Coincidence? Or Timing?...

I just had a talk with my general sales manager, AKA, my boss... He has asked me to be in charge of a new component of KPLC called Connections/Classifieds?

Is this the next thing that I'm to be working on?

I'll let you know after I've read God's word and prayed about it...

God's timing is perfect and when we're in tune with the Lord's guidance, we can catch a glimpse of the future plans He has in store for us...

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a great time of fellowship with friends and family...
I love you all!!
Lea Anne

Knowing What to do next....

I have to say that the actual move was good because we had about 5 people show up from Sunday School to help us Sunday after church.. The weather was beautiful and the fellowship sweet... The first night I woke up a little confused about where I was because the house sounded differently than what I was used to.... But last night was better.

I have felt a little blue since yesterday and I know my spirit well enough to know that it is trying to tell me something... So I have to be still and listen for a while... I'll just ask for prayer from you to help me discern the next step in my walk on this earth.

For almost a year now, I've known what my mission was... Trust the Lord and do the work... from 2 Chronicles... I know I will continue to Trust the Lord, it's just that the work part has changed now... The work I was to do this last year involved building the house. Now that that's done, I have to pray about the next building project the Lord wants me to start.... Help me pray will you?

I want to add what I read in my devotional today as I prepare my heart to hear from the Lord about the next step...

We can't live successfully without right priorities in our lives. Correct priorities are not something we can figure out on our own. We have to be led by the Holy Spirit and have a clear knowledge of God's Word in order to understand what they should be...God is a God of order. We can tell that by looking at the universe. None of it is random or accidental. He doesn't want our lives to be either. His will is that we "let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40). And when we pray to Him about it, He will help us do JUST THAT!!

I know that if my life is not in proper order I will not receive the blessings that God has for me. But I also know that if I seek HIM First, all that I need will be added to me.

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33

Installing the Spiral staircase

The hole where the Spiral Staircase goes....

You'll notice that we had to replace the old rickety "homemade ladder" with a nice industrial strength metal extension ladder... This has been how we accessed the media room for months... We are finally at the stage where we can install the Spiral Staircase (of course this entry is delayed as we did this 3 weeks ago.)...

The saga begins....

The parts for the spiral staircase.... SO MANY!!!

The Treads for the Spiral Staircase
The rails for the spiral staircase

the oak treads, and the casing for the handrail

The center support pole.. This has been laying in the garage since we started building the house and I'm surprised it's still straight and in one piece...

Installing each individual tread, spacer, riser, then repeat... tread, spacer, riser, repeat... The instructions suggested that we put 4 on, then stand the pole up and continue the process... Those instructions are SO SMART!!! Now I know why they suggested only 4... That thing is heavy to lift... Well, there was the little CONFUSION on Dana's part that he didn't need the SPACER at the starter plate, (which the INSTRUCTIONS said THREE TIMES to not forget to add the spacer after the starter plate) so after we had installed all the treads, we had to take them all off and add the little 1/4 inch spacer at the very bottom... and then start the process all over again...This time while the pole was already bolted into the floor... That was 20 feet of feeding the treads down the pole, but we survived...

A little crooked, but standing up straight in the hole... This is about 8 hours after we started the process...

This is actually the next day... some of our friends showed up and we wound up talking more than working, then we ordered a pizza around 8:30 pm, our first take out order at the new house... (Papa John's couldn't find our address in their mapquest search, because we aren't officially an address until we get the inspections finished)...

We left the insertion of the rails until we were fresher.... HMMM...

Here's a little clip of Dana actually installing the treads, just for fun...

Hope you enjoyed our first experience with installing a Spiral Staircase...

Love you guys.... Oh, BTW, we MIGHT get to move in this weekend.... I HOPE!!!

A Man in Need

I just had lunch at a Chinese restaurant and when my coworkers and I walked out there was a man that stopped my boss to ask for help with his weekly rent at the motel next door... I have to say that this is an uncomfortable place to be in... The asking for help... and the being asked for help....

What do you do when you need help?

What do you do if someone else needs help?

I suggested that the guy go to the churches to see if they had a benevolence fund... His response was that he wasn't a church going man....
I would suggest that if we find ourselves in need, the first place we go is to the Father, our heavenly Father, who knows of our need but is waiting for us to call out to him for help!!!

Sometimes God allows circumstances to happen in our life that brings us to a place where we are on our knees... and the only place we have to look is up to God... If people run in to save the day, a person will not need to call out to God... So although I didn't give the guy money to pay his rent, I suggested he start with the church... if he seeks God, he will find Him.

Don't forget that He is always there for us...

Opportunity Knocks

I was talking to a friend the other day and she was questioning her decision to start a new career path... She made a comment about the expectation of her current career path not being what her parents thought it would be, and I wanted to set up camp on that topic today... Do you have expectations for your future? I'm not talking about goals, I'm talking about a preconceived idea of what your future will be, or what it should be, or what it is suppose to be now?... All because of what someone else, or maybe even you, THOUGHT you would be doing?

I want to talk about those plans that we make for ourselves that leave NO ROOM for opportunity... Are you so set on the path that you think is what you've always wanted that you are not open to opportunity?... Do you leave out all aspects of spontaneity in life that could bring you into a better future that God may have laid out for us before we were ever born because it would change the PLANS you may have made for yourself? If you have a relationship with the Lord and you diligently seek direction from Him, He will always lead you to a path of good.

Jeremiah 29:11 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. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.

or...

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

I want to challenge you to not focus so much on the expected future career choices or lifestyle you think you want, as to focus your attention on God and trust that He leads us everyday down the path that He has already laid out for us... The path that is full of opportunity to serve Him and to be used by Him as He leads us to the place He has laid out for us... That is what our today should consist of... Looking for opportunity to serve the Lord in the little ways that please Him... and not to worry about the final resting place of our lives... If we only look at that place, we will be sure to miss out on all the little things that will bring blessing to our life today...

I hope you are walking the path of righteousness and peace...

Isaiah 32:17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.

An actual conversation with the plumber...

Scenerio One...

plumber ... So, Dana, were you going to put an access panel in the Master Bath Shower?

Dana... No, I told you I wasn't putting a panel there.

plumber.... Well, we seem to have a problem with the valve being turned off and I can't get the water to turn on... I think I need to take the wall off behind the shower to get to it.

Dana... Can you take the shower valve off and stick something down the wall to turn it on?

plumber... Let me try... I'll call you back...

Scenerio Two....

plumber.... Uh, Dana, I installed the pot fill behind the stove and it was wide opened and water ran all down the back of your stove...

Dana... What!! Can you take the stove out to the garage and dry it out?

plumber .... It just ran down the back of the stove....

Dana... That just so happens to be where all the electrical elements are in the stove!!! Just set it outside and let's try to dry it out...

A day in the life of trying to finish this house... So much for the plumbing inspector giving us the okay to move in this weekend....

I'll keep you posted...

W.W.J.D.

I may have stepped on a few toes in the last post but I have been trying to understand those who say they are not happy.... Some of them are married and some are single... Some have families and some have no one... Some are saved by faith in Christ and are so far away from the Lord and some are lost and are still so far away from Christ... And in every situation, they have all expressed to me in some way how unhappy they are...
So I ask you this, are you obeying the commands of the Book of the Law?
Are you doing what Jesus would do....W.W.J.D.?
If you are willfully not obeying the rules layed out by God as a benefit to us, then you won't be happy... You may have a shortterm form of happiness, but not the sustaining peace that living an obedient life in Christ gives you...

So start there, examine any area of your life that isn't being lived according to the righteousness of Christ and start there.... START THERE!...

And see if our Lord isn't good...

"God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work? (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Happiness... From God's point of view!

Psalm 119
The Word of God

1 Happy are those who live pure lives, who follow the Lord's teachings. 2 Happy are those who keep his rules, who try to obey him with their whole heart. 3 They don't do what is wrong; they follow his ways. 4 Lord, you gave your orders to be obeyed completely. 5 I wish I were more loyal in obeying your demands. 6 Then I would not be ashamed when I study your commands. 7 When I learned that your laws are fair, I praised you with an honest heart. 8 I will obey your demands, so please don't ever leave me. 9 How can a young person live a pure life? By obeying your word. 10 With all my heart I try to obey you. Don't let me break your commands. 11 I have taken your words to heart so I would not sin against you.

What an appropriate word from God about Happiness!!! I could type until my fingers fell off and I wouldn't say it as eloquently as the Word of God.... If you want to be happy, live a pure life and learn the commandments of God and DO THEM!!!!

Pure and simple....

What if you don't know the commandments of God?

LEARN THEM!!! There is NO EXCUSES!!!

Start with Deuteronomy... That is the book that was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai by God's own hand... You know... The Ten Commandments... Start there and see if your life isn't IMMEDIATELY TRANSFORMED INTO HAPPINESS!

God Blesses Faithfulness... It doesn't necessarily come in material blessing, although that does happen, but it comes in a Peace of Mind that you can't get on your own... Only God can give you peace...

I love you and I love the Word of God when He gives a timely word in my quiet life... Enjoy and may God Bless!

Give your cares to Jesus today and live free and happy.

Digging a little deeper on the Topic of "Are you seeking Happiness?"

I wanted to touch again on the subject of happiness and ask a few more questions. Maybe I will actually start writing that book... Freedom through Obedience...

I talked to a friend last night who is facing serious marital problems... To the extent that she may be leaving her husband and filing for divorce...
Now I want to ask this question and I would love it if you would answer...

Is marriage suppose to bring us happiness?

If we are married and aren't happy, is it the marriage or the person we're married to that makes us unhappy?

Believe me, there is no judgement here for people who have gotten divorced, I'm just trying to figure something out... What I haven't figured out is that when people get divorced, and start dating someone else who in most cases is divorced too, and those people are the most wonderful people in the world... What went wrong in their previous marriage that caused a divorce? So again I ask this question...

Is marriage suppose to bring us happiness?

I am not a marriage expert, by no means, but I do have a great marriage and want to help people who are suffering in their marriage... Just this week I talked to two people who are getting a divorce and I don't think that divorce is the answer to the unhappiness we feel in marriage... or life for that matter.

I would even go out on a limb here and say that selfishness is a lot of the reason for divorces today... You don't start off selfish, but after years of feeling like your needs aren't getting met, you start to think, "I deserve to be happy... I deserve to be loved better... I deserve.... ______________ ,Whatever, you fill in the blank... I call this attitude, the spirit of rebellion... It is when you 'By God, won't do anything more for that spouse, until he/she does something for you.' This is pure and simple rebellion and then you are left with a whole bunch of resentment toward the person you are married to... The person you've vowed to love, honor and cherish til death do you part... The person who is most likely the father/mother of your children... How is this person so much more different now than when you married them? I would be interested to hear how you feel about this and if you would be kind enough to share on this blog what you are feeling. Or email me directly at lwood@kplctv.com I'd love to pray for you as you are dealing with these feelings... Thanks for letting me dig a little deeper...

What was I thinking?

I have just finished CLEANING this humongous house and it took me 2 hours to mop the media room... 2 HOURS!!! I had a friend that helped with the windows in the kitchen and she worked for 5 hours and only finished 3 windows.. Oh my goodness.... I need help!

The Measure of A Man is not By Popular Vote

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968) Civil rights leader

Last night the word of God was so relevant for today... We are back in Ecclesiastes 4 at Thursday Night Amplified and there was a section in it that spoke directly to the Presidential Election!
Here, I'll post it here and let you read it yourself....

13-16 A poor youngster with some wisdom is better off than an old but foolish king who doesn't know which end is up. I saw a youth just like this start with nothing and go from rags to riches, and I saw everyone rally to the rule of this young successor to the king. Even so, the excitement died quickly, the throngs of people soon lost interest. Can't you see it's only smoke? And spitting into the wind? Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

Now I'm not trying to rationalize if God thinks Obama is the bomb or not... I just know that he won the popular vote... he did come from rags to riches, he did rally the youth to support him, and wasn't he quite eloquent in his speeches?

Money didn't win this campaign... (although more was spent in this election than ever before) Because if that's that case, the McCains are loaded and could have thrown more money than necessary to win... It was the popular vote that won this election for Obama... The law of the land is "Majority Rules" right? Well, in reading this scripture I was just amazed at how God tells us that popularity has a way of wanning... The excitement dies quickly, and when people lose interest what happens then?
The only way this nation is going to change for the better is if, WE, as individuals, rise up and do something to help it... We can not just sit back and do nothing and hope that someone in Washington does something... We have to work in our areas of influence and strive to be a better person than we were yesterday and instill hope in people today so that they can be better tomorrow... This isn't the time to sit... It is the time to stand up for what you believe in and tell others of that hope that is in you... As Christians, we need to boldly profess that Christ is our Lord and King and our President and the leader of our life and it doesn't matter who the president is in the White House, without us, he wouldn't have a nation to lead...
So stand up today for what you know the Lord is telling you to stand for...
And always.... go in peace....
Lea Anne

Fasting and Praying

Dear Lord, Thank you for this day. Thank you for my being able to see, to hear, to speak, to move about this morning. I'm blessed because you are a forgiving and understanding God. You have done so much for me. I have witnessed your hand of blessing, your miraculous power in my life and the lives of those I love, and you just keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for your forgiveness. Please keep me, my family, and my church family safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a positive and Christ-focused attitude and plenty of gratitude. Please clear my mind of distractions so that I can hear from you and please direct my steps today. Thank you so much, in Jesus' name, amen.

I was called into a season of Fasting and Praying for 2 months before we left for Ukraine and I sensed the presence of the Lord in a mighty way during that time... If we are honest with ourselves, we sometimes lift up our requests to the Lord but we don't have the substance to do more for our prayers like fasting and getting on our knees in submission... We just want God to answer our prayers without any hard work on our part... I thank the Lord for the blessings he's brought to my life and I know that the Lord will continue to bless us... Staying faithful is a daily task... It's not something that Dana and I take lightly... It's something that requires action on our part... We don't just sit back and wait on God to do for us, we Pray and seek the Lord first and then act in faith that he will supply the answer.

"...while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, 'Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding'" (Dan 9:21-22).

Yes. We. Can.

I have to say that I wasn't prepared for the outcome of last night's election... I was at the station answering phones to receive the votes from the precincts in SWLA and I went home around 9:30 to finish watching the national elections... At 10:30 our news station just announced that McCain had won Louisiana's electorial votes and then in the next breath... NBC network broke in to say that Obama had been declared the 44th President of the United States of America... I just really didn't believe he would win... Immediately, I started to think, Yes... We.... Can....

It doesn't matter if I voted for him or not, he is my president and we are all American's... Red, White, & Blue.... It isn't just red or blue.... We are all three colors... we are all colors... and we have to be united....

I love my country and thank God that I live in the land of the free and the brave...

God Bless America! And God Bless Barak Obama!