Happy Mothers Day!

Just wanted to say Happy Mothers Day to all of you! I have had an amazing day today! Breakfast in bed..sweet cards...new rose bushes and worshiped with 100's of other strong women today @ FCC.  Hope you are having a blessed day too! So blessed that God gave me Lauren...Brooke & Jaden to be a mom too. I love them more than words can describe. I also have an outstanding mom also...thanks mom for all you do for me.

No pictures right now...getting ready to board a plan to Tennessee. More details about that later and pictures of my new Rose bushes the kids got me today!! I love them!! Pray for me...I HATE TO FLY...but I know God is so close to me up there and he is guiding that plane.

Love you all!
Steph

First 5K completed!!!

Well...we did it. Matt & I finished our first 5K this morning. WOW! I actually surprised myself...I ran most of it! I have to admit...I was a nervous wreak last night.  My stomach was in knots. Once we got started though...it was easier than I expected. The rush of being around everyone helped push me thru each mile. My time was 33 minutes & Matt's was 26:44. I was happy with that time. My goal was to not be last...which I was far from that...& to be under 35 minutes. As I sit here and type this...I really can't believe I accomplished this. Really...it's huge for me. It is something I have always wanted to do...but told myself I couldn't. Let me tell you...if this short legged pudgy girl can do it...anyone can.

I want to share this with you...last night while my stomach was upset...I was visiting my porcelain friend...:) I have a Beth Moore book that I read when I visit there. the title is "Believing God." It just takes a couple of minutes to read...but it's a daily dose of how we must believe God & his word. I was praying that God would get me thru the race & give me the courage to do it. And I pulled out this book & turned to May 8th...this is what it said...

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses 

so that Christ's power may reside in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Every now & then I ask those gathered in an audience how many have gotten through something that they believed beforehand they couldn't bear. Hands never fail to raise all over the auditorium. Living through something we were sure we couldn't endure gives us a small glimpse of our inner man's immortality and is clear evidence that the "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" promise works for us, too. None of us particularly like the face-it-until-you-get-over-it approach to fear banishment, but it can certainly be effective. Yes, you can make it, God & you. 

God's love & power amazes me, He gave me that scripture specifically last night. I instantly knew he was going to get me thru this race. I knew I could do it with confidence & boast about his power that resides in me. I know God love can get us thru anything...when we think we can't...He can. 

My sweet hubby & I...he cheered me on at the end...:)

Cari & Selah Aberle, Dawn Hamilton, Andrea Sokol & I

Andrea & I were best friends in HS & it's been a blessing to be able to spend time with her again. She & I ran thru the finish line together...that meant a lot to me! 

Anyway...that's it! Done! No more Couch Potato for me! Thanks so much for all your love & encouragement! I appreciate it! I think I might do another soon...yep!

Day of Caring

Yesterday NJHS had a Day of Caring. 170 kids were sent out all over our community to serve in all kinds of difference places. I took a group of girls to the Pregnancy Resource Center here in Owasso. Lindsay Bippus & the other gals there have a fabulous ministry to unwed moms. They offer so many services that will help the girls become better moms & teach them life skills to be able to move forward in life. They have a store the moms can earn Mommy money for by attending classes they provide. Moms can buy anything from clothes...diapers...carseats to any basic or huge needs they might have for their babies. They educate them on all their options as an unwed mother. Recently they were donated an ultrasound machine so in the near future they will be able to provide free ultrasounds to these moms. It is a proven fact that is they mom sees the baby on an ultrasound and is educated on how it develops she will be less likely to abort the baby. Praise God!! The PRC has 80 clients here in Owasso with their youngest being 14 years old...yep that is about my daughters age so that hit home with these girls yesterday. They rely totally on donations so if you want to support them...Do it! It is amazing what God has done thru this ministry that was started about 20 years ago at our church and is now a huge outreach thru all the churches here in our town. I love to watch God grow ministry thru the lives of others. 

We did a little cleaning..

Folded 400 newsletters

The girls were outstanding to work with. No complaints...they actually wanted to stay longer and were upset that we had to leave so early. It was definitely a refreshing day for me to be a part of. I totally believe in giving our kids opportunities to serve & grow and be a leader. It might be cleaning a toilet or speaking up for what they believe in..either capacity they are leading. 

Thanks Mrs. Ball for taking the time to put this day together...

HBTU! Marilyn!!

Happy Birthday to Marilyn!! Marilyn is Matt's stepmom and today we are gonna celebrate her! Marilyn...aka...Grandma Thomason...is a lot of fun. They built a house several years ago and one of her main thoughts was...how do we make it kid friendly? They made enough room upstairs for all six grandkids to feel comfortable & welcome! They have a foosball table...books...a Wii...all kinds of stuff up there for them to play with!! She enjoys it when all the family is there and always cooks up some good food for us! 


One thing I admire about Marilyn is she helps in the Stephens ministry at their church. She mentors other women and guides them in their relationship with Christ. God comes first in her life & she seeks to glorify Him daily. I know she prays for my kids & our family also. I appreciate that she loves our family & puts God first. I am very blessed to have 2 mom n laws in my life. WE hope you are blessed on this day just like you bless us! 

We love you Grandma Thomason!! 

Happy Birthday to you!!

Sweet Tooth

See that box up there...yea...I could eat that whole box. I love sweets...especially cupcakes...dingdongs..cinnamon rolls...anything sweet & cake like. 2 weeks ago I decided to not eat sweets during the week...only on the weekends. It was so hard that first week. I honestly felt like a smoker who couldn't have a cigarette. I am not making light of that at all...seriously!! But last week got easier and now...it's a little easier. I have a goal...and I am trying to reach it. It's an obedience issue with me also. Obeying God & filling my life with him not sweets. Welp...there ya have it...if you see me you have my permission to encourage me...reprimand me...whatever. Just trying to be healthier & set a good example for my children also. I know some of you could rip open a bag of chips...me a box of cupcakes. 

How about you? Sweet or Salty? 

The F4 survivors...

It was a windy Sunday afternoon...7 years ago today. We were having a cookout for our Graduates and the wind about blew us away. Little did I know....about 3 hours away...my sis n law was protecting the lives of her kids in their basement. Brian had been in Joplin with the youth kids so Krista was alone with the kids. That night we came home to a couple of frantic messages saying we needed to call Matt's mom...we learned an F4 tornado had totally destroyed Matt's brother's house. Everyone was ok...praise God. I didn't sleep a wink that night...so heart broken for Krista & Brian. We woke up early and headed that way to help. As we pulled up...my eyes could not take in the disaster at hand. I will never ever forget seeing Krista at that very moment, we wrapped each other up in the biggest hug and cried.

This was what was left...the floor. 

Krista had taken refuge in their basement with the kids. Do you see this room? 

Dirt everywhere...a mess. This was the girls room...it was in the far corner of the basement...if you were going to pick a room to hide, you would have probably picked this one. Instead Krista & the kids went to my nephews room that was next too it...closer to the outside wall. You have to pass his room to get to  their room down the hall. They sat in the room & sang praise songs to Jesus  & prayed while the tornado went over their house...destroying everything in it's path. When it was all over...this is the room they were in. Not a speck of dust in it. 

Do you have the chills? I do...even after 7 years. I know the Holy Spirit was standing in that doorway that day. Protecting them from the tornado. There is no other explanation. Simple. 

All our lives we collect things...buy things and it can end up in a twisted mess...just like this..

 Brian & Krista lost baby pictures of her kids...Christmas ornaments...cloths...albums...& many other things that meant so much to them.  But they will tell you..it's just stuff...hard lesson to learn for all us. They can wrap her arms around her kids everyday...priceless. They have rebuilt their home & their lives. Their strength & faith thru it all has been a true testimony of God's power for us all to see. 

Many of our friends in Tennessee are dealing with losing their homes right now...please pray for them. 

Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit's protection? 

Brian & Krista have this verse displayed in their house now:

Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; 

A man's life does not consist in the abundances of his possessions. 

Luke 12:15

Signed up!

Well...it has happened...we signed up for our first 5K this morning. Can you feel the anxiousness in my voice? We were at the Y this morning and one of the ladies who is always there asked if we had signed up for the 5K this weekend? Um..no...I didn't even know there was one.

See this is where my personality & Matt's take different roads...I walk up to the counter ready to sign up...he walks up just to find out some information. I say...let's go for it!!! He says...are you sure...like we are making a decision right now??? Yep! Because I knew if we walked out of that building without committing to it...we would rationalize as to why we shouldn't do it! And between the 2 of us...he is soo ready to do this physically so he has nothing to worry about! He will be a ROCK Star!!

By Golly...we are signed up!  Paid the money...getting a t-shirt!  Been training for months now...it's time to put our feet to the ground! Can I run the entire 3 miles yet? No..but that's ok. I just don't want to be last people!! Or pass out or fall or look like a dork...LOL!  Pray for me...please...I'm scared & anxious...this is more than a race for me. It's doing something I said I could never do, it's letting God show me I can thru trusting in him.  Of course there will be pics!
Hope you are all having a blessed day!