Philippians 1:9-11

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

Ephesians 2:8-10

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2: 8-10

Philippians 4:6, 7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6, 7

I'm Waiting

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What a powerful song! Recognize it?!? It's from Fireproof (if you haven't seen it, you should!)

Joshua 1:7-9

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:7-9


and another...this was in my devotional this morning. I have a hard time being glad on a nasty, rainy, cold day!

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Grab your Kleenex

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Bible Verse of the Day

I just had a brilliant idea! Well, I think it is brilliant! I am going to start posting a Bible Verse of the Day...what an awesome way to encourage and uplift people! I always find Bible Verses that speak to me throughout the day, so, now I will share them!

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Zzzzzz

My sleep schedule has been off this week and I am really paying for it! Usually, I get up around 6:45-7am and start getting ready for work, do my daily routine, and am in the bed around 9:30pm (hoping to be asleep by 10pm). Monday night, I couldn't fall asleep until 1am...that is 3 hours later than usual!! Last night, I was awake until about 11pm and up around 6:15am (Cooper thought he just had to go out!). I am barely making it this morning! I have been trying to cut out caffiene so this is also adding to the problem. I need to get back in my routine!

So, for those of you who have trouble sleeping, I looked up some helpful info for The Perfect Sleep Routine...

A must see...

Saturday night we met a few friends at Birkdale to see The Book of Eli...what an amazing movie! Andrew is a huge fan of Denzel so I knew we would see it, even though I had no clue what it was about. I would watch the previews and still have no clue what it was about! When the movie first started, I wasn't sure I would enjoy it (Denzel killed 5 men within the first 10 minutes of the movie!). Well...I was pleasantly surprised! Denzel plays a man named Eli who is on a mission from God to carry the only Bible across the country...not the same country we know, but a country that has gone through a great war, where all the other Bibles were burned, people were left blind, and the world is in shambles. Eli is walking by faith and not by sight....he has completely trusted himself to God (for his safety, direction, food, everything!). How amazing is that?!?! How I long to be like "Eli"! So many times, I find myself wanting to do things my way and in my time, instead of God's way and in God's time. How selfish I am! It also made me realize how much we take our freedom forgranted...to worship our Lord, to read His Word, and to say out loud "GO GOD!" (as my dear friend Michelle likes to say!). What if we weren't allowed to read the Bible? What if there was only one Bible on the whole planet left? What would we do? Where would we go for answers? I don't know about you, but I look to His Word for answers. What would I do if I didn't have it? Do I have it memorized? Obviously, the answer here is "no"! What a scary thought! I need to know this stuff...I need to carry His words in my mind and in my heart.

Needless to say, not only was this movie enjoyable to watch, it also made me really think! In my opinion, its a must see!



To view the trailer, click here.




On a different note...It is currently 64 degrees in Lincolnton...in the middle of January! Yesterday, I turned my heat off and opened my windows...there is nothing better than fresh air blowing through your house! I love this weather!

Warn your Friends

You've heard about people who have been abducted and had their kidneys removed by black-market organ thieves....

My thighs were stolen from me during the night a few years ago. I went to sleep and woke up with someone else's thighs. It was just that quick! The replcements had the texture of cooked oatmeal. Whose thighs were these and what happened to mine?! I spent the entire summer looking for my thighs. Finally, hurt and angry, I resigned myself to living out my life in jeans. And then, the thieves struck again...

My butt was next. I knew it was the same gang because they took pains to match my new rear-end to the thighs they had stuck me with earlier. But my new butt was attached at least three inches lower than my original! I realized I'd have to give up my jeans in favor of long skirts.

Two years ago I realized my arms had been switched. One morning I was fixing my hair and was horrified to see the flesh of my upper arm swing to and fro with the motion of the hairbrush. This was really getting crazy-my body was being replaced one section at a time. What could they do to me next?

When my poor neck suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a turkey neck, I decided to tell my story. Women of the world, wake up and smell the coffee! Those "plastic" surgeons are using REAL replacement body parts-stolen from you and me! The next time someone you know has something "lifted", look again-was it lifted from you?

This is not a hoax. This is happening to women everywhere, every night.



P.S. Last year I thought someone had stolen my boobs. I was lying in bed and they were gone! But when I jumped out of bed, I was relieved to see that they had just been hiding in my armpits as I slept. Now I keep them hidden in my waistband.



Oh, the joys of what women have to look forward to...

Prayer Request

Please pray for Adri Patterson. She is the (almost 3 year old) daughter of my assistant principal and was diagnosed with a brain tumor today 1/11/10. She is scheduled for surgery Friday 1/15/10. I thought having a face with your prayers would help. I can't imagine what her parents are going through. All of us at school are doing everything we can to get as many people praying for her as possible. Please pass this along to friends, family members, and church prayer groups. God is mighty and we often neglect calling on His help and then having Faith that He will help.

M. Cargill Fifth Grade Math and Science Boiling Springs Intermediate School



I received this email today and thought I would pass it along!

Sew many options...

Who knew shopping for a sewing machine would be so difficult?!? I never knew there were so many options!! I have never owned a sewing machine...and really have no idea how to use one...but have always wanted to learn. So, I am in search of a beginner sewing machine. I researched many different options, but still have no clue what to buy! I did find a very helpful website (http://www.lindsaytsews.com/2009/02/buying-beginner-sewing-machine.html) that will hopefully guide me in my quest for a user-friendly machine. Now, if I can only convince Andrew that this is a good investment...

Dear John

I am a BIG fan of Nicholas Sparks!! When I heard Dear John was coming out in theaters, I knew I had to re-read the book (yes, I read it once already!). The book was better than I remembered...which makes me sooooo excited for the movie. Andrew and I have a date night February 5th!

These are a few of my favorite things...

Hoola by benefit cosmetics is the most natural looking bronzer I have ever used. I just brush a little on my cheeks every morning!



This is my favorite blush! Pale Pink by Bobby Brown Cosmetics.



Lashblast by Covergirl is only $7 and is better than most expensive mascaras I have tried.



I NEVER leave the house without my aquaphor...it works great as a chapstick, a lotion for extra dry skin, and an ointment for cuts! They also make them in pocket-size containers so you don't have to pull out a huge tube!



I wash my hands a million times a day...I have to, I am around sick children all day! I just put a little Burt's Bees Shea Butter Hand Repair Creme on at night and by morning my hands don't feel like sandpaper.


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Who wouldn't love a blanket with sleeves?!?!



Scarves...in any color!



I am always cold! For this reason, you will never see me without a cardigan!

Cooking has become one of my new favorite things to do. I cook dinner almost every night (unless we have too much to do that night...then, we just pick something up!), but I really have a hard time finding good recipes. Andrew is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. While I enjoy meat and potatoes types of foods, I always enjoy trying other things....and with the new year, I feel we need to eat a little healthier. My mother-in-law is an excellent cook (so, I have a lot to live up to!)...and she is a real southern cook...you know, lots of butter and salt. Of course, I love her cooking...who wouldn't? But I need to lose weight and eat healthy!! So, I am in search of healthy, easy recipes...that Andrew will like! This could be difficult...

NYE at the Tipton's

New Year's Eve was spent at the Tipton's with wonderful friends....
we ate (too much) food, we played a few friendly games of mafia (although we missed Anthony!), drank lots of coffee (we are getting too old to stay up late!), and watched the ball drop (yes, everyone stayed awake long enough!). Here are a few pictures from the night...


....a few of the men....


....the other half of the room....


Isn't it funny that when you get older, you seem to go back to the middle school days...boys in one room, girls in another!?!

Becky and Randall Chambers (notice Becky knows how to pose for each pic :))


Hope and Thomas LaVerde


me and my sweet husband


a friendly game of mafia


waiting on the ball to drop...


Happy New Year!

Daily Devotional

I know the link is on my page, but this was worth posting...

Be not afraid or dismayed . . . for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
— 2 Chronicles 20:15

If life sometimes seems to be a battle that causes you to feel upset and fearful, you’ll be glad to know you were not meant to fight the battle alone. The Bible says the battle is God’s.

God never loses a battle. And when you work with Him according to His plan, you won’t either.

During trying times, do you worry or worship? Praise and worship should not be limited to a few minutes in church. If you’re not worshipping at home on a regular basis you may feel like the victim instead of the victor.

But God’s Word clearly details the Holy Ghost anointed battle plan to combat every challenge you face. When you begin to substitute praise for petition and worship for worry, God will move on your behalf.


From the book Ending Your Day Right: Devotions for Each Evening of the Year by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2004 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Releasing my Inner "Nerd"

Last night I was finishing my book, "The Last Song" by Nicholas Sparks, when I received a facebook message from a friend asking about the book. She was trying to decide between two Nicholas Sparks books ("The Last Song" or "The Lucky One"). I recommended "The Last Song" because it is an amazing book! I have not been able to put it down! So, if you haven't read it, pick up a copy...you won't be able to put it down!

I have always loved to read and consider myself a little bit of a "nerd"....although, I would probably call myself a "closet nerd" because I am not openly nerdy! Well, little did I know...there are other "closet nerds" out there! After talking with a fellow nerd, we think it will be a good idea to start an online book club. We are just in the beginning stages (ie we have only discussed the idea of an online book club without actually figuring out all the details!), but I am so excited! Hopefully we will get it all figured out in the next few weeks...I will be sure to keep you posted!

Twenty.Ten.

I am not really into the whole making new years resolutions thing. So often, people make new years resolutions only to end them at the end of January...take the gym, for instance, everyone joins the gym in January in an attempt to lose weight, exercise, and become a healthier person...at the end of January, those people are no where to be found! I know, I have been this person! So, I didn't make a new years resolution this year...instead, I am going to focus on being a better me. Now, this process will involve eating healthier, exercising more, losing weight, being a better friend, being a better wife, deepening my relationship with my Lord and Savior, and being the kind of person that God has called me to be. Yesterday's service was about the new year and asking yourself a few important questions...the first question was "Are you happy with your relationship with Christ?" Obviously my answer was NO! I can always work on getting to know my Father in a new and intimate way. And I pray that I never become a content person in my relationship with my Father...I pray that I am always looking for ways to deepen it. I know that if I can first work on being the kind of woman God has called me to be, everything else will fall into place...so, first on my "reviving amber" journey will be to be that woman!
I also plan to work on being a better wife. Now, I realize that we have only been married three months, but I have to admit that I am still a work in progress (and am sure I will always be!). I lose my temper; I sometimes yell (although, that doesn't happen too often!); I get frustrated; I can be bossy and like things done my way...you know, just typical woman things. In an attempt to be a better wife, I plan to try to keep myself in check and treat Andrew with the love and respect he deserves...even when I don't feel like it!
Every woman needs girlfriends! I have always felt that is an important part of life. I have to admit though, sometimes I find it hard to have a lot of girlfriends. I do not like drama and let's face it...some girls are dramatic! So, that causes a problem. I have learned that you should hold on to good friends...friends that are there no matter what! So, thats what I plan to do...nurture friendships I have neglected.
Everyone says you gain weight when you get married...well, that's definitely been my case! Andrew and I eat late, always have sweets around, and prefer lounging around to running around! Summer is right around the corner and I plan to be ready! So, no more sweets (well, not an excessive amount...it's all about portion control!), exercise more, and eat healthier...that's my plan!

Clearly this is not a new year's resolution...it's a plan! Reviving Amber...I like the sound of that!


Sidenote: In our Sunday School Class ("Love's Journey"...taught by my wonderful father-in-law), the women did a study on a book "Me? Obey Him?" in an attempt to learn to be a submissive wife (biblically submissive, not a doormat!). It has been very...hmmm...enlightening!



To view the book online, click on "Me? Obey Him?" under my links!