Life is good when...

YOU HAVE A PUPPY! I finally talked (well, I didn't really have to talk her into much)my mom into getting a puppy for our new home. He is three months and two days old, a mix between a pug and rat terrier, and he is such a good little guy. Oh, his name it Charlie! or Charley! (Any suggestions?) I don't know which way I want to spell it yet. When I get some good pics of him I will post them.
I am also learning how selfish I am. not only with my time and energy, but in my attitude. Having this little guy rely on me for everything has been teaching me soooo much about myself. **The above dog is not my! I do not have any pics of him on the computer, so I thought I would give you a look- a- like image to compare him with. But, Charley or Charlie is much more handsome than the one in the above photo!)

Our Youth Today

I work through the YMCA at a little youth center in my home town. I first want to say that I love to work their. It keeps me on my toes, keeps me paid well, and I am learning so much about myself through this job. But, I am so scared for what the world is going to be like in twenty years. I have seen a side of "childhood" that is not only sickening, but scary. Morals and self worth are not being taught. I am not even saying in a biblical way, but a human type of way either. All people need to have self worth. We are creatures of God who should treat ourselves in a way the displays Christ likeness. But, that is not what I am seeing. I wish I could tell you what I have been hearing and seeing, but I can't bring myself to even type the stories of sensuality and disgusting things that the middle school students I work around are doing. I need to pray for the future of our country and the morality that is going to be needed in order for Christ to be declared. I am sorry that this is so mumble jumbled, but I ask you to pray for my work here and pray for the souls of all the kids I come into contact with.

A Winter Wonderland

This Christmas was great...don't get me wrong! I have not spent Christmas with my Grandma Metcalf in years, so that was really really special! But, isn't Christmas supposed to occur
in December, not April? I am just thankful that their is much more to
Christmas than just the winter wonderland aspect. I just wonder what
Easter is going to be like. Are we going to have to wear parka's and
snowshoes? I dread the thought. Well, all in all I hope you got your
fill of great cookies and a lot of laughs.

(I fell in love with this photo I found, so I had to post it...)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! It is amazing how the birth of one little baby boy
could change the world forever. The joy that Mary must have felt when
she held he baby. Did she evercomprehend who she was holding, feeding,
baby talking to, cuddling? Her baby boy is the Savior, the perfect
Lamb, who came to earth to set His people free. There is so much tocelebrate as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

The Thing About Women and Their Mouths

I personally love being a female. It has a lot of good benefits. I get to experience
having another live inside of me. It is up to my husband (if and when
he may come along)to make the final say. (my friends willattest for me that I will make decisions when i have to, but I would prefer to come to a group
decision with someone else making the final call) I also get the random
guy who still respects women enough to open the door for them...and
keep it held open until you whole body goes threw the door. (That has
happened more than once when I got so excited that a random guy was
being so nice to hold the door open for a girl and then when I am half
way threw he lets go...arg)

All the nice things aside, women are
caddy and mean. I know there are those few that will never say anything
mean about someone else just to makethemselves look better. But, as I sit in my schools cafe and listen into the conversations of women around me. It is all destroying others to make themselves look good. The worst part about all of this is that I do it too. I am the chief
of sinners for putting others down to put myself up. I need to see
Christ in everyone. Then again maybe I am just sitting around caddy
women and across the room are the ones who do not participate in
degrading others.

Sorry if this is 100% random. As I was eating my lunch I just couldn't believe what i was hearing.

A Favorite Christmas Song

In light of Pastor John's recent sermons on Hebrews, my favorite song this Christmas is Hark the Harold Angels Sing. Truly, Christ is above the angels because from the time of his birth they were signing his praise! I also like the glory part when you have a lot of people signing all four parts really strong. It is enough to send chills!

A Favorite Christmas Memory

One of my most favorite Christmas memories happened last year. Since I went to school in South Carolina last year, I flew home for Christmas. I was so excited I could hardly wait. When the captain said that there was going to be a slight delay when we arrived in Chicago I got a little nervous. I had a connecting flight to Madison and would hate to have missed it!
But, as we finally prepared to land the captain flew us out over Lake Michigan! I had the privilege of being on the side of the plane that faces the city skyline. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. The lights of Chicago and Navy Pier will always be sketched into my mind.
Looking back on that sight I cannot imagine of how much better Gods kingdom will be. It makes me just as excited to go see my eternal home, as it was to see my earthly home that winter night!
( I did make my flight to Madison that night )

Thoughts on God's Grace

While reading on of John Pipers books I upon the thought of why God doesn't always seem to answer prayer or give the kind of grace I know I need. The answer is that God is so much bigger than me. He knows myself and my needs more than I know myself and my needs. Thus, He gives us only what we need when we need it and in the form that most glorifies Him. because at the end of the day it is all about the glorification of Christ, not the glorification of myself.

Thankful for Thanksgiving

I don't know about you, but Holidays are such a great reminder of all I have to be thankful for. Independence Day reminds me to be thankful that God allowed the United States to be made free from the rule of the English Throne and for that point the Church of England too. Christmas is a time to give thanks to God for giving us a baby who was born of a virgin and is heir to the most powerful throne ever! Easter is a time to thank Christ for going to the cross for our sins. He suffered, died and rose again all for someone like me. I can never fully thank God enough for that.

I want to share one of the many things I am thankful to God for. The past three years of my Christian walk I have been blinded by pride, legallistic teaching and so very many other sins. All the while I thought myself so much better than the average Christian. I am so thankful for God using His Sheep to bring me back to the fold. I have been exposed to many Chirstian within the past year who God used to teach me the truths of His word. I still struggle with many sins, but I see God in a whole new light. He is the only thing that is truly good in my life. I have nothing to boast for anymore. (Even though I do find myself high on the totem pole sometimes--> sadly enough) Christ has rules as a Christian you need to fallow. Such as the ten commandments, but Christ leads others to truths and ways of living. I am so Thankful that God is working in my life to draw me closer to Him.

We serve a great great God. Thanks be to Him!

The Marriage Speech

As I have posted earlier I am doing a speech on the Marriage Amendment here in Wisconsin. My thesis was that the Wisconsin Marriage Amendment is a protection of democracy and of our moral character. Well, just a few moments ago I gave the speech and for the most part it went really well. One girl told me she was thankful that I wasn’t all about telling people to vote no and that I made a very clear argument on looking at this amendment from a legal perspective. I think she is even going to vote yes! God was so good and calmed a lot of my nerves. Our God is such a great God!