Advent of the Heart = A Precious Gift for Jesus

One wonderful thing for me that has come about from not having kids in our home for a season...is experiencing my own Advent.  I have had so many overwhelmingly precious experiences this year with strangers and I'm finding more Joy than ever.  I will never know the full story of these strangers I am crossing paths with, but I am being blessed with every encounter and so thankful to provide these gifts to Jesus for his birthday this year!  I have come across some sweet poems I want to share, Merry Christmas!

My Gift by Lucille Crumley
What do I want for Christmas?
Lord, set one bright star apart
And let me lift to it this night
An awed and childlike heart.

The Birds by Isla Paschal Richardson
They say there is a lesson
In everything we see;
Two new ones I have learned today,
The birds have shown to me.

One lesson is of trustfulness...
I watch them come and go
And they never seem to worry,
Though the ground is white with snow.

The other one is happiness...
They sing the whole day long;
It makes you feel like singing
Just to hear their happy song.

Let the Little Children Come

I have been so blessed this week!  My nephew has taught me unselfishness this week and is so EAGER to listen to Christian Music when we're getting in the car, pray at night, give money whenever he can to good causes!  He gave his heart to the Lord on our drive down and then I've been able to spend a whole week with him, precious time.  I've been seeing first hand a child-like faith all week and this little guy has been learning how to live life as a BRIDE!  I've definitely learned a thing or two:)  Matthew 19:14

What a beautiful birthday!

I had the best birthday this year, it was such a sweet precious time with great girlfriends...and their husbands!  I am so thankful that I have such sweet precious friends, but I'm even more thankful that all of them are in beautiful marriages and talk kindly of their husbands.  I am very encouraged to have friends that appreciate their husbands, what a blessing to be surrounded by such women on a day celebrating my life.  I turned 30 this year and felt like it was a year to celebrate.  My husband does a great job every year to not only make me feel special on my birthday, but he gives me a birthday week.  This year we joked about me throwing myself a surprise birthday party because I love to plan parties, but then I thought why not?  I do love to plan and who better to make my birthday exactly the way I want it, but ME!  Well, it was beautiful:)  My husband came home in plenty of time to make sure I didn't need any last minute help, several of my girlfriends were able to attend, we had a beautiful picnic down by the beach in gorgeous weather and no wind, the guys stayed down to play on the beach with the children while the girls went back up to our house to make soy-candles and then we wrapped it up with the guys and kids returning.  It was so beautiful to see the families that surround us as well as friends who have passed that stage in life and were there as beautiful "brides" setting an example with peace, patience and kindness all during the party when the silly girls were laughing immaturely!  I will never forget this day and how each of you showed me the "brides" I want to be...to my husband, to my future children, as a mother-in-law, as a mentor and as a life-long friend.  Thank you Dorothy, Sol, Tanya, Mary, Diane, Alyssa and Carolyn!  Galations 5:13

Use my situation God!

Lord, I pray for you to continue using me beyond my comfort level to share about YOU!  I am going through something SO awesome right now and God has given me multiple opportunities to praise Him in front of my family during the process.  The tough part is that these family members are unbelievers so there is never an easy time to share what God is doing, but it is SO obvious right now and I believe it is making an impact!  I can't wait to share more, but will hold off for now:)

Please keep my husband and I in your prayers as we begin an unforgettable journey in life!  Draw us close to you God and all those who end up as part of this process.  We love you, praise you and thank you, in Jesus' name-AMEN.  Matthew 19:14

Just a Snippit about LOVE:)

My husband and I are going through the application process to become Foster or Adoptive Parents, whatever our future holds.  I know my heart wants to be an adoptive parent and I know when God's time is right, I will be.  But a thought came to mind today and that is that I am not eager to be a Mommy just because of the whole Baby thing...believe me, YES, I do know how precious that is, but I am eager to have children in my home because:
I just want to love and be loved and love those who need it...every day there is someone we walk by and that someone just might be that one person who needed a smile or a hello so just give it away. It's worth the chance of a slight bit of uncomfortableness to let them see that glimpse of Jesus that they may not have otherwise ever received in their entire lifetime!

If Fostering is what is going to give these children the only love, peace, joyful surroundings that they would know during this time of transition for them, then Lord USE US!  Psalms 51

Little Hearts Have Room for Jesus too!

I got some great one on one time with many family members this last weekend, it was so precious!  But one of these moments is unforgettable:)  My niece asked if she could ride home with me from the Pumpkin Patch, only about a 20 minute ride if that.  We were just talking away, like girls have the gift of doing, when God came up in conversation.  I really don't remember how it happened, but it doesn't matter as far as I'm concerned, it happened!!!!!!!!!  She is 6 years old and seemed to be holding very good conversation, so I began asking her questions about.....OH WAIT, I REMEMBER HOW IT CAME UP:)  I was talking to her about my new house and how we have gotten to see dolphins, seals and whales and she said she's afraid of the ocean and all those animals.  We talked more about whales and I asked her if she had heard the "Jonah and the Whale" story (Jonah 1:17), NO, Do you go to Sunday School, NO, Do you know what a Bible is, YES my brother gave me a Bible and I went to Vacation Bible School.  OKAY, so now I knew we were getting somewhere...we kept talking and I finally asked her if she wanted to have Jesus in her heart and she said YES!  She prayed with me and she was so happy, so I told her she needed to share this with her Grammie and what a site to see.  When she shared this news with my Mom, I melted since it is because of my mom and my grammie that I love the Lord so much, so to see this Legacy passed on was so beautiful!  Thank you Lord for such a precious moment. OH, BUT WAIT IT GETS BETTER!  I was saying goodbye to everybody later and couldn't find my nephew...when I hollered up the stairs, my niece peeked around the railing and said they were busy because she was sharing with him about God!  YOU GO GIRL! 

I've always been one to not really have Faith that young children really do understand what they are being told and probably don't really accept Jesus into their hearts, BUT now I have solid evidence that they really do GET IT!  Thank you Lord for showing me this beautiful soul and her glow of your JOY!

ToBeABride.com Walked for Hunger

We enjoyed a great day of fellowship with fellow Cal Poly Alumni at the Cayucos Walk for Hunger yesterday! One thing I'm eager to do is get involved while I'm living on the Central Coast, I don't want to take this life for granted. I am so thankful to be here! I helped raise support for the Walk (ToBeABride.com was a supporter too) and really wanted to walk it myself so I asked a few friends to come along (pictured above)! Isn't that a cute baby I'm holding, don't worry, it's not mine:)

Everybody came over to our new home for spaghetti and playing on the beach afterwards. What a great day to serve, it was so much fun! I love being around kids too, so I was blessed yesterday for sure! The guys are great mechanics too, so my husband was also excited to have both of them in the same garage with his Harley, great times for the boys! Looking forward to the next opportunity to serve Him as a joyous Bride of Christ! Romans 12:10-12

Submission is KEY, Whether We Like It or Not:)

I have a friend who it has been so BEAUTIFUL to see her transform into such a wonderful BRIDE to her husband. The Lord confirmed His love for her the other day through her husband when He used her husband to tell her...I would never be able to stay home and do what you do, I'm so glad you have chosen to stay at home and be there for our kids! This melted her and it was so sweet to listen to her share it with me:) Thank you Lord for an honest husband that is not afraid to tell his wife how much he appreciates her!

The best part about this is that I remember when they got married, my friend said what is this "Submit to your husband business?" Ephesians 5. And now that she has experienced her awesome husband submitting to the Lord and unknowingly her submitting to her husband, she has experienced the awesome feeling of this "Submitting to your husband business!" What a precious example she has been to her husband, friends, family and now her children...so precious.

I too, have learned how beautiful submission can be with an obvious example recently! I have worked in the Fair Industry for over 10 years now and three of the last five years of our marriage have endured my patient husband at home alone while I'm working away for weeks at a time (one year for months at a time). I love this industry and have had a very hard time distancing myself from it, but during these three years I have always wanted to start a family...which beings I want to be a stay-at-home Mom, you can see how this lifestyle won't work! So, my husband asked me to not spend more than two days away at any given time this next year, which means "Oh brother, I have to turn down three of my best and most loyal clients who have become my friends AND have Faith that the Lord will provide financially somehow someway." I did it, well, the Lord did it because there is NO WAY, I would have been able to call these people alone and every one of them have been so understanding and encouraging!!! Thank you Lord, and the best is yet to come...My husband is ready to look at "this family stuff" now:) My on-going prayers were answered simply by me submitting to my husband. Psalm 37:3-7...hmmm, this just might be my NEW life passage, what a beautiful passage!

Great Facebook Cause close to my heart

I used to serve with Every Generation Ministries in Temecula, CA and still have a deep love for the ministry they do around the world! Please join me in praying for this cause they are celebrating on Facebook along with a dear friend of mine's birthday:) By following the link above, you will read about a great Bride of Christ in Romania, I have met his brother who also serves with EGM in Romania and is doing great work there. You can also read more about EGM at their website. "Transforming children in Christ through HIS church" is the mission of EGM. Never will a child be passed by. Mark 10:13