five cute postcards and my new job!!!

What a cute post that the Gitzen Girl put on her blog on Friday. I love the five things idea and her drawings for postcards. It is such a blessing to be so encouraged when I am feeling so sick today. I want to make the postcards idea work with the jars of jam we are sending for Christmas. I was hoping to finish the Blackberry jam today. I hope this afternoon I will be feeling better :D

My orientation for the job is on Tuesday afternoon at City Hall... I am a bit in a state of shock, it is just part time, it is just that I wanted it so badly that I can't believe that I am really hired. I just can't believe it!

Hanukkah started last night... Happy Hanukkah

From: Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein "And may your hearts be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time." — 1 Kings 8:61 Hanukkah is a time of rededication. In fact, that's what the wordHanukkah means — rededication. After the military victory of the Maccabees over their oppressors, the people immediately began the process of cleaning out the Temple of idols and paganism and rededicating it to God. And whenever a ceremony for rededication was conducted in biblical times, it always lasted eight days — one of the reasons why we Jews celebrate Hanukkah for eight days. Hanukkah is also an opportunity for us to rededicate and purify ourselves before God. We see this modeled during the dedication service and prayers offered by King Solomon when the very first Temple was completed 480 years after the Israelites had escaped from Egypt. After seven years, the building of God's Holy Temple was completed, and King Solomon summoned everyone to assemble in Jerusalem for the dedication of this place where God's presence would dwell on earth. But it was more than just a dedication of a building. It was also an opportunity for the people to rededicate themselves to God's service. Following his prayer of dedication for the Temple (1 Kings 8:23-61), King Solomon offered a blessing for the people of Israel in which he had five basic requests: 1) for God's presence with His people (8:57); 2) for the desire to do God's will in everything (8:58); 3) for the desire and ability to obey all of God's commands (8:58); 4) for help with daily needs (8:59); and 5) for people everywhere to know the one true God of Israel (8:60). And as he concluded his blessing, Solomon encouraged the people that their hearts would be fully committed to God and living for Him. What a wonderful prayer for us as well! Solomon's requests are as appropriate today as they were in 586 B.C.E. when the Temple was completed. What wonderful verses to read and use in rededicating ourselves to God during this season. I challenge you to read Solomon's blessing in 1 Kings 8:56-61 and to reflect on each of these requests. Make Solomon's petitions your own as you rededicate yourself to obeying God and doing His will. Ask for God's presence in your own life and for His help in meeting your daily needs. And pray with all God's people that His name and His kingdom will be known throughout the world. Finally, let us ask that God will help us all commit our hearts fully to Him and that we will be found faithful always. With prayers for shalom, peace, I love Rabbi Eckstein's devotional's. I was thinking of how this month I have set goals for myself, I need to begin with the most important though: rededicating myself to the Lord God... I do want Jesus to be Lord of all areas of my heart, spirit, mind, soul. I need His forgiveness and cleansing first before I think of all the ways to dress up the outside of myself... my diet and exercise plan, the way I clean the house or take care of my family. All of those things will come from, extend from How I am doing in my thoughts and relationship with Jesus. I need His protection from the enemy. Don't be deceived continually that the abuse that I suffered in the past was deserved. That it should continue...That all begins right now with asking Jesus to be my saviour, Lord, shepherd, friend, protector and that He will teach me how to love and serve Him, just for today...Let alone the next eight days and the month of December. Thank you Jesus for the reminder it all begins with you. I can't wait to see you someday :D

A message from Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

How Long?
November 28, 2010

How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?— Psalm 13:1–2

Read aloud these first five lines from Psalm 13. Can you hear the despair in the psalm writer's voice? Can you feel his sense of abandonment, his angst, his burden of sorrow? Four times in these first two verses, King David cries out, "How long… how long… how long… how long?"

If we are honest, haven't there been times in our lives when we have felt like that? How long before a job opportunity comes along? How long will I be barren, or single, or sick? How long before You make my path ahead known to me? How long, God, before you answer my prayer? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts of worthlessness, of depression, of loneliness? How long?

If we are honest, we know this feeling all too well. Like David, we often feel that same impatience with God. Why hasn't He acted yet? Has He even heard my prayer? What is taking so long? When is He going to act? David often claimed that God was slow to act on his behalf, but even in his lowest moments, David affirmed that he was going to trust God — no matter what.

Indeed, we see David's wonderful affirmation at the very end of this short lament: "But I will trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the LORD because he has been so good to me." How could David arrive at that point so seamlessly, so quickly?

I think part of the answer lies in David's steadfast faith in God. Even at his lowest point, David's faith never wavered. And that came from a lifetime of walking with God, of trusting Him, of taking every thought, care, anxiety, and thanksgiving to Him. David was never very far from the One who could protect and guide him.

I also believe that David found strength as he expressed his feelings to God. In taking his doubts and his questions directly to God, David didn't focus inward and allow self-pity or negativity to spiral out of control. Rather he talked to God about what he was feeling, and as he did, God helped David gain a new perspective, and ultimately, that gave David peace.

When we are prone to despair, to crying out "how long," remember David. Talk to God and see how long it will be before you are singing praises to God because of His goodness to you.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Truths...

100 Awesome Things! - Brave Girls Club

Brave Girls Printouts!

Oh I am so very excited about the Brave Girls Club printouts!! This is awesome!

Brave Girls Club

I wonder if I would be brave enough to give these to strangers. How would friends feel if I posted them on their facebook walls at random? What if they don't like them or I pick the wrong one to give? I wonder...

Putting my shoulders back...

"There's something about a person filled with hope...

The enemy always fights you the hardest when he knows God has something great in store.

When the bottom falls out and it looks like you hit an all-time low... when it just couldn't get any worse... You don't know what God has around the corner. That is not the time to get bitter. That's not the time to get negative. That is the time to put your shoulders back and boldly declare: My time is coming. I am a victor and not a victim."

- It's Your Time, by Joel Osteen, p.23

Beautiful Quote

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
from 'A Return To Love' by Marianne Williamson

Following the 21 day challenge with Rhonna has been challenging, most of my "creating" has been in a word document on my computer. I have ideas for my art journal. I have the paper picked out and the ribbons and some fun lettering and silk flowers. I have cut and pasted onto my document what I want to put on each page but that is as far as my creating it has gone. This is an emotional roller coaster for me. I have good days and days that I hide. The word for the day yesterday and every day for the next few weeks is "Authenticity" I want to be who Jesus wants me to be. I want to be authentically His!

Danny MacAskill - "Way Back Home" - NEW street trials riding short film

Brave Girl...Authentic Girl... To be truthful and Real

Today's Brave Girl post meant a lot to me.. I want to take those steps, agoraphobia sucks...just speaking the truth!

Dear Authentic Girl,

It's ok to cry sometimes, you know. It's even ok to completely fall apart for a little while so that you can put yourself back together in the way you are supposed to be together...sometimes the pieces of us get a little bit mixed up and we have to let ourselves fall apart so that we can get ourselves back in order.

And...it's ok to grieve over things that we've lost. It's ok to grieve over people that we've lost and it's ok to grieve over time that has been lost. It's ok to feel a bit of a hole in our hearts where loved things used to be.

HERE'S THE IMPORTANT THING, though. Remember, that you can still do the things that you want to do, and work toward the places that you want to be, and learn the things that you want to learn WHILE you are working through grief. You don't have to wait. Sometimes we make ourselves wait until all of the pain is gone to start living the life we want to have. The time to start living the life we want to have is RIGHT NOW....even if it's while we are holding hands with pain. They really can live next to each other...and then when it's time for the pain to go....you are not left alone trying to figure out what to do next....you are already there....just without the pain.

So....please stop waiting, lovely you. Please stand up and take some steps into the places that you want to be. It's ok if your pain comes with you...it really is. Someday it will feel like it's done it's job and it will be gone.......it really will. YOUR JOB is to just keep moving, and you are the only one who can do it.

You know it's time...stand up, sweet sister.....take a step.
You can do this.

Have a wonderful weekend.
xoxo

Grace

Studies

I am following two Studies, Wendy Blight is doing an amazing study on the life of David, and I have got behind on that and on the Mary and Martha study with "Life's not Always Hummingbird's and Fireflies"

More guilt... I didn't exercise this weekend, I felt great on Saturday morning and then woke up from a nap and couldn't turn my head my shoulder and back hurt sooooo badly. So I am behind now in the P90x journey too.... sigh...

But today, the house is clean and baby safe and the Birthday cake is baked not decorated yet and the decorations for the dining area are up and the roast is in the crock pot... and I did my daily bible reading and helped the kids with their schooling today... so, I did some good things mixed in with the things that I haven't done yet...

prioritizing is hard for me. I want to be proud of my accomplishments and let go of the things that are not so urgent and not feel so guilty or overwhelmed. There are so so many good things to do. They all have a cost. I need to choose which good things I need to do and go do them!

Just for today, that is all I have to do!

Love Jesus and let everything else fall in to its place. Thank you Jesus! It is a beautiful fall day, breezy and cool, the leaves are orange and red and falling. The boys have almost finished their school assignments and then they will clean up the yard for tonight's Birthday party.

sore sososos sore

wow, I woke up so sore! And yet feeling very happy and proud of my soreness... Day two of P90x today, we will see how this goes.

I would like to go to zumba today too, I love that class.

Studying for the Aquatic Fitness test has me a bit overwhelmed but I am trying to take it in small pieces. They said that 79 percent of the people who take it pass... I don't want to be in the 21 percent that don't... but I think "think positive Keri... keep reading, keep reviewing, keep going" and then I feel overwhelmed again... yikes... continuous trying to change failing thought patterns is so tough, so so tough!

LIVE

I love this blog that encouraged us to teach our kids to LIVE!

Oh how I want to appreciate each moment of each day, every second is a gift!! LIVE!!

OuR sWeEt MoMeNts!!!!

grief

for Mark and his family

for Bobby and Stephanie and their family

for Kylee and Tyler and their family...

so much loss, death, pain

feeling that it wasn't supposed to be this way. It wasn't God's plan, the depth of pain and heartache, the tears that don't stop, It wasn't ever what He wanted for us. It is not His perfect plan but He will use it for good. He has too, He is perfect, He is Love...

Emotional Abuse

So...

I see myself in all of the words on this page and I want to get better so I am sharing it with you. It is as if the author looked at my life and wrote it down, it totally amazed me.

I am recovering from self harm.

I am recovering from feelings of worthlessness.

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

I can get better!

http://eqi.org/eabuse1.htm

Amazing Women

Everywhere I turned around yesterday I saw the most amazing women. I got to help in the Girls on the Run booth at the Women's Fitness Celebration and everywhere I looked and walked I saw strong, bold, smiling, beautiful women. They were in all shapes and sizes. Some looked like they were going to run a marathon on Saturday. Some looked like they were going to cross the finish line very slowly, maybe with the help of a walker or a wheelchair but as they stood in line to pick up there numbers and race bags and as they walked around and chatted with all the vendors and picked up free things and entered drawings their eyes sparkled with excitement. They were happy. Strong...

Happy: emotionally,spiritually, physically, relationally...

I don't feel like I arrived there. But I saw some women that are on the same journey of life yesterday and I got to talk with some of them and they tried to encourage me as much as I tried to tell them good job, thank you for your example, thank you for your courage, thank you for all that you do because you make a wake that other women like me, who are struggling in the water behind you... maybe I can fall into your wake and get pulled along for a little bit, I don't have the strength to swim by myself right now.... Thank you amazing women!

One amazing woman encouraged me again this morning on her blog. She said "If you ever wanted to learn something from mistakes I have made…or pain that I have ever had…that MANY of us have had…….just learn the lesson that everything has a cost….and that a very very good, simple and beautiful way to live is to have a few things that you love…..that you love to do….that you believe in and don’t mind sacrificing for…and that you give all that you have to those things instead of spreading yourself thin and scrambling to pay for things that you really didn’t ever want as badly as you thought you did…..whether those are real tangible things, or emotional things or relationship sorts of things……..This time around, I am going to cherish the things that I cherish, I am going to try harder to pass on the things that are too costly right now….and I am going to make time to love the things that bring joy and peace and meaning……..and stay the heck away from the things that COST me my joy, peace and meaning." Melody

I want to be brave like Melody and the other women that I saw yesterday.

I guess in a way I was brave because I got to talk about the Girls on the Run yesterday with lots of them who had never heard of it. I have a passion for that. It is one of the things that has a cost in my life that I want to give more too. If little girls could learn to be brave when they are little then it would be so much easier to be brave when you are big...

Be Brave, Be wise, Be strong, Be Amazing... I know that if I saw you I would tell you that you already are, maybe you just don't believe it, maybe you just don't know it yet...

Being Home

Being Home... we need money, we need food, we are provided for bare minimum, no extras, no eating out, I have gotten creative with the pantry and stretched the food budget to the max.

We are doing okay, God is providing but I keep looking for work and getting the "another candidate was selected" note. It is discouraging but I keep thinking, well, Jesus must have something else... I have gotten so much encouragement from the Aquatics Instructor who has taken me under her wing to learn the ropes and pass the test in November. But no CNA jobs have opened up.

I want to trust Jesus. I love being home, I love helping my kids with their reading and homework. I love helping with the girls on the run program, I love that I will get to help in the one year old class at our new church soon. Our new church, thank you Jesus, for our new church...

so I am thankful for the free peaches and tomatoes and the basil that I got this week, I am thankful for getting to be home and babysit my grand daughter.

I love being home, So thank you Jesus for everything, even this is so hard, but I love being home...

Doing my Best...

It is okay to be me... that is the message that I got from the Brave Girls post today, thank you Melody! Thank you so much for permission to let go of what I can't ever be and be me, It seems so simple but it is SO BIG!!

It is okay to cry and be brave at the same time

cried today like I haven't cried in a long time...

Total shock, fear, dismay, how could this be happening?

and then this post from the Brave Girl's Club...

don't you dare, don't you dare! don't you dare!!! don't you dare give up now...

Life is hard sometimes—
crazy, mixed-up, messed up.
And there you are, in the middle of it all,
just doing your thing...
being strong and brave and beautiful
like it’s no big deal.

But let me tell you, girl, it is.
Not everyone can do what you can do.
Not everyone can handle things the way you can.
While you wonder sometimes if you’re doing OK...
the rest of us are just watching in wonder.

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord. PS 31:24

from InCourage today

Sarah Mae's Blog spoke to my heart today :D

The video called "Lord Save Us from Your Followers" is available on Netflix and I think everyone who claims to be a christian should watch this movie... without LOVE we are..." I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 cor. 13:1

Duathlon Plan

so... I have decided to try a Duathlon on September 18th. It is a "short/sprint" distance... 1.2 mile trail run/4 mile mountain bike/ 1.2 mile trail run...

So in addition to the P90x training starting tomorrow I need to be running at least 3 miles without stopping and biking in brick training sessions in the next two weeks. Plus going to Aqua Aerobics class.

I'm excited to get to try it, I think it will be fun. I have never done an off road race before so it will be interesting.

The Mary Martha study is going well and I am trying to apply the be anxious about nothing verse. I am still having those panic attacks/ heart attack feelings but I haven't figured out why. My resting heart rate is better than ever and my blood pressure too, I need to be more aware of my thoughts.

I am working on my Aqua Aerobics training which is really challenging me. I can not remember all the names of the muscles yet. I need to write some note cards I think...

...and the writing class too, I am studying about the parts and chemicals of the brain so that I will be able to write an article on childhood stages of development from a biblical perspective. I think it will help me understand some things better.

Happy Sunday :D

Peace Over Anxiety

"God knows that only He is able to counter the power that anxiety can exert over our lives. If you are anxious, you are to give it over to God completely, totally, without reserve. You are also to adjust your thinking from being anxious to being grateful, which is quite a shift! Being grateful, however, is a very useful tool because it forces you to concentrate on the good things instead of the bad."

Dr. Jantz

Football has begun :D

Football practice has started and I love this scrapbook page from Scrapbooks Etc... they have such creative ideas on there. I would love to make a page like this for the twins :D

Yeah.... nothing to do with football but...Oh my I love these flowers too!!! click here for the pattern :D I would like to add them to some quilts or something...

A RedLetter Giveaway :D

Like a Warm Cup of Coffee is giving away a RedLetter picture today! How exciting! Don't miss entering!!

OH DEAR LORD

thank you Lysa!

I am a courageous woman, I am a courageous woman, I am a courageous woman... and then all the bombardments "YEAH RIGHT!!" "Who do you think you are?" You are nothing" "You are worthless"

yikes...

Reading the Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World is really eye opening to the pattern of attack that the enemy sneaks over and puts on us...

It so makes sense, the moment we get distracted, "this is bad..." then we get discouraged, "I can't fix this..."then we doubt... "God, do you really love me? How could this happen? How could this be so hard? How could you leave me here?" then the sin of questioning God's Goodness...

He is good, the world is bad, the sin that hurts me is bad, this circumstance is very very bad, but He is good, He is love, He is perfect... Just hang on, Just believe it anyway... and Lord please help me... I do not feel courageous, I feel like going back to bed...

just for today

I love the pincurlgirls concept!

Oh my...what a difference it would make to have just a few more positive thoughts then those crappy negative ones. I do so much better with the "I suck because..." thoughts than the "I did great with that, or "I rock because..." thoughts...

so I'm trying... I don't have Jen's adorable bracelets but I am concentrating on thinking better, when those, " you are such an idiot" thoughts come, I am trying to counteract, attack, that is a lie, that is not what Jesus would say thoughts...

so today, if I had the bracelets

I would have moved one because I got to make whole wheat and blueberry pancakes for my twins and their friend that spent the night and they were healthy and they really liked them :D

I would have moved a bracelet because I picked four pounds of blackberries today

I would have moved one because I picked a bunch of weeds and got some exercise doing that,

I would have moved one because I finished chapter one and got 90 percent on the practice test (only eleven weeks left and fifteen more chapters to go...)

so that is pretty good for today, that is four bracelets!! I'm proud of myself! Thank you for the inspiration Jen, Thank you for loving me Jesus!!

Twelve Things I want to do

to learn new things... from Sarah Mae's Twelve New Things post :D

overall goals... study for the test in November, learn the guitar better, read my bible every day...

August- make Blueberry Syrup

September- make Blackberry, Strawberry, or Raspberry Jam or all three

October- learn to make lamb and a real cheesecake for my hubby's bday

November- pass the AEA test, wow I have a lot to learn here! Eleven weeks away... fifteen more chapters to learn

December- make/finish quilted potholders for my family gifts to go with the jam :D

2011

January- skiing on those crazy new skis that they make now??

February- Sprint Triathlon

March-

April-

May-

June- Olympic Triathlon??

July - finish a quilt for the quilt show in August

I'll keep working on this...

Red Letter Words

Red Letter Words

St. Dimitri's Poem

Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life, and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.
Come, my Flame of divine love, and burn up the thorns of my sins, kindling my heart with the flame of thy love.
Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there.
For Thou alone art my King and my Lord.
St. Dimitrii of Rostov, 17th Century (Oxford Book of Prayer)

thinking of a couple of things...

Watched Julie/Julia movie last night and so loved it, If you haven't seen it is so wonderful and sweet and for me to know it is okay to just lay down in the middle of the kitchen floor and weep... well, maybe to know that others do, have done, will do that made me feel so much better, I just can't even express it to you!

Next, I am learning at least a word or concept from the glossary a day to prepare for the test in November. I decided to take the Aquatics Exercise Association test and become certified as an Aquatic Aerobics Instructor. I think it fits in with wanting to become healthier myself and have a better understanding of exercise physiology, dieting etc...plus with wanting to help with physical therapy with the elderly, the arthritis class and the low impact class... all the learning might help to get a job when I'm ready to go back to CNA work...

So, I have to practice my self confidence, "I can do it" thinking... I don't like to be in front of people but there were times I took charge when things needed to be done at the hospital. I was confident then and helped when it was needed without questioning my ability... it came back on the day I went Mtn. Biking and I got to help the lady who got injured. I just did it, what needed to be done, I talked through it, I was confident...I would like to just do it, to lead the class, to help people move, get thinner, get healthier, to tell them the movements to music, I think I could do that and I think I could smile and have fun doing it, It would be a part part part time job, just a little bit of money, more for the confidence building and fun and experience than the money...

Why is it that, that confidence can go away in a fleeting moment and leave me flat out laying in the middle of the kitchen floor weeping...

So I will be working on that, and a quilting project for the baby that is coming in the family too, My husband's cousin is expecting :D I got to get some 30's fabric on Saturday to play with, I want to make some pillows for my bed with it too...

Next I wanted to tell you about the wonderful blog I found! and the giveaway and beautiful artwork on The Pleated Poppy! I want one of everything... sigh but my favorite item is the covered notebook if I have to choose, which I did for the giveaway that is going on at the wonderful blog I found called Giving up on Perfect ...

Today, just today, I will be work on just today, how about you?

I want to read this over and over again...I choose to trust Him

I had an image in my head of me, standing on a beach with the water lapping against the shoreline. I pictured a line being drawn in the sand and I knew in that moment I could choose Him, or I could choose fear. But I couldn’t choose both…they couldn’t coexist together.

I chose Him.

I chose to believe in God just as much as I believed in my mother’s words when I was a scared little girl.

I chose to trust Him.

Recently, I’ve been asked by many people how I can do that. How can I trust someone, even if that someone is God, when I know that He could have spared me from all of this? How can I trust a God who allows hurt to happen when He has the power to take it all away?

My answer: God fixes what is broken. I trust Him to fix my broken places.

But you can’t fix what isn’t broken.

I don’t believe God did this to me to teach a lesson or to prove a point. There are many reasons I could be sick, and Him inflicting this on me isn’t one of them. But I do believe He didn’t stop it for a reason. Life breaks us sometimes. We have the free will to make decisions that will break us. Other people have the free will to take actions that will break us. Genetics can play a role in making us sick, and that can break us.

I have been through things that have broken my life. And I trust Him to never leave me there. He is the Father who will pick me up when I am fallen, broken, hurt, tired. And He is the Father who fixes me in those broken places. He fixes my spirit, my heart, my sadness, my loneliness. He brings joy and peace and refuge so I am stronger now than before I was broken.

He watched the pieces fall apart, but only so He could put me back together the right way. When life happens and I feel like things are falling apart, breaking into pieces, I just remind myself that He can’t fix what isn’t broken.

And I trust Him to make me whole in the image of His sight, not mine.

As it should be.

by Sara Frankl, Gitzen Girl

and...

the five people you meet at small group

and...

Perfection the thief...

some encouragement...

From In Courage today:

"All my life I have believed the wrong things about myself.

I have believed that I am not acceptablebecause of what I look like or what I weigh. I have believed that I am not valuablebecause of the talents and gifts that I lack. I have believed that I am not lovable simply because of who I am not.

You, beloved daughter of the King, are made holy.

You are accepted because He is holy.

Loved because He is holy.

Forgiven because He is holy.

Made holy because He is holy."

One of the things that Andrea says is that we should do the Beth Moore study on Daniel... I have such a hard time with Beth Moore studies, am I the only one that starts them and never finishes? and all the questions, it gets discouraging if I am not held accountable and I don't know if I could go to another bible study and get crushed by the gossip and general unloveliness again...

Toughness Training

wow, I started reading the library book "The New Toughness Training for Sports" there are just too many things I want to re read and highlight in this book so I am buying it from Amazon. I think it is well worth the ten dollars. I am excited to receive it next week :D

The Tuesday Club Murders

Another Agatha Christie book finished, this one was very fun, a group of people, including Miss Marple, get together and tell mystery tales to each other to see who can come up with the proper solution. Of Course Miss Marple is the only one who can always get the answer correct... Lot's of fun to read and nice to have the stories broken up in to short chapters.

Books I have read this year

I added a list of the books I have read so far this year, it has occurred to me that after I read them I should write what I thought of the book. I just finished "They went to Baghdad" by Agatha Christie, I loved it! Veronica was the main character and she is a lovable young woman who has the bad habit of being a compulsive liar. She ends up it the midst of a post World War II International scheme of communists verses the free world. It was very witty and exciting too!

I heard this prayer today and just thought it was awesome to say before we read our Bibles:

This is my Bible

I am what it says I am

I have what it says I have

I can do what it says I can do

Today I will learn the word of God

My mind is alert

My heart is receptive

I will never be the same

In Jesus' name, Amen

A prayer from Wendy Blight...

Today, I pray on Your armor.

Father, strengthen me with Your Helmet of Salvation…the Mind of Christ… so that I can stand against worldly thinking and the lies of the evil one.

Father, cover my heart with the Breastplate of Righteousness. Thank You that Jesus defeated the power of sin at the cross and forgave me of all unrighteousness. Jesus died for me sins; He covered me with His blood, and He made me righteous in Your eyes. There is no greater gift!

Father, gird me with the Belt of Truth. I believe with all my heart that Your Word is Truth and it is that Truth and that Truth alone that sets me free. I choose to believe Your Truth and reject the lies of the evil one. I stand against his temptations, his deception, and his accusations. I only want to hear Your voice.

Father, I put on the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace. Make me ready to march into any battle set before me. Fill me with Your peace and help me live in peace with everyone. I choose to be an instrument of Your peace, and I stand ready to give an account for the faith I have in You today. I choose to always forgive and not harbor anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness in my heart.

Father, I hold up the Shield of Faith. I trust and believe You at Your Word that You are the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Great I AM. You alone are the Author and Perfecter of my faith. I trust You to meet all my needs. I do not have a spirit of fear…but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Finally, Father, I take up the Sword of the Spirit. Jesus is the Word of God living in me. I am Your child. I am filled with Your Spirit. I choose to live my life according Your Word. I choose to believe TRUTH over lies. Pour out Your Truth and Your Spirit over my life. Fill me with all wisdom and understanding. I choose this day to serve You and You alone.

Thank You, Father, for Your mighty weapons. Thank You that You have already won this battle. Thank You that in You I am a VICTOR. Thank You that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Thank You that You who live in me is greater than he who lives in the world. Today I live in complete and utter dependence on You and You alone. Father, fill me with the fullness of Your Spirit. Father, use me to do Your Kingdom work. Father, show me Your Glory!!! I ask all this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

What would change?

If I really believed all that I wrote yesterday... How would my life look different? Am I a witness for Jesus to everyone that I talk too? Everyone who knows me or who I come across every day?

I want to believe in Romans eight... to be truly the woman that God created me to be, I want to believe that I am more than a conqueror, that Jesus is for me and that nothing can separate me from His love, that He wants to be my savior, my counselor, my helper. How amazing that thought is...

I got to go Mtn. Biking today and got to help a lady who got hurt when she crashed. It felt amazing to have confidence to help her, I miss my CNA job...

from InCourage today...

InCourage Today:
I can't remember where I read these words. But they impacted me so much, I jotted them down on the back of a receipt and held them close.

What I want my children to know:

• They were created by God.

• They aren't an accident or an afterthought.

• They were created for a special purpose.

• God has a divine plan for their lives.

• God has gifted them with unique abilities to see His purpose fulfilled.

I wanted to rewrite this and really try to believe it, to know it for myself too:

I was created by God, I am not an accident or an afterthought, I was created for a special purpose,God has a divine plan for my life, god has gifted me with unique abilities to see His purpose fulfilled... Can you say this is true for you too? Do you believe it? Do you know it deep in the innermost depths of your heart?

fitness

Recovering from surgery has left me thirty pounds heavier than before. I am trying to get back up to speed with my exercise regime, I still dream about the Ironman, but I don't think I will be doing any competitions this year. The Dr. said six months before energy levels return to normal.

I am inspired by two things today: Jen fit's blog and the wonderful article on hip muscle pain. My pain is due to adhesions as a result of scar tissue I think... I got a coupon on the door for a massage therapist in town yesterday and feel as though it is not a coincidence to go and talk to them and have the information Jen gave as a strengthener to go and get a massage....Also inspiring is the protein bakery, I think I can come up with a cookie for the competition, I have an idea and am ready to experiment :D

Today my goal is to ride thirteen miles on the road bike and go to the deep water aerobic class. If I can make it to zumba I will go, it starts right after the water class, I don't know if there is time in between to dry off and change.... My friend invited me over this afternoon to visit too, busy day but I am looking forward to it.

The Truth

"Our only hope is to realize that our value is not determined by what we do or who we are or even how others see us, but simply by how God views us.

Here’s just a taste of what He says about you:

* I chose you before the world was created (Ephesians 1:4)
* I made every part of you and I call you wonderful (Psalm 139:14)
* I loved you before you could love me back (1 John 4:9)
* I loved you enough to die for you (John 3:16)
* I have always loved you and will always love you (Psalm 103:17).
* Others may reject you, but I will not (Psalm 27:10).

The next time you are tempted to let the expectations of others define you, give yourself a heavy dose of Truth! God loves you deeply. That has always been true and will always be true. Study His Word and learn His expectations for your life. Let Him define who you are."

from Erin Davis

2010 Long Walk

Yesterday was the DAB long walk and I did it for the first time. I have been following all year it is very exciting for me, I have never read through the whole Bible before. I did not go for a walk by myself but with my sons and my friend and her daughters. We had a picnic and took a long walk along the Boise River. I could not find the camera so no photos. Talking with my friend was such a joy. We talked about Jesus. What it means to be the woman that He would want us to be. We cried and we laughed and we played with the kids and enjoyed the beauty and walked alot :D

Some of the stories from the long walk can be found here. I happened to click on the link from one gentlemen who took photos of his walk in England. Here is one of the photos. So beautiful. Thank you Jesus for your creation, especially the sound of the water, the green everywhere, and for the tiniest to the largest animals... You are amazing God!

Independence Day

The only constant in life is change...

I'm not sure who said it but I am living it. I am letting go of all those from my old church, and all who did not help but gossiped, who did not love but stabbed me. I forgive them totally completely, I have nothing that I require from any of them. I am leaving them behind and letting go. They can do as they wish, say what they want, it is none of my business what they think of me. This is my goal for today. I am cleaning up my email and friends lists. I will focus on the next right thing to do for me today and what God has called me to do today for my family. I will live today, free in the knowledge that it does not matter what men can do to me, I only desire to serve Jesus in all that I am.

Forgiveness

I got stabbed in the heart and ripped open today... I remembered this posted a few days ago,

so I have been thinking over and over forgiveness is not quitting...Forgiveness is not quitting it is not weakness, it is strength... not forgiving will just hurt me, not them, they are not affected by what they have done to me. I can choose to forgive and be free... Jesus help me please!

from the Brave Girls Club:

Ephesians Bible Study

Another great bible study from Wendy Blight... Unfortunately I am already a week behind because the notice that it had started ended up in the spam folder but I really want to get caught up and do it with her...

Things I need to do but am dreading today: Renew my CNA liscense, this means going to my former employer for a signature, It was painful leaving there, I don't want to go back, so that is why it is hard for me to go I suppose, but the sooner I get it over with, maybe the better...

This is such a cute scrapbook page I wanted to share the link of the patterns with you so you could make one too :D

I hope to use it with some of the kids photos when they get back from Alaska...

It is from Scrapbooks etc...

How to Forgive

1. Be a Screen Door

Like the wind blows through a screen door, let blustry comments, stormy blasts just blow right past. Incidents can only hit hard if you have your front door closed. But having a screen door policy allows all the pain to blow by....

2. Only Believe the Best

When you believe that everyone is always just doing their best, that we never war against flesh and blood but against the principalities, that in light of their own limitations, they truly are doing their best... this changes everything. Love bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things and whatever is good and pure and lovely, think on these things.

3. Tell the Thankful Truth

The truth is, there is always something, a lot, to give thanks for and that is the truth about every single parent. Consider offering a father, a mother, the gift of a jar full of slips of paper with your gratitude and thankful memories jotted down. This kind of grateful truth-telling heals the old wounds.

20 Little Attitudes of Gratitude

20 Little Attitudes
 of Gratitude

1. Mind your manners. Say please, thank you and excuse me.
2. Smile when you see your family. Turn your frown upside down.
3. Pick up after yourself and for someone else too. Be happy you have someone to pick up after!
4. Notice when others do kind things for you, show gratitude by action or words.
5. Say I love you before you leave in the morning and before bed at night.
6. Give hugs daily.
7. Don't worry about tomorrow. Focus on what you are happy about today.
8. Create gratitude journals to keep track of daily blessings.
9. Show thankfulness for even the little things others do for you.
10. Leave love notes in unexpected places like lunch boxes and under pillows.
11. Encourage someone with a compliment.
12. Verbalize what you are grateful for when you feel like complaining about life.
13. Keep a basket of small slips of paper on the table. Write notes of thankfulness during the week and read them to each other during a family meal.
14. Remember to thank God for blessings each day.
15. Surprise your family (or friends) with little gifts or treats to show you thought of them.
16. No grumbling about minor annoyances around the house.
17. Do special things to cherish time with your family. You never know what tomorrow will bring.
18. Reflect on happy memories regularly. Make inspiration boards or photo walls of special times.
19. Help someone out without them having to ask you. Watch for someone in need.
20. When you are doing household chores, be grateful you have a home to clean.

Father's Day

Today on DAB, Brian, the host, played this beautiful song, thank you so much Father in Heaven...

How deep the Father's love for us, How vast beyond all measure That He should give His only Son To make a wretch His treasure How great the pain of searing loss, The Father turns His face away As wounds which mar the chosen One, Bring many sons to glory Behold the Man upon a cross, My sin upon His shoulders Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, Call out among the scoffers It was my sin that held Him there Until it was accomplished His dying breath has brought me life I know that it is finished I will not boast in anything No gifts, no power, no wisdom But I will boast in Jesus Christ His death and resurrection Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer But this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom

A challenge from Melissa Taylor

A challenge from Melissa Taylor

I am a follower of Jesus Christ

I wonder why Jesus chose me to believe in Him

I hear that voice that tells me I am not good enough.

I see the leaves on the trees blowing outside the window and a blue sky, we have had so much rain and I love the rain, but I feel happy that there is a blue sky today

I want to be the woman God wants me to be.

I am an optimist sometimes but I get depressed when people are so cruel at other times and when I am cruel to myself.

I pretend that I will finish the race someday, I want to race in an Iron man competition and I imagine crossing the finish line someday and running through the gate :D

I feel like I am not good enough.

I touch the keys on my computer and the quilt that my friend made for me.

I worry about the bills and our financial problems and that even if I was able to find another job I would not be able to keep it, I will fail... (I know the Bible verses but have trouble controlling the thoughts)

I cry a lot.

I am wishing that I could be strong

I understand that bad things happen and I hope that God will use it all for His good and then it will all be worth it!

I say "thank you" and "I love you" all the time... and I say "I'm sorry" when things are not my fault sometimes too.

I dream about being stronger physically, spiritually, emotionally...

I try very hard to make everyone happy.

I hope that I am enough, that I will hear "Well done, good and faithful servant"

I am wishing that I could write " I am a beautiful princess because I am the daughter of the king of kings"

I am Keri, Karen Lynn Minnick