Drew's foot...one day after the jellyfish sting! Beautiful critters with a nasty "bite"!

The Beach

We have been home a little over a week from the beach. Drew got stung by a jellyfish...that was quite an experience. It was horrible as his mother to watch him in so much pain. Thankfully, Papa Terry knew what to do. He still has marks from the sting, but it is looking better.

The question: How can anyone look out at the ocean and deny that there is a GOD? How can you even look at it and say you don't believe? The ocean is an amazing picture of how much God loves us. It never ends and it is open for anyone who wants to come.

I love GOD and all that he does for me. Being at the beach seemed to remind me of just how much that he loves me. For the first time in my life, I saw the ocean in a totally different light. I had time to spend with him and the ocean alone and it touched me greatly.

Again, I find myself filled and wanting to overflow. School starts this week and I AM excited!!! I pray God helps me to teach my students in a way pleasing to him. I long more and more to please him in ALL things.


Love and blessings,

Teresa

Time

Two weeks have passed since my last post. Nothing really has changed since then...nothing on the outside that is. Honestly, I have managed to lose about 12 pounds this summer, but looking in the mirror, I can't really tell. I am sure my hair is longer and my skin is tanner, but if you looked at me, you wouldn't really notice the difference that I know is there.
See, it's God. Over the past two weeks I have listened to Pastor Roy and Brother Mike speak. I have listened to GOD speak and I have truly heard them all. I have been humbled by God and I have asked him to play a bigger part of my life. When I wake in the morning, I want to take his hand and follow him throughout the day. I want HIM to be in control of EVERYTHING. I feel that my relationship with him is only growing and that I am trusting in him more. I think listening to Mike talk about change and attitude on Sunday really helped me see some things. I have loved the LORD all my life and I was baptized a few years ago, but it's the last year that I am looking at. At some point, I stopped growing in Christ. I know that now. I know that he has been speaking, I have been listening, but I haven't been acting. Sometimes my attitude stinks. So this week, I have really been working on my attitude. I have really been trying to concentrate on what GOD would have me say, do, and think. I have always known that I could trust him and that he is the reason I have anything in my life. I have seen a change in the things I want. I want to be happier (being skinnier would help that, but I'm working on it!). I want to enjoy more, love more, and learn more. I want to be a better mom, friend, teacher, wife, sister, and Christian. I find myself thirsting more for him and remind myself almost hourly that I have dedicated this day to His glory. Anytime I have been down on myself this week, I have reminded myself that God is in control! I have been teaching Sunday school for a while now(not sure how long---I LOVE it!) and it's like I am finally truly living what I have been teaching. I think up until now, I have been practicing, now it is actually working! I know that I need Christ in many areas of my life and I am working on that as well!

I have found such inspiration in my group of friends, both here on the net, and in my daily life. Not only that, but I have found great inspiration in teenagers that I know. Some of them are truly in love with GOD and they paint the picture of what loving God looks like. For them, I am eternally grateful!

Thank you God! Thank you for loving me and blessing my life and family in tremendous ways!

Thank you God! Thanks for never giving up on me and for helping me become the person you have always intended me to be!

Love and blessings,

Teresa

The Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox have renewed my faith in baseball! I grew up an Atlanta Braves fan and I still love them dearly. However, I became a Red Sox fan when they acquired my man John Smoltz. I fell in love with him, his character, during my first trip to Turner Field in 1998. I watched him participate in a game of catch with other players on the field during batting practice. 500 dollars a ball was some stipulation to the game. It wasn't really the game he was playing, it was the look on his face...he loved what he was doing. He loves baseball. So, the Red Sox earned me as a fan when they made the smart decision to take on the greatness that is John Smoltz. I spent the months before the season started learning the names of the players and their positions, as well as, the backups. Never, have I loved baseball so much!

The Boston Red Sox are a great establishment. The history and lure of Fenway Park is amazing. AND Boston fans are the greatest! Each player on the team plays hard and makes any game, whether the Sox are winning or losing, worth my time to watch. Dustin Pedroia is always going to get dirty because he plays hard EVERY game and has a desire to help the team win. I <3 Dustin and Jacoby!!! Is Jonathan Papelbon the best closer you have ever seen or what? AMAZING...ALL OF THEM!!!

We recently attended the Braves--Red Sox game at Turner Field. I was so excited I felt like a kid at Christmas. It was wonderful to be able to watch my beloved SOX play. It was even better to be a part of the throng cheering "Let's go RED SOX! and that the throng included my six year old son!!! No Brave fan could be heard over us! The thrill and love of baseball has been restored in my life due to the Boston Red SOX. I am a "newbie" SOX fan, but that doesn't diminish my love for the team or the game.

The RED SOX are great, Fenway Park is amazing, Red SOX baseball is on my T.V.!

Let's go RED SOX!

Vacation Bible School

How great is Vacation Bible School??? I absolutely love it! It is one of my favorite activities that our church does. Lots of children and adults all come together to essentially teach each other about Jesus and what he does for ALL of us. This year I taught the Jr. High Students that came. They are such an amazing group of kids and I have come to love each one of them for their own distinct personalities! I try not to teach to them, but to talk to them, and dang it, every year, I come away with a renewed respect for them and all they go through, as well as, all that they know. They simply are amazing. And this year, I had the opportunity to "peak" in on Drew while he was participating with his class. It brings me such joy to watch him and to know that he is developing a love for GOD and that someday he will make the same decision that I made. I only pray that he decides to make MANY years before I did. He offered to help take up offering and even went up front to lay hands on someone and pray when the pastor asked in anyone would like to. I was surprised as he is usually quite reserved about these things, but I also know that the Lord works in us all and that God was working in and through Drew. He is such a wonderfully amazing part of my life...I only hope that I am doing GOD justice each day that I am Drew's mom. He has created such a wonderful young man, I just pray that I am doing what GOD wants me to do for and with Drew. I guess that is the ultimate prayer of all parents.

Today was a huge blessing.
Thank you GOD for loving me, my family, and for blessings us in such amazing ways!

Love and blessings,

Teresa

Sunburns

Yep, that's right. No matter how diligent I have been about sunscreen on myself and Drew, I have a sunburn on my legs. I sprayed Drew up and my upper half, thankfully, but I forgot to spray my legs. AND I didn't notice that they were burning until I started to leave the pool...2 hours later! AND, I didn't lay on my tummy much because I was talking to friends and didn't want them to have to look at my big butt!!! So, needless to say, I am quite miserable and I won't be going to the pool tomorrow. Maybe, if I am lucky, I will go on Thursday.

Please let me be lucky.
Please let this sunburn go in quickly.
Please don't let me forget my to spray me entire body, EVER AGAIN!

But, isn't the sun and a pool or the beach a wonderful thing??? Ah, so relaxing...at least when I am not burnt to a crisp!

love, blessings, and unburnt skin to you,

Teresa

VIDEO GAMES!

Video Games, specifically, the PS2 is a great source of strife in our house. Mainly because my dear son LOVES to play them (although, not quite as much as he loves to watch SpongeBob Squarepants!). Whenever he plays, he begs his daddy to play with him and then he ends up in tears because he can't ALWAYS beat his daddy. See...he MUST beat daddy every time he plays! Funny, I guess, but not when his heart is broken.

You know, in video games, especially those designed for kids, you are very rarely a loser. Your lives keep replenishing and you always come out a winner. No matter if you fall off a cliff or a huge magical mushroom drops on your head, you can always go back and repeat. Well, that's how life is...A LIFE WITH GOD! I tell you, he has been speaking to me so much lately! A life with GOD is full of repeats. We repeat our mistakes and ask for repentance, we are forgiven, over and over and over (repeatedly). And the LORD knows I repeat mistakes! A person who lives for GOD lives a life of repeated forgiveness and finds joy in that forgiveness. That isn't to say that we are allowed to take things too far and do as we please, but that we must continually ask, "What would GOD have me do?" and respond in such a way that is pleasing to him. With GOD by our side, we don't need video games, we know we are NOT a LOSER!

So it ends. Thankfully, the video game session is over for the night and thankfully there were not temper tantrums...not from the hubby or the child!

Love and blessings,

teresa