Easter - a time of reflection and rejoice!!

First of all Happy Easter!!

So Thursday my small group had dinner together, worshiped, went through an Easter message (Seven moments of Easter) and took communion together. What a great discussion we had - it is amazing what happens when you get a group of women together who love God and want to share what they think, know and want to learn with each other. For all of you out there in blogger land here are the point and scriptures we studied:
1. Jesus' victory in the garden of Gethsemane guarantees us his in our personal struggles. Matt. 26: 36 - 46 and Luke 22:39 - 44.
2. Peter's denial of Christ teaches us to prepare for moments of weakness. Matt 26: 69 - 75 and John 21: 15 - 19
3. The crowd's response to Pilate teaches us to not be influenced by our surroundings. Matt. 27: 11 - 26
4. The Crucifixion teaches us that we can learn from Jesus' attitude toward suffering and sacrifice. Matt. 27: 27 - 44
5. The crucifixion teaches us that the one who cries out in despair trusts in God. Matt. 27: 45 - 50
6. The resurrection teaches us not to fear and to replace fear with FAITH. Matt. 28: 1 -10
*notice TRUST in 5 and FAITH in 6. Key points I think!!!!!!
7. The resurrection teaches us to focus on our mission and to rely on God's promises! Matt 28: 10, Matt. 28: 19 - 20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47, John 20:21, and Mark 16:7

So to all my friends who were giggling, I mean watching the experience intently, while I was TAKING NOTES using the light from my phone to write...hahaha I have the last laugh as I actually have notes from Seven Mile Miracle - granted they are all over my notebook where I was having trouble seeing where I was writing. But being the person I am, if you are reading my blog you will also have them.....
Each mile along the road uses a key word that shows us the steps on our way to our miracle of being a follower of Jesus.
1. Forgiveness
2. Salvation
3. Relationship
4. Abandonment
5. Distress
6. Triumph
7. Reunion

May God open our eyes to the full extent of his forgiveness.

God will open our eyes to the persistence of his presence.

May God open our eyes to the victory of SURRENDER.

Christianity isn't spelled: DO it isn't spelled DON'T, it IS spelled DONE!! (You've done my will).

My prayer for you: May God bless each and every one of you this Easter season and may your eyes be opened up the full extent of his forgiveness and to the victory of surrender.

Here is a video that sums up Easter for me: Making All Things New

Catch UP Blog

Spring Break is FINALLY here!! I am so looking forward to relaxing and not doing anything work related for a whole week. Work has been crazy busy and I have been lazy about blogging!! To my faithful readers - I am so sorry!!! I vow to be better starting NOW! So here are a few things I've done since I was on here last....

FIRST in February:

Daytona - wow, that is all I can say - such an exciting, fun, rain filled trip!! Would I do it again......YES in a heartbeat!
Next track to visit: Las Vegas, Phoenix, Texas, or Talledega, I would be happy with any of those!!!


Then came some events in March:

Casting Crowns - aww yeah!! Floor seats to see the one and only Casting Crowns!! THANK YOU Dana and David for choosing to go and for inviting me!

This last one is a given and needs no introduction:

and......

I'm working on a blog about a book I am currently reading....be on the lookout!!!

Week 4 of 2012

Wow where did the month of January go??? That is my question. Oh well!!! So the highlights of week 4:
1. It's over...
2. a weekend ahead to read, do school work, and just enjoy friends.
3. catching up with friends.

That's all I got - sorry. Coming soon a blog - a long one - just giving you a warning!!!

Week 3 of 2012

Wow, even though it was a short week at work it was a long one!!!!

Top 5 things to happen this week:
1. My sister found out she is having a boy!! Now I will have a little nephew to spoil along with that niece of mine.

2. Dinner with friends - what a blessing it is to be able to get together, hang out, laugh a LOT, laugh some more, and truly enjoy that precious time together.
3. Code Orange Revival - all I can say is WOW!!!!
4. The Hunger Games - 2 late nights spent reading a way - escaping into another world.
5. Dance party in the classroom today - kids bop is well loved and a treat!!

Week 2 of 2012

So as I reflect on the last week, I can honestly say that I am so glad that it is over. Monday was a WEIRD Monday and this began my week with weirdness. However the bright spot in the week was ELEVATION CHURCH's Code Orange Revival. God is doing amazing things in this city and I am honored to be a part of it. This crazy week also gave me a chance to hang with some great friends Friday night at dinner and the movies. I got to eat at Cantina 1511 for the first time and enjoyed the food (I ordered an enchilada that was the size of a small child - so much food - not bad for leftovers). We saw New Years Eve which was funny. One of the best scenes in the movie occurred at the end - Zac Efron dancing.....

A three day weekend, followed by a four day work week, followed by a normal weekend, and a 5 day workweek - BUT only 4 of those are with kids.

So much to do over the next two weeks, but first I am gonna feed my SOUL with some more of that Code Orange Revival. One thing I need to make sure I do is balance my life outside of work... there is more to life than my job and I need to make sure that I am balancing fun, work, friends, etc.

Remember to balance your life too - don't let work or whatever is driving your life become the wrong focus.

Week 1 of 2012

So I have decided that at the end of each week I am going to take the time to reflect on everything that has happened and share the highlights of the week. So here goes:

First of all, I am blessed to have a job that I love. Granted it was hard to get up and get moving this week after having 2 weeks off, but I love what I do.

Second, I was able to watch WVU kick some Tiger tail this week in the Orange Bowl. I have to admit I was kind of bragging on Thursday to some of my coworkers who are Clemson fans...good sport I was not. However it does amaze me that people in this country do not realize that there are 50 states not 49. Yes, WV is a separate state and has been since 1863. Also I have to admit that I am getting real tired of all of the jokes about West Virginians - I am from WV, have a master's degree, have shoes (LOTS AND LOTS OF SHOES), am not pregnant and barefoot, or any other stereotypical JOKE that people make about West Virginians. ~sorry I got on a soapbox~ So, Don't put me in a box, and I won't judge you based on where you are from.

Third, dinner with great friends.

Fourth, this quote from Pastor Steven's twitter: "Your purpose this year will not be derailed because of anyone who left you last year - Jesus is enough and he's with you."

Fifth, beautiful weather in January that reminds me of March weather.

Have a blessed weekend.

Goodbye 2011

As 2011 comes to a close, I am taking a little time to reflect back over the year.The first thing I would like to say that is is hard to believe that the year is over and that 2012 is starting!!! Here are a few of the highlights from my year.

Roushie's Top 11 of 2011

11. getting to visit the pits at the October race (yes I am a redneck, and proud of it, so you should've known a racing event would make the list)

10. volunteering at Elevation church

9. day beach trips ~nuff said~

8. my sister announcing that I am going to be an aunt again in 2012 - woohoo another one to spoil rotten

7. spoiling Kins, hearing her say "Hehe, come on" "Hehe, let's color" "Hehe, is coming aww FUN!!"

6. renewing old friendships

5. Charleston, SC trip with the girls - where are we going next????

4. making new friends

3. trips home, its always good to go home to WV and visit. Life is different in a small town. Living in a large town makes you realize how fortunate I was to grow up in a small town. Always will be a small town girl at heart, but I heart the big town now!!

2. my car getting broken into - granted it wasn't fun, but it makes you think of your safety and therefore do things a little differently

1. finding out that dad's cancer was centralized and localized and that it was all removed - Faith, Hope, and Love

Romans 8: 31 - 39
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.