Overheard in Youth

This past week, the topic in our Ten Commandments lesson was "Thou Shall not commit Adultery"... its sorta a hard topic for kids to get ahold on when they cant even fathom marriage in the first place. But a great lesson was given to the Sr. High & the topic of sexual immorality was brought up.

The verse from 2 Timothy 2:22 was brought up that says:

"Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts.

Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love & peace."

The question was brought up - why do you think they said "Youthful lust" instead of saying it about everyone....then we hear a lone voice say:

"Because old lust is just weird"

Us "old" people in the room just laughed for about 5 minutes after that....

Sick of being sick...

Well, after coming off of a great weekend with the kids & a wonderful day at church, the "bug" of some sort got me...

It started on Monday when my throat started hurting, but I had small group with the youth girls, & I can never miss that - we all look too forward to it - & by the end of the night, I think I sounded like a man...

Tuesday - oh, how I made it through the day, I dont know. I literally came home from work & crashed - just taking time to get up to shower & then in bed by 9:00.

Wednesday was better. Got to make it to church - but I think pushing myself too fast has really kicked my butt because today, I'm struggling again!

I know I'm not alone when I say, I DONT HAVE TIME TO GET SICK!!! There is a Walgreen's commerical where a lady is going throug her calendar & says "no, I cant schedule the Flu in".... that's how I feel... but the stupid "bug" hasn't been listening to me...

I've seen so many people suffering too with the yuckiness.... I'm just counting on Spring to get here soon so we can open windows & air out the rooms everywhere!

Speaking of Spring - I pulled up in my drive to see my tulips budding out of the mulch.... a sure sign its around the corner.....

This is doing nothing for my training for the Mini-Marathon either... who'd thought I'd miss running? Not me!

Anyone else survived the yuck? Here's hoping for a good recovery over the weekend!

Hero Dog

Have you seen this video yet? It just makes me want to cry... actually, who am I fooling - I did cry! That this dog runs out to save another dog.... that the dog would have compassion to want to save this other animal... its amazing! Truly amazing!

For my hubs! #500

I cant believe it... this is 500th post... that blows me away... because my husband tells me all the time I talk to much, & with 500 posts of me saying stuff, I decided to do the "How well do you know your husband" test... & for those of you that know my husband... or have learned about him through blog-world - this should be interesting!

1. He's sitting in front of the TV - what is on the screen?

Easy one.... he's got Ghost Recon on playing on Xbox... or a western on.... maybe he's just obsessed with guns?

2. You're out to eat, what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? Easy - French! And he asks - do you have the red kind or orange... he prefers the orange, but if they say red, he'll make a face & then say, "AAAHHH. alright, that's fine"

3. What's one food he doesn't like? MAYO!!!- without a doubt, I've seen him starve instead of eating something that accidently had Mayo put on it...

4. You go out to eat & have a drink. What does he order? I know my man... he only gets sweet tea. He used to down like a CASE - seriously - of Pepsi's a day - but then he was diagnosed with Barrett's esphogus & the fizz in soft drinks aggravates it - so only tea & water for him now!

5. Where did he go to high school? Pleasure Ridge Park.... right down the road from where we both grew up!

6. What size shoe does he wear? 8 1/2... & its GOTTA be the 1/2 on there!!!

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? HA!!! This is funny to me - for those that have been to our house - you know what he collects - two different things actually - Super Hero stuff & KISS junk... I mean stuff.... to him, KISS is like Super hero's so its all one in the same..... I will add, he does have a mighty fine collection of flashlights! Another story!

8. What kind of sandwich does he like? Well- From Subway - Italian BMT - at home, he likes grilled cheese.... & when I'm not home, he'll make peanut butter sandwiches all the time.

9. What would he eat every day if he could? Butterfly Shrimp!

10. What is his favorite cereal? SERIOUSLY? This question is on there? After all the years, I dont know this because its not allowed in our house!! I'm gagging now thinking about it... seriously, I can now smell it & want to puke!

11. What would he never wear? A University of Louisville ANYTHING!

12. What is his favorite Sports Team? After that last answer - gotta be University of Kentucky!

13. Who did he vote for? McCain... & it was his first time EVER voting... I have a post somewhere out there with a picture of him... I totally embarassed him! So proud of him though!

14. Who is his best friend? hmmmm - that is hard for me to say... Ricky is a hard guy to have a "best friend"..... he's such a loner.....

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldnt do? LAUGH... everywhere... loudly!!! I'm serious - he has told me many times - "Do you have to laugh so loud?" ... cant help it...

16. What is his favorite color? I'd have to say Blue - that's what alot of his shirts are.

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday, what kind of cake? It would be carrot cake... that's his favorite - we even had a layer of our wedding cake carrot cake for him... has to have cream cheese frosting!

18. Did he play sports in high school? Nope... he just roller skated... all his life - skates on his feet!

19. What could he spend hours doing? Bugging me.... oops, did I say that? See #1 - playing x-Box... the boy loves his game!

20. What is one unique talent he has? He can train dogs something crazy!!!! He has a way with them - like a dog whisper - its crazy!

So honey - for the one who hates to have any attention on himself - I am dedicating my 500th post to you... & laughing LOUDLY while I'm doing it! Gotta bug you somehow myself - that's what marriage is about! Right?

Dirty!!!

So we get back from this amazing weekend & we were so honored to have an Elder teach our class because we knew we'd be knocked out... which we were! But man, this lesson we got to experience knocked us out even more....

He brought in some potting soil & mixed it up with water until it created a "mud" base.... he then had all the kids come up & dip their hands in it. They had to name a sin that we commit while they were rubbing this yuck all over them. They then had to stand with it on their hands while we read some scripture.

It was so powerful to watch them try to get if off themselves... the more they rubbed & tried to pull it off, the more mess it made. And it would drip down on the ground when they tried to get it off & then they were stepping in it - it started to get EVERYWHERE... it was getting where they couldnt control everywhere the "sin" was...

I didnt have dirt on me because I was reading the scripture from my Bible... but yet, when I went to shake hands, the dirt ended up on me... maybe not alot at first, but the more times I shook anyone's hand, the dirtier & dirtier my hands got. What an example to these kids to show them the influence of people that maybe aren't doing the "right" things - how it can rub off on you so easily - & then get worse & worse.... pretty soon, my hand was just as dark as theirs.

One of the kids even mentioned how the mud felt really good at first - warm & oozy, like it was fun to play in... & then while they stood there - it started to burn in cuts they had - & it was getting hard & making their hands hard to move... exactly what sin does to us.......

And of course, we had water that represented Jesus that is able to take that sin - that dirt - away! And it was such a warm & soothing feeling too in the water.... wow - what a powerful lesson in just a simple act.

One of the girls was messing with the dirt on her hand while they were standing there - I went to see what she was doing - she had wrote "SIN" in the palm of her hand in the dirt...

this picture just says it all - doesn't it?

How dirty sin can make our lives - but how thankful are we for the grace that washes it away - if we only reach out & ask!

Believe!!!!

The weekend was amazing...

Didn't start off that way - why? We got lost!!! We went to the place that it originally is & lo & behold - there is a car show going on. HUH? So we are making phone calls everywhere & eventually make it - only a tad late... & ALOT car sick... UGH!

The message was on SPEAK & how we need to be able to speak up - speak encouragement, speak up to defend, & speak the Word of God to share... it was awesome... can't even explain - but want to share some pictures of the trip!

These are all the girls from my room.... that many? in one hotel room? YES! Me & 7 girls! We giggled until 3:30 am... these girls are hilarious & we also had some good deep discussions which I love to see how their minds work & how they feel... & then we're back to giggles. There is nothing like a Slap-happy room of teenagers & one teenager at heart! I should have recorded our laughter so on a bad day, I could just play it & it would instantly make the day better!

And yeah, I look a mess - wanna know why? MY BAG WAS LEFT AT HOME!!! I had no change of clothes - had to sleep in my clothes I wore, had no make up, had no toothpaste or toothbrush, had no brush. It was horrible! But the hotel did give me some deodorant & a toothbrush & toothpaste & the girls were so cute with giving me whatever they could to help me & so thankful that my friend Erica has a similar taste in make up as me!! Because only true girlfriends let you borrow their make up!

And I did get to buy a shirt at the conference on Saturday so I at least had something fresh on...

Here's a few of us waiting to get in on Saturday morning... it was freezing! We were jumping & screaming to get warm... ready for a awesome day with the Lord!

Our youth minister, Jeremy... this guy is hilarious! We saw this on the ground & he was excited to get a picture making it look like he was puking... it takes a special person to work with the youth... And someone special to love taking a picture of this... its why certain people are called to work with youth!!!!! (& that's for ALL Youth leaders!!!!)

This right here is what it's all about!!!! There were 4,000 kids in that arena that was worshipping God! I had to take this picture because the energy of these kids is invigorating! And it makes my heart just swell to see these kids praising the Lord... I can only imagine how it has to make God's heart soar to see His young children crying out to Him, praising Him, not ashamed of Him!!!

And I know this picture doesnt say alot... but this picture makes me want to cry. Can you see in the middle - in that container? That is full of water... & inside is a man....

Throughout the 2 days, we followed this guy's story - his name was Brent & how he was running from "Drones" which represented the world... its a complicated story, but in the end, they caught him & put him in this tub of water..... he stayed in it the whole session which was about 20 minutes...

In the end, it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen.... it was dark, music was playing, a single light was shining down on this stage & the "Creator" came out... this man reached in & pulled Brent out.... He literally was such a big & strong man that he held Brent, a grown man, in one arm! It was so powerful! Brent looked like a small child in this man's arms - he just held him & Brent clinched onto the Creator with everything he had in him...

The chains that were holding him down was taken off & the Creator put them in that water & then he led Brent to the word "SPEAK"... let me tell you - words can NOT explain this skit or how it went down or the emotion in the building.

People - adults & kids both were crying, sobbing, falling on their faces in prayer... it was the most amazing moment I have experienced. I can visual it all in my head & get chills. In those moments, you can feel & KNOW God is moving....

I pray that every person - especially teens - can have an experience like that! A moment where they can sense in every possible way, the presence of God! The way that God moves, the feeling of freedom to worship - just the forgiveness & mercy that they know that God is always there to pull them out of whatever they are in... with power & strength.

I appreciate all the prayers that were lifted - & I ask you continue to pray for all those kids - even the ones I have no idea who they were... there was an ARENA full of kids... they all need prayer - even from strangers - because once they leave an atmosphere of feeling Christ - that's when Satan will attack & throw the world back at them.... so just lift up all the kids who were there- lift up any teen you know - lift up your own children.... constantly pray for the kids of today.... life is hard for them... but God is greater!

Believe

So today is the day we've been counting down to in our youth group! We're heading out for a road trip to a Youth Conference called "Believe" that is in Cincinnati.

The kids look so forward to it & this will be my third year going with them. I think I get just as excited as the kids do. Why? There's just nothing like seeing thousands of youth praising God & just for 2 days, dedicating themselves to nothing but hearing & learning about Him!

Last year, they had all the kid just bow on their knees in prayer... I would bet most youth have never really done that since they were little & maybe knelt by their bed with parents... you could hear sniffling & tear flowing all over the arena in just a matter of moments...the way you can feel Christ with you in those moments - I'm sure its overwhelming for some of these kids.

So I ask you all to pray for us! We have 23 kids & 6 adults going... all awesome, fun & wonderful... I'm expecting great things from God - as always!

Pray for safety, pray for these kids hearts & minds to be open to what they hear!

I'm sure I'll have a load full of stories & pictures when we return LATE Saturday night...these trips are known for not alot of sleep so REALLY pray for the adults!

Time to BELIEVE!

Broken

Have you ever broken a bone? Because of my lack of enjoyment for milk (blah) - my bones are always ready for a break. I've broken fingers, toes, my hand once (my brother accidentally kicked it in a freak Bubble accident - story for another time!) - but the worse was when I broke my ankle.

I was walking off the front porch in the middle of a snowy, icy night & did what I consider a nice triple lutz, but didnt score any 10's on that one. Instead, I landed on the sidewalk with my leg one way & my foot going the other... OUCH! Yep - broke that ankle. The pain was so unbearable, I thought I was going to pass out on the way to the hospital - it was horrid!

And the time it took for a bone to set & heal... I was miserable! .....

What got me thinking about my pitiful broken ankle - besides the cold air that makes it still ache 20 years later? I was listening to a song by Nicole Norderman called "Real to me"... love her! Hope she puts some new stuff out soon.... but there is a verse at the end of the song that says

"So lay down the sword, & put away the doctrine, Love a little more, cause

everybody's broken"

Broken....

I thought of just how a bone feels - & how it fits with our spiritual "brokeness".... its painful, no one enjoys it, it takes time to heal, some even take surgery - more procedures to make it better - & even after it heals, there are marks. Sometimes it takes therapy to work it out, get stronger. Sometimes there are scars, sometimes pain & aches even years later, sometimes a limp or carrying yourself a little differently - but in the end, it gets fixed.

Praise the Lord that when we're broken, He can put the pieces back together again....

Its the most wonderful time of the year!

My favorite Holiday is Easter - it truly is..... its Spring, its pretty colors, its about Christ rising from the dead - it doesnt get any better than that!!! But something that I get so excited for each year.... when I see the first Cadbury Egg!!! Oh my goodness... these are little pieces of Heaven to me!

I think you either like them or you hate them.... for me - its more of a love relationship with Cadbury eggs.

When I was growing up too - my aunt worked in a grocery store in a small Indiana town - the local IGA (do they still have those?). She knew of my addiction & I guess every day she would work, she would buy a few of these for me. At Easter, she would have a whole BOX to send to me... I'm talking like a BOX - not a little thing - I'm talking enough eggs to last me through the end of the year!!!! Look at my aunt literally feeding my addiction!

So do you like Cadbury Eggs? All I can say is thank goodness they only come out once a year!

Masquerade

I used this song in a lesson I gave yesterday & it really hit alot of hearts...

it hits mine too each time I hear it...

Why do we feel the need to put on the "happy face" & act like we have no problems - or that we never struggled? Can you imagine if everyone went in & told, most importantly, what they SURVIVED - what they have VICTORY in? How encouraging that would be - instead of making people feel alone....

The lines that get me most:

"But would it set me free -If I dared to let you see

The truth behind the person - that you imagine me to be

Would you arms be open - or would you walk away

Would the love of Jesus - be enough to make you stay"

Watch this video of a skit a youth group did - its amazing & will bless your heart!!! May it inspire the church!

Have no regrets

OK - I have to share with you a dream that I had... I dont know what it means - but it was SOOO vivid.

It started with me in my wedding dress & the day I got married. It was like a Christmas Carol moment, where I was back in time, watching myself from a distance - like the Ghost of Weddings Past took me back in time.

There I was, young (& skinny) & in my great, awesome, wonderful dress... & I was watching myself at my wedding - enjoying the moment, enjoying the people around me, just enjoying the day.

Then, it was like the scene shifted & I was standing in front of a sewing dummy - where they put dresses on to sew up... I have no idea what they call that - but see them on Project Runway. My wedding dress was on the mannequin, but then it shifted... it changed like something you'd see in a computer program - it moved around, fabric shifting, it was crazy! And it transformed into like a party dress....& in the back ground, I could see stories of my life - things Ricky & I have done- seeing Lindsay & Alaina & Julie & family in the back ground - fun things, laughter - all behind this dress...

Then the dress shifted again & it turned into what I call a "Mother of the Bride" dress - & I could see in the back ground the girls all grown up - & the twins all grown up - & just an older life for myself.... it was the most bizarre thing! Again, the dress just shifted...

Finally - it shifted one final time & it was like a dress that you would put on someone for a funeral. It didnt freak me out - I was just amazed that I was watching this dress change....

But the thing that really was crazy - a bag then covered the dress - like a dressing bag that is over a beautiful dress to protect it...& it was white - & then writing in black came across it & it said, "Have no regrets"....

I woke up with my eyes wide at 5:00 am ....

It was just so vivid & bizarre & touching ....

Maybe because I watched a bunch of recorded "Say Yes to the Dress" ??? - & I think after the Matthew West concert with the song "Going through the Motions" & how he was saying at the end of your life, may we never say "What if I had given everything"...

I have to say - it made me look at my day differently....

Have no regrets.....

Cupid Came! & we have a WINNER!

It was so cute... I woke up to walk into the kitchen to find this....

I love the flowers... it has roses & my favorite, tulips in it...

And I also got York Peppermint Patties - my yummy favorite along with a watch I've been eyeing - it is a Pedometer as well as telling the distance you walk/ran & calories burnt - just what I needed while training for this Mini-Marathon... I was so happy!

Tonight, we're celebrating even more by going to the Sanctus Real & Matthew West concert... stay tune for pictures later!

And finally - I got to have my first giveaway drawing.

Here's Sydney giving one final look at all the entries!

My hubs was designated to do the official drawing... he rooted & rooted

And can you see the name?



Here's a close up!

CONGRATS TIFF!!!!

V-day = Pressure!

Working with girls that are in high school - you can see the pressure that Valentine's day puts on them. Sadly, I can remember it too!

Remember in Elementary school where you made the cute little boxes & waited for everyone to put one in your box. Yes - you had to make a valentine for everyone, but you just wanted that "Special" one that was in every box of Valentines!.... I loved making those boxes! Sticker fun!!!

Then in Middle school - or even yet, High school - someone started the idea of delivering flowers. The Red ones were the love ones - the pink were secret admirers or an "I like you" - & white was for friendships. You'd see the popular girls carrying an arm full of carnations in their arms while other girls would have a look of longing in their face. And the bad thing, these girls also had roses delivered to the school from their boyfriends.... double the knife in the girl's guts with no boyfriends.....

And we grow up & still feel like if we dont have someone - or if someone doesnt do Valentine's just right - we get upset.... & truthfully, I'll admit, if Ricky didnt get me something - even just a card - I'd be upset too! Isn't it dumb how we're programmed to be like that?

One of the youth girls said to me the other day "Its going to be a great Valentine's day because I have a guy that likes me".... really? That's what makes it special? Because you have someone who likes you?

To me - that makes me sad! Every day we should look around & see who likes us - even better yet - who LOVES us! Not the people you are with on February 14th - but the people who are there year round - in the best of times & the worst of times! And we should show people every day of the year that we love them.

Growing up, my parents always got me something on Valentine's day... I knew they loved me every day - & while they showed it in a special way on Feb. 14th - they also showed it the other 364 days...

I hope everyone has a great Valentine's day... one full of love, from family - from friends - from husband/wives - boyfriends/girlfriends! Maybe even love from yourself! That you can take a day & do something special for yourself - a shopping trip or a great dinner or even a spa???

To all my friends & family - I love you... EVERYDAY - not just Valentine's day!

More importantly - God LOVES you EVERYDAY!!!! in EVERY WAY! Find your worth in that right there!!!

You ever been TP'ed?

So we totally got TP'ed last night.... HARD! (The joys of working with youth!) Out cleaning it up in the middle of a wind storm... with a husband who was none too happy....

So I just have to ask? Have you ever been TP'ed...ever gone TP'ing?.... Do you find it a bad thing or a funny thing?

I'm really curious because its been interesting to me to get people's reactions....

The story of Piggy...

We took our (really my) doggie Bruno in from a friend who could not continue to keep him. This lady had spoiled this dog - he went to weekly grooming appointments & would go to doggie day care & he even has his own bag with his name engraved in it full of his toys. He has a different life now, but I think he still enjoys it - he has doggie friends with him all the time, he has a full acre to run around on (& with his little doggie legs, it might as well be 10 acres!) & he has a house full of doggie beds in every room - including OUR beds!

One thing that couldn't change - Piggy.... We were told that Bruno can NOT sleep without Piggy & man oh man - its the truth. He knows that its night time & its actually time to sleep through the night & he better be able to find his penguin.

Its pitiful because he has to hold it & he actually cleans it every night & then sucks on his head or the beak of the penguin like a pacifier.

I have gotten up many a night where this stuffed animal has fell off the bed & Bruno scratches at me until I get it... tell me this dog isn't spoiled...

We actually ran into his original owner the other day & she asked about "PETEY"... I was confused... I said, "you mean Piggy?"...somewhere in the "adoption process" we got the name confused... but when I say "Piggy" - it must sound enough alike, because he knows exactly what I'm talking about.....

Can you imagine how many germs on are this thing? We've actually bought another penguin to see if he would take it (like switching pacifiers on a child)... they know the difference - he'd have none of it... so we daily make sure Piggy is taken care of... if something happened to it, I'm afraid he's never sleep again!!!

How pitiful is my dog... & how cute!!!

Best Valentines Ever!

So I had a Valentine's treat today! My dad called me & said, "Its raining, you're not going out for lunch are you?".... I told him when I have a bad day at work, aint nothing keeping me in the office... he said, "Wrong answer"! He told me that he was brining my twin nieces down because they have a Valentine's gift for me. So around lunch time, there they are - with chocolates & their names written on it that they did all by themselves! We ran next door to the best place you could ever have lunch with 4 yr olds - McDonalds! It was the best lunch I've had in a long time & just enjoyed the company..... when did 4 yr olds act & talk like teenagers? Man, they grow up so fast!

Ricky even got candy too! The Lab candy was mine because it looked like Buffy - & the other one was for Ricky because that dog looked like Sydney. I asked them if I could keep Ricky's candy & not tell him about it - they wouldnt go for it! You can't blame a girl for trying... its chocolate after all!!!!

And honestly - it was the ONLY day I didnt take my camera with me. I usually keep it in my purse, but was charging up the battery... & then the girls show up.... think I was mad? UGH!

A little bit of twin love & time with my dad? Its not even Valentine's Day yet - & its already been the best one ever!!

No more books!!!

OK - here's my book shelf that my dad made me - isn't it beautiful?

I love to read - cant get enough books. And that's actually the problem.... Look at this picture

that is my stack of books that I still need to read! And this picture

Yep - two series of books that I need to read! I love Debbie McComber & hadn't read this series so I snatched them up when there was a sale... & this other one by Janet Evanovich- heard it was so funny about Stephanie Plume - is that the detective's name? (& look how cute Julie & Steve are at their school dance in that picture... )

But I will hear of another book coming out & have to buy it & then end up stacking books up to read "later"....

So I'm on an official Book FAST right now - no more purchasing books - at least till I get at least half of these read!!!! And its been hard already. I love looking in book stores & flipping through books... its my drug of choice (hehe!) - so I'm trying to steer away.

But its funny - I'm making a list of new books that have come out & storing them so I can check after I'm done with reading my own stash & then see if I can find some at "used" prices... this may work out with some cash still in my pocket... nice! Wish me luck... got tons of reading I gotta do!

_________________________

Dont forget about my Giveaway !!!

GIVEAWAY!!!!

I've always wanted to do a give away... have actually won two myself over time... Won my wonderful "Blog Button" that Jen made me (isn't it great!!! applause!!!) & I also won some boot organizer boxes for my closet on another occasion! Give aways are always fun.... so I was going through my house & ran across things I never used or had two of so I thought - hey, in honor of Valentines Day & that I'm coming up to my 500th post... 500??? Seriously??? ... yep! .... I was going to do a give away. So what is it....

First - the best thing - I bought one myself - its a Calendar - but not ANY calendar. Its a calendar that doesnt have days... just dates.... What's that purpose? you can put birthdays & anniversaries & keep them every year - I have mine right next to my yearly calendar... no more forgetting! LOVE THIS! Its made by DaySpring so it has Bible verses on the bottom as well.

Also - a great book - I have this same book - but I have it as a different title. The one I have is called "Fairy Tale Brides" - but its seriously the same book.... dont know how that happened... but its the cutest book - especially for Valentines day. It takes old fairy tales like Snow White & makes it into modern times. There are like 4 or 5 short stories in there of different "princess fairy tales"...

With a book - you need a great book mark!! I love this book mark. Bought a few for Christmas presents one year & had this left over. Great for a Bible too!

And finally - some INCREDIBLE gloves.... I bought these from Pampered Chef to help Breast Cancer awareness.. but I'm not a glove user - they make my hands sweat.... so they've been tucked away & never used - but they look so old fashion with long polka dot sleeves on them... adorable! For all you apron fans out there - this would be perfect to go along!

So what do you have to do? Just comment... simple! And like all the other give aways - if you follow me, let me know & I'll put in two names for you... & if you post this giveaway on your blog, another two names!!!

The drawing will be - of course, VALENTINE'S DAY!!! Next weekend! Enjoy!