Hey everyone.
This holiday season I challenge you to help someone else out. I know, personally, of two families that could use your help this holiday season and beyond this holiday season. A friend and I have created a blog that you can log on to and read a brief summary of these two families, there is also a donate button where you can financially donate to help them out. Please check it out and help someone else out for Christmas and beyond!
Here is the link to the blog to help them out:
http://whenbadthingshappen2goodpeople.blogspot.com/
Thank you all for your generosity and giving spirit this Christmas season! God bless!!!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
my. busy. life. & what God thinks about it
So lately I have been feeling like God has been telling me to not be so busy, and I've ignored Him(bad idea to ignore God). I've been working as much as I can, trying to keep the house up and trying to run after 3 kids and volunteering for anything I possibly can to help further the kingdom and I've gotten really frustrated. Business has slowed down, people that I normally help out with haven't asked for much help, my entire family has gotten sick and anything I have tried to do has been interrupted,I'm not exaggerating. My life has/had gotten to the point that I didn't have time to cook, didn't have time to help my daughter with her homework, didn't have time to give my husband the attention that he needs, didn't have time to read the Word. I've felt so rushed and my mind always focused on 4 or more projects at a time that I couldn't focus on whats been going on in my everyday life.
This all hit me pretty hard when our 15month old has had about 4 more teeth come in that I never even noticed. We've been forced to slow down some with kids getting sick, etc, but I've still tried to do what I felt I needed to do, we've gotten so caught up in being busy that that was who we had become - we were busy, I might as well have introduced myself to people that way. And then I read one of my husband's good friend's blog( http://bradpostonline.com/ <--you should check it out) and it hit me in the face again, bringing to mind all the things that have been currently brought to my mind and reminding me that God is NEVER too busy for me and He allowed me to come into existence. Every good and perfect gift is from Him and I haven't been making time for Him, we've even rushed through our bed time ritual with our kids prayer/devotion time, leaving out the devotion but still praying... what are we teaching them? That what we have going on is too important to take a few extra minutes to spend time with them getting them in the Word.
I made the comment to my husband that I felt like we were bad parents, and a lot of times I really feel like that. The main reason for my feelings is because we have been too busy to set the example for them that they need to take time to enjoy things and enjoy God and His Word and His presence in their life. When Mackenzie was Kaeleigh's age she had several scriptures memorized and she was so proud of it and she would talk about God and Jesus and always asked us questions, but Kaeleigh doesn't do that, and really the only thing that has changed has been how busy we are now and how much time we spend talking to them about God, Jesus and the Bible. And especially with Christmas coming up, we need to be taking the time to share with them the true meaning of the season and enjoying the season with them. Time flies by too fast and I want my children to have memories of mom and dad doing things with them and sharing with them and most importantly having time for a meaningful relationship with our Saviour and sharing that with them.
If I have rambled any, I apologize, I'm a rambler and I do it without realizing it. But hopefully something that I have said will be meaningful to someone, even if it's just me and one other person.
This all hit me pretty hard when our 15month old has had about 4 more teeth come in that I never even noticed. We've been forced to slow down some with kids getting sick, etc, but I've still tried to do what I felt I needed to do, we've gotten so caught up in being busy that that was who we had become - we were busy, I might as well have introduced myself to people that way. And then I read one of my husband's good friend's blog( http://bradpostonline.com/ <--you should check it out) and it hit me in the face again, bringing to mind all the things that have been currently brought to my mind and reminding me that God is NEVER too busy for me and He allowed me to come into existence. Every good and perfect gift is from Him and I haven't been making time for Him, we've even rushed through our bed time ritual with our kids prayer/devotion time, leaving out the devotion but still praying... what are we teaching them? That what we have going on is too important to take a few extra minutes to spend time with them getting them in the Word.
I made the comment to my husband that I felt like we were bad parents, and a lot of times I really feel like that. The main reason for my feelings is because we have been too busy to set the example for them that they need to take time to enjoy things and enjoy God and His Word and His presence in their life. When Mackenzie was Kaeleigh's age she had several scriptures memorized and she was so proud of it and she would talk about God and Jesus and always asked us questions, but Kaeleigh doesn't do that, and really the only thing that has changed has been how busy we are now and how much time we spend talking to them about God, Jesus and the Bible. And especially with Christmas coming up, we need to be taking the time to share with them the true meaning of the season and enjoying the season with them. Time flies by too fast and I want my children to have memories of mom and dad doing things with them and sharing with them and most importantly having time for a meaningful relationship with our Saviour and sharing that with them.
If I have rambled any, I apologize, I'm a rambler and I do it without realizing it. But hopefully something that I have said will be meaningful to someone, even if it's just me and one other person.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Ernest
Ernest is a man my husband and I met after a concert at the Tabernacle in Atlanta on Sunday night. We gave him a few dollars and prayed for him when he stopped us to ask us for help paying for a night at the shelter.
As we were walking out of the concert I looked over and noticed a man in the dumpster and then a lady talking to herself, or maybe she was talking to us but it didn't seem so.
My heart broke.
I can't imagine being so desperate for food or shelter that I had to jump into a dumpster. So many people with so many stories and we just pass them by without a second thought or a second look. Most people would rather ignore their existence than to take a moment to acknowledge that there is a life and that life has a purpose and that life has needs.
God loves Ernest and the others that we saw and didn't see. He loves them just as much as He loves us. "Red, yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world!" A child's song, but it's so true! No matter what differences we have from each other, be it skin color, background, jobs, homes sizes, or even our individual stories... He loves us all the same.
And we are commanded to love each other, to love all of God's children... The greatest commandment is to love. And Jesus also says that what we have done to the least of these we have done to Him. That's my challenge to everyone, and not just to the homeless but to all of God's children - Acknowledge that they are a life that is valuable to God, that they are to be loved and that they are precious in HIS sight! How do you think things would change if we all lived according to God's greatest commands? What can you do differently? Who can you be Jesus to?
Just some food for thought...
As we were walking out of the concert I looked over and noticed a man in the dumpster and then a lady talking to herself, or maybe she was talking to us but it didn't seem so.
My heart broke.
I can't imagine being so desperate for food or shelter that I had to jump into a dumpster. So many people with so many stories and we just pass them by without a second thought or a second look. Most people would rather ignore their existence than to take a moment to acknowledge that there is a life and that life has a purpose and that life has needs.
God loves Ernest and the others that we saw and didn't see. He loves them just as much as He loves us. "Red, yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world!" A child's song, but it's so true! No matter what differences we have from each other, be it skin color, background, jobs, homes sizes, or even our individual stories... He loves us all the same.
And we are commanded to love each other, to love all of God's children... The greatest commandment is to love. And Jesus also says that what we have done to the least of these we have done to Him. That's my challenge to everyone, and not just to the homeless but to all of God's children - Acknowledge that they are a life that is valuable to God, that they are to be loved and that they are precious in HIS sight! How do you think things would change if we all lived according to God's greatest commands? What can you do differently? Who can you be Jesus to?
Just some food for thought...
Monday, September 28, 2009
Marriage
Following this blog you will find the word "marriage" defined by the Bible and by Webster's Dictionary.
Something that has been on my heart a lot lately has been how society today treats marriage. You can't get married and just one day decide it's not "cutting it for ya" anymore and "break up" - Marriage is work and it's HARD work and it is not something that should be taken lightly, not in the least bit. It nauseates me to see how my generation, ones before and ones after, treat marriage. They/we treat it as something that can be fixed as easily as changing clothes and finding a new pair. Marriage is the model for Christ and the church and it should be treated as seriously as such. Too many people today think that the grass is greener on the other side only to find out that what they had was already God's best for them.
The Bible says "for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife and the two shall become one" - How can you divide something that is one? If I have one dollar and I tear it in two, it loses it's value, I can't use one half of it... I have to repair it and make it "one" again... Making it whole. I can tape a dollar back together but you can't tape a marriage together, you have to super glue it together and enter the marriage with a third part, the tie that binds, the superglue that no one can separate, Christ. A cord of three is not easily broken and neither is a marriage that has Christ as the center. Marriage is a sacred covenant made to God and your spouse in front of friends and family and too many people overlook the part about it being a covenant to God.
I have a lot on my heart and my mind about this as you can understand. And maybe as you read through how marriage is defined you will understand more. Marriage is not something to be taken lightly... No commitment to God should be.
Marriage: (definition according to Bible) Was instituted in Paradise when man was in innocence (Genesis 2:18-24). Here we have its original charter, which was confirmed by our Lord, as the basis on which all regulations are to be framed (Matthew 19:4, 5). It is evident that monogamy was the original law of marriage (Matthew 19:5; 1 Corinthians 6:16). This law was violated in after times, when corrupt usages began to be introduced (Genesis 4:19; 6:2). We meet with the prevalence of polygamy and concubinage in the patriarchal age (Genesis 16:1-4; 22:21-24; 28:8, 9; 29:23-30, etc.). Polygamy was acknowledged in the Mosaic law and made the basis of legislation, and continued to be practised all down through the period of Jewish histroy to the Captivity, after which there is no instance of it on record.
Marriage: (definition according to Websters)] noun
1. State of being husband and wife; "a long and happy marriage"; "God bless this union".
2. Two people who are married to each other; "his second marriage was happier than the first"; "a married couple without love".
3. The act of marrying; the nuptial ceremony; "their marriage was conducted in the chapel".
4. A close and intimate union; "the marriage of music and dance"; "a marriage of ideas".
Something that has been on my heart a lot lately has been how society today treats marriage. You can't get married and just one day decide it's not "cutting it for ya" anymore and "break up" - Marriage is work and it's HARD work and it is not something that should be taken lightly, not in the least bit. It nauseates me to see how my generation, ones before and ones after, treat marriage. They/we treat it as something that can be fixed as easily as changing clothes and finding a new pair. Marriage is the model for Christ and the church and it should be treated as seriously as such. Too many people today think that the grass is greener on the other side only to find out that what they had was already God's best for them.
The Bible says "for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife and the two shall become one" - How can you divide something that is one? If I have one dollar and I tear it in two, it loses it's value, I can't use one half of it... I have to repair it and make it "one" again... Making it whole. I can tape a dollar back together but you can't tape a marriage together, you have to super glue it together and enter the marriage with a third part, the tie that binds, the superglue that no one can separate, Christ. A cord of three is not easily broken and neither is a marriage that has Christ as the center. Marriage is a sacred covenant made to God and your spouse in front of friends and family and too many people overlook the part about it being a covenant to God.
I have a lot on my heart and my mind about this as you can understand. And maybe as you read through how marriage is defined you will understand more. Marriage is not something to be taken lightly... No commitment to God should be.
Marriage: (definition according to Bible) Was instituted in Paradise when man was in innocence (Genesis 2:18-24). Here we have its original charter, which was confirmed by our Lord, as the basis on which all regulations are to be framed (Matthew 19:4, 5). It is evident that monogamy was the original law of marriage (Matthew 19:5; 1 Corinthians 6:16). This law was violated in after times, when corrupt usages began to be introduced (Genesis 4:19; 6:2). We meet with the prevalence of polygamy and concubinage in the patriarchal age (Genesis 16:1-4; 22:21-24; 28:8, 9; 29:23-30, etc.). Polygamy was acknowledged in the Mosaic law and made the basis of legislation, and continued to be practised all down through the period of Jewish histroy to the Captivity, after which there is no instance of it on record.
It seems to have been the practice from the beginning for fathers to select wives for their sons (Genesis 24:3; 38:6). Sometimes also proposals were initiated by the father of the maiden (Exodus 2:21). The brothers of the maiden were also sometimes consulted (Genesis 24:51; 34:11), but her own consent was not required. The young man was bound to give a price to the father of the maiden (31:15; 34:12; Exodus 22:16, 17; 1 Samuel 18:23, 25; Ruth 4:10; Hosea 3:2) On these patriarchal customs the Mosaic law made no change.
In the pre-Mosaic times, when the proposals were accepted and the marriage price given, the bridegroom could come at once and take away his bride to his own house (Genesis 24:63-67). But in general the marriage was celebrated by a feast in the house of the bride's parents, to which all friends were invited (29:22, 27); and on the day of the marriage the bride, concealed under a thick veil, was conducted to her future husband's home.
Our Lord corrected many false notions then existing on the subject of marriage (Matthew 22:23-30), and placed it as a divine institution on the highest grounds. The apostles state clearly and enforce the nuptial duties of husband and wife (Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18, 19; 1 Peter 3:1-7). Marriage is said to be "honourable" (Hebrews 13:4), and the prohibition of it is noted as one of the Marks of degenerate times (1 Timothy 4:3).
The marriage relation is used to represent the union between God and his people (Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:1-14; Hosea 2:9, 20). In the New Testament the same figure is employed in representing the love of Christ to his saints (Ephesians 5:25-27). The Church of the redeemed is the "Bride, the Lamb's wife" (Revelation 19:7-9).
Marriage: (definition according to Websters)] noun
1. State of being husband and wife; "a long and happy marriage"; "God bless this union".
2. Two people who are married to each other; "his second marriage was happier than the first"; "a married couple without love".
3. The act of marrying; the nuptial ceremony; "their marriage was conducted in the chapel".
4. A close and intimate union; "the marriage of music and dance"; "a marriage of ideas".
Monday, September 21, 2009
More Creations... (2008 and older)
This is Kaeleigh's first birthday cake & destroy cake :) (Feb 2006)
This is Kenzie's 5th birthday cake (Jan 2007)
This is Kenzie's 5th birthday cake (Jan 2007)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
My Creations :)
So I really love to decorate, bake, photograph, sew, paint, draw, sing, write, dance, etc... And I guess that makes me, well, me :). I'm not going to bog you all down in one blog with everything that I love to do... So... I will share them one at a time!
Here are some of my creations this year... Cake Creations that is.
These photos below, from this month, is my little girl, Addison's 1st birthday cake and her "destroy cake"
This is the cake I made for my sister's baby shower in August:
And this is the cake I made for a good friend's baby shower:
I always make my girls birthday cakes and I am sure that I have photos of them all somewhere, but these are just the most recent ones that I have done... And I have to say... They taste pretty yummy! :)
Here are some of my creations this year... Cake Creations that is.
These photos below, from this month, is my little girl, Addison's 1st birthday cake and her "destroy cake"
This is the cake I made for my sister's baby shower in August:
And this is the cake I made for a good friend's baby shower:
I always make my girls birthday cakes and I am sure that I have photos of them all somewhere, but these are just the most recent ones that I have done... And I have to say... They taste pretty yummy! :)
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Please support me in the Huntingtons Disease 5k - Atlanta, GA
Hey guys!!
(If you get this twice I apologize in advance) The following link is for the Atlanta Huntington's Disease 5K Run/Walk, October 24, 2009 http://www.firstgiving.com/pamspeace . I am writing to you all to ask for support in this 2nd Annual Event. There are several ways that you can offer support, you can of course donate funds through that link, OR you can participate in the event and join my team though that link, OR you can simply pray for the event and those participating and those affected by HD. I'm terrible at writing to ask for money for fundraisers so I apologize for this being so short and to the point because I have no idea how to sugar coat it.
Huntington's Disease is what my mom had and was the cause of her death. My brother, sisters and I all have a 50/50 chance of carrying the HD gene, which is a dominant gene. I am doing this for my mom, my siblings and my children. HD has affected my family in many ways and my mom gave a lot of time to try to help in testing for a cure and for treatment. My goal is to continue her legacy, that's why I name my team Pam's Peace. Mom had peace in the midst of the storm because her Heavenly Father gave her peace while she battled this horrific disease. Mom never gave up and I'm not going to either... If I have HD and my efforts will benefit my children then they are all worth it, the time, the effort... all of it. That's the mentality my mom had and I'm adopting as my own... And letting the peace that passes all understanding comfort my past hurts from HD as I go the route to do what I can to fight to find a cure for HD and to continue my mom's legacy.
I hope that you will all prayerfully support me, my team and those out there dealing with HD. If you can financially support too, that is awesome, I would love to meet my goal of $5000 towards funding research for HD. Again the link is: http://www.firstgiving.com/pamspeace
Thank you so much!!
(If you get this twice I apologize in advance) The following link is for the Atlanta Huntington's Disease 5K Run/Walk, October 24, 2009 http://www.firstgiving.com/pamspeace . I am writing to you all to ask for support in this 2nd Annual Event. There are several ways that you can offer support, you can of course donate funds through that link, OR you can participate in the event and join my team though that link, OR you can simply pray for the event and those participating and those affected by HD. I'm terrible at writing to ask for money for fundraisers so I apologize for this being so short and to the point because I have no idea how to sugar coat it.
Huntington's Disease is what my mom had and was the cause of her death. My brother, sisters and I all have a 50/50 chance of carrying the HD gene, which is a dominant gene. I am doing this for my mom, my siblings and my children. HD has affected my family in many ways and my mom gave a lot of time to try to help in testing for a cure and for treatment. My goal is to continue her legacy, that's why I name my team Pam's Peace. Mom had peace in the midst of the storm because her Heavenly Father gave her peace while she battled this horrific disease. Mom never gave up and I'm not going to either... If I have HD and my efforts will benefit my children then they are all worth it, the time, the effort... all of it. That's the mentality my mom had and I'm adopting as my own... And letting the peace that passes all understanding comfort my past hurts from HD as I go the route to do what I can to fight to find a cure for HD and to continue my mom's legacy.
I hope that you will all prayerfully support me, my team and those out there dealing with HD. If you can financially support too, that is awesome, I would love to meet my goal of $5000 towards funding research for HD. Again the link is: http://www.firstgiving.com/pamspeace
Thank you so much!!
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