! ! ! wE hAvE a SuRpRiSe tHaT mAkEs uS sMiLe ! ! !

we have some surprising news...but we aren't allowed to tell.....as you can tell from Matty's smile, we're super excited!! check back in a couple of weeks to get the full scoop!


((((this isn't really how my husband looks naturally...he was playing a little too much with the photobooth application on Apple)))))

.... July 29 .... My Utmost for His Highest ....

"In the Bible clouds are always connected with God. Clouds are those sorrows or sufferings or providences, within or without our personal lives, which seem to dispute the rule of God. It is by those very clouds that the Spirit of God is teaching us how to walk by faith. If there were no clouds, we should have no faith. 'The clouds are but the dust of our Father's feet (see Nahum 1:3). The clouds are a sign that He is there. ... Through every cloud He brings, He wants us to unlearn something. His purpose in the cloud is to simplify our belief until our relationship to Him is exactly that of a child--God and my own soul, other people are shadows. ... Unless we can look the darkest, blackest fact full in the face without damaging God's character, we do not yet know Him."
~~Oswalt Chambers

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.
~~Edward Mote, "The Solid Rock" in the Baptist Hymnal

the incredible edible egg...or mushroom egggsplosion?!?!

.....easter time......bouncing bunnies.....colored hard boiled eggs....or is that an egg cloud?

Last night, I decided to try to take on some "wife duties" and cook, cook, cook!! You have to realize, I don't enjoy cooking, I usually burn up everything that I make, and I definetly don't know how to make brownies that don't end up in the trash. Despite all the tragedies yesterday while trying to take on these wife roles, I had some good laughs. God always gives you humor if you look at the situations carefully with an open mind!!

It started with my fudgey brownies. I decided to make these for the Children's Easter egg hunt at church. Well they actually never made it to the church. They are currently sitting in the bottom of the garbage pail.

Second disaster, I wanted to make cookies for the same event. Well while I was paying close attention to the brownies cooking, I forgot about the stick of butter on the counter. Needless to say, I was cleaning up a big pool of melted butter from the counter, and searching frantically for another stick. In the end, they were pretty good.

Third, the eggsplosion!! I know how to cook hard boiled eggs...I really do! But for some reason I decided to boil the water, and then put the eggs in. Bad idea. I ended up with four poached eggs before I knew it. Wasted time, wasted eggs. I had to let the water cool, put the eggs in, and then flare up that heat and start all over. In the end I had one more wasted egg, but a really cool experiement!! Look at that yolk cloud!! Watch out!!

The Sonship of Christ, and how it relates to Me

I've found myself searching for things to call "mine". Through elementary, it was fighting with my sister for things to call my own. (even though half the time the things were mine, and she really had no desire for them except to upset me). Through junior high, it was a place to fit in, acceptance of friends, and not feeling so much like a nerd. In high school it was still fighting for acceptance, and for others to like me and to want to be around me. In college, it was the same, to find a place where I was accepted, even if that meant compromising my values. After college and into married life, it was a job to call my own, a home to call my own, deeply desiring a property instead of 400-500 square feet of a building. And since the big move to southern Ohio it has been the same...job...church...acceptance and a place in my family...a property to own. I've always struggled with wanting to have "my own things".

I've even noticed that since I have been married I am very protective of my things that weren't acquired through the marriage. One thing in particular stands out in my mind. I have had a little ballerina bunny stuffed animal since I was very small. This isn't a huggable ballerina. It's only about 5" in height, and it has a little looped string attached to it's backside where you can hang in on a christmas tree, a hook in the hallway, or where I like to find it's home, on the doorknob of our bedroom door. When we were packing and moving from our Palmer apt in Bowling Green, I was in the middle of packing and I couldn't find my ballerina bunny. I searched everywhere for this bunny. Up on cabinets, in boxes I already packed...and wouln't you know I found it in the most hideous place ever. THE GARBAGE!!! I was shocked!! I knew that I didn't throw my precious bunny away. There was only one culprit that could of done this. Matthew. When he got home from work...I put a huge flame to his behind. It wasn't his to throw away! Why did he touch MY bunny!!! This was MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! Needless to say....the bunny is back on our doorknob, and my husband knows now never to touch my little pink and white ballerina bunny. HANDS OFF!

I think as humans, we are innately created to have a desire to have things that we call mine. In my time with the Lord this morning, this was made so clear to me, that I want to pass it along. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I really believe this will forever change my view of how Christ sees me, and my place in this world.

Beth Moore writes in her devotional "Beloved Disciple" :

"I am convinced that a certain need to possess is so innate in all of us that if we could call nothing our own, our souls would deflate with hopelessness and meaninglessness. Please hear this: ours is not a God who refuses us all possession. He's simply protective enough of our hearts not to encourage a death grip on things we cannot keep. He's not holding out on us. He's not dangling carrots in front of our noses and then popping us in the mouth when we lunge to bite the bait. Contrary to much public opion, God does not play some kind of sick "I created you to want but will not let you have" game with us. Quite the contrary, the Author of life will only encourage us to call "mine" what is most excellent. Most exquisite. To those who receive, God gives Himself.
When we consider that Jesus Christ came to earth as the fullness of the Godhead bodily, He actually showed amazing restraint in exercising His divine rights (Matt 26:53-54) It's as if Christ seemed to say 'I've set aside My crown, My position, My glory, and soon I'll set aside My life for all of you, but I will not lay down my Sonship. God is My Father. Deal with it'.
The Son of Man had no place to call His own. He had no wife or children. He had no riches, though the diamond and gold mines of the world belonged to Him. He laid claim to nothing. He laid aside everything to descend to earth and wrap Himself in our injured flesh. Taking on our humanity, He also took on our most intrinsic need. In all the loss and sacrifice, He needed something He could call "Mine". Christ came to earth with nothing but His Father, and that relationship was nonnegotioable.

Dear Child of God, if you and I were as unrelenting in excercising our rights of sonship or daughtership, our lives would be transformed. Satan would never be able to dislodge us from God's plan and blessing. You see, Christ had to make the decision to lay aside many rights, but because He retained the most important one of all, His right of Sonship, Satan could not win. Christ led many sons to glory and got to once again pick up every right He had laid aside.
God may ask you to lay down the right to be acknowledged in a situation, to give our opinion, to take up for ourselves, or to be promoted as we think we deserve. The right to leave a spouse, even though we might have biblical grounds; to withhold fellowship when the other person has earned our distance; to be shown as the one who was right; to maintaint our dignity in earthly matters; to exercise our basic human rights. But let this truth be engraved on your heart: you will never be required to lay aside your rights as God's child-nor must you ever fall to Satan's temptation to weaken your position. As long as you exercise your rights of sonship, constantly reminding yourself (and your enemy) who God is and whose you are, Satan will never be able to defeat you or thwart any part of God's plan for you life. Any loss of other right God permits or persuades you to lay aside is temporary. You will ultimately receive a hundredfold in return.
Hold your position! Never let anything or anyone talk you out of exercising your right of sonship! Satan targets us because we are the children of God. He is defeated when we refuse to back off from our positional rights. The last thing he wants to hear from you is, "I am a born-again, justified child of God, and I exercse my right to rebuke you! You, devil, are defeated. You can't take me from my Father nor my Father from me.
No matter what you may lose or lay aside, you can call the Father of life "mine"! As His child, you have 24/7 direct access. God will never turn a deaf ear to you or look the other way when you are treated unjustly. You aren't left to hope He hears you, loves you, or realizes what's going on. Know it. Never view your situation in any other context than God as your Father and you as His child."

a new feat to overcome....the BIG 5K!!!

On April 26, 2008, Matt and I will be trying to overcome a huge feat in endurance, mindset, and muscle strength. We are going to run our first 5K!!

Ginghamsburg is holding a 5K run to benefit the ministry of New Path Outreach Ministry. Matt and I will be running at an early, 9 a.m. for 3.1 miles. New Path Outreach aids many families in the Miami Valley area with food, housing, furniture, transportation and much more. New Path is a United Way agency.

I'm pretty pumped about running this race. I've never ran in a race longer than one mile, so this is a huge milestone for us. We have about six weeks and counting until race day. We have a lot of ground to cover so we aren't an embarrassing site.

We've got our registration fee covered, but if anyone would like to know more about New Path, about the race, or donate to this cause and partner with us to raise funds for New Path, please message us. We'd love for you to partner in this race with us!!

The Sudan Project's running total through the Brubaker Art Barn

Running Total as of
March 13, 2008 at 12:06pm:

$ 94.45

Through my sales on juvalee13.etsy.com I have been able to sell enough custom labels to generate $94.45 in donations for the Sudan Project at Ginghamsburg Church. This is something that God laid on my heart to do through creating my custom fabric labels and also through my other pieces as well.

I've struggled with the talent of creating artwork, and also textile projects and I still struggle with it today. When you look at the artists of our time now, and also the famous ones that grace the history pages, yes they became famous, but the majority of them only became famous after they died. In my mind, I stuggle with the question of "What is the purpose if people enjoy your work after you're dead?" And at that rate you're not even guaranteed that people will like what you create after you die, they could despise it just as much when you're dead as they did when you are alive.

Artistic talent I've seen, is only appreciated by a select few of people in the world today. They aren't appreciated in my mind like bankers, lawyers, teachers, doctors. Art pieces sometimes are only seen as "pretty things". I think secretly my entire life I've desired a talent that is valued by the world. But I'm beginning to walk down the path of true appreciation.

Some verses that has helped me do this is Exodus 35:30-35:

"...Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them master craftsmen and designers..."

In no way, by posting this am I trying to be boastful or arrogant. That is not the intent of my heart. I'm just excited that I've finally found a way for my pieces to be eternal. By giving to the Sudan, my artwork and the proceeds go to help save lives. For the first time in my short life, I feel like I'm making a difference, not only in the United States, not only in Sudan...but through the realm of Heaven.

big nerd...bookworm....or albert einstein?

Matt and I were talking the other day on the car ride to my parents about how others may view me. The sun was shining sooo brightly, even though the ground was blanketed with snow. The heater in the car was on full blast, despite the objections of the driver. And it was a lazy Sunday afternoon.

I brought up the topic of my characteristics, the things I enjoy doing, and how others may view me because of my personality. I started to list some things that I enjoy doing and on paper, may disguise me as:

1.an old lady trying to occupy my time
2.a child who just can't put a book down
3. or someone without a life, and tries to fill up her life with things to do.
4. or someone that's really cool that has an exciting private life, and thinks others are missing out.

Now before you start objecting, or agreeing....let me tell you the list of things that I enjoying doing. Be warned, they may sound odd. But I like them.

1. cross stitching
2. reading
3. finding new crafts to try out
4. scrapbooking
5. knitting until my shoulders get too tight and I can't feel my biceps and triceps
6. making unique cards and notes from the mounds of scrap paper I won't dare throw away.
7.looking for houses online...and not just any kind of houses...ones that have CHARACTER. Builders nowadays just don't seem to grasp that concept anymore. I think it's slipped out of their vocabulary.
8.hanging out with my dog, enjoying our many conversations, even if it is only a wag of the tail, and a tilt of the head.
9.reading and more reading
10.riding my bike with my basket on the front

Now, please let me explain!! I know that I may sound like the dullest, insecure person who doesn't have a life!! But I think my life is pretty exciting despite the fact of how it may appear. I LOVE to read. The other day a friend asked why Matt and I walked to the library. I just looked at her completely stunned. It was as if she had never heard of a library before and if she had, was completely unaware of the treasure it holds. Think about it, really think about. Look at all those books. Each telling a different story. When you read, it opens up your imagination. It allows you to go places that others aren't going. Even thought Matt and I don't have a whole lot of money to travel to distant places, I'm going to a new place everytime I sit down with my coffee on the couch, my familiar pillow behind my head, and my fleece blanket tucked under my feet. I'm going somewhere YOU aren't going. I'm traveling alot!!

Knitting and cross-stitch you say?! Love it! I love creating things that were never there before. I've already created over 3 large cross-stitch images (over 8" x 10") and I hope to create more in the near future. I'm working on one of a Sudanes girl and I hope at the auction at Ginghamsburg this Christmas it will raise alot of money for The Sudan Project. It may be considered a "lost" or "old folks" craft, but I think I'm changing lives by it. The money from the selling of the picture could save someone's life.

I may be boring, an old fuddyduddy, but I find my life exciting. Some days I get really down on myself, the frustrations and hurts that are in our lives currently. But I'm makin it one stitch at a time, one page after another. Life really is exciting!