Listening to God

Sometimes God answers prayer in ways that we never expected.  Obedience is difficult when His answers are not what we wanted to hear.

Last Thursday, not Thanksgiving Thursday but the one before that, I was driving to the doctor’s office, and I was praying out loud all the way there.  Besides my neck pain giving me a lot of trouble lately, work has been rough.  I won’t go into detail here, but rough is an understatement.  I was praying that God would help me in my work situation, reveal His will for my life in that area.

On Monday morning, He answered me loud and clear.  It’s not the answer I wanted.  I am scared to death.  I’m not sure what the future holds.  I’m not sure if I’m even in the right field of work.  I know that God will reveal that to me if I keep praying and listening.  I am just scared of what will happen in the meantime.  I worry that financially, times are about to get even tougher than they already are.

Jonathan said something recently that has resonated with me over the last few days.  He said, “When you start getting things right in your spiritual life, some ‘fun’ things start happening to you.”  He didn’t mean “fun” in the normal sense of that word.  He’s wiser than I like to admit.

Please pray for Livvie and me . . . I don’t know what’s next, it’s a very insecure feeling.

On a lighter note, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Jonathan went to Montgomery with me to visit my family.  I was so glad that he went with me, and my family was glad to find out that he’s not a figment of my imagination.  I ate waaaay too much, and it was delicious, every single bite of it!  Thanksgiving night, Jonathan and I got Livvie settled in, then went to a late showing of the new James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace.  It was a good movie, but hard to follow.  At the end of it, Jonathan and I found ourselves recapping the details to make sure we understood it all.  We didn’t.

Tonight, we watched the Iron Bowl at the home of Jawana and Kyle Root.  Those were not our original plans, but family stuff put a kink in those, and honestly, I had a great time hanging out with the Roots and their friends, as always.  After the game, we ate dinner at Logan’s.  My tigers lost, but I’m still proud.  Ok, so maybe I’m not the most loyal fan, but WAR EAGLE anyway!!!!

Insane. . .

. . .the condition to which my child has driven me lately.  I know what you’re thinking, “Not Livvie!”  Yes, Livvie.  She has a little issue with listening.  Ok, so to me it is a HUGE issue with listening.  I have to repeat myself over and over again, and it’s driving me crazy.  So, we have new rules in our house with new consequences. 

Livvie loves to watch television.  She is very active, and usually her TV watching drifts into some pretend scenario that she’s dreamed up with her baby dolls.  However, the TV is the perfect leverage for me when it comes to consequences.  Her new rules and consequences are as follows:

1. I will only give instructions one time.  ONE TIME. If they are not followed, the first time she’s without TV for the rest of the day.  The second time, no TV for the next day.  The third time, no computer/internet for the rest of the day.   Hopefully, I won’t have to get past the third time.
2. When she gets home from school, all homework must be done, supper must be eaten, shower must be taken, and she must do one thing to help Mommy around the house before she can watch any TV.  The reason I made this rule is because at night when we get home, the first thing she does is sit down in front of the television.  After that, anything I say just floats in one ear and out the other.  She doesn’t even hear me.  I tell her over and over, go get in the shower, go brush your teeth, put away your toys.  No results.  So, no TV until all of that is done.
3. No whining unless she’s bleeding.
4. No eating unless she’s sitting at the table (this one is just so I have less messes to clean up and less places to look for dirty dishes.)

Livvie and I really haven’t had to lay out any rules until now.  She’s a really good kid.  I am so blessed as a single mom to have a child as well-behaved as she is, and I feel guilty even complaining, but I’m ready to pull my hair out.

Well, here I had a story about Day 1 with the new rules, but Livvie saw it, said it was embarrassing, so I took it out.  But, ask me and I’ll tell you how it went!  hahaha!!

I think moms are a child’s comfort zone, a safe place.  For that reason, Livvie really tries to push the envelope with me.  I tell her to go to bed, and it’s “Please, Mommy, just 10 more minutes, let me finish watching this show.”  If Jonathan tells her it’s bedtime, her reaction is totally different.  She just says, “Good night!”  I have to get REALLY stern with her to make her realize I’m serious.  I have to pull out the Mama voice!  I hate using the Mama voice. I’m not using it anymore. . .not for this reason anyway.  From now on, we stick to the rules.  I won’t have to get frustrated, and hopefully, she will learn a valuable lesson in respect.  I guess I will also be learning a valuable lesson. . .in parenthood.

Premier Specials for this Week

Gold Reflections or Silver Reflections ring
page 8 in the catalog
regular price $44 and $41
sale price $32
 
Eugenia necklace
page 17 in catalog
regular price $49
sale price $37.50
 
Lady Fair
necklace and earrings
page 34 in catalog
regular price $39 and $24
specially priced, both for just $50!
 
First Lady
page 43 in catalog
Buy the necklace and receive the earrings in the color of your choice (light gray or taupe) for FREE!
Buy the necklace and one of the bracelets, receive both pairs of earrings FREE!!
 
Hot Cakes earrings
in silver or gold
page 74 in catalog
regular price $19
sale price $15
 
Adriana bracelet
page 77 in catalog
regular price $32
sale price $25
 
These offers are available this week only, and only with me!!  Call or email today to take advantage of the savings on these beautiful pieces!  Happy Shopping!!

Jewelry Show Booking Special

I need jewelry show bookings!!  This is the wrong time of year to need bookings.  Usually, I don’t have trouble finding people to do shows during the holidays.  However, the current economic crisis is really hurting my business!  I can’t blame anyone though; I’m not spending money either.

So, who wants to earn FREE JEWELRY??!!!  I have a great booking special for December!  Book a home show in December, and receive one item up to $40 in value from the Holiday Collection absolutely free.  It’s just my way of thanking you for hosting a show.  I promise to make it stress free.  I’ll send out your invites.  Don’t stress over food.  A plate of brownies and a pot of coffee is all you need.  I will also waive the $4.00 shipping fee on hostess orders.

Anyone interested in hosting a show, email me at msjewelrylady@gmail.com.  We will plan it around YOUR schedule.  I am willing to drive ANYWHERE!!

Bibby

Today, we celebrated my grandmother’s 80th birthday party.  My grandmother is an absolutely amazing woman.  She is a breast cancer survivor and the picture of health.  At 80, she has more energy than I do at 28.  I don’t think I saw her sit down a single time during her party today.  At one point, she was even outside directing the traffic of the incoming guests and telling them where to park.

As I watched my grandmother float around working the room, I realized the one thing that is probably the most amazing about her.  That is her friendships.  Some of the women that visited my grandmother today, she has known her entire life.  MOST of the people that visited her today, my mother has known for her entire life.

Lately, I’ve learned that friendships are as hard to maintain as love (as in spousal) relationships.  Sometimes, people go through rough times in their lives, when friendships require work, patience, kindness, compassion, and selflessness.  I admire my grandmother for the number of friendships that she has maintained for decades.  When we are young, we take for granted just how important those friendships will be later in life.  My grandmother is at a point in life where her friends are as important as her family, and she has been the kind of friend that it takes to keep friends.  The only way to have friends is to be one.  I’m sure that some of those women in that room today know more about my grandmother than I (or any of her family) will ever know about her.  What an amazing woman!

Cute sidenote about my grandmother:  Her name is Olivia (yes, my daughter is named after her), but her whole life she has been called Libby.  My older cousin, Charles, calls her Libby.  When I was learning how to talk, I couldn’t say L’s, so I called her Bibby.  She LOVED it!!  From that point on, she wanted all of her grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren, to call her Bibby.  Charles absolutely cannot stand that his daughter now calls her Bibby.

One more completely unrelated thing I need to mention. . .Congratulations honey, on being an uncle for the second time!!!

Christmas Open House

I am having a Christmas Open House in Hartselle on November 17.  It is in conjunction with representatives from Pampered Chef, Stampin’ Up!, and Mary Kay.  It is open to all.  We will be giving away door prizes from each of the different product lines.  You will also have a chance to fill out a wish list and give us the name of a spouse or loved one who might need that wish list for Christmas shopping.  Basically, we’ll do their Christmas shopping for them.  We will have gift wrapping available.  Here is the event flyer:

I would love to see all of you there!

A Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, there was a woman named Megatron who had a beautiful little girl named OliveOil.  Megatron and OliveOil lived in a quaint little townhouse just big enough for the two of them.  Their home was VERY lived in.  Megatron worked very hard at two jobs, and although she loved a clean house, rarely found the time or energy to have it as spotless as she desired.  One night Megatron was putting OliveOil to bed.  They were telling fairy tales to each other when Megatron heard a noise in her living room.  She said, “OliveOil, do you hear that noise?”  OliveOil said, “Mommy, I thought you were telling fairy tales!”  “Shhh”, said Megatron, “listen.”  They both heard the noise again, so Megatron tip-toed to the living room to investigate the sound.  As she peered around the corner she saw that the piles of clothes that had been lying on the couch appeared to be folded and put away.  Then, Megatron peeked into the kitchen.  The dirty dishes that had covered the counter were gone!  As she moved into the kitchen and opened the cupboard doors, she was amazed to find the dishes were shining, spik and span!  Then, she heard the noise again, but it seemed to be outside this time.  She walked over to the window, pulled back the curtain, and was amazed at what she saw!  Three little cleaning fairies were flying away from Megatron and OliveOil’s home.  Megatron and OliveOil lived happily ever after in a clean house.

The End

When I Grow Up. . .

Have you ever felt like you’re not doing with your life what you’re supposed to be doing with it?  I spent 10 years in college and earned two degrees to do what I do all day every day, and I’m just not sure it’s what I’m supposed to be doing with my life.  I really wish that I could make a living from my jewelry business.  There are plenty of women who do, but due to my full-time job, I have not put the energy into it that is necessary in order to have it be my sole source of income.

I’m trying to keep a level head about this.  I don’t want to trash my career because I’m having a rough time at work right now.  My work situation has been less than ideal for a while.  I’ve thought about looking elsewhere for a similar job, then I second guess myself.  Do I have any skills that another company would even want?  Should I make the jump from corporate to public accounting?  Would I even be able to do public accounting?  Am I really supposed to be an accountant?

At this point, I guess I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.  Well, I want to be a jewelry lady.  Anyone want to support me while I build my Premier jewelry business?