Birthday Blessings

I celebrated my 30th birthday two Fridays ago and it was truly a rememberence of how much God has blessed me.

I was awakened with breakfast, a dozen of my favorite flowers, and a sweet balloon from the love of my life.

Then off to the work and company I love, I was greeted with a Birthday Princess-themed office, an assortment of breakfast goodies, and of course Birthday Tony!

An hour later, a few of us headed out to ride Tower of Terror - Angela's first Tower experience!

We had a team lunch in honor of my birthday and on the stroll back to the office, we caught the horseless carriage where at the end of the ride was a Mary Poppins street act (my favorite character). Not too long after we arrived at the office, I was blessed with another surprise - a Princess Birthday Cake.

To top that off, Melvin planned a very magical evening - dinner at one of my favorite Italian restaurants (in California) and a night in a sweet inn overlooking Dana Point.

The following Sunday after my birthday, we celebrated with Mom and Marc at Cheesecake Factory......and Mom surprised me with her homemade cake :)

And of course, our family gathering.

On politics

I am not much of a political beast by any means. You're probably wondering, why the heck is Stephanie writing on politics? Well, this morning I happened to catch the last 5 minutes of a radio ministry on KWVE 107.9 FM and the pastor was talking about political leaders and God's plan for them. Err, well that's what I interpreted out of 5 minutes anyway.

As I'm sure you already know, it seems that our President is the tail-end of many jokes, including Jay Leno's nightly routine. However, it seems to me that while we moan and groan about our leadership (not just in politics but also in the workplace and even in our home), the fact is that God placed him/her in that position. And by defying or questioning why that leadership was chosen, it is defying or questioning God's plan. Or even worse, not having faith in God's plan.

So to President Bush and the succeeding Presidents, you have my support!

Test of Faith

I received this forward from Mom and wanted to share it with you all.

A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?" After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways. It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God..If you still speak to people speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey." As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk. The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli. "Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home. As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn Down that street." This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street. At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will". He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in semi commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back i n the car seat. "Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here." He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you." The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk." His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?" The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers.

This made me think about how many times the Lord has spoken to me and I failed to hear Him or recognize His voice. And then I thought about the power of prayer :)

Big Tent Revival

Calvary Chapel Big Tent Revival
Have you ever wonderered?Is there really a God who created our Universe? Is Jesus Christ the Son of God? Is there life after death?Is there any hope for peace on earth? Is there any real purpose for my life? Is the Bible God’s revelation of Himself to man? Is it possible to really know God?

We invite you to find the answers at the Calvary Chapel Big Tent Revival. Join the thousands who nightly will enjoy some of the greatest gospel music, and messages, that will answer life’s most important questions. March 12th through April 20th ,2007

Free admission - Free “Live” webcast

Love languages

My mentor, Gary, recommended The Five Love Languages (www.fivelovelanguages.com) to us to read together. For those who have read any of the series understands how powerful the concepts discussed in the book are.

Through the reading, we discovered our primary love languages, which to no surprise, were different from eachother's.....and to no surprise to Melvin, I'm sure, that I have "a few" love languages by which I communicate ; ) During that discovery, I learned so much about Melvin and about myself. It truly opened me up to enjoy and appreciate the differences in our languages. I highly recommend this book to everyone, whether or not you are in a relationship which leads to my purpose for writing this post.

This weekend, it seemed like I was constantly struggling against the devil. On the way to the airport to pick up Leslie (my little sister) who is home from college for spring break, I found myself irritated with my mom because she continuously called me to remind me to pick up Leslie, to remind me to bring the garage door opener to Mom's since no one was going to be home, to confirm that I was going to hang out with Leslie, etc etc.....all which were pretty elementary in my mind. That's when Melvin reminded me that's how she shows love is by nurturing us. Not too long after, I found myself agitated with Leslie! About how she didn't follow up with me on something that we've been working on together for awhile which came off to me as inconsiderate and ungrateful. Then on the following day, it moved on to my brother, Marc, because he flaked on a family lunch that we have planned for a week. I was mostly upset because of how much Mom and Leslie were looking forward to it and how disappointed they both were when he stood us up. Admittingly, I was disappointed, too.

All three situations were obviously the devil trying to establish a foothold, but as you you can tell which was not so obvious to me at the time, was miscommunication/making assumptions. Then I thought about how the concept of love languages applies to all relationships and not just to marriages. For example (and this is completely hypothetical), it could be that my love language is Quality Time where Marc's is Words of Affirmation. In this situation, he didn't necessarily think that skipping out on lunch would be such a huge deal, but as someone who values quality time, it is very upsetting. And then I thought of some very sweet things that he has done for me like when I sent my new job announcement out a month ago, he was one of the very first to respond with a very thoughtful note that totally made my day. I also thought back to one of the birthday cards that he wrote to me, which was accompanied by a Sister book that I adore.

Another compelling example is the difference between me and my mom. If I had to guess, my mom's love language is Receiving Gifts. Actually, I think her way to communicate is through giving gifts, but in terms of receiving communication, I'm unsure. Anyway, my primary love language is Quality Time. So when the family gets together, she is usually in the kitchen, making some to "give" us while I'm wanting to spend time together. Even when I go into the kitchen to spend time with her, she shoos me to the living room to spend time with the siblings (she loves to see us kids having a good time). Without the love languages concept, I would be left to feeling unloved and unsatisfied.

Hurt feelings can destroy relationships but understanding, patience, and the Lord can heal them. My thoughts concluded with 1 Corinthians 13. I've bolded my favorite parts.

1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

This one reminded me of Mom!

This one reminded me of Mom!

"Crack"berry

Crackberry. Have you heard of this term? Word Spy (www.wordspy.com) defines it as, "A BlackBerry handheld computer, particularly one used obsessively; a person who uses such a computer obsessively." I've found this picture that, sadly, describes it better than any definition:

Source: http://crackberry.com/

Anyway, the day before I officially started work, Melvin and I went out and bought me one. After months (coincidentally the exact number of months Melvin has had a Blackberry) of justification of how a Blackberry saves time and promotes quality of life - I caved in.

On our way home from Married Couples Fellowship tonight, I was singing to David Crowder (my usual commute CD - for now at least) when I was interrupted by my Blackberry's flashing red notification light and found myself terribly irritated at the interruption. At that very moment, I questioned whether it really saved me time and promoted my quality of life. There have been times where I've found myself madly clicking away on my Blackberry on my way into/out of the office, on the way to/from the restroom, and really any "in between" chance I get. Even when I'm on the toilet (if it's a longer episode), I reach up to my purse in search of my Crackberry.

Then I thought, "What did I do one week and two days ago when my life was void of such a device?" Well, I probably would have sincerely greeted a passerby, finished a conversation with my 100% attention, taken a moment to clear my head and take a deep breath, or even a quick conversation/prayer with/to God. I find, at least personally, that often times the "luxuries" of life add to the complexities of life....possibly in ways that aren't what God had in mind for us.

John Tesh, evening deejay for 95.9 FM, reported that people who make $100,000+ tend to be more stressed than those who make less than that. Studies suggests that the reason is that these individuals work at least 25% more than those who make less. I guess that's not a very surprising statistic considering the "ambitious" world that we live in but the question is, is it worth it? I guess the real question is "whose ambitions?"

Back to my thought, it is going to take A LOT of willpower but I refuse to be a Crackberry addict. So if you see my obsessively clicking away on my phone, please say a prayer for me!