Thursday, December 31, 2009

Goodbye 2009...Hello 2010!

In just a couple of hours, 2009 will be a memory and 2010 will be here.
2010 happens to be the title of one of my all-time favorite movies: "2010: The year we make contact"..
If Bryan and I were to make a movie about our life in 2010..it would be called "2010: we finally made it!"
As I reflect back on what 2009 brought us..it's hard to believe we survived.
We've had so many blessings and trials...
Pastor Adrian Rogers once said "life is like a train track..the good and the bad happen at the same time, sometimes..." he was right.
While Bryan and I had some very good times..we also had some very trying times. The biggest I can think of is when Bryan got sick and I was terrified. Afraid I would lose the love of my life, my rock, my shield, and my hero. But God was gracious and healed him...it was a slow recovery but none the less He healed him.
It made me really think about what "could" have happened...and how scary it is to be sick in the hospital. Since then I've been careful to be mindful of the blessings that have been given to us and pray for the sick..every day.
Other things happened too, like the week of 7 flat tires..which coincided with the final rehearsals for the Living Christmas tree..true story.

Several good things happened, too....our parents are enjoying good health, mother celebrated her 85th birthday and moved into a home on a beautiful street in Tuscumbia, Bella came to live with us..(although sometimes I'm not sure if she should actually go on the trial side ha!)...we've enjoyed many laughs with our friends.

Plus..

We were never hungry,

never cold,

or without clothes,

and we had jobs to go to every day.

And, the promise that God loves us and despite all the trials of 2009...He is alive and in control..and has many wonderful plans in store for all of us in 2010!!!
So, hello 2010...you're going to be the best one yet!
Blessings to all,
Janie

‘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. 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.’” (Jeremiah 29:11-13, NIV)

Thursday, December 17, 2009

A ripped sleeve and a flying cat.........

So...you think your day was crazy...just wait.

Here's a glimpse into one day at the Wallace house..just a glimpse..the total view would scare you to death!



Thursday morning I wake up with a cat sitting on my head..literally.

Her dad has left for work and locked her in the bedroom with me to prevent her from murdering our Christmas tree. Bella decides she can not wait for the 8:30 am alarm I have set and so instead she creeps up the side of the bed and ever so gently crawls on top of my head. So, the first thing I see when my eyes open is blackness..furry, purring blackness.

So, I get up and we kiss good morning..I'm thinking.."she's in a good mood today..great! Maybe she won't attack me or the tree before I head off to work." WRONG.

We get up ..I release Bella from the bedroom/cat prison and we head out to the kitchen for breakfast. I have cheerios..which I am forced to share with her because if I don't she will just cram her head into the bowl and then nobody's happy. So, I eat a spoonful..she gets one cheerio..repeat...until bowl is empty..then she finishes the milk .

After that, I get ready to work out. Now, normally..when I work out..Bella does too. By that I mean, when I do push ups...she's busy biting my hands..when I do my lunges, she bites my feet...when I lift weights..she unties my shoes..so she's reallly getting quite a work out. BUT, today..she ignored me for the most part. I should have known then that something was up..she was plotting.

I had thrown a load of laundry in to wash up some things and after my work out..I went out to get the things I needed for work. When I took out my top..the entire left sleeve had come unsewn..from the top to the bottom..only the thread that used to hold the sleeve together was still hanging from the shirt.

So..I'm hot from working out and hot that my shirt is ripped and I have 5 minutes to fix it. I go inside to locate the sewing kit..Bella follows me around the house..I'm thinking "5 minutes..I can fix this hit the shower and still make it to work on time..she's thinking "5 minutes..I can tear her and this place apart and still catch a nap!" And that's when it started.



As I was bent over in the floor looking in the side table drawer...I never saw what hit me..it was a complete blur..it went something like "SWISH!! BAM!! FLUMP!!!" It only took about 3 seconds and it was over..but it was awful.

What happened was this: Bella bolted into the den seeing the open drawer as a springboard to the curtains...she leapt up on the drawer...jumped onto the curtain...reached up and grabbed the mini blind and fell back into the drawer with the blinds on top of her and then hit the floor..the blinds then crashed on to the floor beside me! I was so frightened that she was dead..I didn't even spank her. She was too stunned to be frightened..I just grabbed her and held her for a couple of minutes while we both tried to calm down.



So, then I hung the blinds back up and she's watching me..thinking "ah ha! You may have won this time blinds..but I'll be back!"



I eventually found the sewing kit..sewed up my sleeve ..locked up the cat in the prison..and made it to work. It's a miracle either one of us are alive. I told you a glimpse was enough..



P.S.

Tonight when I talked to Bryan..she was on top of the refrigerator..purring..and refusing to come down.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Giving Thanks

Wow! What an awesome Thanksgiving! We got to go home and see our folks and enjoy time with them and some wonderful, delicious food. Then on Saturday, we did it all again with Bryan's entire family. We are so blessed!





Over the holiday, it occured to me that I haven't been as thankful as I should be.


Lots of changes coming our way this next year and none of it would be possible without an entire support team: our family. Everyone we saw on Thanksgiving has in some way helped Bryan and me the past 6 1/2 years. From sending food, hiding money in the refrigerator..(true story!) , giving us cars, to just being there on the other end of the phone when things get crazy!
There have also been many friends who have done some very special things to help us and for that we are so grateful.




As we were leaving Tuscumbia, we did what we always do..drove through our old neighborhood and looked at our old house. It was the first and only home we have owned. Since then we've been renting..now knowing where we would land next so it's just been easier to do.


And as we were driving through our old neighborhood..we saw a for sale sign in our yard.


I would have loved to jump out and gone "back home" for just a few minutes anyway.


BUT...it's just not where we belong right now. Bryan quickly reminded me of that. When we decided to get "new lives" it unfortunately came with a big price: we had to give up our "old life" and leave all our family behind ...at home. I have felt like a woman without a country so to speak the last 6 1/2 years. Living in limbo stinks! I know..home is where your heart is..and mine is certainly with Bryan. But..we are so ready to be finished with this part and have a place to call home. 358 days left until he finishes..and then we'll be headed somewhere else.





As this year winds down and a new one moves on to the horizon..I wonder what it holds?


I pray for health and happiness for all our family and friends. Of course, I'm also praying for jobs that will allow us to make a difference and live our dreams.





But, as I get ready to enter the "final" year of the journey..I'm reminded that I should be so thankful.


Thankful for Jesus dying for me and for God's unconditional love,


For faith,


For Bryan,


For our family,


For friends,


For my 3 little furry kids,


For health,


For a warm place to sleep, nutritious food, functioning cars, warm clothes,


For a job,


For hope and dreams of something better.





AND, if you're reading this, I would be so thankful for your prayers.





God Bless you and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!





Janie

Sunday, November 8, 2009

He is able...25 years later..

"Like peering through a window blurred with rain,

emotions run together in a flood of doubt and pain.

We've prayed as best we can.

Now we must leave it in his hands.

Yet, I know when my eyes fail to see,

He is able.

And even though it seems impossible to me,

He is able.

But if He chooses not to move in the way we prayed He would,

I'm confident he's working all together for my good.

I will stand behind his word, for He is able.



Questions seem to haunt us night and day.

How could God allow my heart to be torn this way?

Does He listen when I call?

Is He even there at all?

Yet I know when my eyes fail to see,

He is able.

And even though it seems impossible to me,

He is able.

But if he chooses not to move in the way we prayed He would,

I'm confident He's working all together for my good.

I will stand behind his word, for He is able.



And as the night gives way to dawning and evaporates away,

I'll stand to face another day.

And I will stand behind His word for He is able.

He is able, HE IS ABLE!"

-Deborah Klassen



I had the honor of singing this tonight at FBC Montgomery.

"He is able" has been in my repertoire since it first became available on a soundtrack.

First it was on a cassette and truthfully, it finally wore out from so many performances.

I have loved it ever since I first heard it. And have really missed singing it.



When it comes to selecting a song to sing, there's no magic forumula...it's whatever speaks to me at the time.

Tonight after church, several people my age and a little older, came up to me and said something I found interesting.

They recognized it from being among some of Truth's pieces. Before I tell you what they said..a little background.

For those of you who may not know, Truth was a contemporary christian group based out of Mobile, led by Roger Breland.

I saw them perform live twice and I still remember those performances to this day.

Later, when I was part of "Sounds of Joy" at Northeast Jr. College , we sang several of their songs in our concerts. Even took those pieces on our mission trip to Hawaii. Some of their most popular songs included "Jesus Never Fails"and "Undivided". There are many more but too many to list here.



Back to the folks response tonight. They all said the exact same thing..even though they all came up at different times.."Wow! I had forgotten about that song. You know, Truth's music really got me through some tough times".



I know how they feel. That's why I turned to that song time after time. And..it still rings true today 25 years later after Deborah Klassen wrote it.



When I started trying to buy another copy, it was no where on the internet.

Then I saw somewhere on facebook a post about Truth soundtracks.

It said if you'll contact RBreland he still has a lot of those songs and they can be purchased from him.

So, I gave it a try..and it worked. Made my day.



If you've read any of my previous posts, you're aware of what Bryan and I are working on right now. And I'll be honest with you..there are many, many times I've wanted to throw up my hands and say "I quit"! Bryan asked me today.."If you knew how hard this would end up being, do you think you would have still done it?" My response "NO!" Now, I was only kidding, but I'm so glad God doesn't let us see what's ahead..even though sometimes I really wish He would.



I can't see what's ahead..and there are times the present is so "blurry"..like the window with rain.

Can't understand why things are the way they are..wishing they would quickly change and we would be where we want to be RIGHT NOW!

But God doesn't work that way. And I've learned..time and time again...that if "He chooses not to move in the way we prayed He would, I'm confident He's working all together for my good".



I can remember example after example of what I wanted not being half as good as what God had in store. But not being patient has often caused me much heartache. And at one point, almost cost me my life. But, God is truly amazing. In one incident, when I got things straightened out, God welcomed me right back into His loving arms. I compare it to..travelling down the interstate and taking the wrong exit ( MY choice) and when I realized it was not HIS will but mine, I turned around and got back on the right road. Make sense?


So, I'll keep on praying for my dreams to come true and praying they'll line up with God's. And even though "even though it seems impossible to me, He is able." Blessings, Janie




Ephesians 3:20-21
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

385 Days...We press on

Hello friends! Can you say busy? Wow! So much has happened since I last wrote.



Bryan has recovered fully from his illness...we have a new "baby" Bella the cat, we're still hanging on, pressing on toward the goal.



385...that's the number of days we have left on our journey to Graduation from Law School.

So far we've had 2,250 days on this trip..leaving Tuscumbia, going to Tuscaloosa for school and then eventually coming to South Alabama for the final leg.



In retrospect...there are a lot of things I would do differently..but they taught me many valuable lessons.

It's not been easy..but it's not been boring, either! Just last week I was parked on the side of I65 with a flat tire ..a.m. traffic whizzing by 80 miles an hour..waiting on my sweet husband (aka Knight in shining armor) to come and rescue me..which he did..without question!

What a lucky girl I am! So, we never know from one week to the next what's going to happen.



Right now we're about 5 weeks from finals and wrapping up the semester. If all goes as hopes..Bryan will graduate December 2010. 385 days..and counting...



I wonder what will happen over the next 13 months..



My 42nd Birthday was last Sunday and I bought myself a special gift.. a Personal Trainer. It's time to get serious about health...want the next 42 years to be my strongest. There are many reasons why..1. The industry I'm in is very competitive in every way imaginable so I'm working on making it a more even playing field..2. Anything I can do to extend the good health I've enjoyed so far will make our future much brighter ..3. PLUS..I want to feel better. I am a cougar after all...ha! B. is almost 2 years younger and I want to keep up with him!



So..one of the questions we're asked over and over is what's next? We don't have a clue. I'm praying for a full-time on-air position near Bryan's Job offer..so far God has opened doors for us..even though I don't understand why things sometimes are closed..Bryan and I believe he'll work it all out when the time is right. Although..I am not very patient. But really, who is?



Several songs have spoken to me lately and they ring so true..especially for what we've been through...and in a way..they tell my story..

1. Kelly Clarkson.."Breakaway"...every word

Starting on the farm in Golden, MS....dreaming of something bigger..not sure what...

but something special..somewhere else...



2. Whitney Houston " Didn't know my own strength"..so true.. "I was not built to break"

Making mistakes...others trying to break the spirit..but still holding on and despite all..using the pain to learn and grow stronger



3. Miley Cyrus "The Climb".."it ain't about how fast I get there..it's the climb"

"Overnight Success?" what a joke? Success is never overnight..it's the result of years working full time jobs plus summer and night school, and internships and weekends and holidays spent in the studio..and on and on and on........it's still not over..



385 Days...I can't wait until we reach the finish line!


God Bless you and keep you safe,

Janie



Philippians 3:12-14



12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus

Friday, May 8, 2009

Wheel of Plagues?

Hello friends, hope this finds you doing well.
Bryan and I have been away for a while..a lot of things have happened since I last wrote you.
Let's see...since December we've had: a broken tooth, a broken transmission, a repaired tooth, a repaired transmission, two flat tires, a new tire, an absess with serious infection leading to emergency surgery followed by 4 long days in a hospital..shall I go on or is that enough?
Bryan says it's like there's a "wheel of plagues..let's spin and see what comes up next?" NOT FUNNY!! You know though, the way it all worked out..the tooth and car were both repaired before we ended up in the hospital..God's perfect timing. And..Bryan and I were both able to stay home for two weeks while he recovered thanks to our Bosses at work. What would we have done without Home Health and family? Thanks to them..And God.. we've made it almost through to the other side. I learned I am not a good nurse...no patience. I like things to move on my schedule..waiting patiently is something I haven't learned to do well. Maybe God is teaching me something about that...when we were held hostage in Jackson Hospital, we had to wait for everything..nurses, doctors, meals, reports, and finally release. Waiting for everyone else to fit us into their schedule..NOT my cup of tea. I like to get up and go and move things and be done...but you're at the mercy of those folks when you're held captive like that. The hospital staff survived our stay..as did we. Bryan is recovering nicely and should wrap up his 3rd year of law school in another week. On the WAKA front: I've been busy as well..got to do two live shows, cover a freak snow storm and an EF1 tornado..lots of fun stories...as well as producing two shows and APing a third one every night. Mother stayed a week or so and I slept a large portion of her visit..so tired with everything we're doing. Bryan swears it will all pay off one day...counting down to that day..he graduates December 2010 and that's what I'm looking to..a year and a half and then we're free to go anywhere we want. Somewhere near water...not too hot though..done my time in the heat. Want to go where there's a beautiful old downtown with an old white church, where Bryan can hang a shingle out front and practice downtown ..maybe off the "square"..and I can anchor the news and tell everyone who won the Mrs. Senior Citizen Pageant down at the local Nursing home!! Oh well, someday..meanwhile..following some interesting blogs you might want to know about..one in particular I would like for you to read..it's about our pastor's daughter-in-law Katherine. She suffered an AVM (stroke in her brain stem) a little over a year ago..and her story is amazing. She should not have survived but she did. I call her "the most beautiful girl in the world"..inside and out. You can see her entire story at katherinewolf.blogspot or read her mom's at katherineawolf.blogspot.com. Check it out..it will humble you..if not something is seriously wrong with you. She was on her way...beautiful, young, healthy, married to the man of her dreams, new baby, becoming an actress, and them out of the blue one day..she's brought to her knees and almost dies...a 16 hour surgery and her blood replaced 5 times...she lived though and has fought her way back every single day..even writes her own blog with ONE hand. ONE hand...and encourages everyone through every word. And when you read it, pray for her and her family..she's coming back slowly and when she is completely healed..because God will bring her back stronger than before..she will soar! I'll try to write again when I get a second...or two. In the meantime..pray for us..we'll pray for you.
Love,
Janie