Seth's Birthday!

Seth turned 17 this year, it's hard to believe how fast time flies!

This is the cake we made (it didn't turn out like the picture in my mind, lol)

Happy Birthday Seth!

He's a Mizzou fan! As you can tell.

Silver Dollar City!

Saturday we went to spend the day with the Duggars at Silver Dollar City! We had so much fun, thank you'll so much!

This is the awesome group that we spent the day with!

Not the best pic, lol-all five us kids got to go it was a blast!

Timothy and James on one of the rides

Jessa, Jana, and Jenny

Hannah and Pal on a roller coaster

The guys

The girls

We rode some awesome roller coasters!

Getting ready to watch A Christmas Carol

Pal and Seth

Hannah and Bernita

HQ Christmas Conference 2012!

Christmas Conference at HQ was amazing! So many things happened, one thing that was incredible was that the city allowed us to get a temporary occupancy permit to use the Oak Brook Drake hotel. Which was a huge answer to prayer (the city has never allowed a temporary permit before). It was was such a huge blessing to see God answer prayer even when our faith was weak.

I was able to help decorate for the Christmas conference, we had a blast, it was great to see everyone helping out to get things done! Great work ya'll!

I had the privilege of playing the harp the first night of the Christmas conference!

Our "blue grass" ensemble group 

We were actually in the Drake! It was really hard to believe!

Jamie Lash gave some very powerful messages!

Mr. Duggar with a tired little one.

We plated all of the food for the banquet, it was a ton of fun!

Here are the servers who served it!

Random pic,

I was able to help out with the video during the conference which was great!

Our family picture this Christmas

Snapshot of my awesome sister Hannah!

I hope that you'll will have a blessed Christmas this year!

(there might be more pics coming...but not making any promises)

Christmas Time!

I love Christmas time so much, just thinking about the birth of Christ and why He came.Why should it mean so much to us? Because he came to die for us so that we might be able to live. His coming means our redemption, His death means our birth, and His suffering means our life. Don't take this season for granted, because if it wasn't here you would be desperately lost, I mean like no hope in sight, but Jesus made a way, coming humbly as a babe, dying as for all sinners. That's what my King did for me and He will do it for you. He paid the whole price and  all you have to do is believe and receive. This season you can walk in the land of the living. Seek Him as the wise men did long ago! He wants to be found!

The past week has been so busy, I mean really busy, which is great because I love to be busy. The only problem is when you become so busy you can't get everything done. Yes, indeed it is a very big problem. Well, besides the problem of not having enough time, I've been practicing with vocal choir, vocal ensemble, bell practice, Christmas decorating...which has been absolutely amazing!...um, Christmas concerts, Christmas parties,Christmas shopping, Listening to Christmas music, Web design class, harp lessons, Talking with the awesome people I work with, working out travel plans, practicing the harp, enjoying life...it is so great!!! Anyways have a blessed time as you celebrate with family and friends!

Thanksgiving...Taffy...Times at Home!

It was really good to be back for thanksgiving! I also had some oral surgery which went well...one step closer to permanent teeth!!! :)

Bro. Al and Miss Jody Apsher came over for thanksgiving!

We had a lot of fun, I miss them a lot!

Hannah and Timothy working on taffy

Taffy

Pal pulling taffy, Hannah needed someone buff!

 

Seth playing basketball

Seth and Timothy's Team

The little guys won their game!

 

To The Tippy Top

A friend gave me this quote... :)

Don't feel like you need to go lower or fall off of the tree. The one that God has made for you is brave enough and willing to do whatever it takes to capture your heart. Just keep being paitent and content right where you are. The Lord will continue to grow you and mature into the beautiful "apple" He wants you to be, and when you are ready he will send him to climb the tree. Don't be discouraged, don't be hindered...because Satan will try to discourage you and send things to tear you down. but hold fast, cling to he branch and He will fill you up and make you whole as you daily abide in His presense.

Fall Time Clean Up!

Abby and I had the privilege of cooking for all of the folks that came out to help us rake the leaves and clean up the property around HQ. It was so much fun!

Cinnamon Rolls

 

Fruit Tray

 

Abby in the leaves

We usually go to Boston Market after church on Sundays

Eating

Chocolate Cookies

 

It was so much fun to make the food for everyone, and also to help with fall clean up was awesome!

What Causes You to Stop Moving Forward?

 

"The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing." Proverbs 20:4

Excuses

Excuses are only a hindrance to yourself. . .because no matter what you walk away from you won't be reaping the benefits. Don't give into being comfortable, but step up and even when it gets tough look to the Lord and see what He wants you to accomplish in and through you.

Determination

You must be determined to stick with it even when things get hard or circumstances aren't ideal. Push through the hard times. . . You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

In our christian life excuses come when we look to Christians to full fill what God can give.

He is the only One that can make our cup full and overflowing. . .and therefore we can in turn help others run the race He has set before us.

Never let Satan get you down, He is ready to kill, steal, and destroy. Don't let him kill the passion Christ has given you, Don't let him steal the joy that comes from your daily fellowship with the Lord. And last but not least don't let him destroy your testimony for Christ or His precious name that you humbly represent. 

Always remember that this world is just our mission field and we are just passing through. Will you be like the sluggard and try to rationalize away why you can't do the work that the Master has laid before us to do. You don't want to come to the end and realize you have nothing. Invest in something that will matter for eternity!

What Highway Are You On?

 

I was reading Proverbs 16 this morning and came to this verse;

"The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preseveth his soul." Proverbs 16:17

So, I asked myself, what highway am I on? Are my decisions keeping me on the highway of the upright? Does my life reflect my Savior, Jesus Christ?

 

Don't sacrifice the right way for the pleasures of the world. . . every decision or choice you make has you going somewhere; either traveling on the highway of righteousness or off of the path and caught up in the thorn bushes of this world. Don't let the little flowers inside of the thorns catch your attention, they aren't worth going for. When you get to them, you will relize they were only weeds, and you lost precious, valuable time. . . that can never be regained. Keep focusing on the highway, seek righteousness, pursue God and he will hold you fast to His promise.

 

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2

 

Don't be afraid of reaching the goal, because if you run with all of your might the race that was set before you, there will be no regrets! The reward will be so great you won't wish you had gone for the weeds that were covered in thorns. Because wondering off of the highway doesn't stop you from reaching the goal, but it will allow pain and sorrow that isn't necessary. Don't follow after fleeting vanity that atracks your attention, if it's not on the highway of righteousness, forsake it! It's not worth it!

 

Run with boldness! The Lord will go before you, will you follow Him in the way of the upright? Staying on the highway of the upright is a contiual decision. Choices come up all of the time. . . What will you decide?   

 

"There is nothing more dangerous on this planet than people that are not afraid of dying." -Josef Tson

Less Than 1 Week!

In less than a week I will be traveling home! I'm so excited!

 

Here are some pictures from Mr. Gothards birthday party!

 

The ATI department! Elizabeth, Sarah and Moriah.

Mr. Gothard

Vessels of Honor Group

Guys Music Group

Party!

Cakes

 

Group Picture!

 

We had a great time, decortating for the party, and we had a blast! It was so much fun!

Photography thanks goes to Thomas Paine.