Weigh Down

I am still loving my weight loss.  I've lost 12 pounds!  It is wonderful and the best part is that I am growing closer to the Lord and food is the last thing on my mind these days.  I've been trying to update my weight loss blog daily.  I have a couple of followers over there!  Anyways, as much as I have been bragging on God about this weight loss, several people have asked me about what I'm doing and where can they find the book.  So, I decided to post some links.  If anyone is struggling with weight issues (and want to be closer to the Lord), I recommend this weight loss program!
About Weigh Down
This link just gives the basics of how Weigh Down works.
Weigh Down Book
This is the link to where you can order the book.  You can find it in bookstores and on ebay as well.
Solution to Overweight
This link tells more about the diet and how we can solves our 'overweight' problems.
Weigh Down Classes
Weigh Down offers classes that you can take online or order videos and do it at home.

Hope these links help.

Get thee behind me Satan. . .

The devil has been trying very hard this week.  I knew he would, it's no surprise.  Ever since the prayer service at church almost two weeks ago, he's been trying.  I'm not letting him win.  I'm sure he can't stand that I am sitting at my desk every day reading scripture after scripture and praying - NOT letting him get his way.

I want to be the person that when I get out of bed in the morning Satan says "Man, she's awake!"  LOL  I read that somewhere one time and thought it was cute.  Someone actually gave that to me, saying that it described me.  Well, I haven't felt like I've lived up to that in recent months.  But, I've succeeded this week!  There is nothing he can do to me that can beat the power of my Lord and Savior!  So many times this week I could've eaten out of frustration or caught an attitude with a co-worker.  I could have screamed at God out of frustration.  But that would not have helped, it would have only made things worse.

Yesterday I put on my other blog that I feel like Bibleman!  I'm defeating Satan with the Word of God!  I just have to keep using scriptures to help give me strength!

Also, I've lost another pound.  Woo-hoo!

Luke 4:8
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Philippians 4
⁴Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
¹³I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 

Changes. . .

There have been some changes going on with me lately.  If you are my friend on facebook, then you probably already know.  I couldn't really keep it a secret!  LOL

About a week ago I started reading The Weigh Down Diet.  I knew that this book might help me lose weight, but I had no idea how much it would make a change in me!  I have lost 8 lbs in one week!  And at the same time I've grown closer to the Lord.  The book suggests that you keep a journal.  Well, I decided to start a separate blog for my journal because it's just easier for me to blog than to write in a journal!  (I'm so lazy!).

So, I am letting y'all in on my little secret and here is my journal/blog that I've been keeping all week.  It may or may not be an inspiration or help to someone in some small way!

http://thinwithin2011.blogspot.com/

Keep praying for me and God bless you!

Jesus, be the centre
Be my source, be my light
Jesus

Jesus, be the centre
Be my hope, be my song
Jesus

(Chorus)
Be the fire in my heart
Be the wind in these sails
Be the reason that I live
Jesus, Jesus

Jesus, be my vision
Be my path, be my guide
Jesus

(Chorus)
Be the fire in my heart
Be the wind in these sails
Be the reason that I live
Jesus, Jesus

(Instrumental solo)

Be the fire
Yes, Be the fire

(Chorus)
Be the fire in my heart
Be the wind in these sails
Be the reason that I live
Jesus, Jesus

Jesus, be the centre
Be my source, be my light
Jesus

Be my source, be my light
Jesus

Jesus

Jesus

Jesus

Jesus

Praise

Well, praise the Lord!  Matthew saw Dr. Oliver yesterday and the ct scan was clear.  Dr. Oliver himself said that the power of prayer had a lot to do with that!  We didn't need him to tell us.  We know who is in control.  No surgery!  And on top of that, his eye looks like it's not dragging anymore.  Only time will tell about that but he will see the eye dr in March to confirm.

Bryan also got a good report from Dr. Oliver.  He is all clear and can go back to doing his normal routine.  Bryan was so happy to hear that and to be able to sleep in the bed again!  Some people love to sleep in the recliner but that is not for Bryan, he'd much rather have the bed! 

We had a long wait at the dr office, but it was definitely worth the wait to hear the good news!

What's goin' on with us...

Alot has been going on with us lately, as most of you know!  Bryan is still recovering from his surgery.  He is still sore and weak, but I think he is healing well.  Getting a little more strength each day. 

Matthew is still on the antibiotics until next week.  We are supposed to be going back to Dr. Oliver for the follow up (and ct scan) to see how his sinuses are looking.  Other than that he is just Matthew!  He is really sick of taking all this medicine!

I have started Winter quarter.  So far I like the classes I'm taking this quarter.  They are more challenging but very interesting!  I have to pull some late nights to stay caught up. But, one day it will all be worth it!  I have also started couponing.  I love it, I love saving money.  Especially when I find a sale item that I have a coupon for and save that much more money!  I get coupons from the Sunday paper, magazines and also print them from the internet.  I've probably gotten carried away with it, but atleast it's saving us some money!

Lily is enjoying the 2nd grade.  I don't think she likes the work very much, ha!  But, she is so smart!  I don't know where she gets it from (maybe her Daddy, but definitely not me!).  She's also quick with a comeback when her Daddy starts picking on her. (Which she also got from him!)  She always has something to say to make us laugh! 

My monkeys are a mess, but they're mine! 

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New Year, Lot's Going On

The holidays were a busy time for us. The holidays are always busy, but for us this year it was busier than usual. At the beginning of December Bryan saw his ear nose and throat doctor and was told that he needed sinus surgery (which he already knew that). Around the same time Matthew had to see an eye doctor for a problem he's been having with his left eye (it drags and when he looks to the left or right he sees double).

Since Bryan had already met his deductible on the insurance for 2010, we tried to get his surgery scheduled for the month of December. We were able to do that and the surgery was on December 28th.

Just before Christmas we saw the eye doctor concerning Matthew's eye problem. Matthew had a nerve that was paralyzed near his left eye (Cranial Nerve Palsy). The eye dr wanted to do an MRI to see if there was something causing this. The MRI was schedule for Dec. 23 (just two days before Christmas in Savannah!). He was a big boy even though it was a scary procedure. The worst part for him was the IV, he is terrified of needles.

On December 28th we arrived at the hospital very early (6:30 a.m.)! Thank goodness we had the kids spend the night with their grandparents' the night before and did not have to get them up that early. Around 7:30 they took him back to get him prepped. Around 8:00 they let me go back with him and stay with him until time for the surgery. Bro. James Bland, the associational missionary for the Tattnall-Evans Southern Baptist Association was kind enough to come and have prayer with us before the surgery (and then stayed around until the doctor came out and said that everything went fine). They took Bryan back for surgery around 10:00 and around 11:30 the doctor came out to let me know that the surgery went well. About 1:30 or 2:00 they came and got me and took me to the room Bryan was in for recovery. (Yes, that was a long time--I think he had a hard time coming out of the anesthesia.)

While I was sitting in the room with Bryan, the eye doctor called my cell phone to give me the results of the MRI. He said that the MRI showed that Matthew has Chronic Sinus Disease and it is more on the left side than the right. He wanted to know if we have an ENT that we use! Ha, Ha! How convenient. He wanted our ENT to look over the MRI and see if this sinus disease could be the cause of Matthew's eye problem. So, we decided that when we go for Bryan's follow up appointment we will ask the ENT doctor about that.

Bryan had a rough few days after the surgery but he was a pretty good patient. I babied him, just like I would one of the children! I used my Ninja (food processor) to chop everything up for him to be able to eat. Bless his heart, he ate chopped up, mashed up food for a week. Everything looked like baby food. On his follow up appointment, Jan. 3rd the doctor cleaned out his nose and told him that he still needs to take it easy for a couple more weeks. (He wasn't happy about that!) I'm still having a hard time getting him to take it easy, but he is pretty much listening to me and the doctor. He doesn't like it but he knows I'll get highly upset if he does too much!

The doctor also looked at Matthew's MRI and showed it to us. Basically Matthew has a pocket of sinus infection pressing on his left optic nerve. The doc said this very well could be the reason for Matthew's left eye dragging! He prescribed about 3 weeks worth of antibiotics, mucinex and nasal spray. At the end of the 3 weeks we will run another ct scan and see how it looks. Depending on what the ct scan shows, he may have to do surgery. If he does do surgery, he will just go in and drain all that sinus infection out. I asked the doctor if he could have had this for several months and not have symptoms such as fever etc. and he said "yes, years even". It's just amazing to me that the cause of Matthew's eye problem is sinuses and that with the technology we have today they were able to find it!

Here is a recreation of the MRI to show kind of what is going on in Matthew's head:


I am starting Winter Quarter today. I'm excited about the classes I am taking, I just hope that I can keep up this quarter with everything else I've got going on. Pray for us as Bryan heals from his surgery and Matthew might be facing surgery. It has been a very interesting start to the new year!

House decorated for Christmas
Our first Christmas in our new home!

Matthew and Lily sitting on the porch

Our Christmas tree and Nativity

Matthew and Lily in front of the tree

Little Miss Giggle Box!
This is probably my favorite picture of
them because it fits them to a tee!

Happy Thanksgiving

Let us all remember the blessings
for which we have to be thankful!

Five Years

Today has been 5 years since my Daddy went to his heavenly home.

He is deeply missed, I'm sure he is missed more than he ever thought he would be.

WE LOVE AND MISS YOU DADDY/PAPA!!!

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT...

THE TRADITION OF HALLOWEEN?

"Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes." Song of Solomon 2:15

Foxes sometime in search of food would enter into the grape orchards and devour the grapes and spoil the crop. However, the little foxes were too small to reach the grape bunches so they would chew on the vines and it would kill the whole vine. Instead of the farmer just losing his crop, he would lose his vine which was more disastrous. Spiritually some things we do or allow, that we might think is little or insignificant, can also be disastrous for us.

Some may consider celebrating Halloween as only a little compromise. However, it is the "little foxes" that spoil the vines and this little compromise can open the door to other evils. Many Christians do not realize that certain traditions that are celebrated in the world have evil origins. Just because our society partakes in certain activities does not make them acceptable for Christians. We must look to Christ and His Word to see if the traditions of this world are good or evil.

Mark 7:13: "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye."

One very evil tradition is the celebration of Halloween. No Christian should partake in the activities of this holiday, nor should they allow their children to do so. We can discern the evil of this day by taking a look at the festivities that are associated with its celebration. Children are dressed as witches, goblins, ghosts, little devils and fortune tellers. All these are representatives of Satan's kingdom. Games played at carnivals promote fear in children as they are ushered through spook houses and horror rooms. Skeletons, black cats and bats represent death and darkness. No carnival is complete without the gypsy who tells fortunes. Satan has gained man's approval to celebrate his day by simply making it a tradition that seems like a fun day. The opposite is true, however, as more damage and harm are done on this day each year than any other holiday. Children are taught to go door to door chanting "trick or treat." It is unchristian to demand a gift under threat of playing some trick. Police are on the alert for juvenile vandalism and caution parents to be watchful.

Because so many of us have grown up celebrating Halloween, and seemingly did not experience any negative effects, some feel that not celebrating Halloween at all is an extreme measure. However, we would encourage you to pray about this. Is any holiday that glorifies death and darkness (even in fun) a proper thing for a Christian to do since we have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light?

1 Peter 2:9: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."

Whether we feel that we have been really hurt by celebrating Halloween or not, is only part of the issue. How does God feel to see His people making light of demons and witchcraft? Shouldn't we be thinking about how to honor Him and show our love to Him? Where do our loyalties lie?

Most Satanists celebrate this as their high holy day and even offer human sacrifices to the devil. Until recently, most Christians have not questioned this traditional celebration, but rather have gone along with it by even bringing Halloween parties into the church. The earliest Halloween celebrations were not held by the early church, but the Druids in honor of Samhain, the "lord of the dead", and his demons, whose festival fell on November 1. Halloween actually means "holy or hallowed evening."

According to the Roman calendar in which days began at midnight, the evening of October 31 was the eve before the hallowed day; hence Halloween or All Soul's Eve was kept throughout the ancient pagan world. All Hallows Eve, because it is the day before All Hallows' or All Saints' day, was a holy day in the Roman Catholic Church, Episcopal Church, the Church of England and the Greek Orthodox Church. This festival honors all martyrs, known and unknown, who have died for the church. During the time of Constantine, these two holidays were merged in an attempt to Christianize the heathen. The church could not prevent these heathen practices, so they thought "taming'" them would be the answer. They were, of course, not to worship their gods on the church's "All Saint's day." However, as it is with all compromises, soon the evil overrode the good, and hence we still honor these heathen practices by celebrating Halloween.

Parents have a responsibility not to allow their children to be exposed to these evil celebrations. What might seem to some as innocent children's games is a "little fox" that can open the door to satanic influence and even demon possession in some cases. Children can be tormented with a spirit of fear that can come through this involvement that stays with them throughout their lives. It also introduces children to witchcraft, making it easier for them to become involved in cults and occultic activities. When children are taught it is alright to play with the things of darkness, it does not give them the repulsion and resistance that they need to stand against greater Satanic involvement. When the things of Satan are taken lightly, as games and fun, it sets our children up to accept evil rather than to resist it. This "little fox" is not only spreading evil to children but has been a curse for the church and our nation as well. As Christians, we should spread the word to others about the evil tradition of Halloween.

Ephesians 5:6-12: "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret."

Copied from Bible.com

Wedding

My sister got married on Saturday and I was the "photographer"!
It was the first time I've ever taken wedding pictures,
I had a beautiful bride and beautiful scenery to work with.

The Bride and Groom
Katrina and Joseph Harmon

Saying their vows

Kissing under the tree!

Gotta love them boots!

Beautiful!

Stealing a kiss!

Daddy and Daughter

Praying

PUPPIES!

Guess what we've got? Puppies! 7 of them! 5 boys and 2 girls.

First Day of School!

Today is the first day of school for us. The kids were not quite as excited as their Daddy is! LOL Since they've been hanging out with him all summer, he is quite happy to be sending them back! I'm just glad to get back into our normal routine. The kids were nervous and excited. Lily is in 2nd grade and Matthew is in 5th. Lily got the teacher we requested, and Matthew's homeroom teacher is out on maternity leave for the first 8 weeks of school so he has a substitute! This is his last year at GES. :-(

Here is a picture of them before we left the house this morning:

And this is Lily sitting at her desk ready for school!

Matthew wouldn't let me take his picture! HA!
(Actually I didn't even try because I knew he'd be embarrassed.)

I pray they both have a good year!

Why Go To Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday... "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 203,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."


This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:


"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this.. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"

Need Answers? Ask God!

Saddle up for VBS 2010 where kids will be ridin' the range and roundin' up questions like: "What is God's plan for me?" and "How can I be like Jesus?" At the end of the day, they'll discover that God's Word has all the answers.

Little Rock Baptist Church, July 12-16
6:00-9:00 p.m. each evening

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.

When I feel afraid,
And think I've lost my way.
Still, You're there right beside me.
Nothing will I fear
As long as You are near;
Please be near me to the end.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.

I will not forget
Your love for me and yet,
My heart forever is wandering.
Jesus by my guide,
And hold me to Your side,
And I will love you to the end.

Nothing will I fear
As long as You are near;
Please be near me to the end.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
And a light unto my path.
You're the light unto my path.

Just Walkin'

http://imjustwalkin.com/

Someone shared this link with me recently and it is very interesting. This guy is walking across America, literally. He tells his story as to why he is doing it and posts pictures of his journey. I thought y'all would find it interesting and inspiring. Besides I just didn't have anything else to post right now!

Last Day of School....

Tomorrow is the last day of school and the kids are so excited! Bryan, not so much! He will be spending the summer trying to make them get along and behave! I am glad the kids and the teachers all get a break. I am very proud that both of my children received several awards on Honors Day. Matthew received awards for exceeding on 3 sections of the CRCT and Artist of the Month. Lily received awards for exceeding on all 3 sections of her CRCT (1st grade only takes 3 sections), Artist of the Month and Student of the Month. We also get to go to a Braves game in July because Lily received the All Star Student Achiever Award for making the honor roll! She got two free tickets to a Braves game and we purchased two more tickets (at half price)! So, can someone say proud Mama?!

These children are just growing up so fast! Matthew is going up to 5th grade and Lily will be in 2nd grade. Which means, my babies aren't babies anymore! I just pray that we have taught them and instilled Jesus into them enough that they always make the right choices. I know they won't ALWAYS make the right choice, that is how they learn and grow. But, watching them grow and seeing some of the things they say and do I feel that they are on the right path. That makes me even more proud than the A's and the awards. Knowing that they both love Jesus and want to do the right thing. I pray that they hang on to that for a very long time!

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

A funny thing happened at church tonight. As the choir was coming to their seats, I stepped to the back to get some water. While I did that, a friend of mine went to the door, opened it and was talking to someone out on the porch. I wondered who she was talking to, I heard her say "What are y'all doing?" and then I heard her say "Well, y'all need to come in here!". LOL Then, in came two teenage boys who are known in the community for causing trouble. They went to the bathroom to wash up and I stayed in the back to make sure they did come into the church. It turns out they were going to wait on the porch until church was over to talk to my husband about something. But, she didn't give them a choice about waiting on the porch, she told them where they needed to be! And surprisingly, they listened! You go girl! LOL I told her that after church. How many people would've shunned them boys or would've said y'all need to go on down the road? It could be for the way they were dressed or for their reputations, but either way alot of people might not have wanted them there. The fact is, my friend was right, in that church hearing the word of God preached is where they needed to be. Thankfully she wasn't afraid to tell them that and thankfully they were respectful and they came in. By the way, the sermon tonight was on the temptations we face from the devil!

(As another friend of mine would say: "Now, just look at God!")

Etc, etc.

I just thought I'd share that I'm currently reading a book for Pastor's Wives called You Can Still Wear Cute Shoes by Lisa McKay. So far it's good and I am sure that I will learn alot. She is a seasoned PW who they called an "unlikely Pastor's Wife"! Which is what I would call myself.

We are currently in the middle of ball season. Matthew is the only one playing this time and he is doing pretty good so far! We had to miss Tuesday because of revival (we do have to keep our priorities in order!).

We just finished CRCT testing (which I am sooo glad that is over with). Lily was really nervous because this was her first year having to take the CRCT. She thinks that she did pretty good. Matthew thinks he did okay too. Lily won two Braves tickets through the All Star Student Acheiver program. In order to receive this acheivement, you have to have had honor roll and/or perfect attendance during the fall semester 2009. I was very proud of her and also glad that we get to plan a trip to see the Braves! The kids are excited, we'll also try to do some other things in Atlanta around that time. We don't go to Atlanta very often so this will be a nice little vacation. We are shooting for July but we have to wait until we get our tickets in the mail to see if we actually get the date we requested.

Our revival this week was very good! We got to hear 3 great speakers! Last weekend was crazy because an old friend passed away (Mr. Emmett Hogg), a young girl from our church was in a bad car wreck we had Baptism services Sunday and revival started Monday. It was just busy. The girl, Jordan is stable but still has alot ahead of surgeries etc ahead of her. It's a miracle that she made it. So, now for this weekend, another busy one but hopefully all in a good way.

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Psalm 31:27

Revival

Our revival is next week. This week we moved our Wednesday night service over to a sister church for their revival. I came in from work very tired and stressed out. I started to let the devil talk me out of going but I decided to go anyways. I had to ride out to our church first to check on something and I started to stop and get me a coke to help wake me up, I had a $10 bill on me (that was all I had), but I decided not to stop. I went on to the revival and was just a few minutes late. Just after I came in they had a woman come up and sing and right after she started singing I was so glad that I went. The songs that she sang and the way she sang them touched me (to the point that I teared up!). Her name is Donna Jackson and I could feel her love for Jesus radiating around her! The preaching was also very good, the message was about being thankful for everything that we have, good health, nice car, nice home, etc. It was just a great service and I was thankful that I didn't let the devil talk me out of going.

Now, after the service I wanted to buy one of Donna's CDs. I asked her how much the CDs were and they were $10. I had that $10 bill (that I didn't break to get a coke), so I handed it over! I thought it was neat how the Lord worked that out. He does work things out for us, if we really pay attention we can find so many things that He does for us if we would just listen to Him and follow His leading!

http://www.donnajackson.org/

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!
YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN 55 TODAY AND I SURE WISH WE COULD CELEBRATE WITH YOU.
HOWEVER, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE MUCH BETTER OFF IN HEAVEN!
WE LOVE AND MISS YOU!

Easter Weekend Recap

We had a great Easter weekend! I don't know about y'all but I am pooped! We were very busy with the egg hunt at church Saturday. Then getting up early Sunday morning for the Easter Sunrise Service (which we had a great crowd, alot of young couples and probably the biggest crowd we've had for sunrise service in years!). Then breakfast, which was wonderful, lots and lots of food.

Who needed lunch after such a huge breakfast? But, that didn't stop us! LOL We had a big lunch at home, Mama, Papa "O" and Kelly came and ate with us. Then we had to hunt Easter eggs again! Brittany and Krystal came over for that and we enjoyed a nice visit with them. Bryan's Dad and stepmom a.k.a. Grandaddy and Nanny also came out for the egg hunt.

We didn't have evening service at church last night since we'd had the sunrise service. Which gave me the chance to get caught up (a little) on laundry. I also had to clean Lily's room (again!) because she doesn't see the need to pick anything up! If she plays with it, it goes in the floor and then it stays there until Mama picks it up. (Hmmm, I wonder why she doesn't pick up? LOL) I know it's my fault, I know and we will work on learning to clean our rooms once I get everything organized the way I want it.

Now for the Lily quote of the day on Easter (to her brother) "Don't you dare hit a woman! (pause) "And don't you kick a woman neither!". I'm guessing she was referring to herself as a woman? LOL She will be there plenty soon enough, let's not rush it. Another quote from watching TV together last night is that she does not like Chad Dylan Cooper's new hair cut (he is a character on a disney show) "And that's why we broke up!". LOL

THE CROSS

The emblem of the cross is seen all over the world in the display of church steeples and crucifixes worn around people's necks. However, many people do not know the real meaning of the symbolism of the cross and what it means to those who look to the event of Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection for their salvation. The cross is the greatest symbol of love that was ever shown to this world. It speaks of a perfectly innocent man, who was brutally tortured in the most scandalous of deaths, for a world that spit in His face. We are just as guilty of crucifying our Lord as the people who actually did it because we have sinned and it was for sin He was crucified.

Anyone who would call God unloving for "sending" people to hell, has never really understood the cross. We are the ones who chose to sin! Yet, God in His great mercy, made a glorious way out of the inevitable result of our sin for us. He took it upon Himself, and it cost Him more than we can imagine--His Beloved Son. God put all of the sins of the whole world upon Him and punished Him in our place. This is a profound mystery, but it is the central message of the gospel-- that God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever would believe in Him wouldn't die in their sins, but could inherit eternal life through faith in Him (John 3:16). I Peter 2:24 says Jesus bore our sins in His body, not in His spirit. He is the eternal and sinless Holy Spirit. (Jesus did not die spiritually. The Scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:21 which says, "For he hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin..." means He was made to be a "sin offering" for us, not that He literally became sin.)

However, if that was all that took place, the story would have a very bitter ring to it indeed. Preaching just the death of Jesus is only half the message. The gospel (good news) is that Jesus is alive today!

Jesus is the only man that ever came back to life from the grave. Every religion in the world outside of Christianity has a grave or tomb where their leader is buried. Only in the Bible is recorded the tomb that was found empty because Christ rose from the dead and is alive today!

copied from bible.com

HAPPY EASTER!

Tired....

Wow, I am so tired! Moving and unpacking and settling in really takes it out of ya. And, uh-um [clears throat], I'm not as young as I used to be. LOL So, just doing the basics of house keeping and cooking etc is enough, much less all this extra work that needs to be done! I really hope that I can get my computer desk put together this weekend so that I can get ON my computer and download some pictures to share with y'all! I am seriousely missing my computer and facebook! Bryan put the entertainment center together for me the other day and I took pictures of it. I've got the kids' bathroom decorated with monkeys! (I found the cutest shower curtain and stuff and I just HAD to get it!) I will post pics soon! I mean it! LOL