May 2012 Archives - Oh So Shabby by Debbie

~Follow your DREAMS~

May 28, 2012 by Debbie Reynolds 21 Comments

I often write on my facebook page about my walks ~ or my favorite quiet spots in nature that I sit and DREAM ~ think ~ clear my thoughts, or simply plan out the day.. This is the BLOG of DREAMS ~ It is never to late to follow yours. I didn’t start truly following mine until I was 54. I am now 56 and I must say it has been amazing. So many times I had wanted to reach out with all that I had within me to be a person of inspiration ~ hope ~ and compassion.

It is wonderful that today I am living my dream ~ here on this blog I’ve just built ~ and my face book page. Not only am I following my DREAMS to do what was in my heart all these years, but GOD has opened up so many others doors for me personally. If you have a DREAM ~ listen, never give up on it. While there maybe times you struggle ~ people may turn away from you for one silly reason or the other, as you build that DREAM, but, stay true to your hearts desires. Just press on.

I press forward ~ many do not know my battles, struggles, and blessings unless I share them here. ~ I think that if you have a DREAM ~ and it is your hearts desire ~ you will find a way to make that DREAM a reality ~ if only for YOU. After all, when we are fulfilled within ourselves, have God in our hearts ~ things have a way of working out for the best for us.

Filed Under: General

~Memorial Day~

May 25, 2012 by Debbie Reynolds 18 Comments

For some, Memorial Day is a solemn day to remember the men and women who died serving our country. For others, it’s a day of picnics and barbeques to celebrate the official start of Summer.

What does the day mean to you? Do you have any family traditions for how you celebrate — a trip to the cemetery, marching in a parade?

I wish you all a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, please be safe and enjoy. Come on share your Memorial Day Traditions with us, please comment. I would love to read them all.

Filed Under: General

~It’s not always for us to understand~

May 20, 2012 by Debbie Reynolds 30 Comments

SHARING THIS STORY FROM ONE OF MY FB PAGES READERS ~

I could so relate to some if her story, well, most of it, so I asked to allow me share it with others that might need to hear this as I did, she kindly agreed, thank you Penny ~Debbie~

While we do not always understand our journey ~ the is a reason and purpose for everything we face.

For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah29:11 (NIV)

Soon after I surrendered my life to Christ, I started struggling with painful things from my past that made me doubt God’s promises for my future. I wondered: If God loves me, why has He allowed so much pain in my life?

If He loved me, why did God allow my family to be broken by adultery and divorce, shattered by confusion and chaos, shaken by alcohol and drug addictions and so much more? And why didn’t He stop me from the pain I brought on myself, or keep me from the darkness of depression?

One afternoon I found the courage to tell my friend Wanda about my doubts and questions. I was surprised she didn’t give me a pat answer, but looked atme with understanding in her eyes and told me she was sorry. Then she shared her story, which included many disappointments and heartbreaks. Yet, I didn’t sense doubt or pain in her words. Instead, I sensed confidence and hope.

Turning the pages of her Bible to Jeremiah 29, Wanda read today’s key verse as a promise to me: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD’plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (v. 11)

She then told me God wanted to heal the pain of my past and use what I’d experienced to pave the way to His plans for my future. But I didn’t want Godto use my pain or my past. How would any of it do anything good for anyone, especially me?

Have you ever felt that way about your pain or your past? Have you ever asked: “If God loves me, then why…?”

These are the kind of questions that can linger in our hearts when we’ve been wounded and disappointed. And hurts that aren’t healed can lead to bitterness and bondage.

Yet, in the security of a relationship with Jesus, God invites us to ask hard questions and look for answers that usher us into the depths of His redeeming love and healing power.

Can I whisper some hope into your heart today? If you are living and breathing, your purpose has not yet been fulfilled. No matter what you have done or what has been done to you, God does have a plan for your life.

So, how can you discover those plans? Let’s read the premise that follows the promise in Jeremiah 29. After God declares He knows the plans He has for us, He says, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (v.12-13)

We find God’s plans when we surrender ours to Him each day. It’s a moment by moment process of coming to Him, talking to Him, believing He listens and letting Him love us into a place of hope and healing.

God’s love is not a quick-fix for our wounds, but it has the power to redeem and restore us into confident hope. When we allow the Holy Spirit poured out like Living water to go deep into our pain, He can heal our hearts from the inside out.

As we process the pain of our yesterdays and live through the disappointments of our today’s, doubts may still creep up, threatening to steal our hope.But each time that happens, we can stop and seek God in that place. We can ask Him to show us His purpose by revealing what is true about who we are and what we have been through to make us start doubting.

Then we can ask Him to help us re-define our future, not through the filter of our past and pain, but through the power of His life-giving truth. And do you know what happens when we do that moment by moment, day by day, doubt by doubt? God tells us in Jeremiah 29:14, “I will be found by you…and will bring you back from captivity.”

We find Him again and again. We find the One who longs to lead us out of captivity to our doubts into a place of freedom and hope. I know this is true because I have walked it, wrestled with it, resisted it and finally surrendered to it.

God’s love is not only unfailing, it redeems and restores. His Truth cuts to the core of our struggles, bringing purpose to our pain, redemption from our past and hope for our future!

Lord, heal my hurts and give me hope as I learn to trust the plans You have for me. I’m coming to You and seeking You with all my heart today. Please set me free from my doubts and lead me into a place of confident hope. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Filed Under: General

Trussville, Alabama ~ if your not there ~ you’ll wish you were ~

May 18, 2012 by Debbie Reynolds 3 Comments

Trussville, Alabama ~ population around 20,000 a quaint town to say the very least ~ with homes in all styles and price ~ Shops in D’town Trussville still have pride in their apperance today ~ and their store fronts show that. We have Braden Furniture lighting up one corner with the some very stylish home furnishings to The Straw Hat ~ a high quality women’s apparel specialty shop on the other corner ~ We can not leave without stopping by Trussville Antiques and Interiors ~ with room after room of home decor items ~ jewelry and fabric. And there is so much more here in Trussville, all in this quaint town.

Ok let’s talk food ~ one of my favorite subjects, if you are looking for the best sandwich in town The Three Eared Rabbit is the place to go. Then we have ~ Joel’s and, Cafe On Main, for some of the “BEST” and I do mean best Southern cooking you can get here in Alabama.

Last but not least by any means, The Chocolate Biscuit, have lunch with your friends ladies ~ planning a bridal luncheon, look no further the food is FAB! Yum, that’s all I can say about this great little place.

So, when you plan your next trip to this area, these are a few places you definantly will won’t to check out. But, know that there is SO MUCH more to Trussville than the ones I’ve hit on for you here today . Now mind you, I love to take photos ~ shop ~ and eat of course, I am by no means a writer ~ so if you find this article and it’s grammar a little ” SHABBY”, forgive me, and just enjoy the photos .