bozo the clown below us

A little tired today.
Last night our bozo drunken neighbors below us kept us up- well kept waking me up with loud banging around and noisy friends. Once I woke up it woke Jonah up, and the result is little sleep. So onto that search for a new place, a bigger one, a more quiet one, a relatively low rent one, and that's what we are praying for. And soon.

happy birthday

I am reminded this week of God's goodness in our lives. One of my favorite quotes is "Where God guides He provides" and I find myself revisiting that quote in our lives. It's fall! And today is Jonah's birthday! I love this time of year, for the fabulous cool weather-hot cocoa-sweater wearing- season. Jonah is lucky to have a fall birthday :) But I count it a blessing that God chose him for me and I cherish our marriage and our days together.
As we continue to search for a new place to live, I know God will provide the perfect place at the perfect time and I'm excited to see what He has for us. I am also just excited to see how the next few months work out as I think about holiday plans and Christmas shopping and all those things that go by all too quickly this time of year!
I just want to step back and really enjoy everyday as we roll into the new year. This is such a special time of year, where you can celebrate the birth of our Lord and count your blessings.
Happy birthday to my wonderful, loving, compassionate, adoring husband. Have a special day sweetheart!

Pray for Nic

I wanted to share a prayer request for our Youth Pastors little boy Nic. We love our youth pastor and his family and are so thankful for their love and ministry with the teens at our church. About six months ago or so Nic started experiencing medical issues with his intestines. After many months of physical issues and rounds of medicine he was diagnosed with colitis. Nic is only 9 years old, and he is our youth pastor's second child, with one other daughter.
As of about a week ago Nic had to be admitted to the hospital due to the extremity of his condition. The doctor's don't want to let him leave until they see definite improvement. If you know anything about this disease, it's not easy to deal with for even an adult. Let alone a young child. Nic has truly been a trooper throughout this and his parents have as well, although I know it's hurting them and discouraging to not be able to do anything for him. I just wanted to ask for prayer for this sweet little boy and his family.
God is good, and I know He is in control of this situation. Sometimes though when you are on the outside looking in it's difficult to know what to do for others. But I know I can pray and pray and pray! I'm so thankful for my God that listens!!
Nic is still in the hospital and has been given several different medications that could potentially cause an infection if they react negatively. The hope is that they make this colitis go into remission, so that Nic won't have to have surgery- the end result. Surgery means removal of his large intestine.
If you happen upon this blog I ask for you to pray for him and his family. God can heal, and provide the grace we need to get through these valleys in life.

flooding

So many are not aware of this, but Monday we had a tremendous amount of flooding here in GA. It had been raining for several days, but on Monday it was like the floodgates of heaven poured out on us. Because of this the abundant amount of water built up and collected in areas all across GA. Above are some crazy pictures I gathered from one of our news channels, to show the damage and devastation caused by the water. Pray for those who lost their homes, and those that suffered some damage from the rain. It is said that this is one of those floods we receive every 100 years or so. My husband and I are fine, and suffered no damage where we live, but the roads around us were closed Monday- I think there were around 96 roads closed, and 17 counties declared in a state of emergency by the governor. School was out for us yesterday, so we were home (yeah!) but also mindful of those that were trapped at home. Roads washed out, homes flooded, one school was completely flooded up to the ceiling (see pic. above, it's the flat looking building where all you can see is the roof), our Six Flags park had flooding (see the roller coaster pic) the interstates were even flooded. Metro Atlanta had some crazy flooded road pictures, I couldn't find one to post, but if you look at our local news here, there are tons of pictures.
Please keep our neighbors here in prayer as we dry out,praise the Lord for some sunshine today!

Books on nutrition

A fellow blogger friend asked me if I recommend any books on nutrition and health. I wanted to suggest a few for those interested. One book that I picked up at the library (and just recently reserved again for pickup) is a really interesting and thorough read about nutritious foods that are 'super' as well as overall health tips, called SuperFoods Healthstyle by Steven Pratt. I looked up his name on Amazon and found he's written several books. Very good resource, but keep in mind it's a thick one, so take what you can, and like me, you may need to reserve it a few times at the library.







Another book I like I actually own. It's a fabulous book with some really yummy recipes and I have yet to try so many of them. But I have found it to be a pretty good read with helpful content and lovely pictures and it's designed really well (always a HUGE plus for me the design nerd). It is called Body Foods for Busy People:
















And while I am not there yet, she also has two more books for babies and kids that look fabulous:
You may be able to find these by Jane Clarke at the library- I'd try there first, then Amazon. I know I ended paying premium price (I almost never buy books at full price, I like to shop for deals or use coupons at book stores) for my copy of Body Foods, but in the end it almost made me more determined to utilize it all the more. I'll try to include any more books if I find time to peruse some. I really do enjoy learning about what is good for me, and it can be kind of nerdy I know, but to me it's so interesting learning about what foods have in them and what they do to you. Did you know eating spinach can help lift your mood? Plus, it's loaded with vitamins and fiber that are oh so important for you. Blueberries are another great super food full of antioxidants- great for cold and flu season.
It's so much fun and a little empowering when you realize what foods do to you!
Happy reading, I hope this helps!

Thoughts on nutrition

My dear sister is embarking on a new journey- that of good health and good food choices. I am proud of her for making this decision. It's something that is close to my heart since I too have been on this road for a little while. It is definitely a choice you have to come to on your own, no amount of pushing or prodding from anyone else can make you decide to be healthier. I think for me it was the way I felt, hormonally as well as physically. I mentioned a while back that I had suffered from different health problems, which with different options in food, corrected some of these issues for me. Exercise also aided in helping me achieve a healthier, feeling better lifestyle. And when I let one of those areas go it is certainly reflected in how I feel and act.

My sister's post was titled 'Learning how to eat' and I can relate to that. It is truly learning how to eat- correctly.

The more I learn about what is healthy for us and what foods do to us, I am appalled at the food that we as a general mass go to for our meal choices. The preservatives, salt, sugar and processed content in most meals is enough to make your head spin. For some reason, from the days of Moses to our time in history we have developed these fast, easy foods that are basically of no nutritional value. Then we wonder why we are suffering from so many disorders, and pains and diseases.

I guess it's been a huge awakening to me over the past year. Granted I am not where I would like to be as far as our meal choices. In a perfect world we would have an unlimited budget and be able to afford everything organic, or as natural as we can get, and all of our meals would be from scratch.... But I have to work with what we have to the best of my ability. I believe this is what God has given me responsibility for in our home.

I do make mostly all of our meals- maybe not all from scratch, but I read what and why the foods I pick will be in our meals.

Okay I think I can go on and on, it's a topic I am passionate about. Not to say I am a natural- granola- earth loving- tree hugger. No way, I am just conscientious of our diet, and overall health. I think this is being a good steward not only in our budget, but our lives.

Creation by the Creator

Last night we had some weird channel on the tv while we both worked on different computers- I think it was the history channel. A channel we usually don't watch, but somehow it ended up there droning on in the background. It caught my attention when this lady scientist came on talking about the earth, and of course how it was millions of years old...and I just looked up and almost laughed. I still cannot fathom how scientists claim all of these false almost juvenile assumptions about the earths creation. They (atheistic scientists) try to push their theories on the public, and just looking in the Bible this morning, I am reminded again of how the earth came about. So simple, so true, and my heart smiles. I am so in awe of how God created everything into existence, and how detailed He is. Creation is amazing to say the least. It's phenomenal. Just looking at our sun this morning, I stopped to think how it is a star floating in space, and how their are so many stars that size just farther away...it makes my mind spin to start thinking of the largeness of space and how everything is held in place. I cannot understand how others seem to think everything just suddenly existed...
These verses encouraged me this morning, I'm so thankful God is our Creator!

Proverbs 8:27-32
When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.