Daily Blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This is the first time in many years that I have not been with family over the holidays. Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorites. Instead of eating and lounging this year, I had the pleasure of working. For those of you who don't know, I am currently a G.R.A. those initials stand for Guest Room Attendant which is a fancy way of saying I am that girl you see in the hallway with a cart full of linens and toiletries in every hotel.

I had hoped that today would be a great day for tips but that was not the case. I truly need a boost in my income as my paycheck for the last two weeks was only for 37 hours. The Casino that I work at has been a little slower than usual. I have been praying for the business to pick up and this week it did. I went from being scheduled for four days to be called in for two of my off days and next week I also get to work 4 days! That is a lot better than 5 in two weeks!

Tips have not been the greatest these last couple of weeks either, but I serve an incredible God and He is always blessing me in some way or another. When I got only $6 in tips on Tuesday I turned to him in prayer. I knew my paycheck would barely cover two weeks rent leaving nothing for laundry which is a major bill with five children. Low and behold, Tuesday night, fellow RVrs that we had met over holloween showed up with a fully cooked Turkey dinner and five $5 tokens for the laundromat I go to! Life is amazing when you always turn to the LORD with your needs and fears.

Tomorrow I will have 16 more rooms to strip, clean and restage. I am going to bed tonight in hopeful prayer that hearts are moved to leave me something in my tip envelopes! A girl can dream, right!?!

One of the coolest parts of my week at work was when another lady that I have given Melaleuca cough drops to when she truly needed them, showed me a trick when it comes to making beds that not only cuts my time in half, it also enables me to make beds so tight you could bounce a quarter off of them!

The beds are by far the hardest part of restaging the rooms. She cut my time down to almost three minutes verses seven! That is a major thing in my line of business! 4 x 16 saves me an hour of time and energy! Talk about a gift that will continue to give for as long as I remain in this oh so humbling line of work! The other cool thing that happened is a lady who has seen me reading my bible brought me a concordance to use!

Being a Guest Room Attendant is by far the hardest job I have ever had, but there are parts of it that I truly love. It is cool to be able to make a bed in under four minutes flat! For the majority of my day I am by myself so I have time to converse with God. During my breaks I get to hang out with fellow co-workers and we are spoiled by our break room. It is a fully loaded cafeteria. We get free lunch, free coffee or drinks, including milk and cereal all day lol. They are always putting out treats during the day as well. I have never worked anywhere where you get to eat such great food for free.

No matter where you are in life, no matter what work you are currently doing, there are going to be daily blessings. It is my prayer that you keep your eyes open so that you see them and give thanks when they manifest in your life!

Be blessed my friends,

Wendy, mom of many, walks with God

© Wendy Glidden 2015

All I Need!

This morning as the children boarded the bus, another boy that rides the bus with them glanced at my feet, smiled at me and said, “I like your shoes.” I laughed; they are a mix match of my two favorite slippers. I used to have their mates. I am thankful I at least lost the right of one and the left of the other. After all, I could be completely without.

I found myself quickly in a conversation with God as I pondered on those things and instantly I laughed as I thought about taking the picture you see for this blog. I may not have everything I want today but one thing is certain, I have all I need.

I was led this morning to read this entire Psalm. It drew me in. I pray it does the same for you:

PSALM 63: God Alone a Refuge from Treachery and Oppression: (NASB)

My soul waits in silence for God only;

From Him is my salvation.

[2] he only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.

[3] How long will you assail a man, That you may murder him, all of you, Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?

[4] They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position; They delight in falsehood; They bless with their mouth, but inwardly they curse.

Selah.

[5] My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him.

[6] He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.

[7] On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.

[8] Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

Selah

[9] Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie; In the balances they go up; They are together lighter than breath.

[10] Do not trust in oppression And do not vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

[11] Once God has spoken;

Twice I have heard this:

That power belongs to God; And loving kindness is Your, O Lord, For You recompense a man according to his work.

God truly is my everything and therefore I have all I need. While some may look weirdly in my direction, my feet are warm and cozy each one in its own way ha ha.

There are moments in my life where I never talked to God. In reading my trilogy, that truth is undeniable. It is through my story that anyone can easily see that we all must remember when things in this world get rough, that God has truly provided us a way ~ we must seek to recognize what blessings are available to us at all given times. One thing I have learned in looking back at my life is that I had choices I allowed myself to be blinded from.

As you read my trilogy, I encourage you to reflect upon the LORD; how He has perhaps moved throughout your own life and call out to Him. If you are angry, confused, frustrated, lost as to why you are going through something, go to Him with that. I simply encourage you to go and KEEP going back. EVERY day go back. The more often and honestly you talk to Him, the clearer you will hear, see, feel, and know instinctively what to do in various situations.

This requirement for a relationship with God is not a hit or miss kind of thing. Admittedly, He is often an emergency buddy for many. To find your way to peace, joy and an abundant life, you must make contact with the LORD every day.

I invite you to read my trilogy today. It will help open your eyes to the things that are not always visible to the naked eye.

Wendy Glidden, walks with God, mom of many

© Wendy Glidden 2015

Everyone is Complex!

I had to laugh today when I read the encouraging word of the day that K-Love emailed me. It has been a rough couple of weeks for me. While there have been daily blessings and I have gotten so much better at keeping my focus, the truth is sometimes the trio comes on so strong, I stumble momentarily.

Who are the trio you may ask? Well . . . crazy, insanity, and chaos are one of them, trials, tribulations and turbulance are another! The evil one comes at you any which way he thinks might pan out for him.

I often picture myself in my head in all my armor. It helps me keep my focus on the truth. For those that don't know, there are five children under the age of eleven at home. I am bound to a man who honestly has not discovered who he is in Christ and who also happens to be just fine with that. He is in what many would count as the first mansion. Deep in his heart he knows there is a God, he is just not ready to submit to God as the head of his house. This is where and how the famous trio enters into my house and my life!

With that being said, this is today's encouraging word courtesy of K-love:

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it. (Psalm 139:14, NLT)

How true! I must remember that not only am I complex via my makeup, I am complex in my thinking and emotions. In that truth, I must also remember that I am not alone in my complexity. All those I come into contact with are just as complex!

Over the last 18 months, I have lived all over the place. I have met a lot of people that have been a blessing in my life in one way or another. Some in multiple ways. Currently I live in Laughlin, Nevada at the local KOA. My occupation title is "Guest Room Attendant". Pretty fancy when you consider I am truly that girl pushing a cart full of linens and toiletries who sets the stage or tidies up the stage of your average hotel room! It is by far the hardest work for the least amount of pay I have ever performed in my life! The perks of my job would be this:

1.  I have been paid to lose weight.
2.  I can strip and remake a bed in 4 minutes flat with two sheets, a fleece blanket, top cover, and four pillowcases. We have a little 3' cover thing that goes at the bottom of the bed as well but for the life of me I cannot think of its proper name.

Sadly, even though it is much warmer here than back home in Indiana, the hotel I work at is not busy. We are so slow that my work week went from 5 days to three days and now I am on the schedule for only two days. There is no way I can afford to stick around at that rate. My rent is paid through the end of the month and once again, I am leaning on God's promises of provision. I feel that He used me to help spur on a few others who will do great things for the Kingdom of God. They just needed a dose of faith. I am honored and humbled to have been called a "God Send". All my life I wanted to be one who helped God's people. This month I have given my book to three people. Before it is over, I believe that tally will be four.

****** Almost 24 hours have passed since I wrote the things above. I had planned on finishing this post with something on faith and the lack of worry, yet the day got away from me. Sometimes it happens ~ the craziness of a life with five hungry children with homework to get done and chores still left to do before the sun sets!

With that said, something cool happened to me last night. I was given a slide show on my next book and finally see how it is going to be sown together! I have a lot of work ahead of me but I am excited to get to it. May it bless all who read it. It will be a great follow up to my previous three books that are now available in one complete volume: "You Are Worthy Too: The Proof is in the Pudding"

With Christmas right around the corner, it is my belief that my personal true life story would bless someone in your life that you love and long to inspire. After all, who doesn't love a true life story with twists and turns that end in a rewarding way. Purchase a copy today for yourself and then pass it on to someone you feel would benefit most! May you be blessed by my story. May it increase your faith and your joy. I leave you with this final picture and verse:

Wendy, walks with God, Mom of many!

© Wendy Glidden 2015

What Are Your Cup Stats?

Today is one of those days where I am so thankful to know who I am in Christ. I am exhausted, beat up and tired. I have been crying for the last hour but please do not feel sorry for me. Even Jesus cried you know!

I keep thinking about that age old question, "How full is your cup?"

My cup I promise you is always overflowing. I say that because I know who I am in Christ. I know my destiny. Today is just a pit stop along the way. I choose to keep my eyes focused on what lies at the end of this often long, hard, grueling road that I walk on. It is in knowing the truth that I am able to smile and laugh beyond the heartache and tears that plague my daily life.

The evil one will use people, places and things to attempt to drag you down and beat you up. Don't ever forget that He who is in you is stronger than he who is in the world.

That does not mean that life is going to be easy. Truthfully, it is most likely going to be hard. It may at times kick your rear end, but it does not concur you.This is how you come to realize there is a God.

I live with a man who often mocks my faith even though he has witnessed first hand some of the things God has done for me. He believes that because our life is hard, because I am not a famous writer, because I am not rich that I serve a false God. He is WRONG. I serve a loving God who carries me through trials and tribulations that are fierce.

I have been in the pit of hell and I climbed out smiling with Jesus at my side. Yes, I cry. Yes, I have hard days. Pick up your bible and you'll discover I am not alone in this.

King David loved the LORD. He praised him, sang to him, worshipped him and credited him throughout his life. King David also fell to temptation and when confronted repented unlike King Saul.

As the bible makes it clear, not one of us is without sin. Not one of us! However, God did not send his son into the world to condemn us. He sent Him into the world to save us. Today is just a day. When you step back and look at the big picture, days, weeks, years, fly by. The older we get the faster they seem to go. One cannot deny that we truly are like vapor. Here today, gone tomorrow. What we do with our lives matters only in the respect of who we lead to Christ for Christ leads us all to the Father. When you read all He spoke, you see that He is always pointing to the Father.

As a child I walked and talked with God. It was in seeking him later in life that I discovered Christ and it was indeed my seeking and coming to understand the word of God thanks to my searching out just who Christ was to me that I came to truly know and love my heavenly Father.

If it were not for my understanding of things, that I am in a spiritual battle, God only knows where I would be today for my life is a far cry from a garden of roses! My life is also a far cry from absolute hell. I am blessed for today I walk with the LORD again. He comforts me through my tears and it is in keeping my focus on him that I am able to smile when the children return from school.

Today I leave you with some great advice that was written a long long time ago:

Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:8, NASB)

In other words, don't get stuck in the mud focusing on all that is wrong in the world or in your personal life. Things as we all have come to witness change . . . what is constant is the Love of God. Keep your focus on those things mentioned and you too will see your cup as always overflowing!

Wendy, walks with God, mom of many

© Wendy Glidden 2015