If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

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Thursday, June 30, 2011

SkyWatch Friday

 Click here to join in the SkyWatch fun and to see other skies from all over the world.  My 2 pictures are from my front porch just a few minutes ago.  Beautiful blue skies today.  Love it!


Have a happy weekend everyone!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge


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1. What makes you stand to your feet and cheer?
Someone coming to know the Lord and most anything Patriotic. Well, I may not cheer, but I'm definitely thrilled by it.

2. What's your favorite patriotic song?
My Country Tis of Thee


3. Do you believe that opposites attract? If you have a significant other are you opposites?
I know they do when it comes to magnets. I'd say hubby and I are very similar in many ways but with some very opposite characteristics too.


4. You're going to get a behind the scenes look someplace...where would you like that someplace to be?
Walt Disney World of course!


5. How far would you have to travel to ride a carousel (merry-go-round)?
Just about 10 miles or so to Kings Island Amusement Park


6. When was the last time you saw fireworks? What was the occasion? Do you enjoy fireworks?
Sunday evening I saw a few while waiting to pick up my daughter. Someone in the neighborhood was setting some off. But the last time I saw a complete professional show was last July 3rd (my town does them on the 3rd). But the best I've seen are the ones at Disney World.


7. Of all the 'beauty products' you own, what item do you consider to be the most overpriced?
I don't own too many because they are to pricey plus I'm not sure they help too much. I'm not sure which would be the most overpriced though.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I have so totally been enjoying my front porch this last week during the cooler evenings. I've got a couple new hanging baskets of flowers and I've hung a hummingbird feeder (haven't seen any yet) and just relaxing and reading my Kindle. See this is one of those things I was talking about in question #3. Hubby and I both love to sit out on the front porch and read, however, we have totally different favorites in books. Life is good!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Our Garden

Growing up, we always had a garden.  I hated working in the garden, but I loved some of the veggies we got from it.  Well, hubby and I have never had a garden, except for a few plants in pots on our back porch.

This year we decided to be adventurous and actually planted a garden in the ground and not in pots.  Everyone else in my family was talking about their gardens so we decided to have one too.  Thought I'd show you a couple pictures.



Hey, don't laugh!  I didn't say it was a big garden!  But you gotta admit, it's vegetables planted in the ground and that makes it a garden.  haha  We have 3 tomato plants and about 5 or 6 pepper plants of different varieties.  So do you have a garden and is it bigger than mine?

Saturday, June 25, 2011

The Disney Movie - Cars 2



Have you seen it yet? I couldn't wait so we went and saw it yesterday. Kerri just got home from a week of camp earlier in the day.  We decided after to dinner to go see the movie.  Actually it was just the 2 girls and me that went.  Hubby's not much for going to the theater.  Anyway, Kelli and I enjoyed it, however I don't think Kerri saw too much of it.  I think she was so worn out from camp that she slept through almost the whole movie.  I told her she could have stayed home and slept for free.  :)

Anyway it was a fun evening and I'm glad we went.  Oh and the Pixar Toy Story Hawaii Vacation short flick at the beginning is really cute too.

Have a great weekend everyone!



Thursday, June 23, 2011

SkyWatch Friday

 Click here to join in with the SkyWatch Fun.
This picture was taken last week while my daughter and I were out for an evening walk in our subdivision.
Hubby stopped for me to take this picture a couple days ago while we were driving home.  I saw the beautiful clouds and we ended up driving back in a subdivision just a few miles from home and found this beautiful pond.

He is Awesome!



For the past 2 Wednesday nights we've been studying these verses in Isaiah.  If you have a moment take the time to read them for yourself and then think about the awesomeness of God.



Isaiah 40:12-31
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,
Measured heaven with a span
And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure?
Weighed the mountains in scales
And the hills in a balance?
13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,
Or as His counselor has taught Him?
14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him,
And taught Him in the path of justice?
Who taught Him knowledge,
And showed Him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket,
And are counted as the small dust on the scales;
Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.
16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn,
Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 All nations before Him are as nothing,
And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.
18 To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
19 The workman molds an image,
The goldsmith overspreads it with gold,
And the silversmith casts silver chains.
20 Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution
Chooses a tree that will not rot;
He seeks for himself a skillful workman
To prepare a carved image that will not totter.
21 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22  It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
23 He brings the princes to nothing;
He makes the judges of the earth useless.
24 Scarcely shall they be planted,
Scarcely shall they be sown,
Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth,
When He will also blow on them,
And they will wither,
And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.
25 “To whom then will you liken Me,
Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who has created these things,
Who brings out their host by number;
He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
28 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. 

Doesn't that just thrill your heart.  God is something else.  Just think, according to verse 12,  He holds all the water of the world in the hollow of His hand.  Can you imagine?  Take a look at the hollow of your hand.  That's a really small area.  But He's so big, He can hold all the water of the world.  Amazing!   How about in the same verse, it says He calculates the dust.  I don't know about you, but just the dust in my house is phenominal and He calculates all the dust.  Amazing!  Just read these verses and think about the greatness of God, and yet He loves us and cares about us enough to know the very number of hairs on our head.  And that changes daily.  Just take a look at my hairbrush! 


And then in verse 31: He tells us we need to wait on the Lord (don't run ahead of Him or take care of everything by ourselves), just wait on the Lord and He'll renew our strength.


Lord thank you.  You are so awesome, but you love me.  It's so wonderful and freeing to know I'm loved by you.  Help me to remember this all day.  Help me to remember to wait on you today.  I love you too Lord.  Amen


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge


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1. Summer's here-whoohoo! What's your favorite sight, sound, AND smell associated with summer?
Sight - beautiful blue skies; Sound - People laughing, talking, having fun and Smell - Steaks on a grill.

2. Fireflies or lightning bugs...what are they called in your neck of the woods?
We call them lightning bugs.

3. What is something from the past week that reminded you of your childhood?
I can't think of anything in particular.  

4. Define 'the good life'.
Spending time with my hubby and the girls.  

5. Tell us what we'd see if you took a snapshot of your desk/work space?
 At work, a clean and neat desk with 2 computer monitors speakers, phone, printer, Noah's Ark mug with pens, etc.
At home, mostly my laptop.

6. Peaches or watermelon...yes, you have to choose.
Today watermelon, tomorrow peaches.

7. Ever been skinny dippin'? Is that too much for the Wednesday Hodgepodge? Rest assured we won't need details...unless of course you feel you must but remember, this is a family friendly blog so keep it G rated.
Nope

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Hubby and I have started a new blog dedicated solely to our love of Disney.  Here's the address if you want to check it out.  http://loveofanythingdisney.blogspot.com

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Flowers on My Walk

I went out walking in my neighborhood tonight and actually remembered to take my camera. Here are some pictures of flowers I took along the way.  I really don't know one flower from another, so if you know what they are, please let me know in the comments.




This is one of my flowers.
This is one of mine too.
Psalm 46:8 "Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,"

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Craving Grace by Lisa Velthouse


About the Book:  For Lisa Velthouse’s whole life, Christianity had been about getting things right. Obeying her parents. Not drinking. Not cursing. Not having premarital sex. Vowing to save her first kiss until she got engaged, even writing a book called . . . well, Saving My First Kiss. (This, it turns out, does not actually help a girl get a date.) Yet after two decades of trying to earn God’s okay, she found her faith was lonely, empty, and unsatisfying. So she turned to more discipline, of course: fasting! By giving up her favorite foods—sweets—Lisa hoped to somehow discover true sweetness and meaning in her relationship with God. Until, one night at a wedding, she denied herself the cake but failed in such a different, unexpected, and world-rocking way that it challenged everything she thought she knew about God and herself. Craving Grace is the true story of a faith dramatically changed: how in one woman’s life God used a bitter heart, a broken promise, and the sweetness of honey to reveal the stunning wonder that is grace.

About the Author:  Lisa Velthouse
Lisa Velthouse is a freelance writer and speaker who once served on
staff at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan. She has been
working in publishing and communications for more than a decade, but
she has had a sweet tooth for as long as she can remember. Lisa loves
and lives with her husband, Nathan, an officer in the United States
Marine Corps, whom she met and married while writing this book.
Visit her at http://lisavelthouse.com.





My Thoughts:   I requested to review this book because I thought it would be something that would help me.  Lisa talks about always following the rules to please God and grow closer to Him and I feel I have a tendency to do that too.  She speaks about ladder ways and earning your way closer to God.  In this book she tells about learning to accept God's grace and that that grace is the true sweetness of God.
One of my favorite quotes in the book is from her grandma after reading about Jesus and His disciples talking.  She said "He was God and they were people, but he talked with them just like how you would talk with a friend!"  Isn't that awesome.  God's grace saves us because we can never be good enough and He loves us and talks to us as His friend.  I love this thought so much.
I would highly recommend anyone wanting to quit trying to earn their way to heaven to read this book and learn about the sweetness of Gods grace.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Friday, June 17, 2011

SkyWatch Friday

 Click here to join in with SkyWatch Friday and to look at skies from all over the world.
I love a sunset.  Although I must say this picture doesn't do justice to what I actually saw last week.


Thursday, June 16, 2011

2011 Siesta Scripture Memory Team #12


"He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber." Psalm 121:3 KJV
My plans are to memorize this whole chapter.
Isn't it wonderful to know that we can rest and sleep because He never does?

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge



Click the button above to join in with all the fun at Joyce's.

1. What is one thing on your bucket list? If you don't have a bucket list let's pretend you do.
I really don't have one, but one thing I want to do is go to Hawaii.

2. What makes a good dad?
Only Jesus can make a good dad.  And I was blessed to have a dad that loves the Lord and so are my children.

3. Are you afraid of insects? Which ones?
Spiders!

4. We're barbecuing...what's on the grill at your house?
Steaks are the best!

5. Do you believe that playing is more important than winning?
Depends on what you're playing and what you are winning.  :)

6. Do you tan? Use self tanners? Visit tanning salons? See your dermatologist at least once a year?
 Yes, I tan sometimes.  Yes I use self tanners sometimes.  Haven't used a tanning salon since I was in my 20's.  No, I've never seen a dermatologist.

7. Five years ago I would never imagine that today I would_______________.
Be almost three years into writing a blog.


8. Insert your own random thought here.
Found on a FB post, "Women and cats will do as they please and men and dogs should just relax and get used to the idea."-Robert Heinlein

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Happy Day

My nephew is in this band called Out of Dust.  They won a contest a few months ago and got to participate in Freedom Fest 2011.  I am so proud of him and his friends.  They are all from the youth group my girls attend.  Hope you enjoy this video of them singing "Happy Day". 



Saturday, June 11, 2011

Drug Problem

Decided to share with you the drug problem I had when I was younger.


How about you? Did you have this drug problem too?

Thursday, June 9, 2011

SkyWatch Friday


 Click here to join in the fun and/or see all the beautiful sky pictures from all over the world.  
I took this picture last week.  We were headed out once again to pick up one of the girls from somewhere and I saw this beautiful sky over this beautiful red barn and couldn't resist.  This is actually at a small airport just outside our city.



Balloon

As we were leaving church tonight we saw a balloon heading towards us from across the street. It flew right over our heads and here are a couple of pictures.  I love hot air balloons.  I haven't seen very many lately.  Hope this means they're coming back for the summer.

Here it is right over us.


Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge



1. Do you and your family enjoy camping? What do you enjoy most/like the least when it comes to family camping? When was the last time you camped?
I only remember camping once when I was a kid.  No, I don't think we liked it too much.  My husband's family camped all the time and loved it alot.  Hubby and I have never tried it with our family, however my girls love Church camp and go ever summer as campers and/or counselors.

2. Did you attend a summer camp when you were a kid? Is that a happy or not so happy memory?
No, I didn't.  My husband did and as I said above my girls have always gone too.  They love it.

3. Over the course of your life, what have you probably spent more time pondering than anything else?
Jesus, salvation and heaven

4. Which of the seven natural wonders of the world would you most like to see? There are many lists of 'wonders' but this is the standard natural wonder list-Mount Everest, The Great Barrier Reef, The Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls, The Harbor of Rio de Janerio, Paricutan Volcano and The Northern Lights.
Actually I wouldn't mind seeing them all, but if I have to pick one I'd say the Grand Canyon.


5. What was your first real job?
A week after I turned 16 I got a job as a shop clerk at Kings Island Amusement Park.  My oldest daughter is working there this year for the first time.

6. Lemonade or Sweet tea...which do you prefer on a hot summer day?
Lemonade, especially pink lemonade 

7. What is something that always brings a smile to your face?
A puppy. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Things are so busy this summer.  Our oldest is working as many hours as she can to try to get enough money to go back to college and since she doesn't have a vehicle, she either has to borrow one of ours or we have to take her.  (I'm not complaining because we really appreciate her enthusiasm to work and make the money)  And our youngest is preparing for a missions trip and is doing training for that and also preparing for camp and counseling at camp.  We're just very busy working and running them around.  Life is good!

Monday, June 6, 2011

Simple Witness

Yesterday morning in service my husband told us that we are filled with the Holy Spirit, not so we can feel good in church, but so we can do the work God has for us to do once church is over. He also encouraged us to ask God to give us an opportunity to witness to someone this week and then to have the courage to do it. He said all we need to be a witness is to know what Jesus has done for us and then tell others of that. That a witness is telling the truth about Jesus. We don't have to be Bible scholars. We just have to know what He's done for us.

Now, I'm going to challenge you. Ask God for an opportunity to witness to someone this week and then ask Him for the courage to do it.