And then there was PAINT!

Isn't it a wonderful thing when the carpenters finish the cabinets and trim, the painters show up to paint it, the tile guy starts installing the tile, the concrete finishers start forming for the driveway entrance, the termite guys do their treatment thing, the air conditioner dudes attach the thing on the wall that will house the electric for it, the electricians put in all the light switch plates, and ALL your friends from work drop by to see how the progress is going...

Isn't it a wonderful thing?

I love my life!!

What a Beautiful Day!

Today was absolutely beautiful here is SWLA. I started my day by attending Sunday School and took my turn in Extended Session. I don't think you ever graduate from working in the nursery once you sign up because there are always children being born and there's always a need to serve there. Ragan used to be my partner in there, but since she's moved to Ruston, Ashton is now old enough to help me out. So we served together in the 2 year old class.

Then we went to eat at one of our favorite BUFFET mexican restaurants and I only ate one plate so I didn't feel like waddleling out of there. And finally, I was able to come home and indulge in my "Sunday Siesta." It is a standard treat for me, as I don't like to do anything right after church except sleep. So now I'm just waking up and had to log on...

Have you had a chance to think about the question in the last blog? Do you find that you are searching for happiness?

Well I'd like to dig a little deeper and pose this next question...
If you are searching for happiness, do you feel like you deserve it?

This is a two part question, in that you may really want it, but don't feel like you deserve it. Or you may be happy for the moment, but you think something might happen to it and it will be taken away from you because you don't feel worthy of having it.

These are important questions that once answered will help us get to the bottom of why we aren't living a life of abundant joy and happiness every single day of our life. I want to help you find happiness, but I remove myself from the responsibility of making you happy. No one can make us happy, or mad, or sad, or depressed... We have to take that responsibility ourselves and then if we are ready.... to CHANGE our situation...

I pray we can go together on this journey to true happiness.
Have a Happy Sunday Siesta!
Lea Anne

Freedom through Obedience

Freedom through Obedience... This phrase has captured my heart over the last few years and I feel the desire to write a book devoted to reaching out to people who may be suffering from severe oppression or depression. I will take this step by step as it plays out in my mind and would welcome any comments in agreement or disagreement from any of you. It will actually help me in my research on this topic. I can also take constructive criticism, so lay it on.

First of all, I want to pose a question. Just something for you to think about... If you feel led, leave a comment if not, then just answer the question in your mind and heart.

Do you feel like you are searching for happiness?

I will let you think about this for a while as I prepare for what I feel the Lord has laid on my heart to share with you.

Until then....
Lea Anne

It's the Weekend

Today is Friday! I love Fridays... I always look forward to Saturdays... I can sleep late, or in my case until 7:30 or so, then I always like to tune in to HGTV's groundbreakers and Rip and Renew.. By the time those are over and I've had a pot of coffee, I like to take a nap... I so look forward to Saturdays...

So today, Dana and I went and bought ALL the light fixtures for the house... We had 3 flats loaded at Lowes this morning. I had to rush back to work for noon deadline stuff, and then was able to go check out all the goodies at the house... I'm so excited. Most of the painting is finished and the flooring is going in and the other details are being finished up and it is truly amazing that we have this opportunity to build this house. I will post pictures as soon as I'm able to take them with lights on... some of the rooms are too dark to see.

I hope you all have a great weekend... Update those blogs so we can catch up with everyone since August....
See you,
Lea Anne

Eat, Drink (or don't) and Be Merry

I want to say a quick word of encouragement to any of you who may be struggling with an addiction of some sort. I've recently had to deal with a friend and a relative with the problem of alcohol addiction and both are seeking help for this problem... I want to say that I have dealt with this issue in a very personal way because of my father's addiction problem when I was in high school. He battled it for over 20 years before he finally gave it up and within 6 months of him putting down the bottle, he had a massive heart attack and died. This is no laughing matter. Alcohol is serious stuff... It is a demon that comes in and takes over a person's life. You can't beat it, you have to STOP it... I ran across this verse last night and I feel it is needed for someone who is battling this or something like this addictive disorder.

1 Peter 2:1-3
So get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit. Don't just pretend to be good! Be done with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbing.
You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.

Remember in one of my other blogs that I asked you what Spiritual Milk was in the scriptures? It is the unfailing, everlasting, breath of God inspired, TRUE, Word of God...The Bible.

I want to help you get through this time of defeat if you are facing an addiction... Please cry out for help. Other people have been where you are and can relate to how you feel... We can help.
Please ask for it. Call on Jesus to deliver you from this stronghold.

I love you all and thank God for you every day.
Lea Anne

Not Another Catchy Blog Title

It has been a week since I've written anything on the blog, and to tell you the truth, I have bloggers block! Is that a phrase? Anyway... I just wanted to send a shout out to all out there in blog land...
Until inspiration hits again, Adios, Amigos!

Drink More Milk...

Okay...Okay... OKAY!! I get it already! I've learned that when God lays something on my heart and uses 3 different situations from 3 different people relating to the same scripture that he's trying to teach me something. I am then suppose to tell it to someone else. What is the purpose of a tree bearing fruit? Is it for the benefit of the tree or is that fruit for the benefit of someone else? I hope this resonates with someone who may be struggling with knowing how to find balance in life.

I will be very general in what's led me to today's tidbit. Over the last week or so, I've been burdened with the threat to marriages... Three different people talked to me about their marriages and the gist of the conversations were that one is getting a divorce, one is dating someone but thinking of breaking up because marriage is expected, and one of them has a husband who's trying to get custody of his children... I thought the lesson that I was being taught was about marriage. I was even led to 1 Corinthians 7, the whole chapter is related to marriages, if you'd like to read it. However, I've just made a connection to another topic that I've also been hit over the head with recently and have realized that this is the lesson learned that I'm suppose to talk about.

1Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 1 Corinthians 3:1-2

You may ask... How did I draw a connection between marriage and drinking milk?
The connection is between RELATIONSHIPS and SPIRITUAL GROWTH. Let me explain... I believe the Bible is 100% true. Every word is used to teach and instruct people in how to live a life pleasing to God. As great as the Word of God is, sometimes it's hard to know how to apply the scripture to every day lives. So what do you think MILK means in this scripture?

Milk means "The Message" The message of God... God's commands... The Bible is not a list of do's and dont's that God inspired to make us "toe the line"... It is God's love letters to us that tell us the things that please the Lord and also lists the things that grieve the Lord. Our free will allows us to choose whether we will do what pleases or do what grieves the Lord. It is our choice. But how do we know what pleases the Lord unless we read the Bible.

Point 1: Spiritual growth starts with a foundation of faith based on what we believe to be true about God...

The Bible is God's foundation for our faith... Nothing else will give us the direction that the Lord gives us through His Word... So I'm just going to be bold here and say regardless of whether you believe the Word of God to be true... It is the ONLY foundation we can build our faith on... We can't depend on what WE think about something to establish our faith and belief on... We have to use the Word of God as a guide to teach us what pleases Him.

1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

As with a baby, they start with milk to drink, then they add a little cereal, and next comes solid food. The Bible is a double edge sword, meaning it has a practical side and a spiritual side to its words. So from the Practical side, we've just determined how a baby grows, and let's say they drink milk but never grow bigger... never move on to the solid food phase...they just stay the same size... Wouldn't we be concerned about their lack of growth? It's the same in the spiritual realm. If someone is a true, born again Christian and they never go to the next level of faith... Shouldn't we be concerned?

If you aren't a Christian this won't apply... If you are then I'm going to ask you one question to see if you've started eating solid food and are growing in your relationship with God.

What is your priority in life?

If you don't know what your priority is, then answer this... What dominates your thoughts? What do you watch on TV, read about, or talk to a complete stranger about? Here's an example... Your work revolves around the weather... so you watch the weather channel, you check out the weather around the country, you go on-line and check out the forecast, and when you talk to strangers, you talk about the weather. So here's the deal... Weather is a huge priority to you... maybe even the #1 priority... then you go down the list of other things you think about daily. Could be your spouse... your kids... your job... your friends... your hobbies... vacations... Oh and YEAH, God, church, reading your Bible, that kind of thing...

Do you get my drift? We have to know what we consider to be the most important thing in our life in order to know what we need next in life in order to grow...
Knowing your priorities is the only way you can have balance in your life and if God ISN'T a priority... you are a baby Christian still drinking milk (or you're not a Christian at all)... you will not progress to the next level of faith until you get your priorities in line with God's priorities. So how do you know what God's priorities are? You open up the Word of God and read it. Learn what pleases the heart of God and GROW UP by moving on to solid food.

I cannot express deeply enough how much I care for all of you... I also know that if I don't speak what's been laid on my heart by God, that I'm not doing the Will of God and that is not a place I want to be... Outside the Will of God... If you have anything to add or need to talk about how to have a relationship with God, PLEASE don't hesitate to ask me or someone you trust who loves God...

Until next time...