God's Busy Weekend

I was waiting until some pictures of Thanksgiving and Halloween were sent to me before I posted again, but way too much stuff has happened that needed to be blogged about.

Halloween was great - Jonny and Pastor Shawn (a white bald guy for those who don't know him) dressed up as eachother. It was great. Shawn looked like a terrorist and Jonny looked like Powder. I will post a picture as soon as Shawn emails one to me, which he has promised to do. Alanna dressed up as Snow White again this year and we did a little bit of trick or treating. Jonny and I bought a bag of candy that I don't really like so that I wouldn't be tempted to eat it and then we only had two trick or treaters come to the door so we have a huge bag of crappy candy that needs to be dealt with.

I have to say a HUGE congratulations to Riki who is 5 weeks preggo! Hooray! I can't help but think how hillarious it is that you are due the week before your brother's wedding. Especially since we were joking about you getting pregnant and being due for his wedding. HA HA!

This past weekend was one of the busiest weekends I've had in a long time. This weekend was YC (the christian youth conference) which of course Jonny and I volunteered at. I got to take some time out on Saturday to go to the Women's Journey of Faith conference. Then back to YC Saturday evening and again Sunday. Then Sunday evening Allan Jones spoke at Elim.
What's that? You want to know how everything went - OKAY!!!!

YC was good - honestly I didn't venture much farther than the info desk. I went far enough to go and check out a clothing table. I found a great sweater that I really wanted so I talked to my darling hubby and he liked the sweater so much that he bought two. One for me and one for him. So now we can be even more adorable than we already are. I remember swearing to myself that I would never have matching clothing with my husband - yet here I am.

I was supposed to go to Women's Journey of Faith Conference with Jonny's mom Flora and my sister in law Debbie. But Flora ended up getting really sick last week. She had water on her lung. It was so bad that she couldn't even answer the phone without huffing and puffing. She really didn't feel up to leaving the house despite how badly she really wanted to go. It turned out to be such a blessing because my sister took her ticket and came with us instead. You have no idea how thankful I am to God for working it out that Kellyn got to be there with me. I have been praying for my mom and my sister faithfully since I became a Christian. My sister wasn't sure if she believed in God but was under the impression that if there was a heaven you could get there just by being a good person. The Bible says that the only way to God the Father is through his son. Which means that being good just doesn't cut it. You need to ask Jesus to come into your heart and live your life for him. God promises that heaven is this great and wonderful place but I have a really hard time believing that's possible if my mom and my sister can't be there with me. While at the conference I was so sure that my sister was going to hand her life over to God right then and there and honestly I felt absolutely defeated when she didn't. BUT, God and I had a great talk that night and he has ensured me that a seed has been planted. After all I didn't become a Christian over night. It took me a full year of going to church faithfully to completely hand myself over. Lisa Bevere (the keynote speaker) was amazing. She was really funny at some times I felt like I was at a stand up comedy show. She really did her job well in teaching us how to be empowered women of God living along side men.

Okay I'm going to do a really quick explanation of the rapture for those who aren't quite up to speed. Jesus said that he would come again some day. When he comes he will come like a theif in the night and will take all of those who are Christians up to heaven with him. Those who are left behind are basically left to deal with the end of the world - which believe me I have no intention on sticking around for.
So Saturday night I have this crazy realistic dream that it happened. Today was the day that Jesus came and all those who were blessed to have lead their lives right disappeared to heaven. Just then I woke up. I'm laying in bed and I realize that Jonny isn't in bed with me. Well I can't tell you how panic striken I was. I thought I was left behind. I was on the verge of tears because I was so sure that my sins had been wiped away and I had been living my life the way that God really wanted me to. Then I heard Emerie start to cry and I thought - well that's not right. Jesus wouldn't have left the baby! Then Jonny walked into the room. That was the biggest sense of relief. I tell you it really made me take a hard look at my life to see what else I can do to ensure my salvation.

I need to touch quickly something that has occurred in the states in that past weeks, Pastor Ted Haggard who has been accused of buying crystal meth and have gay sex with a gay prostitute. First of all how humbling is that? This is a man who preached the word of God to thousands upon thousands of people. This incident has really taught me that no matter how "good of a christian" you are, you really need to keep your guard up. Satan is sly and will attack when you least expect it. Second of all I (who watch the View everyday and have always really enjoyed everyone on there) am sooooo furious with Rosie and Joy. They bring up Ted Haggard and APPLAUD!!!! I have so many thoughts running through my head about how furious I am about that I'm not sure how to even approach that. Christianity does not fall because of one man. Jesus is the head of the church not one person. This is a spiritual 911. Christians - this is not a time to turn our backs on Ted. None of us are without sin. He is God's child just like you and me and it should be at this time that we lift him up to God in prayer.

I'm going to end my blog on an extreme high note. I mentioned previously about how Jonny's mom has been really sick. On Sunday night Allan Jones (forgive me if I have the name wrong) was speaking at our church. His message is mainly on the healing power of God. Towards the end of the evening he was praying for the congregation and then he started calling out different things that maybe bothering people - sore necks, ankles and things like that. Then he says that there is someone here that has something wrong with their lung, their lungs are unable to fill with air. He even mentioned that it was just one lung. The only person in the room that raised their hand with this ailment was Flora. Allan asked her to take a deep breath and the holy spirit would fill her lung. At that moment she took a deep breath (her first deep breath in more than two weeks). After the service she was running around the church talking to people and was not out of breath once. I wasn't sitting with her during the service because my baby was acting up but from the lobby I was watching and as soon as he mentioned something about a lung I started to bawl. Jonny and I were so flabergasted by what had happened we stood in the parking lot holding eachother and crying for ten minutes. I talked to Flora this morning and she is still able to take deep breath today. This is honestly the most amazing thing that I have ever witnessed in my life. If I didn't believe in the amazing power of God before, I surely do now.

Praise God!