I Have Sinned

I thought that title might get you! September-October was about the craziest month I have ever experieced! We had the fair, where I worked selling corn dogs about 12 hours a day for 10 days. During that time we also had 2 weddings and 2 funerals. To top it off I found out that I am having 2 new grandbabies! Wow, I think I experienced about all the emotion you can experience in that short time period. I was in serious need of a break, just a place to be able to relax and not feel any pressure.
Our church gave us a vacation for Pastor Appreciation and the only time we could go before the holidays was the next week so we had to purchase a last minute vacation that wasn't going to cost a fortune. I found Las Vegas. We had never been there before and I thought there wouldn't be that much we would want to do so it would be a good place to relax and rest. Boy was I wrong! I loved it! The hotels were amazing. I have never seen such beautiful buildings. My FB friends gave me all kinds of suggestions of things to do. I did mot of them, we were only there for 4 days and there was still so much to do.
I chose a hotel off of the strip because I didn't know what to expect there. It was wonderful but it was a few miles away from everything. We decided to be adventurous and take the bus instead of renting a car. The bus ride included having to take a change bus at the station. We got to ride with the locals on the first bus and then joined the tourists on the second bus. All of this could take up to an hour and a half to get to our destination! The first night we were at the bus station at Midnight waiting for our bus, we were a little tired and cranky and this cute little couple from Canada came over to visit with us. I asked how they met and they began to tell us all the details of meeting a huge party weekend. He said she had another boyfriend that she had been with for 5 years and that had just gone sour. Her heart was broken. There was anther man standing a little ways away and he walked over sat with us all on the bench and said "I know how she feels". It was crazy. Ed started to talk to him and I kept talking to the young couple. They were not married and they were just traveling around the states in an RV. I told them how Ed and I had met at a high shcool party and they wanted to know all the details. I began to share with them how that we didn't have sex until we were married and now we have been married 31 years and are more in love with each other than ever before, we have 3 kids and will soon have 3 grandkids. Their faces softened and their response was "that is so sweet"! Ed went right into telling his testimony of how he got saved right after we started dating and how that changed everything about the way his life was going. They all were really listening. About that time the bus pulled up. It was so neat to see God use us even when we were dead tired and on a vacation from life. The amaazing thing was how invigorated we both felt! We had another opportunity later in the week to give a teenage boy, who was sitting behind us on the bus some money. He had been on the phone telling someone how he didn't have enough money to get to his destination and he said "Jesus Christ" in the course of conversation. Ed looked at me and said "you're going to have to give him some money". He knows what a softie I am, I already had it in hand! He moved back to sit with Dustin and gave him the money and told him that we are parents and we heard his dilema and we would want someone to help our kids. Ed expressed our belief in teenagers. We love them! He then began to go on to say, I heard you say "Jesus Christ" in your frustration and I want you to know that He heard your cry and has answered and He loves you. The kid was so taken aback! Dustin's tone changed and he began to share with Ed the frustrations of his life. The bus stopped and we had to get off. What fun we had!
Now to the "I have sinned". We were in the Planet Hollywood hotel and there was a little brewery called Sin City Brewery that had t-shirts that said "I have sinned".
I really wanted to buy one but it was pretty skimpy. The thought came to me that we should all be wearing those shirts. Not because we had a beer but because hours before I had gotten mad at Ed, acted hateful and not shown him love. That's what really breaks God's heart is when we don't love, not the outward things but the inward things. I have sinned and I have repented. I am so grateful for a forgiving God and a forgiving husband! Our lives can begin again today because of that mercy and grace! I wonder how I would be looked at if I wore a I have sinned shirt every day yet it is the truth. I am not a perfect wife, mother, friend, daughter or Pastor's wife, I am just a sinner depending on God's grace. Thank you to my great church for sending me on an amazing vacation!

Taming the fat!

Ok people, I am posting tonight because I need some accountability! I am headed to youth camp in a few weeks and there is no way I can keep up with the kids or the schedule at my present out of shape, fat self. Sooo I started back to Weight Watchers on Friday morning at 9:30 AM. I even stayed after to get a 45 minute pep talk from the teacher. I need all the motivation I can get at this point. After I stepped on the scales I wanted to kick myself! There it was in black and white and on my book. They might have well just screamed at me you are fat woman! The funny thing is that I actually have a really good self image. That seems to be part of the problem. I think that I look like I have a perfect body. I just look at someone whose body I admire and in my mind I can see my face on that body! Amazing feet I know! LOL! Please help me blog friends and give me some encouragement. If you have any tips for me they are welcomed! If you would like to come join me in my class that would be even better. It's a mommy and me class. It's going to take a lot of motivation, I mean I watched the whole season of Biggest Looser and that didn't oust me off the couch! I don't have a good before pic but I will post that ASAP!

Married and loving it!

This last week Ed and I had to go to court with someone, while we were waiting a divorce was being settled. It was so sad to see the investment of 2 lives being reduced to cars, stuff and who's going to pay what. It really made me glad that Ed and I have done the things we have done to invest in the future of our marriage. I want to encourage you to take a date night, go on an overnighter with your spouse. Turn off the TV and talk or play games. When the kids are gone you will be glad you did. I'm tired of the bad rap that marriage gets! I am loving it! The last 2 weeks Ed and I have been preaching about Marriage on Sunday morning. It's been a challenge and a lot of fun. He really is my best friend. I have so much fun with him and he always pushes me to do things that I'm not sure that I can do. Mostly he has challenged me to believe God for huge things and to do amazing exploits! I find that I have a tendency to get comfortable, just enjoy things the way they are. Not Ed! He always sees more and greater. Thank you honey for allowing me the privilege to minister right beside you! Thank you for believing in me. I love my life. It is so cool to see God love and change people's lives through us!
July 15, 1978 Can you believe that dress? I showed no skin whatsover. LOL!

Happy Birthday Denae!

Today we are celebrating Denae coming into this world and changing mine forever! I don't have one bad memory of Denae's birth. I had her an hour and a half after I got to the hospital with no drugs or anything. (I had babies wonderfully easy!) We already had our wonderful boy Jeff when we decided to have another and I asked God to give me a girl. He answered! She has been a joy to me from the day she was born. One amazing fact about Denae..when we would go to get her shots she would laugh. The doctor and nurses couldn't believe it. She has always had a great laugh and made those of us around her smile. Other memories of when she was just a toddler were of her trying on clothes and mentioning how adorable they were. I have so many great memories of my times with Denae. Some of the best are in ministry, on the streets of Hollywood, servant evangelism, Disciple Now, and Youth Church. She has always been a leader and now I am getting to watch her be a Mom and what an amazing Mom she is. I thought it was appropriate to post a pic of her and Will since Mother's Day is on Birthday week. Denae, I am so proud of you and so blessed to be your Mom! I love you and you are still a great gift to me 27 years later!

Saying No to Myself...What???????

Ed has been preaching the best series on prayer until last Sunday.(LOL) It was about breakthrough prayer and how you have to live in self-denial to have breakthrough. It was funny because he was preaching his heart out and was very anointed but he was getting no response from those of us in the audience. He finally said "I can tell y'all aren't real excited about this." On the inside I was screaming "No kidding, who wants to say NO to themselves, not me! We really don't want to hear this, we want to hear that this Christian life is easy." My thoughts went on like that. In reality though I want to see breakthroughs in my life and the life of my church, my friends and family and those who I meet everyday. So I say YES to saying NO to myself! Last week I was flying on a free pass my wonderful friend Mitzi gave me and I had to tell myself no quite a bit. I really have not been a fan of flying. I am not going to let that stop me though. I was flying on the 2 busiest days of the week so it was inevitable that I would get bumped off the plane. I had decided that if I got delayed there would be a purpose in it. The first day of flying I had only had 3 hours sleep and was leaving for the airport at 5:00 AM when I noticed my Shack book sitting on the nightstand. I felt prompted to take it, there was going to be someone who needed it. I didn't not get to my destination on the first day and had to spend the night in Orlando. I took that book out everywhere I was all day, sitting next to a lot of people and no one ever mentioned it. The next morning I boarded the plane and pulled it out again. This was my last flight before I arrived. The guy next to me began to ask me about the book. Yea!!! He then went to sleep. He woke up as we landed and God told me to give him the book. You would have thought I gave him a million dollars. Success!!! I was on a 24 hour detour for one man. Not what I would have chosen. On the way home I had to fly through turbulence all day. (Hate it) I got to Dallas and they informed me that I would have to fly to Albuquerque and then go to Lubbock. I didn't want to do it but it was my only option.
I was the last one on the plane and had to squeeze between two people who obviously did not want me there. There was an older lady and I tried small talk with her but she snubbed me. The ride was rough. We got close to Alb. and the captain came on to tell us that their were wind gusts up to 65 MPH! So it would be really rough. The lady next to me freaked out, she was so scared. I knew then that I had been sent on this flight to help her through it. I HAD TO FORGET ABOUT MYSELF AND MY FEAR! We had every kind of turbulence, side to side, bump bump and then big drop. Yuck! I had to pat her leg and tell her that I had been in God's hands all day and he had taken good care of me and was going to get us through this. We started coming in for landing and she had a second panic attack about wind shear. As I was trying to calm her I look below out her window and see the remains of a small plane crash. Not good for flying moral! I just started asking her all kinds of personal questions to distract her from that sight! We landed safely and she was so grateful that I had been there for her. 14 hours on planes was not my idea but it was God's and it was good! I am reading a book I would highly recommend "In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day". It will change your thinking!!! I'm starting a new saying...NO TO ME!

I'm remebering!

I have been refreshing my memory of the Passover today, God has really been speaking to me from it. I'm going to try to write a blog a day leading up to Easter.

The passover is celebrating the time when the Hebrew children were not killed during the 10 plagues of Egypt. They had to put aside a lamb to be slaughtered and put the blood over their doorpost, eat the lamb then their houses were passed over, their children were spared and they were able to flee Egypt. This is all accounted in Exodus.

The first night of the Passover is the Seder. There is a lot of ritual to the Seder but the purpose is to recount the Passover. The children are very involved and are encouraged to ask questions. Games are played to encourage the children to learn. It is an all night party of remembering!

I want to have that kind of memory about what Jesus has done for me! Every year at Easter we watch "The Passion". It causes me to remember. Let's take some time to remember.

I am so grateful for what Jesus has done for me. He has taken all of my sins!!!

Happy April Fools Day!

This seems to have been some sort of holiday for me in the past. I used to love practical jokes. Now I don't have much creativity for them anymore. I thought I would share some fond memories of past days. My favorite done to me: Ed let me sleep late and took the kids to school. Lance was in 1st grade. I was woken up by the phone ringing and it was the school nurse telling me that Lance was in her office with chronic halitosis. I was thinking "OK what do you want me to do, bring a toothbrush?" She went on about the severity. Finally I said "Do you want me to bring a toothbrush?" She said "No this is very severe, he is going to have to go to the dentist". I was stunned but said OK I would come pick him up and hung up the phone. While I was getting ready my sister, Chrissy called and said April Fools! It was so good, I did not recognize her voice at all!!!
The best one I have done. We had just gotten our first Suburban. The kids were in elementary school. I was still learning to back and park. I had to run get gas before school and there I was at the 7-11 when the revelation hit me that it was April Fools Holiday. I called Ed from the pay phone and told him that I had backed into the pump and gas was spewing everywhere. He was panicked and kept saying CONNIE!
I finally said April Fools and he hung up the phone. When I got home Denae informed me that Daddy threw the phone and broke it! The rest of the story.....vengeance has finally come to me many years later. A couple of weeks ago I was in Wal-Mart (which I hate and try to never go there). When I checked out, I ran into a friend who works in customer service. She told me that the sheriff had just called there to say that there was going to be a gang shooting at one of the Wal-Marts today. She then went on with chit chat. I was thinking lady, there is no time for small talk, I've got to get out of here! I started out the door and many people were coming in and I wanted to shout "GET OUT" you are in danger! I restrained from causing a riot in case my information was bad. I found myself walking to the car profiling everyone in the parking lot and basically everyone who goes there looks like a gangster!!! I could not believe the fear that I was feeling. I have purposely been a lot more dangerous places to minister. I got out only to find out later it was a hoax. Ed felt like God had finally smacked me for all the things I have put him through. LOL!
There is a point to this long April Fools message and that is....I could not believe the urgency that I felt wanting to tell people to save their lives as I left. I was very convicted that I do know that people are going to Hell and I don't have that kind of urgency to keep them from going there! I have seen my true colors. Anyway, we are starting a campaign at church called Won by One. I am going to win some!