He LIVES!!

What an amazing start to our day!! We got to church and the electricity was out....we were told we were going to have the service by candlelight, until right before the service started-the lights came on. Boo!! I was so excited to hear all of our congregation sing a cappella on this wonderul Easter morning. Even though everything resumed back to normal, it was a nice thought-everyone was liking the fact that we were going to use our hymnals and that Mark was ready to go with his candle.

Anyways, Mark preached on the passage about Thomas and Jesus in John 20:24-29...not your typical Easter Sunday service...and I love that about Faith Bible. Thomas, one of the 12 disciples, was a gloomy, sort of "eeyore-ish", pessimistic kind of guy. When Jesus was put to death on the cross, Thomas went to be alone and stayed away for about a week. Although he had a gloomy personality, he was very much devoted to Christ. If Christ died, he wanted to die with him. While Thomas was away from the other disciples, the Lord came to them and they saw that it was Jesus...He Had RISEN!! When the other disciples told Thomas that the Lord lived and that they had seen him, Thomas doubted. He needed to SEE it for himself. The Lord told Thomas to touch his wounds...and Thomas said to him "My Lord and my God!!" The Lord then said to Thomas..."Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed."

This shows that God chooses to use every type of personality, even the pessimists, as long as the person yields to Christ. Thomas' story is a reminder that we will miss out on Christ and what he has to offer when we don't fellowship with other believers when given the opportunity. Thomas doubted so we didn't have to. Thomas longed to be reunited with the Lord and to never be away from Him again. This should be our prayer, too.

Happy Easter!! He has Risen!!.....and it makes me giddy just thinking of the years to come when Zach and I get to teach these things to our child(ren)!!!! I can't wait to share it with them!

18 week post to follow...soon.

16 weeks!!

**First of all, please forgive me that this is one big paragraph!! No matter how I space it, it keeps clumping it all together...sorry! Ahh...I am LOVING this 2nd trimester thing!! I pretty much feel like my normal self...with just a little bit of tightness in my belly - the way you feel after you've eaten a ton, and with that, of course, a bigger belly! (which I am okay with!) I'm having a hard time getting used to sleeping on my side...but it is getting easier! Other than that, I feel great! This past week I was able to plant some begonias, an azalea, and hydrangeas!!!! I can't wait until they take over my front flowerbed!!! Also, tomorrow I am starting some herbs and peppers from seed. I LOVE this time of year! This weekend my mom, her best friend, grandma, Aunt Teri, Aunt Amy, and a few of my cousins are all going to a women's bible conference here in OKC!! I can't wait!! Some of them will stay with us so I am, of course, trying to get together a few fun recipes for them to enjoy during their stay!! It will be so nice to spend some time with these wonderful Godly women that I look up to...I have learned so much from them and I am excited to continue to do so. In other news....the countdown is beginning with just 15 days until we get to (hopefully) find out whether we are having a sweet baby boy or a sweet baby girl!!! AHHhhhHHhh!! I can hardly contain myself!! Please pray that lil baby S cooperates!! ;)