Mark!

Mark started Kindergarten on Monday, August 19!  I mean, wow!  I cannot believe my baby boy is in real school now.  It was a bittersweet day for sure.  I am so very proud of the little man he is growing to be, but I also wish I could stop him from growing and always be around to protect him.  I'm thankful for the MIGHTY God that I serve!  He is able to calm my nerves with just a whisper of a prayer at any time I need to feel reassured.  I also know that He is always with both of babies protecting them from the world. How could you do life without Him?!?

1st day of K at Cary Woods Elem.  When he grows up, he wants to be a firefighter.  He thinks it would be cool to spray water with the hose! :)

 A few pictures at home.  I tried to get some with Alyssah but she was being a diva ;)

And I took this one with Mrs. Jackson's sign she had in the classroom.  His cubby is behind him.

He said it was a fun day, and he thinks Mrs. Jackson is sweet.  I'm looking forward to a great 1st year!  Being a Mom is so fun :)

Part 2: Culture's Greatest Test

Well, it has taken me a little while to follow up with the 2nd installment of the Culture Series that I started a few weeks ago, but here is part 2!  For this part, you will have to do a little reading but it will help understand the message.

Daniel 3:1-6
*In this passage, the people were commanded to worship a specific god.

Daniel 6:5-9
*In this passage, the people were commanded not to worship any other gods.

{There is a battle over worship that exists in this world.  I believe we are seeing it now more than ever.  Who will you worship?  The media, Hollywood, advertisements, etc clearly represent the battle that is raging in our world today.  Satan has taken hold of this like never before.}

Read 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 and Revelation 13:14-17.

God's motivation is LOVE.  Satan's is FEAR.

Satan's Schemes:

1. Exalt man above God.
Daniel 3:16-18:  There is only ONE worthy of worship.

2. Stop the worship of God.
Daniel 6:10-12: You have to be more intentional then ever before to where your worship goes!

Mark 12:30 "And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength."
If you break this verse down, there are 3 questions you must ask yourself.
1. Your heart and soul is your affection.  What do you love most?
2. Your mind is where your attention is.  What are you thinking about the most?
3. Your strength is your abilities.  What do I do the most?

And lastly, the title of this message, culture's greatest test.
Culture's greatest test is Satan's ultimate goal.
-Who you will not worship.
2 Chronicles 16:9

-Who you will worship.
John 4:23


{All of the installments of this series really made me think but this one seems to be the core of the matter.  You have to make a choice.  You are have to set your mind on what you will focus your life on.  Where will your money go?  What will spend your time doing?  What will you treasure and love the most?  If none of these areas are kingdom focused then what's the point of your existence?  That's a gut check for sure.}

All of these messages are available to watch on Church of the Highlands' website.  The notes are also available to download from Pastor Chris, which is what mine are taken from.  My thoughts are in brackets.

Hope you all have a fantastic rest of the week!  I hope to do a family update this week as well.  We will be at the beach next week so it will be a little while before I'm back.  Hope you are all enjoying your summer :)

Mark's Pre-K Graduation

Alyssah watching Mark.  She did great the whole time!

Mark had his Pre-K graduation ceremony on May 18, 2013.  We had a great day celebrating our sweet boy and seeing some of the things he and his classmates have learned this past year.  I'm thankful that many friends and our family could be there with us.  These are a few pictures that our friend Matthew took for us.  Thanks for making the day easier on me and bringing your camera! :)

Alyssah wasn't feeling the picture taking but at least we got these shots of us as a family :)  Love them!

Proud parents!

He is really looking forward to Kindergarten.  I'm a little nervous but excited for him to go to "big school". 

Here's to my smart, handsome, "cool", generous, loving, helpful, encouraging, loving, and fun 5 year old!  I look forward to all the things you will learn this next year and the things you will teach me as you continue to grow into the awesome little person you are.  I love you, my sweet Mark!

Part 1:When Culture Shifts

Can you believe I actually got back to this so soon??  Haha!  I'm so excited about sharing with you about this message series.  For those of you who read that are part of my Highlands family, you have heard this but I know you agree it's worth hearing again ;)


Some believers think that we are in the end times and after this series I agree.  Pastor Chris wanted to bring us this message so that we have an idea of what we are up against.  This is the 1st of 6 posts I will be making and hopefully you will get something out of them.

Series text: Daniel 1:1-6

When Culture Shifts

...will you?

Daniel 1:7

1. It will try to rename you.
-It will try to change your identity from what God created you to be.
-God has a redemptive name to put on you.

Daniel 1:8 "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way."

2. It will try to tame you.
-When culture shifts, you better know who you are!  Culture will try to shift your convictions.
-People with no convictions are most susceptible.
-People do things because everyone else is.

Daniel 1:11-14
*anytime the Bible mentions the number 10, it is indicative of a time of testing

3. It will try to claim you.
-There will be a moment of pressure.
-When culture shifts, never give in to the pressure.
-God's way is best. (v. 15-19)

Ten Times Better

Daniel 1:20 "In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom."

Will I change the world or will the world change me?

Will my identity come from God or from the world?

Am I going to set the culture or reflect the culture?

We don't need to be a thermometer.  We need to be the thermostat!

I will be back on this next week :)  I hope you are having a fantastic week!

*Fun Giveaway*!

hey hey blog peeps!  I have not forgotten about you or blogging about the Daniel Series messages from church last month...just been busy busy!  I will try my hardest to get to that tonight so hang in there!  It is coming, and I promise you will be blessed by it!

Today, I wanted to let you all know about a giveaway opportunity :)  Because who doesn't love free stuff?!?  Head on over to a blog I read and check it out!

http://therowefam.blogspot.com/2013/06/find-joy-in-journey-giveaway.html

Have a beautiful afternoon!

K :)

Shift

I love this verse!  We recently had a series at Highlands about the shift in our culture and how to live Godly in an ungodly age.  So many things of this world can be distractions and focus changers.  We, as God's children, need to be informed on how to be the difference and the light.  I got so much out of each of the 6 messages.  I want to do posts about each of them to share with yall.  Who knows how many people will actually read them, but I hope that whoever decides to read them will get something out of it.

I hope to stay on track with this...I will prob start it tomorrow and wrap it up by next week.  Stay tuned for that ;)

I also need to do some family updating...I will post soon about my Mark's pre-K graduation, and tball will be wrapping up this week as well.  We have enjoyed tball, but I am going to be glad to have that free time back since it's such pretty weather outside now.  I want to start being able to take walks with the kids and do other things after work.  It's such a fun time of year!

I'll be back soon!  Have a blessed Wednesday :)

Slavery

Yall are probably thinking, What?!  another blog post today?!  I'm trying to stay more in touch with the blog world and keep it up.

I have a video to share with yall today.  It's only 3 minutes long, so please take a moment to watch it.  It's powerful and moving.  It's why I have joined Freedom 21 here in Auburn.  To learn more about Freedom 21 visit the website here.  Slavery does still exist today.  There are 27 million men, women, and children that are enslaved today.  And it's not just in other countries...it's here, closer than you think.

This video was made by the END IT Movement.  Click here to go to their website.  I promise you won't be the same after watching.  Let's end this for good!  Let's shine the Light of Jesus on all of these situations to abolish the slavery, sex-trafficking, and bondage that happens everyday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMyExi2q-ZI&feature=youtu.be