Time Away

 

Monday the 25th was our 24th Anniversary and to celebrate we took a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The road trip, along with the last 24  years have definitely been an adventure.  He is crazy and silly and I am totally the opposite and serious, but we balance each other out perfectly! 

 

We enjoyed our time in Santa Fe and spent time talking and praying, studying our Bibles and just totally enjoying each other.  Although it was cold there, we still were able to go walk the Plaza and enjoy the culture and artwork of that beautiful city.  It seems like our week came to an end way too soon and we were headed back home!

 

We arrived home to two little people so excited to see their Pappa and Amma!  Chandler and Saraina were at the church to help with the teens, so we were able to hug on and cuddle our babies who we missed so much!

 

I wish I could tell you that our time in Santa Fe was uninterrupted by ministry but as you know ministry is 24 hours no matter where you go.  Several pressing issues came up while we were gone and my husband was thankful that he had time to thoroughly pray them through before he came home to handle them. After a few cuddles with grandbabies my husband was off and running and trying to see all the people who needed his attention after being gone for a week.  This morning before he started running again, we prayed and asked God to give us the right hearts and attitudes today as we served Him, for without Him leading and guiding us we can make a total mess of things!

 

Love time away but so happy to be back and looking forward to loving and serving in the place God has called us to.



Building and Singing

 

The amount needed to tackle the next phase in our building was raised so the men were busy today trying to get as much done as they could. 

There were men working inside to finish up the framing....

 

 

 

And a group of men outside working on getting the second of three

handicap accessible ramps finished and installed.  The weather was in the 50's today and perfect for working outside!

 

I knew all the men would be hungry so I put together a big crockpot full of ham and beans and made cornbread to go with it.  The men always appreciate when there is food while they are working!

 

 

 

 

Pastor Mason led Iron men today and was teaching them woodworking skills.  He also talked to the boys about leadership in the church and what God expects out of the men that serve Him.

 

We had to leave in the middle of the work as we had gospel singing at the nursing home today.  The people love to sing and I love to watch them as so many people have the songs memorized and sing them by heart! 

Our time there seems to always fly bye and with a few minutes of chit chat with each of them it is time to leave!  Each week we do this ministry, I fall more and more in love with each of the people there!

 

 

It's been another busy Saturday and I am so thankful that once again,

 God let us serve Him in these little ways!

 

 

 

 



Healthy Dinners

We have several elderly ladies in our church who are living independently but have trouble cooking because of health issues and also because of dietary restrictions.  These ladies have been buying TV dinners because they are easy to cook but very high in sodium, not healthy and also just plain expensive.  Someone approached me and asked what we could do to help these ladies and after praying about it, God gave me the idea of making healthy, filling meals and freezing them in individual servings.  Today I made six different dinners and I was able to divide these into containers to feed each lady for almost a month!  Tonight my husband helped me pack everything in the car and deliver these freezer meals to our ladies.  The ladies were so thankful and excited to have healthy meals made specially for them!  Next month I plan on asking some of the ladies at church help me as this is a needed ministry for the dear elderly saints in our church.

 

 

Serving with Love

I absolutely love this picture!  Today was our monthly Foodbank day for our community and one of the ladies was extremely tired and weary after coming out in the cold air and was having trouble breathing.  As soon as one of young men approached her to help her with her box, she grabbed hold of his hand to steady her and help her walk and pick out her food.  How calm and patient this young man was as he served with love!

 

We had so many families come for help today and one of the most memorable was a family that went through the line and when they got to the shampoo and conditioners, they just stopped!  The lady looked at us in amazement and explained to us how she had just been counting her change and hoping she had enough for some shampoo and conditioner! 

We told her that God knew exactly what she needed and were able

 to witness to her of God's goodness!

 

So thankful that God has given us this opportunity to serve our community by giving out not only food for their bodies but also food for their souls!



Expecting Great Things

 

Saturday we took our teens to Gillette, Wyoming to a New Years Youth rally. 

It was a looonnnggg ride, we left at 5am and didn't get back until 8pm that night!  The teens love long van trips because they get to laugh, joke and goof off with Pastor Mason!  Although it was a long ride, the teens had so much fun and it's always great to meet new teens and hear good preaching! 

 

 

On Sunday mornings I always make sure that there are cookies and treats on the coffee table.  No matter how long I have been without sugar, the smell of sugar makes me want to take a bite, but I stayed strong and all the treats made it to the coffee table without my having a nibble!

 

We need a new Sunday School worker in the nursery and I volunteered to do it until we find someone.  Usually nursery is just playtime for the little ones but this week I wanted to start a song and story time.  We only had one in nursery yesterday but every little one is so special in God's eyes.  Little lady loved song time and just sat in my lap and watched my face as I sang to her!  I found some new flannel graph pictures on Amazon and told the creation story.  The creation story has so many animals and we spent a lot of  time making animal noises!  She loved it and we will do the same thing next week!

 

After an amazing Sunday last week, I asked God to do the same thing this week! Bring us visitors, a salvation, let us see growth in our people and just to see His hand working in the services and peoples hearts.  All the visitors we had last week came back this week but I was disappointed not to see any new visitors and we had no salvations.  The services were good but I was expecting great and mighty things and I didn't see anything!  As I prayed and told God I felt disappointed, he whispered to me that great things are not always what we expect.  He told me He was working in hearts and that was something I couldn't see.  He does great things we can see in the positive and also in the negative and sometimes He does great things without us seeing. 

 I stopped right then and thanked God for all He did and told Him I was sorry for holding Him up to my expectations because as we know, His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts!  I am so thankful

His great things are not what we expect!

 

 

Coconut Bread



Already, 2016 has been such a busy year for my husband. 

It seems like I have hardly seen him as he studies, go out visiting and also runs around helping and ministering to those in need.  Sometimes I go with him but at other times he takes other men in the church or has situations

 he needs to handle with privacy.  I promised God this year,

that no matter how much time the ministry takes him away, I will not complain but will find something useful to do so I do not just sit home

and become bored and bitter!

 

Today my husband shared with me his busy day and I decided that I would make up a batch of coconut bread.  If you have never had coconut bread you must make it!  It is absolutely delicious and a family favorite.  I was able to make five small loaves of the batch and then this afternoon I went and visited several of our elderly ladies.  The ladies were so happy to have company and we sat and chatted and chatted.  What a wonderful time I had with each lady and before I knew it, it was time to go home and fix dinner for my husband.  I loved going out an ministering to these dear ladies

 and plan on doing this again soon!

 

Coconut Bread

2 cups sugar

1 cup buttermilk

4 eggs

1 cup oil

2 tsp. coconut extract

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup coconut

3 cups flour

 

Stir and mix well.  Pour into 2 large loaf pans or 5 mini loaf pans and bake at 325* for one hour.  While baking, make coconut glaze.

 

 

Coconut Glaze

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. coconut extract

 

Heat until sugar is melted and pour onto bread while still hot

 and let the glaze soak in.  Enjoy! 

An Amma's Answered Prayer

 

As I have said before, I have a wonderful daughter-in-love!

She has such a love for the Lord and is such a great mom to my grandbabies!

Every morning she diligently reads and studies her Bible and the kids know exactly what mommy is doing.  This morning I was praying for wisdom for Raina as she grows in the Lord and takes care of her family.  Then as I prayed for Keith, I prayed that when he saw his mommy reading her Bible,

 he too would want to read his.  I was blessed to tears when Raina posted this picture on Facebook with the following message.

 

"I'm pretty sure my heart just melted a little!!!

He sat down with me and grabbed his Bible! He's even reading it saying,

 "it's God, God,God" my mommy heart is over filled!!!!!!!!!"

 

So thankful that God hears and answers the prayers of this Amma!

 



A Vow to God and Halfway There!

On August 15th I said I was finally done! 

I was done being fat and out of shape!  I vowed a vow to God

and as you know a vow to God is very serious and not something you break.  I knew that a vow to God would be the only way I would be totally faithful to what I planned to  do.  I promised God that for one year I would not eat any sugar, pops, chips, fried food or any fast food.  I can honestly say I haven't had one taste of any of those things.  I have had a love affair with fast food and sugar and it has been so hard to totally cut those thing out of my diet! It has been especially hard when my family has eaten hamburgers and fries or candy bars in front of me, but I have remembered my vow

 to God and overcome every temptation!

 

Today I hit my first goal and have lost 50 pounds!!!  I am so excited!!! 

 I am halfway to my total weight loss goal and only have 50 pounds

left to lose!   My goal date to lose all my weight is August 15th when my brothers, mom and I fly out to Delaware to attend my brother's Military retirement ceremony and then we will be taking my mom to New York City

for her 70th birthday!  (Shhh.....my mom's dream is to go to

New York City and has no idea we are taking her!)

 

I have loved throwing out all my clothes that no longer fit

and I love buying clothes in smaller sizes! I feel so much more confident and so much more happier as all that weight not only weighed down my body

but my attitude and spirit!  I am thanking God for helping me

and will keep relying on Him as I continue to lose weight! 



Amazing Things

 

There are no other words to describe today other than amazing!

This young man came forward during the invitation.  He went back with an older man for counseling and when he came out of the counseling office 20 minutes later I asked him what happened.  With a hug smile and a glow on his face he said "Amazing things!".  God's salvation and forgiving grace is amazing and we are so excited that this man got saved today!

 

I also was brought to tears as I watched three older ladies in our church. 

I love these women dearly but they have a habit of sitting in the entry area and bickering.  Someone forgot their hearing aid and doesn't understand what was said, another doesn't like what's being said in the conversation, another lady gets irritated and fuels the fires with sharp angry words.  As I was getting ready for Sunday school I could hear a fight escalating and I ran out to intervene.  Before I could say anything I saw the lady who always stirs the fire with her words, reach over and grasp the lady's hand next to her and start to pray.  As she prayed you could see the other ladies relaxing and one by one they also prayed.  Within seconds the whole situation was diffused by focusing their hearts on prayer for whatever they were talking about. 

An absolutely amazing moment!

 

Before Sunday School I was also talking with the bus captain's wife

and she was saying how we have lost so many kids and are down to a handful on the bus. On of the ladies that was also standing there asked the bus captains wife to pick a Saturday and the lady and her husband would come out and visit and door knock and help recruit new kids.  I love it when people see the need and volunteer without the pastor asking! 

This was another amazing moment this morning!

 

I was also excited to see returning visitors today and not only did they return to visit, they brought new visitors with them!  God answered so many of my prayers that I prayed yesterday as I fasted for the church.  I stand in awe of everything that God did today and I can honestly say,

 the first Sunday of the year was absolutely amazing! 

 



Saturday Fasting and Praying

 

This year I have purposed in my heart to fast every Saturday

and there are several reasons why. 

 

First I want to prepare myself for worship on Sunday.  By praying and reading and focusing my mind on Him the day before, I will be ready for God to touch my heart and mind through the singing and through the preaching of His Word.  We have all had those days when we went to church just because it's what we do on Sundays, because our family's expect us to, or simply because you are the Pastor's wife and are expected to be there!  I want more out of my Sunday worship this year.  I want to truly meet with God, truly sit at His feet and listen and learn and be touched by Him. 

 

Second I am fasting for our church and people.  My husband and I want

 this year to be a year of growth for our church.  We want to see visitors and salvation's and baptism's  We want to see our people faithful to church and leaving church refreshed and encouraged and challenged for the week.  We want to see our people grow in their relationships with God and in the grace and knowledge of Him. 

 

And of course I'm praying for my husband to be filled with the spirit as he preaches and that God will be glorified in all that is said and done.  I'm also praying for my husband to have wisdom and grace as he speaks with and counsel those looking for help that can only be found through God. 

 

So many things and people to pray for, I feel that I must spend the day fasting and praying for a wonderful Spirit filled Sunday! 



2016 ~ Make Every day Count

 

Fabulous!  That's how I'm feeling about the New Year.  A brand new year with 365 days to live and love, to challenge myself and change, to grow and become the woman I feel God wants me to be.

 

I love goals and challenges and I love at the end of the day crossing everything off my list and seeing how I my day, my week and month has progressed.  At the end of the year I love re-examining my life and seeing if my goals helped me grow or if I was lazy and did not accomplish many of my goals and thus did not see a change in my life.  I will admit that last year I was lazy in so many areas of my life.  At the end of 2015 I was not happy with how my year went and wanted to change so many things about myself, so I readjusted my goals list and I am so excited to see what God will do with my life this year.  So here are a few of my goals for 2016.

 

The 70 Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

My husband and I have committed to work together and help each other as we follow the resolutions written by this man so long ago.  These resolutions focus on keeping your eyes on Jesus and being humble, kind, full of charity and always looking at the spiritual aspect of things around us.  We started this today by reading through these 70 Resolutions and talking about each point and praying over them.  Already we have seen a difference in how we talk and relate to others around us and it hasn't even been a full day yet!

 

 

This year I want to dig deeper in my Bible study.  For Christmas my husband gave me this journal Bible that I can write in and mark up as I study.  For each chapter, I will take apart every word and phrase, learning the cultural, historical and textual context of each passage.  I am excited to begin this study and to know and love my God and Savior more deeply than I ever have.  Along with my morning study I have committed to spending an hour in prayer, and daily memorizing a new verse, writing in my Thankful Journal, listening to a sermon or religious podcast and surrounding myself with uplifting music.

 

 

Another goal I have is to love and support my husband more. 

We both get so busy, that sometimes I feel we are just passing in the night!  Every day I want to send him a sweet text encouraging him or write a love letter to let him now I'm thinking of him or take small gifts to his office to show him I appreciate him.  He is such a wonderful man and I am truly thankful for him and all he does for me!

 

I also want to live in the moment and find joy in the small things.  It seems I am always so busy, that I am always in a rush that I miss so much!  I want to be able to see little things around me, the beauty and fun around me and take time to enjoy these things.  I want to make every moment count and look back and see joy in every moment, no matter the circumstance or trial. 

 

I also have goals to love on and encourage my ladies at church,

to work at least half an hour a day at the church cleaning or organizing, and working on landscaping the parsonage lawn as soon as the weather turns nice.  Of course I still have a goal to finish the three quilts I have started and that have been sitting in my closet for years and also to start making and doing some of the things I have pinned on Pinterest! 

 

And finally for my personal goals, I want to stay on my no sugar, no pop,

no chips, no fired food and no fast food diet.  I have lost 50 pounds in almost 5 months and am feeling great!  I have 50 more pounds to lose to be at my goal weight by August!  (Did I mention I have not exercised or eaten veggies in those 5 months!)  Also every morning I have a goal to stretch.  I have never been flexible and never can remember being able to touch my toes and by the end of the year I want to be able to!

 

So those are my goals for the New Year and I am so excited

to see what God will do and where He will lead me as I daily live for Him and make every day count!