Monday, July 29, 2013
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Wednesday Five
This is a new thing I am starting. Each Wednesday I'm going to write 5 things that are going on in my life (not that my life is that exciting.)
1. VBS is this week! VBS is one of my favorite times of the year, I love the music, the kids, all of it! Matt and I are working with 5th & 6th graders again for the 2nd year in a row. We love our other team leaders with us and we have a great group of kids. The first 30 minutes we sing songs; watching Matt do the motions is PRICELESS! Next we take our group up to the mission room. Instead of crafts they are doing mission projects, the have been putting Operation Christmas Child boxes together and they will pack them tonight, they have sorted shoes the church has been collecting (the shoes are sold to provide clean water), the girls have been sewing pillow cases to send to a children's home (I'm excited about this, since I love to sew.) The girls are really enjoying it! After missions they go to Scripture Memory where they are memorizing II Timothy 1:7 AND learning it in sign language (thanks Reha), they are also learning the books of the New Testament. After that is Snack and Rec, which is just games and food! Next they go to Bible Story, they have been learning about Paul and how be came to follower of Christ and the great things he did after he was changed. The three ladies who have been teaching the lesson are amazing! Then it is time to go home. On Thursday the parents are invited to come and hear the songs, memory verse, and other things the kids have learned this week.
2. In November I asked for a bike for my birthday, but Matt asked if I was okay with waiting until it got warm since I wouldn't be able to ride it anyway, so I agreed. Then when it got warmer I was planning my trip to Haiti so we decided I would wait until I got back. I GOT IT MONDAY!!! I love riding bikes! For my eighth grade graduation when my friends were asking for phones, camera, and new clothes I asked for a bike. I got to go on a 15 minute ride yesterday and I plan to take one again today!
3.You're Timeless to Me! I finally talked Matt into auditioning for a musical (well I had some help from a few friends.) Matt is Wilbur in Hairspray! Not only is he in a musical, he is in one of my favorites!!! He had his first read through on Monday and last night he was working on his song, but since he can't read music and I know every song by heart, I got to help him on a few parts. I can't wait to see him in it, he is going to rock it!
4. I'm reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix right now, and it is intense. It is hard for me to explain to people how anxious, nervous, and attached I get when reading books (especially really intense ones.) Right now I'm really mad at Harry because he is being mean to Ron and Hermione, I understand he has a lot going on, but it is uncalled for. Matt thinks I'm crazy because I talk about the characters like they are real people, but I'm not ashamed!
5. Matt and I are hoping to go on a mini vacation to Chicago for Comic Con in August, but that is if our funds allow it!
1. VBS is this week! VBS is one of my favorite times of the year, I love the music, the kids, all of it! Matt and I are working with 5th & 6th graders again for the 2nd year in a row. We love our other team leaders with us and we have a great group of kids. The first 30 minutes we sing songs; watching Matt do the motions is PRICELESS! Next we take our group up to the mission room. Instead of crafts they are doing mission projects, the have been putting Operation Christmas Child boxes together and they will pack them tonight, they have sorted shoes the church has been collecting (the shoes are sold to provide clean water), the girls have been sewing pillow cases to send to a children's home (I'm excited about this, since I love to sew.) The girls are really enjoying it! After missions they go to Scripture Memory where they are memorizing II Timothy 1:7 AND learning it in sign language (thanks Reha), they are also learning the books of the New Testament. After that is Snack and Rec, which is just games and food! Next they go to Bible Story, they have been learning about Paul and how be came to follower of Christ and the great things he did after he was changed. The three ladies who have been teaching the lesson are amazing! Then it is time to go home. On Thursday the parents are invited to come and hear the songs, memory verse, and other things the kids have learned this week.
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| Both of these girls hold a special place in my heart and always will! The one standing is 12 and very skilled sewer, she is giving a quick lesson so they can get their pillow cases done! |
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| Meet Luna! She is so beautiful |
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| In honor of my first ride, I wore my shirt with bikes on it! |
3.You're Timeless to Me! I finally talked Matt into auditioning for a musical (well I had some help from a few friends.) Matt is Wilbur in Hairspray! Not only is he in a musical, he is in one of my favorites!!! He had his first read through on Monday and last night he was working on his song, but since he can't read music and I know every song by heart, I got to help him on a few parts. I can't wait to see him in it, he is going to rock it!
4. I'm reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix right now, and it is intense. It is hard for me to explain to people how anxious, nervous, and attached I get when reading books (especially really intense ones.) Right now I'm really mad at Harry because he is being mean to Ron and Hermione, I understand he has a lot going on, but it is uncalled for. Matt thinks I'm crazy because I talk about the characters like they are real people, but I'm not ashamed!
5. Matt and I are hoping to go on a mini vacation to Chicago for Comic Con in August, but that is if our funds allow it!
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| Love this quote! |
Monday, July 15, 2013
Just Be You!
I want to empower teenagers (especially girls) in a positive way. I want to show them that you don't have to be skinny to be beautiful. You don't have to wear short dresses or low cut shirts to be noticed. I want to show girls that class and brains are more beautiful than dark makeup and high heels. I'm not saying dark makeup and high heels are bad, because if I wasn't already tall (and not a klutz) I would wear heels more often. What I'm saying is that I hate that girls feel that they need to be someone else in order to feel beautiful or popular. I want to tell girls that reading is just as cool as texting all day. I want to show them that they don't have to change for a boy because the right one will not want them to change.
I know all of these seems so cheesy but I am really passionate about this subject. I wish girls could see that the way the celebs act is not the right way to treat people or yourself. Don't use people for your own good, do things for the good of other people. Don't belittle people to build yourself up. And stop judging girls by their clothes and accessories.
Self-respect, respect for others, being passionate, & daring to be different is important in life. I never really fit in with people my age in school. I didn't like to music or TV shows or clothes that they liked. It took until about my senior year that I realized I didn't want to be like everyone else, because that made life boring. I decided that I would be me and I would find friends who we okay with that. When I got to college I met people who were different just like me, but in a different way.
I would love for young girls to see their beauty through their pain and distorted view on their bodies. God has created us all differently, how he wanted us.
Don't be afraid to be different....just be you!
I know all of these seems so cheesy but I am really passionate about this subject. I wish girls could see that the way the celebs act is not the right way to treat people or yourself. Don't use people for your own good, do things for the good of other people. Don't belittle people to build yourself up. And stop judging girls by their clothes and accessories.
Self-respect, respect for others, being passionate, & daring to be different is important in life. I never really fit in with people my age in school. I didn't like to music or TV shows or clothes that they liked. It took until about my senior year that I realized I didn't want to be like everyone else, because that made life boring. I decided that I would be me and I would find friends who we okay with that. When I got to college I met people who were different just like me, but in a different way.
I would love for young girls to see their beauty through their pain and distorted view on their bodies. God has created us all differently, how he wanted us.
Don't be afraid to be different....just be you!
Friday, June 28, 2013
God is good, all the time
The past few days Matt and I have been feeling the hit on our checkbook because I was off work while in Haiti for three weeks. Three weeks is a long time to not be working if you are dependent on that money. When I first had the opportunity to go for three weeks I didn't hesitate at all (I'm all about doing things without thinking) so I agreed. Then as the time came closer I started to get nervous about not making that money. I prayed a lot about it and just had to have faith that the Lord would provide for us. Wednesday when our checkbook was getting smaller and smaller we really started to worry. We were both on edge and was very careful that what we did buy was a must have. We had no food and not enough money to buy any but Matt's mom surprised us with several bags of groceries. Neither of us knew she was going to do this but we were very thankful. I finally got paid but my check was still smaller than normal because I had a the flu and missed a day of work. After we paid rent we would only have about 90 dollars left for everything else to last us two week and we needed to get several things for the house (toilet paper, trash bags, etc) and more food. I called Matt really upset and he was very short with me on the phone "I can't talk right now, but don't worry okay?" I figured he had someone in his office or something. About 10 minutes later he text me and said "don't worry, we have just been blessed, I'll explain later." I had no clue what he was talking about. Later he called me and told me someone walked in his office asked about the issues we had with my trip (paying for a hotel we didn't need, the extra money for the rental car for insurance and gas, etc.) Matt explained what happened and this person handed him a check for quite a bit of money. This person said "you two are like our children and we want you to have this, use it for whatever you need." Matt was so grateful he started crying in his office.
That night I called this person to thank them. They said this to me "when we were your age a lot of people helped us out and you will do it for someone else when you are our age. But it isn't from us it's from the Lord."
I am still amazed about the faithfulness of the Lord. He provides for those who are obedient, He called me to go to Haiti for three weeks and He blessed us for that. Please remember that God is good, all the time!
Until next time...Romans 8:28
That night I called this person to thank them. They said this to me "when we were your age a lot of people helped us out and you will do it for someone else when you are our age. But it isn't from us it's from the Lord."
I am still amazed about the faithfulness of the Lord. He provides for those who are obedient, He called me to go to Haiti for three weeks and He blessed us for that. Please remember that God is good, all the time!
Until next time...Romans 8:28
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Read a Book, or Two, or 50!
While I was in Haiti I borrowed some books from Angie (it got boring at night.) I read four books in a week and a half. That was just reading late at night after the internet was turned off. Once I got to FL I went to WalMart to get a book to read on the way home (after being stuck on a plane for 3 hours without moving I was glad I did.) Once I got home I decided I was going to try and read 50 books this summer. I am almost positive I will not be able to reach that goal (I'm expected to cook, clean, do laundry, work, and spend time with real people...LAME!) Right now I am almost finished with book nine it is is already July, so I am not going to make my goal, but that is okay, I am going to see how close I can get. I got a library card and have been going to town on reading. I have found some new authors I really love and read some new books of authors I have read before. I want to rate each book I have read so far but I know I'll just give them all 5 out of 5 so there is no point. Here is the list:
Island Inferno by Chuck Holton
Against All Odds
An Eye for an Eye
In Harm's Way (all three of these are by Irene Hannon and are The Heroes of Quanitco series.)
The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
Along for the Ride
This Lullaby
Lock and Key (all three of these are by Sarah Dessen)
There You'll Find Me by Jenny B Jones (not done with this one yet)
I hate how many teens don't read anymore. When I told my youth group about my goal one kids said "Wait! 50 books!!!??" and another one said "I don't think I've read 50 books in my life." Breaks my heart! Reading is the best way to pass time (or keep you from getting house work done)
Until next time..."The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”-Dr. Suess (the best author in the whole world)
Now....go read a book!
Island Inferno by Chuck Holton
Against All Odds
An Eye for an Eye
In Harm's Way (all three of these are by Irene Hannon and are The Heroes of Quanitco series.)
The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
Along for the Ride
This Lullaby
Lock and Key (all three of these are by Sarah Dessen)
There You'll Find Me by Jenny B Jones (not done with this one yet)
I hate how many teens don't read anymore. When I told my youth group about my goal one kids said "Wait! 50 books!!!??" and another one said "I don't think I've read 50 books in my life." Breaks my heart! Reading is the best way to pass time (or keep you from getting house work done)
Until next time..."The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”-Dr. Suess (the best author in the whole world)
Now....go read a book!
Monday, June 24, 2013
Jesus' Love
I read a quote earlier on Facebook and it really made me think. Here it is:
15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:13-17.
God loves each one of us the same, Christian or not. John 3:16 doesn't say, "For God so loved the Christians that He gave his one and only son." God so loved THE WORLD. All of it! Sometimes I think Christians have been Christians so long that they have forgotten they weren't born that way. There was a time before we were saved. For some of us it may have been a longer time than others.
We have gotten so wrapped up in our outward appearance and what others think we have forgotten about what God thinks. How would you feel if your fellow church members caught you having lunch with the town drunk? How would you feel if I told you God sees you with the town drunk?
Jesus hung out with the outcasts, the people everyone had pushed out the door. He loved them, just as He loved the apostles, and how He loves us. We should love others by thinking about how God loves them. What does He see beyond the "broken" outside of those people?
Stop adding more to the walls of your building and start taking the church to the broken. If we are not bringing more people to Jesus we might as well burn the building down! We need to leave the walls around us and love the people we don't think deserve it, because I promise you, they do. And they may need it more than you'll ever know. We need to stop judging people from the outside and get to know their heart.
Love them in the same way Jesus does.
Until next time...John 13:34-35
13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:13-17.
God loves each one of us the same, Christian or not. John 3:16 doesn't say, "For God so loved the Christians that He gave his one and only son." God so loved THE WORLD. All of it! Sometimes I think Christians have been Christians so long that they have forgotten they weren't born that way. There was a time before we were saved. For some of us it may have been a longer time than others.
We have gotten so wrapped up in our outward appearance and what others think we have forgotten about what God thinks. How would you feel if your fellow church members caught you having lunch with the town drunk? How would you feel if I told you God sees you with the town drunk?
Jesus hung out with the outcasts, the people everyone had pushed out the door. He loved them, just as He loved the apostles, and how He loves us. We should love others by thinking about how God loves them. What does He see beyond the "broken" outside of those people?
Stop adding more to the walls of your building and start taking the church to the broken. If we are not bringing more people to Jesus we might as well burn the building down! We need to leave the walls around us and love the people we don't think deserve it, because I promise you, they do. And they may need it more than you'll ever know. We need to stop judging people from the outside and get to know their heart.
Love them in the same way Jesus does.
Until next time...John 13:34-35
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Restore
There is a song that hits me every time I hear it, it hits me like a
huge bus smashing into me. Every time I hear it I crank the radio and
just let the words fill my mind. It is call "Restore" by Chris August.
The words are so real and honest (most of his songs are.) I hope you
enjoy it as much as I do!
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