Blessed!

Yesterday as I was reading my devotions I read a quote that said "Right now at this very moment all of my needs are being supplied." It took me a while to think about that and to really grasp the meaning and the significance of those words! Finally I realized how very true it was.

As I continue reading in my "Lord, Your Late Again" book, I discover more and more truths. One of those truths is that even though I may be waiting for something, at this exact moment God has supplied all my needs. How exciting!! That means that no matter what I think I need, if God hasn't supplied them than obviously it's not the right time! For example, I believe that God supplied me with a wonderful Christian husband at just the right time. Now do I think I would have died without Eric (well some nights I think that.. when I imagine there are robbers in our house.. haha).

I hope this is making sense. Sometimes I just get so excited and start babbling! HAHA Basically right now what I think that I need, God hasn't supplied yet and that just confirms that it must not be God's timing yet. I don't know why I find that so exciting, but I do!!

Simple Life Lessons!

I had a great weekend with my sister and her family! My sister and I got to do a lot of talking and catching up! It was so nice to have some "girl talk". We also got a lot of shopping done. We went to two thrift stores and to Good Stewards Books (discount Christian bookstore). We found lots of good deals. Ella had so many new toys that she didn't know where to start! We also realized that boys (Eric and Rhett) like to play with felt people! HAH!! Christy got a felt board that came with people and some accessories and every once in a while we would catch the boys dressing the people up in their pretty yellow party dresses!! :) (I may be exaggerating just a LITTLE)

After my sister and her family left that's when the discouragement started to set in. I think it started with a mixture of missing my sister and lack of sleep. However, even as I set through church last night and people around me gave words of praise to God and talked about how He is an awesome and a mighty God, I still felt discouraged. This morning when I woke up I thought the discouragement was gone until my feet met the floor and I got out of bed. Even as I did my devotions I still felt Satan trying to work his lies into my mind and heart. I felt him trying to distract me!

That's when I realized that Satan can TRY and attack me all he wants, but I have someone who is so much stronger than him!! If anyone walked past my door today, they probably thought that something really weird was going on. I was inside laughing and yelling at Satan (out loud). I just realized that my God is so much bigger than the silly lies that Satan tries to plant in my head. My God thinks that I'm a beautiful and wonderful person and He has a purpose and a plan for my life!! I'm amazed at how God helps us discover things and continues to teach us simple life lessons over and over again!!

Here are some pics from the fun weekend!!! ENJOY!

Rhett and Eric playing Lord of the Rings

Lucas enjoying his new toy (it was a boston terrier)

El in her jammies

The girls enjoying Donatos!!!!

The Felt People!!
Sisters

New findings!

Today I realized that there are two new things that I really enjoy. The one thing is green tea. This week I have had a glass of hot green tea for breakfast. I've noticed that this week I haven't felt as stuffy and sneezy! Maybe, it's because of the green tea, I don't know!!

The other thing that I rediscovered that I enjoy is Pandora Radio. You should check it out. It's really cool. Basically it's a free radio station and they pick the music that they think you would like. For example I have a station called Norah Jones. On this station they play all the music in this genre. It's really cool!!

Well nothing really new today. I have been kind of busy. I had to go to the laundry mat to wash something that was too big for our dryer! :) I also went to a cool store called New Uses and got a few things, than went to good ole faithful Sams Club! I love that place... especially the free samples that they give out in the back! :)

This will probably be the last I'll post this weekend. Rhett, Christy and Ella are all coming to visit us this weekend! We are really really excited! :) Everyone have a great weekend!!

(hope you enjoy my Moses cartoon I found.. hehe)

You're Late Again, Lord!!

So I got this book called, "You're late again, Lord!!" and it has been really good and very insightful. For some reason I couldn't sleep, so I woke up really early and felt the need to start skimming through it. My skimming eventually turned into actually reading every sentence word-for-word and trying to understand and apply it's meanings.

One of the first quotes that stuck out to me was, "We live therefore we wait". There are so many times that I feel like I am the only one of earth waiting for something and I realized that EVERYONE waits.. or at least everyone who is living!

Another one of the quotes was, "Wait with a purposeful patience". This was probably my favorite quote I've read so far. This basically means that all the times that I have been sitting around inactively waiting on God, I have wasted my time. Waiting means you are being active. It doesn't mean to sit around and "wait" for something to happen. It means that you may be praying and waiting for an answer from God, but life is continuing with or without you. Don't let life pass you by, as you sitting waiting!

In November (or maybe it was December) I quit my job hoping to be a foster parent. Since than a lot has happened! I sit here today with no kids in my home and not knowing if there will ever be. That has been 3 months of waiting, and what do I have to show for it. A LOT!! I decided after the first month that we had no kids, that I wasn't going to sit around and wait for the phone call. Instead, I have spent the time reading God's word, catching up with friends, scrapbooking, sewing, traveling, reading, praying, and starting a new hobby (playing my guitar). All those things were accomplished in my time of waiting. I may not know what God has planned for Eric and I right now, but I know that I'm not going to inactively wait. Instead I'm going to wait with a purposeful patience.


I know I'm not the only one that feels like they are waiting on something. Just remember that God may be using this time to draw you closer to Him!

Love you all! Thanks for all your support and prayers!! :)

Shell

I miss my Olivet friends!!

I had a really great weekend! My friend Denise from Olivet came and visited. We had fun going to all the Half Price Bookstores in Columbus!! HAH :) We even got free animal crackers at one of them! We also stayed up until 4am talking and catching up! The thing that I love the most about the friends that I've made at Olivet is the closeness of the friendship! It seems like it doesn't matter how long you have gone without seeing that person, you still always have so much to talk about and it's never awkward! I love that!! I was thinking about it and even if I didn't get the "best" social work education at least I was able to make lifelong friends!! These are friends no money can buy!!

To all my Olivet friends that I haven't talked to in a while: I love you and miss you dearly! I hope you are doing well! Shoot me an email or call me sometime!!

Here are some pictures of a few of my friends! :) Enjoy!!

Marcus' Story

I've been sitting here for almost 2 hours looking at story after story on Marcus Fiesel. I still remember when one of my co-workers called me and said, "Shelly he's dead!" I seriously almost passed out! I almost had to pull the car over! It just blows my mind that someone could be so cruel to anyone.. and especially a child! Here is one of the videos that I found that tells the entire story from day one (just in case someone doesn't know what happened). Marcus' Story

On a lighter note I'm excited that my friend Denise is coming to visit for the weekend! :) We are planning on doing some shopping and than just catching up! I haven't seen her in quite a while! I hope that everyone has a great weekend!

Randomness..

This morning I was ticked because I woke up at about 5:30am to people chopping away at the ice that was on their windshields. I tried to fall back asleep but I kept thinking about Eric's alarm that was about to go off in 30 minutes! Finally once he got up, I just stayed up and did some reading! I'm in the process of reading about 5 different books right now. This weekend when Eric and I went to the marriage conference I wanted to buy all of the books! For some reason I have really gotten into reading lately! (I wish I would have gotten into reading during the 4 years I spent at college.. haha )

Oh yeah Happy Valentines Day everyone! I think tonight Eric and I are celebrating by getting some take home Chinese food from our favorite place. Since we went to the marriage conference this weekend we are counting that as our Valentine gift for each other. We actually got to stay in a really nice hotel downtown Cincinnati! It was great.. it overlooked all of downtown! Our room was really awesome too.. it even had an iPod alarm clock/radio!

Well I should probably get off here and go chisel away at the ice on my car so I can pick up our dinner! I hope everyone has a great Vday!!

Peace Out!! (Rory said this last night on Gilmore Girls, and she is one of my role models!! Not really.. but I think she is cool!!!) <><

ps. sorry this post may seem random! also the picture of the man scraping his car, i found on the Internet and have NO clue what he is talking about!

The Luckiest!!

This weekend Eric and I went to the Family Life Marriage Conference. It was amazing! I highly recommend it to engaged or married couples! I learned and laughed so much! On our drive home last night Eric and I were talking about what we learned. We realized that most of it we already knew, we just weren't putting it into practice.

Last night Eric and I were reading from our couples devotional book and it asked for the husband to rate himself on a scale of 1-5 (1 being the highest) in the three following categories, Leading, Loving, and Serving. This questioned was designed for Eric (the husband) to answer, however, I just couldn't keep quiet. I started thinking about these three areas and the ways that Eric leads, loves me, and serves me.. and WoW! I couldn't keep quiet! My husband is an amazing man! He's my best friend! I'm not trying to boast or brag and make myself look good! I'm just writing my thoughts! Let me just tell you the ways that I think Eric is so amazing!

Leading:
I think one of the major features in a leader is their motivation and discipline. When I first met Eric, at college those were the two character traits that really stuck out about him. He was always so motivated to strengthen his relationship with God, that it was contagious. I noticed that after I started hanging out with him more, my relationship with God deepened. Eric was also so disciplined. Every morning he would (and still does) wake up and do his devotions. He goes into the spare bedroom and spends 45 minutes in their talking with God and learning. Ever since I have known Eric he has done this. That takes discipline!! How many times have I gone days even weeks.. without even opening my Bible (except for at church).

Loving:
Eric has really shown me what it's like to love someone unconditionally. Growing up, I never really made the best choices when it came to guys! In fact, I have a lot of things that I really regret about my past decisions. The thing that really blows me away, is that with Eric knowing all that... he still chose and chooses me! Everyday, Eric expresses his love for me. It's in ways as simple as, kissing me before he leaves for work or writing me notes and leaving them on the counter or emailing me throughout the day telling me he's thinking about me or smiling at me when we're in a large group. He is always doing things that show me that he truly loves me and that I'm the girl on his mind!

Serving:
I just discovered last night that I believe this is my love language. Luckily, Eric is really good in this area too!! He is always trying to find different ways to serve me. Whether it be dropping me off at the door when it's cold outside, letting me rest while he does the dishes, making me Ramon Noodles, getting me a refill, opening the door for me and there are so many other things that he does for me.

I am so grateful and thrilled that God has shared Eric with me. I am also so excited that I get to spend the rest of my life with this man! How lucky!!

Lucas

Today I realized that Lucas is a pretty smart dog. In fact, so smart that sometimes I think I should act a little more like him. Not, walking around with a bone in my lap or running up and down the hallway chasing a ball. I mean his obedience to me (his owner). He desires to listen and do everything that I say. When I call his name, he is right there looking at me, waiting for me to tell him what to do. He also constantly wants to be with me. When I'm sitting on the couch, it's not good enough for him to just be sitting beside me. He has to have his paw on me, or be sitting directly on my lap. Also, when I leave the room, within seconds he is trailing behind me and walking so closely that his head hits the back of my shin.I started thinking, what if I acted that way toward my Owner. If only I wasn't content with just sitting beside Him, but I had to literally be touching Him. If only I would listen every time He calls my name. If only I would sit expecting Him to talk to me! If only I would follow Him so closely that my body touches His.

Tubthumpin' & Martha

Two things that I have learned this week:



1. I'm sure you are all familiar with the song, " Tubthumpin'. " Well this song has been kind of my motto lately for life (only the chorus).

The Chorus says, "I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never going to keep me down!"

I sort of feel like there are a lot of things that have happened lately that have knocked me down. However, with the help and strength of God I have been able to get back up.

2. In the story of Mary and Martha, I believe a lot of times I take on the role of Martha. Here is the story for those that don't remember it. Luke 10:38-42

Martha was so concerned and focused on the details of everything that she forgot to just sit at Jesus feet and let Him teach her. How often do I forget to do that? It seems like with everything that's been going on lately, I have totally neglected to sit and listen to Jesus. I have become so concerned with doing as much as I can, that I haven't taken much time to listen.

Cake, Little People, and Family

As soon as Eric gets home we get to go and have a weekend full of cake, Little People, and family! :) I am looking forward to getting away from Ohio for a while. We are going to visit my parents because little Ella (my niece) is having a Birthday party! Eric and I got her the Little People airplane set! It's really cool! You press the little pilot down and he sings and stuff! :) I have to admit that we have ulterior motives for giving her this specific Little People set. We are trying to get her to like airplanes now, since her Daddy hates them!! HEHE :) :)

Well I hope that you all have a great weekend! I won't be posting again until probably Monday!

(just so everyone knows... the gift that we got ella is in fact actually called "little people", i'm not prejudice or anything against people that are small. if you don't believe me here is the website... http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=10&e=lplanding )

Peace.

This morning after Eric left (which is at 7:30am) I could not fall back asleep. Normally I don't have a problem doing that and I usually don't wake up until like 11! :) Today was different. After Eric left I couldn't sleep and Lucas was staring at me through his cage so I got him out and he came and laid in bed next to me. He kept trying to nestle under the covers to keep warm! It was so cute! :)

After laying there for a while I started thinking of everything going on and that's when it happened. Peace. It was like God sat next to me in my bed and I laid my head on His lap and He slowly ran His fingers through my hair and whispered in my ear... Be Still My Child. It seriously gives me chills thinking about it and writing it. I'm so thankful that I serve a God that brings peace to His children in the midst of their storms! My mom also talked to me today about some pretty cool things that God showed her last night at her Bible study. I'm so thankful that I serve a God that still talks to His people.

What a MIGHTY God we serve!