Some Thanksgiving Pics

True Evangelism

I watched a documentary last night about a woman who use to be a stripper. After learning about Jesus and accepting him she changed her life and turned from her past. In her words, she became 'a judgemental Christian.' She was obsessed with distancing herself from sin. She would say, "This is a sin, and that is a sin and it's bad, bad, bad." She said that she was absolutly no fun to be around and wanted nothing to do with sinful places or people.

Her view dramatically changed on the day a stripper friend of hers past away. She had never taken the time to tell her about Jesus and now she had to live with the unsettling thought that she could be spending eternity seperated from God because she didn't hear the message of
Christ.

Now this ex-stripper turned 'good girl' spends her evenings going to strip clubs and buying private lap dances....when the girls show up, she sits down with them and asks them if they believe in God and invites them to church. She doesn't tell them to turn from their evil ways, she doesn't say, "What you're doing is a sin and you need to stop." She just tells them that God loves them and if they want to learn more about that love they can call her and she'll bring them to church. She gives them a card with her personal number and the name of her church where she promises them they will feel welcomed.

The church that she attends funds her ministry.

She is a beautiful woman, and teamed up with a few of her friends she travels around with a van that has JC's girls, girls, girls written on the side of it. They set up tables in different locations handing out cd's that passers by assume is free pornography. Apparently they hand out hundreds every night. When people put the cd into their computers, a man appears and says, "You're probably wondering, 'where's my porn?' The truth is, there is no porn. But I would like to tell you about Jesus Christ." He goes on to tell them that God has something better for them, a love that won't cease.

The women said that when she was a stripper she was doing one of two things with every man she entertained. She was either feeding a dangerous addiction or bringing them personal destruction....now she believes she is doing the exact opposite.
After watching that documentary, I was filled with emotion. I've always been told to steer clear of places 'like that' unless of course I was handing out tracks and wearing something that made it perfectly clear that I wasn't one of them....heaven forbid we blend in with the 'sinners.'

As I watched the tear-stained face of a stripper, I saw Jesus.

She said that before she heard the message of Christ she thought there was no way there was a place in heaven for people like her... The question is, what are we doing to show the broken that Jesus is exactly for people like them?

Praise God for people like her. She made me want to be a better Christian.

The Best Thanksgiving!

Yesterday was an awesome day. Jason's store was closed so he was able to take a stress-free day, not worrying about what might be going on at work while he was off. We got up in the morning, got ready and met our friends Micah and Abby. We set off on our journey to the town of Sopchoppy, Florida where Abby's parents church was hosting a Thanksgiving dinner. Micah and Jason rode their motorcycles and Abby, Micah's family, Caden and I drove behind.
The church was a little country church out in the middle of Wakulla County. It was a potluck meal with bluegrass playing on an old tape player in the back of the room. It was like a scene out of an old southern film. We ate the most awesome food and then went outside to run around and play football. It was the warmest day we've had in weeks. Absolutly gorgeous.
We then went back to Abby's parents house where we lounged around for a bit and everyone played with Caden. Then Abby watched Caden while I took my first ride on the back of our motorcycle. Jason and I cruised around the Florida countryside...it was alot of fun.
Then we went back to the house, did alot of front porch sitting, enjoying the view and the silence of the country....after that we had a big bonfire in the back yard with smoked oysters that we shucked (is that the right word??) ourselves and s'mores with all the church people.
I think it was the most relaxed we've been in a long time.
It was a really awesome day.
Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

Working Woman

I got a seasonal job at Bath and Body Works in the mall across the street from our apartment.
Should be fun. At least it's a reason to wear a clean shirt.
I'm going to work nights after Jay gets home...we'll do the baby swap. Hopefully we'll still recognize eachother after Christmas....just kidding....it's not that bad. So far it's been very doable, plus it's only a seasonal thing so if we find it's not ideal we know it's coming to an end in February....but if it works out and I want to keep working after February, I'll find something else. It's an exciting new page...I haven't gotten paid to do anything in quite sometime so it'll be nice to contribute.
Caden is jumping in his jumperoo and is obviously getting quite tired so I am going to go put him down for a nap. My christmas present from my parents (a digital camera...WOOHOO!) will soon be here and I will post pictures more often then. Yay Digital Cameras!

Another first

I gave Caden his first haircut this morning. Anyone who has seen him knows that he had some crazy random long strands of hair...so now things are a little less comb-over-ish.
Another milestone for the baby book. Still don't have a camera but pictures will come soon.

This time last year

I often look back at my life from an annual perspective.

"Where was I this time last year? What was I doing? What was I feeling? How different was my life?"

This time last year I was probably facing and working through the greatest depression of my life. I was in a very dark place, one that I wasn't sure I would recover from...Praise Jesus for hearing those midnight prayers....
This time last year I was about 5 months pregnant and scared out of my mind. I had somehow convinced myself that I was alone in the universe...that there was no one to talk to...or at least there was no one I wanted to talk to. My future as I saw it was laced with doom.
I remember having my first panic attack. It was a bad time, a very bad time.


The year before that, November 2004, Jason and I were living in St. Catharines, ONT, Canada and had just received word that Jason's visa had been revoked, he was not legal to work or go to school in Canada and he had to be out of the country in 3 months. We were told upon entering Canada that he was completely legal and that his visa could not be taken away...so we signed a lease on an apartment, bought new furniture, visited my family in Newfoundland and then we get the phone call, "The Canadian government has decided that a Canadian can do this job just effectively as an american so...." you know the rest...
I remember one day we were walking down the street and crawled up underneath an overpass, sitting with pigeons and watching the cars drive by....we decided that would be a good spot to live when we were homeless. I know our friends and family would never have let that happen but those were still desperate, desperate times.

For some reason I have been haunted by the remains of 'this time last year and the year before' to the point that I am letting it effect my present. I'm no where near (not even maybe) to being as down as I was then, but I'm certainly not the picture of joy and positivity. My back pain is begining to wear on me....stresses are making my eyes twitch and my teeth grind....

The great thing about looking back at those desperate moments is seeing how God delivered us, faithfully every single time. In Canada we were told we would have to live in seperate countries for probably the next 2 years of our marriage..and it was as if God touched the shoulder of the immigration officer we were dealing with and they decided to make an exception for us...that's how we ended up in Tallahassee....
In Charlotte, God carried me through my darkest hours and in March my beautiful son was born...this also led us back to Tallahassee because this is exactly where God wants us to be with our Son.

So writing this and remembering back has given me hope...I'm excited for the miracles God is going to perform in our lives in the up and coming days...He is faithful, even when we're not. He will come through and blow us away with his amazingness just like he did this time last year...and the year before that...and the year before that.....

"C" is for cookie

So it turns out my spine is shaped similar to the letter C. I had some back x-rays yesterday because I was experiencing some pretty severe discomfort after my trip to Canada. I thought I had just overdone it carrying all of the luggage or something but it turns out I am pretty messed up.
I guess it all started during my pregnancy when I had a lot of pain in my right hip bone. I thought it was a pretty normal part of carrying a baby in the belly but it turns out that my right hip actually turned in a direction that it shouldn't, forcing my spine to curve like a "C" or a bow. This explains why during the birth of Caden it took 8 attempts to get the epidurel into my spine...because the guy was aiming in the middle and it was actually somewhere on the side.
On the xray there were many straight lines indicating where my bone structure should be and I pretty much took my own path. What can I say, I've always liked to go against the grain...
So I'm somewhat excited that I finally know why I feel like an old woman. I'm less depressed now about it because I know what's wrong with me and my chiropractor and I are working on fixing it. I'll be a brand new woman in no time!
It's pretty stinkin painful, so if everyone could pray for a speedy recovery, that would make for a much happier me.
In the mean time, for those of you at GC, if you're wondering why I am sitting on a stool during morning worship you now know why, and if I am not helping with set up and break down I am not just being lazy. Well maybe a little...but for the most part no.....:)

"C" is for cookie, that's good enough for me.

Ladies and Gentlemen...the Bull you have all been waiting for....

He totally knows how cute he is

Daddy and Baby Bull

Mommy and Baby Bull

Here we are accepting the prize for the best costume!