Married Life!

June 3, 2016...WEDDING DAY!!!!

     That's right friends and family!  Jack and I finally tied the knot.  The day was amazing!!  We got married in my parent's back yard with our immediate family and closest friends present.  The weather was beautiful, the food was great, and the day couldn't have been more perfect.  There is so much more to say, like how we were so excited for the day to arrive and to become a family, but I just can't find the perfect words to put to the day.  I have posted some pictures though so all can see and here are the basics of the day. We are truly blessed beyond measure to be with each other and we know that as long as we keep God in the center of our life we will continue to grow and be blessed.

My wonderful step-mom, Nancy made our beautiful cupcakes

Our long time friend, Judy Hockenberry, performed our ceremony

My precious princess, Gracie Jane, sung our song "You Raise Me Up"

Our friend, Katie Hockenberry, was our photographer

My former student, Hannah, did my hair

and Famous Daves was our caterer.

 Kiss me...beneath the pale moonlight

We are family...

I got all my sisters with me...(and everyone that came to the wedding)

Word of the Day - Pray / Prayer

Today was a day of eventfulness.  After two weeks of being off of work and successfully staying away from work that entire time school started back.  Ethan and I had a surprisingly good day.  Ethan said that his day was good and he was in a good mood when he came over to my school.  I had a good day, although incredibly busy.  Up until a year or so ago Ethan and I would say a prayer together every day before school.  There is no real reason that we stopped, but we did.  Sometimes the prayers were long and sometimes they were as short as "Thank you Jesus for this day.  Amen"  Although we stopped saying a prayer that ends with amen we have always said "Jesus bless you" to each other, no matter how blah our morning was.  It is something that we have always done and it is something that we will always do.  It is something special that Ethan and I do and it has brought us closer together and had built a bond and memories between us that we will never forget.  I know that some people will disagree with me, but others won't when I say that in my opinion, "Jesus bless you" is just as much of a prayer as anything else.  When we say that to each other we are praying for each other and truly praying that Jesus does bless the other.

Did you know that the word pray is used in the NIV translation of the Bible 367 times?  The word pray in the Webster Dictionary means "to enter into spiritual communion with God or an object of worship through prayer."  The following are some of the verses that really stuck out to me when I read them.

**Job 22:27 - You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. 

**Psalm 4:1 - [ Psalm 4 ] [ For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David. ] Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. 

**Matthew 26:41 - “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 

**Luke 3:21 - [ The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus ] When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 

**Luke 11:2 - He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 

**1 Timothy 2:1 - [ Instructions on Worship ] I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people

Heavenly Father I pray that you would continue to bless and keep Ethan and me as we continue down the road that you have set before us.  I pray that you would allow angels to surround us and protect us.  Please watch over Ethan as he continues to grow in you.  Help me raise him in your image.  Please watch over those that I love and even those that I don't know.  May your peace fill our lives and may we live for you.  Amen

As you go about your night, your day tomorrow, and the days ahead I hope that you remember to stop and pray and give thanks for what you have.  I pray that you remember the power of prayer in hard times and in good times.

Peace and Blessings,
Scarlet

Word of the Day Fellowship

I know that I missed a couple days.  Sorry about that.  I want to share with you a couple of really awesome things that happened in my life this weekend!

First, on Saturday, Ethan, my niece, Grace, and I went to Winter Jam 2015.  For those of you that don't know, Winter Jam is a concert that is 10 Christian bands for $10.  The concert is roughly 4 hours long and is so much fun.  There are literally thousands of people in the same space worshiping our Lord and Savior.  It is the most amazing thing ever!!  All of us were on our feet, shouting, praising God, and really having a wonderful time of fellowship.  We truly had an amazing time.  Ethan was singing as loud as he could when Building 429 played.  He was on his feet, clapping, waving his hands, and having a blast.  The picture to the right shows just a small amount of the enthusiasm that was shown by both of the kids.  After the concert we went to Steak-N-Shake and saw Jonathan (my brother) and ate some late night supper.  It was fun when we went in because by the time we left the entire restaurant was full of only people from Winter Jam!

Ok, secondly, today was AWESOME!  In the middle of church, right after communion, Ethan looked at me, smiled as big as he could, and then said the most wonderful thing to me.  He said, "mom, I am really blessed."  When I asked him why he simply said "because you love me so much."  Later in the day he told me that he loves hugs and he's glad that God loves him.  Now, I know that that might not sound like much, but to hear those words from Ethan is a true blessing.  He had a wonderful two week break from school and there were minimal meltdowns.  Top that with today and WOW it couldn't have been any better.  :-)

Well, onto the word of the day, fellowship.  Fellowship is an important part of being a Christian.  We cannot grow in our spiritual life without having fellowship.  There is something about being around fellow believers that really lifts your spirit and feeds your soul.  Did you know that the word fellowship is in the Bible 94 times?  The following are some of the verses:

**Acts 2:42 - [ The Fellowship of the Believers ] They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 

**2 Corinthians 13:14 - May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 

**1 John 1:6 - If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 

**1 John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

As you go about your week be in fellowship with one another and may that fellowship feed your soul and renew your spirit.

Father God:  I come to you and I humbly ask that you would renew my soul.  I thank you for the blessings that I have received from you and for the blessings that you have given to my son.  I pray that you would continue to be with us.  Please wrap your arms around us, protect us, and guide us.  Please allow my words and actions in the time ahead of me to be of you.  For thine is the glory and the kingdom forever.  Amen

Word of the Day - End

This year has been filled with ups and downs.  There have been days I haven't been able to sleep and days that I haven't wanted to get out of the bed.  Work has been overwhelming and has worn me down more than ever.  Ethan has grown up and has changed so much.  He has had a year full of adventures.  He started 7th grade, got a little sister, gained a new kitten, discovered he loves certain cartoons, and best of all he got baptized.  His personality has come out more than ever and he loves to wrestle and goof off.  With everything that has happened I am glad that 2014 is coming to an end.  The good and the hard I am ready to start a new chapter in this crazy mixed up thing called life.  

Well, enough about my year.  I hope that your year was full of fun and delight.  Today's word of the day is end.  When people talk about the end it's usually the end of life or the end of day.  Is the end of something always a bad thing?  I think that the end of something can be the meaning of a new beginning.  So, I challenge you to allow the end of this year to be a new beginning of next year.  Allow the good and the hard things to happen in the year to come.  Allow this chapter of your life to close and for a new chapter to be written.

The word end is in the NIV version of the Bible 502 times in 498 verses.  After reading the verses the following are the ones that stood out to me.

**Numbers 34:12 - Then the boundary will go down along the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea. "This will be your land, with its boundaries on every side." 

**Deuteronomy 4:32 - [ The Lord Is God ] Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? 

**Psalm 22:27 - All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 

**Luke 1:33 - and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 

**John 13:1 - [ Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet ] It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 

**Revelation 21:6 - He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

Abba Father as I go into the new year I pray that you would surround me with your love and protection.  I pray that the end of this year would be the beginning of a year to come that is filled with peace and hope.  Please watch over and protect my family, friends, and even those I don't know.  Allow my love for you to reach to the end of my life here on earth.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen

Word of the Day - Hope

Today was a day of restlessness and discomfort for me.  There is no real rhyme or reason for the feelings; they were just there.  I've noticed that lately there haven't been any real reasons for a lot of my feelings lately and for me that is frustrating.  I think part of it today is because I don't have Ethan and days without him are always hard.  I miss his laugh and his constant energy.  I find myself constantly hoping that he is doing ok and that he is having fun with his daddy, Marissa, and Makenna.  

You know, hope is an interesting concept to wrap your head around.  When you hope for something it is only a concept or idea until it happens.  Then and only then does that hope turns into a reality.  According to the dictionary the word hope means to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.  People frequently have a hope for something to happen.  Do you ever have a hope for God?  Do you ever have a hope that God will answer your prayer in way form or another or with a particular answer?  Do you ever wonder if God has a hope for you?  As I'm writing this I wonder if God has a hope for me?  I wonder if he ever hopes that I will make one decision over another or that I will go the direction that He has marked out for me.  The biblical definition of hope is a firm assurance regarding things that are unclear and unknown.

Hope is used in the NIV translation of the Bible in 180 verses 189 times.  While reading the verses the following are the ones that stood out to me the most.

**Job 8:13 - Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless.
**Psalm 25:3 - No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.
**Psalm 62:5 - Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.
**Lamentations 3:25 - The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
**Romans 5:1 - [ Peace and Hope ] Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
**Romans 8:24-25 - For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
**1 Peter 3:15 - But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Heavenly Father, as I go about my days ahead I pray that you would watch over me and protect me.  I pray that you would take my hopes and turn them into the reality that you have set forth for me.  Please watch over my family, friends, and even those that I do not know.  May they forever be able to find their hope in you.  For all the glory and power be yours God, now and forever more.  Amen.

As you go through your days ahead may you not lose your hope in Christ.  I pray that you are able to keep your eyes on Him and that the things you hope for come to pass in the way God intends them to.  My hope for you is that your days may be filled with peace and blessings and comfort be given where needed.  [May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13]

Word of the Day - Rescue

Rescue by Desperation Band


In church yesterday we sang the song, "Rescue" by Desperation Band.  (If you want to listen to it the link is at the top.)  The song has stuck with me ever since and I have found myself listening to it over and over again.  Every time I've listened to it I catch myself thinking of the word "rescue" and really wanting to know what it means to be rescued. This last year has been one of the roughest and toughest years of my life.  It's not because of anything in particular, but just because of the situations that I have been in.  When looking back on the year I realize that there have been so many times that I have felt like I am drowning and really having a hard time keeping my head above water.  I have been treading water just waiting to be rescued, but rescued from what I am not sure and rescued by whom I am even less sure of.

According to the Webster Dictionary the word rescue means, "to free or deliver from confinement, violence, danger, or evil."  So, now that I know the official definition I ask again, what is it that I want to be rescued from?  Why has this song stung me to my core and stuck with me through the last couple of days?  There are times in my life that I know I have been rescued from one thing or another.  There are times now that I cry out to be rescued.  Many times when I am at church and really thinking about my life, my son, and my relationship with Christ I want to cry out to be rescued.  There is a fear within me though that hasn't allowed me to fully do that.  I'm sure I'm not alone in that fear.  What would life be like if I truly accepted the rescuing that Jesus has given to us?  Would I be able to cope without the constant worry and anxiousness in my life?  What would it be like if we lived our lives fully and completely for God and in His remarkable rescue?  Just some of the questions that I will be thinking about today and I challenge you to think about too.

The word rescue or a variation of  rescue is used in the NIV Bible 135 times in 129 verses.  After reading the verses the following are some of them:

**Exodus 18:10 - He said, “Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 

**Numbers 10:9 - When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.

**Judges 10:15 - But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.” 

**Psalm 18:19 - He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. 

**Daniel 6:27 - He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” 

**2 Timothy 4:18 - The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Abba Father, as I search myself and find myself wandering aimlessly through life I pray that you would surround  me with your love and make your presence known in my life.  I cry out to you for rescuing and thank you for your grace and salvation.  I pray that you would rescue me, my family, friends, and even those that I do not know from the sins of our daily lives.  May your peace wash over me and may your love fill my life.  It's in your son's precious and holy name I pray.  Amen.

As you go about your day know that there are times when we all need to be rescued by God.  In those times cry out to Him and hold on to His everlasting word.  May you be blessed today, tomorrow, and always.

God's Word of the Day

"For the LORD your God has blessed you in all that you have done; He has known your wanderings through this great wilderness These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have not lacked a thing." Deuteronomy 2:7

It used to be, years ago, that once a week I would take a random word from the Bible, look it up in the dictionary, find it in the Bible, and really sit and reflect on the meaning of the word.  Then, I would write an email about that word and send it to a group of people with verses and a prayer for the day or week ahead.  It started conversations, made me ask questions, and made me seek out the answers to my questions.  Well, I'm going to do it again.  Only this time my goal is to use this time DAILY to get into the Bible and talk with God.  I want to grow in my faith and really figure out why I believe and what I believe.  I want to be able to wrestle with God and for me I wrestle best when I can wrestle out loud.  I hope that you can join me on my journey.  Comment, ask questions, leave answers to my questions, or just read it and think.  Who knows, maybe as you see my journey you will journey too.  Maybe we can walk this road together and we'll learn a thing or two along the way.

May your faith grow in endless amounts and may you know that even when times are hard they aren't bad.  Peace and blessings to you as we journey together down the road of faith.