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...