Change Is On The Horizon

I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on things in my spiritual past that have molded me and shaped me into who Jesus is in me and who I am in Him. Two of the biggest influences, well maybe even three… in no particular order just now… are 1) Prophecy Class 2) Soaking Prayer and 3) Girls Bible Study in the late 90s early 2000s ….

I once was talking with one of our Pastors on staff at church and commented on how much I missed Prophecy Class and that he’d be a great candidate to get something similar to that up and going again. Of course his next question was, what exactly was Prophecy Class? I wish I had given that more thought at the time and found a way to put into words what it really was. Prophecy class was a Sunday morning ‘class’ that met before church weekly. It was a group of people following hard after God and anxious to see what He was up to next.

There seems to be several changes happening recently in these areas that have molded and shaped me over the years. Therefore, I’ve been focusing more on this area in my prayer times. This morning I had a short and sweet ‘euphony’ regarding Prophecy Class. I got to thinking, what was it about that class that was so attractive to me? Why did it have such a great influence in my life? What I came up with, with the help of the Lord I’m quite sure, is that Prophecy Class was a place to go every week and hear what God was up to! Yes, it is so so true that Jesus DOES speak to each and everyone of us individually! BUT… there is something about having someone else in your life tell you the same thing that Jesus just told you…. You get it? If someone else can tell you the same thing that Jesus told you- it makes it that much more REAL! Yes, it is true, I should truly just believe it the first time when the Lord tells me…but I am human, and there is something about that confirmation that I need…. So that my friends - was my eye opener this morning…. A place to go and be surrounded by people that are going after the same things you are, a place that is safe to step out and be challenged, a place where others are willing to share what God is doing and what God is saying, a place of confirmation…So, where do I find that excitement, expectation, knowledge, wisdom, relationship, insight, …. Now?

Well, I believe the Lord is working on that! Like I mentioned, there seems to be several areas of ministry that I’m involved in that are experiencing changes just now. And the leaders of these ministries have asked “us” to be praying and seeking the Lord on ‘new direction’… I’m not saying that whatever is in store for us will be a replacement for ‘Prophecy Class’ in my life… but I am so excited to see the possibilities of what He can do in our midst if we only give Him the chance! Will we be willing and able and ready to relinquish ‘control’ to the Holy Spirit in a NEW way? A way that may look foreign to most of us, but feels right in our spirit? A way that gives the Lord our first fruits and not the left-overs? A way that enhances our gifts and brings out new ones? A way that encourages our leaders as leaders and confirms in their spirits what the Lord has already spoken to their hearts!?!

Yes, it is without a doubt a time of change… but there is an excitement in my spirit! A quote from one of these past leaders in my life…”We’re just a group of people that love Jesus! Going where He is going and doing what He is doing!” keep it up Lord… don’t let us miss out on what You have in store for us because we’re too busy looking in the wrong places or too busy complaining about what we don’t have!

Oh my…. I feel as though maybe I’m not putting into words exactly the understanding I have in my heart so maybe there will be a part 2 to this….but for now…. It is what it is…

Ode to Good Friends

So- the nursery is underway- thanks to several friends that came over yesterday to hit it hard! Christina and Carla worked at getting Eeyore and a tree penciled in on the wall, oh and a little piglet, Jolanthe's penmanship came in very handy; and then they all painted plus Dawn- while Amy and I were in attendance for moral support mostly!

It is not completely done yet; but i'll post some in progress pictures- we need to do some more painting yet...but i had to share how much these ladies got done in 3 hours! they are just awesome!!! thank you thank you thank you! love you guys!

From this to this:

and this...

(Notice those little flowers there- yup I painted those, uh huh!hahaha)

i'll be sure to post the finals when i get them!

Thanks again!

Buy One Get one FREE Mypublisher Photobook

Hey there Friends...
This is a quick post... I found a link this evening on how to get a free photobook from mypublisher.com. I have not gone all the way through the steps; but it looks like it will work just fine. It's a buy one get one offer!!! So you do have to spend some $$...but if you want to copies of one book, this deal is for you...wanted to share

Mypublisher is a company online where you upload your photos and they make a bound book of them, VERY professional looking.

We got one for a Christmas gift from some good friends; they were pictures of our Rome/Venice trip- and it looks like a professional coffee table book or something- they are just awesome!

This is a 'baby link', but it didn't specify what 'type' of book you had to purcahse; so if you're interested just check it out!

http://www.mypublisher.com/associations/bcNews/index.php?assoc=bcNews

Ultrasound Week 21

Today we had our "half-way" ultrasound, and i wanted to share some of the pictures we got today. Now these are the 'old fashioned' NON-3D type of pictures, but i think they are still really good.

and for those of you wondering if we really did make it through the ultrasound withOUT finding out the sex of the baby.... we made it! We are still on track for being surprised! :)

Here are the pictures.

Lord bless this little one.

Snow Snow Snow S....No...

Ok, so i'm here at work, shhhhh, don't tell....

BUT- it just started snowing, little flurries, nothing much, but then i start to get a little excited because it's really picking up and coming down... could this be it, i think? i mean it's sticking and visibility is even low at this point.... i mean take a look at this picture!

I mean, you see something like this and you think it might actually accumulate at least a couple of inches (even though we are hoping for at least a foot!).... but alas.... not even like 5 minutes later, it comes to a screehing halt! What is UP WITH THAT?!

Can't a girl just get a little snow fall here, i mean really... i know i'm begging, but at least ONE really really good snowfall of 12 to 24" would be just wonderful!

so... a short lived... tiny snow fall has hit at least the harrisonburg city limits....

Rotten to Ripe

So, my homegroup has been doing a study called "Becoming a Contagious Christian". This past week focused on us telling our own story. Basically, you break your story into three sections and then put it all together. They were looking for your life before Christ, your life when you met Christ, and life After Christ.

One of the questions they asked of you was to come up with a theme for your testimony by reviewing what you had written for each of the three sections. So my theme is "From Rotten to Ripe".

Coming out of a place of rotteness, a place of poor decision making. And into a place of Life, Fullness, and bearing good (ripe) fruit.

Along with the materials for this study comes a DVD that shows skits to better explain their methods. So, we watched a short skit on two guys - one sharing his testimony with another... and I'm sure you've noticed that in the DVD things always go so smoothly, and the listener always asks the right questions to move your story into the next stage.... now, have you ever had that really happen in real life?

I tell you God, really does have a sense of humor sometimes. I was at a professional function this past Thursday night and had a conversation that went a little something like this:

"So where is Matt?"

"Oh, he had a class tonight?"

"Really, what kind of class is he taking?"

"He's taking a class at Evangel Theological Seminary, it's called 'School of Practial Ministry'. "

"So, i guess you are still attending the church where you got married?"

"Oh, Yes we are, and what about your family?"

....

and what do you think happened next? I mean what a great intro, right?! Looks like a great opportunity to just dive right into this new Three-Step plan i've JUST been taught by Bill Hybels, along with my fearless leader Beth Hardesty (who did a lovely job that evening) right?!

"oh, well - I see somebody i need to go talk with; good talking to you..."

and poof... the opportunity is G-O-N-E

not exactly like the video i had just seen, i mean what happened to the person asking me all the right questions? i really thought we were on a roll here... well... i can only pray that yet another seed was planted into their heart; and they will think about it come one Sunday morning...

And, knowing our God, i doubt that is my last opportunity to share with them...

A New Year....

In the beginning... of 2008 that is... we painted, we organized, threw out junk, went through drawers and closets and bins, we moved furniture and vaccuumed, refinished furniture, etc.... so you can only imagine how tired i am now!

the best part is, my mom and my sister came up to the house on New Years Eve and they painted our nursery... shades of green- or course. they are disney colors called 'silly old bear' and 'by the pond'. so i realize that probably does nothing to help conjure up an image of green in your minds eye. sorry- i should probably try and take a picture of it. but- the painting is done!

matt spent several days sanding and staining 2 old dressers we have to try and match the crib that we want to get. which was quite challenging, since we don't yet have the crib- and matching the color with something you don't have yet, well is sort of challenging :) but when it was all said and done- i think my husband did a great job on his very first refinishing project!

my brother-in-law came and put up a new back-splash that day as well! it looks awesome!
my dad came and fixed my vaccuum cleaner, and helped move some heavy stuff!
my nieces came and played in the hot tub, and tried to stay out of trouble!

then... the whole family sat down to a dinner of pork, sauerkraut, black-eyed-peas, etc.... our traditional new years meal! as i think back, i have NO idea where this tradition comes from... all i know, for now anyways, is that we've done it for as long as i can remember! this will prompt me to probe my mother to see WHY we actually do this... :)

i'll stop with the rest of the boring details for new years day... all i can say is we were just busy!!!