thank you...God bless you.

yesterday I didnt feel like cooking so the mister and I headed out to eat dinner. We had a nice dinner at one of our favorite mexican restaurants.

 

On the way home, we drove by wal-mart...(we live in a fairly small town)...the corner by our walmart is a place where you can usually find someone "begging" with a sign that say "homeless" or "traveling" or "hungry." But most of the time its the same 4 men that are standing there.

 

I carry around Blessing bags in my car

Filled with things like shampoo, deodorant, food, water and a bible or a tract. I give them out to people in need.

 

Yesterday when we drove by there was a man standing there whom I had never seen before...so I pulled over, got a bag out of the back and two bottles of water...and then we drove up and my husband handed him the items. The man looked at him and said "oh man, thank you SO much..God Bless."

 

He was truly thankful.

 

Then as we got closer to home, there was ANOTHER man standing on the side of the road whom I had never seen before.

 

He was holding a sign that said "traveling" and he looked like my papa did...except with a loooong beard.

 

His eyes looked SO nice but SO sad.

 

We had just given out the last blessing bag that I had in the car...so I looked at my husband with tears in my eyes and said...can we go get him some food? 

 So we got the man some dinner at Arby's and a huge refillable cup with ice water. We drove over to where he was and parked the car...and got out to talk to him. As we handed him the food my husband started asking him what he was doing and where he was going..he said he was trying to get "home" and just needed 6 dollars to buy a phone card to call his family. So we gave him a $20. The man grabbed my hand, looked me straight in the eyes and with tears in his eyes said "thank you ma'm..God bless you." As we stood on that corner talking to the man (at a pretty busy intersection) I looked at the car stopped at the light right next to us..and the people in the car were looking at us and the man with disgust. I kid you not..the lady looked at me and shook her head at me.

 

I got in the car and cried all the way home.

 

"thank you ma'm...God bless you."

 

When was the last time you heard that come of out of someones mouth after you have done something nice for them?

(this "story" was on FB this morning...its perfect for what I had intended on telling ya'll about today! FYI...These photos are of real homeless people. There is some doubt online as to whether or not this is a true story (below) even if it isnt...its still a good message. I am not claiming this to be true. I just like the message.)

 

 

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service....only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food....NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit n the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him. As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such.

 

When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation........"We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek"....The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation.....The homeless man sitting in the back stood up.....and started walking down the aisle.....the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him....he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment....then he recited “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

 

  After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning...many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.... he then said....Today I see a gathering of people......not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples...when will YOU decide to become disciples? He then dismissed service until next week.......Being a Christian is more than something you claim. It's something you live by and share with others.

Bows, Pies and 9021 OOOHHHHH.

Happy Monday Ya'll!

 

I had a very quiet weekend!

 

The mister and Colton are planning on a boys only hiking/camping trip this next weekend...so they were packing their backpacks and getting their fishing gear together. They kept putting stuff in their packs, putting their packs on and then getting on the scale...then getting off...putting more stuff in...getting back on...taking some stuff out. It was pretty funny to watch :).

 

Colton was outside for a long time, and when he came in...he had this....

 

he had made a bow! And you know what? It shot...REALLY far! I kid you not...he wore that thing on his shoulder the WHOLE weekend. I made him take it off to sleep. He was SO proud of it! The mister bought him some arrows and he is going to take it camping with them.

 

Also this weekend I made PIE...mmm mmm good. Just call me Betty.

 

I made chicken pot pie...which is now my new fave thing to make. Maybe it will become a sunday tradish at our house. But this weekend I also made HUCKLEBERRY pie. Oh Lord have mercy if you have never had or smelled huckleberries...I wanted to put my entire face in the gallon ziplock bag of delish -us -ness and sniff until I passed out. They smell SO good. And they taste even better. I used those little balls of gold and strawberries and blueberries (to cut the sweet of the huckleberries). The only thing I forgot was that huckleberries are SO juicy so it leaked.....

 

 

but oh sweet mercy it was GOOD. We ate it with vanilla ice cream when it was still hot. SO good. Like knock your momma out good.

 

Also, this week my husband spoke my love language and bought me presents!!! Ya'll know I love me some presents.

 

This is what I came home to one night...

 

 

Pretty pink roses AND red velvet cake ice cream. Are you serious? he loves me. I am a lucky girl.

 

To cap off the weekend the mister and I spent some quality couch time together....and he napped while I watched this.

 

 

First person to shout out the TV show wins........yep you guessed it. 90210 baby.

OH MY WORD I used to love this show.

 

Dylan was my boyfriend.

 

I was totes obsessed. I remember crying my eyes out during the last episode when David and Donna got married. So, thank you soap network for playing reruns of this magical tv show.

 

 

There you have it my super exciting weekend. How was YOUR weekend?

 

 

 

Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me?

The title caught you huh?

 

Actually...it should be more like...I wish I was hot like your girlfriend.

 

or

 

I wish I was hot like your friends, or my friends. I wish I had more money, I wish I was skinny, I wish I wasn't so skinny. I wish I looked like her...I wish I had her eyes, her boobs, her butt, her hair.

 

I wish I had more, was different, looked different.

 

Comparison.

 

 

Comparison is the thief of joy. It really is.

 

How many times have we gone into a room, a restaurant, a store and just watched the other women. Some of the first thoughts I know I have are thoughts like these:

 

"oh, she is SO pretty...I wish I had her hair"

"oh my gosh, she is so skinny...I could never be that skinny!"

"she has such a nice body...I bet I would have to work out 50 times a day to look like that."

 

I compare myself to all of the women around me.

 

But its not just women...its couples, and houses, and lifestyles, and salaries.

 

You know, "oh my gosh...mr and mrs so and so just built that huge house....its SO gorgeous. Our house is tiny and gross compared to theirs..."

 

"look at their new car...I bet it cost over $35,000...we will never be able to afford a car like that"

 

"they look like the perfect couple...I never ever see them argue...and she always looks so put together. They look like they are SO in love. Why dont we look like that?"

 

Everywhere we can, we compare ourselves to others! WHY??? Why are we saying that who we are, what we have, and who God made us is not enough?

 

Can you imagine what the world would be like if we stopped trying to keep up with others? If we stopped trying to be like everyone else?

 

I want to be happy with me. With my house, with my car, with my kids, with my husband. With my big ole booty, my thighs, my double chin, my hair, my eyes. I want to be happy with who I am and who God made me, and what He has given me. It needs to be enough.

 

 

I love these verses...they are great reminders....

 

Galatians 6:5…“Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”

 

 

 “Be content with what you have” –Hebrews 13:5

 

“Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else.” –Galatians 6:4

 

“Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” –2 Corinthians 10:12

 

 

“For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” –Matthew 7:2

 

 

So today...be reminded that you are exactly who God made you to be. You are HIS masterpiece. He has blessed you with your job, your kids, your family, your husband, your house, your car, your thighs, your hair, your beauty.

 

Be content with who you are. Don't be jealous. Don't compare yourself.

 

Look in the mirror and say "GIRL...you are FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and mean it!

 

Then tell those around you how thankful you are.

 

And have a FABULOUS Thursday!

 

Are you OPEN? GIVEAWAY!!

Accountability.

 

We all need it.

 

Whether its to help us go to the gym, read our bibles, or stay sober from an addiction. Accountability is something that is vital to success in alot of things.

 

But so many people dont realize that to really have accountability...they have to HONEST and OPEN with the people that they have asked to help them.

 

If you ask someone to help you get to the gym...to push you to eat right and work out...then they ask you "Hey girl...how are you doing? Did you stick to your clean eating today?" and your response (as you hide the candy wrapper in your purse) is "Yes! I havent had sugar in two weeks!" Well...then you are just wasting your time...and theirs!

 

 

What about someone struggling with something even harder...like addiction? Being OPEN is crucial.

 

Like the husband who has been struggling with a pornography addiction for years...he finally comes clean with his problem, and asks for help. He meets weekly with another guy and they talk about their struggles. But they arent honest with eachother...again, without honesty...whats the point?

 

I am SO blessed to be a part of a group that is helping Craig Gross (founder of XXXChurch...an AMAZING site that helps men and women break free from the chains of sexual addiction, pornography, and lust) launch his new book "OPEN."

 Its a book about getting real...open...and honest.

 

You can check out the website for the book HERE

 

 

"From families to marriages to businesses, on a scale as global as the credit default swap meltdown or as personal as our last session on the Internet, we are suckers for bad ideas. Why do we so often make poor decisions that can lead to life-shattering results? Why do we promise ourselves to do better only to slide back into our old habits?

Why can’t we help ourselves?

The time has come for each of us to become accountable. To experience the freedom, peace of mind, and overwhelming self-confidence that come from living a life free of secrets and lies.

In every area of our lives, it’s time to go beyond self-help . . . it’s time to get accountable."

 

I don't say this often, but this book is a must read. Every time I speak somewhere or get emails with people asking me how to find healing in particular areas, my response is always "Community." Craig does a beautiful job in articulating how the path to true joy is found in being real, honest, & accountable.

~ Jefferson Bethke ~

Here is a cool quiz to see if you are "OPEN"



 

I am going to be giving away a PRE RELEASED copy of this amazing, life changing book! All you have to do is enter in the rafflecopter below!

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm BAAAAACCCKKK!!

Hi, Honey....I'm Home!

 

Well, not at your home...my home! Its been over two months since I have blogged! CrazyNESS! But I decided to take some time off to just spend time with my family. It was super worth it. The beginning of summer is always super duper busy at our house..because my baby girl is here from Texas...so we PACK a ton of stuff into those summer months.

 

We went to Seattle....

 

Pike Place market....

Point Defiance Zoo...

 

We went to las Vegas....

 

 

 

And we spent TONS of time just being with eachother.

 

I will give you more deets on our trips later, I just wanted to say HEY..and let you know that I am still alive!

 

Being with all my kiddos is so important to me...I have so many friends who post things like "I am so ready for my kids to go BACK to school" or "my kids are already driving me crazy".

 

Now, I get it...I get that your kids drive you crazy.

 

But, be thankful.

 

Be thankful that you get to spend time with them.

 

Make that time INTENTIONAL time. Do things with them. Dont just set them in front of the TV and lay by the pool. Make memories. Play games.

 Get in the pool with them. Don't waste a SECOND. treasure it.

 

Ok...end of that.

 

Happy Tuesday lovies...