A Month in the Life

Growing up my mom took me to the secret world of bridal and baby showers. For the guys out there, you probably don't have a clue as to what happens at these things. Well, let me clue you in. The first step is to get an invitation. When you arrive at one of these events, there are decorations all over the place. Most likely in the colors the future bride/mother has picked for the wedding/baby's room. There are most likely going to be a cake and some punch somewhere in the room. There might be a some other random mix of snacky food. There will be a table for gifts. When everyone has arrived, the person throwing the party, most likely the bride's/future mother's best friend or relative, has everyone play these trippy little games having to do with the occasion. Its almost inevitable that the older women at these things will tell either their birthing or wedding stories in horrifying detail. Finally after too many stories to count, the hostess has mercy on the younger generations who haven't gotten to that place in their lives and has the bride/mom open her gifts. Everyone sits there staring at this poor lady, gift after blessed gift, commenting on all the little baby stuff or pots/pans. They'd serve cake and ice cream. Thank everybody for coming and start to clean up. All in all not a bad little event.

I used to hate going to these showers. They were ways to get crazy gifts. I guess they still are. It just doesn't seem to bad now. Perhaps I'm growing up and am starting to see the need for them.

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Sorry to everyone who read my blog last night. I didn't finish sharing my amazing discovery. So here is my attempt at finishing that.

I learned that the Lord's Prayer is a missions statement. When Jesus was asked, "teach us to pray." They were really asking "What do you believe?" The disciples had grown up learning the law and learning to pray. They wanted to know if Jesus' message lined up with the law. When Jesus responds its his "prayer."

Our Father, who is in Heaven, hallowed is your name. The disciples didn't have a name to pray to at that point. Jesus' death gave everyone "The Name" to pray to. The hallowed part is a sense of separating oneself from the selfishness of the world by first gaining fellowship with and towards God.
Your kingdom come, your will be done in Earth as is is in Heaven. Jesus was literally asking for Heaven's ways to crash to earth and take over. Let heaven's thought be my thoughts and your way to become mine.
Give us this day our daily bread. This part was asking for God's daily provision. It was a call to remember the mana God had given. Literally when Heave comes to earth, everyone has enough food to eat every day. At that time in history, the Chosen People had become slaves on their own property. The Romans had come in and put these crazy taxes on them, so they barely had enough to fill their bellies.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive have also forgiven our debtors. This was a call to remember the Year of Jubilee, when under Jewish law everyone who owed their brother something would whip the slate clean every seven years. It was a stab at the taxations of the Roman Government.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliever us from evil. Some translations of this part read, "save us from ourselves". The Evil spoken of here is both eternal and external. Literally, don't let us be tempted to harm or take advantage of others for my selfish gain. See the Jewish people didn't have money as we know it, They relied on trading something they possessed for something they needed from their neighbor. If someond become greedy, it threw off everything.
(The last part, For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen. Isn't mentioned in Luke only in Matthew.)

• Jesus was pushing for heaven's holy and separate ways to come to earth to rule. So our thoughts and way of treating others would match up to God's love for us. That way God could provide for our daily needs and let us live in Jubilee sin/debt free.

It sound to me like a missions statement of a good Christian. Yeah? What do you all think? Please feel free to E-mail!

I learned the most amazing thing on Wednesday night. I go to a weekly College and Career age bible study. We've been dealing with our questions on faith, family, the universe, the bible, pretty much anything and everything.... We've been delving through scripture to find our answers. Its been great. I've grown up in Pentecost from conception until now. There have been major questions I've asked that nobody could satisfy with a solution. They would tell me to pray about it. I would and still I didn't find what I needed. I'd ask again and someone else would tell me to search the scriptures, fast or a combination of the three. I all wanted was a straight, concise and literal answer. Long story shorten, I found my outlet. I can knock and the door opens!

On Wednesday night, we talked about the Lord's Prayer. I thought I knew all about it, as anyone might if they've been in church any length of time. I thought the Lord's Prayer was a formula on how to pray. You know Step 1: you start by magnifying Jesus' name.... Step 2. You want His will in your life, etc. I learned that its really just a missions statement. More to come.... I'm keeping my poor hard-working husband up. Good Night, more on this in the AM.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

I grew up in Colorado as you all know by now. I've always love breakfast foods. Whenever I had time I would do it up right. When we had a little less time, I'd eat a breakfast bar or pop tart or something. My mom taught me to love oatmeal. It wasn't that mushy stuff but that stuff you had to cook. With that said, I am completely puzzled. In Colorado, You have to close up the bread real tight to keep it from drying out. You could leave the brown sugar out for days and still be able to use it. Water takes forever to boil. And fruit lasts on the counter for weeks. When things go stale, they get so cripsy you can look at it and know.
Here in Michigan everything is a bit different. Water boils faster. You can leave bread open for days without it drying out. Brown sugar gets stone hard closed up or open. Fruit, if left out, will rot within a day or two. When things go stale, they get chewy and soft. It make me a little crazy. These things are things I use when making breakfast. It taken me awhile to get use to it all.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

I am transfixed by this show on TV. This 4 year old little girl got up to sing. She hit 95% of the notes. It was amazing. Its about accomplishing dreams. I can support that. If you can dream it, it can be done!


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I was at a complete loss of what to do with myself today. I woke up thinking my husband hadn't left yet. I had started to get use to keeping the same hours as him. He had left more than an hour before. I spent most of the day wondering what to do.



Can someone have faith and be joyful without direction? I know its possible. I was reminded of that writing a friend of mine. She is in an interesting place in her life and wanted to know about my past choices. I told her about them. It was an opportunity to be honest about my past. It was like I was there reliving it. When I finished the email, I couldn't help but feel blessed. God made those past wishes never to happen. When everything is finished, I can't regret that God has always had my back no matter what. He's always know what was good for me.

So for now, I'm not crushed. I'm not pressed. I'm just blessed.


Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!

Hey Dad,
Today is Father's Day and a card wouldn't do. I found funny cards and serious cards. I couldn't find one suited to our relationship. We've had some mountains and many valleys over the last few years. We've tested the boundaries. We've hurt each other with our words and attempted to stitch up our wounds later. Nevertheless, I still love you. You're my father and always will be, so here's my card to you.....


When I was little, You were on a pedestal and consistent.
You worked hard and took us to friend's houses when mom was out of town.
You read Old Yeller to us.
You didn't finish because you got teary.
You stayed up with me for hours attempting to explain my math homework.
Most the time you would pull out all you electrically tools and take over.
You sang duets with Mom or Uncle Terry at church.
You'd play Jesus in our Easter and Christmas plays at church.
You took us out to eat and let us get whatever we wanted.


When we were older, you made sure we could travel.
You didn't laugh when we found out I was allergic to animals at the rodeo.
You'd go hunting and come home with bunches of Almond Joy candies and Elk steak.
It was my favorite time of year.
We'd go fishing with Roger.
You remained a hard worker and good humored.

When I reached my high school years, you came to everything.
You worked with me on my school work.
Everything began to change.
I don't need to get into it.



Blah blah blah. You walked me down the aisle.
That was enough. Now I look forward to your visits.
You taught me to work hard, to love knowledge, and to be good humored.
You never stopped loving God through the years and asked me to do the same.
Those lessons have served me well.
Thank you.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please feel free to E-mail!