Forgive and move on

Today's Scripture

"But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." (Mark 11:26)

Today's Word

No one promised that life would always be fair. People are imperfect; we make mistakes and bad decisions. You may have been hurt by others in the past, but the important part is how you choose to deal with that hurt. Failing to let go of the past and holding on to grudges and anger can only cause harm in your life. If you want to keep your joy and remove what could become some huge roadblocks in your path, decide to forgive others, whether or not they ask for forgiveness. God says His daily forgiveness, in the sense of His daily favor and blessings, is based on your willingness to forgive others. When you forgive, you will find new strength and begin to experience God's breath-taking blessings!

A Prayer

God, thank You for Your forgiveness. I know that I don't deserve it, but I praise You for faithfully forgiving me. Help me to clear any roadblocks in my path by forgiving others, even as You forgive me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

The principle of Faithfulness

Today's Scripture

"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"(Matthew 25:23)

Today's Word

God is all-powerful, which means He can do anything that He desires. If He wants to bless you, He will, but that's not necessarily how it works with God. God works on principles and laws, and when you prove yourself faithful with little, He will give you a little more. You can't reap a good harvest without planting your seeds, so don't hold on to them! Just as Jesus illustrated in the parable of Matthew 25, our Master will reward you when you are faithful to Him. Live your life by the principle of faithfulness, and watch God bless you for a job well done.

A Prayer for Today

God, thank You for Your promise of faithfulness to me. Make me a faithful follower of You as I seek to serve You in all I do. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Post weekend retreat with our youths

Pictures of our weekend retreat at Campos San Jose - "Being Ful-filled" - 2007


























Mark, Chelsea, Brendan, and Becca













My Father in law - being annointed by the Holy Spirit, (This is a new creation - at work)










Core Leader - Deb B. and Matt


My mom burning her sins away in the Bon-fire Friday night

Some of our AWESOME teenagers


I have been MIA - Just got back from a weekend retreat with our youth group at Campos San Jose in lake placid, Florida. Boy ! What a weekend it was. Not only were we with our incredible core leaders, amazing group of teenagers, wonderful priest Fr.Hugh, but we also were blessed with the presence of three missionary nuns staying at the house with us. These nuns do missionary work in south america and we had the chance to speak with them, very humble and amazing women.


Just a small re-cap of our weekend. Some of you know that I posted a while back about being discouraged in my ministry and not seeing the fruits blossoming within these teenagers and sometimes you won't until many years later. I was very close to walking away from this ministry until this weekend. The Lord as amazing and faithful as he always is shook me up and allowed me to see things this weekend that I needed to see in order to not walk away. I had the most amazing small group ever, the girls and core leaders in our group were just fascinating. We cried, laughed, talked and loved one another. The Lord allowed us to see him in each of our hearts and it was very very powerful. We had an amazing affirmation session in our group. So many teens affirmed one another with the power of Christ within them, it was just absolutely amazing.

We truly had an incredible weekend. Hope your weekend was as good as ours. Blessings sent your way. Have a great day.

Be Refreshed

This scripture reading for today could not come at a better time for me because as most of you already know my hubbie and I are both very actively involved in our church's youth group and we are leaving today at 4:30pm to Campos San Jose (Lake Placid, Fl) for a weekend retreat with our youth. Please keep us in your prayers through out the weekend.

Thank you and have a blessed day.

Today's Scripture

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul." (Psalm 23:1-3)

Today's Word

Nothing is more refreshing than having some crisp, cold water to drink when you're dry, thirsty and tired! If quenching your thirst feels so good and invigorating, then imagine just how much better it feels to refresh your spirit and soul. That's what God had in mind when He stated that He desires for you to come before Him and plug yourself back into His unlimited strength and victory. The same should be true of your time with other believers. When followers of Christ gather, it should be uplifting and refreshing for everyone involved, and make each person leave the place different than when they came in.

A Prayer for Today

God, give me a great desire to seek You daily and refresh my soul and spirit with the living water of Your Word. Thank You also for the times I have with fellow believers. Help me to refresh them as well.

In Jesus' Name. Amen.

History of "Ash Wednesday"

Ash Wednesday is the day Lent begins. It occurs forty days before Good Friday. Actually, Ash Wednesday is its colloquial name. Its official name is the Day of Ashes. It is called Ash Wednesday because, being forty days before Good Friday, it always falls on a Wednesday and it is called Ash Wednesday because on that day at church the faithful have their foreheads marked with ashes in the shape of a cross. Ash Wednesday is one of the principal holy days for the Western Church. More commonly observed by Catholics, Anglicans, Episcopalians, and Lutherans, Ash Wednesday falls on the seventh Wednesday before Easter (usually around February 9).

What are Christians supposed to be doing during the next 40 days?

Ash Wednesday begins a season of fasting and repentance. (Lent) in preparation for the Easter celebration. The origins of Ash Wednesday are tied to Ash Wednesday history and the time of year in which it occurs during the year. It follows the season of Epiphany, which culminates with Shrove Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday). The night of Carnival provides people one last opportunity for feasting and reveling before the fasting of Lent. The solemn proceedings that occur on Ash Wednesday bring the focus back to the sacrifice of Christ and the mission of the Church. The origins of Ash Wednesday most likely come from the Day of Atonement. In Leviticus 16, the Lord establishes an annual day of repentance for the Israelites as a lasting ordinance for all their generations. Since the blood of Jesus represents atonement, the heart of Ash Wednesday is a humbling of oneself with fasting and prayer.

On this day, Christians come before a priest to receive the sign of the cross marked in ashes on their foreheads. Over the next month, they are encouraged to fast, pray, and seek repentance for their sins. Reflection upon one's life during the previous year receives extra attention, and a greater commitment to God and the Church is offered.

This ceremony originated around the eighth century and extends back to the custom during biblical times of people humbling themselves with sackcloth and ashes. The prophet Daniel speaks of seeking the Lord for the release of his people from Babylonian exile with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes (Daniel 9:3).

The book of Jonah states: "When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust." (Jonah 3:6)

When studying Ash Wednesday history, note that ashes are a symbol of man's mortality and represent an attitude of humility, sorrow, and repentance (Genesis 18:27). The ashes used in the Ash Wednesday ritual come from burning the palm branches used to celebrate Palm Sunday the previous year. After being blessed with holy water, the ashes sit amidst burning incense to take on a pleasing scent. The priest or highest-ranking Church official administers them first to the Clergy and then to the Laity.

In an old Ash Wednesday tradition, penitents who had committed grave sins would come wearing shifts made from rough cloth or animal hair. The priest would bless them and sprinkle ashes over them while they recited the Seven Penitential Psalms. The penitents would leave the church and for the next forty days strive for repentance and absolution. They would then return on Maundy Thursday and receive Communion from the priest. One of the major tenets of the Christian faith is living one's life with humility and repentance.

For many Christians, the origins of Ash Wednesday are the annual reminder of where our hearts should be in relation to God, and of the reason Jesus became our atonement.

Beginning our journey into Lent

"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thes. 5:16-18

How do you pray?:

There's so much to do when you get into your faith, isn't there? Step one is to pray. Step two is to pray more. Step three involves taking a look at what we are praying for and changing it, if necessary. Let's say, for argument sake, that if you're reading this, that you pray every day (that's great if you do, and if you don't yet, keep workin' at it) - so here are is the question: When you pray, for what do you pray?

For more money, less stress or a better life? For healing in broken relationships or within families? For freedom from an addiction? For the forgiveness of your sins, especially recurring sins? For protection from evil, good health or a new beginning in your life? For a boyfriend or girlfriend, a husband or wife, for children or for an end to loneliness? For God to make clear your vocation and to just "tell you what He wants"? For God to explain to you why certain things have happened to you?And when you do pray for yourself, it is to grow in human esteem or in holiness? Do your prayers center around "things" or around personal growth and change?Ask yourself. Do you pray for wisdom? "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him."

James 1:5: Do you pray for courage?"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the LORD!" -

Ps. 27:14 Do you pray for humility?".clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." -

1 Pet 5:5 Do you pray for faith?"The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" -

Luke 17:5 Do you pray for mercy?".and lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." -

Luke 17:13 Do you pray for hunger?"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." -

Matt. 5:6 Do you pray for clarity?"Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it." -

Luke 10:23-24 Do you pray that you would feel, more powerfully, the Father's love?"So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." - 1 Jn 4:16 .

For each of these prayers form us more into the image and likeness of God and each of these pleas to our Heavenly Father will help us approach those other daily, worldly prayers with greater trust and surrender. As we enter into Lent, let's really take a look not only at praying "more" but also at praying more like Jesus teaches us to pray, following more closely the direction and advice that He gives us through His Word.

"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thes. 5:16-18.

Prayer is the greatest weapon we have and the greatest gift we receive.

Legacy of an adopted child

Dedicated to all the birth mothers that have been faced with having to give up their child for adoption and to all the adoptive mothers that were willing to open up the hearts and home to love a child unconditionally.

Thank you - Both types of Mothers are heros in my heart.

Once there were two women who never knew each other. One you do not remember, the other you call Mother.
Two different lives shaped to make you one. One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.
The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it. The first gave you a need for love. The second was there to give it. One gave you a nationality. The other gave you a name. One gave you a talent. The other gave you aim.
One gave you emotions. The other calmed your fears. One saw your first sweet smile. The other dried your tears.
One sought for you a home that she could not provide. The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied. And now you ask me, through your tears, the age-old question unanswered through the years.
Heredity or environment, which are you a product of? Neither, my darling. Neither. Just two different kinds of Love.

Author Unknown

Honor to our troops

Thanks to all the troops that fight for our freedom. We are thankful that God created wonderful human being as yourselves to give up your own life for the freedom of others. Kinda of what Jesus did for our salvation. Here is a heart warming video from a soldier fighting in war for our freedom. Again here's a big thank you to all of our American Soldiers.

http://www.flashdemo.net/gallery/wake/index.htm

If I die before you wake (Lyrics for this song - sung by a US Soldier)

If I die before you wake...
Back home now I know you're probably sleepin' Over here it's the middle of the day. I finally found the time to write a letter Sittin' here a half a world away
I heard about all them folks protestin' As if I really want this war But that don't stop me from believin' There's just some things worth fightin' for

CHORUS And if I die before you wake, I pray the world will take A good look at what God's given us That we could only understand, everything is in his hands. All we need is a little faith and trust. I want you to know it ain't too high a price to pay If I die before you wake

Tell everybody that I miss them And I can't wait to get back home
But until then I'll serve my country And be proud to wear this uniform

CHORUS

No it ain't too high a price to payIf I die before you wake

Absolutely Priceless

And this my friends is what being an AYI is all about. This is AJ taking a morning nap. Isin't he precious !!!!

Have a blessed day

Ten Ways to Pray

Pray daily for:

1. A deeper understanding of your value and worth before God.
(Ephesians 1:3-4) (Psalm 139-1-18)

2. Caring Christian frienship and involvement in Christian community
(Hebrew 10:25) (Proverbs 27:8-10,17)

3. Opportunities to share Christ through your words and actions
(Matthew 25: 34-40) (Matthew 28:18-20)

4. Strength to stand firm in the face of temptation
(1 Corinthians 10:13) (Matthew 6:13)

5. Greater understanding of what it means to be loved by God and to love others.
(Phil 1:9-11) (Romans 8:38-39)

6. Integrity and Honest
(proverbs 12:22) (Psalm 101:2b-3)

7. Humility to admit your sins and ask for forgivness
(Proverbs 28:13) (Acts 3:19)

8. Wisdom in your daily life and actions
(James 1:5) (Psalm 25:4-5)

9. A sense of God's calling and purpose in your life
(Ephesians 4:1-3) (Ephesians 1:11-12)

10. Gratitude in all things
(Col 3:15-17) (1 Thes 5:18)

Hold on to Hope

Today's Scripture:
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

Today's Word:

Satan wants you to give up and quit so he can have the victory in your life. But you can overcome him through the almighty power of God! Christ performed many miracles in the Bible, and He is still doing miracles today. The Bible says He is the same yesterday, today and forever. No matter what weapon the enemy may throw at you, it cannot penetrate the defense that Christ has put around you! Guard your hope, your joy, and your victory in Christ, because they are God-given blessings that He wants you to enjoy every day.

A Prayer for Today

God, do not allow the enemy to overcome me, but help me to guard my joy, my hope, and my victory in Christ, which are wonderful gifts from You! In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Happy Valentines Day

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday?

The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?

Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement.

Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed "From your Valentine," an expression that is still in use today.

Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

On this special day, hold the ones that are the most dearest to you in honor of our patron Saint Valentines and remember:

Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy.
It does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Have a beautiful and blessed day.

God and his Angels

This story crossed my path and it was just to beautiful not to share on the blog site. I hope that someday I can turn a message of loss into a message of hope and capture the moment through the eyes of an innocent child:

God Bless.

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey,died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. She dictated and I wrote:

"Dear God, Will you please take special care of our dog, Abbey? She died yesterday and is in heaven. We miss her very much. We are happy that you let us have her as our dog even though she got sick. I hope that you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and swim before she got sick. I am sending some pictures of her so that when you see her in heaven you will know she is our special dog. But I really do miss her. Love, Meredith Claire ps: Mommy wrote the words after I told them to her"

We put that in an envelope with 2 pictures of Abbey, and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith stuck some stamps on the front because, as she said, it may take lots of stamps to get a letter all the way to heaven, and that afternoon I let her drop it into the letter box at the post office.

For a few days, she would ask if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had. Yesterday, for Labor Day, we took the kids to Austin to a natural history museum. When we got back, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch. Curious, I went to look at it. It had a gold star card on the front and said "To: Meredith" in an unfamiliar hand writing. Meredith took it in and opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers, "When a Pet Dies."

Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God, in its opened envelope (which was marked Return to Sender: Insufficient address). On the opposite page, one of the pictures of Abbey was taped under the words "For Meredith." We turned to the back cover, and there was the other picture of Abbey, and this handwritten note on pink paper:

"Dear Meredith, I know that you will be happy to know that Abbey arrived safely and soundly in Heaven! Having the pictures you sent to me was such a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. You know, Meredith, she isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me--just like she stays in your heart--young and running and playing. Abbey loved being your dog, you know. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets--so I can't keep your beautiful letter. I am sending it to you with the pictures so that you will have this book to keep and remember Abbey.

One of my angels is taking care of this for me. I hope the little book helps Thank you for the beautiful letter. Thank your mother for sending it. What a wonderful mother you have!

I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I am wherever there is love.

Love, God, and the special angel who wrote this after God told her the words."

As a parent and a pet lover, this is one of the kindest things that I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is some very kind soul working in the dead letter office.

Who say's Angels don't live among us.

To all women

To my sisters in the Lord...

There comes a time in every woman's life when she has to take a close look at herself. Not at her circumstance, not at what she did, not how unfair life is, or at who made you do it. She has to just look at herself in all her glory and imperfection. Have you ever admired a woman who has been through changes in her life? Or have you made up in your mind that she is just messed up. Before you make this mistake, take a closer look. A woman who has endured the most unusual life is someone of wisdom, someone who has been chosen by God to go through things that have made her stronger.

Think of all the great women in the Bible: Mary Magdalene, Ruth and Naomi, the woman with an issue of blood flow, and Esther, to name a few. Mary was a prostitute, a very uneasy woman. But by the time Jesus was done with her, she was His closest follower. Esther was unfortunate in marrying an abusive man, but by the time God was done with her, she had married one of the wealthiest men in the land.

Women are so quick to beat the next one down instead of trying to hold her up. Before you wonder, "What's up with her?" ask yourself, "What's up with me?" That woman could be my mother, sister, aunt, in-law, stepmother, niece, grandmother, great-grandmother, neighbor, friend, or co-worker, etc. That woman could be ME. Women are the carriers of life, not the channels of death. Let's build and encourage each other, as did Ruth and Naomi.

Encourage and love, forgive and forget, and trust that the woman that receives, this will be touched in some way.

May the peace and love of Christ be upon you!

What about Family?

Well, I just got home it's 1:15am, Saturday night. Where were we at this time of night? well, all of us (Herbie, Anthony, my father in law, myself, my sister, her hubby, the kids, my brother, his wife, my mom, my step dad and some friends of my brothers). We were all at my mom's house celebrating her birthday which was Tuesday Feb 6. My brother and some friends came into town for this wonderful celebration. Well, I know that I am rambling but I just feel in my heart that I need to blog about family.

I started reading this new book called "Nurturing today's children - cultivating the family of faith" by Gaynell Cronin and one of the things they talk about in this book is family. Being that tonight was such an amazing night, I thought I'd let you all in into what kind of evening we had.

My brother brought some old friends of the family to spend the weekend with my parents. We hung out, played dominos and had a wonderful dinner celebration which lasted into the weee hours of the morning. However, as God is so big and wonderful, he managed to be the topic of conversation with the people that my brother brought with him this weekend. These people happen to be very Christian and this man named "Juan" that was with us, well he is a christian singer, in which he sings at church. This man lead us into an amazing praise and worship evening, songs sung in both English and Spanish. We were glorifiying the Lord in such an amazing way, that it once again blew my mind. Here everyone at my mom's house was singing and praising the Lord. I just feel compelled to Thank my God for the family he has given me. Faith is so important and I feel so blessed and annointed to have the wonderful family that I have. Almost everyone in my family has been saved, I've seen their lives be transformed from living a life without Christ and now living a life with Christ. You should see the freedom this brings. Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of free will and for the gift of salvation.

In recent years, the church has spoken very extensively about the "domestic or "household" church. Paul VI writes:

" The beautiful name domestic church means that there should be found in every Christian family the various aspects of the entire church. The family, like the church ought to be a place where the Gospel is transmitted and from which the Gospel radiates. In a family, which is conscious of this witness and missions, all the members evangelize and are evangelized".

And John Paul II, in a homily, given in Australia in 1986 tells us:

"The family is the domestic church. The meaning of this traditional Christian idea is that the home is the church in miniature. The church is the sacrament of God's love. She is a communion of faith and love. She is a mother and a teacher. She is at the service of the whole human family as it goes forward toward it's ultimate destiny. In the same way, the family is a community of life and love. It educates and leads it's members to their full human maturity and it serves the good of all along the road of life. The family is the first and vital cell of society. In it's own way, it is a living image and historical representation of the mystery of the church".

Every couple, challenged by the rite of baptism, must become the "first" and "best of teachers" for their children. Our children need to "catch faith" from us through everyday family life. Being together in faith, listening carefully to one another's sacred stories, celebrating in our homes, and finding ways to reach out for the needy are the steps every family is challenged to take along the path of faith development. Even though, every family member may be moving in different directions at once, we must remain connected to one another, offering strength, hope, and launching a challenge to every parent and each individual in every home and household.

We are the church at home, the first church, and for some the only church that our children will ever know. Our children deserve our best effort. We as Christians need to reinforce our commitments to live faith one day at a time, making it a priority in our homes, neighborhoods, parishes and world.

Are you afraid to face this challenge? Fear not, for Jesus says. "I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

I just had such an amazing time with my family tonight and I know it's because our Lord was the center of it all and I felt the need to just shout to the world, TREASURE YOUR FAMILY, it's the one that the Lord has united you with and make HIM the center of it all.

As I conclude this blog, I pray that you break open his word and anticipate that God will touch your heart. God is always standing by waiting, anxious to startle you with his love. Sometimes, God appears like a single rose or leaf, yet at other times, he appears as a laughing child, or a wise senior citizen. As Jesus reminds us, we have only to ask God to be with us, and he will hear and answer.

Faith is a wonderous gift designed to be experienced and celebrated. Let it wash over you like a cool summer stream., or strengthen you like a good night's sleep. God will be our guide, our peace and our advocate. Like a defense attorney, God will always stand by us challenging us to be quiet, confident and unafraid. We have only to enter into the life of Jesus to have everlasting life and have it to the fullest degree.

Holiness is not something we earn, but the purest of gifts from God, the one who loves us totally, and unconditionally. We have only to accept this gift, live it, celebrate it, and give it away to others just as freely as God gives it to us.

May the peace of the Lord be with you.

Isabella's 100 Good Wishes Quilt

What is a 100 Good Wish quilt ?

To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. The 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.

I would like to extend this invitation to anyone that reads this blog and would like to be a part of a memorable treasure that we are doing for our Isabella: Here is what you would need to do:

Send me one 8 x 8 piece of fabric - along with a wish that has a small piece of the same fabric on it. The fabric goes on the quilt and the wish goes into an album for Isabella.

My two wonderful sister in laws have already given Isabella some fabrics and wishes as well. If you would like to help me out with Isabella's quilt, please feel free to EMAIL ME privately and I will write you back with an address where you can send me the fabric. I will then take pictures of it and add it to Isabella's blog site.

Below is an example of what the wish can look like. Of course, it can say anything you want, it could be a poem, scripture or words from your heart. And the fabric can be any fabric of your liking....100% cotton.

As you can imagine it's not very easy to collect 100 pieces of fabric - your time and effort in being part of this tradition for Isabella is greatly appreciated.

Thank you again and peace be with you all.

Uncle Charlie's Cookie Ministry

Who is this person which our local's call "Uncle Charlie" and is an inspiration to our community, let me explain:

Charles Kellenberger is an incredible individual and customer of ours. Our community calls him "Uncle Charlie". Charlie has managed to take a medical hardship and turn it into a positive ministry. This gentleman travels in a wheelchair. Having had a congestive heart failure and a massive heart attack in the year 2000, he later had a leg amputated in 2001, followed by knee replacement on the remaining leg. Yet, he says "For a guy on his last leg, I feel pretty good." Uncle Charlie was wondering how he was going to pay all of his medical bills. While he was driving to the doctor's office one day, he pondered, "Lord, I sure could use some dough, never expecting his prayer to be answered with cookie dough, so he says he made a ministry out of it. Through his many doctors' visits, he got to know the nurses quite well. Since he always saw the glass as "half full" and never "half empty", he says he would sometimes be asked to speak with patients who might be depressed at the possibility of an amputation. He would bring cookies with him to cheer them up; and on leaving, he would also leave dozens of cookies at the nurses' station saying, "I'm so and so's Uncle Charlie", please take good care of them." By word of mouth, his request grew. As you can imagine, the cost of ingredients alone became quite an issue. Then a gentleman heard of him and brought him 50 pounds of sugar, another brought him 20 pounds of flour, another 10 pounds of chocolate chips, etc. Sometimes there would be an envelope with $10.00 and a note saying, "keep up the good work." He would never know what he'd find at his doorstep. I call these donor's "Charlie's angels", uncle charlie says.

A gentleman from Chicago became a constant benefactor by supplying him with much of his raw materials monthly. His only request was that Kellenberger keep track of just how much cookies he was baking. Uncle Charlie told him " I'm not making that many ... however, he insisted, saying "your making more than you realize; So uncle Charlie agreed to keep count. "That was just 2 1/2 yrs ago, and as of July 16, He says he's baked 96,818 cookies (he does not count the special breads and other goodies) only cookies. On a Saturday alone he baked 446 for the local soup kitchen.

Uncle Charlie bakes about 3,000 cookies a month. He makes 163 different varieties from chocolate chip to oatmeal raisins, and sometimes there are specific dietary restrictions, so he tries to accommodate them as well.

The reason why Uncle Charlie bakes all of these cookies is to promote the teachings of Jesus Christ. After he bakes his cookies, he donates them to the local hospitals and social service agencies like Meals on wheels, salvation army and the local resue missions in our community. "I'd rather live the bible than read it" says Kellenberger. He makes his rounds with his "cookie ministry" several times a week - spreading the gospel with homemade cookies and "God Bless you" written on the foil covers of the containers to express his gratitude for the work they do and to comfort the hungry and the sick. Or as he puts it "just to tell them that someone loves them".

As I mentioned before Uncle Charlie started this ministry several years ago after a series of health crisis exhausted his finances and left him with one leg and confined to a wheelchair. "I've died twice in the last five years" says Uncle Charlie. "I just didn't want to sit at home and feel sorry for myself". He began baking cookies and visiting people in the hospitals, people who were sick, sometimes terminally ill. He would give them a batch of homemade cookies, sit and talk and ask to pray with them. After hurricane Charley passed through in 2004, Kellenberger swears the hurricane was named after him, he expanded his ministry to law enforcement agencies, fire departments and disaster relief organizations.

"So many people go through life without a pat on the back or just a simple "Hello" Kellenberger says. Of the 156 different kinds of cookies that Uncle Charlie bakes, the buttermilk cookies and ginger snaps are in homage to his mother, who gained a reputation in the 1940's for feeding hungry travelers and hobos passing through Morris, Minn.

Kellenberger's swedish lace are his most exotic - a paper thin cookie too fragile to transport. And his sugar cookies (Hmmm Yummy- I've had uncle Charlie's cookies personally, Hmm, Hmm good) which are made from a 146 year old family receipe.

Delivering the goods are a process in itself. On a hot afternoon in early July, Kellenberger makes his rounds in his white Dodge minivan. Using the driver's side door for support, and being careful not too put too much weight on his prosthetic leg, he fishes out his crutches and hobbles to the rear of the hatch to use the hydraulic lift to lower his electric wheelchair out of the van. Once situated, Uncle Charlie loads his lap with aluminum baking pans packed full of cookies, and makes his way on this day to the entrance of the State Marshalls office. After stopping to chat briefly with a highway patrol deputy, he enters, warmly greeted with cheers and hugs from the staff. "The world wouldn't know what to think about a one-legged, cut up guy who is really blessed. But I am, "Kellenberger says. "It's so much bigger than me. I just provide the willing hands."

My hubbie had the priviledge of meeting "Uncle Charlie." We install appliances for a living and Uncle Charlie purchased a dishwasher and our company installed it for him. After receiving the call to schedule this job and speaking to another faithful servant of the Lord, my hubbie and I decided as owners of the company that once this job was completed, his bill would read:

"The good Lord has already paid this bill for you. God Bless", Bosch Brothers., As humble as he is, he began to cry. Uncle Charlie gave each employee a batch of his cookies and also sent (3) more bags filled with homemade cookies to our office staff as well.

I want to thank Uncle Charlie for being such a faithful servant of the Lord, thank you for lending your hands and feet to allow the Lord to touch so many hearts. By you saying YES and not allowing your afflictions to weigh you down, you have gained so much more than just time on this earth, you have more importantly gained spiritual richness. I can see that by your actions. Thank you again !

It never ceases to amaze me what happens in your life when you allow the Lord to use you for his honor and Glory. Ask and it shall be given to you, knock and the door shall open, seek and you shall find.

Peace be with all of you.

Wow - another servant of God

Watch this video - ... http://tinyurl.com/yxewot

As a young girl says "without faith you can't communicate with God". I'm in an awe as I watch how God uses people to do his work here on earth. Friends, we are living in a missionary world. We all have work to do for HIM, find your purpose and then really feel what it's like to live in HIM.

Peace, Ily

Once step closer to our "Isabella"

I wanted to blog today about the wonderful news that I received regarding our adoption process. The CCAA has processed LID (Login dates) up to March 2006. Our LID is September 12, 2006, this means, we are now about six (6) months away from being in what they call the "Review Room". what does this all mean, well first of all, according to the "Rumor Queen" website, she gives a good description of what goes on once your file is in the review room.

Read Below: Each agency has their own review person. They know how to put a dossier together based on how their review person wants to see it, and based on the things they review, the person will approve or deny. Each review person has their own assigned agencies, or maybe their own assigned country. Sometimes one review person has twice as many files to review as someone else does that month, but the next month they may have half as many. This means that one reviewer could be several months ahead of another reviewer, and may stay that way until their agencies have a big month and they get slowed down again. It is normal for one reviewer to still be working on February while another reviewer has made it to April. The review room notice on the CCAA site won’t show that a month is complete until all reviewers are through with that month.Once our file is out of the review room, our file will then go to what they call the "matching room". This is were they will be matching our family with our forever child.

I thank the good Lord for not allowing me to feel much anxiety during this entire adoption process. I know this process can become long and treacherous but our good Lord has given us countless blessings to keep our lives busy and our minds occupied. Thank you Jesus !!

I know Lord that you will unite us with our "Isabella" in your perfect timing. To our baby girl, our prayers for you Isabella never cease, my heart is with you today and always.

Do You make the devil nervous ?

Resist the devil and he will flee from you." - James 4:7

Do you make the devil nervous?

The devil is real, and he doesn't want you anywhere near God. Read that sentence again. Commit it to memory, because it is truth. More importantly, read the above verse from St. James, again. Commit it, too, to memory, because they are words to live by; this Scripture reaffirms a reality to us that we would be wise to remember, daily. Some don't want to believe that the devil is real. He is real. If the devil is not real, than neither is the Bible. Christ stood face to face with satan (Mark 1:13, Luke 4:2).

Jesus beat the devil down on more than one occasion; several were recorded, actually. St. Peter reminds us that the devil "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).

St. Paul warns us that "when we seek to do good, evil will be at hand"
(Rom. 7:21). Make no mistake, the devil is not afraid of you. but he is absolutely terrified of Christ in you. It is because of this reality that the devil will do anything in his power to distract you, to suffocate you and to steal your attention, your heart and your very soul away from God.

We all know the "entry points", the individual areas of struggle or the personal sins that the devil uses to subtly and forcefully take control of our lives. Addictions are an open invitation for satan. Pride is the welcome mat on the door of the soul. Ego invites the devil in, and self-centeredness offers him a drink. The power is yours, though, to illuminate the light within your body, that light of Christ which reads "No Vacancy" for evil spirits seeking a place to rest their demonic heads. The sins we commit are the devil's greatest allies. If you are battling sexual sin in your life, if you're immersed in worldly temptations, if you struggle with pride, vanity, anger or self-hatred, if you are feeling overcome by the sins that come with addiction, if you feel that you are unlovable and unforgivable, know that you are in the grip of the evil one, but you don't have to be.

Offer up those sins, all of them, for the glory of God, and the devil will flee from you. That is what this verse is telling you this day. Throw yourself on the mercy of God's heavenly court and feel the Father of Mercy pick you up, dry your tears and make you new. And if you aren't currently embroiled in any of the above struggles. watch out, you have to be even more careful, because your entry points might be even more difficult to recognize. Don't ever fall into the trap of thinking that the devil isn't after you, as well. Where "sins of commission" might not be as prevalent, sins of omission are deadly.

Where in your life have you kept the peace rather than speaking Gospel truth? Where in your life have you grown predictable in your worship, unchangeable in your approach or "un-malleable" in your attitude? Are you giving everything you have back to God for His glory? Are you failing to surrender your life completely to Him?

Jesus has very strong words for those who commit sins of omission in Scripture (Mt. 25:14-46). But, once again, we have a promise from God:

if we put on the armor of God (Eph. 6:11), if we give no opportunity to the devil (Eph. 4:27) and if we "submit ourselves to God and resist the devil, the devil will flee from us" (today's verse from James).

One of the devil's most powerful weapons is that of distraction. Every sin is rooted in rejection (a rejection of God's love) and distraction (from God's promise fulfilled in Christ). The devil wants to leave you feeling alienated and powerless. But we are not powerless. Call on the Holy Spirit, the source of our power. And call on St. Michael the Archangel to go before you in battle. The devil is not Jesus' equal, he is an angel. St. Michael will beat him every time (Rev. 12).Stand firm and know that the devil is no match for God.

Never was, never will be.

Salvation Given: Resist the devil and he will flee from you." - James 4:7

We need never fear the devil, not if we are living in the light of Christ.