Incredibly Hard Year

This has been a hard year for the Neelys, and it has really intensified these past 3 months. Our faith has been tested on many levels and I'd love to say that we came out smelling like a rose....but that wasn't always the case. I've had (and honestly, still do have) so many questions for God. So many things that I don't understand....experiences that we've gone through that don't seem to have any reason for them. There were days that Wes and I were just numb....didn't understand at all why.....didn't understand why it seemed like He was remaining quiet. Days where you want to sit in the corner and just cry.

There are too many things to write what's going on, but the biggies: Church relationships being tested beyond reason, my health, American Airlines going bankrupt, the sale of our house falling through, my dad moving in with us, and 2 grandbabies possibly going back to their birth parents.

So, of course, the devil throws all kinds of arrows at you......God doesn't love you anymore....You're not so special afterall....You've must have done something pretty bad for Him to turn His back on you. Wes and I both know that these are lies. But when you are being bombarded over and over and over....sometimes it can be so very hard to fight.

But that's where friends and family come in. I don't know what I would have done without my two best girlfriends. I can't tell you what it means when they come up to you, hug you, and say, "I just heard what's going on with you. You're not walking through this alone. I am here to walk with you". When you feel you can't get back up again, they grab your arms - pull you up and help you walk - never leave your side - even fight for you when you're just not able.

Then it becomes very clear......God is near.....He is walking through it all with you.....and He's chosen your friends to be a physical presence for you. He never promised that life would be easy, but He did promise that He would provide and be there.

He has shown Himself very faithful (again).

No, most of these "problems" have not gone away. If anything they have intensified. But, we're not walking alone and it will be alright. We've had our faith stretched further than it seemed possible.....but when we thought we could stand no longer......He would send along words of love. You'll see what I mean in my next two blogs.

Kids' Camp 2011

This is a picture of some of my 3rd - 6th graders. And we're at camp! One of the most favorite things I get to do with my kids. I love being their mama for a couple of days of swimming, eating, swimming, eating, swimming, eating and even a little sleep! I think my favorite part is walking back to the cabin from either the waterfront or the swimming pool. I have the best conversations with the kids! These guys are dear to my heart......I just love 'em, love 'em, love 'em!

PandaMania 2011

One of my biggest feats every summer is Vacation Bible School. Honestly, it is one of the most exhausting things I do! But it is my one gift to my kids every year. They love it so much and there is no way I can look into those precious faces and tell them that we're aren't going to have VBS. Thanks to an incredible group of volunteers, an amazing VBS happened in July again this year - PandaMania! And as soon as I see those smiles and hear all the laughter - I don't even remember all the hours of planning, decorating, learning music, and finding teachers' supplies. I just enjoy the ride.


So, here are some of our pictures from PandaMania.

And this little girl right here? Well, it was her first VBS with JuJu. I think the smile describes it all.

What a Difference a Day Makes

There is this song that starts out:

What a difference a day makes
24 little hours.......


Well, within 24 hours of my last post, we had sold our house. Are you kidding me? You will not believe this story! It's so incredible - it is such a miracle. Wes and I stand it awe. So here is our story:

Let's start with last Monday, the 22nd. Wes had oral surgery which lasted most of the morning. (I know that doesn't sound real important at this moment - but you'll see that it really is a little later!) Tuesday morning, I wake up and honestly, I realize that we probably aren't going to sell our house. It's just not a good market and we needed to get a very good price for our home. So, I told the Lord that that was fine and started thinking what remodeling I needed to do to make our house suitable for my dad to come live with us.

We hadn't been cooking much since the house was on the market. Didn't want to mess up the kitchen in case we needed to show the house in a hurry. Nothing like the smell of fish as you walk in the front door to scare off potential buyers! However, I decided to cook lunch on Tuesday because Wes had had surgery and needed to eat soft foods. So, I told him I would just cook some spaghetti. While I was cooking, our doorbell rang. A lady in her early 60's was at our door. She told Wes that she and her sister (who is in her 70's) live in Athens, TX and are moving back to the DFW area to be near children and grandchildren. They had been looking at houses and were very disappointed with what they saw...so they were just driving around the neighborhood and saw our house. So she and Wes started up a conversation.

She told us our house was priced higher than their budget. She started walking back to the car, turned around and asked if she could just come in and look. We agreed after explaining that our house really wasn't in "show" condition at this time. She said she didn't mind - she and her sister were interior designers and didn't need to see it in tip top shape.

After 15 minutes in our house, they gave us a cash offer on our home. The older sister (who is actually paying for the house) hadn't even looked through the whole house when she made the offer!!!! She just kept telling her sister that she wanted this house. Wes told them that they really needed to go through our realtor and that we couldn't accept that offer....it just wasn't enough. He explained how we were building a house so my dad could come live with us and we really needed to get close to our asking price. After another 30 minutes, we had fallen in love with these sweet ladies. Their love for the Lord was so obvious! We even found out they knew several friends of ours from our church. We spent much more time talking with each other than showing the house. It was such an enjoyable time!

So, as Wes was helping them in their car, they asked him to please not accept another offer until we heard back from them. But Wes and I knew that these ladies were supposed to have our home. We just didn't know how the money was going to work out. And to try to make this long story a little shorter, they gave us a great offer on our house Wednesday. Contract was signed today....wow! In 24 hours! Amazing.

Just a couple of side notes:
If Wes hadn't had his surgery and if we hadn't stayed home for lunch (which we have almost NEVER done since the house was on the market!) we would have missed them when they rang our doorbell.

If they had waited one more day, we would have had a much harder time getting a contract together because our realtor left on vacation today. She was able to write up a contract for us before she left!

We are so excited! Yes, God has sold our house.....but it is so much more than that. We have two PRECIOUS ladies who are taking over our home. We have such sweet neighbors and it was so very important to us that the right people come into our neighborhood. Plus, we know that these ladies will keep loving our neighbors and showing God's grace and mercy to them. Like I said, we stand in awe!!

What a difference a day makes!
24 little hours.....

Yes, It Has Been Awhile

So, I open up my blog today and see it has been 3 months since my last blog. That may not seem like a real long time to some people, but this last 3 months have seemed like a lifetime to me. Of course, as a Children's Pastor, summertime is my busy season. Between VBS, summer camp, and finding new teachers for the fall, I stay pretty busy. But this time.......


VBS is over - it was a very good one.....camp is over - the best we've ever had.......I'm in the process of finding teachers and it looks like I have all I need.....so why the deep feeling of frustration?


I think I have found the answer.....I am really ticked off at God right now. My whole life is in limbo - the selling of our house....the church.....my dad.....Wes' job and possible retirement. Everything is just hanging out there - just out of my reach and it is driving me crazy. Because I can't reach it - because it's not going the way I would like - I have decided that God isn't doing it correctly. I've decided that I know better and I'm ticked off because He hasn't chosen to see it my way.


Well, good for me. No wonder I have been moody and frustrated lately! I wasn't created to be responsible for all of this mess and yet I think it's my job to take care of it. It's all a matter of trust. You see, if I truly believed that God loves me - just for me - that He is really crazy about me - not because of what I do or what I don't do - just because I'm me, then I would trust Him that He has my very best interest at heart. Why would He do this - because He loves me. If Psalm 139 is really true and He knows my inner most parts and knew about me before He created the heavens and the earth....if He knows how many hairs are on my head, then I think I can safely say that He loves me enough to trust Him with all this other stuff.


So, I'm shifting gears. I first had to ask God to forgive me. Of course He did - He's so full of mercy and grace. I'm asking God to help the knowledge of He loves me that's in my head to move to my heart. He's the only one that can get it down there! I want to trust Him with all I have; therefore, I really need to know how much He loves me.


No, none of the situations in my life have changed - everything is still in limbo. But my heart has changed....I no longer need to strive to find the answers.....I can just sit and enjoy the fact that He loves me. He'll take care of everything. This is where I want to stay.

Our house

We put our house on the market at the beginning
of the month. First of all, let me just say that it
is the PITS keeping your house clean all the time so someone can come in and look at it! On the up side, my house has never been cleaner!

My Dad turns 84 next week and it is becoming apparent that he is really struggling to think clearly. He is in great health, but his mind just doesn't want to think like it use to. This is a little dishearting to me because my dad was always the "sharpest pencil in the box". I hurt for him as he gets so frustrated at not being able to come up with the right words or remember if he has done something or not.

But he is the reason that we are selling our house. Our plan is to build a house with a "casita" attached. This is basically a house with an apartment attached to it. It looks like one house from the outside, but there will be 2 residences on the inside. This way, we all will have our own private places but I can get to Dad quickly if he needs me.

We've been in our house for 19 years......the boys grew up in this house.....and it isn't in any way a house......it's a home.......it's our home. Many folks have felt so sorry for me as I have to "give up" my home and leave all the sweet memories behind. But I don't feel that way. First of all, I will take every memory with me. They aren't stuck in the walls of this house. Second, I am excited to think of all the new memories we will make in the new house.

So, we wait. We feel like this is what God would have us do. But He is the One who must sell our house. This is not the best market to sell a home....but God doesn't really worry about that....if we're to move on He'll provide the perfect buyer. If He doesn't, then it's because we aren't to do this. So, we wait - for His perfect timing.....His voice.......His direction.

Because You Love Me

For all those times You stood by me
For all the truth that You made me see
For all the joy You brought to my life
For all the wrong that You made right
For every dream You made come true
For all the love I found in You
I'll be forever thankful, Jesus
You're the One who holds me up
Never lets me fall
You're the One who sees me through
Through it all

You are my strength 'cuz I am weak
You are my voice 'cuz I can't speak
You are my eyes 'cuz I can't see
You are the best there is in me
You lift me up when I can't reach
You give me faith in You to believe
I'm everything I am
Because You love me.

By Diane Warren (and tweaked by me)