Gratituesday- Things to come...

My little desk calendar at work has its own Gratituesday for today! It's a "Life's Little Instructions from the Bible" page-a-day calendar. On today's page it says:

"Show gratitude, if not for what you have now, then for all the goods things still ahead."

Wow! Sometimes I pray for things I want to happen in the future- like paying off bills, or hopefully, someday having children and getting to stay home with them. But I don't think I have ever said to GOD, "Thank you for my future blessings, whatever they might be..." But you know what? If I were fully trusting GOD to provide for me, now and in the future, I should be able to to say that- and mean it!!! I know I am going to have to work on this.

But today, I can also give thanks for those things which He has already provided- the most exciting for me today being that I am about to have my own website!!! YEA! Woo-Hoo! :-)

I am ironing out details, even as I am writing this. So please pray for me and this new adventure GOD has put into my life. Pray that it will be a blessing, not only for me, but for all who find their way to its pages. (And keep checking back here- I'll let you know when it's up & running- cause then all my blogging will be over there too!)

And I am also grateful to Laura and Char for all your encouragement ans advice and help with the details so far! I can't wait to get this going!!! :-)

But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." I Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV)

Be sure to visit Laura at HeavenlyHomemakers to see what others are Gratituesday-ing about! :-)

Tagged by Jayme...

Jayme tagged me with this MEME, so- here it goes...

*** Update I forgot the 5 snacks or treats!- Now they are there... :-)

What was I doing ten years ago?
My second semester of college, babysitting the neighbor's little boy, and starting to help with taking care of my dad's parents.

5 places I have travelled:
Las vegas, NV
Las Vegas, NM
Mt Rushmore, SD
Carlsbad, NM
Lubbock, TX

5 snacks or treats I enjoy:
Diet Cherry Pepsi
Most any kind of cake or cookie
Potato chips
Trolli Sour Cherry Bombers
Fruits & Veggies more & more! :-)

What would I do if I were a billionaire?
Support the Lord's work in this country and abroad
Pay off debt
Have plastic surgery (to remove the excess skin from my gastric bypass weight loss)
Find a big place where we can build houses for all our family to be close by each other
Have lots of kids (natural and adopted)

Places I have lived:
Pueblo, CO
La Junta, CO
Rocky Ford, CO
Next???

Jobs I have had:
Cook/waitress at Pizza Hut
Telemarketer
Appointment Scheduler for Ft. Carson, Air Force Academy & Petersen AFB medical offices
Social Worker
(and take a guess what my degree is in- none of these!:-)

People I am tagging:
Mia
Laura
Char
Laughing Laura

Anyone else feel free to play along- leave a comment to your post if you do. :-)

Bloggy Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to Suzy and Drala who won my bloggy giveaway! I have contacted both of you with a request for your mailing addresses- as soon as I hear from you I can get you gift off to you!
Thanks to all who entered. I can't wait for the next one! (Maybe next time I'll even have time to actually enter some giveaways too! :-)

13 things I can give to Christ...

1. My praise
2. My adoration
3. My time
4. Prayer
5. My attitude
6. My obedience
7. My trust
8. My attention
9. My effort
10. My tears
11. My burdens
12. My love
13. My life

I would appreciate your prayers this week, as I struggle with some of these- my attitude most of all. I've had a "poor me" attitude as of late, and have forgotten to be content in my present situtation. Please pray that that is something I can work to change in the following weeks.

Check out other Thursday Thirteens here.

Bloggy Giveaway!!!

I am excited to participate in this for the first time! I've had these little creations lying around for a couple of months and have been wondering if there would be some interest in them, I though they would make great secret sister or office gifts. So I'm testing the waters by giving one of each away! (U.S. only, please). Leave me a comment with your choice of the tea mug or the water bottle, and I will randomly draw two names Sunday April 27th at 8am, mountain time. Please only sign up once, duplicate entries will be deleted. And please be sure to leave a valid email address if you don't have a blog.

Here's whats in the Tea Mug:

And here's what's in the water Bottle:

Gratituesday...Spiritual Mentors

I have had to think about what to write about today- it’s not that I’m not grateful for everything in my life (even though sometimes things in our lives are not pleasant…). But because I have been struggling so much these past three weeks after my grandma’s death and all the stuff that happened with that- it’s been hard to see past the what if's and bitter memories that Satan keeps throwing back up at me. (And can it only have been three weeks ago- it seems like a lot longer…) But today I am thankful for God putting people in our lives to care for us as friends, and as spiritual mentors. I have one of those who I love dearly- I call her my second mom. And I hope she doesn’t mind me sharing part of an email she sent me the other day, because it meant soooo very much to me! (I took out all the identifying info…) This is what she had to say:

“You are so right about Satan. He always makes us second guess ourselves. We can so easily get caught in the "if only" cycle. I have been caught there too lately. .. You know Satan catches us in a place where we really can't go back and fix anything, but the thoughts, doubts, and self recriminations keep coming back to haunt us. I know that the serenity prayer is very simple, but it is a good one to keep in mind when one is caught in a cycle like this. You are probably familiar with it, but I am going to send it to you anyway. It is a great; yet simple thought that sometimes helps keep the dogs of self loathing at bay. It goes like this: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” I have to get ready for work now, but I wanted to let you know that I'm thinking about you.”

It also got me to thinking about people in the Bible. Didn’t God give us His written word to be a support and blessing to us- to give us examples to live by??? And then my mind wandered on to Paul. He killed Christians!!! He thought he had the right intentions for God – but then Christ told him differently- he repented and was blessed, but what a horrible burden to carry! He had to have times where he could not breath with the weight of what he had done bearing on him- even after all the good he had done for the church. Is that part of the ”thorn in his side” he talked about in 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10 (NASB) (“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”)? But he did give me an example of going on too- in Phillipians 3:12-17 (NASB) he says ” Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained. Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.”

The thing that keeps popping out to me is the FORGETTING, not forgotten, but forgetting- which to me means it’s a continual act- not a once for all. He had to keep forgetting what he had done in order to keep on towards the goal. Which to me says that Satan kept using it to try and hold him back from accomplishing the things that God had planned for him. And Satan has been doing that in me too.

So today I am thankful for those who went before me and have suffered similar trials in order that I might be strengthened by their examples, and continue to serve Christ because of them.

What are you thankful for this Gratituesday? Join us over at HeavenlyHomemakers and share!

Menu Plan Monday

I am slacking on my menu, so I figured it could only help to post it, which will hopefully keep me more accountable to sticking to it! Let's see if it works! Here's our plan this week.

Monday- Grilled Hamburgers

Tuesday- Tamales & Green Chili, Spanish Rice, Salad

Wednesday- Burritos & Green Chili, Salad

Thursday- Green Chili Enchilada Casserole, Corn, Salad

Friday- Chicken Cordon Bleu, Potatoes, Broccoli

Saturday- Lunch: Eat out in Pueblo

Dinner: Leftovers

Sunday- Lunch: Potluck at Church (taking Blondie Brownies)

Dinner: Paninis

I am going to be out of town for training on Wednesday and Thursday, so our meals look very similar for Tuesday through Thursday. I plan to make a big batch of green chili and pre-make the meals for Wed & Thurs, so all G has to do is heat them up so they'll be ready when I get home each night, since it will be close to or after 7 before I get home.

Visit OrgJunkie to see what other's are planning to eat this week!

If I die before you wake...

A powerful video by an American Soldier. We are so blessed to have so many men and women who are sacrificing like they are to help preserve our way of life. If you are one of those who have served or are serving- THANK YOU!!!

Click here to see the video.

This is scary...

See what Oprah has to say about Christianity...



Christ says, "I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life- no comes to the Father but by me." (emphasis mine) John 14:6

I pray that we all remember that the Bible is our guide, not our feelings- and that doing what Christ told us (through His written Word) is the ONLY way to be with Him in heaven in the next life.

When the hubby's away...

...the wife stays home! And eats yummy Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip and watches Sweeny Todd!!!
He's not really away, just working late- but I am enjoying my night (even though I miss him). He doesn't like musicals, or vegetables- so I can eat and watch what I like tonight!

Thirteen things I miss about living in the city...

Even thought I have now lived in this small farming community for eighteen months, these are some of the things I am still trying to get used to going without...

1. Taco Bell

2. Target

3. My Family

4. My Friends (especially Mia & Hil)

5. Monday night Bible study

6. The mall

7. Restaurants open late (sometimes you just need a snack at midnight, but down here- you better know before 10p so you can make it to Sonic before it closes!)

8. Good Mexican food, even with more ethnicity in the area we live, I have not found any great food.

9. Stores to shop at (Ross, Barnes & Noble, Office Max)- Down here you pretty much have to take what you can get at Wal-Mart...

10. Being able to run to the store if you forgot something- not having to plan to get it in two weeks when we go back to town...

11. Cheaper gas prices (our town is typically 10-15 cents higher, even though it's the same chain)

12. This View...

13. Did I mention my family and friends???... (sometimes the loneliness can be hard to cope with...)

Check out some other Thursday Thirteens today! :-)

Happy First Anniversary- Surprise Style!

My husband surprised me with a wonderful anniversary weekend!

We ended up at a hotel in Cripple Creek, CO! I loved it! The hotel had just been remodeled, all new amenities, even a flat screen TV on the wall (I especially liked this, since we can't watch TV in bed at home!)

The other nice thing is that the casinos are all smoke free- what a difference! The last time we went, we could hardly wait to leave- even sitting in any of the restaurants was pure torture to our allergy-prone eyes & sinuses! But this time was way better, and no hurting eyes at the end of the night!

But that was just the beginning of the surprise! Next, he tells me we have tickets to a show (and I'm thinking, when did Cripple Creek get a movie theatre?) No way- he took me to see a PLAY! And I might add- it was great!!! We saw Shakespeare's "A Midsummer's Night Dream", and for small town theatre- I was totally impressed! (And I think G even enjoyed himself a bit too :-)

Then on Sunday, we drove down to Colorado Springs to go to church, and then ate lunch at our favorite pizza place- Fargo's. It's a really cool place- an old Victorian house (huge house) and all the women staff wear floor length skirts and Victorian high-neck laced blouses. And they have these huge mirrors that have light-up numbers on them- that's how they call out orders. It is a one-of-a kind place! I even got in my veggies for the day! :-)

Then, we went for a ride in the mountains on the way back to our hotel. Check out these beautiful still-snow-covered mountains! We are so blessed to have an awesome God who created these amazing sights just for us!

This one is overlooking Cripple Creek. The picture does not do the view justice- the sheer vastness of the mountain range is breathtaking!

And now, as I sit here writing this, we shared some of our Wedding Cupcakes that we saved from last year! (My mom has a Seal-A-Meal, and they seemed to be pretty well protected from the freezer, and while they were edible, they were SWEET!!) But oh the cream cheese mint toppers were still delish!!! :-)

But, alas, the real world has now come crashing back... tomorrow is back to work but I have a wonderful weekend full of wonderful memories to take with me.

So, that is what I am grateful for this Gratituesday!

What are you grateful for today? Hop on over to HeavenlyHomemakers and share!

Surprise Weekend...

My wonderful hubby told me around 9:30 this morning that I had to be packed and ready to leave our house by 2p today, and that we won't be back until Monday! Hmmm. I have no idea what he's got planned- he's good at keeping secrets! :-) ( I do know where ever we are going has wireless- so I might have time to update later! :-)
What a wonderful Anniversary weekend this is going to be!

I may never eat out again...

Well- maybe never is too harsh- but I WILL be more mindful of what I order out...

See what I'm talking about here...

Scary...Very Scary...

But here's something to help you choose wisely when eating out!

Tonight we are eating "out" but not at a restaurant- G and I organized a Potluck Cook-off at our church. FUN & YUM!!! (More later... :-)

Thirteen things on or around my desk at work...

1. My Tea Mug

2. My "stash" of Stash Chai Tea

3. 3 live plants

4. Four calendars (my desk pad one, my one on the wall with cool pictures (Ansel Adams), my page-a-day, and a perpetual one with scripture cards)

P.S Was not intentional to number correlate these last two either, I guess that's just how my mind works! :-)

5. Phone

6. Computer
7. My very interesting, topic of conversation anytime someone

enters my office, chair :-)

(Right now I'm just using the ball itself- not on it's base.)

8. Year old pictures of 5 nieces (from our wedding- I need some updated pictures!)

9. Way more than 13 files that need to be worked on today (yesterday was more like it...)

10. Picture of my one-and-only :-)

11. Arbonne Hand Cream- can't live without it!!!

12. Bible (I keep one in my drawer- it comes in handy to read when I'm upset or the network is down, and also for finding passwords- which I have to change every 30 days!)

13. Holiday decoration box under my desk with my office decorations (why haul them home to put up when the box will fit, nicely out of the way, under my desk? :-)

Check out the Thursday Thirteen hub!

Gratituesday... The Ultimate Connection

Tonight it was my turn to meet Chelf. We had a grand time, me, Mia & Chelf (and our husbands and Mia's two girls). It amazed me how a few total strangers could sit down and visit like we were old friends, and then I remembered- hey we're not just friends- we're related! By the greatest bond two people, two complete strangers could ever be related by- we're brothers and sisters in Christ! Christ paid the ultimate price so that we could call these strangers family! WOW! So now that I've met another brother and sister- I am so glad we did! We had a nice long visit (and some laughs over Mackenzie's antics :-), and a yummy dinner at Black Eyed Pea. And even if I never see them again, (which we have already discussed trying to get together in July, hopefully (Sally & Jayme hope you'll be in on it too!) I know that there is something that we will share forever, besides the few pictures and laughs we had tonight, we share a Savior and a Heavenly Father who loved us so much that he gave His life/His Son so that we could go anywhere in this world and have family waiting for us there! What an awesome gift (and responsibility!)

Here's a couple of pics of our visit.

Three Bloggy buddies!

Mackenzie's favorite person! (She barely said hello to me tonight before she was asking "Where's G??" :-)

So this Gratituesday, I am grateful for all the family members God has brought into my life!

What are you thankful for? Join us over at HeavenlyHomemakers to share your Gratituesday!

For SALLY (and all you other Moms too...)

A newborn's conversation with God

A baby asked God, 'They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless ?'
God said, 'Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.'
The child further inquired, 'But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy.'
God said, 'Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy.'
Again the child asked, 'And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?'
God said, 'Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.'
'And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?'
God said, 'Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.'
'Who will protect me?'
God said, 'Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.'
'But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.'
God said, 'Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you.'
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, 'God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name.'
God said, 'You will simply call her, 'Mom.'

Workin' Weekend!

This is gonna be long- but mostly pictures of what we (well mostly my hubby) accomplished this weekend! :-)
Last year we kinda let our grass die- all of it... So a couple of weekends ago G decided to burn it, so we could start fresh... just about the time it got going really well, a volunteer fire-figther was driving by, and stopped to tell us it was illegal to burn in the city. Go- figure- burning going on all around us on the farms, but we can't burn our little patch...Oh well! So next G decided to look around for a tiller we could borrow to get it done. Well his looking around ended up being for buying not borrowing- and he got one off e-bay (Happy Anniversary, Dear!:-)


So Saturday morning G got busy (it actually started Friday night with a good soaking so the ground would not be so hard for tilling).
Here's G with his new toy!

Well, the puppies had to get involved- Oreo went around picking up sticks! :-)



My coworkers bought me a plant (in memory of Grammy) that I needed to re-pot, so that's what I did.



A little play time...


And then it's Lunch Time!! Laura's broccoli baked potato looked so good, we decided to have our own (with the addition of chicken - and I always have to have sour cream om my spuds!)


We even have our puppies eating healthier! :-)


So then I decided to veg out inside for a while after lunch- getting shopping lists and menus ready (which I haven't quite got finished and we're going shopping tonight! Yikes) But here's what G finished while I was inside. He planted some shrubs, and a lilac bush, a climbing rose bush and a regular rose bush, and started a lot of Sunflowers to plant later on. Then on Sunday he planted the grass seed.


So we'll keep you posted to how it looks as we get farther on our little project.

Whew! What a weekend.
Now I think we deserve a night off! And guess what- tonight we get it!! We are having dinner out tonight, in Pueblo, with MammaMia and her family, and we get to meet Chelf!!! Yea! I am looking forward to it- will let you know how it goes tomorrow!

Weary...

He's here!!

G and I are uncle & aunt for the 8th time! Lil' Major showed up tonight, and is doing well! Check out the details here!

More prayers please...

My SIL, SALLY had a MAJOR surprise today. Please pray that all goes well with her labor & delivery.

Thirteen Promises GOD has given me

1. Everlasting Love
Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. Unconditional Love
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

3. Mercy
Ephesians 2:4-7
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Luke 6:36-38
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."

4. Peace
John 14:27
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

5. Vindication
Romans 12:19-20
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. "BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD."

6. Freedom
Galatians 5:1
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery

7. No Worries
Matthew 6:34
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

8. Rest
Matthew 11:28
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

9. Intercession
Romans 8:26-27
In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

10. Justification
Romans 5:18
So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

11. A Home with Christ
John 14:1-4
"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. "And you know the way where I am going."

12. Salvation through Christ
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life

13. Eternity with HIM
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 10:25-28
And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE."

John 17:1-3
Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

WHEN YOUR HUT'S ON FIRE...

How is it that just when you seem to think that you're all alone and no one understands, you get an email like this???


The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Everyday he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.
One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?"
Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here," asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives... even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.

Nightmare...

The Memorial Service for my grandmother was last night. It turned out to be a nightmare. All I can say is that I am glad it is all over and I don't ever have to see any of that family again, they are hateful and rude and selfish. Now if I could just quit thinking about it, I might be able to keep my sanity.