Wine Into Water

"You've heard a multitude of prayers on my behalf.  I pray one more is not too much to ask.  I've tried to fight this battle by myself but it's a war that I can't win without your help."  T. Graham Brown

This one I promise will be some deep thoughts.  Luckily I've not struggled with a true addiction like alcohol  but I do have friends that have.   One particular lady I worked with years ago is who comes to mind right here.  She lost her family, her job and eventually her life.  For the life of me I couldn't figure it out.  She was the most "put together" lady I had ever met and could work circles around me, even on her worse day.  She did not drink when I first went to work with her but for whatever reason she became unhappy with her life and started.   She fought the battle by herself along with many of her friends, but she just couldn't win the war and eventually lost the the will to fight.

"So many times I've hurt the ones I love, I pushed them to the edge of giving up.  They've stood by me but how much can they stand if I don't put this bottle in your hands?"  Other friends have struggled with alcohol and others struggling with drug addiction have pushed their loved ones to the edge but we don't give up.  We don't give up praying God will take the need for whatever drug of choice it is and we don't give up loving them.  I've been called more times than I can think because a friend needed someone to talk to just because they were standing on the edge of giving up.  The worse thing a friend can do it give up on the hope that God will heal their addiction.

"I shook my fist at heaven for all the hell that I've been through.  Now I'm begging for forgiveness and a miracle from you 'cause tonight I'm as low as any man can go.  I'm down and I can't fall much further.  Now on my knees I'm turning to you Father could you help me turn the wine back into water?"  If you're fighting these demons and you're down as far as you can go, begging for forgiveness and a miracle, my prayer for you is God will hear your prayer and turn your wine into water.  I pray there is a friend that's been there for you more times than you can count, will hear your cry once again and run as fast as they can to be there for you.  I pray their hand of comfort can pull you from the edge of giving up and I pray God will turn your wine into water.

My lesson today?  Don't wait until the situation is really bad ~ reach out for help NOW!!!  If you have been thinking that you can handle it or it will get better and it hasn't.  Reach out TODAY before things become worse.  Call that friend that's always been there.  I would be willing to bet he/she would be there again because they love you.  Let them help you turn the wine to water.

    Love to all,
    Sweet Southern Sass

  

Jesus Take the Wheel

"Jesus take the wheel, take it from my hands, 'cause I can't do this on my own.  I'm letting go so give me one more chance and save me from this road I'm on.  Jesus, take the wheel."  Carrie Underwood

WOW, what powerful words and where do I go with this one?   I'm not sure, but ya'll know I will give it my best shot.  This song starts with a mama going home to see her mama and daddy with a baby in the backseat.  "It had been a long hard year, she had way too much on her mind, and she didn't pay attention."  She was going way to fast when she started to skid on ice.  No time to cry she throws her hand in the air and says the words "Jesus take the wheel."

This scenario reminds me so much of my young single mother days.  So many times going to see my mama and daddy with the baby in the back seat.  Even though they only lived down the road a bit, an accident could have easily happened.  What this brings to mind for me is how careless I was during those days.  How many weekends I would leave my small child with my mama and daddy or sister or the neighbor next door.  So many weekends that I can never get back of his life.  So many things I missed because I was too busy living MY life and not taking responsibility for his.  Thinking about this now that he will be 38 years old in a few weeks, I know Jesus had the wheel all those years.  He gave me more than one chance to save me from the road I was on and thankfully that road only lasted a few years.

"She saw both their lives flash before her eyes, she didn't even have time to cry.  She was so scared she threw her hands up in the air."  Luckily and I mean ever so lucky I never had this to happen on my road to self destruction.  I never came close to an accident but only because I know Jesus had the wheel.  The wheel that would keep me safe during my crazy years and the wheel that kept me safe from an abusive relationship or two.   Maybe my mama had a hand on that wheel too because she was the one that finally said enough was enough.  She said I was a mama and I needed to act like one.  Ya'll know there was a lot more in that statement from my mama, but ya'll get the idea.

"She's a rock, she is grace.  She's an angel, she's my heart and soul.  She does it all." I hear people saying I'm starting to look like my mother does.   She sees everybody for who they really are.  I'm so thankful for her guidance.  She helped me get this far."    Lauren Alaina

My mama truly is a rock, an angel, my heart and soul.  I am so thankful for her guidance and that she had the wheel all those years ago when I didn't have sense to "act right."  I am thankful she was there holding that wheel steadfast while I went on my way to make more mistakes than I can count on both hands and feet.  There with her head bowed I'm sure asking Jesus to take the wheel.  The wheel to save me before it was too late.

Lesson today?  Don't take too long to ask Jesus to take the wheel.  Don't tarry on that road to self destruction because you might not be as lucky as me.  Hopefully if you're on that road, your mama is a praying mama and she's got her head bowed every night that Jesus take the wheel to bring you back.  Wake up before your hands are in the air, you're scared to death and maybe no time.

  Love to all,
Sweet Southern Sass

Life Ain't Always Beautiful

"Life ain't always beautiful.  Sometimes it's just plain hard.  Life can knock you down.  It can break your heart."  Gary Allen

How many times I have thought these exact words.  I can't think of any particular time right this minute, but I do believe that life ain't always beautiful and sometimes it's just plain hard.  I've been knocked down a time or two and my heart has been broken in a million pieces more than once.  But as the saying goes, you gotta put on your big girl panties and deal with it.  You can't let life knock you down and not get back up.   They say everything happens for a reason.  Well there have been things I've tried to figure out the reason and sometimes I can't figure it out so "what the hell", I just "let it go" and move on.  Yep, just sing the song with me now.  Let it go, let it go.  Yes you get it now.  Let it go...let it go...

"But the struggles make you stronger and the changes make you wise and happiness has it's own way of taking it's own sweet time."  I'm not 100% sure my struggles have made me stronger but I can say the changes that I had to make certainly made me wiser.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  LOL  and yes, Lord yes happiness has taken it's own sweet time arriving at my door, but praise the Lord it finally found me.  No, not because I found a boyfriend or husband or heck even a significant other, but simply because I chose to be happy.  Some days are harder, but being happy feels better to me than being sad.  

Some days I miss your smile, I get tired of walking all these lonely miles and I wish for just one minute that I could see your face.  Guess I can dream but life don't work that way.
What I would give to see my Aunt Dot, my friend Andrew and many more people that have already found their wings and left this world.  But life ain't always beautiful and God didn't give me a stairway to heaven for when I need to visit or a phone to call when I need to hear a familiar voice on the other end.  So I can keep walking these miles here on earth and one day I will see all my friends and family and Oh what a beautiful ride it will be.   

No, life ain't always beautiful but I know I'll be fine.  Life ain't always beautiful but it's a beautiful ride.  What a beautiful ride.

Lesson today?  Life ain't always beautiful, but you can make it beautiful if you want.  Take the first step when you wake up in the morning and say, OK, today's going to be amazing.  Whatever other ridiculousness happened yesterday, well, that was then.  Today only happens once and by golly I declare it's going to be a good one.  And always remember:  "EVERY morning we are born again.  What we do today is what matters most."  So go ahead...Make it a beautiful day!!!