hello everyone! wow, I can't believe it's been SIX months since i was last on here!!!I'm so ashamed :)

For those of you who don't know, we just finished up our HUGE production of Pilgrim's Progress. I was the assistant director/music director. that was a lot of fun! At first it was very discouraging. Out the 25 kids in my choir, only about 10 could sing! But God was merciful, and by the end of the 3 months, at least 19 of them could finally hold a tune! ;) Ok just kidding. But it was a really great experience.

Even more amazing then that, however, was the news that Christopher and I received about 6 weeks ago. It was in late march when we found out that our little family of three will soon be a family of four! Such an amazing gift!  Praise God, with everything going on, and with having an 8 (now 9) month old, I have had minimal sickness. I've been tired, but other than a couple of mornings with nausea, so far so good! I am 14 weeks now, and can't wait to meet this little guy! (yes, Chris wants a boy! I wouldn't mind having a little girl, that way I can use all the cute clothes that Brielle's too big for, but hey! )

Brielle is getting so big. She says "Daddy" and what sounds like "I did it." she walks around our coffee table, and gets into everything!!! she keeps us on our toes, that's for sure! She loves bananas and avocadoes! And swimming, So we'll be at grandma's pool a LOT this summer!

God also provided a car for us. After finding out that our van needed a new transmission asap, we didn't know what to do. We had no money for a down payment, and no idea how long our car would last. We prayed, and our van lasted another 6 weeks until we got our tax return and were able to buy a car from my uncle, who works at a mercedes benz dealership. NO, unfortunately, we did not splurge on a new c class, although we got to drive one for a while!  we were able to get a toyota camry that someone had traded in for a very good price. I'm always amazed by God's timing and His care for His children. Our van lasted 6 weeks  when we were told it wouldn't make it the five minutes home!

WEll, that's all for now!

~His Grace Abounds

Hey everybody. I received this email from a friend today, and it really impressed me. Enjoy!

~*~          ~*~          ~*~              ~*~             ~*~             ~*~   

If they know of him at all, many folks think Ben Stein is just a
quirky actor/comedian who talks in a monotone. He's also a very intelligent

attorney who knows how to put ideas and words together in such a way as to
sway juries and make people think clearly.

        The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS
Sunday Morning Commentary
 
   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
         I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it
does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit
up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel
discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.
        It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me.
I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto.
In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters
celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there
is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in
Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah
a few hundred yards away.
        I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't
think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think
people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around,
period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an
explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't
like it being shoved down my throat.
        Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that
we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as
we understand Him? 
        I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.
        But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica
came from and where the America we knew went to.

   In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this
is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny,
it's intended to get you thinking.
        Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane
Clayson asked her "How could God let something lik e this Happen?"
(regarding Katrina) 
        Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. 
         She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we
are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get
out of our government and to get out of our lives.  And being the gentleman
He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us
His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?" (She said
the same thing when interviewed after 9-11)
        In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings,
etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her
body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and
we said OK. 
        Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. the Bible
says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as
yourself. And we said OK.
        Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when
they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we
might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said
an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.
        Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why
they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill
strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
        Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure
it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."
        Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why
the world's going to hell.
        Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the
Bible says.
        Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like
wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people
think twice about sharing.
        Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely
through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school
and workplace.
        Are you laughing?
        Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to
many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what
they will think of you for sending it. 
        Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us
than what God thinks of us.
        Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it...
no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't
sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in. 
        My Best Regards. honestly and respectfully,

        Ben Stein
~*~                    ~*~                 ~*~                    ~*~                ~*~

I don't know how true this is, in regards to whether or not ben stein actually wrote this, however, it does make one stop and think at how profound some of his points were.

~His Grace Abounds

hello xanga friends! It's been a while since my last post.. i'm sure you are all on the edge of your seat to find out what's going on in my life..  yes yes that was a little bit of sarcasm.

But God has been doing great things in our life!

First of all, the marriage class that I told you all that we were going to is going great. We had to miss two sessions because of baby related things, but we really are taking a lot out of it. It explains to you the vast differences between the male and female sychi (however you spell that word!!!) Psyche maybe?? ANYway. He explains how men see through blue colored glasses, women see through pink colored glasses, and the differences are so drastic at times that a fight can ensue when in reality, all they were doing is being the creature God made them to be. Christopher and I are hoping to get a little group together with some of our friends after we find a house, and do the series again.

Oh, speaking of a house.... We looked at two yesterday, and the last one we looked at was exactly what I've been wanting in a house this whole time!!!! It's so beautiful!! And the price is right!!! So please pray that this one works out, if it's Gods will.. It's in Sutter Creek, right across from the park..

Brielle's starting to sleep through the night now. YEAY!!!!! She's been falling asleep usually between 9:30-11, and staying asleep anywhere from 4 a.m. to 6:30, eating and going right back to sleep! She's also getting in to her stage where she's responding to playing: she's starting to smile a lot more!! It's just so much fun being a mom!!

Writing class is going extremely well. Sometimes I wonder if my students are getting things, but I have a whole year to pound it into their heads.. They just wrote an excellent paper on What Destiny Means to Me. There were some pretty profound points in their papers. I don't have any of them with me right now, but I will try to post some on my blog later.

Christopher and I are looking at the future  and trying to see what God may have planned for our lives. I know I ask for your prayers a lot, but I really would covet your prayers in this area. We have several ideas that we would love to explore should God open a window, but so far we're still in the dark...

Well, thats' all for now folks!!

God bless!!

~His Grace Abounds