I hope you all received the Prayer Petitionfor "The Refuge" from Jenell Starkel. If not, you can pray TODAY for our orphanage.
I appreciate everyone taking the time out to pray today for our dream of one day providing a loving home for children all over the world. We also appreciate all of the help that has been offered to us from our loving friends and family. We definatly wouldn't have been able to get our dream onto paper with out your continued prayers and support.
If you would like more information regarding our orphanange, please feel free to contact Ryan or I.
Love you all and God Bless.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Anxiety and Simplicity
I have been reading Fosters Celebration of Discipline: Revised Edition over the past couple of weeks. I came across a very interesting and insiteful chapter. It is about the Discipline of Simplicity.
"Freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes:
1. To receive what we have as a gift from God
2. To know that it is God's business and not ours, to care for what we have.
3. To have our goods available to others. "
Now, I don't know about you, but I definatly don't have these attitudes all the time. I sometimes catch myself not appreciating the gifts that God has given me or, I even think that those gifts might not have come from God, but of some doing of my own. I know that I have definatly tried to take care of things on my own saying "I am woman, hear me roar"... trying to take care of EVERYTHING possible. And, I definatly don't allow other people to use my goods. I mean for goodness sake, I earned them... THEY ARE MINE!!!!
But, after much consideration of these crazy thoughts; I realized that God is and will be the only person that has given me the things that I have and he is the only person that can and will take them away. I think the reason why I was so anxious before is I was always trying to take care of things myself and not letting the Lord (who does know EVERYTHING) take care of my problems. Simplicity starts with the inside. Once you can realize the above 3 things, then you will have inner simplicity. But, until then you will have anxiety and no simplicity.
Once, you have gotten down the whole inner simplicity, the book list 10 controling principles for our outward expression of simplicity. Foster does mention that these are not "laws" per say, but just suggestions on how we can make our life more simple.
1. Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.
2. Reject anytihng that is producing an addicition in you (ie alchohol, work, school, opposite sex, etc). Learn to distinguish between a real psychological need and an addiction.
3. Decelop a habit of giving things away.
4. Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry (basically don't be pulled in by the "make your live easier by buying this thing-a-mabob").
5. Learn to enjoy things without owning them (ie the beach, but not owning a house on the beach, a park, etc).
6. Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation (look at Psalm 24:1).
7. Look with a healthy skepticism at all "buy now, pay later" schemes. They are a trap and only deepen your bondage (look at Luke 6:35).
8. Obey Jesus' instructions about plain, honest speech (look at Matthew 5:37). Make honesty and integrity the distinguishing characteristic of your speech.
9. Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.
10. Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God.
Now, I know that those are some pretty high demands, but they are all so simple when you take one at a time and work on acheiving it. As I was reading, I made an X by the ones that I don't do. And, oddly enough I put an X by almost everyone. That gave me a HUGE REALITY CHECK!!!! I realized that I get caught up in the latest fashion trend, or the latest gismo buy, or anything that could make my life easier. But, I now realize that I need to make my life simple. So, I start with step one. Soon enough, I hope to achieve my goal of simplicity.
But, I do know one thing.... I will have to learn how to be patient.
"Freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes:
1. To receive what we have as a gift from God
2. To know that it is God's business and not ours, to care for what we have.
3. To have our goods available to others. "
Now, I don't know about you, but I definatly don't have these attitudes all the time. I sometimes catch myself not appreciating the gifts that God has given me or, I even think that those gifts might not have come from God, but of some doing of my own. I know that I have definatly tried to take care of things on my own saying "I am woman, hear me roar"... trying to take care of EVERYTHING possible. And, I definatly don't allow other people to use my goods. I mean for goodness sake, I earned them... THEY ARE MINE!!!!
But, after much consideration of these crazy thoughts; I realized that God is and will be the only person that has given me the things that I have and he is the only person that can and will take them away. I think the reason why I was so anxious before is I was always trying to take care of things myself and not letting the Lord (who does know EVERYTHING) take care of my problems. Simplicity starts with the inside. Once you can realize the above 3 things, then you will have inner simplicity. But, until then you will have anxiety and no simplicity.
Once, you have gotten down the whole inner simplicity, the book list 10 controling principles for our outward expression of simplicity. Foster does mention that these are not "laws" per say, but just suggestions on how we can make our life more simple.
1. Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.
2. Reject anytihng that is producing an addicition in you (ie alchohol, work, school, opposite sex, etc). Learn to distinguish between a real psychological need and an addiction.
3. Decelop a habit of giving things away.
4. Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry (basically don't be pulled in by the "make your live easier by buying this thing-a-mabob").
5. Learn to enjoy things without owning them (ie the beach, but not owning a house on the beach, a park, etc).
6. Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation (look at Psalm 24:1).
7. Look with a healthy skepticism at all "buy now, pay later" schemes. They are a trap and only deepen your bondage (look at Luke 6:35).
8. Obey Jesus' instructions about plain, honest speech (look at Matthew 5:37). Make honesty and integrity the distinguishing characteristic of your speech.
9. Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.
10. Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God.
Now, I know that those are some pretty high demands, but they are all so simple when you take one at a time and work on acheiving it. As I was reading, I made an X by the ones that I don't do. And, oddly enough I put an X by almost everyone. That gave me a HUGE REALITY CHECK!!!! I realized that I get caught up in the latest fashion trend, or the latest gismo buy, or anything that could make my life easier. But, I now realize that I need to make my life simple. So, I start with step one. Soon enough, I hope to achieve my goal of simplicity.
But, I do know one thing.... I will have to learn how to be patient.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Yes, I did steal this idea
Well, I'm just going along with the "cool" crowd again and stealing this idea from Tabs and Ryan and whomever may of had it first.
So, I went to Google, clicked on the image link and typed in the following:
Town you grew up in:
Brunswick, GA
Town you live in now:
Hinesville, GA
My Name
Emily Kay Peters- that didn't come up with anything, so I had to type in Emily Peters. Man did it come up with some interesting things.
Grandmothers' Name (choose either one)
Doris Baker
Favorite Food
Cake Batter Ice Cream
Favorite Drink
Sweet Tea
Favorite Song
Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts
Favorite Smell
Husband's "Sweaty" Smell
Well there you have it folks. Probably some things about me that you didn't want to know or now you know too much.
So, I went to Google, clicked on the image link and typed in the following:
Town you grew up in:
Brunswick, GA
Town you live in now:
Hinesville, GA
My Name
Emily Kay Peters- that didn't come up with anything, so I had to type in Emily Peters. Man did it come up with some interesting things.
Grandmothers' Name (choose either one)
Doris Baker
Favorite Food
Cake Batter Ice Cream
Favorite Drink
Sweet Tea
Favorite Song
Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts
Favorite Smell
Husband's "Sweaty" Smell
Well there you have it folks. Probably some things about me that you didn't want to know or now you know too much.
Friday, October 14, 2005
HELP!!!
O.k., so I am trying to figure out how to change my background and add music and all that jazz. I see where you can change it, but I'm not very computer literate so I can't figure it out. I asked Ryan, and he "says" that he will help me, but always plays poker or Madden and I forget to ask him. So, needless to say I need some direction on how to fix my site to make it more interesting. I have a song and stuff that I want to add.
Also, remember to e-mail ryan (irishnd98@yahoo.com) for the Offical Prayer of The Refuge. We want to have as many people praying for us and the Orphanage as possible. I have seen the rewards for a lot of people praying for a certain thing, it makes it happen (Ryan coming home).
Well, anywho... Ryan and I are going to Six Flags this weekend. I'm so siked, seeing as I've never been.
Also, remember to e-mail ryan (irishnd98@yahoo.com) for the Offical Prayer of The Refuge. We want to have as many people praying for us and the Orphanage as possible. I have seen the rewards for a lot of people praying for a certain thing, it makes it happen (Ryan coming home).
Well, anywho... Ryan and I are going to Six Flags this weekend. I'm so siked, seeing as I've never been.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
My birthday
Well so far turning 23 hasn't been all that exciting. I have come to the conclusion that once you turn 21, you don't have very many "exciting" birthdays until you're 25. And, that's only because you get a discounted rate on car insurance. Then, of course after that it's only 30, 40, 50, 60, etc. So, I have just been trying to relax all day today and just soak up the fact that my husband actually has to do things for me today without me even asking (allthough, I have had to ask him to make me lunch).
I have gotten some really good birthday presents- a grill from my parents, money from my nana and papa, money from my mother in law (to spend on just me- YEAH!), earrings from Ryan (the "other" presents he says are coming later), and just verbal happy birthdays. I think that the best present I have gotten though was Ryan coming home in July. Now, I know that July was a long time ago. But, this is a present that keeps giving itself to me everyday (whether it's my birthday or not). And, I'm afraid that if he wasn't here today I wouldn't have gotten any happy birthday love from anyone!
Ryan is taking me out to dinner tonight, which will be nice. Then, next weekend we are (hopefully) going to Six Flags in Atlanta. In Atlanta, we will be able to go to some clubs and dance a bit, maybe hear some jazz music or something.
I have gotten some really good birthday presents- a grill from my parents, money from my nana and papa, money from my mother in law (to spend on just me- YEAH!), earrings from Ryan (the "other" presents he says are coming later), and just verbal happy birthdays. I think that the best present I have gotten though was Ryan coming home in July. Now, I know that July was a long time ago. But, this is a present that keeps giving itself to me everyday (whether it's my birthday or not). And, I'm afraid that if he wasn't here today I wouldn't have gotten any happy birthday love from anyone!
Ryan is taking me out to dinner tonight, which will be nice. Then, next weekend we are (hopefully) going to Six Flags in Atlanta. In Atlanta, we will be able to go to some clubs and dance a bit, maybe hear some jazz music or something.
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