Nattaya & Nathan Fanning

My First (of many) Blogs about Both our Children!

I just have to say again, I am so excited to be able to tell everyone that we have a SON!!! I have been thinking A LOT about how Natty and Nathan will get along, the different things we'll get to do, decorating, etc, etc, etc! As I was driving to work though and throughout the day, I have been thinking about Nathan's name.

Natty was orginally going to be Hannah, but as time progress, she did not 'feel' like a Hannah, whatever that means. I am so glad her name is Nattaya though. I think I put a lot into naming our children. I just like our children to know that they are a blessing, and want their name to reflect who they are and what we, as a family, believe in.

Natty's name is special to me because she was given my middle name. I was given my mom's middle name, and since Natty's our first daughter, I wanted to do the same. Natty's name - Nattaya - is Thai for wisdom (according to her Grandpa). I think it is so awesome that she will have this heritage to go with her the rest of her life. It is Tim and my hopes and prayers that Natty will grow in the wisdom of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Natty is already as smart as a whip. She is constantly picking up new things each day. I pray that the Lord would her the same kind of discernment for His Word, as her mind is already developing at an amazing speed.

Nathan's name is special, first because he is our first son. We haven't decided on a middle name YET, but I'll follow up once we do. This year has been challenging with the way the economy has been, the district cuts, and everyone's jobs up in the air. However, the one truth that has always remained constant is that God provides! Nathan means exaclty that, "God provides." God has not only provided us with Nathan, but He's provided a family, jobs, shelter, and food. Nathan is my reminder that God is always going to provide for us, no matter what. In the Old Testament, Nathan was a prophet who rebuked David of his sins, when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. I did some research on Nathan. Nathan not only served King David, but also King Solomon. Nathan was characterized as wise, a steadfast servant of God, and fearless. I know we still have a godo 4 1/2 months before Nathan makes his arrival, but I am already praying that our Nathan, that God's entrusted to us, would stand up for Christ and be fearless as Nathan, the prophet.

With Great Anticipation.......

...and tremendous joy, Tim and I are proud to 'announce' that God has given us a.....

SON!!!

 Pic #1 - In the top picture is a shot of baby's face.  Baby has its fist kind of in front of the eyes.  Below is a side-profile shot.

Pic #2 - The top picture is of his "parts."  He was a very modest boy and did not want to flash us or the technician at all.  The bottom picture is of him sucking his thumb (how precious!).

We are so excited, and so is Natty (in her own little way).  She definitely knows there's a 'baby' in Mommy's tummy and she knows how to be gentle.  She still loves giving my belly kisses and hugs.  She also likes to lay her head on my belly and say "baby!"  Hopefully she'll continue to want to love on baby when he makes his appearance in July.

Tim and I are still thinking of names, but his first name will definitely be Nathan.  I like that Nathan means "God provides...." Everyday Nathan is a constant reminder to me that God provides for us in so many different ways, and to be thankful.

We can't wait to see you in July Nathan!

Please Pray for Pastor Arthur's Family

We are saddened to here of the abrupt departure of one of our pastor's at Harvest. WE, however, find comfort in knowing he is rejoicing in Heaven, with our other loved ones who have gone ahead to meet our Lord before us.

Read about Pastor Arthur here.

In all of this, we remind ourselves that:

1. God's timing is perfect!

2. His thoughts are not our thoughts.

3. God always knows what's best.

4. God has a purpose and a plan.

Halfway There!

Thought it would be cool to update you guys on the developement of our miracle.  =)  Enjoy!

Our pregnancy: 20 weeks


See the big picture

How Our baby's growing:

Our baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She/He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against her/his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of her/his head to her/his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, she/he's measured from head to toe.)



She/He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. She/He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in her/his bowels, and you'll see it in her/his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

Does Your Life Begin and End with God?

Happy Friday EVERYBODY!!!!!!

Friday, February 20, 2009




Alpha and Omega



"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."



— Revelation 1:8





There are some who follow Jesus because they want God to conform to their plans instead of them conforming to His.





Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is come into the world." Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to a mountain by Himself alone. (John 6:14–15)

They wanted to take Him by force and make Him the king. They saw the Messiah as a political liberator. They didn't understand that before He will come to reign as Lord of lords and King of kings and establish His kingdom, He would first suffer and die for the sins of humanity.



Sometimes people are that way with God today. They expect the Lord to conform to their conception of Him. They expect God to conform to their plans. They decide, and He is supposed to cooperate.



It doesn't work that way. He doesn't conform to your plans. You conform to His plans.



The only thing that is going to turn us around, conform us, is a change of heart, a spiritual awakening, and that can only happen through prayer and the proclamation of the gospel.



Jesus Christ is not a means to an end. He is the end. He is the all in all. He is the Alpha and the Omega.

Are You Signed Up for the Package Deal?

Thursday, February 19, 2009

More Bread, Please
"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you."
— John 6:27

After Jesus' miracle of feeding the 5,000, He went across the Sea of Galilee. A crowd followed Him to the other side.

And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." (John 6:25–27)Jesus could see right through them. These people had no real interest in the supernatural. Nor did they really have a desire even to know Jesus Himself. They just wanted their food. They wanted Christianity without Christ.

People want forgiveness, but they don't want to repent. They want to go to heaven, they want to wear the crown, but they don't want to bear the cross.

But it's a package deal. You don't get to pick and choose the things that you like. You may think, "I want forgiveness. I want to know I'm going to heaven. But I still want to sin." No. It's not going to work.

You have to decide—do you just want bread, or do you want the Bread of Life?

From Pastor Greg Laurie's Devotion.

Do a self-check...What are your motives?

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

The Right Reason
Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
— Matthew 7:21

During His earthly ministry, Jesus faced the problem of people who would follow Him for the wrong reasons. He was constantly challenging them to count the cost and to make sure that their motives were right.

He wants us all to follow Him, but He wants us to do it for the right reasons.
To truly come to know God, I must come on His terms and not my own. I must do it His way and not mine.

It is not for me to pick and choose the commandments in the Bible that personally appeal to me or the attributes that I personally find interesting or appealing. It is for me to live life God's way or not to follow Him at all.

It is clear that there are many today who do not follow Him for the right reasons. Jesus taught that there would be those on judgment day who thought they were believers but really were not.
In Matthew 7:21, Jesus makes this radical statement, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."
If you are primarily interested in what is cool or what is hip or what is socially acceptable, I need to tell you right now that following Jesus Christ probably won't work into your plans.
But if you are interested in what is right and what is the best way to spend your life, and if you are interested in the hope of heaven and a life with meaning, then there are no other options to choose from.

Hope

This is a documentary of my Pastor's life. It is incredibly moving and encouraging. I pray it encourages and gives you hope as well.

Check it out right HERE!

Are You Ready?!?

Monday, February 16, 2009




In the Twinkling of an Eye



In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet . . . we shall be changed.



— 1 Corinthians 15:52





Jesus tells us that there is coming a day when He will return. He will come quickly for all of His people and we will be taken to be with Him in heaven.



If you are not a Christian, that means you will be left. Remember Jesus said, " 'Two will be in the field: the one will be taken, and the other left' " (Luke 17:36).



If you are a Christian you will go immediately into the presence of God. But if you are not a Christian, and by that I mean if you have not asked Jesus Christ to come into your heart and be your Savior and Lord, then you will be left. Don't let that happen to you. It can happen so quickly.



I read that archaeologists uncovered extraordinary ruins in the town of Herculaneum, which is close to the ancient city of Pompeii. In 79 A.D., the violent volcano Vesuvius erupted there so suddenly, so quickly, that the scientists found people literally frozen in time. They uncovered Roman soldiers with swords in hand who had been killed instantly.



Think about that. These soldiers didn't even know what was about to happen. Then boom! They just stopped—dead in their tracks.



That is how quick the Lord's return could be. Suddenly, Jesus will return. Will you be like that one person in the field who was left behind? Maybe you are on the verge of accepting Christ.



It's time to decide now. This could be your last opportunity.

Are You Close Enough to God?

In my attemp to spend more time in God's word, I've decided to try to share my Pastor's devotions with you. That way it keeps me accountable to read them and share them! Hope this one blesses you as you begin your weekend! I know I am!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Not Close Enough

When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city." . . . But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

— Genesis 19:15, 26

We can see in the case of Lot's wife that one can be exposed to spiritual things and not necessarily become a believer. As flawed as Lot's witness was, the Bible does say he was righteous (see 2 Peter 2:7). That means Lot's wife was exposed to the truth of God. But she did not believe.

The Bible tells us of many people who were exposed to spiritual things but were never personally impacted in any significant way. Gehazi served the great prophet Elisha. He saw some full-blown, radical miracles. But he allowed greed and deception to destroy his life (see 2 Kings 5). Demas was a friend of the apostle Paul, who referred to Demas in his letters as a fellow worker and a friend. But Paul said, "Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world" (2 Timothy 4:10).

Of course, the classic example of a man who was exposed to spiritual things is Judas Iscariot. Here was a person who spent a number of years in the presence of none other than Jesus Christ, God in human form. Judas was exposed to absolute perfection. Yet he did not believe. Ultimately Judas sold out the Lord for 30 silver coins.

And there was Lot's wife: exposed to God's power. She saw the angels come to deliver Lot. She witnessed the miracles they performed, and yet she did not believe (see Genesis 19).

There are some people who have made changes in their life. That's good. But they haven't yet made that commitment to Christ.

If that describes you, I commend you for the changes you have made, but don't get so close without going all the way. Lot's wife was close, but she wasn't close enough.

Take that step; make a commitment to follow Christ.

The First Five

I got this from a friend's blog, Keri, and I think it's such a fun idea.  SO, everybody, let's get in on it!




The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you.This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:



1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!

2- What I create will be just for you.

3- It'll be done this year.

4- You have no clue what it's going to be. But I promise that I will take time to think of something that seems right for me to send you! :)

5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.



The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!}

Starting Off the Work-Week Right

From my Pastor's Blog/Devotion.  Hope it blesses you as well!

Make a Choice




Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.



— James 4:4





Lot was the nephew of the only man identified in the Bible as the intimate friend of God, Abraham.



Abraham essentially wanted to walk with God, but Lot did not. Abraham was a man who possessed a deep friendship with God. Lot was interested in a friendship with God, but he was also very interested in a friendship with the world.



The apostle James asked the question, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4).



James is saying that if you are going to follow Jesus Christ, you can't be a friend of this world. And "the world" means this world system that is hostile to the truth of God.



In case you haven't noticed it, this culture we are living in does not promote Christian values. In fact, if anything, this culture promotes the opposite.



It seems at every turn there is hostility toward those of us who believe there is right and wrong, morality and immorality. In a day when anything goes, people don't like those who hold to a set of standards and are unshakeable in them.



So if I want to be a friend to this world, if I want to go out there and do whatever my little heart desires, and engage in any pleasure that interests me, I cannot be the friend of God.



It's like having a foot on the dock and a foot in a rowboat that is beginning to drift away. You are going to have to make a choice. You can't live in two worlds.



You need to walk with God, as Abraham did.

My Birthday

Many people have been teasing me that I am just 4 years away from the "big" 30.  In my opinion, though, I really do not mind growing older.  I love birthdays, others and mine.  I also usually try to do all I can to not miss them and participate in whatever is going on.  I really do like to celebrate.  In a way, it reminds me of how blessed I am to have been alive this year.  I have been alive for 26 years, and since I am not guaranteed tomorrow, or even the next minute,  I am excited that I have made it to 26.

I have listed the following accomplishments of the past 26 years.

• Graduated from Kindergarten
• Committed my life to Christ
  
• Graduated from elementary, intermediate, and high school (there was only a HS ceremony)
• Moved to the U.S.A.
• Started college
  
• Met my future husband 
  
• Recommitted my life to Christ
  
• Jointed Harvest, Children's & Women's ministries
  
• Graduated with my B.A.
• Served on ISP in Malaysia
  
• Got my first "REAL" job with CNUSD (one I actually had a real interview for)
  
• Got engaged 
• Landed my 1st teaching job
  
• Earned my dual credential
• Got married
• Expected Baby #1
• Had Natty
• Graduated with my M.S.
• Got tenured
• Expecting Baby #2
• Completed all my coursework for my Level II credential

So as you might have guessed, the Lord has really blessed me the past 26 years.  Initially, my birthday weekend did not turn out the way I had wanted it to at all.  I guess a part of me was more focused on just "me" than everything else going on.  Friday, my wallet was stolen, and all birthday/weekend plans were put on hold.  Luckily, I found a xerox copy of my D.L.  So no errands got done Saturday in terms of groceries.  Saturday I had dinner with my family, but I was kinda bummed that my sister and brother weren't able to be there.  It is weird how the older we get, the closer AND farther apart we tend to get sometimes.  Sunday (my birthday), it was raining out, and we thought Disneyland would be a no-go.  It rained for the first 30-45 minutes were were there.  While we were at Disneyland, we got some bad news about a friend of the family.  Then today, it'd been raining all day, and it's freezing, so we didn't go out anywhere on our day off.  

As I put things into perspective though, it's not about the gifts or the cards, or even what you end up doing for your birthday.  I have a wonderful husband who spoils me, I have an amazing daughter that adores me, I have another child growing inside of me, I am a child of God (whom He saved), and I have food in the fridge and a roof over our heads.  Things are extremely tight, but we haven't not been provided for.  I am blessed because I have a God who loves me and looks out for me.

So all in all.  My 26th Birthday was just perfect.  =)  I will be posting pictures from Disneyland (from yesterday) later on when I get the camera out of Tim's car.  

Thank you everyone for helping make my birthday memorable and special.

Prayer Request

We received this news earlier today while we were at Disneyland from my cousin (in-law - or however that works - she is awesome and I totally consider her a very close friend and cousin).  Tim and I have been spared the trial of having to go through the lost of a child out of shear mercy from God.  However, my cousin and her sister-in-law's brother's wife is definitely in need of some prayer and uplifting.  It's hard not to question God when things don't go they way WE think they should.  And it's even harder not to argue back when we know and believe what God gives us is what's best for us.  So, it is with a very heavy heart that I am asking for prayer for this family.  Here's what she blogged today...

Hi friends...it is with a very heavy heavy heart that I write to you today to tell you that our twin boys, Owen Timothy and Cooper James, were born today at only 21 weeks. I am not going to go into detail now but will later...I just wanted you all to know that we are very sad and missing them already. They both lived for exactly 19 beautiful minutes. And we enjoyed every minute with them. They are now in Heaven with Jesus and their big sister Emmalee. Friends...I can not tell you how much my heart is hurting right now...but I have to cling to the promise that God gives to us...He will not give us more than we can bear. Jon and I have been asked to walk down this dark road yet again...and we will...this time I think it will be harder...but God is good...we know that...we cling to that...I am going to go now. I will post more later along with pictures of our beautiful boys...two boys...can you believe it! I thought for sure there was a girl in there! Oh how we love them so much and are missing them so. Please pray. And pass this blog on...we believe God is giving us a story to share and we want everyone in on it! Much love with a heavy heart...Ali

Natty's First D-land Trip

A little late, but here are some pictures from Natty's first trip to the "Happiest Place on Earth" for Daddy's birthday!

 

Getting Ready to Leave

 
 

Waiting for Buzz

 
 

Waking up from a nap.

 
 

Playing in Tarzan's Treehouse

 
 

Waiting for Pooh

 
 

Did NOT like Pooh, AT ALL!

 
 

Poor Pooh Bear - Maybe next time...

 

 Better luck with Tigger

 

Pooped Out!

 

 

Thought of the Day

Taken from my Pastor's devotion and blog....thought some of you would be blessed by it.




God thinks about you all the time




Now it would be wonderful enough to know that God ever thought of me as an individual. But it is not something God has merely done in the past. It is something He is doing in the present and will continue to do in the future.



Know this: God is thinking about you right now! He is not thinking about you merely as a member of the human race. He is thinking about you as an individual.



Psalm 40:5 says, "Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be counted to You in order. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."
 
 

Happy Monday!