God First, Family Second, Church Third, Work last

I cannot tell you how much this is working for me. Now, I have "preached" this for as long as I can remember but somehow got out of the practice. Typical. In my new "world" that I live in which is getting newer every day, this every day practice is saving my life.

This along with the other great and PRACTICAL APPLICATION truth that Doug taught...do the natural, let God do the miraculous.

If you can get ahold of that truth, then you really CAN be free of worry. Do all you can in the natural; read God's Word, Pray, attend church faithfully and and with an open and teachable spirit, follow God's tenets and follow the 4 step plan. God, Family, Church, Work.

I have had opportunity to follow this plan multiple times since I majorly re-committed to it only just a few days ago. Multiple times when I was doing one thing and another HIGHER priority thing came into play, I had to make a choice. WOW.

After a long talk with Tif yesterday morning (thanks Tif) we had our first day of school with my totally being present the entire time. (present meaning I was all there in my mind) and a good long and fruitful bible study to boot. I quit worrying about ALL I HAD TO DO and made the priority actually BE a priority. If something truly has priority status then nothing will get in its way of being done. I stepped out in the natural, the priority of my children and school! The relief I feel is tremendous but worry not, I recognize that it is only day one.
Blue Chip day as it were. ;)

So if you are looking for a prayer to meditate on...nay, I beseech you to pray daily for us brethren; that I can follow and STICK TO God's plan for me to follow His priorities.

So today, if following the schedule, I will have another full day with the kids.
The plan is to do kids most of the day each day, work in the evenings and on the weekends. If I can follow that for awhile I likely can work on Fridays a bit as well...we'll have to see.

Limit myself to as few meetings as possible during the week...only the absolutely necessary ones. Limit my attendance at events...only the most absolutely fruitful ones...and then, TRUST GOD for the rest. Trust that He will do whatever else needs doing. Imbalance comes from not following priorities.

Funny, as I am re-reading this I realize that this is how I always pictured the magazine as being; PART TIME. LOL!!!! Evenings, weekends, you know...as a side job. We literally called it that. Looking at the "new schedule" I see that I now have it scheduled in as a "side job". God will HAVE to do the rest now!

So: If I trust in God and His plan, then I know that I am a part of it. Do I want to be a willing, active participant? Watching God at work in my life and others'? Seeing or at least knowing that I am being used? Or do I want to be an unwitting pawn? Saved- but simply moved about as I live from self instead of from Savior? As long as I earnestly and openly do the natural (what I can) with God as my center through whom I live , and move and through whom I have my very being, then and only then, will I live victoriously.

Postscript: I did my bible study after blogging this morning (normally a NO-NO) and God specifically directed me to Psalm 146. I LOVE when He does that. I had already read everyone's blog as well and had seen worrying or potential cause to worry going on there as well.
Check out God's amazing plan for our worry in:

Psalm 146!

Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.

I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—the LORD, who remains faithful forever.

He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.

The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.

God's Hand at work

May not seem like much to you...but the coolest thing happened with God this morning.

I got up and as I go through yet again another spiritual renewal, gain, increase...whatever one would call it, I was blessed to be in His presence this morning.

I woke up and had to start early on documents I needed to finish before my first 7:45 meeting, etc. etc. and got the immediate prompt not to forego bible study. So off I go and could only find Rachel's Little Women of Faith Bible. But God's Word is God's Word right?

So I open to this little mini-study on the "River of Delights" that God promises...and it is a beautiful little study on God's love and as I was praying I was hearing directly from the Lord to focus on what I had been being shown lately. God first, Family Second, Church Third, Work fourth.

So I was doing bible study and just finished up when I hear MOMMY! Kate's up. SO much for work. BUT_ Family Second was fresh in my mind so whatever will be was to be.

I told her to come downstairs and she wanted a sippy cup and then wanted to go back to bed. Now, she has NEVER once done this. I even asked her if she wanted to go to the living room but she said no, back to bed!!! So I brought her back up and she layed down and totally dumbfounded I came down to finish my "work".

Wow, God orders man's steps.

I am blessed.

Doug said I stink!

Well, I couldn't resist that one.

I guess if I had to be TOTALLY honest, he didn't EXACTLY call me stinky.

He didn't come-right-out-and -say STEPH, BEAT IT to Celebrate Recovery because You are some kind of stinky!

Lol but as the world grew strangely dim around me and then Kay somehow got me after church and talked so intimately about CR that I suspected she was a plant...that I knew it.was.for.me.

(I got that period thing from Lisa T., works strangely enough)

I fell into the category of risen Lazerus with stinky grave clothes on.

Can I stop saying stinky now because you know what? In REAL life I don't ACTUALLY stink and it is making me somewhat uncomfortable to continue using that word. Somewhat like Tif's favorite word. Lol

SO shock value over, the truth is that I come out of church and say to Jeff... "Ok, confession time. What did you think of the sermon? You are the one I trust so I confess X,Y,Z....were you just pointing your finger at me the whole time???"

an HE goes:

"YOU? I was thinking it was me the whole time. I've got my own issues!"

We both laughed as we realized we both were thinking the same thing and feeling somewhat embarassed that the spotlight was on ourselves when likely everyone in the room was in some way, shape or form, if they were being honest, that person.

I am not sure what CR has that church and regular bible study doesn't. And I am also not comfortable AT ALL talking about myself in front of others in such an intimate way which is likely why I don't go. I don't think for me that confessing every little sin to a group of people is my idea of freedom. God's idea you say?

Hmmm, not sure. BUt my point is that I did confess the thing and I felt a bit better though I am not sure Jeff really COUNTS. Lol But I may give CR a try still.

I think I keep waiting for Marcia to get home. I don't know, I think I have as this picture in my mind as a spiritual mentor of sorts. And I don't know her at all so I could have that totally wrong.

So, thanks for the compliment Doug. I skulked out of there aware of my grave clothes more than ever but wanting to shed them ever so much more.

I confess I cannot pray the "Whatever it takes" prayer as I am so terrified of what that may mean! I mean, what if means something really HUGE and scary??

Yeah, big bad Steph afraid of God. YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!

I am old testament girl! LOL I KNOW what the wrath of God is like!

No I'm kidding, if we really knew, we wouldn't dare fall into sin...would we? I don't know Adam and Eve walked with the Lord and still did.

Maybe the new covenant God is about grace and mercy and letting His life flow through yours in an outpouring of living sacrifice?

Sigh. I'll likely never get it right. But it won't be for a lack of trying.

I love the idea of we do the grunt word and let Him do the God work. We just step out in faith and do the real stuff that we can do (pray, confess, go to CR, have FAITH!) and then let the miracles occur. That was comforting and then some. Even later at home, when I was feeling very unstable with Kate sick...scared...the world is so big and scary and what if what if what if...and then Doug's words came back to me...just step out what I know to be true Steph...

Pray, give it God, stop worrying about what may happen over the next week to work if your child's sick...just do God first, Family Second, Church third and the rest will fall into place because your Big Daddy promises to deliver! Can I get an AMEN? or a woohoo is fine too. Lol

Loved the sermon guys, that's my point. And....maybe it's true that Doug didn't really say I was a risen-from-the-grave stinko, but I DO know that the teaching seemed to single ME right out!!! :)

Children's Chapel Chat

What fun with my little cohorts this morning. They are so amazing. I can't help myself. It is my goal in life to teach kids bible with PASSION and FUN. It's the only way. I imagine all the parents thinking that all we ever do is play. But it is not true. They learn AND play. They learn BY playing. They learn because I am still learning too and can't help but share it with them.

I told them how I experienced their bible lesson in my own life by just preparing for it. They thought that was so cool.

We played: "Be a Good Samaritan" and I wish some of you had been able to see it. The lesson was on priorities and we learned the Good Samaritan and Mary and Martha story.

Anyway, we do the lesson and then I implement the Did we retain? and How to apply!...something they were not used to having to do but something I think is oh-so-important with treats for the right answers too.
The funny part? I would never treat one kid and not another... right answer or not, so everyone gets them but they never catch on. I always make it like I am only going to give treats for the right answers and they all listen so close.

Anyway, they love that of course and it causes them to really LISTEN (retain) and then learn how to APPLY by being asked leading questions.

ANYHOO- the game. Line two teams up. You have one injured person for each team across the room.
Ready...set.....Be a good samaritan!!!! (Lol, I made that up)

First person in line grabs one item from the basket and rushes to the aid of the injured person.
Applies it as follows and rushes back to tag next person. First team done, wins. We had to play it like FIVE times as everyone wanted to be the injured person. They had a blast. And I bet they will all remember at least most of the things that the Good Samaritan did for the injured guy.

Fabric- (wrapped around the shoulders)
Sling (for injured arm)
cloth (dabbed gently on face as in applying oil to wounds)
sticker (stuck on arm like a bandaid)
cup (on ground like a drink)
plastic fruit (in one hand)
fake money (in other)

We do "retaining" by having them re-tell in their own words, answer true or false statements, finish lines of scripture, list items, and give main topics.

This is important in any line of learning but especially with bible.

It was my last week teaching and am somewhat saddened by the loss of the class. I know they missed Marcia and will be glad to have her back. But-they all attacked me with hugs, went home with plenty of goodies but most importantly? I know that they learned something andwhatever it was that could be life changing if they apply it.
If your child was in my class, I hope they had a good time, learned a lot but mostly, I want you to know, ya'll have GREAT kids!

I even started my mission on keeping the visiting family here and I must say, it did not go so badly at all!!!! I love them!

I didn't have a stitch of trouble with a one of them either and YOU KNOW WHY TOO. LOL!!!!

Stream of thought

Coffee's on, thank you Lord.

I slept through the ENTIRE Night last night until SIX am this morning.
For those of you that know my sleep history, you know what an amazing occurrence that is.
I has been grinding my teeth so hard since Friday I nearly made myself sick yesterday with headaches and jaw pain.
It let up after the radio show.

I am feeling much more confident with next week's show. Fine tune a little here, a little there.
But the nerves are gone. Again I have never been more thankful for someone carrying a bit of the load with me. Deb, WHO KNEW this is how it would all turn out???? You are totally paying me back for those 4-6 hour days at the park when I was 8 months pregnant! Lol
She starts as an interview and ends as a co-host. Pay's not very good but I'd say that speaks volumes about YOU! :) Thanks to Tif for calling in too! I think you should call every week. Yep, I am going to have you check in every week with us until your comfortable. I'm glad I get to do it again in a week instead of a month, like the mag. Though every OTHER month would be better for the mag anyway. Hmmm....


March issue just finished being edited and will go to print. Had to go up 4 pages. WOOHOO.

Sloan just BLESSED my heart yesterday when I told her to call in the show and talk about how hard it was to have me behind the computer and she totally just went on and on about what a great MOm I was and how I was not behind the computer too much...how of COURSE I had to work since I was running a magazine and the girls and her just loved me so much, etc. etc.
Her little voice sounded so cute and sweet and here I was confessing and she was just as sweet and loving and oh-so respectful...so I could tell on myself but SHE was having none of it. Man, I love that kid.

Cool about the Pennies thing. Not much I know, but for little SEVEN year olds to do it-I'd say that is pretty exciting!

It feels SO BIZARRE to not have anything pressing on me this second. I even planned for Sunday School last night IN BED so I could take this morning off.
I may even make it to early service. I should get some extra work in but I don't think I will. Deb told me sometimes I may THINK the roof is going to cave in if I don't do X,Y or Z but that it likely wouldn't. Now, I think I may just take me a little of that and chew on it awhile.


My desk is a MESS. I hate it.

I am missing blogging less and less. I think that is sad when I used to love it so much.

I miss ACTUAL people.

I love that Tiff stays around even though I am so busy. She feels like the only remaining connection to the group for me. Maybe it's because she is a board member, (of mine) but I prefer to think of it because she is a good friend. Thanks for being there for me Tif! I know I don't ask too much of you (I hope anyway) but what you don't realize is when I need you, I really, really need you and you are always there with a good, open attitude, a kind but HONEST word and well, you are appreciated!

Coffee's done- hold on-

Ok, I'm back.

Winning stream though is when I was prepping for class I was going over this exercise where the kids write down their two biggest chores on two different sticky notes and we create a bar graph. Then we label the column with the most of the same chore "High Priority List" and talk about all chores, why that chore seemed to be the one everyone had to do, etc. etc. But then we put LOVING AND SERVING GOD IS MORE IMPORTANT over the High Priority List. Now you will remember me making a JOKE about this last week. But this week as I studied it closer I realized wow, who's this bible lesson for anyway?

Good reminder for me as I struggle along with being so-o-o busy. That tt is NOT my biggest priority! (or should not be anyway) Which as you know actually means, God comes first, then FAMILY comes second, church third and work last! I still battle with these priorities when they used to come so easily to me.

What's to become of all this? This editor just does. not. know.

Thankful thankful THANKFUL for Sunday. And am going to try to bust it to early service because I NEED it!!

Happy Sunday Brethren. If I don't see you on this side, I'll see you on the other!

Pennies turn into Big Bucks

What a week. We went out to Umatilla Elementary to present this plaque and give out free icecream coupons to the 2nd grade classes that raised monies for Bella. They saw the story in the magazine and ran with it. They contacted me and said they didn't know what to do with all the money. That red wagon there is filled with bags and buckets of pennies. I ran by our bank (Riverside) and they said they would exchange the money for free (no %) and would lend rollers and give coin papers if needed as well. I am taking the pennies in to church this morning and handing it over. Because rolling it is NOT my job. Lol Nah, they are mostly rolled really. This was really a very satisfying event to do. The kids were wonderful and I am yet reminded at how much fun kids are.
Kudos to LFM too as the principal came out, said how much she loved the magazine and what a pleasure it was to distribute it to her students.



Lisa Sabourin...the 2nd grade teacher who started it. (above)







Here I am riling them up like I tend to do.







Hip Hip Hooray for the 2nd graders at UES!






Class pic...








Love our new chick-fil-a connection. We are the ONLY Publication that they distribute! I can't keep them in there! We re-stock every other day!

Ice Cream and Hugs for all!

I'm stressed!

Stressed guys and looking forward to Sunday after church.

I have to do a presentation today to some kids at a school who raised money for Izzy. And before that is the big roundtable quarterly meeting.

Tomorrow is the radio show and I am NOT prepared. Thank GOD for Debbie right now who I FULLY expect to hold me up if I need it. (No pressure Deb)

She is an excellent speaker and I think if we can find a groove then it would be good.

I can see keeping the radio show and selling the mag! Yeah!

Well one can hope, can't one?

Anyway, I am feeling stressed today for the first time in awhile.

I just don't want to DO anymore!!!