An AWESOME Evening of Worship with Travis Cottrell

My daughter, Faith , and I drove to Atlanta yesterday for this awesome praise and worship service with Travis Cottrell!  It was a live CD recording and it was so much fun!

 Besides being so excited about attending the concert, we were so excited about meeting Jenna for the first time.  After almost a year of "knowing" each other through our blogs, we finally got to meet! She was even cuter in person that I could even have imagined.

The concert was at First Baptist Woodstock and the place was GINORMOUS!!!!!

Travis was amazing!

The choir was incredible!

My hero in the faith, Beth Moore, brought some amazing words and challenged us to a deeper worship experience.

Cindy Morgan sang Praise The King and I could not help, but think about what it was going to be like in Heaven when we all get to sing this!




After  the service I got to meet BooMama !

AND.... Big Mama ! Are they both not the cutest things ever!

Then it was back to our hotel room to settle in for some "girl time" with some of our favorite snacks!
What an awesome experience and I am so glad that I was able to attend. Can't wait until the Live CD and DVD are available later this Summer. You have to get it when it comes out!

Can hardly wait for Deeper Still Conference in Greensboro in July to hear Travis Cottrell lead worship again!

This Post Brought To You By The Letter....

As many of you have probably noticed, I have been in desperate need of some blogging inspiration recently. I have seen this fun little letter tag on a few of my favorite blogs and I decided to participate.

My daughter, Faith, gave me the letter "B", so .....here are just a few things that I love that begin with the letter "B":

1. Bible

I love God's Word. I love writing notes in my Bible and marking in my Bible with highlighters, but more importantly, I love how my Bible has "marked" me. I am far from being the person that I need to be, but Praise the Lord, as a result of Him applying His Word to my heart, I am not the person that I used to be!

This is the actual Bible that I have and I have used this particular one for many years. Over the years I have participated in several Kay Arthur Precept Bible studies with this Bible, but I have never had the privilege of hearing Kay speak in person.  I am so excited that in June of this year I am going to have an opportunity to see and hear her in person at the Deeper Still Conference!

2. Boots

I LOVE cowboy boots!  They are without a doubt the most comfortable "shoes" that I own. I can stand in them all day and my feet will never hurt.  I wish I could wear them to work everyday! And besides that...they're just plain cute, don't you think??

3. Big Sexy Hairspray
Any of you that have been reading my blog for awhile already know about the great "love affair" that I have with this hairspray!  I don't even bother trying others, cause this is the only one for me.  I am so excited because I found out yesterday that a local store has it on sale for $5.99 a can!  Yippee!!

4. Banana Pepper Rings

I heart Banana Pepper Rings!  I think I originally got my start with loving these at Jenna's favorite eating establishment and it has just deepened over the years.  If I have banana pepper rings on my salad, I don't even have to have salad dressing on it!  YUM!

5. Beth Moore Bible Studies

No one can lead a Ladies Bible Study like Beth Moore!  I am in my third week of her new "Esther: It's Tough Being A Woman" Bible Study and let me tell you--it DOES NOT disappoint!  The insight that she brings to the scriptures is just amazing!  I love her and I am so excited that I have an opportunity to see her tonight in Atlanta and then again in June at the Deeper Still Conference!

6. Bears

I have a huge collection of "Cherished Teddies" that I collected for many years. I even had the privilege of meeting the artist, Priscilla Hillman, many years ago and having her "sign" a few of my special pieces. Some of them are very sentimental because of where I found them or because of their names.  I have ones named with each of my kid's names -- Faith, Joshua and Grace!

7. Baths

There is NOTHING like a good hot bath at the end of the day. I love taking an Epsom Salt Bath. The Epsom Salts are good for relaxing muscles and drawing toxins out. When absorbed through your skin the salts are supposed to sedate the nervous system, relax muscles and reduce swelling.  The salts are also a natural emollient and exfoliator. My husband and I both agree that we always sleep better after taking a bath in Epsom Salt. This usually leads me directly to number 8.....

8. Bed

I  LOVE my Tempur-P@dic mattress!  There is nothing like climbing in my bed, with soft organic cotton sheets, after a long hard day. It sometimes makes it very difficult to stay up to see THIS guy...

9. Bauer!

I am a SERIOUS Jack Bauer fan! I have loved "24" since the beginning so you can imagine my excitement a few weeks ago to learn that JACK IS BACK!  Most people would need months to recover from 20 months of Chinese interrogation, but Jack Bauer only needs a shower, a shave and a change of clothes!

10.Boxers

Champ  is seriously the sweetest boy ever! Before I ever got a Boxer, people used to tell me that once you own one you would never want any other kind of dog. Now I know what they meant!  Not only is he man (and woman's) best friend, but he is Ragdoll cat's best friend, too!

This post would not be complete without one final "B" that I love and that would be all of my Blogging Friends! When I started blogging, (about 8 months ago this week) I had no idea what a wonderful network of friends that I would be joining. I have met so many wonderful ladies through this blogging world  and I look forward to meeting many more of you.  

Eight months ago I would never have dreamed that I would be on the way to Atlanta today to meet someone that I had met on the internet. A fellow blogger who I have already grown to love, even though we have never met in person!  I'll be sharing some pictures of this fun trip after my return!

Have a Blessed Sunday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOSH!

Joshua,  your Dad and I can hardly believe that twenty six years ago today, at 4:36 am, God blessed our family with you.  You weighed in at 7 lbs. 3 oz. and you were born approximately 20 minutes after we arrived at the hospital!  Talk about cutting it close!

Even at a very early age you were contemplating what you would do with your life.

We knew from an early age that you were going to be interested in design and how things were built.

We could also see, from the time that you were very young, that you definitely had plans to be an "entrepreneur".

Your dad and I are very proud of the fine young man that you have become.  We love your wit, your sense of humor and your amazing knowledge about so many subjects.

Happy Birthday, Josh, and may God richly bless you in the coming year!

We love you,

Mom and Dad

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!

Please pray for Harper, daughter of Kelly and Scott Stamps.  She was born Friday evening in AR and they have determined that she has pneumonia. She is in critical condition and has been flown to the NICU of a hospital in OK. 
Please pray for this precious family and go here for updates.
PLEASE DON'T STOP PRAYING!

2009 - Hiding God's Word Verse # 2

After reading this post a few weeks ago, I committed, along with many of you, to memorize 2 verses (or passages) of Scripture each month for the entire year of 2009.

I have to say that in recent years it has become more and more difficult for me to memorize Scripture and be able to retain it. I don't know if this is due to a problem with my memory, getting older or all the distractions that I have competing for my attention.

The first verses that I chose to memorize for this year were Proverbs 4:20-27 in The Message translation. 

Dear friend, listen well to MY words;  

tune your ears to MY voice. 

Keep my message in plain view at all times.  

Concentrate! Learn it by heart! 

Those who discover these words live, really live;  

body and soul, they're bursting with health.  

Keep vigilant watch over your heart;  

that's where life starts. 

Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth;  

avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. 

Keep your eyes straight ahead;  

ignore all sideshow distractions. 

Watch your step,  

and the road will stretch out smooth before you. 

Look neither right nor left;  

leave evil in the dust.

To help with my memorization, I bought these cute little index cards and wrote my first verses in here.

While I am showering, drying my hair and putting on my makeup each morning, I "rehearse" them over and over in my mind.  While stopped in traffic, I say them aloud and meditate on them.

I am happy to report that, with the Lord's help, I have been able to memorize this passage and I can't begin to tell you how many times over the past couple of weeks that He has brought it to my remembrance in different situations. The Holy Spirit has convicted me with this passage many times in recent days.

So.....it is now January 15th, and it is time for me to post my second Scripture memory verse for this year.  I have chosen:

"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and  the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."  Romans 15:4 (NIV)

Praise the Lord for His Word! Thank you, Lord, that your Word is just as relevant today as it was in days gone by.  Thank you for the encouragement that comes from your precious words to us. May we hold fast to them and never lose hope!

"Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure that it's written for us!"  

Romans 15:4  (The Message)

I'M SO EXCITED......

Even though I had a difficult and demanding week at work, I have had the most amazing week in the Lord!

After much "agonizing" over whether to sign up for the class or not, I attended my first Esther class Tuesday evening, with about 40 other ladies. Let me just say that I had forgotten just how much I love Beth Moore!  The subtitle of the course is "It's Tough Being A Woman".  Can I get an Amen from anyone on that!  

The first class was an introduction and we watched a video of Beth and she was just as amazing as she always is!  I came out of my class "pumped" and excited about 5 nights a week of homework and 10 weeks of the class! I know that the enemy will be relentless in trying to discourage me from studying God's Word and attending the classes.  Please pray for me that I will stay strong and faithful, as I know this class is exactly what I need right now in my life.

I had also been giving some thought to trying to attend the next "Deeper Still" Conference if they had one anywhere in the Southeast.  I got online recently and found out that they added one more 2009 conference in Greensboro, NC at the end of July. Faith and I got our tickets to the conference and we were also able to get our hotel room reserved. I AM SO EXCITED! This is going to be so much fun!

I have done several Precept Bible Study courses over the years, but have never seen Kay Arthur in person. The Bible that I use and dearly love is The International Inductive Study Bible that she recommended when doing the Precept classes. 

 

I have had the privilege, many years ago, of seeing Beth Moore in person in Columbia, SC. She was awesome and I can hardly wait to see and hear her again. 

I have never actually had the privilege of hearing Priscilla Shirer, but Faith has and she has told me how awesome she is, so I am confident that after this conference I will have another hero in the faith!

To end up this awesome week, we experienced the most amazing praise and worship service last night.  I woke up all throughout the night with this song on my mind and heart.  (Note: The video doesn't start until the singing starts.)

We'll dance on streets that are golden! Praise the Lord that we will soon look on His face and join in the Song of The Lamb! 

May you find strength and encouragement for this week through the words to this song!

BEHOLD, ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW......

Welcome to the 2009 version of "Mimi's Making Memories"!  

My daughter, Faith, at Walk With Me By Faith, redesigned my blog and surprised me with this adorable design yesterday. She is just so talented when it comes to crafty projects like this. 

I LOVE it, Faith, and thank you so much for all of the time and effort you put into designing it for me.

Faith and I both agree that it "looks like me".

So......What do you think?

LOOK MOM! NO CAVITIES!

Today was a BIG day for Little Miss "E"!  It was the long awaited first visit to the dentist that we had been talking about since her birthday back on "Noctober 4th".


This is "E" pictured with her Dental Hygienist, Miss Polly, who had brought her a special toy to give to her at her first visit! Polly is so good with children and "E" was very excited about having her clean her teeth.

Ready to take a ride in the special chair - sitting on Mommy's lap.

Counting to make sure that there are, in fact, 20 teeth as MiMi had been saying!

Using "Mr. Tickle" to get those "cavity bugs" off!

Look how white they are now! They're sparkling!

All done!  Headed for the toybox to pick out some surprises for being such a big girl!

E, I am so proud of you for being SO BIG and most importantly, NO CAVITIES!!!   Yay!

Look What I Found....

Several years ago I purchased the New Testament and Psalms in The Message translation and have wanted the entire Bible in this translation for some time now. In addition to my New American Standard Version that I typically study out of and love very much, I have also grown to really enjoy The Message's translation of many verses.

I went in the bookstore at church today to see about purchasing a Bible in The Message translation and look what I found!  How perfect is this!!!!

A Parallel Bible with the New American Standard translation AND The Message right alongside of each other. I was so excited!!

For those of you that may not be familiar with The Message, it is designed to read like a letter from God. It presents scripture the way it originally appeared --- as a naturally flowing narrative. There is no formal language and no verse numbers to distract you.

This Parallel Bible allows me to have a word-for-word translation (NASB), right alongside the bestselling paraphrase, The Message.

I think it is going to be really beneficial in my 2009 scripture memorization. The first set of verses that I have selected to memorize and meditate on are from The Message translation and I have really fallen in love with them over the past few days.

How about you......

Have any of you fallen in love with The Message?

What other Bible study tools have you found to help you? 

What is your favorite translation of the Bible?

I would love to know what you have found that helps you in studying God's Word and any tools that have helped you to hide God's Word in your heart.

2009 - Hiding God's Word

I can't believe that 2009 is already here, but I am excited about what God has planned for me and my family this year. 

I had recently been thinking about starting a scripture memorization plan with the new year and then I read this post and decided to commit to do one year of scripture memorization with Beth Moore. I think that the accountability of doing it with other ladies will be an encouragement for me to stick with it for the entire year.

I've gotten my cute little spiral bound index cards and and I am ready to make my first entry for 2009 with these verses:

Proverbs 4:20-27 (The Message)  

Dear friend, listen well to my words;  

tune your ears to my voice. 

Keep my message in plain view at all times.  

Concentrate! Learn it by heart! 

Those who discover these words live, really live;  

body and soul, they're bursting with health.  

Keep vigilant watch over your heart;  

that's where life starts. 

Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth;  

avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. 

Keep your eyes straight ahead;  

ignore all sideshow distractions. 

Watch your step,  

and the road will stretch out smooth before you. 

Look neither right nor left;  

leave evil in the dust.

I have enjoyed getting to know so many of you this year and I look forward to getting to know you even better in the coming year.  

My prayer is that God would richly bless each of you as you seek to know Him more this year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!