GO AWAY!!!

Go away winter
Go away cold
Go away snow
I like it when you come
Buy you always stay too long!
GO AWAY!!!

Christianity

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me." (John 14:6)

The primary reason that Jesus is the only way to God is that He forgives sin and offers eternal life, (John 10:28) something that the founder of no other major religion has claimed to do. Think about that!

-www.greatcom.org

Why is it so hard to explain these 2 concepts to the ones we love. Does anyone else struggle with this? How can you argue with the bible? I think half of the battle is being brave and bold enough for God to actually try and approach the subject.

God please give me the courage to fight for you.

Wake Up Cat

I know I have already shared this with many of my friends on E-Mail. It's still one of my favorites and makes me laugh EVERYTIME. This is kinda what it's really like to have cats try to wake you up. (Especially Lily).

No title

I thought I skated out of it but I am now feeling a scratchy throat and slightly swollen glands... Hopefully that's as far as it goes... I should have been taking vitamins while I was telling everyone else to.
Today I have a bunch of odds and ends.... another part of this never ending painting roller coaster. How 'bout some consistency here? Uh-oh be careful what you ask for. Whenever I ask for more... I get too much... when I ask for less... everything comes to a screeching hault.
I have a meeting tonight.... I need to do some preparation for... there are so many options...
God, show me where you want me to go.... where will I serve you best?

* WR * 2008 *

What an amazing weekend! Along with all of the laughter and SHOUTING...(GO brown, red and green!) everyone had great opportunities to connect with God and with eachother and my hope is that we all took advantage that time. I definately felt God's presence among us, and I am constantly amazed at what a gift he has given us just by putting all 50 or so of us together!
That's something I wish for each and every one of us to reflect upon!
When I was in Jr and Sr High School, the church I grew up in did not have a very strong youth program AT ALL. Some years we would have a leader, some years not. When there were events planned there was hardly any show. Infact, one year there was NOTHING planned at all... I talked to my parents and we organized a trip to a soup kitchen. Along with me and my parents 2 other students came. This was in a church 3x the size of or larger than the size of Stone Church.
Think about what's happening in other churches... then think about the other 80% + that don't even go to church... people that don't even talk about God in their homes... or may even be afraid to.
Whether you are a part of the CREW because it's your idea or your parent's idea.... it is an honor and a priveledge. God hand-picked each and everyone of us and placed him/her/I with this group of people for a reason. I have never felt so much love in any one group than I feel with you guys, especially with young people! You guys have an amazing ability to see past eachother's differences and flaws and accecpt and love eachother. That is absolutely unheard of in so many groups of teenagers and adults for that matter. I challenge all of you to take that love you have for eachother with you to all people you encounter.
What I am trying to say is that being part of this group is not by chance, it is not a mistake. It is a blessing and it is part of a plan. Let's show the world who we are. Let's take all of our different gifts and the power that God has given us and change the world! Let's start a revolution!.... I really believe we can and I really believe that is what we are being called to do.

To My Valentine...

You are my best friend... you support every thing I want to do... wheather I succeed or not. You love me unconditionally... you put up with me. We take road trips togehter... we love to adventure and explore... and laugh alot. I love saturday mornings where we can be lazy and push each other around and laugh alot! You have been there with me and for me and my family during rough times. You always jump in with both feet when you are needed.. no hesitation when it's time to care for the sick and dying... grandpa and dad... you knew how much I loved them and you loved them too.

You say yes to God and yearn to grow closer to him everyday.

We keep eachother on track... most of the time :)

You never disrespect me, you always make me feel like me and my time are valuable even when I disagree.

Thank you! Happy Valentines Day!!!

PS Lily is insisting that I tell you Happy V-Day from Her and Iris!!! :o :O :o meeooooow

Something to chew on...

A friend of mind gifted me with a book yesterday. I would like to share with you the first reading. I believe I will let this soak in throughout the day...

Ads and marketing people will tell you that you are your stuff. You are what you drive. You are what you wear. You are the number on the bottom of your bank statement.

Your conscience will tell you that you are your past. You are the sum of your choices, many of them wrong ones with difficult consequences.

Your mind will tell you that you are your fears. You are the sum of your worries about the future and if you just think about it enough, surely you can figure it you and short-circut the impending disaster.

But Jesus said that real life is none of these things

You are not your stuff

You are not your past

You are not your fears.

You are someone He loves unconditionally, someone He sacrificed His own life for, someone who matters very much to Him and to the people in your scope of influence. No matter what you have or don't have, no matter what unknowns stretch out before you, you can know this: God loves you so much and He longs to make Himself at home in your life.
Will you let Him?

When you experience his love and forgiveness, you will begin to understand what it mens to be a person sho has nothing to lose, nothing to prove, and nothing to hide.
That's real fredom.
That's real life.

-Women of Faith, "Fancy Free"
-Anita Renfroe "The Purpose Driven Life"

I can be told every day how much God loves me. Somedays it feels so good. Some days I just can't grasp it no matter how much I want to. Today, when I read this I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. The way it is phrased and the context in this reading really spoke to me so I thought I'd share.

Friday Night

While Mike was busy with homework last night... I created a little project for myself Decorating cupckes!! Nerdy I know...

Then I went to that Oceanic Airlines website. When I got to John Locke's seat It scared me... I jumped and screamed. Mike had to come upstairs to my rescue. Probably even MORE nerdy...

Today I have some work to do... but more importantly I need to do some cleaning...

Then I will be bringing my lovely valentines day cupcakes to a christmas party at 4pm :)

I also have to say... I love FOX News.... 2 debates this morning... is Walmart's lowering of prices to stimulate the economy going to hurt the economy...ha ha ha ha... the arguments were great!

Also... How is the greater tax on Video Games going to lower the obesity problem... Hilarious... are we really THAT dumb?

Sprouts

22 Alyssum

6 Marigold

6 Cosmos

2 Catnip

9 Snap Dragon

17 Mountain Phlox

4 Red Zinnia

1 Fox Glove

I had to count... it is just too exciting...

Still waiting for petunias, impatiens... lots more

Probably in late march / april it's time to start on the veggies!

Wow, time is flying by and I have lots to do!

Look at the snow... everyone drive safe today!

New Bundle!

A grand welcome to the newest member of the Stenglein and Armbruster Families. Maxwell Armbruster was born on friday night and weighed in at 7lb12oz. Mike and I went to visit the little guy on Sunday afternoon all he wanted to do was sleepy sleep... very cute! Finally! Tom isn't the only guy in the house! From right to left... Kristen, Mike's oldest Sister holding Max, next to her Molly their oldest daughter, Next to Molly is Tom, Kris's hubby with little Lucy on his lap. Aren't they a cute family! I love the names they've picked too!

Appropriate

I received this in an E-Mail this morning from a ministry that has me on their list...

“So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

and this was at the end...

“Father, you know my days. You know the life you want me to live. Give me the strength to embrace life so fully that I live as though each day is a precious commodity.”

This is how I need to be living .... I get down on myself that I waste time... or am not as productive or as proactive as I wish I were... I am the only one who can make the choice to spend my time more wisely.

Yesterday turned out to be plenty busy... I didn't get to cross anything off the house-list... but I was able to chip away at some things on one of the other lists. Ya know laundry, check books... go to the bank... make dinner... samples, quotes... dilly dally a bit...everything takes time.

Anyway... Mike is still sick, stayed home again... a real doozie this one... Yikes.

I had an errand to run down south today... so I stopped by that "Eurofresh" on 159th and Harlem... have to say I'll go back... whizzing through the produce section and glancing at a few things, prices looked pretty... lunchmeat lower than Jewel and of course Dominicks... Suprise! (note the sarcasm)
Most importantly they had the chihuahua cheese... I figured they would... that's the main reason I went in there...
For anyone who is curious about chihuahua cheese... it's the white cheese on your burrito, taco enchilada etc when you go out for Mexican (not taco bell). It's what gives it that "you couldn't make it this good at home" taste. That and the corn tortillas... never use flour... I don't know why the recipes say use cheddar cheese and flour tortillas.
Maybe the people who write the recipes are in co-hoots with the people who own mexican restaraunts.
Some of my seeds started to sprout today... Exciting... I went and got more plastic things (I don't know what they're called) to start more... ridiculous... I know.

I have been feeling like I need to seek God more... am I looking too hard? Things seem to be going fine actually, I just feel a little alone. I have been led to read 1Chronicles during my morning time... this is interesting because David really did earnestly seek God. I am hoping to get some insight on this state