Pray for your Pastor

How to Pray for Your Pastor…

* to lead with authority and love
* to stay tightly connected to the Lord
* to have wisdom in making decisions
* to continue to have a God-given vision for our church
* to find time to relax and unwind
* for his health (mental and physical)
* for longevity in ministry
* for purity
* to be a great husband and father
* for protection from the enemy and from people who want to cause harm
* for him as he prepares his message each week
* to preach each week with confidence and clarity
* specifically pray for him on Saturdays, this is a day of great attack for him

I found this on a blog I just came across- http://www.churchplantingwives.com

I thought since it was Saturday night and I'm so so so excited about church tomorrow I'd not only pray for our pastors, but encourage you to pray for yours too.

later,
Emily

CarMax for Jeans

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a CarMax for jeans?



I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who has trouble finding jeans that fit just right. I loved Gap jeans for years, but now with new styles they seem to not fit as well. So I'm in need of a new jean style- I've tried some on only to be disappointed. And then there is the hefty price tag that comes with some of them ugh. My current favorite pair of jeans came from Sam's Club.



But tonight I was just thinking wouldn't it be nice if there was one store we could go to and be specialty fitted for jeans. Just like CarMax has lots of used cars from each different dealer, this jeans shop would have all the different styles/cuts there in one store. So my BFF and I could go shop at the same store and I (being tall) could find jeans that fit me and she (being not as tall) could find jeans that fit her. Ahhh to dream. I'm dreading going jean shopping and having to go to store after store to find just the right pair.



***UPDATE*** I found fabulous jeans at Stein Mart for $20! yea!

finally!

For the first time since I've been teaching everyday (3 weeks) I came home last night and wasn't exhausted. It's so funny to me how our bodies even get into a routine. When we were on tour my schedule was crazy- up late and sleep late and crazy in between. When I was subbing randomly my schedule was random- lunch here and there with a friend, coffee here and there with a friend, amazing opportunities to do whatever came up that day to minister to others and for others to minister to me. :) Now I'm back to teaching (subbing) every day...we haven't had dinner cooked at home consistently and we haven't had groceries consistently. I used to do this for a living right? But somewhere between then and now crazy stuff happened and I had to get back into a routine.

So I'm happy to announce that my house has been straightened up and the floors are vacuumed. Today that is something to cheer about. ha!

And I'm very excited because tonight is date night. We have been so busy lately that I'm very excited to get a special date w/ Daniel. We went from spending 100% of our time together to not so much and it's been a tough transition. (The transition from not spending much time together to spending 100% was a tough transition as well. that's another post ha!)

And tomorrow I get to visit my college friends and have our Christmas celebration. Pretty sad huh that we are just now getting around to it, but I can't wait!!!

I've heard that Grace Community Church is going to be amazing on Sunday so it should be a fabulous weekend. This will be the last message in the "Am I the Only One" series- I can't wait!

Teaching

I am a teacher at heart. Sometimes I forget, but through subbing I have been reminded. I have taken a long term placement and will be at the same school for a few weeks. That is the best because I can build relationships with the students and get to know them. I'm teaching the 4th and 5th graders in PE. So far I've been having a blast. The students at this school are very well behaved and have been a joy, although I'm drawn to the little stinkers who aren't on there best behavior and enjoy the challenge they bring. I am reminded that I'm good at teaching and that it is something that I love to do.

So today I'm focusing on the positive. I love to teach and I get to teach and I'm good at teaching. I'm forgetting that the house is a wreck and that the laundry is all over the place. Some of it is even clean, but it's not put away. I'm going to focus on the positive and remember that this is a blessing. I get paid to do what I love and I feel like I'm making a difference in some children's lives.

House NonExplanation

Some of you knew that our house was up for sale. The reason was 1. We felt like God wanted us to put it up for sale. 2. We thought we could maybe get some extra money to set aside for the adoption.

Welllll our house is officially off the market. We only showed it once and it just wasn't looking like it was going to sell it unless we lowered the price considerably, which would take us out of the setting aside extra money for the adoption deal.

We do love our house and are thinking that maybe it was just one of those obedience things where God wanted to see if we were willing to give it up. I really have no explanation that makes sense, but that is where we are - hence the nonexplanation title. :)

Have a great Monday.

Irony of sorts

The Daniel Doss Band is gone for the weekend. (for this little introvert girl I was glad to get the house to myself, but sad to miss out on a ministry opportunity.)

It has been brought to my attention that for some strange reason I miss out on all the amazing accommodations.

For instance- a couple of years ago the guys got to stay at Mark Hall's house (the lead singer for Casting Crowns). They came back with all kinds of pics and stories. I stayed home because at that time I was teaching. :) The next year we went back to do the same event and I got to attend, but they put us up in a hotel.

Once we were in Dallas and we had driven the Trailblazer w/ the trailer. The guys had to be in Orlando the next day and so I volunteered to drive them to the airport and drive the trailer all the way home. I made it just fine- and got to stop at Deborah's on my way home....but the guys, they got to go to a theme park, eat at some snazzy restaurants and stay in a super nice hotel.

And....this weekend- I'm staying home because I took a long term sub job and they headed out to Georgia. They are leading worship for a Disciple Now and then doing a concert Sunday Night at a church on the way home. And they get to stay in a M-A-N-S-I-O-N!!! One that has a bowling alley, a 40 seat theater, some pools, etc.

So maybe I need to stay home more often so they can live it up. ha!
I love those guys and am so glad they are having a good weekend and able to minister to students and adults alike. They are so good at it and they are just great guys with sincere hearts....but guys- just don't brag around me too much- I might get sad. :)

Contest Link

Hey guys-
Quick, go enter this contest.

http://justgottalaugh.blogspot.com/

She has to have 25 people enter to even have the drawing.

And the prize is so much fun- would be a great gift or something to keep for yourself.

Answered Prayer

Some days I know that it's going to be hard to be around pregnant people. We long so badly to have children....and yet most days I can handle the pain that I feel, some days it just seems unbearable. This has been a really busy week and I just honestly didn't want to go to church this morning and see lots of beautiful families expecting little babies. **Some of you expectant mothers I love so dearly and I would never want to make you feel uncomfortable, most days it's a joy, but today wasn't one of those. You are dear friends, but sometimes it just makes me sad.

Anyway on my way to church this morning I prayed that I wouldn't run into any pregnant ladies- knowing that the tears might immediately start flowing.

God totally answered my prayer. I didn't run into one pregnant lady.

But as soon as I walked in I saw lots of people I didn't recognize, and lots of families dressed up. What is going on...I almost even went up to another one of the pastor's wives and asked is there another church visiting this morning. I also began to notice lots of baby carriers....I later found out that between services there was a baby dedication. hahahaha. So not a one pregnant lady that I ran into, but tons and tons of beautiful babies.

It really made me laugh. God answered my prayer and also reminded me that I may never give birth to a baby, or feel pregnancy pains (praise the Lord), but that doesn't mean that I won't have the chance to mother a child. He has a plan and it is coming together. It's just not time yet, but someday we will rejoice and dedicate our child to the Lord. What a day that will be!

2 Super Easy Recipies

Daniel's parents came into town and so I had planned a new breakfast recipe and then an older recipe for lunch that I'd kinda forgotten about. Both turned our really well and were super easy so I thought I'd share.

Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:
1 package sausage
1 8oz container of cream cheese
2 packages of crescent rolls

1. Crumble and cook sausage in skillet.
2. Drain it and then put it back in the skillet adding the cream cheese and mix.
4. Layer the crescent rolls (one whole can) in a baking dish then add the sausage/cream cheese mixture. Put another layer of crescent rolls on top.
5. Cook using the normal crescent roll time and temp on the can. *I let my cook a little longer to make sure they were good and done...I don't like a soggy crescent! :)


Hot roast beef sandwiches for lunch:
2 containers of roast beef (probably about 1 lb total)
1 package of dry onion soup mix (~plus the water it calls for to make the soup)
3-4 dashes (what exactly is a dash??) of Worcestershire sauce

Add all ingredients into a crock pot and let warm and simmer for a couple of hours.

**We had ours on Hawaiian rolls. YUMM!

Welcome to the Adoption Roller Coaster

We have now been involved in the adoption process long enough to know that it is a roller coaster ride. Most families we know have had at least one failed adoption. Now we can join that list. We had been informed through a friend of a friend that there was a birthmother looking for a forever family for her child. We sent our info to her, but the friend of a friend wasn't able to get in touch with the birthmom for a couple of weeks. We anxiously waited to hear something and then yesterday we got word that she has picked another family. I'm still believing that there is a baby out there for us, but I was so hoping that it would be this one. Thanks for your prayers as we are still seeking God's will for what steps to take.

**Just FYI you can tell your friends/family that if anyone knows a birthmom looking for a forever family we are open to an infant and are open to any race....so spread the word. We don't have an agency so we are trying to spread the word ourselves. :)

I needed a laugh today...