Heal The Wound, But Leave The Scar...

Scars. Each one tells a story, usually not a happy one. The song "Heal The Wound" by Point of Grace is amazing. It talks about finding beauty in suffering, not being able to rewrite history, carrying our scars and being reminded that God is merciful...

Click here for Point of Grace "Heal the Wound" on YouTube

Here are the lyrics:

"I used to wish that I could rewrite history
I used to dream that each mistake could be erased
Then I could just pretend
I never knew the me back then

I used to pray that You would take this shame away
Hide all the evidence of who I've been
But it's the memory of
The place You brought me from
That keeps me on my knees
And even though I'm free

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar

I have not lived a life that boasts of anything
I don't take pride in what I bring
But I'll build an altar with
The rubble that You've found me in
And every stone will sing
Of what You can redeem

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar

Don't let me forget
Everything You've done for me
Don't let me forget
The beauty in the suffering

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar"

The types of scars they talk about in the song are the ones we are ashamed of, that follow acts we are ashamed to admit. By leaving the scar, we are detailing God's mercy in the fact that He forgave us for this act, whatever it was, and He healed our wound, but left the scar as a reminder.

There are all types of scars, and many of them are emotionally painful reminders of God's mercy in one way or another.

We all have scars. Some are deeper than others. Some physical, some emotional. Some are self-inflicted. How we choose to carry them is important. We cannot hide from them because God knows every hair and freckle (and scar) on our bodies. By sharing our scars with others, and caring for each other we can help others to heal their wounds, and in turn most likely heal some of our own.

We are often "torn apart" by things in life that are suppose to be wonderful, but they end leaving us broken and scarred. When we are most vulnerable, it can be the hardest to open up and allow people into our heart, but that's when we need others the most. At the point that we are broken and in the rubble we can come together with others to share our scars and begin to heal those wounds.

What are some of your scars? What things in life have impacted you in such a way that left you feeling broken and scarred? Some of mine include poor decisions, a broken heart, loss of loved ones, prayers that weren't answered the way I hoped they would be, and actual physical scars from accidents or illness, and subsequent surgeries.They remind me how lucky I am to be here. There have been many points in my life, for various reasons, that I may not have survived to write this blog. It is by God's grace and mercy that I am alive, and for that I am eternally grateful!

So tend to your wounds, and try to embrace your scars. Hopefully you can get to a point that it all starts to make sense. I am still trying to figure out a few of mine, but I have faith that it will come in time.

Peace be with you...

Il Divo (Divine Male Performer)

I am in LOVE with the music of Il Divo, which in Italian, means "Divine Male Performer", and they ARE divine!! I cannot get enough of this group, they are absolutely amazing! I have always loved classical music, but this is a little different. Their voices blend with the music in a soothing, almost therapeutic way... it's magical.

Il Divo is a quartet of male singers: Spanish baritone Carlos Marín,42, Swiss tenor Urs Bühler,40, American tenor David Miller,38, and French pop singer Sébastien Izambard,38. They have been together since 2003 and sing in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Latin. The genius behind this creation? None other than Simon Cowell.

The song "Hallelujah" has long been a favorite of mine. Il Divo does the most majestic rendition I have ever heard! It is powerful! Don't take my word for it...

Il Divo - "Hallelujah" on You Tube

And if you didn't follow the additional links on You Tube, you don't want to miss "Amazing Grace"!! Another of my favorites, and another amazing rendition. I was absolutely breathless, and in tears, while this was playing. Their power, their energy, the full dynamic and sheer magnitude of their performance is overwhelming. It makes the hair of the back of my neck stand up!!

Il Divo - "Amazing Grace" on You Tube

They have performed duets with Celine Dion (what a dream!!), Toni Braxton, Barbra Streisand and Mariah Carey. They have appeared on many television shows including the Oprah Winfrey Show, American Idol and America's Got Talent. They captivate audiences by lending their unique blend to familiar songs. They continue to deliver magnificent performances all over the world. It's no surprise that they have sold more than 26 million albums worldwide!

Their seventh album, Wicked Game, will be coming out in November. Count me in!

Semper Ride & Semper Fi!

The 2011 Semper Ride in Belle Chasse, LA was AWESOME! As you may know, the Marine Corps is near and dear to my heart, so this Ride was especially great for me! Hangin' with "Jarheads" is always a plus! ;o)

I took over 500 pictures that day, and many of them will make it onto my website, a few will be in this blog in a minute, so be patient. Most will be of my favorite rider, the man on the Repsol... my sweet husband.

To get things started, let's show you what Semper Ride is all about. Check out this video, and don't forget to watch for the Repsol! ;o)

Click to watch video

So, did you see him? Now you get the idea! It was a great day, the weather was perfect and the riders had a fantastic time! In between taking pictures I sat in on some of the courses and they were VERY informative! The riders learned how to adjust their suspension, navigate corners with tighter precision, ride more defensively and be better riders overall.

Now to the pictures...

 

 

Yep, that's my hubby! *swoon* Oh, did you want to see some of the other bikes?? LOL Well, OK.

 

If you want to see the rest, you'll have to visit my website. Go to Moving Still Studio and check out the Semper Ride 2011 album in Gallery Two.

See you on the next blog!

**And HEY! No stealing my pictures!!**

Thanks, Frank!

I took my first loss in Fantasy Football this week. I'm now 3 and 1. Thank you, Frank Gore! I benched ol' Frank because he wasn't do anything for the team and he was questionable at best! How does Frank repay my benching? BY SCORING 19.90 POINTS! Thanks a lot, Frank!

Drew Brees pulled in 6 points less than expected and even my back up QB, Colt McCoy (who was on the bench) got a point more than he did! Antonio Brown, who I picked up this week, did well, but that's who I put in for Frank. Brown's 7 points didn't hold a candle to Frank's finally-come-to-life 19 points. Ugh.

By the way, I lost by less than 5 points. So if I'd kept Frank, or Drew Brees had played a smidgen better, or any of my other players had... I would have won. I choose to blame Frank (because it can't be my fault for benching him!! LOL). If he'd been doing better this season I wouldn't have benched him in the first place and I'd still BE in first place! Now I'm in second place.

The best part... the funniest part... the most BRAG WORTHY part... JASON IS IN THIRD PLACE! Ahahahahaha!! I am beating my husband in Fantasy Football! And if you remember, this is HIS work league, the Air Station League, and HE is the Commissioner. HAHA! I know it's early and anything can happen, but I've been ahead of him since the beginning, and even if it's only for this moment, I am ahead and it's fun!


Hey, Jason- I have a book for you... LOLz.

Oh YUM!

I made THE MOST DELICIOUS muffins today!

Pumpkin Muffins!

I saw a recipe on Pinterest and massacred it to make it my own! LOL I'm sure the original recipe was very tasty, but I have to change things, it's who I am! So, here goes:

15oz can of 100% pure pumpkin
French Vanilla cake mix
1/4 cup brown sugar

So, mix the ingredients together in a big bowl, divide into cupcake papers and bake on 350° for 20-25 minutes.

I chose to make some smaller muffins in my silicone pan too, so those didn't take as long to bake.

These are SUPER FANTASTIC!! I wanted to sit there and eat every single one!! My kids love them just as much as I do!!! I think next time I'll have to make a double batch. Jason is at work tonight, I hope there will be some left when he gets home tomorrow...

I just can't tell you enough how delicious these are! You have to try them! If and when you do, let me know, and if you change the recipe again, let me know what you changed. The original recipe said you could top them with a sprinkle of confectioners sugar, but I chose not to do that. I'm interested to know how others create their own edible masterpieces. 

Happy Eating!

Character & Integrity

Several years ago I heard motivational speaker Zig Ziglar at a conference in New Orleans. He is an amazing speaker and completely lived up to everything I had ever heard about him! One of my favorite quotes of his is this; "With integrity you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt. With fear and guilt removed you are free to be and do your best."

We constantly impress the importance of integrity upon our children. Where is your heart? Where do your intentions lie? Integrity is clearly important. Honesty is number one on my list. I cannot stand to be lied to, and my children know that they will be in a lot less trouble if they just tell the truth. I also know that we are human, and as such, lies are told. I do believe in forgiveness and second chances. We ALL make mistakes. Forgiveness is another very important part of life. (I wrote a blog on forgiveness a few months ago, if you're interested.)

Our character really encompasses who we are overall. It's comprised of our moral, mental, ethical and religious qualities, and forms our unique person. Some of the the things we try to instill in our children are the difference between right and wrong, openness, acceptance, treat others with equality (and as you would want to be treated), forgiveness, kindness, be thankful for what you have, to apologize when necessary, respect others... the things children SHOULD be taught! They actually helped me come up with that list. :o) We hope and pray that their character is whole and healthy. So far, so good!

So, what type of "character" are you?

You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him. -James D. Miles 

I had mentioned in a previous blog that my youngest son was packing an extra snack for a classmate who could not afford to bring one each day. He is still doing that every day, and he is very proud to be helping her. He does this out of the kindness of his heart, and he expects nothing in return. I am so proud of him!

This is how I pray our children will be for the rest of their lives; giving, loving, open souls who care about other people simply because they are people. I don't care what color you are, and neither do my children. We don't care because it's not important. You are a human. I don't care how much money you have, and I don't care about your house, or your car, or the label in your clothes. You are a human. If you are a morally decent human, I'll be proud to call you my friend. If not, I'll pray for you. And I don't mean that with a cute Southern drawl, "Bless yer' heart, I'll pray fer' youuu". I mean, literally, I WILL pray for your soul.


You can tell more about a person by what he says about others than you can by what others say about him. -Leo Aikman

I have found this to be very, very true! Have you ever listened to a person who picks apart others? The things they choose to talk about are really the things they are most insecure or unhappy about in themselves. People who constantly degrade other people are usually pretty miserable inside, and want others to be just as unhappy. Those who gossip are avoiding their own reality by involving themselves in the lives of someone else. Avoidance becomes a cycle and soon it's all too easy to get lost in a downward spiral...

Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. - Author Unknown

All is not lost! By changing habits, removing the drama from your life and keeping your distance from toxic people (emotional vampires) it's completely possible to break the cycle. I know, because I recently did it! In order to maintain MY character and integrity I have distanced myself from the drama that comes with some younger, less mature women. I know I have maintained my integrity, and I have nothing to fear. I have no guilt.

Times like this become good lessons for our children, too. Lessons in forgiveness seem easy to come by these days. :o( Some people just don't seem to know when to quit. Hopefully something, no matter how small, will spark in them and it will all start to make sense.

Until next time... Peace, Love, and Happiness to all.

She's Crafty!

Thanks to my friend Angie, I just got addicted to a new website that lists links to news about ALL KINDS of crafts and photography and everything else I love!! It's called Pinterest, have you heard of it? I have spent HOURS looking and clicking! I found A TON of projects I want to do and I can't wait to get started!! Sometimes I run out of ideas... well, I will never run out of ideas again! LOL

I am a "Room Mom" for my youngest son's class and volunteered to be in charge of the Christmas craft. I was excited to find something to do with the kids, but now I am REALLY excited because I know I will find something super-cool to make with them!! I do things like this every year and I love it. There is something so energizing about being in the classroom surrounded by all the kids and watching them learn. When they give you the big smiles and hugs it's the best feeling in the world. Children are simply wonderful.

I finished my photo hanging project for our granddaughter's pictures. As simple as it was it never should have taken so long. Time, as usual, was the culprit. Speaking of my baby girl, have I mentioned how much I miss her??? Well, not in this blog anyway. :o( Yes, I miss her so much. We'll get to see her at Christmas. I can't wait!! Christmas seems so far away, but then again, not really. I have actually started shopping already. I picked up a few small gifts the other day! I even shocked myself, but the items were so perfect AND they were on sale! LOL That's a combination I couldn't pass up!

I need a craft room, but that's not going to happen. I don't even have a craft corner! We're having a yard sale this weekend so we can get rid of some outgrown items and make room in the shed and garage. Wait, now I can make a craft workshop in the shed! I like where this is headed!!

I'm off to organize...

One Day At A Time

You know when you get hit in the gut, and the wind gets knocked out of you... those few moments, when you are standing (or laying) there in limbo, waiting for breath to come... those moments seem like an eternity!

Have you ever had that happen? Has anything ever just knocked the wind out of you? Maybe physically, or emotionally? I've experienced both.

When I was about 10, my brothers and I were at my great-grandparent's house in Findley Lake, New York. We loved to play outside! We were playing baseball one day and I stood a little too close to my middle brother as he swung the bat around. He caught me right under the ribs, full swing, and POW! I was down on the ground! I will never forget that feeling, waiting for air... waiting... waiting... it felt like forever before I could take a breath! It was awful but I was lucky, no broken bones and I did breathe again!

I have also emotionally had the wind knocked out of me, in hearing unexpected news that took me to my knees. Unfortunately this has happened more than once. In high school I met a boy named Lee. He worked part-time at my aunt and uncle's TV repair shop. We started hanging out after school sometimes, we were both in ROTC, and we soon became good friends. Because he was close to my uncle, we started joking that we were cousins. So, he became my cousin Lee. He joined the Army and moved away after high school but we stayed in touch. He met a girl, fell in love and wanted to marry her. We were all thrilled! One day I got a call from my aunt. Lee was dead. Just like that, he was dead. Dead. I couldn't breathe. My knees buckled and I hit the living room floor. When my breath returned I was sobbing hysterically. Lee had been driving back from seeing his girlfriend. He had just proposed to her that night. He fell asleep on the way back to his base and drove head-on into a tractor-trailer. My cousin Lee was gone forever.

I wish I could say my heart has never been broken, but that would be a lie. Each time, I've felt the wind get knocked out of me to some extent. Each time I get bad news, or sad news, I catch a whiff of that old familiar feeling. This time in my life is no exception.

My middle brother, the "Slugger King" himself, is off to Afghanistan, and I am terrified. If you know me, or have read my previous blogs, you know I am very protective of my brothers. I always have been our whole lives. I am the oldest, we are all two and a half years apart. I love them tremendously, and I worry about them like they are my own children sometimes. He just returned, along with our father, from Iraq. Now the thought of him going to a worse place is almost too much to bear. I will be praying for him daily.

I got some other deeply personal news yesterday that I won't be sharing on here. I'm mentioning it because it needs immediate prayer for tremendous healing, and it pertains to the reason for this blog. If you are so inclined, any and all prayers would be greatly appreciated. This is the time when my family needs to be together, to draw strength from each other. My family will now be divided by continents... once again. My heart is aching and I feel like I can hardly breathe sometimes.

This is where faith comes in. As hard as it is sometimes, I must have faith. There is a reason for all of this, God has a plan, this is under control... I don't understand, but I'm not supposed to. Just because I don't understand doesn't mean I have blind faith. God has never let me down. He has always fulfilled His promises to the world, to all His children. My faith is NOT blind.

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. -1 Peter 5:7

I know I use that one a lot, and I often go back to it, because it pertains to my life so much! I am a worrier, and as hard as I try NOT to be, I can't help it, I still worry. I'm working on it. 

Let go and let God. 

Simple. Awesome. True. So why can't I do it? I have so many things going on right now! Actually, it always seems that way to be totally honest. But all we can do it take it one day at a time, learn from our mistakes and hope tomorrow will be a better day. Oh, and don't forget to pray... that is a given! ;o)

Truth > Drama

Yes, I am a child of God. My name, Rachelle, means "Lamb of God"... blessed from birth. It's a good thing too, because I came into this world a scrawny miracle with a birth defect that could have killed me had the doctors not found it in time. Luckily, one did.

Over the years I seem to have had my fair share of challenges and trials. I won some, I lost some. It's the way of the world. But God has never forsaken me, because I am His child.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
-Marriane Williamson

I LOVE THIS! We are meant to do SO much! And we should! We should never let anything hold us back.

As a mother I am constantly encouraging and challenging my children to do more and to better themselves, but I can't forget to do the same for myself. I often get so wrapped up in their lives that I forget about my own. I'm not dead yet! I have to remind myself to KEEP GROWING! My kids have been my life for the past fifteen years! That's a hard habit to break. ;o) They are my favorite people in the world. Sometimes they seem like the only people in the world. Sometimes, amid all the aggravation and let-downs of the day, I wish they were the only people in the world.

Mother Teresa said, "People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."

This is one of my most favorite things I have EVER read in my life. Sadly, it's also one of the truest things I have ever read. Some people will never be happy, no matter what you do. Don't do it for them. Do it for the greater good. Doing the right thing always makes me feel better, even if I am the only one who knows what I did. ("Well, you and God", as B would say.)

Even when we do the right thing, we may be ridiculed and falsely accused. In the Bible, we are told not to fear, and to consider ourselves blessed.

But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats. -1 Peter 3:14

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. -Matthew 5:10

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. -James 1:12

As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. 
-James 5:11

Consider Jesus' suffering, the persecution He endured, the murder that ended His precious life. He endured it all for US, without complaining, without anger, without questioning. We are to live our lives for Him out of Gratitude, not out of fear. Our God is a gracious, loving, merciful God. I strive to live my life in a way that glorifies Him. Am I perfect? Absolutely not! Do I make mistakes? You better believe it! But I am learning, and growing and every day is a better day. I learn from every trial that comes my way, and lately there have been quite a few.

I am in no way comparing my life's trivial issues to what Jesus endured, because there really is no comparison! My problems are small, and I know who "has my back". Truth is greater than drama! It's not the focus here, and it's not relevant. The truth is known to those who matter, most importantly- to God.

I will continue to do what I do; raise my kids to the best of my ability, live my life, praise my Lord and carry on! Each day presents its own unique challenges, and I look forward to them.


Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 
-Philippians 4:5

Breakfast In Bed

It's been awesome! I have the best husband... truly. :o) He got up the last few mornings and got the kids off to school and then came back to bed. We'd sleep a while longer and then he'd get up and make me breakfast in bed. All while HE'S been as sick as a dog!!

So then I laid in bed with my lap tray and ate, drinking my coffee (so perfectly made) and when I was done, he'd come and take my dishes to the sink! He is awesome! I've been hooked up electronically so I could be entertained and work on my blog, Facebook or whatever. I caught up on PostSecret since I was not able to read it on Sunday like I usually do. We sat in bed and ate Chicken Noodle Soup for lunch together and watched a movie. :o) When the kids got home from school he helped them with their homework and made dinner. They all took turns coming in to sit and talk with me.

On one hand it's nice to be waited on, but on the other hand, after 4 days in the hospital not being allowed to do anything, and then coming home and not being able to do anything... it does get boring. It is a little different at home though, because I have all my "creature comforts" and I am much more at ease here. I love our house!

So that Bronco game was a bust, huh? LOL The Raiders didn't play so well either, but they played just enough to beat the Broncos 23-20. Lousy game. Oh well, there's always the next game.

I go back to work today. I only have one session though, so it will be a short day. It's nice to ease back into things. My boss (the owner) has been WONDERFUL! I absolutely adore her!! My supervisor has been great too. I haven't had a chance to spend as much time with her yet. I have to say that I have been very lucky to land some fun and fantastic jobs in my lifetime, but this one totally rocks!

Sooo, yep! Things are looking up! We got some other lucky news, too! Our credit union was doing a refinance deal, so we got BOTH of our vehicles refinanced for 1.99%!! HOLLA! LOL I was very excited!

Aaaaannnnnnddddd... We have some other news to announce, but it's not quite time for that just yet... coming soon. ;o)

Have a great day, see you again soon!