Character...

"Character is not made in crisis but revealed"

I read this on another church sign! Makes you think, huh...

Cupcake Throne...

Thank you LuLu for buying my lunch today and for the "majestic" cupcake throne! ahhhh, so scrumptious...cupcake for one. This just makes me happy, it just doesn't take much!!!

Love ya!

Great Physician...

Today, in front of a church, I saw a sign that said:

"Charismatic Healing Mass", or "Charismatic Mass Healing" (can't remember which way)

I then read the the following in an email from GABC today,

"Any god who promises to fulfill all of our desires is the devil in disguise.
Any god who promises deliverance from all suffering and fulfillment of all desires is a quack whose therapies only worsen the disease.

We need a Great Physician with

perfect knowledge of the good,

passionate love that wills it,

and adequate power to accomplish it."
Take from - The Trivialization of God- Donald McCullough

This is for my daddy, tough times, but guess what, God is in Control, and I will be with you through it all. I love you!

and Mother- I am putting on my big girl panties and gonna deal with it! :) love you too!

2115 Dueling Oaks, Tyler, TX 75703

Holly Heights 2010 Beauty. 4 Bedrooms, 4 Baths, Split, with optional 5th Bedroom, Bath/Gameroom upstairs. 4094 sq ft, Gourmet Kitchen, 6 burner gas cooktop with cold water source, stainless appliances, double ovens, full size refrig and full size freezer, granite island and bar. Butler's pantry complete with ice maker/coffee bar. Open kitchen/family room, stone fireplace, ventless gas logs, no flue. Separate dining room-currently used for playroom. Office with built-in's, large seasonal closet with built in lockers adjacent to the 3 car garage. Nailed down, hand scraped floors, crown molding, trayed ceiling in Master Suite. You will love the utility room located off the Master walk in closet. Storage galore in this house. Master Bath, walk in shower, garden tub, separate water closet. 2 A/C's, Gas heat downstairs, heat pump/electric upstairs. Sprayed in Foam Insulation, 10 ft ceilings throughout, 12 ft in family room. Large
spacious fenced backyard.

Offered at $534,900, http://www.lorriloggins.com/, Lorri Loggins, 903-571-8033 click on Virtual Tour below:
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Yearly comes around too fast...

Okay, so we have to laugh, right. Good grief, this yearly test comes around way too fast. Go ahead and giggle... and just be glad it is not you!

Bling...

My Aunt Ruthye gave me this bling'd large container for my birthday. The picture does not do it justice! It is awesome! Thank you darlin'!

Layton's First Day of School...

He is only "2" and he looks so grown up! First Day in his new 2 year old class...new class, new teachers...I am sure there will be an adjustment period! lol Poor Lauren!

Romans 5: 3-4

"but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that

suffering produces perseverance;

perseverance, character;

and character, hope"

I always think to myself during hard times, and I know several people going through tough, tough times...

"just do the next thing"... Persevere!

Ding Dong Cake...

The Cake for a Birthday Party!

I made bite size for dinner dessert!

The cake when cut!  It is so sinful!

Ding Dong Cake ~ Recipe by Gina-I tried it and liked it! :)1 box Devil’s Food Cake Mix, Baked According to Pkg Directions
½ cups of Sugar
5 ounces, fluid Evaporated Milk
2 tsp Vanilla
1 stick softened Butter
1 pinch Salt
¾ cups Crisco

1 container Chocolate Frosting-(I added 1/2 stick butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, little milk and a heaping T of cocoa to the container of Frosting, then beat with a mixer).

Prepare batter of one box of Devil’s Food Cake Mix according to package directions. Spread into a jello roll pan. Bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes. Cool completely. Combine: sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla, butter, salt, & Crisco. Beat with a mixer for 10-15 minutes or until fluffy. Spread in an even layer on your cooled cake. Soften chocolate frosting in the microwave (just until it becomes slightly pourable – you don’t want it too hot). Spread frosting over cake. Refrigerate until set.

Serve with apologies! This is delicious!

Spiritual Gift..

I just looked down at my calendar on my desk at home, it reads:

"Your spiritual strength comes as a gift from God."

Hebrews 13:9

I have come across this verse two different times today, so I think I should take note, huh?

"It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace," Hebrews 13:9

Grace, meaning, something I receive that I do not deserve. My paraphrase, It is GOOD, meaning ~desirable, with favor, for my heart to be strengthened from a gift that has been given to me from God. But wait, read on in Hebrews, see verse 15 and 16...

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.

And do not forget to do good
and to share with others,
for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

I "so" want to please God and confess his name. I truly believe in the face of hard times, that God does give me strength and it is a gift from only Him. I believe I am called to help others, and by having God's gift to strengthen me, I can. I will continue to praise him --- no matter what---.

New Haircut...

Jason took Layton to get his haircut this afternoon, in fact, they both got haircuts. Amazing, Layton threw no fits...I suppose because Lauren and I were not there! I love kissing on this head...he looks so much older than 2 yrs... he is more than I could ever have dreamed of or wished for---truly a gift from God!

Optimism vs Realism...Lorri vs Jason...

Optimism: "A tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the most hopeful aspects of a situation"

Realism: "Concern for fact or reality and rejection of the impractical and visionary"

There you go, in a nutshell, the difference in me and my husband, Jason. I tend to make decisions fairly easy and he sees all the roadblocks. I was reminded tonight visiting a client of mine. She actually used the words, realistic, describing herself, and of course, he the optimistic side.

I told my client, it is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission! oh yes Jason, I just voiced that on my blog!

Clinging to His Will...

1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Be joyful always;

1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray continually;

1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. "

When I first typed this verse, I thought it was one verse, but WOW, it is three verses. I suppose it is that important. Have you ever thought about when you write a letter, an email, a blog... how you make new paragraphs, how your showcase your important points? I often repeat this verse to myself, I mean these VERSES, I will continue to repeat, but with a pause, a pause between each verse, and I will cling to this promise, that it is God's will for me!

Good relaxing day!

Ever have just a good day! Well, today was one of them,

Cinnamon rolls...

Church...

Lunch with mother and daddy...

Hallmark movie and a nap...

Dinner for my daddy's birthday at our house...

Layton and Lauren...

Hot bath...

Catching up on Facebook and blogging...

Goodnight!

Wait In Expectation...

Psalm 5:3

"In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait in expectation."

Love, Love, Love this, expectation- eagerly anticipating, what God will do! I hope I can remember this verse everytime I anticipate something in the future: a holiday, a visit from Layton or Lauren, time with my parents, lunch with Jason, a vacation, a "closing" at work...that is exactly how I should feel when I lay my request before God.

Wait

In

Expectation!

Big n Little...

Layton has to put his shoes right beside Boo Boo's...


What a difference in size, hehe...

Jason picked up Layton from school, they came home and watched Monsters Inc. Aren't' they cute?...

Motivation...

I surely like this saying below: perfect in my business!

“People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.” Zig Ziglar

His Footstool...

Acts 7:49

"Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord.
Or where will my resting place be?
Has not my hand made all these things?'"


Stephen in Acts 7 actually summarizes the Old Testament in this one chapter...amazing! At the end of his speech, he was stoned! He stood up for what he believed!

Contrast the size of the chair and footstool above. Picture Heaven as the chair and the earth as the footstool...we cannot even fathom what is waiting for us! I get so involved in my life that I forget how big my God is...

Whataburger's Birthday...

Tuesday, August 3, from 5-8pm... Dine in only! Free!

Out with the Old, IN with the new!

A good friend and client of mine sold this set of wicker to Lauren for $50...

She repaired the legs, painted and bought cushions. Isn't it adorable! Good Job Lauren! :)