The Gulland Family Update

Gulland Family Update

2009-01-04T04:26:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! In an effort to simplify my life, I have not been posting on my blog. When I feel the need to share, I post on my Facebook page. I have the settings set to private, so you are not able to find me using the search function. If you are on Facebook and interested in having access to my profile, please send me an email at gullandfamily@q.com. In the email, please let me know the name you have your profile listed under.

The Gulland family had an AWESOME Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve at our home just the three of us. We traveled to Ed's mom's home on Christmas Day and spent the weekend there. It was so nice and relaxing. New Year's Eve was rung in with a Mary Kay friend of mine as well as friends from The River, our church in Faribault. The new year has been shaping up quite nicely.

David has been enjoying his Christmas break. I don't know if he realizes that he has to go back to school tomorrow. He had several play dates over break. He has been playing his didj and enjoying his other new toys from Christmas. We haven't done any baking like I was planning to, but we have definitely been keeping ourselves busy and enjoying all the time together. David is now in 1st grade, but his skills are mostly at a second grade level. I cannot believe how smart the boy is!!! God really blessed him and gifted him with intelligence. It is going to be neat to see how David uses the gifts He has been given by God. At this point in time, David says he wants to be a teacher when he grows up. Neat, huh?

Ed is enjoying his job as a project manager. Right now things have been a bit slow, but hopefully it will start to pick up again now that we are through the holidays. We haven't had any more trips to the ER with Ed, so we are very thankful. We are also thankful that the chainsaw didn't do more damage than it did. For those of you that don't know, Ed cut his leg with a chainsaw in September. There will be no more cutting wood for him without safety gear.

I am still a Mary Kay consultant, but I have decided to pull back on the parties that I was doing. I am going to focus on reorders and individual or double makeovers. I personally like more one on one time with my customers. I also started subbing in the Faribault school district in December. I am ABSOLUTELY loving it! I have enjoyed myself so much that I am thinking about going back to school so I can become an elementary school teacher and have a classroom of my own.

Blessings to you all in this new year!!!

Looking forward to reconnecting with you on Facebook! Lots of love to you all!!! Ed, Steph, & David

Why?

2008-07-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

Why am I feeling the way I do right now? All of a sudden I feel totally bummed out. I have no reason to be sad. I have accomplished more in my business in the last month than I have in most of my career as a consultant. I am preparing to go on vacation to visit my family, and I will get to spend a month with them. I get to go to my local awards program on Thursday to celebrate a job well done in Mary Kay this year. I am not sure why I am feeling this way. I think that I am going to go finish folding some clothes and then sit in the presence of the Lord. That is all I know to do!

Love to you all!

Summer Fun With Debra Frasier

2008-06-22T05:25:00.000-07:00

David & Me With Our Paper, Scissors, & Glue

Madelyn, Evie, & David Proudly Displaying Their Creations

This past Friday David and I met up with some of his classmates from Lincoln and went to an activity that was sponsored by our local library. Debra Frasier was there to help us with an art and craft idea. She is an author and illustrator. When she creates her illustrations, she only uses three things: paper, scissors, and glue. Absolutely NO pencils!

Monthly Column

2008-06-22T05:23:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

I now have a published monthly column online on Positively Feminine. Here is a link to my very first column: http://www.positivelyfeminine.org/professional/sg/summerwork.htm. Check it out and let me know what you think.

I hope that this finds you all doing well and enjoying the summer!

Love to you all! Stephanie

Me! Me! Me!

2008-06-02T07:14:00.001-07:00

By Dave Boehi

If you went through premarriage counseling, you may recall some of the subjects you discussed with your pastor or counselor—things like communication, personality differences, finances, and resolving conflict. But you probably didn’t hear your counselor say anything like this:

“Barbara, I want you to look at Dennis. Do you realize he’s a wretch? He’s selfish, and he’s potentially an adulterer and liar.”

“Dennis, look Barbara in the eyes. Do you realize who you are about to marry? Another wretch."

These words obviously had an impact on Dennis Rainey, who tells this story about his own premarriage counseling in a recent FamilyLife Today broadcast. And from my experience in marriage I have concluded that an honest discussion of our sinfulness ought to be part of any basic premarriage curriculum.

In recent years I’ve become more aware than ever that I face a never-ending battle against my natural sinfulness and selfishness. As I go through each day, my thoughts are often focused on what I want and what I need. I think about how I look … what I’m about to do … what I wish I was doing … what I will do after work … what I want to say and eat and watch and read. Life is all about Me! Me! Me!

And that makes marriage a challenge, because I married a woman who, for some strange reason, doesn’t always agree with what I want. She has Me! issues of her own. We all do.

Some may think these words are a bit harsh. What good does it do to dwell on the fact that we are sinners?

I would agree—if that’s where I stopped. But there are a number of practical benefits to acknowledging that we are sinners. For one thing, only when we acknowledge our sin will we truly understand grace.

In his book, When Sinners Say ‘I Do,’ Dave Harvey writes:

To say “I am a sinner” is to stare boldly at a fundamental reality that many people don’t even want to glance at. But when we acknowledge that painful reality in our lives, several great things become clear. We find ourselves in good company—the heroes of our faith, from Old Testament times to the present, who experienced the battle with sin on the front lines. We also acknowledge what everybody around us already knows—particularly our spouses. But, by far the greatest benefit of acknowledging our sinfulness is that it makes Christ and his work precious to us. Like Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:31-32).” Only sinners need a savior.

Acknowledging my sin helps me view myself honestly and without pretense. I know what I am and what I am capable of doing. And that makes Christ’s work on the cross all the sweeter.

And then consider that the relationship of a man and woman in marriage is a picture of Christ and His church. When we demonstrate to our spouses the same grace that Christ demonstrated to us, we experience true oneness in marriage.

My wife loves me, forgives me, and remains committed to me in spite of all the times I’ve hurt her and failed her. And vice versa. As 1 John 4:19 tells us, “We love, because He first loved us.”
Marriage works when a husband and wife remember that they are two sinners living together in a state of grace. It stops working when either of them forgets.

© Copyright 2008 by FamilyLife. All rights reserved.

Happy Memorial Day!

2008-05-26T04:44:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Our family is wishing you a safe and Happy Memorial Day! Do you know why Memorial Day was originally established? I did not until I received an email that was from the morning prayer meeting at Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, MN. The meeting was held on Friday, May 23rd. Here is what the email had to say:

"On so very many occasions since September 11, 2001, America has been called by our president to prayer. We prayed immediately following that day; we prayed on its anniversary, we prayed as our troops went off to war. And now, again, our president is calling our nation to prayer--in observance of a long national tradition.

Congress passed a law on May 11, 1950 that instituted Memorial Day, and it was intended to be a national day of prayer for peace. These words from the White House Memorial Day Proclamation make clear the intent:

Section 169g. Memorial Day as day of prayer for permanent peace --- 'The President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe each May 30, Memorial Day, by praying, each in accordance with his religious faith, for permanent peace; designating a period during such day in which all the people of the United States may unite in prayer for a permanent peace; calling upon all the people of the United States to unite in prayer at such time; and calling upon the newspapers, radio stations, and all other mediums of information to join in observing such day and period of prayer.'

Though the observance of the holiday has now been changed to accommodate a longer holiday weekend, the call for Americans to pray is just as urgent."

Will you join me in praying for this great country of ours? Pray as you are led by God to pray. A few things that I can think about praying for is as follows: our troops overseas (for their safety and protection), for the upcoming elections, and for the division in our country between different denominations, between different political parties, between different races. You name it, and I think that we are divided.

I still remember the day of or after September 11th when Congress was holding hands and singing "My Country Tis of Thee." I think that was the name of the song as well as the date. Even if it wasn't, the thing that stands out in my memory was how united we were as a country. What happened to that?

Be blessed this Memorial Day and know that we love you all and miss you!

"Rock Solid" by Dennis & Barbara Rainey

2008-05-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

"He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm." Psalm 40:2 NIV

Yesterday I shared a poem that I use often when I'm speaking or talking with someone about divorce, especially about how it leaves children feeling "split in two," as Jen Abbas put it.
Actually, Jen experienced this twice--once at the age of 6 and again at the age of 18, when her mom and stepfather divorced. The second one caught her as she was leaving home for college, a time in life when she expected her family to be there for her, both to launch her and to provide that "solid patch of land" we all need when we feel unsupported or insecure. But I want you to see again--and be blown away by--the power of the gospel as it descends upon a person who is lost and alone.

When the land cracked under Jen's feet as a college freshman, she jumped--just hoping to land somewhere. She was wide open to any belief system that would win her hand. Islam. Judaism. Taoism. Buddhism. Questioning everything, she went in search of something--anything--that wouldn't prove fickle and fleeting, the way her parents' love had.

But in her quest for spiritual security, she found every path closed and incomplete. There was only one path that stood out--the one with the element of grace embedded in it, the one that wasn't about what she did but about what she could be given.

Divorce had taught this young woman that if you're not always alert, constantly scanning the horizon for warning signs, love could leave. But in the person of Jesus Christ, she discovered that she was loved regardless of her performance. He changed her life.

There's hope for children of divorce--who make up 40 percent of adults today. Hope in Jesus Christ. Hope in His grace to forgive and in His power to help you forgive as well.

Discuss: Share with one another how the love of Jesus Christ has helped you forgive another person.

Pray: Thank Him for His great salvation--He is the only rock any of us truly have to stand on.

Purchase their book Moments with You at local Christian bookstores.

Splitting Headache

2008-05-24T06:47:00.000-07:00

"'For I hate divorce,' says the LORD, the God of Israel." Malachi 2:16, NIV

This poem was written by Jen Abbas, then an 18-year-old child of divorce. I've arranged it a little differently on this page than it appears in her book, Generation EX, to make it fit. Its message is too important to allow form to quiet its voice. Listen to "The Eruption."

Divorce is like a trembling earthquake,
The world shakes, rumbling with rage,
And all the anger, guilt, and frustrations
That have been festering for so long below the surface
Suddenly spew upward in an inferno of hate or apathy.
At times the earth calms and you think the turmoil is over,
Settled, stable, but then the cycle begins again,
Repeating, repeating, repeating.
You are weary, you want to rest,
And that is when you realize the shaking has stopped,
But there is an eerie feeling lurking in the air.
You are hesitant to believe anything anymore,
You are so tired after struggling for so long,
And so you rest on the one solid patch of land,
Only to watch it split in two,
Two separate, distinct parts that will never come together again.
Each new patch supports part of you,
And as you watch, they pull away.

This is the type of poem that breaks my heart because it represents so many children who are torn apart by divorce. No matter what you are experiencing in your marriage, and no matter how tough it is, just remember the impact that staying together will have on your children.

Discuss: Promise each other that this will never be the heart's cry of your children. Talk about who you should consider sending this poem to right now.

Pray: Pray for the children of divorce today, who are struggling to be loved and to belong. Pray for a friend who is moving toward a split.

Long Time No Post

2008-05-14T13:01:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone!

I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to post an update. I was struggling with issues with my depression again. Praise the Lord that I have made it through that battle. I am so thankful to my entire family. They really love on me and support me. I have the best family ever! To those of you who called and encouraged me to get out of bed, thank you. I may not have done it, but I know that is what helps!!!

David is almost done with kindergarten. He only has 14 days of school left. I cannot believe that!!! He is excited for the summer, and he is looking forward to being a first grader next year. He has grown by leaps and bounds in every area of his life this school year. He has made a lot of good friends at school and church. Ed and I have made a lot of good friends as well through our small group at church. God has blessed us with AWESOME leadership at our church who have written the vision and made it clear so we can run with it! I have also made good friends with several of the moms of other kids in David's class.

Faribault is finally beginning to feel like home. We have been here 10 months now. It will be a year mid-July. I know in my head that moving is always a big transition, but I am never really mentally or emotionally prepared for it. Moving is an even bigger transition when you are moving into a completely new community where you need to establish yourself again. We live at least an hour away from all of our friends in the Twin Cities area. With gas prices as high as they are, it is simply not feasible to visit people often. I desperately needed to make friends, and God hooked us up with a small group. Our cell group leaders live in our neighborhood. God is SO GOOD!

We will be attending David's first musical performance tomorrow. His class and another one of the kindergarten classes will be singing for us tomorrow at 2:15 pm. He has been counting down for the concert for the past week and a half.

Many blessings to you and yours!

Love, The Gulland Family

Check This Out!!!

2008-04-03T05:28:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

I was interviewed via email and an article was posted about me and my Mary Kay business. You can read the interview here at http://www.positivelyfeminine.org/professional/success/marykay.htm.

Also, the director of the website asked me if I would be interested in writing a monthly column about working from home. I am SO pumped because I have been believing God for writing opportunities. Praise the Lord!!!

Believing that this post finds you and your families doing well.

Love you all! Steph

Casting Your Cares

2008-04-01T14:16:00.001-07:00

C - Come! Quit stewing about your problem and come to the Lord in prayer!
A - Acknowledge that you are weak and need His help.
R - Repent for not trusting God's love for you, even when things seem out of control.
E - Exchange thoughts about your problems with thoughts about God's care for you.
S - Stand on the truth of God's Word. He is might, awesome, & won't abandon you!

This was in a hand out that I picked up our church, The River. I thought that it was so AWESOME that I just had to share. The following from Pray! Magazine, Issue 37, pp. 25-26 was also in the handout:

"Have you ever carried a heavy purse, or backpack full of all the 'stuff' you need for the day? Sometimes we also carry heavy loads of feelings, troubles, and worries, and it saps our energy and joy. God wants you to know that it's okay to bring all those feelings and needs to Him. You can pour out your heart! You don't have to put on a happy face when you pray. You can tell God even when you're really angry, afraid, or sad. So lighten the load! Ask God for His help, and two great things happen. His peace will fill your heart and de-stress your mind. Your prayers will pave the way for God to work out an answer to your situation."

Something to Think About

2008-03-31T08:38:00.000-07:00

“God owns it all.”

“Every financial decision you make is ultimately a spiritual decision about how God would like you to prioritize your money.”

Both of these quotes are from Ron Blue. For more information on Ron, check out his bio at: http://www.crown.org/AboutCrown/Bios/RonBlue.aspx.

The River Online

2008-03-28T08:59:00.001-07:00

To hear messages from Pastor Steve Crombie & guest speakers at The River Community Church here in Faribault, visit http://theriverchurch.org/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagename=FaithHighway/10000/4000/459TH/links.

Enjoy your day & your weekend with your family!

What Lies Are You Believing?

2008-03-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

Last night at our small group, we were talking about the lies that we believe. These lies are, of course, from the devil himself. However, if we are not consciously casting these thoughts down and replacing them with the truth about ourselves from God's perspective, our minds get full of junk. God's perspective about things can be found in the Bible.

The Bible is full of words of wisdom along with how he sees us even before we come to him and say "God, I have messed up. I know that your son died for me on the cross and rose again. Please forgive me. God, I want you to be in control of my life." The Bible says in Romans 5:6 NIV "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners." God loved us when we were formed in our mother's womb. Isn't that good news? We are loved by God Almighty, the creator of the universe.

Now, back to my original thought, lies, lie, and more lies. If there is one thing that I cannot stand is being lied to. I would rather be told the truth and deal with what that brings. The devil is the original liar. My question to you is "What lies are you believing?" I encourage you to write the lie down on an index card and after the lie write what the Bible has to say about that lie. Share the lies that you are being told with a trusted friend who can pray with you and encourage you. If you want to share with me, please email me at gullandfamily@q.com or call me.

I could write an entire post about lies that I have believed. Unfortunately, I do not have time to do so today. I am heading off to an Encounter Weekend, so I need to get my house in order for the boys.

Please keep me and the ladies from The River in your prayers as we head off away from our families for the weekend to encounter God and deal with the junk in our soul (which is our mind, will, and emotions).

Blessings to you and your families! Have a wonderful weekend!

Getting to Know Your Friends 2008

2008-03-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

1. What time did you get up today? 6:15 am

2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds are a girl's best friend!

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Veggie Tales The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything.

4. What is your favorite TV show? Anything CSI or Law and Order. Also, my latest fascination has been anything (or almost anything) on HGTV.

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? I have been bad about eating breakfast lately which isn't good for the metabolism. Otherwise, I normally eat eggs or vanilla yogurt with granola.

6. What is your middle name? Ann

7. What food do you dislike? I don't know if there is anything that I really dislike.

8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? I don't listen to CD's. I listen to KTIS online or my KTIS Compilation CD, so there is various artists on it. My favorite song is "Brave" by Nicole Nordeman.

9. What kind of car do you drive? Volkswagen Beetle

10. Favorite sandwich? Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki from Subway (I think that is the name of it)

11. What characteristic do you despise? Lying is at the top of the list for me.

12. Favorite item of clothing? My fuzzy socks mom gave me for Christmas.

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Hawaii, Europe, or the Caribbean

14. What color is your bathroom? Which one? Ours is off-white and David's is a tannish color. My friend, Amy, helped me pick out the paint since I can be decorating challenged. :-)

15. Favorite brand of clothing? I don't think I really have one.

16. Where would you retire to? Ed and I have been talking about retiring to Mexico. We have a friend who is a missionary down there, so we are going to go check out where she lives. She says it is beautiful.

17. What was your most recent memorable birthday? All my birthdays are memorable & enjoyable because we hang out as a family. The one memory that really sticks out though is my 21st birthday. It was my golden birthday, and I was complaining all day to Ed that my parents didn't give me any gold for my golden birthday like his mom had. Later that day Ed proposed to me, so I got my gold! He also planned a surprise birthday/engagement party for us along with my college roommates. It was such a shock. I was totally bummed because no one wanted to get together after church to do something, and I didn't want to go to the bars. No one wanted to come over because they were already coming over as a surprise. They totally had me fooled!

18. Favorite sport to watch? I love them all, but my recent favorite has been hockey.

19. Furthest place you are sending this? I am posting it on my blog, so who knows where people will be who are reading it.

20. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? ?

21. Person you expect to send it back first? Whoever has the most time.

22. Favorite saying: "If you don't quit, you win!" Pastor Mac Hammond.

23. When is your birthday? October 21st

24. Are you a morning person or a night person? I am totally a morning person! I prefer to be in bed and sleeping before 10 pm. :-)

25. What is your shoe size? 7 or 7 1/2 depending on the brand of the shoe as well as the style

26. Pets? 2 cats, Lucy (indoor cat) and Chili (outdoor cat)

27. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? I wish I had some big announcement to make. The most exciting thing right now is that we are really starting to feel at home in Faribault and find our place in our new church, The River. Check out our website at www.theriverchurch.org.

28. What did you want to be when you were little? A teacher

29. How are you today? AWESOME. I am going on an Encounter Weekend with a bunch of gals from my church.

30. What is your favorite candy? My new favorite is the 3 musketeers dark chocolate with mint.

31. What is your favorite flower? Roses or stargazer lillies

32. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Currently it is April 1st which will be my second anniversary as a Mary Kay consultant.

33. What is your full name? Stephanie Ann Gulland

34. What are you listening to right now? David watching Tom & Jerry on TV.

35. What was the last thing you ate? A piece of cake at small group last night. It was Deb's birthday.

36. Do you wish on stars? No, not anymore. I believe in the power of prayer instead of wishing on stars.

37. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Pink or purple.

38. How is the weather right now? Nice & sunny.

39. Favorite soft drink? Diet Dr. Pepper or Coke Zero.

40. Favorite restaurant? Olive Garden or Buca.

41. Hair color? Brown with highlights.

42. Siblings? 2 sisters, 1 brother, and 1 brother-in-law (on my side of the family)

43. Favorite day of the year: I don't know that I have a favorite day of the year. My favorite season is summer.

44. What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbies or Cabbage Patch Kids.

45. Summer or winter? Summer.

46. Hugs or kisses? Both are nice.

47. Coffee or tea? Tea. I will drink coffee but it is fru-fru coffee. :-)

48. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate.

49. Do you want your friends to email you back? Yes, please.

50. What is under your bed? Stuff that needs to be picked up and put away instead of shoved underneath the bed.

51. Who is the friend you have had the longest? My sister.

52 . What did you do last night? Ate dinner at our neighbor's house. Then stayed for our small group bible study.

53. Favorite smell? My husband's cologne.

54. What are you afraid of? Fear is the opposite of faith, so I purpose to not be afraid. The Bible says in Matthew 10:31 Amplified Bible, "Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows." Matthew 6 goes into further detail about how God will take care of us. These are good verses for me to think about. They help me to stay focused on God and not give in to the temptation to worry about things or be afraid that things are going to go wrong. Things have gone wrong in my life, but God has always been there for me and things eventually have turned around. If I am starting to be afraid or worrying, I call one of my friends who can help me by getting my focus off of me and back on the Bible. We often pray together as well.

55. Salty or sweet? Sweet most of the time. My favorite though is having popcorn with Reese's Pieces. YUM!!!

56. How many keys on your key ring? 3

57. How many years at your current job? Two years on April 1st. As a homemaker, it was six years this past December.

58. Favorite day of the week? I really like Sunday because this is when we get together with all of our friends to worship God at The River Community Church.

59. How many towns have you lived in? 10

60. Do you make friends easily? Yes.

61. How many people will you send this to? I don't know. I am sending it to two via email and then posting it on my blog,

62. How many will respond? Hopefully most of them

For those of you who are reading this on my blog, please feel free to post your answers in the comments section.

Have a wonderful day & a great weekend with your families!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T16:50:00.000-07:00

Look at the lines the artist used to draw this picture of Christ. There are scenes from Christ's life. Have you ever seen anything like this?

Hope you are having a wonderful Easter celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Podcasts!

2008-03-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

I love podcasts! I am able to hear all my favorite teachers from Living Word still even though we attend a new church here in Faribault. I am also able to listen to Scott and Amanda Hodge's teachings from their church Orchard Valley Community Church in Aurora, Illinois. Isn't technology great? Now, I just need to purchase an iPhone. If you would like to send a donation to contribute to Stephanie's iPhone fund, my address is 4460 Roberds Lake Trl, Faribault, MN 55021-2228. :-)

To subscribe to Living Word's podcasts, here is the link: http://www.lwcc.org/GENERAL/podcast.cfm

For Orchard Valley Community's podcasts, here is the link:
http://theorchard.wordpress.com/podcast-setup/

Enjoy all the good teaching from the Word of God!

Holy Week

2008-03-21T14:32:00.001-07:00

This week is a special week on the Christian calendar. Today is Good Friday. The day that we commemorate Jesus' death on the cross. I am hoping to watch "The Passion" tonight after our Good Friday service at The River. If we don't watch it tonight, I would like to watch it tomorrow morning or tomorrow evening. I am not really sure about letting David watch it yet due to the graphic nature of the movie. He did just turn six, and he knows about what Jesus did on the cross. Yet, I am still hesitant. Please feel free to voice your opinion either by email: sgulland@marykay.com or post a comment.

I am currently taking a class at our church. The book we are using is called The Journey to Freedom. Before our Encounter Weekend next weekend, we have been focusing on the truth of the Gospel and the power of the cross. Now that I want to blog about it, I cannot find the book to reference from. :-( Another reason to clean up my bedroom! :-)

As we continue this week until Easter Sunday, remember that Jesus is not still on the cross. He was taken down from the cross and buried. However, that wasn't the end of the story. The rock was moved from the tomb where he was buried and the tomb was empty. Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and he is alive today!!! Jesus is sitting next to God the Father in heaven. Aren't you glad that we serve a God who is so powerful?

Praying that everyone experiences resurrection power this week in every area of their lives!

The Gospel in Fifteen Words

2008-03-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

1. God loves us.
2. We are sinners.
3. Jesus paid for our sins.
4. We must receive Jesus.

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." Romans 10:9-10 New Living Translation

Love is a Verb!

2008-03-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” 1 John 3:18 New Living Translation

It is time for the body of Christ to live this verse. I remember that song we use to sing at camp, “They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” Do people know that we are Christians just by observing our actions?

God has really been focusing in on me concerning my love walk. I have heard about it and learned about it for years from Joyce Meyer’s ministry, Joel Osteen’s ministry and from various pastors at Living Word Christian Center. However, I have never felt a tug from the Holy Spirit so intense about getting my love walk straightened out.

I am convinced that many people are turned off to Christianity because they see us not living this verse. Yes, words are powerful. To say “I love you” is powerful, but doing something that says “I love you” speaks even louder than the words. Now as Christians, of course, we are not perfect because we are still humans, and we live in a sinful world. However, we can purpose to see love as a verb. Wasn't there a DC Talk song about this?

Today I am purposing to see love as a verb. What can I do for my neighbors, my friends, my family, and anyone I come into contact with to show them the love of God?

Please comment and let me know what you did to show the love of God, who you did it for, and what their reaction was. I love forward to hearing from you!

Walk Uprightly

2008-03-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

“For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see His face.” Psalm 11:7

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Our God is a god of justice! He loves truth, and He loves what is right. The Bible promises that if we follow His plan and walk uprightly before Him, we will see His face. And God wants you to see His face. He wants to reveal Himself to you in ways you never imagined. Walking uprightly simply means following the Word of God with a humble heart. It means you have a heart to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. In this day and age, people have so many different ideas of what they think is right, but God is the same yesterday, today and forever, and His standard, the Word of God, will never change. The Bible also says in Psalm 84, that no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. God longs to pour His blessing and goodness on your life. Choose to follow His Word and allow Him to work His purposes on the inside of you. As you do, you will walk uprightly and see His face and experience His hand of blessing in every area of your life!

A Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, today I submit myself to Your ways. I choose to walk uprightly before You because I long to see Your face. Thank You for guiding and blessing every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Hurting People Hurt People!

2008-03-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

I have been reading a lot of Joyce Meyer's books lately, and it has really finally begun to sink in that hurting people hurt people. This is something that she says a lot. I have a post stirring in my heart, but I don't quite know how to put it all into words.

If you are hurting, take your hurts to the Lord so you do not continue the cycle of hurting others. Work on your love walk because as we are walking in love it is very difficult to hurt other people. If we do hurt someone, we recognize it right away, and we can work on reconciling the situation.

Purpose today to heal your own hurts and help others to heal their wounds so we can be the church that God has called us to be!

Maxwell Moment: Initiative

2008-03-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

Leadership Wired
VOLUME 11, ISSUE 5

MAXWELL MOMENT

Initiative by Dr. John C. Maxwell

It's cliche to say that every journey begins with a single step, yet it's true. Leaders don't wait for everything to be perfect before they move forward. They don't wait for all the problems or obstacles to disappear. They don't wait until their fear subsides. Leaders take initiative.
Leaders know the secret of momentum: once you take the first step and start moving forward, everything becomes clearer and easier. If momentum gets strong enough, problems begin to take care of themselves and new opportunities arise. But the benefits of momentum only come into play once a leader takes initiative.

As leaders, why are we sometimes timid or tentative when we should be taking action? In my experience and observation, there are six root causes of our procrastination.

SIX SOURCES OF PROCRASTINATION
1. We hesitate to do chores we don't enjoy.

For me, yard work has always been draining. I don't find pleasure in it, and there's a million other things I'd rather spend my time doing. When I was first married, I would procrastinate mowing the lawn until it grew into a small jungle. I knew mowing would make my home look nice and would please my wife, but I abhorred giving it my time and attention.

2. We hesitate to do activities we aren't good at doing.
I enjoy the arts, and I am fascinated by highly creative persons. However, I'm not particularly gifted in painting, drawing, or designing. That's why I avoid decorating. I enjoy a finely manicured Christmas tree, or an exquisitely decorated room, but I simply have no talent at making things look good. As a consequence, I will put off decorating as long as possible.

3. We hesitate to do what isn't on our agendas.
Human nature tends to be set in its ways. When changing circumstances make our plans obsolete, we resist making adjustments. We stubbornly hold to our old course of action and avoid altering our behavior.

4. We hesitate to solve situations that are likely to be messy
A prime example is confrontation. It's difficult to tell someone what they don't want to hear and probably won't respond well to being told. Dreading the possible outcomes, we dawdle and delay rather than initiating confrontation.

5. We hesitate to tackle a task that is high-energy and low-return.
As leaders, we are hard wired into getting the most bang for our buck. The same holds true with our time. We want to invest it profitably. As such, I have always been hesitant to put energy into relationships with high-maintenance donors or investors who aren't substantial contributors to the organization.

6. We hesitate to step into things we don't understand.
Hence the saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." My generation has had to come to grips with fast-moving technologies, and it hasn't been easy. I don't understand many features of GPS systems, iPods, or PDA's, and, as a result, I procrastinate adopting them into my life - even though I know they could be helpful to me.

VISION AND VALUES - THE ANTIDOTES TO PROCRASTINATION

Author John Kotter, says, "Most people don't lead their lives, they accept their lives. Leaders are the exception. In their mind's eye, they have a vision of exactly where they want to go. By keeping that vision in the forefront of their minds, leaders develop priorities, maintain focus, and, acquire a sense of urgency. The vision becomes the driving force behind everything a leader does.

Leaders with a vision are active rather than passive. Whereas most people follow the path of least resistance, visionary leaders refuse to settle for what's comfortable or easy. They shape their world rather than fitting into its mold.

In addition to following a vision, leaders relentlessly schedule their lives around their core values. Leaders are attuned to what they feel is important in life, and they align their activities to reflect those beliefs. Values dictate what they will do, what they will avoid, and where they will invest their most precious commodity - time.

THE POWER TO QUIT

You may have heard the saying, "Quitters never win, and winners never quit." Nothing could be
further from the truth! Leaders are strategic quitters. They ruthlessly avoid activities that don't align with their vision or values. They know the power of "NO" when faced with opportunities that threaten to drift them away from their purpose.

I've quit a lot of things during my leadership journey: counseling, administrating, controlling, people-pleasing, and more. Quitting has been healthy for me because I've always quit for the right reasons.

VALID REASONS TO QUIT

You quit something you don't do well to start something you do well.
You quit something you're not passionate about to do something that fills you with passion.
You quit something that's doesn't make a difference to do something that does.

SUMMARY

To acquire more influence, taking initiative is a prerequisite. Leaders step forward when they clarify their vision and values. Knowing their purpose gives them a starting point, and a reason to act. By clearing out the clutter in their agendas, leaders recognize the power of quitting. Free from the handcuffs of over-commitment, leaders are able to choose the dreams they chase rather then drifting down the current of life's circumstances.

My Birth Verse

2008-03-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

"He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes." Deuteronomy 10:21 NIV

To find out your birth verse, visit http://www.birthverse.com/mybirthverse.cfm.

Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

2008-03-02T12:53:00.000-08:00

You entered: Stephanie Ann Rogers

There are 18 letters in your name. Those 18 letters total to 91. There are 7 vowels and 11 consonants in your name.

What your first name means:

Greek: Female: Feminine form of Stephen: Crown; victorious.
French: Female: Crowned in victory.

Your number is: 1

The characteristics of #1 are: Initiating action, pioneering, leading, independent, attaining, individual.

The expression or destiny for #1: A number 1 Expression denotes the skilled executive with keen administrative capabilities. You must develop the capacity to be a fine leader, sales executive, or promoter. You have the tools to become an original person with a creative approach to problem solving, and a penchant for initiating action. Someone may have to follow behind you to handle the details, but you know how to get things going and make things happen. You have a good mind and the ability to use it for your advancement. Because of these factors, you have much potential for achievement and financial rewards. Frequently, this expression belongs to one running a business or striving to achieve a level of accomplishment on ones talents and efforts. You have little need for much supervision, preferring to act on your own with little restraint. You are both ambitious and determined. Self-confident and self-reliant must be yours, as you develop a strong unyielding will and the courage of your convictions.
Although you fear loneliness, you want to be left alone. You fear routine and being in a rut. You often jump the gun because you are afraid of being left behind.

The negative attributes of the 1 Expression are egotism and a self-centered approach to life. This is an aggressive number and if it is over-emphasized it is very hard to live with. You do not have to be overly aggressive to fulfill your destiny. The 1 has a natural instinct to dominate and to be the boss; adhering to the concept of being number One. Again, you do not have to dominate and destroy in order to lead and manage.

Your Soul Urge number is: 5

A Soul Urge number of 5 means: The 5 soul urge or motivation would like to follow a life of freedom, excitement, adventure and unexpected happening. The idea of travel and freedom to roam intrigues you. You are very much the adventurer at heart. Not particularly concerned about your future or about getting ahead, you can seem superficial and unmotivated.
In a positive sense, the energies of the number 5 make you very adaptable and versatile. You have a natural resourcefulness and enthusiasm that may mark you as a progressive with a good mind and active imagination. You seem to have a natural inclination to be a pace-setter. You are attracted to the unusual and the fast paced.

You may be overly restless and impatient at times. You may dislike the routine work that you are engaged in, and tend to jump from activity to activity, without ever finishing anything. You may have difficulty with responsibility. You don't want to be tied down to a relationship, and it may be hard to commit to one person.

Your Inner Dream number is: 5

An Inner Dream number of 5 means: You dream of being totally free and unrestrained by responsibility. You see yourself conversing and mingling with the natives in many nations, living for adventure and life experiences. You imagine what you might accomplished.

If you want to do this for yourself, check it out at http://www.paulsadowski.com/Numbers.asp.

Sick Again!

2008-03-01T06:24:00.000-08:00

Ugh!!! Ed is sick again. It is a total bummer because we were planning on helping with cleaning up The Paradise Theater to prepare for next weekend's services. Our church is moving our services from a local elementary school to The Paradise. It is an amazing move for our church as it will help with growth, and we won't need a set-up and tear down crew any more. We will have services in an auditorium, so we will have AWESOME acoustics (especially when you compare them to what we had in the gym!) :-) Check out our church at www.theriverchurch.org.

Ed is not happy about being sick either because he wanted to help with this and work on our office. He is currently in the process of building bookshelves in there. It looks AWESOME! Please pray for Ed's healing. He is currently suffering from flu-like symptoms.

Thanks for your prayers!

God is Good All the Time!

2008-03-01T05:32:00.001-08:00

I was reading "Commissioned" which is a newsletter published by Living Word Christian Center's missions department on a quarterly basis. It has testimonies from recent trips along with upcoming trip information. At the end of the report it had a picture of Africa, and it said that there are 25,000 new believers a day on this continent. Isn't that amazing? It also said that it is the first continent to become majority Christian (over 50%) in a single century.

God is moving throughout the land. Are you open to his voice? Have you asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior? Here are a few things you need to know about God:

1. God loves you and offers you a wonderful plan for your life.
*Jesus said, "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" (John 10:10
New American Standard Bible).
*Jesus also said that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life
(John 3:16 New American Standard Bible).

2. Man is sinful and separated from God.
*The Bible says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
*No one is perfect. God knew we were imperfect, so He came up with a plan to reconnect
us to Him. He reconnects us to him through his son, Jesus.

3. Jesus Christ through his life, his death on the cross, and his resurrection is God's only provision for our imperfection.
*Through Jesus we can know and experience God's love and plan for our life.
*The Bible says, "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
*Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me" (John 14:6).
*It is not enough to know these truths. We need to ask God to be a part of our lives.

4. We must each individually receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Then we can know God personally and experience His love and plan for our life.
*We need to ask God to be a part of our lives.
*"As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,
even those who believe in His name" (John 1:12 New American Standard Bible).
*Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens
the door, I will come in to him" (Revelation 3:20 New American Standard Bible).

Inviting God into my life by asking Jesus to be my Lord and Savior (at the tender age of thirteen) was the best decision I have ever made. Has my life been perfect? No, but I have had someone who has been there for me through all the tests, trials, twists, turns, and ups and downs that life has thrown my way. If you are ready to ask God to be in your life, then pray this prayer of salvation to God from your heart. Ask Jesus into your heart now by simply praying this prayer to God and meaning it from your heart. A miracle will happen as you pray. You will be forgiven and brought into the family of God.

Pray this Prayer: Heavenly Father, I do believe that Jesus is your Son. That He came to earth to die from my sins. That He rose again from the dead. Jesus please come into my heart. Please forgive me of all my sins. Please wash them all away. Please come and live in my heart. Please teach me your ways. Please help me to learn and understand your Word. Please give me Christian friends that love you and can help me grow in your Word. Please help me find a church that will teach me the Bible, and help me grow in knowing you. I thank you now in Jesus name, Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, please let me know by either leaving a comment here or by emailing me at sgulland@marykay.com. The next step is to find a good church that teaches God's truth which is found in the Bible and will help you grow in your faith. Welcome to the family of God!

Finally, an update!

2008-02-28T07:40:00.000-08:00

The Gulland Family is doing well in our new home. If you need our new mailing address, please email me at prvbs31chick@yahoo.com.

David loves school, and he is reading at almost a second grade level. His teacher has him in an Accelerated Reading Program which he enjoys and is doing wonderfully in. We will be getting his second trimester report card next Friday. His first report card was fantastic, and we expect nothing less this time around. He really enjoys school, and we heard nothing but great comments about him at his conference.

We were very proud parents and thankful to God that He has given us wisdom in raising David. Is David perfect? Of course not because none of us are (This may be a big revelation for some of you. I know it was for me.)! David has things that he can work on. The biggest one being listening and obeying the first time. This is probably more at home than at school. As I think about this, I think about how I still need to work on listening and obeying God the first time he tells me to do something. As I model this behavior, I know that David will continue to improve. I was reading a parenting book this morning, and it said that a lot of parenting is caught not taught. SO TRUE! How many of you remember hearing, "Do as I say, not as I do." I sure do. I am determined to live before David the way that I want him to live.

Ed is enjoying his work with Rust Consulting. He is a project manager. He has moved to a different team which has allowed him to focus on using his strengths. I think it is a much better fit for him, and it allows the company to utilize his strengths.

I am enjoying being a work-from-home mom. I love being a Mary Kay consultant and helping women to take time to pamper themselves. It is great too because the priorities that the company teaches (based on Mary Kay Ash's life priorities): God first, family second, and career third are priorities that I want to live by life by. The company is a great fit for me, and I feel like I finally found something that I love doing (besides being a wife and mom which aren't paying gigs!) :-)

David turned six on Tuesday, February 26th. Can you believe it? We celebrated by taking him and three of his friends from school to the local bowling alley. A fun time was had by all. We will be having a larger celebration with more of his friends from school and church along with some extended family on March 8th. I will post pictures of both events as soon as I can.

Finally, I am on Facebook now, so come and check me out. It has been a great way for me to reconnect with people from high school and college. It has also been a wonderful tool for me staying in touch with friends from our church in Brooklyn Park and with my Mary Kay friends from other units.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

2008-02-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

This morning David told me he had a headache. I asked him, "Do you want some medicine?" He said, "No, I know that God can heal my headache."

God used David this morning to remind me that He is the Great Physician. I am not saying that He can't use medicine because I know that God does use medicine to help people get healthy. It just amazed me that David chose to use his faith in God as his healer instead of medicine. I know that I don't always model that, so I was excited to see that the Bible stories we have been reading to him and the teaching he has received in his classes at church have had such an impact on him.

E-mentoring Program at CSB

2007-09-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

I am participating in an e-mentoring program at my alma matter, CSB (or College of Saint Benedict). The college is located up in St. Joseph, MN. I was paired with a fantastic young woman who is in her sophomore year of college. She is in the orchestra and got the opportunity to work with one of the conductors from the Minnesota Orchestra. How cool is that?

We are going up to St. Joe this weekend to stay with my mother-in-law and her husband. They are keeping David (at his request) while we attend the homecoming game at St. John's. Several people that I went to college with and haven't seen in quite some time are going to be there. I am SUPER EXCITED about connecting with people. I am also excited about meeting Laura. We are still working out the details!

While we are enjoying the football game (hopefully it will stay nice like it has been all week), David will be baking with grandma. He is really looking forward to that.

Parent - Job Description

2007-09-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

POSITION: Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma, Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION: Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION: None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION: Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS: While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Had I read this before I got pregnant, I do not think that I would be enjoying my little boy, David, right now. I am so glad that I am a mom!

A Short Course in Packaging (Your Communication That Is!)

2007-09-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

A Short Course in Packaging

In communicating with our partners, truth should supply the content, and love should supply the package. It takes both, working together, to make a successful product. All of us need to become packaging experts, because in communication, as in manufacturing, packaging is everything. Five simple principles can help us become better packagers of the truth.

1. Choose a package your mate will like. Bringing up a complaint or a concern is sometimes a nasty business, so the goal is to look for the most diplomatic way to do it. Try to introduce a complaint with a praise, express approval before disapproval, point out what was done right before what was done wrong, find fault without assigning blame, and recognize good intentions before pointing out bad actions. The goal is to choose a package your mate will like. Tailor the package to her specific needs and wants, and you'll find that your words get a much better reception.

2. Make sure the package fits the product. We make three common errors when we're first learning the art of package design. Sometimes the package is too small—we're a little too sparing on our expression of praise or approval. Sometimes the package is too big, and then the gift inside is a bit of a disappointment. Sometimes the package is too transparent, and then our attempt to speak the truth in love looks like empty flattery or manipulation.

3. Change the package often. The first time you choose to introduce a complaint with a praise, you may be very pleased with the results. Be careful! We tend to think in formulas. A formula mind-set might reason, "Hey, that worked. I should do that again next time." And it might work the next time—but with slightly less impressive results. Once the approach begins to look like a formula, it loses its genuineness, and if it begins to feel manipulative, it's certain to make your mate angry.

4. Take the time to admire a beautiful package. A beautifully wrapped package is a work of art, and art should be admired. Speaking the truth in love requires awareness, discipline, and practice, and that kind of effort deserves recognition. The next time your mate extends a beautifully wrapped gift to you, make sure she's aware that you noticed. Try "Thank you for saying it that way," or, "That was a very thoughtful way of putting it."

5. Deliver the package! Someone once said, "To love someone and not tell them is like wrapping a beautiful gift but never giving it away." Speaking the truth in love begins with a change in attitude, but it should not end there. Don't wait for your next complaint to begin to communicate praise, approval, gratitude, and encouragement. Give away the gifts of gratitude and encouragement frequently and freely.

This is from the book The Seven Conflicts by Tim & Joy Downs. Check it out!!!

Audrey Paige

2007-09-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

Audrey Paige with both of her brothers. The first one is Erik and the one on the bottom left hand side is her with her big brother, Nicholas. The cute little girl with Audrey is Sydney. Sydney is my cousin, Stacey's, little girl. Stacey is Audrey's auntie.

Congratulations to my cousin, Sarah, and her husband, Reed, on the new addition to their family. I got to hold Audrey this last weekend at Jenny's wedding (Jenny is another cousin, and yes, I do have A LOT of them!) However, I wouldn't change it at all. :-) Audrey was a GREAT baby throughout the ceremony and reception. Sarah, you look GREAT! Motherhood definitely agrees with you!

Please continue to pray for the Pederson family as they continue to adjust to having a new addition to their family. They are now a family of five instead of four, but by looking at them, I do not think that they would have it any other way.

Gulland Family Open House Reminder

2007-09-11T05:10:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Just a reminder that we are having an open house at our new home this Saturday, September 15th from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm. Come at any time and enjoy great food, friends, and lots of FUN!!! We will be serving YUMMY recipes that have been created using Tastefully Simple products. If you cannot make it to the open house, but would like to order some products from my wonderful friend and TS consultant, check out her website at www.tastefullysimple.com/web/abrand1.

Hope to see you all on Saturday!

Can You Forgive?

2007-09-11T05:02:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I know that today is the sixth anniversary of 9/11. I cannot believe that it was six years ago that this tragedy occurred. I wish I had something profound to share, but I simply do not. Instead, I am going to post an article that was in my inbox. I hope this helps you grow in your relationships with Jesus and others.

Up-Close Forgiveness

By Dennis Rainey

If you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14

I am often reminded of what C. S. Lewis said: “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until he has something to forgive.” How true. It’s not until forgiveness becomes personal and costly that it takes on its actual size and weight.

But perhaps some of what troubles us about forgiveness is that we don’t understand what it is and what it isn’t.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean:

Excusing what someone did to you
Forgetting what happened
Denying, or stuffing, your feelings
Reconciling instantly every time

It does mean:

Embracing the offender—Christ modeled forgiveness at its best when He forgave and welcomed back those who hurt Him the most.
Being proactive—When Jesus said from the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34), He was forgiving people before they even asked for it.
Surrendering the right to get even—The essence of forgiveness, especially in marriage, is letting go of our rights to punish and see justice done. Forgiveness is evident when one spouse ceases to demand restitution for hurt feelings and wounded pride.

The other night when Barbara and I were praying together, I turned to Barbara and said, “Sweetheart, before we pray, there’s something I need to ask forgiveness for.” Then after some dialogue, the words “I forgive you” were spoken by Barbara. That’s when you know your marriage is what it was meant to be—a relationship in which forgiveness can flow at the slightest offense. Forgiveness is one of the most important qualities you must practice if your marriage is to become great.

Discuss: Talk about the definition of forgiveness . . . surrendering the right to get even. Is there anything you need to ask forgiveness for?

Pray: Pray that God will show you both how to be aggressive in pursuing forgiveness and appropriately quick in granting forgiveness.

This week’s Marriage Memo is from Dennis and Barbara Rainey’s new book, Moments With You. A sequel to their best-selling Moments Together for Couples, this new book offers 365 new daily devotions. To order this brand-new resource, click here.

I Feel Like a Model of Beauty When I . . .

2007-09-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

"am reflecting God’s love onto the world, being a patient mother, loving wife, healthy woman and forgiving human being. I believe beauty is something greater than appearance. It’s being real and letting your inside appearance influence your outside appearance. Model beauty on the inside and the outside will follow."

When do you feel like a model of beauty? Post your answer on my blog. I cannot wait to see what people have to say.

The above response is one of my friend's answers. She answered this question to complete her "Model of Beauty Search" entry form. This is a contest that Mary Kay is currently running. I am VERY excited about it because there will be four grand prize winners who will receive the following: airfare for two to New York City, transportation to and from their hotel, lodging for their time in New York, a professional makeover & photo shoot, and FINALLY . . . a $500 shopping spree!!! Cool, huh? If you want in on this deal, you need to schedule a makeover with me so you can get your entry form postmarked by this Saturday, September 15th.

Finally . . . it's a girl!

2007-09-04T05:45:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

I want to say congratulations to my cousin, Sara and her husband, Reed, on the birth of their third baby. Audrey Paige Pederson made her appearance on Wednesday, August 29th at 1:45 pm. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 2 ounces and was 19 inches long. Audrey has two proud big brothers who will protect her!!!

I am waiting on pictures from Audrey's Auntie Stacey. Once I get them, you will see them here.

Now, Sara, I expect to see you at Jenny's wedding this weekend!!! :-)

Once again, congratulations!!!

Happy Birthday Mary!

2007-09-01T11:37:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday wishes (one day late! Sorry!) to our niece, Mary. She is the cutest thing ever!!!

Hope to see you soon Mary!!! Make sure to eat Aunt Stephanie's piece of cake for her, OK?

Treasure Hunt

2007-09-01T11:34:00.001-07:00

Check online to see if you have overlooked matured savings bonds and calculate their present value by logging on to www.TreasuryDirect.gov. Click on the Individual box. Next, go to tools and select "Treasury Hunt." Then click the "start search" box. Enter your social security number for results.

HAPPY HUNTING!!!

I didn't find any for me or Ed, but I thought that I would pass along the information to you all. Hopefully one of you will find some money you forgot about!!!

This information was found in the Money Smarts section of the 9/10/2007 issue of "First."

God Made You Special & He Loves You Very Much!

2007-09-01T10:16:00.001-07:00

"God didn't have time to make a nobody, only a somebody. I believe that each of us has God-given talents within us waiting to be brought to fruition."– Mary Kay Ash

Make sure to use your God-given gifts and talents today and every day of your life. Let's make a difference for Jesus in this generation. Have a GREAT Labor Day weekend!!!

Who Are You to Judge?

2007-08-31T05:38:00.000-07:00

Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2

Perhaps the greatest roadblock to loving confrontation is the well-known "log" that seems lodged in your eyes. Such handicapped vision inevitably distorts our relationships, both with God and with each other.

Here are five tips Barbara and I have found useful in keeping judgment out of confrontation:

1. Check your motivation. Are you bringing this up to help or to hurt? Prayer is the best way to check our motives. When we take the situation to God and He shines His light on us and the problem, then we usually see our motivation for what it is.

2. Check your attitude. Loving confrontation says, "I care about you." Don't hop on your bulldozer and bury your mate.

3. Check the circumstance. Pick a suitable time, location and setting. Don't confront your mate the moment he or she walks in the door after a hard day's work, at mealtime or in front of others.

4. Check to see what other pressures may be present. Be sensitive to where others are coming from. What's the context of their lives right now?

5. Be ready to take it as well as dish it out. Sometimes confronting someone can boomerang-he or she may have some stuff saved up for you that will spill out when you bring up an issue. If you expect others to listen, to understand, to hear you out and to accept your point of view, be ready to do the same yourself.

Discuss: Think of an issue or complaint you may want to air with your mate. Ask yourself if you are "projecting"-seeing your own faults in others. Before confronting them, reflect on whether the issue might be solved by "weeding your own garden" first.

Pray: That you can see your marriage relationship objectively, being sure you are willing to be judged by the same standards you hold for your mate.

---Excerpted from "Moments Together for Couples" by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. Copyright 1995 by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. All rights reserved. To purchase the book, visit http://www.familylife.com/1-800-358-6329/detail.asp?id=1170

Subscribe to this newsletter "Moments Together For Couples" by visiting www.familylife.com.

Managing Conflict God's Way

2007-08-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

This was a devotional I received the other morning via email, and I wanted to share it with everyone. Be prepared to be touched & changed by the Word of God!!!

The Gentle Art of Confrontation

But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ. Ephesians 4:15

No family is without conflicts, and when we let conflicts simmer without confrontation, they have a habit of boiling over and affecting our spiritual lives. William Wordsworth said: "He who has a good friend needs no mirror." Family members can learn to be each other's best friend by learning the gentle art of confrontation. Blessed is the marriage where both spouses feel the other is a good friend - one who will listen, reflect back, understand and work through whatever needs to be dealt with. Occasionally all this requires loving confrontation.

Of course, we must face the fact that some of us don't want to be confronted. Some people would rather be comfortable than Christlike. Many of Barbara's best statements to me are the ones that hurt a bit, but I need to hear them because they keep me on the right track.

Learning loving confrontation starts with love. As 1 Corinthians 13 points out, love expects the best of others. There's no way to confront someone else productively if you expect the worst or have a chip on your shoulder.

Loving confrontation is not nagging. It states its position without dragging it out for days. Being nagged at is no fun. Someone has said it's like being nibbled to death by a duck. Christian confrontation doesn't accuse; it focuses on "I" language, with my saying plainly how I feel. It avoids "You" language, which inevitably sounds condemning. There's a world of difference between saying, "I really don't like arriving at church late - can I do something to help?" and "You always make us late!"

Also, keep in mind that the people you love, but need to confront, are not your enemies. Your mate is never your enemy. Christian confrontation requires that you speak the truth - but always in love.

Discuss: Areas of agitation you try to suppress in order to keep a smooth relationship. Are you being honest with yourself or those you love? When should you bring up a problem issue?

Pray: For the courage to confront lovingly and also for the wisdom to know how to speak the truth in love.
---
Excerpted from "Moments Together for Couples" by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. Copyright 1995 by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. All rights reserved. To purchase the book, visit http://www.familylife.com/1-800-358-6329/detail.asp?id=1170

Two Year Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

2007-08-29T05:27:00.000-07:00

I was watching Good Morning America this morning because I knew that they would report on Hurricane Katrina's anniversary since Robin is from the Gulf Coast. She reported live from Pass Christian which is her home town. Now don't get me wrong, I know that New Orleans was hit hard. However, there were other areas of the Gulf Coast that did not get the media attention that they deserved.

My parents have told me of all the WONDERFUL people who have been down there to help and how Mississippi residents (at least most of them) are not just waiting around for assistance, but they are helping themselves. In fact, one of the women featured on GMA this morning tried to get a loan from the federal government to rebuild her restaurant. She couldn't get one. Did this stop her? NO! She did it on her own!!! The resiliency of the people on the Gulf Coast is amazing to me.

According to GMA, 98% of the population who lived there pre-Katrina still live there. Robin said that many people wonder how people would want to live in a place where hurricanes are a possibility. Her response was why do people live on the West Coast where there are earthquakes and in the Midwest where there are tornadoes? She said it is because it is home. The publisher of the Sun Herald said, "Buildings do not make communities; people do."

To my family on the Coast and all those affected by Hurricane Katrina, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Know that you are loved and that we will do anything we can do to help the Coast continue to recover.

Product Recall for Toys & Car Seats

2007-08-27T09:21:00.001-07:00

Below you will find an article that a friend of mine sent to me. Please read if you have children or grandchildren.

Recalled: Thomas and Friends, Curious George toys

Wed, Aug 22, 2007 (BabyCenter News) — Schylling Associates has announced a recall of about 66,000 spinning tops and 4,700 tin pails in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Surface paints on the wooden handles of the tops and pails contain excessive levels of lead, which violates the federal lead paint standard. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause serious health effects. The recalled tops and pails are primarily metal and have wooden handles. The tops are painted with Thomas and Friends, Curious George, or a circus scene. The pails are painted with Thomas and Friends, Curious George, or a solid red or yellow color. Tops with plastic handles are not included in this recall. The toys were sold at specialty toy stores and gift shops nationwide from July 2001 through July 2002. The tops were sold for about $13, and the pails for about $6. They were made in China.

What you can do: Take the recalled tops and pails away from your child immediately and contact Schylling to receive a refund or free replacement toy. For additional information, contact Schylling toll-free at (800) 767-8697 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website. See photos of the recalled toys on the CPSC's website.

Keep abreast of recalls of children's products by checking our recall finder. -- Jenny Des Jarlais, BabyCenter News

Recalled: Graco car seats

Fri, Aug 24, 2007 (BabyCenter News) — Graco has announced a safety alert for the ComfortSport 5-point harness convertible car seat. About 277,000 units are affected. On some ComfortSport car seats, the lower anchorage belt may have been misrouted during factory assembly. In seats that are installed rear-facing and are using the vehicle's LATCH anchors, the misrouted belt may cause the seat back to bend excessively in a crash, potentially increasing the risk of injury. The car seats shouldn't be used in the rear-facing position with LATCH until the belt routing has been inspected and, if necessary, corrected. In the meantime, the seats can be used safely if they're secured with the vehicle seat belt instead of LATCH. Car seats installed forward-facing are not affected by this safety notice.

Car seats that may have misrouted belts include those manufactured from January 2, 2007, through July 31, 2007. They include the following model numbers: 8629TWL, 8630MTR, 8631DFT, 8631DRA, 8632PSO, 8635TAC, 8639COS, 8C00BLG, 8C00DMN, 8C00GRP, 8C00LNW, 8C00MID, 8C00TMB, 8C01SVD, 8C01WTN, 8C02MGI, 8C02MRC, 8C03HAL, 8C03WCF, 8C04FRR, and 8433FOF. The model number and date of manufacture can be found on the label on the back of the car seat. These seats were sold by mass merchandisers and in department stores from January 2007 through August 2007 for $80 to $140. Graco plans to mail or e-mail instructions to correct the misrouting to all known owners of the recalled car seats.

What you can do: View the correct vs. incorrect routings of the lower anchorage belt. See the rerouting instructions (PDF) so you can correct the problem. Visit Graco's website for more information. Contact Graco for help in determining whether your ComfortSport car seat is affected by this recall. Call the company toll-free at (800) 345-4109 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday. When calling, have the model number and date of manufacture of your car seat readily available. -- Jenny Des Jarlais, BabyCenter News

What To Do If Your Purse Or Wallet Is Stolen?

2007-08-22T08:36:00.001-07:00

This came in one of the e-zines that I receive, and I felt that I needed to share it with my blogging audience. I think that it is good advice to help you protect you and your family.

In the event your purse or wallet is stolen, contact the three credit bureaus immediately. They are:

Equifax: 1-800-685-1111 / / www.Equifax.com
Experian: 1-888-397-3242 / / www.experian.com
Transunion: 1-800-888-4213 / / www.Transunion.com

Report a fraud alert to all three credit bureaus and freeze your credit. Next, file a police report to verify the incident and create a paper trail. Send copies to the credit bureaus with a letter requesting a free copy of your credit report. Put any disputes of fraudulent applications for credit in writing and include a copy of the police report.

Don't forget to call the Department of Motor Vehicles, or the DMV, to thwart the thief from obtaining a duplicate license in your name. In addition, protect yourself by paying your bills online. Just look for a secure symbol and use caution when entering information. This saves time, postage and possibly late fees caused by misdirected mail.

When You Give God Your Best by Lynne Hammond

2007-08-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

There's one key to receiving from God that is often overlooked. When we have it, our prayers can sail effectively to heaven on the winds of the Holy Spirit. When we don't, they seem to fall heavily to the ground—earthbound and unanswered. What is this often neglected yet undeniably vital key? Simply this: a clear conscience. Faith and a clear conscience are inseparable. We find them walking hand in hand in 1 Timothy 1:5 where we are admonished to love with a pure heart, "a good conscience, and… faith unfeigned." We find them together again in verse 19 where we are urged to hold fast to "faith and a pure conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck." We find them forever intertwined with answered prayer in the letter of John which tells us that when "…our consciences are clear, we can come to the Lord with perfect assurance and trust, and get whatever we ask for because we are obeying him and doing the things that please him" (1 John 3:21-22, TLB). Never forget this: if your conscience is bothering you, it will always undermine the faith in your heart. Even though you know what God has promised in His Word, even though you firmly believe it, you will slip into doubt and begin to waver. You will suddenly be unsure that God will truly keep those promises to you.

WHEN SIN SNEAKS IN

What can we do to avoid that uncertainty? How can we make sure we keep our consciences perfectly clear? We must steer clear of sin. That's so obvious it almost goes without saying. What is not always so obvious, however, is exactly how we do that. We know, of course, how to avoid the big blunders like murder, adultery, lying, and hating our brother. But we also know there are times when sin sneaks in beneath the radar of our awareness. There are times when we sense that we've somehow grieved the Holy Spirit but we're not fully sure what we did wrong. I remember one time about three and a half years ago when that happened to me. The Lord had spoken to my heart and directed me to begin giving a particular amount in the offering every time I went to a church service. It was a larger amount than I had been accustomed to giving and it stretched my faith so, for a while, I pondered it, wondering if I was accurately hearing the Lord. But the direction persisted until it was lodged so firmly in my heart I knew I had heard from God. Even so, however, it was challenging to obey His instruction at times. When we went to conventions, for example, we might attend several meetings a day for a whole week. That meant I'd be giving the specified amount 11 or 12 times in a single week. I'd have to start building my faith in advance just so I'd be ready for the offerings!

DO SOMETHING DIFFICULT

You might ask, why on earth would God ask me to do something so spiritually and financially strenuous. One reason is that He wanted to lift me to a higher level of prosperity. Years ago, Mac and I saw in Psalm 35:27 that God "takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant." We believed that and looked to God to increase our finances in a supernatural way. We expected Him to give money to us so that we could give money to others and become a clearing-house through which He could bless His people. Of course, we also learned that God's formula for prosperity is seedtime and harvest. We plant financial seeds by giving to God. Then He gives the increase. As Luke 6:38 says, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you" (NKJ). I assure you, it takes faith to give that way. And God has worked steadily with us to help us strengthen our faith in that area by giving us assignments or exercises. Through the years, He would instruct us to give certain amounts; we would get in agreement, obey and God would increase us. Sometimes we would have to obey two or three times and increase our seed before we would get our harvest. I finally figured out that was usually because we didn't fully obey Him the first time. He'd tell us to give a specific amount and we'd say, "Uh… that's a little much." Then we'd compromise by giving half of it. Later we'd give the other half and that's when our harvest would come. Over time, as God has worked with us that way, our faith has continually developed and grown. Some would say, "But I thought faith comes just by hearing the Word." It does come that way. But it is developed by exercise. In that respect, your spirit is much like your body. You can fuel your physical body and keep it alive simply by feeding it. But to strengthen it, you have to do something difficult. If you just let your arm hang by your side for a few months without using it at all, it would become weak and limp (no matter how much good food you ate). But if you use it to lift weights every day, it will grow strong.

THE OFFERING THAT OFFENDED THE LORD

I don't mind telling you, giving those offerings the Lord told me to give three years ago provided me with me a real, faith workout. But I diligently stayed with it until one particular service. I don't really know what happened to me in that service. I guess I just wasn't paying attention. Somehow the offering time slipped up on me and I thoughtlessly grabbed a couple of dollars from my purse, tossing them in the bucket as it passed by. When the service was over, I noticed that for some reason my heart seemed grieved. I didn't even know why at first. So I sought the Lord about it. I retraced my spiritual steps until I realized that by casually dumping that measly offering in the bucket that night, I had sinned. I had been disobedient to the Lord. Later that evening, I was reading Hebrews 10:38 which says, "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him" (KJV). As soon as I read those words, I knew I had drawn back from the direction of the Lord that night. So I immediately repented and told Him I'd double up in the next offering. But, thank God, I didn't stop there! I kept reading until I got to Hebrews 11:4: By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (KJV) Through that verse, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to a greater revelation. I began to see not only what God wanted me to do but why He wanted me to do it.

WOULD YOU GIVE FLUFFY?

As I read about Abel, it dawned on me that when it comes to giving, God isn't as interested in quantity as He is in quality. Abel's gift delighted the Lord not because it was so large but because it was his very best. He gave it wholeheartedly in an attitude of faith. Abel loved God so much that only the best was good enough for his God and for him. As for the offering given by his brother, Cain, that was a very different story. We can find that story in Genesis, chapter four where the Bible says: And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. (verses 1-7 KJV) Let me ask you something. How in the world could it possibly be a sin to bring an offering to the Lord? Bringing an offering is a good thing! The Bible instructs us to do it. Yet here we clearly see that Cain didn't do well when he gave. He had somehow stumbled into sin. How? He sinned by failing to give God his best. He just brought some of what he had to the Lord. His heart wasn't really in it. He picked out a few of the fruits and vegetables he had grown and said, "Well, that's enough for God. It's not the prize pick of the crop but it will do." Abel, however, had an entirely different perspective. He went out to the pasture and said, "It's offering time! And since I love God with all my heart I want to give Him my very best." Then he looked over the flock and saw Spot, but Spot wasn't his best. He saw Wooly, but Wooly wasn't his best. He saw Mutton, but Mutton wasn't his best. Then he saw Fluffy. Fluffy was Abel's pride and joy. If Abel had been a member of the 4H club, Fluffy would have won him a ribbon at the fair. So Abel said, "Fluffy, you're the one. I'm going to give you to God because I want to give my very best to Him!" That may sound silly but, the fact is, God was so delighted with Fluffy that He wrote about it in the New Testament and said that offering is still speaking of Abel's faith!

THAT'S WHAT GOD CALLS PERFECT!

If you want to be a person who pleases God, this story should be music to your ears. It assures you that you don't have to be rich or talented or superbly skilled in order to bring God something that delights Him. All you have to do is give Him your very best—and that is something you can always do. Granted, your best might be different from somebody else's best. Their best might be more expensive or more naturally impressive than yours. But that doesn't make any difference to God. When you give your best to the Lord in wholehearted love for Him, God looks at your gift and calls it perfect! I'm not just talking about the financial gifts you give Him, either. I'm talking about what you give to Him in every area of life. After all, God doesn't just want your money, He wants all of you. That's why Romans 12:1 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (KJV). When we consider all that God has done for us, it's only reasonable to give our whole lives to Him as a sacrifice! Does that mean we should climb up on an altar and let somebody burn us up? No, it means that every day we are to give Him our best all day long. We are to live the best we know how to live. We are to be the best friend to others that we know how to be. We are to be the best husband or wife, the best employee, the best church member that we can possibly be. Every day, in everything we do, we should do our absolute best for the praise and glory of God. That is an excellent sacrifice.

EVEN FLUFFY HAD HER FLAWS

"But Lynne," you might say, "sometimes my best doesn't look very good. Sometimes I fall far short and seem unable to give the perfect gift that God is worthy of!" I know. So do I. So does every other believer. But that's okay. Abel's sacrifice was imperfect, too. Even Fluffy in all her beauty had her flaws. Even she fell short of the glory of God. Although I wasn't there to see her, I know she did because by the time Abel came along Adam had already sinned. He'd already committed high treason, and sold out to Satan. The curse was in the earth. Imperfection had set in, so if you'd taken a magnifying glass and looked at Abel's little sheep, you would have seen something wrong with her. But you know what you wouldn't have seen anything wrong with? Abel's heart! It was right toward God. It was wholly turned toward Him in love. And in the end, that's all that really mattered. The same is true today. God isn't looking at our Fluffies. He isn't looking at the amount of our checks. He isn't looking at the mistakes we make when we endeavor to do His will. He is looking at our hearts to see if we're withholding something from Him or if we're keeping the command He gave us in Matthew 22:37. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (KJV). He knows when we're giving our all to Him and that's what He considers our best. We know when we're giving our all, too, and that clears our conscience of all condemnation so that we have hearts full of confidence toward Him. My, how God longs and searches for hearts like that! How He desires to find and bless them. Second Chronicles 16:9 says, "…the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him."

THE KEY TO COMING BOLDLY

Think about that verse for a moment. Think about God searching the world over for a heart wholly dedicated to Him. Wouldn't you like to come to God in prayer knowing you had a heart like that? Wouldn't it be great if you could approach His throne, not because you were trying to get God's attention but because He was trying to get yours? Just imagine what it would be like to start your prayer time knowing that God Himself is nudging and tugging on you saying, "Come on, ask Me for something! I've been looking all over the earth trying to find someone like you to bless. I want to show Myself strong on your behalf. Just ask and you'll receive!" I dare say that would make it much easier to come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). That would make it much easier to believe that you receive what things soever you desire when you pray (Mark 11:24). That would make it easier to be sure that you can ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7). If you think such boldness is beyond your reach, think again. It's as close to you as your own conscience. And you can have it every day for the rest of your life if you'll only give God your best.

If You Were to Die Today, Where Would You Go?

2007-08-21T07:34:00.000-07:00

IF you should die today are you 100% sure - sure beyond the shadow of a doubt that you would go to heaven? If you feel you can say yes, please read on.

IF you should die and stand before God and He asked you why He should let you into Heaven, what would you say?

If your answer is, "I am sure I would go to Heaven because I have tried to be a good person," it's the wrong answer so please read on.

Salvation, or the gift of eternal life cannot be earned. To have earned it you would have had to live your life without ever sinning - something that no man except Jesus Christ Himself has ever done. This gift of the forgiveness of our sins, the gift of eternal life called salvation is just that - a gift. It can't be earned. Like any gift, it's free and only has to be received. The following verses help you see these glorious and eternal promises and truths.

We can know - not hope - that we have eternal life! (I John 5:13) "That these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

No one has been able to live a sinless life. (Romans 3:10) "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one." (Romans 3:23) "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."

Sin has touched every human being's life. (Romans 5:12) "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."

We deserve punishment for our sins but Jesus offers us the free gift of eternal life. (Romans 6:23) "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

God isn't waiting for us to get cleaned up first; He'll help us with that. He accepts us while we are still sinners so, there is no sense in putting it off. (Romans 5:8) "But God commendedth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Faith in Jesus Christ, and the receiving of the gift of salvation, is initiated by believing in our hearts and saying what we believe to God first, and then others. (Romans 10:9-13) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

If we say we haven't sinned, we have lied to ourselves. When we admit that we have, God is faithful to continually cleanse us. (1 John 1:8-10) "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."

Jesus is waiting for you right now! Don't put it off for a second. Let Him into your life! (Revelations 3:20) "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

Pray this prayer of Salvation to God from your heart and mean it. If you would like to ask Jesus into your heart now, simply pray this prayer to God and mean if from your heart. A miracle will happen as you pray. You will be forgiven and brought into the family of God.

Pray this Prayer: Heavenly Father, I do believe that Jesus is your Son. That He came to earth to die from my sins. That He rose again from the dead. Jesus, please come into my heart. Please forgive me of all my sins. Please wash them all away. Please come and live in my heart. Please teach me your ways. Please help me to learn and understand your Word. Please give me Christian friends that love you and can help me grow in your Word. Please help me find a church that will teach me the Bible, and help me grow in knowing you. I thank you now in Jesus name, Amen.

Today's Word with Joel & Victoria

2007-08-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

To receive this daily in your own email box (because I won't post them every day), visit www.joelosteen.com.

A Blameless Heart

Today's Scripture

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9 AMP).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Do you need God to move in your life today? The Bible says that God is actually looking to show Himself strong in the earth. He is looking for those who have a blameless heart toward Him. When you open your heart to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and cleanse you by His blood, then He gives you a blameless heart — then you are the person the Lord is looking to work through! When you understand the fact that God longs to work in your life, your faith will increase. Your hope will increase. And God’s work in your life will increase! Have confidence in this scripture today. Begin to thank God for giving you a clean and blameless heart. Thank Him for choosing to work in your life. As you thank and praise Him, look for His goodness and strength in your life. As you do, you will see God move in unexpected ways today and every day!

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, thank You for the blood of Jesus which cleanses my sins and gives me a blameless heart. Search my heart today and remove anything that isn’t pleasing to You. I open my heart to You and invite You to work in every area of my life. I bless You and thank You for Your faithfulness. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Trip to Mississippi

2007-08-20T04:47:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Many of you have been wondering how my trip was to Mississippi. The month that I spent with my family was FABULOUS!!! It was a great time of relaxation and fellowship with my parents, my niece and nephews, and my siblings. I even got to go with my parents, David, and Alex (my oldest nephew) to Troy's (my youngest nephew) birthday party in Texas. I don't think that I can put into words all the good times we had and all the great memories that were made.

Thank you to my parents for housing us for a month along with Jessica's in-laws, Larry and Linda, for housing me and David when we were in Friendswood for Troy's birthday party. Your hospitality was greatly appreciated!

I will be posting pictures as soon as I find the cord needed to download the pictures from my camera on to the computer. The joys of moving, right?

Have a most blessed day!

Today's Word with Joel & Victoria

2007-08-20T04:40:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone! I receive this in an email from Joel Osteen's website. It was SO good that I absolutely HAD to share it. If you are interested in receiving Today's Word with Joel & Victoria visit their ministry's website at www.joelosteen.com.

Set Your Hope

Today's Scripture

“Set your hope wholly and unchangeablely on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.” (I Peter 1:13)

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Is your hope set on God’s divine favor in your life today? One translation of this verse says, “Look forward to more and more of God’s favor.” That’s God’s dream — to pour out His goodness and grace upon you. He wants to help you get ahead in this life. He wants to lead you to the right job. He wants to lead you to the right relationship. But here’s the key: we have to be on the lookout for more of God’s favor. That tells me that we can’t get stagnant. Don’t ever think that you can’t rise any higher. God wants to do more than you can even ask or think. It says in Ephesians, He wants to show us the immeasurable, limitless, surpassing greatness of His free favor. In other words, God wants to go far and above what we’re used to! He wants to show you favor in unusual and extraordinary ways. Set your hopes higher today. Increase your expectations of what God will do in your life. As you open your heart and mind to His unlimited favor, you will experience the abundance He has in store for you!

A Prayer for Today

Father, thank You for your increase in every area of my life today. I choose to set my hope in You knowing that You want to do more in my life than I can ever imagine. Teach me to be a vessel used by You today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Believing that your faith will be increased through this message and that you will experience more and more of God's favor. When you see God's favor at work in your life, simply say out loud, "That is the favor of God." I think that I heard Jesse Duplantis talk about doing this because it made him aware of all that God was doing in his life. I have been doing this and it not only increases my faith in what God has done, but it also encourages me to stretch my faith to believe God's word and causes me to increase my expectations of what God will do in my life!

Gulland Family Open House

2007-08-19T05:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I am done from playing our new game with David. It was TONS of fun!!! I love all the games that we own by Cranium. If you have little kids at home, you have to add Hullabaloo to your family wish list. This isn't the game we were playing, but we LOVE playing that one. It is a good game to help your children learn to listen to directions and follow them. It also helps them to learn colors. David and I haven't played it in a while, but boy does it make us laugh!!!

Here are the details for our open house being held on Saturday, September 15th:

We will be having the open house from 11 am until 7 pm. Come whenever you want and stay for as long or as short as you want. Come hungry because I will have lots of yummy Tastefully Simple products for you to taste. I am doing my open house and featuring Tastefully Simple products as a show for my friend, Amy, who is a consultant with Tastefully Simple. You can place your order that day or online at her website: http://www.tastefullysimple.com/Cultures/en-US/default.htm. If this doesn't link you directly to her website, click on find a consultant and under id # enter 0038521.

Things to bring with you to the open house: you and your family, outdoor chairs, and meat to grill if you want to. We will be providing the other food through Tastefully Simple. We will also be providing beverages.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone there! However, if you cannot make it to our open house, but want to come out to our house, I am having a Premiere Designs Jewelry Event at our home on Sunday, August 26th beginning at 3:00 pm. If you cannot make it to the party, but wish to place a jewelry order, please email me at sgulland@marykay.com along with your current mailing address, and I will send you a catalogue.

I hope to see you at one or both of these upcoming events! Of course, our friends and family are always welcome, so if neither one of these events work, just give us a call or send us an email so we can plan on getting together.

Love you with the love of God! Enjoy the Sabbath.

A New Addition to the Fundanet Family

2007-08-19T05:03:00.001-07:00

Please join me in welcoming Logan Gray. He was born to proud parents, Lee and Lettie, on July 21st. He weighed in at 6 lbs 12 oz even though he was born three weeks before his due date! He was welcomed into this world by big brother, Lee Jr. or Little Lee as he is better known as.

Mom and baby are doing well. I am not sure how the big brother is adjusting to having a sibling instead of being an only child. Please keep this in your prayers. Also, please pray for their family in any other way that God directs you.

Details regarding our open house on Saturday, September 15th will be coming soon. David wants to play a game, so I do not have time to post them now.

Lots of love to all!

You Ask Why I Follow This Jesus?

2007-08-18T06:37:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine over at CafeMom posted this to her journal, and I absolutely HAD to share it. For more information about CafeMom, visit www.cafemom.com.

You ask why I follow this Jesus?
Why I love Him the way I do?
When the world's turned away from His teachings
And the people who serve Him are few.

It's not the rewards I'm after
Or gifts that I hope to receive
It's the Presence that calls for commitment
It's the Spirit I trust and believe.

The Lord doesn't shelter His faithful
Or spare them all suffering and pain,
Like everyone else I have burdens,
And walk through my share of rain.

Yet He gives me a plan and a purpose,
And that joy only Christians have known,
I never know what comes tomorrow,
But I do know I'm never alone.

It's the love always there when you need it;
It's the words that redeem and inspire,
It's the longing to ever be with Him
That burns in my heart like a fire.

So you ask why I love my Lord Jesus?
Well, friend, that's so easy to see,
But the one thing that fills me with wonder is
Why Jesus loves someone like me.

Author Unknown

Mary Kay's Model of Beauty Search

2007-07-14T04:55:00.001-07:00

While I cannot participate because I am a Mary Kay consultant, don't you think I could be a model of beauty??? I absolutely LOVE this picture of me that my director took on her pontoon when we were out cruising her lake in April after a meeting. I cannot believe that I was wearing a tank top in April here in Minnesota. CRAZY!!!

I just wanted to let everyone know that Mary Kay is having a Model of Beauty Search contest. All that is required from you is to get together with me for a FREE (yes, I did say FREE) makeover. We take a before and after photo of you and put them on the entry form. That is all there is to it! Simple and easy, huh? For your effort, you will have a chance to win a professional photo shoot and the opportunity to be featured in a 2008 edition of The Look (Mary Kay's quarterly catalogue), a professional makeover for the photo shoot, a trip for two to New York City for the photo shoot, and a $500 shopping spree. Doesn't that sound like fun? There will be four grand prize winners, and in honor of Mary Kay's 45th anniversary there will be 45 first prize winners who will receive products from our new body care collection.

Email me today at sgulland@marykay.com to schedule your makeover. The deadline to enter the contest is September 15th (entry must be postmarked with this date)! I only have appointments available from mid-August until September 14th, so send me the email right after you finish reading this post. Feel free to forward this post to your friends as well! If you have friends who are interested in the contest and they do not have a consultant, we can all get together at one time and you can earn FREE (there is my favorite word again) Mary Kay products. For friends who already have a Mary Kay consultant, they can contact their personal consultant for the makeover.

I am looking forward to hearing from you!!!

To Spring Clean or Not to Spring Clean?

2007-05-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

While I have NEVER spring cleaned in my life (and I never will have to thanks to FlyLady: for more information visit http://www.FlyLady.net), the following article helped to change how I view cleaning. It was definitely an EYE-OPENER!!!

The Clean Truth (found at http://www.positivelyfeminine.org/domestic/cleaning/cleantruth.htm)

by Brenda King

Cleaning is often viewed as something undesirable, a waste of an intelligent woman's time, and pure drudgery. In Philippians 4:8 we are told to entertain true, noble, and right thoughts. Is it true, noble, or right to despise the basic upkeep of a home, one of God's most precious gifts?

We have all been granted unique talents and preferences. Therefore, not everyone will fully enjoy the act of cleaning. Even those who say they enjoy cleaning, may have an aversion to certain aspects of it. But that in no way gives us the right to disrespect or minimize its importance.

It is our responsibility as homemakers to create a warm, comfortable environment within our own four walls, and that includes dealing with the inevitable dirt. There is nothing inferior about caring for our families, no matter how menial the task may seem. The Bible tells us, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17). From this day forward, let's consider housecleaning to be a valuable service to our families, and a demonstration of thanksgiving to our gracious Heavenly Father.

About the Author: Brenda King is the director of PositivelyFeminine.org, and homemaker and wife to Mike, her husband of 13 years. In her spare time she enjoys reading, writing, hiking, and working on the computer. The Kings live in Ohio.

Quotable Quotes

2007-05-24T06:04:00.000-07:00

"As long as you're going to be thinking anyway, THINK BIG."

~ Donald Trump

This is how I have been thinking lately. It has been really exciting to watch God work as I have taken the limits off of Him in my thinking. I have always known in my head that God is a BIG God, but it has finally really sunk down into my heart.

Since taking the limits off of God, Ed has gotten the job that he desired and loves. They are very family friendly and concerned about their employees work/life balance. For example, this Friday night I am going scrapbooking with some friends. They are letting Ed come home early to finish working from home, so I can get to my scrapbooking event at 5:00 pm. How cool is that???

We have put our house on the market and begun looking online at houses closer to Ed's office. As we have been looking, we have realized that we will be able to purchase a home on a lake which has been our dream for years. We honestly never thought we would see this dream realized. It is AMAZING what happens when you let God be God and take the limits off your thinking!!!

The Bible (New International Version) says in Psalm 37:4 : "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." I have really seen this verse come alive in my life as I have focused on "seeking first the kingdom of God." I have really been living out of my heart the last few months, and it is amazing the difference it makes.

I encourage you to take the limits off of God, THINK BIG, DREAM BIG, and live out of your heart!

What Year Do I Belong In?

2007-05-14T05:48:00.001-07:00

You Belong in 1986

Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day.

What Year Do You Belong In?

I saw this on my friend's xanga website, and I just had to share. I hope that you enjoy!!!

To the Big Apple

2007-05-14T04:24:00.000-07:00

Well, Ed left for New York yesterday afternoon. His flight was delayed due to heavy air traffic in New York, but he arrived safely. He will be spending this entire work week in New York for training. He began his new job with Rust Consulting on Monday, May 7th, and this was the day that he was informed that he would be leaving for New York on Sunday, May 13th.

I am very excited for him to have this opportunity. He hasn't done as much traveling as I have, so this is really neat for him. I am also excited for him about this career opportunity. This is the first time that I have seen him truly loving what he is doing. It really seems like he is in his element. He told me the other day that work just flies by not because he is super, crazy busy (although he is quite busy), but because he really is enjoying what he is doing.

Congratulations again honey on your new job!

Do You Have Mountain Moving Faith?

2007-05-12T05:04:00.000-07:00

This was sent to me in the Fresh Manna emails that I receive from a pastor at our church. Enjoy!

Mark 11:23-24 "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Mountain Moving Faith Author Unknown

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until the church doubled the size of the parking lot, they would not be able to use the new sanctuary. Unfortunately, the church with its undersized lot had used every inch of their land except for the mountain against which it had been built.

In order to build more parking spaces, they would have to move the mountain out of the back yard. Undaunted, the pastor announced the next Sunday morning that he would meet that evening with all members who had "mountain moving faith." They would hold a prayer session asking God to remove the mountain from the back yard and to somehow provide enough money to have it paved and painted before the scheduled opening dedication service the following week.

At the appointed time, 24 of the congregation's 300 members assembled for prayer. They prayed for nearly three hours. At ten o'clock the pastor said the final "Amen".
"We'll open next Sunday as scheduled," he assured everyone. "God has never let us down before, and I believe He will be faithful this time too." The next morning as he was working in his study there came a loud knock at his door.

When he called "come in", a rough looking construction foreman appeared, removing his hard hat as he entered. "Excuse me, Reverend. I'm from Acme Construction Company over in the next county. We're building a huge shopping mall. We need some fill dirt. Would you be willing to sell us a chunk of that mountain behind the church? We'll pay you for the dirt we remove and pave all the exposed area free of charge if we can have it right away. We can't do anything else until we get the dirt in and allow it to settle properly."

The little church was dedicated the next Sunday as originally planned and there were far more members with "mountain moving faith" on opening Sunday than there had been the previous week.

Happy Mother's Day (Early!)

2007-05-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

I knew that if I didn't post this now that I would most likely forget and then be wishing I would have taken the two minutes on Friday night to have gotten it posted.

The best thing that has ever happened to me next to making Jesus my Lord and Savior and meeting and marrying my best friend, Ed, is that I am a mom. I love being a mom to David, and I love learning alongside him. I count it a privilege and an honor that God picked me to be David's mama (as he so affectionately calls me these days).

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers and mothers-to-be. I am thankful to say that I have a step-mom in my life that I am privileged to call mom. While she will never replace the mom that I lost so many years ago, God has sent her to me to fill many voids that happened after my mom's death in 1985. I am honored that my step-mom, Mary, calls me her daughter and that I can call her mom. When I introduce her to people, I introduce her as my mom. When I introduce my step-brother and step-sister to people, the step-portion is nowhere to be heard. Even though we are not biologically related, they are my brother and sister. I am proud to say that we have gelled as a family unit and that we care for one another deeply.

While reading an e-zine that I receive on a weekly basis, it had this acronym for mother:

M: Mentor, Manager, Mediator, Messenger, Mender

O: Organizer, Opinion-maker, Organist, Overseer, Ombudsman

T: Taxi Driver, Target, Teacher, Teammate, Truth-teller

H: Helpmate, Historian, Heroine, Housewife, Healer

E: Encourager, Entrepreneur, Enabler, Enforcer, Edifier

R: Rescuer, Remodeler, Rewarder, Referee, Restorer

Be blessed and have a wonderful weekend celebrating your moms and being moms!

First Kiss

2007-05-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

I got this picture as an email attachment from my father-in-law and laughed so hard that David called from another room, "Mom, what is SO funny?" With his comment I thought that I should post it on my blog, so I could help the rest of you to laugh. :-)

This was the copy that was attached with the picture:

So, it's your first kiss and several questions might come to mind:

Is it the right time?

Is anyone watching?

Does your partner even want to?

Is your breath fresh?

Then. . .you lean in and just go for it!

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength." Proverbs 17:22

I am believing that this will help your heart to be cheerful. Lots of love to you all! Steph

The Good Napkins

2007-05-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

WARNING TO MY MALE READERS: You may not wish to read this, although, you may find it just as funny as my female readers. You decide if you want to take the chance. :-)

THE GOOD NAPKINS

My mother taught me to read when I was four years old (her first mistake). One day, I was in the bathroom and noticed one of the cabinet doors was ajar. I read the box in the cabinet. I then asked my mother why she was keeping "napkins" in the bathroom. Didn't they belong in the kitchen? Not wanting to burden me with unnecessary facts, she told me that those were for "special occasions" (her second mistake).

Now fast forward a few months. It's Thanksgiving Day, and my folks are leaving to pick up my uncle and his wife for dinner. Mom had assignments for all of us while they were gone. Mine was to set the table. When they returned, my uncle came in first and immediately burst into laughter. Next came his wife who gasped, then began giggling. Next came my father, who roared with laughter. Then came Mom, who almost died of embarrassment when she saw each place setting on the table with a "special occasion" Kotex napkin at each plate, with the fork carefully arranged on top. I had even tucked the little tail in so they didn't hang off the edge!!

My mother asked me why I used these, and, of course, my response sent the other adults into further fits of laughter. "But, Mom, you said they were for special occasions!!!"

Isn't it easier to just tell the truth?!?!?!

Pass this on to your girlfriends who need a good laugh!

Life is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!

***The entire portion of the post above was sent to me by a friend. It was TOO funny not to post. I hope that you had a GOOD laugh!!! I know I did, so THANKS Nellie!!!***

Congratulations Molly & Marissa!

2007-05-04T21:44:00.000-07:00

Here are my cousins' kids, Molly and Marissa, at the 4-H fair with their ribbons and their swine. That is the correct elegant word for pig, right? I cannot think straight right now. It is almost midnight, and I probably should be in bed instead of posting pictures on my blog. However, I wanted to make sure that I gave them props for the AWESOME job that they did and congratulate them on their ribbons.

Molly and Marissa live in Arizona. They are on my mom's side of the family. I met them for the first time a few years back (I think it was three years ago, but I cannot remember). They are the sweetest girls ever, and David absolutely adored them. For weeks and possibly even months on end after we spent time with them, David would talk about them and ask if they were coming over to play with him. At that time, he didn't understand the concept of distance and the whole idea of people living in different states.

Congratulations again girls and hopefully I will see you either this summer or next winter (I hope to make a trip to Arizona when it is FREEZING here in Minnesota!)

Welcome Baby Christopher!

2007-05-02T21:48:00.002-07:00

My cousin, Stacey, and her husband, Brad, have added to their family. Christopher Will Maller was born on Friday, April 27th at 4:30 pm. He weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long. Everyone is doing well.

Congratulations Stacey & Brad! Your new addition is very handsome. He is a good addition to the cutie that you have in Sydney.

Do You Think This is Me?

2007-05-02T21:48:00.001-07:00

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary.
You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward.
Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts.
All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

Renew Your Spirit

2007-04-29T04:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday to everyone!

Today in FlyLady's system is a day she calls "Renew Your Spirit." I just had an "aha" moment thanks to an email she sent. I was thinking that renewing your spirit simply involved going to church and spending time doing spiritual things such as reading your Bible, praying, worshipping the Lord, and so on. FlyLady sent out a list today of some ideas on how to renew your spirit. Here is her list:

1. Go to church
2. Listen to wonderful music that you don't hear often.
3. Watch a movie that you love.
4. Read a book.
5. Go for a walk or hike.
6. Sit quietly in your favorite chair with your eyes closed.
7. Take an extra long bubble bath or shower by candle light.
8. Make a pot of soup for supper and let it simmer all day in the slow cooker while you relax.
9. Take a nap.
10. Go for a drive.
11. Turn off your phones.
12. Sit outside and listen to the birds.
13. Take your dog for a walk.
14. Curl up on the couch with a magazine.
15. Build a fire or light a candle.
16. Do the crossword puzzle.

This was such a revelation for me. I started to think of my own list that would renew my spirit. I would include everything from her list except walking the dog and doing the crossword, and I would add the following:

1. Scrapbook.
2. Coffee with a friend I haven't seen in a long time.
3. Journal.
4. Sudoku Puzzles.

What is on your list for activities that renew your spirit? When you renew your spirit, it helps you to keep your peace. As FlyLady said in her email, "Peace is Contagious." For more information regarding FlyLady and her AWESOME system that helps you learn how to FLY (Finally Loving Yourself), please visit www.flylady.net.

Vote Now!

2007-04-27T16:48:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

This contest was featured on the local news station's (for my parents in Mississippi) website: http://www.wlox.com. Please vote for the teacher whose classroom is in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Here is the link to place your vote: http://www.expoclassroommakeover.com/main.taf?p=2.

Thank you for helping another person in Mississippi recover from the devastation from Hurricane Katrina. I can speak for personal experience and tell you that even though the storm happened two years ago this August, there is still MUCH to be done. My parents are just beginning to build their house. It isn't that they didn't want to do it sooner, but their insurance company has been jacking them around. In fact, they have actually hired an attorney now. Fun, huh? My parents will have their home completed this fall (which will be two+ years since Katrina). Thankfully their home will be done in time for the holidays.

Please continue to keep my family and other survivors of Hurricane Katrina in your prayers. There is much that needs to be done to help aid in the economic recovery and growth in the Gulf Coast Region.

You and God

2007-04-24T03:32:00.000-07:00

When you are the neediest, He is the most sufficient.
When you are completely helpless, He is the most helpful.
When you feel totally dependent, He is absolutely dependable.
When you are the weakest, He is the most able.
When you are the most alone, He is intimately present.
When you feel you are the least, He is the greatest!
When you feel the most useless, He is preparing you.
When it is darkest, He is the only Light you need.
When you feel the least secure, He is your Rock and Fortress.
When you are the most humble, He is most gracious.
When you say that you cannot, remember that He can!

-Author Unknown

If you know who the author of this great poem is, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due. Thank you!

Mathematical Point of View

2007-04-21T01:27:00.000-07:00

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

· What Equals 100%?
· What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
· Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
· We have all been in situations where someone wants you to give over 100%.
· How about achieving 101%?
· What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K = 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

and K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E = 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But, A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E 1+ 20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

AND, look how far the love of God will take you...

L- O- V- E-O-F-G-O-D 12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:

While Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

Breast Cancer 3-Day

2007-04-19T07:45:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

My cousin, Shannon Brandt, is walking in the Breast Cancer 3-Day. She is looking to raise over $2000 for the cause. Both our Grandma Mary Ann and Aunt Barb are breast cancer survivors. Our Aunt Patricia died at an early age from this disease. I was only one year old when she died, so I don't remember her. I am older than Shannon, so Aunt Patricia never got to meet Shannon. She is doing it for these women as well as for a good friend of hers. If you are interested in learning more about her and the cause or if you can donate, please use the following link:

http://www.the3day.org/twincities07/shannonbrandt?faf=1&e=1026686167

If you are unable to support her financially at this time, please support her in prayer. Prayer is the most important thing!!!

Have a wonderful weekend (if I don't post again before that!) :-)

Definition of True Love

2007-04-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." 1 John 3:16

My Friend Could Use Your Help

2007-04-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! My friend, Bekah (who belongs to Orchard Valley Community Church (pastored by Scott and Amanda Hodge) in Aurora, IL), received an acceptance packet from Teen Mania to go to Thailand this July. Bekah is pictured above with her siblings.

Bekah could really use our help! She needs to raise $1000 by the end of this month. We both know that God is well able to provide the money because he does not call you and then not equip you with what you need.

Bekah is a total Jesus Freak!!! She is on fire for the Lord. It is FABULOUS to see a teenager who is completely sold out to Jesus. She also LOVES coffee (but not more than she loves Jesus, of course!)

If you would be able to help Bekah out, please email me and I will send you the information that you need to either mail in a check or donate online. If we all work together and follow the leading of the Lord, Bekah will have $1000 in no time. Joyce Meyer has often said that if we would each do our part, no matter how little, it will all come together.

I know that I have personally donated to Bekah. At first I thought, oh, it is only $15. What difference will it do? Maybe I just won't donate. Then I started thinking about how excited my son gets to give his handful of change in his class. I know that all the handfuls of change add up to a significant amount of money. This inspired me to give!

Just think, it would only take 67 people each donating $15 to reach Bekah's goal. $15 is the cost of a CD or a pizza. Could you give that up this week to help send Bekah to Thailand to reach a dying world with the saving hope and knowledge of Jesus Christ? It would only take 40 people giving $25 each to reach her goal. See how light the work is when we all work together!!!

Please consider giving whatever amount the Lord puts on your heart to help Bekah out.

If you know of other people who would be interested in helping out Bekah, please have them visit my website at www.gullandfamilyupdate.blogspot.com to read this post about Bekah and her trip.

Please call me at 763-565-0606 or email me at gulland@wh-link.net to get Bekah's missionary id to donate online. I also have a mailing address if you would rather send in a check. Let's work together for the spreading of the gospel!

So Happy Together!

2007-04-11T10:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a recent shot of our beautiful family while we were vacationing in Iowa City. It was a nice week off together as a family. We all got some much needed rest. I feel completely refreshed now. I think that me trying to nap since I have been home helps with feeling refreshed too!

Now I am just trying to get myself back into my routines. While I am not doing them completely, I am doing them the best I can for right now. I am just jumping right in to the FlyLady routine and remembering that what I want to see is "Progress not perfection in 2007."
FlyLady truly has made a difference in my life. I feel it in my stress level as well as in my energy level. I am thankful that I found her website. It truly has been a blessing to me. Check her out at www.flylady.net.

Let me know how your Easter was and what vacations you have planned for the rest of the year. We don't have any other vacations planned right now, but I will keep you posted. I have a few places that I am planning on visiting, but I do not have any of the details worked out yet.

Mary Kay Career Conference

2007-03-27T17:45:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, March 23rd and Saturday, March 24th, I spent time with my Mary Kay girlfriends at the Minneapolis Convention Center learning how to better serve my customers. It was very inspirational, motivational, and fact-filled. I walked away with a deeper desire to be more like Jesus with my customers and serve them with excellence.

I still have not processed all the pages of notes that I took. I am looking forward to typing up my notes into word documents to help me process everything that I took in last weekend. I will probably spend a significant amount of time doing this tomorrow because Ed will have the car all day. He has a meeting with a CEO and the other employees of a consulting company located in Uptown.

Pictured from left to right: Senior Consultant Teresa Scholtz, Independent Beauty Consultant Stephanie Gulland, Executive Senior Sales Director Joyce Danger, and Team Leader Jill Overby

What's Happening?

2007-03-23T21:48:00.000-07:00

To the few who read my blog, you have probably given up and do not check very often for new postings since they have been few and far between. I apologize for my lack of updates. However, I had to let something go when I was nannying. There was simply not enough time in the day. My last day of nannying was last Friday, March 16th. As much as I loved the kids and miss them, I feel like my life has more balance again. I also feel like my priorities are back in order: God first, family second, and career third --- Just like Mary Kay taught the very first beauty consultants.

I have spent my first full week retired from nannying with getting organized, clearing out clutter, and cleaning. My major chore was tackling Mount Washmore (the approximately ten loads of laundry that I had been putting off doing). Procrastination is SO NOT a good thing! I am happy to say that using FlyLady's techniques and ideas that my house looks better than it has in months. For more information about FlyLady, visit http://www.flylady.net/.

I must admit that I feel much more peace in my household. Ed even commented to me that it was definitely a lot less stressful for him to come home to a clean home. I am glad that I have been able to help create a peaceful place in our home, so Ed can come home from work and unwind.

This weekend I am attending the 2007 Career Conference for Mary Kay at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Tonight was a lot of recognition of accomplishments. Even with all of the recognition, I took tons of pages of notes. I learned a lot tonight, and I know that I will learn a lot tomorrow in my workshops. I am looking forward to being able to really process the information on Sunday and into the beginning of next week.

Please leave a comment and let us know what is happening in your life. If you have any prayer requests, please either post them or email them to us at gulland@wh-link.net.

Love you all! I must head to bed because the alarm will be going off at 6:00 am tomorrow morning to get ready and head out the door to the final day of Career Conference 2007.

So CUTE!

2007-03-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

I got an email from my sister today with a link to Snapfish. She has created albums on there with all kinds of pictures. These pictures are of my nephew, Troy, from February and March of this year. He is getting SO BIG! Unfortunately, I haven't able to meet him in person yet, but I have heard him babble over the phone. Jessica put me on speakerphone the last time we talked so I got to talk to him too. It is definitely FUN being an auntie! I am hoping to take David for a long weekend to visit Uncle Chris, Auntie Jessica, and Cousin Troy some time this spring. I just have to coordinate the date with my sister and get my ticket.

Update --- Finally

2007-02-26T14:44:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

This is going to be a VERY quick update because I am crunched for time. Here is the UPDATE: First and foremost, Ed is done with school. YAHOO!!!! We haven't really celebrated yet though. I don't think Ed will really be up for celebrating until he has a new job. Please keep his job search in your prayers. Pray that God would give Ed wisdom in where to spend the time applying. Also, he recently applied for a job that he would LOVE to have. Pray that God would open the door for him. He has been down because he hasn't gotten any interviews. I know that God has the perfect job for him, but it will be in His timing and not ours. Second, I am still nannying. The three kids are ages 7, 5, and 4. They are a lot of FUN! However, they keep me SUPER busy. I have the four year old all day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The other two I only have after school Mondays through Fridays. It requires me to be a lot more organized and stay on top of my routines Finally, I am working on treating 30 women to a facial in 30 days. I am taking on a challenge from my director with Mary Kay. I have one facial scheduled with one friend. Only 29 more to go!!! I am really looking forward to completing this challenge because it will be GREAT training for me!!!

Hope to start posting again more frequently! Thanks for those of you who emailed me to see what was up. My life has just been TOO full to take the time to blog. I hope to start doing it again though because it is really therapeutic for me!!!

I want to leave you with the words that I am focusing on for this year: "Progress not perfection in 2007." This is from one of my FlyLady emails. Check out her website at http://www.flylady.net/.

Love to you all!!!

Quiz For You

2006-12-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to a quiz on my Mary Kay website:

http://www.marykay.com/sgulland/whatsnew/tipsandtrends/lipglossary/lipglossary.aspx?tab=whatsnew

If you want, you can post your results here in the comments or send me your results. If you would like free samples of your look, please email me at sgulland@marykay.com, so I can get those samples for you. You've got to love the word "free" and "samples," right?

I hope that this finds everyone enjoying the Christmas season. I will post more later as far as an update goes, but I wanted to give you guys something to do today! :-)

Elf Yourself

2006-12-09T12:50:00.000-08:00

You have to check these out.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?userid=de35bb8ee84c345a2c6a89cG20061209

http://www.elfyourself.com/?userid=de35bb8ee84c345a2c6a89cG20061209

David and I made them this afternoon after receiving the information from my friend, Bekah. Bekah attends The Orchard in Aurora, Illinois. This is the church that Scott and Amanda pastor. Bekah and I have been getting to know each other through our blogs and email. She is a very impressive gal!

You can visit Bekah's blog at http://bekahg.wordpress.com/.

Also, if you want to check out Scott's elf dance, go here:
http://www.elfyourself.com/?userid=9247fec6472ced5a165027aG20061209.

I hope that you enjoy this and have a good laugh.

I Wish I Knew How to Use Our Video Camera

2006-12-08T06:01:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

I wish I knew how to use our video camera and also how to post video to my blog. It was SO FUNNY! Michael, the youngest boy that I nanny, slept over last night. Him and David each found one of David's Hawkeyes' cheering toys (better known as pom-poms but it doesn't sound too manly). Both Michael and David were shaking their toys and saying "Go, Hawkeyes, Go!" They said this repeatedly. Papa Jimmy would have been so proud that these two Minnesotans were cheering for the Hawkeyes instead of the Gophers!!!

Love to you all!

Pictures of Isabel Christine

2006-12-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

I got the chance to visit Isabel in the hospital. She is simply precious!

Ben, Amy, and Isabel are all home now. They are doing very well!

I am looking forward to watching Ben and Amy grow as parents as well as watching Isabel grow up as a princess of the King of Kings. :-)

Isabel Christine Makes Her Debut!

2006-12-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

Here is what Ben & Amy's blog had to say about her birth:

ISABEL HAS ARRIVED ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Isabel Christine Brand arrived early this morning at 1:58AM on Dec 4th of 2006!

I was born in Maplewood, MN at St. Johns Hospital. I am 7 lbs 7.5 oz------19.25 inches long(I'll lose my conehead hopefully by tomorrow.) My hair color is undecided....might be dark...may be light...hard to tell. My eyes are big and beautiful like mommies. I'm not sure who I look like yet, but mommy thinks I look like daddy. I have 2 chubby cheekers too...

I am very content and healthy at this point. Visitation hours and pictures will be sent later today(stay tuned via email)....

I need some sleepy and so do daddy and mommy...

*************************************************************************************
Please keep Ben, Amy, & Isabel in your prayers. Pray for the family's transition as they move from being a couple to being a three person family. Ben & Amy are very excited that Isabel has arrived. Her expected due date was on November 30th, so they were highly anticipating her birth since Amy was past her due date.

Me & My Boy

2006-12-04T12:03:00.000-08:00

Can you believe how big David has gotten? He currently weighs in at 42 pounds and is over 3 1/2 feet tall. I cannot believe how quickly he is growing not only physically, but also emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.

My favorite thing that he says right now is when he doesn't want me to do something he says, "Mom, if you do _____ I am not going to appreciate it."

His favorite things to do right now are read, draw (he is quite the artist), and do math problems. I got him a math workbook that he is absolutely LOVING! He actually tells me that he wants to work on his school work. That is SO MUCH FUN FOR ME!!!

My friend, Sommer, and I just took her boy, A.J., David, and Michael (the youngest boy I nanny for) to the Macy's display on the 8th floor of Mary Poppins. It was really quite enjoyable. It would have been even more fun if the boys would have let me read the captions to them! Afterwards, we met Ed at one of the food courts and went out for lunch. We had a really good time! Thanks Sommer and A.J. for a great day!

Now we are back home. Michael is napping, and David is playing quietly in his room. I really should be doing the dishes, but blogging sounded like so much more fun!!! :-) Plus, I don't want to wake up Michael! ;-)

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Revive Us, Oh Lord!

2006-11-28T04:26:00.000-08:00

"Many also of those who were now believers came making full confession and thoroughly exposing their [former deceptive and evil] practices. And many of those who had practiced curious, magical arts collected their books and [throwing them, book after book, on the pile] burned them in the sight of everybody. When they counted the value of them, they found it amounted to 50,000 pieces of silver (about $9,300). Thus the Word of the Lord [concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God] grew and spread and intensified, prevailing mightily." Acts 19:18-20 Amplified Bible

This is my fresh manna verse for this morning (focusing more on verse 20), but the next part I am about to share wouldn't have made senses without verses 18 and 19. This was shared in Pastor Lynne Hammond and Ray Kelly's prayer session yesterday morning: "The people threw their books about magic on the fire. What is it that we need to throw on the fire today? What is in the way of revival taking place in the church? Revival starts with us individually. If we are not moved to do anything different, how will revival take place in the church? "

This is a very striking question that I will have to bring before the Lord and really listen to my spirit to hear what he has to say. I know that in recent years the Lord has really been dealing with me about the type of television programming and movies I watch. I use to watch soap operas thinking that it wasn't that big of a deal. However, before I knew it, I was sucked in and was spending three hours a day on the couch watching television, ignoring my son, and ignoring what I needed to do around the house. While I must admit that I watched some of them on Friday (because I wasn't feeling good and laying in bed), I can also freely admit that my time could have been better spent. Fortunately for me, the bondage has been broken because before if I had watched them on one day when I was sick, I would continue to watch them. I didn't watch them yesterday and do not have any plans or intentions to watch them this week. God has MUCH BIGGER things for me to do with my time!

Now listen, I am not saying that you cannot watch television. Trust me, I still watch television and movies. I am simply a lot more selective with what I put in my eyes and ears because these are the gateways to our spirit. I just know what the Holy Ghost has spoken to my heart regarding what I watch, hear, and who I hang out with, so I can continue to grow in the Lord and be fruitful in my walk with Him. We must each listen to the Holy Ghost regarding areas of our lives where there is not clear direction in the Bible. This is how we grow up in God!!!

What do you individually need to throw on the fire so you can experience revival in your life: your walk with God, your marriage, your relationships, your ministry? Please share in the comments section if you feel comfortable. Otherwise, if you would like to share, but don't want everyone to see it, please send it to me via email at gulland@wh-link.net.

I love you all and am glad that we are on our journey with Jesus together!

Happy Birthday Shana!

2006-11-27T19:06:00.000-08:00

I would like to wish Shana a very happy birthday! I wish that I had a picture of her to post on here of the look on her face. Her husband, Ron, planned a last minute surprise party for Shana. They drove home today from Ohio. Ron let us in through the back door of their porch. We all hid in their living room. I have no idea how he got Shana to come into the living room, but we all jumped up and yelled surprise. I think we scared her half to death!!! It was AWESOME to reconnect with friends from our Heirs Together group that we first attended about three years ago. It was really a fun and refreshing time!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHANA!

Only 27 Shopping Days Until Christmas!

2006-11-27T18:55:00.000-08:00

I received an email from Northwestern Christian Bookstore announcing to me that there are only 27 shopping days until Christmas. Every other year, I would be FREAKING out right now and wondering which way was up. Thankfully we have simplified the holidays quite a bit in several different ways. First, I pick up presents throughout the year so I am not having to do everything in December. Second, I do not pressure myself to send out a Christmas card to every single person I have in my address book. While ideally I would like to get a Christmas letter out, I don't pressure myself to do it. Sometimes we send out a New Year's letter. :-) It isn't so much about the timing, but just communicated our love with everyone. Third, I DO NOT feel guilty if I do not make any Christmas goodies. There are always plenty at get togethers or there are always store bought ones!!! Fourth, if I do make Christmas goodies, I plan for what I can handle. Do I want a HUGE mess and a lot of time commitment, or do I want quick and simple with minimal clean-up involved. Finally, the biggest thing that has helped me with the holidays this year is FlyLady. For more information, please visit her website at www.flylady.net.

With only 27 shopping days left until Christmas, let me remind you that I can help with your gift giving needs. I love putting together gift baskets. We can make a themed gift basket (coffee, chocolate, beauty, you name it, I can probably do it). I can put together gift baskets with or without Mary Kay goodies inside. Call me 763-565-0606 or email me at gulland@wh-link.net to discuss further. I love forward to being of service this holiday season and helping to bring a smile to your loved ones face!

Be the Real You!

2006-11-25T16:27:00.000-08:00

I was typing up notes from my Life After Work meeting from October. Renee Burt is the speaker at our meetings. She said something so profound that I have to share it with you.

Renee said, "Often times we think that we need to be perfect, but all people really want us to be perfectly real." For a former perfectionist, this is good news! I think that the world longs for us, as Christians, to get out from beyond our masks and be real! The churches that are being real and authentic are the ones that are seeing phenomenal growth! Make a determination in your spirit to be perfectly real with people!

Happy Belated Birthday Jessica!

2006-11-25T16:23:00.000-08:00

This is my sister, Jessica, on Halloween this year with her little boy, Troy. He was born in July.

Jessica's birthday was yesterday, November 24th. She turned the young age of 29. The big 30 is next year. I think that I am going to have to make a special trip to Texas for her birthday next year so we can have a BIG 30 party for her. What do you think, Jessica?

Hope you had a Happy Birthday with our parents in town. It is always nice when you get to spend with family that lives out of state on your birthday.

Many birthday blessings to you!

Picture-Perfect Holiday

2006-11-25T07:17:00.000-08:00

While David was enjoying an episode of Tom & Jerry this morning on the WB, I was reading the December 2006 issue of the Focus on the Family magazine we receive. If you want to receive one, visit www.family.org. There were four articles that really resonated with me. One of them talked about whether or not our joy during the holidays was dependent on a picture-perfect holiday. I don't know about you, but I grew up as a perfectionist. Over the years, God has given me freedom in this area of my life. While the ugly perfectionist tries to rear its ugly head at times, I have learned how to let go and simply enjoy my everyday life (to quote Joyce Meyer).

Our focus this Christmas season should be on the reason for the season which is Jesus. You may not have the finances to purchase everyone the gifts you would like to or you have been very busy with work, so you claim you do not have much Christmas spirit. However, what we need to do is focus on Jesus. Jesus came to give us peace, joy, and eternal life. Jesus has many names. Some of them come from Isaiah 9:6 Amplified Bible, "For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace."

The role that Jesus plays in our lives is something to be thankful about. Christmas is not about how many gifts you receive or give, how beautiful your house is decorated, how many Christmas cards you sent out, or making all the wonderful Christmas cookies. Christmas is about the birth of our Savior. We need to slow down and appreciate the season and what God has done for us.

I don't know about you, but without God I would be miserable. The last week Ed, David, and I realized how much the Lord has blessed us. We may not live in the biggest house on the block, but we have a roof over our heads. We may not be eating steak and seafood every night for dinner, but we have more than enough food that we can eat until we are full and even have friends over. We may not have the most expensive car on the lot, but we have a car we love and one that gets us where we need to go. We have family and friends whom we love very much and get to see quite often. God has abundantly provided for us in our lives on a daily basis!!!

This year I encourage you to get your eyes off the materialistic aspect that has taken over Christmas in the United States and focus on the true meaning of Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, either email me at gulland@wh-link.net for more information or visit www.freshmanna.org.

Future Artist?

2006-11-24T07:31:00.000-08:00

What do you think of our Picasso? That is really the only artist's name that I know, so if you think that his drawings reflect another artist's style than you will have to leave that in the comments.

I hope that this note finds you all doing well. Our family is doing the countdown until Ed's last class for his MBA. On November 30th, he will finish his last "Strategic Management" class. Then all he needs to complete is his two Capstone class sessions in January. Yahoo!!!

David has been working on his writing, phonics, reading, and math. He loves doing addition and subtraction. Crazy, huh? He is working on worksheets that according to the developers of the workbook are for first grade. "WOW" is all I have to say! I am constantly amazed at how much he loves to learn. We are doing everything in our power to nurture this love, so he will continually love to learn and take on new challenges. I have seen way too many kids who settle on doing the easy work and never push themselves to their potential. I want David to be all that God created him to be.

I have been keeping a VERY FULL schedule! I had all kinds of plans for getting things done today, but right now I am going to give myself a break and lay down with a good book. :-) I have been trying to do one Mary Kay pampering session a week. It hasn't worked out to be that, but I will continue to try because I love the products and love the girl time!!! I also have been working full-time as a nanny to three kids: Matthew (7), Mary Kate (5), and Michael (3). They are completely adorable and full of love! Our entire family absolutely adores them and loves spending time with them. I also work once a week with the Covenant Kids Ministry at our church. Finally, I am adding to my plate watching my a friend's two kids occassionally. We are trading off time, so she will watch David for me some time without costing me anything. I like that deal!!! :-)

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my mother-in-law's home with her (Lois), her husband (Roger), Roger's son (Dan), Dan's wife (Amber), and their daughter (Mary). We had GREAT food and some AWESOME weather! The kids and I played kickball and other variations of the game outside for quite some time yesterday. I cannot seem to turn off my love and desire to play with kids even when I have the day off! :-)

We will be going to my father-in-law's (Jim) next weekend. I am not sure if we are celebrating Christmas with him then or not. We will be spending the Christmas holiday with my family in Mississippi. I am BEYOND EXCITED!!! It has been seven months since I have been down there, so the trip is well past due. I am looking forward to seeing my sister, Dawn, my brother, Travis, and my niece and nephew, Addison and Alex. I cannot wait to spend time with everyone!!! It is going to be pretty low-key, so that is another bonus! We will have some good relaxing family time (I am sure we will go to a movie or two!). It will be nice for our family (me, David, and Ed) to just have some solid quality time together as well. Ed is planning on having all of his projects for his Capstone class wrapped up, so it will be like he is already done with school even though he will technically have two more classes in January.

Please let me know what is going on with all of you. I am looking forward to hearing what everyone did for Thanksgiving and how they plan on spending and enjoying this Christmas season. I am hoping to take down all of our fall decorations today and get our Christmas decorations up. David is excited for that, and I am looking forward to listening to Christmas music!!! Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season! Don't let yourself get SO BUSY that you forget why we celebrate this holiday!

Easy Way to Say Thanks to Soldiers in Iraq

2006-11-18T05:17:00.000-08:00

Regardless of whether or not you agree with the war in Iraq, our troops need your support. They need to know that we appreciate that they are fighting for our freedom.

Pastor Tim from my church sent this information in his fresh manna email today. Here is what he had to say:

"Something cool that Xerox is doing. If you go to this web site, www.letssaythanks.com , you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, it is nice to let our fighting military that we are thinking of them."

I currently have a friend in Iraq, and I have another friend who has previously fought in Iraq during this war. As always, prayers are appreciated but so is mail. This is something tangible that the soldiers can look at time and time again. Thank you for your prayers and for taking the time to say thank you!

Deck of Cards

2006-11-18T05:14:00.000-08:00

Psalms 27:3 “Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.”

Deck of Cards

It was quiet that day, the guns and the mortars, and land mines for some reason hadn't been heard. The young soldier knew it was Sunday, the holiest day of the week. As he was sitting there, he got out an old deck of cards and laid them out across his bunk.

Just then an army sergeant came in and said, "Why aren't you with the rest of the Platoon?" The soldier replied, "I thought I would stay behind and spend some time with the Lord." The sergeant said, "Looks to me like you're going to play cards." The soldier said, No, sir. You see, since we are not allowed to have Bibles or other spiritual books in this country. I've decided to talk to the Lord by studying this deck of cards." The sergeant asked in disbelief, "How will you do that?"

"You see the Ace, Sergeant? It reminds me that there is only one God....
The Two represents the two parts of the Bible, Old and New Testaments.
The Three represents the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.
The Four stands for the Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
The Five is for the five virgins there were ten but only five of them were glorified.
The Six is for the six days it took God to create the Heavens and Earth.
The Seven is for the day God rested after making His Creation...
The Eight is for the family of Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives - the eight people God spared from the flood that destroyed the Earth.
The Nine is for the lepers that Jesus cleansed of leprosy. He cleansed ten, but nine never thanked Him.
The Ten represents the Ten Commandments that God handed down to Moses on tablets made of stone.
The Jack is a reminder of Satan, one of God's first angels, but he got kicked out of heaven for his sly and wicked ways and is now the joker of eternal hell.
The Queen stands for the Virgin Mary.
The King stands for Jesus, for he is the King of all kings.
When I count the dots on all the cards, I come up with 365 total, one for every day of the year. There are a total of 52 cards in a deck; each is a week - 52 weeks in a year.
The four suits represent the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
Each suit has thirteen cards - there are exactly thirteen weeks in a quarter.

So when I want to talk to God and thank Him, I just pull out this old deck of cards and they remind me of all that I have to be thankful for."

The sergeant just stood there. After a minute, with tears in his eyes and pain in his heart, he said, "Soldier, can I borrow that deck of cards?"

Please let this be a reminder and take time to pray for all of our soldiers who are being sent away, putting their lives on the line fighting.

I received this in my Fresh Manna email from Pastor Tim at my church. If you are interested in receiving the fresh manna email or want more information regarding fresh manna, please visit www.freshmanna.org.

Comforting Embrace

2006-11-10T12:10:00.000-08:00

It is probably difficult for you to read the copy underneath the picture, so I have reproduced it here.

Photo Courtesy of David W. Gilmore Jr./U.S. Air Force

Underneath the Title "Comforting Embrace" it reads as follows:

Air Force Chief Master Sgt. John Gebhardt, of the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group at Balad, Iraq, cradles a young girl as they both sleep in the hospital. The girl's entire family was executed by insurgents; the killers shot her in the head as well. The girl received treatment at the U.S. military hospital in Balad, but cries and moans often. According to nurses at the facility, Gebhardt is the only one who can calm down the girl, so he has spent the last several nights holding her while they both sleep in a chair.

I think it is amazing what our troops are doing over there. Why are these pictures and stories on the news? If you are looking for a soldier to adopt over the holidays, check out the website www.anysoldier.com. It lists soldiers and what they are in need of. Please continue to keep the soldiers and their families in your prayers as we head into this holiday season. Also, continue to pray Psalm 91 over the soldiers and their families. Pray and believe for their safe return home!

Finally, remember to thank a veteran. Tomorrow, November 11th is Veteran's Day. This federal holiday was created to honor military veterans. Why don't you pick up some small American flags and head over to the local VA Hospital to personally tell some veterans thank you?

Lets show our soldiers and our veterans how much we appreciate the sacrifices they have made and the fighting that they have and continue to do to protect us and our freedoms!

Let freedom ring!

Words to Live By

2006-11-09T08:05:00.000-08:00

My friend passed these along to me this morning. It is a paraphrase of all the things Romans 12:1-2 and 9-21 in the New Living Translation says that we need to do and not to do to set ourselves apart for the Lord and make a difference in this world. Determine to make a difference today and shine your light for Jesus!

Give your bodies to God to be a living sacrifice.
Love others.
Hate what is wrong.
Honor each other delightfully.
Serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Rejoice in hope confidently.
Be patient in troubles.
Keep on praying.
Help God’s people in need.
Practice hospitality eagerly.
Bless those who persecute you.
Be happy with those who are happy and weep with those who weep.
Live in harmony with others.
Enjoy the company of ordinary people.
Don’t be too proud.
Don’t think you know it all.
Remain honorable.
Don’t pay back evil with evil.
Live in peace with everyone.
Never take revenge.
Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

What is Fresh Manna?

2006-11-06T04:46:00.000-08:00

I received the following from a class I took at church taught by Pastor Daniel.

What is Manna and what is it not?

Manna is scripture. It is the Word of God found in the Bible. Old Testament or New Testament, it is all profitable.
Manna is not a nicely written devotional, poem, or prophecy.

What does Manna look like?

Manna is a verse, part of a verse, or a few verses long. It is a promise or thought that can sum up your time in the Word. You should be able to commit it somewhat to memory and share it with someone in a few minutes.
Manna is not a chapter or two of scripture.
Manna typically focuses on a promise. What has He done for you? What is He saying He will do for you? Who are you in Him? What can you expect in faith from what you've read?

How do I find Manna?

Reading the Word. You condense what you've read down to a verse or two. Sometimes Manna just jumps right off the page!
You may spend hours in the Word or you may only have time to spend a few minutes. In either case, take a verse as your manna.

What do I do with my Manna?

Meditate on it. To do this, you must remember it --- so you may want to write it down and carry it with you.
Confess it. Say it.
Pray it --- over yourself, your family, your situation.
Share it. Your manna is meant to be a word in season for someone who is weary.
Journal it. (optional)

Fresh Manna is a concept that one of the pastors at our church came up with. It is based on the story of the Israelites where God gave them manna from heaven to eat. He told them to only collect what they would need for that day. If they collected more than they needed, it became rotten. Just as the Israelites needed manna from heaven each day to sustain them physically, we need manna from heaven each day to sustain us spiritually. We MUST feed our spirit man. For more information, please visit www.freshmanna.org.

Announcing McKenzie Rose Keuning

2006-11-02T06:02:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of the proud mom, Melissa, holding her third child (but first girl!). McKenzie Rose was born on October 28th weighing six pounds and six ounces. She was nineteen inches long.

Both of her big brothers are very proud! Mom and baby are doing well!!

Dream Team at Chula Vista

2006-11-02T04:48:00.000-08:00

This is only part of my unit in Mary Kay. My director, Joyce, is behind her husband on the far right hand side. Joyce is kneeling in the black suit. If you can't find me, it is because you don't know that I added blond highlights to my hair! Plus, I am throwing you off by wearing my glasses. I am in the front row to the left of Steve. What do you think of my hair?

Last weekend, October 28th through 29th, we traveled to the Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells for a fun-filled weekend of wonderful tips and knowledge on how to grow our Mary Kay business. I am more excited than ever about this opportunity. God kept showing me over and over again that He is part of this company. They don't just say that they put God first, family second, and career third; They actually live it!

I was constantly amazed at the caliber of women who are involved in this business. Everyone that I met was genuinely interested in me, and we all took the time to learn from run another during our breaks and around the dinner table. I am looking forward to a long career with Mary Kay.

Another thing that was a NEAT surprise for me is that these women LOVE to have FUN!!! Our sessions were not boring. They were full of knowledge and quite inspirational. Some of them were VERY HUMOROUS as well! I will have to say that the directors always kept us guessing about what they were going to do next. One of the directors actually gave her presentation in an evening gown, sash, and tiara. IT WAS AWESOME!!!

For even more fun, a group of us ventured down the water slides at Chula Vista. I cannot even put in to words how much fun this was. I felt like a little kid all over again. It was A BLAST!!! If you and your family ever get a chance to go to Chula Vista, DO IT! The water park was phenomenal!!!

101 Dalmatians

2006-11-02T04:41:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it is actually only one dalmatian!

These are pictures of my niece, Addison, all dressed up on Halloween. Isn't she CUTE??

Ed and I took David along with the three kids that I nanny for to our church's Hallelujah Harvest. It was A LOT of FUN! Of course, I forgot our camera, so I don't have any pictures to post right now. Luckily, one of my friends was there and took a picture on her digital camera. Hopefully I will get that soon. When I get it, I will have to post it. The kids all looked adorable and enjoyed themselves.

They got to play a lot of different and really fun games before getting their candy. Then the booths all closed, and their was family time in the sanctuary. The puppet team did two skits. The first one they did was an acting out of Carmen's song, "The Champion." It was AMAZING! The second one they took the theme song from "Ghostbusters" and changed the words to talk about "Sin Buster." It was very clever! I am constantly amazed at the creativity displayed by our puppet team and creative productions department.

New Post --- FINALLY!

2006-11-02T04:26:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

I have been meaning to write a new post for the last two weeks. I will give you a quick update.

Ed and I both celebrated our birthdays in October. My 32nd birthday was on October 21st, and Ed had his 34th birthday on October 23rd. On my birthday, the Gulland family loaded up the car and went out to Culver's for lunch. Then we made a trip to Home Depot for a can of spray paint!! TOO MUCH FUN!!! After that, we headed to church. I taught at the 5:00 pm service. Then our friend, Steve, took David home with him so we could go to a Marriage Matters event. We went to Rodney and Dawn's house for an Outdoor Movie Night. There were over 30 people there. We watched the National Treasure. IT WAS AWESOME!!! The decorations and food were incredible. I saw a lot of my friends, so it was a FABULOUS way to celebrate my birthday. On Ed's birthday, I took David and Michael (the youngest of the three kids that I nanny for) to Ed's office so we could take him out for lunch. Before we headed to Ed's office, the boys and I made a cake. Of course, the boys picked out the frosting and the cake decorations so the cake had Cars characters on it and sprinkles. You gotta love BOYS!!! Ed also finished his BIG Field Study project for Hummer in Rogers on his birthday. They had their final presentation that evening. After his presentation, he went to Applebee's with his friend from school, Luke, to unwind and celebrate that they completed their project early!

Our lives have been very full with Ed finishing school and working along with my nannying and running my Mary Kay business. Ed has his last class on November 30th. There will be a celebration going on in our home. He does have two Capstone (wrap-up) classes in January, but he is not worried about those at all. We are very thankful that Ed has been running his race with excellence, but we are also ecstatic that this season of our lives (having him in school) is almost done. God has been faithful to us and help us through what could have been a very difficult time with Ed having to study so much. God has helped us make good use of our time, so we have still had adequate family time. We have been lacking in the couple time, but we are addressing that problem!!!

Love you all!

The Birth Order Predictor

2006-10-18T04:45:00.000-07:00

I took this quiz on blogthings. It is pretty funny because it is quite accurate (while many of them aren't). Enjoy!

You Are Likely a First Born

At your darkest moments, you feel guilty.
At work and school, you do best when you're researching.
When you love someone, you tend to agree with them often.

In friendship, you are considerate and compromising.
Your ideal careers are: business, research, counseling, promotion, and speaking.
You will leave your mark on the world with discoveries, new information, and teaching people to dream.

The Birth Order Predictor