July Happenings

I know it has been a while since my last post...

things have been busy!!!

To go back to the beginning of the month,

Darrin and I went out to California to visit

my brother and his wife. We had not been on

a trip ALONE (without children) for nearly 12 years.

We thought it was time!


And it was!!!

I love my children!!!

But time with just my husband is important!

And we don't do it often enough, for sure!!!!

We had a great time with Kory and Shelley!

I LOVE California and want to move there!

The weather alone is reason enough for me!!!!

Seriously!

We went to the beach, did San Francisco, ate out

a bunch! I slept in late! Read!!! And just simply

RELAXED!!!!

It was refreshing, rejuvenating and needed.

It was a blessing!

Here are a few shots from our trip!

Shelley and me in Santa Cruz

The farmer's market in Campbell

Sea Lions in Santa Cruz

A stop on the 17 Mile Dr, headed to Carmel

Headed to the beach in Santa Cruz to boogie board!

Obviously, San Francisco!

It was good for us! It was so good to be with Kory and Shelley! I miss family! Kory and Darrin are more like brothers than brother-in-laws! And I have to tell you that Shelley feels more like a sister to me than a sister-in-law. I so wished we lived closer, but maybe one day!!!

We're going back at Christmas, but we ARE taking the boys with us! They will love California just as much as we did!

What a wonderful trip!!!

Guard Your Heart!

Received an email from a family friend who spent time with their teenagers in family worship recently over this...

I thought it was good!

We started by opening up an online article about the Governor of South Carolina, and reading a few excerpts from the Governors illicit love letters. The Governor says: ...In all my life I have lived by a code of honor and at a variety of levels know I have crossed lines I would have never imagined. I wish I could wish it away, but this soul-mate feel I alluded too is real... We talked about what it means to have a code of honor, to cross lines, and to have a soul-mate. We talked about the Governor's wife and his children and what they must be feeling now.

We read an online comment from a reader:
Ceaser wrote on 06/26/2009 07:26:20 PM: Anyone who is dating or new in a relationship, or in this case having an affair, knows that person is new and exciting. It's easy to spew all this mush and gush when you are trying to pursue someone and wanting to impress them. You always want what you can't have, but believe me, if they were to be together, it would get old just like anything else. In these letters, they are in a bubble. They don't have to share a mortgage, raise kids and deal with day to day issues. The person represents freedom, excitement and no ties or boundaries. It's a fake and pretentious fantasy world that they convince themselves is real and will last forever and be perfect. He only thinks his wife isn't what he needs because they aren't in that "honeymoon phase" any longer. Well, in any established relationship, who is? Romance is necessary, but I'd rather be in a "real" relationship than a pretentious one.

We watched the video of the Governor's humiliating news conference. We listened to Steve Green sing Guard Your Heart, while the lyrics flashed on the screen. The teenagers asked a lot of questions.



Guard Your Heart by Steve Green
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see

What appears to be harmless glance?
Can turn to romance
And homes are divided
Feelings that should never have been
Awakened within
Tearing the heart in two
Listen, I beg of you

Guard your Heart
Guard your Heart
Don’t trade it for treasure
Don’t give it away

Guard your Heart
Guard your Heart
As a payment for pleasure
It’s high price to pay

For a soul that remains sincere with conscience clear
Guard your Heart

The human heart is easily swayed
And often betrayed at the hand of emotion
You dare not leave the outcome to chance
You must choose in advance
Or live with the agony
Such needless tragedy

Guard your Heart
Guard your Heart
Don’t trade it for treasure
Don’t give it away

Guard your Heart
Guard your Heart
As a payment for pleasure
It’s high price to pay

Guard your Heart
Guard your Heart
Don’t trade it for treasure
Don’t give it away

Guard your Heart
Guard your Heart
As a payment for pleasure
It’s high price to pay

For a soul that remains sincere with conscience clear
Guard your Heart

For a soul that remains sincere with conscience clear
Guard your Heart

God's Word - Alive and Active!!!

Today, while I was doing my Bible study, an assignment was given to spend tome slowly reading a particular Psalm. I love the book of Psalms and always can find God there to speak to me no matter what is going on in my now.

The Psalm I read was so perfect (because that's just how God rolls!)

I wanted to share this with the few who actually read this!

My prayer is that you would hear God speaking to you, no matter where you are in your now!!

If you're....

• going through a difficult time Psalm 116
• going through a season of joy & thanksgiving Psalm 145
• needing confession & restoration Psalm 51
• struggling with identity & self-worth Psalm 139
• in a time of crisis Psalm 143
• needing wisdom & instruction Psalm 119
• longing for intimacy with God Psalm 42
• wanting wisdom & encouragement Psalm 37
• wanting to be reminded of God's greatness & power Psalm 18

As you are reading, let God talk to you!

What does He say?

Pray these words to Him, but also let Him speak to you through the words!!

I hope this blesses you as it did me!