ARISE!

On fire for the Lord this morning! Oh I so love that feeling! The Holy Spirit moved among us today---and we had Tim Moore preach for us---oh wow! I soo enjoyed his sermon this morning on the Word of God!

Basically the sermon was about moving for the Lord---"ARISE AND GO
If we want from the Lord, we listen. We do what He tells us, and we have faith. We arise, and we go. We move! God will do the actions!

Tim also spoke of the idols, and how we need to remove those idols from our lives. They may be interferring with our desire to be closer to Him.

A little testimony he shared was how God told him to get rid of his tv. Ofc its a struggle, but he did it. Why bec he wanted MORE of the Lord! And oh boy, we can SEE the work of God in him! We can see what God has done for us, through Tim and his wife. We can see what God has done for both of them! I spent a few of my teenage years at Loving Hands Ranch. I look back and I smile. This was my first introduction to christianity among the deaf community. God had a reason for putting me there. This is for another story, another day.

Back to the purpose of this blog----I need to find these verses. But they're found alot in the bible, where God tells moses to arise and go, jacob to arise and go....and about removing other gods-idols in their peoples lives.

I have idols, unfortunately. They are, my phone, my computer and my tv. :-/ I culd live without my tv and my computer---but I dont think I culd live without my phone. I dont want to love these things more than I love my heavnly Father. How about you? What idols do you have in your heart?

I know that if I want more of Him, I have to let go of these things. They take my focus away from my Father. Jesus wants us to focus on Him. We need to battle these idols so taht we can focus on Him.

What is an idol? An idol is a pagan god or any object of excessive devotion or admiration. When we spend too much time watching tv, or playing on the computer, or using our phone--when we shld be talking to God, praying, fasting or reading---these things are idols. Maybe you have a different idol than I do.

Ahh, I found one....Here is a verse with "arise, go"....and with removing idols in the same chapter. This is something that Tim shared with us today.
Genesis 35
1And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

2Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

3And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

4And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

5And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

I think a point in this is: if we follow God--HE will protect us, as you read in 35:5 above.
I am definitly not perfect. No one said being a christian would be easy. I nkow that I culd spend moer time in prayer, more time reading and understanding the word of God. I know there are things God wants me to do that I haven't yet done. I am learning. Im learning to let go of these worldly things, and have faith in Him. I can stay where I am today, comfortable, not moving....and still have Him, or I can go and I can make a difference. We are all called to do different things. I love my Lord, and I need to listen better---and more importantly, I need to OBEY.

The end of 2008--and thru 2009 has brought a new meaning to life for me. Someone mentione dtoday that we shld close the chapters of 2009, let it be past---bec the bad behind us. Bad? What bad? Oh I had some bumps in the roads! But joyful is the Lord in me! For I have found and discovered a new me--a new love, a new joy, a new life, a new---ahhh!!! I cannot shout enough, about how happy I am to have foudn a new understanding on this journey! The past may be behind us, but I shall never forget that year! Not when it comes to my Lord and the joys I have had!
To be continued......

Snow-Snowman!

Ah, its abt time to get started on writing again! How was your Christmas? Mine was nice. We got snow! A white Christmas! My first ever! I also built my first ever snowman! The teenager decided he wasn't gonna play int he snow this year! So I had fun, alone! The doggy Im babysitting plus my own dog, decided that the face wuld be a great snack! So they got hold of him after I was done---he didn't last very long!

Winter is still in the air! We are expecting more snow tonite, and whats on the ground hasnt even melted yet!

Life has been good overall--its been a good/bad year--but the main thing comes from always seeing ur cup as half full!

This year, I disovered facebook AND twitter! I discovered that daytime soap stars can actually be friendly. I've yet to get a few more to reply back---but I got a few responses--and it was nice! :) im not much of a tv watcher or a soap fan, but I like Days! I also enjoy foodnetwork!

Haven't had alot of movie time lately. One wuld think that Christmas break wuldve been the perfect time to rent. We were snowed in, wulda culda shulda! Im off today to go get me a movie! Its time!

Looking back on ur year, I hope your cup was seen as half full! Heres to a great 2010! Mwah!

AA 12 Step Meeting

Well, I attended my first AA 12 Step meeting---as a guest ofc. Everyone has a "black sheep" in their family. But regardless, when these sheep need support, family shld be there. So my family piled in the van, mom, dad, me, sis...and mom and dads best friends---and we drove on ice for four hours, to go see the family member "graduate".

It was quiet an experience for me! I found it very interesting. Mostly they took turns congraulating our family member--as the family member was a supervisor, and well respected and liked. It was nice to see that for a change.

There were about 50, or so? and they introduced themselves with their date. And some told us little stories. It wasn't the average meeting probably since congrats were in order. But still, it was not boring.

Im deaf---so yes, I had an interpreter. :) She did an awesome job.
Afterwards, we had butterscotch cake. Oh my goodness! It was delish!

Then we stopped at IHop to eat, and then drove a different route home, arriving in 3 and a half hours.

One guy talked abt his experience--and he was back in there for the second time this year----he talked abt how impt it was for the 2 "graduates" to get a sponsor. So this is something we will help the family member with.

So for those of you out there who are struggling---sometimes it does take court to order that they go---alot of the guys in there said they didnt wanna be there---but after a few weeks or so they began to understand---as they learned and changed. And they also enjoyed being there. None of them have regrets. So hang in there, there IS hope. The 12 step program, does help. Its not garunteed, bec we can't do it for them, but its a start.

May you have a happy new year! :)

Today is a new day. For all of us. This is a time in my life, where I am wanting a closer walk with my Lord. I am learning and wanting to continue learning, to put Jesus first in my life. We all shld strive for a closer walk with our Lord. It hasn't been an easy thing to do. Lifes temptations are great. Thankfully the Lord knew this and gave us a way to be forgiven, and prayer to help us to refrain--to resist--and have faith.

I feel as though I am supposed to reach out--where and to who--remains unknown to me. But I know that since I've changed my paths, my life has been easier. The Christian walk is not easy no--but life is better is what I mean. It has been a difficult path, but one that I strive to stay on. Learning to forgive others--I always thought, came easy to me. Last fall, I learned otherwise. For 4 months, I struggled. I struggled with forgiveness, from a person that I didn't understand, how one culd teach their children to be so hateful and ugly, and tell them it was okay to behave that way if they were angry. I had to truly fight--time in prayer, asking the Lord to help me conquer that, and finally I was told, by the Lord, that I had to pray for her too. What? Now, that....was hard.

But I obeyed. And then... :) I can smile because forgivness came a little easier. With time and prayer. There are days we fight, we struggle, and we just learn to give those struggles to the Lord, and our Father above will help us to overcome them. Because, I learned, something I had to keep in mind, we are incapable of forgiving---our God helps us to forgive. Thank you! Thank you for giving me forgiveness and the ability thru you, Christ Jesus, to forgive!

I continue to struggle in my path, the path the Lord has chosen for me--is narrow, but I WILL prevail, through Him! :) For with Him, all things are possible. (i forget the bible verse at the moment sorry!) I don't mind that its a difficult path. For because even though this path may be difficult, to me, it means that happiness, will prevail. I have a better life--and all I need. I choose to let the Lord guide me. For He is my fort. My rock and my salvation. I'll smack myself and learn to forgive myself if I do something wrong, because we all make mistakes, and none of us are perfect. We can only strive to not do things intentionally to hurt others.

So here's to our walk with our Lord. May God bless us all, and hold our hands, guide us, and show us the way. Today, tomorrow, and forever!

my deafness with family and friends

My eyes are my ears. With my eyes, I "hear" the world. The other nite, I visited old friends--those I grew up with--when i could hear. Before my hearing was totally lost. Back in the time, when hearingaids were useful. Then, my hearing gradually declined, and I drifted apart, allowing my hearingloss to come between me, my family and my friends. Even tho I made new ones that I culd talk to more, I missed my friendships of old.

This past month, I got to renew these friendships. Staying int ouch is a great thing. I stopped for a quick visit with my grandma--who I struggle so hard to understand--I don't get to visit with her when my family gets together--they're all busy talking, and I cannot hear.
So last Friday, I visited for 45 mins. Alot of it was "lost", hard to follow, but still enjoyable--even though awkward. This is what I mean by drifting apart and allowing it to come between us. We don't know eachother well. Not as well as we did when I was younger. I miss visiting with my family, just sitting and talking to them. Its sad to say, but my deaf acquaintances/friends wuld know more abt me, than my own family.

Then....I made a stop---to my childhood best friends house--I was nervous. I knew I wouldn't be rejected--bec she loves me as I am--accepted me for who I was so long ago-but its soo hard to have a conversation continuously when no sign language is present.But I love her, and I missed her, and I wanted to make an effort to stay in touch, for my family and my childhood best freinds mean the world to me. So I stopped by. Somehow, we managed. 30 mins, a few repeats, but all went well :) Then...in the next town over, I stopped by her sisters, my other equally best childhood friend. Her sister---culd fingerspell and knew a few words in sign---so we visited for 2 hours!

I've learned cherish what we have. Hearingloss shldn't get in the way of family and friends. I've missed alot of time with my family, because I'm really shy, and I don't speak up, because of my hearingloss. I am trying to learn to live without regrets. Missed opportunities--we learn from them.
I don't regret being deaf. I recently learned my mom didn't want me to get the cochlear implant. She was told I would lose what I already had. So she made a wise decision. I am greatful. I love being deaf--I have no complaints. It doesn't matter that I miss out on wonderful sounds---like my childs voice--I miss it--I didn't get to hear his voice become deeper as he changes into a teenager.....like family conversations---but thats life, and we learn to deal with it, and we become positive about other things. Thats my outlook on life, and I'm sticking to it. Make the best of what you have. The glass is half full-not half empty! :)

Christmas in November

Alot of interesting topics have come up lately. First, I just wanna say, I've been thinking about putting my Christmas tree up early. Reason is: well, Thanskgiving is just a few short weeks away. We can still have thanksgiving and enjoy christmas lights and decoration right?

I was driving down my street and I saw some beautiful decorations and trees in the windows already on display. At homes. Ofc, the other places are at the stores.
So why go to the stores just to enjoy the "feel" of Christmas?

When my son was smaller, I felt we shld wait till the day after Thanksgiving. This is to prevent confusion for the little ones. But he's 14 now. And I just wanna enjoy the pretty lights and stuf for a little more than just 1 month.

I don't use Santa claus stuff. I use snowmen--for the "winter" season. I don't believe in decorating with Santa stuff, tho we do "play" santa on christmas day--as long as the younger ones understand its just a fun game and its not real, but they still have to "believe". As long as the true meaning of Christmas is understood.

So now, why not enjoy the christmas decorations, and still have the feel of the family togetherness of the thanksgiving holiday?

I have some more thoughts on this but will post them later.

Whirrl---Check it out!