It's the first day of 2019 and this year has started out with excitement I never dreamed we'd have.
We found a SNAKE in our living room. At first glance I thought it was a rubber snake and Trammell was playing a New Years Joke on me BUT just as I reached to pick it up it moved. At this point Trammell and I both were Freaking Out. I then began calling out orders like a drill sergeant. Telling Trammell to grab gloves & a large ziplock bag. I ran for the grabbing thing Trammell used to use when he was still in the wheelchair. So glad I kept it. I grabbed the snake with it while Trammell, put the thick work gloves on and held the bag open. I put the snake in the bag and he zippef it up. If only we had someone videoing us catching this snake. It was so funny. Well, now it seems funny. At that time, not so much. Trammell and our sweet friend Keely took the snake down to the lake and released it into the wild. The rest of the day was a bit calmer. Thank Goodness 2018
Broke my heart Broke my body Broke me financially and Left me wondering where to go and what to do. BUT I believe that God Will RESTORE in 2019. FOR 100 DAYS I AM WRITING A NEW BLOG CALLED
100 DAYS IN PARADISE PLEASE CHECK IT OUT AT www.lindabyce.blogspot.com THANKS SO MUCH! 2012 has undoubtedly been the most heartbreaking year of my life.
I lost my Mom in January and my Dad in December. I lost my dear sweet cousin and many friends. I attended more funerals during that one year than in all my 54 years put together. I'm Praying with all my heart that 2013 will bring joy. It will bring opportunities for me to bring joy to others through the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ. After all That's why we are all here to begin with. To Serve GOD and HELP OTHERS. May GOD BLESS 2013 Today would have been my Mom's 76th Birthday. It's still hard to believe she is gone.
Our family is entering our first Holiday Season without her. My heart breaks for my Dad. For the first time in 58 years he will not get to celebrate Christmas with the Love Of His Life. So much has happened since I have written my last blog. I had all but given up on my dream to move my family back to the coast after the girl decided to renew the lease on the condo we were going to move into. (with no deposit. The ONLY way we could afford to do so.) BUT I did what we should ALWAYS do with EVERY aspect of our lives. I turned it ALL over to God. Why do we as humans try to handle everything ourselves knowing full well that if we just give it ALL to God He will work it out. One afternoon I had this feeling that I should run our washer and dryer for sale on Facebook. Within the hour it was sold. The precious lady also bought our Air Hockey table. That gave us our deposit which meant we could once again begin our search for a place to lease at the beach. Every place I called, within our price range, would not allow our cat Chocolate who has been a member of our family for 13 years. There was a small yellow sticky note with a number written on it which lay on the table next to my chair. I walked by it daily with this feeling that I should call it but I had no memory of what the number was for. It wasn't like me to just write a number down and not put a name with it so I didn't think it was important. Finally one day right after we sold the washer & dryer, I picked up the number and walked toward the trash can to toss it. The feeling was so strong that I turned around and walked straight to my phone and dialed the number. The voice on the other end said "Myrtle Grand Vacations". Before the lady could say another word I said, " We have a 13 year old Persian Cat who is part of the family. Do you have ANYTHING available for long term lease?" She paused for a moment and then said they had one property that would allow cats. After checking on it she said they had one unit available. It was in our price range! The same thing we were paying to live in Easley! Here's the best news! It was 3 bedrooms, 3 bath, on the 12th floor, OCEAN FRONT! We could have it until April 1st (which would get us down there and give us 5 months to search for something permanent while living in Paradise. What a Blessing it was to be able to say yes right then and give her the deposit which if I had called before the washer and dryer sold I would not have been able to do. For as long as I can remember I have had the dream of living On The Beach. I never dreamed it would ever come true. Now as I sit here gazing out at the ocean listening to the sound of the waves as they crash onto the shore I am reminded of God's Grace and that if we only let go of our need to control and allow HIM to take over EVERY aspect of our lives He will indeed, effortlessly, make our dreams come true. To HIM Be The Glory And The Honor Things May Not Go According To Our Plans BUT Take Heart, They Always Go According To God's Plan9/12/2012 And as we know GOD'S PLAN IS ALWAYS BEST.
Our Beach move was canceled because the lady who was to move out had a change of plans and decided to sign another year's lease. Yes - I am beyond disappointed BUT I am Trusting In GOD. The car we bought the week of Christmas 2011 for the Family we have been helping since 2007 has now died. It's not even worth fixing. They have no way to replace it. We were even having to pay their car insurance. They have no money or credit to get any kind of car. I have NO idea WHAT they are going to do. BUT GOD DOES. (See Geneva's story at www.Ourbrokenwings.weebly.com) Please Keep Her In Your Prayers. The house (Our Home) we had to sell after our nightmare began, which we had to finance for the lady, was flooded over a month ago and now stands empty. The new owner has no way to repair the damages because State Farm CANCELED her home owners insurance after her son tragically took his life in the home and she had to file a claim for the clean up. (They said it was because she had filed another claim when hail damage caused the roof to need repairs) COME ON INSURANCE COMPANIES isn't that the REASON we have insurance to begin with!?! Please Keep Her In Your Prayers. I don't know what she's going to do. BUT GOD DOES. Every Worry We Have can be lifted from our shoulders by doing one simple thing, HANDING IT OVER TO GOD. IN ALL THINGS HE HAS A PLAN AND HIS PLAN IS ALWAYS BEST. For those who truly know me know my passion for the coast and as I always say "Give Me SAND, CONCRETE & PALM TREES and I'm happy".
SO when the offer came to us this week to move back down to Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach and live in one of the most beautiful (furnished) condos I have ever seen for the same price we are living here for my heart began to race! Of course we handed it all over to God and we believe this is where we are supposed to go. The family who owns the condo is so sweet and are happy that we are able to make the move. We have many friends down there and we have Doctors who know us not to mention baby sitters for David. I just pulled my Beach Bike out of storage. I feel like a kid at Christmas!! Every time I walk in to check on David (every 10 to 15 minutes) I ask are you excited about moving to the beach? His eyes light up and he shakes his head yes! It's new for him each time I ask. I know we have moved a lot during these 6 years and each time it was a "have to" or me doing what others told me t do BUT this time I'm doing it 1. Because I feel that God has opened this door and is Blessing us with this opportunity. 2. Because when I am not on the coast I am longing to be there. Please Pray for us as we make this move in the coming months. If you look at our bank account you may think that we are poor but take a closer look at this family and you will see how rich we really are.
We have things in our home that so many wealthy people only dream of. We have the sound of laughter all day long. We have the sound of kindness in our voices when we speak to each other. We have the sound of music. Although our son may not think it's that great of a sound. LOL I sing ALL THE TIME. (I sing because I'm happy - I'm happy because I sing) We have the sound of God's Word being read every day at least once a day. We have the sound of Prayer many times during the day. Yes, we have many things that the richest in this world have never had. But there are also things we don't have that they do. We don't have the sound of yelling or anger in our home. We don't have worry, even when we are down to our last dollar. (We know God will provide.) God is teaching us so much as He leads us along this journey we have been on for the last 5 & 1/2 years. We are learning what it feels like to have to depend on Our Lord for everything and how we should all live our lives in that way. We are learning how it feels to walk in the shoes of the poor and that has given us a passion to want to help as many people in need as possible. I've always had a passion for helping those in need for as long as I can remember but this experience has taken it to a whole new level. God has given us a heart for Ministry. We have started 12-N-12 which is a movement to encourage others to set a goal to help at least one person in need each month every month. We have just started OUR BROKEN WINGS which began when God allowed us to save a family of six from being homeless. God brought Geneva's family and our family together in 2007 and He has been working miracles in both of our families' lives ever since. She and I feel that God is leading us to speak publicly about the Awesome things HE is doing in our lives. To bring Hope to those who feel they have no Hope. To bring awareness to caregivers and families in need. To speak out for those who have no voice. Please see our new website, which we are still working on, at www.ourbrokenwings.weebly.com |
This picture was taken of me BEFORE our world was turned upside down. Believe me, I look a lot more RESTED here than I do now. LOL
Linda ByceI believe we are on this earth for two reasons. To SERVE GOD and to HELP OTHERS. |