Before and after lap band pictures!

It's been one year since my lap band surgery! I've lost 81 lbs so far! I'd still like to lose 40 more. It's so weird to look at my before picture. They are both me. The same me. I haven't changed on the inside. But it's nice to look better on the outside : ) More than looking better, Oh, I feel soooooo much better! I can do so much more than I've ever been able to do! I walk almost daily! Joe and I ride bikes together! I have so much more energy! Life is definitely more enjoyable!
My sister Dianna can't believe how I let myself be so transparant on the internet..that hasn't been difficult for me at all! I love to write and share my thoughts. THis is the most difficult..showing pictures.It's painful to see the old me. I don't want to be the old me.. I want that part of my life erased. I don't want to be remembered or thought of like that old picture! BUT..IT IS ME! It's a part of my life. I've always struggled with my weight. I still struggle. I always will! Food is my drug, my pleasure, my comfort, my best friend and my enemy. I still want to gorge myself..but I can't anymore. I love to eat! I love food!
I like being thin more :)

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Bliss Update

Lauren got asked to homecoming..yes, on her first day at a new school.(She still thinks boys are yukky, so she laughed and said "EWWWWW NO!" She made lots of friends already.. she loved it! Ally..not so much. But we will see with her..she's in 11th grade so it might take her a bit longer because friendships are already established. Also, her classes seem really hard for her. Entreupreneurship..Pre Calculus.. Speech..
Overall, I think it's going to be goo! Please keep praying for my girls. They will need God's help!

Bliss

First day of high school for Lauren. First day of a new school for Ally and Lauren! They are incredible girls! They really are. They weren't too nervous.. more excited then anything! I think I was more nervous then they were. We got there right on time! I ran some papers into the office and was stopped by the superintendent, who had a great big smile on her face as she welcomed us to school. Then one of the teachers who comes into my restaurant, stopped and told me how everyone was so excited for us to be at the school and to be opening the Tavern Restaurant! hmmmm, God is so good to me. God is so good. I am blessed beyond belief. I don't think I can feel any happier then I feel at this moment. I feel bliss.
Yesterday the employees from the Neshannock Creek Inn all went to a Pirate Game together. (I couldn't go, because of having to prepare the girls for school). I stayed home and cleaned my house from top to bottom. (This helps Ally feel good and less anxious) Then I went grocery shopping (350 dollars..and I only filled one cart!!!) I got the girls their favorite foods, and came home and made some broccoli salad, a pot of Chili and fresh blueberry muffins! The salad and chile are for dinner tonight.. the muffins were for the girls this morning!
I talked to my bestie Kim for a little while..Then I turned on the radio and listened to music, and prayed while I cooked. It was very relaxing. Joe called while I was in the kitchen. "Guess what?" he asked. "What?" "I caught a homerun ball!!!!!" It was his first! He was so excited... the girls were really excited. We all three wished we would have been there to witness the event! They couldn't wait for him to come home. They new how excited he was.
We stayed up to watch the game highlights on tv and all saw him catch the homerun ball! He pumped his fists in the air!! Hahaha..it was great!
So this morning after taking the kids to school, I put on my walking shoes and I took Nikki for a long cardio-walk! I love walking through the side streets on Neshannock. It's so quiet and peaceful! And..for the rest of the day Joe and I are strategizing on restaurant ideas and applications! We've got so much work ahead of us, but it's work that I love!
Well..that's a lot of words for today. I hope you are feeling wonderful! May God pour out His blessings upon you today! Peace out, Susan

Send some prayer our way..Please!

My girlies start their new school tommorow! They are very excited and little bit nervous too! Ally knows a few kids, but Lauren knows nobody! Please pray for them. Pray for God to send some nice friends their way. Pray that He takes away any nervousness and lonliness and anxiety they may feel.

Oh as a mother..you just wish you could go there with them and hold their hands and sit with them at lunch if they don't have anyone to sit with..and tell their teachers how wonderful they are..

I can't be with them, but God will be. Please pray for my girls! Thanks!

My sister shared some philosophy with me..

My sister Dianna is a very generous, giving person. Everytime we're together, She's always giving me something! She's given me books, beautiful jewelry, purses..

This time she gave me Philosphy lotion called Inner Grace. Can you read the words on the bottle?

They say: God is love God is Peace God is trust God is joy God is family
God is friendship God is fearless God is breath God is life God is wisdom God is eternal God speaks in whispers

God speaks in whispers..but He speaks loudly at times too. What is God whispering to you.. or perhaps shouting to you? Do you hear Him? Listen...

Ikea

www.ikea.com We took a trip to IKEA today in Robinson township. WOAH! That is a cool place! When we take over the Tavern, we will stay in an apartment that is attached to the restaurant. My goal is to make enough extra money from now until December to furnish the apartment completely on my own! So we went to IKEA to check out the furniture. I loved it! If you've never been to Ikea, you can spend a whole day looking around. They have a lot of inexpensive furniture to fit into a small space, which is what we'll need. We're going to go completely MODERN! Woohoo! The girls and I are so excited!

Victoria Elizabeth Stewart!

I love you so much! I am so proud of you. You are a beautiful, intelligent, funny, sweet, kind and especially loving young woman! You are AMAZING and INCREDIBLE! I LOVE when you come and stay at my house in the summer! I love to hear you and Ally talk and laugh together! It makes me feel happy : ) You are going to be very successful in your life. You love and care for others so much, and make them feel loved and cared for! You are such a wonderful part of our family! I am going to miss you so much when you leave. I am so proud to be your aunt! I love you Victoria Elizabeth! Aunt Suzy

Cousins and Best Friends!

"Why can't I see God?" Perry Nobles Blog Post today

One of the most common questions I get as a pastor/minister is, “Perry, you say you see God in BLANK…or that you hear from God…why don’t I have the same things happen to me?”

My response isn’t always what people want to hear, nonetheless it remains the same, “Maybe you just aren’t looking for Him.”

I once heard John Maxwell teach a lesson and one of His points was, “We see what we are prepared to see.” The older I get the more I am convinced that is true. In fact, I had an experience with Charisse the other day that illustrated this so clearly.

As I have often talked about on this site and at church…Charisse loves birds! (By the way, thanks Greg for the purple bird–she LOVE’S IT!!!) Bird was one of the first words she said that I am fully convinced she knew what it meant.

So…one day we were in the front yard and I quickly glanced up at the sky to see if I could find a bird…but I didn’t see one.

Within a matter of seconds her eyes got huge & she pointed to the sky saying, “bird, bird!”

I smiled at her “imagination” and was about to explain to her that there were no birds in the sky…but before doing so I looked at the direction she was pointing and there were literally about 20 birds flying around.

There is a reason I didn’t see the birds & she did…she was purposefully looking for them–I wasn’t!

It’s the same thing with us and our relationship with God. You see, God is ALWAYS at work (John 5:17), He is ALWAYS speaking. He is ALWAYS obvious–even in the ordinary! (Seriously, the sunsets He paints every evening are AMAZING!)

It’s just that often times we aren’t really looking for Him…but merely giving quick glances His way…

Questions for you…if you don’t mind…

When was the last time you came to church & begged God to reveal Himself to you? Or…is it your goal to get in and get out?
When was the last time you prayed over your food and GENUINELY did so with a thankful heart? Or…are you still using that prayer you memorized 20 years ago? (”Bless us, help us and guide us…”)
When was the last time you prayed before reading the Scriptures and asked God to get personal? Or…do you read the Bible to try and see what is wrong with “those other people?”
When was the last time you allowed God to place HIS passion into you? Or…are you to busy trying to instill your passion into Him?
We see what we are prepared to see!

God isn’t playing some game of hide & go seek!!! He WANTS us to know HIM!!! (Jeremiah 29:13 is a hint as to how! He WANTS us to see Him!!! He WANTS us to grow in Him!

Maybe our prayer needs to stop being for Him to reveal Himself and switch to begging Him to let us see what’s He’s already tried to make obvious.

THAT WOULD BE LIFE CHANGING!

Big Dreams and Following God...

I want plant a church. I want to see 1000's of people come to know Christ in my community. I want to make the name of Jesus famous. I want to baptize someone. I want to evangelize. I want to tell the whole world what Christ has done for me, and what He will do for you! I want to change the world! Those are my dreams.

Those are Big dreams,but I worship a big God! He can do anything. My mantra is "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13

So I was on a path to planting a church..and this path..well it changed my life. It helped me to gain wisdom and strength and confidence. It brought me closer to God. It helped me have a stronger Faith and Trust in God. It brought me deep meaningful friendships. I wouldn't be who I am today, if I had not gone through the past few years of trying to get my church planted.

I followed God. When you follow God, you can't go wrong places. He took me there...He guided me there.. I don't know the right way to explain it, but I followed God and did what I believed He meant for me to do.

So..my church didn't get planted..but I sure tried. Was it a failure? At the time...I cried out, "why?" "I thought I could do ALL things.."
"Why didn't you let this happen..we only want to help people to come to you Lord!"

I questioned God. I put God on the back shelf. I didn't want to talk to God. I can't say I was angry with Him....but more like, I'm going to live my own life..I'm following me now..I still loved God. I still knew I needed Him. But honestly..I followed me.

I did that for a few months.. It was a dark period of my life. I was depressed and going nowhere. I sought happiness in other things. My marriage was in trouble. I was thinking about leaving. It wasn't good. I was a person that I didn't like. All my sinful ways came back to me.
I can look now and see a movie of myself then..Why didn't I see it at the time? How could I not know that it was because I seperated myself from God? I was a horrible witness for Christ : ( Life is awful without God..you only realize that when you live for Him and then you don't. It's like living a life without sunshine.

So a few months ago, I reclaimed Him again. I asked Him to come back. I asked Him for forgiveness. I was so sorry for not living for Him. I didn't know why the church plant didn't work out, but I was going to trust HIM and have Faith that He knew why! It was meant to be. I would continue to follow Him and trust and obey!
Lord I love you so much. I'm so sorry for doubting.

Friends..if something's not going right in your life, if you're not getting what you want and can't figure out why..lay it all down..surrender everything and I truly mean everything..give it all to God and let Him take you where He wants you to go. You'll know where. You'll know how. You'll know what. God will guide you if you let him steer. Trust me. AND... You'll be happier then you've ever thought possible.

So to continue...
A few months ago, I was in Maryland visiting my sister Amy. I was on the internet searching for real estate in my hometown when I came across a restaurant for sale. It's not just a restaurant. It's a landmark in New Wilmington. It's a restaurant with a little shop and apartment attached.
It was listed at a price that seemed to be a really good bargain to me. So I called Joe and asked him to go look at it. He didn't.
So I got home from Maryland. We were both working at the Neshannock Creek Inn. I said, "Joe let's go look at the Tavern." "Go call the real estate agent." He did.
We looked. We fell in love... That was in the beginning of July. I prayed. I talked to God. I asked Him to let it happen if HE wants it to happens. If it is His will, to let us get it. I sat back. I trusted. I had Faith. I didn't try to make it happen..I really didn't. I let go and let God.
Yesterday we signed an agreement. We bought the Tavern. We are going to own a much bigger restaurant and possibly a bakery/coffee shop.

I have so many dreams and plans..

Have my big dreams changed? No. I want to see a church planted. I want to see my community get on fire for Christ. I want to evangelize. I want to change the world!
Perhaps it will come later? I don't know..but for now God has given me this and I will make the best with what He gives me. I am excited and have lots of dreams and plans for this place with GOD out in front!

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” Luke 8:11-15 NKJV

He knows me better then I know myself. He knows what I need to be happiest. He gives me the desires of my heart. It's like a child, who wants to eat only candy. Candy for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Well as a parent, you know that if you let your child eat candy all of the time, there will be consequences! That child will get sick with a bad belly ache! And if you are a child without a parent (God) and you are eating candy too much (doing what YOU want in life) then there is no doubt you either now or in the future have a belly ache, or rotting teeth, or are getting fat and have health problems (not happy!) So even though that child may cry and have a tantrum to get what he wants, because we are the loving parent, we lead him down a different path. A path filled with vegetables, and fruits and good healthy foods. They will make that child strong and healthy and ultimately happier then a life with candy.
We eat things that are bad for us, don't we? Even though it makes us feel sick afterwards, we still eat to have that temporary good feeling. We do that in life too. We do sinful things for a temporary good feeling, but down the road, they make us feel like crap! Why can't we see it?
We are children! Have a great day! SLH

The Road Not Taken
(Robert Frost)
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

It's getting closer!!

Got together with Brenda yesterday. We sat outside of Steamers coffee house at a little bistro table. Ahhhh, that is one of my greatest pleasures. Meeting friends for coffee and chat. Brenda fills my cup up. She is refreshment to me. I was telling her that God is so incredibly smart, and knows us so well. He has made it a commandment for us to honor the Sabbath, by resting. He knew we would need a day to rest and recharge our batteries. I told Brenda, that I look forward so much to our Sabbath. We always make a big breakfast on Sundays and have a homecooked dinner too. This Sunday, I layed out in the sun and worshipped and praised God all morning. It was soul nourishment and refreshment. I literally could feel God (Holy Spirit) filling me up inside. It brought me to tears..sobbing tears..of happiness. I know that feeling..it's so very deep and strong. It's like looking into the sun..it's so bright you have to turn away. That's how that feeling is that the Holy Spirit gives me..it's so much that it overflows and spills out...
Have you ever felt like that? Perhaps you've felt sorrow like that.. it's so hard and heavy that you've got to release it..

So what gives you refreshment? Do you get yourself nourished and refreshed? How do you recharge your batteries when they are running on low?

Tonight, I was driving Ally and my niece Victoria home from the mall. We were very tired from a long day of school clothes shopping. I turned on the radio and the song "friends" by Michael W. Smith came on. I began listening to it, when I got a very strong picture or vision in my mind. It wasn't visual..it was more of a thought..or a knowing. I don't know how to explain it except to say it was a vision. Victoria is going to adopt a child from a foreign country. I saw it. I just knew it. SO, I shut off the radio and said, "Victoria, I just had the strangest thing happen to me. I just got a vision, and I saw you as an adult with an adopted child." She said, "Aunt Suzy.. that's really weird because I was just telling Ally, while we were in the restaurant, that if I can't have boys(when I have children), I want to adopt a child from China." (I wasn't near her when she said that, nor have I ever heard her say anything like that.)

Wow. I can't wait to see if it comes to pass!! God ROCKS!!

Awww...

The Dave Matthews Band's saxophonist LeRoi Moore has passed away.

He was 46 years young.

The musician was injured in an ATV accident in June, resulting in a punctured lung and broken ribs.

Moore went back into the hospital last month due to complications. He passed away Tuesday in Los Angeles after more complications.

Our condolences to LeRoi's family and bandmates.

Stripped, Bare, Naked, Vulnerable

I am a sinner. I am smelly, rotten, stinky trash. I lie. I cheat. I steal. I gossip. I am prideful. I am snobbish. I am lazy. I like to think I am smarter then a lot of people. I use a lot of words, but don't put them in action. I tell people I will pray for them, and I don't always do it. I roll my eyes at people behind their backs. I am a sinner. I am smelly, rotten, stinky trash. God sees it all! I am transparent..I can't hide.

But...
He loves me anyway. He really does!!! He forgives me for all of those things. Isn't that amazing? He sees me stripped, Bare, Naked and Vulnerable. He loves me just as I am. Like a child who messed their diaper and got into it....that's how we are. But God takes us and bathes us and powders us..and we are as fresh and sweet and clean as new. I love that clean feeling. Don't you? Doesn't it feel so good..to be good! I try to be as pure and clean as I can. I do..but I still mess up..I still get smelly and stinky and do things I shouldn't do. I want to do good..and I end up doing bad. I always have to ask my Father for forgiveness..and then, I know that He forgives me, because He loves me. : ) I love you Lord. I come to you to clean my soul. Susan

Ashley

Tell someone about Jesus today.. please

A story about God's amazing grace..(by Louis Giglio)

A letter from Ashley:


Hi, I feel kinda weird writing this email. And i doubt if it ever gets to Mr Louie Giglio. I am a Senior at The University of Florida. I got a new roommate this semester and she is a Christian and I have never really been into the whole Christian thing because every pastor or speaker that I have ever listened to didn’t speak in a language I could understand. I have believed in God and Jesus, but never really understood it because the preachers at the church that I have always been forced to go to every Sunday of my life. They speak all high and mighty and I never really felt connected, and I felt like God was only for the perfect people.
Well my roommate went to this Passion Conference over winter break. And she came back and moved into my apt and she was real and genuine about all her Christian stuff, like I have never seen before in a person. She said that God changed her at this conference, so i was like what are you talking about. And she told me. She told me about how God was cool, and how God really wanted a deeper relationship with her, and she wanted to really love God the way he loved her, so of course I was like well huh? She then said you need to listen to Louie talk about God, so I asked who Louie was, and she put on the Indescribable talk, and then we watched the Passport talk. And in the Passport talk you said that Christians do not have to just hope for the best at the end, that they do not have to do enough good stuff. You explained how to get to heaven in a simple way, in a way that I have never heard before. I actually got it, I got it that it is not about being so good, cause I am not a good person. I have screwed up a lot. But then you said grace, and talked about how is was different than other religions. Because God is a loving and a kind God who wants to forgive me. My roommate then explained that he wants to forgive me.
Now for one of the reasons I am thanking you. One, I am now a Christian. And two, my roommate said that she had never really cared about telling others about how much God loved her before she went to this conference. So though I am not sure who will ever read this. Please tell Louie thanks from me, for talking about Christ in a way that a college kid can understand. I know that Jesus has changed my life and as I get ready to graduate college in May, I am gonna be a different person. I am sorry this is kinda rambling but I just had to tell you that I now know about the Grace of God, and I have life for the first time in my 22 years

Ashley

I will never forget the day her message came. And I’m not going to forget last Friday. Waking early for the last day of Thirsty, I happened to see this on my Blackberry and opened it.


Dear Mr. Giglio,
It is with a heavy heart that I send you this email. My daughter is Ashley, she wrote you an email that went on your blog and podcast Well, today May 3rd at 4pm we buried Ashley. She was killed in a car accident late on Sunday night. She lost control of her car and hit a light pole. She was the only car involved and had serious internal bleeding. She died in the arms of my husband at the hospital from unstoppable internal bleeding. But I have hope of seeing my daughter again. I have this hope because after years of praying for her, and watching her live a lifestyle in college that is known as the typical college experience. The last semester of her college career I saw a woman, not a college girl that I have never been more proud to call my daughter. I can point the thanks to you and Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Matt Redman, and everyone else involved in your Passion Conferences. Ashley fell in love with our Savior over the last 5 months of her life. She was so excited about graduation this week and moving to California to work her first real job. She had a life ahead of her. I miss my beautiful princess more than anything in this world.

But I just felt like you should know that she listened to as many of your talks as she could get her hands on and read your book I am not but I know I am and she was so excited about God and her new found faith. Words alone can not thank you enough. I may never meet you here on earth, but I know that someday I will be able to meet you and give you a hug in heaven, but only after Ash does. Thank you so much for praying for my girl, and your support of her as she was starting her new life. Also thanks for being a man of God who has a passion, and love for college students.

Your vision to share the gospel and getting college students to do the same made all the difference at a funeral today. Instead of being sad and scared for her. We were able to sing praise and worship songs today. Though there will be tears and I am so very heartbroken and crying as I type this, it is only because I will not hold her for so many years. And I will miss her for the rest of my life. I know I have said thank you a lot in this email, but because of you and Christa (Ashley’s roommate) and people at the Bible Study that she was going to she was happier than I have seen her in a very long time. In the email she originally sent you, it said she had life for the first time in her 22 years, and please know she meant every word of that. She lived the last few months serving and loving and learning more about Christ. She will now spend eternity in heaven with Him so one more time thanks. I know this was long and I debated for the last 4 days as to whether or not to write you. I know you are a very busy man, but I also figured you would want to know.

Ashley’s Mom
Anna

By the third line tears were streaming down my face, blurring the words, but not the sudden reality of it all. I had just received an e-mail from Ashley a few days before saying how excited she was to finally be through with college and headed to a “real job” in the Bay Area of California. And now she was gone.

I was crushed, but I found myself pumping my fist in the air, confident that Jesus Christ overwhelmed death and the grave. And just in the nick of time, He reached through the confusion and hopelessness and brought Ashley back to life again. Her mom was kind enough to allow me to share her e-mail and sent a photo of Ashley so we could all put a face with the name that has brought much rejoicing throughout the Passion world in recent months. Anna, please know that you and your family will be in our hearts and prayers as you begin the process of living without the daughter you so deeply love. You will see her again. And with our prayers we are praising God for matchless mercy…mercy that saved the day and carried Ashley safely home.

Some John Lennon love

“If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliché that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that’s his problem. Love and peace are eternal.”
John Lennon's tips for getting what you want in life
1. Work for what you want instead of getting stuck in complacency.

“If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there’d be peace.”

It’s easy to get stuck in complacency. To do what you always do and take an easy way through things. To watch TV with a bag of chips on the belly instead of going to the gym. It’s comfortable and nice.

But if you want to get what you really want out of life you have to ditch much of that complacency. Because it uses up your time and focus to keep you just where you are right now.

I think the best way to avoid complacency is to be aware of your behaviour so your don’t slip into that comfortable zone. To keep your focus on the right things to help yourself to grow. And not only check your own thinking and actions continually but also fill much of your life with people and information that will inspire you, challenge you and keep you in a supportive environment.

With your focus on the right things you can create proactive habits. Habits where you just do whatever you want to do no matter if you feel like it that much. Habits where you expand you comfort zone little by little – or in big leaps if you like - instead of spending your time just in that narrow zone.

This doesn’t mean to stop watching your favourite TV-show. It just means to keep your focus on what you really want and to work towards that. It means to do what you really like doing. Instead of letting your focus slide into escapism or the easy or lazy way out all the time.

2. Live your life. Have experiences instead of hundreds of plans.

“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.”



Plan your life. But don’t get stuck in planning. Or overthinking. Or overreading. You can’t avoid failure or mistakes by making the perfect plan. Things will go wrong. And that’s when you learn valuable things.

Experiences will make you understand in way that words from another person can’t. No matter if the experiences are “good” or “bad”.

There are always one or more lessons – or just moments – to take away from experiences. And in retrospect, some of the most negative experiences may become some of your most valuable experiences later on.

So be careful of making everything just perfect before you get started. Plans or circumstances will never be perfect. Be aware if you are getting stuck in overdoing things. It can waste a lot of your time while life is passing you by.

Oftentimes it’s better to jump in and just do it. And then afterwards you can see what the actual results were – which are not always the same at all as you may predicted – and more accurately aim your focus and actions to improve your results when you take action the next time. Simply put, you fire, aim, fire. Instead of doing it the more normal way where you aim and then you fire.

3. Be open.

“The more I see the less I know for sure.”

If you think you are always right then it may be hard to grow and expand your life and consciousness. Being open to learning and that you may be wrong may not be as comfortable as thinking that you´re always right. Being in uncertainty at times is a way to expand your comfort zone and add new lessons and perspectives to your life. Staying complacent is a way to avoid uncertainty.

And if you not open you can’t see the lessons that you can learn. Your mind will filter out stuff based on what you focus on and the questions you ask yourself. You can ask yourself: what can I learn from this? Then you’re open to learning. If you think you already know the answers you will filter out the new and possibly important stuff that doesn’t fit into you being right. And so valuable lessons pass you by.

I think Lennon was on to something here. And that’s one of the nice things about life. It can surprise you a lot if you are open to it.

And you can get much out of life if you are open enough to step through the doors that open. If you are present enough to see the new opportunity that opens up as an old door closes. Instead making the common mistake of getting hung up on the door that just closed.

heehee

Ally had this picture on her my space and I thought it was so funny..

Baptism

I can NOT watch someone be baptized without crying... I remember that feeling..publicly proclaiming that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior! Your sins are washed away and you are truly BORN AGAIN!! You are a new person.
Jesus Rocks!

Want to know what God's will for your life is?

Read your Bible : ) Go ahead..just pick it up.. open it up and just start reading!

You'll be so glad you did!

Gardens created for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics

Do you like the Olympics? I love watching the Olympics! Here are some beautiful pictures of the gardens in Beijing China that were created for the Summer Olympics!
Enjoy!

Dinner tonight

Steaks on the grill
Stuffed Baked potatoes
Salad with homemade italian vinagarette dressing
Warm French Bread

I love Sundays.

My church is New Spring, My pastor is Perry Noble.

Here is a link to my church. I attend in my living room, sometimes in my pajamas. Perry Noble is my favorite pastor ..he's the bomb...the way he preaches God's word is so amazing! He loves Jesus so much!! You can come to church..in your pajamas too. Here's the service I attended today:
>newspring
Come to church with me! Take an hour and listen..you will be glad you did

My girls..

I came home from work yesterday and my house was cleaned. There were candles lit and music playing and my youngest daughter was sitting on the counter waiting for me. I walked in the door, and I immediately noticed the house had been cleaned, candles were lit and music was playing. : ) "Wow!" I said. "This is nice to come home to." Lauren said, "I love you so much mommy." I said, "I feel loved Lauren." She said, "Today is love on mommy day." And Ally came flying into the room, "I cleaned for you mom." "I wanted to make you feel good."

Wow.

Blessed beyond belief.

I love you girls. You are amazing gifts from God. God shows His love to me, through you..through your eyes, and your spirits, and your touches and hugs and kisses, through your innocence..through your love..through your kindness and grateful hearts.. Thank you for loving me so much. I love you so much
mommy

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Life in Color: Orange

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