Happy Tuesday

We love Tuesdays because it's TACO Tuesday!!! Yay! Well, I do anyways. I'm definitely feeling better. Throat still sore, but it's better. I have my doctor's appointment tomorrow, so that's exciting. I can't wait to hear Nathan's heartbeat. That is the most beautiful sound, besides the first time I heard Natty's voice (and Nathan's coming up), I believe exists. It is just a very REAL reminder that God has created something amazing and beautiful inside of me. At my appointment, I am also hoping to find out that my glucose tolerance test came back ok. I do not want gestational diabetes. That will not be fun. =( I know Tim would not enjoy either giving me insulin shots or watching me do it myself. =P We'll see. I passed with Natty even though they were initially high, so I am expecting the same results.

In other news, it's April 28, and we've found a place to live! Yah! It's not a house, unfortunately. But it'll do until we find one. Side note - We are still waiting on the short sale, which can take FOREVER to find out. We shall see how things pan out. Well, we will be moving across the street to a place called The Hills. It's quite pretty. I'm not looking forward to the move in about 1 1/2 weeks, but it will be better on our family to save (rent's lower and apartment is larger) the difference of our rent for when Nathan comes and when another offer is ever accepted on a house.

I have to say, this is much needed good news. Things have been crazy at work, and the housing situation was not helping my nerves. =) Tim has been great support though, and I am so thankful to have a husband who will drop everything and pray for me (when it looks like I've lost my marbles). I am very blessed.

Downside is...we'll be moving on Mother's Day. Oh well, when we moved to the Marquessa (where we will be moving out of), I was pregnant with Natty and moving on Mother's Day that year. It's a weird coincedence I guess. =)

Well, hope you guys are having a great evening. Don't forget to check out El Pollo Loco if you have one local. They are giving out free chicken, salsa, and tortillas until 8 PM.

Not Feeling Good At All...

Ugh, I finally caught it - Natty's cough. I was hopefully since she got sick Wed. and I hadn't felt yukcy on Saturday. However, when I woke up yesterday (Sunday), I thought "Oh on..." My throat was so sore. I was hoping I just slept with my mouth open or something. There was no way I would miss her baby dedication (which went super well). But I am at work, barely awake, barely standing up, and barely speaking. Oh, how fun. I really cannot take anything except Tylenol. Oh well, it'll give me an excuse to swing by Starbucks late I suppose for a nice, HOT-HOT, green tea latte. I am so tired. I haven't had my first period yet, and I'm already counting down the hours until I can go home. Lord- Please give me strength for today.

Encouraged

Well, today didn't start out the be the most relaxing or calm. I had to be at Riverside Medical Clinic and 7 a.m. this mornig for my glucose tolerance test, and straight to work. Of course, I remember my Starbucks giftcard and absolutely had to swing through to get an iced green tea latte and breakfast sandwish afterwards. As tiring as I am, today was a good day. Afterall, it's Flautas Friday! If you work with me, you know we do Taco Tuesdays and Flautas Fridays. =) Can't be a yummy Mexican lunch for under $4! Anyways, I usually read my devotion when I get to work. It's quite and the birds are chirping. I didn't get to until this afternoon. I actually thought I'd be on Natty-duty as soon as I got home, but she is resting. She is starting to feel better. The plot thickens though. Tim and I discovered...Yup! Another tooth! This has been a strange pattern the past couple times she has happened to be sick. Anyway, it's also quite here (no birds chirping), so I opened up my devotion and was encouraged by this verse Pastor Greg shared...

"There is nothing too hard for You."

— Jeremiah 32:17

This verse is especially encouraging to me because it reminds me no matter what happens with our jobs, house-hunting, health, etc., there is absolutely nothing man could ever do to undermine God's incredible, awesome, and infinite power. Pastor Greg asked, 'Why do we say that all we can do NOW is pray, when that should be the first thing we do?' I definitely agree. I am hoping to better train myself to commit things to prayer first, than looking at prayer as a last resort.

Happy Friday everyone! Hope to see some of you at Natty's dedication on Sunday! I'm so excited.

God is With Us

Well, it sure does feel that we went out of one storm into another. What a week! If you guys follow me on FB, you guys know our Natty girl is sick. She's been running a fever of 102 and has a sore throat. Poor girl. She is so uncomfortable. Tim and I pretty much got virtually no sleep last night between Natty sleeping with me for a while, and Tim rocking her very early this morning. Please pray she gets feeling better soon. I had wanted to call in for a sub, but I did have 3 I.E.P.'s scheduled today. I got to work and 2 of them have cancelled. Grr. I have the one at 1 P.M. left, so I really couldn't even take a half day. Oh well, it is almost Friday. I am hoping to get plenty of rest tonight because I have to be at Riverside Medical Clinic at 7 to see the blood suckers again. =P

Hang in there everybody! It's almost Friday!


Thursday, April 23, 2009

The All-knowing and Ever-present God
You... are acquainted with all my ways.
— Psalm 139:3

What is God like? Where is He? Does He know everything?
Two key attributes of God are found in Psalm 139. We read these words from King David:
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways . . .Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:1–3, 7–10)
From this psalm and other passages in Scripture, we learn that God is omnipresent (He is everywhere) and that God is omniscient (He is all-knowing).

Now that can be comforting or frightening, depending on your relationship with God. If your relationship with Him is close, it's very comforting to know that no matter what you face in life, God will be there for you.

Whatever happens in your life, you can remember that it comes through the screen of His love with your best interests in mind. Remember that as you go through the difficulties of life.
You can have confidence in the knowledge that you are never alone. The all-knowing and ever-present God is with you.

Greg Laurie

Coming Out of the Storm

Well, that's the way these past weeks have been.  Things are starting to calm down after having a hard and hectic couple weeks.  Buying a house right now seems nearly impossible, although, we haven't given up hope for we know "all things are possible with God."  It just might seem to be that it's just not quite our time.  So in the next couple weeks, we'll be looking at a couple apartments/condos to possibly rent.  Pray that something opens up in ample time.  Even though things are not really working out the way we had envisioned them, we know it is God's will and He knows what's best for us.

I'm going to continue to be super busy this week.  I have an IEP today and 3 tomorrow.  Eek!  Also....I have to go in for the oral glucose tolerance test.  Ugh!  I have to have it done by Friday, so that means getting to Riveside Medical Clinic by 7, having someone watch my first period class, going through the drive-thru right after the test is over (fasting and it lasts for 3 HOURS - so I'll be starving), and scarfing down my brunch while I drive back to work.  Oh well, it'll be a hectice end to me week, but it'll all work out.

I'm definitely looking forward to the weekend.  It's going to be a very special one for us.  Well, I'll catch you guys later. 

Happy Wednesday!

I Believe God

Boy does this ever ring true now. When I do something right, it's looked at as being wrong. Things I think are wrong, people say are right. What is going on with the world? Just as Levi Lusko said yesterday morning, "Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus..."

Well, it's Monday - again! I have a very packed week with about 8 I.E.P.'s scheduled (for those special education staff, you guys know what that's like). =D Other than that, we are continuing to pray that we hear something about the offers we had placed. We are also praying about where to live in the mean time. We have exactly 22 days left until we MUST be out. We've slowly been packing things we are not using immediately and trying to sort through stuff we do not want to move again. Also, Tim's taking on extra hours to save up for when Nathan comes. We are so thankful for what the Lord has provided, and we continually ask for prayer that we trust Him with what He continues to provide for us.

Sunday will our big day as parents, and Natty's big day as our daughter. In front of thousands of people, Tim and I will be dedicating Natty back to the Lord, trusting Him to protect her and trusting Him to show us how to be godly parents. I hope I don't trip or fall. =P Tim says to not wear heels. I'd probably fall anyway - without heels. =D We'll see. I'm very excited, and will post pictures later on. I'm very excited as God continues to do amazing things in our lives.

Well, hoping and praying your week is off to a good start. =D



Monday, April 20, 2009




I Believe God



Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God.



— Acts 27: 25





One night on a storm-tossed ship in the Mediterranean, the apostle Paul headed toward Rome. He had been persecuted and imprisoned, and he was going to appear before Caesar for judgment.



On the way, a horrendous storm came up. It was so bad that the sailors on the ship thought they were going to die. They hadn't seen the sun or stars for days; they didn't know where they were.



But Paul was able to stand up on the deck of that tempest-tossed ship and say to that fearful crew,





"I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me." (Acts 27:22–26)



It's a wonderful thing when we as Christians can say those words, "I believe God."



It's especially good to be able to say that in this crazy world that seems to get darker and stormier and even more wicked. In fact, we are living in a time when wrong seems to be right and right seems to be wrong. Everything is turned around.



But God is eternal, He never changes. He said to the prophet Malachi, " 'I am the Lord, I do not change' " (Malachi 3:6). We can trust Him. Like the apostle Paul, we can say, "I believe God."

Greg Laurie

Glorifying God in My Work

I'm currently sitting in a classroom, on a Saturday monring, with about 20-something teenage boys. My job sure can be challenging sometimes, however, this morning's devotion from Pastor Greg really encouraged me. It got me thinking. Am I really working for the Lord? Am I working as if the Lord was in my classroom? Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Happy Saturday!

One of my favorite movies of all time is Chariots of Fire. It's the wonderful story of a heroic, committed Christian from Scotland named Eric Liddell, who competed in the 1924 Olympics. Refusing to compromise his principles, Liddell would not run on Sunday, forfeiting his event of choice, the 100-meter race.
During one scene, Eric's sister, a dedicated believer, was upset that her brother was running competitively. She thought he was wasting a lot of time and should get into the ministry immediately. She reminded Eric that God made him for Himself.
But Eric replied, "Aye, Jenny, I know. But He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure."
What a great statement. Just because he wasn't in the ministry didn't mean that he couldn't glorify God.
As the story unfolds, he does glorify God at the Olympics because of the stand he made. He won a gold medal and a bronze medal in the 400- and 200-meter events, respectively. He then entered the ministry the following year, becoming a missionary to China.
Sometimes, we think the most dedicated Christians are pastors or missionaries. And they are dedicated. But like Eric Liddell, you can serve God and glorify Him wherever He has called you.
You can glorify Him as a construction worker. You can glorify Him working in the medical field. You can glorify Him as a professional athlete. You can glorify Him as a graphic designer.
Whatever field it may be, you can bring glory to Him.
Everyone has certain abilities that have been given to them by God. Let's say that you were having some problems with your car. Who would you want to talk to—Greg, a pastor by the will of God? No, what you really need is George, an honest Christian mechanic by the will of God, because you have no idea what is going on underneath that hood.

George takes a look, shakes a couple of hoses, pulls out his tools, and starts working away, the next thing you know, your mechanical problem is solved. You find yourself thanking God for George, because he did what he could do.
But can George really glorify God as a mechanic? For starters, George can dedicate his ability to the Lord. He can help people, maybe even someone who is unable to repair his or her car. George can do his work as unto the Lord.
There are a lot of ways in which we can glorify God with the various abilities that He gives us. In fact, I think that if you are a hardworking, honest person who has integrity, then you are a rarity in today's culture. People will stand up and take notice.
I believe that if you do work hard, and if you are diligent, then you will get promoted. You will receive greater opportunities. People will want to know what motivates you and where you find your joy, even on Monday mornings.
What a great thing to be able to say, "I do it for the glory of God," to say, "I repair this car like Jesus is going to drive it," or "I make this meal like the Lord is going to eat it," or "I framed this house as though Christ is going to live inside of it."
You can take your work or vocation and do it for His glory. Whatever you do, you can do it for the glory of God. Your work can be an act of worship.
We are encouraged in 1 Corinthians, "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (10:31 NKJV), and "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (6:19 NKJV).
When we seek to fulfill the purpose for which God has created us—to glorify Him, to honor Him, and to bring Him pleasure—then we will find happiness. It doesn't come from seeking it, but from seeking Him. Our life is found in proper balance.
As the Scripture says, "Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!" (Psalm 144:15 NKJV). We must never lose sight of the simple truth that we were created primarily to glorify God—not simply to pursue our own aims, goals, and desires. Rather, we were created to glorify God.

"Do You Love Me?"

Friday, April 17, 2009




Do You Love Me?



And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You."



— John 21:17





Simon Peter did love the Lord, even though he had denied Him. But no longer would he boast of his love for Jesus.



That is always a wise thing to do. Never boast of your love for God. Instead, boast of His love for you.



Don't tell me how much you love Him, how much you have done for Him, how wonderful of a servant you are. No—tell me how much He has done for you, how much He loves you, all that He has worked out in your life.



How can we tell if a person loves the Lord?



A person who loves the Lord will long for personal communion with God. The psalmist said, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God" (Psalm 42:1).



A person who loves the Lord will love the things He loves and hate the things He hates. The apostle Paul wrote, "Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good" (Romans 12:9).



A person who loves the Lord will long for the return of Jesus. The apostle John prayed, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).



A person who loves the Lord will keep His commandments. Jesus Himself said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15).



If you really love God, it will be shown in your life. "'Do you love me?' Jesus said to Peter. And he said to Him, 'Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You' "

(John 21:17).



And Jesus is still asking that question of all of us. "Do you love me?" I wonder what our answer would be.
 
Greg Laurie

I'm on the "wrong" side of the boat - or am I?

Thursday, April 16, 2009




The other side of the boat



He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some."



— John 21:6





The disciples were disappointed and discouraged after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. They were in Galilee, and they had gone out for a night's fishing. They had not caught any fish all night, another disappointment for them.



But then, as John describes, Jesus turned everything around for them:





But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?" They answered Him, "No." And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. (John 21:4–6)

Already frustrated by their inability to catch anything, some of the disciples were undoubtedly upset when they heard someone say, " 'Cast the net on the right side of the boat.' " They were seasoned fishermen, after all. They did this for a living.



But when they pulled up the nets from the other side of the boat, they had so many fish they couldn't even bring them all in.



Now why did Jesus ask them if they had any food? He wanted them to admit their failure, to acknowledge that they needed His help.



We live in a time when nobody wants to admit wrongdoing. We want to blame it on something or someone else, on our circumstances, on a condition or syndrome. Nobody wants to say, "Yes, I am responsible."



But Jesus wanted His disciples to confess their failure, and then He wanted them to obey Him. Well, of course, then they pulled up full nets.



And we should obey Him, too, even if it seems like the wrong side of the boat.
 
Greg Laurie
 
 
Personally, I'd rather be on the wrong side of the boat with God than anywhere else without Him!

With Great Expectations

We still believe God is moving, and something great is going to happen amidst all this crazy house stuff. I decided to do a little Biblical word study on the word "expectation." I found that having expectation is to wait with confidence and patience. Those two words - confidence and patience - really got me. Have I been confident that God has a place for us, a house for us? In all honestly, I would have to say no. I don't have 100% confidence. Last week I all but gave up hope. Have I been patient about waiting? Another sadly, no. I have been bugging Tim everyday or even a couple times a day as to whether or not he'd heard anything from our realtor about the 2nd offer we placed.

Psalm 46:10 tells us to " 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

What does it mean to me to be "still?" The Hebrew term means to relax, to sink down, to drop, to abandon, to refrain, to let alone, to be quiet..." Gee....that's a real eye-opener. Have I let my situations go and let God work? No. I always want to try to "help things along."

For the remainder of this house search roller coaster, I've decided in my heart to do the following:

• Be content with where God leads us. Whether that be to another apartment then to a house, I will be thankful that we have a place to live.
• I will be confidence that God will provide for us.
• I will be patient, and know that God is in control and is working.
• I will be still and surrender my worries and concerns to Him, and trust that He is working them out (just as I am typing this out right now).

In other news, I am freezing my nose and fingers off today at work. In the middle of April, it is FREEZING cold here. I had morning duty out at the flag pole and I could not feel my fingers or nose when I got in. The weather sure has been doing some crazy things.

I'm 28 weeks along now. I have less than 90 days to go. I am so excited, but anxious as well. I can't wait to meet Nathan. He is continuing to become more active each day. He is such a strong little guy. Natty still enjoys laying on my belly - and as uncomfortable as it is I let her. It's been her way of bonding with Nathan. She will just lay her head on my belly and coo and say some jibber-jabber, followed with "bbbaaabbyy, oh bbbaaabby...." and rubs my tummy. I know she doesn't understand that there will be an actually baby on the outside in a few short months, but she loves him regardless and that makes me very proud to be her mommy.

Tonight we get to go on a tour of the maternity ward at Riverside Community Hospital, where I will be delivering Nathan. They are actually putting on a "Daddy and Me (Mommy) Time Tea." I'm pretty excited. My overall expereince since switching medical groups to Riverside Medical Clinic has been very positive. I get to see my actual Ob-Gyn, who will also deliver, everytime I go in. Driving into Riverside is tiring, but the care and service I've gotten is definitely worth it.

Well, hope everyone is off to a good Wednesday. I cannot believe another week is also over.

Family Updates

Gosh, another week down and starting off on another one. It's been a rough couple days for us, however, we are still thankful for everything we do have. Thank you for praying for us and encouraging us to stay strong in the Lord.

#1 We had to back out of our offer we had placed last month. The rough thing is we already gave notice to vacate our apartment, which has also been pre-leased. God has been gracious enough to show us another home that may be a good possibility. We are waiting to hear if our offer has been accepted. I am not the person who likes to have things "up in the air," so this has really been a test of faith for me. If ever we have had to trust the Lord and step out to walk on water like Peter, it's now. We have to be out of our apartment by May 12th. There are so options for us right now that would still allow us to save some money before Nathan comes. We're praying the Lord provides the perfect house for us, and if this house isn't it, than a cheaper place to rent in the mean time if we have to continue our house-search after Nathan comes.

#2 One of my students got arrested for assulting his parents. This is the aspect of my job that daily breaks my heart and I take so personally. There are so many kids out there that need some serious help, that need someone to love on them and let them know that there are people out there that care about them. This student was adopted at birth and had suffered from F.A.S. as a baby. He was adopted after just being a few hours old. He has been having a lot of depression problems and is already on medication. His family could really use your prayers too.

#3 Not really anything that is going "wrong," but coming back on track has been so hard for me this time around. I think it is because when I was pregnant with Natty, I did not have to work through as much of my pregnancy. I have been so tired and just physically drained at the end of each day. I'm about 28 weeks along right now. I'm going in for my diabetes pre-screening on Wednesday afternoon. Pray that I pass the first time around. I had to do the follow-up screening with Natty. A lot of things have really been stressing me out - which is not good for Nathan. So please pray that I could stay calm and not worry about things.

Our family did have a very nice weekend, amidst all the trials we seem to be facing right now. Natty had a blast hunting for Easter eggs and coloring eggs at home. Tim and I got to listen to a wonderful service on Sunday. Then we got to spend quality time with both our families and some friends. I'll try to see if I can post some pictures later on. She was so cute!

Well, guys, we're almost done with Monday. Hope your week is off to a good start. =)

There is Nothing New Under the Sun

Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Wrong Ideas


Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
— 1 Timothy 4:16


In America today, we have something that could be described as a new spirituality. It's a revival of sorts—not in the biblical sense of people turning to God, but a revival of all kinds of ancient and weird spiritual concepts and beliefs.

People are spiritually hungry. They are searching for truth. And the problem is, some of this strange theology is finding its way into the church.

We must be very careful to keep our guard up. Don't forget that when the devil misled Eve in the Garden of Eden, he did it with partial truth. He did not question God's Word altogether. Rather, he questioned if Eve properly understood it.

We must be careful of the deviant teachings that are out there today. So often when a new teaching comes along, we will get excited: a new revelation!

I hope this won't disappoint you, but there aren't any new revelations. Everything you need to know about God is already written in His Book. As it has been said, if it's true, it isn't new. And if it's new, it isn't true.

So don't go looking for new revelations. Spend your time instead in learning God's Word, and He will bring fresh understanding of it.

Years ago, the great thinker C. S. Lewis warned us, "If you do not listen to theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones." I think this is especially important today.

We need to know what Jesus said. We need to know what the truth is. We need to pay attention to doctrine.

Greg Laurie