"Mein deutscher Test war gut!" This means, "My German test was good."

For those of you who were praying, thank you! I got a 95% (after the curve of course). I am very thankful for God's grace in this class as I have been working very hard in it. My teacher told me today that I have an A in the class -- a miracle, I assure you (seriously, I think God may have suspended natural laws of science and mathmatics for this one).

Soli Deo Gloria

Update on Soccer:

We had a scrimage against a varsity team last night and we only lost 1/2 We played pretty decently against such an experience team. Our first real game is next Tuesday away. Until then we will be weight training... i'm heading that up, since I am so massively buff and all :o) and we will be doing A LOT of running. I am hoping to do both with them, as long as I can remember my practice clothes. This tends to be a problem for me :o)

A must visit restaraunt: "Alexander on the Bay"

Tonight we went to an amazing local sefood restaraunt. It is neatly tucked away amidst some gorgeous beach houses. The name is "Alexander on the Bay". A family from GCA took us out as a "thank you" for teaching their children. Tim taught their son Theology and I taught their other son in 4th grade.

They had reserved a table overlooking the water, but indoors, since it's a little chilly. The beach was gorgeous, with only a few meandering people crossing it. The food was... well... incredible! Tim and I both had crab soup as an appetizer---WOW, that's all I can say :o) For our meal, I had shrimp scampi over linguini, with roasted tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic... very tasty, and Tim had meatly crab cakes. The seafood was so fresh! It was very different from your typical Red Lobster or Olive Garden. It was superb! We tried to help pay, but they said they wanted to bless us as we are teaching and going to school!

What a blessing! God is so good. There are very few times that we can actually go out to a nice meal together, and this was so nice. We had such a wonderful time enjoying the atmosphere and the fellowship. They are truly a wonderful family, a blessing from the Lord!

Oh yea... for dessert we had gourmet coffee and shared a chocolate moulton cake-decadent!

ps if you are interested in visiting, let me know and I can find you some directions. I certainly wasn't paying any attention through all of the little turns.

pss We would have had a great pic to go with this of our table and the ocean... but I was a DORK and brought the camera and left the battery charging at HOME! So let your imagination take you away :o)

I am coaching the girls 6th - 10th grade (jv) soccer team at GCA. I have really been enjoying it. We won our first scrimage against a varsity team 10 to 0 :o) --Which if you remember our team last year... is quite amazing! I am looking forward to the season with these 16 middle school and highschool girls. I am trusting the Lord will provide ministry with them as well.

Julie

Top Ten Things I Say to Julie around the House:

1. You are going to burn yourself.
2. You are going to cut yourself.

3. Where did I put my ____________?
4. Praise me
5. ----blank stare-----
6. GET THESE FREAKIN' BEADS OFF OUR BED!
7. Seriously, this is not my hobby, books are tools for ministry.
8. I don't think you know what that word means.
9. Slow down, you are going to break something.
10. Kiss me sugar momma

The Top Ten Things I say to my Fourth Graders:

1. You are being rude right now!

2. I am not responsible for your things.

3. All eyes on ME!

4. Please stop that(talking, fooling around etc) right now!

5. Pick your head up off of your desk; am I that boring?!

6. Get your finger out of your nose!

7. Walk in a straight line behind me please.

8. CAN you or MAY you?

9. LISTEN carefully to the words that are coming out of my mouth.

10. Thank you for saying thank you!

*That's pretty much what I say over and over again ALL DAY :o)

This is a pic. of my dear husband and I last weekend, when some friends were over playing... of course "Settler's of Catan" :o) Can I say that I love him more each day? We have known one another since 8th grade; we were arch enemies then. That us until I punched him in the mouth...oops...not the best decision of my life. After that we became friends for a few years, then best friends for a few years, then we dated for a few years, then he dated someone else for about a year ...ughhh...then we dated again, then we were engaged! AND NOW we're MARRIED! Yahooo :o) I love being married, especially to this guy. He's just amazing! He is, by and for God's grace, my rock. For those of you who know me well, I can be flightly and certainly at times, yes, I'll say it.... moody :o)... But he is so steady, loving, and faithful for me. He has been a wonderful leader in our home for the last almost 3 year of marriage.

Shirt or no Shirt?

That is the question!

This next section is primarily for seminary wives, but really could be applicaple for any wife, or daughter for that matter.... any women under SUBMISSION...yup I said the dreaded word, submission :o) It can be such a source of frustration and yet such source of blessing and an umbrella of protection all at the same time.

Well, it all started when I went to Hecht's this weekend for their amazing 80% off Winter Clearance sale. It was so great! I was looking all around, piling clothes into my arms to try on, knowing full well that we really didn't have the money to buy ANYTHING right now. You see, I had just gotten my very first speeding ticket the night before...YIKES! :O()

Anyways, I had narrowed it down to one shirt that I liked. For those detail oriented girls, it was long-sleeved, blue, white and green paisly. It had a collar and it snapped down the front. It was sweet. It was only seven dollars, with all of the discounts so I figured I could call and talk him into it. We have a "Don't buy until you call " policy. Mostly because I think I would be an impulsive buyer otherwise :o) Then I picked out a cool yellow collared dress shirt for HIM, you know, to soften the blow of my purchase . You may be thinking, what is the big deal, the shirt is seven bucks... but don't forget my big speeding ticket, plus we had both just gone to the dentist and we are also trying to pay off the last few payments of a couch we had gotten for our office. Well, needless to say, I called him up and after much thought and considerate; he always WANTS me to have what I WANT.... but he said, " No, I think we need to start making little choices like these that will keep our budget fit."

MAN! what in the world! It was $7, what's the huge deal!? I have to be honest, that is what I was thinking. But fortunately, the Lord was gracious and a NBBC prospective seminary wife was with me at the time shopping. I knew it was my opportunity to be an example Jamie. So I swallowed my pride, still feeling a bit frustrated inside, and walked out of the store, yes.... empty handed! I was still having a bit of a hard time with it when Jamie said to me, "You know, that was really good for me to see. I know that I will probably be in situations like that and I have to trust that the Lord will supply all of my needs, even the physical ones."

She was so right! So the question is, am I willing to let the shirt go... for good (no more begging or hinting) in order to let God do a greater work of grace through my small, yet eternal sacrifice? God's grace is amazing! He has taken away the NEED to have that shirt. Instead, I have found my self HUNGRY for what will last, for those blessings that are eternal.

The Primacy of the WORD

Recently I have been reading through the "One Year Bible" with comments by Macarthur. I have really been enjoying my study. Periodically, he places a small paragraph concerning some issue of importance or to clarify something that was somewhat ambiguous. Then at the end of each reading he will have a longer comment section, about one to two paragraphs long, again explaining some theological or doctrinal issue in a more in depth fashion. It was really caused me to think through some issues that I would not have otherwise thought about. You should think about trying to get something like this if you don't have one already :O)

Today I was reading in Psalm 19:7-14. I was so impressed with the passage! David is writing about the benefits and blessings of the law.

Law of the Lord ---- Perfect (converting the soul)

Testimony of the Lord ----- Sure (making wise the simple)

Statutes of the Lord ---- Right (rejoicing the heart)

Commandments of the Lord ---- Pure (enlightening the eyes)

Fear of the Lord ---- Clean (enduring forever)

Judgments of the Lord ---- True and Righteous (more to be desire than GOLD, SWEETER than
the honey and the honeycomb!)
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He goes on to state that:
BY them I am warned and in keeping them there is great reward!

In vs. 12 David asks to be forgiven for secret faults.
In vs. 13 He asks to be kept from presumptuous sins.

~ He begs that these things would NOT have DOMINION over him! --What a challenge!
HE ends the section by the following familiar verse (it was so neat to see the context!)

Psalm 19:14
" Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be accptable in your sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer."

I was so challenged to allow the word of God to penetrate my life completely. David treasured the word. He lived for it and by it. I need to do the same. As I do that, I believe like David, that I will come out with an honest hatred for sin and a true and passionate love for a God-ward life that glorifies our Maker and Sustainer, Jesus Christ!

Praise God for His precious and Holy Word!