Seize the Day!

Our church has been doing a series on the all-time favorite services. Today was my favorite for sure! The main focus of the message was...Life is short. We were each given a marble as we entered the service. Our pastor told us that each marble is equivalent to one week of our lives. Our whole life could fit in one vase! The weeks go by so quickly. We were reminded to live our life on purpose!

Ephesians 5:15-16
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

They showed a great clip from the movie, Dead Poet's Society, where Robin Williams teaches his students the meaning of "Carpe Diem"...Seize the Day!

It really reminded me to live my life (marbles) loving God and loving others! I don't want to take anything for granted! I want to cherish every moment and realize they are precious. I want to live my life for God and not myself! I want to love God and love His children... TODAY!

I pray you dance!
Love,
Angie xoxo

Beauty

Psalm 17:8
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings



Do you know today that you are the APPLE of His eye?
You are a beauty!

Have a great day, Siestas!
Love you-
Angie xoxo

My kids' Grandma & Papa

I LOVE this picture of my mom and dad!
My parents loved to travel. This is just one of the many memories they made!

Today is Thankful Thursday and I am thankful for my parents! They taught me what the words family and commitment mean. As I look back at their relationship somehow it just plain worked! That's the only way to explain it! They took us to church on Sundays and planted a seed in me that I will forever be grateful for! They were married as kids and stayed together for 51 years before my father went home to be with Jesus! Whenever I hear this song, I think of my mom and a gift I gave her years ago...and I can't help but remember my father in Heaven!

I love my parents and miss my Daddio!
Thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings!
Love,
Annie xoxo

Focus...

I'm not gonna lie. I need an accountability partner or team! I went into a dressing room this afternoon and wondered... How did that happen? I know, really. I shouldn't have been surprised! I haven't been treating my body like it is a temple of the Holy Spirit! I have used desserts for the wrong reason. It's time to get focused! I have never had a real problem with my weight, but I've noticed my jeans appear to have shrunk...(not!)... and are a bit uncomfortable!

One of my favorite authors said this recently, "All excess is rooted in emptiness." I need to be satisfied by God, not desserts! I need to get up early in the morning to get my workout and my quiet time in before I leave at 7:00am! That is going to be difficult especially as it is dark and our weather is about to get nasty! So... I thought if I get this in writing I will be motivated to stick to it! I need to get downstairs in the morning and get on my Elliptical machine for 30 minutes!

Do you see the song on the top of my entry? It is a song that motivates me and I probably shouldn't admit this, but I'd have it playing when my kids were in high school on their way to swim meets and other sporting events! We love that song! I also thought it would be a great one to be played at my funeral! I know, I'm weird!

Thanks so much for being my accountability partner! Feel free to ask me anytime how I am doing with it! :)

New Beginnings

It's a beautiful day in Michigan! My husband is obsessed with going to a certain apple orchard every year and I think today's the day! I pray the bees aren't as bad as they usually are. I pray the donuts are as fresh as always and the cider is the same as it's always been. I will buy some apples to make something to make the house smell nice and cozy!

I love fall because when the leaves change, they are beautiful! I love the smell of burning leaves. The air is crisp. We had a great summer and I love the change of seasons. But... I especially love fall because it's a time for new beginnings!

This morning I started my new devotional book, 90 Days With Jesus the One and Only! I finished my David: 90 Days with a Heart Like His. I cannot think of a better way to start my day than with Jesus! I love the way Beth Moore makes His Word easy for me to understand! I am going to send Whispers of Hope to my daughter in New York! She has never done one of these and I'm sure she will be blessed by it!

I hope these will draw us close to Him!

I hope you make a good memory today!
Love,
Angie xoxo

It's Time!

Okay... it's time! I am getting out of my beach chair and am going to facilitate Beth Moore's Daniel study! I have wrestled with God for long enough. I signed my group up at our church. I got on Beth's website to register our group there. The date is set... it begings Oct. 2nd... I ordered the Leadership kit.. I took the small group leader training class at our church... I had a dear friend loan me some i-worship dvd's (one of my new blog siestas!)... and I've already had several people sign up! Now all I need are a few snacks!


Most importantly, I need to keep remembering what I learned in another one of Beth's studies:

1). God is who He says He Is.
2). God can do what He says He can do.
3). I am who God says I am.
4). I can do All things through Christ.
5). God's Word is alive and active in me!

I'm Believing God to do huge things in our time together!

Thank you in advance, siestas for your prayers and support!
Love,
Angie

My Little Sister

This is my little sister, Mary (and her daughter Katie). For some reason (my pride) I haven't shared this blog with her until last night. She shared with me in an e-mail this morning that she didn't know me. It saddened me that she doesn't! I have tried through the years to balance having God be my center and being gentle about how I share it with my family. I have failed too many times and am a hypocrite in their eyes too many times! Thank you God for forgiving me!

This question has come up lately ... What have I done with Jesus? Am I pointing the people I love to Him? I am ashamed to admit that I have disappointed God! My own sister doesn't know me! I am not doing a good job with sharing my faith. I hear God telling me this... "Angie, you better start being authentic in the real world, not just in this blog world!"

So... I want to dedicate today's post to my sister, Mary/Goose (I don't know how she got that nickname). She needs our prayers today for some personal issues. This song on the bottom always reminds me of her. She sang it years ago! I was proud of her then, and I'm proud of her today! You are an excellent mother, daughter and sister! YOU are an amazing woman!


May I lift your eyes toward Heaven!


I love you, "Goose"!
Annie xoxo