Saturday, October 29, 2005

Ye olde Medieval Times


THANK YOU JOSH READ!For my first time at Medieval Time. Red Knight lost :(
Had a fun time with Andrew, Stephanie, and Josh!!! I will put some more
pictures in once I transfer them!!!

Friday, October 28, 2005

Friday


Today at work was crazy, they decided that they were going to restructure my job and give me all accounts payable. Unfortunately, I had just put in a transfer request to Human Resources. I had to break the news to my boss, and I thought she wasn't going to be real happy with me. So, when I told her she said "Good for you". All day I was stressing over nothing. I prayed for God to let everything work out smoothly, and sure enough He is faithful in answering my prayers. GOD IS SOOOOOOO GOOD!

Oh man, tonight was a lot of fun. Had our friends Eric and Becca (soon to be married Dec. 3rd) over for din-din. I made Chicken Fettucini Alfredo with Asparagus topped with Hollandaise sauce, and Garlic bread. Then after, we headed down to our spa and enjoyed the heat!!

The Andrew and I got creative with the camera, take a look at the goofy picture!!!

Monday, October 24, 2005

A World of Hurt



People are dying. For the short time that I have helped in ministry and seen the effects of it, I know now that there are too many people that need to be reached out to. People I once knew have turned from their faith and have utterly turned their backs to God and still have hope that they will be saved.

I feel so overwhelmed by the hurt that people are going through. My heart aches so much for people that I sometimes find myself crying for them. I guess it's because I want them to know God like I know God, to feel His love like I feel His love everyday. I know that some people choose to stay in sin because they feel that they can't come to God with their "tail between their legs", but I would rather do that then imagine spending an eternity away from my Maker.

My hand has reached out to many, but never grabbed. I see their lives going down this downward spiral and I only wish that they would grab the life saver. It hurts so bad to see that people have settled for such pain. How much are you willing to sacrifice to save a friend, or even yet a stranger? Love, "This is how we know what Love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with our words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:16-18

People are so concerned with the politics of church that they miss out on sharing in the Love of Christ. So many people are so concerned with who belongs to which denomination that they forget we are to have Unity in Christ. Let us come together as followers of Christ and believers of The Bible and worship together.

Offense, I think Satan has reached into the core of people and have turned their hearts cold because of offense. Ever notice how easily people get offended nowadays? People are getting offended easier and easier and deciding to never come back to church because of something so tiny. Don't let Satan Bait you. Check out a book written by John Bevere "Bait of Satan"-- Description: "Are you ensnared by bitterness, seized by anger, held captive by resentment because someone has offended you? Bevere shows you how to escape Satan's grip, avoid a victim mentality, practice forgiveness, experience reconciliation, and remain free in Christ."

Saturday, October 22, 2005

What's going on?


Where do I start?

I have been praying for about 6 months now about new jobs or a new career or an opportunity, but recently I feel like God doesn't want me to go anywhere. Andrew points out to me that I should be happy with any job that I have, because God has given it to you. He also pointed out that I have never been happy with any job that I have had. Not that I disagree either, I guess I just expect that I should be in a job that meets my personal interests as well and my strenghts. I really want to try to find a job that I can do from home, so when kids come I won't have to change jobs or anything. Keep me in your prayers as I am trying to figure out if God is telling me to be happy with the job I have, or it is just the wrong timing for me to switch jobs. Currently at my work they will be opening a position for a Human Resources receptionist which pays more and of course, would be a much more involved and busy job. All I would have to do is put in a transfer request, and get interviewed and see if I would be able to get the job. I want to make sure that this is what He wants for me. Maybe God has not put a desire in me to work for a company because of my desire to have kids and be home with them. I don't know pray for me to have direction and guidance, and to have wisdom in making my decisions.

Andrew has gotten bumped up to 20 hours at the church now, which we are both very excited about. He can quit a few more hours at PCN, which is moving towards the ultimate goal of being in ministry full-time. We started separating the Jr/Sr. high groups on Mondays and College/Career on Tuesdays. The boys are doing great in the college/career, but I have a steady 1 girl when it comes to Tuesday nights. It really is frustrating because I have so many girls say, Yeah I'd come and then when I announced it no one decided to come. Anyway, we may end up just combining the boys and girls for college/career because apparently there is no need for college girls on tuesday nights. We have some really fun events coming up for Barefeet up until December, so it is so awesome. I hope we get a good turn out of kids on our events.

Financially, we are doing really good. God is just totally blessing us with out finances. We have been following our budget pretty closely for like 3 months now and we will completely credit card debt free as of March 24th!!! We are so thrilled, we only had problems with stuff on credit because Andrew has had to do some major work on his truck and we never have the money we need in our accounts for it, and it just kinda built up. So, we will still owe on the truck and the Rv but that should be paid off about 1 year from now. We are still saving while doing all of these payments, but we hope to buy me a new car after March because my car is just not as reliable as it used to be and for as far as I drive to work; it would be better to get something new.

We don't know what God is going to with us as far as a house, we struggle between not owing a man anything and using it for ministry. We know that God will be able to open way more doors if we buy a house or we live in a house. Financially, in this market, I don't know how it is possible with a small house costing $400,000. Yikes!! So we thought about buying a biggern RV til we can save enough, but I refuse to raise children in an RV. So we have a few options, my dad asked if he moved would we want to rent his house from him, and we really are thinking about that. Renting it from him so eventually we can buy it from him. My grandma's house, in Riverside, is another option. She might be moving temporarily or permanently into assisted living. She has said to us many times that she doesn't want to sell the house and she want to keep it in the family. So we thought about being able to rent the house from my grandma until we can buy it off of her. Rent would have to be within our means though. So, we are just waiting to see what God will lay before us for the future. We had planned on having kids about 2 1/2 years from now but man... that keeps looking harder and harder but I think that is only because well, we live in a Fifth wheel. Anyway, Keep all these things in your prayers for us.


That picture is funny, thought I would attach it!!!

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

In this place

I have been speaking into the light
Saying my prayers each and every night

I am listening for you to speak
No answer to be, not even a peep

How many times have I prayed this prayer?
Asking you Lord only to hear

I pray for you to open the door
Even though my spirit is poor

I need you Lord to speak to me
Only a word that's all I plee

You see my tears and
You know my fears

My knees can feel the pain
All the begging I feel no gain

Lord, do you hear me?
Leave me wondering what's to be

In this huge forest of darkness
Don't leave me here without your kindness

I'll sit here quiet my El Shaddai
Your answer, don't let me cry

In these prayers patiently I wait
In your timing, You're never late

Friday, October 14, 2005

Soul Mate or Sole Mate?

Soul Mate or Sole Mate?
By Gary Thomas

The young woman calling the radio program admitted that the man she was dating was for lack of a better word a "jerk." He had cheated on her with her best friend; he had no aspirations, and any objective person could see that the guy she had fallen for was not suitable marriage material. Still, she persisted: "I know I can't trust him, I know he doesn't treat me very well, I know he's not going anywhere, but I think he may be the one."
Our culture has embraced a rather absurd notion that there is just one person who can, in the words immortalized by Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, "complete us." This is a disastrous mindset with which to approach a lifelong marital decision.
The notion of a "soul mate" is actually pretty ancient. Well over two thousand years ago, the Greek philosopher Plato surmised that a perfect human being was tragically split in two, resulting in a race of creatures sentenced to spend the rest of their lives searching for that missing other who can complete them.
Despite such bizarre philosophical musing, the notion of a soul mate has deeply rooted itself in our culture, inspiring countless movies, novels, and top-40 songs. One Rutgers University study found that 94 percent of people in their twenties say that the first requirement in a spouse is someone who qualifies as a soul mate. Just as surprising, 87 percent think they'll actually find that person "when they are ready."2 A culture suspicious of God nevertheless has brazenly embraced some sort of forceful and intelligent destiny that brings two lovelorn souls together!
The real danger in this line of thinking is that many people mistake a storm of emotion as the identifying mark of their soul mate. How else can you identify "destiny"? Such individuals marry on an infatuation binge without seriously considering character, compatibility, life goals, family desires, spiritual health, and other important concerns. Then when the music fades and the relationship requires work, one or both partners suddenly discover that they were "mistaken": this person must not be their soul mate after all! Otherwise, it wouldn't be so much work. Next they panic. Their soul mate must still be out there! Such people can't get to divorce court fast enough, lest someone steal their "one true soul mate" meant only for them. When we get married for trivial reasons, we tend to seek divorce for trivial reasons.

Good and Bad Choices

In a biblical view, there is not "one right choice" for marriage, but rather good and bad choices. We are encouraged to use wisdom, not destiny, as our guide when choosing a marital partner. There is no indication that God creates "one" person for us to marry. This is because Christians believe that God brings the primary meaning into our lives. Marriage though wonderful is still secondary.
Consider, for example, Paul's advice in 1 Corinthians 7:1-9 . He clearly leaves the choice of marriage up to us; there are benefits to singleness, and benefits to being married. If you're unable to handle sexual temptation as a single, Paul says, then by all means, get married. There is no hint at all of finding "the one person" that God created "just for you." It's far more a pragmatic choice: do you think you'll sin sexually if you don't get married (1 Corinthians 7:2)? Are you acting improperly toward a woman you could marry (1 Corinthians 7:36 )? If so, go ahead and get married รข€” it's your choice, and God gives you that freedom.
Proverbs takes the same approach: "A wife of noble character, who can find?" (31:10, NIV). This passage has been hilariously misunderstood as being directed toward women, but the verse you've just read makes it clear that Proverbs 31 was written mostly for young, single men, telling them, "This is what you want to look for in a wife." And the top thing to consider is this: "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" (Proverbs 31:30). The Bible is telling young men to search for a woman of character; looks won't last, but character never leaves.
I can speak from experience: nothing compares to being married to a godly woman. Nothing! But there is also nothing more tedious and exhausting than being married to a narcissist, or a selfish woman. Marriage is 98 percent living and 2 percent looking so learn to value character over appearance.

Making the Choice

The reason it is so crucial to adopt the Bible's view of "good and bad choices" over your destiny of finding "the one" is that the former attitude allows you to objectively consider the person you marry. There is no objective measurement of "destiny." Powerful emotions can blind us to all sorts of clues; when we adopt the biblical attitude of making a "wise" choice, we can use all that God has given us to arrive at a solid decision that should be based on a number of factors:
Scriptural mandates
Is the person a believer who fears God (Proverbs 31:30) and who is biblically eligible for marriage (Mark 10:11-12)?


Wisdom
How do they handle their money? (Proverbs 31:16, 18)
Is this person a hard worker? (Proverbs 13:4; 26:13-15)
Do they live an upright life? (Proverbs 13:6, 20; 25:28)
Does this person wound people with their words, or are they an encourager? (Proverbs 12:18; 18:21)
Are they peaceful, or quarrelsome? (Proverbs 17:19; 29:8)



Parental, pastoral, and wise advice

Your parents know you better than you may realize, and even if they aren't believers, they generally want the best for you. Also talk to your pastor and people you respect for their counsel: "Does this relationship seem like a 'fit' to you? Are there any areas you're concerned about?" If the people I most respected had serious reservations about a relationship, I would assume I had lost my objectivity due to infatuation and put all marriage plans on hold.



Prayer

Rejecting the notion that God creates one person just for us doesn't discount the reality that God can lead us toward someone, and help us make a wise choice when we seek him in prayer.
What is a 'Sole Mate'?
The search for "the one" is often an idolatrous pursuit. As Christians, we must believe that our primary meaning comes from our relationship with God: "Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness..." (Matthew 6:33, NKJV, emphasis added). Thus, a Christian should not consider any marital union that would not feed this primary relationship with God. You'll bring great misery into your life if you ignore this command.
But also just as importantly we mustn't enter into a marriage expecting more than another human can give. If my wife looks to me to be God for her to love her like only God can love her I'll fail every time and on every count. I'm trying, but I fall short every day. Tragically, I see too many young people wanting to get married in order to find this God-acceptance and God-love. Infatuation can initially feel like it approaches this God-love, but eventually it fades, disillusionment sets in, and the once "fabulous" relationship soon becomes an excruciating prison.
Can I suggest a more biblical pattern? Instead of following Plato in a wild pursuit of our soul mate, we should seek to find a biblical "sole mate." A sole mate is someone who walks with us as together we apply biblical love. The most accurate definition of true love is found in John 15:13 (NASB): "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."
This love is not based on feelings, but on sacrifice. The Bible calls men to act like martyrs toward their wives, laying down their own lives on their wives' behalf (Ephesians 5:26). Love is not an emotion; it's a policy and a commitment that we choose to keep. Such a love is not based on the worthiness of the person being loved none of us deserve Christ's sacrifice! but on the worthiness of the One who calls us to love: "We love because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
A "sole mate" appreciates that marriage is a school of character. Clement of Alexandria, an early church father (ca. 150-215), captures this thinking marvelously when he writes, "The prize in the contest of men is shown by him who has trained himself by the discharge of the duties of marriage; by him, I say, who in the midst of his solicitude for his family shows himself inseparable from the love of God."
Clement asks, who wins the prize? Not the couple displaying the most emotion, with the biggest smiles on their faces, or who can't keep their hands off each other; but rather, the women or men who, through the duties and sacrifice of marriage, have trained themselves to love with God's love. They live out the gospel on a daily basis, forgiving, serving, and putting others first in the most ordinary issues of life in such a way that they see themselves in training for godliness.
As Christ's follower as a true sole mate I'm called to take his example and his definition of love and apply it to my spouse. It really doesn't matter whether my spouse is a "soul mate," as much as it matters that I choose to love her with Christ's love. That means a sacrificial mindset marked by generosity, kindness, and mercy for she certainly is my sole mate, my precious sister in Christ.
A biblical sole mate who walks in this truth, who daily travels God's journey of sacrificial love, and who willingly goes "into training" for godliness is a far more stable foundation upon which to build a lifelong partnership than the philosophy of Plato. "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." This may not sound like the most exciting or emotional love, but it is certainly the truest love.
Notes
See Plato's "Symposium" in The Portable Plato, Scott Buchanan, ed. (New York: Penguin Books, 1948), pp. 146-148. Back^
The State of Our Unions 2001 (Piscataway, NJ: The National Marriage Project, 2001), pp. 6, 8. For more information, see "The State of Our Unions: 2005." Back^

Public Expression of Religious Act of 2005

Taken from the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ

(HR 2679)--vital legislation that would keep secular
organizations like the ACLU from collecting attorney fees
after suing communities to remove religious symbols.

Click here to read more about this legislation:


Unless Christians unite and rally against the aggressive and
opportunistic nature of the ACLU, we can expect increased
attacks on our religious freedoms and an eventual loss of
our right to publicly acknowledge God in our nation.


Click here to sign the petition



+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
The Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, established by
Dr. D. James Kennedy, is an outreach of Coral Ridge Ministries
to inform the American public and motivate Christians to defend
and implement the biblical principles on which our country was
founded. The Center, led by Executive Director Dr. Gary Cass,
provides non-partisan, non-denominational information, training,
and support to all those interested in impacting the culture and
renewing the vision set forth by our Founding Fathers.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

News from Kendrew 10/13/2005

Well I can say that Andrew and I are probably the most tired 20 somethings you've ever met, ha ha. We are only at home 2-3 nights a week. Here's the run down to give you an idea:
Monday- Barfeet Edge: Jr. and Sr. High
Tuesday- Barefeet Limits: College and Career
Wednesday- Laundry, car maintenance??
Thursday- Personal devotion night together
Friday- Hanging out with friends
Saturday- Maybe sleeping in but usually helping his parents on their new property in Cherry Valley and rotating with Couples Bible study at our church startong Oct 22nd.
Sunday- Church and dinner at the Gladuras.

Andrew was up for Evangelist Coordinator at our church so he could get more hours with the church. Well, he didn't get the Evangelist Coordinator position but the church decided to move him up to 20 hours a week now (whooo-hooo)! We are very excited to see how God will be able to use this now. Andrew is reading a lot of books as I am trying to as well. I am trying to find time for my hobbies but it's super hard. I am still trying to figure out why God still has me working at my current job. I am praying for God to open the door for some kind of new job for me. I have a few possibilities 1) First Centenniel bank in Redlands, my mom hooked me up the VP of the bank and she submitted my resume in the loan department. 2) Word of mouth heard that First Baptist in Riverside might soon be opening a position for a full time accountant paying more than what I make now.
We are chugging right along on our debt- we will be debt free as of March 24th. I have been a little debt eating monster, paying huge chunks ever pay period to get rid of it so I can start saving for the house. I can see an end in sight for the debt and it really makes me smile, God is so good :)

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

My first Post

Alrighty so I changed from myspace blogs because not anyone can post a comment on my blogs and it got annoying. Plus, myspace is so popular that it is bogged down with people uploading new pictures and putting pictures in their blogs the site sometimes will just shut down and stop working. So, I think Andrew & I are going to like this one a lot better, Keep checking back because this will be the only site that I will be writing on, that is if you want to see what we are up to. So anyway, see ya'll later.