Goodbye, Farewell...

So, a lot has gone on in my life in the last 6 months. I need a fresh start. I won't be posting here anymore. The address to the blog is no longer fitting for my life. You will be able to find me here instead:

www.laceydrawers.blogspot.com

I hope all 5 of my blog readers will continue to follow me. Things are just now getting good.

"I love you"

Once I downloaded this, I watched it at least 20 times. This little video will make your day. This little guy makes my day. Is it possible to keep them this age for always?

I rode down to New Orleans Saturday morning with my mom and dad crammed in the back seat of my dad's truck with their 2 dogs...large dogs. All I really wanted was a lint roller. I needed a lint roller more than I had ever needed one once I arrived at my Granny's house.

I'm just happy to be here really. I needed to get out of my house. I'm trying to change things - paint, move furniture around, hang different pictures - but getting away has done me a lot of good.

What is it about your parents that seem to make everything better when things have gone awry in your life? I was thinking about this during my quiet time with God the other day. This is how I see God right now too. He just makes everything better. I am amazed more and more everyday at how faithful God is to us when we are obedient to His will. I am giving Him my all right now - or at least trying with all my might to.

My heart has been hurting - he has taken away the hurt and made me feel whole again. My thoughts are constantly racing and I can't seem to concentrate - he has given me a peace and comfort unlike any I have ever experienced. He has replaced my tears with complete joy and has surrounded me with indescribable love. He has reminded me just how incredibly special I am to Him. That's all that matters.

So, I'm in New Orleans until Tuesday. When I get back, I pick up and move on with life but with a new perspective. I have a chance to start over. I have a chance to do things right this time. I am so grateful that my God is a God of second chances.

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 12:1 - 2 (the message)

To my 5 faithful blog readers...

Please pray hard for me right now. God is doing BIG things in my life.

just some humor for your day....

I made plans to meet one of my most favorite friends, Heather, for dinner at the new Zaxby's by her house last Thursday night. I was so excited to see her and get to spend a little one on one with her. We always have the best time together. This night would not be any different.

I was sharing what I'm sure was a heartfelt story when I pause right in the middle of my sentence and stared. I couldn't take my eyes off of it. It was like a car wreck or a work of art, whichever you choose to describe the best mullet I have ever seen!

Heather immediately says, "What?" and whips her head around to get a glance of this masterpiece. As she is stealing a glance, I whip out my camera to take a picture. I take the picture and my cover is blown...I LEFT THE FLASH ON! The man turned around to see me putting my camera back in my purse laughing hysterically. I'm not sure if he really caught on to what was going on or if he just thought we were REALLY enjoying our Zaxby nibbler sandwiches. I have no idea. What I DO know is this though...I CAPTURED THE GREATEST MULLET KNOWN TO MAN ON CAMERA!!!!! Without further adieu....

THE GREATEST MULLET KNOWN TO MAN!

Heather, I am SO glad you were there to witness this train wreck. My eyes will never be the same. This picture still makes me giggle inside....ok, to be completely honest, it really makes me almost pee in my pants from laughing so hard. I give him props for keeping it real with the "business in the front, party in the back" look.

Is that you God?

Do you ever wish that God would just speak to you in an audible voice so you will know without a doubt what's going on? I know I do. Instead God uses people, circumstances, verses and possibly music to speak to us. God spoke directly to my heart last night. With all of life's struggles and the pain that we endure it's hard to remember that God is there. He cares. He loves greater than any human could possibly ever love.

I was driving home last night from my aunt and uncles. I had a heavy heart. I flipped the XM station to The Message just to see what was playing. "Call My Name" by Third Day was just starting. I have always liked this song. The words spoke directly to me last night in a way that I had never heard before. I felt comforted. Truly comforted.

Third Day Lyrics - Call My Name

It’s been so long since

You felt like you were loved

So what went wrong?

But do you know

There’s a place where you belong

Here in My Arms?

Chorus

When you feel like you’re alone in your sadness

It seems like no one else in this whole world cares

And you want to get away from the madness

You just call My name and I’ll be there

You just call My name and I’ll be there

The pain inside

Has erased your hope for love

Soon you will find

That I’ll give you all

That your heart could ever want

And so much more

Chorus

When you feel like you’re alone in your sadness

It seems like no one else in this whole world cares

And you want to get away from the madness

You just Call My Name and I’ll be there

You just Call My Name and I’ll be there

You just Call My Name (2x)

Call My name say it now

I want you to never doubt

The love I have for you is so alive

Call My name say it now

I want you to never doubt

The love I have for you is so alive

So, what I want to know is if God has ever spoken to you in a similar fashion. I know I can't possibly be the only one.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
I Peter 1:6-9

has your heart ever really ached for something? i mean, physically hurt for something or something that's going on in your life? what do you do? how do you make it stop? or does it ever really stop? how can you learn to catch your breath and breathe again?

have you ever felt so many emotions all at once that you can't even begin to put into words just exactly what you are experiencing or feeling? how do you capture that emotion? the one that feels like a storm in your stomach and a dull ache in your heart?

how do you experience life - i mean real life issues - without crushing your spirit?

i know we can go to God with our hurts and he will fill that void, but do you ever wonder what happens when you just simply need someone in the flesh to ease the burden? does He provide that?

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous. Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us -- it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others " - Nelson Mandela

Famous in Alabaster...

My first press conference was yesterday. I thought it went pretty well. Go here to see the story that aired on the news.