Four things about me

Four Jobs I've had:

1. Financial Aid Officer
2. Telephone survey girl
3. Subway Sandwich "artist" how corny!!
4. Nanny

Four movies I could watch over and over:

1. Titanic
2. I am Sam
3. Girls just want to have fun
4. Dirty Dancing

Four books I could read over and over:

1. The Bible
2. Harry Potter
3. Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands
4. Ummm...can't think of one more....

Four places I have lived:

1. Portland, OR
2. Sandy, OR
3. Gresham, OR
4. Soon to be Vancouver, WA
   

Four TV shows I watch:

1. CSI
2. Law and Order
3. Antiques Roadshow
4. Cooking shows (any will do:) )

Four places I have been on vacation:

1. Montreal, Canada
2. Mt. Rushmore
3. Disneyland
4. Yellowstone-my favorite

Four websites I visit daily other than email:

1. all my favorite blogs: Jenn, Brenna, Melissa, Tanya (except she hasn't updated it since november!!), a special ed teacher, and a police officer, Kelly, Sireina, PostSecret, plus some other random ones I check on every once in a while
2. NSLDS -work
3. OpenNet -work
4. My retirement fund -to just verify that I will be working when I am 95!

Four favorite foods:

1. Cashew Chicken from Aroy Thai
2. Pizza
3. Just about anything from Olive Garden
4. Steak...YUM

Four places I would like to be right now:

1. Snuggling with my Joe
2. On a tropical beach with a fruity drink and a good book
3. Riding a roller-coaster
4. Hawaii visiting my Aunt and Uncle

Four people I want to participate:

1. All my buddies who read my blog. Including you Tanya!
   

Miracles still happen

My working out at curves is really beginning to pay off. I never quite understood the idea of working out to have more energy. It seemed backwards to me, but I am a believer now. I feel like I had a coffee today, and if you know me, you know how hyper I get with a little coffee in my blood. I am really enjoying all this extra energy.

As most of you are aware, I am continually frustrated with my ex. He is very sporatic with seeing the boys and I never know until Friday night at 7, whether he will show up or not. Well, Joe and I have been doing some pre-marital counseling (yes, I know we are already married...but since our wedding was planned in less than two weeks...we just didn't have the time) I digress. So, we are at the stage in our counseling that our minister, Greg, has asked us what specific issues we are facing and we both came up with Dusty. It really throws out lives into a big question mark because we never know if we will have the boys or not for the weekend. Greg had a few suggestions and then he asked us how often we prayed TOGETHER about this. After a bit of silence we both said...uh...we don't. I know...Bad Teresa. We both pray, but not really together. We started when we first got married, but life got in the way and for some reason we stopped. So Greg asked us to make an effort to pray at night for Dusty. We managed to do it three times this week. We prayed that Dusty would realize how important the boys were to him and that he would spend more time with them.

Wouldn't you know, God answered our prayers. Last night Dusty called (I know amazing!) and said he was going to have the boys this weekend (amazing again.) Sometimes I think we forget how easy it is to pray for something you need. It reminds me of one of my favorite bible verses:

1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.

Give ALL you worries...not just the ones that really bother you...not just the ones that would be nice...but ALL. God wants to help with everything in your life, but he needs an inviatation.
Is there anything in your life you aren't asking God for that you need help with?

The Lords Prayer

Hello all, I found this to be such a great email that I wanted to share it with you. I hope you get as much out of it as I did. It is so true that we often want to go through the motions but how often do we try to listen to the voice of God and what he is truely trying to say to us?

Rather cleverly done.
This is in two parts, the prayer (in blue type) and GOD (in red type) in response. It is very, very good.

Our Father Who Art In Heaven.
Yes?
Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
But -- you called ME!
Called you?No, I didn't call you.I'm praying.Our Father who art in Heaven.
There -- you did it again!
Did what?
Called ME. You said,"Our Father who art in Heaven" Well, here I am.What's on your mind?
But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like fulfilling a duty.
Well, all right.Go on.
Okay, Hallowed be thy name
Hold it right there. What do you mean by that? By what? By "Hallowed be thy name"?
It means, it means . . good grief, I don't know what it means. How in the world should I know?It's just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?
It means honored, holy, wonderful.
Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before. Thanks. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Do you really mean that?
Sure, why not?
What are you doing about it?
Doing? Why, nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control,of everything down here like you have up there. We're kinda in a mess down here you know.
Yes, I know; but, have I got control of you?
Well, I go to church.
That isn't what I asked you.What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money --all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read?
Now hold on just a minute! Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!
Excuse ME. I thought you were praying for my will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it. Like you -- for example.
Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others.
So could I.
I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things. I would like to, you know, be really free.
Good. Now we're getting somewhere.We'll work together -- You and ME. I'm proud of You.
Look, Lord, if you don't mind,I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. Give us this day, our daily bread.
You need to cut out the bread. You're overweight as it is.
Hey, wait a minute! What is this? Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.
Praying is a dangerous thing. You just might get what you ask for. Remember,you called ME -- and here I am. It's too late to stop now. Keep praying. ( . . pause . . ) Well, go on.
I'm scared to.
Scared? Of what? I know what you'll say. Try ME.
Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
What about Ann?
See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why, Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories. She never paid back the money she owes me. I've sworn to get even with her!
But -- your prayer --What about your prayer?
I didn't -- mean it.
Well, at least you're honest. But, it's quite a load carrying around all that bitterness and resentment isn't it?
Yes, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even with her. Boy, have I got some plans for her. She'll wish she had never been born.
No, you won't feel any better. You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet. You know how unhappy you are -- Well, I can change that.
You can? How?
Forgive Ann. Then, I'll forgive you; And the hate and the sin,will be Ann's problem -- not yours. You will have settled the problems far as you are concerned.
Oh, you know, you're right. You always are. And more than I want revenge, I want to be right with You . . (sigh). All right . all right . .I forgive her.
There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?
Hmmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all! In fact, I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll go to bed uptight tonight. I haven't been getting much rest, you know.
Yeah, I know. But, you're not through with your prayer are you? Go on.
Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Good! Good! I'll do that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.
What do you mean by that?
You know what I mean.
Yeah. I know.
Okay. Go ahead. Finish your prayer.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Do you know what would bring me glory --What would really make me happy?
No, but I'd like to know. I want to please you now. I've really made a mess of things. I want to truly follow you. I can see now how great that would be. So, tell me . . .How do I make you happy?
YOU just did.

Yumminess

I had the best lunch today. It was actually left-overs from dinner last night which my wonderful husband made for me. We had steak with onions and a tasty broth that it was baked in, plus portabella mushrooms (those really big mushrooms) with Teriyaki sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. Yummy! It was great. Dotty says I am spoiled...I have to agree:) I have the best husband in the entire world. Well, I know there are other great husbands out there...but he is the perfect one for me.

Teresa = extremely lucky

It's a small world after all...

Does that get the song stuck in your head? Sure does get it stuck in my head. Reminds me of when I went to Disneyland my senior year. I remember going on the small world ride.

Anyway, back to my original thought...It is a small world. I had a student bring in her marriage license to change her name. After she left I was looking it over and guess who married her...the minister that married us (who happens to be my next door neighbor.) It is amazing how we are all connected.

Navy Seals

Navy SEALs are always taught:
1) Keep your priorities in order
2) Know when to act without hesitation.

A Navy SEAL was attending some college courses between assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.One of the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist and a member of the ACLU. One day he shocked the class when he came in, looked to the ceiling, and flatly stated, "God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes." The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am God. I'm still waiting."

It got down to the last couple of minutes when the SEAL got out of His chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him; knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold. The SEAL went back to his seat and sat there, silently. The other students were shocked and stunned and sat there looking on in silence.The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the SEAL and asked, "What the hell is the matter with you? Why did you do that?"The SEAL calmly replied, "God was too busy today protecting America's soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid shit and act like an asshole. So He sent me."

Why go to church?

If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this! If you'respiritually dead, you won't want to read it. If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope!

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: "I've been married for 30 years now. In that timemy wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do mywork. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physicallydead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"

When you are DOWN to nothing.... Godis UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredibleand receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND ourspiritual nourishment!

So much to tell...

Wow...it has been a while. I am sorry to all my readers. I had two weeks off from work and you would think I would have made time to update...but instead I was a slug and didn't do much of anything....which was REALLY nice.

I joined Curves last week. Today was my second workout. I really am enjoying it. The workout is pretty fun, plus they have lots of incentives and games to keep it fun. I am excited to lose some weight and get healthier. There were 7 people at the club this morning at 6 am...plus they were playing Christian music. I really think it is the right place for me.

Joe has his second interview today. It would be great if he got the job. I have been praying about it...so we will see if the job is right for him.

I am going to start going to a new life group with my church. It should be a lot of fun. It is on Saturdays and we have bible study and then a meal. I can't wait...plus I like all the people in the group too. Joe is coming too and the boys get to stay with my friend's oldest son so they will have some fun too.

The boys start their swimming lessons on Saturday which should be fun for them. They got new swimming suits from Joe's parents so they will be cute too:)