Living To Worship

180 Movie - The Truth

2011-09-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

Pro-life. It's a term that's used to describe people on one side A of a hot topic issue war here in the US. But, isn't everyone really "pro-life" in one sense or another? I would imagine that many people you speak to who label themselves "pro-choice" would be "pro-life" when it comes to wars or the capital punishment, or children starving in third world countries. So, how is it that a baby's location suddenly changes it's life-value? Somehow, it's not "viable"? It's a monstrous case of "out of sight, out of mind". I hope this documentary brings the issue screaming into the forefront of your mind. I hope you see the difference that YOU can make. I hope that inside, you are truly pro LIFE.

Worth Blogging About

2011-08-26T03:55:00.001-07:00

THIS is worth blogging about - we just got a new BlendTec blender and this thing is out of this world.

To illustrate just how impressed you should be, watch the following video:

You can watch the whole series on YouTube. You won't be able to stop watching. And no, I don't have a complex. I'm just loving my new blender.

Remembering David Wilkerson

2011-04-28T06:24:00.000-07:00

As you may have read () Bro. David Wilkerson left this world yesterday after a fatal car crash. I simply said to my husband, "I pray that the TRUE Gospel be heard more and more through the attention garnered by his death. May we all hold up the standard of truth as boldly as Bro. Wilkerson, following after the pattern of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Please watch the following video and lift up THE standard of truth, the Word of God.

Pearly Update

2011-04-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

We've been having some trouble with GodTube lately, so we're still working through getting some new witnessing videos posted for you.

In the meantime, here's a video of our puppy Pearly to show you what she's been up to lately! Enjoy and keep working in the harvest fields.

The Latest

2011-01-27T06:33:00.001-08:00

Here's the latest witnessing clip posted to Godtube.com/iwitnessnews:

Be strengthened and encouraged to GO preach the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ!

GodTube

2011-01-21T13:39:00.001-08:00

Did you know that there is a Biblical and easy way

to preach the Gospel to people you don't know?

We're doing our best to share what we've learned about witnessing with the whole world by starting a GodTube channel for the ministry outreach we lead from our church.

Check it out at www.godtube.com/iwitnessnews

As believers, we should all be obeying the Great Commission.

These videos will help you get started!

Here's one to watch - please feel free to imbed them in your blog as well

and help us spread the Gospel all over the internet!

Pearly Is A Snow Dog

2011-01-10T10:34:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone!
Here's a YouTube video I created this morning since I got snowed in!
Enjoy seeing how our Pearly has grown - She'll be 6 months on the 17th and already weighs 52 pounds!

A Pearly Video

2010-09-22T04:42:00.000-07:00

I think it must be like a mama with her new baby on the "lite" version. If there's anything that would bring me back to blogging, it's showing adorable pictures and videos of our new puppy! Enjoy this one from last night...

Meet Pearly!

2010-09-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

Well, after nearly of year of being without a dog, we get to bring home our new Great Pyrenees puppy, "Pearl" today! It's been a long time coming, but thanks be to God and the wonderful folks at Windy Acres Farm, Pearl was waiting just for us.

It was totally unexpected - we hadn't even been looking for a puppy for a little while now. Seemed like it was going to be a big expense and a long haul to find the puppy we wanted. But, the Lord orchestrated our meeting the Apple family last Saturday and low and behold they had one little girl left and sure enough she was meant to come live on Praise Mountain.

Thank you Debbie and family and to Pearl's mama Angel for this adorable little treasure!
We are so happy to have a Pyr back up on the mountain!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T06:03:00.000-07:00

I had to make one of my now rare appearances to wish my mother a very happy mother's day. She is one of my dearest friends and I treasure her life with all my heart.

On a more witty note, my friend Sarah at Loved Like The Church posted this video the other day and it had me laughing out loud. Here's a shout out to all you mini-van moms - rock your swagger wagons on this Mother's Day!!!

I'm baaaaaaaaack...

2010-01-29T09:40:00.000-08:00

But only for a quicky and it's a really good one. Remember that I blogged last November about losing our Great Pyr? Well, we've found the most outstanding breeder up in Minnesota - incredible Christian people. Anyway, I had to pass on a link to Sarah's blog (great name, eh?) so you can follow all the news about the sweet puppies, organic gardening, healthy lifestyle, and Christian inspiration she gives.

Enjoy!

Milk & Honey Farm

New Year's Resolution

2010-01-02T16:07:00.000-08:00

I know, nobody likes to talk about these. I think it's because we've all made so many knowing that we'd never really follow through on them. Then there's the ones that we made VOWING we would follow through with them, but still didn't. The truth is, it takes a quality decision ANY time of the year that you really want to change something in your life. From little things like "I'm going to brush the dog everyday." To important things like, "I'm going to get in shape and eat right." And then the truly eternal things like, "I'm going to share the Gospel with at least 4 people a month."

I'm making some changed in my life throughout the year. In fact, I made changes throughout 2009 and along with using keys like accountability partners and journaling, the most important part of truly changing is brokenness before God and realizing that without Him, I can do nothing (John 15:5).

I hope that in 2010 you'll really make the changes you've been shooting for. The changes that really mean something. Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but [when] the desire cometh, [it is] a tree of life." Don't make your heart sick in 2010 with more hopes deferred. Use the power of desire and obtain your tree of life!

One last thing - one of my resolutions in 2010 is to abandon my blog. Yes, this will be my last entry here except for the occasional, "Y'all have got to see this!!!" I never started this to obtain followers or have any business contacts. I just wanted to hang out with some of my friends and keep in touch. I think I'm going to do that FOR REAL and not over a B L O G. So happy new year and I'm signing off... SP

It's Christmas!

2009-12-25T05:33:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to you! On this day may you truly discover the greatest gift of all - Jesus Christ and His redeeming love.

I've had several people in my family and at church deal with some kind of sickness in the last couple of weeks and I've been praying for them to be completely well and not miss Christmas. The Bible says that, "a merry heart doeth good like a medicine" so here's a little medicine if you've been a little under the weather!

Merry Christmas and I'll see you back here after my husband and I celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary on New Year's Eve!

Christmas Tour!

2009-12-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to "Praise Mountain"! Our home is a place of peace and joy and we welcome you to partake of the joy of Jesus Christ and all the love He has given. Be sure to go back to The Nesting Place and tour all the beautiful homes this season.

I've done my best to "theme" each little vignette I have around the house. Around the mantle are the nativity scenes. On the side table next to the loveseat are all my penguins. I have my snowmen gathered next stove and the Christmas simmering pot . My little Christmas cabin got the beautiful evergreen candles outside it's doors. And the kitchen and dining room are filled with the beauties of the outdoors - I have gorgeous Nandina bushes that give me all the wonderful red berries I can find a place for and lots of young cedar trees to nip the tops out of. Our tree has all the rustic and "outdoorsy" ornaments I've picked up and been given over the last four years I've been blessed to be in my own home.

I had a GREAT time at the November half/price Saturday at Goodwill. I can tell you that our Christmas decorations this year are very beefed up are from that one shopping trip! Be ready next year on the first Saturday of the month. I went in November but I think they start putting out Christmas decor in October.

Both snowmen here came from Goodwill...
The tall guy in the back there is actually made of octagonal boxes that stack on top of each other. It's a CUTE craft and I love that someone out there did it FOR me!!!

This is our kitchen window. I have a wonderfully deep window sill here and I fill it full of baskets and goodies. The birch bells hanging, my daily calendar up high in the window, the little puffy Christmas tree and the greenery filled basket all came from my November Goodwill half-price day extravaganza.

This little wreath is hanging on the support beam between our kitchen and living room. I surrounded it with my ribbon lights (one of my FAVORITE things). I'm going to use the wreath to tuck our Christmas cards into. You might not like me for saying this but I got this wreath, fully decorated... at Goodwill. I think it was about $3.

Can you tell I REALLY like pinecones? I only bring out the wax-covered green and red ones at Christmas but I keep the that large brown vase in the back full year round. I also keep that little copper scuttle full of them. They make for a great "frog" when decorating with all your faux flowers.

Umm, I got that massively wonderful print at Goodwill too... And two of my stockings... and those little wooden Christmas trees behind the nativity... I filled the gaps with tops out of the MANY baby cedar trees we have up here on the mountain.

Well, thanks for coming to our home! I hope you enjoyed the tour and sensed the peace of Jesus Christ. Check out some of the other links while you're here and remember to go back to Nester's and enjoy all the Christmas fun!

Start Snapping Some Pics!

2009-12-08T15:23:00.000-08:00

--Our Christmas Tree From 2008--

Hey gals,

Get ready to show the blog world your beautiful homes on MONDAY with The Nester's Christmas Tour. Remember, this is just an opportunity to show how you make your home full of Christmas for your family so it doesn't matter if you go all out or just have a little. Bring all your Christmas joys and check out the instructions on how to link up this Monday!

A New Day

2009-12-01T18:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a sad day. About 8:30 A.M. we learned that our great buddy Gus, our Great Pyrenees dog, had advanced bone cancer and would have to be put down. It was a total shock since Gus had no previous signs of illness at all. Right up until yesterday morning and even getting in the truck to go the the clinic he was his usual spunky self. We learned that the cancer had actually eaten a hole in his front leg bone and what we thought might have been a sprain or seasonal arthritis turned out to be a fatal sickness.

My husband and I wept yesterday. Gus was really my husband's dog since he had him before we ever met or married but the three of us were a family and it was a hard day.

But, today is a new day. Even in the short 24 hour period the memory is still fresh but is being replaced with happy thoughts of the goofy, lovable, laid-back pup known to those who loved him most as Gustafson Jones. We'll miss you pal - thanks for being a part of the family.

The Past Gives Us Vision...

2009-11-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

... into what tomorrow might look like. This cartoon from 1948 could have been made last week to warn the people of the United States. Take time to watch and remember this important lesson from our forefather Thomas Jefferson: “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”

Truthful Thursday

2009-10-29T05:54:00.000-07:00

Acts 4:13 (KJV) "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."

If your life so full of fellowship with Jesus Christ that people can just see it on you? Does your life so represent the image of the Master? May we all be "filled unto all the fullness of God" and "have the richest measure of the Divine presence." (Ephesians 3:19 AMP)

In the words of the old hymn...
"Filled with God, yes filled with God
Ransomed and pardoned and filled with God
Filled with God, yes filled with God
Emptied of self and filled with God"

Be sure to check out A Wife Loved Like The Church's Truthful Thursday Linky Day!

$100 or Jesus Christ

2009-10-27T15:44:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been afraid to witness to someone? Maybe you were just embarrassed or didn't think you knew what to say. Do you think you could get over it if someone offered you $100 to do it? See what happens in this video and let it shine a light on your heart... I know it did on mine! See you back here for Truthful Thursday.

Truthful Thursday

2009-10-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's been a week since I've posted, but I wouldn't miss Truthful Thursday!

Check out this glorious truth from the Smith Wigglesworth Devotional:

"Human weaknesses can spoil the effectiveness of faith. Victories become uncertain, prayers lose the anointing, and the power to take hold is hindered. But when God breathes His life into us, 'we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand.' (Romans 5:2) When the Spirit of God is waiting at your heart's door, do not resist Him; instead, open your heart to the touch of God."

Our yieldedness is key to any move of God in our lives. Don't let weakness stand in your way - yield to the power of God and by faith access His grace which is always sufficient!

Truthful Thursday

2009-10-01T05:17:00.001-07:00

Have you ever wondered if someone was actually telling you the truth? The truth can be hard to come by these days. From the mainstream media to your co-workers to unfortunately, some believers, the truth is not highly prized as it should be.

The truth is priceless. When Jesus was praying in John 17:17, He said, "Sanctify them through thy truth. Thy Word is truth." So, if you've ever wondered what real truth is, it ultimately comes back to the Word of God. Jesus told us in John 14:6 , "I am the way, the truth, and the life." What Jesus has said we can trust implicitly. He is the personification of truth. He never exaggerated, never stretched the truth, never came close to uttering the tiniest white lie. The Bible describes Him in John 1:14 as being, "Full of grace and truth."

Now, Sarah over at A Wife Loved Like The Church is hosting Truthful Thursdays. I hope you'll stop by and learn some more about THE truth - His name is Jesus and in 1 John 4:4 we also learn that He is LOVE. Let Love Himself teach you the truth today.

Things That Make You Smile

2009-09-20T13:09:00.001-07:00

If you sat for minute or two, you could probably make a fairly long list of things that always make you smile. I can think of quite a few and one of the things on my list are puppies. Even dog breeds that I don't admire very much seem to even still produce adorable puppies.

My husband and I own a Great Pyrenees and those puppies are some of the cutest on the planet. We're also really fond of French Bulldogs and this poor little puppy might be one of the cutest ones ever.

What are come of the things that make YOU smile?

The Crisp Fall Air

2009-09-17T17:47:00.000-07:00

It has yet to hit the south but crisp fall air is right around the corner. I can just feel it!

Do you go to your state fair? I never did as a kid. My parents aren't exactly what you call extroverts and so large crowds and noisy rides weren't exactly their thing to say the least. In fact, I had never been to our state fair until two years ago when my husband and I went together. He grew up in a state where the state fair is almost sacred and cannot be missed. Being that it's one of the best and largest state fairs in the country, I can understand why. But the state we live in now... not so much. Our state fair has had a long history of utter puny-ness. Maybe that's another reason why my parents never took us. I have to say it was a pretty big disappointment to my hubby after the grandeurs of state fairs gone by in his childhood but we had a fun day and enjoyed the grossly over-sized pumpkins and the pig races. Seriously.

But, I digress. Jeremy ordered some witnessing tracts this week and it's making us both feel like going back tomorrow for our weekly Friday date. When you can combine a great night out with your best buddy AND get to preach the Gospel to people in need, what better multi-tasking could there be?

Tell me about your state fair or county fair memories. I need some good ones!

Bureaucracy

2009-08-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

This made me laugh out loud...

A cowboy named Bud was overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture in California when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced toward him out of a cloud of dust.

The driver, a young man in a Armani suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?"

Bud looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, Why not?"

The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to his Cingular RAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo.

The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany.

Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses an MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response.

Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer, turns to the cowboy and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves.." "That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves," says Bud. He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on with amusement as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.

Then Bud says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?" The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why not?"

"You're a Congressman for the U.S. Government", says Bud.

"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?"

"No guessing required." answered the cowboy. "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked. You used millions of dollars worth of equipment trying to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know a thing about how working people make a living - or about cows, for that matter. This is a herd of sheep. ......

Now give me back my Dog.

You Just Never Know...

2009-08-15T17:23:00.000-07:00

...when you're going to meet up with an old friend. Through the technology we enjoy, I was the one who was found by a friend I had when I was a young teenager at our church. She looked up our church website and saw my picture and e-mail on there on the staff page. I was COMPLETELY surprised when I got her e-mail and we started to enjoy occasionally e-mailing back and forth to each other and getting caught up. Now, after two years of attempts at getting together in person, we're finally doing it on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. We haven't seen each other in about 10 years and it's exciting to reconnect now that we're married and she has two young children.

I hope you find a way to connect with people too. Today we went out with our witnessing team from church and connected with about 20 people, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Isn't that what Jesus really came to do - connect with people and connect us with God? Thank God for the bridge of the Blood of Jesus, reconnecting me with my Heavenly Father and with my sister in Christ. I'm glad to know you S.L. and I can't wait to finally see you again.

Our Great Big Dog

2009-07-28T10:27:00.000-07:00

We have a big dog. Seriously. He's about 3 1/2 tall and he weighs 150 pounds. He's a Great Pyrenees, a guardian breed. This video of another Great Pyrenees illustrates just how great these gentle giants are at their job. We love our Gus!!!

Can One Life Really Make A Difference?

2009-07-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

YES!!!! A thousand times YES!!!

Remember that your one voice can change the entire course of a person's life. Watch this video and be encouraged to speak the truth of the Gospel to someone everyday.

Something is Brewing

2009-07-06T10:41:00.000-07:00

Well, just because I was on vacation for a week doesn't mean the wheels stopped turning in the politics of our country. Some crazy, insane stuff happened while I was gone. Including the murder of a high school football coach in Parkersburg, IA - just 30 minutes from where my in-laws live and work. Michael Jackson finally went over the edge. Farrah Fawcett lost her battle with cancer. And, just a few days after we arrived home, Quarterback Steve McNair was murdered and it was revealed that he was in the midst of an adulterous affair.

Paul definitely had a grip on what was to come when he wrote by the unction of the Holy Spirit 2 Timothy 3:1-5, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

My sister-in-law sent me a link to this blog with a series of YouTube videos posted on it. People say that we're not a war with Islam, only the extreme terrorist groups that don't practice true Islam. I say those people have their heads in the sand. Truth is truth and it cannot be denied. Check out this blog and watch all the videos. We are on a precipice and it's time to make a stand for THE way, THE truth and THE life.

Popcorn At Last!!!

2009-06-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

The long awaited popcorn post...
Here it is folks! The step-by-step guide to mouth-watering popcorn, complete with pictures. Sounds like I'm trying to sell something, but I promise I'm not. Believe me when I say though, this popcorn is the most delicious you have ever put in your mouth, bar none. Alright, enough with the preliminaries - let's cook some popcorn!

Step One: Choose your vessel and set your stove-top (you didn't think you cooked this stuff in the microwave, did you?!?).

My DH and I have come to really appreciate our Whirly Pop stove-top popper. It is so easy to use and pops the corn much faster. It's also nice to have a dedicated cooking vessel for your popcorn since it is optimal to "season" it, much like you would cast iron cookware. Before we started using the whirly-pop, we just used a regular heavy-weight pan with a glass lid.
When setting the temperature on your stove top, you want to go pretty high. I go up two thirds of the way on mine. Adjust to suit your stove top's peculiar personality.

Step Two: Put in your cooking oils.
I like to use a combination of oils and fats when cooking my popcorn. Bear in mind that these need to be high temp tolerant oils. You want to coat the bottom of your vessel with about 1/8-1/4" of oil. I use mostly canola or sunflower oil blended with olive oil and just a few drops of sesame oil for flavor. Now, in contradiction to what you might think, I also add my butter now, about 2 tablespoons. You get the same rich, buttery flavor without the soggy, cold butter taste that can sometimes come from pouring your butter on after the popcorn has popped.

Step Three: Add the popcorn.
If you're popping in a whirly pop, you'll go ahead and put all your popcorn in now. For large kernel corn, I use 2/3 cup. If you're popping in a regular pan, you'll put in a single kernel and wait for it to pop. After the first one pops, put in the rest. You may have to experiment with how much popcorn to use depending on the size of your vessel.

Step Three: Let the popping begin!
In a whirly-pop, once the popcorn begins popping, you'll start slowly turning the crank to keep the popcorn moving on the bottom of the pan. It has a unique system with a little arm that moves across the bottom of the pan, keeping the popped popcorn from sticking and burning and moving it to the top. This popper has really reduced the number of "old maids" (un-popped kernels) we have at the end.

In a regular pan, you want to give your pan some hearty shakes throughout the popping. Again, this keeps the popped popcorn from sticking and burning and helps keep the un-popped kernels at the bottom where the heat is.

Step Four: Pour, season, ENJOY!
You'll know your popcorn is finished popping when you can count to three or four between the pops. Remember, your pan is still VERY hot and your popcorn will continue to pop (or BURN) after you take it off the heat.

Pour out about 1/4 to 1/3 of your popcorn in a large bowl and salt to taste with sea salt. I only use sea salt because of the wonderful flavor. If you have finely ground kosher salt, that is delicious too. Iodized salt is only for melting ice if you ask me.

Once you season the first part, pour a little more popcorn out into the bowl and repeat the seasoning. Keep doing this process until you have poured all your popcorn into your bowl and seasoned it.

Step Five: Clean Up
If you're using a whirly-pop or if you have another pan you want to keep only for popcorn, here's how you want to clean up. DO NOT use any soap. Soap cuts through the oil in your pan and prevents the seasoning process from taking place. The more times you cook in your pan, the better it works. So, I get my water running really hot and just thoroughly rinse the whirly pop, inside and out. Then, I set it over to dry on a towel or wipe it out right away to put away. Of course, you can only do this if you have a cooking pan dedicated to only popping popcorn. If you're having to use a cooking pan you use all the time, just be sure to use plenty of oil each time so your popcorn doesn't stick and gets a good flavor.

Well, that's it! Go try this plain recipe and if you want, go check out the cool seasoning recipes that are on the web! Just remember to stay away from anything that calls for Lawry's or accent salt etc. You don't want to load up your natural, yummy popcorn with nasty MSG and artificial flavors!

Long Time, No Post!

2009-06-10T06:27:00.000-07:00

We're gearing up for a great summer. In just a few weeks we'll be in Iowa for a week with my DH's family.

DH and I have a tradition of popping popcorn on the stove, the old-fashioned way on Wednesday nights when we get home from church. I make it every few weeks for the kids to have as a snack on Wednesday nights at church in their classes. People ask me all the time how I make it. I think it's just because it tastes so different and so superior to the microwave popcorn we've all gotten used to.

At any rate, I'm going to do a post about it over the next couple of days, giving you a how-to on honest-to-goodness popcorn.

On one final note, here's a funny picture of my horse Tiki. The vet came out on Monday and gave her an annual exam, her annual vaccinations and also filed her teeth. Horse's teeth have to be filed every few years to keep them from developing sharp points that make it difficult for them to chew their food and also make having a bit in their mouth more comfortable. The usual procedure is to lightly sedate your horse since the vet uses a drill with a file on the end to smooth off the horse's teeth. After it was over, Tiki was resting in her stall to let the effects of the sedation wear off before she went back out to her pasture. She walked over to her feed bin and just rested her head on it like a pillow. She is such a funny horse anyway and this just took the cake.

See you again in a few days with the popcorn how-to!

A Day To Remember

2009-05-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, Memorial day hasn't always been on my radar of days to do good things. In fact, our family never even made a big deal of going on a trip or having a cook-out on Memorial day. But this year I'm turning a new leaf. I'm really pondering what Memorial day means and how Americans should keep the holiday. Both of my grandfathers were in the South Pacific in WW2. I've been thinking about them and the things they saw and experienced while overseas. My mom's dad actually had to recover from a broken back that he suffered while training as a para-trooper. While I don't know anyone personally who actually gave their lives in war, my grandfathers gave time in their lives in service to our country.

Webster's 1828 Dictionary gives this definition of the word, "memorial":
1. Preservative of memory.

There high in air memorial of my name,
Fix the smooth oar, and bid me live to fame.

2. Contained in memory; as memorial possession.

Let's do more this weekend than enjoy big barbecues and a few hours getting sunburned and let's actually honor the memories of the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice. They followed the example of Jesus and as it says in Revelation 12:11, "they loved not their lives unto the death."

A Merry Heart Doeth Good...

2009-05-14T08:30:00.001-07:00

Enjoy a good laugh from this video!!

I Was Featured

2009-05-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

Woo Hoo! After submitting back in February, it was finally my turn to get featured on Tip Junkie today! I showed some creative ideas for making your cut roses last and give you pleasure for a long time. Click here to see my post and take time to submit something creative, time-saving, money-saving, or household saving that you know how to do to Tip Junkie. It will be YOUR turn to be featured before long!

It's A New Day...

2009-05-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

...and it's raining, again. But, I'm not complaining. Our area has been in sever drought for the last two years so hopefully this is getting those levels back to normal.

This is just a personal update post. Nothing educational, no tips or tricks on household maintenance, and no righteous indignation over some unjust act. Nope, it's just me saying, "Hey there!" to the nice folks who read this blog.

It seems life has picked up the pace lately. As some of you know already, I work full time in our church office and our homeschool umbrella program. With graduation hurtling towards us, we are working hard with our seniors to make sure every last "I" is dotted and every last "T" is crossed. Our graduation comes late in June but the caps and gowns, invitations, transcripts, ETC ETC ETC are all upon us right now. Additionally, my good friend and co-worker was out of town for about 10 days recently and left me with all HER work to do too (If you're reading this Toni, I forgive you...LOL)! I'll get her back when I go on vacation in June.

Speaking of vacation, it has been on my mind practically everyday! For the last three years, we have gone every summer to visit my husband's family in Iowas for our summer vacation. This is the only time we get to see his brother and his family. My husband's parents come down to visit usually around Thanksgiving but this is the one time a year we get to ALL be together as a family. We always have such a blast and my mother in law (I hate calling her that) and I are really close. Since it's vacation, I have a little looser regulations for that one week about coffee and sweets (for those who don't know me that well, those consumptives are under STRICT regulation.) so we go out pretty much every morning for a cup of coffee and a bagel. We take our Bibles and share all the glorious things God has been working in us since we last were together.

I'm really blessed to live so close to my family. Our whole crew is going to be together this Sunday for Mother's Day. I really have compassion for my DH because I cannot imagine only seeing my mom twice a year. I can hardly go two days! LOL Seems wimpy I know but she means so much to me. If you're reading this mom, I love you so much!

Well, I'm going to stop the rambling for now and hope that you enjoyed getting caught up with me. Remember to call your mom this Sunday if you can't be with her and remember that everyday is a day to worship HIM! Blessings...

Mother's Day

2009-04-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is just around the corner. It's the holiday set aside for honoring the woman who gave you life and hopefully nurtured and raised you in the fear of God. It is a sad state of affairs, however, that our country also celebrates death and a "woman's right to choose" when it comes to the legalization and federal support of abortions.

How horrific to consider that when one mother is praying desperately for her premature baby's life, another mother is having a late term abortion of "a fetus, a piece of undveleoped tissue".

If you haven't heard about it yet, there is a pro-life organization here in Tennessee that conducted a sting operation at the Memphis Planned Parenthood last year. Here's the report on it and the link to the YouTube video of their undercover visit. This is shocking stuff folks - it's time to stand up and be counted.

STATE LAWMAKERS CLASH WITH PLANNED PARENTHOOD OFFICIALS OVER UNDERCOVER FOOTAGE;

UNEDITED UNDERCOVER VIDEOS SUBMITTED TO TN LAW ENFORCEMENT

MEMPHIS, April 29--Following the release of undercover footage from a Memphis Planned Parenthood clinic, state lawmakers have introduced legislation that could divert taxpayer subsidies from Planned Parenthood in Tennessee. In response to Planned Parenthood of Greater Memphis Region's contesting the veracity of the footage, the group responsible for filming, Live Action, has sent the state Attorney General and Memphis District Attorney an unedited version for review.

The full footage is also on YouTube for public viewing. CLICK HERE to watch.

Lila Rose, 20-year-old president of Live Action, says the unedited video further exposes Planned Parenthood's reckless counseling practices. When Lila, posing as a 14-year-old girl impregnated by a 31-year-old man, mentions, "My boyfriend said he could pay for everything--But he shouldn't come here to pay 'cause you'll see him, right?" the counselor replies, "It doesn't matter. As long as your parents are not here and can't identify him, he can just pay and that's it. He could be like your older brother or whatever." Tennessee law states that a minor must have parental consent before undergoing an abortion.

Rose commends the Tennessee state lawmakers, led by Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey and Sen. Jack Johnson, who have questioned the state's over $700,000 funding of Planned Parenthood. "Why would citizens tolerate paying the bills of an organization that protects statutory rapists and victimizes young girls? This is the sad result of the careless abortion-first mentality that has persisted at Planned Parenthood for decades."

On Monday, Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region CEO Barry Chase sent an email to state legislators asking them to stop the bill and claimed that Live Action's president, Lila Rose, refused to release the unedited footage, even though neither Rose nor Live Action received any correspondence from Mr. Chase.

"We have not received a request from Planned Parenthood for the raw footage, so their efforts to raise doubts about the validity of the tapes are made only to mislead," Rose said in response. "The typical last-ditch effort of Planned Parenthood is to wantonly suggest that the unedited tapes might prove them innocent. But to better illustrate the deliberate cover up of statutory rape and abuse by Planned Parenthood, we have made the entire video public."

Live Action has also responded to the gross errors in Mr. Chase’s email to legislators. “It is all the more troubling to think that even a novice counselor at Planned Parenthood would know to recommend this law-evasion strategy. How prevalent must this evasion be at Planned Parenthood clinics when even the ‘interpreters’ are implicated?” states the letter. CLICK HERE to read the letter.

Live Action has released similar footage from five other clinics, located in Arizona and Indiana, as part of its Mona Lisa Project, which shows Planned Parenthood employees as they respond to reports of statutory rape and offer secret abortions. Find out more at www.liveaction.org.

Choosing Modesty

2009-04-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

Life really is all about choices, isn't it? I was just sitting here planning what I was going to wear to a family outing coming up and it's going to be WARM already here in Tennessee. I was thinking of an outfit that would be comfortable and in most books, modest. But not to me - not on the inside.

You know that feeling you get from the Holy Spirit down in your gut when you're contemplating doing something that you know is displeasing to Him? You just can't get away from it and the more you try, the worse you feel. Well, thankfully THIS TIME I settled it all with Him in a matter of moments.

Sometimes it's taken me much longer and there have been times I haven't yielded at all. I'm learning to take these little learning moments and value them highly. It's these times when I yield to Him in something that seems small that will build my character to yield in the critical moments. How have you had to discipline yourself lately to yield to Him?

A Witness To The Gospel Part 2

2009-04-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

Well, the first official outing with our youth group on Saturday was an absolute success. The weather forecast wasn't promising but it ended up being a gorgeous afternoon and the park was full of Gospel starved folks. By the end of the day, priority number one was reached with two people praying to give their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. All of heaven rejoices!!! Priority number two was also accomplished by every young person in our group learning more about being an effective witness and getting absolutely addicted to the glorious high of leading someone to be born again.

I'll keep posting updates on our witnessing adventures. We'll be going out as a group at least once a month and the youth have been given the challenge to share the Gospel with at least one person per week. I can't wait to share our testimonies with you!

A Witness To The Gospel

2009-04-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

Today is a special day - we're going on a mission! My husband is a passionate servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and he has really been getting our entire church fired up about witnessing. We're gearing up a new outreach today with our youth group. This afternoon is our first formal outing together and we expect to see many reached for the kingdom of God.

Jeremy has been really blessed by the teaching of Ray Comfort and his ministry, Way of the Master. I HIGHLY recommend his book, "Hell's Best Kept Secret". We're going to pick up his example and use a camcorder as a way to draw people in and start talking to them in a TV News interview style. Check out our church's website to see "the GPS test" and how we've learned to use the law of God as a schoolmaster to bring people to Christ (Galatians 3:24).

Share a comment or two with me about any witnessing you've done lately. I'd love to hear your stories! And, I'll post again on Monday and let you know how it went today. I know it will be glorious!

New Life

2009-04-09T07:57:00.001-07:00

This Sunday we will celebrate in churches across the country the new life given to believers by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I hope this little video from a mother's day will remind you of how much God cares about life. Remember that it is His ultimate desire for us to be brought near to Him and obtain the fullness of life afforded to us by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Blessings to you this Resurrection Sunday!

On A Funny Streak

2009-03-26T19:14:00.001-07:00

I just decided. Just now. No, literally just this moment to not even feel the slightest twinge about not posting in over a week. Seriously, I do this for fun so it's not going to be a downer to me if I miss a few days. The most important thing to me is to keep up with YOU and pass along something from God's Word or from my day to make you laugh or help you in your walk with Him.

Today, it's going to be something funny again. My ONE OF A KIND mother-in-law (I don't even like to call her that.) e-mailed this to me and I thought it was hilarious. I'm a big fan of Dave Ramsey and I think he would say, "This guy isn't even for real. I mean, he's so out there he's not even breathing the same air as we are." HAH! Enjoy and leave a comment about something funny that's happened to you on the phone with a telemarketer, etc.

A lady died this past January, and Citibank billed her for February and March for their annual service charges on her credit card, and added late fees and interest on the monthly charge. The balance had been $0.00 when she died, but now somewhere around $60.00. A family member placed a call to Citibank.

Here is the exchange :

Family Member: 'I am calling to tell you she died back in January.'

Citibank: 'The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply.'

Family Member: 'Maybe, you should turn it over to collections.'

Citibank: 'Since it is two months past due, it already has been.'

Family Member: So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?'

Citibank: 'Either report her account to frauds division or report her to the credit bureau, maybe both!'

Family Member: 'Do you think God will be mad at her?'

Citibank: 'Excuse me?'

Family Member: 'Did you just get what I was telling you - the part about her being dead?'

Citibank: 'Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor.'

Supervisor gets on the phone:

Family Member: 'I'm calling to tell you, she died back in January with a $0 balance.'

Citibank: 'The account was never closed and late fees and charges still apply.'

Family Member: 'You mean you want to collect from her estate?'

Citibank: (Stammer) 'Are you her lawyer?'

Family Member: 'No, I'm her great nephew.' (Lawyer info was given)

Citibank: 'Could you fax us a certificate of death?'

Family Member: 'Sure.' (Fax number was given )

After they get the fax :

Citibank: 'Our system just isn't setup for death. I don't know what more I can do to help.'

Family Member: 'Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her. She won't care.'

Citibank: 'Well, the late fees and charges will still apply.'

(What is wrong with these people?!?)

Family Member: 'Would you like her new billing address?'

Citibank: 'That might help...'

Family Member: 'Odessa Memorial Cemetery, Highway 129, Plot Number 69.'

Citibank: 'Sir, that's a cemetery!'

Family Member: 'And what do you do with dead people on your planet???'

Something Goofy

2009-03-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

For those of us who have had the pleasure (?!?) of owning both dogs and cats, you will see the hilarious truth in this post. Enjoy (have tissues ready - you'll be laughing so hard you'll cry)!

Excerpts from a Dog's Daily Diary....

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk Bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary...

Day 983 of my captivity..
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.

They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.

Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event.. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now...............

My First Guest Post

2009-03-16T05:37:00.000-07:00

My dear sister-in-law Laryssa at Heaven in the Home has invited me to be her guest today. Please be sure and stop by to read my post on Discerning His Body. Here's a little tease to make sure you don't forget...

"It’s exciting to me to be guest posting for my wonderful sis in law today. It’s a privilege! At my blog, Living To Worship, I have written several times about modest dress. It’s so often misconstrued and misunderstood. Ranking right up there in that misunderstood, misconstrued category is healthy living. Isn’t it amazing that something that should be so simple has become so complicated? It seems to be dominated by either harsh, extreme rules that no one can consistently follow, OR such liberalism that all vision of health and chastity is lost. I want to try impart something of the things I’ve learned in my young life (I just turned 26 last Monday, March 9th!) that have helped me to become very disciplined and very free at the same time."

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST!!! Blessings to you.

A Parelli Accomplishment

2009-03-13T15:14:00.001-07:00

I'm excited! My sister and I are both avid horse lovers and have been following a training method taught by Pat and Linda Parelli since 2005. February of this year, after MUCH procrastination, we both submitted an audition DVD to the Parelli headquarters for evaluation of how far we've progressed in the program. There are four levels you can complete through the home study program. Today I got my e-mail that on my first evaluation, I'm level 2++ on my on-line savvy! I'll soon be getting my red string and after I submit a DVD for my basic riding skills, I'll get a full level 2 certification which means I get a blue savvy string. You can check out what all this jargon means at the Parelli Website. If you love horses, you'll get hooked too!

P.S. A BIG SHOUT OUT to my sis Laura who also passed her level two online!!!!

Happy Birthday To Me!

2009-03-11T05:50:00.001-07:00

Well, I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I had to share with you my birthday present! My DH took me last night to purchase a corner cupboard that I found on Craigslist for my birthday present. This is a piece of furniture I've been wanting for a long time. Corner cupboards are sort of a tradition to me because my mom and my grandmother ALWAYS had one. My mom still has two! I've always loved how they look and they're so handy. This one was perfect for our space because it's tall and skinny. It fits our little dining area just right and looks great with my heirloom dining table. Let me just take a minute to plug Craigslist - if you haven't been hunting ANYTHING you've been wanting on there first, you're missing out! Anyway, I've already put a few of my treasures in it and will be filling it with more to come, now that I have somewhere to put them! Thanks for stopping by and enjoying my birthday with me!

A Walking Miracle The Finale

2009-03-05T19:58:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read parts one through five, please be sure to scroll down and read them first. Here is the sixth and final installment of my husband's miracle testimony to the merciful, healing power of our God.

Many things happened in the four months that followed. As I said before, I started exercising in bed, which led to learning to sit up as more of my body began to move. I remember it being the most exhausting experience just to sit upright on the edge of my bed. I later moved from the ICU into the next phase which was full on rehabilitation. I can tell you frankly, that it was much easier being debilitated than rehabilitated. Everyone warned me about it. Telling me to get ready for boot camp. But I thank God for every grueling moment, believe me. It was a huge obstacle getting beyond the ventilator above all else. It took me two and a half months before I was able to breathe completely free of it and it really sapped a lot of my stamina. But, after that was over I was able to move more rapidly to walking with less assistance, and believe it or not, within four months of my injury I was ready to be released. Don't misunderstand me; I was still severely handicapped and not able to care for myself, but by the power and great mercy of God I was now being referred to as a walking miracle. I was completely wheelchair-free and walking with the simple aid of a single-tip cane. I went on to outpatient therapy and soon was able to walk without the cane. I later moved on to higher resistance training and weight lifting etc. As time passes I continue to enhance my abilities, and it's an honor to testify to the saving power of Christ Jesus!
My goal in this writing is to encourage people to receive hope in any situation no matter how impossible it may look, and then beyond that, to establish an unshakable faith that will be able to hook up to the power source of the Almighty. That power is the same yesterday, today and forever. It comes from a savior who is full of mercy and ready to forgive if we are humble enough to sincerely submit our lives to Him

You can hear my precious husband teach more of the truth of God's Word by clicking the link at the top right corner of my blog. Or, just click here.

I've Been Tagged!

2009-03-02T16:44:00.000-08:00

I got tagged today by Hannah at Set Apart For The Grandeur Of My Master

The subject of the tag was, "What Did You Learn Today?"

To tell you the truth I was expecting something goofy like, "Name your first pet.", or "What was your favorite song when you were 16?" or something else completely random like that. Then, Hannah hits me with this ultra-deep question and posts a wonderful lesson on what she learned today. WOW!

So, I'm taking a deep breath and trying to analyze exactly what did I learn today.

1) I learned 4 new beautiful songs written by my SIL Laryssa.
2) I learned what a truly remarkable man Paul Harvey was. He will be missed.
3) I learned from Hannah that I should be learning something everyday!

Now I tag my sis Laura at Love Reigns Here to do the same thing. Sis, what did you learn today?

My Wonderful Sisters

2009-03-01T19:43:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

Be sure to stop by my wonderful sister's new blog. She's brand new to blogging and is going to be posting about her life as a homeschooling mom and an avid horse lover! Go give her a big welcome at Love Reigns Here.

Also, head over to my SIL's blog Heaven in the Home and wish her a happy birthday! You could give her a great present by buying a little treasure for yourself at her Etsy shoppe. Happy Birthday Laryssa! You are so precious to me.

A Walking Miracle Part Five

2009-02-25T11:27:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read parts one through four, please be sure to scroll down and read them first. Here is part five of my husband's miracle testimony to the merciful, healing power of our God.

One day as I woke from my sleep my mom told me that she saw my legs move slightly. I looked down, and as I was in the habit of doing, I would will them to move. I say will them to move because I had little or no sensation at the time so that's all I could do. But this time they moved! Oh, just barely, but they moved. You see my mom and I had been listening to those tapes and being taught that you must believe you have received the answer to your prayer before you see it. Hebrews 11:1 says, Faith is the evidence of things unseen. We learned to give praise and worship to God for the sacrifice that took place 2,000 years ago to bear this burden. I can still remember her lifting my lifeless arms in her hands and waving our hands together in praise to God. Sometimes you have to be willing to do something that seems totally radical and completely irrational because at all cost you must believe! When this manifestation finally took place, none of the caregivers were willing to believe it at first. They thought they would have to break the news to us that it was just a muscle spasm. When they found out I could actually move my legs on command, it was like pandemonium in the ICU. People were running in and out of my room shouting, "Oh my God!" I wished I could've spoken at the time. I would've exclaimed, "Exactly! He's the one behind all of this!" From that time my room continued to be filled with more people each consecutive day when the doctors would make their rounds. I remember the head of staff standing over my bed looking down at me. I wish I had a picture of the expression on his face. I remember people smiling and shaking their heads in amazement and saying things like, "I guess you were right about those prayers". But this man's expression was different. It looked as if he was standing over someone who was raised from the dead or something. As if he'd seen a ghost you might say. With this solemn look of fear on his face, he stared down at me and simply said, "Jeremy, we just don't see this." As the days continued, my movement progressed. I was able to start exercising my legs in bed. I remember it seemed like sheer torture to go through the process at times. Nobody could advise me concerning the experience with any real accuracy if they had never seen such a recovery.

Don't Throw Them Out!

2009-02-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

Works For Me Wednesday
I've already posted for the day but I started on this little project and I had to share it with you! My DH gave me roses for Valentine's Day. What a sweetie! But now, a few days have gone by and they were starting to get pretty sad looking. So, I did two things to savor my Valentines roses a little longer. Firstly, I noticed that these particular roses seemed very hearty and healthy. When I arranged them in water when DH gave them to me, I noticed they had little growth nodules popping out on several of the stems. So, I saved what I trimmed when I arranged them in a little cup of water. Today, when I took them out of their vase, I noticed that the rest of the stems also had lots of growth nodules on them where the leaves had been pulled off when I arranged them. SO, I borrowed some of my mom's handy dandy rooting hormone (this is available at any home improvement store in the garden center). I followed the directions on the package to root my beautiful roses and enjoy them now in my garden. My DH's gift will keep on giving! Also, check out the little cutie that I placed next to my clay pot to remind me of how beautiful my roses will be someday soon... This is an original little oil made by my amazingly talented sister in law. Check out her blog here and her Etsy shop here. She's become quite popular lately - she just sold out of her first original prints!

Secondly, I made two little nosegays to dry. I made two. The first one that I made I used the four best remaining blooms. The ones that I used to make the "how-to" pictures are a little frumpy but don't give up on them! They'll still dry just fine.

SO, here we go:
Step 1 - Cut rose blooms from the length of stem, leaving only about 4 inches of stem. Remove all leaves. Repeat until you have four blooms ready to work with.

Step 2 - Take a piece of floral wire (these pieces are pre-cut and are a heavier gauge than what comes on a roll). and pierce your first rose through the fat area just beneath the bloom. Don't go lower on the stem as it's likely to break. Push the wire through so you've got a length of about 2-3 inches coming out the other side. Loop the wire back so it leaves a little loop for later.

Step 3 - Continue piercing your following three roses, making a little bend in your wire after you pierce each one so you start to form sort of a square and keep your rose blooms close together (please forgive the cereal bowl and milk tab in the background of my pictures... hehehehe).

Step 4 - Take the long end of your wire and put it through the loop you made at the beginning on your first rose. Pull it down tight so your roses are all tightly bound together. Wrap the length of your wire around the stems a few times and at the very end of your wire, make one more little loop to hang your nosegay with.

Step 5 - Finally, just find a nice place in any room to hang your nosegay and allow it to completely dry. This will take 10 days - 2 weeks give or take. It depends on how humid your environment is. This is a fun way to save roses anytime your DH waxes thoughtful and romantic!

A Walking Miracle Part Four

2009-02-18T08:00:00.001-08:00

If you haven't read parts one through three, please be sure to scroll down and read them first. Here is part four of my husband's miracle testimony to the merciful, healing power of our God.

I remember being awakened in the middle of the night often to the sound of people yelling, "Clear!!" or other commotion's involving life threatening emergencies. I was always relieved to open my eyes and realize that I was still alive. I would hear the rescue helicopters landing and I would thank God each time because I knew that at least I was past that point. At the same time they were having difficulty keeping me on life support. I had developed clinical pneumonia and other complications, which is quite common. My lungs were filling up with secretions and almost completely collapsed. It appeared as if I was standing at the end of my life on a slippery stone. But God was faithful to His word and I was learning more about my redemption every day. One of my aunts visited me and had with her a couple of audio series booklets taught by Kenneth E. Hagin. The titles of the two tape series were “Healing Belongs To Us” and “God's Medicine”. These teachings dramatically strengthened my faith! I would listen to them a lot during the day and at night I would listen to music playing continually with lyrics that were from scriptures on healing. I was constantly being fed God's word which is a miracle cure, actual medicine for any type of infirmity or disease (Proverbs 4:20-22). I learned that Jesus laid down His life not only to free us from sin but also from infirmity and sickness (Matthew 8:17 & 1 Peter 2:24). Not only did I recover my lung capacity but something miraculous was just on the horizon.

Breaking In

2009-02-12T10:03:00.000-08:00

I'm breaking in on my series of posts about my husband's miracle testimony to bring you this video. I received this today from our local Right to Life association. This young lady's conviction is contagious. Stand up for the miracle of life, no matter who is testifying for it.

A Walking Miracle Part 3

2009-02-11T07:58:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read parts one and two, please be sure to scroll down and read that first. Here is part three of my husband's miracle testimony to the merciful, healing power of our God.

Given this fact they reported that for the rest of my life I would be a quadriplegic. I don't recall sustained consciousness until sometime the following morning at Columbia. They were trying to explain to me what happened. My only capability of response was to blink my eyes once for yes and twice for no. They went through the process of informing me that I would need a tracheotomy, which would connect me to an electronic ventilation system since I had lost the ability to breathe. Soon after that they performed surgery to permanently stabilize my vertebrae. There was nothing, however, to be done in correcting the damage to the spinal cord seeing that it had spent many hours smashed between the two vertebrae. Approximately ten days later came the final prognosis. It indicated that I would require extensive rehabilitation but the damage was permanent and so the condition would be. I would need to learn to operate what is called a "sip and puff wheelchair", which is maneuvered through a mechanism that allows you to activate it with a straw. But I believed in my heart that Jesus Christ was also my physician and that He was not limited to science.

I placed myself in the hands of The Great Physician. I had very little faith at the time but then again it only takes a little faith to move mountains (Mark 11:23). The one thing I knew is that God loved me, and in spite of my own foolishness, He would have mercy on me. Throughout the whole experience I had people praying for me including my mother who was at my bedside most of the time. I had been attending a church that year, but obviously my whole heart was not in it. At this time in my life I was letting my commitment to God slip, and I was starting to fall back into old destructive habits. Nevertheless, my pastor was accustomed to praying for people in need of healing (Mark 16:18 says that believers will lay hands on the sick and they will recover) and he quickly traveled to the facility in order to claim God's Word concerning the situation. This time of prayer actually took place before my surgery and it seemed that none of the professionals involved in my care would even entertain the idea that I would recover. I remember hearing about some of my co-workers asking the staff if there was any chance of me walking again and they wouldn't even acknowledge the question. Their only reply was, "Let's just see if we can keep him alive." The doctors would scoff at my mother's comments about me being healed. At one time she was having a conversation with one of the head surgeons, and as soon as she mentioned having faith for my healing, he immediately turned his back on her and left the room. Still she remained steadfastly fixed on the Word of God. Here I was age 26 and apparently had lost everything, but with God all things are possible (Luke 18:27).

A Walking Miracle Part 2

2009-02-07T04:39:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read part one, please be sure to scroll down and read that first. Here is part two of my husband's miracle testimony to the merciful, healing power of our God.

Somehow my friend was able to call for help and also perform enough mouth to mouth resuscitation to keep me alive until the ambulance arrived. It was an extremely long and difficult process getting the ambulance to where I was, so I believe the initial intervention of the Lord was there, giving me the opportunity to stay alive. My friend said later that it was a daunting task keeping me at least vaguely conscious until help arrived. I can remember just a few fragments here and there just plainly fighting to stay alive. It was a very surreal feeling as if there was sort of a deep sleep being forced upon me and struggling with all of my inner constitution just to keep my eyes open. At the same time there is a spiritual dynamic. I seemed to be aware that I could just "check out" so to speak and leave my body all together. Actually I had numerous opportunities in the following weeks to do so, but I honestly don't remember any moment considering that option. I was always highly tenacious and at times just plain stubborn, so this situation provided a constructive application for that you might say. When the ambulance finally arrived to transport me to a hospital nearby my friend said it looked like I was gone. I actually was dead by cardiac arrest early on, but was able to be revived. They examined me and determined first of all, that I needed to be transported to Columbia University Hospital in Missouri, since that was the closest place equipped to handle such a severe case. Second of all, though Columbia was one of the highest ranking spinal cord injury facilities in the nation, they determined that I would never walk again even though my surgery and rehab would be performed there. (Due to the molecular structure of the human spinal cord it is scientifically impossible to repair such damage within the confines of modern medicine.)

A Walking Miracle Part 1

2009-02-04T09:29:00.001-08:00

As promised, here is part one of my husband Jeremy's miracle testimony in his own words.

My name is Jeremy Peters and this is my personal testimony to the saving, healing gospel of Jesus Christ.
In April of 1996, I was on a vacation sponsored by the company I was working for at the time. The first night we had what you might refer to as a "meet and greet". There was a lot of eating, socializing, drinking etc. In the time that followed I was really carried away with the party and intoxicated. What I didn't realize is that I was about to reap consequences for my sin. God's Word definitely warns against drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18). I'm very thankful today that He is a merciful, forgiving savior.
Later in the evening I was in one of the rooms of this large resort with a friend of mine. We were making plans to do some fishing later in the weekend, but at the time just about to leave and catch some of the nightlife at some local bars and clubs with others in the company. My friend and I had both wrestled in school and used to share some if our old techniques from time to time. So before leaving we started wrestling around just sort of jokingly. He maneuvered what's called a double-leg takedown on me, and I went backwards with a great deal of force stopping suddenly with tremendous impact. There was a solid oak-type chest set against the wall behind me, and my head and neck were just slammed into it. Needless to say there was no give on the part of the wall. I was instantly paralyzed and without any ability to breathe. At that moment my spine was fractured and displaced at the second and third vertebrae. (This is referred to as the Hangman's Fracture and in the majority of cases, results in death. This was the injury suffered by the actor Christopher Reeve.) My spinal cord was completely crushed; all of a sudden I was struggling with the feeling that I was about to die.

More coming soon...

Inspire You To Modesty

2009-01-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

Let me first begin by defining the word "inspire". According to Webster's 1828 dictionary, the word inspire means:
INSPI'RE, v.i. [L. inspiro; in and spiro, to breathe.]
To draw in breath; to inhale air into the lungs; opposed to expire.

INSPI'RE, v.t. To breathe into.
1. To infuse by breathing.
He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul.

2. To infuse into the mind; as, to inspire with new life.

3. To infuse or suggest ideas or monitions supernaturally; to communicate divine instructions to the mind. In this manner, we suppose the prophets to have been inspired, and the Scriptures to have been composed under divine influence or direction.

4. To infuse ideas or poetic spirit.

5. To draw into the lungs; as, to inspire and expire the air with difficulty.

To be inspired is to receive life. When God created Adam, He essentially "inspired" Him when He breathed the breath of life into his lungs and he became a living spirit (Genesis 2:7). My prayer with this article is to breathe life into your hunger for God and the expression of that hunger through modesty.

In 1 Timothy 2:9, we find the only mention of the actual word "modest" in the Bible in the King James Version. "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;"
Interestingly, Paul directs the thought of modesty to women only. Now, I'm not indicating that I think it's appropriate for men to expose their bodies or dress immodestly. Only that in the "inspired" Word of God, the Lord directed Paul to direct the only mention of the word modest to we ladies. When we follow the rule of first mention in the Bible, we can take that something big is coming on to the scene that God wants us to pay attention to. When I consider that God had this verse penned just for me, a woman, I want to look deeper.

The Greek word for modest in this verse is, "kosmios" which means, "well arranged, seemly, modest". The word for apparel is "katastolē" which means, "1) a lowering, letting down 2) a garment let down, dress, attire". It's worth mentioning that the Greek word "katastolē", is indeed a FEMININE noun...
So, why does God put the emphasis on us? Why is it so necessary that a woman dress herself in a well arranged, seemly, and modest manner? It is because God has ordained for us to be the keepers of our homes. It is because He has set us in our families to be watchmen on the wall. He has called us to be teachers of good things. And He has called us to set an example that is so elevated above this world, that the Word of God would not in any way be blasphemed (Titus 2:4).

A woman's body is so precious in the sight of God. It has value and worth in so many ways. A woman's body is a powerful tool that can be used for great good or can be used to bring about great destruction. Think of the men in the Bible who were brought down by the shape and form of a woman's body (David with Bathsheba, King Ahab with Jezebel, King Herod with the daughter of Herodias, etc.). In contrast, think of the women in the Bible who presented themselves in modesty and the powerful things they accomplished for the Kingdom of God (Mary, Esther, the judge Deborah, etc.)

We can see that a woman holds great power in the form of her body. This is why the word of God implores us not to highlight and accentuate every feature and curve with much plaiting of our hair and gold, and costly array. We're not being told that we must be frumpy and dumpy to be modest and holy, but simply to use our clothing to highlight the hidden man of the heart. When people look on us they should be affected by our inner man, not by the curves of our shape.

At the beginning of verse 9, it begins by saying, "In like manner also..." Let's back up to verse 8 and see exactly how we are to carry out this modest way of dressing:
"I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." We approach modest dressing as a form of worship of our Heavenly Father. In Romans 12:1, we're instructed to present our bodies a living sacrifice, HOLY and ACCEPTABLE unto God. So each day, without wrath and without doubting, we dress our bodies to be presented as living sacrifices.

So, in practicality, what does "seemly, modest, well arranged" clothing look like? I have a few guideline that I get dressed by everyday that I will share with you in closing.

1. Modesty is beautiful and I will celebrate it, not drudge through it.
My first rule keeps modesty in perspective and makes it a fun challenge everyday to flee evil and cling to what is good. If I keep a smile on my face while I'm doing this, I'll make any outfit look cute because of my joyful expression.

2. Modesty is fun and funky!
How easy is it to follow the crowd and just wear stuff off the rack? Dressing modestly makes you THINK about what you're going to wear so it can really bring out your creative side.

3. If in doubt, COVER UP!
If when I look at myself in the mirror and say, "is this truly modest?" the answer is NO! If you have any doubts about whether you're being modest or not, what's the harm in layering up with a high necked tee or a longer skirt underneath? Get bold with a funky new style and when in doubt, COVER UP!

4. My collar bone is more than enough.
I learned from a Jewish friend that in Judaism, modesty is very important as well. Remember in orthodox Judaism, married women still cover their heads at all times. Anyway, he told me that their rule of thumb is that the collar bone is the line for shirt collars. In their law, anything beneath that is considered part of the breast area (ask any doctor, they'll tell you that's true). So, it's to be covered and protected. Makes sense to me! Now, not many cute tops follow this strict guideline, but a few basic ones do. So, I have a drawer full of tees and sleeveless tops for making unacceptable shirts fit right in to my modest wardrobe.

5. My behind is for me to know and you never to find out
I'm not a fan of seeing other people's behinds. Sounds crazy but it's true. In light of that, I figure I'd better keep mine to myself too. That means I go as far as wearing long tops and a lot of skirts to keep my behind to myself. If I wear slacks jeans, or capris (I LOVE CAPRIS in summer - shorts are relegated to mowing the yard at home ONLY), I wear a tunic length top to keep covered up. Sound extreme? Maybe so but I'm clinging to good and RUNNING from evil (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, 2 Timothy 2:21-22).

Let me give you one more scripture to close out this exhortation. Keep this in the midst of your heart and you will not sin against our Heavenly Father in your modest apparel (Psalm 119:11, Proverbs 4:20-22):

1 Corinthians 6:18-20
"18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

Getting Caught Up

2009-01-28T06:38:00.000-08:00

I've got some cool things in store to share. Later today or tomorrow I'm going to post my article for Christa Taylor's Modesty Carnival.
Then, starting next week I'm going to start a series of posts about my husband. He's literally a walking miracle. In 1996 he suffered the same injury as Christopher Reeve, but God's hand interrupted that cycle and my husband is a weight lifting, walking, jumping, glorifying God testimony to the healing power of God! Hopefully that little tease will bring you back. Look for my modesty article within the next 24 hours and the series about my husband to start next week. Blessings!

Modesty Carnival

2009-01-17T06:52:00.000-08:00

Hey gals,

Some of you that have visited because of the modesty fashion show have heard of Christa Taylor at Empowered Traditionalist. She's one of a rare breed - MODEST fashion designers! I've just been introduced to her through the fashion show and she's invited me to write an article for her upcoming Modesty Carnival. You can submit as well, just go on over and check it out!

Modesty - What A Cool Thing!

2009-01-16T15:53:00.000-08:00

Modesty and "cool" haven't always seemed to go together, but let me tell you sister, they do! When you know that modesty is beautiful in the sight of the Lord, it makes you want to pursue it with all your heart! That being said, I'm joining in with Sarah Mae over at Like A Warm Cup Of Coffee in her modest fashion show! Here are some pictures of myself over the last few years following my modesty guidelines. I'll share them with you too...

1. Modesty is beautiful and I will celebrate it, not drudge through it.
My first rule keeps modesty in perspective and makes it a fun challenge everyday to flee evil and cling to what is good. If I keep a smile on my face while I'm doing this, I'll make any outfit look cute because of my joyful expression.

2. Modesty is fun and funky!
How easy is it to follow the crowd and just wear stuff off the rack? Dressing modestly makes you THINK about what you're going to wear so it can really bring out your creative side.

3. If in doubt, COVER UP!
If when I look at myself in the mirror and say, "is this truly modest?" the answer is NO! If you have any doubts about whether you're being modest or not, what's the harm in layering up with a high necked tee or a longer skirt underneath? Get bold with a funky new style and when in doubt, COVER UP!

4. My collar bone is more than enough.
I learned from a Jewish friend that in Judaism, modesty is very important as well. Remember in orthodox Judaism, married women still cover their heads at all times. Anyway, he told me that their rule of thumb is that the collar bone is the line for shirt collars. In their law, anything beneath that is considered part of the breast area (ask any doctor, they'll tell you that's true). So, it's to be covered and protected. Makes sense to me! Now, not many cute tops follow this strict guideline, but a few basic ones do. So, I have a drawer full of tees and sleeveless tops for making unacceptable shirts fit right in to my modest wardrobe.

5. My behind is for me to know and you never to find out
I'm not a fan of seeing other people's behinds. Sounds crazy but it's true. In light of that, I figure I'd better keep mine to myself too. That means I go as far as wearing long tops and a lot of skirts to keep my behind to myself. If I wear slacks jeans, or capris (I LOVE CAPRIS in summer - shorts are relegated to mowing the yard at home ONLY), I wear a tunic length top to keep covered up. Sound extreme? Maybe so but I'm clinging to good and RUNNING from evil.

OK, enough bullet points and on to the pics!

This bottom one is from Resurrection Sunday a few years ago. I added it to show how I used my pearl pin to make an otherwise too low cut v in the front of this dress perfectly modest. See that little pin towards the top? It's holding everything back from view. Love little strategies like that to make everyday clothes unique and modest.

Enjoy being a feminine, Godly, modest woman. What a gift you are to the world!

Lookie What I Got!!

2009-01-15T19:12:00.001-08:00

Isn't this bracelet just the cutest thing? One of my bridesmaids from my wedding and a good friend over at Lil Hano's Etsy Shop is making these ADORABLE bracelets from her grandmother's button collection. What a treasure for just $20!!! Go check it out right away and buy something! Let's buy her out so she comes up with some more cute designs for us!

Something To Sweeten Up Your Day

2009-01-08T09:41:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you just need one of those, "AWWWWWW!!" moments when something light-hearted and cheery comes in to brighten up your day. Enjoy an "awwww" moment with this video!

It's The Little Things...

2009-01-07T11:43:00.001-08:00

The Bible talks about the little foxes spoiling the vine (Song of Solomon 2:15). The metaphor there is to teach us about the little things in life that can make a mess and spoil something fruitful. It's meant to protect us from allowing seemingly unimportant things sneak into our lives and distract or hinder us from enjoying God's best in our life and fulfilling His ultimate purpose for us.

On the flip side of that, when we tend to little things, it can make a big difference. Take for instance the top of my refrigerator... Wednesday is usually my cleaning day when I do my weekly cleaning routine of dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning bathrooms, etc. I also try to pick up a couple of little things each week and this week, it was the top of my refrigerator. I'm not sure what make the top of one's refrigerator get so gunky but I seldom clean anything that's anymore sticky, dusty, and yuck. I suppose that may have something to do with the fact that I only clean it about twice a year... hey, I'm a real gal just like you! Anyway, I just walked by it as I was moving about cleaning this morning and saw what a cluttered mess it had become.

When I saw the junk that came off on my finger...

I made up my mind to act right then and there. It led to reorganizing where I store my serving dishes as well. The storage in our home is VERY limited and I had neglected to put away the large platter in my antique Victrola case because it always takes some reorganizing to get everything to fit back in there.

Once the platter, protein powder, pens, and fly swatter were removed, I gave the top a thorough cleaning with my favorite multi-tasker around the house, rubbing alcohol. It also inspired me to clean off pictures and just "stuff" off of our refrigerator that had accumulated with an odd variety of our magnets.
Look how sparkly it is now!

I have to admit, the fly swatter will probably remain on top of the refrigerator because when I want to swat some flying creature that's entered my home, I want to get to it FAST!

So gals, take on something small today. My project took less than 15 minutes and even though it's something you can't see, it gives me a sense of cleanliness and order about my home that is very empowering and peaceful. One of the best benefits about these little tasks I take on every Wednesday is that the Lord continually reminds me of the little things in my spiritual life that I need to tackle and tweak to make my life more productive for and pleasing to Him.

Blessings to you in every little thing!

New Year's GOALS

2009-01-01T08:08:00.000-08:00

So, it's that time of year when you think to yourself, "If one more person asks me what my 'New Year's Resolution' is, I'll do something to them that will get me put in jail..." It's sad to me though when I consider how misused the word "resolution" really is. Remember the founding fathers of this nation made a resolution, and it wasn't to lose ten pounds by the fourth of July! If a person is resolute, then their mind is made up and they are firm on their decision. IT WILL come to pass no matter what. One definition of "resolution" from Webster's 1828 dictionary is, "The effect of fixed purpose; firmness, steadiness or constancy in execution, implying courage." It takes courage to be constant until your purpose has been executed. At our church we've been challenged to make goals for 2009. Webster's 1828 defines a goal as, "The end or final purpose; the end to which a design tends, or which a person aims to reach or accomplish", and "The point set to bound a race, and to which they run; the mark". I'm going to be courageous this year and reach the goals that God has put in my heart. How about you? I hope the following video will inspire you to make reaching the lost the number one goal you have this year. There is nothing more important.

Taking A Few Days Off

2008-12-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in a few days - I'm finally getting to the point of relaxation during Christmas. For those of us who work AND are keepers of our homes, taking a few days off requires a fair amount of preparation! In just 8 days my husband and I will celebrate our 3rd anniversary and since we had the excitement of getting married on New Year's Eve, I always get a few days off on our anniversary as well. It almost works out like having an extra vacation every year.

During my time off I hope to work on my jewelry beading some more. I've received some new beads for Christmas from one of my church/blogging buddies and I'm going to do some blog hunting for other jewelry makers. If you know of any good ones, I'd love to get the links! I'm also inspired by my friend at Diddle Daddle Designs to try out crocheting. My mom has always told me how easy it is and when I see T's ideas, it makes me want to give it a go! I'm also hoping to catch up on my Parelli Natural Horsemanship studies. I have several DVD's to catch up on from the Parelli's savvy club. Maybe I'll get some new pictures of my horse and I playing at Parelli that I can post for all to see. If any of you know any good Parelli bloggers, send me those links too! I'm just getting to know everyone.

Enjoy your Christmas holiday, enjoy your time off, enjoy your family, enjoy catching up, and enjoy JESUS!

Shouldn't We All Be As Smart As Linus?

2008-12-19T08:06:00.000-08:00

Thanks!

2008-12-18T06:22:00.000-08:00

Thanks everyone for the kind words about our home. The most pleasing thing of all is when your husband tells you, "Boy hunny, the house sure looks beautiful." NOTHING can top that! I can look around and see all kinds of little things that I think need to be fixed, but it all disappears when you have the approval of the one nearest and dearest to you. Thanks again for coming to see our home, you're welcome back anytime!

One more thing, check out John 12:43. Especially this time of year we tend to hunt for man's praise and admiration for our new party dress, our mantle garland (teehee), our special baked goody that we spent HOURS and MONEY on trying to get just perfect, or the special gift that we drove half way across town to buy with our last few pennies and wrapped with some of our blogging friends best tips. BUT REMEMBER GIRLS, it's all about pleasing Him. And, isn't there something about Christ in the word Christmas anyway?!? Let's seek out the pleasure of Him Who gave everything for us and as we please Him first, all those around us will be affected by the light of His presence in our lives. Blessings to you today and see you tomorrow!

One More Christmas Tour

2008-12-16T18:29:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

Here's one more Christmas tour website to check out...

2008-12-16T15:48:00.001-08:00

Check out Kimba's holiday open house TODAY and sign up for a prize!

Christmas Open House

2008-12-16T15:38:00.001-08:00

BY THE WAY, be sure and check out all the other beautiful homes on the Christmas Tour being hosted by BooMama at www.boomama.net

Be sure to stop by my sister-in-law's site too and see her house - it's GORGEOUS!
http://www.heaveninthehome.com./
You'll find a perfect Christmas gift at her site as well - she's on etsy.com with her wonderful, whimsical, original water-colors.

Christmas in the Kitchen and Dining Room

2008-12-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

Here's some more pictures. The one of the front the house came out really blurry. Oh well. Here's another nativity we got for a wedding gift. It's so beautiful and fits in beautifully with all the rustic decoration in the house.

Here's a view of our dining room. My gold candles were hand painted by a friend of mine with acrylic paint. She learned the Donna Dewberry one stroke paint method.

Here's another one of the nativity scene and of my kitchen window. I have raffia and berries on a a spring-tension rod and my ornaments are hanging from a little hook. I use a willow basket to keep our napkins in and the pinecones in the other basket are dipped in green, red, and white wax. I think they're actually for a fireplace? I'm not sure but I love them and put them out every year.

Welcome To Our Christmas Home

2008-12-16T14:56:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of our home, all decorated for Jesus' Birdthay! The first wreath is on our front door - it's artificial but it's really beautiful. I picked up the little leather sleigh bell harness at Old Time Pottery for just $6!!!

This wreath hangs to the side of the front door. This is not a very good picture to see how cute it is. The wreath itself is a barbed wire coil. I have natural colored raffia, rustic Christmas ornaments, some sphagnum moss, and little electric candles all over. Right under the raffia bow is a little tin sign I got at Old Time Pottery that says, "Faith".

Here's our mantle and fireplace. This nativity scene was given to me this year for Christmas and is my favorite decoration in the whole house.

I made this arrangement with a super-sized vase. Inside the vase I put colored lights and pinecones. In the vase I have gold and snow painted pinecones glues on long metal picks along with the trimmings from the bottom of our fresh Frasier Fir Christmas tree. Also some little gold curly branches.

Here's another view of our mantle - LOTS of candles, snow fabric, more electric candles, my wreath hanger with a snowy swag, a pinecone graland and of course, our stockings.

Here's our tree!

Along with my rustic ornaments and pinecone ribbon, I added fresh limbs from our nandina bushes. They have the most glorious red berries this time of year and the foliage on them if so light and ferny, it really softens the tree.

Well, that's it! Hope you enjoy the pictures and maybe got a little inspired. If you have a log home, I'd love to hear about how you decorate for Christmas. What a blessing to have such an easy canvas to decorate! I'll add some more of our kitchen and dining room.

Here I Am

2008-12-15T19:48:00.000-08:00

Here I am, blogging for the first time. I've never done this before and I can't honestly say how long it will last but my sweet sister-in-law has been having so much fun with it and then I got hooked reading her blog and some friends from church too, so I thought I should give it a try. Tonight I'm sitting here next to my husband watching Monday night football and just enjoying a quiet evening. Our Christmas tree lights are on and the when I look across the couch at my husband, I smile to myself at the warm, "Christmasy" feeling I have inside. You know, that feeling of total warmth and contentment that seems so prevalent (or in some cases, totally absent) this time of year. Maybe it's because for those of us who live to worship Christ Jesus, His reality is more evident and closer than ever. I made up my mind that I'm going to get up early this Christmas morning and have a little birthday celebration, just Jesus and me, before the day gets started. I'm going to sit in my loft with my keyboard and sing songs, and read my Bible, and give Jesus the best gift I can give Him - my undivided attention and love. The rest of the day will be filled with laughter, and love, and family but that first quiet moment in the morning will be His alone. I can't wait.