I CALL IT A WIN...

We just finished a great week for women at church that we call Women's Service Week!  Our phrase is We Serve Because He Served, which I love.

This time we were ambitious and offered four different places to serve(we had two last year)!  We didn't fill up every time slot, but over 80 women participated in some way.  I call that a win!  We had opportunities to help at church, doing tasks for the Children's Ministry, help at a cooking camp put on by a adoption agency for at-risk kids in OKC, work at a thrift store owned by one of our sweet sisters in Christ, and do various things at an inner city congregation that has a program for kids year-round and a free medical clinic.  We also had a kitchen shower for that congregation.

One of the regular workers at the medical clinic said she really felt pampered by us coming and cleaning and doing a little re-decorating!  The Interns loved the home-made meals some women brought to them.  The owner of the thrift store felt so blessed and it just so happened that her birthday was the first day so we made sure she got some cupcakes and a gift!  The kids at the cooking camp were really sweet and we were reminded how time invested in a child is never wasted!  Also, I was glad we did provide opportunities right in our own building to bless those we worship with every week.

I was touched by one volunteer who just moved here, but wanted to serve several times, just so she could get to know the women from our church.  And the one who is a visitor that is thinking about helping regularly at the thrift store.  Just so many stories and women and children touched by this past week!  May all the glory go to God!

ASK YOURSELF...

Well, we're a little bit past half of this year!  I seem to read a lot about goals, self-discipline, and to put it in today's terms - living your best life!  Something I was thinking and reading about the beginning of this year in relation to this had you ask the question of yourself:

WHAT WERE YOU PROUDEST OF LAST YEAR?

Well, for me the answers were pretty easy.  There were two things.  One was related to personal health and clean eating.  I successfully lost weight and felt better and changed some bad eating habits.  The other was to get a service project for women, by women at church underway.  We ended up doing a whole week of service and many women participated!  

So far this year I wouldn't say I've done much to be proud of...but coming up this week is our 2nd Women's Service Week, and I'm pumped!  We were ambitious in planning more than last year, and prayed God would bring the volunteers!  Pictures and a full report to come.  

I'm curious...do you think over your life at the beginning of the year or the school year and do any kind of goal setting?  Does it help you reach your goals?  Have you ever asked yourself this question?  

35 YEARS AND WE AGREE...

Our wedding anniversary in June this year marked 35 years!  I wrote a Facebook/Instagram post that was all about wedded bliss, and what hard work bliss is, actually!  We do agree, though, that 35 is a great place to be.  Our stresses are minimal compared to those of early marriage.  Our parents and children are independent of us, at the moment.  His job and our finances are at a comfortable place.  We enjoy worshipping with a wonderful congregation and serving with God's people.  We're active physically and struggling to stay there. Our favorite things are worship, hiking, biking, traveling, and eating good food, and we get to enjoy these things often.  We appreciate the place we are, even if it's temporary.  

Phillippians 1:5-7 Reminds me that God isn't finished with us yet!  "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion until the day of Jesus Christ. "  Thankful for growth and continued hope in whatever God has planned for us to do.  

I share this to encourage all of the young marriages out there.  May God bless you and may you find encouragement from the believers to continue on the sometimes difficult road of marriage.

Some favorites from our last year - we had many adventures! 

A VERSE A DAY...

I was in a recent Bible Study with Priscilla Shirer that was very good, called "Discerning the Voice of God."  I really appreciated her video lessons and even enjoyed the workbook lessons!  But I have to say I have to disagree with something she said a couple of times.  I understood her purpose was to get us to dive deeper into God's Word, and desire that relationship more and more.  Anyway, what she said was NOT to get into thinking

"A VERSE A DAY KEEPS THE DEVIL AWAY"

Now, I had never heard this phrase, but I like it!  Wherever you are in your walk with God, if all you can do is dwell on one verse, do it!  Read it, meditate on it, repeat it, memorize it!  If we truly are seekers, we'll be desiring more time to explore and study.  But I feel that it's discouraging to some to hear that you must do more than a verse a day to "keep the devil away."  

Just my two cents - coming from a person who regularly checks each morning VERSE OF THE DAY, linked here to the left, on my blog.  I love it and have started my mornings with it for years.  In addition to the verse, there is a short commentary, an artistic interpretation (usually a photograph) and comments from people around the world.  I enjoy reading what people from other countries write.  There's one person who always comments with a poem.  Another who responds with a prayer.  Usually lots of encouragement among the comments. 

Wherever you are in life, however crazy your schedule, I hope you can make time to meet with God, and be in study with Him.  It will bless your life eternally!  If that's a verse a day, I say, that's okay!

FAVORITE MOMENTS AT THE SHOWER...

My youngest son and his fiancee were just given the loveliest shower from my friends at church!
Lots of fun moments to remember!

 Family

 Hostesses

 Treats

 Sign-In

Prayer

A visit from a college professor they had last semester!

 Sandy made them a very cool ornament!

 More family

 Face timing the parents!

It's always a blessing to have friends, especially on days like this!  :)

DON'T LET SATAN STEAL YOUR JOY...

The Hubs and I had an interesting experience this week...and it caused me to think how my emotions can change on a dime.  We went from a wonderful night of worship to witnessing a store burglary!  We went from a spiritual high to a worldly low in a matter of minutes.  As much as I enjoyed singing and worshipping, my mood quickly turned to anger.

We were at a local store and being helped at the check out station, when a young couple nonchalantly walked out with a basket piled high with merchandise.  I remember two large pillows on top.  The checker said to them, "May I help you?"  One of the couple mumbled something, and they continued going on out the door.  It was surreal.  No one ran after them, no alarms went off and the checker called someone who came a few seconds later.  She went outside, to which she  quickly came back in and said they had taken off.  Our checker did not know what to do, and the police eventually came.  So totally strange and maddening!  It really upset me that hardly anything was done and how because of selfishness this happens so much more than it should.  The cool attitude of the couple at what they were doing upset me, too.  It makes me think of my hard-working kids who plug away making an honest living.  Seems like justice never comes for so many criminals!  Prices are driven higher due to loss and passed on to us!  So many problems in this world...

It just reminded me that this world is broken, and it is our job to pray for those causing problems and to help where we can.  If justice does come,we can support it, and if not, we are told that God will take care of it.  Don't let Satan steal your joy, cause bitterness, or cause you to lose hope. Lately our minister has mentioned in his sermons how we seem to let our emotions control us, and it's so true with me.  I don't know what we could have done the other night during this problem, but I realized later that I could continue to dwell on it, or rant about it,  let it get me upset, OR pray about it instead!

Let's PRAY over our world's PROBLEMS!

A HEALTHIER BLONDE BROWNIE...

Blonde Brownies have been my go-to quick dessert for many years now!  It was the one I turned to when the kids had lots of friends over and I could produce them in 30 minutes. I still love them and was thrilled to see one of the latest Cooking Light magazines featuring a healthier version.  So they may sound weird, but they're great!  Much healthier, getting some protein and fiber from the chickpeas - and only 1/3 cup of flour in the whole pan!

ENJOY!