Birthday week

T minus 7 days til the official "big day". 
Someone recently asked me about the upcoming birthday if this was a big one... I jokingly replied they only get bigger!  This one is not monumental nor does it mark the end or beginning of another decade.  So in all actuality it is your common everyday birthday. 

Growing up my mom did an excellent job of making sure our birthday's were always celebrated... spend the night parties with lots of friends... trips to chucky cheese... special dinners...pool parties... etc.  In her mind it was a day set aside to celebrate the birthday of one special person.  As I have gotten older, I realize how out of the ordinary this was.  Not everyone's birthday was celebrated growing up.  Thanks mom for always making birthday's so special!

So why am I blogging about my birthday... well after church today I stopped at the post office to pick up my mail and got a card in the mail from Starbuck's for a free birthday drink of choice.  It made me smile to get something for my birthday! 

Summer Prayer letter

Summer 2011

As I was sitting down to do a prayer update, I realized that it has been a while.  Seven weeks of summer care is finished... my one week of vacation starts in a few hours... and then the official 2011-2012 school year starts.  Wow... time just needs to slow down!

This has been a summer filled with highs and lows... praises and prayer requests... blessings and those things that make you go "hmmm???".  Friday afternoon I came home from finishing summer care, exhausted and mind reeling over several things going on in the ministry on Molokai (ie... enrollment, finances, decisions, families, etc).  As I sat back pondering what I could do to solve these things, I was convicted that I needed to pray. 

Recently Pastor Randy has been going through a series from Ephesians entitled "living beyond the ordinary".  If we are called to live beyond the ordinary, then we are called to trust when things aren't comprehendible.  All the things that I have been attempting to do in my own strength, I need to trust that if Christ has called me to do it... then it will happen in HIS time.  On the other hand... if He hasn't called me to it... then I need to relinquish it.  After a time of being on my face before Him releasing all of these things to Him, I was able to lay the burden down at His feet and sleep peacefully with the assurance that He is doing a mighty work.

So I share all of this so that you can partner with us in prayer as we live beyond the ordinary. 

Praises:

- completed 10 years of teaching on Molokai

- we finally received our certificate of accreditation with a score of 98% through the National Association of Educating Young Children (NAEYC).  A three year process to better the education for our little ones!

- newest addition- Juliet- see blog for pictures

- leadership opportunity in Egypt over fall break

- headed to NC for Christmas... thanks to donated airmiles!!!  It has been 2 1/2 years since I have been back to visit family!

Prayer Requests:

-Finances-  Due to low enrollment last school year and rising costs on island... (ie For the school/ church campus our water bill ($xxxx) and electric ($xxxx) per month), we are scraping the bottom of the barrel.  I am really glad that our heavenly Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills...  

-Enrollment- Please be praying that as we start this school year that God will send the children He desires us to serve and that He will provide the subsidy for each family.

-Airfare to Egypt

-Church/Ministry Staff

You can stay updated with all the latest Thoughts from Molokai at http://hynangel.blogspot.com/.  Thank you for your faithful support.  Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated!  May you truly live beyond the ordinary. 

In need of an adventure!

Two years ago, I put together my "100 things to do" list that I would like to do... 

When I first started,  I made a point to go out and do things.  Things to work towards.  Then life just stepped in and kind of got scheduled... you know routine.  Over the past few weeks... I have been desiring an adventure... a change of pace so I reevaluated ny "to-do" list. 

So recently, I have...

• applied to grad school at UH Manoa to work towards a Master's in Early Education Curriculum.
• officially registered for the Honolulu marathon on December 11th
• lost 60+ pounds putting me within 20 of my ideal weight
• been invited to come teach a conference in Cairo, EGYPT this fall.
• debated whether to seriously get a tattoo or remain one of the few people to not have one.... hmmm???  Still haven't made a final discussion.

I am headed back to NC for a 2 week visit at Christmas so if anyone wants to join me for a trip to Biltmore Estates or a hike on the Appalachin trail, let me know!

Newest addition

God has an amazing way of blessing us when we least expect it.  After Tink's death in January, I had no desire to go out and get another animal.  Just too tough on the emotions.

Recently after taking a couple of days off from summer care, I came into preschool greeted with a small "mew" from under the icebox.  After some coaxing a small black furball appeared....  Meet JULIET....

She needed some medical treatment and is still working on getting to 100%.

It is fun having a kitten in the house again.  So very playful and always on the move.

 Her favorite place to sleep is the potpourrie dish on the coffee table.  I very quickly learned to put it in a bag as potpourrie was being thrown everywhere.

As you can see... Romeo has truly found his Juliet!  He carries her around the house and she cuddles with him.  At the moment, as I blog... Juliet is curled up on my chest... purring  herself to sleep.  Welcome little Miss Juliet!

Blessings by Laura Story

What if the trials of this life are His mercies in disguise???

Mind set vs. Mood

To respond out of mind-set than mood....

when your mind-set is focused on Jesus, no matter how you are feeling, you will make the choice to respond in LOVE!

There's an APP for that!

Figuratively??? Spiritually??? Literally??? Not Sure???

 

How do we look at God's word? Is it just a fairy tale? Was it written for and by great spiritual people? Should it be used daily, in every aspect of our lives? Or just not sure how we use God's written Word?

 

In our modern day society with ipads, blackberry's, iphones... etc we are inundated with commercials on "There's an app for that".  Did you know that there are modern day applications (APPS) for scripture that God desires us to literally apply to our lives???  This morning I was going through the Esther study by Beth Moore and emailed my Bible study ladies what I was discovering.  As I continued to write I thought this is too good not to post....

Look at the following verses... each of which I have looked at from a literal point of view. I am of the mindset that the Bible is to be taken literally and applied to every aspect of our daily lives.

Matthew 11:11- I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

APPLICATION: living humbly as one who is least in the kingdom.

Matthew 13:11-12- He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

APPLICATION: be a good steward of what God has given

Luke 17:20-21-

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." APPLICATION: We are the temple of God... we are the living kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 4:20- For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. APPLICATION: Putting the walk with your talk... don't just say you love God... live it out loud! 1 Peter 2:9- But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light APPLICATION: We have been called out of darkness into marvelous light. We are chosen! We need to praise Him continually that we don't have to hide in our sins. Revelation 1:5-6-and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father--to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen APPLICATION: We have been freed from our sins to serve God for His glory forever. We don't have to live in the bondage of this world. Revelation 5:9-10- And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." APPLICATION: Because of Christ's sacrifice, we will get to serve God not only now but for all of eternity. As Beth Moore states, "Beloved, absorb this with your whole heart: You are royalty. Not figurative royalty. Not just spiritual royalty. You are in the most literal sense possible the daughter of the universe's King. You have royal blood in a way that even Esther did not. The crimson bloodlie of Christ flows through your veins." How are you going to apply these truths today??? Love ya and praying for you as you continue on your journey with HIM!