I'm Afraid to Admit...but I've been tagged...

I was tagged by my dear cousin a few weeks ago. I have never been tagged before and, while I thoroughly enjoy reading other "tagged" responses, I become overwhelmed with indecision and fear of being judged when I have been asked to respond. I guess that could be #1 on feelings...Anyway, here goes.

Category 1 Feelings
1. I have a fear of being judged and not liked when I speak my heart.
2. I am often lonely. (Note to self...perhaps that has to do with being afraid; see #1)
3. Sometimes I feel God's presence and am overwhelmed with emotion.

Category 2 Physical Characteristics
1. After having a hysterectomy 3 years ago, I have love handles and hips that I did not have before.
2. I like my toes, especially when they are painted.
3. I long for beautiful fingernails and bigger breasts at times. I will not do anything about either though. I tried fake nails and thought they were too much trouble to keep up. I won't subject my "self", body or family to plastic surgery.

Category 3 Weird things
1. I am persnickity about how the dishwasher is loaded and will re-load if someone else loaded it "for" me. I am getting better because I need the help and my husband has learned to start the dishwasher before I see how it is loaded.
2. I am a political junkie. I am trying to wean myself at this time.
3. I am also a real estate junkie. I love looking at things for sale. I wonder if this is why I loved Monopoly when I was a kid.

Category 4 Past
1. I feel like I wasted my high school and college years living for the world instead of living for God.
2. I have been arrested for trespassing. All charges were dropped. Quite a ridiculous antic over a "boy!"
3. I missed most of my high school senior English and Economics classes because I felt like it and forged my father's signature. I have come clean with my dad and my children are vaguely aware of this.
**Every day is a gift and yesterday is my past. Today is new and yesterday is GONE! Woohoo! Hence, make it count TODAY!**

Category 5 Misc.
1. I am 40 years old and I love being "mature." I feel like I finally know what my values are and feel confident enough to stand by them. I don't succumb to peer pressure as much as I used to.
2. I am forgiven and loved by the One.
3. My family ROCKS and I love spending time with them.

What is our "agenda"....

I have been reading around the internet the last few days about the election results and I have, quite honestly, been pretty bummed out.  I have been thinking about our "agenda," meaning the Republican agenda, and how we need to regroup, seek out up and coming leaders, etc.  I have been in and out of prayer, probably not as I should, but as I went along on my "own" business for the day.  Today I was back in 1 Peter.  

My conclusion, not from me, but from the Lord,  is that our "agenda" does not reside in our political party.  Our "agenda" lies in the Word of our Lord and Savior.  

LOVE:  Mark 12:30  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this:  Love your neighbor as yourself.

FEED MY SHEEP:  John 21:17  Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."

LOOK AFTER ORPHANS AND WIDOWS:  James 1:27  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:  to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

LISTEN AND DO:  James 1:19  Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.  James 1:22  Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.

PRAY:  2 Chronicles 14  If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Thank You God, Almightly, Creator of Heaven and Earth for Your continued Sovereignty and Grace.  Thank You Jesus for Your sacrifice for me.  Thank You for answered prayers and for never letting me go.  I pray that many will be healed through the next four years.  That many will have hope that they have never had before.  I pray for the revival of the United States and for our world to come together in His name.  

The USA is not the country or the "one" to look to for worldwide "leadership."  God wants us to look to Him.    That message came to me so clearly this afternoon.  Yes, as Christians in this country, we need to set an example and live as Christ did.  We need to lead people to Him though, not to the USA.  

May God bless us and the USA.  May we, as Christians, be all that He has called us to be and remember He is ALWAYS in control.  

My hope is in the Lord...

1 Peter 2: 13-17
Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are snet by him to punish those who do wrong and to comment those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

2: 1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind.

1: 13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

2: 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

I am currently in a Community Bible Study ( CBS) that has been studying 1 & 2 Peter this fall. I find all of this information so incredibly pertinent to today.