Clean Sweep After

Granted, this was a small area, but cluttered nonetheless! Now, my computer room is clutter free! Yay! Spring Cleaning Party Day 2 here we come!! woohoo!

Spring Cleaning-Day 1

It's a Party!! A Spring Cleaning Party. Hop on over to Simple Mom's blog to find out more. Spring cleaning day 1-Clean Sweep. My first project will be the computer room. I have posted a before picture. Will post the after picture later.

MHR-Dedicated!

I'm sitting here trying to think of something great to tell about my wonderful husband, and can't think of any one paticular thing. He's great at alot of things.....what's something that stands out? Then I get a thought.....he's dedicated! Wholly committed, to God, me, our marriage, our children, his family, his church, his career, even to losing weight, and eating healthier, and in that order. How many women can truly say that about their husbands these days? I mean really. I can't think of one thing that he would put before our marriage, except his realtionship with the Lord(which only strenghtens our relationship), and to me, that speaks volumes!

Spring Cleaning.....for the soul!

Erase set in dirt and grime with Mr. Clean Magic Eraser®
To erase set-in dirt and grime, just add water! Mr. Clean Magic Eraser® is a soft cleaning pad that acts just like an eraser. It’s innovative cleaning material cleans tough dirt, lifting it away from surfaces all over your home. Try it on soap scum, marks on walls, inside microwaves or even on car wheels!
Wow! Sounds great, doesn’t it. One little sponge can clean multiple surfaces. Inside your home and out. Proctor & Gamble has made it so much easier to clean. You can take this cleaning pad all over the house. Wash those walls, scrub the tub, clean your kitchen, bathe the kids (just kidding), then you can take it outside and wash your car with it. It’s magic!
Or is it? Can it erase past hurts? Can it erase that bad thought you had? Can it erase that lie you told? How about that year you cheated on your taxes? What about that rumor you started about Sis. So and So? Can it erase un forgiveness? Do you find your spiritual home a mess? Some dirt and grime on your heart? While this product may be an excellent tool to use cleaning our physical homes, it can’t clean our spiritual homes. 16 years ago I applied a 2000 yr old crimson cleaning agent to my life, and it made my black heart as white as a December’s snow. Now, that’s what I call a magic eraser! Yeah, there are times today that I have to go back and re-apply the blood of Jesus to my life, but His word says in 1 John 1:19, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So I challenge you today, if you haven’t already, to give this "magic eraser" a try, and maybe you just need to go back and do some touching up. The blood of Jesus still cleanses lives today.
Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe,
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow.

1 John 1:7 ...and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

MHR Friday!! Sweet!

Whew....it's been a long time since I've posted. I sincerely apologize. Life has been busy. Anyways, I wanted to post while I was thinking about it, or another Friday will have come and gone and I will have missed yet another opportunity to tell the world about my loving, thoughtful husband. He's so great! I'm truly a blessed gal! O.k. for Valentines Day, when I awoke, and usually the first thing we probably all do....take a trip to the little girls room, I was surprised by a new shower curtain and decorative towel that my husband had been eyeing for me for quite sometime. He even had it hanging up and the old one put away......so sweet! Then...just yesterday, after he had left for work, I went to my closet to get dressed, and he had stategically placed in my closet with a sweet little note (love you) a jacket that I had been wanting. He's so sweet and does little things like that quite often. I LOVE him, and thank God that he placed him in my life!

"The Shack"

Yay, I just finished over the weekend, a Christian Fiction book titled,

"The Shack". My husband had received this book as a Christmas gift from a co-worker, and he really enjoyed it, and bragged on the book, so I decided to give it a shot and read it. I'm not much of a reader, I do well to read my Bible, and hardly can get into reading anything else. When I started reading I could hardly put it down. It is definately a book that captivates your attention. While I didn't agree with everything that the author wrote, I do have to say it was a good book, and I do recommend reading it. There is only one other book, that, as an adult, I have read from front to cover and that was the one by Michael English, "A Prodigal Comes Home." Excellent as well. Right now, I'm trying to read a book about Sister Aimee Semple McPherson. She seems to have been a very interesting person. I think I prefer biographies/auto-biographies over fiction. Partly due to my noseyness, but also I find it interesting to read how others have lived or what simple people have accomplished in their lives. It's inspiring. So do you have any great reads you'd like to share? Have you read "The Shack"? What did you think?

A Prodigal Comes Home!

My blogging is becoming few and far between. Life seems busy right now. But I must share some exciting, encouraging news. My dad who has been away from the Lord for about 17 years has come back home. It's something we believed and prayed would happen, but didn't know when. God's timing is always perfect. 17 years for my mom probably seemed hopeless in him ever returning to the fold, but God had a plan, and in his time my dad returned on his own. No prodding or begging. Somewhere, between just he and the Lord, he made the decision to give his life back to the Lord. I knew the Lord had been dealing with him, and he finally gave in. I can't express to you how giddy I am in my spirit over this. I'm reminded of the parable in Luke 15 of the Prodigal Son:



"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. (NIV)



I would have liked to of just glimpsed the party that was going on in Heaven when he came home. So, I guess in closing, I want this post to be an encouragement to the wife, the daughter, the son, the father, whoever you may be and you've been praying for that lost loved one. Don't give up hope, never stop praying, for as long as there is breath, there is hope!!

Whoa...where has the time gone? I can hardly believe that this year has come, and in a few days, will be gone. There are days that I wish time would just slow down a bit. Then there are those days that I can't wait for the day to end! No matter if I'm having a good or bad day, I want to savor every minute that God has given me. I don't ever want to take my life for granite. We are told in the New Testament in James that life is like a vapor. It appears for a short time, then it's gone. So I want to live my life to the fullest and live in such a way that will be pleasing to my Lord. A friend emailed the following to me and I wanted to share.

A Birth Certificate shows that we were born.

A Death Certificate shows that we died.

Pictures show that we lived!

Have a seat . . . Relax . . . And read this slowly.

I Believe... That just because two people argue, Doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, Doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe... That we don't have to change friends, if we understand that friends Change.

I Believe... That no matter how good a friend is,....they're going to hurt you every once in a while...and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe....That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for True Love.

I Believe....That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for Life.

I Believe... That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I Believe... That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. Because it may be the last time you see them.

I Believe... That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe... That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe... That either you control your attitude...or it controls you.

I Believe... That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe... That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I Believe... That my best friend and I can do anything, or nothing,
and have the best Time.
I Believe... That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down....will be the ones to help you get back up.

I Believe... That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, But that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe... That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had, and what you've learned from them.....and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe... That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.... Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe... That no matter how bad your heart is broken...the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe... That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, But we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe... That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I Believe... Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I Believe... That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe... That even when you think you have no more to give, if a friend cries out to you....... You will find the strength to help.

I Believe... That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being. I Believe... That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

Emmaus Walk

So, I haven't blogged in a while, and I had intentions of blogging on Monday after my return from my Emmaus Walk, but I was very tired, and smacked back into reality when I came home. {chuckle} My kids didn't have school on Monday, and after being on a "Spiritual High" all weekend I soon remembered that kids fight, laundry still needs washin', floors need swept, bathrooms need cleaned....No, the world didn't change. Just me. I never expected to receive what I did from my Walk. It was life changing. If you haven't been, or don't know what in the world I'm talking about, get online and do a search for the Emmaus Walk, find your local chapter, and get signed up. You do have to have a sponser, if you don't know anyone personally that has been, I'm sure they'll find one for you. You won't regret going. I promise!

Emmaus Walk

Thursday evening I will be going to a local chapter of the Emmaus Walk. I really don't know what to expect. I just know that it's supposed to help strengthen your spiritual walk with the Lord. I'm kinda nervous about being out of my "comfort zone." Being away from home and surrounded by strangers is a little unnerving to me, but I've heard nothing but good about the ministry. I'll be gone from Thursday evening until Sunday evening. Cell phones, cameras, computers, even watches are not allowed. Hopefully Monday I'll be able to blog a little about my experience. So please keep me in your prayers that I won't get to homesick. Thank you!

God is in control. He does all things well. I have to keep a positive attitude this morning after hearing the results of the election. No matter how badly I wanted McCain/Palin in office that's not how things turned out. Now it is our job as Christians to keep praying for our Country and our future leader. I pray that the Lord would open his eyes to the truth and he would change his views on abortion and marriage, and other issues as well, but that's all we can do now, Pray!

Election Day!

Well, I've performed my civic duty, all I can do now is pray that people will vote with conviction and for the Lord to have mercy on our Nation and whomever He would have as Commander in Chief will be elected. We must remember that our God is Sovereign no matter the outcome.

After voting stop by Life in the Craft Lane with Mandie and pick up this cool badge!

Special Exposure Wednesday

Do you have a special photo you want to share? Stop by Special Exposure Wednesday to join!

I'm posting this late, but this is the 2nd time I've planned a 2 week meal plan. It works quite nicely and I'm not waiting until 4:00p.m. trying to decide what to fix for dinner. So here goes. If you would like a recipe for a meal, just let me know and I can email it to you. If you are interested in Menu Plan Monday you can join here.

Monday 10/20

Turkey cutlets in mushroom sauce served over rice and green beans

Tuesday 10/21

Spinach Quiche

Wednesday 10/22

Heart Grilled Cheese and tomato soup

Thursday 10/23

Quick Tortilla pizza

Friday 10/24

Goulash

Saturday 10/25

BBQ Chicken wings baked beans and carrots

Sunday 10/26

Left overs

Monday 10/27

Chicken Caccitore Pronto

Tuesday 10/28

Ham Steaks, mashed potatos, and corn

Wednesday 10/29

Chicken Salad

Thursday 10/30

Tomato Basil chicken tenders, broccoli and cauliflower

Friday 10/31

Presto chicken and pasta

Saturday 11/1

Perfect Roast chicken, lima beans, and mac and cheese

Really....Where does she come up with this stuff??

"The only thing that I know is love and love is hope and hope is faith and faith is rithisnis (righteousness) I Love you and you love me."

The above was written in a card from my seven year old daughter to me. I don't know where she's getting these things, but it sure is cute!

MHR Friday!! It's the little things.

Love isn't just in the extravagant, but it's also in the little things of life.

Things such as....

The phone call in the middle of the afternoon to say, "I was thinking about you. How's your day going?"

When he grabs my hand when we're walking through the mall.

When he'll do a load or 2 of laundry on a Saturday.

When he tells the kids, "I Love Your Momma!" And they giggle and roll their eyes and say..."We know."

When he picks up his towels after a shower.


When he'll take both kids to the grocery to give me some mommy time.

From the mouth of babes!

Sometimes I'm amazed at the truth or the relevance behind a phrase that my children come up with. Just last evening we were trying to get ready for church, and clean up from dinner when Alyssa is chasing me around the house asking me for money to put in the offering for Jr. church. I'm all but ignoring her...putting her off...telling her, "Alyssa, go brush your hair." Then from her intelligent, wise beyond her years mind, she says, "Mom, what's more important, your looks or giving money to God?" "Ouch!" Needless to say, she got some offering.

No Matter Who wins the election!

I received this in my email and found it quite comforting.

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praises to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross for you.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost if they turn to Him.

ISN'T IT GREAT TO KNOW WHO IS STILL IN CONTROL?!

My Husband Rocks-Acronym-

Masculine

Yakışıklı (I really struggled with this one, but it means handsome in Turkish..=o})

Hard working

Unselfish

Steadfast

Beloved
Amazing
Nice

Devoted

Rare

Out-going

Compassionate

Keen

Strong

♥That's my man!♥

O.K.I have a ton cleaning, and other stuff to do, and it's raining, but I have a surprisingly positive outlook. I'm having a Premier Jewelry Party Thursday, and I've gotta think of something to fix ....any suggestions? I was thinking about making some pumpkin bread, and maybe some choc chip cheese ball...I don't know....ugh, decisions.
Anywho, so I took Alyssa to a Girl Scout meeting last night thinking it was an established troop, WRONG! They're trying to start a new troop. If we start this troop, we're gonna combine Daisies with the Brownie Girl Scouts which is K-4th or 5th grade, because there aren't enough girls to do just Daisies or just Brownie Girl Scouts. I hope they decide to do it, and of course they were asking all the parents last night who would want to be a leader....and we were all looking at each other like, not I. I told 'em I didn't mind to help, but I'm not committing myself to another thing. Which, if they do form the group I'll help out as much as I can, I just didn't want that title of being a Leader over my head.
Well, I'm gonna scoot for now. I may return later. In the meantime, if you all have any good, quick recipes please send them my way....Thank You!! Love ya.