Moving so Soon?!?!?

When we came down to Waco 2 short years ago we knew in our hearts it was only temporarily and that sooner than later we would probably be moving back home to our family. But Never in a million would we have imagined that our stay here in waco would be this short, especially after buying a house just last year.

However, it happened just that fast. We were in Amarillo in May for Tori's graduation from WT while there we stopped in to visit a good friend at Region 16 in walks Ray Cogburn and just like a used car salesman he makes his pitch and sells my husband on a new job. The offer was I must admit too good to pass up so we begin the interview process and 2 weeks later while in for Kaylee's graduation, Lance has his first interview. A week and a half from this he has a video conference interview and two days later he receives the call saying he got the job and when can he get back down to Amarillo and start.

I still think I'm in shock as I'm packing up boxes and saying my good byes to the people I have grown to love in such a short time. A house that has become home. My heart hurts during this process. It's become life to me and a life I love so much and hate to say good bye to. The day we found out he got the job was the same day I found out that one of those once in a lifetime good friends lives only 4 houses down on our same street.

There is no doubt in my mind that this is the right move for our family and there are so many wonderful people and things which we will be returning to back home in Amarillo. But anytime we must close a chapter in our lives I'm always so sad to see it go. Especially when it involves people who I've become so attached to and love so much.

I don't want to seem ungrateful because I'm not, not in the least bit. Our Sweet heavenly father has set everything up for us, All within less than a week we already have people talking about buying our home, we have a place to move into in Amarillo, Lance has a job which comes with a promotion and raise, I'm looking at going to work with my Best Friend Bobbie who's definitely hooking me up with an awesome job I'm sure to love, jeffrey will be attending a fabulous state of the art Day Care, and we're going back to the best family in the world and Friends too... There is nothing at all to be sad about I'm grateful soo very grateful, but just a tiny bit sad to see this chapter of our lives ending so soon. It was a great time and time of learning too Lance and I became stronger as a couple and learned how to really become a family unit on our own. We're so grateful for the last two years of our life here in Waco and we are looking forward with great anticipation to our future in Amarillo.

BRING on the Moving Trucks!!!!!!!!

My Spritiual Walk

It seems for about the Last Year the Lord has been leading me on this Journey of Truth and this is just part of what I'm learning and studying out and I wanted to share a piece of it all with you!
Jeremiah 31:33 talks about a new covenant...... "For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Isra'el after those days," says ADONAI: "I will put my Torah within them and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people.
This New Covenant is Torah written not on scrolls but within us on our hearts through the Holy Spirit. So what I use to know about the old covenant law was mostly that there were alot of laws (613) and they were burdensome. At least that was my opinion and what I thought for so long but lately in my studies and in my walk I'm dicovering more truth about the Law and realizing that most of the things which were so burdensome so hard to follow were the things that Man (Pharisees and Sahanderines ) made and put on the law, regulations which God never said you have to do it this way rather Man said you must do this way (the Oral Law).
This verse is speaking about the Torah being presented and managed under a new covenant which is written on our hearts via the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit),
Before I always thought of the new covenant as Jesus died for us did away with the old covenant the Law and gave us the New covenant "GRACE" However I no longer feel this is accurant. Jeremiah 31 says "Torah written on our hearts" means we are willing to follow YHWH's instruction and learn and obey Torah.
The truth I'm discovering is that Jesus never ever meant for us to believe we were to do away with the Law or that we no longer have to follow it, he makes this clear in
Matthew 5:17 "I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one little stroke shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved....
The Law is not BAD It's not burdensome... Jesus came to fulfill the Law and died for us and our sins so we could have the LAW (torah) living inside us through the Holy Spirit, which is what Ezekial speaks about
Ezekiel 11: 19-21 "And I shall give them one heart, and I will put a New Spirit in them And I shall take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh. So that they will walk in My laws, and guard my right rulings, and shall do them. And they shall be my people and I shall be their Elohim."
This is talking about the Holy Spirit A HEART OF FLESH!!! When we accept Jesus into our hearts we also accept the sweet gift of the Holy Sprit to teach us right from wrong to be our conscience and to guide us in the Will of the Father. We are under Grace yes Thank you YAHWEH FOR THAT because without it we could not have the Holy Spirit living inside us, we would not receive salvation, we would be destined for damnation! BUT even though we have received this priceless gift, we are still called to follow the Torah (the Law). Ezekial 11:20 says "so they will know my laws and walk in them."
I can remember going to church camp in 4th grade and this being one of the main verses they were teaching on. I remember praying that God would show me what type of heart I had? Throughout the week there was a little girl who was kinda wierd and geeky and I remember not really accepting her or being friendly towards her though I knew this was wrong. All week long as I was asking God to reveal what type of heart I had he kept showing me a rock.... After worship one night I remember being broken and apologizing to the geeky girl and then having the revelation that I now had a heart of flesh and that God was proud of me and I did what he wanted me to do.
A simple example yes but I believe it's still that simple today God has written out his Law he desires for us to obey it and when we do that He is pleased with us. When we ignore his teachings and ignore him our hearts are cold they're stone. I have always firmly believed that God is the same yesterday today and tomorrow that he never changes and if he does not change well what he said over 3000 years ago HE still wants us to do today.
Numbers 15: 13 "'Everyone who is native-born must do these things in this way when he brings an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 14 For the generations to come, whenever an alien or anyone else living among you presents an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, he must do exactly as you do. 15 The community is to have the same rules for you and for the alien living among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the alien shall be the same before the LORD: 16 The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the alien living among you.'"
Also Exodus 31:13, Numbers 15:37 Deut 14:1-21
LASTING ORDINANCES.... Forever and ever for all generations. I realize there are many laws as I'm looking and studying through them which no longer apply to us we do not have to give a sin sacrifice any longer Jesus is our final sin sacrifice and we don't have a temple.... so many of the laws are no longer applicable to us.... But there are still so many that are. Our lives are suppose to be our offerings Romans 12:1-2 "Living Sacrifices" And I believe in my heart it is our duty to study out these laws and to fulfill them to the very best of our abilities. Yahweh wrote the law for our guidance and our protection many years ago, He is infinetly wise and I believe what was good then He also knew would still be good for us now.
I don't claim to know all the laws or how they apply to us today...... I just know that as I'm studying these things Yahweh continues to confirm in my heart that this is right and this is what He deisres. I Just want to clarify no it's not about works not all all. What it is about for me though is Loving my God and desiring to Follow His Ways to the very best of my ability. John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep My Commands;
So this is where I am right now in my studies.

Pursuing a MSN

The last few weeks I have been contiplating pursing my Master of Science in Nursing to become a Nurse Practitioner. Everyday I pray Lord are we sure about this confirm in my heart. I've never been one to love school and in fact when I graduated with my RN License I vowed to never take another Nursing Class again. (First Mistake! It seems the Lord always gets me on that never word)
I love being a nurse and I throughly enjoy my job in the ICU maybe not so much but the 3rd day but seriously who loves Friday afternoons!?!?!?
These are some of the things which keep coming up making me really want this MSN. I want to be a mom who gets to pick her kids up from school and drives them home. I want that time in the car with them. I want to be able to take off and leave my work right then if the daycare or school nurse calls and says my child is sick or the need me. I don't want to miss a recital or play or party because I can't find anyone to cover my shift for that day.
I want to be back in the community! I want to get outside the hospital setting and bedside nursing. I enjoy the bedside nursing now but I cannot see my body lasting for years of lifting and turning our very large patients.I just don't feel like I can do bedside Nursing for the rest of my carerr. This realization also came while I was striping the tubing of rectal tube.... (I realize anyone who is not a nurse probably just threw up in their mouth right then.) Sorry there probably should be a disclaimer on this blog.....
There is also the issues of timing right now Jeffrey is young enough that I can do schooling without me missing out on him or affecting his schedule. I'd like to do it before we have anymore children. And there is always the large issue of 2015 when the Board of Nursing is looking at changing the ruling on Nurse Practioners and the way they practice making it where they will need a doctorate to write prescriptions and see patients. So these are the things I am lookin at right now. It looks like I'll enroll for the Fall of 2011 Take a statistics course and it will probably take about 2 1/2 years to graduate. I'm a little nervous still very unsure I'm even smart enough for this task but I do feel this is the next step in Life the Lord has led me to so....... We shall See!

Our Church Hopping Days Are Over!

So We have lived in Waco for a year and half now coming up to almost 2 years pretty soon! And yet we still haven't found a church we can really feel comfortable calling our own. We've shopped around, we've stayed at a few places for some months, but never feels we end up finding something we don't agree with and saying let's move on to the next place.
After doing this same routine over and over again it begin to feel alot like Dating....
I remember now why I'm so grateful to be forever done with that stage in my life.
Dating was never really my forte I just didn't have much use for it. Too much work involved I guess.... But when I was in the stage of dating I received some godly advice I have forever cherished and share with others who are now or have been in that stage.
The advice given to me and since passed on to many others was come up with 5 NONNEGOTIABLE(s) 5 things which the man you're dating must have to continue on dating him. It was a great way to weed out those men in my life who would forever remain in the just friends category and those who could be potentially more. Saved me alot of heart ache and heart break.
So As I was dating around for churches I finally had the genius idea of doing the same thing with my future potential Church Home. What is it I need I want and desire in a church home? What are my nonnegotiables when it comes to finding a church home.
Things in which me and my family must have in a church to be happy fulfilled and to be able to grow.
After praying and seeking the word I came up with these.....

1) Must be fully completely centered on the WORD of GOD using no other books but believing that the BIBLE IS the infallible word of truth.
2)Must be centered on Loving God and Loving People
3) Be family focused, a place where Jeffrey can grow as well as Lance and I also. A place with Good Men and Women's Ministries.
4) A place where we can get involved and give back to the church as well. SERVE
and 5) I really wanted a place that had Sunday School I liked this growing up and I have been missing it the last two years as we've lived in Waco and most churches don't have this as much anymore.....

This Sunday I think we have found our new church home at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church meeting all 5 of my nonnegotiable. ;) And making us feel right at home.

So lately Jeffrey has been teething. However the problem is that I am not positive that I'm not just throwing this phrase around all the time for every poor misbehaved action he partakes in. He's crying and carrying on...."Oh He's teething...." He's hitting his hands on the ground screaming... "Ohhh He's hurting..." So today it clicked in my mind well let's see What Mary- His Sitter during the day says...
I ask her and this is her response. Oh No He's been just great he never throws any fits or acts like his teeth are bothering him. Awwwe LIGHTBULB.... Little stinker.
I told her what he was doing to me at home. She said, "Oh No Girl, He's just testing you, next time he does that you just walk away and ignore him. Even if he's teething he doesn't need to act all crazy and throw a fit."
As soon as we get home we're in the floor playing and wouldn't you know it. The little man burst out and throws a fit. So I get up walk away and he continues to follow me crying and carrying on I come back into the living room sit down and He just stopped not 3 seconds later he busts out belly laughing..... SERIOUSLY he was playing me for a fool.
oh I have so much to learn about being a mommy!! He sure does keep me on my toes.

Candlelight - The Maccabeats - Hanukkah

Hanukkah- 8 Crazy Nights

Is Hanukkah just for the Jews?
Did you realize that Jesus our messiah celebrated Hanukkah?! Of course he did he was a Jewish Rabbi! John 10:22 states, Then came the feast of dedication (Hanukkah) in Jerusalem. And Yeshua (Jesus) was walking around in the temple." The same temple in which the celebration was started from!!! How awesome would that be! So what exactly is this celebration all about? (Information taken from Wikipedia)

Years ago the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE, Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus be erected in the Temple (THE HOLY TEMPLE!). He banned circumcision and ordered pigs to be sacrificed at the altar of the temple.

Antiochus's actions proved to be a major miscalculation as they were massively disobeyed and provoked a large-scale revolt. Mattathias, a Jewish priest, and his five sons led a rebellion against Antiochus. Many people died in this massive revolt, giving their lives up but refusing to dishonor their Heavenly Father or their bodies by bowing down to false idols. By 165 BCE the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy was successful. The Temple was liberated and rededicated.
After recovering Jerusalem and the Temple, Judah (one of Mattathias' sons) ordered the Temple to be cleansed, a new altar to be built in place of the polluted one and new holy vessels to be made. According to the Talmud (Old Testament) , olive oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was required to burn throughout the night every night. But there was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. And this is where the eight nights come from. Celebrating the miracle of light!

The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights on a nine-branched Menorah or Hanukiah, lighting one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. The typical Menorah consists of 9 branches. An extra light called a shamash (Hebrew: שמש, "attendant" is also lit each night for the purpose of lighting the others, and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest. The "shamash" symbolically supplies light that may be used.

What about the top thingys?!? The dreidel is a four-sided top and gelt (coins, or in modern times often chocolate coins) are used for a game to help teach children about Chanukah. According to legend, the dreidel was used to trick enemy soldiers: when a group of Jews studying Torah heard a knock at the door, they quickly hid their scrolls and books and pretended to be gambling.

And what about presents? There's no reason why you have to give any presents but there's also no reason not to. Some families like to give one present for each night of the Holiday some don't give any gifts.

So again I ask is this holiday just for the Jewish??? I don't think it is. Anyone who wants to celebrate our Precious Heavenly Father doing a Miracle and reclaiming his temple back is welcome to celebrate this fun filled 8 night festival!!! December 2 this Thursday is the first night of Hanukkah, so light a candle and celebrate the RE-dedication of the YHWH's Holy Temple.




The actual account is written about in the Book of Maccabees. If you care to read about it I added the account down below.


First Book of Maccabees Chapter 4:36-60

36 Then Judas, and his brethren said: Behold our enemies are discomfited: let us go up now to cleanse the holy places and to repair them. 37And all the army assembled together, and they went up into mount Sion.38 And they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burnt, and shrubs growing up in the courts as in a forest, or on the mountains, and the chambers joining to the temple thrown down.
39And they rent their garments, and made great lamentation, and put ashes on their heads:40And they fell face down to the ground on their faces, and they sounded with the trumpets of alarm, and they cried towards heaven.41 Then Judas appointed men to fight against them that were in the castle, till they had cleansed the holy places.42
And he chose priests without blemish, whose will was set upon the law of God:43
And they cleansed the holy places, and took away the stones that had been defiled into an unclean place.44And he considered about the altar of holocausts that had been profaned, what he should do with it. 45 And a good counsel came into their minds, to pull it down: lest it should be a reproach to them, because the Gentiles had defiled it; so they threw it down. 46 And they laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, till there should come a prophet, and give answer concerning them. 47 Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former: 48 And they built up the holy places, and the things that were within the temple: and they sanctified the temple, and the courts.
49 And they made new holy vessels, and brought in the candlestick, and the altar of incense, and the table into the temple.
50 And they put incense upon the altar, and lighted up the lamps that were upon the candlestick, and they gave light in the temple.
51 And they set the loaves upon the table, and hung up the veils, and finished all the works that they had begun to make
52 And they arose before the morning on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month (which is the month of Casleu) in the hundred and forty-eighth year.
53 And they offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of holocausts which they had made.
54 According to the time, and according to the day wherein the heathens had defiled it, in the same was it dedicated anew with canticles, and harps, and lutes, and cymbals.
55 And all the people fell upon their faces, and adored, and blessed up to heaven, him that had prospered them.
56 And they kept the dedication of the altar eight days, and they offered holocausts with joy, and sacrifices of salvation, and of praise.
57 And they adorned the front of the temple with crowns of gold, and escutcheons, and they renewed the gates, and the chambers, and hanged doors upon them.
58 And there was exceeding great joy among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was turned away.
59And Judas, and his brethren, and all the church of Israel decreed, that the day of the dedication of the altar should be kept in its season from year to year for eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month of Casleu, with joy and gladness.
60 They built up also at that time mount Sion, with high walls, and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should at any time come, and tread it down as they did before.