A.L.B

2012-01-26T17:55:00.001-06:00

A few of my favorite things

Spring is a time of rebirth and my house is getting ready to transform! (Don't tell my husband). I am absolutely in love with greys, blues, and yellows together. The colors just make me happy and aid in my fantasy of living on the ocean (I live in the landlocked state of ~~gross~~ beautiful Missouri). My goal is to get a couple of rooms heading in this general direction.

My guest bathroom is on its way


Here is a inspiration room but needs a bit of yellow!

So I've been told that an easy and cost effective way of bringing colors into your life is to do it through throw pillows. Throw pillows are expensive yall! So, I had a bunch (8 bed pillows hoarded in a hallway closet) of pillows lying around and I decided why not use those to make throw pillows. My friend got my Dressmaker II (mini sewing machine) up and running and away I went. These are some of my favo fabrics that I found.. and I plan on making slip covers for these homemade pillow forms.

ecclesia

2012-01-22T17:50:00.000-06:00

Today is an exciting day! I am finally getting the ball rolling on an idea that I believe God gave me a while ago. I've been really seeing a need within my friends and family, a need within myself, to connect to people and to build real relationships. My entire life I've been an encourager. Misguided, I usually encouraged the wrong things. I even have documented proof of my poor judgment when it comes to encouraging.

To the left is a picture of a young man, a stranger, whom I encouraged to climb to the top of this old steel bridge and jump into very shallow waters. He was questioning if he should do it and I assured him that no one was as brave as he was. I wasn't using flattery. I had no gain from it. I saw fear in him that I was saddened by. I hated seeing him question his abilities and wanted him to know that if anyone could do it, he could... he jumped.. thank God he survived. But as he was falling towards the water I instantly realized, it wasn't a lack of confidence in himself that I saw in his eyes, it was his fear of dying because it was a bad idea. (I'm slower than most.. ha) This is when I started realizing that maybe I had a lot to learn when it came to encouraging and discerning when it was appropriate and when it wasn't.

Seeking out who I was to God and why I am the way I am, God revealed many scriptures to me and this one set into motion a need to remind and encourage people who they are to God.

Psalm 8:3-5: When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers- the moon and the stars you set in place- what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.

So with a new passion to encourage the hopeless and those who have forgotten who they are to God, I picked a name, ecclesia, which means to be called out and set apart. I am hoping to have a monthly meeting with local women and to have a time of devotion and conversation. Nothing too serious, and nothing religious! Just some conversation and relationship building.

So keep me in your prayers.. I have no real idea of where this is all going but I don't really feel worried about it either. I kinda think God's already chosen my first group and things are being set into motion. It's just a matter of me opening my door!

Encourage us by joining our facebook page.

Vintage meets "About to POP" babyshower

2012-01-17T17:12:00.001-06:00

Planning for a baby shower can be overwhelming but so much fun! Here are my tips for baby shower planning.

Oh and let me add that I did this not alone, but with the help of a new found friend and creative partner, Patti. Without her creativity and sheer cuteness.. the baby shower would not have sparkled quite as much! Recruit help, it really is much more fun!

1. Getting Started:

Pick a date! I started planning the shower about 4 months before and believe me it helps to have plenty of time.

2. Pick a theme:

Oh my! Picking a theme can be the hardest part, only because there are so many great ideas and themes out there. I suggest picking a theme you like but tweaking it to fit the baby shower mommas personality. Remember it's really all about her and that new little baby, so pick something that reflects them.

Our theme: She's about to POP! - this theme is fun but is open to a huge range of ways your can take it. It may seem a little, I don't know, tacky but depending on how you run with it, it can be cute and fun!

Great blogs to get you started with She's about to POP! theme:

dimplePRINTS- more of a POP art theme but some great display ideas
Holy Craft- fun ways to do a POP theme
Lady Behind The Curtain- great food ideas and cute displays
Pinterest- About to POP! overload and so great!

3. Pick a style & colors:

Pick a style to go with that fabulous theme! Some About to POP! baby showers went with traditional birthday party style showers and some went with POP art styles, but we wanted to make it special so we went VINTAGE!

Vintage is a great way to go because things can be mixed and matched, old and new, but have a overall feeling of just romantic and special. Another reason we chose vintage is because our dear friend Stef (baby shower mamma) chose not to know the sex of her baby until the delivery, so we had to plan a gender neutral baby shower. Vintage pinks and blues worked well with our style and made it oh so perfect!

4. Pick a location:

If you can have your baby shower in a home then that is perfect to give that comfy vibe, but we were hosting over thirty people and needed a larger space. We found a great place in Springfield called Big Momma's coffee house and you can rent the "back porch", which is a perfect place to host any event. I am so glad I found it and how fitting for a baby shower than to have it at a place called Big Momma's!! It only cost $75 dollars for 2 hours of rental and honestly Joe, the manager, is such a delight to deal with. He let us really stay for much longer and was always so easy to work with!


So much space on momma's "back porch"

Big Momma's coffee house has great lunch specials, awesome food, and some terrific coffee!!

5. Find the invite:

Invites can be expensive and it is not hard, if you are creative enough, to make your own for very little money! I did try my hand at a few handmade creations but when it comes to things like this, I obsess and have to have it perfect. I was never fully satisfied with what I created, so I found myself at Vistaprint. Vistaprint has hundreds of invites and there are so many adorable invites that are really inexpensive and some are even free!

I chose my invite from there because the toile pattern that I found was extremely similar to the fabric that is being used in the baby shower mommas nursery and fits the vintage criteria!

The invite was printed on thick linen paper and Vistaprint allows you to edit, changing the colors to what you desire.

- The insert: We needed to add a insert because the baby shower was a surprise and I added where she was registered. The insert is pink tissue paper that I printed directly on my home printer.

Printing on Tissue paper tutorial

*GOOD IDEA ALERT!!

- Back of the invite: Most new mommas don't have their nursery library established yet, so we asked guests to bring a children's book instead of a card. Here is a cute poem to do just that. Needless to say, Stef's nursery library is now overflowing!

Although cards are nice with their sentiment and prayer,

they're read once or twice then tucked away with care.

A book is a treasure, words and pictures unite,

read over and over to teach and delight.

So instead of a card for baby and mother, please give a children's book

with your thoughts written inside the cover.

Your book will be cherished; God will watch from above,

when it's read they'll remember your kindness and love.

6. Plan the menu:

We chose hours between 2-4 so we could serve simple and fun desserts. Sticking to our theme She's about to POP! we chose POP like foods.

Fruit Skewers
Popcorn (butter & toffee)
Cake pops
Homemade pop tarts
Lemon Cloud push ups
Sausage balls
Chocolate Chip dip with Teddy grahams
Veggies & Ranch
Fruit Tea

7. Favors:

To say thanks for "popping by" we stayed with our POP theme and had a candy bar. It was so fun and everyone was excited to load up a bag of goodies to take with them.

Lollipop cookies were made by Decorative Dough. They are out of Texas and they shipped our cookies to us. They were fresh and perfect. Not one broken cookie! Highly recommend for your cookie needs.

All things that pop! Putting candy in beautiful glass jars gave our candy bar a vintage, pretty look.

A easy D.I.Y sign sent the perfect message to our guests. Decorative scrapbook paper stuck to sticks and stuck in an old painted pain can!

Marshmallow pops! So amazing and easy. Marshmallows dipped in almond bark and topped with sprinkles!

I forgot to take a picture of our baggies that guests used to fill up on "things that pop" but they were cute small brown paper sacks and I glued a small pink ribbon to the top with a message that said "You're sweet for popping by".

8. Love is in the Details:

Our baby shower was a little more of a celebration and fun gathering than it was a traditional baby shower. We left out the "smell the diaper" and "how many toilet paper squres is she" games and went with some more clever and maybe traditional but cute ideas.

Baby Scattegories : Give your guests 45 seconds to fill out the blanks. Answers are always fun to share! Instead of just printing it out on paper, I used brown paper bags from the grocery store.

Cut your paper sac to the 8.5x11 size (printer paper size) and print like you would any thing else! It really went well with our vintage theme!

At Scribd get a free Baby Scattegories printable

Help pick a baby name:

Remember the cootie catchers back in the day? Well here is a fun conversation starter or activity to get your guests talking. Inside I listed Stef's top 8 baby names and then on the inside, wrote out what each baby name meant. We asked several guests which name they loved and they shared their reasons why. It was a clever and "vintage" way to share names that Stef loved with her guests. I printed several on different scrapbook papers! So unique!

At Ruffled you can get a free Cootie Catcher template

Welcome table w/ empty old jar to have gusts sign in (used this for drawing)

Wishes for Baby: Instead of having guests give advice, we all know new mothers are bombarded with advice from the experienced, we thought having wishes for baby would be much sweeter. At each place setting we had our tags for guests to write their wish for the new baby. Then they took their wish and tied it to the tree that was set up on our welcome table.

Centerpieces & Giveaways:

To decorate our tables we made our prizes/giveaways the centerpiece. Sadly I didn't get any pictures of the tables (I didn't find my camera until the baby shower was halfway over, but I did take some pics of the giveaways.)

We made Dum Dum trees and we also made marshmallow pop centerpieces

These Dum Dum trees are so simple [Foam balls and clay pots] but it does take a whole lot of suckers to make these. I don't have every tree that I made in this picture but overall I used 1000 Dum Dums.

D.I.Y Welcome Sign:

I had been buying loose pink & blue scrapbook paper over my planning period and had so much that I was able to use it for great projects for the baby shower. This was one of those projects. This was on the welcome table as guests came in.

Happy Birthday Love!

2012-01-09T09:39:00.000-06:00

Today is my beautiful baby boy's birthday! Happy Birthday Jackson! He is my heartbeat and my love. Today he is 6 years old and I can't get over how fast time is flying by.

6 years old

Ben and I spend a lot of time with our boys. We talk to them about everything. We talk to them about their futures, about girls, about love, and about life. It's often we hear people tell us how different our kids are. Don't get me wrong, they certainly have their boy moments. At any given time you will hear them talking about bowel movements and you will probably find them wrestling during commercial breaks, but something I love about my boys is how much they love one another and their family.

Jake seeing his brother for the first time

Jackson at 1 month old

I remember taking Jackson into his first Dr. appt. after bringing him home from his long one month stay in NICU.

First day home from the hospital

The doctor, not knowing us or having never seen Jackson before, looked at him and said, " Wow, mama he is a fighter and is going to be strong spirited." I still think about that and can't believe how that Dr. saw something in my baby that has revealed to be so true as he has grown.
God told me as I was on my knees praying over my boys, that He had special plans for them, that He was going to rise them up to do great things and I believe it. I sense it and see it all over them. I am open to what that could look like and refuse to push them into any box! So excited to celebrate my little loves birthday today!I Love you Jackson Perry!

Old Window DIY project

2012-01-03T16:46:00.000-06:00

Today my friend Stef and I worked on making her nursery even more fabulous. I think she said the total for this project was less than 8 dollars! Can't get better than that!

This was such an easy and fun project that took less than an hour.

The passage is from the great book "I'll Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

Tips:

Line the BACK of your window with masking tape to use as a guide for your handwritting. That way when you peel off your tape it doesn't take any paint with it.

A razor blade is handy when scraping any mistakes or cleaning up the window.

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Walking on water..

2011-12-05T08:30:00.001-06:00

When I see this picture of Jesus and Peter walking on the water, memories flood my mind. I can remember having that child like faith and believing that I could walk on water. I probably filled a couple of bathtubs just to try. I remember trying to make rocks move because the bible told me that I could move mountains, so moving rocks should have been a piece of cake and I specifically remember writing Jesus a love letter late at night, laying it in the middle of my floor, and expecting that an angel would come pick it up as I slept to deliver it. When I woke up it was still lying in the exact spot I left it.

My disappointment of why I couldn't do supernatural things like those described in the bible left me believing that I didn't have enough faith. Until recently, as I mentioned in [Not Even A Dog Will Bark] my child like curiosity has pursued and caught back up with me. I have again been wanting to do supernatural things for God.

Most of us who grow up hearing the bible stories have probably all had similar moments just like me. We desire to have a power to do things like Jesus and the disciples did. This power I crave is not a power to dominate humans or to be a tyrant. This power that I've been seeking for is the power to have dominion (to have authority over) over my environment, my circumstances.

Everyone desires to control their environment but most of us look to money to gain dominion over our circumstances. 1Timothy 6:10 says: For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. Another reason why we seek to have dominion over our environment is because it was placed in us at the time of creation. Go back to the beginning, look at what Genesis 1:26 says: Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." We were created to walk in dominion over all the earth. This is why Jesus was able to touch a tree and it wither away. This is why Jesus cast out demons, told sickness to flee the body, and this is why Peter was able to walk on water. [ Notice it does not say that we have dominion over people. Jesus had dominion over every circumstance and the environment but he never dominated a person. The enemy does try to dominate and control and that is a huge difference between a religion and a relationship with Jesus * This is a huge topic].

Peter asked Jesus if he could come out on the water and what did Jesus say? He said, come on! This was what we were designed to do before the fall of Adam. We were created to have dominion over all these things that beat us down. We were designed to have control over our environment and walk like the sons and daughters of God. This is why I have been seeking to do supernatural things in our natural world, because I was created to do so. All of us were. All of us have the power without the need of money to have dominion of our circumstances and our environment. This is what Jesus was demonstrating while he was here on earth. He was showing us who we were to God and the power that we now have because of the blood that was shed for us, with the help of the Holy Spirit. [* Note: I am not saying that money is bad, but the pursuit of it to control your environment, instead of allowing God to provide everything necessary for us to control it and walk in dominion over this earth, is wrong. Quickly and sneakily, money turns into your idol, it becomes what you trust in most, more than what your Father has promised you and what your King Jesus died on the cross for. ]

So this is what I've noticed. As soon as God revealed to me that I was no better than a pharisee a while back, I began the process of allowing Him to remove the religion in my life and begin a relationship with Him. It has been a fast ride. This new found relationship without the anchor of religion has me sailing to uncharted territories rapidly and I like it. He is shaping me into the creation I was designed to be and like Peter, God is asking me to step out of the boat! Like the song Afterlife by Swtichfoot (highly recommend listening), I'm ready now and I'm not waiting for the afterlife to be who I was created to be! We were all created to have control over our circumstances and our environment supernaturally through the Holy Spirit. Keep tuned in. I have a feeling God has got some exciting things in store.

Kingdom Minded

2011-11-28T09:48:00.001-06:00

Peter design

My feet are dusty and my shoes are tattered. My bones ache but I will finish thisrace. I can see the finish line and myheart accelerates. I run harder but notnecessarily better. With each breath mymind becomes focused and my thoughts become clearer. As I push past the physical I enter into aspiritual place, making the last leg of the race beyond incredible. I no longer feel the vibration through mybones or the twisting pains in my side. I no longer hear my heart beating in my ears and the pounding of myfeet. All I see is a beautifulkingdom. A kingdom prepared for me.

The closer I get and the more I seek to enter into this kingdom,the stronger I feel. I can almost seethe gates, the gates of my new home and I begin to think about the land that Ihave been traveling from. My name isBetsy and I am a rebel. My land isrebellious and they do not understand the ways of this kingdom I flee to. In my land, we cling to our idea of freedomand scrape by, beaten and torn. Anyoneor anything that stands in our way of independence is rebuked andrejected. The family is torn because ourhearts want gain and control of the material possession that is dangled in frontof our faces. Babies and children arejust jewels that adorn our neck, soon to be tarnished and pushed aside becausethey don’t sparkle as they once did and they hinder the development of thedream. Mothers swallow the pill thatinvesting in their children and their husbands is not healthy and the medicinesoon creates a way for them to have more. The mother lends out her children to be raised by rebellious ideas thatcause it to be fearful and defeated. The race I belong to are greedy andunsatisfied. They are a medicatedhopeful who is blinded by their circumstance, hoping only for gain in the landthat they’ve built up.

As I grow closer to the gates of my new kingdom, my heartaches for my people I leave behind. Ileft them with plenty of notice and begged for them to come with me. I showed them the deceptions of my land butthey brushed me off. I told them of themysteries that the King of my new home has showed me but they betrayed me withgentle eyes, soft smiles, and apathetic justifications. Theytold me that a King would not reveal such things to a simple girl like me. I saw the same look of ignorance in theireyes as I once had and told them how this King found me as I chased a desire inmy heart to have true freedom, not something false that faded away withtime.

Some asked me how to be a part of this kingdom and I told themthat it was a simple surrendering to the King and living under His authority. Being the rebels that my people are, itangered them that they had to submit to the authority of a King. They believe they are their own kings where I come from. They refuse to submit to anyone or anything. I explained that because of our rebelliousminds and the rebellious beginnings of our land we are not able to see past thelies. We are not able to understand lifein a kingdom, under a King. We rebelagainst even own selves and don’t see it because we want what we want, our bodiesdecaying by our desires.

I wanted to share with them all the King shares with me but theyrefuse to listen. I wanted to tell themhow the King shares all He has with his people. That it was prepared by the King himself for any who want it. I wanted to explain to them how kingdomliving meets desires and needs unlike we could imagine but it angered them whenthey thought I was trying to take away the pleasures that their green god givesthem.

In my land, people tack their accomplishments on a wall andboast about the work of their hands. Themore their land honors them the more they become sucked in. They are puffed upwith pride at the work of their own hands. They clung to their people and clung to their possessions as I talkedabout my new home. The people in my land are fearful andmistrusting.

The more I practice the principles taught to me by my King,I can feel my mind being transformed. It is being prepared for Kingdom living. I nolonger fit into my land, the only land I had known. Now, with my new mind I am able to love more thanI had ever before, but I have no real place that I feel is home. This land is no longer my home. I am no longer impressed by what my landoffers me. My desires have changed and myKing provides for me now. I did nothingto deserve all He gives and shows me, but I submit to Him and His teaching.

I can see the beautiful gates ahead. My shoes are hinderingme, slowing me down. I slip them off andleave them on the path. My toes grippedthe gravel and the rocks, launching me forward. The wind pushing me from behind,aiding me like it does a sail on a boat. I can hear my Kings voice cheering for me,calling me home. He is so excited toshare with me all that He has. I can seethe gates and look forward to leaving behind this lonely path.

Thankful Thanksgiving..

2011-11-27T14:47:00.001-06:00

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone and now it is time to prepare for Christmas. We spent late nights playing Shanghi with family that traveled from Tn. and La.. It was a great few nights and so much laughter. Sitting around the table eating cakes and cookies, it was hard to not see the value in us all sharing old stories, picking on one another, and mostly looking past our arguments and disagreements. It was surely one great Thanksgiving. I am only sad that I took not even one picture. We were so busy playing and eating, that getting out the camera was too much trouble. So, no pictures to share from this Thanksgiving ,but a great one was had. I hope all of you had a great one also!!

In case your curious about Shanghi, it's one fun game!

Not even a dog will bark...

2011-11-22T12:27:00.001-06:00

‘..But against the Israelites-man, woman, or animal-there won't be so much as a dog's bark, so that you'll know that God makes a clear distinction between Egypt and Israel.' [Exodus 11:7- The Message]

This summer I dedicated myself to running several days a week and along my jogging path there were many dogs. They’d bark ferociously as I passed by and it always scared me because I would not expect it. The dogs always seemed to be hidden out of view and then all of a sudden there they were, bearing teeth, warning me to get out of their territory. As I got more comfortable with the routine, the running turned into my prayer and worship time. Through all the gasping for oxygen and calculated pacing, somehow, I was able to connect to God in ways that I don’t always have in my private time at home. So I looked forward to getting out, expecting to meet God.

One day in the midst of some incredible conversation with my Father, one of those dogs popped out and caught me off guard but I couldn’t really hear its bark. I saw the teeth and the drool but the bark was muffled over God speaking to me. I felt a push from God to look at the dog and tell it to hush. In the moment, without question, I did it. I told the dog to be quiet and the dog was immediately silent. Astonished, I started laughing with God and telling him how funny that was. My eyes focused on the path ahead of me, I knew another annoying hound was rapidly approaching. Like before I felt God encourage me to try it again. When the dog and I locked eyes, I told it to shush and it stood there silenced staring at me as I ran past. I couldn’t believe it and thought, God just wanted to make me laugh. He has done that before though weird ways and He knows I love His humor so I listed it as another reason why I loved God and put it away for later reminiscing. I never shared this with my family, mostly because I didn’t really feel led to, but also because I always figure when things like this happen, people sincerely don’t believe it. So I tend to keep it to myself.

I had many more runs after that day and every single time the dogs were silenced on my run. It was quite amazing and I never got use to it. I am always amazed at how God demonstrates his power in ways that most wouldn’t seem worthy of using His power. Prior to this arguably miraculous event, I had been seeking out answers of how to walk in the spiritual realm while being a physical body on this earth. In other words, I wanted to understand how to use the Holy Spirit and walk on water like Peter did. I wanted to be able to do supernatural things for God in the natural world. So I figured he was giving me a tiny taste, a practice so to speak, on those dogs. But of course it was silly to assume that He was stopping with that. Of course He was using that moment to mark an even bigger point. I never forgot the silenced dogs but also I didn’t think much more of it until recently.

The Lord has been calling me into something. It started this summer while God was speaking to me on my runs. I was excited at the time but knew that I didn’t want to get ahead of God and I had no clue how this calling would even work. Since then I have been resting on what he has shown me and have been waiting for clearer answers. I never shared these wonders with anyone, not even my husband,but I silently kept them in prayer and continued to keep busy with the distractions that this world offered me. That was until a week ago, at my parent's house, God loudly reminded me again of it all.

After a great dinner, my brother and I were talking. I was talking about a struggle I was going through [Disappointment] and as the conversation progressed we began talking about my future. My brother looked at me and said “Betsy, not even the dogs will bark at you and you will have a peace from God that will show you exactly what you are to do.” As the words left his mouth and entered into the atmosphere I felt the Holy Spirit all over me. He could have used any other encouraging scripture but God chose that for Daniel to speak. I knew Daniel thought he was quoting scripture and kind of a weird one for the context we were speaking in, but I heard God loud and clear and knew He was speaking directly to me. This was a big reason why He demonstrated His power in such a unique way. During those early morning runs was when God had been giving me the visions of my future and after those words were spoken it was like all the puzzle pieces were in place, demonstrating a beautiful picture. You can imagine trying to sleep that night. I went over everything my mind.

I soon looked up this scripture of the dogs barking.. I had read it before but certainly never paid much attention to it. It is quite incredible. I refuse to taint it with my human perspective but simply just let God speak to me through it and now every time I read it I get overwhelmed by what this scripture means and even more so, at how God prepared me months ago to understand it’s depth today.

I’ve really learned that one can’t ignore the things God does for you today because those things will surely have purpose for your future. How great it is to be chosen and told that He has made a clear distinction between us and the world.

Tis the season...

2011-11-22T07:49:00.000-06:00

$75 D.I.Y fireplace makeover

2011-11-18T19:27:00.000-06:00


Fireplace before with painters tape ( I was mapping out ideas).

So here is the fireplace. It was really hard to get anything to go with the orange brick and it was the focal point of our living room and our kitchen. Luckily my fireplace foe was soon to be defeated. While surfing on Pinterest *Insert shout out to Stefanie Beck here* (for guiding me to Pinterest) I found my inspiration at the Lettered Cottage.

Using my new favorite addiction Liquid Nails, I attached luan plywood to the face of the fireplace.

Then I attached 1x4 at different lengths and I painted the 8 inch surrounding brick.

The walls have paneling already so we just matched it and Liquid Nailed it up.


A finished fireplace!

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After some added moldings we painted it a flat white. I purposely chose the roughest wood because I like the "character" of the gouges and the rough places. If you don't like that farmhouse look you could go with some finishing wood that is perfectly pretty with no blemishes. Overall it completely changed the look of our room and made the focal point of the house quite nice! Can't wait to decorate for Christmas!

Disappointment

2011-11-14T08:45:00.001-06:00

It seems my life has been a bit of a disappointment lately. My health has not been great and finding a diagnosis has been ridiculous. When I look in the mirror I can see my reflection disappointingly looking at me, saying with her saddened eyes, "Why have you let us get into this shape?" But honestly disappointing myself is one thing, something I have comfortably grown to live with. But disappointing someone else is a whole different feeling entirely, almost unbearable in fact.
My husband and I have been dealing with family issues that is wrapped up in a big ball of disappointment. Oddly, it isn't the disappointment in their actions that tend to bother me because frankly who cares. The problem I've seem to be dumbfounded by is the fact that I hate the idea that someone could be disappointed in me. You must understand this isn't bothersome because I feel like I've done something wrong to cause this family drama. Honestly I've enjoyed the break from it's dysfunctional beatings. This is something I have dealt with since the time I was very young and this broken relationship has shed light on a root problem I have been carrying around for a very long time.
I was sitting with my husband, crying over the family drama. There is a lot of hurt and anger but I wasn't crying about that. I wasn't crying about how someone has done me wrong. I was pouring out my heart to my husband because I was scared. Terrified because I felt that if I had a failed relationship with someone, anyone in this case, that meant my relationship with God, the only relationship I think about on a non stop basis, was failing. I was worried that because I had "enemies" this meant that i had let God down in some way. So I had been seeking, searching, asking God to show me how to fix it. I had been asking God to teach me how to be a better person because Christians shouldn't have failing relationships in their lives.
My husband lifted my head, looked me in the eyes and said, "Betsy, just because you feel like you've disappointed someone does not mean that you've disappointed God." Immediately I felt my peace return and I instantly calmed down.
Excited, I shared my breakthrough moment with my brother and he, with that same reassuring look, smiled at me and said, "Betsy when you disappoint your idol, of course your going to think that you've disappointed your God." This time along with peace I felt the heavy hand of conviction sweep over my heart. I realized that I had been trying to please my God through relationships with people not a relationship with Him. The working relationships in my life I had labeled it as a successful hand at walking in love but since I had a relationship that seemed to have no hope in site of being fixable I figured I had let God down in a big big way.
Obviously most of you that are reading this are saying "Duh!" but what's so strange is that I thought this issues of pleasing people had been conquered a long time ago. I mean I even have Joyce Myer audio tapes to prove it! Apparently it isn't and I now have to go around the mountain again but down a entirely different path. A path where I can let people be who they are without changing who I am to make them more comfortable. A path where love is looking past peoples faults but not feeding apathy to keep a false peace. A path where my eyes are turned to God and I know I'm pleasing Him not idols.
Overall I've learned that disappointing people does not mean that you are disappointing God. Sometimes it's necessary for everyone's development. Keeping your eyes on God is the only way to overcome the illusion that this world offers us to keep us distracted from being conquerors. So maybe disappointment doesn't have to be so negative. Maybe the persecution of disappointment means your eyes are set on the Son.

School Pictures

2011-11-02T16:40:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple of the men in my life. A kindergartner and a fourth grader. I think they are amazing and so wonderful. How could God have blessed me with so much? I don't deserve it! But I know I do my best to take care of them both.

In such a short time they will be grown up and out on their own. People think I'm
jumping the gun a bit but honestly I can't get over that my baby is now in school. It seems like just yesterday I was propping Jake up in a corner because he couldn't stand yet and taking his picture.

My handsome little men, I couldn't ask for more. Ben and I are so very proud of them, not only because they are respectful, considerate little boys, but because they love God and care about having a relationship with him.

A prayer for one I love...

2011-10-26T13:21:00.001-05:00

I was sitting down praying this morning and Ifelt the Holy Spirit push your name out into the atmosphere. I sat speaking to God about how you taught meat such a young age to be an overcomer. I thought about how you stood behind me when others couldn’t see whatyou could see and you fought for me. Ithought about how you love your family more than any material possession thatcould be had. I saw an image of youstanding before God singing out, fists in the air, “World I have Overcome You!” I saw you hand in hand with your Creator andHis eyes were telling you, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” Then almost like rewinding a video tape Heshowed me you now. Satan had big scales on your eyes. He had you so confused whispering non-stopthoughts into your ears, words that you had silenced so many times before, butnot now. He had you isolated, nervous, lookingover your shoulder, and fearful. I remembered a time that you were able toovercome Satan and stand victoriously over him as he cowered at the power yourCreator gave you. I saw demons sinkingtheir claws into your neck because you took off the most prize possession God’schildren own, a robe of blood. Bloodfrom His Son, all that we have and all that we need to walk in dominion overthis world. You took off your robe ofblood that Christ gave to you, after He horrifically shed it for you, and the shadows came foryou, laughing at you because they knew you did not know who you were, a childof God.

It’stime to stand and finish the race. It’stime to say enough. Shed light upon thedarkness that you’ve allowed for too long. Allow God to restore you and all that you’ve ever thought you needed will be given to you and more. This world is a liar and justifies itself, but weare set apart. Put your robe ondaughter, accept it, wear it, and allow the power to absorb into your blood, letit radiate out of your eyes. The shadowswill flee and the scales will hit the floor. Everything will be revealed when we walk in the fear of our Father. He loves you and He showed me how much. Overcome daughter,child of God

Hope project

2011-10-01T20:55:00.000-05:00

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul"

- Emily Dickinson.

I had all the right ingredients for one amazing project laying around in my brain and in my garage. With some nails, guard rail boards from my son's old toddler bed, flat paint, and a beautifully written passage, this is what I created and I am beyond happy with it.

Pin It

A.L.B

2011-09-21T11:51:00.000-05:00

I have been self diagnosed with A.L.B.. It's a hard case of Annoying Little Bug, which is creativity. Combine it with A.D.D and I am pretty much ruined. From what I know there is no cure and no medication that can fix it. Luckily the side effects are minor: buying things that I don't need because I have a creative idea for it, digging through other peoples trash because I could use it to make something, or tearing stuff up in my house because I am bored with it and have a creative idea. My husband doesn't seem to get too annoyed with it but does have worries that it could lead to hoarding! HA! There may be a intervention already in the works.

My latest project has been this old dresser that I am absolutely in love with. I love the lines of it. I love the wheels on the feet. I love that I only bought it for a dollar at a yard sale!
But I am kind of stuck on it right now. I am wondering if I want to keep the dresser a flat white and distress it or if I want to paint it some funky color and distress it? I just don't know. So I'm stalled on this project. There are two drawers missing from it so I plan to make those into shelves and put a couple of decorative storage baskets to keep my hoarding organized.

Pin ItThe design on the drawer fronts, I found online and turned it into a stencil and I am craazy about it! Now to figure out what to do with the body of my furniture.... hmm..

Pin It

Jake For President!

2011-09-14T16:15:00.000-05:00

Newly elected 4th grade Student Council member

I was plowed down by a very happy fourth grader today. After school Jake met me with a big smile and big news. He was elected for student council for his grade and boy he was more than excited. The requirements to run for student council was to prepare a short statement of why students should pick you. Last year Jake ran and lost and was very bummed out, so when the opportunity popped up again he meticulously picked out every word so his campaigning speech would be just right. After reading it to his dad and I, we all agreed that it needed some pep. Ben with all his wisdom told Jake that if he really wanted to win he needed to promise to make all their wildest dreams come true. Jake was very leary of this and thought it would make him sound lame but against his better judgement he thought he'd take a risk.. and he won! Ben chuckled and grinned when he found out and Jake agreed that the only way he beat out 19 of his classmates was because his classmates bought it, hook line and sinker. We are proud of our new little councilman!

bunches of old frames = smart design

2011-09-08T20:28:00.000-05:00

Notice my new Old Key project hanging up!

Finally used up MOST of my frames. I did some research on how to group frames and I loved what I found. I saw some fun ways of layering frames.

10 nails, 9 frames and a clock later this is what I got! Thanks to Benjamin for hanging them for me!

Here is another grouping of frames that I recently played with and the smaller frames are the antique ones I recently painted.

Old Keys

2011-09-08T17:06:00.001-05:00

Like I said yesterday, I have lots of frames laying around and after a lucky hop on Loved Stitched (here you can find instructions to make your own) I was totally inspired to copy this unique way to display old house keys that have been laying in a junk drawer for years.

Ben and I have lived four total places in our short ten years of marriage and when I looked at each key I was flooded with funny and not so funny memories. Overall I was left feeling blessed and love displaying a trip down memory lane in such a unique way.

I labeled my keys with our old addresses but if you've lived in multiple states that would be very cool as well!

Mini Project

2011-09-07T12:37:00.002-05:00

So I have a tub full of old frames and I found these amongst my collection. It may seem blasphemous to paint these antique frames but a girls gotta do what she's gotta do. After a couple of coats and a few sprays of sealer they are brand new and beautiful.

Paper Dolls by Betsy Jacobs

2011-07-20T14:07:00.001-05:00

Grace was always cuttin’ a swell in the play yard. Like clock work when the recess bell rang there she was sportin’ her fancy paper dolls. Her dolls were in apple pie order, mine were gettin a little rough round the edges. All the girls beliked her cause she had money and those dang dolls. The girls knew I had em too but I didn’t have to go and parade em round to get friends. Yep, I’m all to pieces sure she aint no good. She’s a bad egg.

Grace was blessed with a pretty face and she seemed to be friendly but when she starts to crack up bout those paper dolls, her true colors shinned and they out shinned that pretty face. One can’t be too pleasant if they’re puffed up with pride like that. Yea, I guess I just knew it was my callin to fix it.

Pa worried about Grace, he’d said that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. I didn’t know what no camel was but I knew it was too big to go through one of Ma’s sewin needles. I felt satisfaction knowin Grace would be spending time in the blazes. The devils already got her room ready. I knew I wouldn’t be there cause Pa was a gospel sharp and he’d been preachin’ at the gospel mill since before I was born. That’s what she gets though for gettin everything she wants all the time and gettin all those brand new paper dolls. Pa says that we need to crush the head of the serpent in our lives just like Jesus did in the bible. Grace needs to be crushed. She’s causin me to sin and the only way to stop sinnin is to get rid of it. I had a bee in my bonnet and knew just how to fix her.

The sun was getting low in the sky and all the town was settlin in for the first night of revival. Pa was busy during revival season and the spirit of the people were forgivin. Kids often sat right still by their pa’s and ma’s but since my pa was busy savin souls I had free reign of the town, Grace did too, of course she did, she had free reign with everything. I must a looked crazy as a loon when I saw her sittin on the church steps. I ran right up and nearly broke her neck with my tight embrace. I was sure I was gonna get the backdoor trots when I saw her wearing her a brand new cotton bonnet with the prettiest print I’d ever seen and she had a new paper doll in her hand.

“Grace how lucky I am to find you out here. Wow you sure do look pretty. Is that a new bonnet?” I said with curry favor.

“It can just get too loud and my ma said I could come get fresh air. Besides I wanted to play with my new paper doll.” She cracked up.

“Yea, when the holy ghost gets to movin, it gets loud with hollerin. I’m out here so I can go play with my new paper doll. It was just shipped in, all the way from London.” I said as sweet as honey.

“All the way from London? Crimany! How’d you get that?” she said with her mouth hung open.

“I haven’t even opened up the package yet. I set it out before revival started so I could come out and play. It’s down by the big oak tree, that’s where I like to play with my dolls.“

“Lets play together. I’ve never seen the paper dolls from London and Id wage a Boston dollar they aint from London.”

“ Oh really? You may be right. You are the only one I know who rightly knows everything about paper dolls.”

“Lets go Adriana!” Grace jumped from her seat on the church steps and grabbed my arm.

“Are you sure? Your ma will probably want you to stay by the church, seeing as it is getting close to nightfall.”

“You said the big oak tree! That’s just round back of the church, past the bone orchard.”

“Yep, if we get a wiggle on we’d get right back and bring the dolls with us.” I grabbed her arm and led her round back of the stone church that was my home.

The lanterns lit a yellow glow through the windows that disappeared into the orange sunset. I’d have to go it strong and it was time to stop beatin the devil round the stomp and take care of her. I led her past the bone orchard and we could see the big oak right down the neglected path. Folks don’t go this way no more since the well dried up. I’m the only one that plays in this backyard.

“Where’s the package Adriana? I don’t see the paper dolls.”

“It’s on the backside of the tree, just a bit farther. Do you want to go back? Do you think your ma is out lookin for ya?” I said nervously

“No let’s go. The sky is just pink, we got enough time.”

The chucklehead raced past me, just how I pictured her greed to lead her and upon the old well she stopped. The big oak towered over us and it seemed the sky darkened faster than I expected.

Smilin and out of breath she looked at me, her back to the deep old well. I placed my hand upon her frail shoulder and knew she would be easier to push over than I expected. She was quite petite but with those fancy dresses she sports It was hard to tell just how filled out she was.

“Of course the paper dolls.” I said with a soft voice.

With one sharp push and a bat of the eyes, Grace went tumblin over the wall of the old well. The depth of that well swallowed her scream in seconds. Her body didn’t make the clinks and clangs that the pebbles made, it was more of a heavy thud. Like the sound of a dead hog bein thrown on the back of a wagon.

My heart was racing and my ears could make out the hallelujahs and Praise the Lords from the church. I knew I could get back, just in time for alter call.

Prove it or Lose it....

2011-06-28T10:39:00.002-05:00

It's not our job to make people feel comfortable when God wants them vulnerable. Be careful not to be an accomplice to complacency in the name of peacemaking.

This came to me from God in the midst of him revealing a great distraction that I was falling victim to. I call it a Prove it or Lose it mentality.. Prove who I am or I will lose it.

Remember brothers and sisters that God knows your heart. He knows if there is malicious intent or if there is love, just because our fellow brothers and sisters don't see it that way or understand it doesn't mean it's not true. We all to often get caught in trying to prove ourselves, getting snared in the trap once again. This deception can get us off track so fast and really hold us in a complacent state. Trying to prove our heart to people never gives us satisfying results, even if we get people to see our perspective. Sometimes this does much more harm than good.

There is nothing more we can do for the cross, it alone does all the work and Satan would love for us to walk around trying to prove that we are good people, that we do love one another, and somehow we miss the heart of the matter, causing us to to leave more of a mess that God has to straighten out (Praise God that He can fix our messes).It comes back to human wisdom. Some of us have deep truths revealed to us from God because we seek and our friends and family will challenge it. Some of us are revealed mysteries from God, it will anger people. They will judge you. Rejoice that we don't have to walk around proving it and who we are to God.

" When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren't spiritual cant receive these truths from Gods Spirit. It will sounds foolish to them and they cant understand it. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others." 1 Corinthians 2:13-16

Un-do button..

2011-03-10T10:48:00.000-06:00

We are lucky that God gives us do overs all the time. That is the whole idea of grace but sometimes that doesnt take away the feeling of "I need an un-do button." I am by fault a reflective person, throw in a bit of "question everything" mentality and a dash of rebellion makes for a real head case and a whole lot of wishing I could un-do.
My husband recently preached a message that I have not stopped thinking about. He preached on the Be-attitudes and how it is so misquoted and misunderstood.

Blessed are the poor in spirit...
Blessed are those who mourn...
Blessed are the meek...
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness...
Blessed are the merciful...
Blessed are the pure of heart....
Blessed are the peacemakers..
Blessed are the persecuted...

(Matthew 5: The Sermon on the Mount)

It's not a grab bag of pick and choose what you want and you will be blessed for it (all of these Blesseds come with rewards, you just need to look it up, it would of been a lot of typing). It is a progression of our relationship with Christ.

We are poor in spirit (#1), so we come to Jesus. We mourn(#2) over our sin because it has been revealed to us, so we are comforted and forgiven. We are humbled(#3) at the grace that is bestowed upon us by something so righteous we cant comprehend. We then crave after that righteousness(#4) and He satisfies it, so on and so on.

Ben talked about how we get stuck at these stages and then we are overcome with guilt because we aren't peacemakers or filled with joy and peace. He went on to say that if your stuck at the mourning stage, ashamed of your sin, then you will be returning to the alter time and time again, looking for a feeling to satisfy you until it creeps back up and there ya go, back to mourning. You have never truly moved on to #3 which is to be humbled and accepting of the gift. So how could you possibly be pure of heart or a peacemaker?

Here's the deal, its truly simple but ever so hard to really trust the process that for some is instantaneous and for others a lifetime to understand. It is taught to be a grade A , high quality Christian then you need to possess all of these attitudes and get em down pat. Some of us are terrific at playing these roles but are tormented on the inside because we have been using the "grab bag" approach to our relationship with Christ.

But hey, dont let me fool ya.. Im stuck. Like I said, remember i wish I had an un-do button. That feeling comes because my relationship has been on the back burner and my life choices have reflected that, but accepting the gift of grace and being humbled come the thristing.. which leads me to crave laughing with God over my bad ideas and onto new adventures that He has been waiting to share with me, which leads to being forgiving, pure of heart and a peacemker.. then PERSECUTION!!

None of us really want persecution, that is why we live stagnant existences and never develop a deep relationship with Christ. (you know that scripture about the praise is on our lips but our hearts are far from God [matt. 15:8-9].. this is what I'm talking about. We tend to fool people, but He knows)

A huge point that Ben made was what a peacemaker is. It is not just walking around loving, smiling, keeping your mouth shut at every injustice in hopes that our smiles and nice words fix the problems. Ask yourself, why does persecution come after peacemaking? It is because peacemekaing is unifying, is iradicating injustice and the wrongs that are happening to our Christian brothers and sisters. Peacemaking is not accepting sin but loving the sinner. Peacemaking is accountability and not watching our loved ones go down destructive paths. Persecution follows peacemaking simply because standing up for what is right is hard to do, and our own family (brothers and sisters in Christ) are the ones persecuting us. Its nothing new though, look at who persecuted Jesus.

Jesus was aggressive, rebellious, a radical. He didn't allow his loved ones to make destructive choices. He held the mirror in front of their face. Jesus didn't just smile and accept their sin. He showed them, sometimes angrily what they were doing wrong and the love that everyone gets confused about, was a promise to be right there once they realized and to not leave them. He demanded change and if they refused it, the he shook the dust off of his feet. People, evaluate who Jesus is. Your misreading of the scriputre may have you worshiping your own created version of Jesus.

So anyway, back to the un-do button. Oh how many regrets I have. Truly accepting the process has been hard for me but it gets easier everyday because He still teaches and uses me everyday even though.. I don't have all the be-attitudes down just yet. This in itself teaches me His promises are true and that he loves me. I just kinda get tired of looking at that mirror Jesus keeps holding in front of my face. I've begged God to give me a un-do button but He refuses and asks me to depend on Him to take care of my regrets. He told me that is what faith is.. I guess He has a point. :)

2011-01-21T12:06:00.003-06:00

Alabaster
by Betsy Jacobs

the smell of a Savior upon her hair
and the smell of a King was in the air

if he only knew who this sinner was touching him
if he only knew…were the thoughts of simmon
they began to watch and murmur
she opened her alabaster jar

he looked upon the righteous
she washed his feet with her tears

what did you offer me?
she anointed me with worship
you offer only fear

you held everything back
yet you think I find favor with you
she anointed me with worship
you practice rituals, that’s all you do

the smell of a Savior upon her hair
and the smell of a King was in the air

a man in the room, He had raised from the dead
a man in the room who would betray him soon
two were there that knew the price

One was there that was willing to die

who is this man who can simply forgive sin
how could he accept her in
she laid upon the floor
in the presence of the Lord

as the room filled with the scent of a King
she bathed Him with the oil
preparing His body for death
and this day would be recorded for all to read

you didn’t offer me water to dust my feet
but she has washed my feet with her tears and hair
you didn’t offer me oil for my bread
she has washed me with the oil of worship over my head

she looked up at the One
with the smell of a King in the air
she looked at her Savior
with her tear soaked hair

in a room of believers and some filled with doubt
she knew to worship in spirit and in truth
and He knew the others were without

we all claim to believe in Jesus
we all want to worship Him
yet we offer up nothing more than fear and rituals
and hope this will get us in

in His presence
in His will
in His home
that’s the deal

there were several in that room
that knew who He was
there was only one in that place
that worshiped that day

ref: Matt 26:6, Mark 14, Luke 7 36-50, Luke 10:38-42, Luke 22:3-4, John 11:17-45, John 12:3

A quick hello

2010-12-22T13:19:00.000-06:00

Worship Project - 1st Visit

2010-11-30T13:33:00.001-06:00

First Church Visit: University Heights Baptist

Interviewed: Pastor Cory

In addition to the video: I stated that University Heights had a very formal corporate worship setting, this is comparing it other Baptist churches I have attended before. Keep in mind... I only visited once!

Worship Project

2010-11-21T16:42:00.000-06:00

Growing up is hard to do.. real hard for some

2010-09-23T17:44:00.000-05:00

RANT: Adults who live in their self-induced drama, with probably too much time on their hands blaming others for their problems.

Okay now that I got that off my chest. Honestly I am learning that growing up is hard to do. For some its really much harder than for others. It never ceases to amaze me how adults act sometimes but hey I will take some responsibility in this as well. I have learned that loving these people have proven to be an almost impossible task but I'm required to do it. I've learned that I need not focus on the people so much but focus on them in my prayers. It really does take the pressure off to realize that these people wish to live oppressed lives and I know my God knows this. It takes the pressure off big time! If I can release them in prayer then I know it can all work out. Even if they try to drag me into the midst of their drama.. no worries, I'm letting God fight my battles now and I can practice loving them through my prayer.

MY WISH: People would stop taking everything in their own hands.

Most of the problem with these drama addicted people (besides being drama addicted), is that they try to take everything into their own hands. They aren't exactly rational people. They don't really see that not everything is all about them. They refuse to really understand that the God they say the believe in, requires you to give it over to him, mostly when you cant see the bigger pictures and leave it at that. *sigh* I know I don't always make the right choices, sometimes I put things into my own hands but I've learned that I always ended up making things worse when I do. Growing up is hard to do and some Grown ups shouldn't be classified with that title just because their age suggests they are.

Hola Mexico

2010-09-13T20:48:00.002-05:00

Our Cruise is Booked! We are pretty excited and even more excited about going with some good friends of ours. This will be our second cruise and I am already dreaming about the Warm Melting Cake. Here is our Itinerary:

Day	Port	Arrive	Depart
Saturday, Jan 01	Mobile, AL		4:00pm
Sunday, Jan 02	Fun Day At Sea
Monday, Jan 03	Progreso, Yucatan, Mexico	7:00am	4:00pm
Tuesday, Jan 04	Cozumel, Mexico	9:00am	5:00pm
Wednesday, Jan 05	Fun Day At Sea
Thursday, Jan 06	Mobile, AL	8:00am

Worship not Worry

2010-09-09T08:27:00.010-05:00

This has been my new slogan lately, "Worship not Worry." I wish I could get a t-shirt made of this. It has been life changing for me. Recently I was on the phone with my dad and our family has been going through a bit of a heart ache, so I was reaching out to dad hoping he would validate my feelings and instead he talks to me about how the Lord recently disciplined him.

Dad said that God showed him how we tie Gods hands and sin against him when we act in worry, pray in worry and speak with worry. See my father and I both had a horrible dream. This dream was on the same exact night, same exact time, the circumstances were all the same, and this dream was terrifying. I was left very unsettled and even angry, my father on the other hand was left humbled and at peace.

As we got over the initial shock of our similar dreams, dad reveled how God told him that He was bigger than this problem. He required worship not worry and was not pleased with the lack of worship, rather the worship of worry instead.I sat on the phone trying to hold back my tears under conviction of my distraction with worry. Why wouldn't satan use worry to prevent worshiping the Father?

After I got off the phone I decided to go to by bible that I had put aside since I had been consumed with my worry. I opened up to Daniel 6, most of you know where this is headed. The story of Daniel and the Lions Den.

Think about it. The law had been passed for Daniel to worship no one but the king. Knowing the heart of Daniel, you can imagine how upsetting this had to be for him. In scripture it says the very FIRST thing he did was run to an upper room and pray and worship. It doesnt say that Daniel fretted, ran away sobbing with worry. It says he went to a room and prayed and worshiped. They catch him, they throw him into the lions den and the rest is history.

We bind Gods hands with the chains of worry. Are we believing our God is not big enough to take on our situations. Here is my challenge to you all, when you feel worry come on... next time you open a bill, next time you get that phone call or next time your spouse walks through the door with worry all over them.. Worship God and see where all that worry goes. Not only see where all that worry goes but see God work because you are putting him back up on the throne.

Side note: Worry can definitely be that lion in our lives.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

What's a dream?

2010-09-02T09:45:00.005-05:00

Okay so I have been waking from dreams of reconciliation for over the past week now. I dont think about these people but ever so often and for the past week I have been sleeping so well (no aid from melatonin pills) and I have been having the same dream over and over with the same person just only different scenarios.

One dream was me and this person in a bowling alley. She was having a baby, in the bowling alley (it's a dream) and I came to visit her. I remember my feelings were anxious and nervous she would reject my sincerity but it was fine and she was happy to see me.
Second dream, we were on vacation with this person and we were having so much fun but there was another person in the dream that I had serious feelings to stay away from.

Third dream she was at my house and we reconciled and this other person was in my dream again and I was warned to stay away from her.

I always wake to these dreams feeling so happy but reality sets in and Im hit that that was just a dream. Do dreams really mean anything?

Who knows.. it has definitely left me feeling confused, wondering if I should make contact or just keep my happy little world the way it is. Things are good right now and I wonder if complicating my life is really what I need to do. Hmm I guess we shall see if I dream about her again tonight.

Picture used from (http://medusaeyes.com/blog/)

2010-08-24T08:12:00.005-05:00

Jake is entering into the third grade this year. He actually woke me up this a.m. because I almost forgot all about it. I am use to our summer sleeping hours (which I want back) but we got to school in plenty of time and he was so ready to be in his class. Next year Jackson will be in Kindergarten and Jake will be in 4th grade. I can not believe how fast our children grow.

2010-08-18T08:45:00.003-05:00

It is hard for me to believe my kids are the age that they are. It seems just yesterday I was sitting in my living room with laundry piled up all around me, a little boy asking me for cereal and a baby on the bottle.
We dropped Jackson off to Pre-K this a.m. and it wasn't any easier. I saw Jackson's eyes and that look of "I am terrified but want to do this really bad" was shinning through and It was hard for me to know he was feeling any uncomfortable feelings.
I know that these are the moments that teach our children how to cope with stress, how to manage their feelings, and learn to adapt but for us mommas out there, these are the moments when we learn to let go a tiny bit more and we realize no more treating them like the babies you still see them as.

No more kids for Ben and I so I guess this was our last drop off to Pre-K, next year Kindergarten and before you know it, Jakes graduation. Here is a picture of Jake on his First day of Pre-K.

Creativity is limitless

2010-08-16T00:26:00.005-05:00

I get overwhelming urges to create or change something. I think we all do as humans and it must come from being created ourselves. That whole ..formed in the image of God thing.

I noticed that most of these urges come on whenever I have been feeling unhappy with things, over stressed with situations, or maybe have deep things to contemplate.

I call it the annoying little bug. I think it is because i have a general lack of focus on most things. The world that my husband and I have created has us pretty busy and creativity takes focus. I think it is my body's way of saying stop and focus on one thing.

I never usually finish my creative process.. It becomes too much focus for me (reason #86 of why I think I have ADD) and I drop it right in the midst of it becoming too challenging. What if God did that with us.. wonder what we would look like?

Image Location

RUNNING SUCKS.. Healthy living is LAME

2010-08-12T15:46:00.003-05:00

So a lot of you know I am doing the Couch to 5k program. It always sounds like such a good idea to start a challenge but for me.. I always end up hating myself because of it. I like to quit! Yep I said it, I am a quitter. I have great intentions but lack very much discipline.

I remember being a little girl dreaming about the days when I could grow up and eat a whole bowl of candy with no parentals telling me "ONLY 1". Am I rebelling against the natural restraints that were put on me as a child? Possibly I could just be lazy but that doesn't settle with me well. Regardless I was watching those dumb weight loss reality shows and one of the trainers said, "Why choose failure when success is an option" something about that struck a nerve with me and I am on Week 4 of this dreadful program.

Besides letting a skinny girl use some lame line to get me motivated, just weeks ago my oldest brother Heath called to inform me he was diagnosed with diabetes. It kinda shook me up and made me take my health a bit more seriously. So we shall see how far I get into this before I give up.. or maybe we shall see if I really complete my first 5k in September.

final thought: Running Sucks and Healthy Living is Lame but Im doing it anyway.

2010-08-11T12:05:00.005-05:00

Ya know those moments when your kind of scared so all you do is laugh.. this is momma here in this picture. My Aunt Marcene was driving us around Hot Springs. The roads are so curvy and the speed limit is around 35 mph but I guess 60 is what the norm is! Needless to say I got car sick and mom was hanging on to the Oh Shoot handle.. we survived obviously but It was worth mentioning.

We had a great time in Hot Springs. We rented a vacation home from Village Villas and it was very nice. We laid out on the party barge and swam all weekend. Catfish was unbelievable and being with the family was much needed.

Wowser it has been a while....

2010-07-20T01:06:00.004-05:00

So much has been going on. I will just leave your minds to wonder what because I have no desire to fill in all that has happened since my last posting, which was in April.

God has been doing some intense teaching to me through the Holy Spirit these past few months. I asked Him why me and His response was because I am asking the right questions.

I don't know if I am able to share it all now because I am still learning and right now the place I am at has left me very broken but mostly hopeful. So to write about it now would probably sound bitter, possibly a touch angry and I know that would do no good.

I'll share though that He has been showing me the difference between the church and the "bride of Christ" there is a real difference and God has been showing me the attributes of the "bride". I now know why so many "Christians" will not be with the Lord when He returns. I am hopeful though that people are seeking for something more and seeking truth by asking questions and finding the answers in their bible and a assembly of believers.

Oh if I could just keep on writing.. I pray for you who claim to be a follower of Christ.. I hope you truly are seeking a relationship with Him and are not deceived by your idols.

Something to think about as I end this.. Are you just a member of a church or are you a member of the "bride of Christ"? John 4:23-24 says that God is seeking true worshipers and those are the ones that worship in Spirit and in Truth. Are you a true worshiper?

2010-04-09T15:15:00.000-05:00

2010-04-07T14:37:00.001-05:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Spring.. new growth

2010-04-07T08:12:00.006-05:00

I love spring, everything starts to pop up. The flowers bring me joy and I love being out in my yard. I haven't posted in quite a while but it is hard to keep up with so much going on. Where do I begin?

The family is doing great. Ben just got offered a job at Assemblies of God Financial working as a programmer and it could not of come at a better time and we believe it was a "God Thing", we have been praying for open doors and while we were surprised we got a call so fast as soon as we started praying, we kind of expected it. God wants to give you the delights of your heart. Jake and Jaxs are incredible. Jake just recently spoke at KidLife (a church program) and Ben and I couldnt have been prouder of him. He spoke about Moses and even when your scared, do it anyway! We have cut back on Jaxs daycare and he goes 2 days a week if I work, otherwise he goes 1 day a week. I have notice an huge change in his attitude and just know that it was the right choice. I am still at school and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Cant even believe Im going to be graduating in Fall of '11.

Church has been amazing. I thank God everyday for giving us such an alive church, filled with the Holy Spirit and seeing new growth like I've never seen before. I think one of our few but last posts was about Momentum our teen program and the Lord has just taken over and its been amazing. We are shooting for 40 kids and we have around 21-26 every night. Its just been a blessing and talk about new growth, the kids are growing and I pray God is challenging them every time we meet together.

We have started a bible study at church with a few of us ladies and wowser! Im so thankful I have people in my life that challenge me to be a better person, that dont just agree with everything I say but love me enough to expect more and they expect that accountability out of me. I think the new growth I've experienced lately is starting to understand the freedom we have in God and the peace we were meant to walk in everyday of our life. Its amazing, freedom takes some getting use too but when your really walking in it, it is amazing.

2010-01-18T14:23:00.003-06:00

Okay so church was good yesterday but not just good, it was really really good. I am so so so so glad to be a part of a church that is full of so many different types of people, not everyone comes from the same background, not everyone is a mature faithful Christian (which makes it fun) and we have a whole bunch of people that want to be out in the community making a difference.

We have a new ministry called Reach One and have so many great amazing things lined up for 2010. God really laid upon my heard to start a Closet..a gently used clothing closet for kids, adults or just anyone who needs some shoes. I feel excited about it. Last time I asked God for something he gave it to me almost before I asked for it so I feel like he can provide the storage building I am needing to get it up and off the ground.

Be in prayer about it!!

Oh my my..

2010-01-13T14:20:00.005-06:00

Monday night is officially Cajun night in the Jacobs' household. This past Monday I cooked Smothered Chicken and it was good yall. It was probably one of the simplest recipes I have ever made but that is the beauty of Justin Wilsons recipes, they are simple and mostly made out of stuff you have around the house.

Basically I just got a whole chicken that was already cut up, douced it with Louisiana hot sauce, soys sauce and salt while my onions and celery were cooking in a bit of evoo. It calls for fresh parsley but I didnt have any.

Then after my onions were clear I sat my chicken on top of em, covered em in white wine (* rule* only use a wine you'd want to drink), put the lid on and let em cook for a couple of hours. You can serve it with rice, it makes a great gravy to put on your rice. Try it with a wild rice, bet it would be great. I just used white rice.

Let the silence be broken

2010-01-12T18:01:00.003-06:00

I interrupt my year long silence to address some news that I can not keep my mouth shut about.

1) I am very disappointing with NBC with the way they are dismissing Conan O'Brian so easily. I know all you Conan haters say he isn't funny and is just stupid but I have been watching Conan for nearly 10 years and I love his wit and sense of humor and I especially love his hair! I like Jay but I get tired of people retiring and then deciding they don't like retirement and then demand their old job back. That is stupid.

Conan, if you read this (and I am sure you will), I am boycotting the Jay Leno show and I will follow you wherever you go (except cable cause I only get local channels).

2) Please say it ain't so, Mark! A little piece of me died on Monday when Mark McGwire came out and said that he did steroids. Just like a kid that believes in Santa Claus a little too long, clinging to hope that magic does exist, I was clinging to fact that Mark wasn't a cheater.

With that said, I am glad he came clean. I am sure he feels much better to get that off his chest. If forgiveness is what McGwire wants, then he has it from me and I look forward to seeing the Cards' offense get better as a result of his vast knowlege of crushing the baseball.

Happy 4th Jackson

2010-01-11T16:58:00.003-06:00

Jackson turned 4 on Saturday and we had so much fun. He had an Iron Man birthday and my friend I met at school made his birthday cake.. she did an awesome job.
He had fun playing with his buds and even meeting some new kids. We ended the night at Cracker Barrel and had a great day celebrating Jackson's special day.

Trapped in on a snowy day...

2010-01-07T12:37:00.005-06:00

So we got up this a.m. and it was -2 I believe and we decided since school was canceled that we would just stay inside and relax, then we got a great big idea that later on we wanted to go sledding so we dredged out into the frozen tundra to no avail. Everything at Wal-Mart, Target and Sutherlands was sold out (gloves, sleds, boots, ect.)
So we came back home and snuggled up and have been lazing around the entire day...can you think of anything better?

How Yall Are?

2010-01-06T10:45:00.004-06:00

Okay completely inspired by the movie Julie & Julia I am going to try an accomplish a similar goal and cook my way through the Justin Wilson cookbook. Most everyone knows he is a famous Louisiana chef and for obvious reasons I chose him because I have been recently wanting to get back in touch with my Louisiana heritage. Of course my momma knows most of this stuff and can cook it very well but I thought why not force this food on my kids (which will probably hate it) and let them know a bit about their heritage as well, a heritage they did not chose but was born into, so forcing them to eat the food seems natural.

I have just requested the book from my local library and am waiting for it to come in from another branch so once I get the book in my hands.. I will post more of my deadline and the amount of recipes I will be cooking through the week. I am so excited and cant even wait to get started. Of course I will be posting about it and how the reactions were at the table.

2010-01-05T12:38:00.002-06:00

So exciting news today, after being interviewed for the Springfield School District I got hired as a Substitute teacher. Just a great way to get your foot in the door and get to know other teaches and other principles for when I graduate with my degree, plus I can make a bit of money.

More snow to come tomorrow, I will post some pictures asap.

2010

2010-01-01T06:27:00.004-06:00

Well we rang our new year in with a teen lock in.. and its 6:30 a.m., and I havent been asleep since 2009. Running on several cups of coffee, mountain dew and some kids that do not want to sleep. I cannot believe I have made it this long.
Jake and Jackson spent the night with the Tyler & Dalton their buds (Jaxs first sleep over ever). We got to the church around 6:30 adults and teens played some fun fun games and we rang our new year in with praise and worship. Only sleep could of made it any better but it was alot of fun getting to play sardines, black out and I dont even remember what else we did.
Happy 2010 to all, hope its a great one!

Momentum

2009-12-31T09:41:00.006-06:00

So as I mentioned in a later post that God gave us this idea of Momentum to start on Wed nights with the youth group and we kicked it off last night. It was just fun to do something different and new. Sterlene lead worship and was just awesome. Ben gave the message about Momentum and what it is about..

Momentum: was not merely the motion, but was the power residing in a moving object (wiki definition)

He went on to talk about how momentum is the Holy Spirit driving us and that opposition that is facing momentum is friction (we had a mini science lesson), friction being sin. It was really good and to see Ben really be on fire says more than his words do. We had a good group and even a new girl. The kids are excited. We will be posting pictures soon.

We go before the board on Sunday to get approval for painting in the teen room and we announced last night, one wed night a month we are doing something called
ExPRESSO YO SELF - we will have coffee, drinks and cookies and then let the teens take it over, doing skits, devotions , music or anything on their hearts. They were excited when we told them about it.

Keep us in your prayers.. last night was awesome and if we are Glorifying God what else matters?

Awesome caramel apple dip recipe

2009-12-29T18:44:00.003-06:00

1 bag of caramels
1 small container of sour cream

Melt caramels, once melted then add sour cream. Mix well then serve with sliced apples (honeycrisp are the best)

Christmas 2009

2009-12-29T17:52:00.000-06:00

Updated updates....

2009-12-28T09:10:00.003-06:00

So we have not been committed to our blog as we once were, but I refuse to let it go. I am out for winter break with spring semester starting mid January so now is a great time to get back to blogging.
Christmas was fun the kids had a blast. Jax has almost broken everything already, why he is so destructive I may never know but I do know that kid has more imagination than I have ever seen (especially after eating a lot of sugar).
Sunday a.m. at Harvest Community was amazing. Ben has this idea for our teens at church and it seems like God is the definite author of it because once that little thought popped into his mind, God has been rolling with it non stop. We are excited about the direction it is going in. Keep us in your prayers. Our main goal with it.. to Glorify God and to get some teens on fire again. God gave this idea a name.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T21:25:00.004-05:00

Fun Fun Night with my lil guys! Jackson was a storm trooper and Jake was a ninja or Snake Eyes from GI Joe's. Jake got over 5lbs of candy!

BAD IDEA....

2009-08-30T14:56:00.004-05:00

Oh my goodness! Bad idea taking a cruise the week before you begin a 17 credit hour semester and your 2nd grader starts classes. I promise last week was a nightmare.. in a busy, overwhelmed, messed everything up, good kind of way.

We got back from our fabulous cruise and visit with my family in Georgia on Sunday. My first class started Monday at 11:00 a.m. (not so bad), who knew parking was going to be worse than ever before... I am still confused on why parking has been so awful, I know enrollment is up but still! Sitting in class was so hard to do, I mean I was just in the Bahamas the previous Thursday. Jake was starting school on Wed and we had not gotten any of his school supplies yet, oh wait, did I say Wed. he started school, nope it was Tuesday and not until I was talking to Johnna on facebook did I realize that Springfield school had started.

JAKE MISSED HIS FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

I came home crying to Ben about Jake missing his first day, his response was, "who cares, they dont do anything on the first day anyway." My response while sobbing "Thats not what they teach us in our elementary ed classes!!! The first day is the most important."

First week is officially over, Jake has settled in fine and everything has been squared away with his teacher, I am just now getting the hang of my huge schedule that Im not use to. This is gonna be a quick semester I can feel it!

I start my reading practicum in Sept. I will be in the classroom teaching reading, SO EXCITED!!!

Oh the good life....

2009-07-29T08:59:00.003-05:00

Here we are on our float from Twin to Hammons (where Ben and I got engaged!)
This was a fun trip, it rained on us the first hour of the float and it didnt matter. Why? you ask, Oh because before we were even out in the water, I flipped my canoe all by myself while half of the canoe was still on land! Yep, thats right no rapids to blame it on, no sharp curves that were just so scary I had to bail.. I was just sitting there and flipped it! (I have balance problems, thats my excuse)
Anyway fun trip.. good times, good eats with good friends always makes for an adventure. We are building up for our Colorado vacation in 5 years.. White rapids are callin our names! Well maybe just Jeffs name.. but its a callin'.

2009-06-25T14:11:00.001-05:00

We decided to take a drive down to Drury and hang out! The boys love the freedom they have here, even though today its too hot to do anything but stay inside.
Thats Jake driving the riding lawnmower up mommas long driveway! They thought they were gonna escape me!

Drury General Store

2009-06-25T14:06:00.001-05:00

Well here is momma, doing what she loves. This is the Drury General Store where the talk of the town is momma's cooking. She has fun up there working so hard, cooking for those grouchy old men. If you ever make it down to Drury, it wouldnt be a waste of your time to stop in for breakfast or lunch! You'll find her there!

WowO

2009-06-09T18:33:00.004-05:00

I started my summer semester yesterday. Taking 6 hours and the classes are just awesome. Its so nice to finally be out of my dumb gen eds and into my major.. the insturctors are awesome. This major (elementary ed) is so interactive. Its not just sitting and hearing lecture. We are up and down, role-playing and learning how to be a creative, compassionate teacher and its so much fun. Everyday I leave class and I am so excited. This is a first for me, usually I hate going to classes. Ben says those gen eds are designed to weed out the ones who arent really serious.. ugh!

So much is going on.. Jake is going to the Park day on Mon. & Weds they have a full schedule of activities.. he liked his first day but said he was nervous to meet all the new friends. Jackson is still at Mrs. Teresas house and loves her so much.

Church is going good, I was elected to the Church Board and I am very excited about being apart of the church in that way.. I really have alot of good ideas and cant wait to be apart of such a enthusiastic team.

We had a bbq at the house last Friday and tore it up on Rock band.. or whatever its called.. Krystal played the drums, Jeff sang some No Doubt and Alesha cheered us on. Speaking of Alesha and Jeff they are having their baby C-sect soon.. keep them in their prayers! Exciting times!!

I found this picture that I took on our last canoe trip of me encouraging the guy to jump of this bridge into the water! It made me laugh so hard when I saw it because Alesha was freaking out! So I thought you'd appreciate this picture leesh!

Been a bit..

2009-06-02T09:04:00.002-05:00

Its been a bit since we've posted.. I have been seriously taking a nice break from school and Im getting kinda bored. The boys are still in school (jakes last day is Wed.) and all Ben and I can talk about is going on the cruise.. it is coming up so fast!

Say a prayer for Bryan, my brother n law, he had his appendix taken out Sunday and is still kinda in pain.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer! Will update this soon.

Prettiest Girls in Georgia

2009-04-30T10:26:00.002-05:00

It really breaks my heart that my nieces live so far away! I cant wait to see them in August. I know I would be such a fun Aunt to these girls and I really miss them so much! Jake and Jackson would have fun with them!

Mom was laughing and crying while she was looking at these pictures in her email.. they sent alot more. We could not believe how Macy & I look so much alike. I see alot of Lori in Macy too... it really is like looking into a mirror though!

Heath needs to shave his beard!! Im going to start protesting now! I love my brother and sister n law! See you in just a few months!

Update..

2009-04-30T09:13:00.003-05:00

Its hard to find time to post but our lives are going ninety to nothing all the time. Im really looking forward to my few weeks I get in the summer before summer school starts. I really just want to spend some time with my boys and not have to go go go so much!

I was on my way to class when mom called me and told me the news about Papaw Elmer... Most of you know he has a heart condition where basically his heart is just giving out. He has been feeling pretty tired lately and needed to go in and get checked, as a result they told him he had probably 1 year left, that his heart was just tired and giving out. This news wasn't completely shocking just because we've known for a while that his heart was on a timer but how they just pick a random number like that and say this is what we are predicting.. I don't know. So keep him in your prayers. The boys call him papaw Elmo and he doesnt realize it.. its cute.

What have we done recently?
Had a yard sale and Ben sold almost everything!
Got to speak at Kid Life (Ben and I as a team) and it was awesome!
Gone to class, Gone to class, Gone to class!!!
Planted some azeleas!
Played Tennis with Ben and can actually beat him!
... cant think of anything else cause I have to Go to class!!!

Easter 2009

2009-04-17T10:14:00.000-05:00

Here are the easter egg hunt pictures! Justins nose isnt quite on his face and I think it mostly freaked out the kids, I know Kaden didnt want to have much to do with him. It was a fun morning and the kids got too much candy!

Donuts for Dads

2009-04-17T10:10:00.001-05:00

Today at Pittman they had Donuts for Dads and the students read a book to their dad while eating donuts! Jake was very proud to have Ben there and even more excited to get donuts.

2009-04-13T08:47:00.003-05:00

I have to say something about this because I really dont get it. Ben and I seriously know quite a few families that call North Point church home and they are very proud of that church , as they should be but have to say something about this...

Most people know that Im not a put God in a box kind of person, Im pretty un traditional when it comes to how I like to worship but showing Sumdog Millionaire on Easter doesnt make sense.

The movie was awesome, yall should see it. Highly recommended, but how it relates to the celebration of the Rising of Jesus Christ after his bloody death, I cant make the connection.

I was looking at the movie list that North Point was showing and they had The Dark Knight, Star Trek, The curious case of Benjamin Button, The Wrestler and of course Slumdog Missionaire.. this is my question and I promise Im not being a jerk about this it really does bother me.. Whats the point? How does it further Gods kingdom by showing these movies that I feel personally dont belong in the house of God. Why not show like the Passion on Easter?

It really does seem like North Point Church's mission statement is "Lets be like the world so we can change the world!" That is exactly what the bible says not to do! I think its dangerous and actually defeating the purpose of setting ourselves apart. Whats the standard and where is the line that says.. "now this we wont do in church!"

I'd love to have comments and thoughts because maybe Im missing the point!

SHOUT OUT! PRAISE ITEM!! HALLELUJAH!

2009-03-30T18:44:00.003-05:00

Hey now I've got to share. There is this little girl Kaya (2 years old) she has a brain disease that is dying from the inside out. Most children with this disease don't live to the age of 3. She cant walk, she cant talk, she has a feeding tube in her belly and has never really tasted food her entire life. She is a beautiful blond hair, blue eyed little girl and has had a hard life so far.

We had a healing service for her a couple of Sundays ago. Her Dr appt was on the Tuesday following the service. Guess what!!

Her brain scans to see how much farther the disease has progressed showed that it not only hasn't progressed but it has stopped. The Dr's told Della and Mike that they are stumped! Not only that she got to taste her first Cheeto (the ones that melt in your mouth). Before she could not even have a drop of pedialite without gagging and suffocating. Praise God. What a testimony..I just feel excited about the movement of God that we have been witnessing! Thank you Lord!

2009-03-28T11:27:00.003-05:00

So so funny. My face still hurts from laughing, my eyes are still puffy from crying because of laughing and my sides are sore because of laughing. Bens mom watched the boys Friday night and we went to see The Skinny downtown. It was so worth the 10 bucks (student discount). It was a 2 hour show, no bad language or dirty ideas. If someone is crude they force you to wear a sombrero and everyone makes fun of you. Ben and I want to get a big group together and go. They pull suggestions out of the audience and keep everyone involved. Email me if you want to go with us.. its so worth it.

Take me to the website!

Pictures by Jake

2009-03-25T10:40:00.000-05:00

I saw the boys playing outside and they were very quiet. I walked out there and Jake was taking pictures and Jackson was hamming it up of course. I really liked Jake's shadow picture. So far we have all been having a pretty relaxing spring break. I have read an entire book (it was only 9 chapters about teaching) for my ELE 150 class and It was very inspiring.
Monday Ben got off work 1/2 day and we took the boys to the zoo, very windy but alot of fun. Today we are spending a bit of time at the library and then off to the house to clean! We have some financial planners coming over on thursday and we are really looking forward to them showing us more about investing. This spring break is flying by but I can tell you this, it has been the most relaxing spring break yet. No getting up, taking the kids to school, just lounging and slowly cleaning.

Praise Items...

2009-03-21T16:30:00.004-05:00

WOW, some pretty crazy things are happening in the youth ministry at church. We have this program on Friday nights for the youth of the Rogersville community and its more than successful. Judy has been really working hard, well she has a pretty good team of people helping her but the first night we had 31 kids (10 of them were church kids) and we had 9 new walk ins on the second friday night. It just seems like the Lord is working things out. A guy heard what the church was organizing and gave us a 500 dollar donation to help towards the cause of saving souls and reaching children.

The worship service is pretty intense and fun. 15 kids came to the alter the first night. Last night after the message was done a kid at the alter shouted out "I dont want a dirty heart!" "We want our hearts to be clean." Pretty amazing. The kids only have to pay 1 dollar to get dinner and then they have worship and a short message. This church has so much energy and just have a heart for the lost.. some cool things are happening and cant wait to see more of it!

The Power to Believe (S.I. Article March 16, 2009)

2009-03-19T08:41:00.003-05:00

"But it's like I always say, 'Come and test me. Come and do whatever you want.' Because you know what? There is something more important to me—my relationship with Jesus Christ and caring about others. More than this baseball. This baseball is nothing to me.- Albert Pujols"

Its just hard not to like Albert Pujols. Not only is he a serious player for the St Louis Cardinals and in baseball in general but his pride of his faith is so encouraging. Its so exciting to have a role model like him proclaiming the love of Jesus so boldly and it helps our little ones as well as ourselves do it that much more. Click on the links below to get to the article of the cover.

Article and picture taken from Sports Illustrated

Harvest Black light Kids

2009-03-14T20:49:00.002-05:00

here are the kids performing to Hillsong, Not Ashamed They did such a great job. Jake is the second one from the left. The youth department is so cool and so much fun. Good job Judy.

Wanna own some land of the World?

2009-03-12T11:50:00.003-05:00

"The World Islands, are a collection of man-made islands shaped into the continents of the world, located off the coast of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates."

I was sitting in Geogoraphy this a.m. and we were talking about Dubai and up comes this talk of owning your own island in "The World". I thought it was very cool but seriously how safe is it? The way they are creating these man made islands is placing large amounts of sand and rebar down into the sea. Isnt sand shifty? I can just picture sitting there on my little Australia that I bought for 10 million dollars and slowly watching it sink into the sea.. how scary would that be.

7 years old today

2009-03-12T08:37:00.004-05:00

This is my baby Jake when he was 3 YEARS OLD!! I love this picture.

Jake has such a sweet spirit and really loves people. He loves God and really is a goofy little boy! We are so proud of him.

HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY Jake

His party is going to be March 15 from 1-3 p.m.

Jax at the library

2009-03-09T11:51:00.000-05:00

Here is my little guy who is seriously just growing up so fast. He loves getting on the computer at the library. It has games, stories and coloring books on it. He is still having a problem with going to school.. he hates being dropped off but the crying usually lasts about 10 minutes according to his teacher. I just hope the seperation anxiety goes away soon.. it is hard to deal with.
He loves church and loves to go to his 3 & 4 year old class. He likes not being in the nursery with the younger children. It was torture for him.

I just cant believe before I know he is going to be turning 4! We are so proud of the kids!

Little Bings..

2009-03-09T11:44:00.000-05:00

Bingo is doing very well. He has made progress in all ares except for stealing Jacksons toys and hiding them. I guess now Jackson knows how Jake feels.

He has no accidents in the house in a very long time so Im assuming he is house broken and he has several times slept through the night without waking to go outside. We are all excited having him in our house.. he has so much energy and loves to play and run.

Last Friday we all walked to pick Jake up at school and he ran up to kids to let them pet him, let a woman come play with him and just had so much fun! It was so nice to see him not be scared and growly and just let people enjoy him. Only thing is none of this progress has happened at our house this was outside of the home. He is very protective of our house and our yard. My dad came over and he was skiddish of him but let him pet him several times. So much more work is needed in that area.

2009-03-03T17:37:00.002-06:00

Well I met with my advisor today and I am officially a senior! I have 93 credit hours earned. That is exciting but doesn't mean I'm as close as I wish I was to actually graduating. We mapped out my schedule all the way up to graduation and everything is dependent on one another. Kind of stressful. She said "Okay Betsy your getting on that senior train and there is no getting off." I have 2 semesters that are 17 & 18 credit hours (because they are classes demanded to be taken together). I will be having more practicum work mixed with those semesters and my very last semester is working 8-3:00 in the school everyday, Supervised Teaching. On top of all that (and this is not complaining) I have not received my CBASE scores yet, I have to have passed my CBASE to move forward and my last semester I have to pass my PRAXIS which is my Missouri Certification so I can actually teach.

Called mom today and was a bit overwhelmed but her encouraging attitude really helped me to see the light. Take one semester at a time and work your butt off to finish!

Day at Nathaniel Greene

2009-02-26T09:03:00.002-06:00

What a fun day at Nathaniel Greene park. It was almost hot. They have a memorial garden over there and a pretty pond with ducks. Heather brought bread for us to feed them and Kaden did his best to hit them with the bread. Funny stuff.

Choices

2009-02-23T09:08:00.004-06:00

Last night at church a young boy preached on choices. I was so impressed with his concern about cursing our children and the choices we make.

He read chapter 3 in Genesis abut Eve eating the apple and the curses she put upon her self and her offspring. Adam too was cursed with the ground to be hard work to produce food for him.

Curses can be passed down through the blood. Our choices can be a curse that enslaves us or a gift that frees us.

A mother that chooses to criticize everyone in front of her children will produce a
bitter, cirtical child. think of the work it takes to un do that upraising.
A father who chooses to not provide, be a drunk or even abuse his children will
produce a very angry man or even violent child.

All of these choices have been curses put upon the offspring. This seems very elementary for most but choices are still being made without little regard of who it is effecting. Put on the armor, protect yourselves. let the Holy Spirit guide your choices.

If you feel curses have been placed on your or your children its not hard to have them removed. Pray over your child, lay hand on them and sometimes fasting and prayer is needed.

After my boys fall asleep Ben and I pray over them and ask God to remove the curses of our choices that we've placed n them. Ask God to place a hedge about them, to guard their heart and mind. In Jesus' name.

We know specific curses that have been placed on our children. The next step is to live your life lead by the Holy Spirit and be the example that will ultimately lead them to freedom. My family has a curse that has been passed down from my grandmothers choices and understanding this now will help me to teach my children and show them how they can choose differently.

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

2009-02-22T15:24:00.002-06:00

Oh man.. so cute. Here is jax's first time ever singing on stage. He had so much fun. We lost some picture quality when converting it over to a easier format to upload but its still good! SO SO CUTE

Jake and Jackson are both in the back row and they are standing beside eachother.

One week down, 10 more to go..

2009-02-21T09:33:00.003-06:00

My practicum is 10 weeks long. I go for 3 hours a week, one day a week and yesterday was week 1 down. WOW. The teacher I got is awesome. She was constantly thinking and telling me to write down things that were important. I got so much material that Dr. Range (my instructor in my ELE class) said if we were lucky we would get to look at this material and she gave it to me in a folder for me to have. She told me to bring a notebook so I can start taking notes, writting down questions and journaling my thoughts!!

Talking with the group of girls in my ELE class, their first day of practicum was nothing like this. Their teachers had them sit and watch. I got to get their take home papers for the day ready to go! I got to help a student with a problem on her math, I got to check a students homework and I got to go make copies for a student who has been out all week! While all of this sounds kind of lame.. for a ELE student its GOLD! To get your hands wet so early, to get a tiny taste of the classroom and to see the students expect things from you already is just so exciting. I cant describe the rush I had being in that classroom and the interaction with my teacher was just amazing. I think I lucked out on my first experience! This teacher is going to be challenging for me.. she isnt just gonna let me sit in the classroom and get my 3 hours in!

They have a spanish program that this 5th grade class gets to go to on Fridays and she encouraged me to drop in and visit the class. I get to go on a field trip with them March 6th. These 5th graders are getting ready to go over to their middle school and she encouraged me to go and watch the process. Cant wait to go to class Monday and brag!

Oh my my....

2009-02-18T18:26:00.004-06:00

Im nervous everyone! I start my practicum on Friday at Sunshine Elementary. Im in 5th grade and Im not sure if that is a bad thing or a good thing! SOOO EXCITED. Wish you could see my face when he handed me my papers.. smiling big time. Im really nervouse as well.

I'll post back after Friday. I have to do a weekly journal about my experience as part of my grade. I hope my teacher is nice. I've heard horror stories about students pracitcums. They have a spanish program in their school and IM SO excited to learn about that. Not all springfield elementary schools have them yet.

Pray Request:

My friend heather needs some praying. Her mom's mammogram came back with a spot and she is going in to have another one done and to see a specialist. We are all positive its going to be fine but need some of you who know pray with expectations to add this one to your list! thanks! :)

It's booked!

2009-02-13T11:46:00.004-06:00

Well we got our tax refund and booked a cruise. We are excited!

There are tons of shore excursions for each stop (better than the western Caribbean). So now we have 6 months to plan our shore adventures. Bonus we get to stop by and see Heath, Lori and the girls... its on the way to Jacksonville.

2009-02-12T11:42:00.003-06:00

Well I think Ben and I are going on a cruise.. in august. We are pretty excited. So far we are thinking of going on a Western Caribbean that goes to Yucatan and Cozumel or possibly a Bahamian cruise . We've never been on a cruise and have heard fun things about it. Actually Heather (the girl in my recent post) just got back from one and said it was fun!
I have been researching prices and on Orbitz they are almost 81 % off brochure price! Im trying to plan it departing from a port that is a close enough drive for me to go see my brother and sister n law in Georgia.
I think Josh and Jen should come with us!!!! It would be a blast! I know your reading this!
Hopefully we can get it booked before we change our mind and use the money for more practical things! Oh yeah and grandparents reading this.. we will be hitting you all up for babysitting opportunities!

TIME TO HARVEST....

2009-02-08T20:51:00.005-06:00

Crazy things have been happening at church recently. I mean crazy in the good way. I have to say this church is so spirit filled and when you step out of that place you feel like your walking on air and other days you might walk out feeling very convicted! Which is all good. Good growth is happening there, 18 new members joined today (not including their kids). When you see that big row of people up there it really is exciting. Ben and I aren't members yet but we really feel like a huge part of that church and feel greatly needed.

The healing services have been like nothing I've been apart of. A man just today gave his testimony of his father being healed. Last sunday Pastor Doug asked the man whose father was in the hospital with clots on his lung and a blood disease to come and step in for his father in a healing service. The sick mans son stood up there and around 50 or 60 people went up there and laid hands on him. The church grew loud with everyones prayers for this mans father. The spirit was overwhelming and this sunday he stood up and gave testimony how his father was healed that night. Everything was gone that night! Praise the Lord.

Jake is on the glow team which is a ministry they do with glow sticks, music and black lights.. pretty cool stuff. He got asked to be apart of it and he immediately said nah, I don't like that kind of stuff. Judy ( the childrens church director) said just give some time and think it over. He had his first practice tonight before church. I asked Jake what his favorite thing about church was and he said I just really get into the worship service.. its real worshipping God. He said he also loved their bible studies. He came home today and was determined to study and learn about the 10 commandments. He spent an hour at the table writting and reading about it. He has really been challenged and is having a fun time.

Harvest Community Website

Jump Mania

2009-02-05T11:22:00.002-06:00

We had a fun day yesterday at Jump Mania. That place is pretty cool. Its a room filled with inflatables and it is only 5 bucks 3-up to play as long as you want. 2 and under are free. They have really inexpensive snacks and drinks too.
Heather and I took the kids there and got a work out. Some of the obstacle courses were tough and the kids needed our help to get through them. I was exhausted when we left there! Fun Times with heather as always.

Updates...

2009-01-29T08:28:00.002-06:00

Can you believe that January is almost over! With our first real winter storm out of the way I feel like spring is right around the corner. So hmm.. whats been going on with the Jacobs family. We have all been battling some kind of sinus infection/ fever/ crankiness with it hitting Jake the worse. We got about 3 inches of snow and I promised the kids that today when we all got home from school we'd make a snowman.

Bingo is doing well, he has been going outside very well and showing us signs that he needs to go out by running up to the door. He is so cute and still very growly. Some people say he will grow out of it and some people say he needs training. I dunno this is our first puppy/family pet so I want to figure it out.

School is going great so far. I start my practicum in my ELE 302 class in February, where I'll be going out on Fridays and Student Aiding for 3 hours. SO excited. I had to take a tb test (which I passed), get professional insurance and a background check.

Oh yeah say a small prayer for me.. I have to take that dumb CBASE (4hours long) test on Saturday. I dont want to retake it!!!

Myopia

2009-01-20T17:19:00.005-06:00

Now that Im back in the classroom with 60+ students my vision of the board is not always the best. I was just complaining to Ben that my vision is needing to be checked. The lack of being able to see very far has been on the brain and it seemed fitting that my recent bible study was talking about this very thing, Myopia: "Those with myopia see nearby objects clearly but distant objects appear blurred" (wiki definition).
The truth project has been amazing.. yall should google it and check it out. The last 10 minutes of our lesson Saturday we started talking about most Christians today are suffering from Myopia. We tend to see our story very clearly but when it comes to God greater story for our lives we have blurred vision. We get all tangled up in the little, petty matters in our story that amount to very little and these things intesify our Myopia causing the grander picture of God's story for our lives to be blurred with no shadow or outline to make out of what He is trying to show us.

If your suffering from Myopia, caught up in your own version of your own story then maybe some prayer and fasting could help those eyes focus a bit more. The church we have been attending is doing a corporate fast and the result of those fasting have had their vision returned and God's plan is all that seems to matter now. Pretty amazing stuff and what a freedom it has been to have Gods plan back in focus and not my own version of Gods plan.

Bloody Tongue

2009-01-15T10:53:00.002-06:00

Yesterday Jackson was running through the house. Generally when Ben gets home between Jackson and Bingo you can't walk..they are running and jumping all over the house Im guessing because they are excited to see Ben. Well during that time Jax's falls hits his chin on the hearth and bites into his tongue pretty deep in 2 spots. It was bloody, it was gross and very nerve racking. He is fine but that kid has put us into so many scares Im nervous about the future. Just gotta pray for God to keep his hand on him.

Bingo on the other hand is giving us fits.. he is so freakin cute, so playful but is still not wanting or liking the idea of not going to the bathroom in the house. I've read that if they are going in the house then it is the owners fault and not the dog.. but I put him out constantly when I see signs. He will run around, play, pee and come in and pee again!!!! I get so frustrated. Will it end? And like Jax's he eats anything off the ground or floor. Wood, sticks, old poop, bugs, plastic.. nothing stops him.. dont know why he does that! Teething? Anyway between the two of them our world is a bit unsettling! Love em both of course! :)

A New World for us all...

2009-01-13T11:26:00.002-06:00

Sitting here in the computer lab. I am on my second day of classes and so far so good. I have Art here in 1 hour. I talked to Aleesha and she is sitting across campus. I wish she wasnt so far away and it wasnt so cold I may just do a fast sprint and go see her.
Dropping off Jackson this a.m. was brutal. He freaked out and I pulled over on teh side of the road and cried. She called me 10 minutes later and said Betsy ( I was thinking she is going to tell me to come pick him up because he is a maniac) I called all the kids over to come introduce themselves and he was still upset and then he said he needed to go potty. So he went and a kid came in and said hey Jackson ya wann go slide.. and the rest was history. Lets hope the rest of the day goes well for him! So many changes going on for him so Im sure its hard. New School + New Church thats alot of new people for him to have to just get use to. Part of growing up I guess... its harder on me than it is for him.

I saw that Kyle and Rebecca got a wii fit!! Ours came in the mail and I have to agree with Them its so awesome and so worth it. I LOVE IT! Id recommend it. It really is great exercise and so much fun to do!

Wish Aleesha, Kaden, Me and Jax all luck with our new schedules!! Hope all is doing well!

2009-01-07T09:15:00.002-06:00

Well Jackson is almost ready for school. I really think he is gonna freak out the first day I drop him off. I have classes on Tuesday and Thursday during the day so we are dropping him off with an at home liscensed pre-school.
We went and met her and she is very sweet. Her set up is pretty cool and she has 4 other boys that Jackson will be playing with. I have to admit I have my reservations about leaving my kid with anyone but he has been going through some major clingyness lately and I really think this will help him.
It is 20 dollars a day and he will get breakfast, lunch and a snack. I hope this goes well. Yall please pray for Jackson, I and Ms. Teresa ( his teacher). He is on a 30 day try out so she has the choice of bumping him if he is just too much to deal with!!!

Happy New Years

2009-01-01T15:21:00.000-06:00

We spent the first day of our new year fullfilling our family tradition, eating cabage and blackeyed peas. We've had this every year for as long as I can remember and it seems like Im just getting old enough to where I dont mind eating it. Cabbage is for prosperity and the black eyes are for good luck.
Dad started out his New Year in pretty rough shape. We have hopes of the rest of the year being healthier than this for him. His gout has spread from his ankle and foot, to his knee, wrist and hand. Its hard to tell in this picture but his left hand is swollen like a marshamallow. Its pretty hard seeing dad in this bad of shape. His heart has been hurting him and just being down like this is taking a toll on his mind.

We wish all a God filled, healthy new year and I really think 2009 is gonna be big.. I can feel it!

Ted Dekker

2008-12-30T16:04:00.002-06:00

I am a third of the way through the Ted Dekker’s the Circle Trilogy. The three books are titled Black, Red and White. As you can tell from the titles that the books are full of Christian allegory. The series is about the fall and redemption of mankind.

The story follows Thomas Hunter who is caught between two worlds, when he sleeps in one world he awakes in the other. In one world (the world that we know) he is unemployed, lives with his sister in Denver and owes a good amount of money to some loan sharks. The second world is a world where sin and evil is held back by the loving creator and where people live blissful lives absence from all evil, a garden of Eden (if you want to call it that). Thomas suffers from amnesia in the second world and slowly learns that the first world’s population is about to be wiped out by a deadly uncontrollable virus. Now he must decide which world is a dream and while also trying to figure out how to save both worlds from an inevitable destruction.

I just recently discovered Ted Dekker and Black was the third novel I read from him (the first two being House by Frank Peretti and Dekker and then Dekker’s newest novel Adam). I love the way he writes and the Christian themes as well as the clear-cut good vs. evil story lines. I enjoyed Black so much that I finished it in 2 weekends. I then went on amazon and ordered the complete trilogy, that should arrive by the end of the week because the library had several holds on the next two books in the series and I didn’t feel like waiting.

Shanese Attack!

2008-12-29T09:48:00.001-06:00

We just picked up our Shanese yesterday and all of us are overcome with his Ewok good looks. Seriously if you put him in a leather bandana gave him a gun and taught him how to walk upright, he is an exact replica of an ewok.
His name is Bingo Boo we all voted and agreed. He called a Hybrid breed a mix of Shih Tzu and Pekanese. We have just started working on Potty training so if you have any good tips please feel free to give us some!

Week in review

2008-12-27T10:58:00.002-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas and Betsy had a great Birthday as well. Some of Betsy's family came down and we ate at Lambert's (home of the throwed rolls). I bought Betsy a DQ ice cream cake and some of her favorite candies. Then I got sick and had to call in to work on Christmas eve.

Thankfully I felt a little better Christmas Day. The boys woke us up at 7 and they opened their gifts (pics later) and we headed out the door for Christmas at my mom's and then Christmas at Betsy's family. What an exhausting day! Glad to be home, only for Betsy to get what I had and now she is home on the couch sick and miserable.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I had that you haven't caught this stomach virus going around.

A day with Johnna

2008-12-19T17:17:00.003-06:00

I had so much fun with Johnna today. She picked me up and we went out all day. She surprised me and we went to this pottery place. You can pick a piece (we picked plates) and then paint it and they will fire it and call you when its ready. It was so much fun. We need to get together and do it again! Love you Johnna.. thanks for making me feel so special. Your so sweet!

Betsy's Dr. Update

2008-12-16T16:24:00.002-06:00

We got the results from Dr Fraser and Betsy checked out healthy. Nothing abnormal from the tests and the nurse said that the birth control should help to level things out. Praise God! Thanks for everyone's thoughts and prayers.

Santa

2008-12-16T16:18:00.002-06:00

It seems like each year Betsy and I take some flack about us not doing the whole Santa Claus thing (I can hear the collective gasp of horror). I feel a need to defend and explain our position on this subject. First of all, yes I know the story of St Nicholas and the good things he did by giving anonymously to poor kids who put their shoes out. I also know that he was just a man that tried to live for God. You can even visit his grave in Bari, Italy. The idea of us teaching Jake and Jackson that this good man that died but lives on giving gifts if you believe in his spirit, takes away from the birth of Jesus. Belief in the spirit of Father Christmas will get you rewarded with gifts and candy; to me that sounds like another way to take the focus away from the real spirit of Christmas. Belief in the real spirit, the Holy Spirit and God’s son Jesus will get you rewarded in heaven. Now before you all leave comments saying how Christmas started as a pagan winter solstice holiday and that even the Christmas tree has roots (pun intended) in pagan tradition (Jeremiah 10:2-4). I know and realize this but the important thing is Jesus came to this earth 2000 years ago and died and rose for you and for our family it really doesn’t matter when we celebrate his birth but as long as when we do we keep the focus on Him.

In closing, we don’t go out of way to avoid everything Santa Claus we just choose not to allow our boys to believe he is real. We sit down and watch Rudolph the red nosed reindeer and Frosty the snowman but we decide to read the birth of Christ from the Bible on Christmas morning rather than “The Night Before Christmas” on Christmas eve.

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If you want more research check out the Germanic god of Odin and his yearly great hunt, the story might sound a little familiar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas
http://www.wcg.org/lit/church/holidays/trees.htm

Doctors Visit

2008-12-13T10:15:00.002-06:00

Hey yall I really want to thank everyone for your prayers. I went through with my doctors appointment on Wed. I had my Ultrasound on Friday. I havent heard anything back from the test results but I just think everything is fine.. the doctors seemed to be very optimistic. They are putting me on a low dose of birth control to help regulate my hormones. I guess the old saying is.. no news is good news. They said they send a letter letting me know all was well otherwise I'd get a call.

Getting the Christmas List together....

2008-12-04T15:40:00.002-06:00

Well I've been doing some research and am really wanting to do something unique this Christmas as far as Christmas baskets go.. I always look forward to it and last year I really waited way to late to get started on it.

Ben and I haven't even really done any Christmas shopping yet but we have a good list started and are going out over the next couple of weekends to get all taken care of. Its so exciting to see Jackson and how is amazed over Christmas.

We don't do Santa at our house but we still tell the story just like any other make believe story so Jackson is really into Santa which is fine and fun. He woke up and went straight to his stocking and said MOM! Santa didn't come. He didn't come to my stocking! It was so cute.. I said well its not Christmas yet.. and he was okay after that but quite upset at first.

Christmas Lights

2008-11-30T17:55:00.001-06:00

It looks better in person but I couldn't resist taking some pictures of the snow. Let it snow!

2008-11-28T10:58:00.000-06:00

My cute boys.. This is Kaden, Jake and Jackson (Kaden is the little boy I watch for my bestie Aleesha). Jake had a play and it was so cute.. his line was Bam Bam.. they shot the turkeys. They sang songs too. Jackson and Kaden thought it was hilarious seeing Jake with that thing over his head.