Time for a Walker?

One year older and one year closer to needing a walker. The other day I went to take the trash out to the dumpster and on my way back I hit a crack in the asphalt of the parking lot. I was carrying my laptop in my left hand and when I hit the crack my ankle turned and caused me to lose my balance. Well having the computer in my hand made it quite difficult to gain my balance! It took quite a few steps to finally catch myself before face planting it! I was a little sore but laughing incredibly hard. I don't think there were any witnesses, but had there been they had quite a show! Ha!


I had a great birthday, my sweet husband made me brownies from scratch! Here is a pic of what they looked like before he baked them...





Yeah, he didn't really think about the white chocolate chips melting down into the brownie so he was really glad he captured his complete design with a picture. He is so sweet!

And then I received a sweet card in the mail from this little beauty...






This picture just took my breath away! Isn't my niece just gorgeous!!!

And another sweet birthday surprise is that Stephen and I will be going home for Christmas this year! I am so excited. I was okay with missing it, but I am so excited we get to be there. I think when Christmas day actually rolled around I would have been really sad to have missed my first Christmas with my family EVER! I am very blessed that my in-laws only live 15 mins. from my parent's house. So we won't miss Christmas with either side!

I have entered my sweet Ballah Jane-(her nickmiddlename)into Petmeds cutest pet contest. So go vote here if you think she is the cutest, even if you don't! =) We could win some money! PetMeds World Games Pet Photo Contest will award each contest winner $1000.

Chicken Wave and Toilet Spray

On Tuesday, Stephen and I went to Chick-fil-a to redeem our free chicken sandwich from the chicken wave. I just love that place for so many reasons-great food and great service. We are very lucky because we have a Chick-fil-a right by our apartment. Well, I know you are probably wondering where the "toilet spray" comes in...well, I went to the bathroom, and felt a little scrunched because the stall was so small, while we were there and I did my business and was getting ready to get up when the automatic flush occurred. I love how you don't have to flush those toilets but I hate when they are in a hurry! So when we got home I told Stephen of the occurrence and how I couldn't stand small stalls and early flushes, and then he started reminiscing on his childhood days of using the restroom. We had a good laugh remembering how once upon a time we had to be careful not to fall in. =) Isn't it funny the things you remember!

Dear Suzette

I thought I should just go ahead and title this post to my sister (since you seem to be the only one who reads my blog, you are at least the only one to comment anymore).=) Anyway, I thought you might like to see a couple of more videos from OAT. "C" and Bro. Bob are leading worship for us! "C" looked much better this week. Continue to pray he stays this way. No sign of Joe this week. I am still praying he shows up next week. Okay, here are a couple. One of my favorite songs, one that I end up singing through out the week is a song that "C" learned and taught to us. "My Mind Stayed on Jesus" Enjoy! Click here and here to watch. Oh and Stephen reminded me to hold the camera the right way this time, so no need to tilt your head or your computer. =)

Happy Birthday

Check this out...

OAT Requests

This is "P" and the pastor's wife. He was visiting with her about what it means to be a Christian! I love him too. He is such a talented pianist!


We have had a blast the last two weeks down at One at a Time on Skid Row. We have also had some new changes. Last week, Stephen sang one of his songs during the service and led a hymn with the band. Like I said on my last OAT post, I was anxious to see what the "Skid Row Band" would do while he played his song. Well, they couldn't help themselves and they joined in. It was great! I wish I would have had my camera to record it. Other changes we have had are going to require lots of prayer and support. I am asking for you all to help. I want to give you a little background on "C". "C" led the music for the skid row band. He has had a difficult life. I don't know all that he has been through, but I know he was in jail for five years and was recently released and was living in a rehab facility on skid row. Well, "C" missed the last two weeks due to a lock down the facility had due to someone escaping and the second week due to something "C" had done wrong. Well, we just found out Sunday that he left the rehab facility and is back on the streets and is into drinking. This breaks my heart. "C" has three grown boys and he loves them to death, but he can't seem to get his life straightened out. And as a result a lot of people have been affected. His family and Pastor Ken and his wife Marian. They care for these people so much and it really hurts them to see someone make such progress and then totally back track. Pastor Ken asked "C" not to lead the worship this morning. He did however have him come to the front of the church and he explained to the church what is going on in his life and my favorite part, Pastor Ken had him face the cross and sing "Jesus Loves ME" and told him to sing it to himself not to us. I pray that really hit him, that Jesus does love him. I am asking that you will please pray for him. He really needs our prayers right now. He has some problems with anger, so we are nervous that drinking mixed with an anger outbursts could put him away for life.

My second requests if for Joe. Joe is the guy from Arkansas. We really love Joe, plus we felt close to him since one of Stephen's friends knows his family. We were able to send pictures and updates about Joe. Well, Joe was not at church again this week. He has been missing for two weeks now! We drove around last week and this past Sunday to try and find Joe. We didn't have any luck. So please pray that Joe is safe and that he will show up to church next week.

And lastly, Skid Row is getting ready to undergo some renovations and will be relocating those housed in the hotels and our church, since we meet in the Ford Hotel. We are praying and looking into this old methodist church.





Isn't it beautiful! Can you imagine what it is being used for now? I was shocked! It is being used for filming pornography. Pastor Ken has been in contact with the realtor about the possibility of purchasing this property. It looks like it is huge and has so much opportunity for ministry. It is going to have to be God's will. And the funding will have to come from God because it has a huge price tag(And you can imagine the offering of a homeless church-although they do give every service). I know if it is in His will for us to have this church he will provide the funding. I am sorry that this has become a novel but I feel that these requests are very important.

Here is a video I uploaded to youtube of "C" and Stephen and the band doing a song together. Poor Stephen gets drowned out, but it's just a real version of what we get to experience every Sunday and I thought you might like to see. Click here if you would like to watch. Oh and I am sorry that I was turning the camera, I don't know how to rotate it now. If you have a laptop you can just turn it, like I do! Ha! Enjoy.

The Big 25!

It's my little sister's birthday today! Happy Birthday Suzette! I hope you are having a wonderful day! I wish I could be there to help you celebrate! Love you!

What is Your Leading Role?

Have you ever found yourself wondering why you are in the career field that you are in, or unhappy with the one you don't have. I had the opportunity to read Marcus Buckingham's new book, Find Your Strongest Life. He taps into, what the most successful and happy women do differently. Throughout the book Buckingham tells us stories of a few women and parallels their lives and what it was that placed one as successful and the other dreaming to reach their success. The book is powerful and encourages women to focus on their strengths and NOT their weaknesses. He suggests many tips for recalling moments where you found yourself confident, successful, and happy as well as those times that we weren't.

I love the example he gives of his child when he was in first grade. He and his wife are going to his classroom to learn of all the work the children have been working on. Buckingham realizes that this is going to be the first time that he has seen his child's school work in comparison to his classmates. I imagine it is a pretty scary feeling for parents. He says that the first thing they see is a wall of art. And he describes a few pieces as just being great, and then he spots one that is just in pencil and not very good and notices his son's name on the bottom. He shares his thoughts of embarrassment and suggest to his wife that they get him a tutor. When the teacher comes up to them and tells them he wants to show them something. The teacher takes them to another part of the room and shows them their child's math work. They were to have a math equation and then draw a picture. Well, while most children were picking such things as 2+2=4 and had wonderful pictures, his son was picking equations such as 15-8=7 and had a not so great picture. Buckingham immediately notices his son's strengths and is ashamed that he hadn't focused on those in the beginning. Although, I am not a parent, this story reminds me of how often we are trying to fix the areas we aren't as good at, rather than emphasizing on those that we are good at and making ourselves better.

One of the other things I love about the book is that Buckingham has included a test and the results. He gives you a site to take the test and then throughout the book allows you to really see what you are good at, and what careers might be a good fit for you. My lead role is: Teacher and my supporting role is Influencer. I will stop now because I know you are dying to go and take the test to find out your roles and getting this fabulous book. You can find a link to the Strong Life Test on my sidebar to the right.