Then Sings My Soul Saturdays-2

This song is by Kellie Coffey. I love how it shows struggle and then offers hope. It shows God answers prayer. For more Then Sings My Soul Saturdays visit Amy at Signs, Miracles and Wonders

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Friday

It's pretty today and the house is clean. We are going to have leftovers for dinner, left over Beef Lombardi, one of our favorite dishes, with dinner rolls and maybe mashed potatoes. Dh called and he is coming home from work early. I'm ecstatic. A long weekend together. We are going to try and install a closet organizer in Meadow's room and tomorrow night we are going to a combo birthday party for my nephew Tyler and my daughter Heaven who just turned the big 18. I just look forward to spending some time with my family. Here is the Beef Lombardi recipe from Southern Living. It's yummy! I hope you all have a blessed weekend.

Beef Lombardi

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 (6-ounce) package medium egg noodles
6 green onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs

Preparation

Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain.

Stir in chopped tomatoes and next 4 ingredients; cook 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and bay leaf, and simmer 30 minutes.

Cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain.

Stir together cooked egg noodles, chopped green onions, and sour cream until blended.

Place noodle mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with beef mixture; sprinkle evenly with cheeses.

Bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover casserole, and bake 5 more minutes. Garnish, if desired.

Note: Freeze casserole up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed.

To lighten: Substitute low-fat or fat-free sour cream and 2% reduced-fat Cheddar cheese. Reduce amount of cheeses on top to 1/2 cup each.

Yield

Makes 6 servings

Southern Living, OCTOBER 2003

Thankful Thursday

Today I am Thankful for time.


For more Thankful Thursdays visit Sting My Heart

Wordless Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays go to 5 Minutes for Mom and Wordless Wednesday Hub.

Roxy is a mess!

Roxy has a grooming appointment tomorrow. She is a mess. She doesn't like to keep her hair up anymore. I have to redo it every morning to keep it out of her eyes and usually its out just a little while after. I have spent several hours over the past few days brushing and dematting her. I bathed her Saturday but it surely doesn't show today. She's just gotten too long. I'm going to have cut down really short with pom pom feet and puppy cut her face in hopes that it will help me keep her cleaner. Her breath has been ferocious!! I'm going to have to figure something out for that. She is still as precious as ever I just can't believe how much hair she has, and to think if I didn't groom her it would keep on growing!

Tired lately

I'm sorry for my absence. Heaven is home and doing well. She has decided to wait one year before leaving for college. She just celebrated her 18th birthday Wednesday. My baby isn't a baby anymore! The girls have had VBS this week and we are getting ready for their new school which starts week after next. I'm so excited for them and do pray that they like it.

Today I had to have blood drawn and when Heaven and I returned home we started cleaning and I began to fix our favorite dish, Enchilada Pie. I had extra enchilada sauce in the fridge and when I went to get the container out the lid popped off and the bowl flipped and that RED sauce poured down the back of the inside of my refrigerator. I couldn't stop the tears of frustration. Heaven and I worked and worked to clean that sauce up but it stained the plastic lining. Then while Heaven was trying to clean out from around the light bulbs one popped on her and she started crying. I had to laugh then! What a struggle. Lately that seems to be happening to me. Everything I touch either breaks or spills. It's been a rough week.

I'll try to be back as soon as I can. Tony just came through the door so I need to go. Just wanted to let everyone know I'm alive! Hugs.

Only three more days!

I can't wait to pick Heaven up on Saturday at the airport. I'm so excited! It feels as though she has been away from home for years instead of less than one month! Ha! I have been able to speak with her a little more the last week than the whole trip. She is doing well and has seen the hand of God moving across the people of South Africa. She has so much to share. She will be speaking at our church on Sunday night at 6:00 pm about her trip and I cannot wait to hear all about it. The last time we spoke on the phone she mentioned NOT leaving for college on the 15th. She threw the idea at me of seeing if she could wait one semester before going. She misses home so badly and the thoughts of only having two weeks at home before leaving again is overbearing for her. Of course I myself have no problem with this but I want what is best for Heaven and I want her to be in God's perfect will for her life. So we are all in prayer about this.

I have so many changes coming up this year. My girls are going into a very small local Christian School after homeschooling the last seven years. We attended the school for a few weeks at the end of the school year last spring to feel it out and see how we all liked it. We all, each one of us loved it. I have felt such peace with our decision. I am going to be substituting and volunteering there while also enrolling in college to persue my Bachelor's Degree in Teaching and Religion in hopes to teach full time soon.

I have been incredibly busy the last few weeks and our internet crashed for about five days. It just came back up today. We have been doing some serious cleaning in our house. Purging, moving, sweeping, mopping, dusting...you name we are doing it. We are almost done with the upstairs. I'd say one more day of hard work and it'll be complete. The catch? The basement. Yuck! I do so dread having to go through everything down there. Tony wants to do a yard sale but the thought of all that stuff overwhelms me! UGH! I'd rather just ditch it all. I told him if he's willing to get down there and work and pull it all together I'll help, but what doesn't sell isn't coming back in the house!!!! LOL!

I've another trial or burden so to speak that I've not shared a lot about here on my blog. I've undergone some tests and they turned up fine, which is great but leaves us puzzled as to what exactly the problem is. It's been sort of a secret battle with me and I've wanted to share but I have so many readers who know me personally and sometimes that makes it harder to air it all out, you know? Just keep me in your prayers and pray most importantly that God's will be done. (How's that for suspense!) LOL! I'll share one day, I promise!

Well I've missed everyone. God Bless!

Heaven is doing well

Heaven is the last one on the left. She called today is doing so good. So happy and full of joy, laughing. Gosh I couldn't hold back the tears. They have a count of 1971 souls saved thus far! Praise God! And she is seeing many healings including one lady who was blind and now can see! Hallelujah!! She even prayed with me, for me I should say, for my nerves to be calmed and for upcoming tests I'm having with great results. I 'd appreciate your prayers too! God Bless!

The Team

I noticed on Global Expedition's page there was a new picture up. Heaven is the one with her hair in braids, she is bent over on the left side in between the first and second row behind the girl in the green jacket and tobogan. She is smiling so big! I still haven't heard from her since she arrived in South Africa so this picture was a much needed message! I have peace about her being gone and I KNOW the Lord is protecting her and using her to bring about His will for the people in South Africa so I am not worried but I miss her deeply. There are days the emotions seem to overcome me so I cry and I pray and then I feel better. Last night was a long night. I'm counting down the days. Only two more weeks from Saturday. Please keep Heaven, the team, the ministry and the people of South Africa in your prayers. Thank-you and God bless each one of you!

A New Day! Heaven's last day in TX

I'm so glad that I get to share what God is doing in Heaven. I never cease to be amazed! She called me late last night to let me know that she is doing so much better. She has water! Praise God! She has a towel! Praise God! The Lord has provided her with absolutely everything she was in need of including an electrical outlet under a water fountain, so even her cell phone is charged! (She won't be able to use it in South Africa though.)

It was just so good to hear the joy in her voice. She shared with me that there were four people chosen to go to Zulu to teach and that she and a new friend that she had just made were two of the four! This is the first time ever that those going on a missions trip to South Africa were split and allowed to go to Zulu. Usually you have to choose Zulu to go there so this was a rare assignment.

I began reading about the people of Zulu and their customs and discovered a very special thing. Zulu means Heaven. What a Godcidence that is! Another great thing is that she believes she'll be teaching English and they will be able to incorporate the gospel into the lessons. This was an extremely important detail not only because she'll be sharing the most precious news in the world, the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ but Heaven had decided only a few weeks ago to go to college to teach English to Highschool students while minoring in Intercultural Studies. This was just another sweet way of God letting her know she is on the right track!

Heaven told me, she said, "Mom, never ask God to break you unless you are truly ready to be broken." She said she had been a little numb before leaving for her trip and she felt emotionless but the Lord had reached deep within her and opened her up. She surrendered these raw emotions to Him and He is working mightily in her. She told me that she is having to depend on God for everything. And I mean every little thing. She had to pray and ask for water, she has to pray to use the bathroom. She depends on Him for every detail which is exactly the way He wants it! What a glorious place to be with the Father!! Praise You Jesus! Oh Hallelujah!!

We are praying for God to prepare the hearts of these people to receive Him! There are going to be mighty healings! I am excited to be able to share with you all! Sadly once Heaven arrives in South Africa we will have very little contact with her but I will share as I can. They leave at 1:00 am tonight!

I just want to thank God and praise Him for answering even the tiniest of our prayers. The thing that stands out to me the most is that He answered each and every one! He went above and beyond as He always does! And I want to thank all of you for your prayers. Know they are answered!

Heaven is in Texas-Day one and two

(Listen to the song playing, its Selah. It begins in the African language (one of them not sure which one) but I thought this was very appropriate timing since Heaven is getting ready to go to South Africa. It will finish in American, its beautiful. Just close your eyes and worship our Savior for a few moments before, during and after you read this post.)

Heaven made it safely to Texas yesterday. It was a rough day for her. We didn't get to stop and eat before her flight left so she was hungry and thirsty on top of being nervous. When she arrived in Dallas the Global Expedition team were a little late in getting there to pick them up. Once they arrived they boarded buses and drove to their campus. Heaven said they were a little over an hour away. Once they arrived, there was little free time and they had a meeting with Ron Luce which she said went great. BUT it was late, very late and she still had had nothing to eat or drink.

They did finally get them pizza but anyone who knows Heaven knows that pizza does not settle well on her tummy, especially after going a whole day with no food. They did not get them anything to drink with dinner either so when she finally called us at 12:30 last night she was exhausted and close to being dehydrated. She had a lot of anxiety and was incredibly homesick. I know most of this was coming from being so tired and thirsty. She said the drink machines wouldn't even take her money. On top of this her cell phone wasn't charging and she just pleaded with us to pray.

It was so hard to be on the other end of that phone and not be able to get to her. I just wanted to hand her a bottle of cold water and wrap my arms around her and bring her home. I knew I couldn't so I requested prayer from every prayer warrior the Lord put on my heart and then I prayed. I cried. I went to bed.

This morning she was some better. She did finally get some water to drink but was still requesting prayer. She had forgotten a water bottle and her towels and wash clothes and had to dry off with a T-shirt. I called Global Expeditions and spoke with the Parent Advisors and shared with them the anxiety Heaven was in and what she was experiencing. They are relaying the message to Heaven's Team Leaders and are going to get Heaven the items she needs. I will receive a return call this afternoon. I know all is going to be well.

Somehow through all of this I just feel that God is preparing her. I truly believe that this trip is going to be very different than the trip she took to Peru last year. The separation alone is going to be long enough to break us both. BUT I know that our Lord is going to build and strengthen us and fill every emptiness with Himself. Trust and Faith keep coming to mind, like a faint soft whisper, I keep hearing them over and over again. Trust me, I am your Provider. Have faith in me, she is mine also, I will take care of her. Peace. Rest in Me. Be still and know that I am God.

We just ask for your continued prayers for Heaven while she is about her Father's business! Feel free to leave your prayers in the comment section and send Heaven words of encouragement. I can take those and e-mail them to Global Expeditions and they will print them and give them to her. I know these simple words will be of much comfort to her while she is in South Africa.

(This is a copy of what I am posting at our Keys of the Kingdom Ministry Blog.)

Wordless Wednesday

For more Wordless Wednesdays go to 5 Minutes for Mom and Wordless Wednesday Hub.

Wordless Wednesday

I cry out to God down on my knees, my help comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth! Praise you Jesus!

For more Wordless Wednesdays go to 5 Minutes for Mom.

The Threshing Floor by Juanita Bynum

This is what I'm reading now. It's amazing. I can't believe how much I'm learning. She takes you through the pattern of the tabernacle in the old testament and teaches how the Lord required the priests to come to the ark of the covenant in prayer and applies it to us today.

Here is a outline if that is what you would call it and it doesn't compare to the book. Most of this I've taken directly from the book, some I have reworded. Its been such a deep learning experience. I wish I had the talent to share it properly. I will say that if you have struggled with your prayer life, felt like you have hit a wall or that the Lord isn't hearing you, that you are running out of things to say or that the Lord is calling you into a deeper prayer life, one of intercessing this book is a must read.

Where two or more are gathered in My name there I will be also. Join me in prayer, find the threshing floor.

There is an entry on the east gate, this gate you enter when you receive Jesus as your personal Savior. You enter the gate with thanksgiving and praise for the Lord has sent His only Son and His son has came willingly to die for you and for me.

This gate will take you to the outer court which is considered the early stages of prayer. Sadly some people never leave the outer courts when praying to the Father. We haven't been taught.

In the outer courts you will find the brazen laver which is the place of washing for you to repent and become a reflection of Christ as you wash in the water of the WORD. It is a place of sanctification. You should not rush the process but you must also realize you cannot remain at the laver. Be still and listen, the Lord will let you know when it is time to move on.

Next you will come to the brazen alter the place of sacrifice where you will become purified. This is the second stage of our outer court step in God's prayer pattern. You will let go of your own will and embrace the will of God. You will go from saying, "Give me...give me" in prayer to "What do You want Father?" The word "alter" in Hebrew means "a slaughter place". The brazen alter is the place where natural, earthly things that hinder your walk with God are consumed by the fire of God. It is the place where you become a "living sacrifice."

Now it is time to put on the foundational garment, the tunic of righteousness. Are you willingly sinning? You cannot go any further if you are. Are you in harmony with God being obedient to His word in every way that you can? The Word and the Spirit always work together in harmony. They complement and complete each other. If your life is not functioning according to God's pattern you will never see or experience His glory. You will continue to battle the same battles over and over and over. You will be defeated before you begin. If there is sin in your closet...cussing, gossiping, smoking, drinking....sins of choice, sins that have a stronghold over your life when you should be free you can go no further. This should grieve you deeply...it did me.

We choose. What will we choose? Will you wear your tunic?

The garments of completion. God is a God of great detail. This is the sash or the belt of truth. It goes over top of the tunic of righteousness. It is not visible to the naked eye, it girds your loins. It holds your tunic together. It also symbolizes readiness, when you have fastened, you are activated to be a servant. You are always ready to go. The truth is constantly working in you and for you.

The Robe of blue represents position and authority. Covering authority, divinity and grace. This step means you have matured spiritually, you have a firm hold on your salvation and certain thing NO LONGER have a hold over you, or cause you to struggle spiritually. You learn that you pray THROUGH things and NOT pray about them. When you pray about something you are still waiting for God to do it. When you pray through something it means you believe it was already done when you first declared the Word in prayer. There is a huge difference in going to a door and going through a door.

Many people don't have the victory because the ingredients that lead to a lack of power in prayer are locked up in discouragement and weariness. These will make you spiritless, despondent, doubtful and full of fear.(2 Cor 4:1)

After receiving the robe of blue comes the ephod. This is attached to the belt so it provides a second level of girding for intercessory prayer. This belt can be seen by others. It represents the mediator Jesus Christ and His power to become a servant. It confirms the trials and tests that you have overcome. This is ephod gold and it says I'm ready for whatever comes my way in prayer. I'll stay as long as the Lord leads my flesh will not intervene.

The breastplate. Inside the breastplate was a slip of parchment containing the divine name of God, represented by Urim and Thummim, which means light and completeness. This will bring His divine direction to earth. It also represents people that you carry to God in prayer symbolized by the 12 precious stones. You keep them next to your heart.

Now we are at the final piece- the miter, the headpiece. The miter was like a hat, with one distinguishing feature- the holy crown. This was actually a golden plate that was tied to the front of the miter and it read," Holy To The Lord." It reminded priests to never take holiness for granted. At all times there were to conduct their lives worthy of His name. The miter helps you watch and pray. What a reminder of where we need to be.

YOU ARE A LIVING TABERNACLE.

Protect your garments, coverings.

You will then find the holy place, where you come boldly through the door......... to.... the table of shewbread the Word of God. The golden candlestick the divine understanding of the Word of God. And then the alter of incense.

There you will see the veil...where you can press in, pull back and look behind to find, the ark of the covenant, the holy of holies. You will find yourself upon the threshing floor.

Each element has a great significance to prayer. We as a people have overlooked the significance of this tabernacle for years. This tabernacle is a divine key into the divine presence of God.

God established the tabernacle to be a place for His presence and glory. Satan will do anything to keep the saints from entering.

Sharing....

I borrowed this from a new bloggy friend, Patti at Midnight Musings. It moved me, it impacted me, its deep. I had to pass it along.......

Father's Day

My husband has written a devotion for Father's Day and it can be read here:

KOTKEM

Happy Father's Day

It is Well with My Soul

Today Heaven graduated. As most of you know we have home schooled for the last seven years. We had a small ceremony at our church for her. It has been an overly emotional time for me. With the fast that I was on, the pruning taking place, crucifying the flesh, and the purging from deep within I've been left raw on the surface. The thoughts of my baby girl growing up, heading to South Africa for a whole month and then moving states away for college in the fall have been quite overwhelming for me.

I know I'm not the first mother to experience this but it is MY first time to experience this and I have to say that I do NOT think that it will be any easier when the time comes for Sky and Meadow to step out into the life the Lord has planned for them. With all of the emotion that comes, the fear, the pride, the sadness, the joy, the desire to hang on but with the knowing that I must let go. The change. Dealing with all of these emotions while continuing to live and carry out the everyday things has been hard. Its a strange place to feel like you are being spiritually taught while the flesh is being worn down.

There has been a raging battle within me. The quiet stern voice inside of me comforting me and urging me to hold my head up and carry on. The pain inside of me wanting to scream and wishing I could stop time. Knowing what I need to do, what I must do and fighting the urge to just throw a big huge foot stomping, door punching, full throttle screaming temper tantrum!

This morning before the ceremony was hectic and stressful. I handled things well, the hinderances, the hold ups, the running late even though I had carefully planned things out. BUT when I arrived at the church and I seen the parking lot so empty my heart sank. The thoughts began. The faces that were missing began to flash before my eyes. The family, the friends that were close as family and then those acquaintances. The photographer didn't show either. I felt so wounded and unimportant. I felt so forgotten and so unloved. What was it honestly that was so important that kept them from coming? The pain overwhelmed me for an instant. My husband knowing and telling me that it was ok, that those that God had called to be there were there and to be thankful and move on, after all we had so much that had gone right why should I focus on what had gone wrong? My comment to him was, "Oh yes that's right I have to settle for what life has given me, I'm tired of that! I wanted things to be my way!" Inside of myself my spirit quickened. I knew immediately I was beginning to lose the battle. I was giving in to my flesh. "God help me," I silently prayed. I pushed on and finished setting things up. I greeted those who came and I was very thankful for them. I went up and took my seat next to my husband.

The ceremony began with praises to the Lord. The first song that started was Nothing without You by Bebo Norman. We didn't plan this song God planned it. As the lyrics began it felt like they were pouring out my soul as though they were my words being cried out personally to my God. He began to speak to me...."You have nothing....without ME." The revelation began to hit me not that I didn't already know this but I began to FEEL this. Nothing without God. Who was more important to me? Those missing faces or my God? As the song played I asked Him why it had to hurt so bad, all of it, the abandoned friends and losing my daughter...because that is what it feels like, like I'm losing her. Things are changing and when this change takes place things will never be the same again in my life and it feels like no one cares!!!

He spoke plainly and yet gently as He said.

"My child this is love. Love is a lot of things but love always involves hurt. I loved you My creation and man sinned, it hurt. I sent My Son and My Son loved you and because of that love He hurt. Can you think of a love that you have ever felt that didn't hurt?"

Then visions began to go through my mind. I seen Tony and I and our relationship over the years and I saw pain. I saw how the hurts grew us deeper together and bonded us. I seen myself giving birth to my children. How I loved them so before they were ever born and the pain I experienced bringing them into this world. I seen us parenting these children and the pain and hurts that had happened over the years some so natural and some not so natural but it was LOVE that held true and yet at the same time it was because of the love that we had for one another that it hurt so badly. I seen my little girl graduating and felt the pain of a left behind mommy and imagined her marrying and really starting her own life. I seen faces of those that I love that have passed away. Faces of those I had argued with, friends I had lost, broken relationships, hurt feelings and the root of all of these pains was love.

So the question seems to be is it worth it to love? You bet it is! Love hurts but it also binds us together. Love brings forth forgiveness. Love suffers long. Love never fails. Although there is pain in love, love is not pain. Love is so much more. Love is enduring and mending. Love is forgiving and kind. Love shelters and sacrifices. Love is strong. Love is the reason for it all.

God's love will take care of my Heaven as she steps out into the world. As she leaves the nest. God's love will fill my emptiness, my torn and broken heart, and He will fill it with new love. New things that I can't see that are coming. God's love is enough to enable me to move on.

After praise and worship Pastor Debra stood to speak. The words that she spoke amazed and impressed me. I was so honored that she spent the time that she did to say such wise things to my daughter. She reminded me of many things I'd momentarily forgotten through my emotions and stress. I couldn't see through the tears and I fought to keep sobs from retching out loud from my body. And then Pastor Coleman stood to speak and the love that poured out of Him for us is just unspeakable. There was a moment I didn't think that I would be able to bear another word. (I mean this in a great way!)

My dear friend Ginny that I met through homeschool group spoke next about dreams and thinking bigger. She read this scripture:

Isaiah 54:2 Make your tent bigger; stretch it out and make it wider. Do not hold back. Make the ropes longer and its stakes stronger, 3 because you will spread out to the right and to the left. Your children will take over other nations, and they will again live in cities that once were destroyed. 4 "Don't be afraid, because you will not be ashamed. Don't be embarrassed, because you will not be disgraced."

She shared how Heaven had been strong in the Lord, focused on Him and had stood steadfast. She had witnessed for Him and not been ashamed and the Lord was telling her to dream bigger. She couldn't dream for herself as big as the dreams the Lord had waiting for her!

Joy began to take over at this point. FINALLY! :)

I knew the Lord was speaking because just Wednesday night at Bible Study we were reminded to pray for nations! That our thoughts were not high enough where God is concerned. He is powerful and we need to be Kingdom minded and strive to tap into Him.

And then my husband spoke. The emotions overwhelmed me again as we reminisced over the years of Heaven growing and changing. The years that she spent with us home instead of in public school and the difference the time made. He called me forth to hand her her diploma. I so badly wanted to share what the Lord has said to me and the visions that I had had just moments before but I couldn't. I choked out a few words.....love and pain.....bittersweet. I congratulated her for she had so earned her diploma. And then Heaven spoke.

She gets her speaking skills from her earthly father and her Heavenly one! She thanked us for the decisions we had made and talked about how home schooling had shaped and formed her during some of the most sensitive years of her life. She was missing one of her best friends today also and she shared her pain but she pushed it aside and kept moving. (She done a much better job than her mother!) I'm a proud mother and thank my dear Father in Heaven, my Lord Jesus Christ, the precious Holy Spirit whom I often leave out without meaning to for gifting me with Heaven and for guiding and protecting her through the years. I am so grateful for the call on her life. I know she will continue to stand and serve.

It is Well with My Soul.....All is Well with My Soul.....My baby is growing up!

Nothing Without You by Bebo Norman
Take these hands and lift them up
For I have not the strength to praise You near enough
For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

Take my voice and pour it out
Let it sing the songs of mercy I have found
For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

Chorus:
All my soul needs
Is all Your love to cover me
So all the world will see
That I have nothing without You

Take my body and build it up
May it be broken as an offering of love
For I have nothing, I have nothing without You

All my soul needs
Is all Your love to cover me
So all the world will see
But I love You

With all my heart
With all my soul
With all my mind
And all the strength I can find

All my soul needs
Is all Your love to cover me
So all the world will see
I have nothing

Take my time here on earth
And let it glorify all that You are worth
For I am nothing, I am nothing, I am nothing without You

And The Winners Are.....

I went through my humble offerings and wrote down each name of those who wished to be entered into my give away. I cut them out and folded them up and tossed them in a bowl. All the while I was praying over each name asking the Lord to bless and protect you, asking Him to reveal Himself to you deeper to draw you closer to Him. I asked Him to choose those that He wanted to have these sets. I cannot believe how hard it was to do this. I had this overwhelming *wishing* inside of me that so wanted to send everyone a set!! BUT I only had two sets to give away so....I asked my little bit, Meadow to please do the honors of drawing out two names. She was so excited to be the one to draw the names! Then she wanted to know who you were so I took her to your pages and showed her.


This was so much fun! I can't wait to do another give away and I already know what its going to be but I'm not sharing that just yet!


So I know that everyone is just dying to know who won!


It's been a long wait with my fast and everything that has happened.


I wonder if you ladies even remember who entered and who didn't?


Well here it is........................


The winners are....................


Iris at Sting My Heart!!! Yay Iris!! I'm so happy for you!


And...are you ready???


Kelley at Aroma of Joy!!!Yay Kelley!!


I'm going to e-mail you both for your mailing information so I can get these items on their way. I do pray that you enjoy them and learn as much as I did from them. They are full of much wisdom revealed to John Bevere by the Lord and I love sharing ways that helped me grow deeper with my Father! I look forward to hearing your comments after reading and listening to this set.

I would like to thank each one of you who entered, each one of you who come here and read, your sweet comments, your encouragement, your prayers. Each one of you means so much to me. The Lord uses you in my times of need. If you could only know how much you mean to me.

Much love.
In Christ,
Jenileigh

Vacation~Oak Island, NC

We spent a whole week in an ocean front house with my parents last week. It was great. We stayed busier than in years past. Roxy loved the ocean! Tony and I managed to have a great amount of alone time while not sacrificing time with the family.

Sunday Tony and I rose early and attended a worship service at the Barefoot Ocean Front Cabana. It was a great service and our first ocean front church experience. We definitely plan to do that again. Sadly however get pictures. It was non-denominational and the freedom to worship was there. It was wonderful to see the ocean while listening to real southern gospel style music. Very satisfying to the soul.

Monday my sister came in from Myrtle Beach and we went out to eat at The Fish House at the Marina. The seafood was delicious!

Tuesday we took a Dolphin/Shrimping Excursion. It was great!!! We seen many different birds, boats, dolphins, jellyfish and even a shark. The shark however was much smaller than the one that swam by Sky and I while we were IN the ocean! I have pictures of us running for our lives out of that ocean....which is no easy feat let me tell you, but I'll spare you..... Uhem....spare us that is....the ummm embarrassment!! My husband had no idea we'd just seen the shark, he thought we were playing, maybe racing each other out of the water so he took pictures. Maybe one day I'll have the nerve to share them. Needless to say Sky and I didn't venture back in the water.

Wednesday we drove to Myrtle Beach met my sister and she treated us all to a night at The Dixie Stampede. We had a blast!!! We were on the Southside of course...you know us being rednecks and all. Of course we won. With my clan there yelling and hooting and hollering there was no way we could lose!

Thursday we drove to Wilmington, NC for a Redneck Wedding Comedy Cruise. Seriously. It was ummmm different. The food was delicious.

Friday we spent the entire day at the beach. We'd been there on and off during the week but Friday was beach day. Of course I came home extremely sunburnt and I'm nursing the blisters on my chest now as I type. Ouch! Sleep has been restless the past few nights. I did sunscreen with a 50. Somehow we missed my chest. I pray I never make that mistake again!

Here are some pictures of various times last week......

Heaven. Can we say "Super Model"

Sisterly Love

Sky and I on the Dolphin Cruise

My silly husband

Roxy~My Sailor Girl

Just look at that laugh!

The wind blowing through her hair...

I love this one..

Itty Bitty, but shark just the same!

Daddy and His Southern Girls

Sky~Another Super Model

The Shrimp Boat pulling in its catch.

Big Wave...This is right before we seen the shark. No kidding!!!

Daddy and his girls.

Now this is the life

Sand Castles

True Love

Feeding the Birds

Sailboat

Jelly Fish

Is this a great shot or what?!

God really blessed me with these!

I love the sky in this one.

We had lots of different visitors.

My mom and dad. This is actually a rare moment and this picture is priceless!

Notice the rocks on shore. While beautiful they were very dangerous.

Breathtaking Sunsets

Heaven

Daddy's Love

This was great. Tony buried her alive!

Finally, a few pictures of the Redneck Wedding

The view was much better from outside.

This was riverside Wilmington, NC. Beautiful! I love the cobblestone streets that you drive on!

That's All Folks!

Getting back into the Swing

Wow, well I think the new blog is up and running and all of the kinks worked out. What do you think? Rebecca from Artistree has been toying with my ideas for the last couple of months and I'm very pleased with how she took my ideas and blended them with hers. It took us a few tries to get it just right and I appreciate her honesty, kind heart and patience with me.

The giveaway. I have opened up every link and found that there wasn't one person who linked back to the post they created. Waaa!!! I was looking foward to reading them but have been away so long I can't find the posts created!

Sooooo, I suppose there is nothing left for me to do except to take each person who wanted to be entered into the contest, including those who only commented and put every name in the bucket. I'll pray over these names and then have my family help me in drawing a name. I would like to thank-you each of you for taking the time to read my blog, participate here and just for being a part of my life. I'll post the winner sometime later this week.

I have so much to share about my fast. Many answered prayers and revelations. BUT I just can't burst out with it just yet. Soon and very soon!

Home Again!

We just got home from vacation today so my fast lasted a few extra days. I haven't the time just yet to look through the links and comments but will later this week. I've missed you all and it feels great to be back. I've much to share! New design is being put up so there may be a few gliches. I'll let you know when all is said and done! I really like it!!