Happy Birthday to ME !!!!

Happy Birthday to Me !!

Today is my birthday.  wow...another year older....well we shall not ponder on that thought.  I don't feel older, therefore, I shall not be...haha...

Today my husband is taking me out to Lunch.  We are going to try a new restaurant that we have been wanting to try for a while....it is called El Chappala...it is a mexican restaurant.  My fave.  I do hope it is good.  I hate Tex-mex....so hopefully this is not...

Having grown up in So. California, where there is an excellent mexican restaurant on every corner....they all seem to pale in comparison.  And everyone has their own opinion on what is authentic and what is not....just depends on what you like and what you are used to I suppose.

I shall report back and let you know how this one is....

My husband also gave me money for shopping for my present.  He asked what I wanted and I said money...so there ya go....I am having a Stampin Up Party in a couple of weeks so I wanted money to spend at that....

Sandra is coming over later.  She called to wish me a Happy Birthday...she has a job interview this morning, so be praying for her for that.  She said she wasn't too nervous...so that is good.

My sympathy and love go out to my best friend Kim....and her family.  Her mother-in-law died of cancer day before yesterday.  She had been battling it for a number of years.  Thank God she is not suffering any more....but I know that her family and friends will miss her....but she is with Jesus now, rejoicing forevermore....Love you Kim and Kurt and Cameron...Love you too Lacey....I pray that the Holy Spirit will comfort you and give you peace.

Well I have many things to do, so I guess I should get off of here and get going on it all.

Have a nice day everyone...I plan to as well...

Well the Wedding was lovely!!!

Good Morning!!!!

Well I am back.  Boy this summer is slipping away quickly.  First it was getting all the stuff ready for the wedding, and making the trip, and earning enough money to make the trip, then after getting back it was recouping from the trip, and now it is cleaning up my mess that I left behind...so basically, the summer is slipping away, and I have not gotten done all that I wanted to do...oh well, this is life I suppose...

The wedding was lovely....I am posting some pictures on here....I don't have all of them yet, but eventually I hope I will get them.  Tashas is sending me a video of the wedding too, but that will be a little while before I get that.  Can't wait to watch it again.

Brian, (Tasha's youth pastor from a few years back) performed the wedding ceremony.  It was beautiful...he did an excellent job...way to go Brian.  They also had a slide show at the wedding.  I always love slide shows....just sort of brings back good memories of childhood, and how they got from point A to point B....love that..

The trip was long and hard...but fun as well.  I was glad to be home by the time I got back though.

Well here are the pics...

Me and Tasha and Chad....not a real clear picture...these were all taken by Matthew...

I hope some of the other ones will turn out a little clearer...but you get the idea...

what a beautiful bride...she looked like Belle from Beuty and the Beast....

The Maid of Honor and the Brides Maid....Kimmie and Laura

Debi and Matt

Pastor Brian and Matt....Way to go Pastor Brian...great Job...

The garter toss....Matthew caught it ...

The Mr. & Mrs. Dance at the reception

Me and Matt

Mark and Matt....don't they look dashing...Mark you looked so cute in your new fashions...and hairdo..

Alyssa...her dress fit perfectly and she looked very cute in it...however, she never made it down the aisle...she threw a fit and wouldn't do it...she got carried down the aisle...

Stuff that cake in...

The cake was lovely....

Well that is all I have for now....

Gotta go finish cleaning my basement...

I'm Backkkkkk.....!!!!!!

Good Morning !

Well needless to say, I have been busy.  It has been a month since I have been on here.  Sorry....just the way life is sometimes.

Besides preparing for the trip to Texas, love this  pic of Tasha

I have also been working on getting Secret Heart stuff ready to go too.  Our Secret Hearts (pals) at church is coming back from a 6 month break...so preparations had to be taken care of.  We revamped our forms, and made a few changes...nothing too major, just tweaked the program a little.  So that has taken up a chunk of time as well.

Well things are coming along for the trip. 

one of my favorite pics with Tasha and Shaun

 I only have one more thing to make...the Garter.  Then I will be all set to concentrate on my packing.  I do have to redo one thing for the wedding gift, but that won't take long.  I made one tiny mistake so I have to redo my mistake, then it will be ok.....

I am going to go today and get my hair color, and make an appt. to get my hair styled....I should be able to do that later this week....

So now the big project of deciding what to pack for the trip.  I always seem to pack too much.  I like to have a few choices once I get there.  So decisions decisions.  I need to try on my swim suit too, and make sure it still fits.  I sure it will be fine.  I do want to take a dip in the pool while I am there.  Hope it isn't too hot down there.  Although I hear that it is.  The pool in the hotel is outside.....I would rather have an indoor pool....I love to swim, but I don't want to get too sunburned either...been there done that.. not fun...

Well I need to go do some errands...so I better get going.

Have a nice day....if you think about it, please pray for our trip...for all provisions to be met...for it to be pleasant....and for the wedding to go well....for all concerned.

thanks...

Hello!!!  Welcome---Grab a cup of Coffee and sit a spell! 

Well I finished the Flower girl dress

Sandra took pictures for me, Thanks a bunch...., so now I can show it to you.  The color didn't show up quite as well as it should in the picture...but here it is anyway.  I still have to make the ring bearer's pillow, and decorate the Flower girl basket...

And for those of you that asked --who was getting married.......the answer is my oldest grand-daughter--- Tasha Brooke,......she is getting married to Chad Aug. 16th in Texas.

Isn't she beautiful....she is a ham....

This was taken recently at her wedding shower

This is Tasha and Kimmie, her maid of honor

She is excited

The happy couple

The Ring

What a pair

How cute

They are really quite sweet together...

They look so happy...

So I am going to go to the wedding.  I have been sewing for a couple of months, saving my money for the trip. 

I still have to find a dress for myself to wear to the wedding...or perhaps make one...not sure.

I think I will go try some on and see what I can find...and if I don't find any that I like...then I will make it...but I do pray that I will find something I like for the amount that I have to spend on it.

We are having severe thunderstorms going on right now.  I do love thunderstorms, as long as they don't get violent...I do end up pray the 91 Psalm a lot...

Today my husband and I went out looking at Outdoor Grills.  We went to K-mart, Wal-mart, Shopko, Farm n Fleet, Target, Mennards and Home Depot.   He hasn't totally made a decision yet...but the two best ones that we found were at Menards, and K-mart....The one at K-mart has the burner on the side for regular cooking....like if you wanted to cook corn on the cob in a pan...you could do that...or you could cook anything in a pan on it....and then it has the reg. grill with two burners and a warming rack....then the one at Menards had no side burner...and is $30 cheaper....it has all the other bells and whistles though...and it was very nice....so we just really have to decide, how much we would actually use the side burner....our kitchen is just right inside the patio door and a hop skip and a jump away from the grill so I am not sure we actually need that or would use it that much....so to pay $30 extra for something we might not use that much....seems a little foolish...but it is up to him...whichever one he wants...

Well I haven't totally decided what I want to do next...but in the meantime, while I ponder...here is my latest devotion....I picked apart the 23rd Psalm with the Strong's concordance, and this is what I came up with....Hope someone enjoys it...

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD---PSALMS 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  When I allow the Lord to be my shepherd, I let him take the reigns of my life and let him be my ruler.  He wants to be my friend, He wants to take care of me, but I have the ability to hinder that friendship, that caring for me if I don’t let him have the rule and reign in my life.

If I give him the rule, I have no lack in my life. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures, and he leads me beside the still waters.  He give me rest in the green pastures, where there is fresh green grass and tender herbs, a place of nourishment.   A  pleasant and peaceful place, a place to call my home.   He leads me there and he protects and sustains me all along the way.  He leads me to the still waters.  A place of peacefulness, quiet and refreshment.  He satisfies my thirst and makes me comfortable.  He fulfills me.

He restores my soul.  He rescues me and brings me back home again.  He renews my mind, my will and my emotions.  He makes me whole again.  He breathes the breath of life into me….His life…the Zoe, God kind of life.

He leads me in the paths of righteousness.  An ordained path, a circular track, that he has set up in advance for my life.  If I stray he leads me back to the right path when I give him back the reigns and let him be the leader.  Two people can’t drive….it is one or the other.  When I let him drive, we get to the right place at the right time.  When I try to do the driving, I run amuk.  He does all of this as a memorial and an honor because his ways are right.

Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death---I will fear no evil.  Why?  Because I am walking through the valley, not planning on pitching my tent there.  It refers to this place as a valley because it is a low spot with high cliffs on every side.  You feel trapped but the only way out is to look up.  If you don’t look up, all you see is the low spot—you will never see the way out. 

Why should we be afraid of evil in the shadow of death.  A shadow happens when light is cut off from a surface.  It forms a shadow, it isn’t real, it is an illusion.  Put the object back in the light and the shadow disappears.  We are to fear no evil in times of trouble, adversity or when a calamity appears.  All that has happened is that you have gotten out of the light.  So step back into the light and do not fear the evil.  God knows where I am, and if I give him back the reigns he will pull me back into the safe place.  While he is doing this, don’t be afraid.  He is with you and he knows where he is taking you.  He will lead me out with the rod of correction, (his Word).  He has his staff to comfort me.  He touches me with his staff, so that I can know he is leading me.   He has the ability to keep me on the right path, if I am willing to let him do it.  This involves trust.  Do you trust him with your life.  Do you trust that he will lead you on the peaceful path?  He is there to console me when I feel down and ease any pain that I might have.

He has even set in order and prepared a table, a meal, a place of nourishment in the face of my enemies, during the course of any trouble or distress along the way.  He brings abundance and satisfies me.  He makes me the head and not the tail.  My cup, my portion it is a constant overflow of good things.

Joy, goodness, kindness, beauty, pleasantness, favor, mercy and grace are all running after me and following me.  They are hunting me down and in hot pursuit of me all the days of my life.

I will dwell in (sit down, with no intention of moving from the house of the Lord---a Palace, a family place, my home ) All the days of my life….forever and ever……

This all happens WHEN I MAKE THE LORD MY SHEPHERD---my guide, my protector, my friend….the one who forever has the reigns and takes care of me….

I have never understood why the 23^rd Psalm gets preached at funerals.  It has nothing really to do with death.  It has everything to do with life.  Life God’s way.  It is a picture of how we should walk day by day…allowing him to lead, to drive, and not a picture of death at all.

Good Morning !!!

  Good Morning!!!

Well here I am once again.....sorry it has been so long....boy has this summer been busy already.....where does the time go???

I found out the other day, that the city fireworks are going to be shot off just a few blocks from where we live, so we will be able to see them from our yard.  I think Sandra and Mark are coming over here to watch them...and I assume the kids might come too...that will be fun.  Always nice to have someone to share things with..

Our Freedom Fest at church last Friday was great....we had a ton of people there....Don and I drove the little golf cart taxi's back and forth to the parking lot.  That was a lot of fun.  Get to meet lots of nice people.  The little kids loved to just get on and ride around with us....It was a big success. the fireworks were spectacular this year.  Kirk gets a little better each year....thanks Kirk...You are great.!

I can't believe the 4th  is almost here....wow this year is going by really fast...especially the summer....and I still have so many things left that I wanted to get done this summer...

I still want to refinish some things, and work on my oil painting.   Oh my.....!!!!!

I have had a couple of more sewing customers this week.  I am now saving my money so I can buy a new dress to wear to the wedding.  I hope I can find what is roaming around in my brain.....I would like to find something in Pink Blush....it is a very pale subtle pink...and I want a vintage look....with some antique lace on it....I suppose if worse comes to worse and I cannot find anything close to what I see in my brain I could make the dress.  But if I am going to do that, I really need to get out and get looking now, so I still have time to make it, if need be.  I was hoping to just walk into a store, and see it right there, it fits perfectly and the price is within my budget....is that too much to ask...??? haha...I hope not..

Well I am going to try to finish up this last 3 pages of the Job Story today.  I hope some of you have enjoyed it.  I know Linda liked it...so if it was only for one person, then it was worth it all....

Job:  A Mini-Story of Redemption

9.  Greater Prayer Power:  Finally, consider the greater prayer power available to us as New Testament believers, that was not available to Job.  Job repeatedly expressed difficulty in getting through to God.  He felt helpless in prayer.  He didn't know how to pray.  But the New Testament believer has a level of prayer available to him in such times of crisis that always gets through, and is always on the target of God's will!

That level of prayer is praying in the Spirit, or praying in tongues.  "Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romns 8:26).  When I am in a crisis, and I don't know how to pray, I just turn my praying over to the Holy Spirit and start praying in a language that I don't understand; and many times it is sheer "groainings which cannot be uttered."  I simply do what the apostle Paul did: "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.  What is it then?  I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also...." (ICorinthians 14:14-15).

The results are absolutely astounding when I pray in an unknown tongue.  I know that my praying is effective and right on.  How could it be otherwise?  It's the Holy Spirit that gives me the utterance, and I'm not going to pray amiss, or out of the will of God as I pray in the spirit.

This beautiful gift of the Holy Spirit was not available in Old Testament times.  It didn't become available to us until the day of Pentecost. (ACTS 2: 1-4) and it is available even today.  The apostle Paul said; "I would that you all speak with tongues...." (I Corinthians 14:5).  No wonder the devil has fought tongues so had through the ages.  He doesn't want any believer to use such a powerful and successful method of prayer, for it places him at a disadvantage.  You'ld fight it too, if you felt yourself at a disadvantage, wouldn't you?

Well, praise the Lord for the ability to pray with unknown tongues.  I'll tell you, I'm going to use ever tool I can get my hands on, to be successful in this life, and effective in the kingdom of God.  I'm not going to ignore any one of them, and neither are you, praise God!

We usually think of Job as being "poor ol' Job," because of all the troubles he had.  But there is another reason he was "Poor ol' Job" and that was because he, through no fault of his own, was lacking; simply because he happened to live in the Old Testament dispensation of time.

You and I don't need to be "Poor ol' Jobs", for we are living in the New Testament dispensation, and the spiritual tools that have been given to us are more than sufficient in overcoming the enemy and giving us the victory.

As New Testament believers, there really is no way that we can fully identify with Job.  We are not poor when it comes to spiritual weapons.  We may not know how to use what is given to us, but that is a different problem.

We may not have had any experience in using the name of Jesus and experiencing a resulting healing, or we may not know how to use the shield of faith, or we may no be able to pray with unknown tongues, (or even want to, for that matter), but all of that can be taken care of with good Bible instruction and training.  But that does not alter the fact that you and I do have a lot more going for us than Job did.  Therefore we can be more successful in the times of trial and testing than Job was.

Let's get on with our training and growth in the ability to use all that God has given us.  And let's stop comparing our "sorrowful situations" with Job's.

RATHER---

Consider the WRITTEN WORD OF GOD, AND JESUS, OUR MEDIATOR.  Consider the SHED BLOOD OF JESUS, AND THE WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY.  Consider the NAME OF JESUS, AND THE LAYING ON OF HANDS.  Consider THE SHIELD OF FAITH, AND THE REVELATION THAT GOD IS OUR FATHER.  Consider THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT and our NEW PRAYER POWER.

Get these things in your spirit, and USE YOUR TOOLS!   You don't have to be like Job. 

Oh Hallelujah!  As the Lord said to me, "The book of Job is not a story of suffering and how I want my people to suffer for my glory.  The Book of Job is a mini-story of redemption.  A story of how my people need my redemption on a continual basis and how they can come to me through Christ Jesus and receive my redemption from their difficulties and problems any time they need it....."

My Comments to sum it all up:

The word says my people perish because of a lack of knowledge.....it also says to "be ye doers of the word, not hearers only, lest you deceive your ownselves".....

So you perish without the knowledge, but you can also perish if you don't put the knowledge that you have to work for you.

I hope this has been of benefit to someone.  Thanks for all your comments Linda...

Now I have to find out what I want to do next.....

Anyone have any thing they want to study???

I am open to ideas....leave me a comment...

Have a great day...and God bless you one and all...