I read something the other day that was about teaching children to pray. So it got me thinking, and I have been talking to my little one lately about how to talk to Jesus. Well, first I taught her to SAY Jesus ("Dee-Dis.") And since I listen to worship music most of the time and I prefer upbeat contemporary Christian pop and rock, she has started to like it a little too.

One day when she was dancing, I said, "Are you dancing for Jesus?" It was so cute, and she looked me right in the eye and said, "Yes." Then she went to back to her madman's dance. (Come on you've all seen a two-year-old "dance.")

Well, we got to talking later (as much as you can with a toddler), and we were talking about talking to Jesus. I asked her how to do it.

Joey:

So I said, "Fold your hands like this." I showed her how to interlace her little fingers and hold her hands together. Then I said, "Okay, baby, Bow your head like this." And she did, looking up at me through heavy black eyelashes bordering a sea of blue.

Now at this time we happened to be sitting together on the living room floor, surround by those big-ass toddler legos. And I said, "Then you close your eyes..."

She did! Then, she toppled over in the floor with her still-folded hands under her cheek and said, "Night, night!" She proceeded to fake snore with a big fat grin on her face... Maybe I should've waited on the "close your eyes" part ...

Today I had my first REAL communion. I mean, I'd gone to church a hundred times and had a cracker and some juice, but today ... Today I had my communion with GOD. I wasn't that moved by the music today, and I usually am, so I had kind of shut down.

But the sermon was about compassion in the face of trials and difficulties. Pastor Paul talked about having compassion for those who do you wrong in spite of the wrongs they have done to you. And that is the Christ-like way, to love everyone - in spite of what they have done. He loves even me, in spite of the way I turned my back on Him for so long.

Today as I stood in my church and looked upon the bread, the symbol of Christ's flesh which was beaten more brutally than any dough and was baked dry and burned in the hot sun, my eyes filled with grateful tears.

Today I nearly choked as my throat worked to swallow the juice, the sweet symbol of the bitter blood of Christ which was spilled and spat upon ... For me. For the eternal life of MY soul.

Father, I thank you for sending your son, your precious Holy Lamb down to die on the cross for my sins. Today as I partook of Christ's Communion in your church, I was moved by you many times to speak to you, to your Son, Jesus. Thank you father, for speaking to me and for speaking through me. I love you Lord, today and every day. And I worship happily in the name of Jesus ... AMEN.

 

The gift from hell? Yep.  

All week Ryan has been defensive and snappy. I kept asking him why, and getting nothing. Today, I got the answer ... frickin' AOL.

I like AOL and would've used it so happily for our internet, but Ryan is one of those computer-people. "It HAS to be high-speed ..." Blah, blah, blah. Basically, "No we can not have AOL - I hate AOL." Have I mentioned that he's kind of a power-hungry control freak?

Anyways, I didn't want AOL bad enough to fight for it, and now that I'm used to what we've got, I prefer WHAT WE HAVE. But last weekend when Ryan was sick and I took Joey out to get her out of his hair ... He put it on his computer! I was less than thrilled, and he was offended ...

So guys ... when you say no to your woman and force her to settle for what YOU want, don't just pop in on her and expect her to gush over a desire that is gone because YOU swore not to fulfill it. If you want to make her happy by giving her what she wants ... Then don't tell her no. How come you guys only give us what we want when we don't want it anymore? You'd save a lot of trouble and guesswork (I promise) like this : We ask for what we want. Don't give us what we don't ask for while ignoring what we DO ask for! DUH!

Oh my gosh, Ryan just got home from work a little while ago, and then he had to go to the store for a few things... I jokingly suggested that he take Joey with him to get her out of my hair because it's been a long day with her and I don't feel that great.

HE DID!!!!!!!!

Oh my gosh! Usually he bows out, and I know he's still nervous ... or maybe not as attached as he tries to make out ... but he usually is like, "Well she doesn't have her shoes on or anything. I could just go and get back." But today ...

HE TOOK HER!!! WOO-HOO!!!!

Your words, your dreams, and your thoughts have power to create conditions in your life. What you speak about, you can bring about.

If you keep saying you can't stand your job, you might lose your job.

If you keep saying you can't stand your body, your body can become sick.

If you keep saying you can't stand your car, your car could be stolen or just stop operating.

If you keep saying you're broke, guess what? You'll always be broke.

If you keep saying you can't trust a man or trust a woman, you will always find someone in your life to hurt and betray you.

If you keep saying you can't find a job, you will remain unemployed.

If you keep saying you can't find someone to love you or believe in you, your very thought will attract more experiences to confirm your beliefs.

If you keep talking about a divorce or break up in a relationship, then you might end up with it.

Turn your thoughts and conversations around to be more positive and power-packed with faith, hope, love and action. Don't be afraid to believe that you can have what you want and deserve.

 Watch your Thoughts, they become words.

 Watch your words, they become actions.

 Watch your actions, they become habits.

 Watch your Habits, they become character.

 Watch your Character, for it becomes your Destiny.

 The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settle for.

Finally, in the search for me, I discovered truth.

In the search for truth, I discovered love.

In the search for love, I discovered God.

And in God, I have found everything.

I found this on a blog that I was reading today, and it really stood out to me in light of things that have happened in my life and things that are happening now. I just thought that it was pretty and I found myself inspired by it. I love the way it starts with so much discontent and displeasure, and it ends with perfect peace, AND GOD...