eternal consequences.

We do not know the day or the hour of the rapture. No one does. We don’t even know the day or hour we will die. Accidents can and do happen every day. Our next breath is never guaranteed us. We ought to live today in such a way that eternity can come upon us at any moments and that would be great.

So stop procrastinating. If you need to forgive someone, forgive them. If you need to confess, confess. If you need to repent, repent. Think eternally and be ready at any time to live eternally with the Lord. He loves you and wants you to.❤

The Joy of Weeding

Weeding is hard work. In small doses, it is small doses of hard work but never seems complete. It is character building work. It just is. You pull a weed, roots and all, and then in a few days, another little guy pops up there again and you have to do it all over. A lesson in futility.

But what of the results? Are they worth the effort? It is like every other menial chore like cleaning and washing dishes or laundry. Futile. Wash it then it gets dirty again. But. The results of doing it. What of that?

Maybe another view is that what if you don’t do it? What would happen? Thr world would not fall apart. But. Your space you are n in charge if would look like a disaster area in no time and that reflects on you and Jesus you represent. And the joy of weeding is the fruit, that after you have weeded, for that brief moment, you breathe a happy sigh and truly appreciate what God has blessed you with. That joy is worth the work. ❤

A Day’s Work

So, we had a work day today. The kids did their chores and we grouted the back patio. All day. Aaallllll day. Now it is finished. So glad that is over. Grouting is not hard on anything but your hands but tedious and time-consuming. However, we will use that space for schooling and relaxing and some much needed storage so it is worth the effort for our family. Super excited. Eager to get back to school tomorrow, however. Thank God for such a free schedule! Happy and tired girl here. ❤

Painting Day

Ok, so it wasn’t my love of oil painting, but painting n it was. I repainted the trim in our new back patio and my husband and son hung bamboo shades. And it us amazing how cozy a transformation that was! Little changes make a big change. Tomorrow we do the trim and grout the tiles and voila, all is finished and the room may be lived in. Super excited. And I love that the whole family helped with it as we will all benefit.

After a day of work, the kids and I went to the pool and that was wonderful. And my kids reminded me that work is not all there is. Yes, work for the Lord when you work anywhere for anyone else (even rude people). But God does not require us to be slaves that never get a break. Breaks are important. Fun is important. Too much of anything is not healthy, including work. So, I will work on the health of balance for my kids’ sake.❤

Special Kind of Talent

I was able to be a supportive wife with my kids today at my husband’s gig at Old Town. Yet somehow my special kind of talent again allowed me to help set up and tear down as well as do the sound check as the lead female vocalist and pianist were late. So I worked during the gig and supported my husband and the band he was helping out. I always manage to be helping or filling in or something. I arrive and end up being a teacher or roadie or sound checker or boss or janitir, whatever the need is. That seems to be my talent. I guess that is either competent or a humble servant’s heart or just naive. In any case, God knows full well I work for Him and no one else. Those I help I see as helping Him. Someone asks me to help, I assume God just asked me to help. That is how I was brought up and how I am. And I guess my stubbornness and faith kick in and I do it whether or not I ever have, and God always blesses my efforts for Him. For instance, the band appreciated what I did and asked me to sing lead for them in another gig. So… cool. And God always blesses my support of my husband (even if he was really mean that day). It is funny. When I drop my pride and be supportive and do what I know I should do, God blesses and the I am treated better. Most of the time. But even if not, I am not working for a person, I work for God, you see. So this night was very fun and they were great and I am rewarded and happy and exhausted. Going to bed now. Sweet dreams, friend. ❤