Little Man Monday

Off-Line

Not that a lot of people actually read this but I will be going off-line for a few days.  Don't know exactly how long yet but I'm going to spend the time in the Word :-)

Little Man Monday

Yep this was taken in the middle of summer.

God of food

Our Father in Heaven is the Lord of all.  He created everything and it all belongs to Him.

Even our food :-)

I've seen God a lot when it comes to our food.

In a previous post, I said we are no longer getting help with food from the government.  God would provide though and He has been!

Anyone that really knows me can tell you I drink a lot of milk.  I'm talking like a gallon every two days!  So I was a little concerned about how I would be able to cut that cost a bit.

One great thing about the store we shop at is the price matching!  I just have to look up ads and see who is having the sale and for how much.  

So I was getting my milk for decently priced for a few weeks until I was told nope sorry we don't price match that place (the same one I"d been using for a few weeks, silly I know).  BUT the cashier only charged us for two gallons instead of three!  Woohoo!!!

Just last week when little man and I were at the store we told the cashier about another sale but she rang up the milk at a much cheaper price!  

Now try and tell me He isn't in control!!!!! :-D  

Also my parents got me a new oven.  Now we can actually use the oven part of the stove!  This is money saving because we can make the big family meals in the oven (they wouldn't fit in the microwave) and have the meal for a few days as left overs!

To top it all off, my neighbor needed to clear out some room in her freezer for the half a cow her husband got :-)  So I got a few meals from her.  AND she gave me a pound of ground black angus beef!

God is sooooooooo good!

love

anc

Pressure

It is hard to live in America and be a follower of Christ.  While mowing the other day I had the thought that it would be better to be where I faced persecution not just pressure from the world.

But then I know God placed me where I am for a reason.  If I cannot keep my faith during pressure how could I ever serve Him in persecution?

I'm sure I have the wrong attitude about it.  I need Him to break down my walls and work on me.  The only way this can happen is if I let Him . . . I know He has left me plenty of messages already.  It is called the Bible.

There is so much here in our lovely U.S. of A. to get in the way of our relationship with Christ.  It is very easy to make something an idol.  Anything we look towards more than our God and Savior is an idol.

I have made things idols.  It is hard to admit but even the internet is an idol for me.  I let it control most of my time.  I could be spending all the time I just sit looking at random things of no importance in the word of God.

It is something I've been wanting to do.  I try to fast from my computer a few days a week.  I haven't been succeeding much lately :-(

Having so much stuff is hard on me as of late.  I cringe when I think about all the excess I have.  God has blessed me with living in America for a reason and I believe part of it is so that I will grow more in Him and depend on His righteousness.  And not depend on the so called American Dream.

love

anc

Nothing is ours

I own nothing.  It is all His.

We think we are a rich nation but we have never been more wrong.

I am straight up greedy.

America loves her wealth and goods.

God calls us to give to those in need.  If we do not we become the goats on the Lord's left (Matthew 25:33).

'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40

'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' Matthew 25:45

 If I compare myself to those who have more than I do, I'm not living as Christ.  I need to look to the least.  Those who do not have a single thing.

God has placed others suffering and needs on my heart.  Before buying anything He makes me think about those who have not.

It is straight up hard, not gonna lie.  Getting the new shoes would be great.  I really "need" them, I tell myself.  How many are doing without food or water?  These are the BASIC human needs.

I'm working on processing all that my heart is feeling.

I know I cannot change others but it burns me inside to see people buying useless items.  I'm not sure what I need to do about it but its something I'm definitely praying about.

love
anc

Little Man Monday

Starting a new thing for my good ol' blog.

Little Man Monday will have a picture of my LM that I think is adorable.

:-) Enjoy!

Something Else

I've been struggling in my walk the past few weeks.  Ever since returning from the mission trip I've been lost.  I haven't been in the word like I should be.  It's my own fault.  I just feel like typing out all the thoughts going through my head.

Today I bought car insurance.  I was on my parents' but found it cheaper to get my own.  Well what I ended up getting is NOT cheaper.  In fact it is a bit more but it has better coverage.  One major issue I thought of while mowing after already purchasing it . . . I did not seek the Lord while getting the insurance.  Christians are to give up their life, to die to self, and let God handle everything.  Besides it is all His to begin with anyway!  I don't own a bit of it.

Even the very breath I breathe is not mine to keep.  It is a gift from the Lord.

So I'm going to be praying about my insurance to see if He has other plans.

School starts at the end of the month.  I'm very nervous.  Not sure if God has called me to other plans or not.  So I'm going with what I already had set up.  My mom feels it would be great for me but I'm not as convinced.

I just feel that maybe God has called me to something else.  Just not sure what that something else may be.

love
anc

Falling Whistles

I was very excited to finally receive my whistle in the mail!

You may be thinking, "its just a whistle."  But you are incorrect!  It is a symbol of justice.

Young boys in the Democratic Republic of Congo are being put on the front lines of war with only a whistle.

They are not yet strong enough to carry guns so they become a temporary human barricade.

from the journal entry:

THEIR SOLE DUTY IS TO MAKE ENOUGH 

NOISE TO SCARE THE ENEMY AND THEN TO 

RECEIVE – WITH THEIR BODIES – THE FIRST 

ROUND OF BULLETS. 

Lines of boys fall as nothing more than a temporary barricade. 

Those who try to fl ee are shot at from behind.  The soldiers call it 

“encouragement” to be brave.  Without a gun to protect themselves, the 

smallest boys are placed between the crossfi re of two armies – forces 

fi ghting for reasons far beyond their ability to understand.  

WITH FALLING WHISTLES, THEIR ONLY 

CHOICE IS TO FEIGN DEATH OR FACE IT.

The whistle sales fund a rehabilitation program for these young boys.

I'm happy to be a whistle blower!

Are we just?

Before you go any further in this post you must know I'm NOT passing judgement on anyone.  I'm saying this because Erica's post spoke to me and I know I'm convicted of such.  Use this post as a means of learning about our lives and rethinking them.

We are a society obsessed with stuff.  We think we have a right to own more and more yet other's have so very little.  Erica shares my love of facts!  Here is some facts about our "American spending"-

American spending for 2009

$45 BILLION on their pets yearly. 

$14 BILLION on pornography a year. ($56 BILLION worldwide) 

$345 BILLION on clothes and shoes. Yes CLOTHES! 

Coffee is a $12 BILLION dollar a year industry! 

$15 BILLION a year on bottled water! 

$13 BILLION a year on plastic surgery.

Is anyone else picking their jaw up off of the floor?

I sit here and don't know what to say after looking over these statistics.  I believe they could be a post all by themselves.  Think about how much money a BILLION is.  We spend 15 BILLION dollars on bottled water.  BOTTLED WATER?!!!  Seriously?!  It is something that is basically free for us out of our taps.  We could be sending all that bottled water to those who do NOT have access to clean drinking water!  This makes me just want to go up to America and shake her silly!!!

More than half of our world lives on less than TWO dollars a day. 

Yes you read that correctly, less than 2 dollars.  

How many of us have that much or more in change in our cars?  We spend more on our pets than most have to even eat.  It's not like these people want an extra pair of underwear or that new pair of jeans.  They want to feed their children the one meal the will might get for the day.  

I am so convicted of this very thing.  It is extremely hard for me to look at my wants vs. needs the way American culture wants me to.  How is buying another toy for my son who has a room full or pair of flip flops to add to the collection a need when people across the world are hungry starving?

I am going to copy this straight from Erica.  I couldn't say it any better.

"Put yourself in another mothers place, imagine having to choose not between what cereal you'll feed your child but choosing WHICH of your children gets to eat today."

You go anywhere outside of the U.S. or even in some of the inner cities here IN America and you will see.

We need to help those who have none.  Jesus calls us to it.

"You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Luke 18:22

Social Justice.

rethink your needs . . . I know I am

love

anc

Breathtaking

Mission Trip July 2010

I love these people so much!

I've been meaning to post since getting back from the trip but just haven't known what to say.  To say the trip was amazing would be an understatement.  Serving God like that was breathtaking.  It was nice to focus on Him without the distractions of the world for a week.  Although I missed little man something fierce, I enjoyed the time away to get myself back together.  

Going on the trip made me rethink my calling in this world.  I'm not sure if accounting is where I am meant to be . . . but I'm going to stay with it for this semester at the very least.  Doing so gives me a chance to see if it IS what He wants of me and it makes my family happy.  I know you can serve in any job but I think I see myself in more of a actually service ministry role.  I could be wrong.  Only He knows what I'm called to do!  Maybe, just maybe, I'm talking myself out of accounting because I'm looking for an "easy" out.  

We do not have to go to Africa or South America to do God's work.  But sometimes I feel it would be easier to go there and do it.  Living in America as a Christ follower is straight up difficult.  We are a crazy culture to but it mildly.

Took this picture of little man yesterday.  He is growing up so much.

love
anc

Mowing the Lawn

This evening around six-thirty, I did what people with a yard do~mowed the grass.

Photo taken by my beautiful best friend Abby

This may seem unrelated to anything but it has great significance to me.  I get great time with God when I mow.  I have at least an hour to speak with Him and have no real distractions!  I pray for whoever I think of and whatever comes to mind.  It is a terrific time.  It makes mowing much more entertaining.  Plus it gives me good God time :-)  Next time you mow think about having a conversation with your Heavenly Father, the Lord of all, and the only guarantee in life!  Also I am so thankful for my yard.  Yes it can be a pain to have to go out and mow but I am so blessed for the property I'm on and the wonderful house God has provided for little man and me.

School starts at the end of August.  I have found peace with the decision and it's all through Him!  Accounting still seems scary but I know He will lead me.  I can't just sit around and wait for something to fall into my lap.  It doesn't work that way.  Plus with not being able to find a job, attending school is really my only other option!

I was going to take five classes but decided against it since I'm just getting back into the grove of things.  I will be taking accounting, math, speech, and a general business class that is a prerequisite for everything.  I'm so thankful to be able to get just Tuesday/Thursday classes.  It makes life much easier.

Little man was going to go to the sitter he was at while I had a job but sadly she does not have an opening once school begins.  She was awesome too!  And only a block away :-)  I have found someone who can watch him though and I couldn't be more happy about it!  It is a little out of the way but I know LM will be loved on so much and learn.  The greatest thing about this new sitter is she is such a strong Christian.  I know LM will learn good values while he is there.  She has a daughter that is about four and a son that is two; so LM will have playmates his age!  Not sure the ages of the other children she watches but I'm excited!

Speaking of LM, can I just say he is growing up so much!  He is so handsome and I love being his mommy.

I will be away from him for ten days!  I know it will be very difficult but the reason behind the absence is wonderful.

As I mentioned in my short post, I will be going on a mission trip.  My first ever!  With a group of about fifteen twenty-somethings, I'm going to Antioch, TN to help with flood disaster relief.  Click here to see.  We will be leaving this Sunday after a lunch at church and be gone until Sunday the 18th.  I will post more about it once I've actually experienced it!  Me being able to go is such a God move!

Also in my short post I talked about a bible study.  I'm involved in a Beth Moore study called Breaking Free with college-aged twenty-somethings.  It is a wonderful time to fellowship and know there are others out there my age who believe in our Savior Jesus Christ!  We are on week four and it is such a great study!  Because of this study I already know where some books of the bible are better!  It has been a great way to get me in the habit of having quiet time with God.  

Prayer request!!!!  The single moms group starts on Sunday!  I'm nervous but I know He will be the leader not me!

Here is a picture of my family from our family camping trip

Papa, LM, Mom-mommy, Mommy, Aunt Woo

The shirts were made by my lovely grandma grandma!

They are birds and each has a different theme.

love

anc

short

Going on a mission trip.

Involved in a bible study.

Loving the Lord and leaning on Him more than I ever thought I could.

Life is in His hands.

He will provide

This week has been a good week.

One of my bestest friends told me some very exciting news.  I am not going to say what it is just yet.  Plus I got to hang out with her quite a bit this week.  We went on some nice long walks.

My little sister got her hair cut.  How is that a good thing you might ask?  Well she donated it to Locks of Love.  It looks so cute and the cut off hair went to a great cause.

Little man can now say please :-)

A friend from elementary school is getting married next month and she had a bridal shower today.  It was so great to see her.  I went to school with her soon to be husband :-)  We actually dated for a bit haha!  But I love that we are still friends.  They are so cute together!  I couldn't be happier for them!

This weekend is what we call "family camping".  The majority of my momma's family gets together for a big camping trip.  LM and I will be going up there tomorrow morning.  We opted to sleep in our own beds tonight since we had the shower to go to until late tonight.  

Currently it is raining and thundering very hard.  :-)  I like summer storms such as these.  It is quite peaceful and gives my plants a good watering!  

In other not so great news (depending on how one looks at it), we were denied public assistance.  No food stamps for us.  When I first opened the letter it upset me a bit because we really could use the help but there is someone who is bigger than all of it.  God is in control.  There is a reason for not being able to get it.  Someone else who is far worse off will be able to use it more.  Even though I am without a job, I still have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food to eat.  When I told my mom about it she said something along the lines of "just keep living frugal like you already are but maybe reconsider the money you have going overseas."  My response is God will provide.  He called me to care for Filemon and that is what I'm going to do.  If it means no more eating out, fine.  No more movies, fine. No more random trips to the gas station, fine.  :-)  When I am saying "fine" I am not saying it in a negative tone; it's more "no problem!"  I mean it as He has total control and I am trusting Him! :-D  

Speaking of trusting Him, I continually have to take this back to the alter and give it back to God to handle.  I want a relationship badly.  I want a husband very much so.  BUT I know God has it all worked out already and is just waiting on me to "grow up".  Not in the literal sense, at least I don't think so, but in the spiritual sense.  I once heard, from I believe Danny on a sermon podcast I was listening to, that "If you think you have to have somebody to be somebody, you aren't ready for anybody."  Isn't that so true?  Just because we think it would change us to be married or have a child or whatever, one thing like that is not going to make that much difference.  We have to change on our own.  Marriage doesn't solve everything.  Nor does money, fame, schooling, relationships in general, etc.  

Next Thursday is a big day for me.  It is the day of my birth.  Twenty-three years ago at 7:15 pm my momma brought me into this world.  :-)

All next week my little sister will be gone at church camp.  I hope she has a great time.  I always did.  She goes to the same camp I went to when I was her age.  They now have air conditioned cabins.  She said last year some girls had to sleep in the "old" cabins that didn't have air.  I just laughed because when I went that is all we had!  There was no air conditioning!  I pray she will grow stronger in her faith and be more prepared to be an arrow for God!  Last year at camp is when she decided to be baptized!  

Mom and I will be painting her room lots of cool colors while she is gone!

I cannot recall what convicted me of this but I know why God has me where I am.  I am not needed halfway across the world like I think I should be.  I am needed here.  Right here in my little house in this little town with only one gas station and one flashing red stop light.  People need to hear the Word here.  God placed me here for a reason.  I'm unsure about how He wants me to go about it all but I know I am in the right place.  Kids walk down my road several times a day and maybe I can be a light for them.  Anything can happen with the Lord of Heaven and Earth in charge!

If you are reading this, I congratulate you!  This is a mighty long post :-)

love

anc

Bookmarks

I've been working on getting the clutter out of my life.  It is actually a great feeling!  We are picking up toys as we go along and the house is staying decently clean.  Makes me feel good.  Dishes are still not my favorite thing to keep up on but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.  I'm so thankful to even have a sink to wash my dishes in!

I am trying something new with my hair.  :-)  It seems to be working great so far!  

Wanna know?  

I'm not using shampoo.  

At all.  

:-D  

Baking soda and apple cider vinegar are it for me!  In just the few short days I've been using this "no shampoo" method, my hair is less frizzy and my curls look tons better!  I'm still in the adjustment period.  When we use shampoo, it takes all the essential oils out of our hair.  The more you shampoo the more this happens.  That is why your hair looks so greasy so quickly.  Your hair thinks it needs to produce lots of oil because the shampoo took it all away.  Using baking soda helps to keep the natural oils in your hair and still cleans it!  The vinegar is like a conditioner.  

Also I no longer use a brush on my hair or a towel.  I comb it with my fingers or a comb (depending on how tangled it is).  Using a t-shirt is supposed to be good for drying curly hair.  Instead of using a t-shirt, I've found a pillow case works great!  I just put my hair in and wrap it up lightly!  It is still the cotton material so it helps with frizzy and such.

I'll be posting pictures of my hair sometime soon.  Have to upload the pictures!

Little man used to go to bed around 7:30 or so but with it being so light out until 9 or later, it has made his bed time be pushed back a bit.  He is so cute!  He can say please now and it is the most adorable thing ever!  Also I painted "As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord Joshua 24:15" on a wall in the living room and he just loves for me to read it!  He enjoys reading in general but he really likes to look through his bible!  God has great plans for him!

I received the book One Million Arrows, and so far it is a very good book.  I'll do a little review of it when I finish it.

Lately I've been reading Acts.  Also reading Exodus, Job, and Luke :-)  Well I have bookmarks in all those spots.  Depending on the day and what God is pulling me toward determines what I read.  

This weekend my family is going camping.  It is my mom's side and we do this every year.  It should be lots of fun, as it always has been.

"Do you dress to show off your body? Or do you dress to please the Lord?"  A question to consider in today's culture.  We are called to higher standards as Christians.  Please the Lord in all you do!  Do not lead another astray by your actions!  

I am officially enrolled in classes for the fall.  God has given me such peace about it all!  I know that no matter what path I go down He can use me for His glory!  He needs all kinds of people!  Pastors, teachers, mechanics, small businesses, and even accountants!  I've always been good with numbers so hopefully this is the path that will bring Him the most glory and honor and help with the harvest!

love

anc