My Lucky Find!

So, I've been watching Rachael Ray for quite some time. I've made several of her recipes and they have all been great! She always uses tomato paste in a tube!! It makes perfect sense! You know you never use all the tomato paste in the can! Whoever thought of the tube idea is a genius! You can squeeze out the amount you want, screw the top back on and stick it in the fridge! I know it's strange that tomato paste is this exciting to me, but I've been looking for the tube forever with no luck! Andrew and I have searched high & low for this stuff and have not been able to find it. Well, today I found it!

I wasn't even looking for it. I was actually looking for canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce for another one of Rachael's recipes that Andrew was craving. I was just standing there in the aisle of the supermarket and there it was. I was so excited I called Andrew and told him. I know this is totally random and weird that I'm this excited about tomato paste, but I think it's the fact that I actually found something that I have been looking for for a while!

This is what I did while Andrew was gone to church to practice tonight. This is the room where I crop and Andrew plays his guitar. I love my Cricut!!

This is my corner

Andrew's corner, minus his amp and electric guitar

"Valentine's Day" with my Valentine on Valentine's Day!

On Valentine's day, Andrew and I went to see "Valentine's Day." Totally cliche' I know, but it was a very enjoyable movie! Lots of familiar faces all somehow joined together. I would recommend it to anyone! Ok, so my movie pitch is not why I am posting this. My big oversized bag also known as a purse comes in handy on movie night! We like to bring some snacks of our own because, hello!, I mean, have you been to a movie lately? It's pretty ridiculous. We still buy the popcorn though just because it's not a movie without it! Anyways, we had some chocolate covered espresso beans and Andrew was eating them by the handful, imagine that! He noticed he had dropped a few and just figured they fell on the floor and continued eating the caffeine coated caffeine. After the movie, the lights turn on and we notice that the espresso beans did not fall on the floor. They landed on Andrew's shirt! Notice the big chocolate blob on his stomach.

This is how he cleaned his shirt! We laughed and laughed! He's like a child! I can't take him anywhere!

Answers. They don't come easy!

And we KNOW that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

I love how God can take our messes and turn them into masterpieces! Our message this morning was just that. Our pastor, ever so gracefully and with God's help, answered some questions about the passing of our youth pastor one week ago today. Questions like, "Where was God in all this?", "How did we not know?", "Why didn't he come to us and ask us for help?", and the biggest question of all was "Where is he now?"

Most of the questions about a suicide will never be answered this side of Heaven, but Jonathan gave us the best answers he could. He assured us that God is ever present. He was there that afternoon that Matt chose to take his own life; but there was also another spirit there, a darker spirit. Matt made a poor choice. Yes, God was there. He was powerful enough to stop this. However, when God created His children, he created us with a free will- a blessing and a curse. Matt chose this, God did not. Satan might have won this battle, but we all know he will NOT win the war!

Another question was "How did we not know what was going on?". "Why didn't Matt talk to someone?" Do you broadcast your feelings to the world? Some people, like Matt, are very private. They either try to work things out themselves or put their worries into fixing other peoples problems. Why do we, as Christians, think that our lives have to be perfect? Can we not take off the front for one minute and actually ask for help? God told us it would not be easy, that we would have sorrow and pain and sufferings. So, why do we try to hide these things? God places people in our lives to help us, to guide us. Seek God in all things and know that sorrow may last through the night, but JOY comes in the morning!

Lastly, the big question that's on every body's mind is, "Where is Matt today?" Let me just say that I'm not 100% sure because I didn't know Matt's relationship with God, no one did but Matt and God. We only saw the outward expression of his relationship with Christ which led everyone to believe he was saved. Now, nowhere in the Bible (to my knowledge) does it give the punishment for taking one's own life. The only unpardonable sin recorded is blasphemy, and if there is another one I'm pretty sure it would have made it's way into our Bible. I said earlier that Matt gave into the enemy and made a poor choice. If God disowned us every time we made a mistake then we would all be in trouble and none of us would have the assurance of making it to heaven. We mess up all the time. Praise God that He loves us enough to forgive us and He accepts us just the way we are!

The question that I have is, how can anybody that knows my God think that he/she has no hope. That the best solution is to take one's own life and leave behind a family that loves you. Maybe he was tired of the sufferings on earth and wanted to go home to be with Jesus? I don't know. I don't think he was in his right mind when he did this. I just can't wrap my mind around this. We were told this morning not to judge Matt. I have to say that this past week Andrew and I have been discussing this and trying to figure out the why's and the how's, and I have to admit that I've been angry at this man whom I didn't even know. I was mad because of this selfish act of choosing death over life. I mean, obviously this guy had never lost anyone close to him and couldn't possibly know the grief and heartache it is of losing someone (I don't know this for sure, I'm just venting.) How could he do this to his wife and children? Did he not love them enough to stay? to watch his children grow? to grow old with his wife? I've thought all these things this week but this morning I was reminded that I have no right to cast judgment. That's not my job. He has already received his judgment. So I will try to think positive thoughts about Matt, hoping that he is in the presence of our Lord!

Today is Valentine's day. A day to go out of our way to show those people that are close to our hearts that we love them. Wouldn't it be great if we did this everyday? If we could show everyone we love just how much we love them, then maybe we could touch a life that might be suffering and confused. We don't know how long we have here on earth. We only have today! Do something good. Ask for help. Say, "I love you." You never know when those chances will be taken away from you. Go! Show God's love to someone!

For those of you who don't know, our church's (Palm Vista Baptist) youth pastor committed suicide this past Sunday (2/7/10). He was married with 5 children, 2 of which were adopted. The youngest child had some respiratory issues and they had been in and out of the hospital with her. He was under a lot of stress and had been taking anti-anxiety and anti-depression meds for this. His marriage was also struggling. Sunday, while his wife and children were out, he shot himself with a gun he had purchased Friday without his wife's knowledge.

I'm telling you all this so that you can be in prayer for this family. His name is Matt and his wife's name is Elizabeth. Please be in prayer for this family and also our church family. I know there is a long road ahead but God is still God and He has a plan. This did not surprise God like it did us! He knows all things and He is working things out for our good right now.

Dear God, be with this family. Give them peace that surpasses all understanding. Comfort them, Father. Strengthen them. Let them know that you are still God, that you love them and will provide all their needs. In Jesus' name. Amen

So...Andrew & I ventured out into the world of chocolate today!! Glendale had a festival called "The Chocolate Affair." We got lots of yummy goodies, as you can see! Everyone needs a good chocolate fix every now & then. Mine are just more frequent than others!!

So I know with Facebook, everyone can pretty much stay "in the loop" of what's going on over here in the wild west; but I wanted to create this blog because, well, I can't sleep and I thought, "what the heck!" I have started with some new families at work and I'm working evenings. I love not waking up to an alarm clock! I'm also going to start doing visits and filling in to get some extra $$. Andrew is finally off nights but unfortunately will switch back next month. He is really enjoying the work center where he does a lot of "hands on" work.
I'm looking forward to the end of the month! My besties are coming to visit! Nathan, Darna, Lauren & Madelyn are coming. Andrew and Nathan will enjoy a good day of golf while us girls catch up! I'm so excited!
Well, I think I'm gonna turn in. This was fun! I'll try to keep this thing updated! Goodnight.