that's NOT why you're here!!

Pastor Lee is doing a sermon serious entitled "Myth Busters", and today's sermon was "Secular is Bad". He started off be defining secular as not pertaining to or connected with religion (opposed to sacred). But then he pointed out that in God's eyes, NOTHING is secular vs spiritual bc everything orginated from God. It's not what something is that makes it bad but what we do w/it.

When did the word Christian go from being a noun to being an adjective?

New Life Version (NLV)
John 17:
vs13 But now I come to You, Father. I say these things while I am in the world. In this way, My followers may have My joy in their hearts. 14 "I have given Your Word to My followers. The world hated them because they do not belong to the world, even as I do not belong to the world.
15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world. I ask You to keep them from the devil.
16 My followers do not belong to the world just as I do not belong to the world. 17 Make them holy for Yourself by the truth. Your Word is truth.
18 "As You sent Me into the world so I have sent them into the world also. 19 I set Myself apart to be holy for them. Then they may be made holy by the truth.

Jesus Prays For All Christians
20 "I do not pray for these followers only. I pray for those who will put their trust in Me through the teaching they have heard."

The world looking in does not see a group of people changed and trying to make a difference in the world, but a group of people trying to protect themselves from the world as if we were better than them!
Instead of us pointing out the light of the world, we spend too much time pointing out the world's faults and condemning them. What good are we doing pointing out what they already know?

The Message (MSG)
Matthew 5
vs13"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
14-16"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

I know I didn't say it half as well as Pastor Lee did, but the point is, yes, we are supposed to be different from the world, but how can we impact people for Christ if we seperate ourselves to keep from gettind koodies? I love my church bc it's the first place in a long time we're I've felt genuine love for people w/God's conviction, but no condemnation. Christianity is not about what you can't do, but about what you do do.

Happy Birthday Boys

Well, we FINALLY had a birthday party...YAY! I had to rearrange my work schedule, but it was done. Asher wasn't in the best of moods, but I guess that's life. Here's some pictures, enjoy :)

Anonymous Poster

This is not to all of my anonymous posters, just to the one whom seems hell bent on assuming stuff about my life and being as vicious as possible.

Get a life! I could care less what you have to say or what you think you "know" about me. You obviously don't know me as well as you think you do. Until you want to identify yourself, don't bother wasting your breath.

2yrs Old

Oh, I remember it as if it were yesterday. I was scheduled to be induced on 2-22-06 bc even though I'd been having contractions every night for over a week, the little boy inside of me was not deciding to come out. Tuesday morning, 2-21-06, I woke up as I had been w/contractions at 3 in the morning. But, this time, I told myself I wasn't even going to waste my time w/timing them bc I knew, like every other morning, as soon as an hour passed, the contractions would pass as well. So, I went back to sleep, only to be awoken again at 5 w/them being as strong as ever. I remember Shaun woke up and went to the bathroom. By time he came back, he knew it was the real thing and called into work. I waited for another hour b4 calling my mother to tell her that she needed to call into work. By 7, my mom was over to take Jaden to the babysitters b4 joining us at the hospital, and Shaun and I were off to Bronson. By time I got checked in, it was 8, and I was 8cms dialated. I received an epidural and rested for a bit. By 11, my doctor was broke my water, and it was time to start pushing. At 11:35, I delivered my second baby boy whom we named Asher Lee. Asher is Hebrew meaning "happy and blessed", and Lee is my father's middle name.

My family has yet to forgive me for letting them take this picture, but I laugh everytime I see it! I say, this is what I'm going to use for birthcontrol for Asher. I'm going to pull each of his little girlfriends to the side and say, "if you're thinking of having sex w/my son, look long and hard at this bc this is what you'll get"...LOL Asher was the worst of my colicky babies! He was colicky for 6mos. I had to give up all diary products and still he was NOT a happy baby. There for a while, I thought for sure we'd picked the wrong name for him :P
But Asher is a happy baby and very much my blessing!! He's still my little baby, a momma's boy. Like his brother, he likes anything w/wheels, though trains would have to be his favorite. And, I'd say that football is his favorite sport. I'm just so happy to have him in my life and can't wait for more! Happy Birthday Baby!!!

Birthdays Party

I'm getting really frustrated w/the boys' birthdays party. I'm continuing the tradition of one party, two themes. I know eventually the boys won't be thrilled w/a joint party, but I think I can get away w/it for a few more years. The boys have each picked out their theme. Jaden is doing football, and Asher is doing Mickey Mouse. The only problem is, we can't see to keep a date for the party! My parent's house burned, which is where the party was going to be held at, so that moved it back the first time around. Then it was going to be at my sister's house, but she ended up having to work. It's currently scheduled for Sunday bc my parent's should be back in their house, but I looked at my schedule, and even though I've NEVER worked a Sunday, she has me scheduled on Sunday. GRRRRRRRRR! I asked to be switched to another day, but if that doesn't work, I'll have to work the hours. As it is, I'm down to 19hrs a week bc we've been SO SLOW. I can't afford to lose any hours. I can't live off what I'm making now, let alone losing even more hours. So, hopefully, on day soon, we'll have a party, and I'll have pictures to share.
On a side note, I had a phone interview yesterday. If they liked me, they'll call me back w/in 3-4 days for an official interview. Pray I get that phone call!!!!!!

Filed

Yep, after months of procrastination, I finally filed the divorce papers. I'm not sure what I feel right now. I don't regret my decision. Shaun and I have discussed it MANY times, and we're not going to be able to work through things. We've both moved on and know it's just not going to work. But, it still doesn't make going through this any easier. I feel for my boys. I feel for the kind of life they're going to have going from one parent to the other. But, part of me knows that it will be better in a way bc maybe they'll be able to see a healthier side of mommy and daddy (I hope and pray!). They still have a mommy and daddy that love them w/all their hearts, and hopefully we'll be able to show them how to get along even when things don't go the way you planned!
Please just continue to keep us all in your prayers!!

New Hair Color

Ok, I decided I wanted to dye my hair again. I was going to go dark brown, but I couldn't find a color dark enough. So, I found a box that said soft black, and that's what I did. So, here's the new me.

Substitute Mom

Ok, I LOVE motherhood. My babies are the joys of my life, but there are some moments when I wish I could tag in a substitute mommy. Like, today, when Jaden puked all over my couch and through the halls to the bathroom (sorry, should have warned TMI). That's one of the moments when I would have LOVED for someone else to play mommy. I must say, out of all the things that come along w/motherhood, real throw up is the worst! I can handle spit up as infants, and even really bad poopy diapers are do-able. He was sick two nights ago, but he'd been puke free for a day, so I totally wasn't expecting it. And they both got their flue shots this year! I really hope my buddy gets feeling better soon, for his sake and selfishly for mine too.

Three Years Old

Three years ago today, I went into the hospital at 7A to be induced. And after the worst imaginable delivery w/no epidural bc I wanted to know how a real vaginal birth felt, I gave birth to my 1st born baby boy at 3:35P weighing 8lbs and 7ozs, whom we named Jaden Michael. Jaden is Hebrew meaning "God has heard" and Michael is his daddy's middle name. And after only 5mos of colic, I had a happy little baby boy.

So much has happened in the past three years, and he's changed so much. He's very much all boy! He's finally potty trained...YAY :) He loves cars, trains, trucks, airplanes, helicopters, pretty much anything w/wheels..lol He loves the outdoors. His favorite movie is Ratatouille followed by Monster's Inc, Incredibles, Cars, Ice Age and Fox and the Hound. Oh, and lets not forget his love for sports, soccer, I think, being his favorite.
I must say I find it hard to believe I'm the mother of a three year old. I'm not that old yet am I :P But, it's been a joy watching him grow and change, and I can't wait to see what else his future holds!