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.

Election Day - Thank God it is almost over...

I have never felt a more overwhelming sense of responsibility. Yet, this is not my first time to vote. People say that this is the most important election we've ever had - and I ask why? Is it because either party winning will be an historical event (a black man as President or a woman as Vice President)? Is it because of the financial and economic crisis that the United States is in? I can imagine that people in Africa and other third world countries are asking themselves, "Financial crisis? What do they know about being poor? We can't even tap into clean, running water!" And, I'd have to agree with them. We live in such a blessed nation that people get angry at the thought of giving a percentage of their surplus of money to someone less fortunate than them. 

I find myself more than ever before begging for someone to tell me the TRUTH! I hear what each candidate is saying about themselves and about each other, and somewhere along the way everything does not match up. More importantly to me, what they are saying does not match up with my Christian views. 

Sure, "redistribution of wealth" sounds like the socialist idea of giving to everyone equally. However, doesn't it say in Acts Chapter 4: 32-35 

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need."

I understand this to mean that people sold their houses, land, and everything they owned so that no one would be suffering or in need of food, shelter, etc. I understand that the major argument about this principle today is that it takes from the hard-working middle and upper classes and gives their money to the people who won't (or can't) work and earn for themselves. Isn't it our job, however, to be obedient and let God take care of the rest? He has commanded us that  whatever we do for those who are ignored and rejected, we do also to Him. I also know that Christ has told us we can't serve two masters. In Matthew 6:24, he says

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

I challenge you while you're holding on tightly to every cent, which I know is crucial as prices continue to increase, ask yourself how willing you are to obey God's command to us that we clothe, feed, and shelter the poor, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE TOO LAZY TO DO IT FOR THEMSELVES. Maybe, just maybe, this is God's way of shining His light through us that they might come to know the power of His salvation. 

2 John 1:6 "And this is LOVE. That we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard in the beginning, His command is that you walk in LOVE.

I would like to say that I definitely support the pro-life stance. Abortions should not be legal or provided for any woman or girl, without parental consent. It is the killing of innocent life, life that doesn't have a choice or voice and needs us to be its voice. BUT, to say that the killing of innocent life is immoral, shouldn't that also include war? There are tales of women and children who get caught in the line of fire in Iraq...they are innocent and they are killed, all in the name of democracy. Is this any different? Shouldn't we put a stop to that kind of murder, too? I will go as far as saying that all killing is wrong (Thou shall not murder). So, doesn't that include capital punishment, or is it okay to contradict ourselves and say that we should kill someone as punishment for killing someone? Life is life - some innocent, some more guilty of sin than others. Right? Or have we all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God? (Rom. 6:23) 

I voted today, but I don't feel good about it. I don't have a peace because these earthly "kings and kingdoms" will inevitably pass away; my God reigns forever and He alone is sovereign. I have found the source of my truth in His word. Therefore, I do not agree with either candidate whole heartedly. Unfortunately, I can't take what we like in each one and roll it into one perfect President - that, I'm afraid, doesn't exist. I know that the day is coming when every knee will bow to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; some will bow willingly now, and others will be forced later. I am convinced that my job, duty, responsibility, call, whatever you want to call it, is this: To "tell" everyone I know that Christ died for them. I will do that with my words, but most importantly with my actions. St. Francis of Assisi said, "Preach the gospel at all times. And when necessary, use words." Superman tells Lois Lane in the most recent Superman movie, "You say the world doesn't need a Savior, but everyday I hear them crying out for one." CHRISTIANS: LISTEN TO THE CRIES OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND LOVE THEM IN EVERY WAY THEY NEED TO BE LOVED. Again, I'll quote 2 John 1:6 - And this is LOVE. That we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard in the beginning, his command is that you walk in LOVE."

Micah 6:8 "He has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."