It's time for an OFFICIAL update...so here goes.

First let me say. GO BUCKS, BEAT MICHIGAN. Jacob is so stinkin excited to be home to watch the game in OHIO!! He will be with friends today, awesome winners if you ask me! I, on the other hand, am with JOY working. Hey, it's not all bad, could be worse :)
We moved just under a month ago from Arizona to Ohio and we are living in the Bexley area of Columbus. I am working for a property management company doing some Resident Manager work. It's a good job, good pay, great benefits, etc. I love my boss, she is super sweet! My co-workers are fun and very helpful.
Jacob is still searching for a job, but has some very promising leads. We are pretty confident that he will have a job by Thanksgiving, giving us just ONE MORE THING to be Thankful for this holiday season!
We are excited to be in Ohio, but I'm not gonna lie, you FORGET how cold it really is here. I have been layering so it hasn't been too bad...but it is cold :)
I need to make it up to my mom and dad's house to get the rest of our Christmas decorations, etc. I didn't realize how much stuff I actually left here 3 years ago when we moved...it was like Christmas seeing all of our left behind stuff!!
So God has been blessing us, we are relying totally on HIM and whatever it is that He wants for and from us, we will be happy!
Thank you for all of your prayers and love. We are glad to be back :)

So it's been awhile...

Yes, I know. It's been awhile since I've posted anything...
Need I remind you I just hosted my parents on vacation in Arizona, packed up my house, drove 42 hours across the country in 3 days pulling a uhaul trailer, signed our lease, moved in, started a new job and am STILL living out of boxes...
Yes, needless to say, it's been an adventure. We are so excited to be home though. We've gotten to see all of our immediate family members, and a few extras as well. Tonight we'll be heading up to MVNU to see campus again and attend Homecoming...first time in 4 years. Before that I hadn't missed a single one! It's exciting and I just can't wait. I have to get through a day at work...but I can do it!
More news later!

We are back!!

Well after 3 long years, and a 42 hour drive, we are BACK in OHIO!! Yay! Couldn't be happier. Jacob's brother Jarrod and his wife Amanda flew to Phoenix to help us drive back. We stopped at the Grand Canyon. Strange that we had lived there nearly 3 years and never taken the drive up there!

Jacob, Me, Amanda and Jarrod at the Grand Canyon

Picture of the trip home, BEAUTIFUL mountains!! Some even had snow on them!

Yay we got to see some of the leaves changing...beautiful!!


God has provided so much for us. We are so blessed to have such great families! We tried not to doubt for a moment that we were well taken care of, and the end result was WAY better than we could have imagined.
I have taken a few pictures of my kiddos, and wanted to share...more to come obviously :)

Allie on her 4 wheeler.

Zoey on HER 4 wheeler.

A self taken picture of me and Wyatt!!
Love to all!!

Less than a week now...

I can't contain my excitement...every time I think of Ohio, I get excited.
Then I look out my window and I frown thinking of ohio...boo ohio weather.
That's really all I'm upset about though...really. I don't want to go back to the weather but EVERYTHING else we'll gain on the journey will be worth it!
I can't wait!! :)
On another note...My parents are in town. We are having a ball!! We went to Rustler's Rooste tonight for dinner. It was a fun time. We even got our waiter to give us "horns" tonight...Just thought I'd share our pics...



I would have posted the one of Jacob, but I ruined it by being in it...not that I have poor self esteem...but the picture is just hideious...seriously.
Enjoy :)

Be Still = Confirmation...again!

Today was my "goodbye" lunch with my Apartment Life Staff Team. I had resolved when I left the house today that I WOULD NOT CRY. I lasted all of 10 minutes. When we pulled up to Chili's...one of my FAVORITE places to eat...I saw Ryan (my boss/co-worker) carrying what seemed to be something large. Immediately I said to him "That better not be my present" and he asked why. I told him because we were only taking a small trailer back and didn't need to "pack more stuff." He just laughed it off and told me there would be room.
When we sat down to lunch, he, like a little kid on Christmas, asked if I would open my present. He said that if it was cheezy or I didn't like it that I could return it. I didn't care how cheezy it was...I was keeping it, because it was a gift from them. So I opened it. It was a BEAUTIFUL picture of a snowscape, like what we're moving to.
I LOVE IT!! It's going on our wall as soon as we get to Ohio!! What really got me was the verse at the bottom. When I started this blogging thing, God was really speaking to me to be silent and let him work. The verse was "Be still and know that I am God." I cried. It meant so much to me because as they were saying Goodbye, God was confirming our decision, again. Thank you God for your perfect will and provision. Thank you for placing these people into my life. I cherish and love each and every one of them. As soon as Pammela sends me the group picture, I'll add it.
Thank you Apartment Life, Phoenix. I love you!!!

Beatitudes = Salve for the broken soul

We've all heard the Beatitudes in Matthew:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.

etc. etc. I mean, we've read them, recited them, we know them. The coolest thing I read today was these verses...but reading them in "The Message" translation shed some new light...

"You are blessed when you are out of options and all you can do is lean on God. Because when you realize your need for God, it is only then that you tap into his immeasurable greatness and goodness. Your blessed when you've been stripped of that which is most precious to you. Because only then can you be tenderly embraced by the one most precious to you" (Matthew 5:3-5)

I think the thing that hit me most was that first verse...YOU ARE BLESSED...when all you can do is LEAN ON GOD."
It's funny because I've come to this realization lately. I can't do it all on my own...so why do I even try? I love GOD and I'm so thankful that He loves me.

A friend of mine once said "Perfect love casts out all fear, and I am loved Perfectly, so I have no fear." God is in control of the craziness that is happening in my life...I want satan to hear that LOUD and CLEAR...GOD IS IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE. I trust in HIM and HE loves me perfectly.

11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
MESSAGE TRANSLATION:
"Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

My mom has said FOR YEARS..."it's just spirit to spirit." So thank you God for teaching me this lesson all over again. Do I take it personally? Yes...but I don't react to it as a personal offense. I am not offended...I am accepted!

I have already received a wonderful gift...my salvation. I am loved. I am taken care of. Increase and Victory is mine.

Random Days = Random Thoughts

So today, I have to admit, was kinda random. Good and bad things happened today, but I honestly felt like I was in a Karen Kingsbury book! When Satan tried to steal my joy, there God was just whispering promises in my ear. "Be still and KNOW that I am God"...When I was feeling wronged and anxious "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts"...He just loves me so much. But it really came to me in almost a whisper just like the characters in the book! I loved it, I really felt Him near me today.


Also, I had the BEST lunch today...made me think of my "power dinners" before softball games as a kid. Here goes: 1 hard boiled egg, 2 slices of cheddar cheese, 2 slices of apple, a few grapes and a mini bagel w/ peanut butter. AMAZING!!! Just what I needed for lunch! I was so excited!!! (oh and I found this at Starbucks...I didn't make it myself...double bonus!!) Plus I have to admit, I'm in LOVE with Naked Juice...it's basically amazing!!


Our moving plans change DAILY...not the date, but the method...it's annoying, but the bible does say SEEK and you will FIND! We will find our correct answer to give us the BEST move back to Ohio!!


I had a job interview today...and honestly I think she really liked me! I was really excited and I'm hoping God will open the doors to this company. It's a christian company and that is really important to me. God knows exactly what I need and He just keeps meeting need after need after need.


I love that my mom reads my blog. It really touched my heart that she could see the pain in my last blog and said "don't worry, we'll be there soon." I want NOTHING more than to be near my family so when I need a hug...I can drive and get one.
I have been so blessed with an awesome family. My sisters are priceless...they better get ready for full body hugs...because i'm gonna pounce! :) Can't wait!!


My kiddos are growing up so quickly! I can't wait to see them all and play! I want to take them to the movies, the park, etc. I just want to be there hanging out and having fun. I'm down with doing WHATEVER they want to do!!


I can't wait to smell Ohio...mmm...I walked outside the other day as the weather in AZ is changing and I felt like it was a "friday night football" night...and early game, just when it's still hot but starting to cool...I was singing "football friday nite, football friday nite!!" ha ha We have Buckeye fever...can't wait to be in Columbus for a game...won't be long now.


We started telling our residents that we are leaving...the reactions we are getting are surprising but heart warming at the same time. We never knew they liked us soooo much! Thank you Lord! You are so wonderful!


I guess all in all, it was a GREAT day. I plan on eating chicken stir fry for dinner...yum...doin a little work and hitting the hay early tonight! Tomorrow is another day...and the 2nd day of packing. All in HIS time...we'll make it home!


Great is thy Faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see, all I have needed thy hand has provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

His Eye is on the Sparrow = Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Why do I feel discourged
Why do the shadows come
And why does my heart feel lonely
And long for heaven and home
When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And i know He watches me....
------------------

God will take away your pain
If you choose to let it go
If there’s one thing I know
------------------

Thou changest not
Thy compassions they fail not
As Thou hast been,
Thou forever wilt be.
Great is Thy faithfulness

So today...obviously Selah has been a huge inspiration. I feel like I'm drowning today...like if I just go run 5 miles or cry really hard somehow I can climb to be above water. Well I have no time for either of those things today...so what I do is put on the Selah Praise Music, like salve on an open wound it heals.
Thank you GOD for Selah and their passionate worship ministry. They truly have been a life saving raft for this drowning spirit today.

I WILL SING BECAUSE I AM HAPPY, and PERFECTLY LOVED!

Following suit = I have great friends

I have spent the past few minutes reading my friend's blogs and I have to say I love my friends. The reason being, they are just wonderful...all in their very different ways. It's incredible to me that we are all so compatable, yet they are all sooo different from each other. I guess I have one good friend for every character trait I posess...or so I'd like to think.

I also secretly LOVE being mentioned in their blogs!!

This picture, is inspired by my friend J. so It's only fitting that It's of me and him...Thanks J. You're so right...the pictures are great memories captured...and I am looking forward to capturing many many more with you and your family! I love you dearly. You force me to do things I think I will not enjoy, and yet, even as scared as I become, I am thankful that I have endured. You are a wonderful friend, and the icing on the cake is that I get to be best friends with your wife.

CS...I love you. You are so different from me, and my love for you is different than any other friend I have. I try so hard to find friends that are a lot like me, and yet, our friendship transcends any likeness that we have and you challenge me in a way that no one else can. Oh and I am soo proud of you for this marathon girl...way to overcome your mountains!! ps. Your kids, amazing. I am going to miss you guys so very very much! I do promise, however, that one day we will "vacation" together...it will be a fun fun time...don't doubt it, embrace it and wait for it to happen...I am a woman of my word! :)

To my sisters: Thank you for being so excited for our return home...you have no idea the joy it brings me to think we are only days away from hugging again. Thank God!

So keep blogging...I love reading them :)

A page is turned = changing times...

Another page turned today, it was our last CARES Team meeting...for now. I keep saying "for now" because my hearts desire is to see this program come to Ohio. What an awesome ministry. What an awesome group of people. What an awesome God we serve.
Anyways, I was happy, sad, excited and blessed all at the same time.
Thank you God...for turning pages, completed chapters, and new ones!
27 days...

To Blessed to be Stressed = SO TRUE!!

So this has become my new mantra...I'm too BLESSED to be stressed!! Check it out and LIVE IT!!

I'm Too Blessed To Be Stressed,
Too Anointed To Be Disappointed

I refuse to be discouraged,
to be sad or to cry.
I refuse to be downhearted
and here's the reason why:

I have a God who is almighty;
who is sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me,
and I am on His team.

He is all wise and powerful;
Jesus is His Name;
though everything else is changeable,
My God remains the same.

I refuse to be defeated!
My eyes are on my GOD!
He has promised to be with me,
as through this life I trod.

I am looking past my circumstances,
to Heaven's throne above.
My prayers have reached the heart of God.
I am resting in His Love.

I give thanks to Him in everything.
My eyes are on His face.
The battle is His; the victory is mine;
He will help me win the race!

I repeat, "I'M TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!"

today = GO BUCKS!

I can be happy, the Buckeye's won...and that makes my husband very happy!! Last week was a nightmare. Thank GOD for redemption!! :)
Yay! Go Bucks! We love you!

ps. watching the bucks in az = NOTHING like watching them in OH...I'm starting to see the cons outweigh the pros...

visitors = happiness :)

I have to say, I'm getting really excited for the next couple of months! SO many great things are gonna happen...to name a few:

1. We are going to SC to see Mookie and Holly NEXT WEEK!! I can't freaking wait!
2. Summit '08 in NC that same weekend!
3. I get to meet my Name Twin...yes there IS another Sarah Johnson Scott...I'll get a picture to prove it!
4. My mom and Dad are coming for a visit...end of October! I may even get to see my dad's older brother then too!
5. Jacob's mom is coming for a training in November...3 days after my parents leave.
6. Christmas is coming...it won't be long until I get to see my WHOLE FAMILY!!!

Can't wait...such anticipation of GREAT THINGS TO COME!!! :)

Brian Regan = FUNNY!!!

How great is this? We're leaving our Business Meeting tonight and Jacob and I both said we wanted to listen to a little Brian Regan. When we got home...he was ON COMEDY CENTRAL!!!!He's basically the FUNNIEST GUY EVER... I encourage you to go check him out on you tube if you like. I've included my FAVORITE bit of his.

All of the knowledge of this man goes to my AWESOME friends Drue and Meredith. They have not only introduced us to this awesome comedy, but so many other wonderful things in our life...I'll name a few:
1. Dreams can come true
2. REAL friends are forever
3. XS is good for you
4. Friends don't let friends pee clear...
5. Read your Bible and other great books!
6. Freedom isn't free...but it is possible. It does require work and sacrifice.

They are amazing...I mean, to start out with Brian Regan and then all of the other stuff...we are MORE THAN BLESSED to have them as friends.
Enjoy the clip and let me know what you think :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ihM43S6QDQ

The Distance = No Birthday Parties :(

I have to admit, sometimes the distance just really gets to me. I mean, 2000 miles is a LONG WAY...hence the map. Just look how far away Arizona is from Ohio. I mean sometimes I just can't push the homesickness away.

Ha, just the other day my sister volunteered to find Jacob a job in Ohio so I could come home and have babies! I WISH it were that simple! Thanks Em!! :)

But seriously, I really appreciate and love my sisters!

So I was at work today, my phone rings and I answer...to 10 people yelling "HI SARAH" to me on the phone! My entire family was out to dinner for Hannah's birthday, and they included me in it! I felt so special, and really wished I could have been there. I mean, I've missed EVERYONE'S birthday this year...I guess it's OK because I'm where God wants me...but sometimes it's just really hard.

Then on my way home from work Emily called me to ask me a question... (i am the sister w/ all the useless/useful knowledge...and i married mr. factoid too!) ...she wanted to know the lyrics to a song. I mean it's little things like that, that make me feel so close, even when i'm OBVIOUSLY so far away (again, refer to the map!!)

I'm just hoping and praying that in the not so distant future, I can be with my family again. CHRISTMAS can't come soon enough!!!

YESSSSSSS! GOING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!!! Can't WAIT!!! :)

Dear Santa,

All I want for Christmas, is my family.

Oh and a candy cane, a Christmas Carol, and some snow would be nice too!!

Thanks, and yes, I've been good!

-Sarah

ps. Don't forget the Wassail...and a buckeye or 2!! and please deliver that to OHIO...cuz that's where I'll be for CHRISTMAS!!!
YAY!

Be Still My Soul

Wow, do you know what a JOURNEY is? I mean, the real definition. Well dictionary.com says: Journey: A traveling from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time; A passage or progress from one stage to another. That is what we are all on, but sometimes one's journey is harder or longer than another's. Jacob and I are on a journey, God is revealing Himself to us in a MIGHTY way, but it's so hard to trust and obey, be still and know, etc.
Then i get into my car today, feeling completely beat up by the enemy, and i listened to a CD that I "borrowed" from a friend. Here are some of the words God layed out before me to affirm that HE knows where I am on this journey and that HE sees it all and HE IS in control.
Be still, my soul:
The Lord is on your side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain
Be still, my soul: Thy best, Thy heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know (still know)
His voice who ruled them While He dwelt below
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.
Be still my soul.

Then the next song came on and it was:
So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
And fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender
I surrender
Savior He can move the mountains
My God is Mighty to save
He is Mighty to save
Forever Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus

It just kept going and going and I felt so greatful for the opportunity to just sit in the presence of God and allow Him to fill me back up. HE IS SO GOOD to me. I love him.
So, I pick myself back up again, dust myself off, and continue on the journey.
It'll be interesting to see what happens next. I know MY GOD has something WONDERFUL in mind :)
Thank you Lord!!

Blogging

So...blogging is taking over the world and I don't want to be left behind :) I also want to be able to comment on my friend's blogs and I can't figure out how to w/o doing my own...so here goes :)

Life is HOT in Arizona...I'm so over the heat already! I am ready for it to be cooler...and by cooler I mean 90! LOL It's been 105-110 for about 2 months now and I'm tired of the heat.

Life is good here, God is good! Jacob is working from home now and I love having him here. God keeps opening and closing doors for us and we just keep walking through them faithfully. We are trying our hardest to stay in step with our Maker. He is SO good to us! He is teaching us to Trust AND Obey...not just try to trust and then if it sounds good obey. What a pay off it is to do so and receive the blessing...and what a blessing we are in return!!

Buster and Molly are good, they just wish they had a yard. We do too!! I gotta tell you, walking 4 floors 3-5 times a day isn't exactly fun...but we stay in shape doing it!!
Speaking of which, I WAS training to run a marathon, and in true Sarah fashion, I jumped in with 2 feet and ended up straining my hip. It doesn't hurt all the time anymore, but I cant' "run through the pain" so no marathon for me this year. Oh well, plenty more years to try it again :)

We are so excited for the upcoming months...so much is going on! We are going to South Carolina for a Business Conference, and on the way we'll get to see Mookie and Holly!! So exciting!! I haven't seen Holly since March.
Also while we're there, i'm going to get to meet my exact name twin! She found me on Facebook, and her name is obviously Sarah Johnson Scott!! We're so excited to meet each other!!
When we return, Jacob's grandparents will be in Arizona, and so we'll get to see them!! Then My parents come to AZ end of October and Jacob's mom will be here begining of November. We'll spend Thanksgiving with friends and then before we know it it will be time to go to Ohio for Christmas!!! We are so excited that we'll be home this Christmas! We've spent the past 3 here in AZ...and we just want to be w/ family!!

So I guess that's what's going on with us...let us know what's going on with you!
-sarah