Trying to remain faithful...to my blog

So in efforts to remain faithful to my blog I'm trying to post more. Whether great or not so great I'm going to post more often.

Reading list:
Do Hard Things: a teenage rebellion against low expectations - by Alex and Bret Harris

Dreaming Big: Energizing yourself and your team with a crystal clear life dream - by Bobb Biehl and Paul Swets

360 degree leader - by John Maxwell

The Giver - by Lois Lowry

So far I'm really into Do Hard Things...it is a great book for all people ministering to youth and is a even better for your youth to read!

To do list

1. Accomplish all important work task before I leave for the women's conference in Atlanta (1 week from today)

2. Go to Barnes and Noble to pick up all the books I ordered and plan on reading while on vacation

3. Pull luggage out of the attic

4. Begin thinking "what do I want to bring with me to the Bahamas?"

5. Prepare to relax and receive from the Lord while at the women's conference. PTL

6. Resist the desire to purchase anything else for vacation until I go to Atlanta where I will shop till I drop *note-to-self bring an empty luggage bag for all the shopping goods.

7. Tell Johnathon how awesome he is because he is the greatest husband ever and I love him very much.

8. Stop making this to do list and go work-out at the gym!!!

Life...

May ended June is already 12 days gone...how does that happen soo fast!?

If you would like to take a look at Marcie's wedding pictures go to David Molnar Weddings The pictures are amazing! Thank you David and Tammy Molnar for being so great!

The weekend after the wedding we had Johnathon's grandparents (Damiens side) surprise 50th anniversary! It was so sweet. They had no clue. Here are the 2 good pics we have...our battery died in the camera. (Hint, hint...Gary or Angie email me some pictures).

Then the next big event was the "Desperation Youth Retreat" we have been planing for months! June 6 -7 it was awesome. The Lord was so faithful throughout the entire retreat and changed the lives of so many youth! Do we have any pictures...nope still a dead battery!

So this is the month of transition in the youth group and church. Nate and Amy (the current youth pastors) are moving to Alabama. Johnathon, myself and Aaron $ are transitioning into the youth leader position. We are sad and excited. Sad that Nate and Amy will be gone...excited because the Lord is stirring and churning a deep desire in our hearts for the Youth of our Church so we know it is the ministry that the Lord is calling us to right now. Although it is an interim position we are ready to be used of the Lord for how ever long this season last!

At the end of this month I will be attending a Women's Conference in Atlanta called "Deeper Still" and I'm really excited!

Then...July 1...will take us to....drum roll please....

What looks like this?Has one of these?

And I get to do this...

...and this...

...all day, every day!

!!!!THE BAHAMAS!!!!

Johnathon, Myself and his parents are going to the Bahamas...ahhh I can't wait! I plan on charging my camera battery for that!

They did it!!

Marcie and Dad



The newlyweds!

Ok so these pictures were ripped off of one of the Baker girl's facebook...thank you. ;-)

Marcie's wedding was very fun and the whole day, although busy was surprisingly peaceful and calm. Marcie was the coolest, calmest bride I have ever seen. On top of the fact she was drop dead gorgeous.

I have lots of fun things to post for the month of May and will soon.

April: come and gone

Already a month has come and gone and it seems like I just got the hang of dating everything April.

It's been a good month. Starting with yard work to get our flower beds looking nice. Unfortunately I have not taken a finished product picture. And yes I am wearing pearls while working in the yard...that's how I roll.

April has also brought with it the desire to work out and get in shape for the summer. I bought a workout book called something like "sexy bikini body in 6 weeks" it has a disclaimer in the beginning that states "the following workouts are designed for women who are already in moderately good condition physically and workout regularly". I Quickly learned that "in moderately good condition" does not define me. I'm thinking "sexy bikini body in 16 weeks" September here I come!

The first weekend in April all of us girls went out to Texas for Marcie's bridal shower that Zach's family had for her.

We had a great time. Zach's family really knows how to make you feel welcome and like part of the family. Zach was nice enough to let us take over his house and he kicked himself out to go stay with his parents while we were in. I would like to say that we left his house better than when we got there but that would just be a lie. After one trip to the emergency room (Audri had a terrible allergic reaction to something), baby poop in the carpet and me literally frying the electrical in his bathroom with my hair dryer then rearranging his living room into a temporary hair and make up counter- it's safe to say he will probably think twice before inviting all of us to stay again.

What a trooper...thanks Zach...btw did you ever get the bathroom electrical fixed?? If you had to hire an electrician you should send me the bill!

And finally no blog is complete without a picture of precious Darcy!!

5 years

On March 22 Johnathon and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary. I can honestly say the last 5 years have been wonderful.

Over dinner, at one of our favorite restaurant's, we asked each other which one of the 5 years was our favorite. We both had the same answer - this past year.

I don't know what it is, but somehow, someway we just "clicked". I think we have arrived at a place where we truly and honestly value the other person more than ourselves including the times when we want to prove our own point and disprove the other's.
Now what about the other 4 years...well, they were amazing also. I believe that throughout our entire marriage we have desired and strive to put the other first, and 90% of the time I think we succeeded. This past year it seems like we weren't even trying as if we just put the other first through an overflow of love, devotion, trust and certainly the grace of God.

In my understanding the more I have focused on the Lord as an individual, the more natural of a response it has become to put Johnathon first...and that same concept is very evident in his life towards me.

So on top of going out to dinner and a concert to celebrate we also scored big by getting a tee time at The Fallen Oak golf course. (Thank you Gary P.)

A little deeper

What words, phrases, or images are surrounding you on a daily basis?

I've been thinking a lot about what I surround myself with or what I "consume" in my mind and heart. I am challenging myself to really focus on what goes in the "temple". I was already thinking about this concept and had the last straw last weekend when I voluntarily watch a movie in its entirety that I should have never even rented. Johnathon and I both felt the same way. We looked at each other and pulled one of these: "why didn't we just turn it off?"
We both knew it was crude within the first 10 minutes and I had to fast forward through about 1/3 of the movie...so again "why didn't we just turn it off?"

A kick in the butt is sometimes just what I need to pursue more godliness ;-)

So what words, phrases or images are surrounding me NOW?

Scriptures I read through out the day that I have taped on my computer:

"Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you." - Matthew 7:7

"Glory in His Holy Name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad."
- Psalm 105:3

A quote I read today that is pressing on my mind:

"You will never leave where you are, until you decide where you'd rather be."
- Lewis Dunnington

Of course I must throw in my fortune cookie fortunes I have taped to my computer that I see everyday:

"Desire, like the atom, is explosive with creative force."
(what am I desiring today? is it righteous? is it selfish?)

"You are the master of every situation."
(this is by far the biggest joke. i think it is very funny that people actually believe we could be master of anything)