"When God Writes Your Love Story"

I haven't found too many "relationship books" that really strike me as a GREAT book. And I definitely have found very few that I would recommend. However, I found one that I have found to be extremely inspirational and a great read for anyone in any form of a relationship. "When God Writes Your Love Story" by Eric and Leslie Ludy, is written from both of their viewpoints so the book is not simply "lady-friendly" but would be an awesome read for guys. Their intense focus on the purity of heart in your relationships and placing God at the center has definitely given me some motivation to examine my life in more areas then only my relationship with my boyfriend. It shows vividly the effect God's hand plays in making every relationship as beautiful as He intended it to be.

As If 20 Weren't Enough...

I find that all throughout life God is full of mysteries and surprises...all of which when I look back show His complete sovereignty and control. I've moved 20 times...and its about to become 21. The bad economy shows its head in all sorts of ugly ways lately but while it would be very easy to become sad and stressed about where life is taking us...I keep remembering how all the other times that life seems confusing, distressing and almost hopeless; every time I can look over all that has happened I see God's all loving and powerful hand orchestrating all the strings of my life. Because of this...I don't have to worry...and I look on another unexpected move as another line on my record :). I realize that I don't have the ability to see the entire picture the way my Heavenly Father does...and because of that, no matter how confusing or frightening the unknown can be, I know that I have the very best designer for my life. He knows exactly what is going to happen and as many of the songs penned by the old hymn writers say "He Cares For Me".

Famous Jerks of the Bible?

If you are looking for a great devotional book for a young teenager I highly recommend this one.

"Famous Jerks of the Bible" by Margaret Brouillette gives an excelent and exciting look into 12 Bible characters. I was a counselor at my favorite camp one summer and I did one of these stories with my girls every night in our cabin. At first I shied away from it simply because of the title but in the beginning of the book the author explains the meaning behind it. Even for adults it can prove to be an interesting little study. We should never consider ourselves too advanced in our Christian life to go back to the life accounts of the people in the Bible. These are not just childish stories we learn in Sunday school. They are history.

Colgate-Wisp

This has got to be one of my most favorite practical and useful investments :) I am busy busy all day long at my work and sometimes there just isn't time to get to a sink and pull out the toothpaste. These little things are way better than any kind of average toothpick or even the finger brush things. Local grocery stores sometimes sell them 2 for a dolloar. (Each pack has 2 also). So every time a run to the store I stock up :)

Support for Our Marines

In one of my earlier posts I wrote about a cause that my sister was heading up to send care packages to our Marines in Afghanistan.

Thank you to all my co-workers for putting together our first care package!!!!

Hands, House, and Heart Full: The Bloggest Loser (5/6/09)

This Is My America: The Bloggest Loser Contest

The Bloggest Loser

Kris from Hands, House, and Heart Full is hosting an awesome contest! One I'm personally very excited about :) Its called The Bloggest Loser. Many of you will know exactly what kind of contest this is ;). Weigh-ins are every Friday. There will be a prize at the end of 20 weeks just as an extra motivator for those of us who need it :) (ME INCLUDED) Here are the rules. To join head over to HER BLOG!

1) No one gets 'booted' off--I'm not the 'bootin' type
2) Weigh in once a week on Fridays...I would prefer a picture of your scale but if you're too shy to post it on your blog I will accept it via e-mail
3) If you enter contest I need to know your beginning weight--I will take your word for it but I need some kind of picture for proof--whether it be a picture of yourself or your scale. (I believe most people are honest when it counts--hopefully that's true!)
4) I will calculate everyone's % of weight lost each week and post who the 'Bloggest Loser' of the week is.
5) All weekly 'Bloggest Loser's' names will be placed into a hat for the 'consolation prize' drawing--winner of said prize will receive a $10 Wally World gift card at the end of the contest.
6) At the end of the contest I will calculate who lost the highest % of weight overall. This person will receive a $25 gift card to the store of their choice.
7) You must sign the Mr. Linky with a link to your blog in order to be eligible.
8) You must use the same scale each week for your picture...different scales will show different numbers after all

Works for Me Wednesday: Neutrogena Wave

Like so many different things I see on TV and get excited to try...I saw the commercial for the Wave and thought I might as well try it. I was shocked at just how soft my face was after I used it for only a minute or two. My usual routine is to use it every morning before I put on my make-up. It removes any dry skin that could make my make-up appear to be less smooth and makes my face feel clean for the entire day. It has the same effect as when I use normal facial cleanser, toner and facial lotion except all of that is now wrapped into one step! :) I would highly recommend it. For more Works for Me Wednesday tips just click on the link. http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/worksforme_wednesday/index.html

Help Our Soldiers

My sister has put a great blog together which gives a list of things our brother-in-law told us he and his team need as they have been recently deployed to the desert of Afghanistan. So far there are the names of six soldeirs who desperately need people to care for them and send them things they need the most and have no access to unless we send them. The blog is listed in my blog-list but I will post it again here. Please remember that "someone else will help" is not a good excuse and most times isn't true. You may be that person that someone else expects to help. If you don't and they don't either...then our soldiers are still left to survive without the necessities and also left with the feeling that we don't care about them and what they are sacrificing for us.

Click HERE to do your part!

Its Time

Apathy and complacency have become far too acceptable in my generation. Imagine that the future of our great nation, the GREATEST NATION in the world, in the hands of those who have deserted their morals and values. A people who's standards are so low that, "reaching for the stars" or "shooting for the moon" are no longer aspirations or even slightly motivating, because we don't really care or believe we can make an actual difference. Everyone runs from their responsibitlies claiming that there is no absolute truth and my wrongs may be right for you. Imagine how that philosophy could gray the lines between death and life. With a thinking like that, someone could step on the street and be offended by the way someone looked at them and a life could be ended. Is this a drastic insight? I don't think so. According to new age thinking, who has the right to tell me what is wrong or right? What do we base truth and lies on? How do we know when a crime is worthy of jail-time or capital punishment...or even is murder actually a crime? or just someone's view of "truth"? These are the foundational and basic principal ideals that our country was founded upon. These questions that used to be so easily answered for most and commonly understood are now confusing to my generation. I believe there is a place to find the answers, a place to build a foundation, a place to define the line of confusion between absolute truth and absolute wrong. This source is the most widely read book in the world. It has made it through countless wars and attempts to destroy every copy but yet it we can still hold it in our hands. The written word of Jesus Christ. The Bible. It cannot be destroyed.