funnies

So yes...

Hi five!







Kisses anyone???

Theme Song for 2006

Superchick Pure Flow

This is my brand new day
starting now
I let go of things that weigh me down
And rob me of the beauty
that's to be found
And life all around

___
This is my prayer without ceasing
The negative releasing
And as I rise above
my burden is easing

CHORUS
I bring pure flow
Like water around
the rocks of life won't
pull me down
I bring the pure flow
Drink so deep
The river of life
My soul at ease
I bring the pure flow
Like water around
The rocks of life won't pull me down
I bring the pure flow
Rising above
The storms of life to live and love
_____
This is my brand new day
In the light
Troubles rising up
on the left and the right
I keep my eyes fixed on
where I want to go
The rest will follow

This is my prayer without ceasing
the negative releasing
and as i rise above
my burden is easing
CHORUS

This is my brand new day
starting now
letting go of the ways that I fall down
The old can be made new
The lost can be found
The lost will be found

And this is my prayer without ceasing....
My soul is at ease
and I am free
This is my day

La la la la

Coming Soon....2006

It's almost here. I wonder what this year will bring. Last year I thought I was starting a new chapter in my life in Corvallis Oregon. That was not the case. Little did I know that I'd travel to Israel and spend two life changing weeks there. Unbeknownst to me I'd buy my parents old house and let go of a long held desire as well as a few other things that went with that.

This past year I also celebrated ten years of knowing God. What a journey it's been. Ten Awesome, hard, fulfilling, wonderful, tough, stretching, eye opening, character revealing, weakness exposing, refining, purifying, sin purging, freeing years. I feel I've come full circle and am starting the next ten years (God willing) building on the foundation He's given me. I've started this next ten years in a cloud but I think clarity is coming. I hope so.

So I won't even begin to guess what's going to happen this year. Instead, I'll say, "You go God and I'll follow!" Maybe we'll go to California, maybe we'll stay put. Maybe we'll head back to our home town. Maybe we'll go somewhere that we don't even know of. We just know we want to live and live healthily following the Lighted Path of our Savior Jesus.

Just to note I'm listening again to country tonight...just heard a nerdy song. But in country's defense since I've been slammin it lately. Can I just say I love Keith Urban's last couple of songs he's put out as well as Sara Evans and Alan Jackson. Oh and I like Rascal Flatts too. I'm sure there's others. These just come to mind

It's just raining like crazy here lately. Here's a pic of our ditch and the culverts bustin at the seems. I've never seen it like this before. It was really cool. I'm supposing all the white dots are the rain. It was raining when I took the shot.

Oh and I'm learning my pooch don't like rain. I take him out to potty and he turns right back around and heads for the door. It took him forever before hi finally went today.

Have fun in the new year.
~Moi

So this New Year my family and I are making a resolution to becoma a healthy family. Not just physically but in all aspects. We want to be healthy physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally. Not that we're disfunctional because we're really not. We're just into personal growth...but I for one really do need to get healthy in all those areas.

I tend to be a bit on edge more often than not. I have gotten better over time but I still strive for a completey healthy, rational, head on straight, got it together, kind of girl. I can always grow.

I don't want to exist but live. I definately want more out of life right now. I want my family and I to set out and take hold of life and go. Take what God's given us and run with it. I tell you it is so easy to stagnate. So easy to get in a rut and just exist.

So I'll let you know how it goes. I'm thinking maybe if I blog it that it will be sort of an accountability thing? Maybe. I should get the word out about my blog so I have a group to be accountable to. :) Otherwise I'm just kidding myself. Who knows.

Well hmm. Tonight I am listening to Christian music. I get 90.3 Air 1 so that's cool. It's coming in pretty clear although I can hear a light fuzz. But it's good enough. It was on counrtry and there was this line about a hick town and seeing a neighbor's buttcrack...and I had had about enough. :)

Now I'm listening to some awesome lyrics about knowing God more, seeing his Kingdom come and His will be done and about desiring only to be His. That's good music.

Adding a couple more links today. One is a friend of mine who is aspiring to be a country singer. And the other is my fave church. The church I went to Israel with this past year and the church that I really miss since I moved

~Moi

My sweet sour mug is all cuddled up on the futon snoring away. So maybe we'll be California bound late Spring/early Summer. Only time will tell. I think it'll come down to my family ok'ing us to go. By that I mean it isn't mandatory and my dad is my husband's boss...and some other employee could go. So they might miss us you know what I mean.

I would miss everyone too. But it would be a good opportunity for many reasons. Plus we like new experiences. We like to go places.

But we could save some money and sell this place which is sucking us dry. Which if a nice house was important to me it wouldn't bother me and I'd adapt to it. But it's not. So I get angry when all my money goes to bills and mortagages (sp????). Not what I want to spend my money. It's a waste.

We're only here for a little while and I don't want to be strapped the whole time I'm here because I'm living in a house I can't afford. This house will be an investment which is why we got it and it was only going to be short term. Having to move for work will get us out of here even sooner.

I do like the house but it's time to say goodbye. It will be a little sad because it's been in our family for over a decade now. My water broke on the carpet in this house! Ha. I got ready for my wedding in this house. But this is the first house my parents lived in that I didn't live in because I was out of the house and off to college.

Oh well. Everything changes and change is a good thing.

Country stations are not playing good songs tonight. This new radio I got for Christmas doesn't play my fave AM station nor does it play any FM Christian stations clearly. So now I'm "rockin" out to Clay ... not Clay Aiken but I can't remember this guy's last name....darn what is it??? Clay, Clay, Clay??? Hmm oh well the song is over.

Well hmm~Adios all and all
~moi

Open Book

Late night again...
Nothing wrong
It's just me

Dreaming a dream
Grass ain't greener
It's just me

Save it till later
Procrastinator
That's just me

Stifle the truth
Don't always let it out
Yep just me

Might not always be right
Might even do wrong
It's just me

Will keep on
Won't give up
That's just Him

Holding my hand
Extending Grace
It's just Him

Clearing the Fog
Lighting the way
Yep just Him

Drying my tears
Restoring my joy
It's just Him

My Dog

This is Blackjack. He is my sweetie who currently is snoring away right next to me and who graces me with his nasty gas serveral times a day.

New Look

I got a new template that I could add links too. I tried adding the HTML code to my old one but it wouldn't work so I just changed my whole template.

Now people can link to rebekah's blog.

:)

High on Country Music

So I went to the grocery store tonight. Fred Meyer to be exact. Why do I always feel I spend so much money at the grocery store but feel like I didn't aquire very much. It seems like all the groceries I buy are gone in an instant.

I become mildly stressed while grocery shopping. I know it's because I'm not the most creative woman in the kitchen. So I go to the store with this deer-in-the-headlights look....uh duh...and so then I always get the same ole thing. When ideas do come across my mind I then worry I'm spending too much because I know what I have in my cart already is going to be a lot so I don't do anything.

So the W. house staples are: Oatmeal, Peanut Butter & Honey, Coffee & Creamer, Bread, 100% Juice, Kidz Clif Bars (one of our newer additions), chicken breasts, frozen veggies, and spaghetti. I'm blessed with a husband who's not too particular about my cooking so that's good. In fact he's not a big dinner guy at all. Mostly he's into chips and graham crackers...(staples as well).

Guilty pleasures: Bologna and mayonaise sandwhiches (me), ice cream (all of us), Hubby enjoys a cold beer after work, fruity pebbles (me again), top ramen (me and kids)

*insert* can someone rescue me from my dogs gas puleeze

Non existant: Hamburger Helper (nast), canned stuff like chef boyrdee,

I like what a purchase but think I could've so easily got sooooooo much more. Who knows. When I first got married I was terrible at the housewife role. It's been 8 years now so at least I can say I have improved some what.

I am listening to country music right now. I don't do that all that often. I for the most part like country music...all sorts for that matter...I like music in general. I like listening to the words especially when they are really good and I think that is awesome song writing.

Or when they cause you to think or go into this other world altogehter. That's fun. As long it's not a bad, scary, dangerous, or evil world...just a daydream world.

I like to daydream I live on a small east coast town and I work at a coffee shop or something ... wierd I know... but just being honest.

By the way... some country music is so funny because it's so hick. Like the song I'm listening to know... Got it going on like Donkey Kong??? What's that suppose to mean?

I'm just rambling. Ok bye.
~Moi

PS long gone done me wrong packed her bags and now she's gone...

His mercies are new every morning...

I rely on that a lot. I just have my bad days and then I wake up and remember this truth. Praise God for it!!

It's like Monday today for me since my husband was off yesterday. So I have to get back in the swings of things. The holidays are wrapping up and maybe my life will get back to normal and I can get back into the grind of doing the "housewife" thing. Ha ha.

I love being a housewife and stay-at-home-mom! It's a blessing I am very thankful for. And I'm glad to be getting back to the normalcy of everday life.

So here I go....

Well sissy is feeling better today. That's good. Just a touch of the too much sugars...I had that once I remember when I was little on my way home from Grandma's after Easter.

So my hubby is off today and we're going to pick up and and just hang out. My cousin might bring over her dog Maggie to play with Blackjack. That ought to be interesting.

The kids are playing with their new toys. Dora is currently dancing around my kitchen floor.

Rebekah's mommy and daddy visited my blog and I was quite surprised in a good way. I was touched. I'm so glad our paths crossed.

Well duty calls both my children are calling me for this and that.

~Moi

Merry Christmas

Christmas will be over in a little less than three hours. I'm fighting off heart burn because of all the junk I've been eating. New Year's Resolution here I come.

Our little girl apparently had too much junk yesterday as well because she spent all night throwing up into the morning. So today on Christmas she didn't get to enjoy any sweets or any liquids but water. She didn't really have an appetite anyway. Mommy and Daddy are pretty tuckered as well since she puked about every hour on the hour last night.

But despite that today was pretty good. My husband though seemed to be worried sick over our girl. I knew it was just eating bad, which did give me guilt and I know I can't let that happen again, but he had a hard time relaxing today.

Right now I'm wearing a super soft pink robe I got from my MIL. Awesome. And she also got me the Chronicles of Narnia collection I can't wait to start reading. I'm also wearing soft pink slippers my mommy got me for Christmas. I'm so comfy right now.

Last night at my parents house was neat. Just the other day I gave my dad Rebekah's page and I think it really tugged on his heart. He's already contacted her family and has helped them out a bit and plans to continue. So for Christmas for me and my sisters he donated some money to them in our name as well as encouraged us to help and pray for this little girl and her family.

Little did I know that when I told my dad about her blog how he would help and jump to action. Praise God!! I really feel God is shining through this little girl's life for His glory and even though this is a sad and hard trial He's going to use it for good in soooo many people's lives. God has a way of doing that.

I know Rebekah has already changed my life as well as my dad's! Keep fighting strong girl and keep smiling. I will be praying for you.

~Moi

Rebekah's Inspiration

I want to encourage anyone who reads this blog to visit www.rebekahspage.blogspot.com. I don't know if this will link to it because I don't know how to add links. So maybe it just does it automatically. Anyways I just thought that this page is good for everyone to know about and help and pray for this little girl and her family. Also around this season (really it should be all year) we need to remember what we have...all the blessings we have and focus on that instead of what we don't have or wish we had.

Not like a guilt trip or anything but just a reminder to keep our focus on what's important. I know in the midst of my own pity parties I selfishly say ... well so what that people may be going through things that are worse than what I'm going through this is what i'm going through right now and it hurts. Which has some truth to it. Our pains hurt even if they are not as bad as other people's pain but wallow in them I and we should not.

I challenge us all not to wallow in our self pity this new year and instead take that energy and focus it somewhere positive and definately off our self. Do something nice for someone, give a friend a call, pray for someone, clean your house, plan a romantic evening for your spouse, do something you've been putting off and off and off, go workout, hug your kids and play a game with them... you get the picture.

A new addition is here!!

and his name is Blackjack!! He is a cutie but he likes to squirt on my carpet. No the poor thing is so sad. He has left behind a family and a girlfriend. His face even seems sad. But today he is doing a tad bit better. Let's hope that continues.

Yes so yesterday after the third squirt on the carpet I about went insane and wondered if I did the right thing in getting a dog. My husband reassured me but I am still yet to be thoroughly convinced.

I'm sure it'll be fine as time goes on and as I get used to having this four legged creature in my home. I'm sure some day it will be hard to imagine life without him. I hope that day hurries up and comes quickly.

No really though he's sweet and loving and very cute.

On a different note I have coffee brewing because my AWESOME mommy is bringing me some creamer. Never will I ever doubt my mom's love for me! What a precious poopsie she is. Now I can drink my caffeine and get back to my normal self.

Merry CHRISTmas everyone. Yes I celebrate Christ's birth during this season. Pretty soon us Christians are going to be the rebels of society because we won't be allowed to practice our faith anywhere except our home in our free country.
I do think America is slowly loosing what it means to be free and live in a free world.

This is not anything having to do with the world. I'm just talking how we are not truly free in this country. I'm thankful to God that we're free-er than a lot of countries and we can live peacefully without fear of persecution but if I wanted to cut the trees down by my house right now I couldn't because it's against the rules.

Oh what a pitiful argument...but really for sure like there are like so many things that just really make me so mad .... like oh my gosh.

~
Moi

Insane in the Membrane

I'm so scatterbrained right now. I'm not super anxious I just feel like everything is whirling about my head like a tornado. Nothing is in it's place, i am super unorganized, and I'm way behind in things. I feel like like I'm taking one thing at a time but just in the nick of time...

Anyway...gotta jet because my husband needs to talk to me about some crucial issues.

Adios

A new addition

hee hee I'm about giddy!!!!!!!!

we are getting, God willing, a new addition to our family. Non human that is and I CANNOT wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It won't be til Saturday so I'm going to have quite the wait but a fun week of preparing and praying all goes well.


Oh Lord thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Too Distracting

What's too distracting? All my thoughts...trying to figure everything out. But all I do when trying to figure things out is think, pray, and read the Bible. Is that all I need to do? Or do I consult and get a hundred different opinions. Do I do research and hear each side of the story each with convincing arguments and leave no better than I came. Or do I just think, pray, and read the Bible and trust God with what he tells me and where he takes me?

That sounds simple enough. But then am I being ignorant. Am I not searching enough and just going with what feels right? Or should I be ashamed for saying God's leading is what feels right? When really it's his truth leading me and by saying it's my feelings I'm lacking faith?

So still the first sounds better but I'm still bombarded by the opinions and may I say very different opinions of the many Christians in my life. One believes this way, one that, one website says this and one says that. All have Scripture backing them up and real life experiences, confirmations, and answered prayer to back them up. I get so confused.

So then I sit down with my journal and Bible in hand, I pray or cry out rather...God help me. You're not the God of confusion...why am I so confused? Lord get me back on track. And all though He doesn't answer all my questions right then and there I have peace. And what a feeling that is.

That is until the next flow of opinions come and I'm confused again. Why is it that I haven't formed my own opinions? Do I lack depth? I used to feel that I had them and then all these other ones come along and say no that's wrong and you missed the mark there, and you don't do this so you're way off track... At first I resist but then I give it all to God. And sometimes those other opinions are right. But them sometimes they're not. Sometimes they sound so right but them I research it and another person says no no no that is not right.

I'm being vague on purpose. I don't have it all figured out. And so what? Does it really matter. When I get alone with God it doesn't. What matters is that I sincerely seek Him, completely trust Him, and love and do good when the opportunity presents itself. God will draw me close to him because I'm drawing near to Him. He'll give me his Holy Spirit because I sincerly seek it and I'm his child. He leads and I follow and we walk together on this dot in eternity.

At least God is not an opinion. Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life..."

~Moi

Can Someone Help Me

I'm trying to figure out what to do for my son's Kindergarten Christmas Party. I'm helping plan it and I'm meeting with another mom tomorrow to discuss ideas. I've thought of decorating sugar cookies, talking about the candy cane story and having candy canes too (incorporating that somehow) should we bring a present and have a gift exchange?

Any suggestions from cyberspace?

Home away from Home...

I'm posting from my parents house. My husband is out of town as well as my dad so I thought ... might as well have a sleep over at my mummy's. It's a little bit more hectic than at home because my kids are sensitive to their environment and their routine...but they are doing good. As well as my son is a bit allergic to dogs which my parents have a big white Lab.

Speaking of the white Lab...if you ever need a shower just come on over. She'll lick you clean if you let her. She's really missing her daddy. She's his baby. I used to be but that went out years ago.

So like totally cool mayn! Nothing really exciting to post except that I'm chillin out, maxin, relaxin, all cool... just playing some b-ball outsidda school...when a couple a guys... who were up to no good... startin makin trouble in my neighbor...I got in one little fight and my mama got scared...she said, "you're movin with auntie and uncle in BelAir...

Shall I go on? :)

oh and one last thing...

Is anyone sad that Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey are splitting? I'm serious. I'm not a huge follower of the two, but I don't care usually who it is, it saddens me when married couples divorce.

I guess I bring this up because the papers are all over it and it was almost as if they just couldn't wait so they could write about it and splash it all over the papers and shove it down our throat. I know it's so typical in the "Hollywood, Fame, Stardome" world but still I find it sad..truly sad...not pathetic sad...but heart hurting sad.

I happen to love the whole concept, idea, union of marriage. I take it very seriously. I never joke about the D word nor about splitting up. I admit I can be a bratty wife sometimes but... BUT... I love my husband and am committed for life! And committed to making myself a better wife for him each day.

I'm not trying to be high and mighty but I say all that because that is why I get so sad even when celebreties split because marriage is such a beautiful thing to me and I'm very sad that they lost that beautiful thing--if some ever had it?

I just wanna yell "FIGHT!!!" fight for your marriage. Everything in this world is against it. You have to be the one to fight for it. The road is NOT always easy, feelings are NOT enough...you have to choose to love your spouse even if you don't feel like it, you have to commit to it.... you have to remind yourself of all the reasons you married this person sometimes when it gets hard. Touch and caress when your angry (it will melt your hard heart for sure). The rough times will come and go and when you stand on the other side of a trying time victorious...your love for you spouse will be more than you've ever known. I know that because I experienced it.

In my marriage I've found that as each year goes by I see my husband anew. I love him more and I come to know how wonderful he is even more. He is an OUTSTANDING man!!! And yes we've had rough times. I have not been the easiesy woman to live with. But we're both committed we took our vows seriously and we truck on hand in hand. We're in it together.

I pray that for every marriage.

just lookin at blogs

I really like searching for blogs. Picking a word and searching for the word amongst all the blogs. I run across some interesting sites. What's so fun is that I get a peek into some strangers life, smile, laugh, and even sometimes cry and then I'm onto the next.

It really has become a mini hobby that I enjoy. (note here that I don't search or look at nasty ones...I avoid them like the plague)

I usually don't bookmark them unless they're very interesting or on a subject I'm curious on. So then I wonder will I ever see that blog again and what if I crossed paths with that person someday....weird. I doubt I'd remember them but still. I get a kick out of thinking of those random, cosmic things...all the people in the earth and what they're doing at this very moment.

But I don't really believe any of it's random or cosmic...but very vast and too big to wrap my mind around when I try and contemplate it.

So just read about a couple who have moved to Baltimore and saw their honeymoon pics (nothing indecent) and enjoyed reading about their life at this moment in time.

Just yesterday I read about a family that now lives in Maine but one year ago just lived a few streets away from me....weird huh?

It's kind of fun.

Buuurrrrr....

It's getting colder. We got snow yesterday...although it was just a tiny bit that lasted for about 10 minutes....still WE GOT SNOW!!! It's something, more than nothing, it was white and I saw it!!!

Right now it's just rainy and windy and cold. I had to be in and out of it today and although it was a bit amusing it was cold, cold, cold. As an Oregonian though (a true Oregonian) I do love the rain. I enjoy the storms and sitting on the couch with something hot to drink and listening to the wind and rain pound the house.

I do like our seasons. After the long and wet rainy season, the cold gray winter, I can't wait for blue sky. The wait makes it all that more exciting. My mood lifts and I'm ready to be outdoors. Spring is beautiful here in Oregon. When I attended OSU spring was such a highly anticipated time.

AFter months of gray, trekking to class in the rain day after day, enduring countless days of soggy socks (one year I did have the shoes people wear for the rain...but only one year)...the blue sky peeks through the clouds and it's like a switch goes on and everyone's out either playing frisbee, studying on the grass in the MU, or rollerblading or whatever it didn't matter...you just had to be outside doing something.

But the fall was so beautiful there too. There are so many diciduous (sp?) trees there and shades of orange, red, yellow paint the whole town. It wasn't until college that I appreciated the seasons and realized what they have to offer and realized the gift of living in Oregon.

Of course not all Oregonians would agree...I have a cousin who hates the rain. Why she is still living in the Willamette Valley I don't know. Over east it's not as bad but I bet someday she'll be living that way or in Alaska...she loves the snow. She was the first to call me the other day when our first snow visited us.

So anyway as I type the bottom of my jeans are wet from being out and about in the weather today, my feet are cold, and I have a beanie stocking cap on my head because our house is always so cold. And I'm loving every minute of it.

Hmmmm

Just read a sad website about a little girl in my home state that died of leukemia at the end of October. As I read through the site I was struck by the transformation that took place in this little girl as well as the short amount of time that elapsed from the time they found out to the time she passed away.

I realized they just found out in March and she's already gone. Imagine just going to a routine check up for your 3 year old and your life as you know it changes in an instant. And just a short time later she's gone.

As I write this both of my little ones are clamoring for my attention....

Bye bye I have some important little ones to attend to. You just never know when you won't have that time anymore.

Being A Gummer Aint So Bad...

Well my sis-in-law decided to just go ahead and show this dog as her last weekend of showing together...and what do you know...The dog stinkin won!! The dog is now a champ. It only needed one more win and it got it. My SIL bawled and was so excited.

I was so happy for her and her dog. So the judge did notice the teeth and even felt up there and she just smiled and she won!!!

So... looks like it wasn't gloom and doom like we thought it was. Praise God!

~Kelli.... trust in the Lord with all your heart...and lean not on your own understanding. You rock Lord!!

Heart Burn and a Sad Event

Went to dinner with a friend tonight. A friend I've had since 1st grade. We met at her place of employment which happens to be a sports bar and grill. I comsumed a Thai Chicken Salad that I choked on numerous times because it was so dang spicy. At one point I was coughing almost uncontrollably and my eyes were flooded with tears. I now have acid reflux. I NEVER get acid reflux but tonight I do. Which that somewhat concerns me. I don't want this to be the beginning of a lifelong relationship with Tums.

On a sadder note. My sis-in-law/super close buddy/friend/pal called me and told me that her vet pulled her dogs two front teeth without asking. This is so sad because this dog is a show dog. You don't pull show dogs teeth. What's also sad is he (the dog) wasn't finished yet (not a champion) but they were working on it. She has put so much time. money, and energy into this passion of hers with a dedication to do things right and ethically. This dog was her first show dog that a friend of hers sold to her to help get her started. He is such a beauty and so so sweet. They even had a show this coming weekend. I repeat... HAD!

It astounds me. It shocks me. I don't understand why a vet thinks it has the right to pull your dogs teeth without asking. This vet knows my sis-in-law. She brings her dogs in there all the time for this and that, as well as her cats, and her bunny. Even if it wasn't a show dog you don't pull any dogs teeth without the owners permission provided the owner is a good and caring owner.

The teeth were not rotting or even yellow. The were a tad loose...so she yanked them. The dogs career is now over...done! Just like that by one vet who stepped a little outside her authority and made a stupid choice.

I felt really horrible for my sis and she cried and cried all day. I'm thankful her hope is in the Lord and I'm at peace knowing she has Him to cling to during this time. Why would He allow this? "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path" Above all God is good and we can trust Him with everything.

Sweeping Away The Clutter

Oh my! Tonight I got some things done and I feel sooo much better. I seem to thrive when I have a deadline and it seems attainable to complete my task but knowing that I may cut it close is a good thing. .... Also known as procrastination for me personally.

So tonight I came home to a house that seriously looked like a tornado touched down. Praise God that my husband had no school tonight. He got the kids in gear to clean up their toys, I went to town on the dishes and laundry. The house was picked up in less then 30 minutes.

I promptly set to work at making homemade cranberry sauce for my son's thanksgiving party tomorrow. Thank you Lord. It was fun and now I know how to make it. I greatly prefer it over the canned stuff. Didn't even like the canned stuff to begin with.

That was over and done with in a jiffy and I went to town preparing my meeting for work tomorrow. That was over in minutes and whoosh I sped to the couch to watch my fave show The Biggest Loser.

It was fun...Then I watched another fave show The Amazing Race. Then I paid all my bills and balanced my checkbook and cleaned off my desk and got things organized for tomorrow's day.

I can see clearly now the rain is gone. I can something all the obstacles in my way... la la la

...Well this weekend is coming to a close. Just 2 more hours left. A tad less. Sitting here at my computer desk (my new desk that is) feeling my eyes get heavier and heavier and my extremities get colder and colder. I think I may need to go to the doc to check on circulation problems. I have lots of tingling as well in my legs. It's from too much sitting staring at this screen.

Oh well. I'll go I suppose...one of these days. What's on my mind? My mind for the last week has felt bogggled. I have to resist though and keep on going because I have a tendency for laziness and giving up. Or something like that. So I have more on my plate than usual and just want to throw in the towell. But I'm fighting it. I don't enjoy being a wuss...and I'm not going to be one.

So I'm tired. I think I'll go watch the boob toob for a bit and then go to bed.

Hi sis!

About Moi!

I am totally plaigarizing this idea from another blog of a fellow Oregonian. But I thought it was cool. So here I go?

10 years ago I...
was 19 years old
was in my second year of College
a brand new believer
lived in Corvallis Oregon
loved my boyfriend who is now my husband of 8.5 years

5 years ago I...
was 24 years old
was a brand new mom to my first child
lived in hicksville usa, aka Stayton, oregon
Was a stay-at-home-mom

1 year ago I...
was 28 years old.
was a mom of a 4 & 2 year old
still a stay at home mom
selling our first home :(
wanted to be a writer

Yesterday I...
went to a new church for the second time
had family over for dinner
relived my time in Israel
Ate some fattening ice cream
vowed to go a diet

5 snacks I enjoy:
dates
kid clif bars
graham crackers w/milk
fruity pebbles
mochas

5 songs I know all the words to:
River by Garth Brooks
The National Anthem
As The Deer
We Cry Holy
Happy Birthday To You

5 things I would do with 100 million dollars:
By a house in the Country with a bit of acerage
Pay for Calvary Corvallis' new church
Buy a Bulldog
Go on a Vacation!!
Send my cousin to Italy and all the places she dreams to go

5 places I would run away to:
The little kibbutz I stayed at on the Sea of Galilee
Many places in Israel
Corvallis Or (what?)
Maine
A place with a view, privacy, a hammock, quiet, books, journals, and some soft worship music to play when I want to.

5 things I would never wear:
a bikini (yikes)
black socks with shorts
midriff bearing shirts
white after Labor Day
?
5 favorite TV shows:
ER
The Biggest Loser
Survivor
The Apprentice
The Amazing Race

5 Worst habits:
biting my nails
sugar
biting the inside of my mouth (ouch)
trying to be funny and witty
talking to myself

5 biggest joys:
Jesus/Time with Him/His presence etc. etc. etc
My Husband
My Children
Fellowship
Peaceful Spirit

Favorite toys:
Computer and CD player

5 fictional characters I would date:
None Except maybe Johnny Bravo because he's so manly and if we got married we could live with his "mama".

Oh Doctor Willllllsooooon

Just found out today, after 5 years, that my childrens' pediatrician is a Christian. I was really excited about that. I found myself praying after the appointment...Lord show me the other Christians in my life that I don't know of. I just have this vision in my mind of all Christians uniting and being one. No more divisions, denominations, boundaries...but just one unit praising God together, taking care of eachother, helping, protecting, fighting the spiritual battle for one another, and running the race together. That would be cool.

Hospitality

Last night we hosted a dinner for my sis-in-law and her husband. We were celebrating both their birthdays. It was fun. I was a bit dissappointed because their oldes daughter couldn't make it. But she's off riding horses...a 7 year olds dream. So I totally understood.

I made yummy spaghetti. I'm impressed by myself sometimes when I actually try and cook. It turns out well. Of course some may think spaghetti is a no brainer but compared to just noodles and sauce out of a jar this was really good. I won't go into details and I'm no Rachel Rae or Ray? (can't remember) but I thought it was quite yummy.

Then afterward we ate icecream and I showed my sis-in-law my Israel pics. And that's a whole other blog.

The kids had an awesome time.

We used to have ppl over a lot more than we have lately and it felt good to do it again. I told my husband hey lets do again next weekend becaause it's our other sis-in-laws birthday. Hopefully we do. We like entertaining...we might also host the UFC fight coming up too.. . if we have the money.

Ciao, Adios, Auf Wiedersehen,

Name Change

I changed the name of my blog. I read some really inspiring blogs last night. It got me thinking about my blog and my life for that matter. Do I want to take away or add to people's lives? Do I want to add negatively or postively. I chose to add and to add positively.

So my site might not be the most profound on the internet but my hope, for anyone who reads it, is that they can take away something positive. That they will come away blessed rather than contaminated in some horrible way.

I want my life to reflect that as well. God has surfaced many ugly things in my life lately. I thank Him though because I asked Him to do this thus He's answering my prayer. I wanted to know the depths of my wickedness apart from Him, how I can be when left to myself--my sinful, selfish self.

I know that once I accepted Jesus I became a new creation and received a new heart but I wanted to know all that He saved me from. All the deep ingrained selfish ways that were apart of me as a result of living 19 years without His influence in my life. When I came to believe in Jesus I started to change my ways/He changed my heart... but much of it was actions that unbeknownst to me were birthed from a selfish independant self. This self is what He's revealing to me in a very gentle yet very real way.

It's been hard, humbling, but oh so rewarding. It's made me cherish His grace and mercy so much more than I ever have. I've been more grateful for what Christ has done for me on the cross. I've wanted His spirit, His power, His will more for my life than ever. I know what I'm capable of and I want less of me and more of Him.

I'm thankful for my new heart. I'm learning to renew my mind and take care of my heart. I'm learning why I need to take careful consideration about what I let into my ears, eyes, mind, and heart. I'm desiring obedience out of myself more than I ever had. I want to be Jesus's disciple and die to myself.

Dying to myself had been hard. It doesn't come easily. Discipline was never something I grew up with nor practiced. I did things because I had to and if I wanted to give up I usually did. I'm lazy for the most part and used to getting my way. But I'm willing to walk this road so that Christ is truly Lord of my Life.

Lord, make me more like you!!

~GH

Our New Bed

We finally got our bed!!!!! After eight and one half years of marriage we have our first new bed and new mattress. It's soooo nice!!

History of our bed situation.

First married--double size futon

After one year of marriage we brought the mattress (and headboard and frame) from my parents home that I used in high school. Nice, expensive, nearly new mattress....flew out the back of the moving truck my husband was driving {it cleared a semi and i ran over it} on our way to our new apt.

So being the poor college students we were we bought a $300 mattress...

Had that for the next 4 years. I got pregnant, gained 40 or so pounds (but who's counting), my husband would "sink" in the middle of it. I was already bigger than him before pregnancy. So then we traded back and forth on the old faithful futon which we were using as a couch.

Next we moved and ended up using a **used** king size, warped mattress from the family of my sister-in-law's husband. Used that for 3 years. We actually enjoyed the king-sized-ness of it.

Next we moved again...trashed that mattress and went back to the futon again. Slept on that for 9 months...

And things brings us to the NOW! Here we are ... our new bed. Finally. It's espresso finish wood with a headboard and a footboard... and then the mattress that has to be at least 2 feet thick. We have to do a little "hop" to get UP on our bed. It's so cool!!!!

I've got the POWER

I've got the power of God at work in me!!! I've walked through the door and I'm standing in Grace. The God of the universe is my Father and I'm his princess!! I have received a new heart. Whom shall I fear?