"Are you wearing a back brace?"

Lately I have had to come to terms that I am getting older. I can't believe Bailey will be going into the 4th grade this fall. I can remember being in 4th grade myself so am I old enough to have my very own 4th grader?!?! After the last week I can sadly say yes :(

Starting off, I have become an embarrassment to my daughter. Twice, yes twice, I have asked who I thought was an employee of the store a question to find out that they were not an employee of that store. First time it happened I justified it but the second time I asked a man in Fred's wearing a Target shirt for assistance. I may just be losing it........and Bailey was mortified!

Bailey and I were having a girl day and we saw a store we had never gone into called "Wet Seal". We thought we would take a peak. If any of you are familiar with this store I'm sure you are laughing right now. As soon, and I mean as soon as we hit the door I realized that everyone in the store was in shock that we had walked in. I have never seen such short shorts, skirts or tiny, tiny bikinis EVER! We played it cool, well Bailey did and we looked around. Bailey actually found a cute shirt and believe it or not I did too........ a vest with a belt attached. I thought it was pretty cute and maybe, just maybe I was cool enough to wear it.

I decided I would wear the vest to work and I didn't think it was too bad and Bailey actually liked it. Denson did make a few jokes about me looking like a "black belt" karate person, but hey, what does he know about fashion?

However, the moment I knew this vest was a mistake was when someone I know said, "Hey, are you wearing a back brace?" I immediately started laughing and said no. At that point I knew I would never wear the vest again. I have posted a picture below so you can see that it really is cute...............................I'm just not cool enough to rock a vest with a belt :)

F.R.E.E.D.O.M

I have had the best weekend! A group of girls and I went to the EWomen's Conference and it was PHENOMENAL!!!! All of the speakers were great as well as the music. I would encourage anyone that is thinking about going to this conference to go (Like there are thousands of people that will actually be reading this).

The theme of the conference was "Embracing Powerful Peace". I don't know about you but I could use some peace these days. I thought I would share with you a few things I learned. Sheri Rose Shepherd spoke and gave an acronym for FREEDOM......

F - Fight the good fight. We are in a constant spiritual battle. Keep the faith!
R - Run to God!
E - Enter into praise & prayer.
E - Eliminate the things that exhaust you, stress you out, etc.
D - Do what God wants you to do.
O - Operate in your appointed position.
M - Move On! Isaiah 43:18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past."

Think of the freedom we will experience if we put these things into practice! At times it is hard to know what God wants us to do. However, if we stay in the word, pray, and keep those things away from our life that don't bear fruit we will be able to know when God is speaking. We also, need to understand that we may not always get the answer or response we are wanting. Deuteronomy 20:5 - "You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God........" The idols of our day are different from the idols the Israelites looked to. Anything that keeps us away from God and His purpose for our lives is an idol. If God tells us "no" to something we have been in prayer for, then it could just be that we are looking to "that" to make us happy, and we are to turn to God for that happiness.

The above verse is obviously something God is speaking to me about. I have heard and read this verse numerous times over the past couple of days. That my friend, is one of the ways God "speaks" to me, through scripture!

Lastly, I will leave you with scriptures from the weekend that in my opinion, are powerful and will help get you through those rough times we are either facing, faced, or will be facing.

1 Thessolonians 5:16-17 Be joyful always, pray continually.

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverance. Perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Psalms 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Lamentations 3:23-24 - They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "the LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."