Something miraculous happened to me while traveling to church on a cold Sunday night... My family became stranded on the side of the road. At least that's what I thought at the time. This "mishap" was actually the beginning of a series of tests, and events that would happen in my life to bring me closer to my father in heaven. See, we were never really "stranded" because the Lord was at our side. We were never alone, or without help. He was always there... He IS always there, guiding us, helping us along each and every day to fulfill His purpose for our lives.
Today my husband and I took another step forward onto the golden pathway that God has carefully constructed for us. Today Mark and I walked together in Christ. Today we made a commitment, dare I say, stronger than that of marriage. We did something more symbolic than the exchanging of wedding bands... We were baptized together... Mark and I were both baptized as young adults. In fact we both dedicated our lives to Christ around the same age. We were both baptized around the age of fifteen. However, when we were baptized we were not immersed in water. Mark and I both were only sprinkled. The church that we are attending, and that we are becoming members of is a Baptist church... And, the Baptists do not recognize being sprinkled as being baptized. Therefore, Mark and I had to get baptized again in order to join the church.
Although, I didn't understand why I had to get baptized again, I did it anyway. I thought to myself "Hey, I wonder how many people can say that they were baptized twice?" I didn't really think that anything special would happen upon this baptism because I was already saved. And, the Holy Spirit already lives within me.. Boy was I wrong!
At the end of today's church service the Pastor called us to the alter (invitation)...As I walked up the aisle leading to the alter I felt as if I were going to cry. But, fought back the tears, and put a smile on my face. My mind was blank as I did a series of things that eventually led me to a small stair case across from my husband with a pool of water separating us. The first thing I did was I undressed and put on some sort of blue, water proof, zip up suite. While putting on the vinyl suite a very nice woman guided me through the actual baptism process... The Pastor will put your hand over your mouth, bend your knees, etc... But, her words didn't quite prepare me for what happened. The Pastor asked for Mark and I to come into the water at the same time. He raised his hand and said something that I agreed to. Then within a few seconds my head and whole body was submersed in a pool of water. It all happened so quickly that I didn't have time to think. The only thing I really remember is having my eyes closed for a while after being risen from the water. Next, it was Mark's turn and the Pastor dunked Mark under the water...
On our way home I was a little disappointed that my mind had been blank during the baptism and that the Holy Spirit hadn't overwhelm me as it had the first time I was baptized... This nagged at me all night until I finally called Mark into the kitchen to talk with me while I did the dishes. He made me feel better by saying that the reason I didn't feel the same as I did the first time is because I was already saved, and that I had already been Baptized. This made sense, I mean after all, that is what I expected to happen in the first place. Although Mark made me feel better, I still felt like I had missed a step. As the night progressed I read many bible verses about baptism. And, at some point while reading the bible verses, I got it. Suddenly I understood and recognized the missing step... I didn't repent before I was baptized. I stopped reading, and bowed my head in prayer. While asking God to forgive any and all sins that I may have committed between my first baptism and today's, my body became weightless, and my heart felt like a big hot air balloon. I suddenly felt more uplifted than I had in a while. And, I felt as if I had more room in my heart than ever before. Then, I realized what the true meaning of baptism was. A baptism is a cleansing, or a rebirth. But, you can not be cleansed of your sins unless you ask to be. However, this particular baptism was so much more than a simple cleansing...
Today I was baptized with my husband. Today my husband and I ourselves were not reborn. Today our marriage was reborn, and strengthened by the one who brought us together, Jesus Christ. On the thirty-first day of January Mark and I not only recommitted our lives to Christ, but we also committed our marriage to Christ. TOGETHER we walk, TOGETHER we dedicate our lives to Him. Together we took the steps forward to committing our family to a church family. What greater event, what greater thing, could a Christian couple possibly do than to be baptized together in a church in which God has led them to, and by a Pastor that speaks directly to their hearts every Sunday? I don't think that anything I will, or can do, this year will top the experiences of today.
As long as Mark and I follow the path God has made for us we will never be lost. As long as we trust and have faith that our lives will always turn out right no matter how "hard" it may seem at times, we will never go astray. There will be times when we don't understand why we must do something, but we have to do it anyway. We can not see where the end of our path will lead, and we don't have to. As long as we have faith, we don't need to understand, or see our paths... We must just walk the path in slow strides, taking one step at a time. He will never lead us to a dead end, or leave us stranded in the dark on a cold night. So, trust in the Lord. I pray that you will walk the extraordinary path designed for your life, and that you will always trust in the one that loves you unconditionally.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Ephesians 5:22-33
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Matthew 18:19-20
Acts 22:16: " And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
Acts 2:38: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Day 15, 16, 17: BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!
Note: Since we've been so busy I haven't had that much time to edit my posts. Also, since I've been so busy my posts have been lacking that zest they once had (check out older posts). However, I'm certain that tomorrow's post will be full of life!
Our family has been so busy these past three days!... Christ has been a prevailing force in our lives, protecting us from any negative influences. He has been a guiding light, and our great protector. Not only has He been there for us, but He has also sent a few new friends our way... I guess to void out any of the negativity that came our way.
Mark and I have a few exciting things coming up...You'll have to check back to see what's in store. Recently we've done so much that I can't even remember all of it. Let's see, on Thursday I went to another Red Cross meeting with my mother. I guess this was our first "official" meeting. It was exciting, and I've decided what I want to do with the Red Cross... Disaster Relief, and AFES. AFES is basically answering phone calls from the comforts of my own home. And, as far as being involved in Disaster Relief, I'm not 100% sure what all I will be doing. Also, on Thursday Victoria gave Mum-Mum the heart we made for her. After stuffing it we added a suction cup to it so that my mom could hang it on her window. Although the suction cup fell off somewhere between the truck and my parent's front door, my mother loved it.
Our family has been so busy these past three days!... Christ has been a prevailing force in our lives, protecting us from any negative influences. He has been a guiding light, and our great protector. Not only has He been there for us, but He has also sent a few new friends our way... I guess to void out any of the negativity that came our way.
Mark and I have a few exciting things coming up...You'll have to check back to see what's in store. Recently we've done so much that I can't even remember all of it. Let's see, on Thursday I went to another Red Cross meeting with my mother. I guess this was our first "official" meeting. It was exciting, and I've decided what I want to do with the Red Cross... Disaster Relief, and AFES. AFES is basically answering phone calls from the comforts of my own home. And, as far as being involved in Disaster Relief, I'm not 100% sure what all I will be doing. Also, on Thursday Victoria gave Mum-Mum the heart we made for her. After stuffing it we added a suction cup to it so that my mom could hang it on her window. Although the suction cup fell off somewhere between the truck and my parent's front door, my mother loved it.
Friday... Friday was interesting! We had our first small flood. My husband used the toilet, flushed, and left the bathroom. Apparently the toilet kept running after Mark flushed. This caused the water to over flow the bowl, and we had about 1/4 inch of water fill our bathroom and laundry area. Mark, thank goodness, noticed the water before it had time to creep up the hallway. We called a Plummer that had been here before. He said that most likely one of the children had dropped a toy into the toilet... Long story short, Mark ended up removing the toilet and found something that was stuck in it. It wasn't a toy... It was something that no one would believe would be able to clog a toilet! And, I'm a little unsure as to how it was able to prevent the toilet from flushing properly. But, Mark removed it, and it works perfectly once again. And, of course Friday is grocery day... But, we did so much more than just grocery shopping! Mark took half the day off from work so that we could take care of a few things that had to be dealt with immediately. We got a lot of things done, but not everything. Come Monday we will have it all completed, and our "ducks in a row."
So, we've been pretty busy... And, although a lot of it has been "fun", and rewarding, I'm still looking forward to some REAL fun! I have talked with my brother about going to play paint ball, and I've talked with my mom about going on a small boat trip on a locally famous sail boat. Also, Mark and I have a few things that we would like to do together. But, we've been so busy with other things, that we haven't focused on making definite plans for the "real" fun yet. But, believe me, we'll get there, and do those things soon. As for now we have something amazing planned for tomorrow, and I may possibly be doing something tonight that's a pretty big deal for me... So until then, live for Christ. It's through him that my happiness is possible regardless of any obstacles that may come my way. Learn to laugh at yourself, and what you can't control. And, be comforted in the fact that Christ does it all for a purpose. Sit back, relax,or go out to have fun.. No matter what your speed may be, have fun while living an extraordinary life!
God Bless!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Day 14: The Red Cross
Tonight my mom and I had orientation for the Red Cross. I can not even begin to express the feelings of self-esteem, of accomplishment, of inspiration, and gratitude I had while sitting in the meeting. There is only one greater feeling in this world than the feeling that comes from the thought or action of selflessly helping someone. And, that is the feeling of being in the loving arms of my family. For me, the greatest joys in life come from my husband, and my children. They fill my life with so much happiness and love. And, I enjoy spreading that love, and comfort that my family provides me to other's that need it. From the orientation tonight I got the feeling that the Red Cross is the perfect place to do that!
It was so awesome that my mother was there with me tonight. Joining an organization like the Red Cross has been one of my mom's dreams since when she was a young girl. So, it was absolutely amazing to see her begin to fulfill her dreams later on in life. I feel so blessed that my mother and I have so many of the same hopes and dreams. I feel so blessed, and thank God so much for the amazing things He's doing in our lives. And, I am so proud of the both of us for nurturing the seeds planted in our hearts. All of our hopes, and dreams come from Christ. He planted the seeds in our hearts, and I can't wait to watched them grow and blossom.
It was so awesome that my mother was there with me tonight. Joining an organization like the Red Cross has been one of my mom's dreams since when she was a young girl. So, it was absolutely amazing to see her begin to fulfill her dreams later on in life. I feel so blessed that my mother and I have so many of the same hopes and dreams. I feel so blessed, and thank God so much for the amazing things He's doing in our lives. And, I am so proud of the both of us for nurturing the seeds planted in our hearts. All of our hopes, and dreams come from Christ. He planted the seeds in our hearts, and I can't wait to watched them grow and blossom.
The Last Word On My In-Laws
Supposedly my in-laws have people from all over the country reading my blog. And, supposedly "so many people" can't believe the way I'm treating them based on what I've said in my blog. So, first let me say that the saying "A picture is worth a thousand words" applies not only to the visual arts, but also to the written. Writing is a form of art. Therefore, people will draw their own conclusions from what they "see." Also, if someone dislikes you they can twist your words, and form them to best suite themselves. And, completely miss the point you are making. Now, I have to ask you what kind of person would recruit people to join them in a hate feast against someone? If you listen to my in-laws, and truly believe what they say, then you obviously do not know them. And, futhermore, you do not know me. You and I have never met, or if we have it was briefly. So, I invite you, whoever reads my blog to personally talk to me, not through the computer. I invite you to see my face, and hear the tones in my voice... And, then draw your conclusion.
Do not blindly follow what people say. You do not know all the stories, and the ones you do know, you only know one side of them. Also, do not pick apart every little thing about someone that labels themselves as "Christian". A Christian is not a perfect person. A Christian is a human being that has dedicated their life to Christ. A Christian is not without sin, but they strive to be. Do not pick apart someone to degrade them in order to make yourself look or feel better... If you need to feel good about yourself, if you are lacking something in your life... Then, I know who can help, and I invite you to meet with me to discuss salvation, and the ultimate unconditional love of the one that can lift your spirits and fulfill any void you may have in your life... Jesus Christ.
Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing
Titus 1:1-2
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time
Jeremiah 29:11-12
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you
Jeremiah 17:7-8
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit
PROVERBS 15:15
All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
Do not blindly follow what people say. You do not know all the stories, and the ones you do know, you only know one side of them. Also, do not pick apart every little thing about someone that labels themselves as "Christian". A Christian is not a perfect person. A Christian is a human being that has dedicated their life to Christ. A Christian is not without sin, but they strive to be. Do not pick apart someone to degrade them in order to make yourself look or feel better... If you need to feel good about yourself, if you are lacking something in your life... Then, I know who can help, and I invite you to meet with me to discuss salvation, and the ultimate unconditional love of the one that can lift your spirits and fulfill any void you may have in your life... Jesus Christ.
Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing
Titus 1:1-2
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time
Jeremiah 29:11-12
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you
Jeremiah 17:7-8
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit
PROVERBS 15:15
All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Day 13: Arts and Crafts
Note: This post will need to be edited later. It is late, so, I'm quickly writing it. Enjoy.
My family does not subscribe to cable television. I do this for censoring purposes, as well as for a sacrifice. My two sponsor children are the monetary cost of what one would pay to have cable. And, of course I choose them over the superficial entertainment value of cable television. However, we do subscribe to Netflix. This cost is SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the cost of cable, and we can choose what we would like to watch, and what we wouldn't like to watch. The thing with cable TV is that although you can monitor what you view, you can't always monitor the inappropriate commercials that quickly pop up, or accidentally seeing something when flipping through the channels. With Netflix I have instant streaming, plus I get movies sent to my home.. It perfectly suites my family. Anyway, through Netflix I found a DVD titled "Art on a Shoestring." Tonight we watched it for the first time. In fact is was the first time I had ever watched an instructional video on how to do arts and crafts. And, it was FUN! After watching most of the DVD Rene and I made a stuffed heart for Valentine's day. We then made a Valentine's card to send to Sinny in Africa. It was so much fun that I can't wait to do another project from the DVD tomorrow! Actually, I'm thinking of starting a pop up scrap book tomorrow. But, we'll see, because tomorrow's an exciting day! You'll have to check out tomorrow's blog to see what I have planned. Although tomorrow's an excting day, what would make tomorrow perfect is if we have as nice of a day as we had today. I think today was the first time this month that I was able to turn off the heat and open the doors. In fact it was such a nice day that the girls and I took a long walk. Today was such an awesome, extraordinary day! I feel so blessed to have days like the one today! I didn't want this to become a "mommy blog", but right now I can't resist talking about my children. Stephie and Rene really make my life so perfect! They are my sunshine, and I miss them when they're napping, and I can't wait to see them in the morning. Being a mother is the best, most extraordinary job that I've ever been given. And, being a mother makes me appreciate my own mother more. A mother's love is the greatest love on earth. And, I love spending hours being with my children.
Anyway, so doing a simple art and craft project can bring so much joy. So, I encourage you to get out your scissors, sewing kit, paint brushes, whatever your media of choice may be, and create something extraordinary. And, perhaps give it to the most extraordinary woman in your life, which in my case would be my mother!
Have a blessed and extraordinary night!
My family does not subscribe to cable television. I do this for censoring purposes, as well as for a sacrifice. My two sponsor children are the monetary cost of what one would pay to have cable. And, of course I choose them over the superficial entertainment value of cable television. However, we do subscribe to Netflix. This cost is SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the cost of cable, and we can choose what we would like to watch, and what we wouldn't like to watch. The thing with cable TV is that although you can monitor what you view, you can't always monitor the inappropriate commercials that quickly pop up, or accidentally seeing something when flipping through the channels. With Netflix I have instant streaming, plus I get movies sent to my home.. It perfectly suites my family. Anyway, through Netflix I found a DVD titled "Art on a Shoestring." Tonight we watched it for the first time. In fact is was the first time I had ever watched an instructional video on how to do arts and crafts. And, it was FUN! After watching most of the DVD Rene and I made a stuffed heart for Valentine's day. We then made a Valentine's card to send to Sinny in Africa. It was so much fun that I can't wait to do another project from the DVD tomorrow! Actually, I'm thinking of starting a pop up scrap book tomorrow. But, we'll see, because tomorrow's an exciting day! You'll have to check out tomorrow's blog to see what I have planned. Although tomorrow's an excting day, what would make tomorrow perfect is if we have as nice of a day as we had today. I think today was the first time this month that I was able to turn off the heat and open the doors. In fact it was such a nice day that the girls and I took a long walk. Today was such an awesome, extraordinary day! I feel so blessed to have days like the one today! I didn't want this to become a "mommy blog", but right now I can't resist talking about my children. Stephie and Rene really make my life so perfect! They are my sunshine, and I miss them when they're napping, and I can't wait to see them in the morning. Being a mother is the best, most extraordinary job that I've ever been given. And, being a mother makes me appreciate my own mother more. A mother's love is the greatest love on earth. And, I love spending hours being with my children.
Anyway, so doing a simple art and craft project can bring so much joy. So, I encourage you to get out your scissors, sewing kit, paint brushes, whatever your media of choice may be, and create something extraordinary. And, perhaps give it to the most extraordinary woman in your life, which in my case would be my mother!
Have a blessed and extraordinary night!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Goals Update
Well, my goals for the year keep increasing. There are so many things that the Lord wants me to do! And, I am up for all the challenges He throws my way! However, the more I'm given and the closer I get to Christ, I'm also given other challenges that I don't believe to be those from the Lord. I'm having horrible problems with my in-laws... However, all of the problems are those of my own doing b/c I didn't listen to Mark. My husband told me a long time ago that we were to have nothing to do with his parents. But, I didn't listen to him, and I disobeyed his request to not talk to his parents... I like to give everyone chances upon chances. But, the bible tells me to not be around, or spend time with people that are a bad influence, or wish to work evil against me. See, they have issues in their lives that we do not approve of for our children to be around. In all actuality there are things about them that we do not approve of ourselves or each other to be around.
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,
so honor is not seemly for a fool
2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying,
so the curse causeless shall not come.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,
and a rod for the fool's back.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool
cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.
7 The legs of the lame are not equal:
so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling,
so is he that giveth honor to a fool.
9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,
so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 The great God that formed all things
both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, 2 Pet. 2.22
so a fool returneth to his folly.
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?
There is more hope of a fool than of him.
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way;
a lion is in the streets.
14 As the door turneth upon his hinges,
so doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom;
it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit
than seven men that can render a reason.
17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him,
is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 so is the man that deceiveth his neighbor,
and saith, Am not I in sport?
20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out:
so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire;
so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds,
and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23 Burning lips and a wicked heart
are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips,
and layeth up deceit within him;
25 when he speaketh fair, believe him not:
for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit,
his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation.
27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein:
and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it;
and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Proverbs 26
Titus 2:11-12
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
1 Corinthians 5:11-13
11But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator,
or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person
1 Corinthians 6:9
9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
1 Corinthians 15:33
33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
Proverbs 13:20
20He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Ephesians 5:22-33
22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
—2 Corinthians 6:14
1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD,
as the rivers of water:
he turneth it whithersoever he will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes:
but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
3 To do justice and judgment
is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 A high look, and a proud heart,
and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness;
but of every one that is hasty only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them;
because they refuse to do judgment.
8 The way of man is froward and strange:
but as for the pure, his work is right.
9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop,
than with a brawling woman in a wide house.
10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil:
his neighbor findeth no favor in his eyes.
11 When the scorner is punished,
the simple is made wise:
and when the wise is instructed,
he receiveth knowledge.
12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked:
but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.
13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,
he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger:
and a reward in the bosom, strong wrath.
15 It is joy to the just to do judgment:
but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding
shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:
he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
and the transgressor for the upright.
19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness,
than with a contentious and an angry woman.
20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise;
but a foolish man spendeth it up.
21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy
findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,
and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue,
keepeth his soul from troubles.
24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name,
who dealeth in proud wrath.
25 The desire of the slothful killeth him;
for his hands refuse to labor.
26 He coveteth greedily all the day long:
but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination:
how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
28 A false witness shall perish:
but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
29 A wicked man hardeneth his face:
but as for the upright, he directeth his way.
30 There is no wisdom nor understanding
nor counsel against the LORD.
31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle:
but safety is of the LORD.
Poverbs 21
Romans 13:12-14
12The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,
“This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
—Genesis 2:18, 21-24
These passages let me know that what I am doing is the right thing to do. Sometimes it is hard to not have a relationship with a family member, but you have to do what is right for you according to God. If nothing but evil and negativity come from a relationship... Maybe you shouldn't be in that relationship! However, just because a relationship with someone doesn't work out doesn't mean you should ever stop loving, or praying for them...
Back to my Goals Update...
Anyway, so, I've increased my work outs... My time on the stair master, and stomach exercises. There, obvisouly, is no change in my weight yet. But, I'm confindent that I'll get there.
I don't think I've gotten anymore children sponsored yet, but that's b/c I've been focused on other things. My number one priority at the moment is listening to God. So, all of my goals for the year will have to wait until His are finished. However, I have accomplished one of my goals, so far since I've started this blog. We've attended church every Sunday.
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,
so honor is not seemly for a fool
2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying,
so the curse causeless shall not come.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,
and a rod for the fool's back.
4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest thou also be like unto him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool
cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.
7 The legs of the lame are not equal:
so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling,
so is he that giveth honor to a fool.
9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,
so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 The great God that formed all things
both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.
11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, 2 Pet. 2.22
so a fool returneth to his folly.
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?
There is more hope of a fool than of him.
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way;
a lion is in the streets.
14 As the door turneth upon his hinges,
so doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom;
it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit
than seven men that can render a reason.
17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him,
is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 so is the man that deceiveth his neighbor,
and saith, Am not I in sport?
20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out:
so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire;
so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds,
and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23 Burning lips and a wicked heart
are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips,
and layeth up deceit within him;
25 when he speaketh fair, believe him not:
for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit,
his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation.
27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein:
and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it;
and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
Proverbs 26
Titus 2:11-12
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
1 Corinthians 5:11-13
11But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator,
or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person
1 Corinthians 6:9
9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
1 Corinthians 15:33
33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
Proverbs 13:20
20He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Ephesians 5:22-33
22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
—2 Corinthians 6:14
1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD,
as the rivers of water:
he turneth it whithersoever he will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes:
but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
3 To do justice and judgment
is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 A high look, and a proud heart,
and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness;
but of every one that is hasty only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them;
because they refuse to do judgment.
8 The way of man is froward and strange:
but as for the pure, his work is right.
9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop,
than with a brawling woman in a wide house.
10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil:
his neighbor findeth no favor in his eyes.
11 When the scorner is punished,
the simple is made wise:
and when the wise is instructed,
he receiveth knowledge.
12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked:
but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.
13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,
he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger:
and a reward in the bosom, strong wrath.
15 It is joy to the just to do judgment:
but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding
shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:
he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
and the transgressor for the upright.
19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness,
than with a contentious and an angry woman.
20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise;
but a foolish man spendeth it up.
21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy
findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,
and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue,
keepeth his soul from troubles.
24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name,
who dealeth in proud wrath.
25 The desire of the slothful killeth him;
for his hands refuse to labor.
26 He coveteth greedily all the day long:
but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination:
how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
28 A false witness shall perish:
but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
29 A wicked man hardeneth his face:
but as for the upright, he directeth his way.
30 There is no wisdom nor understanding
nor counsel against the LORD.
31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle:
but safety is of the LORD.
Poverbs 21
Romans 13:12-14
12The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,
“This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
—Genesis 2:18, 21-24
These passages let me know that what I am doing is the right thing to do. Sometimes it is hard to not have a relationship with a family member, but you have to do what is right for you according to God. If nothing but evil and negativity come from a relationship... Maybe you shouldn't be in that relationship! However, just because a relationship with someone doesn't work out doesn't mean you should ever stop loving, or praying for them...
Back to my Goals Update...
Anyway, so, I've increased my work outs... My time on the stair master, and stomach exercises. There, obvisouly, is no change in my weight yet. But, I'm confindent that I'll get there.
I don't think I've gotten anymore children sponsored yet, but that's b/c I've been focused on other things. My number one priority at the moment is listening to God. So, all of my goals for the year will have to wait until His are finished. However, I have accomplished one of my goals, so far since I've started this blog. We've attended church every Sunday.
Day 11 & 12: Soup, and Prayer
Day 12: Prayer
The closer you get to Christ the more Satan will try to bring you down. Evil people don't want good people to succeed... Usually when someone is determined to make other people feel bad about themselves it's so they can feel good about themselves. That's because in order to feel like they're worth something they need other people to feel less than their best. For people to Say mean things, hurt other people, and to mistreat them in any form must mean that those people are very insecure. Do not return hurtful words with hurtful words. These people need our prayers, not our curses.
Satan doesn't want a saved Christian to fulfill God's plan for their life. We as Christians will be persecuted by mean, ignorant people. Yet, we must still love them. For, they are just that, ignorant. Most people know not what they are doing. Or, they are so full of pain, and anger that they wish to bestow it on those that have found happiness, especially those who have found happiness in Christ.
But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-28).
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (Romans 12:14).
We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it (1 Corinthians 4:12).
I had a couple firsts tonight... The Lord has given me multiple tasks. I have to gather items for an orphanage in Haiti. I have to witness to a very lost person. I have to give condolences to someone that I once had a misunderstanding with. I also have set up a monetary fund for the person that I once had a misunderstanding with. The last thing I must do is complete the steps to joining the Red Cross... So, tonight in church I knelt down at the alter for the first time in the church that we are attending. It takes courage to listen to Christ. It takes courage to swallow all pride and to do what is asked of you... It takes an extraordinary person to leave their life in His hands... All Christians are extraordinary people!.. However EVERYONE has the ability to also be extraordinary. If you have yet to give you life to Christ, I encourage you to do so now. Jesus loves you. He wants you to be one of His children. Be extraordinary, and please, say this simple prayer...
"Dear Lord, I give my heart to you. Please lord enter me, and fill me with your love. I no longer want to live the life I've created for myself. I wish to live to glorify you, and only you. Lord, I'm a sinner. I've sinned against you. Please, forgive me. Please wash away all of my sins, and purify me.... In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."
I pray that the person who gave me my second "new" experience tonight reads this post, and allows Christ to enter their heart. Jesus loves you, and so do I. I don't care what you say, I forgive you. I sympathize with you. Don't let whatever happened in your life to make you this way control you. Let whatever it is go, and find extraordinary happiness! And this is my prayer for you...
"Dear God, please speak to the hearts of those who do and say unkind things to others. Please touch and soften their hearts. I know you have an amazing plan for their lives. Please allow them to see the plan, to see you, to experience the unconditional love that only you can provide. Please transform their lives. With you all things are possible! With you they can be extraordinary! Thank you, Lord. In your name I pray, Amen."
Day 11: Soup
I've never been a fan of canned foods. I prefer fresh, or frozen groceries. My family eats only fresh fruits, and a combination of fresh and frozen vegetables. And, I never buy any kind of canned meat. I also prefer organic foods over non-organic. Needless to say a canned soup that contains a combination of meat, and vegetables is not high on my grocery list. However, this week the cans of soup were on sale. So, we bought a few... Another thing I don't do is eat soup for dinner. My family eats hardy wholesome meals for dinner. To me soup is more of a lunch item. However, tonight we ate a can of corn chowder with our pasta dish. I can't say that I enjoyed it, or didn't enjoy it. The verdict is still out on that one. But, I can say I do not like the idea of my children eating anything out of a can, so I do not foresee any more canned soup dinners in the future.
The closer you get to Christ the more Satan will try to bring you down. Evil people don't want good people to succeed... Usually when someone is determined to make other people feel bad about themselves it's so they can feel good about themselves. That's because in order to feel like they're worth something they need other people to feel less than their best. For people to Say mean things, hurt other people, and to mistreat them in any form must mean that those people are very insecure. Do not return hurtful words with hurtful words. These people need our prayers, not our curses.
Satan doesn't want a saved Christian to fulfill God's plan for their life. We as Christians will be persecuted by mean, ignorant people. Yet, we must still love them. For, they are just that, ignorant. Most people know not what they are doing. Or, they are so full of pain, and anger that they wish to bestow it on those that have found happiness, especially those who have found happiness in Christ.
But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-28).
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (Romans 12:14).
We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it (1 Corinthians 4:12).
I had a couple firsts tonight... The Lord has given me multiple tasks. I have to gather items for an orphanage in Haiti. I have to witness to a very lost person. I have to give condolences to someone that I once had a misunderstanding with. I also have set up a monetary fund for the person that I once had a misunderstanding with. The last thing I must do is complete the steps to joining the Red Cross... So, tonight in church I knelt down at the alter for the first time in the church that we are attending. It takes courage to listen to Christ. It takes courage to swallow all pride and to do what is asked of you... It takes an extraordinary person to leave their life in His hands... All Christians are extraordinary people!.. However EVERYONE has the ability to also be extraordinary. If you have yet to give you life to Christ, I encourage you to do so now. Jesus loves you. He wants you to be one of His children. Be extraordinary, and please, say this simple prayer...
"Dear Lord, I give my heart to you. Please lord enter me, and fill me with your love. I no longer want to live the life I've created for myself. I wish to live to glorify you, and only you. Lord, I'm a sinner. I've sinned against you. Please, forgive me. Please wash away all of my sins, and purify me.... In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."
I pray that the person who gave me my second "new" experience tonight reads this post, and allows Christ to enter their heart. Jesus loves you, and so do I. I don't care what you say, I forgive you. I sympathize with you. Don't let whatever happened in your life to make you this way control you. Let whatever it is go, and find extraordinary happiness! And this is my prayer for you...
"Dear God, please speak to the hearts of those who do and say unkind things to others. Please touch and soften their hearts. I know you have an amazing plan for their lives. Please allow them to see the plan, to see you, to experience the unconditional love that only you can provide. Please transform their lives. With you all things are possible! With you they can be extraordinary! Thank you, Lord. In your name I pray, Amen."
Day 11: Soup
I've never been a fan of canned foods. I prefer fresh, or frozen groceries. My family eats only fresh fruits, and a combination of fresh and frozen vegetables. And, I never buy any kind of canned meat. I also prefer organic foods over non-organic. Needless to say a canned soup that contains a combination of meat, and vegetables is not high on my grocery list. However, this week the cans of soup were on sale. So, we bought a few... Another thing I don't do is eat soup for dinner. My family eats hardy wholesome meals for dinner. To me soup is more of a lunch item. However, tonight we ate a can of corn chowder with our pasta dish. I can't say that I enjoyed it, or didn't enjoy it. The verdict is still out on that one. But, I can say I do not like the idea of my children eating anything out of a can, so I do not foresee any more canned soup dinners in the future.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Day 9 & 10: Celebrity Letter & Virtual March for Life
The past few days have been pretty busy. Therefore, I have a couple posts to make up...
Day 9: Celebrity Letter
First, I'd like to say that it's hard to find something "new" to do on a cold lazy day of being stuck in the house. With that being said, here's day 9 of the journey...
Like most people, I have a slight fascination for those in the spot light, or "movie stars." I like to hear about their humanitarian work, which celebrity supports which cause... But, I've never cared that much about the gossip aspect of their lives, or of Hollywood in general. I've never had any desire to visit Hollywood, or meet a movie star. With that being said, I've not really had a desire to write anyone in the spot light a letter. Or, at least that was true until Brittany Murphy's death. I always liked Brittany Murphy. She was cute, and up beat. The news of her death made me sad, and moved me to want to write her family a letter of condolence...
I did not write Brittany Murphy's family the letter (yet, anyway). However, on Wednesday I did write a letter to the members involved in a reality TV show that my husband, I, and even Rene enjoy watching... "Dog the Bounty Hunter." Ok, laugh it up. My family thinks it's funny that we like to watch this. But, I really don't see anything to laugh about. The show is inspiring. Here you have ex-convicts going after the "bad" guy. And, once they've captured the bad guy, they try to change him, and help him in the name of Christ. Also, before each "hunt" they pray for their safely, and sometimes for help in changing the criminals' hearts. The show also makes me realize how easy it is to get involved in drugs. Just about every criminal that Dog and his crew catch is on drugs. This terrifies me because every time a criminal is caught I think to myself "That's someone's baby." So, thanks to Dog the Bounty Hunter, my children will be watched VERY closely as they grow and mature. I always knew that I would be a very protective mother, like my own mother, but, watching Dog makes all of a mother's worries a reality.
Writing a simple letter can bring extraordinary joy to someone's heart. Maybe that person needs those kinds words... Maybe the only joy brought will be to yourself... Writing a letter can be very therapeutic..I encourage you to write a letter to someone today, and bring extraordinary happiness to either the recipient or to yourself.
Day 10: Virtual March for Life
As apart of the Obama care plan, he wanted our tax money to go towards supporting abortions. Obama is very pro abortion. In fact after just three days in office Obama allowed federal tax dollars to flow to organizations that promote and provide abortions abroad. (for more info go to http://www.lifenews.com/) So, on Thursday I joined the virtual march for life. I've always wanted to go to Washington and march, but since I have my little ones to take care of I did it online instead! And, it was amazing how many new "marchers" joined every couple of minutes! The number of virtual marchers got up to nearly 80,000 people. It was so awesome to be able to be apart of something while being so far away from it! While the march was going on I wrote an e-mail to congress, opposing the abortion plan. It was absolutely extraordinary to able to have my voice be heard while playing dolls with my children.
If you missed the March for life this year because you were not able to make it to Washington, you could always join the marches next year online! Please pray for the millions of lives lost to abortion, and have a blessed, and extraordinary day!
Day 9: Celebrity Letter
First, I'd like to say that it's hard to find something "new" to do on a cold lazy day of being stuck in the house. With that being said, here's day 9 of the journey...
Like most people, I have a slight fascination for those in the spot light, or "movie stars." I like to hear about their humanitarian work, which celebrity supports which cause... But, I've never cared that much about the gossip aspect of their lives, or of Hollywood in general. I've never had any desire to visit Hollywood, or meet a movie star. With that being said, I've not really had a desire to write anyone in the spot light a letter. Or, at least that was true until Brittany Murphy's death. I always liked Brittany Murphy. She was cute, and up beat. The news of her death made me sad, and moved me to want to write her family a letter of condolence...
I did not write Brittany Murphy's family the letter (yet, anyway). However, on Wednesday I did write a letter to the members involved in a reality TV show that my husband, I, and even Rene enjoy watching... "Dog the Bounty Hunter." Ok, laugh it up. My family thinks it's funny that we like to watch this. But, I really don't see anything to laugh about. The show is inspiring. Here you have ex-convicts going after the "bad" guy. And, once they've captured the bad guy, they try to change him, and help him in the name of Christ. Also, before each "hunt" they pray for their safely, and sometimes for help in changing the criminals' hearts. The show also makes me realize how easy it is to get involved in drugs. Just about every criminal that Dog and his crew catch is on drugs. This terrifies me because every time a criminal is caught I think to myself "That's someone's baby." So, thanks to Dog the Bounty Hunter, my children will be watched VERY closely as they grow and mature. I always knew that I would be a very protective mother, like my own mother, but, watching Dog makes all of a mother's worries a reality.
Writing a simple letter can bring extraordinary joy to someone's heart. Maybe that person needs those kinds words... Maybe the only joy brought will be to yourself... Writing a letter can be very therapeutic..I encourage you to write a letter to someone today, and bring extraordinary happiness to either the recipient or to yourself.
Day 10: Virtual March for Life
As apart of the Obama care plan, he wanted our tax money to go towards supporting abortions. Obama is very pro abortion. In fact after just three days in office Obama allowed federal tax dollars to flow to organizations that promote and provide abortions abroad. (for more info go to http://www.lifenews.com/) So, on Thursday I joined the virtual march for life. I've always wanted to go to Washington and march, but since I have my little ones to take care of I did it online instead! And, it was amazing how many new "marchers" joined every couple of minutes! The number of virtual marchers got up to nearly 80,000 people. It was so awesome to be able to be apart of something while being so far away from it! While the march was going on I wrote an e-mail to congress, opposing the abortion plan. It was absolutely extraordinary to able to have my voice be heard while playing dolls with my children.
If you missed the March for life this year because you were not able to make it to Washington, you could always join the marches next year online! Please pray for the millions of lives lost to abortion, and have a blessed, and extraordinary day!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Day 8: Far Away Friend
I didn't get the chance to do the "new" thing that I had planned for yesterday. Although, I do no not always get to do the planned thing, it seems that something always comes my way. The other day I met a very nice woman from the UK by browsing through blogs. Before talking with her via e-mail I'd never met anyone from the UK. I did however, have a Japanese penpal for a short period of time in elementary school. Things are so different now than they were when I was a child. Back in the second or third grade I would have never imagined being able to meet someone simply by browsing a "blog". Of course, I also had no idea of what a blog was.
Talking with someone through e-mail may not be considered something "extraordinary". But, making a friend from a different country with only a few clicks most certainly is!
(Sorry this post is so boring, read Day 7, or other's for something a little more exciting. And, although it may be boring it's still nice to connect with someone you've never met.)
Talking with someone through e-mail may not be considered something "extraordinary". But, making a friend from a different country with only a few clicks most certainly is!
(Sorry this post is so boring, read Day 7, or other's for something a little more exciting. And, although it may be boring it's still nice to connect with someone you've never met.)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Day 7: Ice Swimming Turns into Tree Climbing
Yesterday I dug up my tiny black bikini, grabbed a fleece house coat, and a towel. I then jumped into the Tahoe, and drove a block to the beach. To my disappointment, the Bay was COMPLETELY frozen! Inspired by the Polar Bear Plunge, or the Goose Bump Jump, as they call it around here I was going to take a dive in January. Here, on the East coast the averages of the day were highs of 41 degrees, and lows of 25. So, needless to say it would have been COLD!
Determined to do something new, or different today, I looked around the park located by our local beach... I saw nothing, but picnic tables, and trees. So, I climbed a tree! I hadn't done this since I was about seven, or eight years old. And, let me tell you that it is not as easy to climb a tree in your twenties as it is as a child! I wore Birkenstock styled clogs to the beach, so my first attempts to get up the trunk of the tree failed. I jumped back into the truck, went home, searched for my Puma's, and could not find them. So, I ended up climbing a tree in a pair of shoes meant to keep you on a skate board, my Converse. The Converse gave me hardly any traction so Mark lifted me up past the tree's trunk. With one or two steps up the trunk, I was sitting on the first branch... This of course was not satisfying, so I climbed up to the next branch where I was now around ten feet above the ground. To my five foot stature this felt more like twenty feet when looking down. 
This was SO much fun! It sound boring, but, it was fun laughing at ourselves trying to climb the tree! It was amazing how out of shape we were. The resistance bands we use obviously haven't helped us that much. I'd say the best part of the day would have been Mark being there with me. Climbing the tree alone wouldn't have been fun... It would have been satisfying, once I had done it (I'm always very satisfied once I've accomplished something that seemed hard at the beginning).. But, it was nice having someone to share the laughs with... Mark, and my children. Stephanie, and Rene enjoyed watching Mama and Daddy having fun. They were giggling, and laughing right along with us. 
Although, climbing a tree may not be something that most people would consider to be "extraordinary", having fun with someone that loves you while doing something as simple as climbing a tree most definitely is extraordinary! Grab someone that loves you, and enjoy doing something simple that will fill your ears with laughter! Have an awesome day! God Bless! Proverbs 15:13
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of theheart the spirit is broken.
Pslams 126:2
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing:then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Luke 18:17
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
Matthew 18:4-5
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Day 6: Answering His Call
Ever since the recent earthquake in Haiti, I've had this tugging at my heart to go to Haiti. I kept ignoring it... But, tonight something happened... We've had A LOT of car, well Tahoe, problems lately! It's the dead of winter and the truck over heats on almost a daily basis. Tonight we were on our way to church when the dashboard's thermometer went WAY past the red. I never saw the truck get that hot before! The check gages light came on, and Mark and I could see the steam coming out of the truck's hood reflecting off the street lights. Mark told me to turn around and go home so that he could put water in the radiator. Instead, I pulled into a church parking lot, and prayed. I asked God to safely deliver us to church.
As I drove the clouds of steam floating off the hood of our truck grew bigger, and bigger until I knew we had to pull over. We were on a back road with not much of a shoulder. So, I drove at 25 mph until I came to a stop sign. I turned off the truck, but kept the head lights, and hazards on. I did this so that other drivers would see us on the road and not slam into us. After about five minutes, and four passing vehicles, I tried to start the truck. It made the "ek, ek, ek" sound, meaning that the battery was dead. There we were, my entire family on a dark back road, in a dead, over heating vehicle without a cell phone on a cold rainy night. I knew that we would REALLY be in trouble once the headlights and hazard lights completely died. As the lights grew dimmed I began to freak out. I lost my cool for only a moment. I then, without even thinking, opened the truck door and stood on the door frame. I shook my keys at all the passing vehicles. A few cars drove by without doing as much as slowing down for my family. But, then the car came with a family of four inside, just like mine. The driver drove by, and then reversed. I jumped out of the Tahoe, and asked the man to "give me a jump" because my car died on our way to church. The man then pulled up in a lane of incoming traffic which was directly in front of our vehicle. As a vehicle drove around the man's car I began to worry more about his family's safety than my own. I then said another silent prayer. Within moments Mark, the nice man, and I got the car going. The man also put a gallon of water in the radiator, and refused payment for it. The truck started with no problem, and ran perfectly with normal temperatures all the way to the gas station where we added coolant and more water to it... We arrived at church right after the offering was taken. I grabbed my husband's wallet and gave our last five dollars to the church...
The message of the sermon was "pressure". While the pastor was talking I felt as if 1,000 tons were resting on my shoulders. I kept thinking of the cries, lost family members, and chaos in Haiti... Then, I started thinking about the man that risked his family on the side of the road to help mine... The next thing I knew,in that church I told God I wouldn't run anymore. In that church I told Him I would go where every He may lead me.
I got home, and logged onto the Red Cross. To my disappointment they are not taking volunteers to go to Haiti at this time. Then, a link caught my eye... One thing lead to the other.. And, I became a Red Cross volunteer, and should be receiving a phone call shortly. Then, just like that, as if a magic wand waved a crossed my face, the pressure was off. It was almost as if, that was the plan.. As if the plan all along had been for me to volunteer with the Red Cross.
The feeling of listening to my heart, the place where Jesus lives in me, was so good that I asked him if there was anything else I could do... I then e-mailed inquiries of interest to volunteer for Project Cuddles, and the Pro-life Action League. I've volunteered places before, but never anyplace that God sent me to. Tonight, I followed... I'm not sure what will become of it... Who knows, I still may end up going to Haiti.. But, I will go wherever he leads me... So, the "new" thing I did tonight was to listen to God when I didn't want to. It's easy to help a homeless person that I pass on the street, and to have money deducted from my bank account from WorldVision... But, it's not easy for me to leave my children, and go to a different country and not see my children for a while, or possibly, ever again. But, tonight, I accepted whatever fate is given to me. Tonight my heart took that final plunge... I will not only live for Christ, but I will also die for Him. If, it's His will... If His great plan for my life is to live a short one in order to do something great, something extraordinary... Then, it's my honor to do so!
Tonight God sent a stranger in my time of need. He was kind, and equipped with a gallon of water. If any other stranger would have stopped, they may not have had the water we needed. If the man didn't stop... Then someone could have slammed into our truck once the lights died out... And, I possibly would not be sitting here right now typing this... Someone in Haiti may need me to bring that gallon of water before their lights dim out.. If I'm the one that's suppose to go.. If I'm the one that's suppose to do anything, no matter how hard it may be... I will do it.. With God, all things are possible! With God, I could save a life... With God I will do extraordinary things!
As I drove the clouds of steam floating off the hood of our truck grew bigger, and bigger until I knew we had to pull over. We were on a back road with not much of a shoulder. So, I drove at 25 mph until I came to a stop sign. I turned off the truck, but kept the head lights, and hazards on. I did this so that other drivers would see us on the road and not slam into us. After about five minutes, and four passing vehicles, I tried to start the truck. It made the "ek, ek, ek" sound, meaning that the battery was dead. There we were, my entire family on a dark back road, in a dead, over heating vehicle without a cell phone on a cold rainy night. I knew that we would REALLY be in trouble once the headlights and hazard lights completely died. As the lights grew dimmed I began to freak out. I lost my cool for only a moment. I then, without even thinking, opened the truck door and stood on the door frame. I shook my keys at all the passing vehicles. A few cars drove by without doing as much as slowing down for my family. But, then the car came with a family of four inside, just like mine. The driver drove by, and then reversed. I jumped out of the Tahoe, and asked the man to "give me a jump" because my car died on our way to church. The man then pulled up in a lane of incoming traffic which was directly in front of our vehicle. As a vehicle drove around the man's car I began to worry more about his family's safety than my own. I then said another silent prayer. Within moments Mark, the nice man, and I got the car going. The man also put a gallon of water in the radiator, and refused payment for it. The truck started with no problem, and ran perfectly with normal temperatures all the way to the gas station where we added coolant and more water to it... We arrived at church right after the offering was taken. I grabbed my husband's wallet and gave our last five dollars to the church...
The message of the sermon was "pressure". While the pastor was talking I felt as if 1,000 tons were resting on my shoulders. I kept thinking of the cries, lost family members, and chaos in Haiti... Then, I started thinking about the man that risked his family on the side of the road to help mine... The next thing I knew,in that church I told God I wouldn't run anymore. In that church I told Him I would go where every He may lead me.
I got home, and logged onto the Red Cross. To my disappointment they are not taking volunteers to go to Haiti at this time. Then, a link caught my eye... One thing lead to the other.. And, I became a Red Cross volunteer, and should be receiving a phone call shortly. Then, just like that, as if a magic wand waved a crossed my face, the pressure was off. It was almost as if, that was the plan.. As if the plan all along had been for me to volunteer with the Red Cross.
The feeling of listening to my heart, the place where Jesus lives in me, was so good that I asked him if there was anything else I could do... I then e-mailed inquiries of interest to volunteer for Project Cuddles, and the Pro-life Action League. I've volunteered places before, but never anyplace that God sent me to. Tonight, I followed... I'm not sure what will become of it... Who knows, I still may end up going to Haiti.. But, I will go wherever he leads me... So, the "new" thing I did tonight was to listen to God when I didn't want to. It's easy to help a homeless person that I pass on the street, and to have money deducted from my bank account from WorldVision... But, it's not easy for me to leave my children, and go to a different country and not see my children for a while, or possibly, ever again. But, tonight, I accepted whatever fate is given to me. Tonight my heart took that final plunge... I will not only live for Christ, but I will also die for Him. If, it's His will... If His great plan for my life is to live a short one in order to do something great, something extraordinary... Then, it's my honor to do so!
Tonight God sent a stranger in my time of need. He was kind, and equipped with a gallon of water. If any other stranger would have stopped, they may not have had the water we needed. If the man didn't stop... Then someone could have slammed into our truck once the lights died out... And, I possibly would not be sitting here right now typing this... Someone in Haiti may need me to bring that gallon of water before their lights dim out.. If I'm the one that's suppose to go.. If I'm the one that's suppose to do anything, no matter how hard it may be... I will do it.. With God, all things are possible! With God, I could save a life... With God I will do extraordinary things!
Day 5: Fashionista
I have not followed a clothing trend since 2004. The year 2004 brought in equestrian styles as well as feminine styles with masculine touches... But, the biggest trend of 2004 were the "80's" looks. I thought that the looks were absoluetly ridiculous, and that the young people I saw walking around in the mall looked horrible. I remember constantly thinking "do these people look in a mirror before leaving the house?" As for the equestrian styles, the skinny jeans that looked like riding pants, and the high boots worn over the pants... I would have to say that I didn't embrace that style until this past year. I'm a stiletto heel girl. Whether I'm wearing a pair of jeans, or a tight little dress, I love stilettos! So, I didn't care for the flat styled boots.
I eventually embraced the new styles around 2007... Well, I embraced most of the new styles. But, I couldn't accept the leggings look as "fashionable." Looking at a pair of leggings brought back horrid memories of elementary school. My mother, I love her, but she doesn't have a sense of style. As a child the clothing I remember wearing the most were leggings (normally purple, or green) with a top that either just hit the hips, or was way above them. My great sense of style plus my many Greek features put me right at the bottom of the class for popularity, and sent me home crying many times after a day of being picked on. So, today I did something I thought I'd never do... I wore a pair of leggings... And, the worst part of it... I liked it! I wore a pair of black leggings with the cutest long hooded jacket. You have to check the jacket out at http://www.victoriasecret.com/ . In the search engine type " leggings ". Scroll down until you see a girl wearing long white belted jacket with leggings... Or, better yet, I'll take a pic of the outfit later and upload it. Anyway, the leggings were so light, and comfortable that it felt like I wasn't wearing a thing!
I guess today's lesson is "don't knock it til you've tried it", or like last night's experience, don't judge anything until you explore it! So, explore the things that have always turned you off... Who knows you may find it to be something you like, or even something extraordinary!
I eventually embraced the new styles around 2007... Well, I embraced most of the new styles. But, I couldn't accept the leggings look as "fashionable." Looking at a pair of leggings brought back horrid memories of elementary school. My mother, I love her, but she doesn't have a sense of style. As a child the clothing I remember wearing the most were leggings (normally purple, or green) with a top that either just hit the hips, or was way above them. My great sense of style plus my many Greek features put me right at the bottom of the class for popularity, and sent me home crying many times after a day of being picked on. So, today I did something I thought I'd never do... I wore a pair of leggings... And, the worst part of it... I liked it! I wore a pair of black leggings with the cutest long hooded jacket. You have to check the jacket out at http://www.victoriasecret.com/ . In the search engine type " leggings ". Scroll down until you see a girl wearing long white belted jacket with leggings... Or, better yet, I'll take a pic of the outfit later and upload it. Anyway, the leggings were so light, and comfortable that it felt like I wasn't wearing a thing!
I guess today's lesson is "don't knock it til you've tried it", or like last night's experience, don't judge anything until you explore it! So, explore the things that have always turned you off... Who knows you may find it to be something you like, or even something extraordinary!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Day 4: Luisa's Cafe
It's Friday, which means payday; which means grocery shopping day. On a normal Friday I get up anywhere between five and seven am, shower, dress, and get the kids up and dressed with Mark. The children and I would then drop Mark off at work, grab some breakfast, and go grocery shopping. However, the past couple Thursday nights we've been staying up late, so our Friday routine has been a bit messed up. Due to our Greek fun last night, I wasn't able to get out of bed before the sun rose. So, this Friday Mark went off to work alone.
The children and I wound up grocery shopping at eight o'clock tonight with their daddy. Eight o'clock is their bedtime. So, they were CRANKY, and miserable. But, I couldn't blame them. Really, it was my fault for not getting out of bed this morning. The first stop of the night was at a store called Roses which is similar to a Big Lots. There I purchased my first bathroom scale. I've never owned a bathroom scale. When I lived with my parents I used my mother's once in a while. But, I never actually owned my own scale, one in which I didn't need anyone's permission to use. I guess I've purposely never owned one. I'm not sure if I'm the only person that feels this way, but a bathroom scale to me is a bit intimidating Who wants to be constantly reminded that they've been making unhealthy choices, and that they need to lay off the sweets? Well, apparently I want to be reminded. This is my year of "new", of change. So, to make my weight loss a reality and not just talk, the purchase of a bathroom scale was a must.
Before using the scale I tested it with my husbands eighteen pound kettlebell, just to make sure it would give me an accurate reading. Sure enough it was right on the dot, or on the line in this case. I've been bloated lately, so I thought I would be around 120 lbs.... Well, I was only 111! Yay! I feel like I lost ten pounds without having to do anything! So, I guess I accomplished my goal! I'm just kidding. I'm actually going to add another pound to my weight loss goal. Instead of 10 pounds, I'm going to make it 11. By the end of the year I will be 100 pounds.
The second first of the night was going into a restaurant that I always considered to be a "dive". The name of the place is Luisa's Cafe. It's one of the kind of restaurants that's located in a slow shopping center. The place isn't that bright from the outside, and doesn't look like anything special. When I walked into the place the saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover" ran through my mind. On the inside Luisa's Cafe is quaint and bright. The best way to describe it is an Italian Mom's and Pop's styled restaurant. The employees (or possibly owners) were friendly. We ordered take out, and it took us longer to decide on what we wanted to order than it took for the order to be cooked and ready to go. We were in and out within fifteen minutes. For dinner I ordered Chicken Al Limone, and bruschetta napoletana. The bruschetta was fresh, and left my mouth watering for more. It was the first time I had ordered chicken al limone. I was too tired to pay that close of attention to the menu and honestly had no idea of what I was ordering. To my surprise I ordered a dish with mushrooms. Mushrooms can go one of two ways for me... Either they're canned, and I hate them, or they're fresh in which case I love them. In this case they were fresh, and I fell in love with chicken al limone. Well, maybe not "in love with", but we definitely had a thing tonight. So, there you have it. Tonight I made myself go into a restaurant that I had summed up to be a dive, from it's appearance, and appearance alone. It's kind of funny... Here I don't judge a homeless person, yet judge a restaurant. Hypocritical? Oh yeah! So, tonight I learned a valuable lesson... Don't judge ANYTHING by it's cover! Give everything a chance! Sometimes it may be sushi (in which case all judgmental thoughts turn out to be true), but once in a while I might get a Luisa (in which case I was totally wrong). So, I have to leave all of my decisions up to God, not myself. If I have the urge to go into a place that I've never had any desire to go into before, I can't second guess that urge. I have to listen to it, because who knows, maybe that homeless man that I will reform will be waiting for me inside. Or, maybe a scared pregnant teenager will be sitting alone in a booth trying to make up her mind about her "choices" for the pregnancy... Or possibly a mother will be spending her last five bucks to buy her baby something to eat... The point is I have to go where God sends me. I have to meet the people that God wants me to. And, I have to touch their lives in the way God instructs me to. I'm not the judge, He is! Appearances are not always what they seem. Anyway, I'm glad I went into Luisa's tonight. And, I'm ecstatic that I'm not as heavy as I thought I was. But, most importantly I thank God for teaching me a very important lesson.
The children and I wound up grocery shopping at eight o'clock tonight with their daddy. Eight o'clock is their bedtime. So, they were CRANKY, and miserable. But, I couldn't blame them. Really, it was my fault for not getting out of bed this morning. The first stop of the night was at a store called Roses which is similar to a Big Lots. There I purchased my first bathroom scale. I've never owned a bathroom scale. When I lived with my parents I used my mother's once in a while. But, I never actually owned my own scale, one in which I didn't need anyone's permission to use. I guess I've purposely never owned one. I'm not sure if I'm the only person that feels this way, but a bathroom scale to me is a bit intimidating Who wants to be constantly reminded that they've been making unhealthy choices, and that they need to lay off the sweets? Well, apparently I want to be reminded. This is my year of "new", of change. So, to make my weight loss a reality and not just talk, the purchase of a bathroom scale was a must.
Before using the scale I tested it with my husbands eighteen pound kettlebell, just to make sure it would give me an accurate reading. Sure enough it was right on the dot, or on the line in this case. I've been bloated lately, so I thought I would be around 120 lbs.... Well, I was only 111! Yay! I feel like I lost ten pounds without having to do anything! So, I guess I accomplished my goal! I'm just kidding. I'm actually going to add another pound to my weight loss goal. Instead of 10 pounds, I'm going to make it 11. By the end of the year I will be 100 pounds.
The second first of the night was going into a restaurant that I always considered to be a "dive". The name of the place is Luisa's Cafe. It's one of the kind of restaurants that's located in a slow shopping center. The place isn't that bright from the outside, and doesn't look like anything special. When I walked into the place the saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover" ran through my mind. On the inside Luisa's Cafe is quaint and bright. The best way to describe it is an Italian Mom's and Pop's styled restaurant. The employees (or possibly owners) were friendly. We ordered take out, and it took us longer to decide on what we wanted to order than it took for the order to be cooked and ready to go. We were in and out within fifteen minutes. For dinner I ordered Chicken Al Limone, and bruschetta napoletana. The bruschetta was fresh, and left my mouth watering for more. It was the first time I had ordered chicken al limone. I was too tired to pay that close of attention to the menu and honestly had no idea of what I was ordering. To my surprise I ordered a dish with mushrooms. Mushrooms can go one of two ways for me... Either they're canned, and I hate them, or they're fresh in which case I love them. In this case they were fresh, and I fell in love with chicken al limone. Well, maybe not "in love with", but we definitely had a thing tonight. So, there you have it. Tonight I made myself go into a restaurant that I had summed up to be a dive, from it's appearance, and appearance alone. It's kind of funny... Here I don't judge a homeless person, yet judge a restaurant. Hypocritical? Oh yeah! So, tonight I learned a valuable lesson... Don't judge ANYTHING by it's cover! Give everything a chance! Sometimes it may be sushi (in which case all judgmental thoughts turn out to be true), but once in a while I might get a Luisa (in which case I was totally wrong). So, I have to leave all of my decisions up to God, not myself. If I have the urge to go into a place that I've never had any desire to go into before, I can't second guess that urge. I have to listen to it, because who knows, maybe that homeless man that I will reform will be waiting for me inside. Or, maybe a scared pregnant teenager will be sitting alone in a booth trying to make up her mind about her "choices" for the pregnancy... Or possibly a mother will be spending her last five bucks to buy her baby something to eat... The point is I have to go where God sends me. I have to meet the people that God wants me to. And, I have to touch their lives in the way God instructs me to. I'm not the judge, He is! Appearances are not always what they seem. Anyway, I'm glad I went into Luisa's tonight. And, I'm ecstatic that I'm not as heavy as I thought I was. But, most importantly I thank God for teaching me a very important lesson.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Day 3: GREEK Dancing, Drinking, and Cooking
A picture is worth a thousand words. That's the old saying, right? Well, what do you see when you look at my profile picture? Someone with long hair? Too much lip gloss? Maybe pretty eyes? What you most likely don't see in that picture is "Greek". There once was a time when one would look at a picture of me and the word "Greek" would slap them on the forehead. I once had a unibrow so thick that it looked as if a caterpillar was glued to my head. It's amazing how much plucking my eyebrows (and mustache) changed my life! Although I may not look as Greek as I once did, I still feel very Greek. I'm not 100% Greek, I'm an eighth. I also have Ukrainian, Cherokee, and Irish blood running through my veins... But, I got hit, and I got hit hard, with the Greek gene! From the shape of my face, to my thick hair, to my taste buds (my favorite food is pasistio), and my love for music that I can dance to(Love, love, love dance music especially with a Mediterranean flare)... I'm so Greek! So, tonight I embraced my maiden name, Sclavos, and had a Greek night! I drank a TINY bit of Ouzo tonight for the first time. Mark, the children, and I learned the Greek dance called "Syrto", and I made a delicious Greek dinner.
Ouzo is a very strong Greek alcohol. My husband and I do not drink, so this was VERY strong to us! However, I liked it more that he did... I guess it's in my blood. The smell of the alcohol is delicious! It smells just like licorice. I feels good when swirled in your mouth like a sip of good wine does. But, Ouzo is not an alcohol to savor, it's more so one to do as a shot. So, my mouth didn't appreciate the Ouzo resting in it for as long as I allowed it to once it was swallowed. Ouzo also leaves the strong after taste of licorice. So, I'd recommend trying this only if you like licorice, or cloves.
For dinner I made Kottopula kampama, or Chicken Kampama. I also made kortes plaki, or carrots plaki, and patates yiahni, which means braised potatoes. And for desert? I made a light delicious Greek cookie called koulourakia me sousame, sesame-seed cookies. My favorite part of the dinner had to be the carrots plaki. However, the chicken was also quite delectable! The chicken makes it's own sauce which was outstanding on the potatoes as well as the carrots. These recipes can be found in "Greek Cooking" by Ruth Kershner, or you can find them at the bottom of this post.
The dancing was oh, so fun! Although my husband is not the greatest dancer (he's cute when he tries), he caught onto the steps before I did. Actually, he was more of my instructor than the woman on the YouTube video. The YouTube video that we used to learn the Syrto dance can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAiv7Szt1NI . This is the link to the first of several lessons taught by our instructor, a woman named Maria. She goes slow, so this is an ideal video for a beginner. However, we also watched other YouTube videos on other Greek dances. I've posted several of the links below. Anyway, the dance Syrto is a traditional Greek-American wedding dance. It's fun, and simple! So, grab a handkerchief, and click on the link!
If you need a change from the everyday I encourage you to have a "Greek night"! Even if you're not as lucky as I am, and don't have the blood in your veins, you can still be Greek! Greeks are opinionated, stubborn, fun loving, and family oriented. If I've just described you, you're Greek! Just kidding. But, seriously having, or hosting a Greek Night would be a great idea if you want to try something new that you can share with friends and family. So, do something new, do something extraordinary and be Greek for the night!
Chicken Kampama
Kottopula Kampama
3 pounds chicken parts
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup canned tomatoes
1/2 of a 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 sticks cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup red wine
In a large skillet brown the chicken on all sides in the butter and olive oil. Remove from the pan.
Brown the onions and garlic. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings, and wine. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 1 to 11/2 hours or until tender. Makes 4 to 5 servings.
Carrots Plaki
Kortes Plaki
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 large green onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon crumbled oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Parboil the carrots in boiling, salted water for 5 minutes. Drain. Heat the oil in a medium size saucepan. Add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Add the green onions, carrots, oregano, and salt. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve. Makes 4 servings.
~I didn't sprinkle the carrots with the lemon juice. The chicken has a very distinct taste with all of the spice. To keep the taste of the chicken more alive, do not add the lemon juice. Lemon juice lingers on the taste bunds.~
Braised Potatoes
Patates Yiahni
8 small new potatoes (I used what I had in the fridge, redskin potatoes)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano, crumbled
Scrub the potatoes and peel away a wide band of skin around the center of the potato, leaving the skin on the remainder of the potato intact. Parboil the potatoes in boiling salted water to cover for approximately 20 minutes or until barely fork-tender. Drain. Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan or skillet until the foam from the butter subsides. Ad the potatoes and brown on all sides. Add the salt, pepper, and oregano, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender. Makes 4 servings.
Sesame-Seed Cookies
koulourakia Me Sousame
1 cup sweet butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
5 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
Cream the butter until light. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat well. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Sift the flour and add to creamed mixture to form a soft dough. Chill the dough several hours or overnight. To form the cookies, take a scant tablespoon of the dough and roll into a 3 1/2 inch long rope. Pink the 2 ends together to form a doughnut shape. dip in the sesame seeds and place several inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Brush with the egg beaten with milk. Bake at 370 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a rack and store in an airtight container. Makes 6 dozen cookies.
Here are some links to learn how to dance Greek style!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAiv7Szt1NI
Maria the famous Greek dance teacher is teaching us syrto Lesson 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de0POh8F3DY
Greek dance lessons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU5Gq1SKyQs
This video shows the choreographer, Ira Weisburd, demonstrating his dance "Hassapico Souromenos". For information on where to purchase his Step By Step Instructional DVD/CDs to International Folk ...
Have fun and God bless!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Day 2: Extraordinary Sushi Kind of Day
Today was a laid back relaxing day filled with pedialyte, runny noses, and of course no sick day would be complete without watching a lot of tv. We watched a Little Princess, and Message in a Bottle amongst the many Dora the Explorer episodes. Rene had "sicks in her belly", that's what she says when her belly doesn't feel well. So, I gave into her request for pancakes for lunch. This was a first for me! I had never had pancakes for lunch before. And, believe it or not it was a bit of a challenge for me... I have a bit of O.C.D with somethings. I'm a very go with the flow type of person with a lot. However, when it comes to running my house, cleaning, and meals I can be a bit neurotic. I had to remind myself over and over again that the reason I was flipping a pancake at one o'clock in the afternoon instead of cutting an apple and making sandwiches was because I'm trying to do "new" things, and my children were sick. As I plated the pancakes, and dotted them with butter, I couldn't get over the fact that there was no aroma of coffee in the air. In fact I almost started a pot of double chocolate roast in order to put my mind at ease.
The girls being sick gave me a lot of free time today. So, I did something I hadn't done in years. I dug up two of my old year books, and cracked their spines for the first time, probably since Rene's birth. I then signed up for a myspace account, and one by one typed in the names of my old classmates. I was shocked to see how some people had turned out, sad about others, but happy for most! I also tried to look up a few distant family members, but had no luck. Apparently Rios is a popular last name in Texas!
So, today's big adventure was: drum roll please : SUSHI! First, let me say that I've never had any desire once so ever to touch the stuff let alone eat it! Mark picked it up on his way home from work. It didn't look appetizing at all sitting in it's little container with a clear plastic lid. But, I took a deep breathe and took a decent sized bite out of a piece of it. As I chewed the sushi my taste buds screamed for a glass of water! I swallowed it, took a gulp of water, and vowed to never eat sushi again! It was everything I thought it would be, GROSS! But, hey, now I can say I've tried it. And, Mark and I found out that our youngest, Steph, LOVES it! But, that's no surprise because that girl will eat anything! I'm not sure where she gets her stomach, it certainly isn't from me.
You know what? As I sit here and write about not liking sushi I realize how lucky I am to even be able to try it... I realize how lucky I am to be able to try what I want when I want... Money aside... My thoughts keep going back to the recent earthquake in Haiti. For some reason I've had an urge since yesterday to hop on a plane and go to Haiti with some sort of relief group. The recent quake took so much, that we're not even sure how much.. We don't know how many lives were lost, and how many lives are forever changed. Where will the survivors sleep? What will they eat? How long will it take for them to get their lives back on track? Here, I'm trying to do something new each day, when the people in Haiti are just trying to live each day. Really, there are people all over the world just trying to live. I mean, seriously, this is heavy stuff. Think about how lucky we all are! Anyone reading this obviously has access to a computer. Most likely you're sitting in a warm room, with a roof over your head, access to running water and food in your refrigerator. Do you know how lucky you are to have those things? I have a sponsor child, Sinovyo, we call her "Sinny", from South Africa. She has no father, no running water, no electricity, and is in poor health. I look at her picture and my heart bleeds for all the children, families, people in her situation, or in worse ones. I wish that everyone that has the capability to do something to help these people would. It doesn't have to be anything huge... After hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana I knew a woman that went to the Dollar Store and bought all the can openers she could find... Something so simple as a can opener could enrich some one's life in a way that we couldn't imagine. Anyway, we are all so lucky! Don't let your life fly by without ever feeling "lucky". If your life is boring, do something extraordinary! If you ever want a "new life", you can have it! We weren't placed on this earth to live boring lives! We were all placed here to do something amazing with it! So, go do it, and have an extraordinary kind of day!
The girls being sick gave me a lot of free time today. So, I did something I hadn't done in years. I dug up two of my old year books, and cracked their spines for the first time, probably since Rene's birth. I then signed up for a myspace account, and one by one typed in the names of my old classmates. I was shocked to see how some people had turned out, sad about others, but happy for most! I also tried to look up a few distant family members, but had no luck. Apparently Rios is a popular last name in Texas!
So, today's big adventure was: drum roll please : SUSHI! First, let me say that I've never had any desire once so ever to touch the stuff let alone eat it! Mark picked it up on his way home from work. It didn't look appetizing at all sitting in it's little container with a clear plastic lid. But, I took a deep breathe and took a decent sized bite out of a piece of it. As I chewed the sushi my taste buds screamed for a glass of water! I swallowed it, took a gulp of water, and vowed to never eat sushi again! It was everything I thought it would be, GROSS! But, hey, now I can say I've tried it. And, Mark and I found out that our youngest, Steph, LOVES it! But, that's no surprise because that girl will eat anything! I'm not sure where she gets her stomach, it certainly isn't from me.
You know what? As I sit here and write about not liking sushi I realize how lucky I am to even be able to try it... I realize how lucky I am to be able to try what I want when I want... Money aside... My thoughts keep going back to the recent earthquake in Haiti. For some reason I've had an urge since yesterday to hop on a plane and go to Haiti with some sort of relief group. The recent quake took so much, that we're not even sure how much.. We don't know how many lives were lost, and how many lives are forever changed. Where will the survivors sleep? What will they eat? How long will it take for them to get their lives back on track? Here, I'm trying to do something new each day, when the people in Haiti are just trying to live each day. Really, there are people all over the world just trying to live. I mean, seriously, this is heavy stuff. Think about how lucky we all are! Anyone reading this obviously has access to a computer. Most likely you're sitting in a warm room, with a roof over your head, access to running water and food in your refrigerator. Do you know how lucky you are to have those things? I have a sponsor child, Sinovyo, we call her "Sinny", from South Africa. She has no father, no running water, no electricity, and is in poor health. I look at her picture and my heart bleeds for all the children, families, people in her situation, or in worse ones. I wish that everyone that has the capability to do something to help these people would. It doesn't have to be anything huge... After hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana I knew a woman that went to the Dollar Store and bought all the can openers she could find... Something so simple as a can opener could enrich some one's life in a way that we couldn't imagine. Anyway, we are all so lucky! Don't let your life fly by without ever feeling "lucky". If your life is boring, do something extraordinary! If you ever want a "new life", you can have it! We weren't placed on this earth to live boring lives! We were all placed here to do something amazing with it! So, go do it, and have an extraordinary kind of day!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Day 1: Duck Pin Bowling
Today I went duck pin bowling for the first time. I know, it's nothing exciting... But, my three year old and eighteen month old still had fun with my husband and I. It was a nice change. My eighteen month old, for the sake of safety, I will call her Steph, was so into rolling the tiny bowling ball down the lane. First she would pick out her "pretty ball", then she insisted on carrying it by herself (at least she did the first few times),she would then drop it. Yes, she dropped in on the lane. The ball would then SLOWLY, oh, so, so slowly roll down to the middle of the lane where it got stuck TWICE. She also accomplished getting a ball stuck in the gutter. If you've never played duck pin bowling, then I guess I should let you know that there are bumpers used to prevent "gutter balls." Anyway, this excitement lasted for about, oh let's say around twenty minutes... Then, she wanted to go. And, my three year old, I will call her Rene, didn't want anything to do with the actual bowling. But, she was a great little cheer leader. She cheered us all on as we sent our tiny bowling balls flying, and slowly rolling, down the lanes. My husband, Mark, and I ended up rolling for both daughters, and paid seventeen bucks for four games of bowling because we rolled for the girls. This made no sense to me, but I didn't argue with the woman that took our money because the girls had politely sat through about an hour of watching Mommy and Daddy bowl. They were getting antsy, so I didn't want to waste any more of their time by arguing with a woman about duck pin bowling fees.
After our exciting bowling adventure we stopped at a grocery store for some sesame seeds, and a box of tissues with aloe. My husband has been sick for a few days with a rough cough, and runny nose. Now, the girls' noses are running. So, I don't think we'll be doing anything tomorrow that involves leaving the house... The cutest, and friendliest guy was our cashier. I always go to one of four of the same cashiers when checking out. But, my favorite cashier would have to be Travis. He's very kind hearted, and has a smile that brightens up my day. And, tonight was my lucky night, not only was Travis my cashier, but I also was standing in line with the nicest boy... There's this boy that I've seen around town. I'm not sure how old he is, possibly in his early twenties, or late teens. He's a special needs person. So, of course, me being me, my heart melts every time I see him! Just seeing him makes my day nice. But, tonight he told me I was pretty!.. So, my conversation him was extra special tonight. So, I was standing in one of my favorite grocery stores surrounded by cute, friendly men (including Mark, of course), and my family, after a good game of duck pin bowling! That moment was almost as perfect as rocking my tuckered out baby Stephie to sleep tonight after a great day that was well lived.
After our exciting bowling adventure we stopped at a grocery store for some sesame seeds, and a box of tissues with aloe. My husband has been sick for a few days with a rough cough, and runny nose. Now, the girls' noses are running. So, I don't think we'll be doing anything tomorrow that involves leaving the house... The cutest, and friendliest guy was our cashier. I always go to one of four of the same cashiers when checking out. But, my favorite cashier would have to be Travis. He's very kind hearted, and has a smile that brightens up my day. And, tonight was my lucky night, not only was Travis my cashier, but I also was standing in line with the nicest boy... There's this boy that I've seen around town. I'm not sure how old he is, possibly in his early twenties, or late teens. He's a special needs person. So, of course, me being me, my heart melts every time I see him! Just seeing him makes my day nice. But, tonight he told me I was pretty!.. So, my conversation him was extra special tonight. So, I was standing in one of my favorite grocery stores surrounded by cute, friendly men (including Mark, of course), and my family, after a good game of duck pin bowling! That moment was almost as perfect as rocking my tuckered out baby Stephie to sleep tonight after a great day that was well lived.
THIS IS THE YEAR!!!
The shower is one of the only places that I can actually take the time out to think. My children are, well, children... So, they like to make a lot of noise. But, the soothing rhythm of the drops of water pouring from a shower head makes all other sounds disappear. So, while in the shower I came up with a brilliant idea for this blog! Julie Powell gave me the inspiration to start a blog. Through her blog she was able to set goals and complete them. Through her blog she was able to get a better grasp on who she was... So, I've decided that this year, 2010, will be the year that I will accomplish all of my goals that are feasible at this point in my life. Also, I will do something different everyday. Julie COOKED something different everyday, but, (no offense Julie - You'd have to see the movie to understand, think "meat mold") how hard is that really? It's easy to look at a cook book, buy ingredients, and follow directions. The REAL challenge is THINKING by yourself something new to do every day. What I mean by that is, besides the fact that there are SO many things that I haven't done, my life is kinda boring. Don't get me wrong, I love my life, my children, my family... But, how many times can you honestly eat grilled cheese, or color in a coloring book? There is so much more to life! So, I this year I will embrace life and add, or do something new everyday!!!
Alright, so here's this year's goals...
1. Get 20 children sponsored from WorldVision
Please visit http://www.worldvision.org/ to sponsor a child in need
2. Reform one homeless person
3. Loose ten pounds (I know, so cliche, but hey I've been pregnant three times within four years. It's time to get my pre-baby bod back.)
4. Attend church EVERY Sunday
5. Stop all "accidental" potty mouth
So, there are the goals.. Those five "simple" things, and of course doing something new everyday...
So, let the games begin!
Alright, so here's this year's goals...
1. Get 20 children sponsored from WorldVision
Please visit http://www.worldvision.org/ to sponsor a child in need
2. Reform one homeless person
3. Loose ten pounds (I know, so cliche, but hey I've been pregnant three times within four years. It's time to get my pre-baby bod back.)
4. Attend church EVERY Sunday
5. Stop all "accidental" potty mouth
So, there are the goals.. Those five "simple" things, and of course doing something new everyday...
So, let the games begin!
Monday, January 11, 2010
A Little About Myself
Ok, so I wrote "Recession Mom" back in 2009. I first thought of the idea as a book. In fact I've written several chapters... But, now thanks to the movie "Julie and Julia" I'm making my life a blog instead of a novel. Maybe no one will be interested, but maybe, just maybe, someone, somewhere might... So, here it goes... Here's a little about me before you start reading my day to day stuff... I am a twenty three year old married mother of two. I have given birth to three children, but one had abnormalities similar to trisomy 13, and was never given the chance to experience life. My husband, Mark is my closest friend. We've been married for four, going on five, years. Mark and I have gone down a bumpy road together. Our experience with our son Colin, that now plays with the angels, almost ripped us apart. But, here we are today, with two beautiful daughters, and a friendship stronger than ever before. My dream is to save children in every and any way that I can! I hope to one day adopt many children, as well as become a foster parent. I have so far made this dream a reality by sponsoring two children. I have a sponsor daughter from South Africa, and a son from Albania. I have WAY too soft of a heart!!! I can't pass a homeless person on the street without giving him food, or advise. And, if I do pass him, without even giving him a smile I feel bad about it for days. I love and understand people, especially homeless people, and love helping them. I believe that everyone can change, and that many people are lost. But, I love for God to use me to help them be found. Crazy, right? Sometimes I think I am, but then, a homeless man gives me that look, and says that he will to church the following Sunday. I love everyone, and I mean everyone! And, it's insane! For example, I have a extremely erratic relative that has done and said things to me that most people could never forgive... Yet, I'm ALWAYS forgiving her, and love her regardless of anything. Anyway, so my passions are helping people, especially children, reading, writing, painting, and SHOPPING! I LOVE shopping. But, it's not what you think. I'm a HUGE ebayer! I recently got a outfit that VictoriaSecret.com was trying to sell on CLEARANCE for ninety bucks for TWENTY EIGHT on ebay!!! Yup, that's right I bought a $90 outfit for $28 on Ebay. I'm a HUGE bargain shopper! I also like to cook. Last night was my husband's twenty sixth birthday, so I made one of his favorite dishes, Gumbo, for the first time. .. Anyway, I live a faith based life, but I struggle!!! Boy do I ever struggle! My mother once told me that I was the most Christian person she knows. I wish that I were the "most Christian person". But, at times I feel like I have so far to go. And, at other times I feel like I'm so there that there isn't anyway possible that I could get closer to Christ. Like everyone I sometimes struggle, and I'm constantly learning. But, life's always great! I will blog about my personal experiences with Christ some other time... I have been through many experiences in life that "normal" people haven't gone through. And, at times I've had people say to me "And you're still a Christian?" after they've learned all the things I've been through. I believe all the things that have happened to me, happened for a reason. And, that most of the challenges that have come my way were a gift from God. How can we strenghten ourselves if we never go through a struggle? All of my life experiences have helped to make me a stronger happier person. So, that's all for now. I hope you read on later. (My children are NUMBER ONE in my life, but since they are such beautiful children, inside and out, I don't feel that confortable in sharing large pictures of them that show their features with the world. I also do not use their real names for this reason... I love all people, but as I've mentioned many are lost. There are all kinds of people in the world, and it's my duty as a mother to protect my children from those that could harm them.)
Recession Mom
I am a stay at home mom of three. Well, three if you count my husband. But, since he does "bring home the bacon" I guess I won't count him (this time). So, I am a stay at home mom of two. I love thinking back to the forties when moms stayed home baking cookies, scrubbing the floors, and keeping up an immaculate kitchen all the while having perfect hair and nails. I also loved the style of the forties; dresses. Woman always wore a dress. They wore one literally and figuratively. Ah, how I would have loved to have raised my family in that simpler picturesque time. However, this is not 1945 it's now the twenty first century and it's 2010. What does that mean? Well, for starters it's hard finding time to scramble eggs let alone bake cookies, my hair gets washed less than the dishes piled in my sink, and I may wear a literal dress more than the average woman of the day, but definitely not figuratively. I am the woman and the man of my household. What does that mean? Simply, I am the head of the house, I make all household decisions, and I stay at home with my children. My husband brings home a paycheck and then falls into the list I have set. On top of being a modern twenty first century stay at home mom I'm dealing with issues that moms of all shapes, sizes, color, and economic backgrounds are struggling with. See, the problem is that my husband brings in a decent amount of money (not to brag, but he brings home a larger paycheck than most people his age), but it's not enough to cover our costs of living. I can no longer finagle my bills. The electric company has me on a payment arrangement and if I don't meet their due date my family doesn't have electricity. If my car isn't paid on time I owe late fees which I can't afford and they send me repo notices. Why don't I go back to work? Well, have you checked out the cost of child care lately? On top of only bringing in about twenty bucks after childcare, work clothes, food, and gas are deducted from a theoretical paycheck my husband and I decided on never sending our children to a daycare before we got married. Plus, even if my mother was miraculously able to retire from her career tomorrow and was able to watch the children while I worked it would be just about impossible to find a job. There are only two job listings in the local paper at the moment... The thing is I'm stuck, the thing is, I'm a recession mom.
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