Do you offer God your Leftovers?

I am reading with a few others on Wednesday night Frances Chans book "Crazy Love". This past chapter gave us interesting and good discussion. As I have grown and matured I will never forget being a jr. high youth leader and the kids wanting to learn about Revelations. Judy do you remember that? It was cool because I got to learn too! And the even more amazing thing is I remember it!! In our series we talked about the 3 churches in Revelation and the one I clearly remember is the church of ladosia. Now I know I didn't spell the church correctly. But........the cool thing is I was able to use my knowledge about the church to help and challenge two guys in the class. You see many times as Christians we give God what we have "left". We don't give him everything we have! I am guilty of this especially if I am tired or don't want to do something. i.e. my husband signed me up for it! ;) But we as Christians need to giving God everything that we have weather it is in relationships, worship, ministry or in our own spiritual life. There are many more areas that we can give God 100% too. But how many times do we go into a situation and say "God I have this much time for....." or I am really tired so here is a quick prayer or the Purdue game is on. Can't that wait? We need to STOP doing this and saying God here I am. Use all of me. God does not want what we have "leftover". He wants ALLLLLL of us!!!!! How cool and AMAZING is it to know that the creator of the universe wants to know and have a personal relationship with you! I am in awe of that! I encourage you to check out Frances Chans book "Crazy Love". Good stuff!

The Enemy of Debit

Wowzers! I am such at a loss for words. For the past 4 weeks Josh and I have been attending the Dave Ramsey course and tonight I am totally broken. Let me share with you some key pieces to my past. Growing up I worked from the time I was 16 but did not have access to the funds easily. My mom did and I had to ask permission to use the funds that I had worked for. She was wanting me to be responsible but this kind of back fired. At the age of 18 I had a used car paid for, lived at home and had a great job. I fell into the trap of lies. Lies that you have to have credit to get a car, house, go on a trip amongst many other things. Around the age of 18, I had gotten a gas card to "build my credit" but boy oh boy did I fall and I fell hard into the mouth of debit. Credit card companies liked me because they made LOTS and LOTS of money on me! You see after the gas card, came a cell phone, after the cell phone came shopping at AE. You want an AE card so you can get xx% off. Sure why not I'll just pay it off at the end of the month. No problem. The mall and the bookstore became my Best Friend. I would received a Master Card, Visa, American Express along with the gas card and the AE card. I was loaded! I bought stuff to fill a void in my life that only could and can come from Jesus Christ. I would buy stuff before I went to work and would hide it in the car. I took friends out to eat. I bought clothes and shoes. I bought CD's. I have NOTHING to show for it now! My dad helped me out by giving me some money to pay the debits down. I no longer have the credit cards and all the credit cards are paid off but two. I tried debit "counseling" but did not make progress due to fees. It is by the amazing grace, mercy and love of my wonderful husband Josh and dad that I was able to get rid of those cards. My point I am getting at here is I learned a very easy lesson a very hard way! DO NOT GET A CREDIT CARD!!!!!!!! No matter how GOOOODDDD the offer looks. You can pay CASH or use the DEBIT card!! I think of how I have nothing to show for it. I think of how much money I spent. I was living at home, car paid for, no other real expenses and I BLEW $15,000/yr plus some because I had Credit Cards and I was wanting to be accepted. My credit card/shopping addiction goes further into being like an alcoholic at a bar. I could not get enough of the adrenaline high that came from shopping. I have come a long way but still have a long way to go. With Dave Ramsey I CAN do this and God's help! I am making a choice to be more responsible in what I do with what God has given me. Cash HURTS...immediate! Credit FEELS GOOD! Use cash until it STINGS!!!! I am glad that I am saved by grace. Nothing more. Nothing less.

from a brace to a Cast......

So, a few things to share this week. First of all last week I went to the place in Indy to get a new brace. Well, they have you take your shirt and pants off but you leave your undergarmets on. Then you put on a stocking type material with a place for your head and arms. Then the guy comes in and puts casting material around the area needed for the brace. You stand there for a few minutes while it sets. Today I went back down to Indy to get my new brace. It is alot more like a cast but I think I kind of like it better though too. The only thing is I have to layer it in between my clothes. Not fun! So, here is to hoping that by April I will be done with this brace.

The boys have been up in South Bend and I am ready for them to come home! I miss them but have enjoyed my time with Lily too!

Too much!

This past week has been filled with lots and lots of appoitments and things. I am tired. I am exhausted and my back hurts. All I want is a few hours to myself where I am not asked to do anything, my children are not screaming and I am not sleeping or running to an appoitment of some kind. Does a few hours like this exisit? Last week Monday Josh and I spent doing something we wanted to do together and then had Williams birthday celebration at home. Tuesday was filled with appoitments. I went to Indy to see my back doctor and get a new brace and quit physical therapy and then I met with my counsler. I was feeling pretty good so did not have a lot to talk about. Wednesday was a big day for Josh and I he went before the Distric Board of Ministry to get approval for his ordination in August. We were thrilled to have their blessing pending one more course! Wednesday was Faithweavers which the kids love going to and Stephanie Parker started a class for adults which I was really excited about! We are going through the Crazy Love book! It was fun being the introduction course. Thursday William had his 4 year check up with that we ran to the mall to get new shoes for the growing boy which is on the other side of town. Got groceries at Wal-Mart. Came home and Josh was not feeling well as he had not been all day. Mind you this is all still Thursday. Brought some groceries in but did not get them put away. I can not remember if we had something Thursday night or not. Friday was spent at home but I tried to do too much and even had a friend say hey, I am here I can help you. But I wanted to make the things for the pot luck by myself. Then we had the Dave Ramsey Course on Friday night. I am truley excited about this class but also beating the crap up out of myself for how foolish I was and have been in spending. So, today is Saturday and I slept in, we went out to lunch as a family which was nice then came home. Josh took a nap and I tried to make a few baby blankets. But did not succeed and got frustrated with myself. So, eventually the boys and I took a nap and now it's 8p.m. and the kids are wired and I am tired and frustrated!!!!!! Mainly because I am setting myself up for failer. I have not gotten my Beth Moore Bible Study done in 2 weeks. I have not been in 3 weeks and will go tomorrow no matter how much I have done because it's important for me to finish this weather it's done all the way or not. I am ready for spring too! The warmer weather today was nice. So, I am hopefully going to take some pain meds soon which my doctor wants me down to 3 total pills a day when I see him in April. I have not mentioned that I do have an AMAZING neighbor who takes great care of me! Her name is Peggy Karger and her husband Phil is a chef and every now and then they drop off food to our house and it is always made from scratch!!! So, when I got up this evening I found a nice big container of home made Salsa....YUMMY!!!!!

Happy Birthday to William David Johnson!

I am so grateful we are blessed by you! We found out we were expecting you when Timmy was just 5 months old. We were surprised and scared. Timmy had just had heart surgery and so dealing with a new pregnancy and all of the what if's that go along with it was hard. We had lots of ultra sounds and you were a very healthy little guy! During my pregnancy we could not decided on a name for you. I really wanted William but daddy did not want you called Will. My grandpa Cobb passed away while I was pregnant with you and Daddy agreed that if you were a boy we could name you William after my grandpa Cobb. And two weeks later we found out that you were indeed a boy! I was so excited!!!!! You were scheduled to come on Feb. 16th but my body was tired of carrying you so I was in the hospital for pre-eclampsia and on Feb. 7th and on Feb. 8th the doctors decided it was time for you to come out. I think you by far were my easiest c-section of all! It was a fun party like atmosphere in the OR. Daddy arrived about 15mins before you were born. We lived about an hour away and when I was told I was having a c-section in an hour daddy was at the store in Grinnell. I told the doctor they had to wait until daddy could get there. So, they were able to get into the OR about 30 minutes after they had planned. You came out and the first thing I said was "WOW!!! He looks just like Grandpa Cobb!" And to this day you still do. Grandma Cobb found some old photos of when Grandpa graduated from high school and man you look so much like him! I am so grateful your in our life. You are funny, caring, ornery, loves to pray at meal time and at bed time, enjoying preschool and a charmer. It is going to be so much fun watching you grow up. You love to try new things! I love you William!!!! Happy Birthday!! Love, Mama!!

oh my aching back

Fear....does NOT come from the Lord but comes from the enemy! Today I feel like the cat above.....who needs a spine not me today! But I have mine mostly rods and screws. I am in pain. I have fear....yes I am a Christian and place my faith in God but there are times in life where I let fear and worry over come the peace that comes from Jesus Christ. Now I am doing just that! Ever since my last doctors appoitment I have been fearfull of what will happen at my next appoitment. Fearfull of another surgery. Fearfull of not doing what I should be or doing too much. I am not super women. I am only a human being who is a child of God and needs to take care of herself. Something I am not very good at doing. So, with that said please continue to life me up in prayer as I struggle with these very real fears and stresses.

UGH!

So, yesterday I was very excited about the kids not having school. I still am to an extent but wish they would sleep more but I know in a few more years I'll be wanting them outside shoveling snow instead of sleeping until noon. So....I can't have my pie and eat it too! I am venting today mainly because I am frustrated and don't know how to express myself. I am tired! Last week was wonderful spending time with my dad and grandmother but I am truly exhausted even after 2 nights with 12 hours of sleep. My body is still working on healing and sleep is heavenly. Last night was a bit rough with 2 of 3 kids sleeping in bed with me. While I LOVE that I don't get a good nights sleep. Josh is grumpy with his meds keeping him up at all sorts of crazy hours. I am really proud of him though for making some huge progress on his classes he needs for ordination in August! So, all this mama wants is a litte bit of shut eye so I can have a fun afternoon with my kids! Is that too much to ask? I don't think so.