family visits!

I am so excited about my Dad and brother, Chris, coming to visit us this weekend and for having tickets to take them to the Alabama game vs. Tennessee! My dad's 50th birthday is this year on Halloween and this is our chance to get together and celebrate his 50 years. He is a huge football lover and, though we didn't grow up as Bama fans, he loves the tradition that the football program is known for.

I am trying to think of ideas for decorations and presents for the "over the hill" mark for this weekend. Any suggestions are welcomed!

Have a wonderful, beautiful, fall week and praise God for the awesome creation that HE surrounds us with :)

Wedding Bells and Busy weeks

One of my best friends from home got married this weekend. I was lucky to have the opportunity to make the trip up to NC for the wedding. Cindy Lou, if you read this, you were a gorgeous bride. I love how weddings remind those of us who are already married about the vows we made and how we should cherish the ones we've chosen to spend our lives with :)

I drove 9 hours there on Tuesday and 9 hours back to T-Town today. I am exhausted, and already looking into buying a plane ticket for my class in VA in June. (So I don't have to drive that is!) Tomorrow we go for our final walk through on the house and close Tuesday. I can't wait for them to give us our keys so we can FINALLY get out of this apt. If the neighbors beat on their floor (our ceiling) one more time...I don't think I'll hold Aaron back this time!

I hope to post some pics of the house with OUR furniture in it very soon ;)

If you fail to plan...

So...I have not updated in awhile. I am excited to say that I finally have a plan to finish my Master's degree. Whew! It has been a rough road since we moved trying to find work, but I know that it's exactly what needed to happen because God has taught me so much through this time. I decided to go to Liberty this June 8-12 to take my last on-campus class and I will start another class online on June 22nd that lasts until August 14th. Then...my only class left is student teaching and there are a few options open at this time...just have to have my paperwork in by Sept. 15th! Man it feels good to have a plan!

Also...I am planning a trip to NC next week to see my good friend, CindyLou, get married on the 16th. I also get to visit with my Mom, Stepmom, and Grandmothers for Mother's day...a tad late, but still great nonetheless.

And...we are planning to close on our house in about a week and a half (May 19th). Did I mention I am excited about this? Time has crept by but it is almost here and I could not be happier.

Passion

I just finished re-watching the Passion of the Christ. I was wanting to watch it again during this week just as a reminder of what Jesus did for me. And for you. The movie contains many theatrical elements that are not necessarily Biblical, including Satan's presence at Gethsemane. In the gospel accounts, it tells of Jesus praying and finding the disciples asleep. In the movie, Satan is tempting Jesus to believe that He can't do the will of the Father, that no one man could bear the burden of all sin. While I am no Bible scholar, I believe this could have happened, though the writer may not have known. Christ himself would have been the only one to know of Satan's presence there while He was praying.

I have felt the attack of the enemy for the last couple of months. I have allowed myself to feel insignificant, worthless, and unworthy. I feel the need to go out and work to help with our financial situation and the door has not yet been opened for me to find a job in my field. So, I have blamed myself and have taken on the spirit of doubt even to the point of feeling inadequate.

Today, I am reminded that Satan is real, but that he has no power over me because I can claim the name of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Satan trembles when he sees even the weakest saint on her knees! Praise God! However painful it was, Jesus died on the cross for the remission of my sins so that I might live an abundant life claiming the promises that He has made me.

Jeremiah 29:11 He has a purpose and perfect will for my life through which He intends to prosper me!

John 10:10 While the enemy desires to take our lives from us, Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full!

2 Timothy 1:7 The spirit God gives us is power, love, and self-discipline.

If anyone has ever felt or is feeling attacked by the enemy, remember: the battle has already been won. At the name of Jesus, Satan trembles because he knows he has already been defeated. Don't let him have power over you that is not his!! Jesus died so that you might have life!

Aaron's sermon - Defining Moments

This past Sunday, Aaron preached his first sermon before an entire church congregation. Over the past 7 months since we've been at North River, I have watched him progress in his speaking skills. He is a very good speaker and I can see his comfort level growing as he is more at ease speaking in front of a large group of people. I just wanted to take this chance to brag on him! I am so proud of him for what he does... not just his career but his passion. He truly has a heart for young people and seeing them understand God's word in a way that compels them into action. It is also such a blessing to have a husband who gets to do what he loves for a living. A lot of people dread their work and are in it for the paycheck. Aaron gets up each morning with a smile on his face ready to spend another day preparing to teach our youth and to make a difference in our community! I could go on and on, but I just wanted to share with you all how proud I am of my husband and how blessed I feel to be married to a man of God!

If you'd like to hear Aaron's sermon, you can go to our church's website:

http://www.northriveronline.com/

Click on about us, then current teachings. His sermon is titled: Defining Moments

Home-owners!

I have been hesitant to write this blog...but I'm just too excited :)

Aaron and I found a house that we absolutely love and it's in a great area, closer to church, good schools, etc. We made an offer on the house and it has been accepted...finally! So, as of right now we are buying this home and closing on it May 19th. I can't believe it...I don't think it has set in yet that we finally have something that is our own with all the features that we wanted. I cannot wait...but we are still in the process of working out the details so I'm praying that things will continue to go smoothly! Praise God for answering prayer!

The Rescue

A few weeks ago, Jennifer Mitchell and I went to see a movie that I had heard people talking about, but had not seen. The prequel to this film is called Invisible Children, depicting 3 young guys who took a trip over to South Africa expecting an adventure but not knowing what they'd find. The movie we saw, The Rescue, is a continuation of what these guys found...3000 children soldiers taken captive and made to fight and kill under the name of Joseph Kony. The next film, the one we actually just viewed, is called The Rescue, which outlines a course of action for all those who are interested in seeing justice served. I could tell you about it, but I wouldn't really do it justice (it's a really bad pun, I know). It is a really cool idea and it's worth hearing. And, even if you're like me and don't think you could do what they're suggesting...there are other ways to help, and it starts with what I'm doing now...raising awareness. If you don't do anything else, just go to their website and watch the short film on The rescue plan. I promise it'll compel you to do at least what I'm doing :)

www.invisiblechildren.com
therescue.invisiblechildren.com

From their website:
Invisible Children is a social, political and global movement using the
transformative power of story to change lives. By inspiring youth culture to
value creativity, idealism and sacrifice, the movement fuels the most
effective, adaptable and innovative programs in the world.

Hebrews 11

I posted previously that in our Senior High Girls study on Sun. mornings we've been studying key characters in the story of the Old Testament. This past Sunday we recapped the last 4 people we've studied (Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses) by telling stories and tying each story together with transition so that we begin to see the Old Testament and the people of the OT as members of a fluid, beautiful story. My girls, once again, shocked and amazed me with how much they have retained even from the first week. (No wonder we won the trivia game...only group to get all their questions right!!)

So, I'm studying for their study next week on Rahab - faith in action. The study leads me to Hebrews 11 where the author is telling how key characters in the Old Testament have not just verbalized their faith in God, but have actually put their faith in action because of their belief in God's promises. It even goes on to say that they didn't even receive God's promise, that this is the stark contrast between the OT and us...we have God's promises fulfilled to us in Jesus Christ!!

I am a full believer in the fact that to be saved, one must only confess with the mouth and believe with the heart. BUT! there's a but. Doesn't the love you've found in salvation compel you to DO SOMETHING?? It must, it must. I don't ever want to become so complacent in my faith that I am teaching young girls to believe in God's promises and, by faith, act them out if I am not 110% acting out my faith everyday. I believe Hebrews 11 and James 2 have a lot to say to me about this...and I'll be studying them until I feel I have a good grasp on this faith in action. I'll post later about how the study goes this Sunday :)

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them ffrom a distance, admitting that they were foreignersand strangers on eatrth. People who say such things show that they are lookking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country-a Heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called thehir God, for he has prepared a city for them. " Hebrews 11:13-16

Humanist movement

I was reading the newspaper (shocking, yes) and came across an article about Humanism and the lack of religion that leads the people associated (aka Humanists) to do morally good things for the betterment of all. I am posting a link to the article from The Tuscaloosa News website.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090321/NEWS/903209982

I am disturbed by this, but not shocked. They claim that there are people out there who need to unite, having in common that they are morally good, altruistic people without a religion to give credit to. They are just good people. Period.

Maybe that's true. But my argument would be that there has to be some origin of that good. Because just as many people out there are equally bad, evil, malicious...and they act on their evilness to commit murder, rape, theft, etc. Even those who are not THAT bad (i.e. don't murder, rape, or steal) are still selfish and it's a choice to do good things for others. What makes them bad is what makes us all bad...sin! (We're born sinners). But those of us who believe in God and have the love of Christ have the power to be morally good and do good for the benefit of others....but it comes from faith in God and the love we've found in Christ. My thesis statement, were this an essay, would be that goodness comes from God, and without it, mankind is destined to continue its selfish, immoral, sinful ways.


So, what do you think? Read the article and post back :)

Happy Birthday, Yoda!

Today is Yoda's 1st birthday! Here are a few pics from the time we got him at 12 weeks old last June (and 3.9 lbs...adorable) to now! We are still hoping for him to mature in his behavior...he's still very annoying at times! But, we still love him, or at least I do :)

March Madness!

Photo: Aaron, me, brothers Anthony and Chris at the UNC game in December when Tyler Hansbrough broke the all-time scoring record...he has also broken the record for rebounds recently, and he lacks about 5 points or so to break the all time ACC scoring record...more over J.J.!!!

Oh, the fun things that March brings. I, of course, wore my green yesterday! But what's even more exciting is the NCAA tournament and march madness for all of us basketball crazies. This picture is from 2005, the last time Carolina won the tourney. I was actually still in school at UNC when this happened...it was great! I'd love to see them win it again...and of course, I am picking them to win in all my brackets and will be cheering them on to the very end :) First game, Thursday at 2:50e vs. Radford. (Also, at some point, look for the Heels to be sporting shaved heads...I can't remember if it's the first game of the ACC tourney, the sweet 16, or the Final Four...but it is awesome to see it when they do it!)

Artsy Craftsy

It is getting harder and harder to find substitute jobs...so I find myself at home a lot during the day still feeling the need to be productive. I have started a few art projects that I'd like to share. A few pictures today of the before side, and when I finish I'll make sure I put up some pictures of my masterpieces (ha!)

To continue the theme of fine arts, I am listening to some new music lately. Mostly, I go to Pandora.com, a radio station online pointed out to me by a friend I miss very much, Devon Simmons! :) The artist I am into right now is Adele (pronounced Uh-Dell, emphasis on the dell). She has a very jazzy new sound that I love...kind of the inspiration, I think, for Megan Joy Corkrey on American Idol this season. If you get time during your work day, tune into Pandora.com and check out Adele (the way pandora works is you put in an artist or song and it brings you a station that plays music that is similar in tone and style...you can then click "thumbs up or thumbs down" and it will filter the rest of the music based on your likes and dislikes). Also on the playlist for Adele that I like is Corinne Bailey Rae, India Arie, Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse, etc.

What do you do when you're bored?

This short and sweet time between getting married and having kids...that time where it's just the two of us...sometimes leaves us with a lot of time on our hands. Aaron often stays late at the church getting things done or helping out with other ministries...which leaves me to come up with creative ways to spend my time :) One thing I enjoy very much is cooking/baking...especially baking sweet treats for us to enjoy! Today's recipe: Cream cheese chocolate chip cookies

• 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese , room temperature
• 16 Tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter , room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet choc
• olate chips
• 2 tsp. grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 350°. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar on high speed until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour and salt until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and orange zest. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets; space dough about 1 inch apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges. With a spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely; store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

The Old Testament - one beautiful story

I teach the Senior High girls Bible study on Sunday mornings. I'd like to say how proud I am of them for winning the 4 week challenge yesterday...the only group to get all 5 of their questions right from the last 4 weeks of study! (I actually made the questions hard too!)

I think that this study of the Old Testament we are covering is just as much for me as it is for them. It has truly opened my eyes and given me a new love and appreciation for the beautiful story of the Old Testament. One thing I've tried to get them to see is how each of the people we are studying is connected. We started with Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. Next week's study will cover Joshua and Caleb...You see God's promise to Abraham and how He tested A's faith by waiting until he and his wife were wayyy old to give them their promised heir, Isaac. How often, though, do we think like Abraham that God needs our help in fulfilling His promise (e.g. Abraham and Sarah having a child through the maidservant, Hagar). Then, the story of Jacob and Esau (Isaac's sons) continues the story of God's covenant to make Abraham the father of many nations. Jacob's name is changed to Israel after he wrestles with God, and from him come the 12 tribes of Israel. One of those sons, Joseph, is badly mistreated by his brothers, but we see God's hand on him as he establishes good standing in Egypt, setting up the stage for the Israelites to move into Egypt. They are oppressed there for more than 400 years...and God raises up the slow-to-speak Moses to liberate them from their slavery. God calls Moses to lead the people back into the Promised Land that is "flowing with milk and honey." God wants the very best for His people, but they are filled with fear as they see the size of the inhabitants of Canaan. Next week, we are going to see how God punishes His people for doubting His power to make them more than conquerers in Canaan. Two people, Joshua and Caleb, are rewarded for their faith and their willingness to take a stand for their God.

One verse in particular stands out to me, and it is from Joseph in Genesis 45: 5 when he finally reveals to his brothers who he is. "Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for sekling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you."

I think that's the last thing I'd want to say to my brothers who had sold me into slavery years ago. It brings up a point from the Esther study by Beth Moore in Chapter 4 verse 14 where Mordecai tells Esther that God has appointed her to her position "for such a time as this." It's important to remember that God is weaving together our story into his-story(history) just as He was doing in the lives of Joseph and Esther, as well as the rest of Israel.

Wherever you are, in whatever situation, even though you may not understand just yet, God has appointed you for such a time as this. Be faithful!

Re-commitment

I have to admit -- I am a terrible blogger. It's not that I don't have anything to write about, because we sure stay busy! It's just that I rarely take the time to write about it...but that, hopefully, is going to change! I love our life, our church, our ministry, our dog (sometimes), and everything about the life that God has blessed us with...and I want to share it! So, here's me saying that I am going to try to do much better about blogging everyday (shew, that's a hard commitment to make!).

Today's topic: catch up!
Since I last blogged back in January at the end of BREATHE weekend, our students have stayed on fire and committed to growing in their walks with Christ. It has been such a blessing just to know them and be a part of their lives. They make me laugh, but also fill me with such a sense of pride to be with them on this journey of following Christ. We've been studying Colossians 3:12 in a series entitled LIVE LOVE LOUD which will culminate this Wednesday followed by a service project scheduled for March 28th. The students will be going to a local middle school to do a clean-up project for the day. It is awesome to see how excited they are to live out what they've been learning about compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience!

I am still substitute teaching as much as I can, hoping that a Spanish position will open up somewhere for next year! Subbing is a lot of fun and provides some great variety, but it's hard some days to keep doing it!

I just found out that my older brother, Chris, will be coming to visit April 22nd and I am so excited! Now, I just need ideas on fun things that we can do when he gets here!

A sweet couple from our church gave me a set of women's golf clubs that they didn't want anymore and I am so excited to learn and start playing with Aaron. We are constantly looking for things to do together other than being couch potatoes, and last Thursday we went for the first time to the driving range. I did pretty well, but I am concentrating on learning the correct form for hitting the ball...it is going to take a little longer than I thought! It is definitely something fun for both of us to enjoy together, so I am willing to push through the soreness and practice!

Finally, something that I am very interested in right now is saving money (aren't we all?). I learned that a website (www.southernsavers.com) provides you with the specials at most local grocery stores as well as their specific policies on stacking coupons, etc. I am going to try this out, but if any of you have other ways that you save on groceries and other necessities, let me know!

BREATHE weekend

Breathe weekend turned out much better than any of us could have imagined...then again, God's thoughts are so much higher than ours. He truly had His hand upon us and His Spirit was with us, anointing the band as they led us in worship and Aaron as he spoke. The messages were entitled "Is anyone thirsty," "Hungry? Why wait?" and "Will you accept?" The last message included personalized letters made out to each student with a card inside that asked them whether or not they would accept Christ's invitation to join Him at the wedding feast. Meaghan Barkley accepted Christ - and we praise God for her and for her new-found love of Christ and eternity! Many other students decided to recommit their lives to Christ. And in our time of sharing Sunday morning, many of them confessed their sins of being complacent in their faith and not standing up for Christ or committing enough time to studying His word and praying. It has truly been an amazing week to watch them as they don't just let their fire die out. They have committed to text each other daily as accountability for quiet time. We have all committed to breakfast before school once a week...which started today at the Waffle House :) But most importantly, I believe that they have all seen the stakes of the commitment they are making when they give their lives to Christ. "Don't be Orpah" is a phrase that I now love...referring to the sister of Ruth who, at the moment she realized the going was getting tough, decided to leave her mother-in-law in an escape from harsh reality. When we say "don't be Orpah" to our students, they know we mean that being a Christian is never easy, but we have hope that Christ will never leave us or forsake us, rather He will strengthen us to do what He has called us to do. So many things that I am still trying to grasp these students are learning at a much younger age, and that brings me so much joy!

I am posting a few pictures from the weekend. Enjoy!

Happiness is a choice

Someone said something to me the other day...my memory fails me and I can't remember who it was or in what context. The line was "happiness is a choice." How true! We are all dealt circumstances in our lives that can put a negative spin on our optimism. It's so easy to consider these circumstances misfortune. The old cliche does ring true, though, that everything happens for a reason. My question to myself (and to you, should this apply) is always "what are you going to do about it?"

A good friend of mine, former housemate, and someone very much more wise than me, was listening to me complain once about how much I hated divorce and its effect on my life. I practically told her how I believed that my parents' divorce was responsible for all the negative circumstances I had been dealt and that I didn't think I'd ever be over it. I carried around a lot of pain and baggage for a long time regarding this issue and every chance I got, I let myself wallow in self-pity and feeling sorry for myself. I would cry about it, a lot. I gave it to God over and over again, but not really, if that makes sense.

As we sat and talked, my friend finally interrupted me in the middle of my tears and mid-sentence of a story I had told many times, and she said, "what are you going to do about it?" Immediately I was hurt and mad that she would stop me and not want to hear the rest of what I had to say. But once I got over the initial frustration, I realized she was right. How long would I keep telling the same sad story to anyone who would listen, only to make myself feel more justified in my long-lasting grief? How long would I feel like my situation was the worst and that nothing could comfort me in my pain?

It didn't happen that day or even that year, but recently, some things have happened that caused the emotions associated with the divorce to resurface. I don't live at home, and I haven't for over 3 years now, so it's so easy to stick to the "out of sight, out of mind" routine. However, these recent happenings proved something to me that I wouldn't have thought was true. God has healed me of so much of my pain that I was able to stare the situation in the face and handle it with prayer and confidence. I am not saying that new pain was not caused, but only that I, for the first time in my life, truly came to believe that God can heal my pain. I have never experienced that for myself, though I've heard about it from people over the years. It's kind of like God's grace; it is such an overwhelming concept, but you don't truly understand it until it is made perfect in your own weaknesses.

You might be thinking that I didn't really do anything about my feelings except run and hide from them. And that I haven't answered the "what are you going to do about it" question for myself. After all, I did move 600 miles away from my problems. However, I know that I have faced them because I know that God has taken so much pain from me. There is new pain, but I am more strong and confident that I can handle it with my God's peace and comfort that I know it won't keep as much of a hold on me as my former pain. Equally important is my choice to be happy...and I even like the word joy better than happiness. Joy doesn't mean that life is a bed of roses, but that you find strength and comfort in Jesus and that brings you an overwhelming sense of completeness.

My New Year's Resolution is to strive even more this year to choose happiness and joy. Aaron and I don't even have the word divorce in our vocabulary, it's not an option! December 21st of this past year was my Grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary, and my grandmother said that marriage is not ever easy, but there is a desire there to fulfill a commitment and to be happy in it. Choose to be happy.

If you're thinking that your circumstances are worse than anyone else, remember that your cross is never harder than you can bare. My question to you is "what are you going to do about it?" Will you let it become who you are, or will you choose joy and happiness knowing that God can and will heal your wounds and your pain?

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your care upon Him because He cares for you.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 1That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.