Read the New Testament in just 40 Days!

Ahhhh...we started yesterday (Sat) w/ "Faith comes by hearing." An audio to help you read through the NT in just 40 days. I'm not sure about all of you but I have had it on my New Years Resolution for, well let's just say "a long time" to read the whole Bible in one year. And it simply never happens. Sure...even we I do read it...sometimes I'll catch myself and I'm just reading the words and not absorbing it b/c I'm off in another world. I have a hard time staying focused. Call me ADD or whatever...I find this tool very helpful. Brett and I commited to do it together every morning at 6am. 28 or 26 minutes a day for 40 days and BAM you are through the whole NT in 40 days! I think they either have one or are working towards one for the OT.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Faith-Comes-By-Hearing-NIV-Audio-Bible-40-Day-Plan-CD_W0QQitemZ300181747833QQcmdZViewItem

This is a picture of it. But don't buy it...if you live close...Salisbury is handing them out for FREE! Get excited about the Word of God and even more excited about HE can do through it when you submit to Him. :)

To Kiss or not to Kiss?

This is great! I "fell" over it on yahoos homepage...

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=7162192&ch=4226713&src=news

I remember coming back from Europe after one month and my friends and family thought I was weird wanting to continue the meet and greet w/ a kiss. But according to ABC America may be heading that direction themselves. And kissing cheeks spreads less germs than hand shaking! Who would have guessed that!

Poor among us

"Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to." Deuteronomy 15:10

"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." Proverbs 28:27

As Brett and I pray to the Lord for direction in our life we are reminded that there are poor among us. Its probably more my thing than Brett's to learn to "let go" of the materialism which I am surrounded by. A friend said to me this past week, that she enjoys the opportunities to see how little she can get by with. I can't say that for myself (yet), but I have found over the past year that God is really working on my heart to NOT conform to the world. It's such a struggle at times, but I do feel periods of growth...some easier than others. It's amazing what God can do with your heart, your life and your money when you surrender it ALL to Him. I am not great at it by any means but I'm excited about what the Lord is doing in our life. :) Micah

(Picture was taken by me, in Africa, June 2005 during a Share International Mission Trip...they are picking of the pieces of grain that fell out of the grain bags)

Happy Day After Easter!

Aunt Mary Jane attempting to get Eli to pick up the egg, he really did not want to hunt yesterday!

Our children enjoying their Easter baskets!

Look at these two little ones...hiding from the egg battle. Their Grandma Laura was searching them out...and they are laughing because she is coming upon them!

At Asa & Keri's a huge Easter Egg battle broke out, and Eli quickly learned how to throw an Easter Egg at Little Pappy!

Noah does not like being on his belly!

Pappy Ticklin Eli!
Wow...what a great weekend! Lots of friends and family and food. Three egg hunts...and my in-laws don't even live around here...how crazy is that? :) I wish they did though considering one of them has 6 kids, and the other 3! Eli had the hunting thing down by the second hunt, by the third he didn't seem to care much. He liked his Easter ball and Sign Language book! And the muffins Grandma Laura gave him...he ate all of them in like three seconds! lol. Micayla is growing up so super fast. Yesterday over breakfast we discussed with her the privilege of getting a cellphone. I'm not so sure I'm ready for this, but its a great opportunity for her to grow...we will see. We even wrote a contract and all three of us signed it! So I feel good about that...she is aware of the boundaries and guidelines. Ill take a quick look on my camera card and see what other Easter pics I managed to come up with.

Sites and People of Interest!

Evan & Terah's Ministry: http://www.opennations.org/
Guatemala Orphanage we have vistied: http://www.casaparaninos.com/
Organization we went to Africa with: http://www.shareinternationalinc.com/
Megan's Blog: www.goffstersblog.blogspot.com/
Ramey Family Ministry: http://www.faceofmyfather.org/
A local Mission Organization with a heart to help others serve the Lord: http://www.goodmeasure.org/ Read his book and purchase a shirt to help end world poverty!
My business: http://www.micahstherapeuticmassage.blogspot.com/
Our Church: http://www.salisbury-church.org/

Good Friday

The Easter Egg Hunt!!!!

Check out our candy bags! Way to go guys...that should last a long time!

To little to Hunt! He says..."burrrrr!" (Noah with his Mommy)

She is such a Great Big Sister...she is leading Eli back to the pavement, he hates the grass...we will work on that this Summer!

Eli finds an Egg!

Elijah on the Hunt for Candy! He is a good Hunter, and quick too!

Samson finding a Soccer Easter Egg!

Our Good Friday Service was awesome! Brett played with our church band for the first time. And they all did a fantastic job. The sermon was great and the audience was fired up. We took communion together. It was just a great evening. I love Easter and the amazing gift of eternal life, freely yet not really...given to us wretched sinners so we can spend eternity with our Father. Ahhh...how so many people don't understand eternal Salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.



Yesterday for lunch I made up a big batch of homemade meatballs, a simple salad and some mac n' cheese and invited some family and our friends Evan and Terah over. We ate together and then hid candy for our little ones. They had fun, its such a joy to see the smiles on their faces.

Please feel free to check out Evan and Terah's Mission work at http://www.opennations.org/

What is becoming of the world around us?

Did you hear about the Rally fast food resturant last night on the news? So today as I am eating my Big Mac for lunch (I still can't believe I ate that thing!) I was remembering the news clip. A woman went to the drive up and got two sandwiches and after eating one she realized the second one had a white powder all over it. Come to find out...it was COCAINE! The workers were drug dealing through the drive up. I guess she got someone else's sandwich! You got it...your fast food isn't even safe for you or your children anymore! So sad. Well I really don't have much else to say...hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine. :) Micah

Where to begin?

It has been crazy busy around here! This past Saturday we took all the kids (all my kids and my niece and nephews) to a professional photographer for an Easter Session w/ real live bunnies and ducklings! It was a better deal than Sears Portrait Studio so I didn't want to pass it up. My nephews did the best job of all. My son made disgusting faces at the camera...go figure! It was so much fun to have them all together and watching how each of them respond differently to the new environment and the animals. We viewed our pics last night and ordered them. I'm proud to say that I stayed w/in my "picture budget." Ok so such a budget is a little "make believe" on my part, my way of justifying it all! lol. No really I did very well, cause usually I go all nuts and spend wayyyy to much money...and this time, I DIDN'T spend more than I had planned. Unfortunately Brett and I were woke up this morning by our tween, she had threw up in the middle of the night. Poor girl. Nothing more fun than cleaning up that mess at 2am w/ your hubby! :) I thought maybe it was something she ate but I don't think so, I think she has a little bit of the stomach flu that is going around. So she is in bed today. I am having her drink a minimum of 4 ou of water an hour to help keep her hydrated. Hopefully she can keep it down. Our little guy is full of energy! We have slowly fallen into a great habit of going upstairs to play before our morning snack. He enjoys his bedroom and that makes me happy.
On a Spiritual Note...Our church is encouraging us to do this CD listening program. We can listen to the whole New Testament in 40 days! Sounds great and I would love to do this venture but I already have sooo many books that I am traveling through at turtle speed, plus i have like four audios that are waiting for me. I know at the rate I read my Bible in the mornings, I won't make it through the testament in 40 days but on the other hand I enjoy what I do read and its not a race. I want to make sure I "get" what I read. Here is a great book if anyone is looking for a good spiritual read..."Good to Great in God's Eyes" by Chip Ingram. I really enjoyed this book, so much that i decided to keep it and read it again someday. I usually like to pass off my books for others to enjoy, but this is a keeper! Well, I'm done rambling for now. When I get the name of that Cd program the church is suggesting I'll post it, its just not coming to me now. Its prego brain!
Ta Ta for now; Micah

Please share your ideas with me!

Once a month my siblings and I gather for a "SIB MEET." It's something we started as a way to grow closer together and make time for one another. Each month someone picks a topic, it could be something simple like a game night or serious such as a Bible Study. I LOVE hosting these! Tonight is our SIB meet, Brett is covering the topic and I the food! I am making Tangy Ribs, Beef Stroganoff, possibly a pasta salad...(my husband would love for me to make deviled eggs but I think I'm going to pass)...and a sunflower cake...so cute...I got it from the Taste of Home magazine! It was super easy and tooo cute! If you are use to hosting gatherings please email me some of you neat / creative ideas. In the pic...the flower arrangement in the back, was an experiment I did yesterday at Hobby Lobby. My first ever! I really enjoyed it and it was CHEAP! Less than $10! You can't buy real or fake arrangements for that! My creative edge is coming out of me...and I didn't even know it existed! :)

Please check out this website and if God leads you to make a difference, carefully consider supporting this ministry! http://www.faceofmyfather.org/

A percentage of massages and purchases made at Micah's Therapeutic Massage will go towards this ministry. Call to schedule your appointment today!

My Little Red Wagon!

See how big and strong he is!

This picture is soooo cute, such a "poor little face."

Last Saturday the weather was unusually warm. While I was at a Women's Retreat, Brett took Eli on his FIRST Wagon ride! I'll let Brett journalize more if he wishes.

Splish Splash I was takin a bath!

Well not me, but my little man Eli was! Check him out...he was having a blast in the tub. He thought it was funny to get Mom wet...only b/c I was laughing since he was having so much fun. He loves to pick a color (I think Aunt Tabby got those for him this past Christmas...but maybe it was Aunt Keri, hmmm) and drop it in his water. But this particular night, I let him pick two colors!!! He was thrilled. I love the joy he brings to my life. Today (March 6th) Eli is 14 months old!

An the Angels of the Heavens...

REJOICE! Grandma Great has joined them in eternity! I'm struggling a little more than I thought I would. Brett tells me its ok, its just me missing her. I'm actually happy that she is no longer struggling and laying in that ol' bed wasting away. That is not the life she wanted. She was ready to go quite awhile ago. I guess its just that "weird" stage after someone passes when you have to adjust to them no longer being here to call upon. She was THE BEST Grandma anyone could have ever desired, and I'm happy she was mine for almost 30 years! I know, we all know, she is in a much better place now. And w/ that known, I have a deep peace. Its comforting to know that she is w/ our Father, as well as...her parents, her husband, my Aunt Brenda, my Uncle Pete, my sister's twins and I'm sure many other family members that I never got a chance to meet. What an awesome experience for her. Thurs and Fri are her arrangements. Till later...ta ta for now; Micah and fam.