Live a life of laughter??

I wear many hats. I am a business woman, a Women's Ministry leader, a Mother, a Wife, a daughter,a part of a Youth Ministry, a event-coordinator for Adopt A Block, a "dear abby" friend, and my "day job". I always have to giggle whenever someone who knows me in one of these hats that I wear, realizes or is told, I wear a totally different hat at other times in the day. I have heard "how do you balance it all?" Today I thought about it. I am dealing with a secretary that won't work, a volunteer that is saying things that goes against what I believe, a child that is being selfish, a husband that I am worrying about because he does too much, a mother that feels like she doesn't get enough of my time, a x-prostitute in our ministry that needs watched like a hawk, a group of teen girls that think church is a dating game- regardless of the "woo to you if you cause another to stumble", and some of the disturbing & evil things I have to hear and see, at work. My answer.... WORSHIP~ lots of Prayer ~ and Laughter.
Worship~ easy-- I love the Lord, and have a worshipers heart. It takes everything I have not to bust out in dance at church sometimes. That's my fault though.. My deep down shyness keeps me barely contained. I close my eyes, towards the ceiling and can see Gods throne.. I can almost see His feet. I can feel his pleasure, His love for this child whose heart dances before Him in unashamed love. God has put dances in my head, I can see them when I hear music.. For our churches first Women confrence, He has put it on my heart that I am to do worship dance to a song He has pasted in my heart months ago... I saw the whole thing... and if anyone has ever read my corinasworkout.. you would know why the thought of me doing this is SO NOT ME!
Prayer~ a little harder... I love to pray.. But feel like I sometimes repeat myself too much. I have come to the area in prayer, where I just talk to Him like He is sitting in the seat next to me. I have been praying in the mornings on the way to work, 45 minutes. It is a set out part of the day, the first 10%. Sometimes I realize that I have gone 10 minutes in a daze without speaking a word.. But I don't turn on my Christian books on tapes. (something I use to love to do on the way to and from work) God put it on my heart that it was becoming more of a "hooked on thing" so in a putting my flesh under control..I now pray during the morning ride. Sometimes it is quiet.. Peaceful. Sometimes it is I am sure causing others to stare. But one thing I have noticed... It has been moving some mountains!
Laughter~ Ahhhh... I love to laugh. To look for the "funny side" of every situation. I might not be able to see it at the moment... But when I look back, I sure do laugh a lot. Some people I have noticed, laugh at the expense of others.. That whole "its funny to me, regardless of if you are being hurt in the process". Me, I just look at the possibilities and have that outlook of "hey why not be joyful?" My kids say its the "National Lampoon" thing that happens to our family, but when I think back at some really bad times when the boys were little... I am glad that the laughter was always there. It wasn't fun or funny back all those years ago,when I would cry out to the Lord (even before I served Him)"please feed my babies tomorrow" because there wasn't enough left.. When my heart was breaking because my marriage was falling apart.. The drinking, anger and distance that filled my house... The quietness afterwards, the scary "Can I do this alone?" before realizing that I WASN'T alone....
If anyone asked my kids about those times, they would say, "yeah I remember eating Mac and cheese almost every night there for a while.... But we always had fun." The boys and I would spend hours laughing, playing, and making it. After the call on my heart got so strong I couldn't take it.... We found laughter in Church, in our new friendships and in our new walk of life. All these years later.. My kids are older, my finances are better, my life is more peaceful, and the laughter remained.
Today I have all those above "daily" battles, I have these blogs to journal my life, the books on tapes to further my mind, the workout to get this body fit, the relationships that grows my heart and patience, the "sights I see & hear" to always keep me running to God for guidance, but most importantly.... The JOY I feel every day knowing that I am a Child of a King, a sheep that needs herded, a woman who loves her God, her husband, her children, and all those whom our God loves.
Besides.... I figure God has a great sense of humor... I heard a pastor say once... ***You know, we think we are soooooooo smart.. Think of our brain compared to Gods.... Its like a speck on a countertops... You know He is sitting up there grinning and pointing down at us, after we puff ourselves up after doing something good.... "Ahhhh look at him.... So-& So is a dumb little thing, but he sure is cute!"
Laugh Hard,
Love Deep, &
Live for the Lord

Witnessing

You know.. I think of witnessing, as "telling people" about my faith, my God, my hope..... But Friday I really had a eye opener.... A woman at my work (no Christian- who actually refuses to hear about God~from what I hear from other Christians at work) came up to me and asked me a question. She told me that she was going to ww and that I really "inspired her". I know I had to look like a 2x4 hit me on the head! I stood there and babbled "what?" She laughed and said I read your workout blog everyday and it has inspired me to start getting in shape. First, I had NO idea she even knew about my blog! I had sent it out only to a few friends at work. I guess they passed it on. I never really thought much about it. To me its just a journal with God and with whoever wants to peek into this gal's mind as she struggles and overcomes with life,fitness and developing a deeper relationship with Christ. It holds me accountable, helps me jot out my constant stories in my head, and the sometimes weird outlook on daily happenings. ~~But God using it? Never really thought about it... Not that blog.
She went on to say that I make her laugh, get her pumped up and made her decide to get fit. I could do nothing but just stare... I thought.. "I could careless if you loose weight.... But Girl I would LOVE to see you jump on that spiritually fit workout!" After she left.. I was so excited. The thought that God could use this chubby gal who has no coordination, and weird sense of humor to lead non-believers closer to YOU........ By blogging my often mishaps in attempting to workout?? I wanted to do jumping jacks! I resisted.. Figuring the co-workers would fill out that pink slip for mental health on me. I went to my office grinned like a fool and did a little happy dance when no one was looking. Now I am more determined than ever to keep that blog going.... To keep being honest (regardless how embarrassing) and keep Praising the Lord!
So if anyone pops on here and I don't have a new post.. You could always check on the and find me fighting the good fight of Faith! Please continue to pray for this.... For this woman who reads,and the others who may not know HIM!
In Christ~
Corina

My morning battle with the automated phone system

We were given a business in June... Well, I thought he was changing the vendor number and he thought I was.... We just realized that neither one has done it. I had attempted to a while ago and was told that he would have to since it was in his name.. I told him that. Which goes back to the thinking he was changing it. My husband called and said "Can you take care of this?" I thought sure, shouldn't be that big of a deal.... FIRST mistake...
Here is my email back to my husband after the ALL morning mission... My gripe.......

OK-
Called *previous owner* He was a little mouthy, and explained how he didn't have time to mess with this.... I guess he figures I have ALL the time in the world to do this that should have been done months ago.... Ah, yeah.... Its HIS number, name and tax amounts coming to HIM... You would think he would make time to get the tax stuff out of his name...
Anyway.. I called....
Sec of State-(who *previous owner* said handled vendor numbers, and basically thought I was a idiot when I said County handled it)- They said "We have nothing to do with it"~~The ONLY thing we need to file with them is 521 State Agent Update (in Corina terms~~ a new address label for them to mail us their junk mail) I will download it from website and fill it out. They said "call the county" ~~~ Guess blonde girl isn't as dumb as he thinks!

County Auditor~ can not transfer old vendor number to us.. But can get our own and PRE date it to June 1st no problemo~~ Leslie ~xxx-xxxx She said that depending on what it is.. , LLC, Inc, Corp, ex... Depends on what to bring in. She started to rattle every thing off but my ears/mind/pen refused to work as fast as she was saying for each category.. So I figure, you tell me which it is and I will call back to get just that list.

IRS--- (can you say........... OMGOSH they have all this money and can't afford to have LIVE people answer the phones?) After being transferred a billion times "press 1, say 2, press 8 to repeat" then comes to the end of this tunnel to Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx for businesses. So, the now twitching me calls... Only to go thru the same number punching game.. I have learned if you are not fast enough, you hear "Your choice could not be processed.. Good Bye." then dial tone. So my morning exercise was jumping towards the phone number keys hoping my ears/mind/fingers were all on the same wave length.-- You know me... So there was a lot of "Crap! I am gonna choke someone if I ever do talk to someone who is breathing!" When I did Finally get a actual person.... I am so thrilled that I can't speak. On the 3rd hello, I gush out... "Oh thank you." Which probably made her wonder who she plucked from the circling black hole vortex of a phone system they have. After 2 seconds of talking to her, telling her my dilemma.... I begin to think that the machine had more personality. I am told (thru nasal)"you can not have this information"... "I must speak to the actual owner"... soooooooooooooo, anotherwords I had a twenty minute finger pressing workout for nothing! I asked for the direct line to her, which she guarded as highly as her stupid info "she could not give me".. I believe she use to be a worker for the Pentagon. Instead I heard "just click thru the options" I had to ask.... "Do you know which numbers to push"....... She of course said, "No, I never listen to it" Lucky her... And I told her so.
*Previous owners* office- OF course I did not get to speak to him... Talked to his receptionist who typed in my, I am sure not so friendly message that "He needs to take care of it, they won't talk to me.... STILL" He however I believe should replace the above secretary.... He never missed a beat and remained friendly. I apologized and gave him the LAST number the IRS transferred me to, and which department to hope to hear in the 23 hundred options...

You know........... a little part of me has to grin knowing that when *previous owner* calls that number.... he too will be sucked into the spiraling, mind boggling,finger cramping madness. I shouldn't feel that way.............. But :-) Have fun buddy!

Well my dear... That was as far as I could go with it... Hopefully by the time you see me tonight, the trets moments have passed and I won't have any lingering nightmares.

your loving wife,
me

Pleasures

Today as I was writing in my workout blog... I was talking about my giving into temptation... Of M&M's... You know what was so funny?? I was thrilled, excited, in luxury... By something that I had always just bought before without thinking about it. Before God put fitness onto my heart... I would think nothing of going out, buying a big bag of M&M's and eating as many as I want.... I enjoyed them, craved them, but never really felt any relief in the eating of that craving. Today.. I still crave them.. somedays more than others... But they are worth more now. The same item, same price(money), same easiness to purchase, and same flavor.... Yet they are worth much more now.
When I was walking out of the store, I thought of the times when I was growing up and didn't have any money. I thought of the excitement, thrill, sense of adventure I felt in my little heart as I peddled my bike to the store on the otherside of our plat. 1st we were never allowed to go that far, 2nd we never HAD money to buy anything, 3rd we was never bought candy. I remember whenever we DID earn a dollar by cleaning a yard, babysitting, whatever.. And if by some fluke mom would say, OK to us ridding our bike to the store to use that earned money. I remember the feel of wind in my hair, the grins on mine and my brothers faces (only time I can remember not arguing the fact he was made to go with me), the money safely tucked into our pockets, the lists of what we could get in our heads and the freedom we felt. I remember the careful selection of candies, checking prices, wanting the most for our money. OH, and the feel of the curb under our butts as we sat on the side of the parking lot ripping into our treasure. We never made it out of the parking lot before we "took a break". It was glorious. Yesterday... I had a step back in time. I never made it out of the parking lot... I sat (in a car this time) with the open bag in my hand, and took time out of a busy day to enjoy.
Its not something I couldn't do everyday ----if I choose............ But its better, I have come to realize, this way..... Gods way. With rules, with limitations, with guidance, with surrender, with obedience, with doing HIS will. Something as simple as a 79 cent bag of candy, taught me something. Simple Pleasures. I can not remember a single other bag of candy I have had since being and adult, able to drive to the store whenever I wanted.... (Remember saying that as a kid? When I grow up I will buy candy ALL the time, have cupboards full of them~ my son said it the otherday) I never enjoyed, took the time to really appreciate the small gift... til yesterday...
Maybe that was what God was trying to get thru this thick head... Spoiled heart...And calloused tasted buds..... By structure, by living how HE wants me to live... Its not what you can't have... Its what it means to feel childlike again... Maybe that is why He emphasizes so much in "come to me like a child"..... I felt freedom, love, peace, joy, excitement, adventure, pleasure, & fulfillment.

Today-- Amelia (women's home) and I were talking about a vision God had given me the other day... I saw a man in humble clothing holding a hand of a child, walking along a beach.... I knew the man was God and the boy was Sim. I scribbled down in my journal what God was speaking to my heart.. How Sim walks with God. Now see, I was like "I know that God." But a part of me was thinking... But God, he does things that I know are needing changed. So how can he be so close to you? Of course He straighten me out... Saying its not for you to say, think, or try to "fix". He and I walk together... I am taking this time in our walks to correct him. God then went on to say,,, "just like I walk with you, walk with others.... Its personal.. Between me and them... My time to correct..To enjoy.. To be their Father." I saw this boy run off, grab a sea shell, bring it back grabbing His hand and show it... I could feel the corrective words at his letting go of his hand, yet see how he admired the shell and didn't stop walking with him like was before he let go. I didn't understand the shell... This vision... And told Sim about it that night.

Today.... I listened to Joyce Meyers and how in Ps 86:17 David cried out to the Lord.... "Show me a sign of your goodness.....For you Lord have helped me, comfort me."NIV... She was talking about how it is personal... How it is between us an God.. His love is so agape for us, He choose us, me. She talked about how she loves starbucks coffee, it brings her pleasure... She said she prays this prayer.. Has read everything she could get her hands on about love... She knew He loved her, but never Knew-knew... She went on to talk about how God shows her signs..... How strangers will come up and give her coupons for starbucks coffee.... Now she points out that she could afford to buy them, but God provides her pleasures... Free.
I got thinking about this.... Amelia and I were talking about all of it... And had understanding today....... God wants me to see my walk as personal... He takes time for ME! I too will pray that prayer.. "Show me signs of your goodness Lord" and will add... "Lord please help me to SEE them as signs..Help me be aware of your wonderful love gifts to me. To not take them for granted or overlooked." Just like that M&M pack yesterday... The 1st time simple pleasure in years.... That was a gift from a daddy who loves me. He is my TRUE VALENTINE. ~ and HE gave me a valentine early. Sealed with Love.

Spiritual & Physical workout!

A peek at "Gracie" getting fit... This is usually what I post (and did) on my corinasworkout blog... But for some reason.. I was led to post it here too... Not sure why..... But here it is.......
Feb 10,2006
This morning my "bright" idea was to do the "Super burn" workout DVD.......After about 3 minutes (once warmup was over) I was thinking that I must have had too much cold medicine again! OMGOSH! I have been working out Mon-Sat for 40 days... I should be able to do one simple exercise thing without problems right? (Do you hear the Rocky music?) I should be lean, mean (well got that part down),exercise machine........... Run steps without panting, jog thru a parking lot without wheezing, jump land bombs that my neighbors dogs leave on my yard, and sing at the top of my lungs while doing it all......... NOT! Instead my arms were trembling making little flabby ripples as I over-n-over lift them above my head.... "8 more people".... My hips that are supposedly "nice and warmed up feeling loose and powerful" are making some strange popping noise as I do the MILLION knee lifts.. Maybe its not so loose and warm because I HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE for the "warm blood flow" to go thru!! 5:55 this morning I hear "Pump it up walkers! Lift those legs in powerful brisk pace....10 seconds later.. (when I am still trying to figure out if I am as fast as robo girl)she says come on.. Bump it up even more..." My legs are pumping, my arms are looking like some sickly bird flapping, and I resemble some sort of wildly dying chicken as my pony tail up on top of my head flops around until its got a good cockeyed position. WHY OH WHY did I get that STUPID idea of putting a huge mirror in this room, propped against the wall? I knew I wouldn't be able to NOT look and think "AGAD, if someone saw me right now they would shoot first and call the zoo later!"
Determined not to give in, I look straight ahead at the TV and do the stupidest thing... I try to keep, ok change... My rhythm to match theirs.. It reaaaaaaaally shouldn't be that hard, right.... I stumble a few times trying to lift my knee during this power Rambo walk just when they do....... So I know I am going as fast as pyscho girl(which I have come to call her)is wanting me to go.... Why I try to keep in perfect harmony with them every morning at least a million times during the workout... I don't know... I don't even have rhythm in church to clap. I try.. I watch others.. Try to smack my hands together when everyone else does.... But before I know it, I am off beat, then others get off beat........ And the looks begin :-) The bass player really gets messed up... So far no one has asked me NOT to clap.. My hubby...he doesn't help.... He will hear me get off beat and then purposely clap between the others to reeeeeeeeally mess me up. And grin at me saying "Come on Gracie, focus"
Anyway.... With this multiple movements tape... I should just be happy that I am not falling over anymore. Which I haven't in a few days.. Well not counting me tripping up the stairs I did the other day. That's what I get for running up stairs in socks though......
Let me tell you.............. I was soooooooo glad to hear "ok, lets cool down." this morning... I resisted the urge to cool down while collapsing on the floor.
Tomorrow I am sleeping in......... Well later than I do during the week.... Tomorrow is Saturday.... So I will get up.. Get ready go do Adopt A Block (which I LOVE!!) go to our new outreach ministry building that we got donated to us and start cleaning out the sanctuary!! It is mess..... And will need lots of elbow grease.. But we have 2 different colleges taking on this project as their year assignment.. And all of us servants.. So Gods outreach house will be opened soon!! I will have pics on our www.changinglivesnow.org site soon.. Will make sure I post when we do!
I know that tomorrow I am gonna get a great workout.... Cleaning, tearing stuff out, and praising God!! Gonna get a physical and a spiritual workout!! PRAISE GOD!!

Thanks for reading... Like I said I am not sure why I was led to copy and paste this silly, thing in here..... But I trust God... And if He says to do it who am I to argue?? I figure I argue enough with the kids, hubby sometimes ;-) and my momma that I don't need to argue with the BIG DADDY too! God is good, and He always is up to something.. So I am really curious to see how HE used some poorly coordinated girls ranting and gift of gab........

My other blog~~

I started the "Corina's workout" blog with the intent to journal my 42 day commitment... & Today I realized that I have 4 days left and my promise I made with God will be met in a few days... He didn't promise me I would lose 40lbs or anything.... But He did promise years ago, that if I draw close to him... He would draw close to me. Psalm 145:18 says "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him...." In my days of journaling, laughing, I have realized a few good things.....
#1 I am waaaaaaaaay NOT coordinated
#2 I never thought that I would find such funny, sweet, and encouraging people here on the internet!
3# That I am scary looking in the morning and am in desperate need of a new workout wardrobe.
4# That I NEED to do this.
I came across scripture today that sums it all up...."Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1Cor 10:31~~
How many times have I heard juuuuuuust the end of that "what you do, do for the glory of God" but I never thought about the whole verse.. I know its important or He wouldn't have bothered putting it in!
You know............ I think I am gonna keep Corinas workout going.... at least until I reach my goal weight, which is another 27lbs to loose... So if you wanna join me still... Keep reading... AND NO you can NOT place polls on if I break anything! Now my hubby on the other hand... If he keeps giving me his "compliments"--term used veeeeeeeeeery sarcastically I might make a poll chart myself!! :-) So far everyone's favorite "hubby support comment has been : "Honey you are whittling down to nothing... I use to be able to grab all your fat rolls before!"~~ Eeeek- he will learn... I hope!

How I see the day we come before God

Father, I trust you

The day I look, upon your face,
Oh, what I will see,
All the love and understanding
you have had all along for me.

The awe I will feel,
to see my Father on His throne,
kneeling down before him,
knowing I am finally home.

There I will lay down my armor,
with all the dings and little rust,
some holes went clear through,
but in You I did trust.

The lambs book of life will be opened,
as He draws me near,
and from the very lips of God,
my name I will hear.

"Since the day you called upon me,
and in your life made me number one,
I no longer saw your face,
but the precious face of my Son."

Written by: Corina Bowen
6-2-2005