My booty is dragging!

Don't you just love my title?

This is what I probably look like..... This is how I feel...

And this is how I look for sure tonight...

Cute huh? I'm sure I don't look half that cute tonight. I is tard, very tard. Just having one vehicle and potty-training, working, and running is killing me. I think I saw a gray hair this morning, and I almost died....I mean dead, right there!

But enough whining for tonight. How are you? I haven't had time to visit you, so I have no clue who is doing what or even how you are doing. I've been a bad blogger, but I truly don't feel too bad about it. Real life has just been so crazy that all I do is take care of my little family and our home. I haven't painted my toe-nails in weeks, but I do manage to shave my legs regularly! Ha!

Did you notice that not many people come around for my devotionals? That's okay too though...they were as much or more for me as they were for you. I learn something new every day about God and even from my child and husband. You know...I think alot of bloggers are really busy or tied up in real life these days....traffic has really slowed down on my blog, has it yours?

I'm going to ramble a bit....I know how you enjoy all my thoughts!

Did I mention on my blog that I did not want to be a nurse ever....and that I wanted to be a phlebotomist....but that they didn't make much money.....Well, I have found a new thing I think I would love......Massage Therapy.

People tell me all the time how good I am at massaging.....so I think since I'm good and since I enjoy it that I may do it for a living. What do you think?

More of my rambling, but I need to lose weight. Really. Not necessarily fast or a while bunch, because truly I have never been skinny and I'm being totally realistic, but I know I would feel tons better, besides looking better, if I lost 20 or 30 pounds. How am I going to do it you ask? Well, I have a plan.....a simple one. I drink tons of sodas, eat junk food and snacks, and tons and tons of carbs and starches......I need a total diet change. First I'm cutting back to one soda a day for a week then no sodas....plus low carb, low sugar, low starches. Then in a couple of months I'm sure 20 pounds will be gone if not more....then I might....might...maybe....start exercising. But truthfully I probably won't because of how much I walk and run and work my butt off at work. I just don't feel like doing anything else when I get home.

For all of you wanting an Emmy update....she is perfect. She's doing great potty-training....almost there thanks a bunch to my MOM. She knows her ABC's and numbers to 10 almost to 20. Knows her name, age, colors, shapes (when repeating), and says more words than I could ever count. She can jump now, and she loves to dance. She enjoys church and has actually memorized a book or two. She is so full of knowledge and is constantly learning and is hungry for words to put with emotions and actions.

Jason is loving his job, and working very hard too. He has Sundays and Tuesdays off. I have Saturdays and Sundays off. My Aunt Lisa keeps Emmy most Mondays, Jason keeps her on Tuesdays, and then right now Mom keeps her Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. But hopefully soon I can find a preschool or daycare program for Emmy that I like and trust and that's "in town"...that's a biggie! I want her to learn with other kids, to potty with others kids, and to share....that's also a biggie!

Today we went to church where I learned something new (more in a minute), then we went to eat at Ta*Molly's Mexican Restaurant, came home, napped, played in the kiddie pool, swung on the swingset, cooked a huge meal, at the huge meal....which was baked squash, fried okra, fried potatoes, corn on the cob, fried bologna, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and iced sweet tea...what a meal huh? I love summertime though because we always get fresh garden produce! Tomatoes are my fav....peeled, sliced, with salt please....but I do enjoy it all!

Now for what I learned....Todays message was on Repentance...Lord knows how we all need that. But anyways...the scriptures he used were Luke 13:1-5 and also Matthew 5:23-24

Luke 13:1-5 (King James Version)
Luke 13
1There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Matthew 5:23-24 (King James Version)
23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

I had never thought that if you were mad at someone else or had anger in your heart toward another that you shouldn't repent. You need to go to that person, ask their forgiveness (even if you didn't start it or wasn't your fault) and make things right, then go to God. If you can't get along with others and be at peace with them, then how can you expect to be at peace with God?

Well enough preaching and enough babbling. It's time to put the kiddo to bed (she's been watching a Sponge*Bob marathon if you were wondering how I got this done) and time to go to bed myself! I will visit you guys through the week. Love you all and be by soon!

Jess

Christian One-Liners

Christian One Liners

Don't let your worries get the best of you;

Remember, Moses started out as a basket case.

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Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited

Until you try to sit in their pews.

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Many folks want to serve God,

But only as advisers.

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It is easier to preach ten sermons

Than it is to live one.

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The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose,

But mosquitoes come close.

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When you get to your wit's end,

You'll find God lives there.

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People are funny; they want the front of the bus,

Middle of the road, And back of t he church.

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Opportunity may knock once,

But temptation bangs on the front door forever.

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Quit griping about your church;

If it were perfect, you couldn't belong.

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If a church wants a better pastor,

It only needs to pray for the one it has.

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We're called to be witnesses,

not lawyers or Judges.

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God Himself doesn't propose to judge a man until he is dead.

So why should you?

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Some minds are like concrete

Thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.

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Peace starts with a smile.

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I don't know why some people change churches;

What difference does it make which one you stay home from?

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A lot of church members singing 'Standing on the Promises'

Are just sitting on the premises.

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Be ye fishers of men.

You catch 'em - He'll clean 'em.

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Stop, Drop, and Roll won't work in Hell.

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Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

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Don't put a question mark where God put a period.

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Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.

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Forbidden fruits create many jams.

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God doesn't call the qualified,

He qualifies the called..

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God grades on the cross, not the curve.

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God loves everyone,

But probably prefers 'fruits of the spirit' over 'religious nuts!'

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God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

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He who angers you, controls you!

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If God is your Co-pilot, swap seats!

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Prayer: Don't give God instructions, just report for duty!

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The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us..

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The Will of God never takes you to where the Grace of God will not protect you. *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

We don't change the message, The message changes us.

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You can tell how big a person is By what it takes to discourage him.

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The best mathematical equation I have ever seen:

1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given.

God's Call To Serve

This is the end of my regular devotionals, but I have another new book....so who knows, you may be seeing more soon.

I hope you were blessed in some way by this series. I have really enjoyed it. In conclusion, I will leave you with this scripture:

Philippians 1:3-6 (King James Version)
3I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

You Can Pray For Me

John 17:9 (King James Version)
9I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Your service of prayer is very special to others when you tell them you will pray for them. So please keep your word and pray. You would want them to pray for you...right?


Prayer:
Lord, teach us to pray. Amen.

Key Of Servanthood:
Servanthood always involves prayer.

By Day And By Night

Exodus 13:21-22 (King James Version)
21And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
22He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

These verses are a reminder of the "who, what, when, where, and how" of servanthood. Who? God. What? He guided. When? Always, day and night. Where? Forward, through the wilderness. How? By a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God does not call us to serve without leading us. He led His children; He will lead us. These verses remind us that in our "days" or "nights" of life, God will always lead, though there are many different ways He leads. Most important, we can rely on Him to lead, but we must "look up" and follow. There will be times when our days feel like the wilderness, but God will lead us forward.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for going ahead of us as we seek to serve. Draw our eyes upward so that we follow You and not man. Amen.

Key Of Servanthood:
Following God requires obedience.

Wholeness Through Brokenness

Mark 14:3 (King James Version)
3And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

When buying something, we want it to work. You never hear someone as for something that is broken! Not son in God's kingdom. It's the broken ones that God can most use. Only when the jar was surrendered and broken was Jesus able to receive the blessing of the perfume. It is the same with us. It is in our surrendered brokenness that the fragrance of Christ can escape and touch us as well as others.

Prayer:
Lord, I place my "brokenness" in Your hands. Handle the pieces gently, Lord, and use them. Let Your soothing Spirit flow through and from me to others in need of Your healing balm. Amen.

Key Of Servanthood:
Give your brokenness to God.

Lead By Serving

Mark 10:43-45 (King James Version)
43But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
44And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

The greatest leader of all was a servant, and He challenged His followers to serve others. Jesus wants you to be great in service, not for your own good alone, but for the glory of His kingdom. The only way to be great is to serve.

Prayer:
Lord, help us to obey Your call to serve. Amen.

Key of Servanthood:
We lead by serving.