Lies

I got this book from my mom for valentine's day this year. I have picked it up on my own several times but never bought it. I am so thankful my mom shared this with me. Sometimes we walk through this Christian life thinking we "got this all together". Boy are we fooled. The father of lies, that old trickster Satan has been lying to us since Eve and often we do not even realize it. Thank goodness for God's TRUTH in the pages of the Bible.

So, if you have not read Lies Women Believe....try it. You will be glad you did

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Amazing Grace

As I sit here on my spring break...i wonder. Why on earth did God rescue a sinner like me. In all the years and ages of recorded history, God knew that Amy would exist and that He would save her at Bible camp in 2003. Why did HE want me???? Why should He love me so? My only answer in amazing grace. Thank God for His amazing grace.

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It finally happened

Since I first entertained the idea of becoming a teacher, I have wanted to be a teacher for a lot of different reasons. The biggest reason I wanted to become a teacher is that students have no concept of the timeline of history. I decided during my internship I would someday write a book about the totally WRONG things students think and say. Here are just a few of them...I thought you might actually enjoy them as well.

Test Question: Who killed Abraham Lincoln?
Student answer: Harriet Beecher Stowe

Student question: Did Hitler have a fake arm?
Me: Why would you say that?
Student: Because his hand is always up in the air (making the Hail Hitler sign)

Me: So, today we are going to discuss the Constitutional requirements to being President
Student: Wait, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS????

Maybe someday with enough time, I will have erased all the years of ZERO history training and get them where I want them. Here's hoping????

God is Good....

Well, those two or three of you who faithfully follow our blog know that we have had no end of plumbing problems these last few months. Each time I had a new problem, people all around me warned of how costly these repairs would be. Most people estimated the first plumbing problem to cost around 4,000 dollars. But, with the help of a great church friend, we only had to spend about 400 dollars. God is so good. Then, with this newest problem, most people told me it would involve re-plumbing the whole house...which we would have to probably get a loan to pay for. With the help of a couple other friends and lots of prayer...we had it fixed for around 200 dollars.

As I sit here in a house that once again is functional, I am reminded how I cannot ever take for granted the blessings of the Lord. He has been so kind and so merciful. He is so loving even when we could never be worthy of His loving kindnesses. Oh friends, I hope you have tasted and found that the Lord is GOOD. He is good...oh so good to us.

The Celebration of the Berry

This weekend Ryan took me to the strawberry festival. We have both been under an enormous amount of stress as of late and we both needed some time away. Since I first started dating Ryan, I have been after him to take me to the Plant City Strawberry festival. It is such a unique experience. Some call it a redneck reunion, and I guess in some ways it is. It is just a really wholesome, fun, family celebration of the delicious strawberry (they do not even allow any alcohol at the festival, which makes me really happy). We snapped some photos while we were there and even a video of the famous pig race. It was just a good time together. Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed our time there.




This is a strawberry patch that showed the method they use in Florida to grow those yummy berries. It was really cool to see the berry growing right there in the middle of the festival.


Lots of church groups sell strawberry shortcake at the festival. Ryan and I thought this was a cute little sign to remind us of the goodness of the Lord.


Ryan waiting for the Lumberjack exhibition show. It was a good time.


This is a deep fried oreo and it was DELICIOUS. We indulged and tried it. I think it was a better choice that the guy in front of me had. He chose to order deep fried strawberry butter. I think another way to order that would be to say, "I would like deep fried strawberry HEART Attack PLEASE."




Ok, I know this one looks really disgusting but it was soooo good. Ryan dared me to try one and I did. It is a Krispy Kreme burger. It was AMAZING. They had a million other kinds of burgers there. They had an ice cream and pickle hamburger, a pancake burger, and a mac and cheese burger. You have to try it to believe it.

A Tale of Two Bathrooms

Sometimes when life is at its busiest and you think to yourself, "I cannot add one more thing to my life or I will lose my mind," life decides to hand you one more thing and opens the door to your padded cell and smiles. I consider myself a veteran of plumbing issues. We just recently finished a 5 month campaign against a leaky pipe in our guest bathroom and after much battle with it, we came out the other side victorious. Then, the enemy launched its second attack. While I was lulled into relaxation with my favorite television show, the sewer decided to back up INTO my house. I noticed, while I sipped coffee and chatted with some friends, that there was a vile smell somewhere in my house. I went to the bathroom and low and behold, a visible POOL of water was in my bathroom and my guest bathroom. Towels and rags were my only weapon against the onslaught of water. My nose was the first casualty in the battle because the smell was so awful. Soon I ran out of "yuck" towels to use and had to sacrifice the good towels and even the bathroom rugs. At the end of the evening, I have to say the bathroom got that victory. I was sitting on the floor of my bedroom, a sopping bucket of sewer towels next to me, company that could not use their bathroom, and tears running down my face.

I think sometimes we forget that this life is hard. I know that as a teen and even a college student I had this twisted view that life, somehow, for me was going to be so easy and that this whole "marriage thing" cannot be as hard as the books tell me it is. IT IS HARD. Life is a struggle...it has lots of joys and laughs...but it is a struggle none the less. Sometimes when I think of the first woman Eve and how AWESOME life must have been before sewers, laundry, the flu, allergies, house fires, income taxes, and grocery bills. What a joy it must have been to simply spend every minute with the perfect man in a perfect paradise and live in perfect harmony. It is hard not to be jealous of that.

Yet, by the same account, while marriage and life is hard...it is oh so wonderful. I recall a particular instance the other day. Ryan had a crisis with something he was doing and he called me in (after my own long day) to help him solve the problem. We rolled up our sleeves and TOGETHER we solved the problem. I was so pumped when it was over. That is what it is all about. Real love, real partners are there to carry the heavy laundry bucket when the sewer backs up. Real love gives you a hug and dries your tears even though your hands are dirty, your clothes are wet, and you are irrational with worry. Real love camps out in the living room with you when you feel sick. Real love laughs with you, cries with you, and loves you always. I am glad that in this life that is oh so difficult, I found that real love.

Be like Jesus

This joke is funny and cute and something a kid really would do. But stop for a minute and think about your work place. How refreshing would it be if everyone "was Jesus" to each other??? No one would need to be reported to a manager. Your company would need no customer complaint line. Think it over. Start small...try it tomorrow. Try to love like Jesus for a day. I plan to ask for a full size helping of Holy Spirit tomorrow and give it a try. I think I may be pleasantly pleased.

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My 100th Post

Here I am...100 posts. I think I have been putting this off because the 100th post is supposed to be profound, touching, special...on and on we go. However, I got to this post and I was plain old out of ideas. I think that I thought I would be filled with profound statements and witty comments.

I cannot believe that less than a year ago I started blogging. All I can say is that I have loved every moment of it. I would recommend it to anyone who even slightly enjoys writing. I have also enjoyed following other people's blogs as well. A bunch of my friends had babies this past year and I so enjoy reading about the trials and joys of being a mom. My own mom also started writing blogs as well and she always encourages me so very much with her posts.

Bottom line is, I gave this blogging thing a try and I LOVE IT. So, my faithful 15 readers, I plan to keep right on writing. Keep on reading!!!!! :)