supercali-brag-a-doshish

I think I just made up a new word (kind of copying Mary Poppins...I hope it is nothing bad in another language)!! Jenny needs to get a life-o-la tonight. This is like my 3rd post today...but I just really need to brag on my King for a minute!
I have not been on a vacation in several years now since most of my vacations have included NUMEROUS trips to the hospital and lots and lots of co-pays and ambulance bills. People ask me all of the time why we have been so sick and I am like well I guess we just love being sick...what a silly question.

I needed a minute (a few seconds ago) so I stepped outside and looked up at the night sky. I just felt close to Jesus in that moment. Anyway, I have really been in need of a break and I began to pray specifically about that, and I asked God that just out of His pure grace could He please provide a way for me to get away. I walked down the driveway and opened the mailbox and the provisions were there for me to be able to take a vacation! I don't know why He does me like He does...but I do know that He knows how much I need to get away with Him.

Self

Is there anyone in your life that seems to just take and take and take? You give, and give and they don't mind taking. Well, I have written my own little rendition to "Jesus Lover of My Soul"
You can insert the persons name that you wish! I will name my person a fictitious name like Rico.

"Rico (______you insert your own name), drainer of my soul (this is my title)"

It's all about you, Rico
And all this is for you, Rico
For your pleasure and your ease
It's not about me, Rico
As if you should do things my way?
You think that you are god and that everyone should surrender to your plan.

Cause its all about you...Rico
And all this is for you, Rico
It's not about me...

Repeat 2x

Should I have gone into the song writing business or what?
No but really something that has stuck with me has been the Daniel study (Beth Moore) where she uses this verse to describe the "Babylonian mentality" of each man for himself:

Isa 47:10
10 You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, 'No one sees me.' Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, 'I am, and there is none besides me.'

If you turn on Oprah or Dr. Phil or any other talk show you will almost inevitably hear them suggesting to the nation at large that the individual today needs to be able to love themselves before they can love anyone else. They will tell you to pamper yourself, take care of you, and make yourself happy. You will hear a lot of preachers tell you the same thing. It is total blaspheme to Christianity. We have NOTHING to give apart from Christ and it is in loving Him that we have any resource to be able to love others. Our problem in the United States of America is not a problem of us not loving ourselves. If I may be so bold I would say that most people are pretty infatuated with themselves. I believe therein lies the breakdown in relationships, family (the home), the church, the cooperate world. People are so busy looking out for number one. If we do not guard ourselves against this we will fall prey...we will fall prey! When we focus on loving ourselves we become even more miserable and we make everyone else around us miserable. We try to chase down the next thing to make us happy instead of "Loving the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength."

Let me bring up another point: myspace and other forms of communication. If you look on the average person's myspace you will see tons of pictures of them. As someone pointed out to me recently...that is why it is called myspace it is about them. I understand but my point is that I have seen girls take picture after picture of them self and post it up. My sister has several friends that have gone as far as to put full blown lingerie ads on their myspace (they like their bodies that much). It astonishes me. Just like the girl checking herself out at the salon the other day, I would like to suggest that our problem is that we are overindulged with ourselves and we have little room for God or others. I am not talking about a few minority who really get it and are living for the Lord, but I am speaking of America as a whole.

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


Deut 6:5 says this:
"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

Then again in Matthew 22:36-39
36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' {37 Deut. 6:5}
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' {39 Lev. 19:18}

Why does the Lord Jesus put so much emphasis on us loving Him first? He knows that if we focus our efforts inward to find love, be loved, and make "self" happy that we will implode. Only when we come to Him with an undivided heart and love Him are we going to be able to love others and treat ourselves as the temple of the Lord, in holiness. So why all of the divorce and broken relationships? I think it has so much to do with all that I just typed. One person, or both parties loved themselves too much to become selfless and give and work on the thing. Then the easy thing to do was to quit and there you have the breakdown. People weren't loving God with and undivided heart, their priorities were off and they had nothing to give anyone else...because true love comes from God and it yields itself to others.

Matthew 24:12
12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

Rev 3:15-16
15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
16 So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

The LORD will not be mocked. He doesn't want His children to be lukewarm. One thing I have made a habit of doing is asking God for an undivided heart and praying that He would give me a heart to love Him. While we can't control others or their selfishness we can decide to be firm and solidify our decision to stand firm and love God whether others get on board or not. There is a war and we must resolve and settle the dispute as to whether we will love or grow cold and choose self.

The Second Unapproved Haircut

I woke up this morning and did my usual. I read, and then I went downstairs to take my vitamins. I am really trying to boost the immune system and kick the vitamin-C up a notch. I also purchased some Day-Quil for this lingering head cold yesterday. I politely asked Rod to open the blister pack for me so I could try to ease my sore throat. Then here we go!!!! "How much was this?" he asked. Oh no you don't...I thought. He was about to try to make a point that we have enough medicine in our medicine cabinet (which I cleaned out two days ago). "I bet you I can find this already in the cabinet," he said. Whatever, I thought to myself. I have never met a man like this one...I really want to stay in the Spirit today and I come back downstairs and hear him rattling through the cabinet...he was going to do him some cleaning (that is a first...I promise). Then my emotions begin to stir within me. I am about to get angry. There is some allergy medicine in the cabinet (several boxes) that I have saved that I took but they made my heart race (I have MVP and a heart murmur) so I have been saving them just in case he may need them. What is this he asks, and this, and this? Oh my goodness can I get in the car and drive to the beach I am thinking. Also, if you know me you will know that I feel the inside of the house is my domain, and I do take care of things and when Rod begins to go behind me and complain or try to reorganize I become completely offended. That may be a pride issue but it is the way it is. I went upstairs to get my bathing suit so I could take Morgan outside and clean out her pool and fill it up. I walk in the living room and make eye contact with Rod. He shoots me an ugly (I just got caught) look. People...HE HAD KITCHEN SHEERS....KITCHEN SHEERS...cutting my child's hair. I do not like bangs and I have been growing hers out. I am her mother...therefore I feel like I should make the hairdo decisions as well. He butchered my child's hair and made her some bangs. It looks terrible and there is nothing I can do at this point. Happy Saturday! What in the world goes through his mind...I mean...oh her bangs are in her face...let me go get some kitchen sheers and take care of that real quick. You know the scissors I am talking about...the kind you cut meat with and etc. Maybe she won't get salmonella from her new do.
Craziness!
This brings me to another point. He has plenty of things that need to be fixed around the house...cedar boards falling off, a dead bird that is stuck out of a hole that a woodpecker pecked in the side of our house, replacing light switches, putting trim up in the kitchen that has been down for 3 years, fixing our gate in the backyard, finishing putting up insulation downstairs... these are things that I can't do...and he wants to focus on my jobs. That is just like us...we focus on what others need to be doing and we forget to take care of our own stuff. That is the way the enemy has gotten me so many times. I will focus on where someone else needs to be with the Lord or what they are or aren't doing for the kingdom and I forget to deal with my own sin...then I am almost in a pit before I ever knew it.

truth for life

so good...i know i say that about everything!!

Fellowship and Purpose

I do much better speaking then I do typing as far as trying to make sense is concerned. This morning I was really focusing on the experience in the Garden of Eden. I think it is so easy to get familiar with it that we skip it and miss the eternal word, the enduring word that God wants to speak to us. I needed the Spirit to fall fresh on me this morning and I needed the Lord to speak to my heart. As I read I began to sink in love with Jesus and the Godhead bodily breathing life into man. Why even waste your time with us when you knew the outcome of our sinfulness Oh Ancient of Days? You know how it goes...he forms man from the dust of the ground. There is no woman here to give birth to Adam. Just the Godhead taking the dust of the earth and forming man. Genesis 2:7 "the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

The Lord got personally involved in making His most prized creation. He could have just spoken and it would have came about but is says that "the LORD God formed the man." The word for form in the Hebrew is yatsar and it means to form, fashion, frame; of divine activity, of creation, to frame, pre-ordain, plan. To be predetermined, be pre-ordained, to be formed. God is all knowing. He is not limited by time or space and he knew that we would fall into temptation and lose fellowship with Him. Before the foundations of the world He knew that He would send Christ to the cross as the propitiation for our sins. In spite of all of our sinfulness He formed man, created us, and predetermined our existence.


Genesis 2:8 says "Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed."

Genesis 2:15
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
God put Adam in the garden to work it before the fall. Why? I believe that God wired us with purpose and in having purpose we would have satisfaction and enjoyment. Then as you know after the fall work would become a drudge and a thorn at times.

Genesis 2:16-18
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;
17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
(edited to add...verse 18 is NOT an excuse for co-dependency!)
God gives Adam the rundown before he ever fashions Eve. He tells him here you go Adam, you are FREE to eat from ANY tree in the garden..but and you can read verse 17...but what? Don't eat from this one tree because when you do you will surely die (of course I am paraphrasing).
I have been studying about the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8). When the teachers and Pharisees bring her out to try to trap Jesus by asking Him whether or not she should be stoned to death Jesus tells them the famous words John 8:4b "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." In the Greek Jesus was saying to them if any of you are without the sin of adultery you be the first to pick up the stone and cast it at her to stone her to death. They wanted to condemn her and instead they left one by one. Jesus said that because He knew what was in their hearts. He also says in Matthew 5:28 "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Then when Jesus is alone with the woman, because everyone else had left with Jesus' words penetrating their hearts, they knew they were all guilty of this specific sin. Jesus looked at the woman and had the following dialogue with her John 8:10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Jesus forgave her of her sin of adultery in not condemning her and having her stoned to death even though He is the one with the power to judge. When He tells her go and leave her life of sin He is not saying, "Woman, you just got forgiven...go be perfect and never commit another sin as long as you live." That would be wonderful if we came to the cross and never sinned again but we are sheep in need of a shepherd and God grows us and changes us as we cooperate in sanctification and submission. What He specifically told her in the greek was to leave the sin that was causing her to perpetually miss the mark in her relationship to Christ, which was the sin of adultery.
That to me is a picture of Genesis. We were meant to have continual fellowship with Christ but the enemy in His craftiness came and tempted Adam and Eve and they ate of the fruit and their eyes were opened and they saw that they were naked and they felt shame. They fell into temptation and sin and lost sweet fellowship. We have the same problem when we choose not to submit to Christ. We lose the continual fellowship that He meant for us to have.
I want to quote a few things that I read in my Key Word Study Bible this morning:

"The tree of the knowledge of good and evil functioned as a test of obedience. Adam and Eve had to choose whether to obey God or break His commandment. When they ate the forbidden fruit, the consequences of their actions became self-evident. Their relationship to God was broken because of sin. The questions which faced Adam and Eve are the same ones that people face today. Which path should I choose? What kind of relationship do I want to God?"

Then of speaking of the fruit in the garden that they were tempted with:

"The idea that the fruit mentioned in this passage (Gen. 3:1-7) was an apple could have come from the similarity of the Latin words malam (apple) and malum (evil). Whatever the fruit was, eating it was clearly a deliberate violation of God's command. Satan's temptation of Eve began by planting the seed of doubt within her, "Did God really say..." (v.1). Satan also distorted the prohibition that God gave, which was limited to just the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Ge 2:16, 17). In response, Eve added the phrase "and you must not touch it" to God's prohibition. After declaring that "you will not surely die" (v. 4), an obvious contradiction to God's instructions, then Satan slandered God's motives, claiming that He was keeping something from them (v. 5). Once Eve accepted these assumptions, her desire for the fruit grew until she took some and ate it (v. 6).
The Bible explicitly states that all human beings are sinners (Ps 14:1-3; Ro 3:9-23), which is the result of Adams disobedience (Ro 5:12-14). The mercy and grace of God are evident in the fact that Jesus came to save guilty, undeserving sinners (Lk 19:10; Ro 5:6-8; 15-19)."

When I think about the temptation that Satan came against them with I remember that he is crafty and he masquerades himself as light. He is a liar, he twists the truth...he knows the word and he will do whatever he can to try to counterfeit it and beguile us. He wants to take each man down one at a time for the kingdom of darkness. I am so glad that we know who is the last One Standing! It is the Victorious One...the Name Above all names!
Seriously, when I access my own life and my own falls especially the ones that have been since I have been a believer...this same method is what led me astray. I would be in fellowship with God and then circumstances would arise and I would begin to look at my life, and maybe not trust God's timing or wait on Him and I would begin to doubt God. If that doubt was not renounced I would eventually act on whatever sin by focusing on what I felt God wasn't doing for me and believing the lie that He was holding out on me. When we focus on the one thing He says no to (which His no's are always for us and not against us) there is just something in our inner man that will eventually want to go after the no instead of focusing on all of the yes'. Then bam as soon as I took of my own fruit my eyes were opened and I was full of fear, discouragement, shame and brokenness over leaving the God that my Spirit loves.

Another thing that has really been impressed upon my heart lately is purpose. I have really struggled with purpose since I am a stay at home mom and I am not actively using the gifts that God has given me to build up the body. I am waiting on Him to open a door for me. I teach Bible study but it is more of a facilitation type thing. Just like God put Adam in the garden to work it...we have work to do here. If we are living in complacency and not using what God has entrusted us we will search in all manners and ways to try to find satisfaction. The truth is that we will not find satisfaction, true soul satisfaction, until we are in submission and obedience to Christ. I know first hand so this is NOT something that I am just pulling out of thin air. Besides your job, being a parent, or whatever it is...you are called to use the gifts God has entrusted you with to build the kingdom...but in doing so you will find great satisfaction in seeking Him and staying in constant fellowship with Him. When I say constant fellowship I mean in the habit of confession, repentance, and obedience. I am talking about time spent in the word and focused on Him. It is just to easy, way to easy, to get distracted and start searching for ways to fill voids and then you will have a whole mess on your hands that you could have never in your wildest dreams planned for. Our foe is a deceiver and he absolutely wants to destroy us. And without him we have our flesh warring with the spirit so that we do not do what we ought to do (Romans 7).
One more thing about fellowship and then I have to go to bed...
I am absolutely miserable if I get honest with you and myself when I am not in fellowship with the Lord. Reason being is that I know what it is like to have intimacy with Him and I am so beside myself if things aren't right with me and Him. There are times that I will hide from Him to because I know I have done wrong and I am ashamed and I just don't want to face up.

Here are the verses and then I will follow with the quote:
Genesis 3:8-13
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"
12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me-- she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

"God is omnipresent...The presence of God from which Adam and Eve hid was a special manifestation to them in the Garden of Eden."

You see immediately where God begins to clothe them (Adam and Evie-poo...sorry I have to nickname these people) and cover their shame and then we see in Exodus how He gives the command to begin building the tabernacle since sin entered the world, they were banished from the garden (the continual state of fellowship with God), and we were separated from God. God began to reconcile Himself to us through the orders to build the Tabernacle for Him to come and dwell among us. Then we see in Jesus that the Word was made flesh and He came to dwell among us in the gospel of John. Regardless of our sin...and oh it had and has a cost...He is the initiator of us to come back and for us to leave our lives of sin that are causing us to perpetually miss the mark in our relationship to Him (I guess you could call them areas that have a strong hold on us, or areas where we just continually disobey God...over and over). He says come, I have made a way. You will only find true purpose and meaning as you follow and you obey. So are you with me or are you against me? You can't have friendship with this world system and love God. Cease striving child...in your efforts to fill your cavernous soul...let me fill you...trust me. Believe me.

Then in the words of Genesis 4:7
"7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

Many of you know that I taught in the Singles ministry at my church for six years. I loved each Sunday morning more than any other day of the week. Not because I could get up and hear myself talk...but because I was sharing what God was teaching me and His word was going forth and His word was changing people, I saw it with my own eyes. He is the Famous One give Him the praise that He is still changing lives through His powerful word. It gave me such purpose and passion to see people hungering for God as they began to have a daily relationship to Him through His word. I know the Lord is using this time for me...and He has made me some promises through His word...but I miss Sunday mornings. People would ask me all the time if I got burned out. No, I would tell them...a resounding no. I can't help but share and speak of the Lord and what He has done. Why? Because that is what He has gifted me to do. So I am suggesting to you...find out where God has gifted you and begin to plug in and use that gift. You will find purpose and passion as you lose yourself in Him you will find life. It's when we go at it on our own trying to "find ourselves" that life becomes messy and even more empty...trust me.

Now I am going to leave you with some verses that God began to work in me seven or eight years ago...may they fall fresh on you especially if you are still reading!!

Philippians 3:10

10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [^[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

One more thing. I really need some extra prayers. I think from all that I have been through in the last 4 years it is like...well, that's just Jenny she is always sick...or whatever. I am still having the spinal headache from the meningitis and I threw up 3 times today. I have been throwing up off and on for a while...and no I am not pregnant! Rod is really used to me being sick so I don't want to ask him for prayer either...so please just say a prayer for me. I did go to the doctor and I am waiting on some lab work. I have just really had a hard time with my health and would appreciate your prayers.

I am back

Here is some fun stuff from yesterday!! :)
SCENE 1
I used to watch the Seinfeld show back in the day...it really had some funny moments. Anyway, since my days of retail, ministry, family life and etc I have thought about writing my own show. I really have some serious material! If you have been my friend for a long time you will testify that I could write a show and it would be a hit! Well, I have to share the funniest stuff from today...some I am going to omit for the sake of respect. Rod was scheduled to leave for Kansas today and he didn't go due to the weather. The terrain would not be suitable for hanging tree stands (whatever). So, he said he would take the little boog to Mother's Day out so I could get some rest. That would be great if I could get some rest but Rod (and this is no offense) doesn't know how to put an outfit on Morgan (even if I lay the clothes out) or do hair. That is fine, so I got up and dressed her (she was looking mighty cute) and off they went. I spent some time in the word and then went back to sleep...so nice. I slept until 12 noon. I didn't even sleep that late as a teen. I went to get Morgan and it began to pour down rain (PTL) well there was also a really bad wreck near the entrance to my house so we pulled into the parking lot of our favorite Mexican restaurant and as we were about to go inside she saw a silver truck, the hands went up and she began to yell hey da! Oh no, I can't go through this again...if you have read my previous posts she does this ALL of the time and it is a SCENE! I pulled out of the parking lot and she cried and cried. We called her dad on the phone but he is not as concerned with it since he doesn't deal with this everyday. Then, I had to run an errand and she fell asleep. We pull into the CVS parking lot to get some tp (toilet paper) and you guessed it...A SILVER TRUCK! This time the man is inside the truck. I didn't realize until I was getting her unbuckled that she spotted it. The man looked like Willie Nelson, he was covered in tattoos and was sporting his orange Harley Davidson hat. She looked him square on and I think she thought maybe her dad was in the car with him but that just wasn't da! He was on his cell phone parked toward the end of the parking lot on Lorna road. We headed in CVS where Morgan made the biggest scene you have ever seen. She screamed and screamed until she began to gag. The lady at the register was like oh please don't throw up. I know several people that work there so they were trying to tend to her while I was getting more than frustrated. I even had to pop her on the thigh on aisle 10. I had to explain to oh everyone in the store as to why she was crying like that. I then told them that I was hiking down to the end of that parking lot to speak with that man and show her that it wasn't her dad. I told them that if they saw me missing on the news tonight they could call in a tip. I held her hand and we walked up to the truck "Excuse me sir, she thinks you are her dad. I am so sorry to interrupt your phone call." "No honey, he replied "but I will be her god-dad (we were about blown over with the smell of old-spice and a pipe...but what a nice guy)." Then I got a lot of sugar, honey, baby stuff and Morgan seemed more than a little frightened and we headed back to the car.

SCENE 2
There is a wonderful place in Hoover (the Paul Mitchell school) where you can go and get your haircut for $10. When I had short hair there is no way that I would risk going anywhere like that...but now that it is long and I needed a trim I am all about it. I went in to make an appointment and I saw a very attractive blond girl standing at the window on the phone (she works there). By the window there are like 10 mirrors. She was walking back and forth checking herself out in each mirror and I am not kidding when I say she was stopping in front of each mirror to get a good look she was so impressed with herself. When I say checking herself out I do mean she was and it was the most obvious thing I have ever seen. I began to chuckle and the girl at the front desk was wondering why I was laughing...I said girlfriend get a load of home girl...she can't stop catching a glimpse of herself. It was if she were saying each time she looked "Oh their I am, it's me again, yep that's me, me again, oh I am looking good, yes I am still here, me again." I about died. The girl keeping appointments said, "girl that is her all day long." Maybe you should have been there. After I left I told them to leave her a little note to read Ecclesiastes. I was kidding!! I mean if you are fine and you know it at least be a little discrete. It is like myspace where everyone has a million pictures of just them. After I left I walked by all of the mirrors just to humor the girls and we laughed as they told me how crazy I am.

SCENE 3

Before the hairdo I had some time to kill. I went to the dollar tree and tried to search for some cards. They are 2 for a dollar and you can actually get some really good cards. I just can't bring myself to pay five dollars for a card these days. Well, I have now decided that I am going to have to start writing my own cards and go into business if any of you have any suggestions. They will be called the "Tell them how you really feel honesty cards." I walked up to the counter and looked straight at the girl and said, "Where is the anniversary card that says this...we made it FOUR years...it seems like fifty already...God has kept us together and it will be God that keeps us together. WHAT HAPPENED? Trying to love you...LORD help!" We laughed so hard and then she told me about how she just got a divorce after three...bless.

Communication Fast

Proverbs 4:23
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

For the next few days I will be taking a break from ALL forms of communication. If you need me and it is an emergency please do get in touch with me (I don't want to be legalistic). I have been really distracted and need to spend the next few days lining my heart back up with the Lord. It is so easy to get distracted and lose sight and get off track from tv, internet, phones, shopping, relationships, sleep or lack of sleep, you get the picture. We can get way to connected and lose connection with the Father. That is me lately.

much love

jenny

She can't be trusted

You have heard it called the terrible two's. Could it really be? I mean we are only in to day two of the two's. The crib is back and then I look over and see the child's diaper on the floor. Oh no! I thought this was going to be a good nights sleep. I just changed those sheets...not again!!! Here goes nothing little booger. Yep she did it!!! Tee tee everywhere, jammies are wet, and I know this is her plan for freedom. She thinks she will get to bust out of the crib. She couldn't be more wrong. I put pants on her this time we will see if she gets those off. Hopefully this will be the end of her plots for the day. Oh the joys. Did I mention she ripped her scripture painting off of the wall to...(ripped the nail hole down the wall...she is quick)? She's a wild one (these are the reasons that I don't leave her unattended)! She takes after her mother all the way! We are about to watch Curious George for the fifth time!!

question of the week

this is so good.

my monkey and the people I just can't seem to love

The monkey is back in her crib. The toddler bed is in the guest bedroom and she is adjusting back in her bars. I couldn't handle another night of her freedom. It was really going to get to me.


On to something else...these verses. They cut like a knife!
Luke 6:31-33
31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them.
33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that.

Verse 32 is the one that gets me. It is so easy for me to love the people who are easy to love, the people who love me back. But I just wanted to tell off like 2 people tonight that were getting to me. Better yet, there is a relationship that Jesus is calling me to stay in that I want to leave because it is not easy and it requires me loving someone that I can not love on my own. Does anyone have a person like this? I need him to give me resurrection power over this and bring my heart back from the death that I let it die as a defense mechanism. I wanted that part of my heart to die to this person because if it did then that meant I would not have to get hurt or care, I could be as cold and calloused as I wanted and be unaffected. Does anyone know what I am talking about? Instead Christ says, "No, Jenny that is not what I have called you to here."
"But why Lord?" I ask. He has called me to love and keep loving, regardless of the other person's response or lack thereof. There are some things that we need to walk away from and say goodbye to, but this is not one of them for me. He wants me to persevere...but I don't want to. Yet I will have to choose to submit. Our culture is all about get going when the going gets tough and I will say I would like to jump on board with that right about now (just to be honest). In my heart, I know that a new set of circumstances would mean new issues, and new problems, just in a different package. Contentment is a learned thing people and it is learned through the furnace of affliction and trials. I don't understand why things have turned out the way they have for me (and none of that really matters) but it is my prayer that Jesus will continue to make me okay and that those things that have been allowed in my life will continue to bow down to me and become servants to me. I don't want to grow cold or bitter ever. I know a lady that has a scowl on her face every time you see her. Life has gotten to her and her countenance is hard. I don't want to be like that. Lord, help us to love those who are not easy to love, those who are a continual thorn in our flesh. God, please regardless of where we have gone astray help us to stay the course and stick to your side and believe You when this world screams no don't believe your God. Lord, please cleanse us and help us we need you to do in us what we can't do for ourselves. Father, please fill me...be my portion.

Fun Times

If you know me you will know that I didn't really give any roundhouse kicks to the face at Comp. But seriously, I heard second verse same as the first..."we will give you a call about your laptop." I have only heard that 50 times. I asked Brian, that is his name, if he would really be calling me? I do get a lot of unknown calls on my cell phone...but to my knowledge CompUsa has never called. I went to Chic-Fil-A and got Morgan some Hi-C to which she poured down the front of her dress...those were fun times. Then this is really funny...she locked her dad out of the house. Who knew she had those sort of skills? While we were in CompUsa she decided to try to continually jump out of the buggy. I was so tired that I was trying to discipline her to keep her from hurting herself and all I could do was laugh which took the strength out of me and she and I were spinning that buggy round and round (they don't have fasteners) while people stared and laughed. She has my number...usually instead of getting mad I just laugh and it sucks the life out of me. It really was funny! I had to leave since she decided to drop a bomb in her pants and bless everyone in the store. I am going to eat a cheese biscuit (from Jim n Nicks) go to the gym, and head back to see if I can't get my problemo solved before my warranty runs out! :)

On another note...this is funny!! Morgan saw a silver truck yesterday...every silver truck is her dad...and she began to freak out. Remain calm Jenny, I told myself. After the bought at Big Lots where yours truly fell into the car wrestling Morgan, I decided that we were not going for that same outcome. So, we stood outside of the store as the "woman" got out of her truck...before Morgan tried to get in with her. This girl was done up if you know what I mean and she was getting ready to shop! I said "ma'am I am sorry but she thinks you are her dad and I wanted to show her that you weren't." We meet a lot of people this way. She looked at Morgan and with the most southern accent I do believe that I have ever heard she said, "Honey, I don't have me a man...this is my truck!" As if Morgan understood a word she said. Hilarious to me anyway.

Roundhouse kick to the face! -Rex Kwondo

I am headed to Chic-fil-A, where everything is "their pleasure" (to get some energy) and then I am going to head to CompUsa where I am going to give someone a roundhouse kick to the face if they don't deal with my keyboard...seriously! I know Rex Kwondo! This will be my 11th time to go bye there. Morgan just figured out how to take the vent cover off and she is shoving her leg down it (do other kids do this?)...this is not good. After last night I did not go to sleep again until oh 3 or so...I have decided that Morgan is not ready for her freedom...the crib will be resurrected before Rod heads to Kansas to set up his tree stands. If you see me on the street beware!! I am about to go POSTAL! :) I can't even seem to get in the Spirit today either due to lack of sleep for the last month or so. I had it out in prayer this morning and it is still turning out to be one of those days...Morgan quit climbing the shelf is what I am screaming now.

John 8:36
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

PR

This story was a prayer request tonight at Bible study. I am so sad for this family. My friend Amanda Leach used to work with the mother. Please pray for the family. Bible study was so good tonight (I will share later). I just took some night time cold medicine so I think I am going to read and go to sleep if morgan cooperates. For those of you that were so in like with my dress tonight...(I love my Bible study sisters!!) I got it at Old Navy for I think $10. Let me see if I can link to it. If I ever want a cute compliment I will not get it from Rod so the Lord put my girlies in my life...thank you sweet sisters! We will all wear our dress on the same day (lets not covet or anything)!! It is so funny because I will sometimes come down stairs and clear my throat..."What's that Jesus?" I will say. "Oh? I look pretty? Thanks Jesus." I then crack up. Tonight, I said hey do you think I look okay and he said yes actually you do. It is so funny because he says "actually." He doesn't mean to people.

Quick little survey for those of you who have time....Rod tells me that all guys are the same. Is this really true? I dated a lot of people and really got to know some of them. In my estimation they are not all the same...so here are my questions:

Toots...that is what I call them. Are they always such a big deal? To me (which I do not pass gas) that is a private matter. My daddy NEVER passed gas in front of me EVER!
Picking of the nose? Can the man in your life pick his nose for hours on end?
Pulling nose hairs out? Do you know guys who do this?
Sports and Hobbies for hours on end???

Okay this is just for fun....

on a totally different note. there has been some question as to whether or not i bleach my teeth. the answer is NO! First, I can't afford it. Second, I have very sensitive teeth, and third I use colgate. I do not drink caffeine at all only water for the pearly whites.

Her cupcake...the cake was just to messy

some presents for the girl

opening my presents

this was what i had the most fun with!

Why do I feel the need to taste everything?

Please cookies hurry!

spraying momma in my pool...I know you are jealous of my pool ;)

that's just my baby's daddy...no flip on the pic...running out of time

at Cozumel

Oh no you don't

Morgan is feeling better peeps! She slept all afternoon and now she is up and ready to go at 11:32pm. I decided to go to see if the new Target was open in Alabaster. NOOOOO! Not yet. So, I went to Wal-Mart instead. I am so tired of that place. Anyway, I was like is this a full moon or something tonight? There were like all of these 15 year olds making out in the store..they were also walking and holding each other so close that I was afraid they may pass out from not being able to breathe, you know what I am talking about. Then I kept hearing these other girls cuss to the point that I was going to have to find the soap aisle and give their mouthes a good washing. Several kids passed me on those roller skate shoes as well...these are strange times. I almost lost it when I was on aisle four and couldn't find my soft batch chocolate chip cookies...we really are spoiled here in the US! I was so hungry. Then I decided since I had not eaten today to run to Taco Bell. That is not my favorite place...but it reminds me of some good old days. My friend Angela and I used to make some trips to get bean burritos with no onions. She said it was good protein, I thought she was right. Yeah right. Anyway, we made plenty of late night trips to WalMart on 280 back in the day and made our way to Taco Bell. I was in the line at Taco Bell for like 30 minutes...I was thinking I may need to get in there and help them slap the beans on that soft shell. I was desperate I must admit. I was thinking it may give me some good enough indigestion to be able to stay up and pull the night shift with sweetie. I have decided tonight that I have to start trying to build up my immune system so I will be loading up on vitamin C and taking my good bacteria. I STILL HAVE A LINGERING SPINAL HEADACHE...I am so ready for that to leave. I am going to blog the good stuff that I have been learning I just haven't had time to process my thoughts.

ok

Morgan is good. We had her blood count checked and she has something viral. I just got a little scared that she could have had "the meningitis". Anyway, don't speed in Hoover today. There were seriously four people pulled over on my way home from the doctor. I was doing like 80 earlier so I am glad I didn't get a ticket. I do have a heavy foot and can get to singing and forget about the speed....ooops!
I am now craving J. Alexanders if you have never been there I am sorry. I may have to call one of my single girls later and see if they want to go. I think I am headed for a nap so I may just dream about a chicken sandwich and fries, Morgan is napping and I am out of my atenolol so I think it is going to be another long night-o-la! Paul Finebaum is about to bore me to death! Go Dawgs!! :)

Please Pray

I am headed in a few to take Morgan to the Doctor. She is NOT herself at all. She started throwing up again this morning and I gave her a bath after that. She did not want to play and just sat there staring at me. I got her out and she laid on the floor in her room and went back to sleep. She is just lethargic and it is bothering me. Gotta go.

Taking Heed to the Warning!

The Lord knows what we need. My sweet friend Donna, from Pell City, sent me this yesterday morning. The Lord sent her to me and she has been spurring me on...seriously. The Lord knew that I needed it. Oh and just to give you a shout out Donna I will be getting up on the ski's at Logan Martin on the 4th! Depth perception girl is going to show everybody what is up!! If I am not still sore from my falls...ha ha!! And I found my usb cord. Morgan decided to get back up last night and party like it was 1999. She stayed up until 3. I thought I was going to die. I did download my pics so I will slap them up later. Also, I have been learning a lot that I hope to share as well. Much love!

Mind the Holy Spirit’s Warning!
with Beth Moore

“For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy;
for I betrothed you to one husband, that to
Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.
But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived
Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be
led astray from the simplicity and purity of
devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2, 3)

A young woman confided to me that she had fallen into an area of sin after swearing just the day before she would never do such a thing! What is being eroded to give the enemy that kind of entrance to overtake the externals of our lives and our actions? We cannot be possessed by Satan when we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and totally secured by Christ's salvation, but what happens when we slip into his seductive trap?

The Bible shows us that someone can be suddenly and unexpectedly overtaken in sin. Even the most spiritual person can be totally guarded in one area of their life and be trapped by the enemy in another unguarded area. That seems to be the real art of Satan’s plan of seduction. The day-to-day warfare Christians experience may be the hard ball, but seduction is the curve ball that comes from a direction we are not expecting.

No child dreams of being an alcoholic or a drug addict. Nobody plans a sexual addiction. The curious person that viewed pornography for a few moments never intended to be so obsessed that they spend their work hours craving more images.

The truth is that the enemy has planned an addiction for you and he drapes the rope of bondage very loosely at first, then suddenly jerks on the other end and you slip into his pit. We can’t walk in fear or hyper-legalism, but we must learn to walk in the spirit so we sense God’s warning signals.

On occasion, I have walked away from a place or a situation without knowing why. I just sensed the Spirit’s caution. Jesus abides in us by way of His Holy Spirit once we receive Him as our personal savior. It is imperative that we ask Him to fill us so when the Holy Spirit checks us, we will obey His warning regardless of how it appears in the natural.

I asked Christians who’d found themselves in a seductive mess if they were given a warning. Every person said, “Yes.”

“Why didn't you heed it,” I asked.

The consistent answer was, “I thought I was imagining it, so I talked myself out of it.”

Galatians 5:16 commands us to, “Walk in the spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” When we sense the Holy Spirit is alerting us, we must learn to mind the spirit.

He will also tell us when a person is worthy of being helped, but we are not the one to help them. We have a very mean-spirited enemy who turns something that looks good into something evil. We may find ourselves broken, devastated and humiliated if we fail to heed the warning.

The voice on the airport tram warns, “Please step away from the door,” meaning if you don't get back, this door will take your head off! Under the open eyes of the Holy Spirit, we hear signals communicated from inside of us. If we don't learn to listen and walk in the Spirit we will feel it and slip into an early grave the devil prepares for us. He wants to bury us alive so far under the mud that we see no way out.

Often we won't make cry for help because we're too ashamed reveal the mess we are in. God has a rescue plan and if we obey Him, we will be able to say as the Psalmist did,

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.

Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.

Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.
(Psalm 40:1-5)

This Week
God wants you to come before Him and cry out, “Here I am—with all the broken mess I have made of my life. Here I am.”

Prayer
“Lord, pull me out of the enemy’s pit, and put my feet on The Rock, so I have a firm place to stand. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I will not be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”

Beth's series "Get Out Of The Pit" can be ordered at lifetoday.org.

A Call to the Carpet

Why on earth do I share everything? I guess I hope that someone can relate and feel as if they are not alone with hard times on planet earth. For those of you that pretty much have a wonderful life, marriage, family, health and etc, with little to no trials...bless you and I am glad for you. That is just not my life so I probably won't be able to relate to you much. After my last post last night I read a few verses and went to try and go to sleep. I could not shut my mind down so I got up and began to get the party decorations out for today. Then I really sensed that the Lord wanted me to pray. I needed to get real with Him for my sake. He already knows everything so I wasn't telling Him anything that He didn't already know. I just needed to unload. I read a quote the other day on a girls myspace that said "It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it." Well, we weren't meant to carry heavy loads people!! We have a Saviour that is ENOUGH and He says to come to Him. (Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.")
I got on the carpet and began to just unload my heavy heart to the Lord (I really wish I could go into details but I am not at liberty to do so). I began to cry (of course) and beg the Lord to do a work in me and in another situation that has been ongoing for years now. I got so worked up in my prayer that I threw up twice. Seriously! I finally went to sleep around 3ish. I woke Rod up with the throwing up and he asked me what was wrong. I really didn't want to go into it so I told him I was tired and I couldn't sleep. Then he proceeded to lecture me as to why I was off of my sleep pattern and how I needed to get back on it. Don't you love it? Men will always try to help you solve your problem...even in the middle of the night. It really made me laugh.

So on to the party today!! I can't wait to download some pics but I can not find my usb cable. I will turn the place upside down and find it tomorrow. Rod says that I lost it...but I can PROMISE you it was him. I am not sure how I get blamed for everything but I do! Morgan had a wonderful time. I am still not sure if she understood why people were here, why they were leaving, or why she got toys. Anyway, she decided to go swimming in her baby pool once everyone got here so we had to start the cupcakes without her. Then we got some good quality time with her little boyfriend Jackson, along with my mom and my sweet little brother Will. I love Will so much. I am almost 12 years older than him so I feel like I have missed out so much on his life. I moved out of our house when he was six. He is so precious. He is now so much taller than me...I can't believe it! My mom and him hung out with us and then I decided that we needed to go get the Queen some Mexican food. She loves Cozumel Restaurant (not Cozumel Mexico...I went their last summer...if you haven't been you aren't missing much. I rode a motorcycle all around that island and there was nothing to see.) and when she walked in most of the staff greeted her as usual. They all love her. They sang happy birthday to her and we really thought she was going to cry. Thank you Lord for the whip cream they gave her...it held her off. I ate so much of my dinner that I thought I was going to puke. Each time the waitress came to the table she hit the button on her new Dora backpack! She is so funny! We just got home and she snuggled up to me and went to sleep. Thank you Jesus for this precious girl!!!! Until tomorrow. :)

It must be the Colgate

A few weeks ago when we were listening to Daniel week 1 (I did this study last summer and it is a fresh word all over again) Beth talked about how our enemy wants to take us back to the places that God called us to leave. She used the analogy of the tower of Babel, the Plain of Shinar (Gen 11:2), and Babylon (all the same place). The people were becoming numerous and decided they would make a name for themselves and build a tower to the heavens (I am paraphrasing). Instead of the command to be fruitful and multiply they were going to stay where they were at so the Lord confused their language (Babel) and scattered them. The Lord called the Israelites to leave and go to their promised land and Nebuchadnezzar came and the Lord delivered the Israelites into his hands. Judah was taken captive to Babylon and most of the prisoners would never see their home land again. She talked about how the enemy wants to return us to captivity (and how captivity can be friendly to us. She talked about how some of the exiles did not want to return when King Cyrus issued the decree for them to leave Babylon. Babylon had been "good" to them and they had prospered in their captivity.) and make us think we have made no progress with the Lord.
I have had a rather exhausting day today. Pride comes before the fall and I am pretty much hurting on my whole right side from the fall at the gas station. Seriously, I laughed when Miss USA fell so I know that was my payback...sorry Miss USA I feel your pain. I went to my precious friend Maryanna's wedding tonight it was so wonderful. I missed the reception. Directionally challenged girl couldn't find it, so I went to Milo's instead. Morgan and I filled up her baby pool and my scalp got burned (this is earlier). I spent an hour crying my eyes out to one of my dearest friends in the car before I came home. I have been in the fight of my life lately. The enemy has been hard after me and I am tired (Romans 7). It has been a constant war. Life has been really hard lately. I won't lie. The enemy is trying hard to get me to doubt God and I am having to stay hard in the word and trust God when my feelings scream no. I had a passage of scripture I was studying heavy on my heart before the wedding and I went outside to ask Rod what he thought about it and of course he was busy as usual adjusting the sprinklers. I told him that if he was that busy then never mind and I proceeded to go inside. He then turned the sprinklers on and you guessed it I got sprayed in the face. I felt extremely important. That was another moment where I had to go in and cry and just trust in El Roi (Gen 16:14), the God who sees me. I was so thankful for my sweet friend tonight that I cried to on the phone with. She has been with me for a long time and I can be real with her and tell her pretty much anything without judgment. She really encouraged me and the Lord knew that I needed it. Back to the tired part...I am so tired and my little monkey is up and going strong. Since there is no longer a crib to contain her she is in her room going to town (I can't leave her on her own and go to bed either). I really thought I was going to get a goodnight sleep tonight but the only one that seems to get sleep around here is Rod. So, today with the burnt scalp...and add to that some alcohol hairspray from my up-do...I began to really hurt. I decided to hunt down some dandruff shampoo and found some head and shoulders in Rod's bathroom. Being the avid reader that I am I saw that the bottle had an expiration date on the bottom of it. Does shampoo really expire? Surely not? The bottle said it was going to give my scalp a cool mint burst. So as I am going to have a warm bath to soothe the right side of my body from the fall I decide to take care of the sunburned scalp. Oh no people this shampoo was not expired!! All of the sudden I got that cool mint burst that the bottle spoke of (the invigorating burst of cool mint). I thought my head was on fire. Then you guessed it dandruff shampoo in the eyes. All in a day!! I am not sure what is going on with me but I think it might be the Colgate. If you don't watch the news...forget about it. Speaking of the news...I have been following the Jessie Davis story
It is so sad. It is another atrocity and misuse of power and authority. I feel sorry for everyone involved, especially the little boy who probably saw the whole thing and is left without his mother and unborn sister.

Psalm 25:15-18
15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.
18 Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.

The First Year

Here are some pictures of my girl from her first year of life. I am going to post the second year when I have time. I almost didn't make it without crying this morning over how thankful I am for this girl. In the midst of some REALLY hard times, she has made my life really sweet.


My punkin


baby's daddy at church



sweet thang' in her punkin' seat


Go Tigers! Her Momma is a Georgia Bulldogs fan but I will let it ride.



feeding time back in the bottle days. Paying a visit to my sister in North Al


Just Chillin


My little cuteness!


and again...


she has her dad wrapped around her finger (I am glad someone does)




She looks just like Rod


Her in her bunny chair


O.K. this really is Rod cloned here. Isn't he cute with a bunny towel?


Fresh out of the oven: 5 lbs 10 oz and 5 weeks early!


Here she is with our favorite doctor!

It's Her Party and I'll Cry if I Want To

I went to sleep at oh let me think 3 or 4 am and it is 6am. What is wrong with this picture? Morgan, in her new found freedom, was having a hard time going to sleep last night. Around 1:30 I had to finally move to our room and stay up with the sound of snoring. I was not polite about it tonight either. I would kick Rod real fast and move my aching body (from the fall where I seriously think I have bruised a few ribs) back over to my side of the bed so he wouldn't know it was me waking him up. I also had a lot on my mind, so I didn't think I was ever going to be able to shut it down and go to sleep. Then, at 6am, what's that I hear? Oh the wonderful sound of my child puking next to me. If you know me you will know that I must be really tired for the next statement to come out of my mouth: "Rod, can you just put a towel over it...I am still working off of no sleep from your wonderful snoring." This is going to be a good day!!! I think the birthday party is off...I am so sad. I love that little munchkin to pieces. Time to get in the Spirit!

Donuts

Forget the last stinking post about my donuts! I went downstairs to dig in to my sweet cream filled delight and you guessed it King of the Couch (is what I am calling him at the moment) ate it! I mean I got four donuts...he is trying to blame Morgan for 2 of them now! What a day ;). I may just hop in the car, throw open my sunroof and head back to KK they are open 24/7!

"I Pity the Fool!!" --Mr. T

CAN JENNY GET A BREAK?*
(yes it's me speaking in third person once again)

Several of my friends are about to get a real good laugh out of this post. Okay, I went to gas up earlier on the way to the Dollar Tree, I have a big weekend ahead of me lined up with a visit to Trussville tomorrow, then Argo, then Samford for a wedding, followed by my sweeties party on Sunday. Even funnier real quick the dollar store by my house (due to crude oil prices) charges oh whatever they feel like...so I have to go to the Hoover Commons...it is the real dollar store. So, I am getting gas and I go to step over the hose (keep in mind I am wearing a dress) and depth perception girl thinks she is making the step only to trip and fall. Oh I know you wish you could have been there. I have no shame people so I really don't care. I fell down the stairs the day before...I was so sleepy (I have to stay up late to study and I am almost done PTL! Jenny will soon be entering the MT world after MUCH hard work) and I went to get Morgan's morning milk and stumbled down the first flight of stairs in my house. REAL FUNNY! YEAH DEPTH PERCEPTION GIRL! I have even been known to wreck my car in the garage and I ran into the wall at Chic-Fil-A). When I start parking vertical in a horizontal parking space I know it is time to update the prescription on my eyes.

Next, it is Friday night and I just got home from CompUSA where I have been bye like TEN times this week...I AM NOT KIDDING! HOW STINKING HARD IS IT TO ORDER A KEYBOARD for my laptop??? Thank you spinal meningitis I am now back in a size zero and I am getting hit on constantly (oh and trust me I am not bragging...it has truly not been flattering). I go most everywhere by myself so I am giving people the benefit of the doubt that they just think I am wearing my rings for fun. I got another proposition as I went to get a smoothie and then oh let's not forget about the guys at WalMart and Jim N Nicks...the guy there even did a dance for me in the drive thru!!! It is total madness! Oh and let me talk about the overly flirtatious guy at CompUsa. No offense...but he needs to seriously invest in some tweezers. Is this ugly? I am like dude...Jesus loves you, but your nose hairs and eyebrow hairs need some major plucking...they are really scaring me! I really need to stop frequenting these places. Do I have a sign on my head or something???

*edited to add:
PS...speaking of breaks... Morgan woke up with a fever this morning. I sleep in the daybed in her room usually since I can't handle Rod's wonderful ranges of snoring (it gives me literal anxiety) and she climbed in bed with me and I noticed she was burning up! I just made another run to WalMart and Krispy Kreme (one cream filled for me and a plain glazed for the sidekick!) for some tylenol and ibuprofen and took my temp 100 degrees! WHOO HOO!! Let the fun begin. We may have to cancel the party...I sure hope not! If one more person asks me why I am sick all of the time...I will scream :). Oh and in the words of my uncle Rico what is the "dealio"? Just tell me one thing people: Do I make you laugh? I make myself laugh so I guess that is what matters!!

Proverbs 16:9

love jenny

Crackin up!

I was on facebook tonight and I cracked up at a fellow sister of mine (we are in bible study together). She has on her favorite songs "Please don't go girl" by New Kids on the Block. I was madly in love with Joey back then...I really thought we would get married one day. The Lord had another plan for me. I can still sing most of their songs to you! I ran 2 miles down the beach in Destin to try to catch a glimpse of them at the hotel they were staying at. To my horror, my sisters and I had just missed them. My life was over! My granddaddy felt sorry for us so he went to the local WalMart (of course) and purchased one of their videos for us. We must have watched it a thousand times. Enough of that! I wanted to do my own little random list of quirks and you can send me yours!

1. I can't stand all of those surveys people send out!
2. Please don't ever send me "Christian Chain Mail"you know the kind:" if you love Jesus you will forward this in the next 30 seconds or else..." Do I need to back that up with some scripture...because I will :)!
3. I carry deodorant on my person at ALL TIMES. There is a stick in my purse, my car, my backpack and just about 10 tubes in my bathroom. Ever since I have been teaching over the last 7 years I almost throw up before I teach every time and I sweat to death. If I don't sweat then Jesus didn't show up and it was Jenny teaching in the flesh! I have a phobia that I may perspire and offend people.
4. I am 27 years old and I still have acne... people come on!!! I mean when does this junk end? I went to the dermatologist and he just gave me some rip off cream! Whatever. I wanted some acutane or something but he laughed (he laughed!) and said that I did not have that bad of a case and I was being a little dramatic. Next!
5. I pretty much eat the same stuff every day (obsessive compulsive)! I am teaching my child to do the same. She seriously had like the kids meal at Chic-fil-A for a month straight. Call DHR! I would get her the 6 pack kids meal. I ate two nuggets and she ate the rest.
6. I love Fancy Cake "Little Debbie's" (Rod calls them my cigarettes. He said when I was sick recently that he was embarrassed that he had to make the purchase for me. Talk to the hand Rod because I found your stash in the drawer with the bullets you are making. All that staying down stairs to make bullets while you hoard your snack cakes...I am on to you. Proverbs 31 woman knows what goes on in her house!)
7. I am extremely competitive! I don't even let my younger nieces and nephews win at connect four! They have to learn to be tough. I also enjoy racing kids on their bicycle and winning! I want to train them to push themselves...ha ha!!
8. I like go-kart racing! I am so serious about this...I will find the fastest card and I will try to beat you! I almost had to get air lifted out of the Track in Destin because I talked so much smack to everyone that they decided to cream me. My shoe even flew out of the go-kart and on to another track I was hit so hard. You have to love that kind of lovin from your brothers in Christ. I have even been kicked out of the Track for ramming people. This other person just comes out of me when I get behind the wheel. I can't control it.
9. I WILL NOT DRIVE A MINI-VAN! Rod can keep up with the fight but he is going down on that one. He can drive a van for all I care (he's 40 so go for it paw paw...no offense to anyone)... but I will not! The wheels on my bus are not going round and round.
10. I own a Glock and I know how to use it. My dad was and is in law enforcement and I have been highly trained with the use of guns (plus I took classes on my own and I love to shoot). People always get so tickled about that and I have no idea why! I am heavily armed though because I live with a hunter. Do not try to throw any surprise parties for me. I have debated often would I shoot someone if they came in my house. I will try to lead them in the sinners prayer and I am shooting for sure :). If you don't know my sense of humor...this is not up for debate or discussion.
11. I take a shower before I exercise.
12. I wanted to get a motorcycle before I found out I was having Morgan. I am thinking I will trade the 4-Runner in for a(pink) Harley eventually. Rod thinks that is hysterical but I am very serious. No, that is not me on the bike in the pic above...but you just wait!
13. I am very serious about chocolate chip cookies. They must be baked to perfection...very soft. I am passing this on to Morgan. I have a picture of her waiting by the oven for them to come out.
14. I eat a midnight snack almost every night and have done this for years. I am about to go fix me up some purple and red skittles!
15. I do not talk before I have had my time in the word. If you need a ride to the hospital or are in an emergency don't call me until I have gotten in the Spirit. I am kidding, I would take you to the hospital. Also, it is a joke now...but I usually don't answer any of my phones. I will not be in bondage to the telephone (I don't screen usually. I just don't have the ringers on unless Morgan is at Mother's Day Out). People think I am all about the phone since I am an extrovert but that is not true. The Lord Jesus made me to have neck problems so it hurts to talk long. I do love to talk about Jesus with friends on the phone. That can take a while...I won't lie to you.
16. I shave my legs EVERY DAY! I am horrified that some girls don't. I have tried to talk myself into it...but I can't.
17. I do not like for there to be dishes in the sink...at all. When I was pregnant and on bed rest, I made Rod take a picture of the sink and downstairs so I could know in my heart that what he said was true. he he :) When you are pregnant you do crazy things.
18. I make myself car sick. I can not listen to talk radio in the car. I only listen to cds or sermons. It is automatic that I will be getting car sick if this does not take place. At least I tell Rod that. I am queen of the cd player. DJ Jenny Fresh they call me. I love to ROCK out and get my praise on especially in the car! It just goes! This is also being passed on to my sweetie. If the Praise isn't on...Morgan has a problem. No talking in the car...just singin and praisin.
19. My pjs have to match. It drives Rod crazy (he is king of not caring if he matches...dude will wear a brown belt with black shoes...no sir!). Morgan has to match too.


...and you thought you knew me!

Morgan has broken free!!!

I know what you are thinking: Why on earth does a two year old need to break free? What could she possibly need to break free from? Well, if Morgan could talk she would tell you that she needed to break free of some bars. She was tired of carrying those chains. The baby bed is gone...I cried as we took it down tonight. Her deliverer (Rod) took the shackles away tonight and she thinks she was born to stay up and play with her toys. It is for freedom that her daddy set her free and she will not be burdened again in the confinement of a crib! That is her version of Galatians 5:1. She knew she wasn't free before. I will be posting pictures soon of all of the things she has torn apart in her new found freedom. We have has no small eruption of toys in the room and I hope this will be no indication of her organizational skills. It is not jiving with me already. It is 11pm and yes my child is getting her praise groove on to her lullaby cd...no joke. Angels are watching over her tonight is the current song she is dancing to. I think she will need Jesus to watch over her with this kind of freedom :)...no offense to the angels but I have one little monkey for those of you who know her personally. Every time I pick her up at mothers day out, the nursery, or the gym I hear "She sure is curious!" As if I didn't know.

More thoughts to come

NIV John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.
3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group
4 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"
6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."












NIV Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, {1 Some later manuscripts Jesus, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit,}
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, {3 Or the flesh; also in verses 4, 5, 8, 9, 12 and 13} God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. {3 Or man, for sin} And so he condemned sin in sinful man, {3 Or in the flesh}
4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
6 The mind of sinful man {6 Or mind set on the flesh} is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;
7 the sinful mind {7 Or the mind set on the flesh} is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.
8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-- but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.
13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,
14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. {15 Or adoption} And by him we cry, "Abba, {15 Aramaic for Father} Father."
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Should I keep this to myself?*

*Warning-DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE ABOUT TO EAT!


It is almost 1am and I was settling in to go to bed. My fellow blogging siesta connorcolesmom had given me the BrookHills cd "Awaken" and I was spending some good time listening to it in the living room. I got home kind of late from Bible study and surveyed the house: not to many dishes in the sink, the toys aren't that scattered, now let me check on Morgan. She was in her bed watching a show. As I surveyed her I noticed that she had oh about 10 bandaids on her. I asked Rod why in the world she had all of those bandages. He said she wanted them since she saw him put some on my elbows today. As I went to turn the cd player off and go to sleep (please notice I am still up) I stepped in something. What in the world? Maybe this is a fudge round, cookie, maybe a brownie. TO MY ABSOLUTE HORROR IT WAS POOP! Yes, human dung on my foot and fingers. I ran upstairs screaming bloody murder! Rod jumps out of bed in a stuper...What is wrong with Morgan he screams??? I was screaming, gagging, and proceeding to clean and disinfect myself. When he realizes that nothing is wrong with Morgan he says please keep it down so I can sleep! KEEP IT DOWN!!!! WHAT IN THE WORLD? If it were him there would be no keeping it down. How did poop get on the floor I asked. He said he really wasn't sure, he changed her twice. He then told me how it may not be poop and that I should just go to bed. I AM HORRIFIED...seriously! The other night it was a live roach (roaches are from the devil) that I had to beat to death with a broom and spray with clorox (our friend and bug guy came today to spray again after I left a BOLD PRINTED 3 PAGE note written in sharpie about my roach experienc. That sent me over the edge). NOW dung! Please don't come to my house! I am going to take some Phenegren for nausea ( I AM NOT KIDDING). good night!