Living 31

Tebowing

2012-01-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

I just gotta come out and say this: I love Tim Tebow! Not only is he an amazing athlete but he is so so so dang real. His faith comes natural to him. To some this is uncomfortable but this guy is living out his faith and is unashamed of his relationship with Jesus. It's AWESOME! I was driving home today when I heard on the radio that after a championship game where he had a bible verse on his face under the eye black, the very next day, John 3:16 was the most searched term on Google. 90 million people looked up the verse that is a summary of the gospel. 90 MILLION! I just had to praise God for this moment in time. Tebow has stood up and set an example for all of us. Praise God for wonderful role models, people who stand up for God now matter who's watching!

Thrifting for Baby

2012-01-09T08:41:00.001-08:00

Twenty twelve is chugging along very nicely- by God's grace this is going to be an amazing year! One of the first major things we do is visit our sweet little niece. She was born back in November but she lives half-way across the state, past the mountain pass. We didn't want to end up getting stuck in the snow on our visit over so our trip was delayed. That is until now. Our winter has been very mild and snow is not a big issue over the pass anymore so we are planning on visiting her within the next few weeks. I already sent a fun care package with tons of goodies (handmade and some purchased) but now that we are coming in person, I want to have another gift for that sweet little girl! And isn't buying baby stuff so much more fun than anything else? Everything is so itty bitty and adorable. I just love it!

This weekend I went thrifting with my Mom and I stumbled upon some adorable onesies (and for just $0.69!) and this awesome toy that brings back so many memories from when I was a young'un. It'll be so much fun to see little baby Avery finally and shower her with love!

{Our Top Ten}

2011-12-31T18:27:00.000-08:00

This last year has been a doozy! Amazing things have happened to us and we feel so blessed. Here are our top ten highlights of 2011:

1. I read through the entire bible, cover to cover. It is my first time reading it all the way through as opposed to the select chapters I had before. It was amazing to get it finished up and I can't wait to read it again next year. It has really helped me to understand the Lord more and appreciate His majesty.

2. Jeremy had 19 articles published through American Thinker and he was also given his own editor to work with. It is so wonderful to see my man grow in his craft and continue to write amazing articles that point his audience to God's truths. Here's to more articles and opportunities in the coming year!

3. We found our new apartment- it was in the same city, but the rent is less and the place is nicer. Win-Win! It's amazing the little miracles God places in our path and how we found this place after searching for months and not finding anything as nice or that fit our price range. We definitely found our home sweet home.

4. This year has been rather interesting when it comes to my job. At the beginning of the year I was working with one company that soon merged with another company. The companies decided to split halfway through the year but I ended up staying at the later company. Then I received a promotion. Another miracle that God allowed to be placed in our lives. He is ever faithful!

5. In August we celebrated 2 years of marriage and 5 years together. My how the time flies. It's funny to reminisce on how we first met (Myspace- I know totally sketch huh?!) who we were as individuals back then and how God has changed us and redeemed our relationship. It is a true testament to His power and I praise Him every day for His blessings in our lives and marriage.

6. We're debt freeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! That was our Dave Ramsey freedom yell :) It took us a little over 3 years to get out of more than $40,000 of debt. Just like Dave always says, "You live like no one else so later you can live like no one else." We slowly but surely got our debt snowball going and finished it off this year when we paid off my car. We are no longer a slave to the lender!

7. Another year of AWANA started this year. It is like any other year except at a recent lesson I taught I was delighted to find out the girls were actually learning. I mean, you never know how much information the kids are retaining when they are all hyped up for the many activities in AWANA. I am getting through to them and it is a blessing to know that I am helping grow those little girls into followers of Christ.

8. 2011 brought some new friends into our lives (Liz from holy yoga and Michael and Deirdre from church). We are enjoying the many people God has placed into our lives - the new and old friends who bring such joy to our lives.

9. Each and every year my prayer is that I grow closer to Christ and this year I have definitely felt the sense of that. I have come to really trust Him, with everything. Sometimes I tend to worry about things, i.e. work, money, family, etc... but recently I just said "God, it's yours. Here are my worries. I am leaving them with you and trusting you to help me through." It is a wonderful thing to surrender all to Him!

10. And finally- one highlight of this year is what is to come. We know 2012 has lots of surprises in store and we fully trust God to see us through.

Happy New Years dear readers, though you may be few. May God richly bless you and your family in the coming year!

Birthday of a King

2011-12-24T20:25:00.000-08:00

Today was the sweetest of days as we prepared for the birthday of the Christ child. It was filled with some baking, gift wrapping, running last minute errands but most important worship.

Tomorrow will be a truly blessed day as we celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world. To help our little church kiddies (and parents) with the festivities I prepared small gift bags of funfetti cake mix (only .89 cents at the store!!), frosting, sprinkles, candle and noise maker. That way they can really celebrate the birthday of the King!

Merry Christmas to you all. May God be with your families as you celebrate this joyous day!

"In the little village of Bethlehem, There lay a child one day

And the sky was bright, With a holy light, O'er the place where Jesus lay.

Alleluia, O how the angels sang! Alleluia, How it rang! And the sky was bright, With a holy light. 'Twas the birthday of a King."

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

2011-12-18T20:38:00.000-08:00

During this season, as in every day, we are faced with two choices: focus on Christ and His coming or focus on any and everything else. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the glitz and glamour of the day (Christmas, or any day for that matter) that we forget the one who it is all about.

Each and every year since the time that Jeremy and I came to know the Lord, it seems we weed out more and more 'things' from our Christmas to make room for what really matters. I need to remind myself to not waste my life on trivialities because they will suck away my time and energy for the Lord. Satan would have me spend all my time out shopping or attending any number of parties this season, anything to keep me busy and away from time in worship of Jesus. It's not easy, because the world will have you think the gifts and lights and caroling is what it's all about but that just isn't true. What is true is that we as Christians should be preparing for and anticipating Christ's return- that's what Advent is all about. We celebrate His first coming as the little babe who was born to die for the sins of the world. And we look forward to the day when He comes back as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to rule and reign on earth.

These last few days have been precious as I've studied God's word and reflected on His plan in my life and His plan in the world. We serve an amazing God who had the rescue plan for all humanity planned even before the foundations on the earth. He knew what would happen in Eden. He knew we would need a Savior. And He planned to come down to earth to save us. Christmas is merry because God loves us so much. We have been reconciled to our Holy God through His Son. I pray you too are having a merry Christmas reflecting on the Lord and anticipating His triumphal return!

"Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him" Matthew 2:2

Baby it's Cold Outside

2011-12-12T09:50:00.001-08:00

This past weekend was spent showering my best girlfriend and her little one on the way with lots and lots of love. The theme of the shower was 'Baby it's cold outside' and I had a lot of fun planning the decor, food and games.

Can't wait to meet you sweet babygirl!!

Songs of Christmas; Songs of Truth

2011-12-05T13:55:00.000-08:00

It has already begun; the beautiful Christmas songs playing in the stores and on the radio. I'm sure we all have our favorites but last year I realized so many of them have gospel truths smack dab in the middle of them. How cool to have them heard by so many each year!?

{Hark the Herald Angel Sing}
Those angels were harking because a baby boy was born, the baby born to die. As the 2nd verse states, He was ‘veiled in flesh – the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity’ and ‘Jesus, our Emmanuel’. According to Matthew 1:23, Emmanuel is translated ‘God with us’. Jesus Christ, our Emmanuel, the Savior of the world, left His throne and became a man. He left His heavenly home to save us from our sins, which all started in the Garden of Eden. Because that sweet baby was born we can join the triumph of the skies, we can have second birth, and we can be full of peace and joy because God and sinners have truly been reconciled because of the blood of Christ!

{Joy to the World}
I’ve shared before about my tendency to be like Martha when I know I should be more like Mary, so the ‘aha’ moment in this song is the line – “Let every heart prepare Him room”. He has come down to earth to redeem the whole world, if we will but come to Him and accept Him in our hearts. Once you have accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life, daily you are relying on Him to give you His strength and wisdom. That is where the Martha syndrome comes into play. The trivialities of life often times seem like the most important things and distract us from God. Especially during Christmas time, there is a tendency to focus on the tree, the presents and the many activities. Jesus' birth is just an after thought. This should not be.. it is His birthday, after all, and you wouldn't have a birthday party for your child and leave your little one at home would you? This carol reminds us to make Jesus at home in our hearts- our first priority over all things. What a great reminder of putting Him first always!

{What Child is This?}
For an onlooker it is natural to ask- who is this child? What's all the fuss about? Scripture tells us of a coming Messiah long before He was born in a manger. There are 300+ prophecies fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ. Some of them were prophecies of things like his family lineage, where he would be born, etc.. So who exactly is He? He is the Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Creator of all things, Great High Priest, Savior of the world, The Resurrection and the life, and the righteous judge. It is inconceivable* that the Creator of the universe would come in the flesh (incarnation= in carne {meat or flesh})

"Hail, hail, the Word made flesh, the babe, the Son of Mary"

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So now when you hear those old familiar songs playing in Safeway or other shopping center you can smile to know that the gospel is being spread for all to hear!

Rethinking Christmas Cards

2011-11-30T21:22:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas cards; receiving and sending them! I dropped ours in the mail this afternoon so by the weekend everyone will have received them. What fun to share the joy of the birth of Jesus with others!

But I always feel bad at the end of Christmas just getting rid of them. Besides recycling them into tags or other crafts, a friend of mine from bible study shared her Christmas card tradition.

She told me that as her and her husband receive the beautiful cards in the mail, they pray over the person who sent it. They keep the cards around during the holidays and once the holidays are over, the cards stay out and at the beginning of the year they pray for them again, one card each day.

I can't tell you how excited I am for us to start this tradition too!

"..Pray for one another" -James 5:16a

'Tis the Season

2011-11-26T20:48:00.000-08:00

By golly, Thanksgiving is over and we are now into the Christmas season. How the times does fly! The next few weeks are going to be pretty busy with birthdays, a baby shower and of course Christmas with the family.

Picking out a tree and doing some shopping with Mom and Jerm.

Working on crafts for the shower.

I am looking forward to the start of advent this Sunday and remembering the real reason why we celebrate Christmas - to worship the One who became flesh so we could be saved. Merry Christmas indeed!

Thanksgiving Challenge

2011-11-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

Every day we should be a day of thanksgiving, where we offer up praise to the Lord for all that He has done, but Thanksgiving day is a time set apart to sit down with friends and family and really reflect on His abundant love toward us.

While Jeremy and I wrote our blessings on leaves for our thanksgiving wreath, I thought of an idea. Instead of just writing down what we are thankful for (Jesus, food, a home, the bible, etc...) we could turn right around and bless someone else with those very things we are thankful for.

Our list of blessings included: Jesus, God's mercy, role models, family, inspiration, good food, good books, hat, guns (Can you guess which ones came from Jeremy?). So while I find role models to be a huge blessing and inspiration, we can in turn be role models to other people in our lives. In fact, just the other day we were told by a family member that she looked up to us as a couple in the way we demonstrate our love towards each other. That was BIG because I didn't even know or think anyone was watching but it turns out she was. What a surprise and honor!

Or we could take Jeremy's blessing, 'good food', and bless a struggling family with the makings for a turkey dinner this week. There are so many possibilities where we can give back and shower other people with the things we are so grateful for. Any ideas how your family can give back some blessings you've received?

Grateful Heart

2011-11-20T14:45:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you but there are times when I get discouraged and feel I haven't accomplished the things I wanted to at this point in my life. It's easy to get down on yourself and your situation and start a perpetual pity party. Definitely not a fun place to be! Not only does the situation stay exactly the same but instead of enjoying the moment God has given me, it is thrown away by my own sour attitude.

Last week I was experiencing my own little "party" and nothing was shaking it. Even doing the obligatory thanksgiving craft was not inspiring me to be thankful. But then I came across a family friend who is currently facing some very hard times: health deterioration, searching for a job, losing apartment, etc.. After meeting with him last week I cried. And cried and cried. It's hard to see people suffering in the world especially friends and family members, even if some of them were their own choices.

I called my prayer warriors into action and we have been praying and trying to help with the job search ever since. It is in helping those in need that I am able to see how richly God has blessed us, blessed me, even if I am not where I thought I'd be at this point. God has His perfect timeline for the future and I can rest in that. I am thankful for His presence in my life and being patient with me even when I am incorrigible!

I don't have to be...

2011-11-15T08:19:00.001-08:00

... strong enough. I LOVE this song. Lord knows I am not strong enough on my own. I need Him each and every day and I am so blessed to have that relationship. He is my rock and my fortress.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." -Jesus (in Matthew 11:28)

Lessons in Kidland

2011-11-07T14:05:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I taught our AWANA girls. The lesson was on God's love and how He wants us to share that love with others, especially those who don't know Him. They listened carefully to the lesson and read about how we can all be good neighbors to the people in our lives.

Along with the lesson, my girls packed shoe boxes for the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child program. The girls had a great time filling out the sheets about themselves and sharing a nice message with the little ones who will get their boxes.

I had a moment when I was truly proud of those girls when I asked them a question about a lesson I gave them last holiday season- an object lesson about snowmen and the trinity. I said "Bonus question for anyone who can tell me what the snowman represents" and as soon as I finished the question, almost all the girls raised their hands to tell me "Father, Son and Holy Ghost!" It was an exciting moment to know that my girls are actually listening and retaining this information. I pray for those little munchkins that they come to know the Lord and trust Him throughout their lives. It's a joy to be apart of their lives and be able to share Christ with them!

Fall is Delightful {and Easy Pumpkin Spice Muffins}

2011-11-03T08:31:00.001-07:00

Can I just say that I am thoroughly enjoying the sights, sounds and tastes of fall. It really is in the small things that make all the difference. So on either a hard day after work or a during a busy weekend I can take a moment and just enjoy. The sound on the rain pouring outside my window soothes my soul. The leaves falling off the trees and dancing in the streets puts a smile on my face. And anything pumpkin makes my tummy oh so happy (try pumpkin seeds, TJ's Pumpkin Spice Coffee, and these EASY pumpkin spice muffins.)

Pumpkin Spice Muffins (Adapted from Hungry Girl Yum Yum Brownie Muffins)

1 box spice cake mix
1 15 oz can pumpkin

Mix the two ingredients together. Don't add anything else that may be mentioned on the box, such as eggs, oil or water. The mixture will be very thick and you will be tempted to add in other things to make the batter smoother. DO NOT DO THIS! Place batter into muffin tins (or mini muffin tins) lined with paper, or sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes for regular muffins or 15 for mini muffins.

Makes 12 regular or 36 mini muffins.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens" -Ecclesiastes 3:1

Here I stand, I can do no other

2011-10-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

Today is Halloween, my Mom's birthday and Reformation Day. Tonight we will be celebrating with my Mom and eating lots of candy but I just wanted to take a moment now to reflect on Martin Luther, the reformation and the other movers and shakers in the christian world that had a profound impact on the way we worship.

It was October 31st, 1517 when Martin Luther posted the 95 theses on the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, in protest to the way the Catholic church had been selling indulgences and various other practices & beliefs. Luther's desire was for a pure and biblically based belief, not one that had fluff and extra-biblical (man-made) 'doctrines'. At the top of the 95 theses, Luther wrote that it was "out of love for the truth" that he was bringing those issues up. It should be a concern to us all to preserve and believe in the pure and unadulterated Word of God.

Then there is William Tyndale who just a few shorts years later was fighting to make bibles available to the common people in the their own language. Tyndale took advantage of the newly invented printing press and was able to mass produce the english bible as well as some of his own writing against the Catholic church's practices. Tyndale's translation was banned and Tyndale himself was killed and then burned at the stake in 1536.

There are some stern warnings in the bible about making sure that we are following the Word as it came from the people who were first inspired by God (2 Corinthians 11:1-4; Galatians 1:8. These men, along with other brave christians, fought the good fight for Christ and His Word. They risked their lives and some actually gave their lives in the pursuit of the true and pure Word of God. In these days when it seems there are so many different beliefs in the world, even within the christian church, it would serve us well to cling to the holy and precious Word that God gave us and not what men impose to be 'true'. What a happy reformation day it is to know we have brothers and sisters in the faith who fought the good fight of faith so that Christ's church would prevail!

Sink Full of Dishes, Heart Full of Love

2011-10-23T21:20:00.000-07:00

My sink is full of dishes but that is because we spent a wonderful afternoon with friends. What a blessing it was. Life has been quickly moving along these days and lots of things are on the horizon. What's the dealio with the Egerer family?

I am currently:

*Enjoying the view out our kitchen window right now- LOVE to see the leaves change colors!
*Figuring out how to be a manager in the new role I’ve been given at work
*Planning my BFF’s baby shower – I've been waiting for this - tons of ideas are floating through my mind
*Wishing I had a little one to dress them up like these little cuties

Jeremy is currently:

*Reading lots of BIG books that I can’t even wrap my head around
*Figuring out how to use his love of writing and God’s law into a job
*Possibly going back to school so he is looking into scholarships and such
*Finishing up the sermon he’ll be giving at the convalescence home next weekend

And big news for both of us... we have one more payment to go and then we are completely debt free. We've worked hard the last 3 1/2 years to pay off a HUGE chunk of change and by God's grace we did it. Excited to make that final payment and to finally call Dave's show and scream "We're debt freeeeeee!!!" :)

Faith in Action {In appreciation of my Pastor}

2011-10-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

October is 'Pastor Appreciation Month' and I find it a fitting time to write a blog of appreciation about my pastor. The way we ended up at our church was definitely divinely orchestrated. But that's the way God works, right?!

Ours is a straight outta the bible church. Our pastor teaches from Genesis to Revelation. He doesn't skip parts that others may shy away from, even the uncomfortable parts. Frankly, life is uncomfortable sometimes and we can either ignore those parts and sacrifice not learning invaluable lessons or deal with them directly with the wisdom of God. For His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts and I will trust Him even if I don't understand 'why' always.

Pastor Paul has been going through an in depth series on the law for the last several months. He has taught on everything from how to deal with difficult neighbors, usury, and taking time to rest on the sabbath. He goes over the hebrew words and explains in detail the context on the scripture so we can truly know what God means to teach us in His word.

It was a month or so ago when something happened in my life that made me think twice about a situation. I was presented with a few different approaches to take but only one of them was the right way to handle it. It was in that circumstance in my every day life that I realized that God's word has been hidden in my heart. Pastor Paul had cultivated these precious words in my heart and at that moment they grew into a flower of faith in action. It's amazing what God's word can do and also to see the men He calls to lead His people. Thank you Pastor Paul for all that you do!

{Baked Apples with Caramel Sauce}

2011-10-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

{Baked Apples}

Ingredients:

* 2 large apples, cut in half
* 2 tbsp butter, melted
* 2 tbsp flour
* 4 tbsp quick oats
* pinch of cinnamon
* dash of stevia

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º. Cut apples in half and remove core and seeds with a small pairing knife or spoon.

In a small bowl combine butter, flour, oats, cinnamon and stevia. Spoon on top of the apple halves. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve warm with caramel sauce.

{Agave nectar caramel sauce}

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cup agave nectar
* 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
* 2 tablespoons butter
* pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken. Be sure to stir the caramel sauce occasionally. If your sauce is too thin continue cooking several more minutes. If sauce become too thick, add a spot more cream, and bring back to a boil until cream is incorporated. Enjoy!

Quality Time

2011-10-04T13:56:00.001-07:00

“The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.” -Thomas Jefferson

This past weekend I was blessed to take an extra day off to spend a little bit of quality time with Jeremy. During the week and even on the weekends, it seems to get so busy that it doesn't feel like we spend all that much time together. Not this weekend though, because we made an extra effort to make this one different.

Our plan for Friday was to go to a local corn maze. Neither of us had ever been so it seemed like the perfect thing to do. We wrote down the directions and headed out the door. But about 20 minutes into our trip we realized we were lost. After about 40 minutes we headed back home. It was lunch time by then so we had some delicious pho, from one of the friendliest restaurant in town might I add. :) And then it was round two of 'operation: corn maze'. We made it to the farm, ate some honey sticks and took some fun pictures. What gets me is that we finally made it to the corn maze and then paid to get lost in the maze. Sounds silly to you too?!

On Saturday, after a quick trip to the gym and a delicious breakfast at my favorite juice bar we headed for the theater with my Mom in toe to see the movie Courageous. Let me just tell you it was AMAZING! Worth every cent of that very expensive movie ticket receipt! :) There aren't that many good movies out these days so I'd highly recommend going directly to your nearest theater and watching it now!!

And finally on Sunday, we went to church and then we spent the rest of the afternoon cooking together and having quiet time with the Lord. We still had plenty of things on our 'to-do' list but we did them together and it was wonderful. I have the best husband ever! We even have plans for another extended weekend together real soon!

Feeling Full

2011-09-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

Life is good. Even through the messy and hard times, God is there, providing for and encouraging me along the way. With every step, I know He's by my side. But not only is He there during difficult seasons in life, but He is there in my brightest days too. It is because of Him that I am able to experience such abundant joy. I feel so blessed right now. My heart is full!

God, you are my provider. You have clothed me- when my old pants wore out, some new slacks were given to me. You have provided for me- when money was tight, some unexpected checks came in the mail. You have given me opportunities- when my future was unclear, new jobs and promotions become available. Lord, I know it is through you that I receive all of these blessings. You are a God who gives abundantly. My dear husband is my special gift. Oh Lord, thank you for him. He is always pointing me back to you. Thank you for all of the rich blessings you pour over me. Help me be appreciative of the lot you give me in this life, even when things aren't going my way. Lord you are good through it all. Thank you for your presence in my life. Help me glorify you with the way I live my life. Amen.

Nearness to God

2011-09-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

"Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above." - Come Thou Fount

I once heard a story about a couple. One day the husband came home from work, ate his dinner and got into bed without once talking to his wife. The wife was sad that he hadn't said one word to her, not a 'how was your day' when he got home, no 'thank you' for dinner and not even a 'goodnight' at bed time. She turned to him and asked "Honey, why aren't you talking to me?" and he said "We already talked this morning, I thought that was enough". This story is just that, a story, but I'm sad to say it happens all too often in our relationship with God.

When I think of that illustration, I think of my own relationship with my husband. I love when I finally enter the door after a long day of work to see my man in the living room waiting for me with a smile on his face, as I am always eager for a hug. Throughout the day I jot down notes about things that happen or topics that I think of to discuss with him that evening. I'm only 25 but I know if I don't write them down I will totally forget once I get home. I wouldn't dream of not talking with hubby before bed. He listens, he advises, he encourages and he just loves. I know how important that daily time with him is and keeping the communication strong. That is how it should be with God.

"For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth He is called." -Isaiah 54:5

"I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord." -Hosea 2:20

In the book of Hosea, the prophet marries the harlot, Gomer. The relationship between Hosea and Gomer parallels the relationship between God and Israel. Even though Gomer runs away from Hosea and sleeps with another man, he loves her anyway and forgives her. Likewise, even though the people of Israel worshipped other 'gods', God continued to love them and did not abandon his covenant with them. "The LORD is long suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression" -Numbers 14:18 We don't realize God's persistent love for us, even in our rebellion and/or distance from Him.

God is the one we should be eager to talk to, eager to tell about your fears, problems and desires. He is the one to be praised and thanked for every blessing in our lives. Along with my list of topics to talk to Jeremy about each night, I will remember throughout the day to 'talk' to the One who will always hold on to my heart and fill Him in on those things too!

Oil Cloth Bibs {A Super Easy Tutorial}

2011-09-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

Let me just start with this... if I can sew these bibs then I know anyone can! I like to pretend I am a sewing expert but most of the time my projects just don't quite look like the oh so perfect sample does. But alas, I am still learning ;)

I mentioned in my previous post about finding some beautiful and funky looking oil cloth fabric at a local home store in Edmonds. When I saw the fun patterns I had to pick up a 1/2 a yard of 2 of my favorites.

With freshly cut fabric in hand, I got to work on my latest project: easy clean oil cloth bibs. Did I mention how easy these are to make, because they are!

1.) Cut the bib pattern out of your fabric and velcro (click for pattern)

2.) Sew the velcro on the fabric as shown on pattern
3.) And finish the bib off with some single fold bias tape in coordinating color
4.) Put on your model and enjoy (in my case the stuffed bears will have to do!)

My next oilcloth project: receipt checkbook cover. :)

Train up a child in the way he should go...

2011-09-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

...and when he is old he will not depart from it." -Proverbs 22:6

Last Sunday was the first AWANA club meeting of the year. I love being apart of this program and working with the kids to learn God's word. I am a helper in the T&T girls class but I have been able to teach them a few lessons each year. I already have my arsenal ready with some fun and valuable lessons for their sweet little hearts and minds to hear.

The best part of teaching is being able to share a story or principle with the girls that will hopefully stick with them in their faith walk with God. One way of helping that lesson stick is to have a craft or handout for each of them to take home and remember it by. If you have any pint sized friends of your own, here are some great lessons and resources I've used in the past along with some fun crafts to go along with them.

*God's Princess; Created for a Purpose
Don't you know? As a child of God, you are a princess in His kingdom. "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My... daughters, says the Lord Almighty." 1 Corinthians 6:18

*The Bible Time Machine; God's story comes alive

Through the use of a time machine or time capsule, you can share the stories of the heroes of the bible."For the word of God is alive and active" Hebrews 4:12

*Jesus Calls His Disciples; Spreading the Good News

Jesus wants us to follow Him and spread His Good News. "And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’" Mark 1:17

*Life in 3D; Abundant Life Through Christ

When we live life with Christ as our focus, we live a 3D life, a life abundant with Him. "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

All things New

2011-09-08T09:36:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks since Jeremy and I moved and we are loving every minute in our new place. We're getting used to our new routes to and from work and enjoying the new sights and sounds. We have a window in the kitchen now and right next door is a daycare center so it's fun to hear the screams and giggles of the little ones playing outside.

I have had some things on my mind lately so I have tried to stay crafty. I got my hands on some funky oilcloth fabric and I am excited to show you what I've been working on. And as we are fast approaching fall (although it doesn't feel like it these days; hello indian summer) I have gotten back into my knitting. Fall just seems like the perfect time to knit, don't you think? It's been fun starting all my new projects.

While checking out my new neighborhood, my mom and I stumbled upon the most delicious restaurant EVER. We stopped into Epulo for happy hour last week and ordered a side of popcorn. Popcorn, why would you buy that at a nice restaurant for happy hour? Well this wasn't just any popcorn, this was popcorn in truffle oil. YUM-E!! I liked it so much that I brought Jeremy with me the next day to try some too :) Now I am warning you, this is not going to be a cheap habit (truffle oil goes for $20+ a bottle) but it will be a delicious one! Tasty Kitchen has a good recipe to try out for yourself. You're welcome!

It is wonderful to know that through all the hard times and other stuff we go through in life, God is still at work in His creation, in the world and in my life. I see it every day!

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making all things new!" -Revelation 21:5

Home Sweet Home

2011-08-28T22:07:00.000-07:00

We moved this weekend! Phheww.... it has been a long hard weekend of packing, moving, unpacking and then cleaning. But we had an awesome team of helpers (our friends and family) who came to help us get the job done. Look at the handsome guy driving that truck! :)

God blessed us SO much in finding our new place. Our old apartment had a mold problem. And when I say mold problem I mean it. It wasn't the regular kind you clean up with a little bleach and water, it was the deep rooted kind in the house. We'd been looking for a new place for a while but nothing was in good condition or matched our price point, until we found this listing. Who woulda thought we'd be able to find a nicer place for less money?! God did!

We also had a few mini miracles this weekend involving our couch. During the loading part of our move I accidentally knocked over the kerosene lamp on our tan suede leather couch. My Mom and Father in law acted fast and came to the rescue with an oil absorber spray. A healthy dousing of that and the spot was gone. No need for a blanket to cover that spot - Yay!! And when the sofa finally made it to our new apartment we had a minor problem; getting it in the door. We now live on the 2nd floor so getting the couch in at a very small angle up those stairs was just not happening. But when the cable guy arrived we mentioned something about the couch and he said it'd be no problem getting it in. After he set up our cable and internet, he went right alongside the guys moving it in. It took taking off the entire front door but they got it through - double yay!!

Today was spent cleaning up the old place and a little of the new and spending some time with my Mom. I am excited moving forward with Jeremy by my side and the wonderful friends and family supporting us along the way. Thanks for all your help guys!

In Celebration

2011-08-22T08:22:00.001-07:00

...of us. Today marks 2 years of wedded bliss with my hubby Jeremy. What a wonderful ride it's been thus far. Nothing too eventful has happened but we have loved and helped one another along in this crazy thing called life.

I was just telling a friend the other day that God is the greatest matchmaker and boy is He. When Jeremy and I first met, I knew there was something special about him. He is my friend and personal comedian. He is my teacher and excellent cook. He is my protector and provider. He is my heart. I love that man and look forward to many more years by his side, through the good times and the bad, richer or poorer and everything in between!

Being Still

2011-08-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

I spent Sunday in bed. Sick with some sort of cold. Enjoying some delicious pho but sick nonetheless. But I am thankful for it because it took this cold to help me realize that I sometimes spread myself too thin. I read a book not even a year ago about living simply but the message of the book obviously didn't sink in. I tend to try and do as much as I can in the time I have been given. A few classes here, a coffee date there, and another committee later, I am feeling like I just can't do it all.

Filling your time with an excess amount of activities, leaving little time to refresh leads you to inevitably get burnt out. The time we have in this life is to be used wisely. We must redeem the time and make our actions intentional. If that means cutting a program from my schedule then so be it.

But that is not the only thing that I know I need to be aware of when it comes to my time. I know I squander free time with a minutia of unimportant things, i.e. too much time spent surfing the net for craft ideas, looking for blog material, etc.. As much as I love blogging and working on crafts, the time spent working on them sometimes gets to be too much, leaving little time left for the more important things in life.

Jeremy and I were talking the other night and he said that he didn't know why we fill our time with so many other things and not do what we ought to be doing. God is here and readily available at any moment to talk to, to learn from, etc.. yet time after time you see that we choose to fill a significant chunk of our time on other things and leave just the leftovers for Him.

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth! -Psalm 46:10

This time of being sick and staying home to recuperate has helped me to see that I just need to be still. I just need to lay low and spend time with Him. I can miss a class or move an appointment to another time if it means I am setting my priorities straight. My christian yoga teacher once said "God has not called us to a busy life, but to a purposeful life". I will spend the rest of the time getting better just resting in Him.

Summer Delights

2011-08-07T19:39:00.000-07:00

Summer has finally arrived in Seattle and this weekend was filled with the many of joys of this time of year.

Jeremy got home from work early on Saturday so he came over to my Mom's house and we each got to work making dinner. Jeremy worked on the drink, I worked on the fruit salad and Mom made the main course.

I love using fresh fruits and veggies to make super easy and super yummy meals. Take these for instance: For a cool mocktail to help beat the heat, add 1 can of coconut milk into your blender. Use the option on your blender to get the mixture good and frothy. Next add 1/2 pineapple that has been sliced into the blender. Add a little agave to taste and your ice and blend it all together. And for a refreshing fruit salad take 1 watermelon and a bunch of mint. Mince the mint and add to the cubed watermelon. Toss and enjoy. See, so easy but the results are DELICIOUS!!

My Mom also made my new favorite salad: a BLT salad. How smart is that!? They are good on bread but even better as a salad!

8 slices chopped and cooked bacon
4 cups sliced green-leaf lettuce
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 cup low-fat croutons

Dressing
1/4 cup light mayo
1 Tbs. water
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. agave
pinch of black pepper

Combine all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. Then, in small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: toss salad with dressing. Makes 4 servings.

And after church today it was too nice out to just go home, so we made a trip to the local zoo and enjoyed looking at God's varied and sometimes goofy creation.

Loving our summer so far and looking forward to enjoying more of it. I hope you also had a joyous weekend!

Moving Forward and Trusting Him

2011-08-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

I am back from a short blog break. Lots of things are in the works at the casa de Egerer:

We are moving within the next month so I have been busy cleaning, organizing and purging our house of unnecessary items. You have got to do this if you don't do it regularly. I really didn't realize the amount of stuff we've collect over the years. I'm kind of a minimalist as it is and we still have a few boxes of extra stuff. Gotta love donating it all to the Children's Hospital thrift store!

In other news we will be paying off the last of our debt soon (WOOHOOO!!) and thinking about starting a family. Along with these exciting things comes some uncertainty, like figuring out how we are going to afford a baby, what type of job Jeremy will have, where will we end up, etc...

The last week or so has been one at a cross road. Boy does it feel uncomfortable in this spot. But I know it is in these times that I must trust in the Lord to get us through.

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out- plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed.

-Jeremiah 29:11-13 The Message

On another note, Jeremy gave his 2nd sermon this past Sunday at the local convalesence home. God has given him a gift and I am so proud! If you want to watch either of his sermons you can watch them here.

B is for Baby Shower

2011-07-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

This weekend we celebrated my brother and sister in law and their baby Avery. She will be here soon so this was the time to shower the soon to be parents with love and baby gifts.

It was a co-ed shower and my brother in law really enjoyed himself as you can tell by these pictures. He was too funny opening up the presents. You'd think he thought they were for him!

Instead of games, guests made onesies for sweet little Avery. It was hard to pull everyone away from the onesie station so I'd say they enjoyed it and I'm sure Avery will look adorable in the sweet little designs!

Mommy and Daddy are very excited to finally meet their little one and it was a joy to share in this special time with them. May God bless their new little family!

Grill Master

2011-07-18T11:33:00.000-07:00

My husband is known around our house as 'king of the grill'. Before we were married he had a whole slew of different roommates, one of them was from Shreveport, Louisiana. It was that roommate, who taught him how to spice and cook lip smacking steak, pork, chicken, you name it!

The key to really good BBQ food is the seasoning. Jeremy likes to spice the heck out of the meat, but trust me, you will love it! We made some of the seasoning for my Father-in-Law for Father's day.

Jeremy's Amazing BBQ Seasoning - goes well on chicken, beef, pork, and burgers

Dry Ingredients:
*Tony Chachere's creole seasoning
*Onion flakes
*Garlic powder
*Crushed red pepper
*Coarse black pepper
*Dried basil
*Dried parsley

Wet ingredients:
*Hot sauce
*Olive Oil
*Avage Nectar or honey
*Minced fresh garlic

Combine the dry ingredients. You can eyeball the amount depending on the amount of meat you are cooking and to your particular taste. We LOVE garlic so we add more of the garlic powder than others might use. Rub the dry seasonings on the meat. Then add your hot sauce, olive oil, avage nectar and fresh minced garlic to coat. Next, fire up the grill and start bbqing. The result is amazingly spicy and sweet BBQ goodness. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. YUM!

God Moments

2011-07-14T20:55:00.001-07:00

Ever read your bible and find yourself getting excited because you've stumbled upon an amazing verse? Ever just have to tell someone about it because it's too good not to share? Jeremy is usually the person I do my sharing with but there are times when I tell him and it may not be as exciting to him or he is preoccupied with something else and he is clearly not understanding how unbelievably cool it is. Well those are the times when I remember that I shared that moment with the One who I was excited about in the first place. I cherish those God moments, just me and Him, taking in His word and loving every minute of it!

(Side note: Jeremy deserves credit for finding that un-be-lievable passage in Zechariah. Cross that with John 1:14 where the bible says that The Word (i.e. God) became flesh and dwelt among men in their midst. He is truly an awesome God, worthy of our praise!*

Fresh Baked {baby onesie cupcake tutorial}

2011-07-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

This adorable gift idea comes straight from the oven for that special mom-to-be in your life. Simply gather your ingredients and start 'baking'.

These cupcakes look good enough to eat. In fact, my cousins lil one thought they were real cupcakes for her and not her new baby sister!

Marriage 101

2011-07-03T20:55:00.000-07:00

In the last few weeks I have been contemplating marriage and all that it involves. There is a lot more to it than just planning a beautiful wedding and saying 'I do'. But what do you do in a marriage to make it successful? I am not an expert by any means but I do know from my own experience the things that helped our marriage grow and also the things that caused little bumps in the road.

You've heard it said that marriage takes work and boy does it ever. Even the happiest of couples end up in disagreements so it is best to prepare ahead of time for these situations. Jeremy and I have been fairly good at dealing with the various little issues that come up between us, but there are times when it takes a little more work to get past them. Communication is key. I know it sounds clique but it truly is. If one of us is not understanding the other correctly or doesn't know all the facts, it can prolong or even make worse the situation at hand. And be watchful of the tone of your voice when speaking with your spouse. It can have a huge impact on either finding a solution to the problem or escalating it. At times I have snapped at Jeremy for something and that obviously does not accomplish any good. However, when I speak in a calm and kind voice expressing my feelings, we are able to move towards a resolution.

Marriage is about commitment. You are now married to the one you'll spend the rest of your life with (at least we hope). All too often you hear about people who were married and then are suddenly divorced. What happened to the commitment? In typical marriage vows it plainly says 'I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, pledge to be faithful to you til death do us part.' It saddens me to see so many people walking away from the very ones they vowed to never leave even in the hard times. Our first dance as husband and wife was to a song that speaks of how our marriages are worth fighting for, after all, our marriages are not like gym memberships that you can sign up for and then cancel at any time. The promises that are made and contract that is signed is meant for keeps.

And last but certainly not least, marriage needs plenty of affection. Who cares if you look a little silly calling each other by pet names, you and your 'Cutie pie' or 'Bun Bun' (my name from Jeremy :D ) will keep that fun, loving spirit alive in your relationship. It is about showing love and demonstrating it on a daily basis. Give kisses and hugs often. Do kind things for them throughout the day like helping with the chores or sending a 'I'm thinking about you' text message. It's all the little things that show someone you care.

I feel so honored and blessed to call Jeremy my husband. He is a wonderful man who has been an amazing support and help mate. As christians it is our duty to uphold the biblical principle of one man and one woman in marriage for life. We need to support and help prepare young couples for lasting marriages. What a truly blessed thing God has ordained!

Living the Legacy

2011-06-28T12:05:00.001-07:00

It is of utmost importance to me to live a life pleasing to God. The woman described in Proverbs 31:10-31 sure makes that cut and every day I strive to be that woman. Most days I barely even resemble her, but God is merciful and extends His hand of grace. I have come to realize that the key to becoming that women is to be intentional about it.

The Proverbs 31 woman doesn't just roll out of bed and hope that her family will be provided for, she works with eager hands (v.13) and gets up early to feed her family (v.15).

The Proverbs 31 woman doesn't rely on the government programs to help others, she opens her hands to the poor and needy (v.20). And when calamity hits home, she has no fear because she has prepared for this and clothed them in scarlet (v.21).

She clothes herself with strength and dignity (v.25).

She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness (v.27).

This is a woman to look up to. She takes care of her family and her community by living a life of intention. We won't just wake up someday and be this woman, we have to live these verses out in our daily lives today and hereafter if we want to be the woman 'more precious than rubies'. What are you doing today to live an intentional life as you strive to become like the Proverbs 31 woman?

les fleurs {a tutorial}

2011-06-23T08:04:00.000-07:00

"Beauty is God's handwriting. Welcome it in every fair face, every fair day and every fair flower." -Charles Kingsley

Nothing is more fun than to get a bouquet of beautiful flowers. They just put a smile on my face. The flowers were the one detail I loved most about planning our wedding. But what could make flowers even more irresistible? A baby essentials flower bouquet, of course!

Today was spent crafting these precious little buds. All you need is: wire cutters (or scissors), floral tape, artificial flower stems (or wire) and an assortment of baby booties, caps and mittens.

Take the artificial flowers off of the stem. Cut any wires poking out. Insert the flower stem and roll one of the baby items up into a rose bud. Hold the bud tight and begin wrapping the floral tape. Create a few of these buds to make a cute bouquet for a new Mom or place in a galvanized bucket or vase as a centerpiece at a baby shower. These sure do make me smile!

Got Ribbons?

2011-06-17T22:40:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or does everyone else end up with tons of extra ribbons in your craft collection? You collect them over the years from various packages and presents but you don't really know what to do with them all. Well since it is the 'Great Baby Boom of 2011' and just about every one I know it having a baby, I've got babies on the brain. I decided to put those extra ribbons I have to good use crafting adorable baby stuff.

Ever heard of a tag blanket? Neither had I, but apparently babies love them. Why, I'm not really sure, but if they like 'em, then I'll make 'em! It's really quite easy. I followed this tutorial but instead of using just 2 different type of fabric on each side I decided to use some coordinating fabric squares to make it patchwork on one side.

Baby crafts are the most fun because they are all so dang cute! And I can't wait to give it to my little niece when she arrives this fall or my BFF's baby coming next spring or my cousin's newest addition. What did I tell you about the baby boom!?! Now all my excess ribbons will be on cute little blankets for little babies' enjoyment and I will keep collecting ribbons until the next baby boom. :)

A Few Words

2011-06-05T22:19:00.000-07:00

My muscles are sore and my heart has been challenged. Both happened while attending a christian wellness workshop this last weekend. We learned from truly anointed women gifted in the word, we feasted on His goodness and we worked our booties off too. Boy was God present in that church gym. It was a very powerful weekend to say the least. Besides working on some tighter glutes :) I also received a few words from the Lord while there.

Our Full Attention

I'm sure most people are well acquainted with the story Jesus tells about the narrow way. At the workshop they shared the verse in the traditional King James version along with The Message. Listen to how the message breaks it down:

"Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention."

What a picture, huh!? Our teacher made it even more vivid when she described the narrow way as not just a separate path alongside the broad road but she described the broad way as a rushing river. When we accepted Christ in our lives, we stopped following the crowds that were rushing down and turned around. Just standing and facing the rapid river you are going to encounter some serious resistance and crashing water but expect even more when you take that path back up the river.

He deserves our total attention, not some quick and easy worship time. He should be getting it all. All our time, all our attention and all our praise. In everything we do it should be done for His glory; working out, walking the dog, cooking dinner and even doing laundry. The way to life is vigorous and requires total attention...

Our Hearts Desire

"Delight yourself in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He will act." -Psalm 37:4-5

I don't know how to start this other than to say that I have had some desires, even God honoring ones, that have become idols in my life. The human heart is a factory that produces all kinds of idols. An idol is basically something that replaces God as the ultimate desire of our hearts. Like I mentioned before, although some of our hearts desires may be good and wonderful things, when they become the main focus of our lives or our ultimate source of joy, they have gone on the fast track to becoming those pesky little things God commanded us to stay away from.

“There is a God-shaped hole in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.” -Blaise Pascal

Alisa Keeton from Revelation Wellness shared with us that even though many of our desires are good and may have even come from God, that we need to remember that the focus should still be Him. He is the one who is able to honor those desires or give us entirely new ones. When we realize that and rely on Him and not the event or thing we have our hearts set on, our lives will be complete. Trust in Him and He will act...

It was an amazing weekend spent with some inspiring sisters in Christ. The muscle pain will go away but His word will abide forever!

Children of God

2011-05-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

"Jesus says to receive the kingdom of God — to come to Him — like children, fudgesicle stains and all. The fact that the Father loves, endures with, protects, provides for, instructs, and corrects us reveals that He’s glorious. We, by the grace of God, get to be children of God, the objects of the Father’s love, his glorious inconveniences. That’s what Christianity’s all about."

"We're a family. Church is like a big living room. God is our Father. And you know what happens at the house? The kids show up, they break things, they spill things, they make noise. Praise be to God. That's how it is in my house. That's how it is at this church." -Pastor Mark Driscoll from sermon 'Children are a Glorious Inconvenience'

Test Kitchen

2011-05-28T22:05:00.001-07:00

A baby shower is in the works for my sister-in-law who is expecting her first child this fall. The detail I am working on now is the menu. What would be delish to serve to a large group of people, including men, who I happen to know eat a LOT!? I did some searching on the web and found some great looking dishes. So I went to work to make sure these were every bit as yummy as they looked online.

My test subjects were my in-laws who visited last weekend. I told them to be completely impartial and let me know what they thought of the recipes. This salad was yummy AND beautiful. The strawberry vinaigrette was tasty but one of my 'guinea pigs' said that maybe adding a bit of honey or agave nectar would make it even better. I have a mean sweet tooth so how could I say no to that?

I also made a dessert that I think would be so adorable on a pretty little table at the shower. Totally cute and boy are they a cinch to make. Combine strawberry yogurt with whipped cream and fresh cut strawberries. Fill mini graham cracker pie crusts and chill in the fridge or freezer. Top with strawberry garnish and enjoy. SO yummy!

The work was hard and the testing was quite a challenge :) but the results are in and the food was fabulous. Looking forward to my next round of testing and trying out this recipe!

When I feel overwhelmed

2011-05-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

When I was young I always thought there would be a time in my life when I would be set and life would be easy. Don't we all wish that were true? Well, I have grown up and come to realize that life never really gets easy. We live our lives and complete our various daily tasks. Along the way we experience God's blessings but ultimately the struggles still come and the heartache, too, will inevitably rear it's ugly head.

I recently had to come to grips with this idea that life is tough. Jesus told us this some 2000+ years ago. So many times in the bible, He told us not to be afraid because He had out back.

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." -John 16:33

What we must remember is that even though we will experience hardship in this life, He is there for us and He said "He will never leave us nor forsake us". What a wonderful truth we can rely on in those difficult moments of life. He is here. I am experiencing His peace because I know that He is always with me in the storms of my life!

The Great Indoors

2011-05-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

The sun has not been making very many appearances in the Pacific Northwest this 'spring'. So instead of sulking around inside about how we can't do that many outdoorsy things, I decided to bring the outdoors indoors.

We laid down a picnic blanket in the office and had some good ol' camp food including brats, potato salad and every one's favorite; bug juice! Very yummy food if I do say so myself.

After dinner we put a sheet over the window to block out the daylight and make the room dark in order to see the celestial beauties I stuck to our ceiling. We counted the stars and moons and looked for the big dipper. And following our 'star gazing' we played some cards. What screams camping more than card games? Maybe it is just me that is what we always did when I go camping. :)

All in all, it was a wonderful evening spent in the great outdoors, indoors. And this morning the weather man forecasted some actual nice weather coming. Maybe we can do this for real next weekend!

A little help from my friends

2011-05-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

It has been about 5 years since I ran my last 5k race, so I really had to train for the Free Them 5K. In the weeks leading up to the big day, I was in the gym running up a storm to make sure I was prepared for the race.

Come race day, the run itself was fine, just what I expected. I was ready physically, however I was not ready mentally. That's the thing about running; you have to set in your mind to just keep going, to push through the negative thoughts until it feels like second nature, like you could go on forever.

At first I was doing great but about 3/4 of a mile in, some negative thoughts crept in. I then started to entertain them. "I have got to stop." "I'm going to walk because it's too hard." "I'm not good enough to finish this race." As I ran, I noticed another gal keeping pace with me. As best I could, I then set in my mind that she was my 'running partner', my way of gauging how I was doing. The battle in my mind continued as I raced on.

As we neared the end of the race I told her she was keeping me motivated. She told me that I was doing the same for her! But even with my new found friend's support, my desire to stop became too strong. I said I wanted to stop and start walking but she reminded me that the end was so close. I knew she was right. So instead of giving in, we completed the race together. Crossing that finish line felt so good!

I am reminded of the verse that says, 'As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.' My 'running partner' stood by me and encouraged me to keep going, even when it felt tough. She reminded me that the end was just around the corner and so was the victory. As it is in running, so it is in life. This world can be a hard place to get along in. The daily struggles can sometimes feel like too much. What a blessing to have a godly friend to encourage us and help us along. I know in my own life I have had plenty of times when I just wanted to stop and give up, but thank goodness for those dear friends who have been my support. God made us humans to be relational, to grow friendships and to encourage and love others. What a sweet reminder of the great blessing God has given us. What about you? Who are you encouraging today?

*To read more about the results of all the fundraising and what World Concern is doing to prevent human trafficking, follow this link.*

Music to my Ears

2011-05-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things is music. I love to listen to it. I love to sing it. And someday I'd love to play it (my only experience thus far is with the recorder in grade school :P but hopefully that will change soon) Musicals? yes please! All of the above!

I don't know what it is but it just energizes me. Especially when working out. It always seems the time goes by much faster and I can go longer when I have a song playing in my headphones or in my head. And let me tell you, that music gives me the extra push I need, especially while getting ready for my 5K race coming up.

I listen to a whole lotta different genres of music; oldies, old school R&B, country, alternative, soft hits (yes, all the sappy love songs) and of course, my main source of music joy comes from christian music. What is so cool is that within christian music is a whole array of genres so I can listen to christian pop or christian rap or even christian rock. I love it all! And it is all sung for God's glory. That's the way music is meant to be! "Sing to the LORD, you saints of His; praise His holy name." -Psalm 30:4

Here is a sampling of the songs I'm rocking to now:

1. Good Morning- Mandisa
2. High- Lecrae
3. This is the Stuff- Francesca Battistelli
4. Beautiful Things-Gungor
5. Funky Jesus Music- TobyMac
6. Rise Up- Lauren Camey (from this awesome video)
7. Christ is Risen- Matt Maher
8. Carry Me Home- Evan Egerer (My brother-in-law!!!!)
9. Don't Waste Your Life- Lecrae
10. Love Addict- Family Force 5
11. Blessings- Laura Story
12. Heartbeat- Remedy Drive

One day we will all be singing for Him and His awesome majesty. What a glorious day that will be! "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" -Revelation 5:13

Defeating Apathy

2011-04-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

Ever feel like there are people around you who just don't seem to care? People are starving in other countries, even in our own backyards, yet nothing is done about it. I am not trying to point a finger, because I know there are times when I am just too "busy" with my own worries to help others, but I want to address a real problem plaguing America and plaguing the church; apathy.

What brought this subject to my attention are some recent fundraisers I've been working on. The latest one in particular is for victims of human trafficking / global sex trade. Believe it or not but slavery is still alive and active throughout the world and World Concern is doing something about it.

My experience in fundraising has been an up hill battle. I call and e-mail and facebook about a cause and then wait. And wait. And wait. It always seems to end up being me (and Jeremy of course) and my in-laws who donate or give any support. Why is this? I know that times are hard and money is tight. I know that we are all busy doing our own things and serving our own passions. I know that adding one more thing to our list of things to do or support may be too much for some.

What saddens me is that I thought people would want to help. In a world full of suffering and genuine need, but here in America we care more about what is happening with the latest celebrity couple or tv show the night before.

What I want to see is people embracing their God given duty to give to the orphan and widow. To care for the foreigner and downtrodden. When He was here that is exactly what He did and if He was here on earth today, that is what He would do now.

I am reminded of the story that Jesus told about the two sons, one who said he would not do as his father asked but then later did it and the other son who said he would do the task and didn't. How often is that us? We listen to a sermon on Sunday, say we'll help God's people as He has asked and then it slips right out our ears as we drive away.

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." -James 1:22

One of my favorite gospel songs has lyrics that inspire me to Get up in Jesus' name.

In the day which we live in, there's evil everywhere
The body seems discouraged and overcome with fear
Well God is needing soldiers, to get out of the pews
And take hold of the power that John and Peter used

My prayer is that God's people get out of the pews and live for Him. Love for Him. Serve and give for Him. We are the church and we are His hands and feet on earth. Let it not be said that we are hearers and not doers. Lord, help us to see the need in the world and take action in Jesus' precious and holy name. Amen.

Best. Weekend. Ever.

2011-04-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

Just finishing up the best weekend ever. Seattle had the hottest day of the year on Saturday and Jerm and I enjoy it with my Mom booting around town. Today we got to spend Easter with my wonderful in-laws. Favorite moment of the day was singing hymns at their home while my father-in-law played the guitar. It was a very special moment. And of course, we praised our precious Savior and His resurrection all weekend long. Truly blessed! Thank you, Jesus, for your unfailing and merciful love!!

{Empty Tomb Easter Treat}

2011-04-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

It is the day before Resurrection Sunday and I have an awesome little treat to share with you. I thought these were a neat way to share the story of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, however, I have a new idea that I knew I had to share with you!

This is super easy and cute, not to mention tasty! You will need:

* graham crackers
* chocolate donettes
* mini oreos
* peanut butter (or frosting if food allergy)
* shredded coconut and green food coloring

The first step is to put some of the coconut in a ziplock bag with a few drops of green food dye. Mix the coconut around until it is evenly coated to look like grass.

Next, spread a thin layer of peanut butter or frosting on the graham cracker.

Cut a small part of the donut off on one side so it will sit flat on the graham cracker.

Now it is time to assemble the treat! With the graham covered in PB, place the donut cut side down on one side of the graham. Place your 'grass' in front of the donut tomb and pat it down. Take one side of a mini oreo cookie off and place the cookie slightly to the side of the donut, resembling the stone that had been rolled away.

And the final step is to add a sign which exclaims, 'He is risen, because He did indeed rise!

In Remembrance of Me...

2011-04-21T10:41:00.000-07:00

We are just about through the Passion Week and I am reminded that today is the day that the Lord instituted the Holy Communion, or Lord's Supper.
"I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." - John 6:35

"And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me'." -Luke 22:19
It was on this day over 2,000 years ago that Jesus and His disciples partook of the Passover. But this Passover wasn't like any of the other Passovers, this one was special. It was there that Jesus commanded His disciples and His other called and chosen followers to remember His coming death and suffering for us. The way we remember that is by eating of the unleavened bread.

To understand the significance of the unleavened bread you have to look at how it is referenced through ought scripture. At the time of the first Passover in Egypt, the Children of Israel were in such a hurry to get out, that they just grabbed the bare essentials. That meant no yeast. God instructed them to observe that day each year to remember the great work He did for His children in redeeming them from the evils of Pharaoh and Egypt. Fast forward to Jesus' time when He told them to remember another day, when He would redeem them, once and for all, with His blood.

Still, there are other references to leaven or yeast in scripture that should be noted. "Whenever leaven is mentioned in the bible, 22 times in the Old Testament and 17 times in the New Testament, it always or almost always, represents sin or evil." The unleavened bread was without leaven or yeast which represents sin and Jesus, our 'bread of life', was without sin.

And still further, in the practice of a traditional Jewish Seder, the matzoh, or unleavened bread, is kept in a matzoh bag. Three pieces are kept in 3 different compartments of the bag. The middle bread is broken in two, and half of that will be hidden. After the meal, the children are sent out to find it. Then, every member of the family eats a small piece. I don't know about you, but everything about that and all of the other practices from a traditional seder meal, scream out to me, "This is all about Jesus!":

*The 3 different matzohs represent the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
*The middle matzoh being broken in two represents the Messiah; broken, striped and pierced for us all,
*And, the half of the middle matzoh that is hidden represents the body of Christ which was gone from the tomb

The bible is FULL of symbolism and I have to tell you, I love it! To understand the Jewish customs and know what meaning they had then, can add that much more meaning to your experience of Jesus now, because all scripture was written for our learning to teach us endurance and give us hope. And that hope we have when we take the time to remember Him and the sacrifice He made at His death on the cross.

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." -John 6:51

Love Letters

2011-04-19T09:01:00.001-07:00

When Jeremy and I first started courting, he would send me love letters. Throughout the time that we were getting to know each other, these letters would arrive in my inbox (dating is so high tech these days :P) and with each sweetly written note, I could see the genuine feelings that were growing between us.

So it is with our relationships with others. I have been reminded of the verse in 2 Corinthians that says:

As I live my life and share my 'letter' with others, what message am I sending? How many times has my letter been spam, junk mail, or heaven forbid, hate mail.

I love the way this verse sounds from the Message: "Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it."

I want my letter to resound with the love of Jesus Christ. In a world full of all sorts of messages, I choose Christ as the letter and message I want to share. I want to BE a love letter for Him!

Perfect Timing

2011-04-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

All things happen in God's perfect timing. Loving the time in my life that God has given me! Feeling so blessed!!

Fresh Perspectives

2011-04-08T11:15:00.001-07:00

Interested in world events? Love to watch silly youtube videos? Well thanks to my husband (my supplier of funny and often times ridiculous videos) you can have both!

Jeremy said that the little girl, Morgan, reminds him of me. I hope you learn as much as I did; kids = too cute!!

His Holy Temple

2011-04-06T12:09:00.000-07:00

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? -1 Corinthians 3:16

How many of us actually treat our bodies like they are a temple of God? Do we watch what we eat or do we carelessly put in whatever happens to be around? (Chocolate why must you do this to me!?) Or how many of us have would rather lounge around than get up and use our bodies to serve Christ and His kingdom? I have to admit to neglecting the temple I have been given these ways before. But still others will end up fanatical about their bodies and work out too much or engage in yo-yo diets just to get the "perfect body". I have put my body through that treatment as well. Both of these extremes are not healthy and are not good for the body or soul. It is only when we align our thoughts and ways with God's where we find balance and the correct way to handle the gift we've been given.

In her book, Greater Health God's Way by Stormie Omartian, she says, 'Your body is a tool of ministry. Do you think you can serve the Lord better in sickness than you can in health? Do you want to serve Him for a couple of decent years, or would you rather have ten, twenty, or thirty more great ones? Our physical condition can influence our spiritual lives far more than we often realize. If we are disciplined in the care of our physical bodies, we are far more likely to be disciplined in our spiritual lives, too.' Her book has opened my eyes to a lot of different ways we can care for our bodies the way God meant us to with proper exercise, healthy eating, fresh air, plenty of water and rest.

Along with Stormie's book, I have recently taken up something called Holy Yoga which is yoga without all the eastern mysticism thrown in. In exchange, christian meditation replaces that spot. Consider it a work out and devotional all in one. I have really enjoyed myself in this class. Besides the fellowship and teaching I've received, when I practice at home by myself, the quiet time in prayer has been very sweet. The different poses can be somewhat challenging but start with the easier ones and as you get comfortable you can move onto the ones where you twist yourself up like a pretzel. Just kidding, but not really!

Ultimately, the most important thing we can do with our bodies is to glorify God with them in how we treat them physically (with good exercise, healthy food, fresh air and rest) and spiritually (with His Word, quiet time and prayer). It has taken nearly 25 years for me to come to have right thinking when it comes to my body and how I should treat it. And like David I will say, "I praise You because I was fearfully and wonderfully made" and because of that I will give my body to the Lord as "a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God."

Abide in My Word

2011-04-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

Do you ever sit through a sermon and have an 'aha!' moment, when something finally clicks, or when a verse just comes alive with wisdom? I had that experience during yesterdays sermon. The verse our pastor referenced was John 8:32, about knowing the truth and the truth setting us free. The sentence just before it is the one that caught my eye, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The key phrase being, abide in my word. In order to know what exactly His truth is, we need to be in His word. According to the definition, abide means to:

That means Jesus wants us to continually stay in His word. If we don't, we are bound to end up walking our own way only thinking we are walking in truth, but we are not. I know that is the case for me. If ever I go a few days without His Word guiding me, I face this world on my own and the results are disastrous. And honestly, I'm glad they are, because I never want to think I can handle life without Him and His guidance.

This last week I shared some precious time with my Lord, in His word. It is in those moments when I can learn more about the character of God and His truth, because His Word IS truth. There is nothing more precious to me than this special time I have with Him and as a spring cleaning measure in my life, I am 'cleaning out' all the junk that has entered in. The envy, the laziness, the too much TV habit, it's all gotta go because He means more to me than those things and I want to abide in Him! What spring cleaning do you need to do in order to more fully abide in Him?

The Power of Love

2011-03-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that the last few weeks have been rough. I've been in a real stinky mood, with just about everything. I just wanted to be mad. Whether it was work or friends, church activities or planning dinner, I was not happy with it. I guess you could have called me a real debbie downer. I would "try" to commune with God and get back in fellowship with Him but for some reason my efforts weren't working (hmm, I wonder why!?). What I didn't see was that while I was busy being a grump, God was sitting there patiently waiting for me to come around and see how ridiculous I'd been acting. My Father-in-law put it best when he described us in our rebellion as a child trying to wring and twist away from his parents grasp, but all the while God continues to hold our hand, no matter how much we squirm.

It wasn't until this past weekend that I finally came around and 'saw the light', so to speak. I had promised some of the high school girls from AWANA that I would be a community judge at their home school debate club semi-finals tournament. While conducting my judging duties, 5 high school age young ladies each shared their own original illustrated oratory about a topic of their choice. Some of the topics included intelligent design, world hunger and the sanctity of life. And I'll tell you what, these girls, although in totally different stages in life, taught me a lesson or two on being appreciative of my blessings and this moment in time that I've been given. For those of us who live in the United States, we have been blessed with so much abundance and we don't even see it. We've been gifted with an education, our jobs and even shoes! There is so much to be thankful for and I had been missing it. I overlooked the blessings because of my own pride and selfishness.

When I got home from the debates, I was in the kitchen working on dinner when Jeremy came home. I shared with him my experience at the tournament. He told me that he had been praying for me and also asked my Mother-in-law to pray too. It just warmed my heart to think that even in my terrible funk, even when I was not very fun to be around, and when I couldn't even stand myself, my loved ones still stood by and prayed for me.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 8:38-39

And like my family sticking by me, I know God is there, even in my hard times and in my stupid times. He's there through it all. That part in the verse that says 'the present nor the future', that means even when I sin, now and any future sins. Christ has already paid the price once and for all and because I have accepted Him as my personal Lord and Savior, He will continue to hold my hand through these ups and downs in my walk with Him. Praise God He never lets go!

No Hurry Veggie Curry

2011-03-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

The slow cooker is an invaluable item in our house. It helps so much with our busy schedules, because it virtually does all the work for us, we just come home to a delicious meal ready to go!

On any week day when I would prepare this recipe it would be no problem to wait because I am busy at work and come home to the curry deliciousness. However, when I prepared it this past Saturday, I was home and it was so hard not to keep checking it so see if it was done. I got a craving for curry and just had to get my fill. When the time passed and the food was finally ready, this stuff sure hit the spot! I guess the saying is true, 'good things come to those who wait'!!

The results are in...

2011-03-22T20:48:00.000-07:00

...Meredith! Since my husband was the only other person who commented and he very well can’t fit into a baby kimono, Meredith is the recipient of the adorable onesie AND matching shoes. Thank you for commenting and continue to pray for the people of Japan! They need our prayers!!

Magnalia Christi

2011-03-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

In the early 1700's, a pastor by the name of Cotton Mather wrote a book called 'Magnalia Christi Americana' which roughly means, 'the glorious works of Christ in America' about the works of Christ in the New England area. Talk about amazing! 600+ pages and I am in the first chapter still. It's definitely one of those books where I need to read and then re-read paragraphs to understand what's going on. Good exercise for the brain for sure (and also free on google books)!

Last year my pastor suggested we write our own books, like 'Magnalia Christi Nicole; the glorious works of Christ in Nicole' to show His awesome glory and the transforming power He's had in our lives. So that's just what I did!

The way I made our magnalia christi faith books: 1.) take a 3-ring binder, 2.) cover with pretty linen quality paper and 3.) hot glue the two together. It's that easy! I think they turned out real nice. And inside the books I made some forms to get us started telling our story of faith and how He "always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him."

Faith Book Title Page
Magnalia Christi Introduction
Faith Timeline
Constructing Faith Timeline

The beauty of this type of faith scrapbook is that you can add empty 3-ring sleeves and add to this as you move along in life. It is truly amazing when you think about just what He has done in your life.

"We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done." -Psalm 78:4

Oh Baby! {a onesie kimono giveaway}

2011-03-16T21:28:00.000-07:00

Ever since I found out that my sister-in-law was expecting, my creative juices have been flowing. Who am I kidding, I've always got babies and other pretties on the brain but now I have someone and something to plan for!

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." -Psalm 127:3

It breaks my heart to see the people of Japan suffering so much, especially the children. In honor of my love of anything baby and in light of the current crisis in Japan, I will be giving away one of these adorable onesie/baby kimonos from Koolmono - Japanese Inspired Fashions. Not only will one lucky winner get a baby kimono, but 50% of the proceeds of Koolmono's sales are going to Japanese tsunami relief. And a 2nd person will get a pair of the baby kimono shoes.

To enter, please leave a comment here letting me know about the precious little one you would love to give this to. Please also let me know which of the kimonos that you'd like if you won. I will announce the winner next week.

Eyes on the Prize

2011-03-10T11:58:00.000-08:00

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." - 1 Corinthians 9:24

It's that time of year again. In just a few short weeks I will be heading to the AWANA games with my girls and we'll be playing for these beauties. And also the bragging rights of being the best game players ever. :)

What are the AWANA games, you may be asking. You basically throw a bunch of little ones into a huge gym and throw in some parents and leaders cheering them on while they compete with a whole bunch of other little ones. It makes for a fun AND exhausting day!

As we gear up for the big day, our girls have been doing lots of practicing. There is the three-legged race, marathon run, some funny balloon game and of course the bean bag bonanza. Some of our little girls need practice at throwing the bean bag and hitting the cones. I decided it was time to make some more bean bags. And it's as simple as 1,2,3 (I love those kind of crafts, don't you!?)

What is man?

2011-03-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

All around

2011-03-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

Just found out that my sister and brother-in law are expecting their first child and my other sister-in-law is engaged to be married this fall. Our family is surrounded in love and it feels great. He is so good to us! His love keeps pouring down. Here's to love!

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. -1 Corinthians 13:13

Kindred Spirits

2011-03-01T22:18:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like a good friend and a good book. How about both of them in one? That's exactly what I found when I read 'Living Simply' by Joanne Heim. I stumbled upon her while reading Beth Moore's blog. Joanne suffered a stroke in January and has been in the hospital ever since. Praise God she has been making progress and will hopefully be moving onto rehab soon.

I found out she was an author so I checked it out. As I read her story, it occurred to me that I could have very well written some of those same things. The things she enjoys, I enjoy, the things she struggles with, I struggle with, and the list went on and on. I made a new friend while reading her book and I am so blessed to have "met" her. If you are so inclined, read her story and pray for her and her family during this time in their lives.

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." -Proverbs 17:17

It is truly a blessing to have strong sisters in Christ who will stand beside you to encourage, to have fun with, to teach, to learn from and to bear one another's burdens. Although I have not actually met Joanne, she has blessed me in ways she may never know (this side of heaven, that is). But I am also blessed to have friends near me who I know I can count on, who hold me accountable and who lift me up when I am down. God has given me so many things to be thankful for, not only my Salvation, my family, etc.. but He has given me good friends to share the ups and downs with. Isn't that amazing?! I am floored by just how much He gives to me, including the wonderful friendships I've been able to have throughout the years, even the ones I get to read in a book!

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17

Wise Words

2011-02-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

Unfailing Love

2011-02-14T08:06:00.000-08:00

It is during the tough days, when I am being stubborn or childish that I think God especially showers me with His love. I have been in a serious funk lately that just wouldn't seem to go away. Each day I would go about my business with a not so joyful mood and each day, God would be there loving me anyways. He would tell me He loved me through His word, through my husband, through a hymn, and just yesterday during the Sunday sermon.

All too often people give up on things. On their marriage, on their goals, on God. But the wonderful news is God's love for us never goes away. Even when we were sinners against the will and things of God, He gave us His Son.

I am overwhelmed every time I think about how He cares for me and continues to shower me with love. How can I ever even come close to showing Him, the King of the Universe, that I love Him back?! I can show love to others, to those in need and to the unlovable, to the orphans and widows and even to my enemies. It is a tall order to fill but with His strength and His supernatural love, I can love them. "Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." -1 John 3:18

My Prayer: Today, Lord, teach me to love you with my whole being and share this love with others.

Can you think of some specific ways you could demonstrate your love for God in your neighborhood? Have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Good Eats

2011-02-07T15:28:00.000-08:00

When Jeremy and I first started dating, I was attending a cooking class at a local grocery store with my Mom each week. Because of this I was able to impress him with my fancy shmancy cooking skills. That store has since stopped offering the class and my work and other responsibilities have made it hard to plan the same meals that I used to. My sweet and oh so caring husband has been making most of the food in our household as of late. In this period of our lives this set up just works for us. I do enjoy cooking, don't get me wrong, but after a long day of work AND the long commute home, a hot meal sitting on the table already prepared is such a blessing!

So when I do cook, I like a recipe that is fast and/or something I can prepare ahead of time and just pop in the oven when I get home. I'd have to say that most of the recipes I make these days have been found online, and more specifically from other bloggers. I have accumulated some favorites from these amazing gals and they are husband approved. :)

Baked Egg Casserole

Make Ahead Brunch Bake

Santa Fe Soup

Grilled Avocado with Tomato & Corn Salsa

And a new recipes for my bible study next week. YUM!

Cucumber Dill Spread

Life Update and Random Babble

2011-02-02T08:45:00.000-08:00

HAPPY GROUNDHOGS DAY!

I have not been posting as frequently because things they are a changin' in my world so I have been busy attending to those matters. I have a new job, new boss and new beginnings for the future. Monday was my official first day of work and it's been great! A little hectic getting used to new systems and bus routes but all in all it's been a very good move. God has blessed me so with this new opportunity!

One of my sweet new co-workers baked these adorable Groundhogs day cupcakes for everyone in the office. Definitely an idea I'll be using next year!

And on a final note, I stumbled upon this book that has some amazing ideas for weddings and all the parties associated with them. These ladies make party planning look way, WAY too easy. I wish it was this way when I did it :)

State of Our Union

2011-01-25T09:47:00.000-08:00

Tonight we recognize the annual event where the President of these United States speaks to the nation about the situation of our country, otherwise known as the state of the union address. The purpose of the speech is to inform the citizens of how things have been going thus far and to discuss any issues that may need to be resolved, in an attempt to bring the people of the country together to have one vision to move forward and conquer those issues.

Like the discourse we receive from our commander in chief, this is a great opportunity for married couples to get together and have their own state of your union, the marriage union that is. All too often I think couples get busy while going about their various daily tasks that they forget to talk with their spouse about any issues or concerns that need to be addressed. I say let’s take this time each year, with the speech from our president as a reminder, to address our spouses about the many victories in your marriage relationship and move forward together with a united vision for the future together.

My Help, My Shield

2011-01-16T09:16:00.000-08:00

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name.Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, Just as we hope in You." -Psalm 33.18-22

Lesson Learned

2011-01-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back I had my best girlfriend over to my house for some good 'ol quality girl time. These usually involve lots of gabbing, tasty goodies and on occasion re-runs of 'I Love Lucy' (so funny, I can't help it!). I don't remember how we got on the subject but celebrity actresses came up. My hubby walked into the kitchen as we were chatting and mentioned that he thought one of the gals from the show 'Community' was pretty. We don't watch that much tv, let alone the tv show 'Community', so that threw me for a loop.

The next day, the comment Jeremy made began to eat at me. I know that there are plenty of beautiful women out there but to hear my husband say that made me get very self conscious. How can I even compare to a celebrity who spends hours and hours working out and getting hair and makeup done each day? After feeling bad about myself, I felt mad. Who does she think she is, making my husband like her? :) Jealousy is an ugly thing. My emotions came to a boiling point and I had a little tantrum and let out all my frustration. Jeremy and I discussed the issue and I told him I don't want him to think about anyone else except me. Even if there are beautiful women out there.

I quickly realized that this may be a very small illustration of how God is jealous for us and our affection. Our worship and service belong to Him alone, and when we don't do that, God has declared that to be a sin.

"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me." -Exodus 20:4-5

Elsewhere in scripture, it is said that we must 'love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength.' We are to love Him above everything else in this world. He is our Creator and Sustainer, our Rock and our Refuge. He deserves our love and praise. Much like in my marriage, as a wife, I demand my husband to give me his love and to not share that romantic love or interest in any other person. Jeremy and I have a great relationship and we are able to move past any issues or disagreements. That one went down in the books to serve as a reminder not only in our marital relationship but also in our relationship with God. Worship, praise, honor, and adoration belong to God alone, for only He is truly worthy of it. Praise God for His everlasting love and the relationship I can have with Him and also the marriage He gave me with my wonderful hubby!

Worthy is the Lamb

2011-01-10T08:49:00.001-08:00

"And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation." -Revelation 5:9

God in our Goals

2011-01-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of each new year I write a list of goals and various things I'd like to accomplish in the coming year. Jeremy and I went over each of ours last night and it was fun to talk about the future and speculate what will happen. But the truth is, we don't know what will happen in this coming year, but in the words of Daniel, 'However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries... (and) what will happen in days to come'

We are reassured that even if the goals we set out to accomplish don't happen, whether from set backs in life or something else, God has plans for us. He is always with us every step of the way, in every day of this new year. What we must do is trust Him and His sovereign plans for our lives.

'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' - Jeremiah 29:11

As we enter this new year, my goal first and foremost for my life is that I trust Him each and every day that He gives me in 2011!

Love Never Fails

2010-12-30T14:57:00.000-08:00

I have started this post with about 20 different intro paragraphs and none of them seemed right. Since that is the case, I will keep it short and to the point: I am very restless at this time in the year and in my life, but thank goodness I have a blog where I can let it all out!

God has placed me in the family I'm in and planned it that way since the foundation of the world. He knew the struggles and drama that would eventually ensue. He knows it is where I am supposed to be, for His glory. I don't want to get into all the personal details on here, just know that it has been a trying time with many difficult conversations. We have had this issue come up in times past but it just keeps coming up. I know God will help me get through this and also help me to deal with the situation better. Because I sure know that I can't do this on my own. Left to my own devises, things don't always end pretty.

Another reason for being antsy is the coming new year. It is less than 2 days away and I am looking forward to all that God has planned for it. I'm excited to be participating in the 'Siesta Scripture Memory Team' challenge for 2011. What's funny is last week I was thinking about the first verse that I'll be memorizing in January. I didn't have one in mind yet so I prayed that God would show me what verse I need to be meditating on at this time. It wasn't too long after that the situation with my family left me in disarray. I inherited my father's temper so my behavior was anything but loving. It was that evening that I was praying and having my quiet time with God that these words popped in my head

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,but have not love, it profits me nothing." - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

God was sure to tell me that I really need to remember that I must love others, even those who are difficult and mean. Boy is it hard, but with His strength I know I can do it.

After that verse, on every other night this week, God has given me another verse to add to my list to memorize and meditate on. It's exciting to have Him directing my paths. I may stumble but He is right there helping me to get back up and move forward. He is always there to love and instruct. That is why this scripture memory team is going to be so great. I love how Beth put it:

"Look at it this way: you’re going to be meditating on something: unforgiveness, toxic memories, misery, lust, greed, dissatisfaction, jealousy, competition. Choose Scripture! Christ Himself said as a man thinks, so is he. He also said His words are spirit and life. This is work worth doing, Sweet Thing. Never – NOT ONCE – have I ever known anyone to get to the end of a Scripture memory commitment and say that it didn’t make any real difference. Not a single time.".

So I am rooting and raring to go for the Siesta Scripture Memory Team 2011 challenge to begin! I have my verses ready and my mini 3-ring binder ready. If you can't find a cute mini binder like mine, Beth is offering a free PDF file of the official SSMT spiral notebook on her website. That way you can print the pages from home and put it together with a spiral spine or a punch a hole and add a ring. Either way, God is going to be doing amazing things in my life and anyone else who decides to take this challenge. Will you?!

'Tis the Season

2010-12-20T08:15:00.000-08:00

This has go to be one of the best Christmases in years! No stressful trips to the mall. No waiting in enormous lines to ship packages. Just enjoying the festivities and plays that celebrate our Savior.

It has truly been a blessed Christmas. This is me signing off until after the holidays when I can finally show you my Christmas crafting creations (say that 5 times fast). Merry Christmas everyone and God bless!

{Come Let Us Adore Him}

2010-12-14T09:21:00.001-08:00

"How silently, how silently,

The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of his heaven.

No ear may hear his coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him, still

The dear Christ enters in." -Oh Little Town of Bethlehem

Christmas time is such a blessing. The parties, the treats, and most importantly the celebration of the birth of our Savior. I have to admit that in past Christmases (and even during the rest of the year) I can be distracted with all the fun and merry making that I neglect the very One that this season is all about!

In recent months I have really been convicted of how I get so distracted with the little things of life and the cares of this world that He is left with what little time and energy I have remaining.

In the story about Mary and Martha, Jesus tells Martha essentially to not worry about all the tasks or projects or other things that seemed so important at the time. What was important was spending time with the Lord and listening to His word.

This Christmas I have made an attempt to not get distracted with all the extra little things of life. Although they may be fun distractions, they are still just that, distractions that eat up our interest, time and strength. Courtney over at Women Living Well, is hosting a 'Peace on Earth' December Challenge, to help us refocus on the real important things in life.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." - John 14:27

Adventing

2010-12-08T07:38:00.000-08:00

We are well into week 2 of Advent and celebrating the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Simply stated, advent means “to come.” The season of Advent centers on the coming of Jesus Christ. An Old Testament prophecy speaks directly of His coming:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. -Isaiah 7:14

What is most amazing to me is how from the foundation of this world, God had His plan in place. He knew we would need a Savior. And throughout the old testament, from Genesis to Malachi, His Word gives hints of His eventual coming.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:6

"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." -Micah 5:2

"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts." -Malachi 3:1

As a Christian, we see that the person spoken of in the old testament is Jesus, and boy does it make reading the bible mean so much more. He was always there, will always be there, and forevermore will be. He is our Savior who from birth was born to die for us and our sins. I've stumbled upon a very nice devotional sermon pdf to use with you and your family but Jeremy and I have just been reading the verses from the advent paper chain from the blog Spell Out Loud. His Word and His promises are wonderful. I hope your family is enjoying advent too!

Gift with Purchase

2010-11-30T08:39:00.000-08:00

Since becoming a Christian, Christmas is more meaningful because we get to remember and celebrate the incarnation of Christ. Jesus Christ came on a rescue mission to save us. He came to live the life that we couldn’t and die the death we should. Because of this wonderful news, Christians get to live lives redeemed by Jesus to reflect His glory to the world

In recent months, God has spoken in my heart and told me that we should celebrate Christmas a little differently. Not that giving gifts is wrong, but we can't miss the actual reason for the season. One way to glorify God and bring the focus back on Him this holiday season is to give a gift with purchase. What that means is you give an ornament to the cashier who waits on you, with a bible verse attached to it. In the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, it's easy to forget or neglect those people. This is sure to bring a smile on some checker's face when you give them a gift.

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." -Isaiah 55:11

Try this new tradition and I know you will enjoy truly celebrating the reason for the season!

Giving Thanks

2010-11-25T06:16:00.000-08:00

A Thanksgiving Day Prayer

Lord, so often times, as any other day
When we sit down to our meal and pray

We hurry along and make fast the blessing
Thanks, amen. Now please pass the dressing

We're slaves to the olfactory overload
We must rush our prayer before the food gets cold

But Lord, I'd like to take a few minute more
To really give thanks to what I'm thankful for

For my family, my health, a nice soft bed
My friends, my freedom, a roof over my head

I'm thankful right now to be surrounded by those
Whose lives touch me more than they'll ever possibly know

Thankful Lord, that You've blessed me beyond measure
Thankful that in my heart lives life's greatest treasure

That You, dear Jesus, reside in that place
And I'm ever so grateful for Your unending grace

So please, heavenly Father, bless this food You've provided
And bless each and every person invited

Amen! --Scott Wesemann

AMEN! And Happy Thanksgiving to you!

My Snow Day

2010-11-24T09:56:00.000-08:00

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we were just hit with a blast of winter snow this last week. It never ceases to amaze me that although we know it's coming, it seems we are always caught off guard by the weather. I know for myself, I was grumbling away on Monday as the snow continued to fall. I think it's the part where you have to venture to work or go to the store that it makes the snow not so fun. But thank goodness my office was closed yesterday so I had an official "snow day". I haven't had one since I was in high school so it was a treat. Let me take you back on my snow day adventure.

6:30AM- Receive a call from my best friend and co-worker who informs me that the office is closed. WOOHOOO

6:45AM- Cook some eggs and have breakfast. Not rushed at all; Boy did I love it!

7:00AM- Help Jeremy do some cleaning around the house. So fun to pal around the house together :)

8:30AM- Take a walk in our neighborhood to check the road conditions. It was a beautiful walk and I got to take my snow shoe traction thingys for s spin. They worked; I did not slip once!

9:30AM- Do some remote office work on the computer. It was a slow work day to say the least.

11:00AM- Send Jeremy off to work and prepare lunch. Now it's time for me to get some work done!

12:00PM- Patch up some of Jeremy's jeans and work on some crafts. LOVE this extra time to work on these little projects that just seem to pile up during the week.

2:30PM- Do some more office work and got things cleaned up and ready for work back at the office tomorrow.

4:00PM- Start baking come cookies and homemade herb butter for Thanksgiving rolls.

5:00PM- Call my Mom and in-laws. I love my family; Fun times talking about the days events and the upcoming holidays!

7:00PM- Get the dishes cleaned and house straightened. Listening to my favorite hymns makes it so much more enjoyable.

8:20PM- Jeremy arrives home, we have a quicky dinner and jump in bed to start it all over again tomorrow!

Back at work today but boy am I thankful for my busy snow day!

Thanks to the Lord

2010-11-21T21:13:00.001-08:00

Inspired

2010-11-16T08:55:00.001-08:00

The last few weeks or so I have been getting inspired for all the crafts and goodies I will be making these holidays. I'm gearing up to start working on them this weekend. I have not had a weekend at home in a long time, I'm either running about shopping, visiting family and friends or going to some event. I have marked this weekend out with my Mom to get groceries at Costco and then go home to bake and craft. What a joyous day it will be! :)

What about you? What holiday crafts are you working on?

Blessings of Thorns

2010-11-10T07:53:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thanked God for the thorns in your life? Paul instructed the Ephesian believers to “give thanks always for all things . . .” -Ephesians 5:20. It is easier said than done, believe me I know, but God has been laying on my heart that truly in ALL things we should be praising Him, for the good and the bad, even the thorns in our lives.

To be thankful for our thorns, we need to see our thorns from heaven’s perspective. It may be difficult to see in our own lives but we can certainly see it in the bible. The biblical examples show how God used thorns/trials to transform and shape a person’s life, and how the individuals responded to their thorn.

Our first glimpse at how God used a thorn/trial was in the story of Joseph. His brothers were always jealous of him and the favor he received from their father. One day they had enough and decided to get rid of him. Instead of killing him, they ended up selling him to traders. Through that experience, which I'm sure was just awful, being sold as a slave, on top of the feelings of betrayal of his family members, God used the situation to help Joseph, to grow him and use him for His ultimate plan. "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." -Genesis 50:20

A second example is in the story of Esther. As a child she was orphaned and then was taken away for her only family (Mordecai, her cousin) to become Queen. But once in her royal seat, she had to deal with the enormous responsibility of saving the Jews from being annihilated. Esther could have whined about her situation or not dealt with it at all, but she didn't. She trusted in God and His promises in working past and through the thorn placed in front of her.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 says "...even though I have received wonderful revelations from God. But to keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from getting proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, 'My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ's good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

How can a person have overflowing joy in the midst of a thorn experience, like the Apostle Paul? Some thorns go on and on, and we are tempted to lose heart. But what will help us press on is God's grace. His grace and His love is more than enough. One of my favorite Hillsong songs says it perfectly 'The riches of your love will always be enough'.

In my own life I have many trials and thorns to deal with. Sometimes I am able to recognize them for what they are and I just pray for strength to get through them. Other times I fail miserably and grumble about them. But I am reminded that it is through these hardships and thorns that we learn to love Him more, to rely on Him more and to trust Him more. The situations or thorns we encounter, God uses them for good, for His good purposes. We need to let Him get in that ground and plow it up. Get in your life (even by using a thorn) to plow up our lives to be fruitful, be become more like His Son who ultimately bore the worse thorns for us.

No, the life and the thorns we have to bear are not always easy, but it is for our good because God has said it so. He is always found faithful. "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." -Isaiah 43:2

The greater story is about God and His love and purpose for our lives. It is perfect during Thanksgiving time to express a thankful heart, in all things, even the thorns.

Making Memories

2010-11-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

Halloween 2010 went down in the books as a memorable one! Aside from the festivities of my Mom's 50th birthday celebration and AWANA harvest carnival, this was the first Halloween together where Jeremy and I dressed up.

I've mentioned before that my husband is my favorite comedian (he's extremely goofy) and so his costume idea was equally as goofy. He wanted to be a refrigerator. Not a clever 'refrigerator running' costume, just a refrigerator. So I went to work and constructed his costume out of a large white box, $3 curtain rod, velcro, some old magnets and a hot glue gun. It turned out very well if I do say so myself. :)

Hope you all had as memorable a Halloween too!

Fear Not

2010-10-31T08:32:00.000-07:00

Vintage Filler Tutorial

2010-10-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

This last weekend, my Mom and I went to the Ruffles and Rust antique show. Tons of great vendors were there with some of the best in vintage glam. Although I LOVED what they were selling, my pocket book did not like how much they were selling for, so my thing at these events is to soak up all the inspiration I can for fun DIY projects and such. I picked up an old beat up vintage book for just such a project:

Vintage filler is as easy as 1,2,3. First you'll need 1 shredder, 1 vintage book (or any paper of your choice) and start shredding; it's that simple!

This fun filler can be made out of old books, old sheet music or anything really! If you have old papers or books that aren't old and you want that vintage look, try tea dying the paper. Once you have your shredded paper filler, you are ready to use it in decorating around the house or in gift bags for presents. Whatever you end up using the filler for, I know you'll love it!

Our Daily Bread {a tutorial & recipe}

2010-10-24T14:55:00.000-07:00

"And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water" -Exodus 23:25a

God has blessed us and placed us into a great church with an amazing church family. Our pastor, Pastor Paul, is very knowledgeable and one of those teachers who will tell you about biblical concept over and over again in church. Although at the time you wonder why he keeps explaining the same things, you finally get it when it sticks with you and you can see it in your daily life. That's what he is trying to do; get His word into our hearts so that we can be fed by His word each and every day.

"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." -John 6:35

October is pastor appreciation month and in honor of that, Jeremy and I gave our pastor some yummy pumpkin bread along with a 5 minute pillowcase bread bag (inspired by this 5 minute bag). It is just a small token of our appreciation for him and how he speaks the Lord's truth into our hearts each week!

{Tutorial Time:}

Find a cute pillow case to use for your bread bag and cut 18 inches down the length of the pillow case.

Then cut 11 inches along the width of the pillow case. Turn the pillow case inside with the right sides facing each other.

Finally, sew along the side and bottom (I used a zig-zag stitch) and then place the wrapped loaf of bread into the bag and close with a ribbon. Enjoy!

His Grace

2010-10-17T21:38:00.000-07:00

We serve an amazing God and boy do I feel so blessed right now. I've recently dived into the book "The 66 Love Letters" by Dr. Larry Crabb and it is changing every way I've ever thought about God before (in a good way of course). Jesus is slowly growing me and teaching me more and more about Himself. At times it is a painful process because I am seeing ugly things about myself. But it is also glorious because I get to see His goodness.

"For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another." -Titus 3:3

The main lesson I've learned in the book is pretty basic stuff that anyone who reads the bible can see; we are all fallen people with a sin nature. The only thing is, sometimes I think we forget that. We live our lives like we aren't 'that bad' and then go ahead judging other people in their lives. I'm not saying we can't distinguish between good and bad behavior, but I think it is a heck of a lot easier to see the sin in others than it is in ourselves. But the truth is, we are all desperately wicked and in need of His mercy and grace.

"How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!" -Psalms 78:40

Because of this renewed understanding, I read the bible differently now. For example, have you ever read your bible and come across a story or two that really surprised you? Like when Jonah threw a temper tantrum with God, or even when Peter denied Christ 3 times, or when David had Uriah killed in order to get his wife. These are all stories we've heard before but to be able to really examine them has taught me that God's prophets, apostles and even a man after His own heart are not perfect. Although they helped His kingdom in numerous ways, they still desperately needed His grace and salvation. And so do I. I am in need of a Savior. There is no way around it. From the beginning of time, man has lived a life in rebellion of God, and that doesn't stop at me. My desire is for Him to increase in me and for me to decrease. This isn't about me, it's ALL about Him and I need to try and remember that everyday! Praise be to God for His mercy, His love, His grace and His patience with me as I learn to be the woman He wants me to be!

Drum Roll Please

2010-10-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

The one and only Halloween story shared was by my friend Devon and she wins the 'Open if you Dare' Meri Meri cupcake package. Congrats Devon, not only on winning this most prestigious prize :) but for your new marriage. Hope you and the new hubby are having fun in Mexico!

Hidden in my Heart

2010-10-12T08:24:00.000-07:00

I love to think of His words being hidden in my heart. There it serves to encourage me, teach me & empower me to do what is right. I know the times when I have a verse fall right off my tongue, are the times when God has used it for His glory to bless someone.

The verses don't just come like magic though, you have to study and meditate on His precious word for it to saturate your thinking. That is why I am so smitten with this new project. Not only is it adorable but it is so handy to hold all my index cards full of verses in.

Open if you Dare! a halloween giveaway

2010-10-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it is October already! Is it just me or did it come quickly!? This month I have a wedding, my hubby's birthday and my Mom's 50th birthday on Halloween. Lots to plan and celebrate!

I'm sending out the invites for my Mom's bday today and they turned out really cute. I LOVE Picnik! I have been using that program in conjunction with the paint app to make the invites, food labels, etc. I'm addicted to it!

The theme for my Mom's bday party is 'A Haunted Mansion' based off of the ride at Disneyland. She wanted to go there for her birthday but our funds are not allowing that so we'll bring Disneyland to her!

While looking for decorations for the party I stumbled upon these adorable cupcake holders and toppers from Meri Meri. I love their little party packs. They make throwing a party easy, extra cute AND it all comes in a handy little box ready to go. I picked up an extra "Open if you Dare" party packs and I am giving it away to one special person who shares their favorite Halloween memory or any tips/tricks they've learned while using picnik.com. The deadline ends on Friday, October 8th at 9:00am. I can't wait to see your answers; see you on Friday!

P.S. On a side note, although I know Halloween originated in pagans worshipping the god of the dead, and is actually a pretty scary glamorization of evil (think murderers, severed heads, and all those super revealing women's halloween costumes) I am taking a break from my halloween hating to celebrate my Mom's special day. Our party will only be PG rated I promise! ;)

Comic Relief

2010-09-24T21:24:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you just need to have a good laugh. My usual go-to is either my husband, Jeremy (my favorite comedian) or Lucy, 'I Love Lucy' that is. But I recently stumbled upon an author who literally makes me laugh out loud while reading his blog. Like 'rolling on the floor' laughing!

His name is Jon Acuff and he really gets christian culture. It's only been a few years since giving my life to Christ and being immersed in christian culture, but I can identify with so many of his posts. Take a gander and I'm sure you will too (and you also will end up rolling on the floor laughing!)

My favorite topics Jon has covered: The Side Hug, Meeting Famous Pastors, Singing With our Hands Raised and last but not least Christmas Shoes, Greatest Song Ever? (That one's for you, Jerm!)

My Strength

2010-09-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

With Wisdom

2010-09-10T22:52:00.000-07:00

During my morning bible studies, God has recently been teaching me a few things; to take hold of my tongue and use it for good, not sinful purposes, and that it is my job to share the love of Christ and His gospel to the people in my life.

The christian life is always going to be about us loving God by being obedient to Him and loving others, by sharing His love with them. Doing the latter is a little hard when your big mouth (or mine in this case) can get in the way.

While on facebook this last week I encountered a few instances where my tongue (or key strokes) were tested. Posts were written that belittled and challenged God, and instead of getting into a hissy fit and typing a big ol' nasty rant, I argued my point with love and my powers of persuasion.

I've found that getting mad about something someone says is just not productive. All that I've learned from the christian apologists (and my Father-in-law) have taught me that the way to reach someone is to ask them questions about their stance. This way the burden of proof is on them, and their views, if in fact illogical, will start to break down. This was the case in these two facebook instances.

Loving others includes loving them enough to tell them God's truth, even if they don't want to hear it. But doing so in a loving way. I am so thankful that God has been leading me through these verses to equip me with the particular situations I have dealt with. It's not always easy to stand up for God and His truths, but if we rely on Him to help us speak His word to them in love, we can accomplish anything.

"Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope." Ephesians 3:20

Fall into Knitting

2010-09-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

Here in Seattle we are quickly moving into our fall and with it comes the rain and cloudy days. And as much as I enjoyed this past summer, I have to say that I am actually enjoying the start of the new season. The cold rainy days always make me feel like bundling up on the couch and working on a knitting project.

While surfing through some crafting blogs I stumbled upon this awesome project. Not only is it cute but it is EASY. I am a very beginner knitter and can only knit squares or rectangles. That gets kind of old pretty fast. You can only have so many scarves and pot holders. Knitting a hat was totally out of the question, until this project came across my path. I am excited to get to knitting again while snuggled on my comfy couch in my home away from the rain. It's much prettier when I'm not out in it. I love fall in Seattle!

It's all in the details

2010-08-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind of a weekend! 2 showers: one bridal and one baby. Thank goodness for the baby shower because I just had to show up and enjoy, after working hard at my BFF's shower the day before.

Everything turned out beautiful and the ladies enjoyed themselves. One important thing to remember when planning a shower or party are the details. It's all in the details. Focus on the theme or a certain element or style to bring it all together.

For Devon's kitchen & recipe shower we had a cookie decorating contest (judged by the bride-to-be of course), cooking themed quiz & all the guests offered their words of wisdom on the 'recipe for a happy marriage'. All the games/activities were a load of fun, but the real fun was when Devon opened up her gifts with this special moment when her Mom held one of her 'gifts' and made the bride blush!

The food was also a very important element of the shower because it was after all, a kitchen & recipe shower. The menu included delicious Krispie Kreme donuts, fresh fruit, greek yogurt, muffin tin egg bakes, mimosa's and coffee. A very good spread if I do say so myself. The egg bakes were a big hit and the best part is that they were SO simple to make.

All in all, it was a very happy and beautiful affair. I am happy for this girl! Now she is ready to cook for her future husband with tried and true recipes from each party guest and lots of neat kitchen gadgets and equipment.

Our Sweet Day

2010-08-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, Jeremy and I will be enjoying our 1 year wedding anniversary together. To celebrate the occasion, we will be road tripping throughout the great state of Washington and staying in Leavenworth, a cute little Bavarian town filled with sauerkraut, schnitzel and lederhosen.

Throughout this last year, Jerm and I have had some good times and some growing times. There were definitely growing pains as we adjusted to living together. He still can't seem to find some of his stuff (woops.. I didn't know he needed that!) But above all, we have held onto the fact that God brought us together. He has blessed our union and is an integral part of our relationship and how we relate to one another. Sure there are times when he drives me bonkers (and I suppose he might feel the same) but we made a commitment between God and ourselves to love, honor and cherish each other as long as we both shall live. Here are three things I've learned thus far from being a wife:

1.) One thing that I think has blessed our relationship is prayer. There are some things best left up to the Lord. He is the one who showed us the ultimate example of what love is and He is able to help and strengthen the bonds of marriage between a couple.

2.) We are best friends first and foremost, who love each other and love to make the other laugh. Laughter can constantly be heard at our house. Keeping that fun alive and kicking in your relationship keeps you young, keeps you happy and keeps those bonds strong. Who else is gonna laugh at your silly jokes but your spouse? :)

3.) And finally, forgiveness is a big part of marriage. When two people are together, they are bound to have misunderstandings and hurt feelings as a result. I can't tell you the number of times I know Jeremy have been forgiving of me when I am acting childish or selfish, or vice versa. Because we love each other, we know that the moment of our spouses lack of better judgment will soon pass so we forget and continue on as usual. Again, Christ has given us the best example of this when He continually forgives us for our daily short comings. Keeping that in mind definitely helps!

Jeremy is my husband, my best friend, my biggest supporter, my favorite comedian & my helper. Looking forward to spending many a year praying with, laughing with and forgiving with my J-mo!

Preparations & Plans

2010-08-18T21:10:00.001-07:00

As we come closer and closer to my bff's big day, so do the other wedding festivities, i.e. bridal showers and bachelorette party. Because of this I am in preparation mode collecting all the materials, prizes and decor for the pre-nuptial parties. The kitchen & recipe shower is coming up and the invites are going out tomorrow. I am so excited to see it all come together. Here is a sneak peak for you.

Don't you just LOVE weddings!?

His Glory

2010-08-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

Deceptively Delicious Mistake

2010-08-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

My best girlfriend just got engaged last week and asked me to be her maid of honor. She was the MOH at my wedding last year. Our friendship goes way back, back to the days when I got my first professional job at a mortgage company (pre- mortgage crises mind you), back when I was thinner and had no problems with my arms or legs (oh the glory days) and when we didn't know any better. We were both 19 years old and we commiserated over awful dating experiences and that set in motion a friendship that has lasted 6+ years and going strong. She eventually left the company to go off to college and I stayed there for the next few years. Fast forward a few more years later and we both found ourselves out of jobs due to the economic downturn. Last spring she got a job at the current company she is at and then a got me on board. That's what friends are for, right!?

Anyways, back to the topic at hand; her engagement! Devon is so special to me not only because we share some awesome memories of hanging out in her college town every weekend one summer, or the memories of her helping me get through a very difficult relationship, but she is a friend who I share a common love with: Christ. When we first met we were not christians in any sense of the word but God used our circumstances to work together and become friends and then eventually we both found Him. And it is through Him that our friendship is strengthened. We have each seen the other in totally different places than we are now and it is through His love and strength that we are here today. Devon has been an encouragement, an inspiration and confidant in moving forward as a woman of God. I've seen where she was when I first met her to where she is now and I thank God that He took her to this place. I am so happy for her and her fiance Miles (who I absolutely adore- what a great couple!).

But I digress again; I am planning the bridal shower and bachelorette parties and thinking of cute little things to include and gifts to buy. While out shopping with my Mom this weekend I found this very cute cook book at Big Lots for only $3. I'm no one to pass up on a great deal like that AND I'm planning on throwing Devon a kitchen/recipe bridal shower so I thought this would be a cute thing to give to the bride. But once I took a closer look at the book after I purchased it, I realized it is a cook book for enticing your children to eat their fruits and veggies without them even knowing about it by adding purees to the recipes. Well that won't come in handy for at least a few years for them when they start having kids. I guess I will have to find another, more appropriate cook book for my friend. Doh!

After thinking about it a little more, this cook book will be perfect for my household seeing as my husband and I already have a slightly altered diet anyways. My hubby can't have white rice, white bread, any sugar, etc.. so adding more fruit and veggie type recipes to my repertoire will help liven up our usuals and of course get me ready for when we have little ones! Thanks Devon for the new cook book ;) and congratulations!!

'Christmas in July' Week: Freebie Gift Tags

2010-07-31T23:20:00.000-07:00

What kind of a 'Christmas in July' blogger would I be if I didn't leave you with any presents?

Now I'm not that talented, but the good people at Eat Drink Chic are, and they have some awesome Christmas gift tag and goodie bag downloads that you can easily print and add to the presents you give to others. And your friends and family will think you are so talented when they see their nicely wrapped gift. Nice trade off, huh!?

Holiday Jumbo Gift Tag

Holiday Mail Stripes Gift Tag

Holiday Reindeer Gift Tag

Holiday Treat Bag

Get to printing because Christmas will be here before you know it!

'Christmas in July' Week: God With Us

2010-07-29T22:58:00.001-07:00

So I know it's not actually Christmas-time, but this is something that is good to reflect on all year long: the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 1:23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

A whole host of verses beautifully illustrate how God the Father used God the Son to complete this awesome and wonderful plan called life. He has created all things and executed all things through the Son, Yeshua, Jesus. Jesus came to earth to save all mankind. God emptied Himself to be our salvation.

It is just amazing to think about how awe inspiring it all is. Each time I open up my bible I am blown away at Him and His glory, at His power and His love. In the words of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, everyone." He truly has!