Here’s to a New Year that will be Worth IT, for one and all.

In need of a testimony?

You can't have a testimony without a test.

Your blessings aren't always big. Sometimes they're small. God isn't ready when you're ready for your blessing, but I do believe that He will give you small blessings along the way, to tide you over, to remind you (me) that he is working it out on your (my) behalf and that you (I) need to be patient.

Here's a testimony, one of many:

4 years ago, about 3 months before I got this job offer, I worked at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company in Milwaukee Wisconsin. I was miserable, and I was broke. 4 days away from payday, I balanced my checkbook as that morning  to see how much I had and realized that I hadn't managed my money well since the last pay period, and I had three dollars to my name. My ex girlfriend's cat  (I got custody of him when we broke up) had ran out of food, my car was almost on E, and I didn't want my new girlfriend to know I was broke at the time. While at work that morning I was at my desk, and I was talking to God like I normally do, and I said, "God, I just need $20 and that would be enough to tide me over until I get paid. I only live a mile from work, and I don't need a full tank. Just $10 of it for gas. I have a pantry and fridge full of food but I need to feed Isaiah." I said that to Him and had that thought in my mind while at work and while I had built the courage to ask friends for a loan. I don't do that- I don't ask people for favors unless I am backed in a corner and I've exhausted all other options. Well, I had no other options, and so, at my morning break when I was to meet a couple friends for coffee, I was going to ask them, but guess what happened within an hour of my talking to God?

A coworker, an older lady , someone I didn't know particularly well and had only said good morning, hello, or have as good evening, in passing, walked over to my desk, and said:

"Hi Alieux. I woke up in the middle of the night and  you were on my mind, and then when I went back to sleep and woke up this morning,  God told me to give you $20. I don't know why.  I ignored Him and I got myself and my kids up for work and to take them to school, and when I was driving to work  He told me again, give him $20. Well, I got to work, and its in my head, again and again. And I ignored Him and I went to breakfast, and you were on my mind again  so I decided that I better give you this $20 or God will pester me until I do!"  Then she gave me the $20 and she went back to her desk immediately.   I was speechless. 

I quickly emailed her, thanking her for the money and telling her I would pay her on friday. She said  'don't thank me. Thank God, and don't pay me back. It's not a gift. It's a give. God told me to give it to you, not loan it to you!  :)  ' . 

So that I could let her know why God had put it on her heart to give me the $20,  I told her that as recently as maybe 10 minutes before she brought the money over to me, I was telling God that I'd be happy if I had at least $20. 

She told me that she was glad that she didn't ignore God, and therefore preventing the blessing. I'm glad too, because it was a blessing. 

God knew I needed the money before I knew I needed the money. He had put it her mind  in the middle of the night. He was already planting the seeds.       You can't have a testimony without a test.
 


 

        

         inhale love. exhale hate.

Day 1

I can’t believe Christmas has come and gone already.  I had a terrible Christmas week at home and I said goodbye to 2011 and I welcomed 2012 at church, on my knees.  I hope all of you had a fun and enjoyable Christmas holiday. I'm hoping that 2012  will be good to me.
I've made a few resolutions the other day and as the first few days of 2012 go by, I may add more to the list, according to my mood, my needs, and my reality. The overall theme though, will be that  falure is not an option.
As I write this, what first comes to mind is procrastination.I've been pretty good at blogging, and not so good at my short story novella writing. I always planned on writing a thousand words a day, but life always seemed to get in the way.  I kept putting it off to tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow. Well tomorrow came today. I made it come today. I had breakfast with a good friend, and when I got home, I opened a bottle of champagne, and  I've been sipping and writing since then. I worked on three short stories novellas that had been in my head the past few months. I wrote 75 pages today. I'm happy. I have 4 more short story novella ideas in my head to put on paper. Once I've edited what I've written today, I will start on them, while sending out individual manuscripts for publication. Hopefully by Mid- February, Designer Strait Jackets and other Stories will be ready to send to publishers.

Banana Cake with Hazelnut  Buttercreme frosting

There are other things I tend to put of as well, but that was last year. In 2011, I've baked about thirty-four cakes, 10 of which were for birthday or other celebration gifts, 12 for dinner parties of which I was responsible for desserts, 8 cakes that were ordered, and about 4 cakes given to friends for no reason,  all from recipes that are in my head. I hope, this year, like in my previous resolutions, not to do anything out of the goodness of my heart for those that don't appreciate it, to start charging for the cakes that I am asked to bake and maybe even write a cookbook.


There are other things I tend to put off as well, but that was last year. Failure is not an option in 2012. 

LOL