My family

My family
Child of God, Mother, Wife, Sister, Daughter, Aunt, and friend

Friday, October 31, 2008

Being this cute should be ILLEGAL!







Just had to show off the latest "cutest pics" of my girls. Anna is modeling her new winter coat. Notice, she's wearing her jammies with shoes....she just couldn't be left out of jammie night at AWANA's, even though she's not a cubbie yet!



Then there's Kayla, and well, I just couldn't decide between these two pictures. One is her in her new jammies (that daddy picked out....way to go!) proudly showing off her new earned patches from AWANA's. Also, she is showing her "Responsibility chart" that we started doing 2 weeks ago. It's been so neat to watch her get so excited about helping out!



The last one is her in her very first set of rollers. I wanted her hair curly for tonight, so she slept in them, and was very excited to do so! I was sort of impressed at how she didn't complain about them hurting once! I have left them in all day too, so that when I take them out right before the fall festival tonight, they'll be EXTRA curly, so today when we were at the library for 2 HOURS while I voted, she was the center of attention with her little pink rollers in! So cute!!

Monday, October 27, 2008

One year ago....








Hard to believe all the growing that's been going on in this house over the past year. This picture was taken one year ago this Friday, though it doesn't at all feel that way. Being a mother to these two precious little cherubs has brought me more joy then I could have ever imagined. Can't wait to be a snap-a-holic at our annual fall festival at church this Friday...pictures to come folks!

Blessings,

Ali

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Precious Life


My sister's sister in law (that would be her husband's brother's wife) Carmen wrote this blog, and I'm so glad she did! You can find it Here.

It pretty much sums up how I feel about this election. Also, be sure to read all the comments, as I was so glad I did. It was quite refreshing to read what other Christian women thought on this particular subject.I'm tired of the "He said, she said" political
mumbo jumbo and am ready for November 4th to be here. Regardless of who is elected our President, I am confident in knowing that God is watching over us, His children, and will not leave or fore sake us. Not only that, but according to HIS word, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." Romans 13:1

As for me, I will be voting for Life in this election. Sanctity of life is something that we should not take for lightly.

"
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb."
Psalm 139:13

"At what point does a baby get human rights," was asked to both of the candidates, and you'll find one dodged the question completely stating that it was "above his pay rate" to answer that, while the other so boldly, and without hesitation stated "at the moment of conception."

I think it's very important that we not only educate ourselves with the hard facts and track records of this election, but that we get on our knees and pray...fervently and without fail. Have questions? Look to the only source out there that never fails; the Bible.



Mother Teresa said:

"The greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion, which is war against the child. The mother doesn't learn to love, but kills to solve her own problems. Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want."

"The way to plan the family is natural family planning, not contraception...This (use of contraceptives) turns the attention to self and so it destroys the gift of love in him or her. In loving, the husband and wife must turn the attention to each other as happens in natural family planning, and not to self, as happens in contraception. Once that living love is destroyed by contraception, abortion follows easily . . . And abortion, which often follows from contraception, brings a people to be spiritually poor, and that is the worst poverty and the most difficult to overcome."

[Editor's note: Natural Family Planning (NFP) is the safest, most effective way to prevent or achieve pregnancy. Couples are raving about NFP across America and around the world. For details, click on the Couple to Couple League site. To read about the very low divorce rate attributed in large part to the strong, loving communication that is developed when couples practice NFP (there's less than a 5% divorce rate for couples practicing NFP), click on Kiss Divorce Goodbye!]

Pope John Paul II:

"America you are beautiful . . . and blessed . . . . The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless. If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life."

President Ronald Reagan in 1982:

"Simple morality dictates that unless and until someone can prove the unborn human is not alive, we must give it the benefit of the doubt and assume it is (alive). And, thus, it should be entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."


Blessings,

Ali

Monday, October 20, 2008

Close your eyes with me and WORSHIP!

I have this song on my ipod, and as I worked out at the gym today I stumbled on it. Amazing how you can forget how powerful a song can be. I may have had some strange looks from fellow gym members as I closed my eyes and mouthed all the words, but I didn't care because I had an AWESOME worship this morning! Thanks be to HIM! Rich, you are so missed!

I WILL follow You all of my days!!!!!!!







Blessings,

Ali

Friday, October 10, 2008

Faith, Fruit and Faith....Convicting stuff people!

As I read all three of these devotions today, I knew they just had to be shared. For me, they all hit "the spot" that I needed, and I hope it will do the same for some of you reading today. Be blessed, Love unconditionally, Live for HIM!

Ali

The Impala Syndrome


This devotional was written by Jim Liebelt


Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.—Hebrews 11:1

I recently read a story on the Internet about the deer-like African Impala that reportedly can jump to an amazing height of 10 feet in the air, yet can be restrained in captivity by a wall that is merely three feet tall. Why? It seems that the Impala simply will not jump without being able to see where it will land.

This reminds me of the faith life of many Christ-followers. We have been given the wonderful gift of faith. By simple acts of faith, both small and great, God chooses to expand His influence in the world (See Hebrews 11). Still, it seems that many Christians live like Impalas when it comes to exercising faith. I know that for myself, time and time again, I’ve let any number of small walls; those made of fear, or worry or even ‘common sense’ restrain me from exercising the gift of faith that God has given. How about you?

When we insist upon living by sight and always determining the results before we act, we short-circuit faith, cutting God and His power out of the equation in our lives. When living by sight overcomes faith, our spiritual lives begin to shrivel, we live at a lesser level of satisfaction, and our own participation in influencing the world for God decreases. According to the Scriptures, faith is a foundational principle for living the Christian life. (See Romans 1:17.)

The solution to the “Impala Syndrome” of faith is found in choosing to trust. When we choose to trust God enough to walk by faith rather than by sight, we exercise our faith and as a result, its capacity grows. Our spiritual lives are strengthened, which results in our living life to its fullest.

So, how are you doing when it comes to matters of faith? Are you consistently living by faith? Or, is your daily experience more like the “Impala Syndrome”? Today, you can make the choice to trust God and live by faith not by sight. Let our prayer today be, “Increase our faith, Lord!”


Setback or Cutback?

Micca Monda Campbell

"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that is will be even more fruitful."

John 15:2 (NIV)

My eldest son is a born leader. That's a nice way of saying he's strong-willed. I've often heard Dr. James Dobson, President of Focus on the Family, describe determined, strong-willed children this way: "They come into the world smoking a cigar and asking to speak to the administrator of the hospital to complain about the temperature of their room."

That's a good definition of my son. For example, in Jr. High, Mitch struggled in his relationship with his basketball coach. Why? Because he didn't think he was a good coach. While Mitch never said so, his attitude reflected this mind-set, which in turn affected his game. The coach ultimately benched him, and his attitude. Devastated, Mitch couldn't understand why the coach would bench one of his starting players.

We've all been there. You and I have experienced "setbacks" in our jobs, relationships, and even in ministry. These setbacks cause us to wonder, "What's going on? Why is this happening?" If we're like my son, you and I may not always see what God is doing behind the scenes. That's where our key verse comes in.

God is more interested in our character than our comfort. He desires that we produce more spiritual fruit. Therefore, He's always at work pruning the areas of our lives that don't match His plans. So, when God allows our world to be turned upside down, we are not experiencing a "setback" but rather a "cutback." In God's economy, a cutback can be a good thing because it makes room for more good stuff to come.

However, sometimes the pruning process can feel like it's going to kill us. I remember one fall when I was pruning my rose bush. My daughter, who loves flowers, was distraught when she saw what I had done to the bush.

"Why did you kill it?" she asked with horror in her voice. I reassured her that I didn't kill the bush. I only cut it back so that next year it would produce larger and more beautiful roses.

Though it may feel like it at times, I assure you that God is not trying to kill us either. The Lord cuts us back in order to produce more--more Christ-like fruit in our words, attitudes, and deeds.

Eventually, Mitch apologized to his coach for his attitude and for not performing up to his potential. Ah, a new bud of humility was beginning to sprout! That's the positive effect of pruning. It stimulates the growth of good fruit. So take a look at your life and see where God may be pruning. Then get ready to produce some fresh fruit.

Dear Lord, at times, Your pruning may be painful, but I will trust You. Help me to see from Your perspective that it's not a setback, but a cutback that can help me grow in You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.


Compartmentalized Faith

This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden

A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.
—Matthew 12:33

There is a slogan commonly used when describing a trip to Vegas: “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” The idea is that when people go to Las Vegas they get license to do things they would never normally do, to act like they would never normally act, and to sin in ways they would never normally sin. So what if you cheat on your wife, this is Vegas! So what if you are irresponsible with your money, this is Vegas! So what if you…?

The problem is many Christians are living their faith this way. When you compartmentalize your faith the slogan becomes “What happens at church, stays at church” or “What happens away from church, stays away from church.” Many Christians are living out their faith only Sundays at church. And when they don’t feel like being a Christian, they stuff their church selves away until Sunday when they need to be good again.

Christians are called to be Christians not just some of the time, but all of the time. We are called to be Christ-like in all of our actions, not just some of our actions. When Christians live a compartmentalized faith, they do a great job being a good Christian at church on Sunday but come Monday morning (or even in the parking lot on the way out!) all bets are off. You fill up on Sunday with a dose of Christianity and respond as the perfect Christian, but come Monday when your co-worker is late with a project…the evil thoughts take over and start plucking away any good fruit that was being produced the day before.

The Bible says that we can be recognized by the fruit we produce in our lives. What kind of fruit are you producing? More than that, what kind of fruit are others noticing you are producing when they see you on a daily basis? Are you producing the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? The challenge of the Christian faith is being a Christian 24/7. The challenge is being a Christian not just when everyone is looking but also when no one is looking.