Thirsty

The Voice

2012-01-26T06:30:00.000-06:00

The Voice™ Bible translation is a faithful dynamic translation of the Scriptures done as a collage of compelling narratives, poetry, song, truth, and wisdom. The Voice calls the reader to step into the whole story of Scripture and experience the joy and wonder of God’s revelation. Created for and by a church in great transition, The Voice uniquely represents collaboration among scholars, pastors, writers, musicians, poets, and other artists, giving great attention to the beauty of the narrative. The heart of The Voice is retelling the story of the Bible in a form as fluid as modern literary works yet remaining painstakingly true to the original manuscripts. This translation promotes the public reading of longer sections of Scripture—followed by thoughtful engagement with the biblical narrative in its richness and fullness and dramatic flow.

I have been studying Romans during my personal bible study time and have felt quite bogged down and overwhelmed. Romans is full of great information on faith and grace, but also packed full of references to Jewish law and culture and I do not know as well. I am currently using an NIV study bible, so after almost each verse I am looking for more ifnormation from the footnotes.

I decided to give another bible transalation a try to see if that would help clarify my confusion. I download The Voice transaction. It is an unusal pairing of scripture with narrative, poetry and other scripture. I read through my NIV transalation and then reread the same chapter with the Voice transaltion. The voice used language similar to the NIV, but also inserted other scripture and then followed the chapter with narrative that helped clarify some questions I had throughout the chapter. It is definitely an interested transalation, one that would be best used for personal growth and development. I think it would be hard to do a group study with the transalation unless all the members were using the same translation. I definitely will incomporate the translation into my daily studies to help with my personal growth.

Living as a testimony

2012-01-25T06:30:00.000-06:00

Often when I am reading a devotional or my bible, I find that itis so relevant to what I am thinking about or experiencing in mydaily life.

Last night I waslaying in bed, praying about my friends and family that do not believe in Jesusas their personal Savior. I havebeen having some medical problems and for a while I was confused and frustratedthat I seem to always have medical issues and why. But then last night Irealized that maybe God is using my physical issues to further thekingdom.

I was praying thatif God needed my life, but it would in turn produce a relationship between Godand my friends and family, then it would be worth the moments that I did notget to spend on earth. Heaven is eternity and I need these people to be inHeaven with me. Selfishly, I do not want to be without them, but completelyunselfishly, they cannot be without God.

I am studyingRomans and this morning I read how Paul felt the same way that I did. Romans9:2, "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.” Paul feltthe same way I do not. And he was willing to be cursed and cut off from God inorder for that to happen.

I have this deep anguish for my friends and family, but I have areally hard time speaking about my faith, and sometimes even just putting thegreat need for God into words. No matter what happens with my medical issuesand if I only have one day or 50 more years, I pray that I can find the wordsand live a life screaming Jesus so that everyone around me will come to knowhow important a relationship with God really is.

Marriage devotional

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-06:00

A while ago I was given a copy of the Love and Respect Devotional. I enjoyed the book by Emerson Eggerichs, so I thought a devotional would be a great way to get closer to my husband and learn more about each other.

There is 52 devotionals, which is nice because it would be hard to do a 365 devotional with another person. The devotional can be done by the couples or just by one and shared with the other. My husband isn't so good with devotionals so I do a lot of reading and then we converse about the things I learned.

Here is a description of the devotional:

A Devotional Unlike Any Other!Through his international bestseller, Love & Respect, Emerson Eggerichs has transformed marriages around the world with his biblically based approach to understanding the love that she most desires and the respect that he desperately needs. Now, in this long-awaited new release, Emerson has created an experience for couples that is effective, flexible and life-changing.To build this couples devotional, Eggerichs has taken the top concerns that surfaced in a survey of thousands of couples and has developed 52 devotionals around the three cycles that are at the heart of Love and Respect:The Crazy CycleThe Rewarded CycleThe Energizing CycleSome may ask, “Why 52 devotionals and not 365, like other couples' books I have seen?” The author’s research shows that married couples don’t want to deal with that much material, that often. Therefore, the specific devotionals, which can be done weekly or at any chosen pace, are specifically guided to what couples say they most need. And this is a husband-friendly devotional, written and designed in such a way that the husband can feel comfortable in the entire process.With this wealth of new material, The Love & Respect Experience will be indispensable to anyone wishing to better their marital relationship.

It was a good devotional. Great insights and spurred great conversation. You can take your time with this one and use it when you need some couple time or to help grow closer!

Tasty birthday treat

2012-01-23T17:41:00.000-06:00

Yummy! Paul and I spent the day at home together, eating lunch at a hibachi grill and then walking around the mall. It was an awesome way to spend my birthday together. But when I got home I was craving a sweet treat!

So, I made some peanut butter and honey popcorn. Oh my is it amazing! I just had to share!

Peanut Butter and Honey Popcorn

8 cups of popcorn

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of honey

1/2 cup of peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

So, first off you need 8 cups of popcorn. My new favorite thing is to make popcorn with just a brown bag and kernels. No fillers, no processed junk, no chemicals. Yum! Put a 1/2 cup in a brown lunch bag, fold the lunch bag and then microwave for 3 minutes. I grabbed handfuls and put them in a large paper bag. Microwave kernels until you have 8 cups of popcorn. Just make sure to keep the kernels out of the large paper bag.

Then, in a small pot bring 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of honey to a rolling boil. Once the mixture is boiling remove from heat. Add 1 tsp of vanilla and 1/2 cup of peanut butter to the honey mixture. Stir till the peanut butter is melted. Pour the mixture into the large paper bag of popcorn. Shake the bag to coat the popcorn. Spread popcorn out on a cookie sheet to cool. So good and gooey, I love popcorn and this quick tasty treat makes it even more awesome!

SAP

2012-01-22T19:05:00.001-06:00

It’s ironic that when I stopped reading my bible regularly,my blogging regularly ceased. Reading my bible caused me to write, to havethoughts that I need to express and more questions that I need answered, henceblogging.

So, I am back. I have realized how disconnected I feel whenI am not in the word daily. I let myself get frustrated with confusion andinstead dissolve myself in books, TV and surfing.

So, back to blogging, but more importantly, to readingmy bible. As a pastor at Eagle Brook Church said it is our text message fromGod. I will drop anything to read a text, but I don’t even give God that honorin my life. And my life should be lived to honor God.

I get disconnected in reading and feel like I need a plan orI am off-center or unorganized. I need something to follow or a method. When Idon’t have this I stop reading because I feel out of control.

I am following Eagle Brook’s plan….each week there is 5readings. Then you follow each daily reading with journaling. You pick ascripture verse that is speaking to you, or one that you need to clarify orthat interests you. Then you apply it to your life. Journal about the verse,learn more about it and delve into the verse. Finally you end your time withprayer. Praying about the verse, the application and working the scripture intomy life. Not a new method, but one that is finally working for me. It is theSAP method.

I am also reading a Joyce Meyer daily devotional on my iPodeach morning. I am working on starting and ending my day with God, hoping thata day sandwiched with God will help my actions, thoughts and words follow God’swill throughout the day.

Blogging Break

2011-11-15T10:38:00.001-06:00

I have been taking a break from blogging during the busy season of my life. I am currently working both my full time job and a seasonal job at Target. Long hours, but it will be nice to have some bills paid off.
But, these extra hours have cut into my blogging. So...I am taking a blogging break. I will be writing on my Reshaping it All blog, so please join me there until I return to Thirsty.

I wanna know

2011-10-26T12:56:00.000-05:00

I was listening to Air1 in the car during lunch and Anthem Lights’ song “I wanna know you like that” started playing. I was singing along when I realized that these words were really a prayer for me. I really do want to know God in a personal way and to live my life in a way that Christ did while he was here on earth.

Then…the conviction hit. If I want to know God “with every breath that I breathe and I wanna help other see” then I need to work on my relationship with God. I need to grab my bible instead of my nook. I need to put down my iPod touch, not play a game of Hanging with Friends, and pray. I have so many idols…including eating, that I never realized how much I put in front of God.

I will never know God in the way I want to unless I work at it. I need an exercise schedule for God just as much as I need an exercise my body. I need to make the right choices with food to keep my body healthy and I need to make the right choices with my spiritual life to increase my relationship with God.

Read these lyrics…I hope they touch you as much as they touched me today.

I wanna know

Just today
I heard a story of a pastor far away
Who watched his church walls fall with the rain
With tears in his eyes
Here is what he had say
"Let's reach the ones that will rebuild this place"

(Chorus)
I wanna know You like that
To live, to love
With everything I am
To give it all
I wanna know You like that
To become
A man after Your heart
And not look back
I wanna know You like that

I wanna know
I wanna know
I wanna know...

Like David did
He lived a life this world cannot forget
He'd fall so hard then get back up again
Then face the giant knowing he would win
Because You were with him

Chorus

With every breath I breathe
I wanna help others see
And I will never stop
'Til everybody's singing (X2)

Chorus (X2)

I wanna know, I wanna know
I wanna know, I wanna know
I wanna know You like that (X2)

fresh brewed life

2011-10-10T18:20:00.002-05:00

Book Description
With wit and wisdom, Nicole Johnson leads readers in a journey of awakenings.
Living a fresh-brewed life requires that women encounter a beautiful awakening in three areas. First, to God as they respond to His tender, passionate love for them; second to themselves as they embrace their identities as women, their gifts, and their dreams; and third to others as they learn to love and communicate in ways that bring joy and closeness.
In this substantial revision—including new chapters and a study guide—of the successful 1999 Fresh-Brewed Life, Nicole offers a freshly brewed, wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee guide to living life to the fullest. She encourages Christian women to recognize the areas in their lives where they are sound asleep—and let God wake them up again.
Readers will find a heartwarming, honest book that’s good to the last drop.

Fresh-brewed life was a great book. It was honest and unique. It definately made me feel like I wanted to cuddle up on the couch and snuggle with the book and a cup of coffee. Although I feel some of the book was typical of women's devotional books, it was still a great pick me up or gift book.

Weight loss blog

2011-10-07T22:03:00.003-05:00

On this weight loss journey I am starting, I am also going to blog! Please join me on my weight loss blog: Missie's Reshaping it All!

Making a healthy change

2011-10-06T09:16:00.002-05:00

You have read how I have struggled over and over with weight loss. This week I hit a low. At work we had a special week for customer service week that centered around food. Monday was breakfast pizza, Tuesday was popcorn, candy and pop, Wednesday was dips (lots and lots of cream cheese based dips), today is caramel rolls and tomorrow is a potluck. Uffda. Instead of trying to stick with Weight Watchers because I did so well last week, I let it all go.

I realized this morning that being a Christian takes self-control and will power. Temptation comes at us from all angles. I have learned (mostly the hard way) to stay away from people and activities that make me sin. I did not realize until today what a sin my eating was. I am a glutton for food – and punishment.

So, I am once again going to start down the road to weight loss, but this time I am going to put God in the driver seat like I do for the rest of the things in my life that I find tempting. I have a problem with food…I cannot stop. This one is above and beyond me…I need help from above. Also, a couple of my friends have found out that they have diabetes and I am worried that without a little weight loss and a big change of lifestyle, that will be me. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and one of the biggest issues with the syndrome revolves around insulin. Quite a few of PCOS develop diabetes, along with a lot of weight gain. I need to get right with food to get right with my health.

My goals for weight loss:

Lose 25 pounds
Gain self-confidence
Learn self-control
Be healthier
Look better in my clothes
Exercise at least 3 times a week
Look sexier for my husband

I also decided to aspire to a rewards system to give myself small milestones along the way! Here is what I came up with:

5 lbs lost – Pedicure

10 lbs lost – Bare Minerals Eye Colors

15 lbs lost – Massage

20 lbs lost – New clothes

25 lbs lost – Dandelion tattoo

What do you use for weight loss inspiration? What books have inspired your weight loss journey? I would love to know!

Courageous

2011-10-03T22:07:00.000-05:00

My bible study group and I went to Courageous tonight. I didn't really want to go to the movie (tired, other things I need to get done) but I really enjoyed it. One of those movies that left you feeling inspired.

Courageous is about a group of four men who are in the police force together and another man they meet along the way. The men have their struggles and see a lot of the bad in the world. After a tragedy in one of the men's lives, they dive into the word. One man inspires the rest to become better fathers, husbands and believers.

Although geared towards men, I still felt like I got a lot out of the movie. My husband and I do not know if we are going to have a child, or if we even can, but knowing that he could stand up and be a father like the men in the movie is awesome. How amazing would it be if all the men in the world would stand up for their own selves, their wives and their children. And women, we need to obey God in our roles too. Even though it isn't specifically addressed in the movie, the wives were always behind their husbands, encouraging, inspiring and loving them.

The part I loved the most in the movie was when one character took his daughter out to eat. Instead of giving her the "true love waits" speech he took a new approach. He tells her how much he loves and cherishes her. He cares for her heart and her well being. He asks her to let them help her find the right boy and when that day comes that she does meet the right boy, he will be there to extend him a welcome into the family. He did give her a ring with a heart and to me it seemed like he cared so much more than just asking her to wait for marriage until she had sex. He wanted to be there for her at all costs and to really help her understand how precious she really is to him and God.

Suit Up

2011-10-02T10:10:00.001-05:00

I love “How I Met your Mother.” In its six seasons we havegrown to love all the characters. Marshall and Lily’s super cute romance, Ted’squest to find true love, Robin finding herself and Barney. Oh Barney. There isa lot we could say about Barney…but one thing I would never have imagined islearning a life lesson from Barney.

If you have ever watched the show you know that Barney has a“catch phrase.” Whenever Barney is going out, doing business or any other crazyscheme he comes up with, he shouts into the air, “Suit UP!”

I almost hate to admit it, but Barney is onto something. Hesuits up to be prepared for all situations. And we as Christians are called to “suitup” too.

Ephesians 6:13-19 calls us to put on the full armor of God,to suit up in the armor of God. And I have found that without the armor I amcompletely unready for what may come my way; including the devils schemes thatEphesians warns us about.
So how do we suit up? It is a daily choice. We need tophysically and spiritually dress ourselves every day.

The Belt of Truth. Our truth comes from the word. If we arenot in the word daily, studying, memorizing, absorbing, our pants will (almostliterally) fall down when we are questioned.

The Breastplate of Righteousness. We are called to berighteous, to have a higher ethical standard. That will set us apart and guideus away from unrighteous and trying situations.

The Shield of Faith. Faith is hard and there are so manyaround us that are against what we believe. But we must continue to believe andhave unfailing faith.

The Helmet of Salvation. Knowing and acting on the way,truth and life that comes from believing and knowing Jesus Christ as yoursavior.

The Sword of the Spirit. The word of God and understanding fromthe Holy Spirit.

And the final way we are called to “Suit Up”? To pray. Alwayspray. We are called to be alert, so along with the prayer we must always belistening to God.

These are not easy, but without the word, faith, salvationand the Holy Spirit, I know that I cannot witness about my faith, I cannotstand firm against temptation and I can easily walk away from my beliefs.

I have stumbled, I have stopped doing the things that keepme close to God, and in turn, I have messed up. I have regrets and wish I couldhave traveled back and told myself to hold firm, to find a Christianorganization right away at college and to always read my bible.

But, I didn’t. But, luckily, we have a forgiving father. Ican start a fresh with the knowledge I do have now and choose to “Suit Up”everyday.

Pintrest

2011-09-29T07:46:00.000-05:00

OK people, I just have to say it…admitting it out loud might help. I am obsessed with Pintrest! It is such an awesome program! To be able to save all my photography ideas, recipe ideas, and stuff I just plan think is cool, all in one place is amazing. The creator of Pintrest is a genius!

Don’t have it? Comment me with your email address and I will invite you in (it feels like a special secret society lol!)

Win A Missie Sue's Necklace!

2011-09-21T07:54:00.002-05:00

And for the GRAND OPENING of Missie Sue's Etsy Shop I am giving a necklace away! It's easy to enter and I am giving you multiple chances to try to win!

Follow Thirsty leave a comment stating that you did (or already are)!
Check out Missie Sue's on Etsy and tell me which necklace is your favorite (one entry)
Post this Giveaway to your Facebook and leave a comment! (one entry)
Post this Giveaway to your Twitter and leave a comment! (one entry)
Post this Giveaway on your blog and leave a comment! (one entry)
Leave a comment about why you want to win! (one entry)

There will be more necklaces soon on my Esty store, so check back frequently! If there is something you want to see in necklace form let me know! Or wanna buy in bulk? Let me know! We can work out a deal! I am bringing the Keep Calm and Sew On to quilt retreat for my entire family!

The contest will end September 30th!

Verse to memorize

2011-09-19T11:00:00.002-05:00

This week’s verse to memorize is lengthy! I am a bit daunted by it, but I am going to break it down into pieces and then it will come together swimmingly!

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

⁹ 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. ¹⁰ That 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.

On a side note – I finally found a 2^nd job but man am I tired already. I am working at Target again (I worked there for 3 ½ years through college and a little after). Paul and I need to pay down the drain tile loan and then start saving to buy me a call. I can only pray that the 11 year old car I am driving now will last until we are ready to make another purchase.

I also have some fun news! I started an Esty store with some fun jewelry! I am going to post more about it tomorrow…but if you want a sneak peak visit: Missie Sue’s!

My favorite resturant pizza at home

2011-09-12T07:55:00.000-05:00

There is this restaurant in our area that has amazing pizza. If you don't know about Zorbaz, you need to. All of the restaurants are located on a lake and it is a summer tradition! Next summer vacation in Minnesota and make sure to have some pizza!

But, if you can't make it to Zorbaz or just want a tasty, low cost pizza at home, than make my At Home Remake of the Joze Zorbaz (every thing is Zs at Zorbaz)

Meet the amazing Joze Zorbaz pizza!

What you need:
Pizza crust (I used the Wildtree Pizza Crust)
Pizza sauce - either from the grocery store or homemade (I used Wildtree Perfect Pizza Sauce seasoning with a touch of Sherry and garlic for a little more zing)
Half red onion, diced
Fresh jalapeno, cut into slices
4 grape tomatoes or one large Roma tomato, sliced
Can of black olives, sliced

1/4 cup ground beef
20 to 25 pepperoni slices
1 tbsp minced garlic
Fresh cilantro (optional)
1 cup of shredded cheese

WAIT - You NEED a close up...look at those amazing toppings!

What to do:
Prepare the crust according to package. Top with pizza sauce. Equally place on toppings: pepperoni, ground beef, red onion, tomato, black olives, garlic and jalapenos. Top with shredded cheese. Bake according to crust directions. (I baked my homemade crust at 500 for 15 minutes).

Top with cilantro and a side of guacamole and serve!

Leading me to...

2011-09-10T21:07:00.000-05:00

A couple nights ago I read a blog post from a fellow bloggerwhom I cherish, Beth. She lays it all out on the table, opens her heart inhonesty and tells you like it is.

Her post is about being grateful. I read it and thought, manI am so ungrateful. But then, I started to wonder if that is really the word Ineeded to use.

Last night I was laying in bed thinking about how I justneeded a change, some excitement, just to get out of town for a moment. Was I beingungrateful?

I have a job, although I wish I was paid what I am worth, Ihave a good job. I have a cute house, although someday I wish it was newer, Ihave a good house. I have a husband who loves me, although some days I tend to(obnoxiously) compare him to TV husband, I have a husband who loves me andwants to spend his life with me. I have an amazing family, although sometimes Iwish we were closer together, I have a family who cherishes each other. I havean awesome group of friends, sometimes it almost feels like too many, but thereisn’t a single one I would give up.

So grateful…I realize I may complain a bit, but I amgrateful for all my blessings. So in my quest to find out why I was laying inbed wishing for a change, even though I have amazing things in my life, Iflipped to the concordance of my bible. If you didn’t know, you can findanything about everything back there. It’s good stuff.

So, back to the concordance. I was flipping through A to Gwhen I turned to the Fs. And you know what word jumped out at me….fulfilled.And with God, I believe that nothing happens for a reason. I was meant to findthat word.

I have a lot of things and amazing people in my life. But Iam not living my life to the fulfillment that God has promised. The wordsfulfillment and fulfill are used 42 times, most in reference to God’s wordbeing fulfilled through the scripture. The one that stuck out to me the mostwas in James.

James 2:23 – And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abrahambelieved God and it was credited to him as righteousness and he was called God’sfriend.”

Through all the fulfillment of the scripture and the waythat God works in our lives, there is one outcome I need in my life. To findfulfilness (I think I just made up that word) in my life I need to be righteousand, I hope one day, to be called God’s friend.

How amazing is that. I lose track of my days, get lost inmaterials, TV, blogging, books and so much more, but I also love out on thefulfillment of living the life I was called for. The closeness with our Maker,our Father, our Friend.

Fall decor

2011-09-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

I set up some fall decorations since the chill is in the air! I cannot believe how quickly summer went and that leaves are already changing...I love fall, but it is hard to see the summer go!
I just added leaves and pumpkins into my normal decor, easy to incorporate and just adds a touch a color.
Everything cost less than $20 too!

The wine and the vines are my normal decorations. I just snuck in pumpkins instead of the normal candle and fall leaves!

I really want to do some more fall craft...I have seen some super cute ones on crafting blogs!

What fall decorations do you put up?

Caramel Apple Cake - YUM!

2011-09-08T07:41:00.000-05:00

Along with fall comes apples! Our tree is full of apples ready for the pickin'. Paul says we have to wait until after the first frost, but I decided to grab a few right away. They are a little bitter, but they will go well in a super sweet cake!

What you need:
Cake:
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Vanilla or French Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup water
4 eggs
1/3 cup oil
2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium Granny Smith apples (or 6 from the apple tree outside), peeled, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Kraft Caramel chips (they are little unwrapped caramel balls!)
Topping:
20 KRAFT Caramels, unwrapped
3 tablespoons milk

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, water, eggs, oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter flavoring, caramel chips and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat on high speed 2 min.
3. Gently stir in apples. Pour into prepared pan (9x13, fluted pan or tube pan - greased)
4. Bake 50 min. to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes.
5. Microwave caramels and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min., stirring every 30 sec. until blended. Cool 10 min. until slightly thickened. Drizzle over cake.

Verse of the week - #WFW

2011-09-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

For more Word Filled Wednesday visit Internet Cafe Devotions!

Breakfast on the go

2011-09-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

I have found the only way I do well on a diet is to come completely prepared. If I don't have breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus snacks, all pre-planned I tend to grab junk.

I really like Smart Ones Breakfast sandwiches, but at almost $4 a box for 2 it would be SO expensive to have them every morning. So I decided to make my own!

Here are my quick breakfast sandwiches! And the best part is they are only less than $0.90 each!

Here what you need:
A microwave safe mug
5 eggs
5 english muffins
5 Fat-free Kraft Single slices
5 baggies
Wisk
Black Pepper
Pam

What to do:
Spray inside of mug with Pam. Wisk egg, teaspoon of water and black pepper in mug. Microwave mug for 45 seconds to a 1 minute (egg will start popping when it is done).
Put a slice of cheese on each english muffin, slide egg on top (you may have to push it down a bit...my eggs fluff up a lot) and then top with the other part of the muffin.
Wrap in Press and Seal or a paper towel and then put into a baggie. Freeze!

All you have to do in the morning is wrap the sandwich in a paper towel and microwave for 1minute to a 1 minute and a half, turn over and microwave for 30 seconds. Enjoy!

** Weight Watchers -6 pts per sandwich with a whole egg or 4 pts with just an egg white **

Weekly memorization

2011-09-05T17:51:00.000-05:00

Today I decided to start memorizing a verse a week. I was in AWANA as a child, all the way from 3rd grade to 12th grade, and I know how important memorizing all those verses was to me. Even to this day I still remember a lot of the verses and they often come to mind when I need them the most.

As an adult I know that I should keep up the memorization, first to keep me in the word, to make sure that I am following the word and to have it at the tip of my tongue when I need it.

I am using the FighterVerse app on my iphone. It has 2 full years of verses to memorize, along with memorization help, including a song for the verse!

Here is the verse for September 5th:

"Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Cor 9:6-7

Join me every Monday for the weekly bible verse to memorize!

Quick and Easy Rice Pilaf

2011-09-05T09:00:00.003-05:00

I love semi-homemade food. It looks like I put a lot more time and energy in the meal then I did. Great taste, half the time!

One of my favorite semi-homemades is Rice Pilaf! Check it out, doesn't it look tasty?

All you need is:
2 cups Instant Rice
Handful of shredded carrots
2 Tablespoons of diced onions
1 stalk of celery
1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp olive oil or grapeseed oil

What you do:
Finely chop all your veggies. I use a Pampered Chef chopper...love it and it is SO quick and easy. In your pot warm oil and then add veggies and garlic. Saute until the garlic is fragrant..about 3 minutes or so. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, mix in instant rice and cover for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and then serve! Tasty and SO easy!

The Hunger Games

2011-09-03T11:41:00.000-05:00

I have to tell you how much I loved reading the Hunger Games series and how excited I am for the movies. It has been a while since I have been this into a book and once I started the Hunger Games I could barely put it down. I finished it in less than 6 hours and was so absorbed into the story line and the characters.

Here is a synopis (It sounds so dark, which it is, but it is so good too)
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

The movie comes out March 23rd and I already have date night planned with the hubby. There is only one trailer so far but I cannot wait to see more. Jennifer Lawrence is a great actress (she was in X-Men First Class as well).

Check it out! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Meatball Kebabs

2011-09-02T04:30:00.000-05:00

With a long weekend, make that a long holiday weekend, there is one thing I know my hubby and I will be doing...GRILLING!

And for a festive flair I like to make meatball kebabs! Interesting, a little different and mighty tasty!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

1 lb. raw lean ground beef

2 large eggs

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp dried parsley

2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 16 chunks

1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 16 chunks

1 medium onion, cut into 16 chunks

Instructions:
Mix together meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Form with damp hands into 16 meatballs.
Slide four meatballs, alternating with peppers and onion, on 4 bamboo skewers (soak skewers for a half hour so they don't burn too quickly).
Grill for 10 minutes over medium high heat, turning every two minutes to make sure that the meat is cooked evenly.
Enjoy!

Making some extra money

2011-09-01T10:46:00.001-05:00

I know I have been absent lately…it seems like summer has gotten away from me. Along with being out of town on weekend I have been working extra hours to help gain extra money for bills.

Are you in my predicament? Seem to have less cash than usual or extra bills you didn’t plan on? Here are some tips to gain extra money or put some into savings before that next emergency surprises you!

Coupon! I save SO much money couponing. A local business goes to a large metropolitan area and bring backs inserts for $1 a paper. I get 3 papers full of awesome coupons (the coupons are better the closer to a large city than they are in a smaller town. We get coupons from Minneapolis because we barely get any in Fargo). I save way more than $3 with all those coupon deals. I save anywhere between 20% to 40%!

Find coupon bloggers in your area and check out my couponing page to find deals on inserts and great couponing deals! You can get free stuff and stock up on the things you use all the time! I got 10 boxes of cereal for $9 (that’s $0.90 each!!!)

Apply for some part time work through your local temp agency. We have friends who work at a temp agency and they get random jobs all the time. Two weeks ago I put stickers on bags for $10 an hour for a week and next week I will deal Blackjack for 4 hours for $14 a hour!

Since Christmas is right around the corner (sad but true) many retail businesses are stocking up on seasonal help. Apply at your local mall locations, Target or Wal-Mart and work an extra 15 to 20 hours a week for a few months. Plus, you can get a great discount on your Christmas gifts!

Put up a flier at work that you can babysit nights and weekends. People already trust you because you are a good co-worker and they know your schedule!

What other ideas do you have to make some extra income??

Stumbling into Grace

2011-08-31T10:51:00.000-05:00

Book Description

Humorous yet poignant stories from Lisa's life help readers relate to spiritual truths found in the life and ministry of Christ.
Stumbling Into Grace is the diary-devotional of one woman's honest, ongoing, bumbling journey of faith and how she finds encouragement through a deeper understanding of Christ's time on earth. Within each chapter she alternates her often humorous memoir with stirring portraits of Jesus and his own encounters as recorded in the New Testament.
Both intimately relevant and refreshingly inspirational, this book will help readers to jettison the theological misconceptions, guilt, shame, and hypocrisy they struggle with, exchanging them for a vibrant, passionate relationship with Christ that results in a more abundant, joyful life.

This is the 2^nd book of Lisa Harper’s I have read and I love her writing style. She is SO down to earth, witty and comical that she makes reading her books a joy. Like others she has written, this book works well for personal reading, devotional or as a group. Lisa uses her own personal stories to relate back to biblical basics. Great read!

17 day diet

2011-08-22T14:34:00.000-05:00

Allowed Foods – Cycle 1 goes for 17 days (you can lose up to 10 to 12 pounds in 17 days)

FISH

Salmon

Sole

Flounder

Catfish

Tilapia

Canned light tuna

POULTRY

Chicken breasts

Turkey breasts

Ground turkey

Eggs ( 2 eggs = 1 serving)

Egg whites (4 eggs = 1 serving)

CLEANSING VEGTABLES

Cauliflower

Cabbage

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts

Asparagus

Spinach

Okra

Tomatoes

Onion

Greens

Artichokes

Bell peppers

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower

Celery

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Green Beans

Kale

Leeks

Lettuce

Mushrooms

Okra

Onions

Parsley

Scallions

Watercress

LOW SUGAR FRUIT – 2 servings daily

Apples

Berries

Grapefruit

Oranges

Peaches

Pears

Plums

Prickly pear cactus

Prunes

Red Grapes

PROBOTIC FOODS – 2 servings daily

Yogurt (any type including Greek-style, sugar free fruit flavor, plain and low-fat 6 oz=1 serving)

Kefir (1 cup = 1 serving)

Low-fat acidophilus milk ( 1 cup = 1 serving)

Breakstone LiveActive cottage cheese (1/2 cup = 1 serving)

Sauerkraut (1/2 cup = 1 serving)

FRIENDLY FATS (1 to 2 tablespoons)

Olive oil

Flaxseed oil

WHAT TO EAT EVERY DAY:

As much of a specific protein and cleansing vegetable as you want every day

2 low- sugar fruits daily

2 servings of probiotic foods

1 to 2 tablespoons of friendly fats

You do not have to count anything except your daily 2 fruits, your probiotic servings and your fat servings.

EXAMPLE OF A DAY

Breakfast:

2 eggs or 4 egg whites OR 1 serving of probiotic

1 fruit serving

1 cup green tea

Lunch:

Liberal amounts of protein and unlimited cleansing vegetables OR probiotic serving and unlimited cleansing vegetables

1 cup green tea

Dinner:

Liberal amounts of protein and unlimited cleansing vegetables

1 cup green tea

Snacks

2^nd fruit serving

2^nd probiotic serving (if you did not eat it for both breakfast and lunch)

**Use your friendly fats for salad dressing, such as 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar on a salad OR on vegetables when cooking or roasting **

** Workout for at least 17 minutes a day (walking, running, Wii, machines, ect) **

A Place called Blessing

2011-08-15T14:58:00.000-05:00

Book Description:
Five-year-old Josh and his two older brothers lose their parents in a drunk-driving accident. A series of foster homes and a shocking tragedy eventually separate them, leaving Josh alone, angry, and distrustful of most everyone. At age eighteen, Josh strikes out on his own to find work. With only a high school education and few life skills, he is one step away from homelessness when Providence brings him to a place where he finds much more than physical shelter. For the first time in his life, Josh receives unconditional love and something every human being craves, the gift of "the blessing." The book includes an introduction and reader’s guide designed to identify and discuss the five elements of the biblical blessing that every person needs. Through the power of Josh's story, readers are shown how to give this gift to their children and others as outlined in the more than one million copy bestseller, The Blessing.

This book really made me realize how little I knew about foster care. Josh, the main character of the book, has a tradjic childhood and a horrible outlook on life. I do not personally know anyone who was in foster care, but it seriously has me considering hosting a child in my future. I could not believe how one family just gave Josh up when there was an accident. Josh was disposable to that family and others who fostered Josh.

The book also shows how each person can be shown unconditional love and how that changes lives. I really believe that everyone needs to apply these actions to their everyday life and with everyone who we come in contact with. We can make a different in the lives of our spouses, family, the bank teller, the grocery store bagger, a stranger who passes us on the sidewalk.
It’s a great read, check it out and share it!

The wife I want to be

2011-08-14T11:27:00.002-05:00

I feel like often times I am hard on myself. I punish myself for the littlest mistakes but I always strive to be better. Being a wife is hard, I want to be the best wife ever and often compare myself to everyone else (not a good idea by the way). I am learning more and more that love is an action and I have started to pray to see Paul through the eye’s of God.

Today I wrote a list of attributes I want to possess as a wife of Paul.

· Kind

· Generous

· Slow to anger

· A safe haven

· Cleanly

· Respectful

· Loving

· Trustworthy

· Peaceful

· Good

· Faithful

· Does not pick fights

· Submissive

· Gentle

· Self-controlled

· Understanding

I asked Paul to hold me accountable and let me know when I am not working towards being the best wife for Paul I can be.

“Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good." -Deut. 8:5

Journals Unlimited

2011-08-04T10:23:00.000-05:00

I just have to share, because I love this journal SO much. I have a devotional specific journal, but Journals Unlimited make so many different types! I write in my each night after my devotional time. It has the cutest questions, like what the weather is like, how you feel that day, answers to prayers and others. I think it will be awesome to go back and read through it in a couple years!

Check out the devotional journal and the peruse the site for the other awesome journals! My aunt has a travel journey and the little man she nanny’s for has a kid’s journal that they put pictures in!

The power of a praying wife

2011-08-03T17:15:00.001-05:00

Last night I started reading “The Power of a Praying Wife” and I am already in love with the book. The book is straightforward and works to help wives learn how to pray for their husbands, in good times and bad.

Husbands can be hard to pray for, especially when you feel like you have been wronged or you are in the right. I am working on learning how to see my husband through God’s eyes and be the support system the Bible encourages wives to be for their husbands.

Along with the book I also got the workbook (on my Nook). It goes through bible verses and asks blatant questions to help you better understand your marriage, how you actually feel about your marriage and what God wants out of your marriage. Along with writing your own prayers .

I really believe that actively praying for my husband and my marriage is going to make us so much stronger, open doors of communication and understanding we never had before and increase our faith in God and each other. I have never been a prayer warrior, but I want to be. What better thing to start actively praying about than my husband and marriage.

I will keep you posted on how things are going! I just wanted to share the book with you right away because I was already so encouraged! Thanks to Becca from Mee + Bee for suggesting the book to me!

Ambassador

2011-08-01T21:35:00.002-05:00

I feel as though there are sometimes two types of lives I lead. One is the life I long to lead, the life I cherish and desire. The other is the life I end up leading when I let my guard down. The one where I end up blending in with those around me, trying to fit in with the crowd and sometimes forgoing what I know is right and doing what I know to be wrong.

I feel like I relate to Paul on so many levels, but no more than when he stated, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

Life is a struggle. Faith is a struggle. But, I know one thing for sure. God is truth and following God’s plan is the life I need to lead. It is not easy, but it is the best way.

Although I struggle against myself, the thing that bothers me more is that I struggle with those around me. There are probably people in my life that do not know I am a Christian. That sucks. I want my life to scream Jesus. I know that some people around me, even some who are close to me, may never pick up a Bible. I want to be their Bible. I want them to know Jesus because of the way Jesus shines through in my life.

I fail; I struggle, but please, see past my faults. I am human and come complete with a horrible sinful nature. When I sin, please pick me up, dust me off and, most importantly, tell me I have sinned. I am standing on the rooftops proclaiming the love of Jesus and when I fail I should be told. I do not want to bear a false witness or push someone away from God.

Fellow believers, I pray that we wipe ourselves off, ask for forgiveness from God and those we have sinned against, and then start the next step in the right direction. As Christians the last thing we should claim to be is perfect, but we can shout the fact that we have a graceful God and he guides us to an amazing, abundant life in a promised land.

We are God’s ambassadors and sometimes it is so frustrating to try to understand why he would use an imperfect human race, but God’s plan is far greater than I could ever imagine.

I just pray that if you read this and exclaim “what type of Christian does she even proclaim to be?!” Just give me one thing, please see past my sinful nature, my mistakes and my sins against you and see that I love the Lord with all my heart. I am 100% blessed to be a believer, to have the hope Heaven, the strength to know that when I call I am heard, and the joy of guidance in a confusing world.

I sin, but I am forgiven. I was given a choice to believe or not to believe. I know that believing has made my life amazing, allowed God to work through me and given me hope for an amazing future in Heaven.

What if I was wrong? Well, then I pass away and nothing changes, but I would have lived my life with the hope, faith, love and good moral standing instead of doubting, guilt, anger and moral disarray like most of my peers.

God is good. God is good even when I fail to show you that. Just remember, above all, all I want you to know, to remember, to cherish and take to heart is that God is good.

I am currently reading through Proverbs and tonight I was stopped dead in my tracks.

2011-07-25T08:44:00.000-05:00

I am currently reading through Proverbs and tonight I was stopped dead in my tracks.

Proverbs 17:14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

Bam. It's like that V8 commercial - I just got slapped in the forehead. I have heard that saying "pick your battles" but man, I am the first one go admit that I will pick a battle and beat it to death. I don't know how to let things go, especially when I feel as though I have been wronged.

A few verses later I stumble upon this verse 19:13b "...and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping"

I am sure we have all heard our fair sure of faucets that will not shut off and man it is unbearably annoying. I tend to bring up the same quarrel again and again with my husband. I can't seem to bite my tongue, especially when I feel I am right.

Wives, how do you do it? I need some advice badly! I want to be able to drop the matter before I start a quarrel and I don't want to be annoying to my husband by constantly bringing them same thing up.
How do you solve conflict in your marriage?

Love Food and Live Well

2011-07-21T11:30:00.000-05:00

I was recently sent Love Food and Live Well by Chantel Hobbs to review. It came at just the right time. I have been so overwhelmed, upset, downtrodden…the list goes on and on, about my weight situation. I am about 40lbs heavier than I want to be. I have huge issues and struggle with food. I could eat a whole bag of Oreos if you set the package in front of me. I eat until it hurts.

The problem is, I know better. I SO know better. Chantel Hobbs came to me at the right time. In her book she discusses how she came to her end too. She was very overweight and knew that she had to change.

Love Food Live Well has great advice, words of encouragement and a strategic plan to get healthy. The first part starts with God. I am not addicted to drugs or alcohol, but I am addicted to food. I broke down and started praying, because I knew that I could not do this alone. I am going to depend on God to help me, to give me strength. Instead of grabbing a cookie on a bad day, I will pray. Instead of going for seconds, I will go for my bible.

Secondly, I am going to change the way I eat. Chantel has a great plan. It is 80/20 plan. 80% of my daily calories need to be energy food, healthy food that will give me the energy and fuel I need to make it through the day. Only 20% of my daily calories can be “snack” food or food that does not benefit my body in any way. I am striving more toward a 90/10 percentage, but I am sure that there will be days where I need a little treat. Although, when I am having a treat it will not be a reward.

I am also adding a active workout routine. Chantel describes and gives visuals of her workout in the book. I have started (today was my first day) getting up at 6am and working out for 45 minutes in my basement. I have a bunch of workout videos and am going to alternate them. I cannot tell you how amazing I felt this morning when I was done with my workout. I need to remember that feeling when I do not want to roll out of bed.

I am excited. I feel different than I have before. I think giving up the control and knowing that I cannot do it all on my own is the way to go. God wants me healthy just as much as I do!

"Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul." (3 John: 1-2)

Grace

2011-07-20T08:18:00.000-05:00

My growth group (like a bible study group) has been working on starting a 20 something group at our church. Some of us, myself included are at a spot that doesn’t “fit” with other groups in the church. I am too old for college, too young for 30 somethings, too unlike most of the woman in a women’s group, so I just don’t fit or relate at this point.

Val, our amazing growth group leader has such a heart for our age group and has also had a passion to start something more at our church. At first we are just working to grow our growth groups. Once we are around 50 to 100 people we are looking to start a weekly service. I am hoping we get together for a “coffee shop” type of service with awesome current worship music and sermons centered around and given by 20 Somethings.

As we began to have discussions about getting everything together I could feel my insides start to retreat. It is so hard to think of trying to bring other people to Christ or help them get involved when I know I am far from perfect.

I have strayed outside of that path and made mistakes, and although I am forgiven in Heaven, people know that I am far from perfect. A lot of the reasons that people have moved farther and farther away from God is because of human error. We are imperfect, hurt each other, are hypocritical and sometimes more judgmental than those who know the Lord.

I know God used people who were prostitutes, outsiders, had speech impediments, ect. but sometimes it is so hard to believe that I am called to reach out to others my age and help them get involved in a growth group and hopefully church.

I don’t feel like I am equipped to do things. I feel like even with the best intentions I step on people’s toes or say things wrong. I care too much and take things to heart when I shouldn’t.

I just pray that above all my imperfections someone can come to the Lord. It has been the biggest struggle in my life to witness to those who know me, because along with knowing I am a Christian, they also know I am a sinner. It is hard to show them the holiness I desire for them to see but I know that they are certainly grasping my need for grace and forgiveness.

Fulfill a Need

2011-07-18T10:04:00.000-05:00

I have been reading a devotional through YouVersion titled a Divinely Inspired Life. I have LOVED this devotional, which is a 21 day study based on a book written by Elizabeth Babtunde, “Footprints on the Moon.” I have enjoyed it so much I wanted to share one of my favorite days so far with you.

Fulfill a Need
We have all been created to fulfill a need.
In the history of Israel, Joseph was born to save them from starvation, Moses was created to deliver them from slavery and Esther was divinely appointed to prevent their extinction. Even outcasts from the nation of Israel, like Rahab the prostitute who helped Joshua and his men, had their use.
Whether big or small, recorded or unrecorded, notable or unknown to the public, you were born to fulfill a need. That need arose even before your birth.
Jesus Christ came to the earth to fulfill the ultimate need of mankind; the need for a Savior. Even He breaks it down further and describes the brevity of that need in Luke 4:17-18. As seen in today's reading, Jesus' disciples continued to fulfill people’s needs even after His ascension to heaven. The greatest need God created you for is in the reconciliation of man to Himself. You were created to promote the Kingdom of God and facilitate the return of man into a relationship with God.
All around you are people who need you. Your role might be to act as an evangelist sharing the Gospel, or to serve others as a witness to Christ, or to be a good example of Christ at your work place.
Whatever you do, fulfill the need to the glory of God.

Goal setting challenge part 2

2011-07-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

The goal setting challenge (part 2) from Total Woman Tuesdays is to: break down our annual goals into measurable and attainable short-term goals. We are encouraged to break down each goal into smaller steps to help increase daily, weekly and monthly changes. Working daily on our goals will help obtain the goal this time next year.

Here is my list of goals and my daily, weekly and monthly short-term goals:

I have grown in the Lord.

Daily: I will spend time in the word daily
Weekly: I will attend bible study and church to grow in knowledge and fellowship
Monthly: I will read and blog about faith based books/sermons

I am closer to my husband and we have strong marriage.

Daily: I will spend daily quality time with my husband even when we are both busy
Weekly: Keep the house clean and chores up to date so we can have time to relax together
Monthly: Have a special date time where we can be alone together and enjoy each other’s company

I have maintained a budget, paid off debt and started a "fun fund."

Daily: Make conscious decisions about whether or not I need to spend the money before spending
Weekly: Clip coupons, read couponing blogs and make a list of food/merchandise we need for that week according to the sales
Monthly: Place at least $50 in a “fun fund” not to be touched until we plan a vacation – should be at least $600 by the end of the year

I eat healthy, avoid foods that do not benefit my body and restrain from junk food.

Daily: Track the food I eat during the day
Weekly: Work out at least 3 times a week
Monthly: Read motivational or educational blogs/books to help increase knowledge and motivate myself to continue

I have found a job that makes me happy, honors God and benefits my family.

Daily: I will continue to work in my job knowing that I am committing my work to God
Weekly: I will read, write, blog, ect and really look into who I am and what job would fit me well
Monthly: Watch job posting boards, talk to others around me and get involved with actives that will help me find “what I want to be when I get older”

Biking without air

2011-07-14T06:33:00.001-05:00

Today I was riding my bike to a gas station about half a mile away from my house. The tires were no flat, but close. The whole ride there was a struggle. I had to bike harder, exert more energy and push myself to press down on my pedal.

Finally I made it to the gas station and I was already sick of biking. Not a good sign when I had to turn around and go home. I filled the tires and set out again.

But it was awesome. The air in the tires meant that the bike worked like it should. I felt like I was gliding through the air. I ended up biking home and then going further because I was not ready to stop.

As I was riding, reveling in the joy of the ease of the ride rather than struggling to pedal and barely get along, I realized how life can be the same way.

When I am reading the Bible, following God’s path, striving to be holy and staying within the boundaries of God’s plan for me, I am on the bike with tires full of air.

But, when I stop reading the bible, stop following God’s path, throw being holy out the window, I start to struggle. Life doesn’t seem to work, it’s harder than it should be and it feels hopeless.

When I start to “feel good” about life I start letting air out of my “tires” and I relax on being diligent with my devotional life, prayer life and fellowship with other Christians, I start to go flat and struggle.
Flat doesn’t work for me. I have thought that I could make it on my own too many times. I struggled on flat tires with extra problems throughout my life. It often feels like I am on a roller coaster and 90% of the time I spent on the uphill side.

I took 28 years to learn that staying with God’s plan, staying close to God with prayer and reading His word and surrounding myself with others who believe as I do, is the only way to go. No more running on empty, this girl is going filling up her tires with the good stuff.

Awesome free/cheap silly gifts

2011-07-13T15:45:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness! This site is SO super cute! And right now on SaveMore.com you can get a voucher for $11 of merchandise for $5 or $25 of merchandise for $12! How awesome is that! I am so excited to get the fang ice cube trays! There is so much I don’t even know what to spend my $25! I am going to buy gifts on this site because they are hilarious and a great price! Check out SaveMore.com for your voucher to AlwaysFits.com and get in on the awesome deal!

Plus, top put the icing on the cupcake, the first time you sign up for SaveMore.com you get $10!!!! This means you can get two $5 vouchers for $22 off of merchandise for FREE or only pay $2 for $25 free! That is an awesome deal!

Money

2011-07-13T06:24:00.003-05:00

5 goals

2011-07-12T21:01:00.000-05:00

Total Woman Tuesdays at The High-Heeled House Wife has started a goal challenge. I feel that the more I encourage myself and set daily, monthly and yearly goals the better chance I have to push myself to be the woman I want to be.
Choose five statements you would like to be true about yourself a year from now.

Here are my five. I am definately placing #1 very very high in my heart and making sure that God is working in me and through me. In one year I will be able to say:

I have grown in the Lord.
I am closer to my husband and we have strong marriage.
I have maintained a budget, paid off debt and started a "fun fund."
I eat healthy, avoid foods that do not benefit my body and restrain from junk food.
I have found a job that makes me happy, honors God and benefits my family.

What are five statements you'd like to be able to make a year from now? Head over to The High Heeled House Wife to read part 2 of this series on goal setting!

Gotta brag a little

2011-07-12T13:41:00.000-05:00

I rock! I got $42.91 worth of stuff for $17 at Walgreens! We should be set on cereal for the next 3 months and I’ll have enough razors at least the end of the year! I saved $25.91 – 40% of my bill!

$4.49 cereal for $1.50

$4.99 ! (normally $0.96 each) (26 individual) razors $1.99 (or $0.39 cents each)! That’s 41% savings!

Nail Designs

2011-07-07T13:19:00.000-05:00

SaveMore is offering a $12 voucher to Nail Fraud for just $6 today. Plus, when you sign up for a SaveMore account, you’ll get a free $10 credit added to your account.

With a new account at $10 you get the nail designs for free! How awesome is that! I LOVE them and get tons of compliments on them!

Shipping is free on orders from Nail Fraud so you can get a full set of Finger Nail Polish Designs free with free shipping using the free $12 voucher.

Happy 4th!

2011-07-03T09:06:00.000-05:00

Idols

2011-07-02T07:20:00.000-05:00

Money. Work. Couponing. Reading. Blogging. Surfing the internet. Watching TV.

Idols every single one of them. Although they don’t have a big belly, three heads or are made out of gold. But they can have the same affect on my relationship with God. They all distract me and keep me distant from God.

It seems that the more time I spend worrying about money, working to make more money, trying to save money, reading books, blogging, playing on the computer and watching TV, the more worries I have.

I have to learn the hard way over and over that I am not in control. Faith is so hard and relying on God is even harder. When I focus on my devotions, praying and living a life I am called to live, it goes so much smoother.

I can feel the devil tugging at me even as I say this. I feel weak for needing God for giving him control or that I am placing the blame for when things don’t go the way I want them to.

The one thing I know and have learned over and over is that faith why we were put here. Sometimes it is hard to believe in God; the more the I seek him the closer and closer I feel to him. And even when life doesn’t go my way I know that it is ok because I am walking in the path I was called to.

Wordpress or Blogger?

2011-06-30T20:36:00.000-05:00

I have had so many issues with Blogger and have been thinking about switching to Wordpress ( I actually have imported the blog to http://fillmythirst.wordpress.com) but I have no real idea how to use Wordpress.

What blog platform do you use? Why do you use it? I would love to know!

Untamed

2011-06-24T06:30:00.004-05:00

Book description: Have you met the real Jesus—the One who is wild enough to set you free?

Too many people settle for relating to Jesus merely as a comfortable friend and companion, when what we all need is an untamed Savior, a fearless champion tough enough to conquer our shame and compelling enough for us to follow him without hesitation.

I finally realized my caricature of Jesus wasn't big enough to calm my anxiety or heal my wounds or defeat the wickedness in our world. Pretending Jesus is less than He is resulted in someone I wasn't compelled to worship. So I began a journey to discover the whole Jesus—including the seemingly rough and wild parts—revealed in the Bible. And I found Him to be bigger and better than I ever dreamed.
—Lisa Harper

Through a powerful blend of storytelling and biblical insights, Lisa Harper invites you to engage with the Jesus of the gospels, a person so provocative that no one left an encounter with Him unchanged. Pharisees fumed, paralytics turned cartwheels, and pariahs found love and acceptance.

Come meet the Jesus who is both safe and strong—and learn how this radical Redeemer can liberate you to live and love with abandon.

Includes questions for group discussion or personal reflection

I really enjoyed Untamed. It was refreshing and straight to the point. I thought it would make a great young women's bible study. The questions at the end of each chapter would allow for great discussion and help delve deeper into the word. Lisa Harper does a great job relating events and relationships in our own lives back to our faith, and sometimes lack of it. I loved her blunt honesty and the stories of her childhood. It feels as though Lisa is speaking directly to you in her book and is there with you through the pages as you devlop a deeper relationship with the Lord.

And guess what?! I have a copy to share! Here's how to enter:

Follow Thirsty leave a comment stating that you did (or already are)!

Follow Missie on Twitter and leave a comment! (one entry)
Post this Giveaway to your Facebook and leave a comment! (one entry)
Post this Giveaway to your Twitter and leave a comment! (one entry)
Post this Giveaway on your blog and leave a comment! (one entry)
Leave a comment about why you want to win! (one entry)

The Seraph Seal

2011-06-23T12:26:00.000-05:00

Going on vacation this summer? Looking for a great book to read while you are lounging by the water? (I was pretending I was doing that while I was reading it) Than look no further. You have to get your hands on The Seraph Seal. The book was a great mixture of mystery and suspense, mingled with “end times” prophesy. I loved it! Readers of Dan Brown would enjoy this book, it takes you on a trip around the world and makes you long for more.

What’s the story about?

An epic tale of good and evil based on the four horsemen of the Apocalypse found in Revelation.
Using the four horsemen of the Apocalypse to symbolize the four Gospels, four transcendentals, and four forces of the universe (air, water, earth, and fire), Sweet and Wagner weave a fast-paced, end-times tale of good vs. evil and the promise of a new dawn for humanity.
Set in 2048, when planet Earth is suffering from the damaging effects of years of misuse and abuse, cultural history professor Paul Binder receives a mysterious letter that leads him to examine a lost 2nd-century Diatessaron manuscript. Ancient prophecies, cryptic letters, and strange events set him on a course to uncover the missing clues that could lead humanity into a new age. Layered with forgotten symbolism from the ancient, Jewish, and Christian traditions, the novel is a type of engaged fiction in which the main character's lost journal serves as a guide to the reader in interpreting clues and understanding the novel's conclusion.

I recieved this book through BookSneeze and was not paid in any way for my review.

$2 TANKS - Friday (w/coupon) and Saturday

2011-06-23T12:08:00.000-05:00

I am so excited about Old Navy’s sale this Saturday! $2 Tanks!

And then…to make it better…Old Navy wants to celebrate reaching 2 million Facebook fans by offering a special printable coupon on their website that will allow you to shop this sale one day earlier – on Friday! Remember, you must bring the coupon to shop Friday, otherwise, you won’t need it. I have Friday off…so I am going to hop over and get 10 tanks for $20 dollars…how AMAZING is that! I wear them all the time…so they are a staple and to get them so cheap is rockin’!

Me + Coupons

2011-06-22T08:27:00.001-05:00

I know I have been MIA lately and I bet some of you are wondering where the heck I have been (I often wonder that when bloggers I frequent seem to disappear) .

Well I got a 2nd job to help pay off some bills (newly acquired drain tile) and for some "fun money."
Working extra long hours (15 a day this week and last for training) has made me realize that we may need to take a bit look at where our money goes.

A while back I watched an episode of Extreme Couponing and was interested (my husband instructed that I needed to do it) but had no real idea where to start. I am the first to admit I have horrible grocery spending habits. I never used a coupon before and I never looked at a sale flyer. I went to the store almost every night to buy food for that night's meal. Not good...and my checkbook can prove it.

A couple of the gals at work were going through a local sales flyer with their coupon binders and I was hooked. I bombarded them with questions and needed more information. I went home and downloaded "How to Shop for Free" on my Nook and I was ready to start saving!

Sunday I picked up newspapers and clipped coupons. My binder is neatly labeled and the coupons are stashed away in categories until I need them.

Friday is my first shopping trip and I am excited to save. I perused multiple coupon blogs (see new couponing tab on the page bar) and read through my advertisements.

Friday I will be stopping at two local grocery stores (both double coupons!), CVS and Target.
My personal coupon philosophy is we are only going to purchase things we need, only amounts we need or can donate and nothing frivolous just because it is on sale. I do not intent to make a huge haul like they do on the show...nor do I think I have time to plan one. I have spent about 5 hours clipping, researching and writing up my shopping lists.

I am excited to share my deals, my finds and most importantly, my savings!

Do you "coupon" ? What are your tricks of the trade? Interested in more information? Check out the Couponing tab or email me with questions!

I will report back on Sunday how my first shopping trip with sales and coupons goes!

Branded

2011-06-18T10:10:00.000-05:00

About Branded:

The church spends $1.5 million for every one new follower of Jesus. Apple sells 26 iPads every minute. What is it that makes Apple so exciting and Jesus so boring? What is it that compels someone to bring their iPod everywhere and their Bible nowhere? In a word: marketing. Jesus is a life-changing product with lousy salespeople-people who are intimidated and embarrassed by the word "evangelism" and who show more enthusiasm for their gadgets than their God.

What would life look like if we stopped mass-marketing Jesus and started marketing our faith like Nike and Apple market their products--sharing relationally, from person to person? Using examples from these and other successful companies, author Tim Sinclair challenges Christians to throw out their casual attitudes toward faith and sign on for a marketing campaign for the Savior.

Written with the wit and wisdom of an experienced marketer, Branded peels away the feelings of fear and encourages readers how to share their faith in ways that are honest, authentic, and, most importantly, effective.

About the Tim Sinclair:

Tim Sinclair is a radio personality on one of the top Christian morning shows in the country, Mornings with Tim and Pam. For over a decade, he has been helping radio stations and various other businesses creatively and effectively market themselves. His award-winning productions have been heard on more than 2,000 radio stations worldwide and recent clients include McDonald's, Word Records, Moody Press, and the country's most-listened to Christian nonprofit radio station KSBJ/Houston. Tim has written for CCM Magazine and the Huntsville Times. For more about Tim, please visit his website, http://www.tim-sinclair.com.

I really enjoyed Branded. Tim Sinclair had an great perspective and wrote the book in a conversational tone. Sinclair writes " It's clear that those of us who know Christ have been called to show (promote), share (sell), and spread (distribute) HIm. Fighting or fretting over whether the process should be called "evangelism" or "marketing" or "branding" is just semantics."
As Tim writes it becomes more clear that we do need to change who we "sell" Jesus to those around us. People need to know that there will be results.
Discussion questions are included in the back of the book and it would spur great conversation. I am definitely bringing it to my bible study!

Kregel Publications is sponsoring a $50 Amazon.com giveaway!!!

About the Giveaway!
To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using #litfuse) about Branded or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use @litfuse. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (info@litfusegroup.com). Easy.

TWEET THIS: Branded by @timjsinclair - Jesus is a life-changing product with lousy sales-people! @litfuse http://ow.ly/566nr

FACEBOOK THIS: Branded by Tim Sinclair is a compelling look at what Christians can learn from companies like Apple & Starbucks about sharing their faith! Jesus is a life-changing product with lousy sales-people! http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13338985

A Reluctant Queen

2011-06-16T07:20:00.000-05:00

I recently was sent a free copy of “A Reluctant Queen” by Joan Wolf to review and I was pleasantly surprised.

About the story: The story of Queen Esther is full of romance, suspense, and danger. A Reluctant Queen, The Love Story of Queen Esther (Thomas Nelson, June, 14 2011, ISBN: 1595548769, $15.99) is a fresh account of the journey of biblical heroine Esther from common orphan to queen of Persia. Master story-teller Joan Wolf sees Esther and King Ahasuerus as a young couple on a difficult road together: Esther is wracked with guilt for lying to her husband about her heritage, and the king, despite his vast kingdom, is a lonely man. Haman proves to be a cunning antagonist, seducing the king into trusting him implicitly, while threatening the existence of the king's love, Esther, and her people. The fate of the Jews is in Esther's hands-but her own life is at risk no matter her decision.
Author Joan Wolf says, "A Reluctant Queen is a fresh look at the story of Esther, the book in the Bible that for me has always held the seeds of a deeply moving love story."
More than a fairy tale, the moral imperatives of A Reluctant Queen go far beyond the Brothers Grimm and turns Esther into one of the great heroes of the Old Testament. A beautiful heroine, an exciting and complex hero, an evil villain, a stirring love story - the story of Esther has it all, and Wolf brings it vividly to life. It's the story of a love that triumphs over hate because a woman stands up for her God, becoming a courageous hero to her people throughout the ages.

I have read quite a few fictional stories about the book of Esther, but this one is my favorite. Wolf did a great job adding history into the novel, making the book come to life. Written from Esther’s point-of-view we are given a direct link to her thoughts. We can feel Esther’s fear, stress and agony over the role she was given. We are also given an intimate look into the love story between Esther and the King.

This is a great read, perfect for a warm summer afternoon. I personally enjoyed reading mine on the deck with a cup of coffee!

A Reluctant Queen prize package!!

To celebrate Joan Wolf’s debut Christian Fiction title, A Reluctant Queen, Joan and her publisher, Thomas Nelson, have teamed up to give away A Reluctant Queen prize package worth over $150!

One grand prize winner will receive:

* A brand new Latest Generation KINDLE with Wi-Fi and Pearl Screen

* A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf (for KINDLE)

To enter, just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, the contest ends on June 20th. Winner will be announced on June 21st during Joan’s A Reluctant Queen Book Club Party on Facebook (details below)! Hope to see you there – bring your friends!

Join the fun on June 21st!

Joan will be wrapping up the blog tour and Kindle giveaway promotion during her A Reluctant Queen FACEBOOK party on her FB author page. During the party she'll announce the winner of the Kindle, host a book chat discussion, test your trivia skills (Is Esther's story in A Reluctant Queen fact or fiction?), and more. Don't miss this chance to meet the author and make some new friends!

Check out all stops on the blog tour!

Every Thought

2011-06-08T06:54:00.002-05:00

It should be every "thought" I made this late last night!

Simply filling

2011-06-07T10:32:00.000-05:00

Food. Sometimes I feel like it is all I think about. Sometimes I feel like it has become an idol for me. My inner monologue is constantly fighting. I want to lose weight – 35 lbs to be exact – I want to be healthy, to look healthy, to feel healthy. But, I swear I let the devil get this awful foothold and convince me that I need a huge hamburger and French fries. I need a chocolate chip cookie. I give in and delve into a downward spiral. I feel disgusting, guilty, worthless. I say that tomorrow is going to be better, but I fail. I guess you can compliment me for getting up an trying again, but I really struggle. I know that self-control, self-discipline, and wisdom are tools I need. I am praying for them. I feel so weak when the food whispers sneak into my head as soon as a pangs of hunger come in.

I entered my weight into Weight Watchers this morning and did not lose a pound this week. Weight Watchers has some great information on their site. I like that you can eat what you want, as long as you have points, but I feel like I don’t always correctly put the right points, or something I am still so hungry even though I have used my points for the day, and sometimes for the whole week. Today Weight Watchers suggested that I switch my eating habits to get over this plateau (feels more like a desert if you ask me). I am going to switch to the Simply Filling Technique. I am going to listen to my body, eat until I am satisfied, not full and enjoy foods without trying so hard to fit the hamburgers in my life or other snacks. Hopefully if I eat off the Simply Filling foods list I will be satifisied and not hungry, which I feel would help ease the desires when I am hungry and craving unhealthy snacks.

Here is the plan from Weight Watchers if you are interested:

You’ll still enjoy a weekly PointsPlus Allowance with the Simply Filling technique, and have room to treat yourself with food that is not on the Power Foods list. Just remember to track those items, and stay within your weekly allowance. You can also continue to earn, and swap, activity PointsPlus values. .

Fruits

All fresh, frozen, or canned without added sugar
Fruit canned in its own juice (drained)
Fruit salad — mixed fruits with no added sugar

All fruits, except dried fruits and fruit juices, are zero PointsPlus values!

Vegetables

Most fresh, frozen or canned without added sugar or oil — whether or not it has PointsPlus values per serving
Potatoes — white, red sweet

All vegetables have zero PointsPlus values, except potatoes, peas, corn, and avocados. Avocados are not a Power Food.

Whole grains

Brown and wild rice
Hot cereals, cooked — without added sugar, dried fruits, or nuts

100% bran
Cream of rice
Cream of wheat
Grits
Oatmeal

Pasta, whole-wheat or other whole-grain varieties
Popcorn, air-popped, or 94% fat-free microwave-popped
Whole-grain, ready-to-eat cereals without added sugar, dried fruits or nuts, and with 4g of fiber or more per serving
Whole-grains such as:

Barley
Buckwheat
Bulgur
Cornmeal (polenta)
Whole-wheat couscous
Quinoa

Non-Fat Dairy and Dairy Substitutes

Fat-free cheeses, including fat-free cottage cheese
Fat-free milk and beverages made with fat-free milk, such as:
Cappuccino or latte, as long as it’s sugar-free
Yogurt, fat-free, plain or flavored with artificial sweetener
Fat-free sour cream
Soy products, unflavored and plain, such as:
Calcium-fortified soy milk
Unflavored soy milk
Fat-free soy cheese
Plain soy yogurt

Lean proteins (see food list for specific cuts and grinds)

Beef, chicken, lamb, pork, turkey, veal: lean, trimmed, all skin removed
Dried beans, including canned black, cannellini, kidney, refried, and white
Dried peas, including black-eyed peas and split peas
Eggs: Whole, whites, and fat-free substitute
Game meats, including buffalo, elk, ostrich and venison
Lentils
Meat substitutes, including tofu and vegetarian burgers
Most fish and shellfish: fresh, frozen, and canned
Organ meats from beef, lamb, pork, veal, and poultry

Plus more

Breads

Light English muffins
Light hot dog and hamburger rolls
Reduced-calorie (light) breads (whole grains are the best choice)

Soups

Broth, onion, and some broth- and tomato-based vegetable soups

Desserts

Sugar-free gelatin

Other categories:
Beverages

Coffee (without sugar)
Tea (without sugar)
Diet soda
Club soda
Seltzer (plain or flavored, unsweetened)
Water

Seasonings and condiments

Baking powder
Baking soda
Capers
Cocktail sauce
Extracts
Fat-free salad dressings
Fat-free margarine
Fat-free mayonnaise
Flavorings
Herbs
Hot sauce (peppersauce)
Ketchup
Lemon juice
Lime juice
Mustard
Nonstick cooking or baking spray
Salsa (fat-free)
Soy sauce (shoyu)
Spices
Steak sauce
Sugar substitutes
Taco sauce
Teriyaki sauce
Vinegar
Worcestershire Sauce

Healthy oils

Include 2 tsp each day without counting PointsPlus values. Use your weekly PointsPlus Allowance for any additional oil.

Olive oil
Canola oil
Safflower oil
Sunflower oil
Flaxseed oil

What's not included on the Power Foods list

Processed meats, such as:

Hot dogs
Sausages
Luncheon meats (other than fat-free)

Fish or shellfish, canned, or packed in oil
Meats, poultry or fish with breading or added fat
Dried fruits
Fruit juices
Vegetable juices
Vegetables prepared with ingredients that are not Weight Watchers Power Foods, (for example, corn in butter sauce, dried tomatoes packed in oil)
French fries
Avocados
Sweet pickles
Plantains
Olives

I would love prayer and any guidance you have! I need to surround myself with healthy people encouraging healthy lifestyles. I work around people who eat whatever they want without worrying about the consequence, so I find it all too easy to fall off the bandwagon.

Pleasures Are Meaningless

2011-06-03T07:58:00.000-05:00

Ecclesiastes 2

Pleasures Are Meaningless

¹ I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. ² “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” ³ I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

⁴ I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. ⁵ I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. ⁶ I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. ⁷ I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. ⁸ I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem^[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart. ⁹ I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
¹⁰ I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
   I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
   and this was the reward for all my toil.
¹¹ Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
   and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
   nothing was gained under the sun.

Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless

¹² Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
   and also madness and folly.
What more can the king’s successor do
   than what has already been done?
¹³ I saw that wisdom is better than folly,
   just as light is better than darkness.
¹⁴ The wise have eyes in their heads,
   while the fool walks in the darkness;
but I came to realize
   that the same fate overtakes them both.

¹⁵ Then I said to myself,
   “The fate of the fool will overtake me also.
   What then do I gain by being wise?”
I said to myself,
   “This too is meaningless.”
¹⁶ For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered;
   the days have already come when both have been forgotten.
Like the fool, the wise too must die!

Toil Is Meaningless

¹⁷ So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. ¹⁸ I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. ¹⁹ And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. ²⁰ So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. ²¹ For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. ²² What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? ²³ All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.

²⁴ A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, ²⁵ for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? ²⁶ To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

I can SO relate. I tried so many things, during high school I thought if I was popular, involved in everything (volleyball, cheerleading, yearbook, plays, choir, ect.) I would be fulfilled. Yet, I wasn’t. In college I was super involved in my sorority, doing service work with my sorority sisters and meeting new people. Yet, I didn’t feel fulfilled.

I moved to Fargo after college and put myself to making new friends and thinking that if I found a guy to love me life would be amazing. I literally chased after everything in the wind. I thought all these things would fill the void in my life and I would be happy.

I have been a Christian since 3^rd grade, so I was 9 years old. I am 28 now and finally figuring out what life is all about. A relationship with our Maker.

I found a man who loves me, I have an amazing group of close friends, I have found passions (blogging and photography), I have a job I enjoy, I work to gain wisdom and knowledge, but the one and only thing that makes life worthwhile is my relationship with God. When I spent time in His word, in prayer and fellowship with other Christians, I have found complete happiness. The meaning of life is clear. I love this chapter in Ecclesiastes because it models so well after my own life. Sometimes it takes people only months to realize that pleasures are meaningless with God, it took me close to 20 years to make that complete realization, but I have arrived.

Do you believe that pleasures are meaningless with God? Have you been pushing God away for the pleasures of the world , yet have not felt satisfied?

Money

2011-06-01T13:42:00.000-05:00

Money. It is awesome when you have it in abundance, it sucks when you feel as though you don’t. My husband and I were blindsided by the flooding in our basement and were not expecting to have to install drain tile, which happened to happen directly after we purchased a truck with a large down payment and our TV broke, which is a large form of our entertainment.

Then, last night comes a bill from the clinic. $255 I did not realize I spent when I did blood tests, but there it was. A short phone call with the insurance agency confirmed that I had not hit my deductible and now had another bill sitting in my lap. Argh, I wanted to cry. I want stuff, like a new iphone that is finally available in my area, to go on vacation, to go out to eat.

Then I started my devotions last night, and once again, God talked straight to me and reminded me to remember what I have and to look at the word instead of iphone ads. So, I wanted to share it with you because I really liked the wording and the message. The devotional is on the YouVersion website, they have great reading plans, I am currently on the one titled Unquestionable Character: A 21-day Study in Stewardship.

Reading: Psalms 49:1-20

1 Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:2 Both low and high, rich and poor, together.3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.13 This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

Devotional:

A Slippery Foothold

How should we view the wealth of the wicked? How should we feel when we ourselves experience either great abundance or lack of resources? This psalm answers these questions by reminding us that wealth can often be here today, gone tomorrow. Wisdom teaches that our financial circumstances are never an appropriate cause for either self-reliance or fear.
Psalm 73 is a companion to this psalm. But rather than beginning with Psalm 49's clearheaded recognition that wealth is tenuous, Psalm 73 opens with desperate questions about the intolerable pride of the affluent wicked and their seemingly carefree existence. Both psalms, though acknowledge the slippery nature of financial security.
Best selling author Philip Yancey admires to an ambivalence about money that is shared by many Christians:

I feel pulled in opposite directions over the money issue. Sometimes I want to sell all that I own, join a Christian commune, and live out my days in intentional poverty. At other times, I want to rid myself of guilt and enjoy the fruits of our nation's prosperity. Mostly, I wish I did not have to think about money at all.

Commenting on Jesus' words in Matthew 6:19-21, pastor and author Gordon MacDonald reflects as follows:

Most of us are forever collecting things - treasures, if you will. Children collect stuffed animals, toys, lucky stones, and special mementos. Teenagers collect music CDs, baseball cards and caps, celebrity pictures. And we adults? Money, expensive playthings, and trophy homes.

And why do we do this? Perhaps it has something to do with the attempt to add to our personal sense of value. Or maybe it has to do with our perceived need for security. If I have this much at my disposal, I can protect myself from any catastrophe. Then again, having more than we really need may be bound up in the issue of power: The more I have, the more weight I can throw around.

Wherever Jesus went, he came across people acquiring wealth in the way squirrels store up nuts for the winter! One rich young community leader Jesus knew was afraid to part with what he had in order to follow Christ.

Jesus saw each of these individuals and more like them, storing up what they had: secreting it, protecting it, expanding it, bragging about it. However, this is not the kind of treasure Jesus encouraged his followers to store. His warning rings in our ears today: 'Don't do it! '

Holding on to our earthly treasure makes one increasingly vulnerable. By their very nature, there treasures are only temporal. For that reason, putting one's main attention into acquiring these things is not a prudent investment.

And the winner is....

2011-06-01T07:48:00.000-05:00

A huge congratulations to #19 Becca from Mee + Bee! I am so excited to give this camera to Becca, who has not had a camera for quite some time! Head over to her blog, I really enjoying reading her posts!

HUGE giveaway #reshapingitall #photography Today is the last day to enter!

2011-05-31T07:46:00.001-05:00

Today is the last day to enter!

I have a HUGE giveaway planned for this month! With Reshaping it All and make huge changes in my life, I decided that everyone deserves to share in the success so far! Even small steps have greatly improved in the last two weeks. I am stopping when I am satisfied, making choices that are mindful of my body and treating at as a temple!

So…wanna hear what the big prize is?!?! I bet you do!

It is a BRAND NEW DIGITIAL CAMERA! Everyone needs a camera and I am sure you know of my love of photography, plus, on July 4^th when the 65 days is over, you can take a photo of yourself and the changes you have made over the last 65 days!

Product Features

10.1 Megapixel Cmos, 8X Digital Zoom , 2.7" LCD, Face Detection, Anti-Shake

So, wanna know how to win??!?!? There are lots of ways! The contest will end on May 31^st and the winner will be announced June 1^st!!

Here is what you need to do to enter:

Follow Thirsty leave a comment stating that you did (or already are)!

Extra Entries:

Follow Missie’s Shutter and leave a comment that you did (or already are) (one entry)

What is in the food we put in our bodies?

2011-05-30T13:48:00.000-05:00

In 2004 I was having a lot of stomach issues and there seemed to be no source of reasoning. I was sent to a digestion specialist and was tested for gluten intolerance. My blood tests came up positve for gluten intolerance and I went a week trying to be gluten free while I was waiting for my stomach to be biopsied.

The stomach came back negative and the doctor diagnosed me with IBS. Nothing more was said about the gluten intolerance in the blood stream.

Three years of working in mortgage, stress and demand, I was tired all the time. But now, working in the fraud department, I am working at a normal pace, happy and stress-free. But I am still tired all the time.

I brought it up to the doctor at the beginning of this month and she ran a bunch of test. I was low on iron and low on vitamin D. Gluten can cause low iron and other nutritional deficiencies. So, I am working on a gluten free lifestyle. So far it is going MUCH better than it was 6 years ago. Our grocery stores are packed with gluten free foods and ingredients. Restaurants are on board with those with food allergies, including having gluten free menus.

Then I saw this video and boy, did it make my jaw drop. The food industry in the United States is out of control and we are all trying to eat healthy, but everything we put into our mouths, from the wheat to the milk are full of chemicals pumped in to make the food supply easier to manage and cheaper.

Please take an extra 10 minutes to watch this video and then, please share it. I think the more people realize the weight of the decisions made by the food industries and how it is affecting our population, the more weight we have to back up our cries for change.

Discussions over the lunch table

2011-05-26T09:29:00.000-05:00

With the whole situation last weekend with Harold Camping predicting the end of the world on Saturday has set the whole world in motion. More and more people are talking about the end times and what it means.

I am reading a book called the Seraph’s Seal, which is a fiction book about the end times (a review to come when I am finished). It sparked a conversation in the break room at work yesterday and some odd conversation.

I was with two ladies and when I said that it was about the end times it brought out the whole Harold Camping ordeal. I stated that no man is going to be able to predict the end times, the rapture. Only God knows when that will happen.

But then it also brought out some other weird topics that I could not refute even though deep down I felt they were completely untrue. One of the ladies brought up that Hell is in the center of the earth. I have never heard that, nor did I think that on my own, but she could not give me biblical references, only that her pastor told her that.

I did some looking on the internet and that one seems to be a topic of confusion, some sites listed biblical references that could be persuaded to mean that Hell is in the center of the earth, but I could not find anything biblical that definitely said that.

The other part of the conversation was how long Christians (believers who have confessed their sins and have a relationship with the Lord) are going to be on earth during the beginnings of the end times. The lady at work was persistent that Christians would be raptured before the anti-christ came into power and that during the tribulation time after the rapture God would disillusion everyone so that they could not believe in him even after the rapture.

I have studied a lot, but the prophecy of the end times is hard. I knew that things she was saying were not correct, but I did not have irrefutable biblical references to give her. I spent time on the internet last night looking up biblical end time prophesy and trying to find a bible study, from a trustworthy source, to help me understand the end times better.

I felt so stiffiled in that situation. I knew better, I base all my information out of the bible. Even if a pastor says it, I need to read it for myself, study it for myself. Although I am sure the ladies at lunch did not want a biblical discussion and debate at that time, it made me realize how little I really knew.

For sure I know that we need to be ready, we need to believe and we need to realize that our time is fleeting. I am ready and excited to see the end times start, to see God work in our last days and to stand up for the faith we have even when we are treated as aliens. I am most excited to go to Heaven.

But, I feel that I need to be prepared while I am here on earth.

Does anyone have any good information on a bible study about the end times? I know fiction-wise Left Behind is a great series, but I want biblical verses and facts when I am presented with questions. Please let me know if you do!

Writing and the Persian Pickle Club

2011-05-25T08:10:00.000-05:00

I am involved with a book club through a couple girls at work. I am really enjoying it because the group is very diverse, ranging in age from 28 (me being one of the youngest) to close to 60. It has lead me to book I probably would have not picked up on my own and really opened my field of literary knowledge. We have read Still Alice, The Help, A Wrinkle in Time and now The Persian Pickle Club.

The Persian Pickle Club has been interesting so far. I love having the library so close to work because I can take a quick walk over there and grab a book. The Persian Pickle Club is set in the 1930s in Kansas. The weather is horribly dry and farming is not going well. The Persian Pickle Club is a group of women, who also range in age, who get together to quilt. They help each other quilt when a top of the quilt is put together and share scraps, which are often pieces of old dresses, sackcloth’s and sometimes, coveted fabric.

I have always had a passion for words and have always wanted to write my own books. I have sat down and tried a couple times, but not successfully. I found a website that offers writing programs for students and I really wish I would have had something like this as a student. I loved creative writing, but growing up in a small school there was a lack of teachers for such a specific class.

Maybe sometime I will be able to dive into writing a book, I am sure that the drive and willingness inside of me would help produce something. But if I do ever have a child or find a young friend that is interesting in writing I will definitely use this writing program.

Biblical willpower #reshapingitall

2011-05-24T09:02:00.000-05:00

Today I wanted to focus on the biblical aspect of willpower. I know that I cannot make it through anything on my own strength. Last night with my bible study group I realized how much more things we could apply the principles from “Reshaping It All” to all areas of our own life.

God gives us strength, self-control and willpower through his word and with the help of the Holy Spirit. Here are some verses that we can apply to our lives, even memorize for those times of temptation.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

"The Lord is my strength and my shield ..." (Psalm 28:7)

"In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul." (Psalm 138:3)

"O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people." (Psalm 68:35)

"He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength." (Isaiah 40:29)

"For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught." (Proverbs 3:26)

What other ways can you depend on God?

Willpower to choose salad over pizza
Strength to get through the loss of a loved one
Willpower to say no to the world (we talked a lot about secular college and the temptation to party)
Strength to stand apart from the crowd, even when we so desire to be excepted
Willpower to get out of bed in the morning to go to church even when we would rather sleep in
Strength to witness, even when it is the most uncomfortable thing to do
Willpower to give up time on the computer, television, magazines, books or any other forms of entertainment that keep us away from God’s word
Strength to pray and worship constantly, with the rising of the sun and the go down of the same, we will praise the name of the Lord forever.

What other ways do you depend on strength and power from the Lord? How else do you use the willpower we have been gifted?

Week of Willpower #reshapingitall

2011-05-23T11:04:00.000-05:00

We are 23 days into the reshaping it all journey and I can sadly say I really have made no changes. Notta. I have fallen back into my old ways, even with the new wisdom in my head from the book.

In chapter seven Candace offers us four keys that unlock our freedom and empower us to reach our goals (from the blog)

Willpower
Belief
Decision
Action

I have decided that I am going to work on one a week. Willpower this week.

What is willpower? Willpower is defined as: self-control: the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior

Resolutely controlling your own behavior. My health, the way my body feels, my energy level, my skin and my overall quality of life are all under MY control. I made the decisions that effect myself daily. Do I want to feel sluggish all day? Then I should stuff myself full of fried foods and ice cream.

I am going to have willpower this week. The decisions I am going to change this week are:

1. No sweets. I do not need them. They have no nutritional value and my body does not need them for any reason. (I am saying this realizing that there is sugar in almost everything, including fruits and carbs)

2. I am going to stick to a gluten free diet all week. I ate gluten this weekend and almost immediately felt bloated and my stomach hurt. When I spent the last two weeks without it I felt much better)

3. Veggies and fruits. I am going to shop the outside of the grocery store and pack in as much fresh fruit and veggies into my husband and I’s diet as possible.

4. Portion control. I am really going to work on eating only until I am satisfied, eating slower and really listening to what my body is telling me.

5. Prayer. This week I am going to pray for willpower and wisdom.

What are your willpower goals? How do you stick to your Reshaping it All plan? Any ideas? Please share!

The Corruptible

2011-05-22T15:53:00.000-05:00

Book description:

Ex-homicide detective Ray Quinn never had glamorous thoughts of the life of a private investigator—but being cornered in a bathroom stall by the enraged philandering husband of a client? That’s something he could live without. Retired from homicide and living with a painful disability, Ray’s options are limited. Stick to the job, keep impetuous sidekick Crevis alive, and spend quiet evenings with trusted pal Jim Beam, that’s about the best he can hope for.

As a new client emerges, Ray finds himself in an impossibly large boardroom holding a check with enough zeros to finally lift him from his financial pit. The job seems easy enough: find Logan Ramsey, an ex-cop turned security officer who’s taken off with sensitive corporate information. But few things are easy in Ray’s world, regardless of the amount of zeros in the check.

In what should be an open-and-shut case, Ray stumbles across Logan Ramsey in a seedy motel room. Only Ray wasn’t the first to find him. Now Logan’s dead, the client’s information is nowhere to be found, and Ray’s employer is less than forthcoming with the details. Suddenly the line between the good guys and bad guys isn’t so clear. With a foot in both worlds and an illuminating look at an unhappy ending that could well be his own, which will Ray choose?

I really enjoyed this novel. Although I missed reading the first Ray Quinn novel, I was able to jump right into the second and definitely am going to follow through with the next novel. Most crime investigation novels are pretty cut and dry, but this one was so well written that all the pieces didn’t fit together until the end.

The Christian side of the novel was slowly introduced. A side character, Pam, is a devout Christian. Pam speaks to Ray about Jesus and faith a few times, but Ray is not ready to believe yet. Ray (spoiler alert) is not yet ready to grasp a relationship with Christ, but I believe the sensitive way Pam gives him information and God slowly working on his heart, he will within the series.

Do you know who you really are? #reshapingitall

2011-05-20T15:12:00.000-05:00

We all have areas of weakness and controlling those thoughts about our weakness can take control and keep us captive. Like Paul has shown us in 2 Corinthians, we need to boast about our weaknesses so God can give us the strength and instruction to overcome these thoughts and weaknesses. Evil thoughts generally create an evil person; good thoughts generally create a good person. I have been working on growing the Fruit of the Spirit, but my thoughts have been stomping down the small blooms.

There is one thing I am realizing more and more as I get older, just as much as I need food, water, shelter, and the necessities – I need the Bible. I need the connection with God as much as my fingertips need blood pumped from the source.

My entire life I have struggled with some of the same things, 28 years of battling the same thoughts, the same shameful actions, the same diseased and rotting fruit, instead of grabbing onto the knowledge I have as a Christian and the guidance from the word.

So, here are my weaknesses, I am giving them to God and working on the knowledge the Bible has

given me to expel these thoughts from my life and replace them with the truth from God’s words.

Lack of Self-Worth vs. God’s Words

Psalm 139:13-17 For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; you works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the day ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Lack of Self-Control vs. God’s Words

Titus 2:6-8 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Lack of Self-Discipline vs. God’s Words

Titus 1:7-9 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

Lustful vs. God’s Words

Colossians 3:5-10 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practice and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Envy vs. God’s Words

James 3:13-15 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

Uncontrolled tongue vs. God’s Words

James 3:9-12 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

The Lord knows exactly what is going on in my life, exactly what my sinful nature is and what still grips me, but he has also given me truth about who I really am.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made
I have been given integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech to live my life by and share the knowledge of God’s grace with those around me
I am holy, upright and disciplined with the wisdom that God has given me and enables me to share it with those around me.
The Lord has rid us of the old, sinful nature and has given us a holy and pure path to walk in.
I have a renewed knowledge of who I am and who I was created by
I have been made in God’s likeness, made to praise and live a good life

These are the traits that God has given me. I am more than the mistakes I have made. God is remaking me and my thoughts, but the only way for me to walk in God’s path is to hook up to his IV. Prayers, the Bible, fellowship, music and Christian doctrine are all medicine against the old nature. I have to let go of my fears, my lack of control, and my lack of self-worth and realize that I am God’s child. Do you know how amazing that is?

I cannot wait till the day that I can kneel at God’s feet and thank Him for the grace he has given us. Even in times of doubt or time where I fall out of line, God pulls me right back in. We will be given Heaven; can you even begin to imagine how amazing life will be without the devil in our lives?!

Although tomorrow isn’t going to be the day (I am fairly certain), we need to live with the knowledge that our last day is unknown. Share God’s word; show that we are holy children. Beat the old nature to the ground and share a witness that screams living in the arms of the Holy Creator.

Invisible War

2011-05-19T08:25:00.000-05:00

Last night I started reading Battlefield of the Mind and within the first chapter my eyes were open. Joyce Meyer is a wise woman, but I have never read one of her books until now. I think God totally lead me to this book, because controlling my mind and thoughts has to be the hardest thing in my entire life.

I believe in Heaven and Hell. I believe in God and the devil, but I never gave a second thought about how much power the devil has. Meyer writes this in the first chapter of the book:

Remember, he (the devil) has a strategy for his warfare. He has studied us for a long time. He knows what we like and what we don’t like. He knows our insecurities, our weakness, and our fears. He knows what bothers us most. He is willing to invest any amount of time it takes to defeat us. One of the devil’s strong points is patience.

Wow, that totally struck me. The devil studies us. I have always learned, and read, that God knows the deepest desire of our hearts and every hair on our heads, but I didn’t even justify that the devil knows the same things.

Paul gives instruction in Corinthians about this, but last night I fully realized what he meant.

In 2 Corinthians 11:30 Paul says, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.”

I believe that about 90% of my sin is in my head, hidden away from anyone. I can try to hide this fact, but the devil is in my head telling me to sin, to go with my desires, that it is okay to be angry, okay to be envious, okay to lust, okay to gossip, okay to think evil thoughts about someone. None of this is ok. The little angel on one shoulder, devil on the other image is SO real in my life. I just never realized how much power over my thoughts I gave the devil, I gave into the old nature.

But today, with you and those around me, I will boast, but I will only boast about my weakness. Bringing my weaknesses to light is going to give them to God and allow God to help me work through these weak parts of me. I am excited to see where the wisdom from the book and my relationship with God will bring me. I desire to be closer and closer to him, which is one of the major reasons that I have such a warfare going on with the devil. He knows my inmost thoughts and desires. He knows when I can easily be enticed to sin.

I am weak. I cannot change this weakness on my own. I am not strong enough to fight spiritual warfare on my one. I need God, we all need God. Instead of trying to hide my weaknesses from now on, I am going to speak them out. When I am tempted to gossip, I am going to tell my friend I am tempted to gossip instead of gossiping. When I am envious, I am going to pray and thank God for all my blessings, when I feel like screaming out in anger and rage because things do not go my way, I am going to get on my knees and ask for forgiveness.

I never realized how powerful the battle was, or how much I was involved in it. I am going to read through Paul’s works along with this book, because I was completely oblivious to the invisible war that was happening within my own life.

1,860 #reshapingitall

2011-05-17T09:49:00.001-05:00

You have probably seen this one before, one of my first verse images, but today it was resonating with me. I need to trust God. Trust God with EVERYTHING. I wrote a while ago about H.A.L.T. (hungry, angry, lonely, tired) to turn to God, to trust in God. Yesterday I did not do well with food. My husband and I are working out a new budget and I am exhausted from all the running around, so I have gotten myself to a place where I am frustrated and tired. Do you know what I did? I went straight to Taco John’s and shoveled a super potato ole meal into my mouth. I sure didn’t come out feeling any better about money or any less tired.

In fact, I felt the complete opposite. Then that evening I was running late and ending up going to Wendy’s for dinner…instead of a salad or a baked potato I got a deep-fried chicken sandwich with cheese, ranch and bacon.

That added up to a WHOPPING 1,860 calories. Yuck. Bad for my body, bad for my soul. I had the wisdom and knowledge to eat healthy, to treat my body as a temple. But I didn’t. Temptation for the fried fast food overtook me and I gave in.

On that note, I am really looking to find a new bible study to get into. I have been reading through Jeremiah a bit and working on The Promise and the Blessing book, but not getting fully fed. Does anyone have any ideas for a new bible study that I can start and “devor” the word of God instead of a big disgusting fried sandwich? I would love to know what bible study’s you are doing and those that have really changed your walk! Thank you!

The Tree test #reshapingitall

2011-05-16T21:51:00.000-05:00

You Are Kind and Sensitive

You relate to others easily. You have many friends, and you love making their lives better.
You are genuinely warm and radiant. People feel comforted by your presence.
Becoming a better person is something you think about every day. You want to be interesting, insightful, and special.
You need love more than most people in the world. You're willing to love those who don't love you in return.

A blogger I follow put this test on her blog, you pick a pick of a tree that appeals the most to you and then it gives you an outcome for the type of person you are according to the image you choose. Mine was kind and sensitive. I am pretty sure anyone that knows me well can say that fits me to a T (I have my bad moments, but for the most part, it takes a LOT for me not to give you a million tries).

I have a lot of friends, sometimes too many, but there is one thing I have known for quite some time. God’s spiritual gift for me is compassion. My heart is three times too big. I cannot watch Extreme Home Makeover without bawling so hard I look completely ridiculous. I tear up at special moment, feel the pain that others feel when they are going through a hard time and love to be a comfort for people. I am horrible at prayer, but I am great at sitting there in the midst of trouble holding someone’s hand or listening to a broken heart speak.

I do love people more than anything in this world and this past weekend I got to spend some time with a friend in the hospital. It was an unexpected time in the emergency room, but I felt called to be there and we spent time praying, talking about God’s will and I comforted her as much as I could. It was hard and patience was something we both lacked, especially by the end of the three hours spent in the emergency room. We were 3 ½ hours away from home, supposed to be getting ready for a friend’s bachelorette party. We missed all the games, but there is not a doubt in my mind that God called me to go to the cities that weekend (despite the fact that I was tired and longed for a weekend at home more than another weekend out). I sat in a chair at the end of a long, cold hallway and could hear God whispering, “this is why you are here.”

It is hard, because I am so hard on myself. I want to be that perfect friend for everyone, to not stumble and not make a mistake. I take on the problems and emotional baggage of my friends and family and it cuts straight to my heart. Compassion is my gift, but sometimes it feels like a punishment. I love everyone so much and have such a huge heart, yet those times where the bad thoughts seep in, those points where I cannot find love for someone because I am judging instead of loving, those break me. The devil uses this desire for perfection as a step-hold to get the rest of me and pull me down into an emotional pit.

I want to be interesting, insightful and special, but sometimes I let that desire radiate me instead of radiating God. I want people to notice me. I need people to love me. I fill the whole that I should be filling with God’s love with acceptance, laughs and general praise from those around me. Even this past weekend, after we arrived back to the party from the hospital room, it was easy to push aside the work that God was doing in my life and try to fit in with the group. I let some of the old nature slip in and it devastates me. I know that the whole reason that no one is perfect is because it shows how much we actually need God, but sometimes I cannot get over that “good is not good enough.”

There are a lot of things I need to change. I really need to watch who I hang out with on a constant basis, even though I have a lot of friends, not a lot of them are friends who will be the encouragement and uplifting friends I need. I also need to remember that I am love, precious and desired, both by my husband and by God. I have beautiful friends and sometimes I get jealous when I see them get hit on when we are out on the town. This makes NO sense since I am married, desired and loved by my husband. Plus, I really know who my value is in and it isn’t random people I meet on the street. The jealous green envy monster gets me down a LOT and I need to learn how to pray it away and push it out of my thoughts.

I can feel the seeds of the fruit of the spirit growing in my life, but sometimes my desire to be a fully grown tree filled with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness and self-control leave out the big steps in between. You cannot grow a tree without growing the roots first.

Nick of Time

2011-05-15T17:46:00.001-05:00

Book Description

Tying the knot may be the toughest thing Nick Polchak has ever tried to do.
Nick Polchak is comfortable with bugs. Their world is orderly. He knows where he stands and exactly how to interpret the signs they give him. But a fiancée and an upcoming wedding? Not so much.
That's why—a mere four days before the nuptials—Nick finds himself driving to Philadelphia for the monthly meeting of the Vidocq society. Being among a group of forensic professionals consulting on cold cases will surely allow him to feel useful and normal.
But while there he discovers that a close friend has been murdered . . . and in classic Nick style, begins to follow the trail of evidence rather than returning to his fiancée. Fearing that his one-track mind won't lead him home by Saturday, Alena and three of her dogs go to track him down.
When she finally finds him, nothing is as Alena expected . . . because the twists in this case will surprise even the most dedicated Bug Man fans.

Nick of Time was a very interesting read, full of twists turns and packed with marriage advice. It was odd to read marriage advice in a fiction book, but it really flowed well within the text. The characters were well built and had great depth. I know that this Nick of Time books are a series, so I am going to to have to grab some of the other books and check them out as well. The book was a great easy read and it definitely had an ending that no one would suspect. If you like forensics books, murder mysteries or the like, you will definitely enjoy this book. It was fun to read and I am excited to read the next book in the series. The book ends with a new beginning (not to spoil anything) and I am excited to see where the author takes our interesting characters.

Plan First

2011-05-10T20:38:00.000-05:00

Every day we make plans, follow plans, divert from the plan or hopefully stick with the plan.

We have life plans. Married by age 25, three kids, a career, house with a white fence, ect.

We have work plans. Get A, B, and C done before 5pm rolls around.

We have daily plans. Mine normally is wake up, get ready for work, work, eat lunch, work, go to the gym, go home and make dinner, shower and then clean or relax. But on Mondays my plan includes bible study and one Thursday is book study and one Tuesday is Lion's.

I made eating plans. I count calories, make sure I have healthy snacks for the deal, meal plan for supper and work to have a healthier body. I even know a week early what I am going to order at a restaurant this weekend.

But I realized there is one thing I don't plan for and it is the most important thing in my life. I do not have a plan to grow in my relationship with the Lord.
I fit the Lord in where I can, praying when something prompts me during the day, reading at night (if I feel like it) and going to church (as long as I can drag myself out of bed).

I was so convicted when I heard a radio DJ talk about her pastor's sermon about planning. We make sure we are home for our favorite TV show. I make sure I am planned and have all my summer weekends packed. Often, instead of grabbing my bible at night I grab my ipod and watch the next episode of Numbers on Netflix.

I have a lot of idols. That sucks to say, but if you look at my life and how I am living it, it doesn't necessarily scream Jesus. I am working on willpower and self-discipline, motivated by Reshaping it All and my blog friends.

I am going to make a plan to grow in my relationship. I will read the bible every day, spend time in prayer, go to church even if I don't want to get up and continue to go to bible study. God is going to be on the top of my plan rather than just getting "stuck in."

What are your plans for getting closer to God?

Monday Weigh-In #reshapingitall #glutenfree

2011-05-09T10:30:00.000-05:00

My first week down and I actually am okay with saying that I did not lose any weight. But, I made some huge changes to my diet and am very proud of them!

First off, I have quit drinking anything but water, black coffee and the occasional glass of wine. No more diet soda, sugary or chemical filled drinks. I thought a lot about what I was putting into my body and was highly disappointed by what I was seeing.

I meal planned for the entire week, stuck to the meal plan and ate healthy.

The biggest kicker is that I have decided to try going “gluten free” for at least a month. My doctor appointment reveled something that I probably knew was coming. I am most likely anemic (blood tests have not come back yet) and found out that it is in my family history too. My aunt has been working with her doctor about her anemic diagnosis and found that gluten has been blocking her from absorbing nutrients that her body needs.

I was tested for gluten intolerance in 2004 and the blood tests came back that I was. But, after a stomach biopsy the doctor said that it was not affecting my stomach, so he did not believe that the gluten was causing stomach issues I was having. At that point I was so involved with trying to figure out why I was getting sick to my stomach rather than really thinking about the fact that the gluten was affecting my blood somehow.

So, now on top of dieting, I have decided to work on going gluten free to see if it helps raise my iron level, as well as, helps me feel better and less tired. The first three days have actually gone really well and I believe that instead of seeing some food as a temptation and uneatable, I can see all the new foods I can try and all the foods I actually can eat.

If you are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease I would love to know how you eat! I would love recipes, ideas and encouragement. I am glad that it is more prevalent now than it was in 2004, because our grocery stores are filled with gluten free products and there are so many more resources.

So far, Reshaping It All has made a huge difference in the way I look at food, my diet and my spiritual relationship. Not only have I been working on self-control and willpower in the area of food, it is working well in my devotion to the Lord. (More on this later)!

How is your week going? Are you “Reshaping it all?”

And the winner is....

2011-05-09T10:21:00.000-05:00

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 4

And the winner is…Wendy from Living Simply! Congrats Wendy, you are going to absolutely love this book! It is so cute and such a blessing!

Wendy please send me your address and I will get the book mailed to you! Thanks again for your entry!

The Knot #reshapingitall

2011-05-08T19:38:00.000-05:00

This weekend I took a well needed trip to the cities to see my girlfriends from college. But God had something completely different in mind for the trip. Along with my girls, I learned a lot about my marriage through the church the girls attend in the cities. The church is currently going through a series called The Knot. It is about marriage and how we view marriage.

Paul and I have been talking a lot about our marriage. Our first year had some ups and downs, but the one thing we know is that through it all we love each other and are committed.

I watched the podcast from last week before attending church this morning and man, did God speak directly to me.

The pastor spoke about how marriage was not to make us happy. I am learning that I depend almost solely on my husband to create my happiness. God did not make marriage to only create happiness within its boundaries. God created marriage to make us holy.

The pastor spoke and I listened intently while I was getting ready for my day with the girls. (Amen for technology, seriously!) Marriage allows us to realize our faults in a way that being single never did. I am definitely sure my husband can vouch for that.

But in that way, we can help each other learn how grow more and more selfless, more and more like Jesus. That growth process will help eliminate the sinful nature between us and help us become holy, and most importantly, closer to God.

The honesty of the pastors at Eagle Brook church and my own church here in Fargo has helped me push my spiritual relationship with the Lord to a whole new level. Sometimes we seek so hard to be perfect that we put others on pedestals. When the EB pastors spoke transparently with their wives it was hilarious, insightful and human. Paul and I are committed, that is the man thing. We are working on figuring each other out, our roles and how to be selfless.

The cherry on the top of the cake was that as I drove home (about three hours) I was so excited to run into my husband's arms. And he, so excited to see me, greeted me with a bouquet of beautiful spring flowers.

God is working, moving and changing me. The Reshaping it All series and now The Knot podcasts make me feel so blessed. I am saddened by the fact that not all those around me are able to have the technology and resources I have. I have never felt so close and I am praying to grow and understand my role and relationship with God and my husband more and more every day.

God is good.

Kingpin

2011-05-07T06:16:00.004-05:00

I just finished reading Kingpin by Kevin Poulsen. I had to share, because the book is based on a hacker who was so smart that he took over the underground criminal network and hacked millions of dollars. Max Butler is the main “character” in the book.

The book is written more like a novel, but is the true story of Max and his hacker friends and enemies. Max grew up around computers and did basic DOS encoding by age 8. He was able to hack into early computers and was involved with phreaking (Phreaking is a slang term coined to describe the activity of a subculture of people who study, experiment with, or explore telecommunication systems, such as equipment and systems connected to public telephone networks) at a young age. Others around that same time frame began phreaking too, such as Steve Jobs, but Max chose a different route than Steve Jobs.

Max started to learn how to hack into computers and was put into jail early into his college education. After his first jail visit he ending up working undercover for the FBI for a period of time. He felt like Robin Hood during a lot of his life. His knowledge from the FBI insights lead him deeper and deeper into the cyber world. Once again Max was put into prison and his fairly new bride divorced him.

Through friends from prison Max started hacking once again. This time getting smarter. He found out that he could hack into the POS (point of sale) systems at restaurants and steal their card information. He started giving these cards to his friend Chris who would then make purchases that would be sold on Ebay.

After this success, Max started CardersMarket.com, where underground criminals could purchase groups of cards that they could in turn make purchases with. Dispute Visa’s best efforts, the hacking continued. Max took down other underground criminal forums and made millions, until he was caught.

This is a quick, easy read. It was suggested by a fraud analyst I work with and I was just amazed reading it. I was the other side of my job, the side that I try to protect customers from. If you are at all interesting in fraud, computer hacking or criminals, grab this book. It is an easy, but educational read.

Also, I have learned a lot from my job in the last 6 months. Here are some tips and information to help keep your card safe and protected. Newer and better technology is surfacing every day, but it is still a possibility. 43% of fraudulent transactions are from cards that were lost or stolen, not hacked. Keeping an eye on your purse or wallet is the best line of defense against any fraudulent attacks.

Card safety tips:

1. Keep your card in a secure place. If you do not need it, leave it at home.

2. Keep your card in sight at restaurants and stores

3. Do not respond to emails asking you to “verify your identity,” “give your account information,” and anything of the like. These are called phising emails and they are sent out by hackers who may have partical information, but need personal information to gain full access to your card. Card issuers and your financial institution will NEVER ask you to do this.

4. If someone call claiming to sell a product or collecting money for a charity, ask the caller to mail you information. Legitimate companies can do this; fraudsters will get angry or try to pressure you over the phone.

5. Don’t make your PIN “easy,” like using your birth date, anniversary date or 1234 – these numbers are easy to guess

6. Never ever write your PIN on your card or even carry it with you in your wallet.

7. Check your statements as soon as they arrive or keep an active eye on your online account. Catching any fraudulent transactions right away helps you stop fraudsters from making high dollar purchases on your card. You as the customer are not liable for fraud on your card, but it helps save the hassle of disputing the fraudulent transactions.

8. Shred unwanted pre-approved offers, expired cards and any other correspondence with a card number or details.

9. Always remember to read the fine print, especially with a “free trial.” There is typically a small period of time to cancel before they will charge your account and you than are liable.

10. Instead of using a ATM/Debit card for reoccurring transactions (such as itunes-Ipod, amazon.com-Kindle, barnesandnoble.com-Nook, charities or gaming stations-Wii, Playstation, Xbox) use a credit card. This means that your personal account is not affected and you will not incur NSF charges and possibly be without cash during the dispute process.

It is always a good idea to know how your bank processes disputes. After a customer finds a dispute (within 60 days of the transaction) the financial institution has up to 10 days to give a provisional credit while they investigate. My bank gives the provisional credit between 1 to 2 days, but other national banks have practices instated where they wait the full 10 days before giving the provisional credit. This means that you could potentially be without the stolen funds for up to 10 days.

Fraud is more prevalent and sometimes there is no real good way to protect yourself. Hackers usually only get your card information, so identity theft is less likely. Closing your card and reopening a new one solves the issue. Just make sure when you use your debit card to make wise purchases from reputable merchants.

Don’t fret or stress about it, I am not trying to scare anyone, but just help people realize how smart hackers really are. The fraud detection centers and your financial institutions are there to protect you. Do not feel like you need to stop using your debit card, you are not liable and it will be worked out. Debit cards are convenient and the securities are always changing. But there is nothing wrong with staying one step ahead of the bad guys.

Eat your peas faithfully GIVEAWAY!

2011-05-06T06:10:00.000-05:00

These two gift books are the cutest books I have ever encountered in my life. Filled with quick little quips of love, wisdom and heavenly guidance. I gave my mom the Eat Your Peas for Mom becaus knew she would love it.

The book describes its self as a "3 minute forever book," and it SO is! The book starts "at the heart of this little book is a promise. It's a promise from me to you and it goes like this..."

I don't wannt spoil it for you, because every page turn makes you feel loved, needed and happy. I was super excited to see this book at Target last time I went through the store, because I plan on getting this book for all my friends.

On that awesome note...I have a book to share with all my blog friends!

Here is what you need to do to enter:

Follow Thirsty leave a comment stating that you did (or already are)!

Extra Entries:

Follow Missie on Twitter and leave a comment! (one entry)
Post this Giveaway to your Facebook! (one entry)
Post this Giveaway to your Twitter! (one entry)
Post this Giveaway on your blog! (one entry)
Leave a comment about why you want to win this book! (one entry)

I am so excited to share this book with you! The words of Cheryl Karpen and art by Sandy Fougner are awesome and breathtaking. This is such an inspirational book that every coffee table needs one! Hopefully you will win one today! Entries will go through Sunday, May 8th at 5pm. The winner will be announced on Monday!

Making a plan #reshapingitall

2011-05-05T09:58:00.000-05:00

Weight Watchers had a great article today about ways to fit in extra calorie fighters and move closer to your goal. I love the couch potato excersize, but my husband and I just got rid of cable, so now we have no commercials. I will have to just do them during the shows on Netflix we watch.

Eat in the A.M.: Every morning, as soon as you get out of bed, have something to eat or drink. Lisa Dorfman, sports nutritionist in the University of Miami Athletic Department, says that even a piece of fruit or coffee with an ounce of milk will help kick-start your metabolism. "Research shows that any food [you eat] in the a.m. breaks the physiological fast, the state your body has been in while you sleep — hence the word 'breakfast,'" says Lisa.
Reduce stress: Keep stress in check by adding exercise, prayer or meditation to your daily routine. Stress can actually set off a chain of hormonal events that can result in excess fat deposits.
Sofa aerobics: While you're watching television, stand up and sit down repeatedly during each commercial break until you're tired or the break is over. This is basically a modified squat thrust. "Start with a minimum of two sets of 8 to 12 reps," said Karen Merrill, ACE 2004 personal trainer of the year. "Make sure you focus on good form to keep your core engaged and work the abs along with the legs."
Spice it up: Carry a bottle of red pepper flakes in your work bag or keep a jar of hot chili peppers in the refrigerator at work, advises Dorfman. There's evidence that adding them to your lunches may help boost your metabolism.
Extreme eating: Make a conscious effort to eat very cold snacks, like a popsicle, or very hot ones, like a cup of hot consommé. The extreme temperatures will make you eat slower, which gives your body time to signal your brain once you've had enough to eat.
Gab on the go: Make your weekly phone calls to loved ones on your cell phone while taking a brisk walk. You'll burn a few calories and make your mother happy.
Stair master: At the top of every hour at work, head into the stairwell and walk up and down a few flights to get your heart pumping. Once you start to feel fatigued, take a brief rest: Brace yourself on the hand rail and work your calves by doing toe raises on the top step.
Eliminate one fat: Each day, make one non-fat substitution. Swap out half and half with fat-free creamer in your coffee, for example. You can save hundreds of fat calories each day that would otherwise go straight to your hips and thighs.
Tell the world: Put together a support team. Whether they're family or friends, tell them about your goals so they can help you stay on course and encourage your progress. "Get as many people on your side as you can — at work, at home — who know what you want to do and are there to support you," says Merrill. "With a solid support team, there's no reason you can't accomplish what you set out to do."
Bribe yourself: Buy a bathing suit you absolutely adore, even if it's a bit out of your price range, and use it as a reward for when you're done shaping up. Not only will the promise of a splurge help motivate you, it's also guaranteed to make you happier about how you look when you finally slip it on.

I finished Chapter 2 of Reshaping it All and it really focused on making a plan. I totally agree. I am making a plan and sticking to it. I was lose 25 pounds in 12 weeks, which means that I am aiming at 2lbs of weight loss a week. I am cutting out the junk, including diet soda. If I indulge in a sweet it will be with a group, not eating a whole dessert by myself. I am going to bring healthy treats with me when I am out of the house and stick to the “outside” of the grocery store, more whole foods, fresh produce and meat, not filled with preservatives.

What is your plan? I would love to hear your ideas! Please share!

microdermabrasion #reshapingitall

2011-05-04T10:37:00.001-05:00

I had my first microdermabrasion treatment yesterday. I won it in a package from a radio station. It almost felt symbolic using it yesterday. I was starting fresh with my diet, working to change my inside and outside. The microdermabrasion scrubs your face of dead skin cells that cover the surface and leave you with new fresh skin cells. My face felt so soft and renewed. Although I cannot afford to have this done on a normal basis (they suggest every 28 days at $120 a time!), it was a great experience and a great way for me to start revealing it all.

If you ever get the chance, it was really fun. I was given the treatment, then treated to a facial massage and spa lotions. It was definitely a treat and I am blessed to have won such a gift. It was a good way to scrub off all my old habits and start fresh. I am down 1 lb so far and excited for my weigh in on Monday. Don’t forget to stop over at the Reshaping it All blog today for some extra inspiration!

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ~ Romans 12:1-2

Reshaping Me

2011-05-03T14:28:00.000-05:00

I swear I am constantly tired, sluggish and want to sleep. Although I could claim that I am overworked, stressed or run myself dry, I know that is not really the case. I eat horribly and I do not take care of my body. There it is, the honest truth.

I was doing Weight Watchers for a while and lost a few pounds, but a couple months into my new position I had gained though pounds back, and then more. Yuck. I hate that taking care of myself is work, but I am not one of the lucky few who can eat whatever they want and stay a size 2.

I know I am beautiful. God made me, so I am. But, he also made me his temple and I am not doing a good job of keeping up that temple. If I am tired and want to be in bed all the time I struggle doing things that help my relationship with him and witness to those around me. I am often too tired to read my bible by the time I head into the bedroom, claiming that watching Netflix on my Ipod is all the energy I can muster. I skip church because I want to sleep in because I am always so tired.

You know what? I can change this attitude by adjusting two things in my life. My eating habits and my workout habits. Although I would rather sit on the couch eating nachos, I am going to stick to my healthy foods and get my rear-end to the gym.

I have found the best way for me to “diet” or as I would rather think, change my lifestyle, is to plan. If I meal plan for the entire week and plan snacks to help me get through the day I stay on track and do really well.

I am having some issues on good, portable snack ideas. I made veggie baggies to take to work, but this weekend I will be out of town and I know that weekends are my downfall. What healthy and filling snacks do you have eat when you are on the go? Please share your ideas!

I also get in a rut for cooking. I try new recopies, but I often don’t want to make meals that take a half hour to prepare and then cook. I am hungry when I get home and I want to eat NOW. I am totally one of those people who turns into the incredible hulk when I am famished. Where do you get your easy meal planning inspiration from?

So, I am back on Weight Watchers, because logging my food and activities really make me take notice of what I am putting into my mouth. I am also picking up my copy of Reshaping It All this evening and am so excited to get reading and gain inspiration!

Please, share your ideas and I will be checking in with you all each Monday to let you know how my week went!

All images from Google Images

Reshaping it All #reshapingitall

2011-05-02T10:34:00.002-05:00

Today I am starting “Reshaping It All.” I have found this book through a few other bloggers and yesterday the women of Reshaping it all have starting a blog for all of us to link to, get encouragement and make strides for a healthy lifestyle inside and out.

Here is more about the book:

Candace Cameron Bure first became known to millions as a co-star on the hit ABC television series Full House. Today, like her brother Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains, Fireproof), she is the rare Hollywood actor who is outspoken about her Christian faith and how it helps overcome certain obstacles.
Bure’s healthy lifestyle has been featured in US Weekly and People magazines as well as national talk shows including The View and NBC’s Today. In Reshaping It All, she continues the story, inspiring women to embrace a healthier lifestyle by moving faith to the forefront, making wise choices, and finding their worth in the eyes of God. Candace shares a candid account of her struggle with food and ultimately her healthy outlook on weight despite the toothpick-thin expectations of Hollywood.
More than a testimony, here is a motivational tool that will put readers on the right track and keep them there. In addition to practical advice, Candace offers a biblical perspective on appetite and self control that provides encouragement to women, guiding them toward freedom.

I am about 25 pounds heavier than I want to be. I am sluggish and tired all the time. I need to change. I have added a weight loss tracker to the side of my blog and am looking for some motivation and hopefully, through the book and the blog would, the extra push I need to get healthy and feel alive again.

A few other bloggers are doing book giveaways and I am sure that you would love to win a book as much as I would! Here are their websites, head over and comment!

Gina from Chats With an Old Lady is giving away THREE copies of Reshaping it All. YES—three!!! So head on over there and put your name in the draw. If you already have a copy, then maybe you can win one for a friend.
See Zweig Run is having a giveaway at her site where she has TWO copies of Reshaping it All to give away!!!!

So tweet along (Twitter: Hashtag #reshapingitall), and send any encouragement you have my way! I will certainly do so for you! We can change and create a revolution of healthy Christian women ready to change the world!

Water for Elephants

2011-05-01T10:38:00.001-05:00

I cannot tell you how much I loved this book! It was full of sorrow, adventure, romance and suspense. The author was amazingly talents in her writing, bringing the words to life.

The story is about a young man who loses everything and walks away from the life he lost, only to find a new one. Jacob jumps onto the first train he sees and it happens to be a circus train. He works hard for a day, proves himself and ends up meeting Big Al, the boss. Big Al learns that he is an almost Cornell graduate with a degree in Veterinarian Science. Big Al hires him to work with the animals. I don't want to ruin the story for you, but there is love and anguish and a great read in this book. (I saw it at Target the other day for only $5.99!)

Last night a friend and I went to the movie. I really enjoyed the movie as well. It followed the book fairly closely and was done really well. It was fun to see how circuses in the 1930s acted, moving from town to town by the railroad. It was a great movie, although it was really hard to watch the treatment of Rosie the elephant, even harder to watch than it was to read.

Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson did a great job, as well as Christoph Walz. I do not recommend the movie for those under 13, but adults and teenagers would really enjoy the movie. It was colorful and whimsical, almost like Moulin Rouge without the music.

The Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T07:40:00.001-05:00

Oh, the royal wedding. I cannot tell you how frustrated I have been all week with the ridiculous amount of coverage. I was even more annoyed this morning when I sat down to watch the new/weather as I was straightening my hair this morning. There was no news on ANY channel. They all were tuned into the royal wedding.

Frustrated. I turned off the TV, finished getting ready for work and hopped into my car. I stopped at McDonalds for my weakness, the fruit and maple oatmeal and a large Diet Coke and then headed the mile and a half to work.

As I pulled into the parking lot, listening to Air 1, the morning show hosts, Sean and Mandy, started talking about the royal wedding. Ugh. I was almost on the verge out outrage that I could not get away from the coverage.

BUT, then Sean played part of the ceremony. The minister was eloquent and spoke about marriage and the role of Jesus in our lives. Mandy continued by saying how much scripture was read, even more that at her own wedding.

I was immediately humbled. God was speaking through this wedding. All the national TV coverage gave millions of views the opportunity to hear scripture in their own homes. It was different from the news that spoke of murders, crime and tornadoes. It was a message of hope. A message I so easily dismissed.

Sometimes I just need to realize that in my own selfishness I am actually hindering others around me from hearing the words they may so desperately need. I have grown accustomed to hearing theses words, listening to Christian radio and reading my Bible, but for others the scripture they heard this morning may have been the only scripture they have heard all year. These may be seeds being planted so that God can water them and grow their hearts for Him. Humbling to say the least.

Changes

2011-04-27T08:27:00.000-05:00

We found out yesterday that the city approved a housing complex in the empty lot behind our house. It was wonderful not having neighbors to the back and having a lot filled with beautiful trees. Now, it will be a two 2-plexes and a 3-plex. A row of garages would be backed up to our garage.

Then, when I got home last night my husband said the neighbors were putting up a privacy fence, which mean snow removal in our driveway was going to be much more difficult, and not free anymore. Our other neighbor would plow our snow into the empty area right next to our garage, which was owned by our neighbor. Although the land is rightfully theirs, it is a bit heartbreaking.

The two things I really loved about my house are changing. I normally am good with change, but this is starting to feel like a battle. I know that God has a purpose and that he is holding my life in his hands. I need to have faith that even with change, which is not personally against me even though I feel like I am being attacked. I know that the housing complex will allow others to enjoy our peaceful neighborhood and the fence will allow our neighbors dog to run freely in their yard, but I am really having a hard time resisting throwing myself on the ground and kicking my heels like a two year old.

There are going to be a lot of things in my life that come and there is no way to stop them. I have to learn how to deal with them as a Christian instead of letting the sinful nature in me want to retaliate, even though it is hard to stop those thoughts from entering my brain.

I pray that in these coming months and with the changes that are made, God allows me to see through his eyes. Maybe a new neighbor will need some extra encouragement and hope in their lives and I can share my faith with them. Maybe the fence will not separate us from our neighbors, but bring us closer to them somehow.

The Promise and the Blessing

2011-04-26T09:21:00.001-05:00

Since I started attending Bethel, Pastor Matthew has made the Bible come to life for me. He is a teaching pastor and is very knowledgeable about the history of the Bible. We just finished a study on Daniel and I was amazed at the dates, historical players and references that I would have totally missed reading that chapter on my own.

I scoured the internet for a bible history “help” book and found The Promise and the Blessing by Michael A Harbin. The large, thick book came in the mail and I am so excited to start reading. It has you read biblical scripture and than goes more in depth! I am sure I will share some findings with you, but I am excited to understand what is going on better. I am struggling through Jeremiah right now and sometimes it is so hard to understand. I really hope this book is a blessing to my study!

We Be Big

2011-04-25T09:12:00.001-05:00

Book Description

The story of two unlikely radio hosts and what happened when they followed their faith and instincts. Rick & Bubba are the most unlikely broadcast stars imaginable, yet hundreds of thousands of loyal listeners start their day with them every morning. Beyond that, they break the biggest no-no rule for secular radio as they openly share their faith in Christ and their common-sense way of looking at the world. Now, in We Be Big: The Mostly True Story of How We Became Rick & Bubba, readers learn how this unlikely pairing came about. Alternately hilarious and heartbreaking, this is also the highly personal story of two men who—like most of us—resisted stepping through the doors God opened for them, opting for the easier path when tested. When they finally decided to follow their instincts and their faith, though, not only did they became amazingly successful, but also a truly powerful platform became theirs.

This was a really interesting book to review. Rick and Bubba start the book with their stories from childhood on. They are funny and real the whole way through the book. Both men were interested in radio at an early age, but other sports and activities sparked their fancy throughout their childhood. When they met they knew something special was created. They loved their radio show, but changes in ownership of the radio station made them trust God in a whole new way.

I recommend this book for other media lovers, such as myself. Rick and Bubba are hilarious and you can totally relate to their life stories and testimonies. Check it out!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Heaven is for Real

2011-04-24T17:38:00.001-05:00

Friday night I picked up a book and I have read it through already. It was given to me by my sister, who always recommends good books, so I am almost sad it took so long for me to pick it up.

What is this amazing book, you ask? It is called Heaven is Real by Todd Burpo. Todd is a pastor and a father to this super cute boy on the cover.

Colton is this beautiful blonde boy and Colton went through a very traumatic illness, but came through with more than his life, he also went to Heaven during surgery.

Colton slowly started telling his family about his experience in Heaven, knowing things far beyond what small minds are taught in Sunday school.

The Burpo's family story is amazing, one that makes you think and brings you to a whole new level of believing. I am trying harder and harder to see God through a child's eyes. I pray for the innocence and openness that comes from the mind of a child.