Stuff

by Joy Williams


Are You listening
To anything that I say
‘Cause I been praying
How many prayers can I pray
I’m still waiting
Maybe You’ll show up today
I know You’re here, but I can’t feel You
And if You’re speaking, I can’t hear You
How much longer will this last
So okay
Answer me with silence
It’s okay if You don’t say a word
You’re testing me to trust You’ll be faithful in this quiet
So okay
Answer me
With silence
Why do I question
Your intentions for me
When Your affection
Is a proven legacy
Oh Father, Father
Turn my fears into peace
I know Your love will never leave
I know You want what’s best for me
You’re testing me to trust You’ll be faithful in this quiet
Oh, it’s okay
If You answer me with silence
And it’s okay if You don’t say a word
You’re testing me to trust You’ll be faithful in this quiet
So okay
Answer me
With silence

So I have been to Florence and Anderson over the Christmas holidays and have had a blast with my niece and nephew and with my amazing friends! This week has been one of the most amazing blessings that God could have given me. Friends that you know that love you for you and are there for you no matter what. I do have to say that I am one of the most blessed people in this world! I have the most amazing real friends a person could have and I am so thankful for the time that I got to share with them this week! Here are a couple of pics to show you my amazing friends and my niece and nephew!!!

So I have been working a lot lately where I can come home for Christmas....very tiring yet so worth it. I am so excited about getting to hold my niece, it is hard to think that when I see her she will be 4 mths old and I haven't seen her since she was a week old. If you don't know me well, one thing about me is, I love children, especially my niece and nephew! I mean my 5 year old nephew makes me feel like the most important person in the world, he will call me sometimes and ask me "Aunt Angela when are you coming to see me?" It's one of those times in life that you want to drop everything and go right then. His little hugs are the most amazing feeling in the world. I hope that he always loves his Aunt Angela the way he does right now. That childlike faith is something that is also what I want to strive for more than I do. Think about it, when we were little we believed anything that we were told, and if we asked God to do something we didn't doubt it at all and because we asked God for it, we KNEW it was going to happen. Why as adults do we not have that same faith? He is the same God that He was when we were that little 5 year old who believed that He could do anything, why do we doubt?! One of the things that God continually teaches me is that He is going to answer our prayers even if we don't like His answers! He knows so much better than we do what we need, why do we think that we have to keep our little pinky on things? What we are telling God is that you can't handle this let me help out a little bit. When He had the whole thing under control till you stepped in and messed it up! I am so thankful that God sent me to Nashville! I have never doubted my decision to move here. Of course I know that one day hopefully sooner than later I will be back in Anderson, but right now He sent me to Nashville to learn, grow, and honestly to take me out of my comfort zone where I had no one and had to totally depend on Him taking care of me and having to listen to Him. It has been an amazing journey and I am so thankful for the prayers and the support that my amazing friends have given me. Especially those that get in my face right when I need it to remind me that God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine!!!! Thank you God for teaching me how to depend on you!

Quick and to the point I am sick! I think I have a stomach bug! I had to leave work today early, luckily I am off tommorow! But the weekend is loaded down with work, just pray that this is just a 24 hour thing and I am better soon!!! Thanks!

So today I have been a little lazy this afternoon, I watched Madagascar, cute movie. Anyway sitting around for the first time in a while with nothing to do I started missing the big A town! Ok so not necessarily Anderson itself, but the people within! I really miss all of you guys/gals! So keep in touch and don't forget to keep praying for me! Hopefully I will be at the NewSpring service on the 23rd!!!

Yes, it is sad news, but I thought I better pass along this press release
from the Internet:

From Santa Claus :
November 25, 2005

I regret to inform you that, effective immediately, I will no longer serve
the States of Georgia, Florida, Virginia and North and South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, and Arkansas on Christmas Eve. Due to the
overwhelming current population of the earth, my contract was renegotiated
by North American Fairies and Elves Local 209.
As part of the new and better contract I also get longer breaks or milk and
cookies so keep that in mind.

However, I'm certain that your children will be in good hands with your
local replacement who happens to be my third cousin, Bubba Claus.
His side of the family is from the South Pole. He shares my goal of
delivering toys to all the good boys and girls; however, there are a few
differences between us.

Differences such as:

1. There is no danger of the Grinch stealing your presents from Bubba
Claus. He has a gun rack on his sleigh and a bumper sticker that reads:
"These toys insured by Smith and Wesson."

2. Instead of milk and cookies, Bubba Claus prefers that children leave an
RC cola and pork rinds [or a moon pie] on the fireplace. And Bubba doesn't
smoke a pipe. He dips a little snuff though, so please have an empty spit
can handy.

3. Bubba Claus' sleigh is pulled by floppy-eared, flyin' coon dogs instead
of reindeer. I made the mistake of loaning him a couple of my reindeer one
time, and Blitzen's head now overlooks Bubba's fireplace.

4. You won't hear "On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen .." when Bubba
Claus arrives. Instead, you'll hear, "On Earnhardt, on Andretti, on Elliott
and Petty."

5. "Ho, Ho, Ho!" has been replaced by"Yee Haw!" And you also are likely
to hear Bubba's elves respond, "I her'd dat!"

6. As required by Southern highway laws, Bubba Claus' sleigh does have a
Yosemite Sam safety triangle on the back with the words "Back Off."

7. The usual Christmas movie classics such as "Miracle on 34th Street" and
"It's a Wonderful Life" will not be shown in your negotiated viewing area.
Instead, you'll see "Boss Hogg Saves Christmas" and "Smokey and the Bandit
IV" featuring Burt Reynolds as Bubba Claus and dozens of state patrol cars
crashing into each other.

And Finally,
8. Bubba Claus doesn't wear a belt. If I were you, I'd make sure you, the
wife, and the kids turn the other way when he bends over to put presents under
the tree.

Sincerely Yours,
Santa Claus
Member of North American Fairies and Elves
Union 1225

"Keep a smile on your face and a song in your heart!"

It is 12:19 am Thursday morning and I am off for the day!!!! I am soooo excited! I get to sleep late, watch movies, help a friend decorate for Christmas, and just flat out be lazy! It is going to be awesome! When I got off tonight I came home and watched a movie, checked my email and am getting ready to go to bed! Oh my word I just realized that it is December 1st, wow time has flown by this year. I cannot believe that it is December, that is so wierd! Hope everybody has a good first day of December!