Monday, February 27, 2012

Bible Studies

And I have been doing so many Bible studies ~ personally and with my Sunday school class.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the ones from my Sunday School class.  They have all just been truly what I have needed.   We just got done with "Living your Life as a Beautiful Offering" by Angela Thomas.  WOW.  Our lives are cracked and flawed.  But we aren't required to be perfect.  We just need to be so full of Jesus so that we can slosh out Jesus, over the tops and out from our cracks and flaws so that HE may be glorified.  And when a woman lays herself on the altar of offering, HE raises her up and will move her in ways that HE will be COMPLETELY glorified.  And isn't that what we all want?!  Our lives to be a beautiful offering.  Our lives used to glorify God.  Our lives offered up for no other use but HIS.  WOW.  That was just yesterdays video.  And hearing Angela Thomas testimony of being raised up.  It was so moving and touching that it brought me to tears. 

I can't wait to get started on our next one ~ Nehemiah a heart that can break by Kelly Minter.  I cannot wait!

I'm so grateful to be a part of my church, and have a Pastor's wife who uses such studies.  I'm so grateful that we found a church that we can go to and hear God in the lessons taught, the sermons brought, and the songs sung.  It is so nice for me to be able to raise my hands in worship to my Lord and not feel bad for it!  It is so wonderful! 

We sang one of my favorites yesterday.  Here it is {you have to scroll down and pause the sidebar playlist}:

What's been up!

I know it's been quite a while since I have blogged.  Sorry!  Life just gets crazy busy, and yet is so boring I sometimes feel like I'm just filling up space needlessly ;)  Know what I mean?! 

Well, I started another blog, too.  It's for political stuff.  And hopefully when I start to PMS and want to blow my facebook page up with political rantings, I can just do it there ;).  And all the people said "AMEN".   I have tried to keep this blog free from politics, so I started the other one!

Anywho.......................
Well, Jesse and I stopped *talking* about joining a gym and we just up and did it.  We could talk all day long about it, but we ultimately just had to stop and just DO.  And I gotta say, I am so glad we did!  We joined on Thursday ~ went and worked out later that afternoon.  On Friday, I met with a personal trainer (got one free session for signing up) who got me set up with a "battle plan".   I am waging war on my fat self.  I stopped drinking soda ~ well, I have had a glass and a few sips since last Tuesday ~ trying to proportion my eating and eating healthier stuff.  So, Jesse and I go and work out (different times of day) almost every single day.  It has been hard, but I'm hoping to be able to look back in 6 months and see a marked difference in my body.  I totally want to lose around 75 pounds.  I would LOVE to be back in a size 6/8.  But, all in good time.  I want to lose the weight, and I am willing to do the hard work to do so, but I want to do it wisely. 
I ended up starting a page on facebook called Suck it up so you don't have to suck it in.  You are more than welcome to join.  It is wonderful to have that place for me to be held accountable and to be encouraged and encourage others.   It's been good for me!  It is a sort of confessional for me too ;)

After we joined the gym, one of the guys that Jesse works with asked him to join his team in the Tough Mudder.  And he did!  So, in May, he will be punishing his body by doing an 11 mile obstacle course.  I can't wait to go and see him accomplish it!   Call me crazy, but I wish I could do it too!  Although, I know I am no where AT ALL ready for something like that!  But I will be next year :D. 

The boys are doing good with their school work.  We are taking a vacation mid-March and going to a homeschool convention in Greenville, and staying with our friends from South Florida ~ Clint and Kelly and their girls!  I am excited.  We just got the list last week of the workshops that they will have and there are several that deal with helping a child with dyslexia or reading problems.  WOW.  What an answer to prayer!  I have been struggling along side of Tucker to help him with his reading!  I just think that God is working to give us the tools to help him!  I am so excited. 
And before we get to Greenville, we will be stopping in at Washington D.C. for a few days.  We are going to be doing some tourist-y stuff, seeing some friends, and just having fun!  I am so excited.  I really can't rightly recall ever having done a family vacation with just the 5 of us before.  And without it being to see family.  Most of our vacations have either been to see family or go places with extended family, and while those a great, I'm really stoked about having this vacation that we can have just "us".  Jesse and I are the independent sort and work best and are happiest when it is just us.  KWIM?

So that is how it's been around here.  Oh, yeah, and I am a great aunt ~ again.  No, that is not what I'm saying I am, I am that.  My nephew and his girlfriend (I won't go there :/ ) had a sweet little baby girl on the 23rd.  They named her Aayvie Lynn.  She is so cute (from what I can tell from pictures) and her cheeks, oh, how I long to just pinch them and nuzzle them!  So cute. 

So, that is what's up here!