in the dark....turn on the LIGHT!!

I woke up on Saturday morning, a little more tired than usual. But It's okay. The family is home this morning so we can all have our Saturday morning breakfast together. I got up, went to pray and then I hear the rain the outside my window. Love to hear the rain! Well, after and hour of our usual Saturday morning stuff, all of a sudden it starts to pour! Like crazy hail rain with loud thunder and lighting! It was awesome! My mom didn't like it much, she kinda got a little scarred. So then, our power went out for like a couple of seconds then they came back on! "what a relief"! My mom says, "I hope we don't lose our lights again"! I kinda had that feeling that we were going to lose our power because it was coming down again! And sure enough the lights when out...again! But this time for like the entire day! It wasn't to bad for me, because I had to work later on that evening and I didn't come home till after 11 that night. So, I got to thinking before I was saved. I was so in the dark all the time. I didn't realize how my actions or my way of life was affecting not just me but my family. I mean, I wasn't never really into the drinking and doing drugs thing, but I just didn't care much about this family that God has blessed me with. I never wanted to spend time at home, or I just wanted to do my thing and simply be selfish. When God came into my heart and life, He open my eyes, He took me out of the dark and into the Light. In Matthew 5:13-15 Jesus' followers are described as the "light of the world." Just as it would be pointless to turn on a light and then cover it up, it would be foolish if we accepted Christ and then made no effort to do his work in the world. Christians are to spread the light of truth on the world around them. This is amazing!! Also, in John's account of the Gospel, Jesus tells us that He is the light of the world. He tells us that if we follow him we will never walk in the darkness, but will always have the light of life. (John 8:12) And Christians are to be "salt and light" to the world. Both salt and light stand out from their environment, and improve the world around them for others. When I got home from work later that night, my entire house and neighborhood were completely in the dark! It was kinda scary walking from my car to my front porch last night. My mom had left one of those camping lanterns by our hallway for me when I got inside that Light was shinning so bright that I felt very much at peace. Before I went to sleep, I read my Bible with little light, I was just praying and thanking God for getting me out of the darkness and for opening my eyes to His Love, His Truth. Then I kid you not...our lights came back on!! It was so cool! Since, they went off @ like 12 in the afternoon we had all the lights on and tvs all turned on! It was like if God said in Genesis 1:3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. AMEN to that!!

Once upon a time...

Hey guys, sorry I haven't blogged in a while. LONG while! I need to really get on this and just blog my little heart out! And share whatever I the Lord has me sharing with you. So, I have been reading a lot lately. I mean a lot! It's great! Because I LOVE to read! Well, since I got myself the amazon Kindle, I'm seriously thinking this is the BEST investment I have ever spend my hard working money on! I mean, don't know if you guys are familiar with the Kindle. First of all, I have LOTS of books, and not enough room for all of them. So, I would either stack them on the floor, or put them in another book shelf in the living room. (which I don't like, I like MY books in MY room with me) but with the Kindle, I can download up to 1,500 books with this little device!! I know!! amazing huh?! Don't you just love technology? Someone once said “Print is dead”. They just may be right. With today’s technologies and wireless networks, you no longer have to own a printed book in order to read it. E-books are a good way to enjoy reading while not having to worry about owning several boxes full of books. The Kindle is compact and lightweight so it is easy to handle. Just think of it as a conveniently portable television for your books. You can even download magazines, newspapers, and blogs! Okay, so you are probably asking yourself, "wow! this is to good to be true, right?" It's NOT! For instance, a book on the latest New York Times bestsellers list can be purchased for $10.(or more!) Other titles will cost you around $1.99, which is significantly cheaper than a printed book, even in paperback. Books that are public domain can be downloaded for free. Since, I purchase books from Borders or Amazon.com those books tend to get expensive over time, but with Kindle they are at least 30 to 40% cheaper! So, in the long run I will be able to save money as well as space on the purchase of books. Okay, seriously I am NOT getting paid by amazon for the kudos I just gave the Kindle. I just really, really, like it! And I wanted to share with all of you. And if you are an avid reader and are running out of room to keep all your books. Then maybe, just maybe the kindle is good for you. When It first came out last year, it was expensive so I waited. Now it's $259. Not bad for all the money I am saving on the books. And like I mention, they have a lot of FREE books and the other books, if you are interesting in buying them then you can sample them for free like 2 or 3 chapters. Totally works if you are not sure you would like this book or not. Okay, so that is enough of my nerd talk =) and now off to to some reading! I will be posting some of my ALL time favorite books on here, I just have to make it a good top 10 list, but it's kinda hard when I have like a top 500+list!

is it really Gossip?

There I was sitting in my hair dresser's chair reading one of my books that I'm just in love with right now, "A Table for One" (more on why I like this book so much later) Well, I was sitting there minding my own business when I just realized I have been reading page 27 for like 20 minutes and I have no clue what I just read! You see my hair stylist and two other stylist were all talking about someone that did something to someone yesterday. This certain person is not working today so this is why they are talking so freely about them. Then I started thinking about this person. I honestly, don't have any idea who this person is! I felt really bad for this person. The fact that their co-workers were saying things behind their back. So this is what Gossip is? And this is why this particular blog has taken me THIS long to actually write. Because I feel so convicted about doing the same thing! Gossip! plain, ugly gossip. In The Hebrew word translated “gossip” in the Old Testament is defined as “one who reveals secrets, one who goes about as a talebearer or scandal-monger.” A gossiper is a person who has privileged information about people and proceeds to reveal that information to those who have no business knowing it. Is this me? A scandal-monger?! In the Book Of Ephesians Paul writes, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." (Ephesians 3:9-10) Instead of asking what is gossip? Or maybe a better question is what is really sinful in God's eyes? I'd suppose the basis for the matter of gossip is the commandment to not "bear false witness against your neighbor". Granted I'm not conducting proper exegesis, but it makes sense. Biblically - there are verses I wouldn't know how to look for at the moment (hey-I'm sleep deprived!) that say first of all to say something to your neighbor if you see that he is "sinning". God told Ezekial that he was to warn people of their sinfulness, whether they listened or not, because if he didn't speak the other person's sin was "on Ezekial's head". Most important though is that God looks upon the heart. God KNOWS who is truly upright and who is not. From that aspect - I'd say that if you're trying to find out enough about a "leader" to know whether or not he is trustworthy, or trying to warn someone of a leader that you know is NOT trustworthy, motive is what counts. I am going to stick to what I have been told since I was in pre-school. If you don't have anything nice to say about someone then don't say it at all!

is LOVE really in the air?

In December, I walked (okay ran) into my near by Target in search of some last minute Christmas wrapping paper. Going down the aisles I stop to see the clearance section, and BAM!! I see it, and end cap of big, red, hearts....everywhere! What! NO!! Christmas is not even here, and they already have Valentine's Day things! I know that our retail industry just thinks way ahead of each and every holiday and tries to rush it out as soon as they can. But seriously, I don't think it was the fact that Target did this right in between two other holidays. (Christmas and New Years) It is more about that particular day that got me thinking about Valentine's Day.

In Wikipedia it says that, "Saint Valentine's Day or Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the English-speaking countries, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering candy". The holiday is named after two Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. When I was younger I use to love to get Valentine "grams" at school. And see who got more grams and from whom. Or who was your "secret crush". In the my Bible it says the greatest gift is Love.In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." I do know what Paul told the Corinthians in the famous Love chapter. Love never fails. Love’s greatest expression may be when it is not reciprocated. Think about it. Paul wrote: But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 There is a different territory of love found in loving when it is not reciprocated, when it is not readily returned. To love when being loved is a deeply gratifying experience but if that is all there is to my love then it ultimately is only as deep as the other person’s gratification of my needs. I think God wants more for us. To discover the meaning of loving when not being gratified can be a deeply spiritual experience as well as a deeply meaningful relational experience.It is certainly not an easy thing, to love when it is not being returned, but it is a good thing. Loving even when not loved in return may be a miracle all its own. For when we love in the circumstance of waiting, we are loving in a way that God is intimately familiar with. We are loving, like He loved us. So, this year for Valentine's Day let us love others like Jesus did. But I still can't wait for some Valentine grams!!

Just a simple, blog

So so here i am…in my kitchen. Just spent who knows how long working on this blog page and im hoping i havent messed something up! But you see, I sign up for this last year and everyday when I read other blogs I think..."why haven't I started my blog"? Well, let me back track a little here. Since, I have been reading so many blogs out there lately, I notice that many of them are all so REAL!! I mean, I love to journal. I wish I would it more often. But, journaling, in MY journal is for my eyes only! (well, me and Jesus) so it's weird putting MY journal out there for anyone to read!! With that said, I do enjoy to read, a lot. And I like to write. I have always wanted to write a book. At first I thought about a Children's book but then, it I thought what about a Christian women's singleness awesome Jesus book! Well, there are WAY to many of those out now! So, I'm still praying about my Children's book idea. Well, perhaps this little blog adventure idea, could start me off in that direction. Right? I mean, the blogs that I subscribe to and read often are usually about their life and how Christ is working in their life. And how they manage to not only keep their Faith in very hard times, but to also love and accept the will of God in their life. So, I think this is why I wanted to start to blog. To not only share with others the trials, hardships, but to share with you the love that Jesus has for me no matter how I mess things up! To show that no matter how much I do mess things up, God will still continue to use me and guide me and direct me in His will. Not mine. If, and only IF I am willing to deny myself and pick up my cross and ask Him to be my Direction in my life. With lots and lots of prayer, and reading my Bible.This year will be my 5 year anniversary! On March 20 I asked Jesus in my heart and He has been my best friend, my companion, my mentor, my coffee date, my movie date, my strength, my provider and my soul mate. I am really excited in this amazing journey that God has me in. And thank you for being a part of it!! so now...LET'S DO THIS!!!