Today was absolutely amazing! I knew it was going to be a good day when the hubby and I started bickering before church...LOL! The enemy always tries to divide us when he knows the Lord has something great for one or both of us. I pressed through though.
We got to church and began to worship. Then the Lord began to reveal to me what He sees when His people worship corporately. I closed my eyes and saw in the Spirit angels EVERYWHERE! The sanctuary in our church is HUGE...and there wasn't an empty seat in the house. Where there were no people physically, there was an angel. And the sound! Oh was it Heavenly!! Like nothing I've ever heard before!! Think about the most beautiful harmony you've ever heard and multiply it about 10 times...and that's not even close! The entire church, angels and all, were worshipping the Lord like nothing I've ever experienced. I could feel it in my bones! He kept showing me more and more and I have to say that this is, quite possibly, the most incredible experience I've ever had.
Of course I had to write it down to share with the pastors. (and I kept a copy for myself too) I am eager to hear the response from them. I handed it to the pastor's wife and she was busy...I will see them both tonight and look forward to hearing their take on it.
Oh, and the sermon went right along with what the Lord was showing me. Isn't it great how God will sometimes give us a sneak peek of what He's doing? I love it! Thanks God for finding me worthy enough to see your heart and relay it to the leaders of this House.
For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb 10:30-31
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
God's best gift
While I watched my girls walk into school this morning...something hit me...how incredibly blessed our family is. Hear me out.
My girls are blessed to have one another. They are blessed to have such a close bond. Sure they fight all the time, like siblings do, but when all the arguments are over and the bickering is cast aside, they love each other. They protect one another. I am so glad they have each other. I have some great siblings myself. While I'm not as close to them as my girls are to one another, I am still blessed to have them. I don't think I could imagine either of my girls being an only child. They compliment one another. They each bring something new and different to our lives. I am grateful that they have such a bond. It sure has come in handy with this move. They are one another's only playmate right now. They are one another's only friend. It warms my heart to know that they will never be alone in life. They will have God, and one another.
I also am blessed in this. I have two amazingly smart, beautiful, talented, lovable, individual daughters. God sure knew what He was doing when He placed each of them in our lives. I'm not too sure I would know what to do with a son, but a daughter I can do! They bring so much to my life daily. Sometimes they drive me crazy, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am becoming the person God created me to be by being their mother. I just pray that I am blessing them as much as they bless me.
Don't you see that children are God's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Ps 127:3 MSG
My girls are blessed to have one another. They are blessed to have such a close bond. Sure they fight all the time, like siblings do, but when all the arguments are over and the bickering is cast aside, they love each other. They protect one another. I am so glad they have each other. I have some great siblings myself. While I'm not as close to them as my girls are to one another, I am still blessed to have them. I don't think I could imagine either of my girls being an only child. They compliment one another. They each bring something new and different to our lives. I am grateful that they have such a bond. It sure has come in handy with this move. They are one another's only playmate right now. They are one another's only friend. It warms my heart to know that they will never be alone in life. They will have God, and one another.
I also am blessed in this. I have two amazingly smart, beautiful, talented, lovable, individual daughters. God sure knew what He was doing when He placed each of them in our lives. I'm not too sure I would know what to do with a son, but a daughter I can do! They bring so much to my life daily. Sometimes they drive me crazy, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am becoming the person God created me to be by being their mother. I just pray that I am blessing them as much as they bless me.
Don't you see that children are God's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Ps 127:3 MSG
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
DONE!!!
So I started a new journey last week. The journey to a better me. I'm not a bad me right now, but there is LOTS of room for improvement. For example...my weight. Growing up, I was not an overweight kid. Actually, I was too thin. I left home and all of the structure that I knew all my life and began to gain weight. My heaviest weight came during a very stressful and emotional time in my life. While my hubby was in Korea for a year, I got up to a whopping 230 pounds. On a 5'4" frame, that's pretty big. Ah, who am I kidding, it was huge. I was in a size 20. Well, I lost some then found some...then lost some again. Lately it seems like I keep losing and finding the same 20 pounds...it just shifts. Well, I'm done...DONE being the fat girl. Done not feeling comfortable in my own skin. Done not being able to wear clothes without an elastic waistband. Done not wearing an entire wardrobe of clothes because they are too small. I'M. JUST. DONE!
I stumbled upon SparkPeople.com while looking for a recipe calorie calculator. (for the muffins) I began to look around and read lots of inspiring stories. So, I began to track my food and exercise. I was doing ok...and then I stumbled upon another calculator on the site. My original goal was to get down to 170 pounds by my birthday next year...totally doable. Well, yesterday, I plugged my numbers into this calculator and it said I could reach my goal (more or less) by my anniversary...which is 6 months before my birthday! That's when it hit me that this CAN be done. So I set my new goal with a new outlook. All I have to do is lose 1 pound a week.....1 pound! I can do that. I was looking at the total number, which was overwhelming me. Looking at it as 1 pound a week makes it much less intimidating! So, here I go toward a healthier me! Will you join me? Let's renovate our temples!!!
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 1 Cor 16:9
I stumbled upon SparkPeople.com while looking for a recipe calorie calculator. (for the muffins) I began to look around and read lots of inspiring stories. So, I began to track my food and exercise. I was doing ok...and then I stumbled upon another calculator on the site. My original goal was to get down to 170 pounds by my birthday next year...totally doable. Well, yesterday, I plugged my numbers into this calculator and it said I could reach my goal (more or less) by my anniversary...which is 6 months before my birthday! That's when it hit me that this CAN be done. So I set my new goal with a new outlook. All I have to do is lose 1 pound a week.....1 pound! I can do that. I was looking at the total number, which was overwhelming me. Looking at it as 1 pound a week makes it much less intimidating! So, here I go toward a healthier me! Will you join me? Let's renovate our temples!!!
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 1 Cor 16:9
Monday, September 13, 2010
Breakfast Muffins
Last night I decided that I was hungry for something a little sweet. If I were to make an entire cake, it would have been gone by the end of the week...consumed mainly by me. Not good when you are trying to eat healthier and lose weight. I searched for a healthy muffin recipe...we are out of cereal in the house, and I just found out this morning...and proceeded to make a batch. This is the recipe that I based my muffins on...modified of course. Here's what I ended up making.
Golden raisin muffins
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (original called for 1 cup each)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
Here's where I started modifying
1/3 cup applesauce (I used one of the single serve applesauce containers)(original called for oil)
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup golden raisins (any dried fruit would work here)
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a smaller bowl. Combine the wet and dry just until incorporated. Don't over mix or they will turn out hard. Add any additional ingredients. Scoop into greased or lined muffin pan. Bake 20-25 minutes at 400˚.
The family really enjoyed them. There are so many different things you can do with a basic muffin recipe! I think I will be playing around and finding other things my family likes...it will definitely reduce my girls' sugar consumption for breakfast! I'll post any other yummy combinations I discover.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
Golden raisin muffins
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (original called for 1 cup each)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
Here's where I started modifying
1/3 cup applesauce (I used one of the single serve applesauce containers)(original called for oil)
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup golden raisins (any dried fruit would work here)
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a smaller bowl. Combine the wet and dry just until incorporated. Don't over mix or they will turn out hard. Add any additional ingredients. Scoop into greased or lined muffin pan. Bake 20-25 minutes at 400˚.
The family really enjoyed them. There are so many different things you can do with a basic muffin recipe! I think I will be playing around and finding other things my family likes...it will definitely reduce my girls' sugar consumption for breakfast! I'll post any other yummy combinations I discover.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Stroll N Roll
Sounds silly, but hear me out. Stroll N Roll is an annual event that the city puts on. Several of the city's museums waive their admission fee (most are free anyway) and the city transports museum goers by trolly or bus to 7 of the 9 participating locations. So not only do you not have to pay to get in, you don't have to 'spend' your gas either. (and in our case, you don't have to get lost trying to find them all) So here's the highlights.
Our first stop was the North Texas History Museum. I think this one was my favorite...not really because I care all that much about Texas history, but the exhibits were just cool. The first room we went into had a ton of dioramas in it. That, to me, is awesome. To take all that time and make a replica of something...that's dedication...and love. The attention to detail was pretty amazing too. There was also a plethora of information about the city's history in just this one room. I was impressed.
There was so much other stuff, I can't tell you about all of it, but here are some highlights. There was a military section with all kinds of military paraphernalia. There was one room that had all kinds of medical stuff in it...doctor's house call bag, all kinds of bed pans, nurse uniform, and other medical tools. The coolest thing in this room was the iron lung. There was a guy in there who showed us how the whole thing works and even let the girls put their hands in the little ports. I was just amazed at the difference from today's medical advances. There was another room that had 500 different hats all from different people. It is a personal collection of a man (forgot who) who apparently had a thing for cowboy hats. Also in this room were different artifacts from the 1930's...ladies fashion, telephone and telephone directory, the 'drug store' and the post office. The post office was made from actual parts of an old post office in the city. When they were renovating, they were just going to get rid of it, but the townspeople fought to preserve it as a part of their history. Just cool.
Next up was the WF Railroad Museum. We rode the 'kiddie train' around...no one was thrilled about it. It was just an old airport baggage car painted to look like a train with old bus seats. But we were out to experience it all, so we did it. This was my second favorite because it brought back so many memories I had as a child going to the railroad with my Papa. I actually had tears come to my eyes when I watched my girls climb up into the train engine. It was definitely bittersweet. My favorite was the dining car. You can actually bring food and eat in the dining car...kinda get the experience. There were also some old crank trucks out front that intrigued my hubby.
Next was the WF Police and Fire Museum. Pretty cool, but by this point it was getting hot! They had an old fire engine that was made in 1942 and was still in commission in 1979. There was an actual paddywagon. You could even get on one of the old engines and crank the siren. The girls got to have a hot dog and we got to refresh with some cold water.
Ahh, Big Girl's favorite...Kemp Center for the Arts. Not really a whole lot of art 'exhibits' but there were artists there doing their thing. She got to see one lady painting clay beads that she made and another sculpting a bust from a picture. You should have seen her face...it was truly priceless. We got lots of information about different classes that the kiddos can take...she's stoked...so am I.
Then there was Kell House. Mr Kell was one of the founding fathers of WF, from what I gather. He built the house in 1909 for his wife. They had 6 daughters and 1 son. Nearly all of the furnishings in the house are original. I didn't get any pictures of this because I was so amazed at the beauty and preservation in this home...WOW!
Last stop was the River Bend Nature Center. This was pretty cool. We saw all kinds of creatures including an opossum, salamander, a quail, some katydids, and a pretty hairy tarantula. Out in the conservatory there are lots of butterflies. Being the end of the summer we didn't see a whole lot of them but this place was awesome! There were several little stopping places for the kids to do different activities. Then we browsed around the gift shop. I don't think I've ever seen so many different eco-friendly products in one place before. I also learned about the different places to recycle here. So it's not that they don't recycle here, they just don't make it as easy...which is sad.
I think we spent about 4 1/2 hours just touring the different places and everyone had fun! The first thing Angel said when she walked back in the house was, "That was fun!" I think that about sums up everyone's feelings. I look forward to repeating the tour next year and visiting the various museums between now and then.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Psalm 91:1-2
Our first stop was the North Texas History Museum. I think this one was my favorite...not really because I care all that much about Texas history, but the exhibits were just cool. The first room we went into had a ton of dioramas in it. That, to me, is awesome. To take all that time and make a replica of something...that's dedication...and love. The attention to detail was pretty amazing too. There was also a plethora of information about the city's history in just this one room. I was impressed.
There was so much other stuff, I can't tell you about all of it, but here are some highlights. There was a military section with all kinds of military paraphernalia. There was one room that had all kinds of medical stuff in it...doctor's house call bag, all kinds of bed pans, nurse uniform, and other medical tools. The coolest thing in this room was the iron lung. There was a guy in there who showed us how the whole thing works and even let the girls put their hands in the little ports. I was just amazed at the difference from today's medical advances. There was another room that had 500 different hats all from different people. It is a personal collection of a man (forgot who) who apparently had a thing for cowboy hats. Also in this room were different artifacts from the 1930's...ladies fashion, telephone and telephone directory, the 'drug store' and the post office. The post office was made from actual parts of an old post office in the city. When they were renovating, they were just going to get rid of it, but the townspeople fought to preserve it as a part of their history. Just cool.
Next up was the WF Railroad Museum. We rode the 'kiddie train' around...no one was thrilled about it. It was just an old airport baggage car painted to look like a train with old bus seats. But we were out to experience it all, so we did it. This was my second favorite because it brought back so many memories I had as a child going to the railroad with my Papa. I actually had tears come to my eyes when I watched my girls climb up into the train engine. It was definitely bittersweet. My favorite was the dining car. You can actually bring food and eat in the dining car...kinda get the experience. There were also some old crank trucks out front that intrigued my hubby.
Next was the WF Police and Fire Museum. Pretty cool, but by this point it was getting hot! They had an old fire engine that was made in 1942 and was still in commission in 1979. There was an actual paddywagon. You could even get on one of the old engines and crank the siren. The girls got to have a hot dog and we got to refresh with some cold water.
Ahh, Big Girl's favorite...Kemp Center for the Arts. Not really a whole lot of art 'exhibits' but there were artists there doing their thing. She got to see one lady painting clay beads that she made and another sculpting a bust from a picture. You should have seen her face...it was truly priceless. We got lots of information about different classes that the kiddos can take...she's stoked...so am I.
Then there was Kell House. Mr Kell was one of the founding fathers of WF, from what I gather. He built the house in 1909 for his wife. They had 6 daughters and 1 son. Nearly all of the furnishings in the house are original. I didn't get any pictures of this because I was so amazed at the beauty and preservation in this home...WOW!
Last stop was the River Bend Nature Center. This was pretty cool. We saw all kinds of creatures including an opossum, salamander, a quail, some katydids, and a pretty hairy tarantula. Out in the conservatory there are lots of butterflies. Being the end of the summer we didn't see a whole lot of them but this place was awesome! There were several little stopping places for the kids to do different activities. Then we browsed around the gift shop. I don't think I've ever seen so many different eco-friendly products in one place before. I also learned about the different places to recycle here. So it's not that they don't recycle here, they just don't make it as easy...which is sad.
I think we spent about 4 1/2 hours just touring the different places and everyone had fun! The first thing Angel said when she walked back in the house was, "That was fun!" I think that about sums up everyone's feelings. I look forward to repeating the tour next year and visiting the various museums between now and then.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Psalm 91:1-2
Saturday, September 11, 2010
That fateful day...
Everyone is posting all this stuff on FB about what they were doing on 9/11. Well, what I was doing wasn't all that wowing. The hubby was working swings and we were asleep. Oblivious to it all. My mother-in-law called and told us to turn on the TV and kinda half explained what was going on...well, we were still half asleep, so it took a while for it all to sink in.
We turned on the TV just in time to see the live footage of the 2nd plane crashing into the tower. For the longest time, it seemed like something out of a movie...a bad movie. I couldn't understand how or why someone would do those things to the country I love. No matter how many times they showed the same footage, I still couldn't believe it.
Well, life as we knew it changed that day...drastically. At the time, we lived on base. We were on virtual lock-down. We couldn't leave the base after a certain hour. It was craziness! I remember many of my non-military friends were calling to make sure we were ok. They sent cards and other trinkets of sentiment to let us know they were praying for us. I just remember feeling so incredibly sad and helpless. I held my toddler so tightly and never wanted to let her go.
So, as you go about your day today, remember all those who died...and their families who were left behind to pick up the pieces and carry on the legacy. Also remember all of those who died before and after that fateful day to give you the freedoms you now have. But most importantly, pray for all of those who are so lost in sin and misguided faith...pray for your enemies today. Pray for America's enemies today...lest we have another day like the one 9 years ago...
I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
We turned on the TV just in time to see the live footage of the 2nd plane crashing into the tower. For the longest time, it seemed like something out of a movie...a bad movie. I couldn't understand how or why someone would do those things to the country I love. No matter how many times they showed the same footage, I still couldn't believe it.
Well, life as we knew it changed that day...drastically. At the time, we lived on base. We were on virtual lock-down. We couldn't leave the base after a certain hour. It was craziness! I remember many of my non-military friends were calling to make sure we were ok. They sent cards and other trinkets of sentiment to let us know they were praying for us. I just remember feeling so incredibly sad and helpless. I held my toddler so tightly and never wanted to let her go.
So, as you go about your day today, remember all those who died...and their families who were left behind to pick up the pieces and carry on the legacy. Also remember all of those who died before and after that fateful day to give you the freedoms you now have. But most importantly, pray for all of those who are so lost in sin and misguided faith...pray for your enemies today. Pray for America's enemies today...lest we have another day like the one 9 years ago...
I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
Friday, September 10, 2010
Little of this and that...
Well, I haven't had all that much to write about, hence the no posting. We've just been getting used to our weekly routine. The holiday kinda threw us way off, but we spent the whole day hanging out together. That is what holidays are for!
Anyhow, I've met some really great ladies here. Some were 'introduced' to me by a mutual friend through Facebook before we moved here, others I've met through our church...and one of the people I 'met' before we got here even goes to our church! How awesome is that? Well, God (and some of the aforementioned ladies) is (are) not letting me be shy...not that that's usually an issue with me, but, you know. He's tossing me right in and getting me together with these wonderful women of God...which is the biggest thing I'm missing from A-Town.
The (amazing) Children's Pastor at our church invited me to lunch one day last week. Well, she let me pick...rut roh! We went to a Japanese hibachi/sushi restaurant called Samurai of Tokyo...awesome! She was so stoked when I told her where we were going...LOL! Well, after lunch, we went back to the church and I helped her rearrange a few things in some of the classrooms. Well, spending a while with her, I discovered that she isn't all that technologically savvy...she'll be the first to admit it too! Well, I offered to help her with menial office work once a week. Needless to say, she was more than willing!
Then, I was invited to breakfast at another friend's house. It gave me a great opportunity to get to know her and two other ladies better. It was pretty awesome. I must say that I am slowly beginning to see how God is planning to use me, and I'm excited!
So I guess I did have a lot to write about...kinda...LOL!
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4
Anyhow, I've met some really great ladies here. Some were 'introduced' to me by a mutual friend through Facebook before we moved here, others I've met through our church...and one of the people I 'met' before we got here even goes to our church! How awesome is that? Well, God (and some of the aforementioned ladies) is (are) not letting me be shy...not that that's usually an issue with me, but, you know. He's tossing me right in and getting me together with these wonderful women of God...which is the biggest thing I'm missing from A-Town.
The (amazing) Children's Pastor at our church invited me to lunch one day last week. Well, she let me pick...rut roh! We went to a Japanese hibachi/sushi restaurant called Samurai of Tokyo...awesome! She was so stoked when I told her where we were going...LOL! Well, after lunch, we went back to the church and I helped her rearrange a few things in some of the classrooms. Well, spending a while with her, I discovered that she isn't all that technologically savvy...she'll be the first to admit it too! Well, I offered to help her with menial office work once a week. Needless to say, she was more than willing!
Then, I was invited to breakfast at another friend's house. It gave me a great opportunity to get to know her and two other ladies better. It was pretty awesome. I must say that I am slowly beginning to see how God is planning to use me, and I'm excited!
So I guess I did have a lot to write about...kinda...LOL!
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Book Review: The Jesus You Can’t Ignore by John MacArthur
This book refutes the idea that Jesus was passive in His ministry on Earth. Sure, Jesus is love, but He didn’t just lie down and take it from those who opposed Him. The Jesus You Can’t Ignore takes you step by step through the Scriptures and describes how Jesus was passionate and unapologetic when it came to the Truth.
First off, this book took me a while to read because there was SO much information in it. I love how the author refers to Scripture so often. I love how it challenged me to read my Bible even more. I think that if someone is looking to reignite his/her passion for the Jesus that seems to be forgotten, this is the book to read! I will most definitely recommend this book to many friends.
My only suggestion is that when (not if) you read this book, let it be the only one. There is a large amount of information and Scripture to cover, so you will want it to be your primary focus. I look forward to reading The Jesus You Can’t Ignore again and again…and I know I will get something new out of it each time.
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Insatiable Hunger
Lately I've been getting quite discouraged. Not about anything in particular, just down I guess. I'm fairly certain that this is just another ploy of the enemy to make me ineffective. Well, he just hasn't learned his lesson, has he? Doesn't he know that I'm about as stubborn as they come? You'd think after 32 years of trying, he'd figure that out...guess not. Well, I AM stubborn. Once I stick my mind to something, that's it, it's going to happen. That's the way it is with my walk with Christ. I gave my whole heart and my whole life to Him. Walking that out daily sometimes proves to be a little difficult, but I'm not turning back now!
Last night we had a great teaching on the Holy Spirit and where/how He fits into our lives. I prayed a crazy prayer, and as always, God came through and showed Himself faithful. I prayed that He give me more hunger and desire to get into His Word daily. Well, today, I can't seem to get enough of the things of God. I'm looking everywhere I can to find encouraging devotionals, podcasts or commentaries. I just can't get enough! I know having these resources in my arsenal will help me not to get down and/or help to lift me back up if I do. This is the one thing that I can think of that you can never have too much of! So, if you have a favorite resource, please feel free to share it! Be blessed!
The earth is filled with your love, O LORD; teach me your decrees. Ps 119:64
Last night we had a great teaching on the Holy Spirit and where/how He fits into our lives. I prayed a crazy prayer, and as always, God came through and showed Himself faithful. I prayed that He give me more hunger and desire to get into His Word daily. Well, today, I can't seem to get enough of the things of God. I'm looking everywhere I can to find encouraging devotionals, podcasts or commentaries. I just can't get enough! I know having these resources in my arsenal will help me not to get down and/or help to lift me back up if I do. This is the one thing that I can think of that you can never have too much of! So, if you have a favorite resource, please feel free to share it! Be blessed!
The earth is filled with your love, O LORD; teach me your decrees. Ps 119:64
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