As for me and my house, we will serve The Lord!

Sunday School Attendance

Another great way of getting "plugged in to church" is attending Sunday School.  No matter which body of worship you choose to attend, make sure that there is a Sunday School class that you can join.

I feel that in order to enhance your relationship with Jesus, you must fellowship with other believers.  Attending Sunday School provides you with a really good "small group" setting where you can encourage and be encouraged.  It allows you a place where you can get to know others of similar faith.  It is a place for you to share and for you to find others who can be your prayer partner or accountability partner in your daily Bible reading.

Sunday School is what you make of it, but if you don't attend a class, you are truly missing out. Sunday School is not just for little kids. Sunday School is one of the high-lights of my week and I look forward to going each Sunday and connecting  with "my girls".  My class is called "Daughters of the King".  We are a small group of women (generally no more than a dozen) and I can just feel the connection when I walk into the room.  We meet in the library at ESCC every Sunday at 9:45.  Our ages span probably 4 decades but you wouldn't know that to hear us.

#Verse2014 Challenge

Here it is, 2014!  If you are one of the ones who keeps saying "next year I will get involved in church" or "I'm going to have a better relationship with Jesus next year", guess what? The time is now.  Well, I am here to help if you will let me.  Today, I will share from an email I received this morning from YouVersion.  For those unfamiliar with YouVersion, it is a Bible App for smart phones.  They have all kinds of reading plans.  One of the most important things you can do is start reading your Bible on a daily basis.  I will admit that I have never been very good at staying with it.  I will read for a few days, skip a few days and then back at it.  However, I am going to start daily blogging so that it will help me be consistent with it.  I also have started a daily devotional which is a 30 day devotional for wives wanting to have a closer relationship with their husband and with God. 

OK, back to where I was going… the email challenged us to find our #Verse2014.  Here is a portion of that email :

As you consider goals and resolutions for 2014, here are three simple ways you can make the Bible a daily part of your life:

1. Find your #Verse2014. Choose one verse that you can focus on throughout 2014. Invite it into your life, display it, and share it with people you know.
2. Commit to a Bible Plan. This has helped so many in our community make God’s Word a daily part of their life. Sign up for a short, 20- or 30-day devotional. Build your confidence by completing your first plan. Then come back for another.
3. Share the Word. Invite family and friends to read with you. Help them get the Bible App, show them how to sign up for the plan you’re using, then discuss what you’ve read. Inspire others by sharing what you’re reading in emails, texts, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. God’s Word comes alive in community (Heb. 4:12).

I took this challenge and will be sharing on my blog.

This is the scripture I have chosen as my 2014 verse : “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7

~ Promise Ring ~

People who know me really well know that I remember lots of dates.  Dates just stick in my head.  I also like numbers so it makes sense that I remember dates.  Strange fact though, I hate math.  I never excelled at it and I struggled in my algebra classes, though I loved geometry.  I never took the later math classes like trig.  At this point in my life, I am so glad that I didn't because as a Wife, Mother and Customer Service Specialist I don't think those classes would have made a difference.  (to my kids, I am NOT saying that you can skip out on those).  However, the classes that I did take: home ec and a few business classes were enough to get me to where I am today.  I never went to college... do I regret that?  Not really because the choices I made then are what makes me who I am today.  Back to topic, I can tell you that Anthony and I became a couple on 8/12/91, were engaged on 6/26/92 and were united in marriage on 9/4/93.  So I am totally unsure how I forget the day that Anthony gave me my promise ring.  I am not even sure of the circumstances; where we were, what was said, nothing.  I just know that it was a pre-engagement promise that we would be there for each other through every step in our lives.  I know that it was October and the date was the 20s, but it could be anywhere from the 20th to the 29th.  I can't even look at a 1991 calendar and know because I don't remember what day of the week it was.  At one time, I ran across the receipt and knew and then forgot.  However, what I have not forgotten was the meaning behind the ring.  We were two 20 year olds, totally in love with each other.  He was a student at SIU and I was a full time accounting clerk.  We didn't jump straight to our engagement because we both were mature enough to know that we were not going to get married until his schooling was completed and we would financially be able to support ourselves.  I wear this ring every day of my life, I cherish it and the love that it represents.  While a material thing, and it didn't cost very much (remember I found the receipt once), it means a lot to me.  One day it will belong to one of my children and I hope that it gets passed down from one generation to another reminding our grandchildren and great-grandchildren that love conquers all.

Sunday Blessings

Sunday school

Sunday morning worship

Friends that love Nascar too

All church chili dinners
Online shopping

Getting up at 5:00 am

Getting up at 5 am is not for me.  Never has been, never will be.  However, as I was getting up this morning and getting Hallie up for cross country it hit me, I have a healthy daughter.  I am so thankful for our family's health and that Hallie is healthy enough to be able to run cross country.  So many children can't.  Again, sometimes I forget how big I'm blessed.

I Forget How Big I'm Blessed

The title of this blog totally fits my life.  On the grand scheme of things, I am truly blessed.  I have a wonderful husband who stands right beside me in all of my things that I volunteer for.  Does he complain?  Of course, but in the end he is the one who always has my back and helps me out of any jam that I get myself into.  I have been blessed with having the best parents.  My parents taught me so much about life.  We didn't ever have the biggest, the newest and the greatest of anything, but my life was filled with love and fun!  I have the best siblings.  There is 30 months between my brother and my sister with me jammed in the middle.  With us being that close in age, we grew up a lot like triplets and very much as twins with my sister though we are 17 1/2 months apart.  I truly believe with all my heart that they would do anything for me and I know that I would for them.  I have 3 wonderful children.  Do they cause me grief?  What kids don't at times?  However, they are never in trouble at school and bring home very good grades.  I have a house, a car, a great job, great friends, a wonderful church family and the love and grace of my Father in heaven.  Yes, I forget how big I'm blessed.  Hopefully, I will be able to keep up on this blog and share the little things that remind me on a daily basis of how big I'm blessed.

"This Is The Stuff"

Francesca Battistelli

I lost my keys in the great unknown
And call me please 'cause I can't find my phone

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately 
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed 
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing 
Might not be what I would choose 
But this the stuff You use

45 in a 35 sirens and fines
While I'm running behind
Whoa ho ho

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately 
In the middle of my little mess,
I forget how big I'm blessed 
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing 
Might not be what I would choose 
But this the stuff You use

So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Whoa ho ho ho

Oooooh This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff 
Someone save me 
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing 
Might not be what I would choose 
But this the stuff You use

Whoa whoa ho ho
This is the stuff You use.