My One Year Blog Anniversary!!

HERE is my first post (and HERE is one that spoke to me today again...I love going back and seeing what all God was teaching me...that I may have forgotten) from this day last year! It is so funny because this morning I was thinking of buying another Patriarchs book and doing it again. It must be the time of year or something! =)

When Morgan settles down I have a post coming in honor of my blog anniversary! I have been so richly blessed by all of you!!! love jenny

At High Noon

Janel keeps reminding me of "Praying Gods Word" by...you guessed it Beth(ie) Moore. Anyway, I have held this book close to me for years and I read this from it again last night and it spoke volumes to me:
a quote by Cynthia Heald, A Womans Journey to the Heart of God

"In a sense we are all, in some way, outcasts until we meet the Lord. We are thirsty for people to love and accept us. We drink from many wells to try to satisfy our longings, but eventually, we tire of always having to draw water to get our needs met. Each of us asks, Isn't there someone who will give me water without manipulating me or requiring me to jump through hoops for it? Isn't there someone who will love me just for who I am? Then Jesus appears at high noon."

John 4

Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman

1The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.

4Now he had to go through Samaria. 5So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

9The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.^[a])

10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

16He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."

17"I have no husband," she replied.

Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."

19"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

25The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

26Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

Just Because

Just to show you what an addictive personality I have...
It is 1 am and I really needed to chew some of THIS gum. It is my favorite and I go through a container of it in like 3 days. So, here I am gum and all. And I should be shot because my 2 1/2 year old child is up and she needed some gum to...so we are both in the bed watching Veggie Tales latest "The Wizard of Ha's" chewing our gum. As a side note I am so taking her to her first trip to the movie theater to see THIS.

Oh and my bad on the last post...i need to finish it. sorry.

Only a few more shifts at j jill and I am finished! Give Him some Praise. I am so tired of it and can't wait to be finished and be at home with Morgan.

A Better Country

In this life we are called to be set apart as Christians. We are to be consecrated to the Lord which means that we are to be used for His good purposes. Yet we have huge obstacles on our hands if we want to do this thing and be victorious. Our flesh gets in the way. Our desires war within us. The enemy is hard after us as he preys upon us...hoping to destroy us. The world wants us to "love it" and all it has to offer which is so fleeting and temporary. There are so many distractions. One more thing that I want to throw in the mix of things that can get us off track is circumstances. The following passage has been rising in my soul for the last several days and the Lord calls me to not focus on my circumstances but to focus on a "better country". To believe Him even if things don't pan out in the here and now. How do I focus on a "better country"? By setting my heart and mind on His word. By seeking to know Him. In the last couple of years I have had a huge battle to believe God for so many things. To believe Him for my marriage, to believe Him when He says that He will provide all of my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. I have had to believe that He is not done with me and that He has a purpose for me. I could go on and on listing things for you that I have been challenged with, but you have your own list. Oh let me let you take a look at the verses before I finish...oops.

Hebrews 11:13-16
13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Listen, circumstances and trials will continue to beat on your door as long as you live here we have to face the facts on that one. The trials have been allowed and God wants to use them to so that our faith, which is of greater worth than gold, may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1:6-8
6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

Even when trials don't seem to let up, and you feel like the weight of life and all of its anxieties are about to do you in...please keep believing until your faith becomes sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7
We live by faith, not by sight.

Go read Hebrews 11...I love it every time. Then, get back to the verses that I listed earlier...Hebrews 11:13-16
13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.
THEY were STILL living by faith when they died...even though they did not receive the things promised. Their gaze was on the author and perfecter of their faith. He is the same now as He was then and He will help us as we seek Him. These people who lived by faith were far from perfect, just like us. The thing that set them apart was a choice to focus on what was eternal instead of what was temporal. We have the same choice. We can constantly focus on how we feel or what we see or we can bring all of that to His feet continually and focus on Him.

I can not tell you all of the horrible decisions I would have already made if I didn't have this hope. I am not sure how things will turn out...but one thing is for sure...I want to die by faith. No matter what the world or even the church says about me...I want God to say: "this one...she lived by faith." I know you feel the same.

So why do we still thirst for things of this world? Why do we feel so lonely and empty sometimes? Why don't we feel satisfied? I was reading this verse this morning:

book meme

I was tagged by my sweet friend darla! here goes! i am still typing w 1 hand...sorry. =)
01. One book that changed your life --Seriously, the Bible. I have no clue where I wouls be without it!!
2. One book that you have read more than once -Most recently "GEt Out of that Pit"by BEth Moore...I have also done each of her workbook studies several times. can't wait for Esther.
03. One book you would want on a deserted Island--sorry to duplicate but B-I-B-L-E the bible is the one for me.
04. One book that made you laugh??? I have no clue.
05. One book that made you cry? The Mark of the Lion Series by francine rivers...and redeeming love...if you have not read these you need to!
06. One book that you wish had been written- i am too tired to think about this
07. One book that you wish had never been written --lord of the flies...or anything i was forced to read in English.

08. One book you are currently reading- Prayer by Phillip Yancey
09. One book you have been meaning to read-the cost of discipleship
10. Now I am suppose to tag 5 people--Bev, Angie, Charity, pinkmommy, ang, and alissa.

pain, pain, pain.

*Update on the hand. The doctor put it in a brace and it hurts like crazy! =) Thank you all for checking on me.



morgan is over the pneumonia...PRAISE Him. Then, Sunday night more fun came down the chimney at the Williams house!
I am trying to type w 1 hand...
Morg was in the living room w/a metal spatula and ran to me and slammed the edge into the bones in my left hand. So, I am waiting to get in to the dr. in the morning 2 c what they will do. so if you ever need a weapon and don't believe in guns just hit them in the hand w a spatula.

Merry CHRISTmas. I really can't wait to share something from the word...but it would take me a day to type w one hand. =)
i love u all

ps morgan loved all of her gifts and one of the best highlights of my family time this weekend was that i beat my 9 year old nephew at connect four like 7 times in a row. =)

and i got to tell my brother that he was a cotton headed ninny muggins. Does anyone feel me here?

Yesterday's Baggage

Hey siestas! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. I have been so busy with work and etc. I turned in my two weeks notice yesterday so I can concentrate on my courses. I am so excited there was too much drama there and it got to where it was more of a hassle.

Also, I could use some extra prayer if you think of me. I want to be a doer of the word and not just one who hears the word and walks away forgetting what she looked like in the mirror of God's word. I have had some obstacles put before me that I just need to hurdle over in the power of the Holy Spirit.

=) have a great day! I am off to church and then to work! fun!

From www.walkintheword.com Pastor James MacDonald

Yesterday's Baggage
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:12-15
Kathy and I laughed today at some pictures we found of us when we first moved to Chicago from Canada in the mid-1980’s. We retold some stories from those days and shook our heads at how young we were “back then”-how wonderfully clueless.
In those early years, we didn’t yet realize how life has a way of piling up on you. You just don’t see it when you’re young. By the time you flip a few pages on the calendar, you can look back on choices you wish you had made differently and situations you hoped would have turned out better. All of a sudden a few years, then a few decades have gone by, and stuff has really started to pile up.
Life moves so fast. It’s easy to just stick unresolved conflict and hurts in a drawer. Then something else happens and since the drawer has filled up, you find a spot on a shelf somewhere. And let’s say you move to a new place, so now you pack up all that crud and put it in a box in the attic of your new place. Before you know, you need a serious garage sale and I’m not talking about dumping old lamps, baby clothes, and exercise equipment. You need to get rid of all the harbored hurts of times when people disappointed you, all the rejection you’ve stuffed away, and all the situations that unfolded the way you hoped they never would. Unless you deal with these burdens God’s way, no matter where you move to get away from it, you’ll drag your carry-on baggage with you.
Has anyone ever told you that God didn’t make you with the capacity to carry forward all that negative weight from your past? He doesn’t expect you to. He gives you His ability to forgive in order to free you from the hurt of relational failure. Colossians 3:13, “bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
The older I get, the more I realize that if you want the kind of life that God promises you, you must become an expert at forgiveness. You need to be the best person in your family at forgiveness-the best person at your church and work, the best person on your street at this all important biblical, necessary, required skill.
I’ve said it for years, “there are no enduring relationships without forgiveness.” Is there someone who you need to forgive? My guess is that the Lord is bringing their face to your mind right now. Ask Him to begin His work of mercy and grace in your heart. The last thing you need in 2008 is yesterday’s baggage.

People of the week segment

So, if you are one of the five people who reads my blog...LOL...you may remember that I am spotlighting people who are special to me each week.

This week I am going to tell you about some of Rods family. His mom and dad to be exact....they are better known and MiMi and Pop. Rod and I sort of had an on again off again relationship in the beginning days, but I will never forget the first time I met his family. One of my closest friends had dated Rod years before and she told me that Rod's parents lived in a mansion (it wasn't a mansion...they are blessed I had it all wrong thinking they were going to be some snobby people). That really made me nervous but I went on and met them anyway. We pulled up to their home and his dad was out side in the heat of the day with a red bandanna around his head and he was putting a swing set together for the grandkids. Then, I went inside their home and met the rest of the family. I had such peace when I was there. Anyway, his mom and dad have been married for 41 years and they are some of the most modest people that I know. His mom and dad would literally give you the shirt off of their backs. Sometimes I think his mom is the one that wants to give everything to her kids the most. Case in point...she gave Rod an expensive bag of shrimp a while back and Rod was mentioning how good it was and his dad chimed in asking if she gave him a bag of that to. All he has to do is say the word and she would literally try to give whatever the need was to him...or us.
I admire them for sticking it out in their marriage. Marriage is hard work and it doesn't come easy for everyone and I am sure they had hard times just like we all do. Rods dad came from a very hard home and he decided that his children were not going to live like he had to. He worked very hard for their family. I know Rod knows how blessed he is to have them for family...but from my point of view I think I see things more differently than Rod does. In a lot of ways I did not have what he has.
Nobody loves her kids or grandkids like MiMi. Morgan loves her so much that it is not even funny. MiMi is very strong willed (like me) yet very loving to her babies. Morgan almost daily picks up the phone in the kitchen and pretend to talk to gan-mommy (that is what Morgan is calling her) and Pop. Today I had to meet my sister so she could watch Morg while I worked and Morgan got so excited thinking we were meeting her MiMi and Pop. She has hardly stayed with anyone else before.
Rod's parents have spent night after night and day after day helping keep grandkids. I don't know how they don't get sick of it. If his mom sees a need and she can help meet it she will. There have been so many times that I have just needed to sleep and she has watched morgan while I take a nap. Or there have been times when I just wanted to eat a plate of food and she will almost always take Morgan and try to help feed her before she ever takes a bite of her meal. When Morgan goes to their house she doesn't even want to leave.
They are such a blessing and I can say with full assurance that their children rise and call them blessed. Proverbs 31.

What kind of Crappy Christmas gift are you?

You Are a Losing Lottery Ticket!

Full of hope and promise. But in the end, a cheap letdown.

What Crappy Christmas Gift Are You?

Oh

And another thing I forgot to say...
Rod came home tonight and needed some things for work hole punched. He said, "Babe, if you punch holes in all 300 of these I will give you 20 dollars...no make that 50 dollars." Well, that would be great if we didn't share the same checking account! LOL.
I did it anyway...because I would have anyway. I just thought that was funny him trying to give me my money.

If you have any soul at all go listen to Kirk Franklins new video below (pause my player on the sidebar so you can hear it)! It is from his newest cd "The Fight of My Life"!

Romans 16:20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Can I say I am so sick of the enemy! I love this verse above. I am sick of him gaining ground in my family and in my friends lives. his fate is certain: C-R-U-S-H-E-D! Don't let him deceive you. Stay in the word and get on your face even when you don't "feel" like it.

Psalm 33:4
4 For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

The Lord is right and all of His words are true. He is faithful in all he does. Believe Him when you feel otherwise. Watch out for the snakes...the things that want to ensnare you and trip you up from running in this race. Make a plan for victory in this rocky terrain of earth. Here are some words that may help: Proverbs 4:26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
If you are driving around your pit and expecting not to fall in...you need to get a new path. Mark out a straight path for your feet to follow and take only ways that are firm. Am I making sense?
If you have walked with God for any time and you leave His side to chase after other things I promise you won't be able to fill your voids and you will end up miserable...so Please stay close to Him. If you have left the God you love (fellowship...I am not talking about losing salvation)...Go back!! There is nothing beyond His forgiveness.

Romans 16:27
27to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Kirk Franklin - Declaration [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

Kirk Franklin - Declaration [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

Not so happy birthday

My thoughts are on the Christ child tonight.
He was fully God... and He is and was so Worthy...yet there was no room for Him in the inn. The world tells us that we deserve this and that...but didn't He? Yet He came in that exact way to relate to sinful us. Philippians 2 always reminds me of His goal...fully God...fully man...yet He did not consider equality with God to be grasped. The godhead bodily...so worthy...came to save the world...yet so other...so not of this world. How I praise Him for that. Not to bore you to death but I really didn't have a good birthday. I wish I could sugar coat it but I am not one to be fake. It was kind of depressing and I cried several times. I think I am just worn out and maybe I expected a few people closest to me to care...and they didn't. I wish I could tell you that I focused on the good things today like Phil 4 says...but no I pretty much felt sorry for myself.

I think more than anything I can say I am so thankful for Him reaching down to pull me out of deep waters and save me. I am so thankful for the focus that this is not my home. I am just passing through. I am afraid that if I lived for just this life that I would have completely self-destructed from expectations that went unmet. These words came to my heart today:
Psalm 39:4-6
4 "Show me, O LORD, my life's end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.

5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is but a breath.
Selah

6 Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about, but only in vain;
he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

I will say that one thing that really hit home with me as I laid there holding my little girl I thought about how the things that mean the most to me I could not buy. Just like my salvation. I was bought at a price. You were bought at a price. I love the following verses because they speak volumes to me about the people who should love you the most...that even when they don't...the Lord will not forsake His children. That is so real to me. This life can be so lonely at times...but still I am blessed and I praise Him for my sisters in Christ tonight.

Isaiah 49:15-16
15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!

16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me.

Psalm 27
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.

oh and I tried to come up with some interesting things about me...but I can't come up with 28 things. LOL!

Thank you for all of your sweet comments!

I did ask the Lord for some specific gifts today since He is in control of all...I figured why not!

I asked Him for more of His Spirit and more wisdom and supernatural love for others today. I prayed that my life would be an offering.

Morgan is going crazy...gotta go!

HAPPY Birthday To Me!

So, I share a birthday today (12/18) with my twin Holly and with my aunt, and Brad Pitt. I bought some celebratory cupcakes for my birthday and Rod managed to eat them all before I got home from work. Way to join in the festivities Rod!! =)

Morgan went to the doctor today and she is doing better. Thank you so much for the prayers. Then, about 30 minutes ago she tripped (wearing 2 left shoes) and fell head first into the hearth. I have to wake her up in increments to make sure there is no concussion. The good times just keep coming!

My 28 random things about me on my bday is to come...oh aren't you excited!

He is Awesome

Psalm 33:4-9

4 For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.

5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.

6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars ^[a] ;
he puts the deep into storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the people of the world revere him.

9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.

Wish I could elaborate on all that I am learning but with 3 hours of sleep last night...I can't. Morgan is doing better. I appreciate all of the prayers! I take her to the doctor in the morning!

Also, I have to share something that I thought was so funny. I was in church this morning and read the church bulletin announcement for the Recreation Outreach Center (aka the gym)...it said that the people would be meeting in the aerobics room to set goals for the new year and that they would also be having a cookie swap. Do you get it? LOL! I almost laughed out loud during church!

Another thing is that God has been blowing me away with Psalm 32. I have read it hundreds of times but the Lord has been blowing the door off of familiarity with that one. More to come...
No, I did not try out for the Wheel of Fortune...I'm not bitter or anything. =)

The Verdict

So the report is in...Morgan has pneumonia. Bless her heart. I had to work tonight and I was the closing manager so I did not get to leave. Rods parents kept her and after her fever was at 105 they talked to Rod and he came home from out of town. Then, they met up at children's hospital and the doctor said she has pneumonia. We are so blessed but if you could pray for her I would appreciate it. In the last few years we have had our share of illnesses. I hated not being able to go to the hospital with her today. =( If you remember she was in the hospital for a few days last month so she has had a lot of junk lately.

I am forgiven

from www.walkintheword.com
James MacDonald

I am Forgiven
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit … I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, “and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:1,5
Can I remind you today of what God’s Word says about His forgiveness? I have prayed that as you read these Scriptures that the hope of God’s mercy will wash over your life. No matter what your relationship with God is like right now, you need His forgiveness. You need relief from the weight of guilt. You need to come to Him for the first or millionth time. Soak in what Scripture says about you and God, and what He would like to do, if you would choose:
The fact of God’s forgiveness.
Exodus 34:6, “The Lord [is] compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness and truth, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin. Yet he will by no means clear the guilty.”
Psalm 86:5, “For you, Lord, are good and ready to forgive, abundant in loving kindness to all who call upon you.”
Micah 7:18, “Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, who does not retain His anger forever but delights in unchanging love.”
The extent of God’s forgiveness.
Psalm 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far he has removed our transgressions from us.”
Micah 7:19, “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
The blessing of forgiveness.
Ezekiel 36:25, “I’ll give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove your heart of stone. I’ll put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you’ll be careful to observe my ordinances.”
Psalm 32:1, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”
When you think of the number of people on the broad road carrying their sin with them, and the few on the narrow road who find the forgiveness of their sins in God. How eternally blessed is the one whose sins are covered, who can say, I’m forgiven by God.
Is there any sin that I need to confess to the Lord? Stop and take care of this right now.
What confidence do I have that I will be forgiven?
Pray any of the Scriptures above back to the Lord, and personalize with your name.

You may hate me for this

These are so good but way too rich for me!

Peanut Butter balls

Ingredients

12 ounces peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) ...I used smooth
1 cup butter (real) (2 Sticks)
1 box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package chocolate chips or Chocolate brick (for dipping balls)
(I used Chocolate Almond Bark)


Directions

Mix peanut butter, butter, sugar and vanilla (I melted the butter a little so I could stir it and after I got a handle on the mixture I used my electric mixture to make sure everything was blended). Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet, place in freezer for an hour. Melt chocolate in a double boiler (I melted the chocolate on low in my crock pot while the peanut butter balls were in the freezer...if you melt it on high you could scorch it). Dip balls into mixture. Cool.

*The reason why you need to freeze the peanut butter balls is so that the chocolate will stick when you dip the peanut butter balls in it. Also, I laid all of mine on wax paper to cool and then put them in plastic zip locks. I had purchased some cute tubs with snowmen on them a while back from the dollar tree...so I put them in the tubs to give as gifts. This recipe made over 40 peanut butter balls.

Just another day

I crawled into bed at 3 this morning and tried to go to sleep. As I laid there, I heard wonderful sounds of snoring from the husband of my youth (my only husband...but Rod says I speak in bible code...so I figured I'd throw that in). So, instead of dwelling on the "Sound of Rod's Music", I decided to pray until I nodded off. Now, at about 6am the man is refreshed from his wonderful nights sleep and as loud as ever. It is a sight to behold. I try to go to sleep as he tells me I am not a morning person. I have ALWAYS been a morning person (until I got married...when I was single I didn't have to wake up to the sound of hacking, shaving, and the hair dryer going...that's OK though) but I really needed some sleep.

Then, it is off to take Morgan to preschool. I made a morning run to purchase some bippees (pacifiers) and then I came home to get ready for her Christmas party and the drama starts to unfold. I told myself I was really going to get a good nap in when we got home. Well, I had a Proverbs 16:9 (9 In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.) kind of afternoon.
I get to her party and she was eating some grapes. She then starts to choke and coughs one up. Then, as I was talking to another parent she came and smeared the grape on my shirt in an attempt to give it to me. No big deal, moms are used to being a walking napkin, right. We get out to the car and she starts to project vomit. Then more....and more....and more. Was this a virus or was it from the grape? Then she starts some labored breathing which got me scared. Her pediatricians office was closed for lunch so I took her to the fire department just to be on the safe side. They were so sweet and remembered me from the field trip I went on with my niece. They checked her and one of the men got in the car near her and asked her if she was OK...she projectile vomited as he was sitting there. Fortunately, it landed on me, my keys, and the phone...the other fireman ran into the station to get me some towels as I stood there dumbfounded. They were just about to eat lunch....tasty. They assured me that they had seen worse than that. Then, I took her to children's and they checked her out. She has a virus so it was coincidental but I didn't want to take a chance. The little booger is asleep next to her dad. So far so good.

Random Ride

Here are several random things in no particular order.

Funny:
Today Morgan and I went thru the drive thru and the guy said this: "Ma'am, (when did I reach ma'am status?) I know I have told you this...but I don't know if it's your make-up or what...but you sure are pretty. Well, I guess you better be getting back to your husband." LOL! The thing that is so funny is that he said I don't know if it's your make-up. In other words....you may be a dog but...
I am not bragging (BELIEVE ME) but Rod and I got a good laugh out of that one!

Edited to add this: Morgan did a manger scene at preschool in which she had to glue the wise men, Mary and Joseph, and the baby Jesus on a piece of construction paper. She glued the wise men on there with their faces to the ground, laying prostrate. Now, she had her own 2 year old reasons for this but I just bet they were on their faces before THE KING!

Sweet:
Morgan has been carrying around a picture frame ornament with me and her in it on her arm. She puts the loop over her hand and wears it on her wrist. I will hear her talking and she says: "My mommy!" It is the sweetest thing! It makes me think of this verse...and don't worry I won't elaborate:
Isaiah 44:5
5 One will say, 'I belong to the LORD '; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, 'The LORD's,' and will take the name Israel.

Speechless (That's a first):
I pulled out some of my old Avalon cds today and got my praise on! I listened to I'm Speechless over and over! HERE are the lyrics...It can't describe how I feel any better. I can't put into words what Jesus means to me.

Rest:
As far as a visual goes of how I felt today here is a verse (I know it is talking about David not confessing his sins and how he felt but...)
Psalm 32:4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah

Have you ever felt physically like God was pressing on you to push your body in the bed to rest?
(I am being very figurative)
This is me today...I managed to take a nap (Thank you Rod) from 7pm -9 pm but I am so exhausted today.

Disappointment: I have some really bad news! I am not going to get to try out for the Wheel of Fortune. I have to work all weekend. Rod is thinking I need to get over it when I said that I was devastated that I wasn't going to be on the Wheel. I am only partially exaggerating! It wasn't meant to be. The Lord is saving me some embarrassment because I would be the loudest, craziest thing you have ever seen!! I am still hoping that He will part the Red Sea of my situation and let me try out! ;)

Frustration:
If there is a time that you get offended with me and quit reading my blog...it will be now. I DO NOT LIKE CATS! I have so many reasons why...but I have a problem now. There is a cat that keeps showing up at my door. I tell it to go away and I do not feed it (I am sorry I am sure there are some good Samaritans in my neighborhood that will feed it) I always heard that will make it come back. Well, last night it lunged at me and hissed. I screamed out loud I was so scared. How can I get it to go away?

Sad:
I finished Stepping Up and I am so sad that it is over. I am not sure what study I will do next...I have done all of Beths so does anyone have any suggestions for a new one? Sigh.

I must go wash clothes now =)

Sponsor a Child

If you have an extra ten dollars and can do this it would be so good. This is Bev's site. She is the real deal and is such an encouragement!

CLICK HERE

BIG FAT P.S.

Rod and I were praying before I went to work tonight...he prayed then I did and at the end of the prayer I said Lord, it really is a Psalm 37:4 desire of my heart that since Wheel of Fortune is coming to the mall where I work to tape a show Sat and Sun that I would be able to audition and play and meet Pat and Vanna...rod had no idea what I was talking about and just laughed and thought I was weird. WHEEL OF FORTUNE IS TAPING IN BIRMINGHAM Sat and Sun. I am so stinking competitive and have always said that I am so there if I ever get to where there is. Sat is out because they changed my schedule and Sun I am not sure about. It is my birthday next week so I am begging God to pull some strings for me to at least go to the taping. Am I am idiot or what! You just wait!

Giver of Good Things

Matthew 7:11

11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

I just dropped Morgan's drink and I said, "Oh I am sorry!" She said, "Its o-tay!" I am so glad that is her response because it means I must cut her some slack when she says two words to me. The child doesn't have much of a vocabulary so that just blessed me that she extended me some grace over dropping her cup...she must be learning that. LOL!

I am pulling the late shift at work since we have extended hours. I arrived home and surveyed the premises to see what all needed to be cleaned and I saw an empty box on the floor that contained this:

Here is why this is something special to me. Since I had to go back to work, and work mostly at night, Rod has a lot of extra time with Morgan. He had to go to Wal-Mart tonight to get her some cough syrup and he bought her this toy. Let me give you a little background...Rod is not the type of guy to run out and buy things for people (no offense to him because I have dated guys that did that sort of thing and it obviously didn't work out for a reason). I can't think of a time where he has just gone to the store and bought me something. Let me add a funny story just so you can get the idea. When I was pregnant and on bed rest, he was sent to the local Rite-Aid to get me a Twix bar and that was THE ONLY thing he was going for. He gets there and calls me and asks if I need anything else...then he comes back without the Twix. He was so sorry and I really was shocked and VERY pregnant. Even tonight I asked him to get me a few things and he just isn't a multi-tasker and he forgot..but this is something that I know is a trait of his so I don't worry about it...if he gets it he does and if he doesn't I plan to make a trip to the store (for anyone who wants to ask about giving him a list...he forgets the list and I think it is genetic from my observations). Again, I am not complaining. My heart just melted that Morgan's daddy would take her to the store and buy her things. He may not think to do that for me (again I am fine with that...I don't want you getting the wrong idea) but for that baby he wants to bless her and give her things. There is a delight in being able to buy something that your child wants and he did. By the way, she is obsessed with Thomas the train.

Now on to my Father (Abba). He is so good and I can't tell you the ways He has blessed me and used others to bless me. Well, as I saw that gift to Morgan I thought about Matthew 7:11. We who are evil know how to give good gifts to our children. Sadly, that is not the case for some...but for those of us who love our children we are inherently evil and yet we want to give good gifts to our children. The word for evil in this verse is poneros meaning: Evil in a moral or spiritual sense. The word used for gift (good gift) is the word doma and it means "to give...Lends greater emphasis to the character of the gift as that which has been freely imparted, rather than its beneficent nature."

I have had some urgent matters to approach the Throne of my Father over lately. One of them was an account that Rod had been working on. We are 100 percent commission with his job and we have been waiting and hanging on for 6 or 7 months to hear about this one. Today we heard that we got it and I can't tell you how I have been asking God to give this to us with the full understanding that He does not have to. His timing is perfect and we needed it and I realize that He is the giver and in control of all things even if the good gift is sometimes in Him withholding. He knows how to give us what we need. I was looking at the end of the verse and thinking about the asking part. He wants us to ask Him for things because He is relational. It builds our faith when we ask in accordance with His will and His word and He gives us what He sees fit. I can not even begin to tell you how He has done this in my life. I have seen this example with Rod's parents...they would literally give us the shirts off of their backs. I hope that Morgan sees the same in me one day.

Are you lacking? Do you need more of the Holy Spirit...more love, joy, peace, and so on? Ask Him. Tell Him what you need. He already knows but tell Him. He loves His children so much.

Again I am about to pass out so I am signing off.

One more thing before I pass out

John 21:25
25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

I love how a word of scripture will just come to me while I am tending to the house. The Lord is so practical. I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to clean so I can have some focus tomorrow. We stayed with Rod's parents this weekend so I had to unpack and wash clothes. Anyway, I must confess that I have been very challenged by ongoing trials lately and have felt extremely weary. I don't think men read this blog and if they do oh well because there are references to women have their period in the bible (Genesis 31:35 Rachel said to her father, "Don't be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I'm having my period." So he searched but could not find the household gods.)...and if God can make mention of it so can I! I have been irregular this month and have been going on two weeks...let me say it again TWO WEEKS of having my little enemy visitor. So, that has not been helping things at all. I can cry at the drop of a hat, my face is oily, I am constantly craving sweet and then salty things....and I feel fat to boot! I did something horrible and weighed myself in front of Rod at his parents house. I swore that their scales were off (Dr. scales) and that my dollar general scales at home were accurate. Or maybe it was the fact that I ATE LIKE A PIG when they took us to dinner on Friday (hushpuppies, french friesX10, and fried chicken fingers). Being a woman is really hard some times!
On to the point Jenny...I want to just share everything but not at the expense of hurting anyone to be authentic. I however have had a very tough life. Not in comparison to some people but that is relative. Anyway, I kept thinking that one day I was going to grow up and leave all of that hard life behind and guess what?!?! That didn't happen. Thankfully, I had a head on collision at the cross. I praise God for calling me out of darkness and for giving me hope. I can not even imagine the depth of destruction I would be in apart from Him. I have also known for the majority of my life what it is to struggle (again relative). There have been times lately where I have been sharing with people about Jesus and I have had to tell them "Listen, you don't have the time for me to even be able to begin to tell you all that Christ has done for me...and all of the ways that I know, that I know...that He is the Way and The Truth. I was talking with a guy a couple of weeks ago at the mall. He is from Israel and I asked him did he speak greek. He works there and I have had the opportunity to speak with several of the people that are with him from their. Anyway, it peaked his interest that I was interested in his native language. I told him how I longed to visit Israel. He said I should go during this time of year because of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur would be happening and that it was the same as Christmas in America...which you know I replied to that one. I am fascinated with Jewish culture but I don't come close to knowing what I would like to about it. So, I kindly said no, it is not the same as Christmas. He then said oh you believe in Jesus. I said yes! I believe that He is God. He told me that he did not believe in God and that he was his own god. He is being honest...the difference in a lot of people in America is that they live for themselves as god but they just don't come out and say it. Oh let me mention that the people from his booth had just finished hitting on me before our talk...so when the conversation turned I don't think they were ready for it. So, I am not about bashing anything over any one's head...but I wanted to try to reason with them in respect. He asked me how I knew that He was real and if He is real why didn't He speak to Him. I then told him that God speaks through His word...and that he needed to call on the Lord to be saved (Acts 2:22). I said okay if you are god...why do you work at the mall? Before I left I told him I would pray for him and that I would be really scared to think that I was "god" and that this is as good as it got...sinful me. As I was leaving he said, pray that I will make a lot of money. My thing was if he is god like he says then why do I need to pray for him to make money...if God says something it happens. So obviously this guy has no control if he thinks he is god...it is a puny, powerless, god. I went on to tell him specific prayers that I had prayed that God has answered that no one else knew about. I asked him if he thought it was a coincidence. He had no reply. When I talked to my friends at the gas station and told them of specific prayer requests that I had petitioned to God about over the years that He answered (I also assured them that God did not have to answer any of those prayers...but He did) they were again stunned and I told them that we didn't even have time to get into how alive and at work He is...because we didn't. That is why I love the verse in John 21:25. Jesus came to this earth and did so much here that there aren't enough books in the world to write it all down. That blows me away. I think sometimes we say oh 3 years of ministry for Jesus, the cross, and it was done and whatever He did we see it in the gospels. Wrong. He did way more than we have time or capacity to take in. It amazes me.

So, when I am in a slump and wondering how I am going to make it I think back on all of the ways He has worked in the past and I have to continually fix my eyes on His word. I blow it and falter but I never cease to be amazed. I have been blessed to struggle because I have seen God show up so many times in my circumstance...in ways that it could only be God.

TO BE CONTINUED because I am about to drop.

more prayer please

I really can't keep track of what day it is with working in retail this time of year...but I am checking in tonight to ask for some extra prayer. I pray that the Lord will put me on your heart to pray for. I REALLY need to finish transcribing oh a couple hundred reports so I can finish and take my test...and get a job. I also need to interrupt this blogging moment to say that Rod is passing some extremely rude gas on the couch. He has made it an art. As he passes gas I spray some VERY fragrant cinnimon vanilla (potent) room fragrance to ward off the boiled egg smell. He then yells....my lungs...to which I reply: MY LUNGS!!

Back to my serious moment...I really need prayer. The courses have been way involved and I am running out of time. I really want to finish so I can stay at home with Morgan and not have to get a full-time job outside of my home.

I need God to show up in a BIG way. For so many reasons that I can't get into in blogland I am so overwhelmed! :)

-Love jenny

Mark and Janet

Each week I am going to start highlighting a person (or people) that are special to me. This could take me a while. Anyway, today is Mark and Janet Hatcher. I have them on my heart right now because they just had their first grandbaby! I met them at church....Janet works at the church and Mark is her most precious man!

Janet does not meet a stranger! She is one of the nicest people ever! I can't even tell you in one post what kind of heart they have. Janet sends me a card every year to let me know that she remembers my first born. You have no idea what that has meant to me. I have cried every time. She sews clothes for a ministry called "Threads of Love." It is a ministry that makes clothes for premature babies that die. Shelby had one of those dresses!

When Morgan was one...she smocked her a dress! I am amazed at her skills. Mark is one of the most tender people you will ever meet. He loves his wife and they have been married for years. They are such a picture to me of Christ and the church.

When Morgan was in the hospital they came to see her with their most sassy daughter, Molly. Molly was in my singles class back in the day and I just love her...I have seen the Lord do so much in her life. They came and brought Morgan a book as soon as they heard she was in the hospital. Then they stuffed 20 dollars in my hand and ran out the door. They wanted me to be able to eat while I was there. The thing that I love the most about them is that they are simple people. They are the most giving people and they are so modest. I truly want to be more like Jesus because of their witness to me. There are so many other things that they could do with their time and they use it to reach out to others and show the love of Christ. I don't even have time to list all of the areas of ministry that they are involved in...but I praise God for their lives here and how He uses them!

If there is a verse that reminds me of them it would be this one:
Matthew 5:5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Roller coaster

I am so thankful for the psalms and the depth of emotion that is in them. I read this earlier this morning and it put into words how my heart feels over an emotional roller coaster that I have been on for some time now. I am so thankful that God knows how we are formed, He made us, He knows us better than we do. Even if how we feel is not accurate...He knows. He sees that we are clay and weak in this skin. I am longing for His glorious appearance, when He will come and rescue us and wipe away every tear. I long for our heavenly kingdom. Until then, I thank Him for His word. I am so glad that I can come and have a fit before Him and that He loves me still. I thank God for the raw emotion that David so often expressed to his God. So often we think that we can't express our anger and hurt to our God but I think we are the safest when we spill out our hearts to the God who see's us anyway. He is our El Roi.

Psalm 13
For the director of music. A psalm of David. 1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.

Praise The LORD, O My Soul

Psalm 103 is so good!

Yesterday, I went to my mailbox, opened my mail, and began to sob. Rod pulled up at that same time and honked the horn as I was, face in hands, crying. He thought I must have received a really horrible bill or something. After being married all this time he still doesn't get me :). Here is the story of why I was crying:
A couple of weeks ago some co-workers and I were talking about the family that is in need (that instead of playing dirty santa we would try to help them) that I have mentioned on here several times. If you don't know what I am talking about you can read it HERE and HERE. So, I get back to work after a week off (Rod went hunting in Kansas and came back Sunday) and I go in the back break room and see that the flyer's I made about them were torn down, thrown away, and something else was put in it's place (it wasn't even my idea to do the flyers). The store manager was not there when we talked about helping this family and it was not her idea so she tore them down. That is a whole different story but I was furious. I feel sorry for her that she is that caught up in having to have authority that she would spitefully throw up a different thing to be "in charge". It amazes me the kind of controlling power trip that people get on. So, I was so glad that she had already left or I would have lost it. I had already told this family that we were going to help them and she had a different idea that she had never mentioned until we came up with a family in need to help. How low.
I almost bust into tears at work and I decided that I was going to go home and pray and entrust this family's Christmas to the Lord. I was going to cast my cares on Him and know that He cares for me and He cares for this family that I was trying to reach.
I forgot to mention that I had sent out an email to my friends that I have made over the years at church asking if any of them were interested in helping this family. So, yesterday I get to the mailbox and there was a check for $350 from a precious friend who was in my singles class, $50 in gift cards from another precious woman that was in my bible study, and $50 from a lady that I don't even know that works with my little sister. I took this so personal that my Lord would do this for me...for them. He truly upholds our cause regardless of how the enemy tries to thwart our plans.
I went yesterday to give them the gift cards and etc and Linda and her son were at work. They bawled their eyes out. I am not kidding. Kevin couldn't even talk. They don't belong to a church family, so I don't know that people have ever tried to reach out to them before. God was so glorified through the precious people that gave. Kevin told me how sad he was that he just came to know the Lord and that it took this to happen to his wife for him to know Jesus. I was able to tell them that people that did not even know them, loved them and wanted to help them in their low estate. They were overwhelmed because God showed up and had compassion on them. Then I went to bible study and others gave as well. I took it so personal that people who did not know them would reach out and care. God spoke volumes to me over this. It is not about the money but about the gospel being proclaimed to this family and the people who helped by prayer and monetarily helped open a door to show the love of Christ to them.

The Lord reminded me to continue to throw off my cares and burdens to Him and that He would triumph over my enemy and show up in a huge way. This world and the enemy WILL NOT PREVAIL against My Mighty King! Glory to Him who sits upon the throne.

Matthew 16:18 ESV
18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

With The Lord is FULL Redemption

Hosea 2:14-15

14 "Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
and speak tenderly to her.

15 There I will give her back her vineyards,
and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
There she will sing as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up out of Egypt.

This blog has been such a blessing to me. I have been able to meet some wonderful women who are hungry for more of Him. I have also come in contact, through the blog and by people who surround me, with so many people who are struggling, burdened, and hurting. People like you and I who feel they have more often than not...blown it. People who feel beat up and run down.

I have been begging God for a word over something very personal to me. He heard my cry and answered me. The answer was not one that I orchestrated, but it was an answer from the Lord straight to my heart. Psalm 130 has been so incredibly powerful to me in the last year or so. It is one of those passage that resonates deep down in my bones. I have prayed for some time now that I will believe this passage in the innermost depths of my heart...the places that only God can get to.

Out of my own need I have memorized this one and asked God to write it on my heart. I want to be a minister of this passage to others as well. Giving them God's message that no matter what you have done, how far you have gone, no matter how you have felt, that if you come to God and cry out in repentance...He forgives.

When you look at other people and think that you are the only one that can't get it together that you would remember that if He kept a record of sins NO ONE could stand. You and I need to know that He can redeem ANY life from the pit.
1 Peter 1:18

18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,

Psalm 103:2-5

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

I was thinking this morning of a visual of this kind of passage. I was thinking of a girl who was born into shame. A child abused in every way, that grows into an adult only to find herself in one black pit after another. One that thinks she deserves what she has been through and the way she has lived her whole life. She turns to men to try to find love...she even sells herself into prostitution. She bows to other gods and has such desolation in her soul. She wears a scarlet letter and feels as if everyone can see right through her. She tries so desperately to fill the nagging in her soul...and breeds all the more destruction. She feels worthless, dirty, and used. Could anyone ever love her? Could anyone really know her and not think she was trash? She wonders why she was ever even born, yet she has been to scared to end her own life. For whatever reason she has a small flicker of hope in her. She looks out from the house of prostitution where she lives and wonders if there is a way out. She longs for one to come to her. To save her. In her quiet desperation she cries out. No sooner, she sees a valiant one on a white horse (remember my visual is based in the 1800's LOL!!). This strong One, faithful and true, comes for her...He grabs her in His arms and holds her close to His chest. He leads her out of the places of darkness and into the light. There He will teach her and speak tenderly to her. She will not be healthy over night but healthy she will be. He came and bought her back. He paid for her sins in full so that she might have life to the full and that she might leave the empty life that she once had. He bestowed on her garments of praise and took away all of her shame. He would teach her to walk in fullness and He would satisfy the longings of her soul. He would be her God and she would be His daughter. She would in turn...turn back and strengthen those who were on her same road...giving hope to the nations. In Him she found forgiveness...she found FULL REDEMPTION. There would be no stone that was not turned over in her, what used to be, hard calloused soul. His love is better than life and her lips would praise Him all of her days!

Listen, I do not know who has lied to you...but God is gracious, He is not like a man, He forgives and He FULLY redeems. There is no where that you can go that He can't get to you. He loves you so and longs for you to be made whole and to lose your life in Him. Wait for Him, and believe that He can redeem your life from the pit as well. Don't listen to the lies that keep you bound. And please don't keep others down by making them feel that they can never be whole again.

Here is some new testament support of Him removing our sins from us:

Colossians 2:13-15
13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

1 Peter 2:24

24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Here it is in the Amplified.

Psalm 130

A Song of Ascents.

1OUT OF the depths have I cried to You, O Lord.

2Lord, hear my voice; let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

3If You, Lord, should keep account of and treat [us according to our] sins, O Lord, who could stand?

4But there is forgiveness with You [just what man needs], that You may be reverently feared and worshiped.

5I wait for the Lord, I expectantly wait, and in His word do I hope.

6I am looking and waiting for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, I say, more than watchmen for the morning.

7O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is mercy and loving-kindness, and with Him is plenteous redemption.

8And He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

THESE ARE SO GOOD!!! I usually make them around Christmas and I made a couple dozen last night! Yummy! Let me know if you make them and how they turn out!

1 stick of margarine (soft or melted)
1 cup of sugar
1 egg

Cream together then add:

1 3/4 Cup of Flour
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1/2 Cup of Cocoa (I used Hersheys brand)
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract (imitation vanilla is fine)
1/4 Cup of milk

Drop from a teaspoon on cookie sheet (I roll mine into balls but you can do it either way)
Bake in 350 degree oven for 8 minutes.
Remove from oven.

Cut 18 marshmallows in half; press cut side down on cookies.
Bake 2 minutes longer

Ice cooled Cookie (over the marshmallow to cover it) With:
2 cups powdered sugar
5 level Tablespoons of Cocoa
1 tsp of Vanilla
3 Tablespoons of melted butter and milk as needed
(don't make it to liquidy but thin enough to use as icing)

You can top iced cookie with pecan half (I don't like pecans so I make them plain).

Yields about 36 cookies!!

Make sure you give them away or you will find your self chowing down!!!

The Cross

Some health, wealth, and prosperity teachers teach that the atonement for sin was not finished on the cross and that Jesus paid for our sins by going to hell. That is incorrect. I wanted to share an article with you regarding that from gotquestions.org. CLICK HERE

The work of the cross is what makes believers in Christ right with God as He gave up His spirit and cried out "It is Finished."
Hence the fact that he told the thief on the cross today you will be with me in paradise.
Look at the wording in the Greek for yourself. It is very interesting.

Bible Doctrine and Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem are wonderful if you have a lot of theological questions.

prayer

My friend Jessica sent this to me:


The great Puritan divine, Samuel Chadwick wrote, “Satan dreads nothing but prayer. Activities are multiplied that prayer may be ousted, and organizations are increased that prayer may have no chance. The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.”

And the Winner is!

Drum roll please.....

The Winner of my first blog give away is Bev! YEAH! I wrote everyones name on a piece of paper and let Morgan draw!

Bev, please email me your address so you can get your prize!

williams4676@bellsouth.net

Spanking

I have a funny story for you! Yesterday morning I received a message on my machine that said "Jenny, this is DHR and I need you to call me as soon as possible and the number." I had not even had my time in the word yet before I was going to call them back. I thought oh no someone has seen me carrying my spanking spoon around and they have called DHR on me. :)

I in no way abuse my child with the spoon but I do break it out if she is being unruly and disobedient. Proverbs 22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
With this new NO SPANKING PROPOSAL in Massachusetts I started thinking the worst! So, I nervously call the lady back and she had mentioned that someone had used me as a referral and she just asked me a few questions and we hung up! Whew!! :)

On to something else: I have had MUCH needed time in the word today and I read this in the "Stepping Up" bible study by Beth Moore:

"Freedom never comes through disobedience."

Let that fall on you. What areas are you experiencing a lack of freedom or oppression because of your own disobedience? Through our obedience we remain under the umbrella of God's protection. And I have a story about that! We went to the store the other day and Morgan spotted Thomas the Train...she can spot it a mile away. It was an umbrella and since she broke her Dora one I went ahead and got it for her. Y'all she has been carrying it EVERYWHERE! I can't get my camera to load pics or I would show you one of her with it. Nevertheless, she even puts it up over her head as we ride in the car. She has been watching tv with it over her head. It is quite hilarious. It gave me such a wonderful picture of staying in obedience to God and having His blessing over me. That doesn't mean trials won't come my way but that I will have shelter from the store as my life is hidden in Him.

Psalm 121:
5 The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

Luke 11:28
28He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Psalm 91:4
4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

blah blah blah

Please go and read the latest entry on Fran's blog about Bethlehem. It is so good. Then read Bev's entry about leading a quiet life. They are such precious women!!!

So it is official my child is a biter!! She is biting kids at school! Any advice?

On another note...it has been a hard few days with the Morganater. We were in search of bippy's (her MiMi calls them that so that is the new word for a passy). She was screaming all through Burlington coat factory biiiiippeee! If you are from the south you can add the twang to it because it has some southern twang when she says it. So, I could only find bumble bee passy's which are not what she wanted. She has a particular kind. So she screamed and screamed biiiippee biiippee all throughout the store. I was having such a hard time with her and I needed to go to the restroom and get out of there. I go to the restroom and try to take the buggy (a.k.a. shopping cart) in with her. A lady says, "honey, you can't take this in here." I said, "ma'am I have no merchandise in this cart...only her...and so I guess I should let her crawl around under the stalls while I am going to the restroom." I had such a hard day that it almost pushed me over the edge. I have even been having to carry around the spanking spoon with me because she has been so unruly (2 1/2 years old).

Then, today we went to Walmart to look for her bippy's. She pitched a good fit wanted some Go Diego Go stuff and this guy stares at me with the most puzzled face. Then, I said..."have you not ever had a kid?" He said that he had and I was like well okay then. Anyway, it cracks me up when people look at a tenacious, strong-willed two year old and expect her to be 20!!

We have been running circles around the house chasing each other so I am pretty worn out!
We were listening to Watermark's "All Things New" which is one of the best cds ever. I also broke out Passion's "Better is Oneday" cd. They are my favorite! Get them if you can!!

The Second time is a Charm!

1 John 1:3-20
19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

Last night I was reading verse 20 after really wrestling with some things in my Spirit. I was hit like a ton of bricks when I read the verse because I had never thought of it in the light that God revealed to me yesterday or should I say this morning...since it was 1am before my child went to bed. What I felt Him speaking to me is that He is greater than my heart...the seat of my emotions. He is greater than how I feel...if I feel unforgiven and I have repented...He forgives me. If I feel rejected, He is greater than that. If I feel condemned, He says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Anyway, I needed this word last night that God is greater than what I feel, even though my feelings can be so powerful and so real to me. I also need the reminder to stand on God's truth when I feel a certain way that is in contradiction the the God breathed word! Then, I thought I would randomly pick up the 90 days with David devo by Beth Moore. I opened to the page that talks about 1 sam 19 and Sauls jealousy of David. There is no one that I love more than David. I can relate with him in so many ways and I also relate with truly having a heart for God yet making poor choices. I am so thankful that God looks on our hearts. So I opened to page 99 to bve exact and this is what I read:
"Truly, love is more powerful than jealousy, just as godliness is more powerful than wickedness, and the Spirit of God is more powerful than anything! That's what it takes to burst the walls of rage and jealousy within us. First John 3:20 says, "God is greater than our hearts." As children of God, we do not have to be derailed by the way we feel. Our God is greater. Give Him your heart!"

So how is that for His word being alive and active!!!!!!!!! I don't think it to be any coincidence that He spoke those verses to me twice in a 24 hour period! I dig Him for speaking to me in this way! We seriously just need to seek Him and we will find Him! He is not far off from each of us.

Part 1

Throughout the years of teaching I would always ALWAYS almost throw up before I taught...I was so nervous. I was so scared that I would get up and it would be Jenny speaking and that the Holy Spirit would not show up. Anyway, I had several precious girls over the year meet me in a closet to pray. We would get down on the floor in our dresses or skirts and lay prostrate before God and beg Him to meet with us. I have often heard that I would get over this trembling and nervousness. I would sometimes reply...no, I don't ever want to get comfortable with this. I don't ever want to feel like I have this thing down. I don't ever want to show up to teach and it be "Jenny in the flesh". So, on Saturday nights I would stay up half the night and beg God to speak to me. I felt that if He was not speaking a fresh word to me that I had NOTHING to say to anyone else. While curicullums are good and they have their place I could not contain what God was teaching me personally. Some of the things that I would beg God to do would be to bring people who were stuck in the trenches of sin and that they would come to the waters without money and drink deep. I would ask God to bring people that would get a hold of His word and that He would change their lives...and I saw it time and time again. There is nothing like it. Seriously, I have goosebumps as I type this...you have no idea what the Word has meant to me (also, before I get side tracked...I get the same nervousness when I open up a blog post to share). You can not imagine the desperation that I had for someone to want me and to have unconditional love and in a world of lies...I wanted truth. I am sure you have felt the same. I was reminded yet again that there is nothing money can buy that can satisfy the deep longings of our soul like the Holy Spirit will for believers in Christ. Yet so often...we refuse to come to Him. We heap sin apon sin in our efforts to chase down the wind of satisfying our own souls and don't you think that sometimes each one of us have gone to a place where we slipped from the joy and satisfaction that abiding in Christ brings (if we have indeed tasted and seen that He is good). I have been to that place where I just got worn out and decided to take things in my own hands and try to meet my own needs...it's a scary thing...and a miserable thing.

Two days ago, I was sitting still (not sure where Morgan was since I had a minute to sit still) and I heard in my inner man the words from Isaiah 40: but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. I asked the Lord to confirm that this was a word for me along with a verse in Colossians...and I opened up a book I was reading the next day and turned to the page I was on for that day and guess what treasure was on the page...those verses from Isaiah and Colossians. Please don't believe the lie that God does not care about the details. He is into the details...He knows every hair on our heads and every hair that has ever fallen to the ground. He knows our hearts when we feel like our sins are more than the number of hairs on our head. I like the King James Version better:
31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Here is the context it is to rich to leave out:
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

The word for wait in this verse means what you think: Qawah: to expect, patiently wait for, hope.

Why do you think that you and I are so quick to quit believing God? Why do you think we decide to take matters in our own hands and strive to go at this thing on our own? I think that we so often trust in our limited sight and better yet...how we feel or what comes natural to us. Just to be honest, I have really been taking a certain matter in my own hands. I in essence, with my actions said you know what God you are taking to long and I am weary of this so I am going to do and say what I want here. Then guess what? I was sinning against God. My friend Jessica and I were talking about how easy it is for us to do what is natural but when we choose what doesn't come natural we experience freedom. Case in point. I was in an argument with Rod over the weekend and instead of blowing up and saying things to cut I got in my car to go to work and I prayed about it. Guess what I saw the power of God show up in that small matter to remind me to literally go to Him first! I was talking to Rods mom about how I will do real well and then default back into going at it my own in defending myself or stating my case instead of entrusting it to the Lord. She said she did the same thing when she was younger and that I just can't choose the natural way at the moment. There really is power in exercising self-control and not sinning in the moment. Galatians is dead on when it talks about biting and devouring each other...it really will destroy your relationships. I can still remember words that were said to me when I was younger that damaged me.

Another thing that I have been so invaded by this week is Hosea 14. It is prophecy but I believe that these verses are as applicable to us as they were to the Israelites. It is God's promise of blessing to the repentant. Also, the last verses state that God is right. Right indeed He is. He can not be anything other than truth and in Him there is no darkness at all! I think that we can get in such a pattern of sin and disobedience that we can't even imagine getting out of the ditch. We look at other people in the faith and think that they are just "other" than us and that we could never be walking in the liberty that they are...that is a farce. It is just sins entanglement and lie. I was struck by the Amplified version of Hebrews 12:1-2 this week...please take it in: 1THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,
2Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection].

The Lord in His infallible word tells us that we should look at all who have gone before us in the faith (Hebrews 11 is such a good picture) that bore testimony to the truth and that we should run in the same way. Run free of encumbrances...whatever is encumbering you may be different for me, but you know what it is. So, we need to be stripped of those things by letting God have His way in us and by having a steady diet of the Word. I was listening to Beth this week and she was talking about Psalm 37:4 and how we don't just need head knowledge we desperately need God to write His word on our hearts.

There is going to have to be part two to this because I hardly got out what I wanted to say...

People Pleasing

from www.walkintheword.com

James MacDonald

People Pleasing

"Find out what pleases the Lord." Ephesians 5:10

Some of the greatest pain I've known in life I have brought on myself through attempting the impossible: pleasing other people. Just think of the effort and angst we extend every day trying to get others to like or approve or affirm us. Don't be fooled-people-pleasing is a dead-end street.

Whether the people you crave recognition from is your boss, your parent, your friend, or someone from your past-when you position them as judge and jury over your life, you're putting yourself in bondage.

Jesus came to set you free from this painful pattern of living. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed," (John 8:36). Two choices that helped me turn the corner on this issue are:

Choice #1
I minimize my focus on what others think of me.

Paul faced the temptation to people-please. Notice his response to people comparing his and Apollos' ministries in 1 Corinthians 4:3:

"But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself."

He minimized the weight he placed on others' opinions. "It's a very small thing," he said.

Remember that as you reflect on this past Thanksgiving with your parents, reliving all the tensions of the day and wishing your mom would've said what she's never said, and may never say. No matter how big her rejection feels to you, believe what the Scripture says: "It's a very small thing."

Choice #2
I maximize my focus on what God thinks of me.

I've had to come to the place in my life where my consuming passion is to focus on God's evaluation. Let me suggest four ways to do this:

#1 Spend quality and quantity time with the Lord. More time with Him will help you know and desire to do what pleases Him most.

#2 Don't be controlled or manipulated by emotional blackmail. Some people hold a dynamite stick in one hand and a match in the other and threaten to control you by intimidation. Just walk away.

#3 Limit enslaving friendships. People who base relationships on performance, not acceptance, are never satisfied. Limit their influence and the time you spend with them.

#4 Get alone with the Lord on a daily basis and ask, "Lord, are you pleased with my life? God is the only one who has all the facts, sees all the motives and knows why your boss is never satisfied or why your dad won't accept you as you are. Let it go and focus on pleasing Him alone.

One hundred years from today only God's assessment of your life will matter.

parenting

CLICK HERE for an article on "Cultivating a Godly Child" by John MacArthur

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Retail Rudeness and other things!

2 Timothy 3:1-3
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.



I almost forgot to share this. I work with a lady named Jeanette. She is one of the most even killed ladies you will ever meet. Consistent in every way in regards to her mood. She is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. I have never seen her mad since I have known her. Well, we get some extremely self centered customers in our store. One called tonight and wanted her to measure :shirts and see what differences they had in length in the same size. Can you even imagine? While Jeanette was on the phone I saw the irritation rise...which is so rare. Anyway, another lady...Debbie went to check a size for the lady on the phone and it was taking too long so the customer said to Jeanette and I quote: "Does she not know what I am looking for....why is it taking so long...I am sitting in a cold car...can't she hurry!" I about died! We were inconveniencing her...she was in a cold car trying to place an order and we did not get the memo that she was the most important person on the planet! I am so glad that I didn't answer that call! LOL!

I also decided to put up the Christmas tree tonight. I put Morgan in her room and began to get the decor out of the attic. Anyway, you would think it would be a wonderful family event...nope. Rod would usually direct me on where to put the lights or ornaments from the couch. Morgan would rip the whole tree apart. I didn't think spanking and telling her about the baby Jesus went hand and hand. So I decided to go at it alone! I put everything together and brought the little booger down stairs. She was thrilled beyond measure. And then you guessed it! The beautiful moment ended in having to break out the spanking spoon for her ripping the ornaments off of the tree and trying to climb up it and tear the lights off. Joy!

Then, I had to do something really hard today and I was reminded again that doing what is right doesn't always mean it will be easy.
off to bed!

Randomness from my weekend

I do have an update on Linda. Some people at my work and I thought that we would try to help them for Christmas instead of playing a Dirty Santa game. It just moves me beyond belief that these people would care for a family that they do not even know. So, I called Linda and asked her about it and she asked me to come bye (the gas station) when I got off of work tonight. So I went and her and her son were there. After a year I really felt that the time was right to share about having a relationship with Christ and they were receptive. I also got to talk to Kevin (her son) about his feelings and why God would allow this. Anyway, I just have to trust that the word of the Lord will not return void (Isa. 55). As I stood there talking with them tonight I just prayed that the Lord would give me boldness and sensitivity to their situation. I have no idea what they are going through and I am not about to pretend to.

On another note...Rod brought Morgan to see me at work tonight. They don't have too many outings together so I could hardly wait for them to get there!! She was devastated, as usual, when I left for work today and it always breaks my heart. I told Rod that she didn't even know where I worked and that I would love it if he would bring her. He brought her without her stroller (I know this will mean she thinks she will be free from the stroller from here on out...but she is wrong). I was sitting at the conceirge desk when she came in and that big girl was the cutest thing I have ever seen. She was sporting her Christmas outfit and her backpack. Her eyes were full of wonder as she walked along. Then, she saw her momma and cheers of excitement broke out! I am not kidding. She was shocked to come there and find her mommy! I am so thankful to the Lord for that little sweetheart. I tell her all of the time that NO ONE and I mean NO ONE on this earth will EVER love her as much as I do. I think she knows it. Her dad and MiMi and Pop come in just behind me! She rode the carousel on my break and got really brave since her daddy was watching her. Normally she trembles and puts me in a headlock. With her dad there she was even holding on with one hand!

I have so much to say about some stuff the Lord is teaching me in Hosea but I don't have time to type it tonight. My home is suffering from me working so much. I will be off from Tues until Sunday! Whoo hooo!!

I love you all!!

Elf Family

I am sorry but I just about died when I did this. CLICK HERE!!

My little sister

I have no idea why...but my sister Stephanie's picture is at the top of this website! LOL! It is 103.7 the Q a local radio station.
Click HERE.

Linda

Psalm 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.


Today was a crazy day! I had to get in the mall scene for work and it was a mad house! I always make it a point to frequent places in the name of building relationships with people in my community. There are some real opportunities for ministry all around. Anyway, I am also a bit of a creature of habit and I like to go to the same places. I met a lady named Linda over a year ago and the Shell gas station that I go to. She seemed so worn out by life when I met her. I couldn't get her to talk much (which if you know me...I am pretty easy to talk to). So the Lord really started laying her on my heart and I made it a point to go see her when she was working. I found out a lot about her in the course of this year and I found myself praying for her all of the time. She is single and has a grown son with two grandkids and a daughter in law. Her daughter in law has a rare disease and has had a tumor on her brain. She has had eleven brain surgeries and has been in ICU for the last six months. One more thing I found out is that none of them have known the Lord. I began to pray for an opportune time to share with her. I truly believe that we should build relationships with people and share the gospel. Most people aren't as receptive if they don't know that you care about them. Well anyway, I have been stopping bye to find out about her daughter in law, Crystal. She recently had surgery and things were really looking up. When I went in the gas station today I asked Linda how Crystal was doing and she started crying her eyes out. The doctor had just called and she got the news that the tumor was back and that there was nothing they could do at this point. They were going to send her home to die. I can not even imagine what they are going through. I can't imagine the fear that her two young kids and her husband have right now. She cried and said that she didn't know how they would bury her. I stood there...so helpless...and told her I was so sorry for them and that I would be praying. I can not imagine going through something like this and not knowing the Lord and walking with Him through this dark night. Another thing...her daughter in law is my age...it is very sobering. I can't imagine leaving my little Morgan at this point in time. Please pray for Linda and her family...and pray that salvation will come to them all. Now that I have taken the time to know her...it really hurts me for her as well. I can't get them out of my mind. I see each face of the family and I pray that they will come to know the same hope that I have.