Christmas @ Our Home

So yesterday we did nothing as normal. We had Christmas at our house with Taco Salad. YES I said Taco Salad! I love abnormalties!!!

Here are some moments from that...


*Charlie's new hoodie I bought for him at Penny Lanes with a matching turtle patch that mom sewed on for him since he's now captured the nickname "turtle" from a co-worker.

Adoption/Foster Parents

Not sure what direction we want to go yet. We're obviously undeserving of children for some reason. Not sure what we did wrong. Before he tries to get another job, he's going to use the insurance he has to get a sperm test so we at least know where we are with him.
Praying...lots of changes coming!
Busy with a snowman making party tomorrow! Pictures to follow! So excited!
:-)

Fallen moment #2

God, I feel like I'm falling .
I did it again.
I've done it again. I've sinned. Blatantly sinned. I can't be friends with sinners, I've realized this, because when I am, I fall to old habits.

I'm so sorry Lord, I'm just suffering so, and I don't know why ...I'm doubting Lord, and I don't want to be!

Please help me see that Faith is the only way!

Love,
Ashley

More Promises To Stand On

Is it God's will that I give birth to children?

-YES! Absolutely!

Genesis 1:28
Then God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground."

It's not God's will to hold any blessings from you!

Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

Psalm 113:9
He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the LORD!

You are already blessed with fruitfulness
Because of what Jesus did for us on the Cross, all believers are blessed with the blessings of faithful Abraham. Are you married to a person of the opposite sex? Are you a born-again believer? If yes, then the blessing of fruitfulness of the womb is already available to you. All you have to do is apply faith (confidence) in God's willingness and ability to make you fruitful and most assuredly fruitfulness of the womb will be realized and appropriated to you. In addition, you are entitled to a normal childbirth free from Miscarriage [Exodus 23:26].

Galatians 3:29, Galatians 3:9
"Now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and now all the promises God gave to him belong to you."



Deuteronomy 7:14
You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock.



Exodus 23:26
There shall be no one miscarrying or barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.



Respond to Infertility with Faith and Prayer
The Bible shows us through example how to overcome infertility problems. The remedy for infertility and/or miscarriage is by faith and prayer. You now see that it is definitely God's will for you to be fruitful in your body (fertile) so respond to the mountain of infertility with faith and the spoken word. Call those things that be not as though they were. Saturate yourself in the word until faith springs forth and you believe the word of God more than you believe your natural circumstances, your doctors diagnosis, and old wives tales. All those reports in the natural may be real but truth exists beyond what you can see, taste, hear, smell, or touch. Use your faith in God's word to appropriate his blessings, and most assuredly, soon your desire for children will be realized. Praise God!



Romans 4:17-18
Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though he knew that he was too old to be a father at the age of one hundred and that Sarah, his wife, had never been able to have children. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.



Hebrews 11:11
By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.


Rebekah conceived her first child in answer to Isaac's prayers.

Genesis 25:21
Isaac pleaded with the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The LORD answered Isaac's prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins.


Hannah's prayers for a child were answered.

1 Samuel 1:27
I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.

John the Baptist was conceived as the result of Zechariah's prayers.

Luke 1:13, 14
But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

Receive It.

So, since God's given me the name of my child one day at work that He promised to give me, I was excited at the time, but I've let that promise slowly fade. I never grabbed hold of it. I never took it, thanked Him, and RECEIVED IT. Not even after a lady who called me named Connie said she prayed I would have MORE eggs. Samson Elliott Day is closer and closer to getting here and I can FEEL it. God told me last night in the silence and the stillness and quiet calmness all around me that we would be able to tell my family this Christmas that I was finally pregnant.
He showed me a vision so strong I almost started crying right then and there. I saw myself wrapping up a little onesie and giving it to my mom with a little Santa Hat and her opening it and crying profusley.
In the vision, we gave her this gift last of course as a most beautiful surprise and either I or Charlie was filming it the whole time.
I can't wait. I will grab hold of that promise and claim healing for our reproductive organs, our fertility, and my back!
Ever since I've claimed healing at the cross ...Jesus has already healed Charlie's sperm. How do I know? I can just tell, I'll leave the details out, unless someone wants to know, but I KNOW IT! I thanked God last night that it was healed!

Doctors?! HA!
All we need we have in the ultimate healer and he did that long, long, ago!

how to pray.

Continue to meditate on the truth until you see your past and your condition (such as sickness, disease or infertility) as God sees it – disarmed and powerless. Don’t allow any sickness or disease to have an exalted position in your life anymore. Stop looking at yourself and what you can or can’t do, and look to what Jesus HAS DONE! Healing is a free gift that we received upon our salvation. We were saved by grace through faith. God will NOT withhold what He has already provided! Healing is your inheritance so you can freely embrace what Jesus has already purchased for you!

Healing

I come to him now for healing. He's healed me.
He's healed my husband. As soon as I claimed it , he did it for us!
Samson Elliott Day is on his way. Conceive him, breathe him, in my mind, heart, spirit and my body.

Healthy and whole because of the cross.

And, that is the end!

Ashley

If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. Prov 29:18 (Msg)

I need to start attending to what He's revealed and that's Samson!!!

Expectancy

Expectancy is the breeding ground for miracles!

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:1

Gods Will

God’s Word is His Will for our lives
Posted on October 4, 2010 by Nerida Walker
Did you realise that you can know God’s will for your life?

God’s will for you isn’t what the doctors say, what your symptoms say, what your diagnosis is, what your bank balance is or what the natural circumstances dictate; but rather what His Word says! It is therefore important that we dig into God’s Word so that we can discover what it says and understand His perfect will for every area of our lives. And once we know what it says we then need to start renewing our mind with its truth so that our thinking can be transformed and we can believe it for ourselves.

There may be times in our lives when our circumstances don’t line up with the Word, and we may conclude that what happened was God’s will for that situation. But we need to realise that God’s Word isn’t proven or disproven by our personal experiences. When our circumstances don’t line up with what the Word says, we shouldn’t judge or assume it is God’s will. Instead we should continue to make what God’s Word says to be the final authority, because when we live by that truth that is when it can become reality in our lives.

We can be certain that God’s cannot act contrary to His own Word. God will never break His Word – ever! He has sworn by Himself so we can be confident that He will always keep His promises.

Now that is Good News!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5bPvShdyX4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRYJdAEkBC8&feature=related

Why God?

God, if your there, then why?
Why do you make us think that we're starting to get everything we've longed for and then take it away and in a second, it's gone.
Why does the doctor say lose weight and you can have a child, but then they give me degenerative arthritis diagnosis and I have horrible back and hip pain and can't workout!
Even when I was skinny I didn't get pregnant, so that has absolutely nothing to do with it!
I'm done. My dreams are over God. You won. I won't have anything in this life because you have said I can't have it. I don't know what I did to not deserve anything when everyone around me is getting everything, but you've won, I'm done!

To Daddy

I miss you more than I can say. I just can't be around alcohol. It ruined so much in my life. It ruined my parents love, it ruined my first marriage, it's ruining my brother. . . it comes to kill, steal and destroy.



I've broken down twice in the past week about my love for you. I have broken down once tonight about not being able to conceive a child and about how much pain I'm in all of the time.



Life is just not worth living sometimes and I don't understand the hurt. I don't understand why I deserve so much pain. I don't know what I did wrong. Tell me what I can do to make addictions in our families go away and I will do it.



Make me understand why it's more important than family, than love, than happiness and a future, and I will leave you alone, and I won't mention it again.



That's all I have to say.

Infertile ... Lord, Why Us?

Of course, inevitably the question of "why not adopt" comes up.
While there is no doubt that we would (and someday might)
completely and unconditionally love an adopted child,
adoption is not a cure for infertility. Adoption can't fill
the loss of creating a genetically related child with your
partner or the experiences of pregnancy and childbirth,
nor should it be expected to.

Birthday 28.

So, I made it. Birthday 28 today.
I got two cards from hubby last night and a beautiful balloon.
One card to come in the mail from hubby as a surprise... :)
He's the sweetest!

Love him!

Now off to eat and make some Banya for ma birfday!

Love,

Me ♥

Getting Through Your Breaking Point

1. Realize you're not the only one
-When you allow individuality to isolate you it's not good!

Hannah in 1st Samuel Chapter 1-
for years she's desired one thing for the lord
for years she's went to the lord for one thing a baby
she's barren she shows all the signs of the person that's at self destruction
while everyone else in the room is filled with joy, she weeps
she sat in sorrow
she is adored by her husband
in spite of his kindness he's not enough for her
longing and eating at her in the soul
everyhwere she looks everything she sees reminds her she's childless
when everywhere you look reminds me of something that you can't have

when it comes to bearing the burdens you've beared your not the only one whos went through them

other have faced impossible problems and have felt like their lives have been ruined
ALL things are possible through them that believe!
He's healed others, he'll heal you, he's calmed storms and moved mountains, he'll do that for you.
Don't let the devil tell you that you're the only one. you have not been forsaken, everything is going to be alright !

2. whos shoulder are you crying on?
-turn to god for supernatural issues turn to a supernatural god!

Releasing Your Faith Pt 2

It's frustrating when your in a storm
and you feel like Jesus is asleep!

worrying, running to everyone we know in advice
most people don't know what to do with their own,
so try running to the throne not the phone!

let that faith keep you calm in the storm!
have joy when you don't have anything to be joyful about!
peace-joy: a calm delight (don't have to be over joyful all of
the time)

When we step out in faith, there's a beginning and an end
if we don't make a good decision while I wait, many people
turn back and never get to the end of their dreams. Believe God
and cast your care upon Him. Your going to get to the end,
and it will be beautiful! Gal 6:9!!




John 14:27-peace i leave with you--not as the World gives, do not
let your hearts be troubled or afraid don't allow your selves
to be adgitated or disturbed, fearful, intimidated, cowardly

Thank God that you have peace!

worry just tortures you! we have peace and power, therefore
I am NOT going to live in worry!

The reasons we still worry:
#1-We actually think WE can still solve our problem! God's not
going to let us do it because HE wants us to lean on Him.
need to stop:

-trying to change ppl; only God can get into
someone and change the heart; do whatever you want to do
because i'm staying peaceful. you can make yourself sick w/ worry;
stomach problems, headache, irritable, stress, cancer is connected,
loss of sleep, loss of focus, ulcers. devil will give you reasons
to worry once you decide your not going to anymore. worry
defined: to torment oneself w/ disturbing thoughts.
Matthew 6
-practicality of how not to worry..do what God tells you to do
but stay away from what He doesn't . The next time you worry
tell yourself "STOP IT! Been there, done that--God I cast it
on you, I give it to you!" Go do something else that will be
joyful, healthy and peaceful.

Release Your Faith Pt 1-Joyce Meyer

Release Your Faith

Words Are Powerful When You Have Faith
Principles of Faith
Keep Praying, Saying, and Doing-& you WILL have a breakthrough!

Confessing the Word of God outloud is powerful
Don't keep talking to everyone about your problems

Don't think that when your believing God for something, it
won't just fall out of the sky or show up in the mailbox.
Walking w/ God means sometimes you have to take a step of faith
or wait on Him for wisdom.

It doesn't move or impress God when you are not believing or
complaining.

People who did things by faith: Able-Noah-Abraham-Joseph

Everything around looks possible, know still that God put the
dream that's inside you, the dream that won't die there for a
reason, because He will give it to you!

Abraham and Sarah-Sarah was past the child bearing age, Abraham
was as good as dead...when they conceived and gave birth to a
child. It was conceived by faith and promise.

If you don't give up, your going to give birth to something too!
Some of you are pregnant with a dream and a vision from God, you're
pregnant with Hope.
You've got some stuff rolling around on the inside of you, it looks like
nothing is moving and nothing is happening.
All your friends and family are against you, but let me tell you
something GOD IS for you!
And he's just looking for someone who won't give up and who
dare to believe in Him!
People want what you've got but they don't want to be where
you were.
Moses left Pharoh's house-a place of comfort-by faith. He chose
a life with less in the natural but more in the spirit!
Just like a missionary may be somewhere it's dark, gloomy, and
not much light ....If you are somehwere where you feel like
your being unappreciative, but your there because you believe God wants
you there..maybe other people don't know your there, but
God knows your there.
He sees your faith and He hears your words and He sees every
act of obedience.
Paul-Galations 1, 2, 3: Simple, child-like faith
We can understand things with our heart, that we can't with our
head.
Hebrews 11:3-By faith we can understand all kinds of stuff that
our head can't understand. Then we don't have to worry, we may
not know what God's doing, but we know it will end well.
God's got a timetable and He doesn't discuss it with me, all I know
whatever the results are is up to Him!
You are more than conquerors through Christ who loves you.
People need to stop saying, well, God I'm going to give this
one more week.
I'm in however long it takes, and even if it doesn't happen
I'm still all in! Healed, justified by faith.
When you have nothing, you can look forward to abundance.
Everyday you should say: I'm expecting something good to happen today
All hell hates it when you talk that way!
Faith delivers you from worry...God doesn't want us to be disturbed
constantly about anything!
You are better to believe God even if you never get it then to have a
bad attitude.
Your struggling will never end unless you give it to God
Faith is the leaning on the entire human personality and confidence
in God

Joyce Meyer Emotional Stability Pt 2

Emotional Stability Pt-2
Throwing fits won't change ppl

Nobody can develop your joy, patience, discipline, or self control, but you~
Get over thinking you don't have it EX: "I just don't have any self control"

Talk to that plate of food "If I want you I'll eat you, if I don't, I won't"
I have the power of God of the universe inside me.
How can you expect to defeat the devil if you can't even defeat a chocolate chip cookie?
See yourself in a different light. You can control yourself if you want to!
nothing changes until we take responsibility for our actions
and we start doing in private for god what we do occassionally to impress people
Until we live for God, and His glory, not for the admiration of people, then we're never going to
consistently do what's right.

Because, then we're living for people pleasers and not God pleasers.
The only way to kill the flesh is to starve it! Col. 3:5
The beginning of self control is you don't have to say everything or do everything that you feel.
When you stop giving voice to it, the pain stays in you.
Don't want my day ruined because someone goes and does what they do.
If you want your freedom, stop letting someone steal your joy! No longer vent those feelings.
The absence of pain is death. Once you don't let it bother you anymore, it's dead.
Do what's right, when it still feels wrong. It's going to hurt so bad at first when you are learning to keep your mouth shut!
Become stable so that you can be a witness in an unstable world
Put behavior on, just like you put on your clothes. Don't wish that you are or feel it, put it on!
Put on patience, kindness, confidence, be loving.
As long as we keep choosing our emotions, we will never have stabiltiy since they are up and down and all around.

Photos From The Phone

Well, a beautiful redheaded lady named Ramee made me think of some good photos today.

I could get any of them to send from my phone tonight so I thought I'd post this one. . .

It's of my quiet time with the Lord .....

You see I'm currenlty delighting myself and losing weight which is a journey all on it's own.

As I was laying in my bubble bath (room filled with candles) light dancing on the walls and the ceiling God spoke.

He told me through a pastor that I was watching " Don't abort the dream God has placed in your heart " which is ever-so-appropriate considering my dream is a child. Great pun Lord!

He also said, now look, if you would have given up when they denied you and Charlie for the first loan, you wouldn't be excitedly looking for a house today ...8 months later when now you've been approved, so why give up on having a baby? If you give up then you won't have one, just like if you would have given up on loan approvals you wouldn't have one! Gotcha Lord! Loud and clear! Now, just waiting on your Christabelle or Samson blessing, whichever one comes first...Christabelle Annaliese Renee Day or Samson Elliott Day ...we will love them both and they will be given back to you!

AMEN!

Up & Down.

Well, the past couple of days I've been floating steady at 305. I only was able to walk 15 minutes today so far.
It feels good to be able to relax a day for once with my husband. Even then, we still fill it with so much.

Well, praying for the WSOY Food Drive!

The food pantry in Maroa always us when we were in need!

Love,
~A

Cry Me A River.

So....
what is wrong with me today? I haven't written in so long, and so many things have happened.
I wish I was strong like so many people's blogs I read about. I wish I was more of a positive happy go lucky person. I'm not. I'm aggressive. I'm watchful, I stand up for what is right, and I'm fiesty about it.
We had court today. It was Charlie vs his neice. And, guess what? His whole family from Clinton showed up and came with her. I mean, come on...it's not everyone's business nor concern!
But, guess what? Even though Charlie and I felt very small being the only one on our "side" of the court room..I knew there was something and someone bigger that was there and invisible and more powerful than any of them though they'd try to intimidate us to feel and that was my Jesus.
My sweet, sweet, savior.
----------------------------------------------------

There's been a lot that's went on lately. We've had problems with our neighbors, we've had problems with trying to find a house that we like, and it's been weeks and I think we've driven our realtor nuts and it feels like we've looked at a thousand I just don't want to get stuck in a bad place to live.

Maple, our beloved baby dog suddenly became paralized for no reason what-so-ever...and now she can't use her back legs. She still has deep sensation feeling in them though and her dad and I pray over them every night expectiing for a miracle!

------------------------------------

I'm tearing up again thinking about this, but almost a year after I wrote the blog about our perfect house that was sold out from under us.. . I'd like to announce that we were approved for a loan!

God told me when I kissed my husband at midnight ringing in 2010 that this year would be like none other...and He (like always) was 100% right! We got our dogs back after 2 years, we got approved for a house and now we just need to find one!
-----------------------------------------------------------

Now, Charlie said that he is betting that once we move in , we'll have "move-in love" (ha ha) and then a week later, we'll find out we're pregnant! ! !

I'm so ready...I still am planning, planting, and preparing my field for rain!

God, thank you for making me rain today emotionally..maybe I needed it. I'm going to listen to some healing music and see if anything else comes to my head to write about. I used to write stories, and have always kept a diary ...and poetry when I was young..now I write, and it's like it doesn't make sense to no one else but me. But, I guess that's what this is for..it's for me!

Love. . .

~Ash

Ha. Scales.

Well, after I went to the Dragon in Decatur, I came home and weighed myself. Back up to 306, up 2lbs from 304. Darn.
Well, I'll keep at it. Might have been because I ate a big meal. Who knows. I walked last night and sweated my patootie off. Haven't weighed myself today. We'll see. Going to the courthouse tomorrow to have something done about stalkers. Porter stalkers.

Magnificent Monday.

Well, Monday was weird. I love my new day shift. Goes by much faster for me than 2nd shift did.

Ran into my friend Barb who I just get the biggest kick out of at Subway.

Got off before dark and got to go walking with my little Maple Roze. Sweated my butt off and loved it!
I like her cause she pulls me faster than I want to go! It's like having my own little treadmill! lol

Went to a great website that calculates things.

Found out that my Happy Weight is 152.5 (whatever that means)
Healthy weight range is 122-164 (which means I need to lose 140 lbs which is less than I thought, which rocks! And, I will be taking my time doing this and doing it right!)

My emotional age is 33.95 which is pretty close to my age, and I love that!

Well, Biggest Loser new series starts tomorrow! Now that I'm off work early I can come home and watch it!!!

YEAAAA!!!! I haven't been able to watch it on tv for 2 years!

Help Me.

Lord, help me.
Get my mind right.
Get me through.
Cover me and comfort me.
Let me trust in YOU.
Please Dear Lord like you always do.
Thank you for loving me.
Trusting Him and YOU my friend because in the end it's true.
That I love both of you and you do me.

Loving you and Charlie.

Love,
Me

Wake Up!

Ok...so getting up at 4 a.m. after working until 10p is ridiculous. I was fine and bright eyed and bushy tailed until about now (8:53).
I am starting to get cross eyed and feel a bit laggish.
Is that a word? Laggish?
Anywhoo...this is just so blah.

I hope everyone is having a great Saturday, mine will be better once I find out if we are able to rent a new house with a washer and dryer for what we're paying now! We won't have the noise of a neighbor anymore!

If all I had...

If all I had, was just one breath
I'd sing a song of praise.
I'd say your name, just to hear your name.

I know you're there
And I know you see me
Your the air I breathe
You are the ground beneath me

I know you're there
And I know you feel me
I can find you anywhere

Great song! Sing along!

Just Something

Lord, when I awoke this morning and was taking my morning bath (which I normally never take baths in the a.m. just showers so it will wake me up, but with A.F. visiting, then I'm bathing.) you showed up.
And, it was sweet, and even though I was in a towel only, I praised you. I lifted my hands, the towel fell, and I just praised you oh Lord. That's what I love about you and your love.
We can praise you at anytime. It doesn't matter where or when, I'll praise you.
I still don't feel the same since I sinned Lord. I mean blatantly sinned. I sin everyday, but ever since what happened, happened, I just don't feel the same. Maybe, after Sunday I'll feel different or better.
I just don't feel the same.

I cry, inside...however, you are still blessing me, even though I've wronged.

Love,
Me♥

Dear A.F.

Why oh why must you make me so miserable?
Why must you come in when I found out I lost 8 lbs and allow me to not be able to workout for 3 days...
3 days!? It's hard enough to keep me motivated most days, even when motivation is a baby not alone you showing up now when I was at my highest motivation yet.
You make me feel like I'm falling back in my progress
I won't let you win ...I will take some time off of working out if it means just sittig here and relaxing while I'm expriencing your nausea and your cramps and your pain.

Please let it soon be over.

Your friend,

Me

Weight Lost

Well, I did it. I managed to get me a digital scale tonight...and I'm very impressed with myself after all ma walkin'!

Weight at last doctors visit when he told me to lose it to help my back: 312
Weight currently since I started getting more serious about it: 304!!!

I've lost 8 lbs. (Give or take a few because of clothing!) They need to let you weight yourself in naked when you go to the doctor!

lol

♥Love, Me ♥

Complaints. Take a Flipping Numba!

You want to sit there and complain because you have a boy?
I'd LOVE to have a child, let alone a little boy!
Shut up! Just, zip it! Close your lid!
Who asked you to sit there and complain about God's gift?
Seriously!?
And you...you there that's underneath...quit blaring your stereo loud enough to hurt your babies ear drums! She's not even a year old yet!?
And you, what's more important, sneaking around with men, and working, and your animals, but not your son?!
Just like you did with me and my brother?!
I'm going for a walk to de-stress...I've had it with all the complaining there is out there!!!
You don't like your son, you can't handle your kids? Give them up for adoption already and shut up! Suck it up!
Someone else out there will love him no matter what, and NEVER complain! You have no right when there's people out there that can't! No right!!

Ashley Renee~ Day

House Shopping...6 months later

Well, this time it sounds like we may have a good chance of getting a loan but every house we look at gets sold quick and we don't have a chance to buy it or even look at it!
The realtor this time is Joy (I love that name, reminds me of God's goodness and pleasure by seeking after Him) and she showed us 4 homes today. We were shown 3 flops and one that I fell in love with. Charlie then thought it was to small :(. I swear, if it's not one thing, it's another while your house shopping. You fall in love with it, then your husband doesn't care for it, or you fall in love with it, and find out there's a 100 year old furnace in the basement that used to run off of coal, or whatever. It's always something. It's frustrating, but God will put one in our path again like the one we fell in love with on Franklin 6 months ago, and by then, no one will be able to stop us from getting it!
It wouldn't surprise me if we still were able to get the one on Franklin in the end, I still see us living in that home!

Until later....more house hunting!

~Ash♥

Weight Loss & Healthy Living Eats

Mushrooms, Parmesan Cheese, Anchovies, Low Sodium
Soy Sauce, Asparagus and Olives
Umami Foods-ones that are savory and satisfying which
means you'll eat less and lower your salt intake.

Unsalted pumpkin seeds are great source of magnesium.
This superfood lowers your blood pressure.

Avocados is a great weight loss partner because
they are high in healthy fats and are a meat substitue.

One large soda can clock in more than 500 calories.

Switching from mayo to mustard on a sandwich can save
you 85 calories!

Fat free or zero trans fat foods are not a great option
for weight loss because they trade fats for huge amounts
of sugar or sodium!

If you remove cheese, mayo, and the top bun from a rest
sandwich you can save 250 calories!

Your waist size, not your weight is the best measurement
indicator for your health you can make. The ideal size for
women is 321/2 inches or less. 35 inches or less for men.

Decaf coffee, a low-calorie drink is a great source for antioxidants, and a great way to fight cravings.

Olives, Salmon, and Walnuts have omega-3 fats that help
increase the level of chemicals that make you feel full.

People who journal about their weight loss and weigh frequently
are more likely to lose weight.

Eating oatmeal for breakfast will help prevent you from gorgoing in
the afternoon. The fiber will fill you up.

Sleep deprivation alters levels of hormones in the body that regulate hunger
causing an increase in appetite.

Overweight people who drank skim milk for breakfast ate
fewer calories during the day

You shouldn't eat after 7p at night (well for me
this one is kind of hard, because i don't get off work
until 10, well at least until the new schedule comes
out)

When you skip a meal, your body goes into starvation mode, which actually
makes it harder to burn calories.

Muscle burns 4x more calories than fat. Try 20 minutes of
strength training 2/3 x's a week.

You can burn 350 calories during an hour of yoga

All exercise is good for you, but sex can help control the amount of
food you eat. It and hunger are regulated through NPY brain chemical.
It will satisfy your hunger just like eating, because when you
satisfy one hunger the other one is too.

If you find yourself at a weight loss plateau, the best step is
to up your exercise routine by 5 minutes.

Sin.

It drug me in...
I've witheld from it for 4 years...
Even though I've still sinned in other ways in the meantime..
To me..it was detestable...
It was something that I did that I know now why I hadn't done it in that long.
I'll never do it again. I'll give my fear to God the next time and He alone will carry me through, just like He has before.
I hope He can forgive me, and I hope my Gorgie will be able to too!

Please forgive me Lord...while I'm waiting...I got weak.

Pumpkin Patch Time!

I'm so ready for pumpkin patch time. It's my favorite time of year. For the past 4 years Charlie and I have been visiting Black Bart's Pumpkin patch and it is now a family tradition.

I will be posting 4 Years of photos from there when I get a chance. My mom always goes and visits her boyfriend (one cutout of a prince). We always get our pics taken in the head cut out thingys.

And, we go through the haunted house and feed the goats.

And search for lots and lots of pumpkins in their field. Theirs beautiful knicknacks, you can sign their guestbook and theirs yummy slushies and snacks.

Can't wait!!

Cool. Crisp. Ahh.

Fall. It's here ...doesn't matter what it says on any given calendar.
You can smell it...you can breathe it in...
What other season is more beautiful than fall.
People probably think that because my birthday is November 5, that I have a favorite season for a reason. Nope.
Sit in front of your window and breathe, smell. Be.
Watch the leaves fall from the tree and close your eyes. Imagine, be the leaf. Your floating, falling, in the crisp air. Landing in a safe place and every now and then your being rustled up again, by feet..by a breeze.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Today I'm back to work after a much needed 2 days off...then I'm off tomorrow again. We're going to look at a couple of houses and look at a used refurb dryer.
Last night we had a run in with our neighbor. I believe it was a test..and I didn't pass very well. Forgive me Lord..I'm learning.
We love Your amazing Grace!


♥Ash♥

Relax.

Well, today was a day full of parades, and smiles, candy and relaxing. Sunday was such a blur, and I'm still recovering from it.

It was very full of flags. Beautiful, American respectful flags.

I Will.

Lord, this letter is to you in heaven from me...here on earth. This is to say I'm giving up the fight. The longing, the tears, the unhappiness, the bitterness. The jealousy, the grieving, the waiting. It's all yours. If you never give me a child, just like Brooke says in the movie when she's been to the doctor the 3rd time...I WILL still love you Lord!

There's no way, no matter what my circumstances, that I would stop loving you now..no matter what!
We've been through to much together. God, my Jesus, the Holy Spirit, my best friend, you've never let me down!

I pray now in my life your will and your will ALONE! God says it, that settles it!

Letting go, and letting God in 2010...

If I stay in misery at my job -that's all me and my attitude and going on emotions which we're not suppossed to do..so that's all me and my fault.
I will stay Lord, because apparently YOU want me there. To be a light in the darkness. To shine a light and to witness to those that need you. Help me Lord, when I walk in your word daily to have the right words to say to these people.

You've already promised me ma boy...it's up to you like it was with Hannah and Samson's momma when it's my time....and if it's never, that's ok too.

You've blessed us with the most beautiful home that's much more than we deserve! You've given me a beautiful kind loving caring husband to share it with. And, two furbabies that are my angels.

We are home. We are happy. We are content and we're ready for the next step, whatever it may be in You!

Love,

Ashley Day ♥

Thoughtful Thursday.

Things are looking up around the Day household.
The Day clan.
Walked today before work, this time took the kids.
Worked up a pretty good sweat this time for getting up late and not having much time to do it in!
Day is coming for a baby day!
He/she is on their way!
We now have a perfect beautiful home to put her/him in where he/she can have their own bedroom!
God, we're ready for your will....either way!
We know you gave us a 2nd room for a reason!
And not just the computer!
Your WILL God almighty, we pray. amen!

A Word...

So, since I didn't get the chance to go to church Sunday, and couldn't afford it, I found a great new site online where you can have church and enjoy a real live worship service.

While I was there I found out you could chat in the chat room, or get some live prayer from someone.

So, I decided to try the live prayer. The first one wasn't that great...so I ended that one and went to someone else. The 2nd girl Katrine was lovely! She was my age, had 3 kids, irregular periods, and was a medical student! She asked me if I had PCOS--she was right on the dot with that one. She asked if I thought about Clomid, which I'm dying to try! God gave her to me to chat with.

I felt very very good after that. Then, today, it happened...something that I've never experienced before!

I called a man with an order at work that was on Secuirty Hold...I told him why I was calling and that I must have ESP because he said he was just thinking about our company. He continued with small talk saying how bubbly I am and that he bets I'm married because a guy would pick me up in no time with how bubbly I was. I confirmed with him that I was married, and then he started saying things that no one else would know about me!

He's like you want 2 kids, and you see everyone around you having one, but still not you. There's someone to your left and someone to your right. He said that I've really been thinking about having one in the past 2 weeks. I could of sworn that he said that I'd find out I'm having one within the next 10 days. He said that I was writting with a pen with pink on the end, and I was...he hit everything on the head! I just don't understand this!

Was this man from God? Was this man from the devil? He even went on to talk about how much I yearned for a child. A baby. To be a mommy.

Either way, I will pray to the Lord for discernment.

How great is our God!

I feel this positive energy about it ...but at the same time, I'm still in awe!

What do you think?!?

Happy Sunday

I stayed home from church today. We're a little short right now on funds and I have to unpack from moving. Worshipping Christ from home. Have to wait until the beginning of the week to find out the cost of cable. I only watch it for maybe like 4-5 programs and that's it. However, today with only the box and the antenna hooked up I realize how much I miss those programs! Especially days filled with Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Crefflo Dollar, TD Jakes, etc. Good, clean, and wholesome..that and nights with CBN after work and Who's Line Is it anyway?
I'll miss another season of Biggest Loser if I stay on 2nd shift. I'm so tired of this shift. I love and appreicate the fact that I have a job and that I've been able to be a supervisor for the past 5 months don't get me wrong. However, if Charlie gets the new job in Decatur that God's blessed his path with ...then I'm either quitting or going down to part time or going to step back down to an agent and keep 40 hours and work day shift. 9-5:30 was a good one..it's what I had when I started back last year.
Anywhoo..I guess I should get started. My baby brother and mom might be coming today..and if so I'll have new pics up on Facebook!

I love you all!

Favor

It's an amazing thing. When God shows us favor. When our husband goes for a job in Decatur for a certain position and they say, well you don't have enough experience for the one we're hiring for, but you do have enough for another supervisor job over here!!
Tomorrow will be the deciding factor. That will be the day..when we find out something. I hope it's a lot more money..that is something that they will be offering him tomorrow. I'm not saying I want to be rich or that it's all about the money..however, right now that would allow me to quit, or go to part time where i'm at and focus primarily on my health.
I did good the past two days I've taken the dogs for a walk. And, I knew as soon as we got them back that I would be more active.
The weight loss part is slow in coming but that's fine for me. I drink water all day long and only 1 pop a day for lunch, and it's diet and caffeine free.
The doctor said that diet soda is fine in moderation just like everything else. I've heard people say that they don't drink it because their doctor said there's no long term effects on it. Well, my mom's boss said that's not true because her grandma used sweet and low and lived to 92!
It's just like everything else, just because you stop using sweetner doesn't mean you won't still get cancer from anything else you do--like smoke!
That's what cracks me up is the person who said, well, i'm no longer using them due to long term effects ...um...HELLO!!! You SMOKE!!! And, we all know the long term or should I say short term effects of that one!
Anyway, I will update when I find out what happens tomorrow with the new job.

Love,
Pray for us, as we're going through such a big and sudden change! Daylight is coming!!
Ashley

Autumn Miracles Are Falling

Autumn. Leaves. Falling...
Changing...Time for change.
Leaves, bodies, fresh air...crisp ..cool filling my lungs.

God has blessed us. Why don't I realize by now, that He never fails me?

We have a beautiful brand new home. And, we will be able to have our kids!!! I am most ecstatic, and we will even get to live there rent free for up to a week or more.

The man who owns the home currently goes to church. I told him I didn't know if it meant much to him but that we were church going people.

He said never to think that and never to deny that we are, that they are too. I told him the only thing that came before my payments (bills) was my tithe. He said that we were special people, because not many people did that anymore.

I am blessed beyond measure.

Overwhelmed.

Losing.

Slapped Me

Why has someone that I love not slapped me yet?
Just--come right out and knocked me out?!
I'm ALWAYS complaining about everything that is bad in my life!!
I guess if my life wasn't sound bound and determined to be ran by my emotions, then I wouldn't have to worry about it now would I?

I found this good thing to remember today online:

Walking by our feelings is like walking through the world with our heart on our sleeve. We are bound to be hurt, and we are bound to be disappointed, for we live in a fallen world. What we choose to do with that hurt and disappointment will either allow us to grow stronger in our walk with the Lord or it will mean that we are walking wounded. Both outcomes are our choice. God makes it possible for us to walk through the disappointments in life with a knowledge that His provision for us works. His grace and His comfort are ours as we rest in Him. Every born-again child of God has all of these provisions and blessings in Christ, but we have to choose to utilize them. It is sort of like having a million dollars in the bank and choosing to starve to death because we don't use that money to buy food. It is also true that we cannot use what we do not know. Therefore, it behooves every believer to "know" the God who knows us and loves us, and that means more than a devotional reading of God Word but study that changes our perspective (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and allows us to face life armed with real understanding about the reality of walking by faith.As believers we are not defined by our past failures or by disappointment or by the rejection of others. We are defined as children of God, born again to newness of life and endowed with every spiritual blessing and accepted in Christ Jesus. That is the defining factor when it comes to victorious living. God has prepared for each of us unique opportunities to walk through the "all things" of this life. We can either walk in our own strength and what the Apostle Paul calls our "flesh," or we can walk in the power of the provision God has made for us through the Holy Spirit. It is our choice. God has provided us with armor (Ephesians 6:11-18), but it is up to us to put it on by faith.Therefore, if you are a child of God, you may suffer disappointment in this life, but you need to remember that as a child of the King, this rejection is a momentary bump in the road. You have a choice to either allow that bump to derail you and walk wounded, or you can choose to claim the heritage of a child of God and move forward in grace. Forgiveness of others and of self is a gift that you can give because it is the gift given to you by the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:32).

Emotions can lead us astray...but God's word stands firm and unchanging. Even when we don't feel like it, if we're feeling depressed, we should be getting into the word for time of devotionals.

Psalm 28:7

Psalm 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

This scripture has been on my heart lately. Even though I just found it tonight, it fits with what I've been feeling. Work has been getting better!! Can you believe it? Not necessarilly the people persay, but the atmosphere. It's been feeling better. I got a raise...and my hours may be going more daytime ish here starting as soon as next week or so!

God must want me to stay there longer...I think I might just let moving to Decatur go..believe me, it's still my hearts desire, as well as having children, but I need to just be thankful for what I have, and for many people that don't have much..I have a lot!

I'm in pain tonight. Would anyone reading this please pray for me?!

Thank you so much!

Much love,

Ashley

God's Best

Joyce Meyer says God's timing and how long we have to wait is based on how well we behave while we're waiting. When you look at those poor Israelites; if they hadn't grumbled, complained, and whined the entire time they were in the desert, it would've taken a lot less than 40 years to make the 11 DAY journey through the wilderness. And even worse, once they got to the promised land, only TWO of the original two million people actually made it in because they were the only two that had the right attitude.It makes you wonder how many things we've missed because of all the grumbling, complaining, and whining when God's timing didn't line up with our own. And of course, what we missed was If it were up to us, we'd lay out the whole plan so we could see every tiny aspect. We'd most likely disagree with parts of it, want to change a lot of it, and oh yes, have a back-up plan ready in case God's plan and His timing didn't work. Perhaps that's why God doesn't show us the whole thing at once. He knows we'd want to get our own ideas and our own timing involved.
God ... Is it YOUR Idea or Mine???Our daughter was attempting to make some major life decisions a few years ago. She is a special needs young woman who just needs some extra help in order to move forward. One of her dreams is to explore the life of a nun. She was 19 at the time, and was already in contact with a couple of monasteries.
But just because Amanda felt she was ready to move forward, didn't mean God thought it was a good idea, especially when it wasn't in His timing. Amanda didn't understand why things didn't fall into place at the time, but today she's working on mastering independent living skills and is getting job training skills. She still wants to pursue a life as a nun someday, but now she realizes God can use her much more effectively if she gains all the knowledge and skills she possibly can before she takes the next step.
When I decided to I really wondered if I was doing what God wanted me to do, when He wanted me to do it. And it wasn't until I stepped out in faith, that events and circumstances lined up with God's timing. It works for me and I know it can work for you.
How Do I Get God's Best?
The Word says to seek God first,and all the rest of the stuff will be added. That means to seek God, not seek the stuff. If your focus is on finding ways to be a blessing to other people, all the other stuff will find you.
Only move forward with your plan if you've asked God FIRST. Some people plan a whole bunch of stuff and expect God to bless it, when God expects you to pray first and then plan. If you're doing what God tells you to do, then His favor and anointing is on it. It has to work because it's God.
Don't get discouraged and give up. Just because something doesn't work, doesn't mean God isn't in it. He may have a better option, a better deal, or better arrangements. His timing means exactly that, and if you're trusting Him, then there is no reason to be discouraged. Is it hard to trust when you can't see it? Yup. Is it worth it? Yup.

4 Ways

4 Ways to Use Healing Scripture in Your Life
PRAY FIRST about everything. Prayer isn't something you can bypass and expect God to work in your life. God wants and needs to hear from you. He has lots of great stuff planned for you, but He isn't going to simply bestow them on you without at least some effort on your part to have a relationship with Him on an ongoing basis. To say that "you've tried everything else so now all you can do is pray" is an insult to God. It's like saying that God is your last resort. Oh yeah, we want the help, and we want all the blessings we can get, but we'd like it on our own terms and in our own timing. So if there is any way we can make it happen on our own...
Pray using a healing scripture. Take a look at the list below to help you. When you stand on God's word and pray expectantly, waiting for God's promise to work for you, God will honor your request, doing whatever He thinks is truly best for you.
Accept that God is God. That means He knows a lot more about what's going on than you do. There can't be much of a relationship if you don't trust God with your problem. Our inclination when we pray is to give God a short amount of time to do something and if we don't see something happening, we take the problem right back and start trying to make things happen on our own again. It isn't until we let go completely that God will work things out for our good, using whatever methods He chooses.
Pray your healing scripture out loud. Whenever you feel fear creeping in, negative thoughts trying to take over, or life trying to overwhelm you, use your scripture as a sword to slice through all the noise. Pray those scriptures out loud every day over your situation. Just remember, when you're praying for positive, life giving things to happen, there is no room for negative stuff to get in the way.

MRI Results

I have degenerative arthritis, and I have several slipped and buldged discs in my lower back.
I'm hoping that I get some relief soon ...especially after going and seeing this back specialist...because I feel crippled. I feel like I can hardly stand and I'm in excrutiating pain.

Until then..praise God for everything always in my life!
He's teaching me something even now!

TODAY!!

One time in Scripture, Jesus was walking through a city when a man came up to Him said, "Sir, my good friend is very sick. Would You please come and pray for him?" Jesus said, "Yes, I will come to your home." The man went on to say, "I'm a Captain in the Army. I have a lot of authority. When I speak, my men quickly obey. Jesus, You don't need to come to my home, just speak the word only, and I know my friend will be healed." This man had that "now" faith.



Notice that Jesus didn't get offended and say, "Boy, you've got a lot of nerve asking Me to do it right now. You sure are bold, believing that I can speak something and cause it to happen." No, it was just the opposite. Jesus looked at him and said, "I have not seen this much faith in all of Israel. You can go home. Your friend is totally whole." That's what happens when we have the boldness to say, "God, I'm asking You, do it for me today."



A lot of people live with a "future" faith. They believe that one day something great is going to happen, but it's always off in the future. If you could just learn to switch back over into a "now" faith like this man and say, "God, I'm asking You to send healing. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Send healing now. Send favor now. Send breakthroughs now." When you release that "now" faith, you're going to see a "now" God show up and do amazing things in your life. Now is the time for God's favor. Now is the time for blessing. Now is the time for you to receive all that He has in store for you!

How To Stay In Faith!

How do you stay in faith when it's taking a long time and you don't see anything happening? Let patience have its perfect work. Just like this man, tell yourself every day, "This could be the day it turns around. This could be the day I start to feel better. This could be the day the property sells. This could be the day I get the phone call I've been waiting for." Keep standing, keep speaking, and keep believing because through faith and patience you will see His promises fulfilled in every area of your life!

That Cyst

Thank you dear Lord for healing that cyst tonight. For speaking through the t.v. to my hand that was on my back where the pain is coming from.

Thank you dear Jesus for giving me the good report from the Lord that overrides all doctors reports from my MRI.

WE love you, and we praise your Holy name!!

Ashley

Praise God!

I'm sorry if I doubted you.
I'm sorry if it wasn't enough.
But, God all I need is you.
All of you is enough!
Thank you for making me well!
Thank you for examing me--my heart and my physical capacity...
We love you...we need you...we have you in our life!

MRI

Yesterday I went to have an MRI...and now...I wait.
God was with me, my husband knelt down beside me and prayed while he held my hand.
I panicked, and couldn't breathe, so they had to put me in feet first....
Felt much better. God was with me. Have been having chest pains now..lately...please pray for me!

Much Love,

Ashley

The Days Theme Song-Coming Soon!

"The Storm Is Over Now"

I was in a tunnel
And couldn't see the light
And whenever I'd look up
I couldn't see the sky
Sometimes when I'm standin'
It seems like I done walked for miles
And my heart could be cryin'
Dead in the middle of a smile

But then I climbed the hills
And saw the mountains
I hollered help 'cause I was lost
Then I felt the strong wind
Heard a small voice sayin'

The storm is over
(The storm is over now)
And I can see the sunshine
(Somewhere beyond the clouds)
I feel Heaven, yeah
(Heaven is over me)
Come on and set me free, whoa

Now in the midst of my battle
All hope was gone
Downtown in a rushed crowd
And felt all alone
And every now and then
I felt like I would lose my mind
I've been racin' for years
And still no finish line, oh

But then I climbed the hills
And saw the mountains (Mountains)
I hollered help 'cause I was lost
Then I felt the strong wind
And then a small voice sayin'

The storm is over
(The storm is over now)
And I can see the sunshine
(Somewhere beyond the clouds)
I can feel Heaven, yeah
(Heaven is over me)

Come on and set me free

Somehow my beginning stepped right in (Right in)
Then faith became my friend (My friend)
And now I can depend
On the voices of the wind
When it's sayin' (Sayin')

The storm is over
(The storm is over now)
And I can see the sunshine
(Somewhere beyond the clouds)
I can feel Heaven, yeah
(Heaven is over me)

Won't you come and set me free
Won't you set me free

The storm is over
(The storm is over now)
And I can see the sunshine
(Somewhere beyond the clouds)
I can feel Heaven, yeah
(Heaven is over me)
Won't you come and set me free

Happy Birthday Mom! (47)

To my mom. My merm. My mother. Mommy, Momma, friend. Thank you just doesn't say enough. I know that I've hated you, loved you, been in disagreement with you. But, your like God, you've never given up on me, you don't hold grudges towards me, and you don't do anything else but have unconditional faith and love towards me. This day we honor you--born back in 1963.

We love you mom, both Charlie and I. Very much.

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Very tired in this picture with my little brother...

Doubting Thomas

We all know that God is moved by our faith. That's the best place to live. But what I'm saying today is that God chases us in our doubt. In those times that we don't understand, when we have questions or feel alone and abandoned, that's when God has a way of showing up and doing something amazing in our life. He reaches out in our times of doubt so that our faith will be restored.



That's just what happened to Thomas in John 20. When Jesus rose from the dead and was in the midst of all those believers, He went looking for Thomas first—the doubter. He said, "Thomas, take a look at My nail-scarred hands." See, Jesus wasn't condemning Thomas; He was proving Himself to him. He was restoring and strengthening Thomas.



Today, no matter what you may be facing, no matter what disappointment you may be struggling with, know that God is still there. He does not condemn you, but He is reaching out His hand of strength and restoration. His love goes way beyond our doubts. Can you open your heart and receive that love today? Why don't you let Him restore your faith and hope? Let Him restore your peace. Let Him refresh the dry and broken place and pour out His abundant blessing on every area of your life.

(something to remember by Joel Osteen)

He Is

Father, let the world just fade away
Let me feel your presence in this place
Lord, I've never been so weary
How I need to know you're near me
Father, let the world just fade away

Till I'm on my knees
Till my heart can sing

He is
He was
He always will be

Even when it feels like there is no one holding me
Be still, my soul
He is

Father, let your Holy Spirit sing
Let it calm the storm inside of me
As I stand amazed
Lift my hands and say

[ Find more Lyrics on http://mp3lyrics.org/hk2h ]
He is
He was
He always will be

He lives
He loves
he's always with me

Even when it feels like there is no one holding me
Be still, my soul
Through every fear
And every doubt
And every tear I shed
Down every road
I'm not alone
No matter where I am

He is
He was
And He always will be

He lives
He loves
he's always with me
Even when it feels like there is no one holding me
Be still, my soul
Be still, and know
Be still, my soul
He is

When You Believe Lyrics

Many nights we've prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopeful song
We barely understood

Now we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear
We were moving mountains long
Before we knew we could


There can be miracles, when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe


In this time of fear
When prayers so often prove(s) in vain
Hope seems like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away

Yet now I'm standing here
My heart's so full I can't explain
Seeking faith and speaking words
I never thought I'd say

There can be miracles, when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe


They don't (always happen) when you ask
(Oh)
And it's easy to give in to your fears
(Oh...Ohhhh)
But when you're blinded by your pain
Can't see your way straight throught the rain
(A small but )still resilient voice
Says (hope is very near)
(Ohhh)

There can be miracles
(Miracles)
When you believe
(Lord, when you believe)
Though hope is frail
(Though hope is frail)
It's hard to kill
(Hard to kill, Ohhh)
Who knows what miracles,you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will(somehow,somehow, somehow)
somehow you will
You will when you believe

You will when you
You will when you believe
Just believe...in your heart
Just believe
You will when you believe~

Just Do It

This phrase has been over the past 5 years or more been a very hard concept for me to grasp. My mom has told me to do it, my husband has told me to do it, Nike tells us every time that we see the swoosh to "Just Do It"--but yet, I still can't. And, it's not like I haven't been trying! But, after 12 years of wanting and needing a child, and not having one...it gets kind of old listening to people tell you that. Especially when you just have this feeling that it's never going to happen...because everything in your body feels un-feminine.
I have PCOS--I am suppossed to be on Metformin. I have facial hair because of this, and I have to shave it everyday. There, I said it. Even completely healthy couples only have a 20% chance according to my gynecologist of conceiving.
My husband has never had a child, or gotten anyone pregnant--so I don't know if it's him too or not, and he doesn't have medical insurance.
It's $150 to get a check on his sperm.
I have tried to lose weight, but I can't here lately because I can't get out and exercise and every healthy eating that I've tried has not accomplished anything but me gaining weight.
I have felt all hope was lost until I read this scripture...

Mark 9:23........ "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.

That means EVERYTHING--even a girl with facial hair, that feels more like a man than a woman, can conceive a child. Women in the bible who were barren conceived, why can't I? And, that was before 'diagnosis(es)'. That was when the ONLY physician was the Lord God Almighty Himself!!

I have a loving husband, who wants to conceive...although he has an addiction that he is currently held on to--which is cigarettes...but even when he quit, we still weren't getting pregnant!

Anyways, I still am buying onesies every now and then when I see a cute one that our baby could wear--that I could picture it wearing!
I'm hoping to bear some beautiful redheads in God's timing...even some with dark hair like their daddy!

~Ashley

That's What Faith Can Do..

I have had this song running through my head for quite sometime now, so I thought that I would post it on my blog for you to enjoy the lyrics.

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know (Thank you Lord!)
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining(with Faith it will be!)
You gotta face the clouds (which is now)
To find the silver lining
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains--a child, a new job, moving to Decatur, a house.
Hope that doesn’t ever end (which I need to learn)
Even when the sky is falling (which is now)
And I’ve seen miracles just happen(Christian Curtis)
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new(Charles Edward Day)
That’s what faith can do
It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step(to Decatur!)
Out on the water
It’ll be alright (thank you --confirmation!)
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance (That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can! (When having a child)
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
That's what faith can do!
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise

Living in Egypt

Wow. For some reason as soon as I titled this, I felt a breath of fresh air, like I was not in Egypt anymore...like I was free, or getting real close to change, or being somewhere else. I liked that. WOW!
Anyways, I am going to be coming out of the pit soon. I can breathe it.
This scripture promise is what I am standing on.

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Exodus 23:20-33

See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I haved prepared. Pay attension to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion since my name is in him. If you listen carefully to what he says, and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies, and will appose those who appose you. My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivities, and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. Do not bow down before their Gods, or worship them, or follow their practices. You must demolish them, and break their sacred stones to pieces. Worship the Lord you God and His blessings will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land; I will give you a full life span. I will send my terror ahead of you, and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. I will send the hornet ahead of you, to dirve the Hivites, Canaanites, Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals to numerious for you. Little by little, I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land. I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of Phillistines, and from the desert to the river. I wil ahnd over to you the people who live in the land and you will drive them out before you. Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. Do not let them live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.

End of the Rope.

Tonight. I will be in much prayer.
Please, if you want to, do that too.
I'm at the end. The end of my rope. The end of the line.
If I'm not careful, soon I will quit my job.
I can't stand it anymore. It's hell. This place is hell. These people.
I can't even come into work anymore without my God's name being erased on my own desk wall.
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When will you pull me out Lord.
It's the pit again. When will you come through Lord? What else do I have to do?
I need your arm. I need your hand. Pull me out. Show through me.
Help me remain mild tempered. I know you went through more.
That's why your my savior.

Love,
your daughter
♥
Ashley Renee~ Day

Lessons from the Pit--Joy

The next few scriptures are what I'll need to be meditating on when now learning my next lesson=positivity and JOY, along with great confidence in who I am in Him!!
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1.The Lord has done great things for us! We are glad! Psalm 126:3
Now, this is the truth! The Lord has done great things for us and has made us glad. After we were forced to lose our home in Maroa that we loved, in peace and happiness with our furbabies, we have found two very affordable apartments and have been living peacefully in them. We have everything that we need, and I thank God for the lights, the power, the gas, the electricity, the love, spending time with Christian, our cars, our furniture.
2.But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits. Psalm 5:11
We are always taking refuge in Him, and making sure that He is put first as our protector, we've left several ppl to him, and He has dealt with them appropriately.
We should rejoice in that fact, that's he's done that.
We should be always singing and shouting for joy in the fact that He is our defender! Our almighty!
We love the name of Jesus! I love shouting that name, it makes me feel so powerful! We should shout his name everyday and begin the day thanking him for the day he has given. We should be in high spirits, and not let negativity attack us without fighting it! Prayer, and stay steadfast in patience and not reacting to negativity.
3.Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary. 1 Chronicles 16: 27
We have honor when we are found to be in His Holy Spirit and presence. When we go into the house of the Lord we find strength again, and that's the truth, every time I come out, I feel refreshed from a lonely, stressful week. Joy is found in the house of the Lord also, because after refreshment I am filled with happiness. So why can't we find this in our homes also? My husband brings me joy, but I won't be able to bring him joy until I can fill myself with the Joy of the Lord. And, if I want more strength which goes along with confidence, then I need to have more joy to have more strength!
4.Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always).
1 Thessalonians 5: 16
Alright, so I work in a call center. I work in customer service. I feel you all shuttering. But, if I am a child of God, and I am a light to the dark drab city of Taylorville...then why can't I still have a large beacon of light radiating from me?
My faith in God and what He was, and Is, and is to come...should make me rejoice, constantly, even if in my work...and make me happy that He is who HE is!
Glad-hearted continually (always)...how do I do that? I've always been the negative one, and the Ey'Ore. How do I stop? That right there, is what I need to pray about. I guess, because life's never been very fair to me, or @ least that's what I have portrayed. Portray bad things=get dealt bad things I guess.

When Me Lord?

I'm not trying to sound selfish Lord, and everyday I'm trying to enjoy life and find joy in it. But when me Lord?
Everyone around me is bounding and abounding in blessings and happiness. But, when me Lord? It's not enough. Everyone says all that I have should be enough. But, it's not. I do appreciate everything that you have given me Lord, but I cannot fill that hole. The one that yearns for it, and only YOU know what "it" is.
It doesn't have to be the perfect job, the perfect house, or the perfect "it." It, just needs to be enough.
A child, furbabies, a place that will let us have them, a job in the city we want to be in. The city where we were so happy.
That's all I want Lord. Joy. Happiness. That must be the next lesson that you are teaching me while I'm in this pit.
Because, Lord, there is no other place I want to be then back in the area we were in. I want to be out of this pit.

There's nothing here. I'm empty. Even with the love of my life, I'm empty.

Love,
ME

Exciting/Excrutiating...

Hello. Well, today, I woke up feeling touched by God, especially after finding out that mom has been praying for me.
After work, a different story, I swear, stress aggravates it. Am I the only one who doesn't constantly call in to work every-every-other day?
Who doesn't blue slip on a wim? Who doesn't go out for a smoke break every 5 seconds and just has to do it with a supervisor who can't stand me? Oh wait--no, I don't smoke. I struggle with not smoking, I did it for so long.
Anyway, enough with the excrutiating part.
Exciting! Not only was that certain supervisor "sick" today, but I just happened to need my resume printed out, so I did it @ work. (naughty, naughty, right?!).
They are hiring in the DECATUR (yea, yea yea) area for a church secretary which is exactally what I applied for earlier this year with our church and was told that I was the #1 choice if anything happened with or to who they picked. So, instead of sitting around waiting to fulfill my destiny and happiness, I decided to put in applications everywhere I can.
So, besides that job, which I found out is only part time, so I won't be able to take it unless it's at least 36 hours a week; I also found a position for a office front desk person for a busy dental office!!
I'm so excited! I hope that either one is the one for me and that they call. I was really hoping that Springfield Clinic calls me from their Decatur office, I've always wanted to work in a front desk check-in receptionist type position.

Anywhoo-now that I've eaten, I'm feeling a bit better. But, please, pray for me. Pray for them to find no more cyst, and no more arthritis!

Thank you God! It's done!

Ashley

"But what do we do with people? We forget the process. We're usually worrying about how to clean them up before they're even caught! We want people to stop smoking, stop doing drugs, stop wearing clothes we don't like, dye their hair back from purple to brown, take the metal out of their faces, and generally clean up their act before—or shortly after—they've had an encounter with Jesus. We want a clean tidy church, clean tidy disciples, and clean tidy friends. "

This is a great quote that I found from Melody Green's blog...she was the wife of the late Keith Green...he was a great charismatic Christian singer in the 70's.

I just found him today in doing some research on the CBN website.

Anyway, back to her blog. It's so true. I was just talking to a co-worker about this. She said, to me just yesterday..."Hey, Ashley, I'm going to bring a can of beer and come to your church sometime." You know what I said? "You go right ahead, ________, our pastor will let you come in with it, but he also might ask you to lay it on the altar." We both laughed. She's had some bad experiences in the past, going to churches and having believers look down upon her. So, she's bitter towards the church. Do I blame her? Certainly not! I grew up going to a Baptist Church (one of the many churches I attended) where it was the same in the Youth Group as it was in the schools.

I was made fun of, I was a redhead, I watched my youth group leaders kids and babysat for them, while they went out partying, and found beer in their fridge right after they got done telling us the dangers of such things!

I never turned away though, not until much, much, later.

What are we doing? In our churches? Loving only those with a smooth coat and appearence? Or loving ALL of those who enter! The ones who look bad, smell bad, make us feel bad...EVERYONE should be able to come to the throne!

Let GOD judge them...be their judge, let HIM be the one to ask them to lay down their sin...and until then...invite them to come!

:)

Clinton Lake Scare...

{Courtesy of Herald and Review}
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Blue-green algae in Clinton Lake source of concern
Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 3:01 am

CLINTON - The mother of an Urbana girl sickened after swimming at Clinton Lake is urging people to use caution when going into the water at the DeWitt County reservoir.

Sandra Pierson said Monday she doesn't want people to panic, but she thinks they should be aware her 12-year-old daughter was in an Urbana hospital Friday through Sunday for apparent blue-green algae poisoning. Doctors told Pierson no test can confirm the diagnosis, but the fact her daughter had several symptoms of the condition and responded to treatment are strong signs for blue-green algae.

Blue-green algae are common in Central Illinois lakes and other bodies of water, but some produce chemicals that can have a toxic effect on humans, pets and livestock, said the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

"You don't want to start a panic or anything like that. However, there could be kids out there who are vomiting and being treated for a virus when in actuality they should be checked for this," Pierson said.

On Friday, DNR officials issued a precautionary warning after learning a dog died after drinking water at Clinton Lake on July 4. Boaters, swimmers and other lake users are being warned to avoid ingesting lake water and refrain from swimming in areas where stagnant water or algae blooms are present.

DNR spokeswoman Januari Smith was unaware of the sick girl until a reporter informed her on Monday.

The DNR is consulting with the Illinois Department of Public Health about the next step, Smith said. At this point, precautionary warning signs have been posted and water is being tested for potential blue-green algae blooms.

Officials hope to have test results by the end of the week, Smith said.

According to information from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, blue-green algae are a group of bacteria often referred to as "pond scum." It generally grows in lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams when the water is warm and enriched with nutrients like phosphorus or nitrogen. In rare cases, the algae can produce toxins that can make people sick after contact with the skin, through inhaling, or by swallowing contaminated water. Symptoms include rashes, irritation to eyes, the nose and throat, headaches, fever, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. Animals can die from exposure, the Wisconsin DNR information said.

Pierson said her daughter had a 103-degree fever, nausea, headaches and a recurring rash. The girl immediately vomited after swallowing water while playing July 3 at the Clinton Lake beach, her mother said.

The flu-like symptoms persisted over the next few days, but Pierson didn't connect the illness to the lake-water exposure until the girl's grandmother, Julie Collins, learned about the DNR algae warning Friday from Danny Williams who owns Green Acres Campground at the lake.

Coincidentally, Collins and Josh and Cassie McConkey, who owned the poodle that died, often stay at Green Acres.

After Pierson told doctors about the warning, her daughter was treated for blue-green algae by using fluids to flush her system, which includes drinking a cup of water every 15 minutes at home, said her mother.

srichardson@pantagraph.com

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It's funny, because my husband and I were commenting on how we'd probably not want to return to Clinton beach (even though years ago it was lovely)..because he found a bat skull, and the water wasn't a clear blue like normal, and the large amount of rocks, etc.
Well, now this scares me, we were just there swimming on the 7th.

Anywhoo--This is concerning, just wanted everyone know.

Love,
Ash

3 Years Married 7-7-10

To my husband

For some reason lately I've been more attracted to you.
Sensually. In a Christian, manly, prince of our home way.
Your lips, your kisses are soft, subtle, and so slow.
So passionate, like you still want me, and show me you still need me after all of these years.
4 years together...how can it get better and better everyday?
I thought by now, it would get old, ritualistic, and fade.
The colors are brighter, and more vibrant in our love...
YOU are the one that I want.
YOU are the one that I need.
and YOU are the only one I have desire for.
Precious hands held every night...
Kissing my wedding ring, while it's on my hand, my favorite move.

My angel, thank you God for sending him to me.
He has rescued me, saved me, made me a different person.
Happy.

Domino Sugar-Great American BakeSale

Hubby tries out one of Lucille's homemade rootbeer heart lollipops....mmmmm delicious! :-)

Hello All. One of the companies I work for--Domino Sugar (and sister companies C&H Sugar and Florida Crystals) does something special every year to benefit hungry children, so my co-workers and I put together one of our own. It's called the Great American Bake Sale. Hubby made "bake sale lemon bars", a new recipe I found, and they went quickly!

Go here to sign up with your clan or to learn more:http://gabs.strength.org/site/PageServer?pagename=GABS_homepage

Anywhoo...here are pictures from our Great American Bakesale @ my work. Once I learn how much we earned with the proceeds, I will let you know.

Please fight hunger with me...let me know if you or your church or organization participates... :-)

Love, Ash ♥

Resume for Ashley R Day

We are Christ’s “letters of recommendation” to all who read our lives.

I read this quote tonight, and it startled me.

Geesh.

My resume is nothing, compared to my spiritual resume. How I send and email, handle a customer complaint, etc. How I "save the customer", how I "appease" the customer, is NOTHING compared to how I appease my God, and through God testimony and witnessing--hope to "save" my friends.

I hope that my resume looks a little something like this when I get to the judgement seat...

Ashley R Day

1234 Heaven Way

Jesus Christ, Is Lord

77777

*Objective-To tell all I know about the Lord my God, and to show through my actions, and my imperfections how even those who are sinners can through being saved by Jesus come to know him and live in eternal heaven.

Experience-Being in a worship team, being in the church choirs and plays all of my life.

Serving in other areas of the church.

Character References: Others that I have led to Christ.

The End.

I wish a lot more than this, but I hope to improve this resume as I continue my journey.

Love,

Ashley

Baked Potatos and....???

Alright, so embarrassingly enough I have no idea how to make baked potatos in the oven. So, when Charlie got to work today, he asked his boss if he knew how. So, thanks to Ed, I am trying them in the oven, I've only ever had them (made by myself in the microwave)...Here are his steps for baked potatos...

1. Rinse, clean, and de-eye potatos.

2. Poke lots a holes in potatos.

3. Put them in the microwave on high for 2 min.

4. Take butter and rub on pieces of aluminum foil big enough to rap potato...wrap potato.

5. Stick in a 450 degree oven (which means i'm sitting here melting) for 30 min. or until soft.

6. Take out, and top and enjoy!

So, here's what I'm planning on having with the potatos, sour cream and bacon. We were going to have broccolli and nacho cheese melted to top them with too..but decided to keep in simple.

Now....trying to decide what to have with it... a salad perhaps? A fresh tall, icy glass of iced tea with lemon to go with mine, that's for sure..and some sweet n low. My fave!