Happy Anniversary...

Happy 38th Anniversary to my in-laws, known around here as Grandma Jane and Pa David!
We love you!!!

And of course, some love from their 3 grandkids, too...

Okay --- so yes, I have fallen of the blogging band wagon - again. What can I say? My name is Jen and I love facebook. (Hi, Jen.) I still follow all my friends' blogs and some amazing money saving blogs - but I would rather facebook stalk you than blog now - what has this world come to? =D

On the money saving blog line -- check on my new favorite,
www.yourcouponbuddy.com
I won her amazing coupon organizing binder and just got it yesterday.
(It may be my most favorite Valentine's present ever - is that sad?)
But follow the link on over to her site and I promise you will save some big money!!!

Now - what you all came for - pics of the kids -- honestly, we spent most of January sick or sick of being sick! EG would get a round, then Ollie, then me, then Chris would be out of town, then EG would get sick, then Ollie, then Chris would be out of town...lather, rinse, repeat. It was awful, but I'm hoping we're all on the mend now. Even if we all have runny noses today. Bless it.

So, here's Ollie loving on the humidifier - we had to eventually put it away b/c of his infatuation with it!

I think we had someone sleeping on the couch for most of January!

Hooray - we're all well at the same time!!!

We also suffered some earthly losses in January - we were ready to move on to February - I just ask that you keep both of our families in your prayers. I won't go into detail here - but the Holy Spirit will intercede as you pray. I will share that my 24 year old cousin, Michelle, died January 30th in a terrible car accident on Celanese Road in Rock Hill - please pray for her many friends and family left behind. It was very sudden and tragic. They need your prayers right now to live life without her here. We rest in knowing she's in the Father's arms without pain of any kind worshiping Jesus eternally.

Immediately after her death, my dear friend pulled a choir piece out called "Bow the Knee" - and it hit home - I found the lyrics for free online - I've sung this song before at our home church, but this time, it hurt to sing because it was so real as it seems our lives aren't as "easy" as they used to be - I've found being close to God's plan for us hurts some times, but it all falls into His plan to make me more like Him. I'm so glad Jesus wants me to be like Him and loves me enough to push me out my comfort zone to live my life for Him. I never thought I'd find comfort in the uncomfortable and excruciating, but this last year has taught me many lessons to grow me (BP you can STOP preaching directly to me at any time, for real!) and keep growing me - even when I resist and refuse. God's always working. Yay God!

And for now - I'm back, but who knows when I'll fall off the wagon, again!

7 days to go...ho, ho, ho

Thanksgiving seems so long ago...
And we got up our tree...

It's the time for brotherly love...

And time for angels jumping for joy...

And Santa stopped by along the way...

I'm so glad my Savior changed the world by coming as a baby...
Happy Birthday Jesus - please heal us all and bring us your love.

Happy Veterans' Day...

And thank you to all who have voluntarily served our great nation - You know I guess I always recognized that - that our military is an army of volunteers - I am blessed that both of my grandfathers were of that patriotic spirit - This is my mom's dad - he served in Korea; he kept God first and his country next. I admire that. Deeply. Some nations do not allow you to volunteer - that fact hit home when a friend of ours from church who was an exchange student was "made" to return from the States to serve his country's military for specific amount of time. I am blessed - we all are to live in a country where liberty and freedom ring and it's thanks to the founding fathers and a nation full of men and women who understand to their core what it means to be a patriot...to all of you who sacrifice daily for my family - I humbly thank you with all my heart - you keep me and my loved ones safe daily. God honors your service and sacrifice even if at times this country seems not to -- the patriots are still out there and we applaud you.

Saturday was a tea-riffic day...

Yes, I know I'm being punny -- But this Saturday was our church's women's ministry's Christmas Tea. It was lots of fun and with a wonderful message from the guest speaker on how we should give God some "unusual gifts" this Christmas by laying down our "junk" at His feet -- being more like Mary than Martha. Chris played guitar for me and I sang "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," "O Holy Night," and "Jesus, Lover of My Soul." It was cool. Here's some more pics to enjoy...

So, willing and gracious husbands and sons and even paw paws, were our servers -- and this is where they hid during the guest speaker's time and ate all the leftover hot chicken salad, blueberry salad and cheesecake...

Our precious Director of Children's and Women's Ministries at KFBC!!!
It's ironic to me that we see her as such a gift from God and gee, look at what she has in her hands...

And this was for kicks -- so David Scott is the dickens behind the camera and caught me in some bad shots because you all know how goofy I am -- so this is while we were trying to do the sound check on the horrid sound-system-thingy in the fellowship hall -- I think the look on my face says it all. LOL!!! At least I wasn't rolling my eyes -- inside, hill-arious joke for my FBCFM praise team friends.

I'm still laughing...

I was taking a facebook 80's (waste your free time) cartoon quiz and was reminded of how much I loved Jem and She-Ra. I mean I seriously loved those shows - I dreamed for some reason of being a cartoon! I found this openings for them on youtube...you'll laugh...but so explains a bunch! HAHAHA!

Jem's You Tube

She-Ra's You Tube

Yes, please laugh...

Romans 13

Romans 13 (New International Version)

Submission to the Authorities
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Love, for the Day is Near
8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

I think perhaps today - the first half of this chapter is hard to swallow for many Americans -- but the second half of the chapter brings hope and great wisdom - our focus, our lives should be wrapped around the life of Christ. I think for too long we have all in some small or large ways strayed from God's will for our own lives and that of our country. Today I am grateful for God's Word that lives and breathes and moves each new day. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Allow God's Word - in every circumstance, not just today's - to teach you, rebuke you, correct you and train you in righteousness so that you are thoroughly equipped for every good work...God is on His throne - it doesn't matter in view of eternity who is in the White House...even if on this earth we will know trials and sufferings...God promises to be with us - how's your heart for Jesus today?

An Election Prayer...

I was reading John Piper's Desiring God blog today and his election prayer just hit me - most of his words do because he's a man of God. I always listen to his speech and when I don't see things his way it provokes me into digging deeper in my Bible and my walk with God. Our pastor has been preaching on that lately -- being "provoked" - we should "stir up" each other to be more like Christ to be Love -- I love that! So here's a link to Piper's Election Prayer - I hope it "provokes" you as it did me.