An update...

So, this pregnancy is kicking my butt for sure! I was so blessed with Landons pregnancy, I think I may have been sick two days out of the whole 9 months. This baby is fiesty, I've been sick non-stop for weeks now. Not a good combination with 3 kids of my own and then some. On top of that, I have a cold and am recovering from a stomach bug, can it get much better? LOL I'm praying this passes SOON! On the upside, only one more week than I have my ultra sound and will finally know just how far along I am, it would be amazing if I was farther than I thought, but given the size of my belly I'm thinking Im right on track lol :)

So this week has been a blessing in disguise, My sickest week yet and I only had one day full of extra kiddos. For their sake and my own, it was the perfect timing! My kids alone were a handful ( as always) this week. Mr. Landon is into EVERYTHING now. He's quick too. I think I have to agree with my Mom that he is certainly a "Playpen baby". Something I plan on purchasing SOON. yesterday he managed to find his way into the toilet at least 3 times ( both with dirty and clean water at times, YUCK!) , spilt and entire glass of my juice (on himself and the floor), knocked over my huge vase several times while pulling out the plugs to the T.V. and Wii, which in turn, turned off the kids movies each time ( and the process of restarting the Netflix on the Wii is not a short one lol), pulled all my laundry off the bed after I had folded it, and so on... Monster in the making?? The funny part about it is no matter what he is doing, he always has that jolly look on his face as if theres not a care in the world, and moves on to the next task at hand. He's definitely my curious George hahaha

D.J. has turned into the typical two year old....I remember Kyleigh being so bad I was usually in tears at least once throughout the week. He's at that point now. His temper is insane, he's defiant, throws things or hits me when he is angry, the potty training has been both good and bad. When he wants to be lazy he goes in his pants, yet when he goes to the bathroom he usually dumps his head in the toilet or fills it up with en entire roll of toilet paper...disgusting?? Yes very LOL I totally forgot to put a diaper on him last night, and sure enough, he's not potty trained at night! Wet the whole bed by midnight... He also has an obsession with climbing over the baby gates, even though he gets spanked for it, he refuses to listen. Today he learned the hard way ( while giving Mommy a heart attack) that he shouldnt climb them. He attempted to climb over the one at the top of the stairs, it fell over and he tumbled down the staircase... my heart is still in my throat. On the other hand, the boy has the BEST imagination already :) He can play by himself forever, pretending to shoot down the bad guys, racing his cars, an so on. Hes a creative little booger, and full of laughs. Hes definitely got his Daddy's sense of humor, and I love it. He's one goofy kid! :)

Kyleigh has calmed down drastically this past few months, but now we are onto another stage....antagonizing. She LOVES to get under her brothers skin. Taking his toys and flaunting that she has it so she can upset him. refusing to share her own toys with him, locking him out of his room or downstairs. If theres a way to upset him, she finds it. Shes also big on arguing. If it doesnt make sense to her, she will argue with you until you are forced to give her a red behind. It drives me crazy, but one day it really will be a good thing. Shes very smart and logical and she questions everything which is exactly how she should be....except with her parents LOL Shes little susie homemaker already, just like her mommy always was. :) She loves to help with the babies, do the dishes and laundry, and pretend to do everyhting Mommy does. Shes really into her baby dolls right now, and its so sweet to watch her play with them, she uses the same terms and actions that shes sees me doing all the time. Its like a mini me walking around. :)  When she wants to be, shes very sweet. Whenever i dont feel good, she always tells me to lay down so she can rub my belly and we can watch a movie together. its the sweetest thing. :)

All in all, most days I find it hard to see the "joyful" side of parenting, I'm not gonna lie. But my husband lovingly reminds me that they are JUST KIDS, and when i try and keep that persective and look at the GOOD in each day, however little it may be (lol) they really are such blessings. I wouldnt have it any other way, although....spacing them apart just a little more might have been a good idea ... but what do ya do :)

A Crutch?

This was my Daily Bread devotional this morning....I thought it was a good one to share :)

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed. —2 Corinthians 4:8
Have you ever heard skeptics say that the Christian faith is nothing more than a crutch—that the only reason people claim to trust Jesus is that they are weaklings who have to make up “religion” to get by?
Apparently those skeptics haven’t heard about the doctor in one Far Eastern country who spent 2 ½ years in jail being “reeducated” because he professed faith in Christ. Then, after his release, he was arrested again—this time for his efforts at his church.
And perhaps those skeptics haven’t heard about Paul. After trusting Christ, he was arrested, flogged, mocked, and shipwrecked (2 Cor. 11:16-29).
These believers were not looking for a crutch. No, they had something deep and essential in their hearts. They had a personal relationship with God—a relationship born of faith in the work of Jesus on the cross. As a result, they became children of the King—eager to sacrifice everything for the privilege of proclaiming Him. They were not limping along looking for something to hold them up.
A crutch? Hardly. Faith in Christ is not about safety and caution. It’s about believing Jesus and trusting Him no matter what. It’s about taking up a daily cross (Luke 9:23) and living for the Savior. —Dave Branon

“Take up your cross,” the Savior said,
“If you would My disciple be;
Take up your cross with willing heart
And humbly follow after Me.” —Everest

Because Jesus bore the cross for us, we willingly take it up for Him.

Urgency

So as I have said, I am reading Josh McDowell's book "The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict." I am reading it for a few reasons. The main one however is so I can "be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks [me] a reason for the hope that is in [me]..." (1 Peter 3:15). I find it extremely aggrivating when someone tries to argue against Christianity and the existence of God when they have done absolutely no research or investigations of their own to support their theories. Though I have witnessed God's hand in my own life and the life of others far too many times to deny His existence, I want to make sure I am practicing what I preach, So here in lies my main reason for reading this book. Just reading the first chapter of the book makes me sit in complete amazement that people are actually capable of denying God's existence! Biology alone is evidence enough. If one thing were off in the "chemical elements of which all organic bodies are made", even by a fraction, we could never have existed. Even further, the distance between the Earth and the sun; "Only a certain kind of star with a planet just the right distance from the star would provide the necessary conditions for life." The probability of all this happening by chance is highly unlikely. This guy goes on and on with incredible points that feed my assurance of God's existence. People are so unwilling to accept that there is a God, that they refuse to even take the time to investigate their beliefs and validify them. Rather they choose what works best with what THEY want and go on about their lives. The scary thing with that is that all evidence points to God's existence, which means, even though people choose not to recognize it, the Truth of it is still there. So when our lives come to an end, the reality of eternity will also be there. The more I grow in my walk with the Lord, the more my sense of urgency for the lost grows. I have become more and more open and bold in my Faith, ( if you haven't noticed ;) ) because the severity in the consequences of a life without Christ are detrimental. We die without Christ, we live in Hell for eternity. Yet we Christians are so scared of offending, or too busy with our lives, or too caught up in the fluffy feel good side of Christianity that we neglect our whole purpose here on earth. We arent here to accept Christ into our hearts and keep it to ourselves, we are here to share Christ's love with everyone around us. Our  place in eternity is secure, but what about those we love? those we work with? heck, even those we don't particulary like? If they die tomorrow, have we shared the Truth of the Gospel with them? if not, then their blood is on our hands too. Paul wasnt timid about his faith, he was loud and direct, and by all means persistent. The man was beaten and in chains for teaching about Christ, and yet from his chains he ministered to those in prison with him and wrote letters to the cities he had helped lead to Christ. Jesus' brother James, who became a believer AFTER Christ's death, was thrown from the temple to his death for teaching about Jesus, and yet upon his fall, he managed to get up on his knees and pray for those that had thrown him! Then he was stoned to death by the very people he prayed for. Makes for a serious call to action as we sit in our warm comfy houses enjoying the incredible gift of life by ourselves now doesnt it? let me tell you, I sure feel lousy, and I pray God helps light a fire under my butt to share His Truth, His love, because I'm not promised tomorrow either.

New Evidence that Demands a Verdict

I am reading through Josh McDowell's book New Evidence that Demands a Verdict... and since it is incredibly LONG, i just want to share key points that stick out to me throughout it....so here's todays! :)

*Faith, contrary to popular belief, is NOT a blind leap..."Faith in Christianity is based on evidence. It is reasonable faith. Faith in the Christian sense goes beyond reason but not against it...Faith is the assurance of the heart in the adequcy of the evidence."

* "A basic definition of history for me is ' a knowledge of the past based on testimony'." If you dont agree, then I ask, "Do you believe Lincoln lived and was president of the United States?" If so, then I believe it is safe to say niether you, myself, or anyone else we have known has ever personally seen or observed Lincoln right?The only way one knows about his existence is by testimony, physical, verbal and written.

* To tolerate, by definition, does not mean we should accept eachothers beliefs... New World Dictionary of English defines it as " to recognize and respect [other's beliefs, practices, and so forth] without sharing them," and " to bear or put up with [someone or something no especially liked]". The misconception today is that truth is inclusive, that it gathers under its wings claims that oppose each other. The fact however, is that all truth is exclusive --at least to some degree-- for it must exclude as false that which is not true.

* In reference to people accusing Christians of being close-minded..." But are we to remain open-minded when all reason says that there can be only one conclusion?...One should never remain open to a second alternative when only one can be true." It is the person who disbelieves in the face of strong evidence supporting Christianity who is really intolerant and close-minded.

* Norman Geisler points out that, "If Truth is relative, then no one is ever wrong--even when they are.As long as something is true to me, then I'm right even when I'm wrong.The drawback is that I could never learn anything either, because learning is moving from a false belief to a true one--that is, from an absolutely false belief to an absolutely true one."

*It will be seen that minds do not create truth or falsehood. They create beliefs, but when once the beliefs are created, the mind cannot make them true or false. What makes a belief true is a fact, and this fact does not (except in exceptional cases) in any way involve the mind of the person who has the belief."

* Mortimer Adler states, "The truth or falsity of a statement derives from its relation to the ascertainable facts, not from its relation to the judgments that human beings make. I may affirm as a true statement that is in fact false. You may deny as false a statement that is in fact true. My affirmation and your denial in no way alter or affect the truth or falsity of the statement that you and I have wrongly judged.. We do not make statements true or false by affirming or denying them. They have truth or falsity regardless of what we think, what opinions we hold, what judgments we make."

* When there is no objective truth, then there is nothing that is wrong. What most people would consider abhorent ( for example, murder, stealing, and, in the past, lying) must now be accepted because it is acceptable to some people."

* "A person could neither function nor live very long if he consistently acted as though truth were a matter of perspective rather than objective reality. He would bounce checks if only "to him" his bank account had money, he'd drink poison if only "to him" it was lemonade, he'd fall through the thin ice if it was thick "to him", or get hit by a bus if "to him" it was nto moving.To a person that wants to function effectively in the world, the objective correspondence of truth to reality must matter in some sense."

Sexual Temptation

I just wrapped up reading Living Above the Level of Mediocrity....EXCELLENT study, I deifnitely recommend it! With that said, this will be my last exerpt from that book, I thought this was an awesome comparison....

Referring to the story of Samson and Delilah:

It is important to understand that Samson's attraction to the woman's looks was not unique to him. The way men and women are drawn to each other is different, as Dr. James Dobson explains:

                 First, men are primarily excited by visual stimulation...Women, by contrast, are much less visually oriented than men...Second,(and much more important), men are not very discriminating in regard to the person living within an exciting body. A man can walk down a street and be stimulated by a scantily clad female who simmies past him, even though he kows nothing about her personality or values or mental capabilities. He is attracted by the body itself...Women are much more discriminating in their sexual interests. They less commonly become excited by observing a good-looking charmer...;rather, their desire is usually focused on a particular individual whom they respect and admire...Obviously, there are exceptions to these characteristic desires, but the fact remains: sex for men is a more physical thing; sex for women is a deeply emotional experience."

Knowing this, men, can help you develop a more precise and powerful strategy against temptation--both in what you are tempted by and in how you may tempt women. And women, understanding these differences can help you ease a man's battle with the visually enticing--especially in the way you dress--as well as keep you from being tempted by a charmers touch.

C.S. Lewis could have summed up Samson's mistake when he wrote:

                 "The monstrosity of sexual intercourse outside marriage is that those who indulge in it are trying to isolate one kind of union (the sexual) from all the other kinds of union which were intended to go along with it and make up the total union. The Christian attitude does not mean that there is anyhting wrong about sexual pleasure, anymore than about the pleasure of eating. It means you must not isolate that pleasure and try to get it by itself, anymore than you ought to try to get the pleasures of taste without swallowing and digesting, by chewing things and spitting them out again."

Samson's preoccupation with physical pleasure is one our society shares--in fact, its gratification has virtually become a national pastime. Lewis noted:

              "There is nothing to be ashamed of in enjoying your food: there would be everything to be ashamed of if half the world made food the main interest of their lives and spent their time looking at pictures of food and dribbling and smacking their lips."

love love love this :)

Standing Firm When Discouraged

This was part of my devotions this morning, and I thought it was a great one to share!

From the Bible study Living Above the Level of mediocrity: By Charles Swindoll

Getting out of the Well of Discouragement

Five principles emerge in the account of Israel's deliverance that can serve as ropes to lift us from the depths of discouragement.

Openly Acknowledge What Caused Your Condition

Through an  unnamed prophet, God gave Israel a direct answer regarding what had caused the nation to fall into the well:

                       "And I said to you, 'I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me.'" (Judges 6:10)

In a word: disobedience. But owning up to their sin, the Israelites took the first step toward climbing out of the well. However, not all who stumbled into that well were there because of disobedience. Gideon, for one, had followed the Lord and kept to the straight and narrow path of obedience. But doubts arose in his mind when he coultn reconcile his circumstances with his faith:

                  "Then Gideon said to [the Angel of the Lord], 'O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about saying, 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.'" (Judges 6:13)

With a mandate of hope, the Lord began to dispel Gideon's doubts and discouragement:

                "The Lord looked at him and said, ' Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?' He said to Him, 'O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father's house.'  But the Lord said to him, 'Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man." (Judges 6:14-16)

Focus Directly on the Lord, not on the Odds against You

Responding with faith and committment, Gideon built an altar to dedicate himself to the task of delivering Israel:


                   "Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites." (Judges 6:24)

The next time we see Gideon, he is alone, outnumbered, and opposed -- in a discouraging situation--but standing firm, nevertheless. (Judges 6:33-35)

Declare Your Allegiance Publicly

When the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, Gideon summoned the troops with a trumpet call ( v.34). God honored his public declaration of allegiance, and the troops rallied behind him. Have you made it known to others where you stand? You may not always be met with acceptance and support, but the trumpet of your testimony must be sounded if you are to gain any degree of victory.

Remember that God Prefers to Work through a Remnant

God does His best work, it seems, when those who serve Him are fewer than those against Him. Note His rationale for paring down the troops to fight the Midianites:

                 "The Lord said to Gideon, 'The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying 'My own power has delivered me'. " (Judges 7:2)

Bolt by bolt, God radically cut the fabric of Israel's army until at last, only a 300 man swatch remained (Judges 7:3-8). In His divine stich work, God prefers working with remnants. The first church was led by a remnant of 12, and the Reformation was spearheaded by a scrap of pastors. Doubtless, the situaion you're in at school, at work, in your neighborhood, renders you a minority also; But remember, thats one of God's favorite ways to work. So be encouraged--you are in good company!

Do not Accept the Glory after God uses You

God used Gideon in a miraculous way to deliver Israel from the Midianites (v. 9-25). Victorious, the Israelites experienced not only peace, but prosperity as well. For the first time in years, they had roofs over their heads and food on their plates. To express their gratitude, they offered Gideon the monarchy:

                    "Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, 'Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son's son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian." ( Judges 8:22)

It would haev been so easy for the valiant warrior to ride the wave of his military success to the lush shores of fame and fortune. But examine his unselfish response:

              "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you: The Lord shall rule over you." (v.23)

A Concluding Application

At any given time, we are choosing to focus on one of four things: our circumstances, others, ourselves, or the Lord. When outnumbered, Gideon refused to focus on his circumstances. And when victorious against overwhelming odds, he refused to shine the spotlight on himself. Instead he gave the glory to the Lord. An eagle's eyes are amazingly keen. On a clear day, an eagle can spot a dead fish on the surface of a lake five miles away. That's focus! If we're ever to stand firm in the midst of discouragement, we have to develop spiritual eyesight with similar clarity and concentration--even if we're the only bird in the flock to have it.

Have you ever known such deep discouragement as the oppressed Israelites? Have you ever felt as if you were dropped into a well of insurmountable circumstances and left there to die? Maybe you're at the bottom of such a well right now.

Rather than have you name it, answer questions about it, or write a mini essay dealing with youre action plan to overcome this discouragement, we would humbly and softly suggest something else. Find a quiet , private place, and look up to the Lord, as the Israelites did, and cry out to HIm for help.

Unburden your heart to Him, sharing not just the particulars of your circumstances but how desperate, sad, angry, or disheartened you feel. Let His presence and care remind you that you are not alone in this.

                    "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
                     From whence shall my help come?
                     My help comes from the Lord,
                     Who made heaven and earth.
                     He will not allow your foot to slip;
                     He who keeps you will not slumber.
                     Behold, He who keeps Israel
                     Will neither sleep nor slumber." (Psalm 121:1-4)

Gideons are as scarce today as ever, but God still prizes people who stand firmly, focused on Him in the face of discouragement. He looks for people who will "stand in the gap" as He told the prophet Ezekiel,

            "I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one." (Ezekiel 22:30)

Our world, too, stands perilously close to destruction. Wars sprout and hang on with all the noxious tenacity of weeds. The powerful few feed on the starving many to satisfy their greed and lust. There's corruptin, oppression, pollution, and persecution. Global warming could jsut as well refer to the heating up of hatred and burtal selfishness as much as anyhting else.

but we dont need to circle the globe to see we're in trouble, do we? The sphere of our own worlds holds enough evidence through the violence, heartbreak, and dispair we read about and know firsthand.

Could you be the Gideon for whom God searches? The one to stand in the gap in your family, school, business, neighborhood,city? What is it you think God would have you do to make an impact for the kingdom?

Vision

I read this today in my devotion time and thought it was just awesome, so i wanted to share it! :)

Living By Vision: (By Charles Swindoll)

Vision: the ability to see God's presence, power, and plan in spite of obstacles.The alphabet of vision consists of attitude, belief, capacity, determination, and enthusiasm.

* Attitude - When you have vision, your attitude is positive rather than negative, optimistic rather than pessimistic.

*Belief - "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) When you have vision, you have assurance and confidence- not only in God, but in others and in yourself.

*Capacity - When you have vision, you demonstrate a willing capacity to be stretched, to do greater things than you ever dreamed you were capable of, to be a bigger person than you ever thought you could be.

*Determination - When you have vision, you develop the determination to stay at it and hold a constant focus on God, who is watching you and smiling with love at your efforts.

*Enthusiasm - When you have vision, you have the enthusiastic perspective that God is in your corner, fighting for you, not against you.

Theres a story perhaps familiar to you that illustrates succinctly what vision looks like:

An American, visiting in France, came upon a scene where a large church was being erected. He approached three stone masons, one after the other.Of each he asked this question: "What are you doing?" the first replied, "Im cutting stone." The second said, "Im cutting stone for 7 francs a day." The third responded, "I'm helping to build a great cathedral."

Can you see cathedrals in the challenges God has set before you - or just a lot of rough stones? Faith sees the cathedrals; sight sees only the stones.

Proverbs 31 Woman

This is the woman I strive to be daily! In our Bible study on Monday nights we have been comparing translations of the Bible in the book of James. After reading my daily bread devotional this morning, which was talking about the Proverbs 31 woman, it occurred to me to see how it translates in the message version of the Bible...its pretty neat , so I thought I would share :)

10 A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds. 11 Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it. 12 Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long. 13 She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing. 14 She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises. 15 She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day. 16 She looks over a field and buys it, then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden. 17 First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. 18 She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day. 19 She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking. 20 She's quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor. 21 She doesn't worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear. 22 She makes her own clothing, and dresses in colorful linens and silks. 23 Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers. 24 She designs gowns and sells them, brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops. 25 Her clothes are well-made and elegant, and she always faces tomorrow with a smile. 26 When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly. 27 She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive. 28 Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise: 29 "Many women have done wonderful things, but you've outclassed them all!" 30 Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God. 31 Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her life with praises!

Controversy

 I was told a story a couple days ago about a woman my friend knows who chose to end the life inside her rather than give the baby up for adoption ( to a family that couldnt have children but desperately wanted them), because she didnt WANT to go through the pregnancy. A perfectly capable woman, not a child, not a rape victim ( for those of you who will try to argue) but a woman who felt her life was much better off without the burden of a child. On top of that, yesterday was National coming out day, and later in the day I was also informed that conservative women are "morons". You think Satan is trying to get me to erupt?? :) My first instinct is to argue each case, to get critical and debate. Why? Because I am very passionate about the subject of abortion, if there is one topic that can bring me close to losing my testimony and tearing someone a new one, its that, ending the life of a helpless child. The other topics are typical, and yes can definitely get my riled up, but I've learned that its worthless to debate these things because unless the Spirit is there convicting those people like He is the believer, than my words are bouncing right off. I read in James this week, "There is one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?" (James 4:12) Talk about convicting. If someone doesnt know Christ, doesnt have the Spirit leading, how can I expect them to understand? I would be in the same place had God not came into my life. I believe what I do because I live by the Word of God, but thats not the case for everyone. And even as a Believer, I am still blind to things that I'm sure God views as sin. James also says, " But wisdom that comes from heaven is pure; then peace-loving, coniderate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:17-18) That doesnt mean I wont state my case, I'm far too opinionated for that :) But to argue and debate until i'm blue in the face, thats not creating peace. Agreeing to disagree is probably the best route. The message version of 1 Corinthians 13 ( the love chapter) says love doesnt force itself on others and puts up with anything. So I suppose though they attack us, this is where we turn the other cheek and love in return :) Christ does this for me everyday, I am a FAR cry from the woman of God I need to be. I am nothing in light of my Maker. He puts up with my crap daily, doesnt argue, doesnt fight, but loves me unconditionally. He understands my limitations. So, this is where I should do the same. I am no wiser, no better than anyone else. I am simply redeemed. and Praise God for His mercy, because without it I may not be a "moron". :)

Living above mediocrity

I'm working through a bible study called "Living above the level of mediocrity, and the last page of my section today was just awesome. It was too much to type on facebook so i figured I'd share it on here :) Dave and I were just talking the other day about how when our lives are going too smoothly we wonder what we are doing wrong. We know that when we are facing trials that its a sign we are growing and strengthening our relationship with God. When we arent being challenged we are always concerned, and wondering why. Funny how our mindsets change as we continue to grow in Christ. This section of my book talked about that very thing...

Charles Swindol's Living Above the Level of Mediocrity

"We all long for the day when Christ's kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy is realized fully on this earth. What often surprises us however, is the fact that kingdom living in the meantime includes many tribulations. This takes us off guard, and we easily lose our bearings as we wonder what went wrong. But F.B. Meyer shows us that sometimes when things seem amiss, they are actually going right.

                          "If in an unknown country, I am informed that I must pass through a valley where the sun   is hidden, or over a stony bit of road, to reach my abiding place- when I come to it, each moment of shadow or jolt of the carriage tells me that I am on the right road."

"The right road!" Have you ever thought of those bumps and bruises and shadows and jolts of your life as a confirming sign that you're on the right road?
  
There really is no easy street when we're following Christ, and the toll along the way is often suffering. (Phil. 1:29; 3:10; 1 Peter 2:21; 4:19) But we can take comfort in where that road of suffering leads---to our being conformed to the image of the ever living Christ.(Romans 8:29) As George McDonald reminds us:

                             "The son of God suffered unto the death, not that men might not suffer, but that their sufferings might be like His."

"I Love Boobs"

I have been back and forth about saying something about this topic, but it continues to eat away at me so I'm just going to speak and if nothing else comes of it, at least I voiced my feelings! ;) ( you know, thats all we women really care about lol)

I have noticed lately in pictures of facebook friends and their own friends, that the shirt "I love boobs" is a popular item to wear. This irks my last nerve. My mother is a two time survivor of breast cancer, and upon her second battle she was forced to undergo reconstructive surgery...which means they removed her breasts and in place of them had to try and make implants work from scratch. You can try and tell me that you are wearing these shirts in support of breast cancer, and even if that is true in the slightest, the real truth of it is that the shirt has become more of a fad, a way to be funny. When you are wearing a shirt that says I love boobs to parties, I highly doubt your motive is to support breast cancer. When you are wearing these shirts skin tight, and your breasts are pouring over the top of them, I doubt your purpose is to bring awareness to this deadly disease, but rather to bring awareness to your own breasts. Let me just take the time now to remind you...breast cancer is a serious disease and I have seen both victory and defeat when it comes to the battle of this particular cancer. To flaunt your boobs in a shirt that is supposed to stand for those who have battled, overcome, or been taken by this disease, as well as their families and loved ones, is down right insulting. To flaunt your voluntary implants or God given breasts because you think its cute with a symbol across your chest that stands for the ones who have unwillingly lost their womanhood, is selfish. And for you guys who wear these shirts for nothing more than a joke...its not cute, its not funny...its cruel. I am sorry if this comes across forward or even mean, but to have watched my own mother go through all she did and see her victory be made light of makes me sick. Please think twice before you place that shirt over your heads next time. Think of the real reason you are wearing it, and if it is not truly for the lives that have been affected by breast cancer, then out of respect, dont wear it.

Adventures

Oh the adventures of motherhood....today has been yet again, an interesting day! We start off with D.J. coming in the room with his underwear missing...in the midst of the search for the missing underwear I smell what I thought was a poopy diaper I missed. But no such luck. Kyleigh comes running out of the sunroom "Mooom Moooom! come here, look what D.J. did!" and what do I find? there in the middle of the floor my son decided to go "number 2". Yuck :P after cleaning up the mess, i finally get his underwear on. Next, D.J. and Kyleigh are "playing" together in Kyleighs room, with the door shut while I'm talking to my friend Glory. I know better though, I know something will not be right when i finally do go in to see what trouble my children are getting into when they appear to be "playing nice". 10 minutes later, D.J. comes out with wet underwear. I ask him where he went pee-pee, and he says " Potty!!" I said no you didnt, where did you go pee pee, and he repeats " Potty!!" I turn around to begin talking to Glory again, only to hear about 2 minutes later water splashing around in the bathroom... What is my son doing? he has removed the bowl to his potty and is scooping up water out of the toilet and dropping it back in again....dirty water, not fresh. Water is now all over both toilets, the floor, and D.J.... sigh, this child is definitely two. After Glory leaves, I go to look for the missing pee pee...when i walk in Kyleighs room, which i had just cleaned yesterday, EVERY single toy is out of the closet, along with all her sheets blankets and shelves. oh yes...it was a disaster. however, as i'm cleaning up i come across some wet blankets and a wet baby shoe...aha, there is the missing pee. good grief... I then proceed to get the kids lunch...somehow, they managed to get milk out of the CLOSED sippy cup and pour it all into their bowl of yogurt, the table, the floor, and D.J....here we go again. If you havent figured it out yet, Lysol has become my best friend :)  I clean it up, along with my messy boy and put them to bed. then the babies wake up...I feed landon his baby food, and as im giving it him his head is all over the place, ( my curious george) and when he looks back at the last bite, he swats his spoon (full of food) out of my hand and across the room..a nice stream across the floor and my shirt ;) 10 minutes later, I'm feeding Kynslee and she does the same thing...oh these little monkeys LOL....this all happened by 1:00P.M.... the big kids are still down, and I'm waiting with great anticipation (sarcasm) of what will come this afternoon ;) oooh, these kids drive me crazy, but boy do I love them :)

Taking Advantage

Lately I have been struggling with preventing myself from becoming calloused to helping "friends in need". It seems that everytime we reach out and go out of our way for people, we are generally always taken advantage of. It has gotten to the point where we cringe that the thought of helping certain people for fear of what we will have to go through as a result... It shouldnt be like that but we have been burnt so many times that we automatically assume the worst now from everyone. We are hesitant to offer our services anymore unless first asked. It shouldnt be that way! I don't beleive all people are always intentionally trying to take advantage, good hearted people are capable of blindly doing it if they aren't careful. But nevertheless, its FRUSTRATING! However, I've been battling with my feelings about it for a little while now, and this morning it hit me that I do the same thing to God every day! How often do we take Him for granted? everyday we willingly take all his blessings, grace, love, and forgiveness, and yet we just continue to take and take and give him only a fourth ( if even that) of our time, effort, and devotion. We take advantage of our Almighty everyday, and most of the time, we are extremely ungrateful for all He has done for us. If God continues to bless, love and forgive me regardless of my selfish attitude, then shouldn't I do the same? I cannot change how others act or respond, but I know that I personally am called to serve and love, to "turn the other cheek", to imitate Christ regardless of what others do. Talk about tough...I suppose that is yet another reason we are in need of Christ's redeeming love, because it is beyond our nature to love when we are not shown love in return :P

Feeling Thankful

Nothing in particular going on in my head today ( crazy I know ;) ). I'm just feeling really relaxed for the first time in a LONG time. I think I have finally found a good rhythm with things as they are right now. Thats probably why things didnt work out with me taking a class this block, God knew I needed time to adjsut to the chaos I call life lol. However, we still have a million things to do to the house, Kyleigh starts soccer next week, and I will be taking a class in about 5 or 6 weeks... so when that all comes to fruition, I may not be so calm! over all though I am feeling pretty darn blessed.

to start off the way we did, pregnant at 19 and 20, married under "rough" circumstances, no college education.... and yet here we are, 4 years into it, more in love than ever, 3 kids in 3 years, a home of our own, I am able to stay home, my husband is making pretty darn good money for where we live and we both go to school for free. By the time we are 45, our kids will be fully grown and off to school ( hopefully lol), we will have our degrees, no debt, and still young enough to do whatever the heck we want and really enjoy it! What an amazing God we serve! Ovbiously, things may not work out as "smoothly" as we anticipate, but even still...we dont deserve ANY OF IT, and yet God in His awesome love has provided over and over again and blessed us beyond belief. thats not to say we havent had some pretty rough times, and we will most definitely have plenty more in the future, but even still...God has proven over and over again that He is good and faithful. :)

I've also been blessed with some pretty amazing friends the past two years. I really never thought I'd meet genuinely GOOD women, I never saw one growing up, thats for sure. (friends that is) and yet today I have a few ladies I can truly confide in and trust with anything, and I know they would be there for me at the drop of a hat. Oh where would we women be without our friends. Husbands try, but my friend said it perfectly the other day, "They try and listen, but they really just dont care" lol and its so true. They do the best they can, but its women who understand the importance of venting, and its women who know how to say just what you need to hear in each situation. Praise God for the awesome girls in my life, I am really blessed to have them! :)

My daughter and I still have our issues, but there has been a huge shift in our relationship. We are at a point now where we can get along, its a miracle LOL Shes such a mini me ( personality wise). It cracks me up to watch how she processes things, and how freakin smart that child is. Thats her problem, shes too smart and when something doesnt make sense in her world, she argues it until she is blue in the face. ( wonder where she gets that from :P )But lately we have been able to play together more and its enjoyable for a change. shes becoming such a little person, I love it! and the best part is she LOVES to play babies, which is what I ALWAYS did growing up...( imagine that ;) ). Shes trying to please mommy more, which just melts my heart. shes become so loving and affectionate the past year, Im soaking it up as much as I can, i know this part doesnt last long. Shes is my little helper! I do hope I can help her overcome her downfalls ( OUR downfalls, because she has the same temper, attitude, independence, and spite as her mother :) ) so she can avoid having to deal with them like I do later in life! but she has such a beautiful personality, and as she matures she is going to be such an amazing little woman. :) shes a full blown leader, so im excited to see where that takes her!

anways, I could go on and on, but thats enough for today! Hope everyone has a GREAT Friday! woot woot for the weekend ;)

Husbands

I'm working through a book called "Created to be His Help Meet", and it has been such an eye opener! I grew up in a home where my mother took care of  all of my father's (and all of the kid's) needs. She cooked,cleaned, ironed, shopped, took care of the finances, etc, etc, but most of all, she was always loving and joyful despite her NUMEROUS obligations. She loved ( and still does) my Dad with all her heart, and as a result she willingly placed him at the head of the house and cared for his needs. When he came home, she created a haven for him to return to, a place he could relax. That is what I have tried to do for my husband. With three smal children it is VERY hard to have the house cleaned, dinner cooked and the kids calm when he comes home, but i have tried to make that happen since we have been married. These past few weeks have been a little rough though. My husband is coming home to late dinners, a messy house, cranky kids and an exhausted wife. He never complains, and in fact, he is always so supportive and willing to help. I love him for that :) however, the author of this book is right in the sense that he should not be coming home from working all day to more stress and chaos. It blows my mind how crazy life has become since the big switch in the role of women back in the 60's. WHy have we removed our men from their place as "king" in the home? Why on earth would we want to be equal with them? It is so much better to be protected, cared for, and led by our men! the more selfish this world becomes, the more we neglect the needs of our husbands (and children) and focus on ourselves. But we see the horrible effects that has on homes today. Look how high the divorce rate is? how many broken homes and crushed spirits we have. Children have gone wild. children are at an all time high with the behavioral problems, and its primarily because they are lacking the attention and love they need at home. Women are so eager to make their own way in the world, they neglect their roles as mothers and wives and as a result, their families are falling apart. I realize its hard for people to stay home anymore, and that is unfortunate but its life. THat doesnt mean we need to neglect our duties though. It just means we need to plan ahead better, something I really need to work on. If my husband is going to work hard all day, (and in his case, he goes the extra mile and works the maximum amount of overtime he is allowed to), so we are able to have a home, food, clothing, and live comforatbly. Then he deserves to come home and put his feet up and enjoy his family. Not come home to a frazzled wife and crazy kids, no dinner and a house that looks like its under construction. Believe me, I am extremely busy, with 5-6 kids a day until 5:30 in the evening, my time is short...and with my personality, I am independent, opinionated and extremely strong-willed so it is a struggle to submit myself under someone elses authority and needs, but it should be different for our husbands. We love them, and they love us. They take care of us and we should in turn take care of them.

Clothing

So, my poor husband, along with his co-workers, have been struggling with the return of Liberty's students this past week. I say struggling because it seems each year Liberty enforces the dress code less and less, and as a result, the girls are wearing less and less. When I was there, I was written up at least once a week for the back of my skirt being a half an inch above my knees...and now, I go there to drop off Dave's lunch and not only are the skirts shorter then arm length, they are SKIN TIGHT. I confess, I used to dress much "sexier" back in highschool. I like most girls, enjoyed the attention we recieved by showing a little more leg, stomach, etc... However, when i met my husband, we were 16 and 17 years old, and since then I see the horrible effects our clothing ( or lack there of) has on these poor guys.

I know most men enjoy it, and could care less, but there are a number of guys ( especially at Liberty) who are striving to live pure lives for God. They are doing whatever they can to keep themselves pure and holy, saving themselves and their feelings for their future ( or current) wives. Walking around in skin tight, skimpy skirts, low cut shirts, and a the confidence of a super model is not only affecting you, but it is causing godly men to fall. To speak about God to unbelievers is like speaking a foreign language, I know that. So though it would be wonderful if they would respect those that do have a relationship with the Lord, it is not my place to make that request. However, for those women that do, I ask that you at least consider what I have to say.

Wearing skimpy clothes in front of men and expecting them to look the other way ( at least every time) is like putting a 12 pack of beer in front of a recovering alcoholic, dangling a bone in front of a dog, bate in front of a fish, etc...etc...you get the picture. They are visually stimulated. I know its hard for us women to undrestand that, but we know it enough to wear the clothes in the first place right? the only reason women wear things that show off their bodies, is to do just that, SHOW OFF THEIR BODIES. We believe we look good enough to wear it, and we want to wear something that shows the rest of the world, to get those wandering eyes to look and inevitably, to lust. For those of you that are trying to live for the Lord, we will be held accountable for causing these men to sin, that I can promise. the blood will be on their hands, as well as our own. Do you want to be noticed by your body? yes, you are beautiful, yes you have an awesome body, but to be noticed by that rather than noticed by your walk with the Lord, by the joy on your face, the love in your heart.... I assure you, that will not be what men see when they look at you, they will see your body, and the thoughts they will have will not be pure or sweet, that I assure you. they will think about you how they should only be thinking about their wives, and how only your future or current husband should think of you. I was really challenged when my husband brought this to my attention, and since then I have been careful to dress appropriately. I still know how to look good for my man, but we can do that without sharing our God given assets with the rest of the world. ;)

Introduction

I figured I always have so much to share, so rather than rely on my statuses, I'd create a blog! I dont know what the heck I'm doing when it comes to setting this thing up...and I really don't care how "pretty" it is...hopefully you all don't either! :) So, welcome to my page, where i hope to share all that goes on in this crazy house of mine, as well as in my crazy head! Hope you all enjoy :) Feel free to comment back!