Tax Free Holiday

To all you frugal shoppers out there:

Don't forget that this weekend, August 1-3, is Alabama's SALES TAX HOLIDAY! If you have some things you need to get for the kids or if you just want to do some shopping for yourself, get out there this weekend.

To see if your city is participating, click this link.

Some of the things included in the sales tax holiday are as follows:

• Clothing, including footwear (excluding accessories or sports equipment), which do not exceed one-hundred dollars ($100 per item).
• Computers and computer software (not exceeding $750 per item).
• School supplies and instructional materials (not exceeding $50 per item).

For a complete list of covered items, check out the Department of Revenue website.

Happy shopping, ya'll!

Christian the Lion

A patient of ours shared this story with me today, and I am so glad she did. If you haven't already seen this video, you MUST watch it. The story is amazing! Get your tissues out and ready!



The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. Isaiah 11:6

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and the dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord. Isaiah 65:25

What a glorious day that will be!!!

For more on the story of Christian, check out this link: Christian

Things Smart Moms Know

I subscribe to the Joe McGee's Ministries newsletter and love reading each month. I thought this one was extra great. It is a continuation from some previous newsletters. The subject: SIX THINGS SMART MOMS KNOW. Check it out:

Greetings!

In review, the first three things we covered last month were:

1. Raising a family involves sacrifice (John 10:10-13).
2. Daily planning is a way of life (Proverbs 16:3, 9).
3. You have to be flexible (2 Peter 3:18).

The last three areas are:

4. Encourage Your Children To Dream Big.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

"I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

No two children are alike. Each one has a different gift and calling. That's why we should never compare ourselves, or our children, with anyone else. Children do not all blossom at the same time. Never be guilty of discouraging your child. That's what the devil does. He is the accuser, and his number-one weapon is discouragement. Don't let a few failures keep your child from dreaming big. The Bible teaches that the righteous fall seven times a day but they get back up. We are not known as the perfect people, we are known as the getting-back-up people.

Albert Einstein was four before he could speak.

Thomas Edison's teachers told him that he was too stupid to learn anything.

Walt Disney was fired from a job once because his boss claimed he had no creative ideas.

Abraham Lincoln entered the Black Hawk War as a captain and came out as a private. He had two businesses fail, he suffered a nervous breakdown, and he was defeated in seven different elections before being elected President of the United States.

Alexander Graham Bell was laughed at most of his life as he tried to raise money to produce his invention, the telephone.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

Smart moms always encourage their kids to dream big!

5. Help Your Kids Avoid Bad Company.

The number-one way the devil tries to get at our children is through their social lives.

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Proverbs 13:20 (NLT)

We have to guide our children in the selection of their friends. Every child should be taught how to start a conversation, how to carry on a conversation, and how to end a conversation. "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly." Proverbs 18:24

In the New Testament we are commanded to stay away from certain people lest we become like them. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NLT) we read, "In the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!"

Smart parents want their kids to have godly friends--the kind mentioned in Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." Jesus taught that a friend is someone who will die for you--not someone who will get you killed.

Smart moms teach their children how to be good friends so they will always have good friends.

6. Never Give Up On Your Children.

Smart moms have eternal hope for their kids. They know they should "always pray and never give up" (Luke 18:1 NLT).

In 1 John 5:14 (NLT) we read, "And we are confident that he (God) hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for."

Smart moms know that when they pray according to God's will, He will hear and answer them. They also know that no matter what their kids have done, it's God's will for their children to be saved.

He (God) wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 1 Timothy 2:4 (NLT). He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT).

Pray that God will teach your children to fear Him, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. It's the devil who blinds the minds of people lest they believe in the glorious gospel. We need to work with God to lead our children to a saving knowledge of Jesus. It's the goodness of God that will lead them to repentance (Romans 2:4).

God is not trying to scare our children into his kingdom. He's trying to love them into it.

If we fear the Lord and delight in His commandments, our seed will be mighty upon the earth! (Psalm 112)

Smart moms never, ever give up!

God bless,
Joe McGee

To download free messages by Joe McGee or to order teaching materials, visit us at www.joemcgeeministries.com.

If you have never heard Joe McGee speak, you don't know what you're missing. He is absolutely hilarious and is so full of wisdom. Whenever he speaks at our church, people love it. I encourage you to check out his website. I think you'll be glad you did.

Are You This Excited About Your Underwear?

I don't know if you have kids, but if you do, you really must take them to see Kung Fu Panda. Channing and I took the boys a few weeks back, and Tristan LOVED it. He talks about it all the time and can hardly wait until it comes out on video.

Everywhere we go, Kung Fu Panda stuff is on everything...books, shirts, toys, and even underwear. Tristan hooked us with the underwear. He saw them at Target this past weekend and begged to get them. Channing, being the kind father that he is, agreed to let him have the underwear. Tristan was beyond thrilled. As soon as we got in the car, he had to hold the package. Before we could get home, he had opened them and was asking to put them on. Somehow we managed to get him home without trying to pull a Houdini in his seat. Once we got home, though, he was changed in a flash! He was showing his underwear all over the house.

Ok, so we were ok with that. We were ok when he asked if he could wear them a pair to small group Monday night (he was asking this on Saturday). We were ok when he jumped up yesterday morning and put his "Kung Ku Panda" underwear on first thing. Where things started to get not ok was when we got to work. I was at my desk getting things done and looked over to see him, with his pants pulled down, trying to show his underwear to the patients (and this isn't the first time)! Um, so yeah, we had to have a talk about that. I guess he just thought that everyone would be interested in seeing his underwear.

So if you ever see my son with his pants pulled down, just know that he's super excited about whatever underwear he has on. Channing and I, in the meantime, will be trying to squash this trend. It won't be so cute when he's 16!

70%

Do you know that 70% of Americans believe there is more than one way to get to heaven? I saw this story on the local news last night and was SHOCKED! 70%! 57% of evangelicals believe there is more than one way. 57%! According to the story, 92% of Americans believe in God, but of those 92%, 70% believe there is more than one way to get to heaven. This brings up so many points for me.

Just yesterday, I had kind of a debate in my head over the term "believers". I was going to send someone a question about a situation I was dealing with, and I knew they would ask me if the person I was inquiring about was believer. For me, that's tough to answer about some people. I have people I am close to who are believers. They believe in God, they believe that Jesus died for our sins; however, they aren't necessarily Christ-followers. James 2:19 clearly says, "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder." You see, it's not enough to just believe. James 2:20 goes on to say, "Faith without works is dead." We must act out what we believe! That's why I guess I prefer "Christ-followers". Is that nit picky? It is. SORRY!

Back to the subject at hand...the 70% of Americans who think they can get into heaven just because they were nice a couple of times or because they're not as bad as that guy who killed 10 kids... That is a dangerous way to live. The Bible clearly (clearly my word of the post, huh?) states that there is only one way to get to heaven...
You don't get there by being "good". None of us are good.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)

Here is a great site that has lots of verses clearly (there it is again!) showing that Jesus is the ONE and ONLY way to heaven.

JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY

Acts 4:12 says, "And there is salavation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."

I hope and pray that you don't fall into that 70%. If you do, it's not too late. Repent. Ask Jesus to forgive you. Then ask Him to come live inside your heart. Find a great church, and submerge yourself into His Word. I can promise you it will change your life. It did mine. Just ask anyone who knew me in high school or college. Thank God for the mighty work He did in me! I'm nowhere close to where I want to be, but PRAISE GOD I'm not where I was!

Cleaning

I wish these people were at my house right now! That would be fantastic. Alas, they're not. It's just the boys and me.
So today I'm cleaning. Well actually, right now I'm taking a break. I tend to do that a lot when I clean. I take lots of breaks and gear myself up to go back to the mess. I really wish I enjoyed cleaning. You know, actually, I don't mind the cleaning part, it's the organizing and putting things away that I dislike. I just lack that organization gene. It is absolutely not there for me, not with my home, anyway. If I teach school, everything is in its place. Very organized. My coupon notebook, the same way. But for some reason, I struggle with that at home. We just have SO much stuff...junk, if you will. Some days I just wish I could throw EVERYTHING away. What to keep? What to toss? For some of you, it's a no brainer. For me, it's so tough. Too, I struggle with staying on one task. I often start one thing, like say, putting away the dishes in the dishwasher. Halfway through, I'll go work on laundry, halfway through that, I'll decide to clean the shower. I do that ALL day. Stuff gets done, but I don't take things one task at a time. Is that weird? Does anyone else do that?

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men... Colossians 3:23

That verse was just a little reminder for myself. My little pep talk. Now I'm heading back to the shower to scrub, scrub, scrub! Well anyway, that's a little insight into my Saturday. Hopefully yours is much more exciting!

HILARIOUS!

I don't know if you have had the pleasure of reading (and laughing at) one the greatest blogs ever, STUFF CHRISTIANS LIKE, but I read it often and LOVE it! Due to time constraints, I'm not able to read it every day, so the post I'm about to link you to is a few days old. I got caught up tonight. Anyway, this post is HILARIOUS. Check it out:

Remix #34 Subtly Finding Out if You Drink Beer Too

I laughed through the whole post.

On a slightly serious note, this is one of those hot button issues. There are those who vehemently believe that drinking is wrong, and that those who do are committing a sin by doing so. I, however, don't personally feel that way. I have, at times, been on each side. I had my years where I argued that there was nothing wrong with drinking alcohol. I mean, after all, Jesus' first miracle was to turn water into wine (John 2). Then I had Tristan, quit drinking, and got kind of hoity toity and thought that I was above those who drank alcohol. I mean, don't those people realize what kind of example they're setting? Now, I'm in a place where I believe that being drunk is wrong, as multiple verses from the Bible tell us; however, I don't believe that it is wrong to drink. I believe that if a person struggles with it, they should not drink. I, personally, stopped drinking because I had often kept going when I should have stopped. I crossed the line, even if it was only slightly.

A couple of months ago, I read Romans 14 with fresh eyes. I was reading about how we need to accept those who have weak faith without passing judgment on them. Romans 12:2-3 says, "One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him." Then I went on to read in v.14-17, "As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit..."

You see, for years, I have read and heard this passage taught as something totally different than what I read that day. I had always heard (and had even used) that this verse meant that if you drink, even if it's very little, you are a stumbling block to others who may already drink too much. They see you drink, and they think it's ok. They drink more. Thus, the stumbling block. I'm not saying that may not happen, not at all. I believe sometimes it does. But what God showed me that day, as I read these verses with fresh eyes, was that if someone I know thinks that drinking is wrong and sinful, and if I drink in their presence, I am a stumbling block to them. They will regard what I am doing as evil and will be distracted from what God wants our focus to be on, "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit". BINGO! And this doesn't just apply to alcohol. It applies to everything, anything that may cause your Christian brother to stumble and take his attention away from Christ and onto whatever it is that you are doing. For some it's eating pork, for others it's getting tattooed. Anyway...

Have you done this? Have you tried to scope out if new people you meet drink or not (read the post from SCL first)? You may even be afraid to admit it. Whether or not you drink, I'm sure you've been through this, on one side of the fence or the other. As a person who used to drink regularly (not get drunk regularly, but drink regularly {although, before I got saved, I did get drunk regularly~college~oy!}), I remember constantly wondering if certain friends did or didn't drink. I guess we all probably wonder from time to time. Anyway, I thought the SCL post was really really funny. I hope you enjoy(ed) it!

My Blessings

Who knew it was possible to love someone so much?
How do you explain the love a parent has for their child or children? I really am at a loss for words when it comes to this. One thing I do know is that I have learned so much about God through my boys. God has shown me, via my boys, that no matter what I do, He will always love me. Through their lives, He has shown me that no matter how angry they get at me, my love for them doesn't waver one bit, as is true of my Lord. He has shown me that despite my feelings about myself and my shortcomings, He doesn't see them. He thinks I'm just right. Through my boys, my God has shown me that He wants me to succeed and only wants the best for me. My boys lives have also shown me that it is my job (and Channing's) to lead them on the right path. And when they stray from that path, I must discipline them so that they will be kept safe. EXACTLY what God does with me. Thank you, God, for my precious boys and for the lessons you are teaching me through them. I pray that I will make you proud as I raise them to love and to fear You.
May this be the only motorcycle my boys ever ride!
LOVE THESE BOYS!!!
Look at that smile.

Doing Much Better

Thank you SO much to all of you who have been praying for Channing and me. We are doing SO much better today. Praise God! Channing has gone in to work, and I'm still at home trying to rest up. I still feel light headed and dizzy when I stand up, but that may be because I haven't eaten anything in a while. I am going to test chicken broth at lunch. Yum, right? So, I'm not 100% just yet, but I am WAY better than yesterday. Food poisoning is no joke, ya'll!

I am so thankful that Channing is better. I hate to see him feeling bad. I am proud to be his wife, though. Despite his feeling awful yesterday, he still worked through it and took care of things that needed to be done. I know it wasn't easy.

Today is a new day, and we are on our way to a full recovery. I truly believe we are better because of prayer. I read online that food poisoning can last a week, but thanks to prayer, we are MUCH better! Thank you for your prayers. God is so good!!!

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well. James 5:14

I am a believer in this verse!

When Doing a Detox...

...Don't cheat! You are only cheating yourself, I promise! As some of you may already know from reading my post last week, Channing and I are doing a 21 day detox and cleanse. Let me give you a little update:

I did two days of the detox, with the supplements and diet, and had to stop taking the supplements because they were affecting Asher's little body too (yes, I'm still nursing. It's only once, maybe twice a day. We're working our way to 18 months, our stopping point). Not only was my body being cleaned out, but his was too. For some reason, I don't think that's good for a one year old. Standard Process doesn't think so either. ;)

I had to stop with the supplements, but I have kept with the diet. As of the weekend, I had lost three pounds. Pretty good. I was pleased. I did cheat on Saturday night because some friends and I attended a going away dinner for a friend, and Mexican doesn't quite fit the detox diet. Oh well. I felt ok with it because it was one day. Then yesterday happened...

Channing's mom was in town and took us out to eat at a super yummy restaurant. I did well. I ordered my healthy detox-style dish. Then, she got dessert. One bite couldn't hurt, right? I'm sure it wouldn't, but I took like five! AAAAGH! What got into me?! Next up, Channing and I decided to go to a movie (with his mother's urging. She's so great!). As soon as we walked in, we smelled the popcorn. I mean, who goes to the movie and doesn't get popcorn?!

So Channing starts smelling it and talking about how good it would taste, but that we are on the detox and can't have any. I couldn't leave it at that, though. Nooooo...I pulled, what I realized this morning was, an "Eve". I, like Eve with the apple in the book of Genesis, urged Channing to get some popcorn. I mean, how bad could one night of cheating be? We'll be all detoxed out. We still have more than a week and a half. After some strong urging, he conceded. We got the popcorn and a drink.

This morning, I woke up feeling AWFUL! I am so serious! I feel nauseated and my stomach feels queasy. That's when it hit me, what I had done. I had convinced my husband, who NEVER cheats on these things, to cheat and eat something (that didn't even taste good, mind you) unhealthy, and that did not fit the recommended diet. Just call me Eve! Eve convinced Adam to eat the forbidden fruit, and we all know how that turned out. Channing also feels a little yucky. I feel terrible! Physically, I feel awful, and mentally, I feel bad too. What was I thinking?!

This experience has taught me several lessons. One lesson it's taught me is that some of the foods I had previously enjoyed so much are SO awful for me. It took eating super healthy for a week and a half to show me the effects of eating junk, even if it's just one meal! Think of how our bodies adapt to these junk foods and stop giving us warning signals that these things are bad. I mean, normally when I eat popcorn and have a soft drink, I don't notice anything. After eating healthy for a week and a half, though, I really noticed the effects of the unhealthy foods last night.

Another lesson it has taught me is the power of my influence with my husband. The Bible teaches of women's influence with men. This situation has reminded me that I need to make sure my influence with Channing is godly and has his best interests at heart. In last night's case, it was total selfishness. I was more concerned with my fleshly desires than in what was best for his health and my own. I was tempted and fell, and I brought Channing with me.

In Joyce Meyer's book, Battlefield of the Mind, she says, "The Holy Spirit is quick to remind you if your mind is beginning to take you in a wrong direction, then the decision becomes yours. Will you flow in the mind of the flesh or in the mind of the Spirit? One leads to death, the other life. The choice is yours." WOW! How true?! Last night, I knew I was making a poor decision, but I was flowing in the mind of the flesh. Man!

Today is a new day, though. Thank God that for His mercies and that He is always teaching me! I don't like feeling sick, but I am so thankful that my Lord cares enough to teach me and to lead me in holiness! What a powerful lesson!

Now the mind of the flesh {which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit} is death {death that compromises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter}. But the mind of the {Holy} Spirit is life and {soul} peace {both now and forever}. Romans 8:6

So, if you ever do a detox, DON'T CHEAT! Can I just say, I'm living and breathing proof that it's not worth it.

UPDATE: It appears that Channing and I have food poisoning. Based on what I've read about the symptoms we are having (and some of the food we ate last night), I'm 99% sure that's what we have. PLEASE PRAY FOR US! It's really hard when both parents are sick. Tristan can entertain himself, but Asher, not so much. Too, Channing really needs to be able to finish his week out at work, and tomorrow is his last day. Our patients need him.
Tristan has been praying for us, and that has been really sweet.
Thank you for your prayers. I hope we'll wake up refreshed tomorrow. I read that some cases can last for a week! However, my God is Jehovah-rapha, the GOD THAT HEALS. I fully believe that I am going to be a new woman tomorrow. Praise God. Thank you, again, for your prayers!

Another Great Week at CVS

When I first glanced at this week's deals, I'll admit, I was a little disappointed. Then I came to my senses and got to work. I started figuring out the deals that looked best (with the help of the weekly ad, some websites, and some needs we had in the home) and ended up stocking up on some GREAT stuff! Check it out:

I have done three transactions so far this week (in two trips). During my first trip, this is what I got:
My first transaction:
2 Herbal Essences at 2/$5
1 6x8 photo book 7.99
1 Baby Bottle Candy 1.49 (I was over-charged by $.20 on this one. Too, I thought I was getting $1 ECB on this but didn't realize I had to buy 2. Oops! Tristan was happy, though!).
2 Sure Deodorants 5.38
1 Bic Soleil Razor 6.99
1 Big Soleil Cartridges 6.99
1 Extra page for photo book .79

Coupons:
1 $3/$15 CVS coupon
$3 off 2 Herbal Essences Coupon from newspaper insert
$3 off 6x8 Kodak photo book from n'paper insert
B1G1 Free Sure coupon
$1 off one Sure deodorant coupon from newspaper insert
$4 Bic Soleil razor coupon from n.paper insert
$4 off Bic Soleil razor cartridges from n.paper insert
$12 ECBs

I spent $3.71 cash out of pocket, used $12 in ECB, and I earned $15.99 in ECBs!!!
So I spent $3.71 and saved 35.92!!!

Today I went back for transactions #2 and #3. Here's what I got:

Transaction #2:
1 Neutrogena Mascara 5.99
6 Sally Nail polishes 5.94
2 Colgate Sparkling White toothpastes B1G1 Free 2.79
1 Baby Bottle Candy 1.49 (again over-charged by .20)
1 pack of CVS make-up remover wipes 2.99

Coupons:
$3/$15 CVS coupon
$.75 off one Colgate from n.paper insert
.75 off one Colgate from n.paper insert
1.00 off Neutrogena Make-up from website
2.00 CVS skin care coupon
3.00/2 Sally Nails CVS coupon
3.00/2 Sally Nails CVS coupon (they only gave me credit for 1.95 on this one)
3.00/2 Sally Nails CVS coupon (they only gave me credit for 1.95 on this one)
$5 in ECBs

I spent $1.50 cash out of pocket, used $5 in ECBs, and earned $5 in ECBs.
I spent $1.50 and saved $31.24 on this transaction!!!

My third transaction:
4 Herbal Essences Shampoos and Conditioners $10.00
1 Gain Joyful Expressions 4.99
1 Fiber One Cereal B1G1 Free 4.29
1 Total Cereal FREE
1 Speedstick 24/7 Deodorant

Coupons:
$3/$15 CVS Coupon
3.00 off 2 Herbal Essences Shampoo/Conditioner coupon from n.paper insert
3.00 off 2 Herbal Essences Shampoo/Conditioner coupon from n.paper insert
1.00 off 2 General Mills Cereals from n.paper insert
1.00 off Speedstick 24/7 deodorant from website
11.99 in ECBs

I spent $1.03 out of pocket, used $11.99 in ECBs, and earned $4 in ECBs.
I spent $1.03 and saved $37.54 on this transaction!!!

So far, this week I have spent $6.24 and have saved $104.70! Not my greatest week at CVS, but still really good! AND to make matters even greater, I had a super duper nice guy check me out (by check me out, I mean he rang me up ;)). He was awesome. He said I was a smart shopper and wishes I would teach him how to do it. That's a far cry from the woman who slammed the magazine rack in my face when I went to pay yesterday! :) Oh well. Like Tristan said, she must not have seen me.

I still have to make one more trip to CVS to make another 6x8 photo book and to make a 4x6 one. I haven't had lots of time to spend on the photo machine. I also plan to pick up another Bic Soleil pack.

So much CVSing, so little time! CVS, 99% of the time, I really love you!

Now, it's YOUR turn to save money!!! ENJOY!!!

Welcome Weekend

I hope you all have a wonderful, wonderful weekend!!! :) Aren't Fridays SO great?!

We are getting a sitter tonight for the first time in, well, hmmm.... I don't think we've ever had an actual babysitter, who wasn't related to us, watch both our boys while we go out. I am pretty excited and a little nervous too. We are going to eat with Channing's brother, his wife-to-be, and his parents at Prairie Fire Grill *yum* for a little family celebration dinner for the newly engaged couple. Should be fun!

Tomorrow, we'll hang out around the house, get some things done, have some fun. Then tomorrow night, I'll have a mom's night out (with some great friends) that is doubling as a going away party for our dear sweet friend, Adrienne. She's moving far far away to Virginia. {sniff}. Sunday will be a family day. The boys and I (all three boys) will attend the greatest church in the world, Church of the Highlands (I'm just slightly biased), then we'll spend time doing fun family stuff, like playing t-ball, dinosaurs, chase, etc. Fun stuff!

I'm sure this was pretty boring to you. Sorry! What are your plans this weekend???

...As You Believed It Would

A couple of weeks back, I felt the urge to read Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-7:28). I was struggling in some areas, and I felt like the Sermon on the Mount was a great place to find some answers and some reassurance for what I was dealing with. So I read the Sermon and was incredibly enlightened. However, I felt like there was more that God was wanting to show me, so I read on. That is when He led me to the passage that told of Jesus healing the centurion's servant.

I've read the story about the centurion's servant many, many times, but this time, God wanted to speak to me a particular phrase that I may not have spent enough time on. For those of you who may not know much about this particular passage, let me fill you in:

Jesus entered Capernaum, after his Sermon on the Mount, and a centurion came to Him, asking Him for help. The centurion told Jesus that his servant was at home "paralyzed and in terrible suffering." Jesus immediately told the man that He would go to his house and heal his servant. This is the point where the centurion amazed Jesus (and probably all those around them) with his faith. He told Jesus, "...just say the word, and my servant will be healed...". He says more, and if you haven't read it, you can find it in Matthew 8:5-13.
Verse 10 says, "When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following Him, 'I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with so much faith.'".

This man, this centurion, was so sure of His faith in Jesus Christ, that he knew that His servant would be healed simply by His words. That was a HUGE deal. However, the phrase that echoed in my mind after reading this story was this:

Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

Specifically, "Go! It will be done just as you believed..." Those four words echoed in my head, "just as you believed... just as you believed... just as you believed..." I feel like God was trying to remind me that what happens around me is often a result of my faith, or lack thereof. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." And in Matthew 21:22, Jesus said, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

In other words, if I am in God's will, and if I am pursuing Him with all of my heart, I needn't worry about my worries (if that makes any sort of sense). He is in control. He knows what is on my heart. He knows the desires I have. I need to stop doubting. I have heard it said, "Believe and Receive or Doubt and Do Without", and I completely believe that, although I often lose my way. When things get hard, I sometimes pray to God, ask Him for help, but plan my own way of escape. When I do this, I usually receive exactly what I believe, just like Jesus told the centurion.

You see, Jesus sees my heart. Although He hears my words of faith and my prayer needs, my beliefs are the things fulfilled. Too many times, I believe I'm going to be left to deal with the situation. AND too many times, that's exactly what I end up with. It's based on MY OWN BELIEF, not on God's unwillingness to help me. I am not a baby Christian, and He expects more from me.

Many times, though, God has rescued me by His great mercy and compassion, and I am SO thankful for that! Where would I be without His daily mercies??? I LOVE this verse, " The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end: they are new every morning..." (Lamentations 3:23-24 RSV). Thank you, Lord!!! EVERY MORNING He showers us with new mercies. WOW! Do I shower others with new mercies every day? I'm pretty sure I don't. God, you are amazing!

Lord, you never cease to amaze me. Thank you, thank you, thank you for the new mercies that await me each and every morning. Thank you that despite my sometimes floundering attempts at faith, you don't give up on me. I pray that you will fill me with the faith that can only come from the Holy Spirit. My trust is in YOU. I offer my life as a living sacrifice. I BELIEVE IN YOU! I believe, I believe, I believe. I love you, Lord. I pray blessings over all those who are hurting right now, Lord. I pray your peace over each of them. I pray that you will encourage them and strengthen them. I pray that their youth will be renewed like the eagle's. Lord, you are awesome! In Jesus Name, Amen.


Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy Name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. Psalm 103:1-5

FREE DIAPERS!

Yes, folks. That's right. FREE diapers! That's almost like an oxymoron. :) I first read about this on The Centsible Sawyer's blog a couple of weeks ago. I called and left a couple of messages, and on Tuesday, I finally connected with Sheila. I am now signed up to receive a FREE pack of size 4 diapers. All I have to do is have Asher wear the diapers, I fill out a survey, she calls me to get the results, AND then they send me $10 DOLLARS!!! FREE DIAPERS AND $10 DOLLARS! Woo hoo!!!

Sheila (the lady at Arquest, the survey company) said that if I knew of anyone with kids who wear size 4 diapers, to pass on the information. This is the last week for size 4.

For size 4 BOYS, call (888) 342-7372 ext. 634.
For size 4 GIRLS, call (888) 342-7372 ext. 646.

Thanks to The Centsible Sawyer for this great information!!!

Love This Quote

A mom will sit in the rain
in the bleachers to watch
her kid sit on a bench.

~Bill Gray

LOVE that quote! How true?!

This next one is just plain funny:

Good moms let kids lick the beaters.
Great moms turn the mixer off first.
~Amie Doyen

The Power of Words

As I continue on in my Proverbs study, I am being enlightened day by day. Sure, I know many of these proverbs, but to actually sit down and meditate on them really gives me fresh perspective. This week is going to be a really powerful one for me. This week's study deals a lot with the tongue and words spoken; a great area of struggle for me.

As long as I can remember, I have used my words carelessly. I say a lot of negative things. I say things meant in jest that could potentially hurt feelings. Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." DEATH and LIFE. What more do I need to know? The words I speak bring DEATH and LIFE. Seriously. That kind of puts things in perspective. If you're like me, you have heard the debate over this verse. Some teachers of the Word say that it means hurt feelings, while others say the words you speak can bring literal death. There are those that teach that your words have the power to make things happen, just as Jesus' words caused the fig tree to wither. I am not going to get into that debate. Rather, I am going to make this point. Our words have the potential to kill someone...emotionally, spiritually, and that can lead to physical death as well. Think about it. Think about a time that someone said something that just crushed you, something that caused such inexplicable pain. Think of the death you felt on the inside. Think of those who have committed suicide because of things said to them. Words do have the power of life and death.

Today I read Proverbs 12:18. It says, "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." I'm sure we could all attest to this. We have all had reckless words pierce our hearts, literally take our breath away. Sometimes the words spoken to us were spoken without the intention to hurt, but they hurt anyway. Now let's examine ourselves. When have we used reckless words? Think about times you may have hurt someone by your loose tongue. Maybe you don't struggle with this at all, but I surely do. I use reckless words every day. How awful is that? Sometimes these words are directed at my husband, my kids, friends, patients, the check out lady at Target. Many times, I speak careless words, words that I don't intend to cause harm but do anyway. Prime example, Tristan, you're driving me crazy! RECKLESS! If I have to do this one more time, I'm going to run away! RECKLESS.

James 3:8 says that "No man can tame the tongue." No man. Not you, not me. It is up to us to ask God for help. It is up to us to focus on the positive because out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Like David, we should pray, "Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3).

This may have totally bored you. You may not struggle with this at all. If you do, though, you're not alone. I have close friends who are struggling right beside me with this (we're praying for each other on this. I'm not trying to give someone a hint about themselves ;)). It is SO hard to tame the tongue!

Lord, I humbly come before you and ask you to set a guard over my mouth. Please keep a watch over my lips and let the words I speak be words of life, words that build others up rather than tear them down. Lord, let me be known as someone who speaks words of encouragement, someone whose words bring healing. Father, help me to focus on the positive and to keep my sights set on Jesus. Lord, I love You. I praise You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

On My Way to a Cleansed Liver

It's been a tough day. Channing and I just started a 21 day detoxification and purification cleanse. Channing is beyond thrilled. I, on the other hand, am counting down my 21 days as if I were in a prison. I'm the old fashioned southern girl. I like to eat...a lot! I am all about health, but nutrition is one area where I need a lot of work. I eat a lot and a lot of the wrong things. Give me candy, ice cream, and fried chicken fingers (from Guthries, of course), and I'm happy. Give me 10 supplements to take three times a day, along with boring meat and veggies (no Sonic slushes), and I'm a little sad.

This is Channing's second or third cleanse but only my first. Although I'm not excited about the process, I am thrilled about the impending results. I'm excited to clean out my liver because I know it is SO important. It's the filter of my body. It can only work well if it's not loaded with junk. Too, and my super main focus, is that I will probably lose some weight (Channing keeps reminding me that the liver should be my main focus. Yeah, yeah. That too. ;)). YEA!!! I am ready to lose what's left of the baby pooch.

The cleanse we're doing is from Standard Process. It's a great company that uses all organic supplements. And, according to Standard Process, there are approximately 80,000 synthetic chemicals registered for use in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that hundreds of these chemicals are present in our bodies. Research has shown that many of these chemicals can disrupt our immune, endocrine, nervous, and reproductive systems. Then they list the following as examples of external and internal toxins:

External Toxins:
Air and water pollutants
Caffeine
Cigarette Smoke
Cosmetics
Heavy metals
Household cleaning products
Pesticides and herbicides
Pharmaceuticals
Preservatives

Internal Toxins:
Ammonia
Carbon dioxide
Free radicals

We've had several patients in our office who have gotten GREAT results, so I'm excited to join their ranks. Now if I can just remind myself that this is good for me, I'll be doing well. ;)

CVS $5.00 4th of July Challenge

My boys and I spent our holiday weekend with my family in Ozark. While I was there, I gave some CVS tutorials to my parents and sister. They were definitely intrigued. My sister was so curious, she decided to go on my fourth of July shopping trip to the fabulous store. Check out what I got:I got all this in two transactions.

First Transaction:
2 Coppertone Water Babies Sunscreen $4.99 each ($9.98 total).
I used $7.99 in ECBs
Total Cash Out of Pocket: $2.17, and I earned $10 in ECB!!!
I spent $2.17 and saved $7.99!!!


Second Transaction:
2 CVS pantiliners $.99 each (1.98 total)
2 CVS tampons $1.49 each (2.98 total)
4 Sure deodorants $2.69 each (I used 2 coupons for B1G1 FREE and 2/$1 off coupons)
1 CVS Makeup remover wipes $2.99 each (I used a CVS coupon for $2 off)
I used my $10 in ECBs from my first transaction
Total Cash Out of Pocket: $1.93, and I earned $11.96 in ECBs
I spent $1.93 and saved $17.38!!!

So for my 4th of July CVS trip, I spent a total of $4.10 in cash and saved $25.37!!!
AND I went in with $7.99 in ECBs and came out with $11.96! YEA!

Also, I know a lot of you CVSers got email coupons for $4 off of a $20 purchase. I got that too, but I actually saved more money by doing two transactions than by using that coupon. Woo hoo!!! I LOVE CVS!

Oh, and I had an AWESOME CVS guy who was SO helpful! He actually only took one of my B1G1 free and one of my $1 off coupons for the Sure deodorant and doubled them so that I could use my other coupons again. YEAAA for him!!! CVS guy, I feel certain you don't read my blog, but if by some strange coincidence you do, THANK YOU!!!

Check out Alyssa's blog to see what others are getting for $5 or less (this is her challenge)!

Seriously, God?!

As I sit here and type, I am in utter awe of our God. He is SO amazing. Where do I begin?

Ok, so if you've been keeping up with my blog much over the past couple of weeks, you've probably seen the posts I've shared about what God is teaching me right now. I have been asking Him for wisdom and understanding. Just yesterday, I prayed, "Guide me in Your truth and teach me, my God, my Savior." Psalm 25:5. Well guess what? As usual, God does not disappoint.

This morning, I had a family member do something that really upset me. It upset me so much because it was dishonest and deceptive, and I felt that Channing and I were taken advantage of in a big way (there I go again, right?). I don't want to get into specifics, but I'll just say that I've had a really hard time with it.

As soon as I realized what happened, I immediately became angry (poor Channing. He had to sit through probably 30 minutes of me griping and complaining). My anger then turned to sadness. I just couldn't believe that this person would do this and be so deceptive about it. I mean, it really upset me. I had all these ways that I was going to "fix" this situation. I was determined not to reward this bad behavior. If our loved one was going to do this, then I was going to retaliate with that. I was making plans!

I came home for lunch, and after I made my sandwich, I thought I would get into God's Word a little bit while I ate. My first thought was to read today's lesson from my Proverbs study, but then I remembered it was in the car Channing is driving (and he's not home). Since I didn't have that, I pondered what I should read, then out of the blue I thought of my "Life on Purpose for Women" devotional. Channing bought it for me years ago, and I still haven't gotten through it. It seems I always have so many other books going. Anyway, in the past month or two, I have read the first couple of days of the devotional. So I went and grabbed it off the shelf and brought it to the table where I was eating. I opened the book up, and guess what was on the page???

Winning Battles God's Way

Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the Lord, and He will deliver you. Proverbs 20:22

Ummmm....YES, PEOPLE!!! God is listening and He does care! He hears every word, not that I didn't already know that. I mean, He's made sure to point it out to me EVERY day lately! WOW!!!

Some other nuggets from the devotion:

It seems that one of the hardest things for us to do is to wait for God to deliver us when we are victims of wrongdoing. Often our first reaction is to become angry (yep!), offended (check!), or to retaliate somehow (how embarrassing, but yes!). Unfortunately, when we do that, we usually forfeit any help we might have gotten from the Lord.

Yes, there are times we may have to take appropriate action-perhaps even legal action-but it should only be at God's direction and with His approval. Otherwise, it will be futile, or even disastrous. If you are in need of deliverance from injustice today, be encouraged by God's promise to you: "The Lord will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants." Psalm 135:14

And a prayer:

Lord, when I'm a victim of injustice, help me to see Your direction above everyone else's. Show me when to take appropriate action and when to wait on You for deliverance. Teach me how to let You fight my battles for me so that I can gain the victory every time. Thank you for promising to be my Vindicator!
In Jesus Name, AMEN!!!

My greatest prayer is that this brings someone hope. God has been showing up in HUGE ways in my life lately, and I am in utter amazement of Him. However, He wants you to know that He loves you too. He cares about your problems and wants to reach out to you and to teach you as well. Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." I am living proof that this verse is TRUE. Thank you, Lord!!!

Lord, I am amazed by YOU!

Ash Getting Some Love

My friend, Ashley, sent this picture to me this morning. It's a shot of her precious little man giving Ash some love at our church's big 4th of July Event last night. Ashley and I both have boys the same age. She has a four year old and a one year old just like I do. Her little man, pictured above, is only five weeks older than Asher, but he has been walking (and running, for that matter) since he was like 10 months old. He's also a good bit taller than Asher. It's always so much fun watching them together. Asher usually just gets as still as a statue when Baby N comes around. I LOVE it!!!

My Prayer

Guide me in Your truth and teach me, my God, my Savior.
Psalm 25:5

Can A Boy Get Some Sleep Around Here?!

Poor Tristan! He fell asleep at the office today...right on the floor...in the patient traction area (Fashionista, he totally dressed himself today. Don't get on me about those RED crocs ;)).

For some reason, Asher loves to poke, pull, and jump on Tristan when he's sleeping. Most of the time when Tristan is awake, Asher doesn't pay him much attention. But let him try to get a little rest, and Asher is all over him. Oh the joys of being/having a baby brother.

Our Saturday

Saturday was an extra fun day for Tristan and Asher. They both love being outside, and it just so happened there was a HUGE event going on in the shopping center where our practice is located (ok, maybe HUGE is kind of overstating it a bit...maybe overstating it a lot). Nevertheless, my boys had a blast! As you can see in the picture above, Tristan had his face painted like his favorite thing...a dinosaur! Isn't he scary? :)

What made his day even more special was having his good buddy, Josiah, to play games with. As you can see, we had two dinosaurs running around!
These boys really do love each other!Ash took advantage of his time outdoors by doing LOTS of walking, his new favorite trick.
All that walking makes a boy thirsty!Look at that face! How could anyone ever be upset with such a sweet little man?And here's a picture of my three favorite guys. How blessed I am!!! I love you boys!!!