My grand finale....

Because I forgot to blog it, I will start with saying that Wicked was fantastic! Who knew that Alphaba and Galinda were actually college roomates?! And the Alphaba (the wicked witch) was actually not wicked at all, just greatly misunderstood because she was green?! I would go see it again in a heartbeat! What I think we need to do is take a road trip to Chicago and see it there! Who's with me?!

Today is my last day as a slave to "the man". No more emailing with Angela, no more chatting with Laila about the stepkids (ok, yeah, we probably still will!), no more income. Yikes! I need to figure out an alternative money maker fast. But, I am excited about this leap of Faith and as I lay in the sun this week in sunny Fort Lauderdale, I will contemplate and pray for what God has in store. I think 2009 is going to be a life changing year for me, and my last day couldn't come at a better time!

I feel for my buddy Laila...or Lailer as I lovingly call her. She really got the shaft here, but she too has decided to take a leap of Faith and quit her job! Her last day is next week. So our 3 man department is down to one! And since the company thought we did nothing all day anyway, they are replacing me with someone from a different department. He will work 10 hours a week doing my job. Hmmm....I had more work that I could do in 40 hours, so he will do it in 10? I spend 10 just filing! Not my problem anymore. We feel for Kim. Poor girl will have to run the place!

So tomorrow I begin my life as a SAHM. So strange as I look back over 2008 and think about how my life has changed in the past year....a year ago I would never believe that I would be quitting my job, EVER. Marty was an embittered grouch, I was at my wit's end, the situation with Alexis seemed hopeless. Now all that has changed! I'll continue my blogging and hopefully as you follow my journey it will unfold into Alexis moving here, Angela and I busting out in ministry, Marty getting a fat raise, me finally getting inspiration for writing, and who knows what else? We'll have to wait and see....

Ahhhh...snow, lovely snow

Marty left for work this morning at 5am and the snow was light. I walked out the house shortly after 7am, and was ankle deep in snow! No shovel in sight, since for some reason they are in the garage, I had to trudge through the snow to my car. Did I mention I don't own a pair boots? yeah. As soon as I backed out of the driveway, I immediately began to think that it was not a good idea to try to go to work. I couldn't see more than 5 feet in front of me, and it looked like the blizzard of the century! But, I soldiered on....it only took me 45 minutes to drop Sammy off and get to work. The trip usually takes 10-15.

At 3:30pm today Marty and I will head out to go get Alexis. It's good we meet 1/2 way! Still, it's a blizzard in Michigan, icing in Ohio (where we meet) and 60 degrees in Kentucky. That means, Alexis will be dressed for Kentucky weather when we get her. Last spring when she came, we had some crazy snow that week and it was in the low 30's. We made sure her mom knew to have her dress warm. When we met up, her mom and the manfriend had sweats on. Alexis had on capri's, sandals and a t-shirt. No jacket, but it was in the bottom of her bag. Her bag full of shorts and tank tops. hmmm....we let her know that this time there is a blizzard, so maybe she will come in a swimsuit expecting some ice cream!

Which is worse?

Using all your natural, and probably supernatural strength to pry a frozen car door shut, or climbing in through the one door that will open, which happens to be the back driver side door...where your toddler is already strapped in to his carseat?

Coming outside and seeing the car is cleaned off for you, but only on the driver side...OR forgetting you have automatic start?

Snow in your shoes or up your pant leg?

Walking in 3 inches of snow without proper shoes to clean off the passenger side OR using power windows to shake loose the snow....only to end up with most of it landing inside your car?

Finally getting the driver side door open only to get a seat full of snow blown in OR trying to wipe it off your seat and getting it blown into your face?

Wrapping all the Christmas presents and forgetting whose is whose, OR your dog chewing on one of the packages just after you've wrapped it?

Starting your Christmas shopping early and realizing you've bought more than you really meant to buy (because you started so early) OR thinking you're done shopping only to realize you forgot someone, like a gift for your spouse from the kids....and you already went over budget....and you have a vacation coming up....?

Jesus loves me....

Well, I did it. I put in my 6 week notice a few weeks ago, following in Pat's footsteps by giving PLENTY of notice. My last day will be January 2 (technically, it's the 30th. Using vaca time on the 31st and 2nd). I'm pretty excited for what's to come in my early retirement. I don't want to refer to it as "quitting" because it just sounds so negative! It's something I have prayed for for so long, but of course I am nervous. There are a lot of changes shaking up the company so it seems like a prime time to go, but then doubt sets in and I start thinking, "Oh, my gosh! Did I act rash? Did I make a mistake? What if they were going to give me a promotion and a big fat raise?" Then of course I snicker....of course they won't be dishing out a big fat raise. A "promotion" maybe, but that would mean more work at the same pay. My reason for retiring is that I am sacrificing so much for so little! Would I work longer if I made more money? Maybe. Not that $$ is more important than my child, but Marty is now paying an additional $200 a month in child support because, well long story short....Wayne County stinks. We had no proof that Crystal was lying about her income so up went his support. I guess we just pray that God takes care of it. But, really...HE HAS! This is so God's timing, but the enemy is also going to try to take the things that God is blessing us with and try to us it to destroy us! For example: we are going on vacation. Hallelujah, I haven't been on vacation since my honeymoon 5 years ago. We've never been able to afford it. About a week or so before finding out the support was going up, we found tickets to Fort Lauderdale for WAY cheaper than normal for the holiday season. We'll be staying with his parents, which saves us from paying for a hotel. BUT- we are flying to Miami. The 'rents hate Miami airport, and it is pretty much the worse in the country. BUT, it was much cheaper than Ft. Lauderdale. Well, after calling countless places for shuttle or car, we couldn't find anything under $100. There goes the spending money. Oh, but wait...that which the enemy was trying to use to bring us down, the LORD made good! My father-in-law drove to this train station near their house and found out that it was nothing like the terrible reviews it got and was actually quite nice. It will get us to them in under 45 minutes and the cost....$8 total.
Next blessing- I love performance. Plays, musicals, dance...always wanted to go to the theatre, but tickets are so expensive and well, I gave up on that. But then Marty surprised me with tickets to Nutcracker AND Wicked! I'm so geeked. We went to Nutcracker on Sunday, which I was pleasantly surprised, except the men in tights were a bit too much right in my face- we were in the fourth row and me being so modest and immature, couldn't look as they were doing toe touches in the air right in my face. It just seemed sinful to look. Gross. Wicked is in a few weeks. SO geeked about that.
Christmas- we are giving Alexis a dang good Christmas. Not overindulging, but she'll be 10, and most years we had to borrow or scrape to get a few decent gifts. But, without any pain to our pockets and the fact that we are saving up for our trip, we were able to get her plenty of items from her wish list. She really does deserve it! Sammy- well, his gift is a trip to Gram and Gramps! lol...we did get him some, but he is little and oblivious and doesn't need much.

So of course, the enemy has swooped it and said things like, "Sarah, you'll never be able to do this without you working. Sarah you're a fool for quitting. Sarah, you have to pay for Crystal's expensive truck and lavish lifestyle, you can't afford to quit your job...." and on go the lies. I prayed for this opportunity to be home more for a long time and now I have it. And you know what? We will be able to continue to live. There are things we can cut back on, but what I realized was that Marty has paid the bills, bought the plane tickets, paid for a good chunk of the presents AND is saving for a car. All while paying close to $550 a month in support. That doesn't even make SENSE to me! God must be tossing money in our account or something. So, PRAISE GOD for the opportunities. While the enemy has tried to attack our finances, our marriage, our sanity and our family, the Lord has continued to bless us for doing the right thing! I think sometimes we get so caught up in trying to control our lives, that sometimes blessings go unrecognized. You really need to stop focusing on the negative and what you don't have and start focusing on God and what you do have! Then, you will be truly blessed!

M&M E-Votional Week...what week is this?!

What a great time Advent was last night! I hope you all agree, since I saw many of you there! Wasn't Francyne fantastic? If you've never been to an Eagle's Wings retreat, you MUST go next fall! I hear they have something special up their sleeve for us!

For those who weren't there, Francyne from Eagle's Wings was the guest speaker. She did a great job speaking on the topic of love, a great choice for the Christmas season! It made me think about how so many people go all year complaining about not having enough money or time, but then comes Christmas and all that changes. We start giving to those less fortunate, at least for a few weeks during all the drives for toys, can foods and coats. We say "Merry Christmas" to people on the street that any other time we'd pass by, careful to not glance in their direction. But, as Christians, shouldn't that love and generosity be in our hearts all year round? We are to be examples of Christ, not just at the season of His birth, but at all times. Like Francyne said, we need to do more than say nice words, we need to be an example through our actions!

What kind of example will you be today? What kind of example will you be at your holiday parties, family gatherings, the many shopping excursions? Will you rush through Target with your cart on a mission to hurry in and hurry out or will you let the woman with the three screaming kids cut in line so she can get out a little quicker? Will you sit at home in front of your fire, thinking of all the great presents you bought, or will you take the time to go Christmas caroling at a nursing home? (see Yzzy for that!)....Being that I'm a list maker, I made a list of goals for myself this Christmas season. What are yours?

Verses to Read: Titus 2:7; 1 Timothy 4:12, Matthew 5:14, 15

M&M E-Votional for the Week

I have to admit, I actually posted this back in early September. I started to write my E-votional about worship music and how healing it can be, and then I happened on this blog and decided to repost it as the E-votional. Hope that's ok with everyone!


I'm obsessed with music. Worship music. I love lyrics. I won't listen to a song with poor lyrics, even if the melody or beat is great. You know how you have certain songs for certain issues you're dealing with, or you hear a song and it really hits you where you're at and you have to listen to it over and over? That is me and the song, "My Savior, My God" by Aaron Shust. It is so good! Maybe I think too deep, but I know a few who will appreciate my brain. The song starts out:
"I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands one who is my Savior"

How many times do we try to figure out why God let something happen? Why do good things happen to bad people and bad things to good people? We can't figured it out. We are not skilled to understand! All we can do is trust in God, our Savior, who has redeemed us. Through him we can get through the trials because we have Faith, but we cannot even begin to understand the why's. This opening statement also reminds me of the verse, 1 Corinthians 2:9 "...No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, no mind can conceive what God has prepared for those who love Him..." I am HUGE on education. I don't think one should ever stop learning. I'm an advocate of lifelong education, taking classes, teaching others what you've learn. I am constantly googling for more understanding on various issues, words, people, etc. No matter how much you try to understand though, you will not being able to comprehend what God has in store for you. I keep repeating that line, "I am not skilled to understand..." I will post the rest of the lyrics below for you to read, and let sink in.

I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands one who is my Savior
I take Him at His word and deed
Christ died to save me; this I read
And in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my savior
That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior

Chorus (2x's)
My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior's always there for me
My God He was, my God He is
My God is always gonna be

Yes, living, dying, let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring;
That He who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior
That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior

Chorus 2x

No, peeps, that's not really me....but that is how my car looked this morning, as I'm sure yours did. PRAISE JESUS for remote start! Although, my car was running 10 minutes and still not defrosted completely. I'm just not ready for this cold! But, I am grateful gas prices have gone down quite a bit, so I don't worry so much about the fuel burning to warm my car. It is well worth it!

I have my blog open in two windows. I'm not vain, but I did it so I could type in one and listen to my playlist in the other! I'm telling you, I'm loving it. To be cheesy- my heart skips when each songs starts. When Revelation Song comes on, I feel like I might fall out in the floor! I just want to stand up and shout right where I'm at, hands lifted high! Pretty much each song has a special meaning for me...I'll share:

Wonderful Maker- big song for me. I was very depressed when I was not able to return to Evangel University due to $$, and during this song in worship one day 7 years ago, God wrapped his arms around me and held me...I could feel it as though He was really right there physically hugging me.

Lead Me to the Cross- Amy introduced it to me and instantly I loved it. It affirms my Faith, and everytime I hear it I pray for the backsliders in my life.

Shadowfeet- a really pretty song, also introduced by Amy. A good reminder that God is always faithful and will get me through the many trials.

Revelation Song- FAVORITE song. Love it. I seriously can feel the Holy Spirit. It makes me want to just stop everything and worship. It affirms in me my strength in God and that I know He has great things in store for me.

Open Up your Eyes - love it. That's all. I want to play this song for the backsliders I'm praying for!

Give me your Eyes- reminds me of On Eagles Wings.

Crazy Dreams-makes me think of Alexis.

I'm Yours- so fun, love it. Makes me think of my hubster.

If You're Out There- powerful song, not a Christian song, but can be challenging like one.

One World- just like it.

Your Name- another great worship song that gets me going, almost as much as Revelation Song.

Might to Save- who doesn't love it?

Backyard-reminds me of back in the day

Angel- actually, I added it cause Marty likes it, but he is never on here...

Spend My Life with You- favorite wedding song....played it at my reception for Marty