tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80544537594553514712024-03-19T00:59:35.091-04:00Plain Jane's BlogPlain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-20497262975812459562012-02-23T08:08:00.000-05:002012-02-23T08:08:25.537-05:00No MORE Facebook?<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have taken a 40 day break from Facebook...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">which has been very challenging.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Seriously, challenging.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am spending this time to focus on God.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And pray.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So...here I am if you want to talk!!!!</span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-24668887582120218052012-02-21T10:38:00.000-05:002012-02-21T14:47:35.756-05:00LOVE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvhtw5LVhd1zZq6fFeimYntbC27s5Nr3gWrOCPDVJi-fozw5ENOewssledfjxYK0AojWUAE6GInAW17hIikCpgJzyrEEw7A5a1GQRcU-bL8CrGIwgpYXpNs4cTHzqpDnZM8X7STuFFUur/s1600/fatherforgivethemlo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvhtw5LVhd1zZq6fFeimYntbC27s5Nr3gWrOCPDVJi-fozw5ENOewssledfjxYK0AojWUAE6GInAW17hIikCpgJzyrEEw7A5a1GQRcU-bL8CrGIwgpYXpNs4cTHzqpDnZM8X7STuFFUur/s320/fatherforgivethemlo.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Love your enemies?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We first need to recognize who we consider an enemy? Really, who are our enemies? If we are at war than it is easier to see an understand an "enemy" but when one is not fighting do enemies still exist?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I know people who, even though they profess to be Christians, have anger towards Muslims. It is true that radical Muslims have attacked us as a country, but not all Muslims are radical and God calls us to love our enemies. If we do not love them, are we sinning?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What about homosexuals? God speaks of their abomination in the Old Testament. Look at Sodom & Gomorrah. In fact, wouldn't it be easier to let them just go die in a hole somewhere? Are they the enemy? Do you not know that they are also sons and daughters of men and women? Do you not know that their heavenly Father loves them just as much as he loves you? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">They are worthy of God's love.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">They are worthy of your love.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What about the parent who was not a good parent. You were hungry for affection from a father that only cared for his bottle of booze. Or maybe he was a workaholic? Maybe your mother loved your sister more than you...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Who is your enemy?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Is it your neighbor that you have argued with continually? Is it the turd at the grocery store that looks at you funny? Is it the person who has offended your spirit? Maybe it is that girl from high school that really cut you deeply with her words or actions...or that ex-boyfriend who told you - you were not good enough. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">They are out there.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Who are they?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">People that believe a lie.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And now...so do you.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: black; color: #d5a6bd;">* A great stroy from Bart Campolo that he picked up on a visit to Philadelphia last week, which was first told to psychologist Jack Kornfield by the director of a nearby rehabilitation program for violent juvenile offenders:</span></strong></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #d5a6bd;">One 14-year-old boy in the program had shot and killed an innocent teenager to prove himself to his gang. At the trial, the victim’s mother sat impassively silent until the end, when the youth was convicted of the killing. After the verdict was announced, she stood up slowly and stared directly at him and stated, “I’m going to kill you.” Then the youth was taken away to serve several years in the juvenile facility.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #d5a6bd;">After the first half-year the mother of the slain child went to visit his killer. He had been living on the streets before the killing, and she was the only visitor (in jail) he’d had. For a time they talked, and when she left she gave him some money for cigarettes. Then she started step-by-step to visit him more regularly, bringing food and small gifts.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #d5a6bd;"><br />Near the end of his three-year sentence, she asked him what he would be doing when he got out. He was confused and very uncertain, so she offered to help set him up with a job at a friend’s company. Then she inquired about where he would live, and since he had no family to return to, she offered him temporary use of the spare room in her home. For eight months he lived there, ate her food, and worked at the job.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #d5a6bd;"><br />Then one evening she called him into the living room to talk. She sat down opposite him and waited. Then she started, “Do you remember in the courtroom when I said I was going to kill you?” “I sure do,” he replied. “I’ll never forget that moment.” “Well, I did it,” she went on. “I did not want the boy who could kill my son for no reason to remain alive on this earth. I wanted him to die. That’s why I started to visit you and bring you things. That’s why I got you the job and let you live here in my house. That’s how I set about changing you. And that old boy, he’s gone. So now I want to ask you, since my son is gone, and that killer is gone, if you’ll stay here. I’ve got room and I’d like to adopt you if you let me.” And she became the mother he never had.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #d5a6bd;">I don't know if this woman is a follower of Jesus but she sure challenges me to live like her - with grace and mercy! Her response to the murderer of her son, having him live under her same roof, providing for his needs and eventually adopting him, is astounding. Her idea of killing people is profound - kill off their old hardened, hurting, self through unconditional love - is exactly what Jesus wants us to do.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQd8aqmPbi0_FE7CfsFS8t42prM97Kcjqi3F8cQmq8YRt_57Gh8m011EzNmepuo3TDG79qt8Ims-LJzlj5LaAD_2QGOMb-SLJM5C2Fp25aV2pYjms4g6pS2555ivV-PFsU1hEX80_IuOn8/s1600/Destroying_My_Enemies_by_hellhoundp2k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQd8aqmPbi0_FE7CfsFS8t42prM97Kcjqi3F8cQmq8YRt_57Gh8m011EzNmepuo3TDG79qt8Ims-LJzlj5LaAD_2QGOMb-SLJM5C2Fp25aV2pYjms4g6pS2555ivV-PFsU1hEX80_IuOn8/s320/Destroying_My_Enemies_by_hellhoundp2k.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Another form of love your enemies?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Do you remember the story of the Amish schoolhouse? In October 2006 Charles Robert IV went into a school house in Lancaster, PA and shot 10 girls (6-13), killing 5, and committed suicide. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #d5a6bd;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Roberts and the boys carried lumber, a shotgun, a stun-gun, wires, chains, nails, tools and a small bag. Also brought into the classroom was a length of wooden board with multiple sets of metal eye-hooks. The contents of the bag included a change of clothes, toilet paper, candles, and flexible plastic ties. Using wooden boards, Roberts barricaded the front door." </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #d5a6bd;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Shortly before Roberts opened fire, two sisters, Marian and Barbie Fisher, 13 and 11, requested that they be shot first that the others might be spared. Barbie was wounded, while her older sister was killed.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> A child's loud screaming was heard from within the school." </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #d5a6bd;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">"</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Reports stated that most of the girls were shot "</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Execution_by_shooting" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: none;" title="Execution by shooting">execution-style</a><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">" in the back of the head." "</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Inside the school, Ballenger said, "there was not one desk, not one chair, in the whole schoolroom that was not splattered with either blood or glass. There were bullet holes everywhere, everywhere." </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #d5a6bd;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">"</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">On the day of the shooting, a grandfather of one of the murdered Amish girls was heard warning some young relatives not to hate the killer, saying, "We must not think evil of this man."</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> Another Amish father noted, "He had a mother and a wife and a soul and now he's standing before a just God." </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #d5a6bd;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">"A Roberts family spokesman said an Amish neighbor comforted the Roberts family hours after the shooting and extended forgiveness to them.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> Amish community members visited and comforted Roberts' widow, parents, and parents-in-law. One Amish man held Roberts' sobbing father in his arms, reportedly for as long as an hour, to comfort him.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> The Amish have also set up a charitable fund for the family of the shooter.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> About 30 members of the Amish community attended Roberts' funeral,</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> and Marie Roberts, the widow of the killer, was one of the few outsiders invited to the funeral of one of the victims."</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You see - these men and women knew what it took to love your enemy. Do you?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's easy.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Forgive.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Understand.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Walk a mile.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Relate.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Forgive.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Pray.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Trust the Lord.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">He is Righteous.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">He is the Judge.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Love.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Love.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Love.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You see, those that we create hate for are those that believed a lie. We have all been deceived but as Christ-followers it is our job to open our eyes and distinguish the truth from the lies. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Every thought.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What we listen to.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What we say. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What we feel.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: #ea9999; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2 Corinthians 3-5 "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Pray for our enemies. Pray that how we think and feel about those people soften so that we can LOVE them. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us." Matthew 6:12</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-78534736520174270512012-02-13T11:13:00.001-05:002012-02-13T22:14:00.154-05:00GBE: Do-Overs<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As I look in the mirror, at the reflection of myself, and I see all the lines around my eyes I begin to look past myself and into my past. As I go back in time my heart breaks with all the mistakes that I have made along the way. In that moment as pain pierces my heart I cry out to God, "I'm so sorry."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What if I could do it all over again?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Would it make a difference?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My thoughts bring me back to the beginning. The beginning of all the mistakes and wrong thinking and poor decisions. I take a glance at all the things that were around me that made me choose those things. I looked at my "mentors." If somehow someone had entered my life and affected me to the core, I would not have started drinking and partying - and I would have valued myself because I could have seen myself through God's eyes, and not my own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My self worth would have been known.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would not have lost my virginity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would have gotten better grades in school.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would have attended college.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would have waited for God to bring that special someone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I sit down now. A wave of what-if's gives to a wave of nausea. It's quite possible that if I change just the first part of my life story and do it all over again that I will miss out on the most intricate part of my life story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">which translates to this...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">He knew my future before I ever experienced my past. He knew I was going to make those choices and who would not step-up to mentor me in a good way. He knew that I would be easily deceived and that in due time I would cry out for him! He knew that my experience would help him to save many.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You see, even though it was a broken road</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was also blessed with God's mercy and miracles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My husband at the age of 20.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My children.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I cannot imagine my life without all of those things, and my experience made them happen. I no longer carry guilt or resentment for my past - because my faith has healed me. I have to take those experiences and find God's purpose in my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://sdiaz23.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-purpose-statement.html" target="_blank">My Purpose Defined</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I cannot continue to look back into my past and want to change it. Instead I need to look into the NOW which will lead to my future - and help those that have had MY EXPERIENCE and help others have an easier road. My job now is to LOVE and to FORGIVE.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Would you change yours???</span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-90379861936723466042012-02-12T22:40:00.002-05:002012-02-12T22:40:57.489-05:00Ramblings.<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Lately I have been having nightmares at night. The kind that bolt you upright into bed and you scream. The kind that every time you close your eyes you are a little bit scared.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The kind that make me feel like a little kid all over again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So I continue to pray that these nightmares vanish. I am a child of God so I cannot be scared of the dark! It all seems so rational until I go to sleep!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">---------------</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Tomorrow I am going to lunch with my friends to celebrate my neighbors birthday. There will only be a few of us and I have a little gift certificate that I'm using. After that I'm headed to try and give blood again. I attempted two weeks ago and was denied due to low iron levels...I figure after eating lunch AND taking my multi-vitamin I should be good to go!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">AND I will earn a new gift certificate AND a movie ticket!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Here's to date nights!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This week I have two projects. My first project is to make homemade jelly out of a bunch of frozen fruit I was given a few months ago. I really don't know what I'm doing or how to do it - but I need to free up some freezer space so here's to figuring it all out. Anyone know how to do it? I figure if I can can venison, surely I can do this, right????</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm up to getting THREE people to make their own laundry detergent. Do you know how much this excites me? Seriously, it does. Why? Well, because as a society we are told how much we need this product and that product and they make the prices outrageous and we have FORGOTTEN how things are made. Our parents and our grandparents KNOW HOW, they just chose to buy. In these days, with tight budgets and trying to get debt under control making little changes can add up. I'm excited that OTHERS want to do a simple thing that can save them money too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ministries. I have a question for you - is there something that you feel passionate about? Something that you do at your church? Something that, even if you are not a christian you do that helps out in the community? Do you feed the hungry? I don't know - what do you DO?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That's all I have right now. The hubby is on his way back from RedBox returning our free rental and then it's time for bed. What are YOU doing?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Did anyone tell you that tomorrow is MONDAY? :)</span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-7197178951715299402012-02-09T16:01:00.002-05:002012-02-09T22:05:20.658-05:00Plastic wrap?<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The past few years God has continued to change me and shape me into something that looks much different. He's taken all the broken shattered pieces of my life and didn't just glue them back together, but he pressed them into purpose. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm like the extreme OVERHAULIN.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Have you ever watched that show?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">On that show they really take the car apart. They give it new parts, new engines, remove all the rust, customizes new doors and windshields and even though you KNOW it's the same car - there is definitely a new look to it. It has a "glow."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That's what he's done to me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Not like PIMP MY RIDE...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Where they often leave the insides still in shambles but throw in a cool tv and stereo system, some bangin' new paint color and shazam...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">No...God isn't like that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">He takes care of the details. We were created correctly - to serve his purpose in our lives, but somewhere from our entrance into Earth and our part in the world we lost track of it, got all banged up, scratched at chipped our paint and even our FRAMES are rusting and falling apart. One glance in the mirror and we can't even tell WHO we are. That's when he asks - are you ready for me to clean you up and get you back onto the road? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My road?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Seriously though, God does not miss even the trivial details that really could be easily overlooked. My husband and I are currently waiting for God to open a door...THE DOOR. He left his job due to the unethical, immoral and illegal doings of the company. Now we are being denied unemployment - and this was the first time in our entire marriage that we have tried to get it - to cover the bills. Prior to him resigning we were saving food in a twist of events that was also orchestrated by God. So here we are...bills are being paid, not only do we have the food we save but food (fruits, vegetables, eggs and milk) has been making it's way to our home. Our kitchen is more filled with food NOW then it has been in over a year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Food is not trivial - but abundance of food?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You know something that is trivial? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Plastic wrap.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Plastic wrap and foil.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Plastic wrap, foil and cooking spray.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You see yesterday I was just talking out loud to God. Just mentioning some things to him that we need and how are we going to get them? Things like plastic wrap and foil. Cooking spray has been on the list for a week but I've just been using our abundance of vegetable oil. Not the healthiest choice, but it works.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yesterday evening my husband came home after working all day for our former church's thrift store. He moved a someone's ENTIRE HOUSE. Can you imagine what he had in his arms?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">BAGS.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">BAGS OF PANTRY ITEMS.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I bet you can guess what those items are?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yep. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That's right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Plastic wrap, foil, and cooking spray.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Coincidentally (not really because this is God we are talking about) I was telling my husband that I told this to God today and my son said - mom...I just used the last of the foil and plastic wrap for my project! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Really? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Perfect timing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You know what else? I asked about the eggs. Lord, how am I going to get eggs? I went to my neighbors house and he asked if I had any empty egg cartons because his co-workers chickens had EXTRA EGGS and he'd like me to have them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">WHAT?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I know that many of you don't believe in God. You believe the light that is within you. You believe in karma. You may believe in God but not the Son or the Holy Spirit...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I wish you knew me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I wish you knew that if life was Karma - I'd be dead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">No amount of loving myself would get me to where I am now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And God's love and mercy?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Oh is he merciful!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You may scoff at my little miracles, but I do not. And if God can be faithful to my itty-bitty requests for plastic wrap and foil - I am pretty sure that I should trust him to provide for our bills as we wait for THE DOOR that God has promised us to open.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have faith.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Do you?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-39916506465651762932012-02-07T21:05:00.001-05:002012-02-13T19:16:28.423-05:00My Purpose Statement.<br />
My purpose is to FIGHT.<br />
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My purpose is to fight for those that may or may not KNOW that they need to be fought for. <br />
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My purpose is to empower, encourage and SHARE my story to help others that may be experiencing the same heart ache or loss of self. <br />
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My purpose is to give LOVE to those that need love. <br />
You do not need to be "my child" to be my child.<br />
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My purpose is to help kids become adults who KNOW GOD and want a relationship with Him because he is the air that they breath. Through that purpose I want to empower not only the CHILDREN but the parents who are TIRED and have given up on their own marriages.<br />
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My purpose is to encourage others.<br />
My purpose is to help others.<br />
My purpose is to open my home to whomever needs a safe haven.<br />
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<br /></div>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-31741944934586646732012-02-03T14:49:00.001-05:002012-02-03T14:49:45.470-05:00FRIDAY!!!<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Currently lost in a mountain of prayers as we go through more changes as a family. I expect that the end of this road should show a lot of hope as to what we will do with our future. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I will be back on Monday with a real write.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Have a GREAT Friday!</span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-83686013998255721572012-01-30T09:11:00.002-05:002012-01-30T09:11:39.226-05:00Monday.<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's Monday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Did you know?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">After one week of feeling pretty, well, crappy, I am finally on the up-and-up. I was denied giving blood on Friday due to low iron levels and after a glance at what low-iron looks like I realized that was probably my problem! I am now taking an iron supplement along with my daily routine. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm so glad to have some energy and not feel nausea! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yesterday was my son's 14th birthday. He is my middle child, smack in the middle of two sisters...one who is 10-1/2 months older and one that is 12-1/2 months younger. That means that in 11 days we have another birthday in my house. Most years (all but the first two of their lives) I have made each of their birthdays individualized and special. This year, in an attempt to make things a little easier for the family we are going to celebrate TWO of them next Sunday...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">which I realized yesterday is SUPERBOWL SUNDAY.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This makes me excited because I have an excuse to make cute things. Things I found on pinterest. Things like this: </span><br />
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<a href="http://absolutelymonica.blogspot.com/2011/02/super-bowl-sunday-guacamole-football.html">http://absolutelymonica.blogspot.com/2011/02/super-bowl-sunday-guacamole-football.html</a>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Unlike my family I don't pay much attention to football. My family is a college football family and that is their preference...but overall they can watch a football game pretty good. I, on the other hand, am not that person. But food? Cute food? I'm all about making stuff like that!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This week I need to get my ideas and recipes all lined up in a row. Since we are not purchasing groceries at this time (husband currently not working) I will have to use what we have. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Many of you have just started reading my blog...and my blog has really been neglected for a couple of years. I was on MySpace and started writing a LOT...and then MySpace vanished. I talked about my life and my past a LOT over there. You see, you hear me talk about God a lot...but what you do not realize is who I was BEFORE I became who I am now. I am changed and that change I celebrate. I just wanted you to know that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am currently doing a bible study about the book Chazown. Have you ever heard of it? The interesting thing about this bible study is who is IN the bible study. You see the study is for ladies 30 and younger. Now...I'm not in that age bracket. People THINK I am in that age bracket, but I have definitely moved onto the next one. The teacher asked me to be in there and when I arrived last week...well I have a better understanding of WHY I am there. The class is about finding who we are and what God has intended for our lives - by examining our gifts and talents. There are many younger ladies in there and by younger I mean kids my daughters age and a little older. High school students. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">At first I looked around and said..."oh know, I shouldn't be here" but then after the class I had twin sisters who are in high school approach me. They wanted to talk to me and were just really interested in who I was. It was then that I realized that I do have something to offer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Encouragement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Compassion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Oh but to tell my story in PUBLIC is way harder than telling my story here on a blog. My words are hidden deep within here. My thoughts and my heart are here in words but in the world only those that were THERE know the story. Unfortunately those that were there do not know the WHOLE STORY. They do not know that I have changed - because God has changed me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">These people? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">They will see me in church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">They will know my kids.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Scary on so many levels.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Any ways. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That is on my mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Mondays mean recover my house from the weekend. This weekend I had, including my own kids, 9 kids at my house. They slept here and ate dinner and breakfast here. It was crazy...and my house reflects it. It needs to be disinfected from top to bottom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That's my Monday...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Whats YOURS????</span></div>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-31519970329191708952012-01-29T22:12:00.002-05:002012-01-29T22:12:29.430-05:00Illusions.<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Illusions.<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span><br /><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span>written 2/20/2009<br /><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><img src="http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/sdiaz23/australia-post-illusion.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They are all around us.<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>We love them.<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>We embrace them.<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>They have become part of what we, as Americans, ARE.</span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Think about it.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img height="383" src="http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/sdiaz23/mulch4.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; height: 237px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 350px;" width="370" /></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We all want the perfect house.<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>Our insides are cloaked with leather couches and pretty paint, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and wood flooring.</span></span><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We <u>all</u> want it.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We want it <u>all</u>. </span></span><br /><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Through credit and our manipulation many of us were able to pull off the American dream of the house with the white picket fence...couple of kids, a dog and MAYBE even a boat or motorcycle.</span></span><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The REALITY?</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/sdiaz23/FORECLOSURE-1.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Credit doesn’t mean cash.<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>Credit doesn’t equal our worth.<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>It’s an illusion that is clearly seen when we fall into hard times.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img height="207" src="http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/sdiaz23/FORECLOSURE.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="375" /></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Every morning I arise and look in the mirror and think...</span></span><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Oh my!</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img height="432" src="http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/sdiaz23/BEFORE.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; height: 306px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 203px;" width="217" /></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Where are all these dark circles coming from?<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>My complexion looks like I am 14 all over again!<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>I remember when I had a firm body and everything was perkier.”</span></span><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And then...</span></span><br /><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Out comes the make-up and out comes the push up bra ~ and I begin sucking-in, tying and strapping things securely where they “belong.”<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img height="386" src="http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/sdiaz23/AFTER.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; height: 304px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 196px;" width="196" /></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Voilla!</strong><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">choose</strong> to be disillusioned.<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>It just feels better.<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>Somehow through our illusions we are in control.<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Control of who we are.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What we own.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How we're seen.</span></span></span><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Illusion also means a fine plain transparent bobbinet or tulle usually made of silk and used for veils, trimmings, and dresses.</span></span></span><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/sdiaz23/Veil.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></span></span></span><br /><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Exodus 34:34-35</strong> you can read that Moses would remove his veil while talking to God in the Tent of Meeting...but returned the veil so that the people would not see the glow of his face.</span></span></span><br /><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img height="271" src="http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/sdiaz23/chirita-veil.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; height: 192px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 288px;" width="288" /></span></span></span><br /><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He <em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">covered it</em>.</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul tells us in <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 Corinthians 3:13-14</strong> "We are NOT like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. But the people's minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth."</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul is so right!</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I have many veils that I use when needed. On my way to church I attach my veil. The one that says <em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"God has it all under control so I don't need to share with anyone my problems, concerns, fears or lack of wisdom."</em></span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What we fail to realize is that the veil attached <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">IS A LIE</strong>.</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">T</span></span></span><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">he veil is an illusion of <em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">self-reliance.</strong></em></span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">God is about relationships.</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sharing.</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Loving.</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Caring.</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He wants us to depend on Him. He wants us to create a relationship with him and others. By sharing our experiences and circumstances...praying and helping one another ~ through this we allow <strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HIS GLORY</strong> to shine!</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">So, why do we do this?</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Why do we hide who we really are? Why do we cloak ourselves in a veil?</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pride.</strong></span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We must make a choice.</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We must be visible.</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">CLEARLY.</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Drop the veil. Drop the cloth. Drop the illusion.</span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g297/sdiaz23/quotes-18.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /> </span></span></span><br /><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">---------</strong></span></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Are you willing to drop the illusion?</span></strong></span></span><br /><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">--------</strong></span></span></span></div>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-6110730007539115852012-01-29T22:04:00.000-05:002012-01-29T22:04:03.837-05:00I woke up a step-mom!<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>June 16, 2008</i></span></div>
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<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I had every intent to write a blog last week. I never got around to it. I've been in a bit of a fog lately...possibly a bit of depression? My friend told me it probably had to do with the amount of stress I've been under...and slowing down for a week made me realize it.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii246/sexy_merchant/RS2.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I despise crying...especially over NOTHING!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When I woke up this morning I realized I was a mother of three. Most of you that read this might say...how would that be confusing for you?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Let me give you the shortened version...</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mid-February my husband got a phone call that he had a daughter. She was 11 years old. We never knew, all these years. We have been married 11 years and have two children: a son who is 10 and a daughter who is 9. Obviously the child was concieved prior to us even meeting. We met and married rather quickly when we were 20. Any ways...we got this phone call and over the past 4 months we have met Maria, gone to court, and weekend visitation, and she moved home with us on June 6th. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img height="404" src="http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l119/LMBaker74/BabyfromGod.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; height: 269px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 374px;" width="456" /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The kids went off to bible camp two days later. They just returned on Friday night. Up until now it has always been weekends only with Maria. She had to finish up school. Today marks the <u>first Monday</u> that I jetted off to work and I had three children. I had three children to wake up this morning. I had three children that I had to tell them to pack their lunches. I had three children that I asked if they had brushed their teeth...</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And this shouldn't be odd because I knew that this was happening...</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px;">But for whatever reason, this morning, it just became</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj103/T_i_2007/MZHARRiS_08/real.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" /> </span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">With many of my new FIRSTS...I also realized this week that I am not Maria's mother. I mean, yes, I am the one that every day she calls mom and mommy...but up until 3 months ago she only knew one other mother. Her birth mother. She currently does not have visitation until the family is stabilized but she is allowed to call.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">She called for the first time the other day. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And it was weird.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This crazy journey that God has set me upon...some days I wake up and ask if I have the energy to continue. And He provides it for me. And I am blessed to have three of the most wonderful children in the world!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #90e23e; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-style: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And yes, as MOM I am biased. :)</span></div>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-90213552075546520182012-01-25T13:49:00.000-05:002012-01-25T13:49:39.166-05:00Wait. WAIT?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have had such a heavy heart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A heart burdened by something that we have lost.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I cannot, by experience, say that I helped keep it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I lost it too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In a whirlwind of confusion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A web of lies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Deception.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The forbidden fruit. "Just try it. You will know everything there is to know about sex. God just doesn't want you to enjoy it. He's keeping knowledge away from you. You will be so wise once you have it."</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhja8Ph0VKp_q4y2ydq2__UU4C4wA75B_ZIkB4D0C9xR9aXhsG43rcDZQBzbFjipAZ3rSo3apUwetmRTO7AfKEvX1AB9K97cWIQlLVVQYqi4yaq9BmTTJVIC8b054m2UAHGLGJ71hm6xa8j/s1600/It-wont-hurt-at-all-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhja8Ph0VKp_q4y2ydq2__UU4C4wA75B_ZIkB4D0C9xR9aXhsG43rcDZQBzbFjipAZ3rSo3apUwetmRTO7AfKEvX1AB9K97cWIQlLVVQYqi4yaq9BmTTJVIC8b054m2UAHGLGJ71hm6xa8j/s320/It-wont-hurt-at-all-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Somewhere we lost how sacred marriage is. It is now some fly-by-night dating scenario that once tired of it, divorce is the break-up. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The broken child. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Mixed families.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">More confusion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's complicated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am not, at all, saying that the blessings of failure I would want time to erase. I am not saying that my past experiences have no place in the present. In fact, it is only by those past experiences that my heart is heavy today - burdened by a God who loves his children (everybody in the entire world) and a desire for a pure heart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">From the perspective of the high school student - because I was once one. I was probably one of the most confused and stubborn students I have ever known. Even though I believed in God I did not understand his love or desire for my life. Instead I saw the world for what it was - having sex! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Sex.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The rite of passage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A coming of age.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Something amazing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Something that could lead to pregnancy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Or even an unwanted marriage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">WHAT?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yes, folks. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That's what I thought about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You see, my knowledge contained other people's experiences. Either you are willing to share your experience or others will. I had my parent's story and I had my friends parent's stories. I also had what I learned at my CCD class in the catholic church. I had friends who had sex. My sister had my nephew out of wedlock when she was 21 (I was a freshman). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am a logical person. I worry little about emotion and worry very much about logic. Those who know me well know that I am not a crier. It is very rare that you will see me cry. The most I cried was when my sister died...and that was still menial compared to the average woman. To me, crying is illogical (no I'm not Vulcan). Tears never brought anyone back from the dead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Using my logic as a high school student this is what I decided...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>1. My parents story </b>of getting pregnant in the backseat of my father's car, subsequently getting married, having my sister, followed by another sister, losing my brother and finally having me - all the while having a very poor relationship (even though they are still married to this day) told me that I did NOT want to get pregnant by the guy that I lost my virginity to.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_E-B-YCRlehUq1SJ50TNmo-z6F_k5HGiEzWxJCTJNdOwL1-JaNfDcmP9fyzuqpwhpLf5mWQ6Pc9JpAOOMDO_yMU85PNi2G_BHG3bW4niA352x5ZIkyhaHaRKZAv3S9Mi0yTmN4LW4on_/s1600/angry-couple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_E-B-YCRlehUq1SJ50TNmo-z6F_k5HGiEzWxJCTJNdOwL1-JaNfDcmP9fyzuqpwhpLf5mWQ6Pc9JpAOOMDO_yMU85PNi2G_BHG3bW4niA352x5ZIkyhaHaRKZAv3S9Mi0yTmN4LW4on_/s1600/angry-couple.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Solution: </b>Birth control.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>2. My friend's parents story </b>of dating her high school sweet heart, getting pregnant and getting married. Not only was he not very good in bed, he was a lousy husband. She, at 21 was divorced with a 3 year old. Her advice was to try a few of them out "test drive" so that you know what you are getting into. Then you can marry that man.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxxgVIrFePDRLbGJip32Pdg4b5VVooPFT-WTAcweyE6i9QsBXwygtygEyVOZOkuBTTJ7PoiCbGBZJzRQFgfP47KExaTlN7ClK_16A1yzLnGtd1vs9C4JCJXCFqbFdkU_ABho-eP4Gp3kv/s1600/Tie-Photo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXxxgVIrFePDRLbGJip32Pdg4b5VVooPFT-WTAcweyE6i9QsBXwygtygEyVOZOkuBTTJ7PoiCbGBZJzRQFgfP47KExaTlN7ClK_16A1yzLnGtd1vs9C4JCJXCFqbFdkU_ABho-eP4Gp3kv/s320/Tie-Photo1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Solution:</b> Don't get attached to high school sweet heart. Try a few out. Don't settle. See which one "fits" - and again, BIRTH CONTROL.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>3. Catholic Church </b>taught me that sex is a sin unless you are married. They teach to not use birth control but rather abstain from sex. Sin = Hell. If you do get pregnant you cannot have an abortion. Abortion is bad. Really bad. Abortion is murder.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCUEnucKcrbgZx3L_0pflEEbYX_wIyOu3zN4gWCvokawgcNXy97F6zo7qimN1WySRPaJN2VPPWj23QyzF2uu8WSl8W_8vbxqikG48abG688HiQtGyzP1G2k7is-21kU6vzAREofXFKbHm/s1600/abstinence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCUEnucKcrbgZx3L_0pflEEbYX_wIyOu3zN4gWCvokawgcNXy97F6zo7qimN1WySRPaJN2VPPWj23QyzF2uu8WSl8W_8vbxqikG48abG688HiQtGyzP1G2k7is-21kU6vzAREofXFKbHm/s320/abstinence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Solution: </b>Abortion is way worse than pregnancy. My parents had sex and God didn't punish them. Catholic families have lots of kids and that is pretty crazy - not to mention some other things that I don't really believe that the Catholics do. Birth control. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>4. My sister got pregnant </b>and the father left her to raise her son alone. He broke her heart.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOmmsHZPwQJXeQZNqWWhFF5rB27BySkFiL24eIomn05CGVy3X42FdiqJgHpmt8OXYsijtDtpqHY612hfKxobr1EDR4oI9awhLk8rvE61n9r_TG3M-KsHWhD0prOcJSpJu_lQCYQF3FAjK/s1600/babies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOmmsHZPwQJXeQZNqWWhFF5rB27BySkFiL24eIomn05CGVy3X42FdiqJgHpmt8OXYsijtDtpqHY612hfKxobr1EDR4oI9awhLk8rvE61n9r_TG3M-KsHWhD0prOcJSpJu_lQCYQF3FAjK/s320/babies.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Solution: </b>Birth control.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>5. My friends told me </b>that sex was great! Everyone I knew was doing it. It's not looked upon like it used to be. Guys have sex and we don't call them whores - why can't girls have sex too? Be careful though - and use a condom. Condoms keep you safe.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVeK02VF-w_oKlDCwyLR7oTtigW62p_6AN30gi_tT3J_DaVPy8ctqcy7QeGTHbjyUhjxB9Bfdk8NeOCljBrAm1puiiIEvrZoc-6PdJeYT0f_IcPB2rDwJPjQxElOnvHJ29A714oPIxALy/s1600/friendsbenefits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVeK02VF-w_oKlDCwyLR7oTtigW62p_6AN30gi_tT3J_DaVPy8ctqcy7QeGTHbjyUhjxB9Bfdk8NeOCljBrAm1puiiIEvrZoc-6PdJeYT0f_IcPB2rDwJPjQxElOnvHJ29A714oPIxALy/s320/friendsbenefits.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Solution: </b>Use condoms.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Maybe you look at all these thoughts of a high school and say - you were different. Maybe you see these thoughts and they were your own thoughts. Maybe you see these thoughts as common sense.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As far as the world is concerned - it is!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">If you are going to have sex, be safe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Safe sex.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Be monogamous.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As a high school with such <strike>great logic</strike> stupidity I believed all the lies and deception that I thought was very logical at the time. I decided to just get rid of my virginity all together. Get on the pill <strike>so that I can be sure not to get pregnant</strike> so that my periods are more regular and less painful. Pick someone who does not even KNOW I'm still a virgin...<i>such a dirty word</i>...have sex and be done with it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">They will never know.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I will not be in love with them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I will use a condom and be extra safe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I will not get pregnant.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I can move on with my life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Drown the moment in some alcohol.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-j-jnEHxiybVpjBvQqkWaqs6QwXFXarchqi8oEWq5vUm0-xVbiJ9Ty-5sknazVQZnwZLVlbvtkmmGNYD_eAm9oSU-K0uS3W_tFyYTHKX8DR_MjKjkNIKb04XLAT3ONucZe7Xb6bcq0kqU/s1600/missioncomplete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-j-jnEHxiybVpjBvQqkWaqs6QwXFXarchqi8oEWq5vUm0-xVbiJ9Ty-5sknazVQZnwZLVlbvtkmmGNYD_eAm9oSU-K0uS3W_tFyYTHKX8DR_MjKjkNIKb04XLAT3ONucZe7Xb6bcq0kqU/s320/missioncomplete.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I do not know how I did not learn how my Father is a loving Father. How did I not know that he had a plan for my life? A plan so detailed that I could not begin to fathom it? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My dream, deep within my heart forever, was to get married and have children. To love a man with all that I am. I didn't plan my wedding like most teenagers but I knew what I wanted, but I also knew from my logic that I had to be careful to not fall for the first guy and to make sure he was the RIGHT ONE. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Why did I not understand that God already had him chosen FOR ME?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My husband and I talk about the what-if's. I say, what if we had both waited for each other through God's promise, do you think we still would have met and marry? Or did we have to do all those bad things to get to HERE? His reply, which I do believe is true, is that God would have put us together. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">There would have been less collateral damage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Less insecurities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Less alcohol & drug abuse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">One less child.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">One less child in heaven.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Fewer uncomfortable situations with friends.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A better sex life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would never ask God to take away the blessings that occurred through our poor actions. I love each of my children with my entire heart. But our actions did affect the heart of our children, and the pain that comes through a broken home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Why do we not want our children to be whole?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Why do we not want to reach our children about God?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Why do we not want to teach them about why we should wait?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Why are we unwilling to expose the REAL ISSUES?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My desire for my kids to have that fully trusting relationship with God is not to keep them from getting into trouble. Yes, it will help them for their future - but my concern is for their heart and trusting their heavenly Father. I might not be around forever, but He will be. He has the ultimate plan. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Marriage is such a great and amazing thing. As much as I wanted to get married and as much as I loved or loved being in love with my husband the day we did it - that love has only matured and grown stronger. Never have I known a love like this. To say that he is my best-friend is an understatement. We love to spend time with one another and we are fully committed to a lifetime of each other. I want my children to have a marriage blessed like us! God healed all our hurts and pains, and healed our family of it's brokenness but as a parent I want my children to not have to suffer like this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am rambling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am sorry for that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I just don't understand telling my kids to just be safe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I can't.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I can't tell them that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have to tell them the BIG picture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">God's picture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I can't just tell them to abstain either.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">There is more to the story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Our kids are going to form logical motives based on what they hear. They are going to hear what the world hears: what you say, what their friends say, what their friend's parents say. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Are you willing to share with others your pain? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Your sorrow? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Your story?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The importance of showing your children DAILY what God has done for you is the greatest gift you can give them. God is not only in the BIG THINGS but he's in the small things too. He is in all the details. </span><br />
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<i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">He is real. </i><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>He is alive. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>He is here. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>He loves us. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>He cares for us. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>He sustains us. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>He has a plan for us. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>He wants us to trust him. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>He wants us to ask for it. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>He wants us to wait for HIS ANSWER.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I had a really weird dream the other night. In my dream I had to wait to have sex for seven years. I believe that I was a widow in my dream...because that's the only way it really made any sense. SEVEN YEARS? I am not an every day kinda woman. I am more of a once a week kinda girl. My husband reminds me every three days that's what he needs. He thinks I could wait a lifetime. In my dream though - I cried out to the Lord, "Father, seven years? That's FOREVER!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And by all means, it does seem like forever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But would I be willing to do that for the Lord?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Would it be hard?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Is it better to know how long?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Or just to be busy serving the Lord until the time comes?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">For this, I applaud those Christians who are waiting for God to bring them the right one...for those who do not believe that virginity is a dirty word but rather God's gift to the man (or woman) he created for YOU! I am excited that more and more Christians are encouraging one another in prayer and a commitment to serve until the day comes that you will walk down that aisle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Oh to be truly given over from your Father to your spouse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Beautiful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Amazing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Totally worth 7 years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Or 70 years!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I believe it is imperative to EMPOWER my children.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">For them to know their TRUE VALUE -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">through a loving Father's eyes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I believe it is important to ENCOURAGE my children.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So that they can trust their Father -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">to meet their needs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I believe that these decisions will not only affect ME</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">but will affect my GRANDCHILDREN and my GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50917790-76/relationship-sex-byu-busby.html.csp">http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50917790-76/relationship-sex-byu-busby.html.csp</a>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-69240004118499207052012-01-23T14:07:00.000-05:002012-01-23T14:07:59.996-05:00Time.<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4</a> <br />
For your EARS while you READ. <br />
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Time flies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Time waits for no man.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Time is not my friend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Time for lunch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Time for dinner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Time to take out the trash.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I don't have time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Do you have the time?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Snack time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Nap time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Time to take a bath time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>time.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Assessing one's use of time is imperative if a person chooses not to waste time. I have several awards for wasting time and procrastinating. It's not a place I like to show to others - not much to brag about there, but none-the-less, the place exists.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">TIME.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Since my sister was diagnosed with cancer 3-1/2 years ago I started to look at time much differently. She shared with me what she did with her time, even when she was extremely ill. She gave her time freely, as God will call her to. She mentored children, shared her life and her love with others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">She always had time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Until it ran out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Don't Waste Time.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My son's birthday is on the horizon - another moment to look at the clock of time and say ALREADY? I remember the when he was in my belly, the day he was born, his cries, the way he snuggled up to me, the way he hid behind my leg when he didn't know someone, how he hugged me and told me it would be okay. That little boy? He's 14! Where has the time gone?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As time ticks away I have to focus on TIME WELL SPENT. What is that these days? If I spend my time wisely then I will have little regrets in my future. I do not wish to look back on my life with regrets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Quiet Time with God</span></b> is one that I am continually trying to make. It is something that I battle... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">DAILY. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">WEEKLY. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">MONTHLY. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">YEARLY.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">How can I know what God wants me to do if I'm not willing to spend some quiet time talking to him? And sitting with him in the silence to hear him talk to me? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">My Spare Time </b>I am using to maintain my house. This is something that I always neglected and left for the weekend. What I realized is that this is something that I need to make sure is kept up so that my husband enjoys coming home after a long day at the office, that the kids can invite their friends over and not be embarrassed and for me to be able to OPEN MY DOORS to Godly appointments. Now the image below is for ME. I have burned up a lot of time not well spent on facebook. Sometimes I was at work. Sometimes it was when I could have been hanging out with my family. I have had a cafe, a farm and other things that really did not enrich my life - only wasted my time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">Time of Need</b> is something that has been in my face for a while. My husband and I are currently in a transition. My husband had to leave his job and currently does not have one. We listened and obeyed an odd request from God, so we have plenty of food to feed our family. What about the others? You see, we easily get consumed by what WE NEED and forget about others and their needs. Not all of God's appointments are at my house - and so time well spent is going OUT THERE and helping others. (Proverbs 21:13) Sometimes NEED isn't food. Remember, we all need relationships. There are people that NEED A FRIEND. Yes, they are usually the hardest to get along with - but give them an ear and a shoulder. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">Time to wait </b>for answers to prayers. It is this time that I feel is the slowest. More often than not the prayers have been answered while we are still waiting - they were just answered in a different way than we EXPECTED. </span></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Time has CHANGED ME</b><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> because I let God change me. He still is! This may seem a little odd to throw in, but it is completely the truth. I would love for you to check out this website, if you have time. I could easily be two of the people on here. Coincidentally I do "know" these people, but have not taken the time to KNOW them. I had already prejudged them as picture-perfect christians - never had a problem in their life, they would die if they knew who I WAS. www.changelookslikethis.com</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">God changes all of us in time.</b></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">If we let him. </b></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What do you think about TIME?</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-17845524395163700082012-01-23T10:41:00.001-05:002012-01-23T15:13:59.204-05:00RESOLVED.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Another New Year's Eve has come and gone and we are left in the now to discover if <strike>all</strike> any of our resolutions will stick.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I think it's a good time to take a glance back at your previous goals and see how you did. We often forget about those resolutions after a few short weeks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">How does one maintain a resolution?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Last year my desire was to help out in the community monthly and to start a bible study that I felt God was urging me to do. I did fulfill my resolution - but now it's time to make some more changes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">BTW it took me a YEAR to obey God and start that bible study.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">AND sometimes serving in the community doesn't look like you expect it to. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So, do you think you don't need to change????</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Lord will <b><i>always</i></b> call us to change more. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Even the parts that we think are jusssst fine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have been struggling with this. "Lord, why do you want me to change that? That part of me is fine! I'm not breaking your laws. Why would you want this to change?" But then it dawned on me - maybe he needs me to change so that my kids have what THEY NEED. Maybe my changing with help them in their walk?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This year I have made some resolutions. <b><span style="font-size: large;">My first resolution is to continue to find ways to save more money this year.</span></b> The Lord has provided us with an income and we need to stay within it. In the past I have always worked a full-time job and made nearly 1/2 of our household income. After coming home a little over 2 years ago our income has decreased - but it hasn't been until the past year that I have really tried to decrease our spending. Granted, we stopped eating out as much, but there are more things that I can do around the house to save some pennies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">My second resolution is to maintain a cleaner household. </span></b> I need it to a level of "maintained." If my husband is going to be the main provider of the home then I need to make sure that it is clean when he gets here. Yes, there are many children that are in and out of this house all the time - but I need that to not be an excuse to have a dirty house. I will just need to focus more on the details of the home instead of throwing an excuse at them. www.flylady.net has helped me achieve this!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">My third resolution is to be mindful of my children's needs. </span></b> This has always been my goal as a parent, but as my children grow and change the job itself changes. They are all teenagers now (13, 14 & 15) and I have to remember what it is to be that age. I need to encourage them to do what is right, when the world tells them something else. We have created a space for them to have friends over, but I feel like God is calling us to do more. Not sure how this will translate into action, but I have some ideas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>My fourth resolution, which should actually be my FIRST is to be more prayerful this year.</b></span> Prayer is something that is every hard for me - as my brain is always going a million miles a minute and even during prayer I have a to-do list in the background. I have to make time for God - ALONE TIME. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So, to you I have some questions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>DID YOU MAKE ANY RESOLUTIONS THIS YEAR?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>HAVE YOU ALREADY GIVEN UP? OR WORSE YET, FAILED?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Remember, to fail is to say that you have given up! You can always start again. Every morning there is a sunrise you have a new day to START AGAIN!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Take a washable marker and write your reminders on your mirror - so you can see them in the morning and at night!</span> Here is just one reminder I have: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-68174693934715610652012-01-15T19:26:00.002-05:002012-01-15T19:26:27.877-05:00One Penny. Two Pennies...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Penny saved is a penny earned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I realize that what I have been writing about recently has been pretty heavy. What I have been experiencing has been pretty heavy, and therefore I need to express that. We express things in hope that others will validate an experience or make us feel a little less "crazy."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I figured I would offer something a little lighter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A something a little more ME.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Not necessarily my spiritual walk.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Well, I guess you could say a little bit has. I will just tell you this...several months ago my husband came to me and said, "Honey, I don't want you to think I'm crazy but I feel like God told me to put away food. I don't know why, but I think we should." At that, knowing that my husband has NEVER said any such thing, but knowing that we both have been praying, reading our bibles more and more - I trusted his statement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I began to track what we consume as a family on a weekly basis. Money has been tight for several years since I resigned from work so it was just a matter of really getting the details down on paper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">How much toilet paper do we use a week?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">How much milk?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What are the basic meals we eat every week?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As a family of 5 with two dogs (one is 60lb) and three teenagers we consume a LOT. I need to update the photos of my family - now two of them are taller than me and my son is really shooting up now. Food consumption is at an all time high in this house. We cannot buy snacks because: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">#1 they don't fill the kids up </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">and.... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">#2 they cost an arm and a leg.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I got my spreadsheet out, calculated the ingredients necessary, (minus milk, eggs, butter and cheese) for 9 meals. We are blessed to have a neighbor who hunts and with that we have a freezer full of venison. Our meals are as follows:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Spaghetti</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Rice Mix Dinner (Jumbalaya or Arroz Con Pollo)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Chili w/ Meat and White Beans</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Beans & Rice w/ Spam</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Mac-N-Cheese w/ Meat or Tuna</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Tacos w/ Meat & Tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Chicken Curry w/ Chickpeas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Meat & Potatoes w/ Green Beans</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I gathered all the ingredients for 12 meals EACH, plus things like flour, sugar, evaporated milk, powdered milk, oatmeal, cereal, pie fillings, etc. I also purchased toilet paper, shampoos, and other toiletries to have us covered for 3 months. That's a lot of work on a tight budget. My Christmas money from my parents finished off the task. I figure food is money well invested these days. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As with all things, God has a plan. My husband had to resign from his position last week. The company is doing immoral and unethical things and although they were willing to double his salary to look the other way - he knows that he has to answer to God. We have now initiated our 3 month meal plan - ALL SYSTEMS GO.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I know the Lord will provide my husband with a job. He was looking for one long before his resignation - and he received a promising phone call the DAY he resigned from a company that "found him." Either way, I know we can make it for 3 months and any money that we earn from now until that day can be focused on the bills and not on food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Pretty cool.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">From this experience I will always have at least 3 months worth of food available. It saves the guesswork PLUS I make sure I buy when the deals are AMAZING. It cuts the grocery bill in 1/2 because I'm not buying out of NEED but rather out of cost and usage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have also recently started making my own homemade LAUNDRY DETERGENT. Right there I saved us about $100 a year and the detergent came out GREAT! I will definitely continue with this cost saving and great product. Other things I have done is making my own chili & taco mixes. Whenever I get a tip to make something at home I will try it and see how it works. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">PINTEREST has helped me with this small addiction! :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The garden is growing, plus I'm getting ready to replant. I am planting lots of lettuce. This summer, since it's so hot here in Florida I'm keeping my focus on peppers. I will pickle many of them, dehydrate and make soup mixes out of the rest. My herbs are always growing and being used fresh and dehydrated. I am learning how to buy vegetables at their cheapest so that I can take those and can/dehydrate them as well. I purchased potatoes and made my own dried potatoes for homemade potatoes-au gratin. I'm super excited about things like that - without all the added chemicals from a box, but not all the hard labor at 6pm when everyone is STARRRRRVING.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>I know that the whole WORLD is feeling the financial crunches. How are you and your family changing your ways to save money?????</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-43315269068103268372012-01-14T22:46:00.000-05:002012-01-14T22:52:05.022-05:00The Answer.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">If you read my last post, you will know that I was left with a rather odd question to ask myself. If no, take a moment and check it out!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://sdiaz23.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-year.html">New Year</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My question that I have to be left with is...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">WHY WOULD THE HOLY SPIRIT DO THAT?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have to assume based on what I believe, what I have been praying for (to hear the Holy Spirit), and the fact that I consider that to be some sort of odd miracle - it HAS to be the Holy Spirit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But WHY?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">WHY would the Holy Spirit show himself to me like <i>that?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have really been pondering this question. Praying about this question and I feel like, somehow the answer was revealed to me last night. I say "somehow" because those that know how God works the answers to our questions come in thought...that definitely does not come from OUR BRAIN.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It just appears.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it makes sense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">BONDAGE</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Bondage?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Bondage makes sense?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was going through my head when I woke up this morning...and then with my busy day I lost it. I was trying to hold onto it, and it started to clear away like the fog. When I went to think about it a little more - it was GONE. I prayed that it would come back...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It took me SIX HOURS.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"I delivered you from bondage, why do you look back?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That is what I feel was being pressed upon me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Hearing that going through my head over and over and I had an image of Lot's wife. They were all told not to look back. There she was, Sodom and Gomorrah were being destroyed, and she uncontrollably needed to look back, disobeying God...only to be turned into a pillar of salt. (Gen 19:17-26).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Why look back?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">God saved you from that!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have come a long way from <strike>where I was</strike> who I was. It has been a gradual change and one that I continue to pray for more and more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"Father, help me to serve you better."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"Holy Spirit, let me hear you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">New Year's Eve really blew my mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Truly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This is what I know is true...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1. Those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who indulge in sexual sin, idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers and swindlers...when your sins were WASHED AWAY - you STOP DOING THOSE THINGS! (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2. The Holy Spirit gives us FREEDOM (from bondage). The veil is lifted so that we may be mirrors that reflect God's glory. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">3. Don't get drunk on wine. Instead be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">4. God has given us a Spirit as PROOF that we live in Him and He in us. (1 John 4:13)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What we feel is a bondage and what God sees as a bondage is two different things. You see I have always had a good time letting loose. I felt very convicted almost a year ago, coincidentally after New Years, to stop drinking. That was when I slowed my drinking the first time...followed up with 40+ days of absolutely NO DRINKING. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I had contemplated quitting drinking for several years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Gradually I allowed it to increase a bit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">More and more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was enough that on New Years I TRIED to get drunk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I desired it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I went for it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In trying to understand WHY the Holy Spirit didn't let me get drunk I had to ask myself WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD GOTTEN A BIT CRUNKED?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would have had a blast.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would have danced all night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would have said a lot of cuss words.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would have been ornery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would have remembered everything I LOVED about breaking God's law. It would have set me back as far as my walk with God. I also really feel that I would have lacked that PROOF. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's so hard to explain. You only know my words on paper, so to speak. My words are who I am though. I am that party animal that just goes too far. The past couple of years I feel like God keeps throwing the breaks on this part of my life that I have always enjoyed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Over and over. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">"I delivered you from bondage, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">why do you look back?"</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Okay, Lord - I will stop. I will stop trying to go backwards instead of pushing forward. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Have YOU ever head God talk to you?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-56876805789187809672012-01-12T22:22:00.000-05:002012-01-12T22:22:01.228-05:00A New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In evaluating myself recently I discovered that I have little to no desire (still) to drink. I would just rather not. You may or may not know that around the Easter I quit drinking for 40 days. It was really hard for me. I had found that my joy of having a beer became a need on stressful days. In times of NEED I want nothing but the Lord. I'm not saying that I haven't drank since then and I'm not saying that I haven't gotten tipsy since then. I'm saying that it's no longer my "norm." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My sister-in-law, whom I love to death, is often the one that I can really party it up with. When she and I get together...well we can easily become ridiculous. I'm not saying it's a good thing, but we are both tempted when the opportunity presents itself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">New Years 2010</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Now remember I host a bible study at my home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My sis in an attendee.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">She and I have BOTH been praying about and trying to work through this flaw. This one aspect in our lives that we can throw God's law aside and...<i>well...</i><b style="font-style: italic;">sin.</b> To those that are not a christian you might way - WHATEVER, it's a drink or two. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">No one is dying.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You aren't hurting any one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You should have a good time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Here's the thing - I have the Holy Spirit living inside me. I am where HE dwells. He grieves when I sin against God the Father. Therefore - getting just a little drunk is really BAD. Sin</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> builds that wall that I was trying to tear down a year ago. It was a wall of sin. Communication had been cut off for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(paraphrase of Romans 8:1-17)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There is <u>no more shame</u> for we belong to Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit has freed us from the power of sin. We can follow the Spirit within us. Letting the Spirit control our mind leads to life and peace. Those dominated by the sinful nature <i>think about sinful things</i> but those who are controlled by the Spirit think about things that <i>please the Spirit. U</i>nder the sinful nature can never please God.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Last year we celebrated at my house. I stayed up that night dancing and pretty intoxicated until 3am. I will admit it openly. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This year's New Years Eve party was at my friend/neighbor's house. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">New Years Eve this year I once again <u>attempted</u> to be a fool. I really did. You might laugh at that statement.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfn_ehslF5M0YFF2R3_22X9gsFqMpnALXNcknsBdqu0_OApSu-UIisbtj6HHJp6gN8S1nDSDzNBHDG963iFpnzN3RhHTKW3NjQTIvcRc8cFGF1Y8rvrbgrZXOvhCmZkOHKjtN-f2ZLM8i8/s1600/People-drinking-shots-006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfn_ehslF5M0YFF2R3_22X9gsFqMpnALXNcknsBdqu0_OApSu-UIisbtj6HHJp6gN8S1nDSDzNBHDG963iFpnzN3RhHTKW3NjQTIvcRc8cFGF1Y8rvrbgrZXOvhCmZkOHKjtN-f2ZLM8i8/s320/People-drinking-shots-006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">First, that I <b>attempted it</b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Second, that I <b>failed at it</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's true. I wanted some fun. I wanted to party. I wanted to let loose. Do you know how many New Year's Parties I have partied at over the years??? Never stopping for ANY REASON. My sis-n-law was there, my hubby was playing DJ, the bar was flowing and ...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>i tried...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>i tried by taking a few of shots</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>i drank a few of beers</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>had a glass of </i></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>champagne</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">nothing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">NOTHING.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>NOTHING.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My husband dismissed it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I did not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I really tried.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I was COMPLETELY SOBER.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You, like my husband, might say "whatever."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But seriously...NOTHING.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I know how drinks affect me. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I had a drink at the same house the day before while setting up. I was buzzed off that drink before I walked back in the door 30 minutes later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">When we came home all I could think about was NEXT NEW YEARS and how I didn't want to do a party...that I wanted to do something with the kids. Maybe we can go somewhere together as a family? A theme park or something???</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">At our bible study on Tuesday I brought it up...the whole drinking thing. We have been studying about the Holy Spirit. The book is called The Forgotten God and it has truly been eye opening. When I brought up the whole New Year's Eve issue my sis-n-law, who was TRYING alongside me agreed...<b>NOTHING</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">She told her husband the same thing...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhra9SG2YZFQTnSdhSLPsGriwmurRSxg5zrjGclAULCycEu9Lk_Mxyz2mDW_1paO10sluX1Uc4ZVnrHhGFXttQyaTdaMVS-iVZphq0w1JMAbDsw6LAmDmOuRpLKz8Y6915PMvsmUlS5nEGn/s1600/what-the-heck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhra9SG2YZFQTnSdhSLPsGriwmurRSxg5zrjGclAULCycEu9Lk_Mxyz2mDW_1paO10sluX1Uc4ZVnrHhGFXttQyaTdaMVS-iVZphq0w1JMAbDsw6LAmDmOuRpLKz8Y6915PMvsmUlS5nEGn/s1600/what-the-heck.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Is it possible that the Holy Spirit did something?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Like not let me get drunk??</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And not let HER get drunk???</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's a <u>lot</u> to consider, but definitely something <b>to consider</b>! Here, within our bible study there are FOUR WOMEN. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">#1 quit drinking when she became pregnant with her 2nd (3+ years ago) and never started again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">#2 doesn't really drink anymore because she now gets a headache INSTANTLY when she does. She LOOOVES tequila, but not any more.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyFyF4bvbI1sDHHawwyBn8OBVtu-ubwpfHrHNfJ1a1WMXdK79oG5slvi3dLvHlJWj23-5UQ2omlc35lNSUZxh8d_TphvLT-p6okQ4Fa_CZEnhVe8obj9U_6uLlwEz48YgV4LFxa7jDHYl/s1600/tequila.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyFyF4bvbI1sDHHawwyBn8OBVtu-ubwpfHrHNfJ1a1WMXdK79oG5slvi3dLvHlJWj23-5UQ2omlc35lNSUZxh8d_TphvLT-p6okQ4Fa_CZEnhVe8obj9U_6uLlwEz48YgV4LFxa7jDHYl/s320/tequila.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> here you will see three of us (middle to left) in '09</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">#3 & #4 That leaves me and my sis. Our DESIRE to drink has really vanished but even when we TRIED - we <i>couldn't</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So what is this all about?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Well, for those that know me - all of this is my honestly. God cannot change me or help others unless you expose WHO YOU ARE. Sometimes I am weak. I have realized that I am less and less weak as God continues to make me stronger and stronger. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was a strength that I didn't realize I lacked. It wasn't a strength that I ever thought I wanted or needed, yet here I am. I am a testament to all the bad things this world can offer, sinful nature at it's finest - and here God is still loving me and changing me for the better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">------------</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">With that I have a couple of questions - for those that are willing to answer them OUT LOUD I would love to hear them!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>1) What has Jesus done for you?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>2) What has God done for you lately??</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>3) What has the Holy Spirit done for you???</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-18522342565955522062012-01-01T13:18:00.000-05:002012-01-01T13:19:43.426-05:00She Gave Her Eyes<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Before my sister was diagnosed with cancer she was a vibrant serving christian woman. She went to church weekly and raised her children to love the Lord. Amy had fun, went on youth trips and truly opened herslef up to the youth. She was a normal everyday woman who loved God with her whole heart.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That being said, she still had all the luggage that we, as people, carry around: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Past hurts.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Bad memories.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">History.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />When Amy was diagnosed with cancer it was post-op. One minute they were gearing up for gallbladder surgery and the next day she was in the hospital with heart failure - it was then they they were able to see that the problem was a tumor on her heart. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Heart surgery?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">They cracked open her little rib cage.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">And<b> </b>GOD operated.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">God?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yes.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You see, when they split open her chest God cut out all of the baggage. I swear to you that he did. All those past hurts were gone. All that lacked in her life became whole.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Everything she was changed.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Life as she and her family knew it was over.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Surgery.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> FIGHT</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Recovery.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> FIGHT</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Chemotherapy.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> FIGHT</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Radiation.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> FIGHT</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Repeat for two years.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Amy went home to Heaven last July, but she left the world changed. Not only by the heart that she gave to every she knew and met, but even beyond that.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">She gave her eyes.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FABBVvXskdI/TwCf-dWxuRI/AAAAAAAAAGk/kYfvIKfIuxw/s1600/AmysEyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FABBVvXskdI/TwCf-dWxuRI/AAAAAAAAAGk/kYfvIKfIuxw/s320/AmysEyes.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Someone somewhere has her eyes. I'm guessing it was her cornea or something like that but I think about her eyes as a whole. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Her vision.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Her heart.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Her zeal for life.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Her love of God.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In life.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">After life.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Amy served others.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">-----</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My neighbor is fighting the fight of her life as well. She has now been put on the lung transplant list. Robyn is on the list for dual-lung transplants.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-molNaApO5sU/TwCjSy6_ZqI/AAAAAAAAAGw/nbKlCjva77I/s1600/ballerina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-molNaApO5sU/TwCjSy6_ZqI/AAAAAAAAAGw/nbKlCjva77I/s320/ballerina.jpg" width="214" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Even though my sister fought for her life, she was completely covered by insurance. Robyn is not.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">INSANE medical costs have been accrued by the family while she has fought Cystic Fibrosis. We, as a community have been trying to orchestrate fundraisers to help get them the funds necessary to cover the surgery and hopefully help them with the anti-rejection medication that will follow the rest of her life.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Robyn is a fighter.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Just like Amy.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am trying to get the word out.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am trying to rally the troops.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am trying to help Robyn in a way that I could never help Amy.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Can you help????</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><a href="http://www.robynslungs.com/default.html">http://www.robynslungs.com/default.html</a>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #454545;"><br /></span></span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-56081586077386056812011-12-12T08:11:00.002-05:002011-12-12T08:11:37.801-05:00Family<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As a child I remember a few churches that I attended. At age seven my parents decided that we were going to be Catholic (my father is Catholic). It was at that point that I was baptized and we began attending that church. When we moved we found the closes Catholic church and that was our home church.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Nothing to think about.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Nothing to debate.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It wasn't like we hung out with people at church. We went there to worship, sat on the same row every Sunday. We said our Peace Be With You's and went home 45 minutes later. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">-------------</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My husband and I were married two weeks after I turned 20. About the time I started dating him (19) I stopped attending church with my parents. My husband was raised in a Christian home, after the age of about 12. We were young, immature, and looking for a good party, not a good church.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm not saying that's good - but it's WHO WE WERE.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Do you know where a good party is?????</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I kid.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I kid.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Once our first was born my need for church increased greatly. I longed to be at church. Church was something that I did EVERY WEEK, even if I didn't really want to. It was at church that I could really hit my knees in prayer. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Everything was still. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">He was there.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">After some time we agreed to start checking out churches. Every other Sunday we would try a different church. Since his family was raised Church of Christ I agreed to go on a search with him for that. A Christian church. We only went to three different churches but decided that we would make Fairfax Church of Christ our church.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We didn't attend very often.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But it was our church.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We knew someone that went there.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Other than that, no real connection.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was US, not them.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">-----------</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">When we moved to Florida we began going to church with my husband's family. It was a nice church and we attended for a couple of years. We never completely became comfortable as my husband's past collided there - they knew who he was BEFORE he became a Christian. I did not understand what that meant at the time, but at this point in the game if he was willing to take us to church I would let him lead us.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">After some serious turbulence we left that church.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Which was really good.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My husband had knee surgery and I feel like we took some time off from church. About two months later we were invited to go to church with my husband's grandma - so we did. When we arrived, listened to the sermon - it felt like we had come HOME. I will never forget the feeling I had and sharing it with my husband. It was at that point that we began attending church weekly.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And loving it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Worship.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Prayer.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Active.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We became part of a family.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A big DYSFUNCTIONAL family.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Seriously? We Christians are just as dysfunctional as the rest of the world, we are just trying to be followers of Christ and change who we are. Not an easy task to say the least.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Four years.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Our church was there as we transitioned from two kids to three kids. They embraced us and our beautiful daughter - acknowledging that she was OURS as we hit the floor running. This church was there as my sister battled cancer and eventually lost that battle. They were there to pray for/with me. They were there to hug me.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Family.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That's my description.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">---------------</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">After some thought and discussion about a year ago my husband and I decided that we were going to check out some other churches. Not because our current church had changed - they have not at all. They are still healing hearts, helping the community and being family. I would encourage anyone I know to go there. No, it's not for any bad reason that my husband and I chose to do this...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was set upon our hearts.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And so we did.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The first church we went to we did NOT want to like it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was big. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was different. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But we did.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We liked it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A LOT.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So we decided to go again.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Just to make sure.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And here we are over a year ago. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A few months ago my daughter decided she wanted to be baptized - but baptized by her father at our old church where the family was. So we did, we headed back over there and were once again embraced by our family (the whole church) and my in-laws. It stirred in us that heart felt homecoming feeling and we began to split our time, like a divorced couple, between both churches. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We were going to make a transition time and head back to our former church in the end. Every week we were at one church or the other...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it was exhausting.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Frustrating.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I found myself trying to watch missing sermons online so that I could still be in the loop with the current series. I found my heart literally torn in two: family OR where you feel you are supposed to be?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It didn't make sense.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Shouldn't I want to be with my family?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My closest friends?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Everything about me and within me says YES.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">YES.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I should be with them.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My heart said something different.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">After more discussion between my husband and I we had to make a decision - we can't have both. We listened to our heart and have fully committed to our current church. It's where both of our hearts feel pushed. It has been hard for our kids. Just like our love of friends, teenagers have a harder time separating themselves from friends.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">They have all been angry.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It has weighed very heavy on my heart.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What if we made the wrong decision?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Lord, we are listening, but what if we heard you wrong?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">For the first time, in all this transitioning we had confirmation that we made the right choice yesterday. Out of the mouth of one of our children was an agreement that the choice was correct. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Thank you, God.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">----------------</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So to those of you that might go to my former church KNOW that it is not because we do not love you, it's not because we feel the preaching is bad (we love you Preacher Don!) or because an issue within the church. Quite contrary - you ARE our family! No, it's because we really feel we are being led by the Spirit in a different directly.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I never knew it would be so hard leaving a church.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Not from any previous experience in my life.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">----------------</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Have YOU ever had to do this?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Anything like this?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-58887932880271839352011-12-12T07:23:00.000-05:002011-12-12T07:23:32.701-05:00THE box!<div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Do you remember as a child, looking at all the presents under the Christmas tree in expectation? Even now, each of us are drawn to a certain type of box. Maybe it's a small box that could contain jewelry or a key? OR sometimes it's the REALLY BIG BOX that catches our eye.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">As we stare at the beautifully wrapped box with the perfect red bow our minds take us to all the I WANTS that we have rattled off over the past year. </span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="photo_center" style="background-color: black; clear: both; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img alt="" class="photo_img img" src="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/373875_10150399706990213_564115212_8841152_1082934727_a.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 493px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 180px;" /><span class="caption" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 180px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Could it be those diamond earings? </span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Or the key necklace? </span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Oh I be I got the XBOX i wanted!</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We do it. We ALL do it - even if we are not the type that really want much.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The image in my mind is of a little kid. He wrote his Santa list with his sights on some AMAZING things. He's dreamed about getting his hands on his carbine action, 200 shot range model Red Ryder air rifle! He has planned all the adventures he's going to have with that little baby. </span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="photo_center" style="background-color: black; clear: both; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img alt="" class="photo_img img" src="http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/384942_10150399707575213_564115212_8841155_1171059307_a.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 493px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 180px;" /><span class="caption" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 180px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Two weeks before Christmas a box appears.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The box is the PERFECT SIZE to fit his dream machine.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">And he waits.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">In anticipation.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">He's not allowed to TOUCH the box so every day it sits there to be seen, but not touched.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Day after Day.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">11 days.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">10 days.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">6 days.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">2 days.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="photo_center" style="background-color: black; clear: both; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img alt="" class="photo_img img" src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/377517_10150399708480213_564115212_8841158_224543401_a.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 493px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 180px;" /><span class="caption" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 180px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Hot chocolate.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Santa's Cookies.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Christmas Eve service at church.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Sleep.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">MUST SLEEEEEP.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Sunlight.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">CHRISTMAS!!!!</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">As he comes down the stairs, greeted by his parents, he goes DIRECTLY to that present! Mom and dad knod in approval as the impending explosion of excitements tears into the box!</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">What does he see?</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">He sees a box.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Plain.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Gives it a little shake.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">It has the weight of the best gift he's ever had!</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">And so, while his parents look on with excitement and joy, camera's ready, their sweet little guy opens the gift. The lid goes up, they inch forward in anticipation, and the look on their son's face shifts from excitement to perplexment.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">What the?</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Baby Jesus?</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Really?</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">That's what's in this beautiful box?</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The one that I have been STARRING AT for two weeks?</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I got BABY JESUS for CHRISTMAS?!!!!</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="photo_center" style="background-color: black; clear: both; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img alt="" class="photo_img img" src="http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/384925_10150399711625213_564115212_8841193_1430557871_a.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 493px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 180px;" /><span class="caption" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 180px;"></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Talk about overwhelming disappointment.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">With that the little boy tossed the box aside to search for a more valuble present.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">---------------------------------------</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">We are ALL guilty of this. We discard the truth and reason we celebrate Christmas. I am not saying to not give Christmas presents, but at what moment did Christmas became a completely secular holiday? </span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">My biggest prayer, as of late, is to show my children that I go to church every Sunday not because I HAVE TO but because I NEED TO. I go to church so that I can be renewed and refilled and encouraged, without all of the distractions of the world, including my family. </span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I feel like during Christmas there is this LIE that is overshadowing TRUTH. Yes, we celebrate Christmas. Trying to show and encourage my children to look at it DIFFERENTLY then we celebrate it is REALLY HARD. </span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">How do you feel about Christmas?</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">How do you celebrate it with YOUR family?</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"></div><div style="line-height: 16px; text-align: left;"><span class="photo_center" style="background-color: black; clear: both; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img alt="" class="photo_img img" src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/390631_10150399707230213_564115212_8841153_1707234232_a.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 493px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 180px;" /></span></span></div>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-55885021714674858252011-11-28T14:14:00.001-05:002011-11-28T14:15:43.659-05:00Your Favorite Shirt<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Everyone has one. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">A favorite shirt that is.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">The shirt I am talking about is NOT the one you picked up while shopping after Thanksgiving. No, this shirt looks a bit different. It's the one that you find shoved in your dresser or up in the closet somewhere. It's the shirt that you ONLY wear around home, not that you are completely ashamed of it, but because you do have a sense of style now. You might wear it to WalMart on a whim and you are fine so long as you don't look in a mirror to get an accurate view.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Yes, it's the memory shirt.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">It might be tied to high school or college...or even your first boyfriend. If this shirt could talk MANNNN you would have to shut it up! Incriminating to say the least!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Even though your life has changed, WHO YOU ARE has changed, you still have that shirt. You take it out while cleaning sometimes and laugh - maybe even are willing to tell your kids a few of the stories behind that teacher, all the while smiling at the stories you DIDN'T tell.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Or maybe I'm just along in this?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Oh, Lord.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">That would be AWKWARD.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">I was thinking about this the other day. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">The little treasures that I treasure.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Stories that I <i>could</i> recount.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Those who knew me over, well my entire life practically, will tell you that I am a bit of a dare devil. No, I've not gone skydiving (YET) but I took risks that many people did not take. Many of those things that I gambled with did gamble my life: binge drinking, parties, driving while intoxicated and the list goes on and on. I made a LOT of bad choices. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Now over the past few years I have made a lot of changes in my life. I don't really party, but I do enjoy dancing. If I can go dancing every couple of months than I'm happy. I can dance, if the music is good, until 2am. I quit smoking 6 years ago - best decision of my life. I do still drink but I drink carefully and thoughtfully. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Thoughfully?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">YES.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">I count my drinks and I watch my clock.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Approximately 1 drink an hour.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">I NEVER drive after I've had even ONE drink.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">I get a TAXI.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Those are basic thoughts about alcohol, but for me, those took some changes in my life to realize that it needed to change. I also do not drink to RELAX, or FEEL BETTER. If I need to do that then I turn to God. He's my sustainer and my JOY.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Now, I'm saying all of this matter-of-fact but....I have a problem. I find myself laughing and enjoying these memories of WHO I WAS. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Really?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">REALLY.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">See the thing is, I liked ME. I liked me then. I did not like my insecurity, but I had "fun" and when I go down memory lane it makes me smile...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><b>Romans 6:6</b> <span class="Apple-style-span">We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>Colossians 3:9</b> <span class="Apple-style-span">Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">A glance at these verses, through my heart and back at that shirt in my closet. Have I really accepted that I should not relish WHO I WAS. I was LOST. I was filling my empty heart with things...things like ALCOHOL and PARTIES. I was seeking attention in ALL THE WRONG PLACES. How can I enjoy such thoughts - thoughts that my God and Father weep to think about.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Christ died so I could strip all of that off. Like something bad I should BURN THEM, not relish in them. How can I help others that are experiencing that VOID then one that they are trying to fill if I'm telling them, "hahaha, yeah, I did the same."</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">I can't.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">And...it's a lie.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">That old favorite shirt? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">It needs to burn.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">The joy of those deeds? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Needs to go away.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>Ephesians 4:24</b> <span class="Apple-style-span">Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, </span><span class="Apple-style-span">throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. </span><span class="Apple-style-span">Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. </span><span class="Apple-style-span">Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">My question for you is...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">DO YOU HAVE SOME OLD SHIRTS TO BURN????</span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-84221118141096627592011-03-28T18:07:00.000-04:002011-03-28T18:07:02.200-04:00Peasant or Princess?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">When the world doesn't fit so good.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I have been doing my study on Crazy Love, which has been very challenging. The last chapter that we worked on was lukewarm. I once wrote a blog about being lukewarm. Maybe I will post it again.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I had to challenge myself this past week and figure out what area, out of the 18 listed, is the one that I need to work on the most. I am sure that after taking care of one step the obvious choice is to work on the next step...so that you no longer can be described as lukewarm. I have a looooonnnng way to go, but over the weekend I came to a conclusion of my biggest fault.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And I have no idea how to fix this issue.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">You see, I live in an awesome neighborhood with people that I love dearly. These women have been there through some seriously rough times. They pray for me and my family. They are good women. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They are all very different from me.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This weekend we all went to St. Augustine. I would have been happy dressing up as an old-timey person and chasing chickens and these ladies wanted fine dining. From the experience I just realized that I am more of the peasant and they are the princesses. It does not mean that I do not love them, I'm just different.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As my first real outing with no drinking (32 days and counting now) I looked at my evening a lot differently than I normally would. I had a blast as we are all quite entertaining to be around. Just as sisters...you will find us throwing stuff at each other, pulling hair and punching arms. What I came to realize though that besides completely missing my husband...</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I just found that I spent the weekend trying to be worldly...</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And I missed God.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I know that it is not a bad thing to enjoy good things, but I was left feeling guilty and misplaced. It was a weird feeling to feel, especially being with women that I care about a lot.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What does that mean for me?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What does that mean for my friendships?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As I spent the weekend and they spoke about the next girls trip and the next couples trip and the hotels and restaurants...I just have to ask why am I going? Am I going to please my friends and the world? Am I going because it's expected of me? Am I going because if I don't I will not have a closer relationship with these friends?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">How different am I?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What makes me different?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">When I left, despite all the laughter, I had a overwhelming feeling of sadness. It was confirmation that I am more of a peasant than a princess...so where do I fit in?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It is as if I am trying to please the world instead of pleasing God.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">....</span></span><br />
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</span></span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-26331487278202872942011-03-24T09:38:00.000-04:002011-03-24T09:38:34.141-04:00Welcome Home!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Today marks a very special day in my life. My niece Audrey was born today! My sister-in-law had several days of labor to try and get that little butterball out, but out she finally came at 1am!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9EHwBa5T0gKvO4sySDrayXVZWG92S2ZqGgmKDFRjENI2lle_Xmd6m1abTiYZEaD8Qpb207DCgizarf_2DlL9Xz-IYC12KqpU4KhZYeSLWyMOPf9ZYqeCG5MtGgHQNDDj7oObnqC77SJ0/s1600/2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9EHwBa5T0gKvO4sySDrayXVZWG92S2ZqGgmKDFRjENI2lle_Xmd6m1abTiYZEaD8Qpb207DCgizarf_2DlL9Xz-IYC12KqpU4KhZYeSLWyMOPf9ZYqeCG5MtGgHQNDDj7oObnqC77SJ0/s320/2-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Audrey has been wanted for a while. As soon as my brother-in-law was married I was ready to be an auntie again. My nieces and nephews are older than my own kids...who are 12, 13 & 14. I am ready for another little baby in my life to spoil. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We went on vacation last year and when they arrived on Saturday night they arrived with EXCITING NEWS - they were pregnant! Oh my joy was overflowing! I was going to have a sweet little something.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As soon as I had a moment I sent a text to both of my sisters. Oh, they were excited and happy for them. I consider my bro-n-law and sis-n-law as my real brother and sister. I love them very deeply and my sisters new that. :) That was the last text/conversation that I had with Amy...she died that Friday. The cancer had completed it's task.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I was so thankful that I had the joy of becoming an aunt again at the point that I was losing my sister. It has helped me to know joy when I could have wallowed in pain. Instead I held on even more to my sister-in-law who was there when I got the news of Amy's passing...she watched me cry, she watched me finish making dinner for the family. Judy has been there when our daughter Maria first came to visit us and when she officially became our daughter. Judy came just in time to experience all of these life changing events with me (us).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Now I get to experience this life changing event with her. I am so blessed to have them in my life. I am so blessed to have this sweet little niece. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Its just a new beginning. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I completion of the life cycle from death, pregnancy to birth. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Such a whirlwind of emotions I have felt over the past few years: joy, sadness, regret, fear...such big things I have tackled in my life and such great gifts God has blessed me with all at the same time. I truly am blessed.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Little Audrey.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I love you.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I celebrate you.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am here for you...all the days I have on this Earth.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I pray for you.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Every day.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Love,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Aunt Bubba <3</span></div>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-20710819295502589552011-03-21T22:07:00.000-04:002011-03-21T22:07:40.696-04:00The Dig...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Tomorrow is my bible study. I posted what I wanted us to do during the week this past week since we did not meet. It was a challenge. A challenge to see if we are, in fact, lukewarm.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That chapter was seriously challenging for me.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Eye opening.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am lukewarm.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What a sad and disturbing thing to realize about yourself. I am really trying to step out on faith and do what God wants me to do, but it's difficult. Just trying to read and prepare for this bible study is difficult. Running my family and keeping my head above water is difficult.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Difficult.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I haven't drank in quite some time now: 23 days to be exact. But who's counting? It seems like an eternity. I have had two social occasions now that I would have normally drank at. It was interesting being in that moment without SOMETHING to drink. I had coffee and water and everyone became sillier and louder and here I was...sober. The other really agonizing time is at dinner, just as we are wrapping up and I'm trying to figure out the schedule for showers and bedtime: there is ALWAYS an argument,chaos and it's in that moment that there is nothing I would like more than a beer.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have been walking away in the evening and getting relaxed or in the shower. I just do not have the patience for it. At least not yet. Tommy has been allowing me to leave while he orchestrates that time. I do not want to be screaming at everybody - loosing my mind. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That's what I've been doing.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Without a beer in the evening.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">At that moment.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Emotional drinking.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Not a good thing. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Rather eye opening. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In those moments ... my quitting drinking experience resembles when I quit smoking several years ago and I have to wonder how addicted I am to just having that beer? Even though I didn't have it every night in those moments in consumes me.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am pretty sure I have decided how long I will be quitting for. As I said before, I felt like God wanted me to quit. I was not sure for how long...but it was an urging from within me that I needed to comply. The nagging would not stop until I did. When I did quit I made a commitment to God that I would not quit until he said it was okay. Not sure how that works but I do have a feeling about a time frame.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I believe that the time frame may be somewhere between 5 - 7 years. A long time, right? Yeah, I feel like it is a really long time. I am not fully committed to that length of time, but it might just be my reality. I believe that if it's what the Lord wants of me then I will do it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My kids will be 17, 18 and 19 in five years.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Now THATS a scary thought!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So I have been pondering the part of lukewarm that resembles me the best. I had several that I think I teeter-totter within:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>3) I have a desire to fit inside church and outside church - I care more about what people and MYSELF think than what God thinks.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>5) I am moved by stories of people doing radical things for Christ but personally never act on it.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>8) Say they love Jesus and he is part of my life, but only a part.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>11) I will serve God and others but there are limits of how far I will go or how much time, money, or energy I am willing to give.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>13) I am thankful for all the comforts and luxuries that I have but rarely give as much as possible to the poor.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>14) I do whatever I need to do to keep from feeling too guilty.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>15) I continually play it safe; slave to the God of control.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>16) I feel secure because I attend church, made a profession of faith, was baptized, come from a Christian family, vote republican and live in America. </b><i>Don't all Christian Americans go to heaven?</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">These are my top assailants. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">These are the things that make me lukewarm. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Now...time for me to go and dig deeper...</span><br />
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</span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-61861066893396656762011-03-15T13:40:00.001-04:002011-03-15T13:40:57.247-04:00A challenge of your love and faith...<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">CRAZY LOVE<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">Chapter 4: Profile for the Lukewarm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';"><br />
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</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">***CHALLENGE***Read the following information and then challenge YOURSELF below the 18 “symptoms”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 16pt;">YOU MIGHT BE LUKEWARM IF…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">1) Attend church regularly (Isaiah 29:13)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">2) Give money to charity and to the church...as long as it doesn't impinge on their standard of living. (1 Chronicles 21:24; Luke 21:1-4)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">3) They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions than what God thinks of their hearts and lives. (Luke 6:26, Revelation 3:1; Matthew 23:5-7)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">4) Don't really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin (John 10:10; Romans 6:1-2)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">5) Moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act (James </span><st1:time hour="13" minute="22"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">1:22</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">, James 4:17; Matthew 21:28-31)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwffJsGY_E5rm0jK5X37tGWHsXjTrnwy-480sBX3KOZmHdtLFNGG4_TU5zMrC8MKOB2RmVBnrEnpb4Yrb90fpHsg2XS3UJ-mklnp9JX7InIY_-1G6qSHpLB6bUz2j8KQ8APNMcX9SIt9RG/s1600/james1_22_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwffJsGY_E5rm0jK5X37tGWHsXjTrnwy-480sBX3KOZmHdtLFNGG4_TU5zMrC8MKOB2RmVBnrEnpb4Yrb90fpHsg2XS3UJ-mklnp9JX7InIY_-1G6qSHpLB6bUz2j8KQ8APNMcX9SIt9RG/s320/james1_22_b.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="line-height: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';"><o:p><br />
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</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">6) Rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends (Matthew </span><st1:time hour="10" minute="32"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">10:32</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">-33)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">7) Gauge their morality or "goodness" by comparing themselves to the secular world (Luke </span><st1:time hour="18" minute="11"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">18:11</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">-12)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">8) Say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed a part of their lives...<em><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">but only a part.</span></em> (Luke 9:57-62)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">9) Love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength (Matthew </span><st1:time hour="22" minute="37"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">22:37</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">-38)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">10) Love others but do not seek to love others more than themselves (Matthew 5:43-47; Luke 14:12-14)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">11) Will serve God and others but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money, and energy they are willing to give (Luke 18:21-25)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">12) Think about life on earth much more often than eternity in heaven (Phillipians </span><st1:time hour="15" minute="18"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">3:18</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">-20;Collossions 3:2)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">13) Are thankful for their luxuries and comforts, and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor (Matthew 25:34, 40; Isaiah 58:6-7)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">14) Do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty (1 Chronicles 29:14; Matthew </span><st1:time hour="13" minute="44"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">13:44</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">-46)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">15) Are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control (1 Timothy 6:17-18; Matthew 10:28)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">16) Feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age twelve, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America (Matthew 7:21; Amos 6:1)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">17) Do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to (Luke </span><st1:time hour="12" minute="16"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">12:16</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">-21)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 12.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">18) Probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren't very different from your typical unbeliever (Matthew </span><st1:time hour="23" minute="25"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">23:25</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';">-28)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">Pick the one characteristic that weighs the heaviest on your heart. It might be the one that you feel the most guilt of (that’s how I feel) or the one that seems the most challenging)…spend 15-20 minutes getting to the HEART of this lukewarm characteristic. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">Why do I do this?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">Why do I feel this way about this?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">What’s stopping me? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPBbRQZrsqbOrAlDUSHsCbosIVdf_ewhJMfiFrGNJAjihdBwIWQlaaW_qu738oWO5I2-m51irmweojspal5ebO-jQF9uyVuw3uFY8BX7uxsOfe4xvJZEj1yGCs1gzJlCRPd-LNjAeUrie/s1600/digdeep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPBbRQZrsqbOrAlDUSHsCbosIVdf_ewhJMfiFrGNJAjihdBwIWQlaaW_qu738oWO5I2-m51irmweojspal5ebO-jQF9uyVuw3uFY8BX7uxsOfe4xvJZEj1yGCs1gzJlCRPd-LNjAeUrie/s320/digdeep.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';"><o:p><br />
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</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">DIG DEEP.</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">Find verses that combat this characteristic. Use biblegateway.com if you do not have a bible…do word searches. Find what God says about that characteristic and how to be encouraged and how to overcome it. I have a concordance if anyone would like to use it! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">PRAY.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zI6Dilx5Bt4k7gVFqwCIAqc9bXhgxFSFqTxExH-7tr_HObRY81plP3jyV2b5kzBgR8omS8I9O72-jxEDkYQ2oMK-l5vo7IEa_pTGNywxoZErLLBcnNv_qRiYYBNJfelqfKLD_KHFhz8V/s1600/PRAY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zI6Dilx5Bt4k7gVFqwCIAqc9bXhgxFSFqTxExH-7tr_HObRY81plP3jyV2b5kzBgR8omS8I9O72-jxEDkYQ2oMK-l5vo7IEa_pTGNywxoZErLLBcnNv_qRiYYBNJfelqfKLD_KHFhz8V/s320/PRAY.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">Ask God to help you battle this sin.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">Think of one or two tangible things you can do this week to help you fight against this lukewarm characteristic. It may be fasting for some, or getting up earlier to pray, taking a walk by yourself, or even talking with your children. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">Start challenging YOURSELF and stepping out for YOU! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';">For those of you that come and meet with me on Tuesday – be prepared to share about your journey this week: the highs and lows. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers as we go forward. What a challenging chapter this has been…and will be for another week to set on my heart! Love you ALL!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: white; font-family: 'Courier New';"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-d5HsACWwvEvt7aq_CR4CjJNm-kmbj-GWFiqcTucsCC84qfOvH2sVqN9ALOzae3gY10qreASjipgMLJ7NfbzP_NMip6nRCaatv9Gzv5uKRk6P4yDpU6_CrSAvjhNjShwl7jD3FunvyKOe/s1600/shineyourlight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-d5HsACWwvEvt7aq_CR4CjJNm-kmbj-GWFiqcTucsCC84qfOvH2sVqN9ALOzae3gY10qreASjipgMLJ7NfbzP_NMip6nRCaatv9Gzv5uKRk6P4yDpU6_CrSAvjhNjShwl7jD3FunvyKOe/s320/shineyourlight.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Courier New';"><br />
</span></div>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8054453759455351471.post-16000806469744956922011-03-04T22:53:00.000-05:002011-03-04T22:53:38.578-05:00Happy Birthday Baby!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">In two hours my oldest daughter will turn 14 years old. That's completely amazing, scary and mind-boggling all at the same time. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Where has the time gone? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Many of you might not know the history of my oldest daughter, Maria. We only discovered her existence a little more than three years ago. <i>Seriously</i>. Just like on the movies...our Plain Jane reality show's husband got a phone call - we have your granddaughter. From there we went through DNA testing, court hearings, and then finally we were able to meet our daughter. A month of so later we were moving her into our home.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Such a crazy roller coaster that time was. There was a lot of adjusting to a new child with weird habits. We had our normal house rules that she never had and we were conforming her into our world as she was adapting. Oh, it was hard. It was hard on all of us, but we loved her and she loved us...and God was just AMAZING during the entire process.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">In my life that was the most dramatic experience where you could turn your head, glance behind your shoulder through the years of time and calculate every step along the way; every question of why God? Every battle in our young marriage? Our instant family...one thing after another and each one was God molding, guiding, correcting and preparing us for THAT moment in time. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Truly astonishing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Even the relationship with the women on my block, our church home that we had just received, our newly dependence on God had just been established...all the cards lined up and VOILA - the gift was delivered. Wrapped in a tiny red bow. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Our beautiful Maria.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">As she turns 14 of course I am filled with the thoughts of her future high school life and all the things she is going to face there. Pressure of this thing or that thing. I just pray that, unlike myself, that she can have the confidence in who she is...that God made her beautiful and deserving of so much more than the crap that she will be fed. I just pray she doesn't make the same mistakes that I made...because I made way to many.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Happy Birthday my BIG baby girl! </span><br />
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</span>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631261861954510388noreply@blogger.com1