Not one single hour.

So, today we were suppose to close on our new home. Due to some unforseen circumstances however, that did not happen. We were a little bit bummed but not overly disappointed. It was not anything on our half, so closing is just around the corner, just getting things straigthened out on the other end. We're still getting things in order around here as well, getting all packed up and things. As you can tell, the computer is still up and running; certainly not stowed away in a box ready to be moved. Hopefully by next week we'll be closed and moving though. :)



All this moving talk tends to get me in a frenzy at times. Though James and I are very good about budgeting our money and careful with our spending habits and lifestyle. I tend to worry. "YOU?" Some of you would ask me... haha My response to that, is yes, ABSOLUTELY. While my main goal most of the time is is not to worry at times like this, I find it to be a MAJOR struggle. We're pretty much doubling the cost in comparison of our rent and throwing in tons of new bills we've never paid before! I'm a bit nervous about it. I've gone over the numbers countless times to make sure that James and I can do it (WITH NO PROBLEMS) but even still the numbers just seem so big!!! We've prayed about it and I know God would never put us in a situation we could not handle. So my worry then becomes pointless. When I get into these frenzies as I call them, God almost always lays the same song and verse on my heart. So I thought, since in part I designed this blog to update you on my life and share my struggles, I'd also share how God helps me overcome....

This song that soothes my heart during these so called frenzies is called "Unashamed Love" I wish I could figure out how to put music onto this blog so you could click onto the link and let the words that flow over my heart and often times touch me do the same for you. Anyhow, this is most of the song... at least all that I have been singing tonight in my heart, it reads like this:

" You're calling me to lay aside the worries of my day

To quiet down my busy mind and find a hiding place
Worthy,

You are Worthy

open up my heart and let my spirit worship Yours

open up my mouth and let a song of praise come forth
Worthy, You are worthy
Of a childlike faith and of my honest praise

Of my unashamed love"

God has been calling me to lay aside my worries. To worship him certainly not just through this song that touches me in so many ways but to really lay down my own worries and remember that He is God and Worthy. Which brings me to the bible verses that I'm so constantly reminded of. It's Matthew 6:25-27, and if you're anything like me... the pages in your bible has been worn thin around this chapter from having to be constantly reminded that God WILL give you all the things you need. The verse says this:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life" - Jesus

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this verse. I think I have written about it so much in my own journals. God does provide for us and calls us not to worry. He is worthy of our Praise. He's a worthy King and a Worthy Father. I love the part in the song about having a childlike faith. Because a child does not worry about having food or what he/she will wear. A child simply has faith that it will all be provided for him/her. Our God is worthy of that Kind of faith... and Worthy of my Trust. I don't have to worry about the "bigger" bills I have in my future. God's given James and I both a Job right now and the ability to even purchase such a beautiful home. An opportunity that many don't have at this time with the economy. He's provided so much already and still... I doubt. It's down right silly. If the time comes when times are Hard. The joy in the hardship, will be that God will still be there... providing us with exactly what we need (it may not be what we want) but what we need. I can not add not one minute to my life by worrying... and I love that Jesus specifically said that. I can be reminded of that over and over and over and OVER again.

Long to be little.

So yesterday James and I had to run into the mall with all the other Christmas Crazies who haven't completed their Christmas Shopping, yes call us Crazy too. Except that James and I have been done with our Christmas shopping for some two or three weeks now and simply had to pick up the one thing that had been ordered this year. That's what we get for ordering. :)
Anyhow, though it WAS a crazy experience I must say that the christmas shopping this late into the season wasn't so bad. In fact, the deals on things seemed rather great! Though I didn't expose myself to anything except for what we passed as we were walking by. I promised myself I would NOT get sucked into those rather lavishing looking deals before I left. and if you know anything about me... I secretly hate shopping. :)
BUT, it was SOOOO crowded. James and I decided to get an ice cream at Dairy Queen before picking up our package... and finding a place to sit was like trying to find waldo. James left me on my own for the adventure of finding a table while he ran off to find the bathroom. And seriously it was like a race against time. I, in my laid back mode, not Christmas Crazy mode thought, well this won't be too hard. So in the crowded dining area I finally see an empty table and slowly walk toward it. But as luck would have it, before I get there these two pooped out ladies slam there bags on the table, wipe the sweat off their brow, and then it comes... they look at me with this evil grin as if to say "you lost honey." I shook it off as a figment of my imagination and thought, that did not just happen. So back on my mission to find another table. And two minutes later, I spot another one. So I start my casual walk to it, and once again before I get there, an OLD woman runs over and puts her stuff down on the table and pulls her money out of her purse for her husband to get food, looks at me and raises her eye brows. *whats going on?* I thought, there is no way that just happened again! That old, very kind looking woman did NOT just look at me and raise her eye brows. I still didn't get it. So I lost out on another table. Well I realize that there must be a battle on for tables or people must be very hungry one. Next time I spot a table I'm going to make sure I get it. haha. Well I walk a little farther down, secretly wondering if anyone has seen me failed TWICE at losing tables, a little embarrassed. And I spot a table about six tables away. It has TWO chairs. Just enough for me and James. I walk, my speed has increased twice the amount since my last two attempts and here I go. I look around and see no other intruders, I must be safe. But I'm certainly not going to let up my speed.... I dodge tables and bags and little kids. And then I spot them. A husband and wife making their way to the same exact table I am. The lady litterally pulling the husband by the hand and the poor guy carrying all 20 of her bags. I hear nothing else, see nothing else. I FINALLY make it to that table and I make it about two seconds before they do. And I can feel it coming, the look. I'm about to give this very tired looking couple, the victory look! The same one I got from the ladies before, and the older woman. And then it hit me. How in the world can shopping cause us to be this INSANE!!! Needless to say, I gave up the table. haha the couple didn't even thank me. I think they were so tired of shopping and starving that it didn't even matter. I moved on and found me a table, with out fighting might I add. I didn't even have to battle for it. I casually walked over to it and sat down, the way I plan to from the very beginning.... now thats more my style. :) But I must say, I'm very embarrased that I even got caught up in the rush.
haha and James finally found me. I didn't mention to him my race for the table. Only that it was so crowded. This is what he shared with me. He had just witnessed two little boys run into each other so hard that they fell down. He said "Steph, they just laughed and said 'that was funny' got up and went on their ways." He made a comment about how adults have lost the kid inside them. When adults bump into each other they get angry and distraught. Grumpy even. It made me even more embarrased about my table hunting earlier. We have a lot to learn from kids. :)

If you're out last minute Christmas Shopping, don't eat inside the mall.... lesson learned.

Jesus is Mine.

Blessed assurance Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Refrain

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Refrain


This is among one of my favorite hymns, topped only by "How Great Thou Art." Both of which happen to be very popular hymns. Today, I have been singing "Blessed Assurance" as if I actually knew of no other song. Constantly hitting the repeat button in my mind and simply singing or humming the tune over and over and over. This song brings me absolute joy and has left me with a smile all day. I have allowed my mind to drift back to the day when the late Franny Crosby and Phoebe Knapp were sitting together like dear friends do. When Phoebe decided to play this magnificent old tune and turned to Franny and asked, "What does this say?," Franny Crosby listened and I can just imagine her responding "It says 'Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine!'" Can you imagine? The joy of listening to such a beautiful tune, the joy of having hope, the joy of salvation, and suddenly being reminded of your own salvation. The beautifully written words that Franny Crosby wrote have reminded me today of my own salvation… "Blessed Assurance"

I strive for it, to praise my savior all day long. From my actions, to my conversations here at work and elsewhere, and down to my thoughts. Certainly not every moment is pleasing to my God, but rather self-pleasing. However, it is my goal to be praising my savior "all the day long." I’d like for the day to come, near the end of my journey, when I can look back on the pages of my life and say "yes, that has been my story after all, I have been praising my savior." I want you to look on my life and when you see me to see Jesus. Mostly I’m associated as the girl who had the heart transplant or the girl that’s really sweet or has that funny laugh. Which are all great things to be associated with, I just long to be identified in Christ. Anyway back to this hymn….

Another thing about this song that I absolutely love is in the second verse where Franny Crosby writes "Visions of Rapture burst on my sight" If you know anything about Franny Crosby, you know that her vision was taken from her as an infant and she was blind her whole life. Yet, even in her blindness, God allowed her to see what the rapture might look like. *Angels descending… mercy and love.* Another real depiction of God making the blind to see. I love God’s ways and how he can use songs to work our hearts. Through scriptures He tell us his words (like making the blind to see) those words live true and on in other ways like the through the words of music and poems. We can memorize verses and sing songs to Jesus that can bring glory to him… "all the day long"

Today I just wanted to remind you that
I, like Franny Crosby, am in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love

Christmas

Well, I guess you can say Christmas decorating in my house has been a bit interesting. James and I put up a lot of our Christmas decorations. Not all of course but quite a bit. We packed up all the things that covered our tables in our living room and all the pictures and then put out Christmas. It was a clever idea because now our living room is all packed to move.... except For Christmas.

That is untill James came home the other night to find our tree leaning so far over that it was only a mere seconds from completely falling to the floor. Needless to say he layed a single finger on it and our beautifully decorated tree comes toppling over. James caught it before it made any ungraceful landings saving ALL my favorite and least favorite ornaments. :) Now our clever idea of decorating a tree just before moving suddenly became a not so clever idea, but just short of a nutty one! Needless to say we had undecorate a tree and figure out what to do with it as we didn't have another tree to replace the one that is broken.

Well, as most Grandma's do, Mine came to the rescue. We had already pretty much decided to either A. go get a real christmas tree from dad at the tree lot or simply not put one up. James was simply not going for the latter and the first option probably isn't legal being in a condo. But we weren't sure. :) Anyhow, Grandma had conveniently stored a four foot, what we have dubbed the "Charlie Brown"tree and had forbidden Grandma from ever putting up again at Christmas, in her storage shed. She offered to let us borrow it. After some long hard contemplating, I begrudgling yet all in the same breath joyfully accepted the offer of the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. Tonight, after taking down and packing up all our "Real" ornaments, untangling the mess of beads we had, a trip to the dollar store to find ornaments to fit the charlie brown christmas tree, we have successfully shrunk our seven foot tree into a four foot (though it seems MUCH smaller) Christmas Tree. And yes, I'll have to admit to you, it's not quite as horrible as it seems. :) Charlie Brown had a good Christmas after all. And guess what, Grandma has called to ask how my tree looks.... Imagine that. :)

<-This is what my tree looked like BEFORE it fell. :D

And welcome to the "Charlie Brown Tree." He stands roughly four feet tall. The picture make him seem much taller than he is. He actually serves as the Rockefeller Christmas tree for our town below. How bout that. But we've grown fond of that little tree in the hours it's stood in front of our window. :)

Maya Really Liked the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. :D

Merry Christmas from Maya!!

First Post

Well, I've decided to create a blog in efforts to keep all of you updated on my life. Of course, I must admit that my life isn't nearly as interesting as some. I've tried several attempts at this blogging journey before on livejournal and have failed. I thought maybe a fresh start and a new "journal" all-together would give me the desire to update better. :) We'll see.
So James and I are on our first journey of buying a our very first home! We are both so very excited and nervous. :) We've began packing up things around the condo and are expecting to close around the 31st of January. So far, everything has gone pretty smoothly. I'm not typically the pessimistic person but I'm just waiting for the first bump in the road! We've heard so many stories of unpleasant house buying that I am just figuring that something is bound to happen. But the very optimistic side of me is hoping I'm proven wrong. :) The move will be so good for us. We are moving back to Chesapeake from Newport News which will put us only 10 minutes away from our Jobs and 2 minutes away from our families. Compared to the HOUR that we have been traveling to get to both, it's just a relief! James and I have been so grateful to have lived in such a wonderful area and a great condo the past year and some months. In fact, we are a little sad to leave!! But it will be such a blessing to be so close to every thing that we need on a daily basis. The extra hour of sleep in the morning is nothing to complain about either. :) No more 4:30am mornings!!James and I also have not found a church that we had fallen in love with here in Newport News. The church that we were members of prior to getting married was about an hour and a half away and though we were able to attend on Sunday morning we didn't feel like we were able to enjoy the fellowship that we wanted out of church being so far away from it. We have sought out numerous churches here in Newport News and none have struck our hearts as home. Gods been keeping us on our toes since we've been here, knowing that he had a future planned elsewhere. He knew we weren't settling here long and though we had enjoyed the churches we attended, none were "home." Now that we will be finally settling into our own home we'll be able to start seeking a church home again. If you could please be keeping us in your prayers as we enter into that journey, James and I would truly be grateful! We can't wait to find a new church family and settle into that routine as well.God is so good and is constantly reminding James and I of His constant blessings. It doesn't seem possible to already be buying a home, especially in todays time. A lot of people have given us credit in doing such a good job and James and I tend to even pat ourselves on the back. But at the end of the day, we both remind ourselves that it certainly isn't ourselves that landed us a wonderful start. It's our wonderful King in heaven. He has blessed us with all the things we need. Given us the guidance through our parents and his words. Through his word's He has taught us how to manage our money. We certainly can not take all the credit. God has given to us so much. It certainly is a Joy to be able to buy a house and be married at such a young age. But without God, the constant support of my Parents and our families we would NOT be buying a house.Anyhow, we certainly can't wait to be moved into our home. We'll no longer have to worry about Maya barking and disturbing the neighbors connected to us (just the ones NEXT door!). James is excited about mowing the lawn and cooking on the grill. I'm looking forward to a bigger kitchen. Not so much the bigger bills however. :)
Anyway, More posts to come. I'm not sure how often I'll be at upating. Hopefully this won't be a first AND a last!! Sometime soon I'll post pictures of our new home... and moving. :)