Birthday

Birthdays are special at our house.

We usually go off and do something.

This summer we have been busier than usual,

and we haven't had time to take off and go.

We will do that in December.....well, that is our plan.

Always some interesting gifts....
I LOVE hats....and this is a new hat rack mom found.

Snoopy is a favorite of mine, too!

This new Bible cover has the verse on it

that mom picked out for me before I was even born.

She found that and had to get it for me,

I love it!

A new stereo (which I was needing)

And my brother, Todd,

got me an ORANGE IPOD NANO

My family spoils me!

God Blesses me!

21st Birthday

Today is my 21st birthday!

I was born on August 11th 1989,

at 7 pm, on a island in the Banana River.

I was born at 32 weeks.

My mom says I looked very scrawny,

and that my skin just hung off me.

My parents were told that I did not have a

stomach, bladder and one kidney.

Mom had 27 ultrasounds with me.

Mom was offered an abortion.

Mom says I have been her healthiest child.

I was born with all my internal organs....

so much for all those ultra sounds. LOL

Thankful to be 21!

An orange cake...

so me!

All lit up!

Do I have enough wind??
I had to get on top of things....

You know, it takes a while to get those

relighting candles blown out!

:)

Baby samplers

We are having a lot of babies at church this year! I finally finished the samplers for Landon and Riley. I am starting on Earl's today, and there are more babies coming! :)

Finally done....
At our church, everyone has a 'JESUS SAVES' shirt!
I incorporated that on the samplers....

I really enjoy doing this!

Learning from 1 Kings

Recently, my pastor was preaching from 1 Kings 10-11 and Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

Here are some things from that....
In Deuteronomy God tells Israel, long before they have a king, 4 things the king is not to do.

A king is not to:
1 Multiply horses v.16
2. Cause people to go to Egypt for trade v.16
3. Multiply wives v.17
4. Multiply gold and silver v.17

In 1 Kings we learn that Solomon did each of these 4 things that God said not to do.

1. He gathered horses and chariots (had cities for chariots) i kings 10:26

2. Horses, linen chariots were brough from Egypt. 1 Kings 10:28-29

3. He multiplied wives 1 Kings 1:1, 3

4. And gathered silver and gold 1 Kings 10: 14, 21, 27

Th reasons these things were bad to for a king to have:

1. Horses... In warfare the nations that had horses and chariots had the advantage, and invoked fear in their enemy. Israel was to TRUST in GOD, not in horses. Psalm 20:7 "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the LORD or God."

God has promised to fight for Israel. Deuteronomy 1:30 says "The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes." )Aslo Deut 3:22, 20:4, Judges 7:2)

Gathering horses and chariots showed the people that the king was not trusting in GOD.

2.God said for Israel not to return to Egypt. Egypt was a house of bondage to Israel. Deuteronomy 6:12. Egypt is a picture of the world. Israel was not to return to the world, but to depend on God.

3. God said the kings were not to multiply wives. In 1 Kings 11:4, God gives the reason for this, ... that his heart not turn away." Solomon's heart was turned to false gods through his wives. 1 Kings 11:7 tells us that Solomon even built high places for other gods to please his wives. Yet in doing this, he displeased the one true God.

Solomon brought about the start of his nation's dowfall by allowing these other gods in to the land. Israel was told not to marry from other nations in Deuteronomy 7:1-3

In like manner the Christian is told not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers in 2 Corinthians 6:14

4. God and Silver Solomon had so much gold that the Bible says, "It was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon." And of silver, "the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones." God said not to multiply silver and gold. Again this was because man would think more of himself than he should, and it would put confidence in man, and not in God.

Two Names

In some of my recent Bible studies, I came across something about Solomon that made me start thinking. Solomon had another name "Jedidiah" (2 Samuel 12:25).
The name Jedidiah means "beloved of Jehovah or of the LORD."

I have read that Nathan gave Solomon this name. But Nathan, beign a propher of God, was bestowing the name on Solomon that the LORD chose, because He loved Solomon. (v. 2-4)

Coming across this then made me wonder about other people in the Bible who had 2 names.

Here is my list of the ones I have found, and where in the Bible they were found.

JOSEPH = ZAPHNATHPAANEAH Genesis 41:45

DANIEL = BELTESHAZZER Daniel 1:6-7

HANNANIAH = SHADRACH Daniel 1:6-7

MISHAEL = MESHACH Daniel 1:6-7

AZARIAH = ABEDNEGO Daniel 1:6-7

ESTHER = HADASSAH Esther 2:7

ABRAM = ABRAHAM Genesis 17:5

SARAI = SARAH Genesis 17:15

GIDEON = JERUBAAL Judges 7:1

ESAU = EDOM Genesis 25:30

JACOB = ISRAEL Genesis 32:28

THOMAS = DIDYMUS John 11:16

JESUS = EMMANUEL Matthew 1:23 (among others)

SAUL = PAUL Acts 13:9

SIMON = PETER Matthew 16:17-18

There are more. This is just my list as it stands now.

My friend 'Bundy'

My favorite instrument to play is my flute, who I have affectionately named 'BUNDY'. Ok, that is the maker of my flute, but it made it easy to name. So BUNDY, he is.

I didn't realize there were so many different types of flutes. I am, of course, thrilled with my 'Western concert Flute'. But there are also the Alto flute, the bass flute, the Contra-alto flute, the Contrabass flute, the Double contrabass flute, and the Hyperbass flute. Well, there is the Piccolo, also. Piccolo is Italian for 'small'. My mom has been looking for me a Piccolo. Check out Wikipedia for some pictures of these other types of flutes, some would be very hard to carry around with you.

My friend 'Bundy' with our favorite hymn book.
Bundy makes beautiful music,
when I play him correctly.

He looks quite dashing in his case.

His case is also great when he is dashing off with me.

:)

Keeping Busy

June has been a busy month. I have taken a week or so off from helping my brother with his lawn service to help my mom around the house. She recently had Carpal Tunnel Release surgery. Her right hand was done this time.

Next month, her left hand.
This is why I got a vacation from mowing!
:)

I baked cookies....

...finished up a pillow for a wedding gift....

...and tried a new cupcake recipe.

I have started a recipe blog to keep track of some of the recipes I like.

The link is on my sidebar.