Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Pinwheel time

Jenn. you espcially would appreciate this post. Bring your mind back to this time last year. When you had burns on your fingers from making blue ribbons.....And you got to flirt with a certain photographer while planting 500 pinwheels in the hard ground.
Yup. It is that time again. Preparation time for my busy time at work...Child Abuse Prevention month. I was so sad this year that I didn't have Jenn to help me stick those pinwheels in the ground. 500 of them......However I did have one volunteer come help me. You should have seen me, pregnant me, balancing on that steep hill and trying to stick those pinwheels in a straight line. It was hilarious. the volunteer that helped me had hers all in a row. Mine were defionatly not straight, since I can't even draw a straight line. Please pray that God can use me to get the imporant message of Child abuse prevention out to the community.
I love love Spring. I can smell it in the air, and it makes me so happy(I know Todd you can't smell it, but you can at least pretend). I love the new life that God springs up. I am feeling some new life breathed in me as well. I am learning some of the same things as JEnn(check out her blog) about applying God's truth to my life. It sounds simple...but well really it is the best attack we have against the great deciever who tells us horrible lies all the time.....It is our SWORD. And I am a warrior....A princess warrior of course, when I weild that truth, Satan runs away. So find some bible verses that deal with your struggles, and shout them out to Satan, and watch him run. THen you can be as intimidating as me. hehhe. ARen't I intimidating. Picture me with a big sword!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

ParDiem meals and more

Oh the sweet glories of Par diem meal money. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about, I have been away since Tuesday morning in Huntsville Alabama for the National Symposium on Child Abuse. The Lord really blessed me, because I got to go with Lindsey, who is just a wonderful great friend. We had a wonderful relaxing time together.(besides the 8 hours a day of sitting in classes hearing awful stories about child abuse).
but anyways, about the money. I love the fact that we get $33 dollars a day to spend on meals, and the only meal we really had to buy was dinner. So Lindz and I got to eat out, and not feel guilty at all. That makes this pregnant girl very happy. We ate Thai food that was AMAZING, and then the next day ate at TJI Friday's. Not to mention the best part. I ate a whole Chili's molten chocolate cake by MYSELF! Well, me and the baby ate it, so that is a good excuse right!
Anyways, enough boring info about food. The conference I went to was really good. ONe class I went to really pricked my heart. It wasn't just about sex abuse, it was about sexual exploitation of kids. Where Children are being sexually abused for money or other "prizes". This includes things like child sex trafficing, WHICH OCCURS IN THE US! The avg age for a prostitute to begin that life in us is 12 years old!!!!!!!!! What!The session just really opened my eyes to this problem, and how unfair it is to the women and children involved.I pray God allows me to do something about it someday...or now...Who knows. But He defionatly stirred my heart. Over 300,000 children were sexually exploited in the US in 1999. The numbers have really expanded since then. Please take time out to pray for these kids.
On a less serious note, I also sat in on a class about temper tantrums taught by a VERY famous pediatrician who writes happy baby and happy toddler books from UCLA. It was quite interesting. i'm sure I agreed with his methods, but it was neat to get to hear someone like that teach.
2 more weeks untill I find out if baby is boy or girl!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

PS to last post

PS. I forgot to mention one huge way God is providing for me. Through my wonderful momma!(and dad too, but she is on the lookout for me stuff)....She has bought me several maternity things she finds, and she also has provided in many other ways. I Love my mom and dad. They are so supportive of me, and it makes me excited how excited they are to have a grandchild. I have the BEST family in the whole world. Except I wish my other half Jenn wasn't on the other side of the world:(. She is the greatest sis ever though. I think she is just as excited as me about the baby.

Hallelujah for Elastic pants!!!!!!!

Yes....It is now time. The doctor was not lying about me no longer being able to wear my favorite jeans. I feel like every day I wake up and my tummy is a little bit larger. Last night I was at Andy and Andrea's house. Wearing my fav jeans. I showed up there with them buttoned. The next time I went to the bathroom I could not get them buttoned back up;). They just got more and more uncomfortable as the night wore on. Then Andrea and I started discussing the maternity clothes in her attic. She said she had a pair of jeans that might work for me. Glory!!They are not the kind I am still just not ready to wear yet with the big ugly blue panel on them(although don't worry I know that will be coming). However, they are very stretchy, with room to grow in front, and elastic in back. Glory. I want to give God some praise. I couldn't believe the difference when I put them on. It is only when you are pregnant that you can pull of wearing jeans with elastic in them. And I LOVE them. I may never take them off.
God has been so super faithful to provide me with lots of cute maternity clothes. Andrea gave me a TON last night and those of you that know her know how cute she dressed when she was pregnant. I was also able to buy a ton at the consignment sale on Monday, mostly summer stuff for when I am BIG and pregnant in the summer. I also am recieving clothes from my aunt laura's hair dresser. How cool is that. Aunt Laura always comes through. So I maybe sticking out from her to kingdom come(because baby doesn't how much place to go but out on a girl that is 5 2"), but I will be sporting some cute fashion! I cannot believe how much God has already provided for us. He is so faithful, and even cares about the little things in life, like me feeling cute when I am preggie(as the hip people say)

Monday, March 10, 2008

I'm a ROCK Star! And glory to God

Yup. YOu read that right. THanks to some really cool middle school and high school girls I got my day in fame this weekend at Disciple Now. I spent the weekend with some of the most fun girls every. Six precious girls from our youth group. And despite being very sleep deprived, we had a BLAST! I defionatly don't have much of a voice today, because I rocked it out with the coolest play station game ever. Sing Star by PlayStation. IT is like glorified karaoke, with the words on the screen, and a music video playing. YOu battle against someone else singing in the microphone. I can't tell you how much fun I had untill 2 in the morning. Those girls think I am crazy. Friday night, Shawna and I battled it out. WE tried alittle ARetha Franklin RESPECT. Let me tell you,we both stunk, but it was a blast. Me and one of the youth also battled it for a fresh Prince rap song. They didn't think I had it in me. THey obviously don't know me very well:)hehheh.
Another fun story, then I will share the God stories. We played the best game on Sat against the boys called Bigger and Better. We had two hours and seven nickels to find the best and biggest thing we could trade for. WE had a BLAST, and defionatly won the contest. We ended up with a sled, an expensive baseball card album,a headboard, and an old tv. But the winner was...An old dryer from Connaly and Vicki's house. Glory! And the best part was the boys had already been there and asked for the drier and he said no. You should have seen those girls loading the dryer onto conally's truck. It was hilarious! The boys did get some cool stuff though, a big light up Christmas decoration, a cd tower, a shelf, a dog feeder and a piggy bank. Because the girls won, the guys had to serve us breakfast sunday morning. It was hilarious!
Well God did Big things in the girls this weekend. I could not believe how much God used TJ Friday night. SHe was AMAZING and spoke exactally what the Spirit had for her to say. SEveral of the girls just completly broke! Glory Glory Glory! The girls could not stop talking about her all weekend and what God had done through her. Thanks so m uch TJ for being a blessing. Shawna was also a huge blesssing, and a perfect follow up to TJ. God used her to show practical tips of how to grow in God. I know the girls walked away learning big things to change their lives! God also did things in the guys lives as well. Josh and Zack did a wonderful job. The boys seemed to have a blast. I just want to give God praise for what he did, because there was ALOT of spiritual warfare leading up to this weekend. ANd praise be to God for giving Todd wisdom to plan all this and put it together. I am so proud of him.
Finally, God is convicting me this week about giving Glory to God! Sterling preached on it on Sunday morning, and on livingproofministires.blogspot.com there is a great blog about it. We should be praising God out loud all the time! Praise you Jesus!

Friday, March 7, 2008

Abiding Love and Infinite Presence

Winding roads, narrow roads, straight roads, broad roads, obstacles, clarity, fogged vision, or whatever life holds, I have a traveling companion. Christ reassures us "and lo (whatever that means), I am with you always even unto the end of the age." After reading parts of the life of Richard Wurmbrant, I felt like I was certainly less of a Christian. Having experience severe persecution and living to tell of it, this man has encouraged me in my walk with Christ. If the grace of God met him in what seemed to be his darkest hours, then I know of this journey called "life" Christ will hold my hand through the trails. Really, the worst is already over: Looking back the scary part was walking alone, but like Paul's travels Christ's glory was unconcealed, revealed and effective in bring me--a soiled sinner--to His most holy side. If the darkness of my sinfulness did not separate God from pursuing me to His death, then the darkness of life's tragedies will never cut off the love of God and His presence from my inmost being. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth nor any other creature will be able to separate US from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-9) Christian, are you weary? Brother, are you discouraged? Sister, are you exhausted? Friend, are you helpless? Beloved are you persecuted? Then cast your entire self--heart, mind, and soul--on the Savior and watch His unending and infinite love fill you where you need it the most. Praise be to God.

Also, I celebrate that fact that on this road God has called another to walk with me, beside me and hold my hand through the struggles of life. She is the most wonderful woman in all the world and God could not have "hand"-picked a better lady for me. (She got the better end of the deal...Jenn, I'm sorry if this grosses you out!). Michelle, I love you and as we walk together, let's love God with all we have and love each other like there's little time, and compassionately reach the world with the arms of Christ.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Doctor's Appointment and Beating the Devil at His Game

I'm trying to be as cool as Jenn in her titles. I just wanted to say a glory hallelujah for a wonderful doctor's appoinment yesterday. I just love that whole office, and the doctor. They make me feel so comfortable. I got to hear our baby's heartbeat yesterday. What an exciting experience. I even could hear it kick a few times. It was an active little thing, with a heart beat of 150 beats per minute. They want a baby's heartbeat to be between 130 and 160 so perfect heartbeat. I can't believe there is this little person inside of me. Wow! I am amazed at the wonders of God. They said the baby was growing well, and next time I go the uterus will have stretched up to my belly button. Wow. the nurse told me in the next few weeks I can kiss my normal clothes goodbye! That the baby was fixing to go through a huge growth spurt, and next time I go to the doc I will be unable to fit in my fav jeans. I promise I will take pics of my growing baby..April 1st I get my next ultrasound. And then I will know if we are having a baby girlie or boy. I can't wait...!!!!
So I heard the most exciting thing today. That Satan knows how to demoralize us, but watching what our biggest fears are....like..I"m going to fail God...Or I am a horrible wife...Or i will never amount to anything, and then finds every way in the world to point those things out to us in a way we believe him. He has done that to me in so many way...Espically with the horrible wife lie. But we can combat him with who we are in Christ. Blessed, chosen, adopted, redeemed, accepted, and Forgiven! I want to start combating Satan's lies, his cashing in our fears and insecurites with those truths, and I am believing He is Going to Run for the Hills! That is almost as good as getting a cow to move Jenn in Jesus name!
If you are reading this please pray for Disciple NOw this weekend., for all the details to fall into place, for students to come ready to learn from the word, and for God to move in big ways. Also pray for the guest ministers, Josh Gann, Zack Devau, Tj Ellis, and Shawna Whiting. I am believing God to do HUGE things for his kingdom this weekend.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Glory! Glory! An activity free weekend!

Can I just say Glory! I had the best, most relaxing weekend I've had in awhile. One that was desperatly needed for me and my hubbie. On Friday night, we had a wonderful dinner with Jack and Polly Noonan, and some of their five kids. It was a blast. It was so good to see them again. They are some of the most real people I have ever met. They really encouraged Todd and I , and we asked them tons of questions about raising kids. Since they have a wee bit of experience. Todd was hilarious. He came with a list of questions to ask them. God has just really been blessing Todd and I with couples lately to really speak into our lives. And can I just say, Polly can make any green veggie taste good. She had some very yummy healhty food to eat.
Sat. morning we slept in...Till 9:00! Glory Glory Hallelujah. Todd and I spent the rest of the day together. We did a devo together, then made breakfast together. (homemade whole wheat pancakes. I won't admit to you how old the buttermilk we made it with was...hehhe. Buttermilk is already sour milk right).......Then we took a nap. Yup. we were totally lazy. Then we went out into the glorious 70 degree sunshine and played tennis together. Fianlly we went together to watch a youth basketball game, stopped at the grocery store, and stayed at my parents house for the night since they were gone. It was almost like we were at a bed and breakfast, except no one fixed our breakfast:) I guess the best part of the day was all the uninteruppted time with Todd. It was much much needed.
Sunday was also wonderful! Sterling preached an incredible and very convicting sermon. About bringing the sacrifice of praise! Are we praising God all the time with our words, or singing praises to him, by serving him, and by giving financially to the Lord. I want to spend my week praising God with all I do. What about you?
We ate lunch with the Millions and Jettans at Ruby Tuesday's and I most say that hamburger made this pregnant girl very happy. Then I went back to steal my parent's back porch, and sat in the sunshine and read for an hour. Praise the Lord. God really led me beside green pastures this weekend, and restored my soul..
Please pray for me. I am praising God for being pregnant, but I have been experiencing much nasuesness the past week. ANd have not been very hungry, and not many foods have appealed to me. The doc told my concerned hubbie on the phone that was normal, but I am kindof a wimp! I go to the doc tommorow, and will update more later.