Mid-January 2012

I got to thinking… maybe the problem with my blog has been that I just really don’t like writing about myself. So, I’ve decided that it isn’t going to be a blog about me, but rather a place where I can post memories in the making. Maybe my daughters will look at this blog one day. I hope that they’ll see amazing and wonderful things about their lives as little ones. I hope they’ll see the beautiful princesses that God has made them. So here goes…

Its mid-January and we’ve already done so many things! It started off with a two-day trip to Disneyland that was a gift from mom and Rick. There was NO way we would have been able to go in this trip without their generosity. What can I say, master’s degrees for your hubby cost a pretty penny. As a side note though, I wouldn’t change this season… the tight finances have brought our family tighter together. There has been more laughter, more joy, and more appreciation through it all. Ok, back to the happiest place on earth. The first stop we made was to California Adventure. Hannah was our tour guide and led us to our first ride, The Little Mermaid. We spent the whole day at C.A. and did just about everything the two little ones could do. We went back to the hotel for the night and was up early for day two. Started the day off in toon town to see Mickey and Minnie. Selah (who is 21 months now) was waving frantically at Minnie, but would freeze 3 feet away from her in terror. The day was a blast. We weren’t in a rush to see it all, we just took our time and enjoyed being together.

Hannah (whos 4 and a ½) has been trying to learn the guitar and daddy has already started giving her first set of homework…. The string that she says sounds like a cow. She’s seriously too adorable, but a lot like her momma in that she wants to already have this skill mastered. She’s frustrated that she cant play “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” after her first lesson. Patience, baby… itll come.

Next was my niece Reagan’s birthday at the American Girl store at The Grove. The girls had an amazing time, and were completely spoiled by grandma. It was definitely a girly day and I enjoyed every little bit of it!

The church also got spoiled during that week. We got a new sign! It’s such a nice addition in making the building feel like home, and I grateful for everyone who helped to put it all together!

This past weekend, Hannah and her two cousins, Reagan and Angelina, spent the night at grandma’s for another fun filled weekend. They watched a movie in her movie room, woke up to Mickey shaped waffles and went to see Beauty and the Beast at the El Capitan in Hollywood.

This morning I curled up with Hannah in her bed and just snuggled with her. I remember when her bed seemed so huge compared to her. It made me a little sad. Time is going by too fast. She rolled over to look at me and said, “Mom, I’m a grape.” I said, “Really?”
“Yup, that’s what we learned in class last night. I’m a grape.”
I asked her, “What are you connected to, little grape?”
She said, “To Jesus.”
She is so wise.

Meanwhile, theres a little voice coming from the tub. Selah’s saying “morn-ee mommy!” as Tim is washing her up. I go in to see her adorable little self in the tub, flashing me a cheesey smile. Add that in with a sweet good morning hug from my hubby, and I have a complete package.

Thank you God for my amazing family. Sometimes I don’t feel I deserve all that You’ve given me, but then I remember You are a GOOD God, and I am Your daughter. For my daughters I would give them all that I have, and You are treating me the same way. I love You Lord.

Sharon

Find encouragement today: “Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you.” {Psalm 34:17}

View PhotatoBug Slideshow

Blueberry Morning

Making some blueberry muffins and doing my devotions before the rest
of the family wakes up.

It's St Patricks Day, and all I have for Hannah to wear is teal, but
that works, right?

Had a great day hanging out with Cheryl and the kids last night. My
favorite part? Asher saying he was sick, but cookies instantly changed
that!

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1 Corinthians 2:4 "and my message and my preaching were not in
persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of
power"

If there was ever a time that had a mass number of persuasive ideas or
theories, it was during this time. But did they fear that their
message wouldn't be powerful enough or have that luster that would
draw people in? Absolutely not. They knew that the power of the Spirit
would get the message across as long as they were instruments used by
God.

Do we as Christian ever try to "force" the things of God to
unbelievers? I think we have this idea that we need to package up our
words in beautiful and attractive packages, instead of remembering it
is what God will do - not us. We don't have to use persuasion. God is
already at work, tugging on hearts to come to Him.

I am just reminded that it's not what I say or how I present the Lord
to others, but what God will do through His word.

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

It's been nearly a year!

Cant believe its been nearly a year of no blogging.... starting back up today. :-)

What an incredible Saturday! It was a double-event filled with many surprises.

I first woke up to Hannah and Tim singing "happy birthday" to me. Of course, afterward Hannah said "blow out the candles mommy!" So I blew out some imaginary candles and welcomed the day!

Then, it was time to get the house ready for the huge croud we were expecting for Selah's shower. My mom and sisters arrived and we worked our tails off to make the house pink. :-)

My mom called me from the kitchen and said she had broken something. When I turned the corner, there was a lady in my backyard peeking through my sliding glass door.... it was my grandmother from Texas!!! She flew in to surprise us, and boy did she!

Shortly after, the doorbell rang, and rang, and rang as the herd of women gathered for the baby shower. We played a mad lib game and had a ton of laughs. I got pretty emotional at parts. We were so blessed by the love of friends and family. Hannah even got a few big sister presents. It was so sweet!

After the shower, I got to spend some quality time with Rebecca and Michelle (we've been friends for over 18 years!). I thought I might go into labor with all the laughing we did!

We finished off the day with ordering dinner in and spending time with my grandma and the rest of the family. It was a truly blessed day!

6.8.09

6.8.09
Definitely annoyed...

I haven't been on here in quite a while. The funny thing is, I have had a lot to share - the sad thing is that I have let the actual posting of it fall to the side. I log on and all I see is that 2 people are following this blog, so maybe that is why I've let it go and not made it a priority. I know that this is linked to my Facebook account, so people are seeing it there too. Anyway, if it were only you who were reading this it would be all worth it, so forgive me for not being present in the past few weeks. If this blog impacts your life that is amazing, if my journey of faith is encouraging you then that is reason enough for me to keep doing it!

I hope you'll turn around and start your own blog - your own conversation as you continue on your journey of strength in the Word.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience is better than pride.

We all know this too well... we get into a disagreement and we're so stuck on our own emotions and pressupositions that we are apt to make very rash conjectures, and often suppose that such and such things, or people, are against us. We quite often do the same thing when God decides to do something that we werent expecting - a move, a new job, loss of something or someone, etc. We are so caught up in the anxiety that we forget that God is perfectly content with what He is doing because He knows what the end looks like.

Wait for the result, dont ask with frantic rage "Why did God allow this to happen?" His ways, though right now seem to be clouded with confusion, will appear all right. The storm will soon pass and you will see the benefit of sticking with God.

Use your energy to pour into His word and in prayer. He will bring peace in the meantime.

Learning and walking with you... stay tuned...

5.31.09

Proverbs 16:8 "Better is a little with righteousness than a great revenue with injustice."

Pastor Ken is talking today about assessing why you have. Are you trustworthy of what God has already given you before He gives you more? I've been in a season of testing lately. My washer is broken, and my first response is to say I need another one. Well, why about fixing what I have?

God is no shocked by the circumstances that come our way. He knows what's currently happening as well as what's on the way. He is God! The big question is, what am I going to do with it?

God, no matter how much or how little I have, I want to find myself righteous to you!
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I know it's been quite a while since I've been on here. I'll do more to share with you my journey of faith and life.

Blessings, and stay tuned!

5.1.09

I have so much to be thankful for. I don't know why I worry so much about the dumb little things. All I need is the Lord and He is so amazing that He provides for us. I'm not just talking about money either... I'm talking about the times where I listen next to Hannah's door and can hear her snoring in her sleep, or when my husband looks at me and says "I love you."

Matthew 18: 2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

What I see here is that it is the heart of a little one, like my daughter, that I need to have. She believes that mommy could fly and that daddy can save the day. She never doubts mommy and daddy because we have proved to her that we wont let her down.

Why cant I believe for big things like my daughter does? Why cant I count on God through EVERYTHING like my daughter counts on us? Sure, I get around to trusting Him after I've had my moments of doubt, but why can't I instantly trust and obey? I need to remember that with Him all things are possible. Nothing is too big or too small for Him. Mommy and Daddy will make mistakes, but God will never let His children down.

I pray that you are all blessed today... if you think about it, please go over to and pray for the Freemans. Read their story. They will show you what incredible faith looks like, and they will also make you stop and be thankful for those blessings you, and I, often take for granted.

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Its moving day and I've been an emotional wreck! I am so grateful for my dad making a way for us to move back to CA and get back on our feet. My dad never ceases to amaze me, and he does it with a quietness and selflessness that I hope I can emulate one day.

It will be like Christmas opening our boxes and seeing all the things we own! You see, we haven't seen anything in these boxes for the past year and a half. Christmas in May... its a good thing, and I am so grateful for today! :)

Stay tuned...

4.29.09

Psalm 139:24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Two major themes here: #1) Any thing false in religious principle; any thing contrary to piety to myself, and love and benevolence to man. #2) The way that is right in a man's own eyes is seldom the way to God.

When you are in a new place, like I am now, you make an impression. The question is - is it a good one or a bad one? I'm trying desparately to be "on the top of my game" and still staying true to my good personality traits. I want to be myself, but only my good traits! You know what I'm saying??

As I am learning a new system, and new people, I want to make sure that I am portraying Christ and Christ alone. Thats my focus. I want God to get rid of anything that is of me... I want all of Him. Transition is difficult for anyone, and I want to handle my work and other's reactions with grace.

I want to keep my focus on the goal - that God would lead me in the way of the everlasting. I need His grace and wisdom. I need God's direction as I take another step each day.

4.28.09

Matthew 15
8: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
16-18: "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.'"

There were such religious rules about things that were clean and unclean. The right way to wash hands, the right food to eat, even when people were sick and then became well there would be a waiting time before they were fully "clean" again.

Food that is eaten always has a process. Some is taken and nourishment for the body, other parts are expelled as waste (sorry for the mental image). What we take into our heart must only be for nourishment - for ourselves and for others - because we all know,a s it's written here, "whatever things that come out of the mouth come from the heart."

The food we eat does not pollute the mind... things that come into our heart can either nourish us or pollute us. And in turn, others. Sin is always conceived in the heart before it is spoken or acted upon.

Just like how I decide what my family will eat - there are good choices and bad. French fries or veggies? Soda or water? The same is true for the condition of my heart. What am I allowing into my heart - am I making good decisions that will produce nourishment or bad that will pollute?

Lord, help me to make wise choices. I want nourishment from You so that there will be good things that come from my mouth and actions. I know that if my heart is corrupt, the whole body will be corrupt. So, help me Lord to have a clean heart that hungers only for You. Amen.
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First day on staff at The Highlands... pretty amazing! :)

4.27.09

Psalm 142: 3 When my spirit grows faint within me,
it is you who know my way.
In the path where I walk
men have hidden a snare for me.

I found this Psalm to be interesting because right before the verses you read: "A maskil of David. When he was in the cave." So we know that he was in a cave hiding. David was distressed because he had a handful of men and Saul had outnumbered him by many. God knew where David was (physically and spiritually).

It reminds me that when we feel like we're in the most disastrous of circumstances, God is ever so near. We may be in a cave hiding for our life, or in a cave hiding from life... either way God sees us and wants to give us hope, new life, and direction.

Thank you Lord that You see us right where we are and You want to meet us right where we are. I love You Lord.

4.25.09

(Picture is an oldie, but goodie) :)

Matthew 12:11 He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Maybe I'm just saying this because a mom, because my job NEVER ends as a parent... but I feel the same applies to us as Christians. When did we get the idea that we needed to have a day off from doing God's work? I understand that there are times when you need refreshing in God's word, times of relaxing... but this should NEVER apply to your faith. Faith is a 24 hour thing. You are an example at all times. I say this because I have been guilty of slacking off, of protesting for a day off, of thinking I deserve a break. WHAT!?? I would never say that about my job as a parent. I would never say "Oh Hannah, fend for yourself today, mommy is taking a break." No way! She is my responsibility. And for all of us, Faith is our responsibility. Don't give up on this... see what God can do in your life and in the lives of others.

Its a priviledge to be your daughter, Lord. I love You! Give me the endurance when I want to give up, the words to speak to others, and a tight grip on Your promises. Amen.
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This week is a week of new beginnings... new job... new home... I'M EXCITED! Thank you LORD!

While you're surfing the web, please stop by www.worldvision.org today...
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4.23.09

Matthew 10:27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.

A person should only preach what he/she has learned from God’s spirit. (I know, this kind of sounds like s “duh!” statement, but really think about it) How often do our own personal feelings get in the way? How many times have you wanted to “re-arrange” scripture so that it supports a poor lifestyle? It happens! We want to justify our actions so badly that we miss correction and wisdom. This has happened to me. I’ve picked and chosen scriptures that work best for my “current situation,” totally missing what God is trying to say because my own personal thoughts block out the truth.

My suggestion… don’t start digging into the word with your ego in the way. Clear it up, get your heart right, and welcome the correction. I guess you could say “correction: it does a body good!”

Lastly, remember to share the TRUTH with others. “Proclaiming from the rooftops” means whatever God speaks to you is for the benefit of mankind. Don’t keep what God has given you away from them! Share it! The houses in Judea had flat roof tops and were sometimes used to announce things in the most public manner. So, go get on your roof top… share what God has given you… and be a blessing!

God, thank you for reminding me to let You guide me through the worse. Not my feelings, not my own personal desires. Please help me to find my roof top. Help me to share with others Your truth and love. Amen
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What an amazing week this has been, and its only Thursday! God is so faithful, and we have a lot of changes coming up for our family. I cant wait!!

We are enjoying house sitting for the Fish family. Its been peaceful, and a gas saver! Soon we’ll be able to move back into our house, and after a year and a half it’ll be just the three of us! I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have lived with others while we’ve followed where God was taking us. But it will be nice to finally settle down. :)

That’s all for now… stay tuned…

4.21.09

Matthew 8: 16When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
"He took up our infirmities
and carried our diseases."[c]

Not one did the Lord Jesus ever reject, who came to him soliciting His aid. There wasn’t an interview, or a credit check. The aid was there for any who genuinely wanted it – and in a word it was done.

I keep thinking about last night… we went to a Hillsong United time of worship. Amazing. God did many wonderful things. There was a young man about twi rows ahead of us who had just been saved and was now being set free. He wept loudly. He cried out to the Lord, and in the midst of it all he was letting go, and letting God set him free. He didn’t care how loudly he was crying, if it was the “perfect time” in the set, or what others around him were thinking. It was as if it was just He and Jesus in that large theater. Nothing else mattered in that moment. He was free.

Each of us had a moment, or many moments like that last night. We were before the Lord, being set free and our attention getting back on Him and His purpose for our lives. We were giving Him glory, and our voices lifted up to Him as one.

Oh how He loves you. He cares where you are right now. He will give you aid. Ask… believe… be set free.

4.13.09

2 Corinthians 13 5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.
I hope this doesn’t sound superficial… because I’m not trying to be, but I can spot a fake purse from a mile away. Hey, I’m one to shop clearance racks and look for great deals, so I don’t have a problem with fake designer purses. I can just tell that they are not the authentic designer bags. Even the ones that look like they really could be the real deal – I can spot it out. No, its not a spiritual gift. Ha!

One thing I can’t point out very well is fake jewelry, that is until it irritates my skin!

Just like my eye can point out the look-alikes from the authentic pieces, or fake jewelry is sold, there is a test of the heart to see if you can remain true to the faith. Will you take the test to see if you have authentic faith? Go ahead, test yourselves… how are you responding to difficult situations today? Are you mixed with bad doctrine? One thing is for sure… it isn’t God who alters us with fakeness, it is ourselves. We pollute.

And finally what the apostle is trying to state is: You have had, and you shall have, the fullest proof that I have preached the true faith among you; and that God has confirmed it by his testimony; and therefore I am proved and manifested to be what I ought to be, and shown to be approved of God.

So again I say, test yourselves and your authenticity. I pray Lord that I am found to be authentic throughout the test of my faith. I love You Lord, Amen.
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Celebrated Resurrection Sunday yesterday. It was awesome!! My sister and two of her friends came to church with their kids. And they want to come back! I’m so excited. Many were saved at the services at The Highlands – it was an incredible day!

Hannah had a lot of fun playing with her cousins and hunting for Easter eggs. When we got home I was able to read to her the scriptures of Jesus’ sacrifice and love. Easter was a fantastic day. :)

Still waiting to find out what the future will hold for me. Yes, I cannot share any more details with you readers yet. But I know that whatever it is it will be incredible. I am open to what God has planned for me.
Good read for the week: Shepherding the Child’s Heart, Tripp

That’s all for now, stay tuned!

4.3.09

Psalm 89
15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.

16 They rejoice in your name all day long;
they exult in your righteousness.

17 For you are their glory and strength,
and by your favor you exalt our horn.

To shout for joy in the Lord, to walk vigorously in Him. The whole day we rejoice in Him... when we're tired, when were lonely, when things arent going our way, and in the good times too, of course. (It always seems much easier when the times are good, but remember that this says ALL DAY!). I love how the Psalmist then writes, "For You are their glory and strength..." So there is your answer for when you are tired. He will give you strength. He exaults us, and in doing so we grow in His wisdom, His holiness, His power, and -- yes -- His happiness to.

I feel worn out today. I dont know if its because it is Friday, or if it is because Spring Break is right around the corner... either way I am just tired. All I want to do is... well... nothing. [side note - something just happened in the middle of my devos and now I am frustrated!] I get in these places where I just dont feel like [fill in the blank]. Blah! But I know that I can get my strength from the Lord. I need to turn my bad attitude around and start praising the Lord. I am going to do that right now in fact...
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The weekend is here! I am going to meet up with my family for dinner tonight. Very excited about the time I'll get to spend with my baby girl and hubby.

Thats all for now... stay tuned...

4.02.09

2 Corinthians 2
14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 17Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

Here he is saying that we are the aroma of God... the sweet savour of Christ. No matter if the aroma touches some and the deny the Lord, or those who come to the knowledge of Him, it is the same purpose. To present the sweet aroma of the Lord - the fragrance of His truth and love. An ancient Jewish writer put it this way: "As the bee brings home honey to its owner, but stings others; so it is with the words of the law." He is also saying that many will try to take God's word and corrupt it; mingle it to their liking. But we are to present the clear message of life and death in truth and in love.

Aroma is a powerful thing. I love the smell of my grandma making spaghetti. Its a secret family recipe and it is amazing! Sometimes when I drive by a restaurant I can smell the food cooking from a block away. My mother in law does not have a sense of smell, but a powerful aroma can still effect her senses. One year we sent her a beautiful bouquet of roses. When she opened the box (fresh cut flowers) she said that the aroma was so powerful she could almost make out the smell. Another way it is powerful is when you walk in your front door and are then smacked with the aroma of "oopps, I forgot to take out the trash" (you all know what I'm talking about!).

Its very clear here that we are to have the aroma of Christ overtaking us and our surroundings. There should be once scent, one clear and truthful scent of Christ, not a mixture of aromas (or odors for that matter!). So, go ahead... smell yourself (ok, put your arms down!). Are you giving off the aroma of Christ??

Lord, I want your fragrance to cover me so that my aroma is You. Amen
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So, day two of my frugal ideas. Here is one for you...

Buy diapers in bulk! No, this isn't a brand new idea, but how many times have you run into the store (grocery stores are the worst!) and bought a package because you were totally out?? I just did a week ago and probably paid an extra 25% more for them. My idea?: purchase them at diapers.com, or at babiesrus.com. Right now I can get a bulk pack for what I'd normally pay for a mega pack, plus right now there is free shipping! Diaper delivery! Check it out and see if it can save you some money. :)

I am going to the library today to get a library card. I had one in AZ and I used it all the time. I have a ton of books (most of them Christian parenting books) that I need to read up on.

Still waiting on getting my "dream" finalized... may sound confusing to you, but I should have more to write about this when it is public knowledge. :)

Tim is loving he assignment at The Highlands. The people are amazing and there will be so much for both of us to learn. We're excited to be there.

Hannah is doing well. She is into singing, reading, coloring, and dancing. My dad came back from Oregon yesterday and she was so excited to see him. She kept saying, "Papa [holding up a book]" and "Papa [raising her arms for him to carry her]." She adores him. I love their bond.

That's all for now.... stay tuned

Cool link for the week: www.livingonadime.com

4.01.09

2 Corinthians 1
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

If you really think about it, we don’t deserve anything. Really. I know I sure dont. The messes we are in usually are the result of our own self doing. (I say usually. I know there are circumstances that are out of our control.) But, the sin we put ourselves in is no one else’s fault but our own. We have a choice – sometimes we choose the right thing, other times we choose the wrong.

Here is what is so fascinating to me… God, who is full of tender mercy, takes notice of us. He sees where we are at. He grieves when we are troubled. He is also the God of all consolation. He comforts us and never leaves our side when trouble is at the door or all around. He is always near. He bears us up in the midst of our difficulties.

Have you ever received a gift when you didn’t deserve it? Maybe a kind gesture from a friend you were in a fight with. Or a check that came out of the blue at a time when you needed it. Well, God’s mercy and grace is just like that. You feel down and out, not knowing how you’re going to make it through the mess you put yourself in – and there God is with His free gift of mercy and comfort. Will you accept His gift today? I know I need it!! :)
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Ok, so I am starting something new… well, it will start when we move back into our house at the end of this month… so stay tuned for updates on how it goes…

I am going to get even more frugal then I already am trying to be. Yes, it’s true. I’ve been doing some research, and there are tons more ways I can be saving money.

Here are two that I will be trying once we’re back in our house:
1.) I will be line drying our clothes. Seriously. The research I have done shows that this truly is an art. Laugh if you will, but my clothes will smell fresher and I will be saving a ton of money on energy and gas.
2.) I am going to try to walk to the grocery store when I need an item. The only store closest to where our house is located is Vallarta. I have nothing against Vallarta; I have just never been in one. I hear their prices on produce are fantastic. We’ll see what else they have to offer there and if it would be a good deal for me to do most of my shopping there. I’ll be exercising my body and my budget!

This isnt an April Fools Day joke... try these for yourself and see how you can stretch you dollar too!

So, that where I am beginning. I have 30 days until the big move and I am hoping to add to this list. If you would like to submit an idea, please email me at sharon.m.lee@live.com.

Cool link of the week:
www.livingonadime.com

Stay tuned...

3.26.09

Joshua 23
9 "The LORD has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. 10 One of you routs a thousand, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as he promised. 11 So be very careful to love the LORD your God.

Basically what this is saying is 1.) stop thinking that you have to be many in number to make a big difference, because with the Lord you are stronger than anything imaginable. 2.) lenaphshotheychem, Take heed TO YOUR SOULS, literally. The WHOLE self must love the Lord God. You cannot have this love scattered.

I'm sad today. I'm sad for God's people. I hear from friends, loved ones, and their frustration with people who serve. For example a singer refusing to sing on the worship team because a leader was 10 minutes late with a legitimate reason. Its sad. How far are we going to take this selfishness? When are we going to realize that we are God's vessels, created and called to do His work? (Especially when we have a specific task that we've committed to). It grieves my heart.

Which brings me back to today's scripture... people of God, lets do something about this selfishness. You may be one person who is willing to do this, but you have the strength of God. Instead of letting it continue lets nip it in the butt now! What are we afraid of? Time is short, lost souls are at hand, so we shouldn't be afraid to stand up and say "let's get over ourselves and remember why we're here." And then secondly, people who are being selfish - when was it that your First Love changed to yourself? Let's put our focus back on God and get rid of this pride.

I'm sorry if it sounds like I am going on a rant here... I hope you hear my heart. I say this all in love. And sometimes I get this way too and have to steer back into the right attitude. This isn't to point fingers, or yell and scream -- its to put the focus back on God and our task as His people.

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Busy day today... oil change, smog check, work... looking forward to spending a nice night with my husband and baby girl.

Stay tuned...

3.24.09

1 Corinthians 9
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Spring training. Its that time of years folks. Think about it... whether you want to play a sport this summer, or you just want that bikini (or tankini in my case) ready body. Its a time to get healthy so that you're don't dragging and huffing and puffing while your kids want you to play outside with them. Ah, Spring. And. Training.

The people in Corinth knew a thing or two about training. They had crazy games of sport. After all, they were the site of the original Isthmian Games (like the Olympic Games in many ways)! They felt that their Greek gods would be pleased with them if they had physically fit bodies, and performed will in their sports. They spent a lot of time in training.

In working out, or getting in shape, endurance is a key. Once you give in to a week without doing any physical activity, or like me, to that donut sitting in the break room - its all over. The key is to endure, to remain at the top of your game. They say it takes 30 days for something to develop into a habit. Hmmm... maybe we need to all take a 30 day devotional/worship/prayer/fast(?) challenge. If we spent more time in the word than on the couch in front of the TV I bet we'd all have so much of God's word in us that we would have to shout it out to everyone or else we'd explode! What do you think?? Are you up for the challenge??
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It is Tim's first day at The Highlands (www.thehighlandschurch.com)! He is so excited, and got to spend some time with the interns today. It will be great to see what God will do!!

As for me, I am using God's wisdom for my life to be creative. Maybe I will write more about that some other time...

Hannah is finally getting well after being sick for almost a week. The weather is getting so nice outside and I cannot wait to let her run and play! It will be so great getting into our house!

We had dinner last night with my mother in law, and her boyfriend Luis. It seemed so natural to see them together, like this should have happened several years ago! Praying for them as they consider the future.

That's all for now... stay tuned...

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