Quote From the Daughter

We were shopping for some MUCH NEEDED clothes for my 13 year old female offspring.

She DOES NOT like to shop! And it is like pulling impacted, grown sideways into the gum, wisdom teeth to get her to the store.

As we were on our way she said...

and I quote...


"If Eve wouldn't have eaten that STINKIN' APPLE we wouldn't have to pick out clothes to wear EVERY SINGLE DAY!"

So... what are YOU going to wear today?

Frustration at the Pump! Feel my Pain... and be Thankful!?!

Why am I frustrated, you ask?

I was filling up with gas on Wednesday. As I put my debit /credit card in the slot and started pumping gas, the lady at the pump beside me started using some 'colorful language'. In other words... she was cussin' up a storm!

I looked over and she said, "Did you see what happened to the price when you slid your card?"

Me: "No. I wasn't paying attention."

Cussin' Lady: "The price went up 10 cents / gallon as soon as you swiped your card."

I looked at the pump and SHE WAS RIGHT! From $3.89 to $3.99.

Me: "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!"

Cussin' Lady: "@*!*^&@#$!:<>?!!!!!%^*#$!!!!"

We both stopped pumping our gas immediately!

At this point... some uncomely thoughts started filling my head... to which I had to "capture my thoughts" and put them under submission to the LORD!

I now understood her 'way with words."

I left the gas station and went to my planned destination... the Christian Book Store. As I walked in, I was greeted by 3 employees all working on a display... all smiley, in a good, Jesus loving way... "How are you?"

Feeling it was my CITIZENLY DUTY to WARN EVERYONE of this money-hungry, greed filled, aren't gas prices high enough already SCAM... I told them what had transpired.

One of the employees said he was at a CITGO earlier in the week and the same thing happened. Citgo had a itty bitty sign declaring their intentions.

The BP station where I stopped ... NO SIGN!

So... now when it is raining, snowing, you are in a hurry... be prepared to have to ENTER the gas station BEFORE you pump and take a WILD, CALCULATED Guess as to HOW MUCH GAS will indeed be effused into your tank at $4.18.9 / gallon.... pay the attendant... THEN make sure you DO NOT GO OVER said amount. If your tank cannot hold pre-determined gallons you must THEN make your way through the rain, snow, stand in line with all the other irate customers and get MONEY BACK.

I just wanted to enlighten you and warn you to BE AWARE. I had heard on the news this might happen... and they were right.

l am now simmered down. Thanks for letting me rant and rave.

Yesterday I listened to a podcast of my friend, NETTA CHILTON from 11/18/07 on the "THANKFUL HEART." It convicted my heart.

I need to be thankful that we do have a vehicle in which to drive to the gas station... and maybe this price surge will cause us to stay home a little more and enjoy our family...

And maybe we will go for more bike rides!

Tell me how you are feeling about this... and how you are striving to be thankful and positive through this tough economy...

...and ANY frugal tips you can offer for us to make our dollar stretch.

Check it Out!

Steve and the Michigan Assemblies of God were 'blogged' by Ed Stetzer... with pictures and everything!

Ed, or should I say, DR. STETZER, was the speaker for our Church Planting Service and seminar last Thursday for our Michigan District ministers.

Check it out HERE! I am proud! This is quite an honor!


AND for Pastor's Wives Everywhere....



Now... why didn't I think of this!!!! ( I guess it really doesn't bother me when my hubby talks about me... because it is always with love and grace and fun. We laugh with each other... but this video is still hilarious!)

I CAN'T FIGHT ANYMORE!

If you read my last blog about FIGHTING THE FIGHT... and you have fought and battled and done the warfare needed... and now you cry out...

"GOD ... I AM TIRED! I CAN'T FIGHT ANYMORE!"

Can I get a witness?!!?

Two years ago Steve was in Ethiopia for 3 weeks teaching at the seminary. While he was there, all "you know what" broke loose!

• The health of our family (immediate and extended) began falling apart...
  
  
• Our mailbox and a fancy flower pot (YES... it was FEBRUARY... and YES I STILL had a fancy flower pot by my house... it looked nice even without FLOWERS!!!)... they were smashed in right after he left... NOT A GOOD THING for a big CHICKEN like me who barricades every door and window when the MAN is away...
  
  
• I was battling another stomach "attack"...
  
  
• I had a flat tire in the middle of a snow storm on the way to Mt. Pleasant...
  
  
• Had to replace all of my tires when I got there ... ( thanks to the hubby of one of my CLOSEST, ROCKIN', BFF's...Peggy... John took care of the tires... filled the gas tank... washed the car... and made sure I was safe to drive home)...
  
  
• THEN my wisdom teeth abscessed...
  
  
• Had to have them surgically removed...
  
  
• Reacted to the Vicodin ...
  
  
• Had to drink a bottle of Benedryl... then had no pain meds... can you say... OUCH???
  
  
• Then part of my world came crashing in when my sweet, precious Mom had to have a lung biopsy and was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis... no cause, no cure, in man's eyes... no hope. (see bottom of post for an update).
  

All of this in a matter of 2.5 weeks.

I was emailing Steve in Africa... talked to him a couple of times... crying on the phone...hearing the delayed echoes of my voice through the international connection... "YOU NEED TO COME HOME!!!! ... you need to come home!!! ... EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART!!! ... everything is falling apart!!!! ... I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! ... I can't take it anymore!...

He asked his students to pray for our family. One of our Ethiopian brothers said the LORD gave him this word for us ...

Exodus 14:13-15
"Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

I immediately posted this verse on my mirror.

THEN, (yes you thought that was all)... Steve called me from Amsterdam on his way home and told me he had been MUGGED on the train... ( more about THAT in another post).

Two weeks later when I was in the hospital for three days with the most severe 'attack' I had ever had... after they run test after test with no diagnosis... I had no fight left. I am sure my body had just reacted to all of the stress I had gone through...or should I say...put myself through by not allowing the LORD TO FIGHT FOR ME. Lying there in the hospital bed... I had to pray that scripture over and over...

The LORD made this verse so real to me. I had to just give it all to HIM.

When we feel like we just can't fight anymore...

Do whatever you have the strength for... pray... cry... meditate on the WORD... put on worship music....Lay your fight.... or your lack of strength to do that... at HIS feet... let HIM pick it up... rest for a while... allow HIM to refresh you... regain your spunk... to be strong for you.

Be encouraged... HE IS FIGHTING FOR YOU TODAY!


( BY THE WAY... my MOM has defied Doctors' Prognosis. They said "we can only hope to slow it down... you will never get better." Well... with every test... she IMPROVES by 6%! She is baffling her doubting doctor. Standing in faith. Quoting scripture. Believing in GOD'S creative power for healing. PRAISE THE LORD! HE IS FIGHTING FOR MY MOM!)

WASSUUPP?!?!

Just a synopsis of WASSUUPP in my life the last few weeks ... AND how HE will take care of WASSUUPP in your life... if you allow him to.

March 30 - Turned 44 years young! My son called me like 6 times. It made my day. Spent the day in HOLT at our new church plant's grand opening in their new building. They ROCK! I am looking forward to May 2-3 when I am with them at their FIRST Ladies Retreat! Then had dessert with my mom and dad and gram... and Steve and Brie of course.

April 1 - Spent the morning at Auburn Hills Christian Center speaking to their MOM 2 MOM group. I love the ladies there! The group has Personality PLUS! Laurie Shaffer, you are a great leader... you organized woman, you! I LOVE LOVE LOVE their pastor's wives! THANKS for letting me be a part.

April 2 - Met my new blog friend and author, Karen Hossink at a MOPS Group when I went to hear her speak. How FUN! Check out her blog and book.



April 5th - MOM'S BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

I LOVE YOU MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY!




April 4 & 5th - Had the privilege at attending a ladies conference at Bedford Christian Community Church and leading a breakout session on Saturday afternoon . The weekend was SOOO for me... The WORD of the LORD spoken through Becky and Chris challenged me... encouraged me... I found more friends whom I love. Lori, Rachel, Aleda, Judy... spending time with the pastor's wife and her mom, Carol. WENDY ELARTON (check out her blog) whom I have known since she has been a little girl... and I believe she is one of the SWEETEST PEOPLE I have ever met in my LIFE!

Well... Here is what I shared in my session... I shared how GOD had been leading me out of the PIT from the previous four years... of depression and sickness. HOW I had not had an "ATTACK" physically in almost 2 years. I shared what the LORD had spoken to me and the steps he took me through to become victorious...

THEN on SUNDAY APRIL 6th...the day AFTER I declared those things... I got blindsided with sickness. The pain started... the nausea came... no full blown "ATTACK" though. ( you don't want me to describe what that entails... believe me!)

I tried to be careful in my eating throughout the week. On Thursday Steve had to run to the office at 7 pm for a 30 minute thing so Brie and I went with him. While there.... the ATTACK happened. OH THE PAIN... oh the PAIN... did I mention PAIN???

ANYWAY for 2 hours I was lying on the bathroom floor at the office... between bouts of vomiting and ... ok... I will not go into details... but after two hours I saw a window of opportunity. I ran out... said LET'S GO... I think I can make the 30 minute trip home... Got home.... spent more time in the "little girls' sick room'... then crashed in bed. Continued to have pain and nausea for the next week or so.

This week, I am feeling better. FINALLY.

During this time, I thought, THAT IS JUST LIKE THE ENEMY... I stand in FAITH AND TESTIMONY and then I get SLAMMED with this for the FIRST TIME IN 2 YEARS!

While lying on the floor... I was pleading... "I DON"T WANT TO GO BACK DOWN THIS ROAD, LORD JESUS! I don't want this sickness to plague me again. No doctors could do anything about it. I believe you have healed me." THEN I started quoting scriptures over my body that he had given me...

AND declaring... "NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME SHALL PROSPER!"

Am I over spiritualizing this physical issue in my body? ...Well... I am sure we could argue that point all day. Yes... sickness and disease, etc. are a part of life... But I am not giving the enemy a foothold... WHY TAKE THE CHANCE by UNDERESTIMATING things!

I am STANDING on the WORD OF THE LORD... ... trying to do my best to watch what I put into my body... and TRUSTING HIM for total healing... and believing in GOD'S POWER to deliver... to heal.

Ephesians 6: 10 - 13 & 18 says this - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against ... the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God...that... you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." verse 18: "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."

If you have been standing in FAITH for an area of your life... your body... your spouse... son ...daughter... parent... extended family member... your friend... that coworker who tries your faith like non-other... that addiction that keeps following you... hurt, depression, anger,illness ... WHATEVER your battle...

Don't be weary in your fight.

Put on GOD'S armor ( Paul did say that TWICE within 3 verses!!!)... stand (he said STAND 3 TIMES!) Stand strong... stand firm... ... recognize your enemy... Pray in the spirit with ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS AND REQUESTS ... and after you have done EVERYTHING you know to do... KEEP STANDING!

PUT ON THAT ARMOR, WARRIOR PRINCESS! (or prince).

STAND FIRM TODAY!

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST

Thanks for all your emails and prayers for Nicole's family... Allen, Skylar...

Within a day after Nicole's death and friend emailed me about a gal who lives not far from her named Corey who delivered a baby on the same day, I believe as Nicole.

Corey had major complications in child birth as well... She had to have 60 units of blood... had two strokes and is in a coma. They do not expect her to live. If she does, they say she will be severely mentally impaired.

The baby, her THIRD child, a little girl, is also in NICU and has already had heart surgery.

PLEASE lift COREY up in prayer. She is a believer. Her husband's name is Scott. He does not know the LORD as his Savior. Please pray GOD will reveal himself to Scott and heal Corey and the baby.

Thank you for praying for this family... for this Mommy.

A Heart Torn in Two

How can a heart be so full of joy and grieving at the same time?

Last Wednesday, two little girls were born into this world. My friend, Amy, delivered Hannah Grace. I am so excited for Amy and her husband. They are church planters in Minnesota. She was Weston's 6th grade teacher... and she was his favorite teacher. ( my favorite teacher of his as well.)

CONGRATULATIONS, AMY and Tim! We love you and can't wait to hold Hannah Grace.

Also, last Wednesday, Skylar Nicole was born. In the birthing process, her mother, Nicole had some complications and went home to be with Jesus.

Today, Nicole's funeral is taking place at Freedom Christian Assembly of God, the church we attended before we went to help with my brother-in-law's church plant in Royal Oak.

Nicole was only 24 years old. Sklyar, her first baby.

Skylar is healthy and beautiful. I know she will grow up knowing how wonderful her mother was. All who loved and knew Nicole will see to that.

Though I did not personally have a relationship with Nicole, many of my younger friends were close to her. However, I feel very connected to her and her family as I almost lost my life giving birth to Weston. My family didn't know if I was going to live or not. I lived. Nicole did not.

It is a mystery to me, why things happen the way they do. Why one so young dies and another lives.

Tragedy and Celebration. Both a part of this thing we live called life.

Today, I rejoice with Amy and I grieve with Allen and Skylar. It is a very strange, awkward feeling. Tears of joy... and tears of grief... all at the same time.

This is a time of complete, blind TRUST in the ONE who created us. A time we have to look to HIM and say, "LORD, your ways are higher than our ways. Though I don't understand, I will still trust YOU, love YOU, and serve YOU."

Please pray today and in the days to come for Nicole's husband, Allen, her mom and dad, and the rest of the family.