Life in general

I just realized this week that it's been a while since I've done an update on just our lives! That alone should tell you that nothing too exciting has happened, except that we are all moved in and settled into our new apartment. (I think I've already told you that, though)

Since the move to the new place, we decided to look for a church closer to where we are now, so we wouldn't have to drive 30-40 minutes to church. So we have been going to Valleydale. We love it! It's such an answer to prayer, because we did enjoy Calera and wanted somewhere that we would fit in and be able to serve the Lord. Doors have already begun to open. On Friday of last week I received a phone call from a lady inviting us to Sunday School. She was very nice and said that we would be in her class.

This past Sunday we went to preaching again and they were talking about their VBS tshirts for sell. They said that the proceeds go to their summer missions project and trip, but that it's a secret until VBS. Well, the tshirts say "Wild Wild West" and have a cactus on them...so let's think about where that could be?!?!

Let me back up....Valleydale is a HUGE sponsor and support of Steve and Shari (my brother-in-law and sister-in-law) and the whole gang out in Arizona at Grace Fellowship. Just a few weeks ago, Shari told me that they are taking a mission trip out there in July.

So this brings us back to Sunday...I just thought it was so cool how they are supporting our family and going out to help them this summer!!!! But shhh....it's a secret at Valleydale still! lol

As I type this right now, Thehubs and I both are here at home and I'm loving just being able to spend the day with him! Days like this are few and far between! I went to my visits this morning, and have my afternoon open, so I'm doing paperwork at home! LOVE my job! :)

Our 1 year anniversary is coming up, and I don't think we are going to do anything fancy other than spend an entire weekend together. I may make us unplug the computers and turn off the cell phones so it's like we're on vacation or something! I'm just so excited....he's off that Saturday (which NEVER happens) and it's just going to be us!!!

I hope to keep you guys updated about us more, but our lives are really pretty boring at the moment! Hey...I'm not complaining though!! :)

Psalm 78

"In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.

So he ended their days in futility and their years in terror.

Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again.

They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.

But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues;

their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant.

Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them.

Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.

He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return."

- Psalm 78:32-39

This was such a reminder to me this morning that God knows we are flesh and that we can never obtain perfection. However the psalmist goes on to write that "again and again they put God to the test..." and God later reigned down on them and destroyed them (showing that our sins will not go unpunished).

Thank you Jesus, for paying the price for my sins!

May I not be one that just flatters him with my mouth, lying with my tongue...having a heart that is unfaithful and no loyal to Him!

Happy Tuesday!

uncreated One

As a social worker, we have rules about religion and what we are "supposed" to say and not to say about our beliefs. Well that's pretty much the case in any job these days, and I find that very sad. When I first began my job, even before I had my own case load I knew that God had me here for a purpose....that it would be easy to minister to people and share the love of Christ with them in their time of crisis.

However, as I have worked case after case, I've realized that on very few occasions have I actually shared my faith in Christ and said how powerful He is. (And this was AFTER my client's mentioned their belief in God first!) I've caught myself on a couple of occasions saying things like "Well, the power of prayer is great if that's something you believe in" and "If you're a believer...."

So that leads me to today at a conference I was at. I was in a particular break-out session on sex addiction (and let's not even to there on this one! lol) and the speaker claimed to be "spiritual" and " a believer in God" etc. etc. It wasn't until I heard him make a comment about how addicts have hope and that if your a believer in God or any other higher being then you can use that to overcome your addiction.

That got me thinking. Shamefully thinking about the many comments I have made like that.

It doesn't matter if you believe in prayer.....it works!

It doesn't matter if you believe in God's power....He is powerful!

It doesn't matter if you believe in some other higher being...GOD is the only way!

It doesn't matter if you try and try to break that addiction....without HIM you will still have that void in your life!

So why do we as Christians (and I'm mainly talking to myself here) think that we have to talk to people in a way as to try and not step on their toes or hurt their feelings?!?!?

My prayer today is that I will stop sugar-coating...and be straight forward!

May I boldly proclaim His name not only to friends and family, but to my clients...my coworkers....those at Walmart and Publix.....those who live next door.

It's not about "Oh IF you believe in God blah blah blah, THEN blah blah blah"......

No sir-ree......it's about He is who He is despite our beliefs. If you chose not to believe, then you're going to hell. Simple as that.

Our unbelief doesn't change who HE is!! He is the Uncreated One- who was and is and is to come!

Obsessed

Over the past week I've been spending more time with my Savior than I have in a long time. I think I too often get caught up in just the routine of ordinary life that I forget to stop and think about the One and Only that matters! I'm not promised my next breath, yet I have to worry and plan for tomorrow, next week, next month or even next year! (Anybody else with me?!)

I've just finished reading "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. I posted this post and this blog several weeks ago regarding the book and just picked it back up this week after settling in at our new place.

(Yes, we are all moved and settled in our new apartment in Inverness now)

Anyways.....God has really been speaking to my heart lately and there have been so many times that I wanted to pick up this laptop and blog, but it was like God was saying.... "No, just keep listening--you'll get distracted!" And I know that is so true, because I often get carried away when I get online. Please tell me I'm not the only one! lol

God has shown me that HE is the only thing in life that matters! I like how the psalmist words it in Psalm 62: 7

"My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock and refuge."

My prayer has been that my mind stays focused on Him, and that He molds me into the woman and wife that He wants me to be!

One of the last chapters in "Crazy Love" talks about being OBSESSED with God! I mean, how many of us have made fun and ridiculed those who have taken huge steps of faith...or said that the Lord was leading them to do something that in our human eyes is absolutely crazy?!!? That's exactly what Francis was talking about here....radical, sold out, obsessed people in love with God! Here are just a few quotes he so boldly says that got to my heart and I just had to share! (After all, if my toes are stepped on....I want you to share in the pain!) :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

People who are OBSESSED with Jesus give freely and openly, without censure. OBSESSED people love those who hate them and who can never love them back.

People who are OBSESSED with Jesus aren't consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. OBSESSED people care more about God's kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.

People who are OBSESSED with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another. OBSESSED people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him. (1 John 2:4-6; Matt. 16:24-26)

OBSESSED people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is OBSESSED with Jesus will do things that don't always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth. As Martin Luther put it, "There are two days on my calendar: this day and that day" (Luke 14:25-35; Matt. 7:13-23; 8:18-22; Rev 3:1-6).

A person who is OBSESSED thinks about heaven frequently. OBSESSED people orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is hear in front of them.

And lastly....

People who are OBSESSED with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God's Word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now back to where God has brought me...

I get so confused sometimes about life. I mean, I'm certainly still trying to figure out everything about marriage and what a Godly wife looks like. So when thinking about serving God and all the things that He wants me to do or be, I get confused because I wonder if TheHubs has to be the leader in EVERYTHING!?!? I know he is the spiritual leader in our home, but when God tells me to go serve those around me whatever that may be.....should I then begin praying for God to reveal the same things to TheHubs, talk directly to ThuHubs about my thoughts, or just do it?? Now I know that option #3 is out of the question because in a marriage I know that NOTHING should be done without talking about it! (This, I have learned the hard way!)

That has been my struggle....I just pray that the Lord continues to show me His ways! I know he puts these questions in my heart to teach me things. So I shall continue seeking Him and learning more!!

The main thing here though is that I become OBSESSED with my Savior...my Lover....my Creator....and my King!

Birthday Blues and good news!

Well today is my 23rd birthday, and yet as many people say as you get older "It's just another day." If you know me at all- you know that usually I start celebrating at the beginning of the month and have at least 2 or 3 gatherings with friends and family to assure they remember! lol

This year is different. I know it is due to being married and having a full time job, but it just pretty much stinks!

I have just felt kinda down all day, thinking that I have no friends (bc I really only have 1 that I talk to regularly) and realizing that I probably won't have a party/ get-together until I'm 30! lol

But that's ok.....

I have also been REALLY emotional. And before any questions start being asked-no I'm not prego! =)

But every time somebody in my family has called or text me (that's all that's called-going back to the no friends comment earlier), I have gotten tears in my eyes and just wanted to cry! Same even when reading the comments on my fb page! What is wrong with me, people!?!? I'm supposed to be out and about, looking all cute, reminding people that it's my birthday. However, I worked for a few hours this morning, came home, took a nap and still sitting here all by myself. I guess I'm just having a pity party but that's ok, right? At least it's a party-- ha ha ha

Don't get me wrong, I'm really excited about Thehubs and I going out tonight! I have a $25 gift card for Olive Garden that a client gave me for my bday and it is also valid at Longhorn. So we are going there, and hopefully getting out of there without having to pay too much! I also have 2 movie tickets to the Rave that I got from work. We get tokens for our paperwork timeliness and other things like that and I cashed in some of them for the tickets! We will be seeing "The Last Song"....my choice for once! YAY!

Can you say FREE NIGHT OUT?!?!

So yes, that excites me! And Thehubs will be taking me shopping at some point this weekend, as well as getting me an ice cream cake from ColdStone!!!!!!! =) He always takes me on a "shopping spree" for my birthday. He is so good and patient about picking out cute things for me to wear and helping me make those very important decisions between shoes, tops, and jeans!

But just had to blog about my birthday blues....I know I'll get over it, and I really don't want anybody to feel sorry for me, so don't. I know it's just part of getting older, and I praise God for allowing me to get older! lol

Oh and good news---- we should be out of the craziness of our current living situation by next Thursday! The move-in date did get moved back a few days, but I don't care! I'm so ready to get out of here, and would rather them get EVERYTHING right with the apartments than us move in a half-done job! Our new place with have 3 pools, 3 tennis courts, a lake/pond to fish on, a walking trail, and a fitness center!

Plans to begin working out again have already been made, and anytime you want to come visit and lay out by the pool with me, just come on over! =)

Happy Friday...beautiful day!!!

Slight change of plans

Well this weekend was a bit crazy! Long story short, we (Mom, my cousin, his wife, and I) moved half our stuff to the apartment Saturday, Thehubs and I later decided Sat night that we didn't want to live there for a number of reasons (safety, conditions of the apt, etc.) and then we (Thehubs, mom and dad) moved it all back to our townhouse on Sunday! (fun fun)

So I'm sitting here now in my living room looking at stacks of boxes upon boxes, waiting to hear back from another apartment complex (which is absolutely amazing) and hoping we can get moved within the next week or so...

I know it was all God's plan. We both made mistakes, and learned from them...and trust me, it will never ever be forgotten! We were able to get out of the lease at the other place with no problems, and so I know that was The Lord's provision right there!!! And we would have never considered this other place unless the circumstances were what they are....once again, God's provision!

I will certainly keep you updated on everything......especially my sanity with the way my house looks right now. I thought about posting pics of it all, but let's just say that we look like hoarders at the moment!!!

Happy Wednesday!!

Thoughts

I'm sitting in my house right now looking at boxes...everywhere! Thankfully my mother-in-law came this morning and helped me ALL DAY packing. We've got pretty much everything packed except all the breakables in the kitchen. My mom will be coming in the morning with a bunch of newspapers to help finish things up.

I'm going to miss this place....it looks very naked right now without everything on the walls, and everything packed. This was our first house. Our first place making memories as a married couple. First place we had friends over, and grilled out. First place we spent so many nights together in each other's arms. It was our first HOME!

Can't wait to see where the Lord leads us over the years. Where else we will make memories. Where we will begin adding to our family. When we will buy a house. Where we will settle down...etc. etc.

I know HE has great plans, and that He is leading our every step. I thank Him everyday for giving me such an amazing husband....I work with so many families who are falling apart. Dads and husbands who are apathetic and who just don't care about their own family. Husbands who don't communicate to their wives, and dads who don't know how to do anything but scream at their kids.

Those things make me stop and realize how blessed I am. They make me so thankful that my husband is right the opposite. He shows me his love daily, and I never have any doubts about that. I know he will be a great father one day, and will never put anything on this earth before us.

Just some thoughts.....