Memory making... with Mario & Luigi

Well, it's that time of year again. Pumpkin time! My favorite time of year I think. I love the colors of purple/orange/black and lime green. I just love pumpkins! The colors. The feel. The shapes. The imperfections - just like me. This year... and in past years we've decided to "draw" on them with sharpies, instead of carving them. This way they last longer, and by longer.... I mean til Thanksgiving! So here are the photos or our pumpkins this year and the boys in costume, of course.

Mario & Luigi at the Pumpkin Patch.

How can I hang on?

When things seem to be out of control, or maybe they are just changing faster than I realize, how can I hang on? I've learned (again) recently that things are not always what they appear to be. Friends are not always friends, the sky is not always blue, the grass is not always greener, and sometimes my socks just dont match. You can't expect things to stay the same forever - even though sometimes we'd like them too. Sometimes we even long for change. People change, the time changes, the weather changes and sometimes circumstances change too. I never understand why things happen the way they do or the reasons they happen.....until later on down the road when I can see how God's hand was at work in this or that situation. I am trying to understand a little better what He's up to right now. I am in a place that I feel that I belong. I also feel like an outsider. This whole post is going to be "all over the place". There is no one particular thing - there are several particular things. The problem is that all these "things" are from one particular aspect of my life. I don't care for the way it's going right now. I am frustrated with a few people including myself for feeling the way I do. Do I address these issues? Do I move on? Do I need more time to think it through? Do I drop all the balls? I am not quite sure how to handle all the things I feel and it's driving me away.

God is in charge. He's in control, even when my world doesn't seem to be. Do I trust that He will reveal Himself to me through this? Yes. Do I trust that He has a reason for me? Yes.

It's a nasty spiritual attack. All these outward circumstances are beginning to penetrate my heart. By getting to my heart, they are making me see things differently, in a negative way. That negativity is starting to rear it's ugly head via my actions. I am becoming complacent and apathetic. None of this is towards God at all. I am just feeling a whole lot of things. In this case I should be drawing nearer to God, but I am not pushing Him away - just trying to figure out how to fix things ...... myself. The usual. Instead of relying on Him, I am trying to fix it myself. What does that say about my trust in the Lord?

My prayer is that I can draw nearer to Him in this time and that he'll lead me wherever He wants me to be.

Heather

Names of God: Holy God - Day 1

Introduction:
I experienced something amazing this past Sunday morning. I had this amazing vision of God in all His glory and His holiness. It moved me to tears and it weighed on me most of the day, which I welcome! It was a touch from God in a way that I've encountered before, but this time was different. I could have just fallen on the floor and worshiped, I was so moved by the reality of His holiness. I realize how small and insignificant I am, compared to God, Our Creator. But no matter how small and miniscule I am - I matter to Him. He took the time to know me, before I was ever conceived, He knows what/where I will be in the future. He knows my children, and their children.

Psalm 139:17 "How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable!" - a Holy Almighty God who is concerned with me!

I.
I would like to share something with you that I have learned, this amazing description of Our Holy God. I pray that you are blessed and moved as you read this.

In Hebrew, the Holy God is translated as "El Hakkadosh":
* God is "Perfect" - He is 100% good, Morally Excellent and Spiritually Sound, His righteousness is pure and absolute. Isa 5:16 - "The Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness"

* God is "Uncommon, Set Apart, Extraordinary" - He is separate from all that is sinful, He is exceptionally uncommon, He can be compared to no one or no other thing, He is exceedingly different - "To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him?" says the Holy One - Isa 40:25

* God is "Illustrious" (I really hope you can picture this - this is astounding!) - holy also means illustrious, being holy means to "radiate or to shine brightly" it's "brilliant", "dazzling and magnificent". Being holy means also to be "spectacularly brilliant!" All I can say to that is WOW! "Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness, tremble before, all the earth" - Psalm 96:9 Can you imagine this picture of holiness? I am just floored over this amazing visual of Our Holy God, if words can not describe His glory, can you imagine what heaven will be like!

II.
Rev 4:8 - "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, the one who was, and is and is to come"
Hebrew back in ancient times used repetition as a emphasis on a particular idea, in this case with Holy, Holy, Holy.
Think about it...... No, don't think about it - DO IT - I want you to re-read it OUTLOUD, adding more and more emphasis with each "holy".

Holy.... Holy.... Holy .... IS the Lord God Almighty, the One who was, and Is and is to Come!

How did you feel as you read that outloud? What were your thoughts as you read that? Any new revelations?

III.
Dazzling light - we are supposed to be dazzling lights also, are we dazzling with our holiness? We are made holy and set-apart through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are in right standing with God. You must be holy because I, the Lord you God, am holy. - Leviticus 19:2

Your turn: Pray if you feel led to, to ask our HOLY God to reveal Himself to you today. Pray and ponder over the verses of scripture listed and see how He reveals himself to you. I want to realize that you are always standing on holy ground, always in the presence of God, he is our friend BUT He is also our Sovereign Lord - Moses was told by God in Exodus 3:5, to remove his sandals because he was on holy ground. Take off your shoes and approach our God with respect and sincerity, for you are a guest of THE King!

Praise you God for your Word!


Ref's: Holy Bible New Living Translation & a little from - Knowing God By Name, by Mary Kassian (A-MAZING book!) Highly recommended.

Weighing In

Today, I feel motivated enough to keep moving forward with watching my calories. I have lost 3 lbs, I have made it to the 199 mark (again....)! I am waiting til Friday to weigh again, since that is the day I visit the diet dr, I'd like to be a little surprised. I quit taking my phentermine for the last couple of days. Today I think I might take one. I am feeling a little vulnerable, or hungry! For some reason eating all this different food and keeping up with my calories to loose weight still doesn't make sense, but it's working and I'm very happy about that. =) The true test..... is my jeans! They feel a lot better.

236-199=37 lbs total lost since Sept 2009

Triumph thru trial

We usually don't understand why God has us in a certain place or a certain way at any given time. If you are a person of faith, we just know that God has us there for a "reason".... or that things happen for a "reason". Don't you hate that answer - I know I do. I want to know the "reason"! I like to ask Him "why?" - not that He has to answer me and I probably wouldn't understand the big picture if He showed it to me. But coming through that struggle, and seeing the things God sees in me and my ways of doing things, it truly makes you see things with a little different perspective. I have found out recently that my thoughts towards different things has changed quite a bit since I started seeing negative things in me..... the bottom line, I like, make that LOVE to shop, especially when things are on "sale" or "clearance". I don't consider myself a shop-o-holic, but I do like to shop. It's not that I "needed" anything. My "wants" overtook me and because I wanted it - I bought it. For several months there, we were very broke, I mean "broke". I couldn't go out and shop or even buy grocery items that we needed. But we managed and God provided for our "needs". He always seems to do that. During all this time of being broke, God had been revealing things to me. Contentment, a friendship with Him, my needs and wants, and what was most important. It's not important that I have a bunch of "stuff" - because I don't care about that (I don't like clutter!). I am actually going through my things to get rid of the "stuff" that I don't want/need. It may bless someone else. I have learned to start controlling myself, one of those nasty little fruit of the spirit that we love so very much - "self-control".

Learning through a tough time....to be grateful for what I have, because God is blessing.

A journey.... of weight loss

Today, was so glad to see results from calorie watching at www.livingstrong.com! I have started using an online calorie counter as suggested by a great friend - it's wonderful!!! I have lost 1-1/2 lbs since I started calorie watching 3 days ago. It really does help to track my calorie intake, it holds me accountable for what I am putting into my body. I can also see where I need to cut back or increase certain foods. I have my one daily thing I need... MY coffee with MY creamer - that is my crutch in the morning. I am really excited that my bloodsugar was good - 2 hours after eating my Kashi cereal - all 61 carbs worth, and it was 87!! I'm scared to death to get diabetes, since it runs in my family. I really hope that I can stay on track and lose more of this weight. Was 236, now 200.5! That's a total of 35.5 lbs lost. Walking was great this morning, it was nice to be out there by myself..... with God the Father and just enjoy the morning and the time alone. I burned 364 calories from doing that. My calorie goal I set for myself is 1700 a day. Wish me luck!

Seriously!

Why do we have to be sitting in a pit of trouble. What in the world happened, and why does it seem to happen so fast, before you even realize it. I am clinging to God and his promises and I know He is faithful. It's still hard to be going through whatever this is that we are going through. I know in the end it will be alright. But I sure hate the current situation we're in, it stinks! If God is testing us, then ok. Lord, please don't leave us hanging like this. I am trying to cling so hard right now and I feel my hand slipping. Things are about to go south. Not the direction I would like them to go. What can I do, except remain in prayer and remain faithful to Him. After all, he will only let this go..... so far. Right?