Word!

"Sticks and stones will break our bones, but words will break our hearts" -Robert Fulghum

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue" -Proverbs 18:21

With our words we can make or break, paralyze or propel, build up or tear down, defend or destroy, heal or kill... we often talk about the detriment of speaking negative words. I fully believe that we should absolutely think consequentially about the words we speak before we speak. Most recently the thing that has been biting at me is the responsibility we have to speak positive, truthful, uplifting and encouraging words. I greatly appreciate that I have had people say something to me that has changed the course of my life in a positive way, have you? I want to build people up, propel them in their dreams, defend them, heal their hurts, lead them to the truth (Jesus!), and change the course of their lives for the better with my words...

Pursue your dreams.

If you have been following this for awhile you may have read about my challenge in leading worship last summer. Long story short God really taught me to lean on HIM as my confidence and not myself. This lesson took me 24 years to learn (don't try that at home) 

So the newest adventure for me is going back to school. This last month has been full of challenges that would have crippled me if faced only one year ago (I'm not kidding, I would have been eaten alive)  yet now I can fearlessly pursue school, placement tests, going after scholarships, FAFSA... somethings so simple! I realized how awesome God's timing is. I have wanted to go back to school for 5 years to become a nurse but God knew that I wasn't ready. Now I am. I think sometimes we want to keep God in a "spiritual box" and only learn the lessons He teaches us as they relate to our "spiritual lives" but God wants us to be confident in Him in every aspect of life. Is there a dream you have that you have been afraid to achieve?  I recently heard a quote that I loved... "Fears are simply self imposed limitations."

Random...

I recently went to a birthday party and accidentally left my purse on top of the car. It survived!! but my carmex took a beating.

My family is infatuated with "fat lights" (the big Christmas lights) and when I finally went to put them up (on Christmas Eve) I dropped them and a bunch of them broke. Oops! 

I found out that I love love LOVE the Crunch wrap supreme with no tomatoes from Taco Bell <3

I made an appointment to take college placement tests this coming Friday... oh dear?

Chris and I are currently reading "7 Practices for Effective Ministry" I'll leave you with a quote that really got us thinking...

"Your ministry is perfectly designed to produce the results you are currently experiencing. If you are satisfied with those results, you don’t need this book. If not, it’s time for a change."

Snow Days!

We've been having a lot of fun this week with the snow. Since Isaac has been home from school we got to do special things like play with the play-doh Kent and Cindy made. Make "Green Christmas" Snickerdoodles, make snowmen and so much more. What great memories!

War

I am being challenged today... you ever have one of those days? Where everything inside of you seems to oppose what you actually want to be like...  

Like Paul says "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

It's rough when you read God's word and it says it like it is. I want to say "oh I'm just having a bad day, everything is fine..." but God's word says it's the sin in me that is at war with the part in me that delights in Gods law.  So what do we do... even now I am feeling lifted and strengthened after being in God's word.  John 16:33 says "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Thanks be to God for he will rescue me from this body of death... Let's not be shaken by our flesh... I want to be an overcomer. 

Making memories...

When I think back to Christmases past I rarely remember the gifts that were received but mostly the time spent with family doing special things. Thats my goal with my family this year, to focus on fun things that can be traditions year after year that they will remember as adults and possibly do with their own kids. I want our family to be about giving instead of receiving and to be thankful for what we have. We are a blessed family. What are your most special Christmas memories?

Peace-ness

Isaac is learning about the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) and last night he was trying to remember them all... he remember 6 of the 9 which is pretty good :o) The cutest part to me was after saying kindness and goodness, out came "peaceness" close enough right? Of course this is only a documentable moment to me because I'm his mom but I thought I would share :o) So here's wishing you peaceness this holiday season. (Especially those of you with little ones who like to disturb the peace ;o) 

PS.  thought I would put a quick updated pic of Allie and I from this morning since I haven't updated pictures recently.