Blogtastic!

Hey all! I just wanted to apologize for my lack of posts lately! We have a lot of things going on right now and I have not been able to post. I will definately be back next week. Please keep us in your prayers as we get all things together for everything God has given us to do. Thanks and God bless!

I will be reading your posts as I can. You all are blogtastic (that is my word for fantastic blog friends! :)) and I enjoy reading and am encouraged by each of you!

Love you!
Ang

Marriage Monday

Trying to remember those trusty old vows we took 12 years ago. I was just a kid. Just fresh out of high school. I was not really understanding the challenges that were ahead. Challenges of becoming one with someone. Challenges of attending college and working to provide for us. I was just a young girl who desperately wanting a knight in shining armor who would ride up on his white horse and swoop me off my feet. One who would never disappoint--one who would always make me happy.

There was a huge problem in this thinking. Marriage is not about someone making you happy. That was one of the first unrealistic dreams of marriage I had. It was shattered all to fast. Every human would eventually disappoint. Why could I not accept that? I was just a kid after all. Too young really to get married. The statistics are not great when a kid gets married to another kid. The divorce rates in these situations are very high. All odds were against us.

To make matters worse I married an unbeliever. I was such a worldly Christian at the time. My life looked just like his so I thought we were on the same page. However, I was greatly mistaken and dived in head first. I now know what God meant by not being unequally yoked with someone. I was living the life. This was probably the worst misery of my life. But, I was too stubborn to get out. No one in my family has ever divorced and I would not be the first.

What were those vows? For better or worse. For richer or poorer. For in sickness and in health. Til death do us part. Those were the vows. I took those before God and everyone else. I would not break them. We had a rough start and rough times.

After three years of marriage, my husband came to the Lord. I started to get serious and follow God. I asked God to do whatever He needed to get us to a place where we would be sold out to Him. I believe God answered my prayer through allowing me to get sick. I battled a 7 year illness of a life threatening condition. It was through that that I really saw first hand how much my husband loved me. God used this time as a boot camp for us. We grew leaps and bounds through this trial.

God got us to a place where He could really use us! He then put us into ministry work together as a team. That is the biggest blessing of my life. God brought us full circle. We are a miracle. We beat the odds. We made it. However, this was only possible through the power of Christ. He changed us and made us whole. All praise and glory to Him!

Everybody Wants to be Genevieve

I am not sure where this starts but my children already fight over being someone they are not. I know it is healthy to pretend and have an imagination but where does it pass healthy to unhealthy? Where does that start? I have to break up fights most often whenever we decide to watch this movie. It is a sweet movie and there are 12 princesses that one could pretend to be. But everybody wants to be Genevieve. The other 11 are not satisfying enough parts to play. Oh the diva that is in us.

Is this where it starts? Why as women, do we continually compare ourselves to others? Why do we wish we were someone else? God made us special and unique. His very hand knit us together in our mother's womb (Psalm 139). I am reminded of the verse I am fearfully and wonderfully made but then it goes on to say I know that full well. Do we really know that? Do we know full well we are fearfully and wonderfully made? If that were so then we would not compare ourselves to others or try to be something we are not. So, as I continue to teach my daughters this truth, I too need to know and be confident of who I am in Him. So, although Genevieve is nice (insert your name) is better. You are who God created you to be!

Why is My Soul Downcast?

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
~Psalm 42:11


It is one of those days. You know those that creep up slowly on you and before you turn around you know it has already hit you. I am talking about the downcast soul. Things are great on the home front. Things are great in the ministry. Also, we got some great news today that will bless our family in big ways. All of God's well laid plan. Yet, the downcast soul hangs on. It looms over me like a coat of despair. I am trying to shed its ugly hold but it not the shedding type. It "feels" bad. But again, it is an emotion. I am reminded by this Psalm that no matter what I may "feel" like I will put my hope in Him. I will praise Him. That is the cure. That is what will cause the gloom to depart. So I wave it goodbye in faith. God is bigger than the coat of despair. I have clothed myself with Christ and you despair are not welcome. You make things too stuffy. You see I am free. So off you go.

Dive In

Visit Kathy at the link listed on this picture to see more details about dive in. It is a great way for accountability and going deeper into the word of God.

Kathy talks about proper interpretation of the Scriptures to find the true meaning and how just verse pulling is not enough for us to understand the whole picture of the Word. This is a challenge if you chose to accept it, to dig deeper into the treasure of God's word which I hope we can hide in our hearts!

My goal for this challenge is still not too certain except that I have had several ponderings in my head lately.

1-Asaph. I would love to start learning more about him through the Psalms and various other Scriptures where he appears. A little known man but who wrote powerful parts of the Bible. A strong heart of worship he held. I would love to see more in God's word through him and what a heart of worship looks like.

2-Jeremiah-God has been laying on my heart this book for some time. It is a challenging book for me because I do not quite "get" all of it. I bought a commentary to help me through some but first I will discover the truth for myself!

3-Fruit of the Spirit-We are currently studying this in Sunday School in detail. This is something I have been writing for our students each week.

4-Knowing God through prayer and His names. I would like to dig a little deeper there. Seeing the heart of God through His names. Moving onto Jesus in this as well!

Okay well, that is all for now! It may change some as God moves me but that is enough for several years! I am just super hungry for more of Him and I hope this challenge will hold me accountable to that!

Will you join us in this? Go over to Kathy's blog and sign up. May we grow deeper in God together!

Honor Your Husband

I left off last week still recovering from the sinus infection and being whiny. After I have recovered from all of that for some reason my heart has been ugly within me. I am battling the flesh for control. I feel like I have been feeling a strong need to be right in all things. It is that ugly pride. It is the kind of pride that makes you talk to others in a condescending tone. Oh I hate it when that is how I am! So, since I am an over comer in Christ Jesus I will walk that by faith. I will chose my words and tone before I speak. I will pray and ask that God put a guard over my mouth and reign in my tongue. This has been the biggest challenge in a while. I do believe it is because of the great love I have for my husband and extra effort I have been making to honor him. I wonder if it is because the enemy of our souls does not want to see this happen. After all marriage is suppose to represent Christ and the church (Ephesians 5) and above all things he would want to ruin her(the churches) reputation. I am an over comer in Christ Jesus and I will walk that by faith. Please pray along with me as I lift up each one of you doing this neat challenge. May God richly bless it! All for HIM and all for HIS glory!

Five Things I Dig about Jesus

Jodi tagged me with this list. So as I was thinking of five things I dig about Jesus, the thing that struck me the most was His great love for us. He is the truest picture of humility. He is what servant leadership looks like. So here is my list.

1-He participated in creation of all things. He was involved in the grand plan of things. Yet He Still put on the flesh and became like us in our fleshly bodies leaving heaven and His heavenly body. All because of His crazy love for us.
I want to love like that.
2-He washed His disciples dusty, dirty, probably smelly feet. He knew of the upcoming betrayal of one of His followers yet He chose to humble Himself in service to Judas this way anyway.
I want to love like that.
3-He healed 10 lepers knowing that all of them would go away without saying a word of thanks to Him for His miracle except for one. But He chose to do it anyway.
I want to love like that.
4-At the wedding in Cana, of all the first miracles He could perform He turned water into wine. Even though it was before His time and eventhough it was for no real significant reason except to obey and please His mother, He turned the water into wine. He did this eventhough no one would know other than his mother and the servants at the wedding.
I want to love like that.
5-He talked to the woman. You know that woman with the bad reputation. That Samaritian who now lived with a man and had many failed marriages. He knew the disciples would see this interaction but He did not mind.
I want to love like that.

Now it is my turn to tag five so I tag Kathy , Meg, Darla, Amy, and Steph. Have Fun!

Conversations with Hannah

Since I made a post on conversations with Kaitlyn I thought it would only be fair to have one for Hannah too. Now Hannah being 2 years Kaitlyn's junior makes her conversations a little more interesting.

Hannah: Mama. You know there is a bad Hannah and a good Hannah.
Me: There is, huh?
Hannah: Yeah, the bad Hannah does the things I do not want to do. She doesn't want to obey you mommy. The good Hannah wants to obey you.
Me: Oh, well what will we do?
Hannah: I don't know. The bad Hannah wants to kill me.
Me: Oh, honey, well we will just not let that happen then. Let's ask Jesus to help you make the good Hannah stay in charge.
(She understands the battle with the flesh better than I do! Lord, help her to walk in your Spirit always.)

Hannah: Mama. You know what?
Me: What honey?
Hannah: Mama, you are beauteefull. I like your red shirt.
Me: Well thank you baby. I think you are beauteefull too!

Hannah: (IN WALMART) Hey, you want to see my new dance? (Addressed to any random stranger!!!)
Lady in Walmart: Sure.
Hannah: Da da da, da da da da (while dancing a ballet number she made up.)
Me: (Oh Lord, please let this end soon and bless this lady through it.)
Lady: Thank you so much Hannah. You have such a great daughter. She blessed me so. My daughter is getting married and we are not on the best terms right now. I know it will pass but I miss those days. Cherish these days.
Me: Thank you. You have blessed me too. (Pwehh. Worried that my daughter would be an annoyance to her. Just wanting to rush on through Walmart to get done. Thank You Lord for using Hannah to show me the ministry opportunities around me. Thank You for using her to bless someone and teach me more about loving others.)

What Kind of Coffee are You?

Okay so I could not resist posting this since I am a die hard Starbucks fan! The scary fact is it does fit my personality right on!

You Are an Espresso

At your best, you are: straight shooting, ambitious, and energetic At your worst, you are: anxious and high strung You drink coffee when: anytime you're not sleeping Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Conversations with Kaitlyn

Kaitlyn: Mom, why did God make me an artist?
Me: I am not sure honey. Perhaps He wants you to make beautiful things for Him and others.
Kaitlyn: Yeah, but why did He make me a great artist. I can draw, make crafts, etc.
Me: Well, Kaitlyn we all have a specific purpose for God. Maybe He wants to use you to make great things for Him.
Kaitlyn: But mom, why am I the best artist?
Me: (Oh, no. The big P (PRIDE) is showing up already!) Baby, all people have different bits of ability. We should never consider ourselves better than anyone else. That is called pride and God does not like pride.
Kaitlyn: Oh, well I like my friend Ashley who is an artist. She makes me laugh
Me: (Sigh, Lord please keep her safe from pride).

Kaitlyn: Mom, when I am six, I want to go and tell the bad people about Jesus.
Me: Oh, really? Where do you want to go?
Kaitlyn: You know I want to go far away and tell everyone about Jesus. Not bad people but people who do not know Him. I want to teach them how to live and act for Jesus.
Me: Okay, well do you want me to go with you?
Kaitlyn: No, I’ll be okay.
Me: (Lord, please help this child keep this passion for you. Give us opportunities to share here in our community. Show me where I can take her to do this and help me teach her all the things she needs to know about you.)

Kaitlyn: Mom, can I have a little bit of sugar.
Me: For what honey?
Kaitlyn: Mom, I am an artist. I need to make something.
Me: Okay as long as you don’t make a mess.
Kaitlyn: Mom, I need your help. There is lots of sugar on the floor.
Me: Did you use the broom?
Kaitlyn: Yes but I need you to help me. There are white sprinkles all over the floor!

Ants on a Plane!

Okay so this is the craziest thing I have seen yet. I just saw a preview for a movie on the lifetime network. It is an original series movie so it is just for that station I suppose. But the point is--it is about an ant infestation on a plane ride. Now that sounds way to close to home for me!

I experienced the "reality" movie on our van ride back from Charlotte. I wonder if there were cameras planted somewhere. Perhaps those ants were rejects from the plane movie. Maybe they wanted to live their lives through the van adventure. Perhaps is was a screen test for a sequel. The one thing they did not plan for was that Outdoor Fresh Scent Raid. It worked so well that it spoiled their plans for a sequel.

I wonder about this plane. Did they not have any Raid handy? How did those ants take over that plane? Seriously, could they not land and get an exterminator ready? I am not sure when this film airs but I believe I will opt out of watching it. It sits way too close to home. I can still feel those ants crawling on me! And my experience was as real as it gets not just some silly movie.

I say all of this because we have a butterfly experiment going on. It is our third week in now and all the cacoons have now bursted open to expose beautiful butterflies. After this project is done and over (which will be soon), we have an ant farm project to do at some point. Now I am not thrilled about having these ants in an ant farm in our house. I don't want the triology film to come out-Ants in the house. So we will see what will happen with the ant farm!

Marriage Monday

Okay so it is honor your husband Monday. When I signed up for this I have been praying about what to say. I have been a wimp here lately. I have a sinus infection and have had no sleep for two days. I have been whiny and not very encouraging to my mate. How does he respond? With nothing but love and provision. If I whine about being thirsty, he provides. If I whine about the children, he entertains. If I whine about not being able to breathe, he brings the medicine. He has been so patient and right by my side. He is great and this is how I honor him. Praying God will bless him for his self-less actions. Love is a call to action--that is what it is all about. What a man I have! Thank you Jesus. We have come a long, long way! But I would not be the person I am today if I did not have to travel that hard road with him. I love you honey! You rock!