Husband

I was looking at pictures of me and my husband today and started thinking about how much I love him.

This picture was taken last year at Valentine's. We went to White Castle. His work was slow and this is what we could afford. It was an UnEmployment Valentines. So fun!!! I remember that night I shared with him how he was an example of Christ's love to me. Chris has taught me what it is to loved unconditionally. Seriously, he just loves me. Chris has chosen to love me and I know he always will.

This picture represents to me how he stands by me. I can't go into all the details of this situation because this is a public blog, but Chris is my #1 fan and loyal support.

And this is my absolutely silly and fun husband. Sometimes I tell him, you just ain't right while I'm laughing the whole time!! In this picture I wanted him to be serious because I wanted a romantic picture and well you see. But I love this about him. I love how he can make me laugh and laugh. He brings fun silliness to our relationship.

Well, he stood outside in freezing weather so I could see RED's Opening Day Parade! Enough said. (He isn't a Red's Fan)

This picture was taken at his Dad's cabin. We were on a hike. I enjoy his love of the outdoors and his knowledge of Ohio's nature. I like being out in nature with him and well, if you have been out in nature you know how peaceful it can be and I so enjoy sharing that with him.

This one, well the most amazing thing, 16 years of marriage!! Isn't he handsome? I'm so lucky to be his hot wife. I just can't express enough how much I love him and how loved I feel because of him. I'm one lucky and blessed person to be so loved. God made a beautiful love when he brought us together and has blessed us so much in keeping us together. Chris has had amazing patience with me as I have learned and grown. He has been an amazing spiritual leader for me. I just am amazed at how beautiful our love is.

Honey, I love you and thanks for loving me........

Relationships

Today, I'm feeling blue. I wonder how many people around me feel blue? How many of us walk through this life feeling so alone and wishing we had someone to share stuff with and yet we never reach out to each other? We stay in our box, all alone. We feel afraid that if we let others know how sad we are we will look pathetic. It is true, we humans, don't like to see people in pain. We just want happiness. Maybe we have so much pain of our own that taking on someone else's pain is just too much. But isn't pain lessened when we share it? I know for me it is. When I get to spend some time with a friend and just talk, I feel so much better. I can handle life's pressures and disappointments with a much more upbeat attitude, with a smile and contentment. This leads me to think, I was not created by God to be alone. I was created to have relationships. Oh, there is that word again. This word 'relationship' has been popping up in my life over the past year. I'm learning how very important it is. First, there is my relationship with God. I'm on a journey to understand God's Love for me. What does it mean to be loved by God? What is it to live and rest in God's love? How does that feel? What is it to be at Peace in the Love of God? What would it be like to truly believe, I do not have to perform to be accepted? My head understands all of this and believes it. I was taught it and I'm still taught it and as I stated I believe it. But when it comes to the heart and being honest, I don't live this. My heart doubts that God loves me no matter what. Now, please don't judge me for this. Honestly ask yourself, does your heart truly believe it? If you can answer yes, then I'm going to say that probably there was a point when you were brave enough to ask these same questions or similar questions and God lead you to your point of belief. I am actually excited. Because I do have enough trust in God to know that one day He will lead me to this point also.  Secondly, there is my relationship with other people. I need friends around me. People around me need me. Though I pause at this because until I trust love or the Source of love, I don't think my relationship with people around me can fulfill me or take away my blues. I need God to be my best friend and then other relationships can add to my fullness. I can't wait until I'm at that point in my life where without a doubt I can rest in love.

If you read this, thanks for taking time out of your day and I hope it directs you to seek the Source of  Love.

Stephanie

My God Story

I'm not good at blogging, but decided it was time to blog again. Someone told me some time ago that they were interested in my God story. So well, here is part of it. I started my personal relationship with God in the 5th Grade. I remember that night and when I went to bed, I had so much peace. 5th grade was a really rough year for me so having that peace that night really meant alot. Lots happened between that day and some time a couple of years ago when I prayed the prayer to God that I wanted to know the Truth. Not what I had been taught was the truth, but I wanted God to show me Truth. I didn't realize it at the time, but that was a powerful prayer. God has taught me so much in the past two years. Some of it is still between me and God, but some of it I can share. One thing, is that God began to reveal to me that I believed some lies about myself. First lie, I believed I was a failure. It was revealed to me that I subconsciously told myself throughout they day that I was failing. If I saw the dishes in the sink, I would think if I was better, those would be done. Dirty house, if I was better, it would be clean. Laundry, if I better used my time, it would be done. I told myself constantly that I was failing. I remember the day, I realized that I did this. I made a plan. The next time I saw the pile of laundry, I would say," Look how full my life is that I have all this laundry and how much fuller is my life that I am so busy with my life that I don't have time to do it" You get the idea. I have kids and a husband and a full life. So much love fills my life that I don't have time to do the laundry, dishes, etc. Don't get me wrong, I do laundry and dishes, but when I see they need done, I don't tell myself if you were better those would be done. This was huge for me. I am not a failure!!!
But God wasn't done, He soon revealed that I believed I was an inconvenience. This lead to alot of agruements with my husband. I believed what I wanted wasn't important to other people. I put this belief on my husband and treated him like it was true. Boy would we argue. Yes, I remember the night this came to a head and I remember, when I realized I believed I was an inconvenience. And then I remember, when I realized it wasn't true. I'm not an inconvenience. I'm important and people really do like me.
Realizing that I'm not an inconvenience nor a failure, well that changed my life. As with any lesson we learn, sometimes I have to remember this.
God has also taught me other things. I've learned lessons about the 10 commandments, the Sabbath and that God is all about relationships. Mine and God's relationship and relationships with other people.
I'm so excited that God is still teaching me truth.

Beach Part of Vacation

And we begin the ocean part of our vacation. This part was much more relaxing!

When we first got there, we went to eat at Johnny Rockets.

I was enjoying my book. I was so excited to have time to read and relax.

We finally made it to the water!!!!!!!

Chris absolutely loves the ocean. He was so excited to play football with the kids in the ocean.

This is a picture of our resort. We stayed right on the beach.

Building a fort in the sand.

Then we built one to decorate with seaweed.

After playing at the beach the kids wanted to get in the hot tub. This was so important to them.

Then movie time. They had quite the setup. However, Taty wasn't too keen about sleeping on the couch. When we got to our hotel on the way home, she was so happy to have a "real bed"

Our first night there we ate at a local place. We fed the fish over this railing. It was pretty neat to throw a fry over and watch the fish devour it.

This was the pool at our resort.  That is my sweet boy with his goggles on! Isn't he too cute?

It started pouring outside so we had to go the indoor pool.

I love him!

We took a walk on the beach at night. This was so fun.  

They love each other! The really do.

I love this picture!

Taty tried to take our picture. She just couldn't get one to turn out.

We rode the Ferris Wheel. Christian is so afraid of heights!

Taty loves heights!

Daddy is afraid of heights too!

We are the adventrous ones!

Isn't this just a beautiful picture? Our God is so Awesome! He loves us so much!

We went shopping! A chocolate sand dollar.

Chocolate Race Car. Did it taste that bad?

Florida Flowers

Our Resort was on the other side of this bridge.

Some pictures of our shopping trip.

Some Ocean Football Fun!

 Crashing Wave.

Daddy would throw the football right as a wave would hit them.!

I love my family!

My favorite restaurant to eat at was Bubba Gump's Shrimp. I love that place!

Make your own Sundaes!

The morning we left, we got up early to watch the Sunrise over the Ocean.

Taty wanted to see a Sunset on the Ocean; however, we were on the wrong side. So she had to settle for a Sunrise.  She still wants to see a sunset.