Anniversary...

Today...is a good day. I can't believe its been almost 20 years since Bon Jovi released an epic song in my life, BLOOD ON BLOOD.
19 years ago today, there was no school. It was a Monday, and I was over at my best friends house. On this day, Laura and I pricked our fingers...multiple times...do you know how hard it is to get your fingers to bleed at the same time when you are using a little straight pin?? Then held hands while Blood on Blood played. Every year, on Janurary 31st...we celebrated.
Laura moved to Oregon in high school...and then went on to college...We have rarely seen each other since she moved...but not a Janurary 31st has gone by that I haven't thought of her and what her friendship has meant to me.
One of my favorite bands now has a song that I can't listen to at all w/o thinking about Laura...
Skillet: Those Nights
"Those Nights"

I remember when
We used to laugh
About nothing at all
It was better than going mad
From trying to solve all the problems we're going through
Forget 'em all
Cause on those nights we would stand and never fall
Together we faced it all
Remember when we'd

[Chorus:]
Stay up late and we'd talk all night
In a dark room lit by the TV light
Through all the hard times in my life
Those nights kept me alive

We'd listen to the radio play all night
Didn't want to go home to another fight
Through all the hard times in my life
Those nights kept me alive

I remember when
We used to drive
Anywhere but here
As long as we'd forget our lives
We were so young and confused that we didn't know
To laugh or cry
Those nights were ours
They will live and never die
Together we'd stand forever
Remember when we'd

[Bridge:]
Those nights belong to us
There's nothing wrong with us

I remember when
We used to laugh
And now I wish those nights would last

Today I am reminded of those silly things...that only my Laura would understand...
Yeah Boy
Basket Ball
Luv Truck
BOB 1/31/89
Green Jello (forgot about that one...didn't ya...)
I could go on...but here...let me show a wee bit ...
Disclaimer:
I know they are fuzzy...but what do you expect from pictures taken so long ago on a Kodac Disc camera!! LOL



Look closely...you will see that yes, that is Tiffany in the background...and look closer still you will see the " I love BJW- BJ Wigton...our jr high heartbreak!!



Goodbye Tiffany...hello hair metal mania!! LOL This one was take the summer going into our sophmore year. That appears to be the Poison wall!! NICE!


Ok- time to log on to Nick Jr...Cean's computer time is now upon us!! Laura, I miss you...thank you for being my friend.
BOB 1/31
I Lough you!

Healing.

Did you ever hear God say something, only to doubt what you heard? Have you ever heard a whisper to direct you to do something, only to reason your way out of it? I have. In the past, I have.

Did you know that God still heals the way He did in the Bible? He does. I know, because I am healed. Let me tell you the story.

I had endometriosis. If you know anything about it, or know someone who has a good (if you can call it that) case of it, you know it involves a lot of pain. So much so, that I was taking vicodin every day, multiple times a day, just to function. Many times, I found myself in tears because of the pain. Surgery was just around the corner. In my research and according to my doctor, endometrisos is a life long condition, and most women eventually opt for a hysterectomy. NOT ME!
In pain and tears, I called a friend. (see Are You Ready For The Work Of It? in the archives) I confessed that I didn't think I deserve healing. Did you hear that lie? Have you ever heard that lie? Rest assured, it is a LIE. I was reminded of something very important..one of God's names is Healer. I have come to believe that He desires all of us to be healed; not only from physical illness and infirmity, but also from emotional stuff as well. Check these out:
"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely and in Him I trust!" Psalm 91:1-2
"You have told me, 'I know you by name, and I look favorably on you' if it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue in your favor"..."The Lord replied, 'I will personally go with you..."
Exodus 33:12b-14a
My friend prayed for me. She declared God's healing of me. She not only asked God for it, she thanked him for bestowing it upon me. She covered me with the healing Blood of Jesus, my Savior. I told her at the time, that I would take her faith on this issue. God is soo good. Let me tell you...
Vange trusts God...fully, with everything. She takes him at His word. Simple as that. If God says it, its true. I wanted to be like Vange. You know what? God is ever so faithful.
The enemy wants nothing more than for me to doubt what God has done. So, sometimes I feel these little cramps that remind me of the pain I felt before I was healed. Instead of doubting my healing, I simply restate the truth. I am healed. God healed me. Its done...and the pain goes away!!! I have been healed since I posted Are You Ready... I have not refilled my vicodin nor have I been taking some of the supplements I was taking. I don't need to. I am healed. I guess I can't say that enough, can I ...I AM HEALED!!

My Jesus is SOOO Good. He is taking this trust issue outside of just healing, and into other areas of my life. It is so exciting, and I bit scary. I never know what each day holds, or how I will hear His voice...but I hear Him...and I love it.
My prayer for you today?
Father God,
Thank you so much for your grace, and mercy, You have resucued us from the pit of despair. Because of you, we are whole. we are healed. This day, we choose to trust that what You say is true...both in the big things and in the small, in the visible and invisible.
Where we have doubt, confirm your truth. Silence the lies, in Jesus Name,
Amen.

2008 What??

Oh my Goodness. December was such a whirlwind, it's hard to believe that Christmas is over. It feels like I blinked and it was over. Cody's basketball season ended on the 19th; our 14th wedding anniversary, on Thursday, Clay and I spent the day together, Friday the children got out of school for Christmas break...and it is all a blur from there. I know we had a wonderful and blessed Christmas. (forgot the camera...so no pics...sorry) and New Years was uneventful...Clay and I are such nerds, that we stayed up until 4am playing World of Warcraft! What a blast that game is!

School is now back in session, and I am finding it nice to be back in the normal routine. I enjoy the having the children at home, though. I think the children are missing vacation about now...homework...


As I said in an earlier post...Chloe gets 2 of the baby rats that were born at our house. So, over vacation, they got to leave their mama and come home. Snowball and Tootsie seem to enjoy being here. Thankfully, they don't mind being handled by young children. They certainly get plenty of love.


The children were blessed with some new clothes for Christmas. Cait is loving her new outfits, as is Chloe, but she is at basketball practice at the moment, and I haven't had the change to get a picture of her in her new clothes. Cait was ready for her close up this morning, however. She has her hair crimped from the french braid my friend Keri put in her hair...she was loving the camera...too funny!. (check out her pose...done natually w/ no coaching, don'tcha know...) I hope the pic rotates...

nope- but you get the point.

Sigh. I feel better that I have posted a small update...I could go much longer, but its time to get dinner going. I have to have it ready when Chloe and Clay get home from bball.

I really hope you all had a wonderful CHRISTmas holiday, and that the new year finds you well and filled with the love and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God Bless.