D is for Determination

I am determined to make it through this week!
It seems like this week has been very busy. My friend Laurietta is staying with us, her grandfather passed away last night, they are in the process of making arrangements. Please pray for her and for her family, I have known Dean since I was a little girl, so pray for me too.
Drason is working a crazy schedule this week, he says he will be done for the week after tomorrow, (I really really really hope so!)
We have been super busy with stuff for the kids, and the house seems to be staying clean somehow??? Maybe it is because we haven't eaten at home much this week so far.
So how does one deal with all of this???
Philippians 4:4-9

I can be thankful that I have a house that is big enough that I can accommodate a friend for a week and a half and not have her feel she is an intrusion.
I can be thankful for being trained as a counselor, this has come in handy this week.
I can be thankful that I have a VERY supportive husband, who is arranging his schedule to meet my needs.
Thank goodness that Toys R Us had costumes for the boys on sale for 70% off tonight .
I can be thankful that I am not working and have the time to spend to keep up with everything, that I have some of the greatest friends on earth, and that I have been blessed beyond measure.

And life goes on
Amanda

WINTER JAM 2008

SO,
WinterJam is January 25th, 2008 at the Schottenstien (sp?) center in Columbus.
This was an awesome experience last year! I have no idea who will be headlining this year, but last year I took the boys (all 4 of them) and we really enjoyed this!
check out the site
http://www.jamtour.com/
Who wants to come?
Amanda

C is "Come with me"

To look skyward and wonder at the way that things have been
Not to understand the reason, just to feel the pain within
Until a new life begins
Come with me

So hopeful was the first day when I saw you and believed
your Son gave his life for me, what a gift I received
When you called to me
Come with me

Come with me
Take the hand of the One who will not fail you
Trust in Him who died to save you
And glory in the One who lives to raise you
Come with me

Yet, so subtly I fashion, without a reason or a rhyme
An excuse for my actions and schedule for my time
Leave you behind
Come with me

Try to lead rather than follow, never works quite right
Filled with worry, all these questions keeping me awake tonight
Still you send the light
Come with me

Come with me
Take the hand of the One who will not fail you
Trust in Him who died to save you
And glory in the One who lives to raise you
Come with me

Trying hard to be humble, where you lead I will go
Even when the path is narrow and the way I do not know
Your will above, below
Come with me

So easy come the questions, search for answers, and I gain
Such comfort in your teaching and a peace I can’t explain
and you call me again,
come with me

Come with me
Take the hand of the One who will not fail you
Trust in Him who died to save you
And glory in the One who lives to raise you
Come with me

Enough for tonight
Amanda

B is for Bonfire

Thanks to the Cranes this past Saturday for the great bonfire/hayride/cow milking experience.
Which by the way was totally cool!
We had such a great time at the Cranes this weekend and I was really glad to be able to fellowship with our church friends. Someone asked me who my extra child was on Saturday, Macguines' friend is Will. Will's grandmother recently passed away and he needed a day of fun while grown ups straitened out a few things, so pray for him and his family. I feel so blessed to have a church family that uplifts through the good times and the bad.
I really hope we will do more of this type of get together, where kids are welcome, and it is easy to invite friends and family to tag along. It is way easier to invite friends and family to a bonfire/hayride than to some other types of gatherings.
I really enjoy getting to know everyone and meeting some of the folks who have been a part of the church that I really never got to meet. With 400 folks it's hard to meet everyone, and to remember everyone we meet.
Anyways, a great time was had by all, and if you missed it, I hope we see you at the next one
Goodnight,
Amanda

Gimme an A

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E

Is it just me, or do people in general just seem really depressed?

I drive around and see people who look angry, sad, bored, once in a while I see someone singing with the radio (oh wait that was me in the rear view mirror) but everywhere I go people just seem down in the dumps.

I think this is really a common occurrence, and having lots of letters after my name hasn't really helped me to understand this.
I can tell you all about the nuero-transmitters in the brain, how dopamine, and serotonin are the major chemical contributors to mood, what natural cures can help(things that produce dopamine, help regulate serotonin, without the use of drugs), MAOI's, SSRI's and a whole lot of other stuff that was developed to help people cope with being unhappy.

OR

I can tell you about Jesus
As a Christian, Jesus is our joy. There is nothing on earth that should get us so down in the dumps that we lose our joy. We are redeemed, captives set free, death row inmates given a full pardon, what do we have to be upset about?

There was a little song we used to sing in VBS when I was a kid that went
"I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, yea
down in my heart - where?
down in my heart
I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart
down in my heart to stay
and I'm so happy, so very happy
I've got the love of Jesus in my heart
and I'm so happy, so very happy
I've got the love of Jesus in my heart."

This may seem like a silly kids song, Even the bible mentions joy second only to love.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness....

Ok, so what about when bad things happen in our lives?
Try James 1:2-4&12" 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
" 12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

Some Christians think joy is something they need to work out between them and God - almost like a contract negotiation - I'll be happy if you.......(fill in the blank) and that their lack of joy only affects them. Wrong!


Psalm 126:2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."

On several occations God called us to be a people set apart, called according to his purpose, and when you are joyful others see what the Lord has done for you

When you live defeated - others see that too. Unbelievers run the other way. Why would anyone want to follow someone who has a defeated spirit?

Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

David sure doesn't sound defeated... In fact Psalms mentions joy so many times I couldn't count them all with the online counter - which has never happened before- but I counted at least 95 times.

And finally
Colossians 1:11-14 "11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption,the forgiveness of sins."
What more do you need to be joyful about?
;-)
Amanda