Sunday, February 28, 2010

Pictures and Reality

I remember when we were getting ready for out trip to Hawaii, I just couldn't hardly wait! I was anxious and my mind was filled with great anticipation. I had always wanted to go there, but it seemed like such a far off dream and now it was happening. I looked at picture after pictiure after picture of Maui on the web...it looked SO BEAUTIFUL!!! WOW!!! Finally, it happened!!! I got there and had the time of my life and yet there was a little part of me that was just slightly disapointed. It didn't seem quite as beatiful as it had been in all the pictures I had seen. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful, just not quite as perfect as the pictures. I never did see a HOT PINK sunset. (which woulda been AWESOME!!) I realized that the pictures had seen online were all croped, edited, tinted and enhanced, making the picture more than the reality, which just wasn't as wonderful.
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I believe that the things on this earth that we wait for and dream of will always be a little less that what we had originally anticipated. However, heaven is ANOTHER story. Every wonderful thing we have heard about the beauty of heaven will be true. I think even the desciption of heaven in Revelations 21 will dim in comparison to the reality of what heaven really is. We won't be disapointed with heaven, like I was with the pictures of Hawaii. Our minds can't even FATHOM...

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Mary and Jacqui...

Sherri: "Erica, where have you been? It's nearly dark out."
Erica: "Looking for a job."
Sherri: "Really? But how'd you get to town?"
Erica: "I took a bus."
Sherri: "You took a bus? You are desperate."
Erica: "Yeah, and it was weird. I got asked out on dates by old men.
Can you believe that?"
Sherri: "Eww, like how old?"
Erica: "I don't know, in their twenties, I guess."

-- "Why Don't You Grow Up?" (Adventures in Odyessy)

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Me and Jac had this ALMOST exact convo the other day... Jac was telling me about this single guy the other day and I am getting like ALL excited. Then I am like, "Wait, how old is he?" She is like, "32." I was like, "WHAT?! 32?! ewwwwwwwwwwwww!!! tHATS like reAlly old!!!" She goes, "Mary, you do realize that we're closer in age now to thirty-year-olds, than to 20-year-olds?!" I was like, "what?! OMW!!! Aaaaaaauuuuuuuugggghhhh!!! THATS cRaZy!!!"
Seriousley!!! WHEN did this happen?!?!

Friday, February 26, 2010

Bible College!!!!

I am TOTALLY enjoying bible college this semester...as ALWAYS of course!!! I am sooooooo blessed that we have this here in AZ that we can go to on Monday nights! I have gone just about every semester for jsut about FOREVER it seems!!! I don't really care about graduating or nothing again, its just such an awesome opportunity to learn God's word!
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I was bummed at first because I didn't think I was gonna be able afford this semester because of not havin a job, but God just worked it all out and I am a teacher assistant in my two classes I am taking,  which makes the classes like free. So I T/A for Sis. Abbott in the Ladies Of Legacy class and also for Bro. Garrett in the Apostolic Standards class, AND Bro Garrett keeps me on my toes!!! LOL But its good for me! I NEED that! HAHA!! And he is really funny too!!! 
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Soooooo I learned some REALLY cool stuff this past monday in classes! Sis. Abbott taught about respecting your husband and she gave this AWESOME definition of Submission to your husband; DUCK! So God gets your husband!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! I LOVE that!!! I was laughing SOOOOOO hard!!! Sorry, but it was just hard for me to get a TON out of the class since I'm not married but it was ALL good!!! ;)
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Then Bro. Garrett taught an AWESOME lesson on beauty and how real beauty comes from God! Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay so it was ALOT better when he said it in class!!! But, maybe i'll post more later! Anyways that class is SOOOOOOOOO goood for me!!! NOT that I have been havin trouble with standards for anyone that was worried! It's just been opening my eyes to being more aware of certain things!!!
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ANYWAYZ...I thank God for BIBLE COLLEGE in AZ!!! We are BLESSED!!!!
AND if YOU happen to live in the PHX area and are NOT going SHAME ON YOU!!!! 
You need to GET up and get YO laZy self to classes!!! :P
J/K! But you REALLY should GO!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Financial Wisdumb from Mary!

I would like to give all of my wonderful friendies out there some  financial advise! Perhaps your thinkin, right, sure WHAT does Mary know about finances, that is in any way going to help us?!?! Mary doesn't EVEN have a job at the moment!!! Well, let me tell you all a little story...
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Soooooooooo my five and a half year job as a nanny ended January 6th. I have been trying really hard to get a new job- Been going on lotsa interviews and stuff, but still NOTHING!!! Well, at the end of January I got a job doing respite for a foster kid for 4 days at our house, So I was VERY excited when I got a check in the mail in the beginning of February. My sister was like, hey lets go to the mall...soooooooo I thought about if for about 2 seconds and then said... SURE!!!!!!!!!
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When we were at the mall I found quite a few things I REALLY wanted!!! FIRST of all, this incredibly babelicious outfit!!! It was like SOOOOOOOO adorable! There was like this cute black jacket that tied in the middle and then it had this really pretty, cotton candy pink shell thing that went under it, with little sprinkly things all over it! I tried it on and it looked FANTABULOUS!!! I mean WOW!!! It was slenderizing and EVERYTHING!!! Soooooooo I decide fo sho that I was going to get it! I would wear it for Valentine's weekend!!! BUT instead of buying it that day, I put it on hold till Monday, because I had a coupon at our house for the store, so I wanted to make sure I got it for the discounted price.
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Next we went into my ALL time FAVORITE accessory store, The Icing! Of course there was like a MILLION things there that I really, really wanted, BUT there was one thing that I wanted more than all the rest! It was this big, black, ruffly purse!!! It was sooooooooo me!!! I mean it just had MARY written ALL over it!!!!! It would be perfect for carrying all my junk, since like on a general basis, I have note books, devotionals and binders that I  keep with me, JUST IN CASE!!! ( I think I am the only person that is NOT a student, but has a backpack OVERFLOWING with all that stuff! LOL) So I am about to buy it, and my sister looks at me, and I am like, I probabley shouldn't get it huh?! And she is like, Well It's probabley not the wisest thing to spend your money on when you DON'T have a job. I am like Yeah, true, true! After all it was a WHOLE forty bucks, which in my opinion, is REALLY EXPENSIVE for a purse!!! Soooo I put it back...And I am PROUD of myself for being SOOOOOO wise with my money!!! :D
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That was on Saturday. The next day was church. We didn't have time to go back to the mall till monday! We planned to go on Monday...BUT...Sunday night...while I was sleeping my purse was stolen from our van. (Yeah, I KNOW, I shoulda brought it in the house! Everyone INCLUDING MY bible class kids have been tellin me that! Duh! Thanks for the WISDUMB!!!! ;) There went $115 bucks!!!! Just GONE!!!
I was soooooooooooooooooooo BUMMED, FRUSTRATEd AND MAD!!! It really STINKS knowing that I was WI$E with my money and that it benefited who?! Some MORON THEIF!!!!
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So let me tell you that I learned a very VALUELABLE lesson from all this!!!
When you have the money, and there is something that you really, really, really, REALLY want and you don't know if you should go ahead and spend the money or not...
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JUST go ahead and...
SPEND IT!!!!!
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Totally J/K!
BUT man...
I wish I had BOUGHT THAT purse!!! ;)


Wednesday, February 24, 2010

When the post moves...

My sister and I decided one day when we were in Maui to go out swimming pretty far in the ocean. As we were swimming out I pointed to a post that was quite a ways in front of us. "See that post," I said to my sister, "thats marking how far the beach allows swimmers to go, because after that it's dangerous." So we swam out a ways, but when we got pretty close to the post we stopped and decided not to go any further. We just played around for a while in the water, jumpin in the waves. After a while I looked over at the post that was supposed to be in front of us, but I didn't see it. I thought thats WEIRD!!! All of the sudden I saw the post and it was WAAAAAAAAY behind us! I thought thats cRaZy! They need to make those posts more secured into the bottom of the ocean if they want people to stay safe. I was showing my sister and she was like, "Uh, the post hasn't moved! It's us, we've been drifting out further and further." I couldn't believe it, I mean we had been moving the whole time and didn't even realize it.
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In life it's the same way. We're ALWAYS moving, and the questions is: Are you moving further or closer to God, our post of safety? Sometimes it seems like God has moved. It's like things have changed since we first lived for God. Our pastor is too strict and requires to much of us. Living for God becomes a drudgery. But Robin Jone's Gunn says this in her book Surprise Endings, "If you feel far from God, guess who moved?" I can guarantee you it wasn't God that did the moving. Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. People change, but God is still right there where you first found him.
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Just like like the current in the ocean pulled me and my sister further out into the ocean without us even realizing it, sometimes the cares of life pull us away from God. We don't even realize it, but the next thing we know, it seems like God is so far from us. Just like we had to turn around in the ocean and swim back to the post, repentance is the way  back to God.


Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard...
lest at any time we should let them slip.
Hebrews 2:1

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

This past Saturday, I went to the Mary Poppins Broadway show with my family and Renee, to celebrate my mom's 57th Birthday. I had already seen it in NYC several years ago, BUT it was just as INCREDIBELY awesome as I remembered...but I have to say that I was TOTALLY in my own world the WHOLE entire time!!! Basically, I saw myself as Mary Poppins!!! ESPECIALLY when Bert started singing THIS SONG to her!!! ;)
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Oh it's a Jolly holiday with Mary!
Mary makes your heart so light
When the day is gray
And ordinary
Mary makes the sun shine bright!
Oh happiness is bloomin'
All around her
The daffoldils are smilin'
At the dove
When Mary holds your hand
You feel so grand
Your 'heart starts beatin'
Like a big brass band
Oh, it's a jolly holiday with Mary
No wonder that it's Mary that we love!
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Above is the music...
just in case anyone wants to get the tune down right for when they sing it to me!!! ;)

Monday, February 22, 2010

Uh, huh...sure!!! :P

Soooo the post below this one, about what guys look good in, I had originally sent that out as an email about two years or so ago. Well, several months AFTER I had sent it out, I go to the Heritage Youth Conference  in Colorado Springs, and lo and behold, there is my goooood friend, Bro. Andrew Foster, wearing what?!?!PIN STRIPES!!! Surprise of all surprises, Bro. Andrew had on this AWESOME pin striped suit!!!I said, "Andrew, looks like you have been taking my advice on what guys look good in to heart."He is like, "What?" I said, "Your suit, it's pinstripes...tryin to make a good impression with your wife, eh?!" Of course he DENIED it!!! Said that he had the suit WAAAAAAAY before i had EVER even sent out the email. I was like, uh huh! RIGHT...sure...keep sayin that!!!
NOW look at this picture below....
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V

It ABSOLUTLEY, thrills my heart, to see that Bro. Andrew Foster is ALREADY passing on to his little baby boy, my incredible words of wisedumb!!! ;)
Yes, yes, look closely and you will see that little, Levi David Foster, is indeed wearing PINSTRIPED pants!!!
*Wipes a tear...just makes me SOOOO proud!!!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

What guys look good in...

 I found this OLD email and thought I would be fun to pull out again, I thought It would be fun to discuss what girls think guys look good in and then all of your girls can add to this list and they guys can say what they think girls do or don't look good in...
 K here are what some things that me and the girls from MY church think guys look good in..
REMEMBER this is alll JUST personal opinions!!! LOL

- guys in suits
- guys in black
-Black suits
-pinstripes are awesome! (This little boy I know
has these really cute jeans that are medium blue with dark blue pinstripes. I was like OMW!)
-Brown coudoroy pants
-blue/green ties
-Plaid ties
-blue shirts
-Jeans (but not for church)
-Kinda bright colors-
-Men in uniform! Omw! Talk about making my heart beat fast! there is nothing more handsome than a clean cut man in a uniform. Police officers, pilots, fire men, paramedics, (Right Jac! ;-) rangers, soldiers, Sailors...u name it amen! Oh the NYPD are soooooo handsome! My grandpa was one and you all should see his pic! I have had my pic taken with a few just for the fun of it! Hee,hee! I heard from the girls that went to Rome that the Police officers there are really handsome but they were all to ochicken to get their pics taken with em! Come girls, get with the program!
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Ooooooooooo and last year, at the GCA high school graduation(This was at Faith and Austin's grad) there was some like man in like a white sailor uniform and he was like WOW!!! The rumor going around was that he was Obama's cousin...Thats what Bro. Davy said Carlee told him...(Not sure if he was joking or what)Does ANYONE else at the graduation remember this guy?! BUT he was like OMW sooooooooo good lookin and like after the grad when it was all crowded and everyone was trying to get out, he was like standing RIGHT in front of me and he was like REALLY tall, like taller than me with heels on AND I was soooooooo close to him I could have reached out and touched his shoulder BUT I refrained, cause his girlfriend didn't look like she would have appreciated me doing that. OH and it was sooooo funny cause some brother came over, and outta honor and respect, he had like one hand on his heart and then he saluted the sailor and said, "Thank you for serving our country!" And I had MY HAND, on my heart in appreciacion too, but in MY mind I was just thinking, "Thank YOU for looking SOOOOOOOOOO good!!!" ;)
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Okkaay, now you guys tell us what you like on girls! I've always wanted to learn how to make a fan bun, but could never get it right, and I was tellin one of my guy friends and he was like, I DON'T even like fan buns!!! So I was wondering if that is how ALL guys feel about fan buns?! Soooooooooo what do guys like on girls: I'll post all the lists on my blog...LOL Sooooooooooooooo everyone just send there opinion on what they do or don't like on guys and girl...lol...k!!!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Eve was a blond!

I was thinking about it the other day and I think that Eve was a blond! She HAD to be! I mean THINK about it...
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She was in a garden of absolute PERFECTNESS. Her and her husband are the ONLY humans, which means they are the ONLY ones that have ever talked to each other because animals do NOT talk. Then one day a snake/serpent comes along(Now just seeing the snake would have me SCEAMING)and then the snake starts talking to Eve...Now I don't know about you all, but if ANY animal EVER started talking to me I would be SCARED TO DEATH, you would NOT want to be around to see what happened!( Probabley anyone near would for sure need hearing aides)
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However, did Eve scream or run away? NO!!! Without EVEN hesitating, Eve just starts talking right BACK to the snake. I mean read it in Genesis three and they are just having this TOTAL, nonchalant conversation with each other. I was thinking about that and I was like okaaaaay who just starts talking to a SNAKE?! ONLY a blond, ONLY a blond! (AKA- My best friend JACQUI!;)
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But I realized that there was a reason why Eve talked to the snake, and in reality it probabley wasn't because she was a blond! ;) (According to my pastor Eve was probabley a brunette-woot, woot!) It was because she wasn't scared of the snake. She had NO reason to because first of all sin had never entered into the world, but it was more than just that.  As odd as it may seem to us, seeing an animal talk was not a scary thing to her. The devil knew this, and he just the exact way he could make an apeal to her. He knew that like a typical woman she would have no problem talking to him.
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Isn't that just the way it is when the devil tempts us today. Its never a scary thing when its happening. It seems so normal, so natural. One day when I was riding home with some of the African girls we bring to church they started telling me about this really nice man they knew. They said that they never knew him in Africa, but that he could tell them things that had happened to them while they were there and he could tell them what they were thinking. And one of the girls said, he was soooo nice but I don't know why but for some reason I just ran away from him. I was like, you guys that man is probabley involved in whichcraft you really need to stay away from him. They were like OH NO Mary! Whichcraft is BAD and evil, but this man was sooooooooo NICE!!! I was like, you guys, the devil isn't going to come to you  in a way thats scary to you! I said if come scary angel with a pitfork and a tail came to you and said to steal something would you do it?!?! They were like NOOOOO!!! (But they would if OPRAH told them to! LOL)
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The devil has a way of making sin look fun and glamerous. It doesn't look dirty and trashy. Think about the things you may be tempted by or that you struggle with. I mean there has NEVER been a snake that came to me and said, "Mary, why don't you do some gossiping!!!" But I definateley have found myself in that position quite a few times, and there was NOTHING scary about it at the moment! Like Eve, we're all a little blond when it comes to failing God, or perhaps I should say ignorant.  Our only hope is to stay close to God in prayer, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8)
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I guess without prayer we're kind of like spiritual blonds! We become ingnorant and blinded to the evil that is around us. But heeeeeey WHY stay a blond, when  you can be a brunette?! ;)
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 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16

Happy 57th birthday...

Happy BIRTHDAAAAAAAAAY MOM!!!
Pink Cake Box Cake
I have the world's GREATEST EVER!!!
AND NO ONE CAN COOK LIKE MY MAMMA!!!

Friday, February 19, 2010

This is romantic!!!


It happened after a long, hot summer day. We were finally all done cleaning up from our church yard sale. Everyone else was going home until church that night, but I decided to just hang out at the church with the Abbott's until prayer that evening. But since it had been A REALLY HOT day, I wanted to freshen up and fix my hair. So I walking through our foyer, to the ladies room, when Bro. Abbott calls out to me...
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"See THIS Mary, now THIS IS ROMANTIC!!!" Soooooo I look over and there is my pastor just kinda lounged back on a chair, Sis. Abbott is sitting in front of him and he has his feet in her lap and she is MASSAGING THEM!!! Sooooo I am like uuuuuuhhhhhh YEAH!!! But in my head I am like EWWWWWW and I know my pastor was telling me cause he KNOWS that I am a HOPELESS romantic and I am thinkin, yeah, yeah, TYPICAL guy, thinks its ROMANTIC cause his WIFE is doing something for him...HA!
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So I freshen up. Do my hair and about 20 minutes later I come out and walk back through the foyer. This time what I saw made me catch my breath cause it really WAS romantic!! Now, there was my pastor massaging his wife's feet! I was like AWWWWWWWW! I just thought it was SOOOOO sweet! Not because it was the wife that was now getting the massage, but because they were both WILLING to do it for each other.
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I don't think the Abbott's ever even realized that I walked through that second time, because they were lost in their own little world. But they taught me a lesson that day. I learned that love is NOT all about flowers, chocolate and long walks on the beach. It's NOT about what I'm gonna get from my spouse, but what am I going to give to the person I love. Obviousley being single, I am NOT an expert on marriage, BUT, I believe that one of the keys to a strong relationship with anyone, is learning to continually serve each other.

Even as the Son of man came not to be served
but to serve...
( Matthew 20:27)

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Blessed are the Peacemakers...

As the middle child of five children, I often find myself playing the job of THE PEACEMAKER!!! I'm usually that one, that all my siblings come to telling me THEIR side of the arguement and I just kinda like nod my head, not taking either side cause I KNOW what will happen if I do! LOL I hate argueing and fighting so for the most part I have learned to JUST KEEP my mouth shut---Which I know may seem hard to believe---but if  you think about it, most of the time all my big mouth is doing is talking about myself, crazy adventures, cute guys or LAUGHING!!! So I've learned that one of the best ways to ease the tension in a sticky situations is by acting STUPID!!! Something, I am VERY good at! :)
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Soooooooo this one time several years ago our youth group was on an outreach trip to William's AZ and on the drive up we stopped at McDonald's to eat. Now before we had even let for the trip, Bro. Abbott had given us a good talking to about behaving and that we were on the trip to do the work of GOD, not just to have fun! So you know, I'm trying my best to be good! ;) SO the way it was working was that everyone ordered their food and then Bro. Abbott was paying the bill at the end cause it was coming out of our money that we had paid for the trip. Which was fine, EXCEPT for the fact that this meant that ALL of our food was like TOTALLY mixed up when it was given to us---which cause a little bit of a tussle!!!
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My SISTER Theresa, and my BEST FRIEND Jacqui, like GOT IN TO IT!!! LOL (They always let me say it was them when I tell the story!) So they are like having this like all out arguement about FRENCH FRIES!!! AND I am like OMW!!! What do I do?!?! I've GOTTA distract them from fighting----So what's the best distraction?!?! ACTING STUPID of course!!! ;) So I start SINGING!!!
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Now I don't know if you all have heard the song that Timothy Spell sings called, Nothing like being able to touch the Lord?! Wellll I like that song ALOT, sooooooooo I decided that would be a good song to sing, BUT I decided to change the words around just a litttle!!! So I am sitting there, I close my eyes, throw my head back, start swinging my neck and start belting out the words, "THERE AIN'T NOTHING LIKE BEING ABLE...TO FLIRT WITH GUYS!!! Ooooooooooooo!!! YEAAAAAH!!!"
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And the girls just crack up laughing. So I am thinking oh yeah, its working, the tension is being eased. So I think, Ooooo better sing it again, JUST to make sure I really ease away the tension. i keep my eyes shut and go into round two of the song, "THERE AIN'T NOTHING LIKE BEING ABLE TO FLIRT WITH GUYS!!!" BUT this time,  my song is met with total, and utter SILENCE!!! I am like hmmmm...thats weird...I wonder why they are not laughing this time?!
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With my head still thrown back, I just kinda peek one eye open to see what's going on...I was like OOOPS!!! Cause standing above me was MY PASTOR, Bro Abbott!!! I was like OMW!!! I was like sooooooo scared, because I mean I am singing a song about FLIRTING with GUYS and we're like on this OUTREACH trip AND I had a BOYFRIEND at the time. Soooo I am just like OH no! What's he gonna do?!?! So I am like looking up at him and he just kinda raises his eyebrows, gets this like half smirk on his face and just says, "OH REALLY?!" Then he just saunters off.
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Our WHOLE table just busted up into HYSTERICAL laughter! I mean I was laughing SOOOOOO hard I couldn't even breath and tears were coming out of my eyes. FINALLY I thought I was done laughing, so I grab my Dr. Pepper and take a big ol drink, ONLY I wasn't REALLY done laughing, so the Dr. Pepper goes like up my nose and then like flying out my mouth, my nose and across the whole table and onto Janelle's GLASSES!!! It was ABSOLUTLE craziness and resulted in us all going once again into hysterical laughter.
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NEEDLESS to say...
the tension at our table was long FORGOTTEN!!!
Mission ACCOMPLISHED!
P.S. This story is ALOT funnier when I tell it in person!!! ;)

I LOVE this song!!!


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Here is the song with the lyrics! Just IMAGINE the one you love singing this to you!!! OMW!!! I think I would faint on the spot!!!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Love offering?

You know how like when someone is trying to take up a REALLY good offering they will say lets take up a LOVE offering!!!!!!! AND I am always like OOOOOOOOO yeah, lets do that!!! HAHAHA! (Like only I can do right!;)
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 BUT todaaaaaaaaay i was reading in Numbers and I just cracked up LAUGHING...and I got inspired!!! Next time we're at a youth conference, instead of taking up a LOVE offering they should try  taking a..
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JEALOUSEY offering!!!
HAHAHA!!! Okaaaaaaaay seriousley people, this is BIBLICAL... Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the offering before the LORD, and offer it upon the altar( Numbers 5:25)

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JUST think how much MORE money they could bring in if people had to give cause they were jealous of someone!!! MAN, they might only have to take up one offering the WHOLE time! LOL AND who knows, it may even cure some of us of our jealousy! HAHA!!! See, it would just be and ALL around BLESSING!!! :D

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Valentine Bashers...

I have to say that I am KINDA amaZed at JUST how much people go out of their way to NOT like Valentine's day! I mean Okaaaaaaaaay can understand the fact that Valentine's day isn't quite as wonderful if your single or whatever BUT STILL...
.Check some of this stuff out..


HAHAHAHA!!!
This above one is kinda like REALLY funny!

Okaaaaaaaaay this has ISSUES written all over it!!!
Awwwww!

I LOVE Valentine's day! I mean NO matter what, I try and make it FUN!
Last year me and Jac spent the whole day together and we both ACtually RODE AN eLephant! It was cRaZy fun! This year was cool cause the WHOLE day was basically spent at church, which in my opinion WAS an AWESOME way to spend the holiday! One thing that I have learned, is that the BEST WAY to stop feeling down is to help lift someone else up!!! I talk about that in a story I wrote called Reaching Back  I think that sometimes we waste A LOT of time feeling sorry for ourselves, but the thing that can help us feel better is when we start caring for the well being of another.
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Anyone that hates Valentine's day should listen to Adventure's in Odyessy! I listened today to The Last I Do and it really changes how you look at the holiday!

God made us outta...

So one time in Wednesday night bible class, one of the black girls in my class said she ONLY wanted to be partners with a white girl...NOT a black girl...i am like uh, what do I do?! LOL so I had to come up with a little skin-color lesson on the spot in class. So I am like heeeey girls! We don't pick our partners by what their skin color is. It doesn't matter what your skin color is...it's like ice cream... it doesn't REALLY matter what the flavor is...Chocolate or Vanilla as long as its SWEET! And its the same way with people...it doesn't matter what color your skin is- Chocolate, Carmel or Vanilla, as long as YOUR SWEET! (Awww!)
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One Wednesday night we were having a special kids service. Bro. Jimmy had led songs and now we're getting ready for the preaching. SO Jimmy is introducing the preacher but in the process he gets a little carried away and starts his OWN little sermon. He is talking to the kids about how it is just soooooo AMAZING that God created us. He is just like, think about how God breathed into us and gave us life. He is like just think about God reaching down and getting a handful of dirt to make us. He says you know thats what we're made out of right guys...just DIRT!!! All of the sudden one of the little African girls shouts out...Nuh uh...CHOCOLATE!!! I'M made outta chocolate... 

AND the whole church just busts up laughing! It was sooooooooo ADORABLEY funny!!! Bro. Jimmy is like, uh yeah, God made some of us outta dirt and some of us outta chocolate!!! AND the kids are like WELL thats what Sis. MARY says!!!
What can I say...come be in my class...its FUN!!!

Monday, February 15, 2010

I got roses!!!


OMW!
I got a dozen roses!!!
RED roses!!!
I have NEVER gotten red roses before!
Red stands for LOVE...
Ooooooooo!!!
Isn't that sooooooooo sweet?!?!
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Now before all you guys out there,start getting yourselves all worked up and worried about if I am taken now or what, let me just say this...
I have an AWESOME big brother and it looks like he LOVES me!
AwwwThank you Joe! :)
♥Mary

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Single GIRLS Valentine Party INVITE

GIRLFRIENDS!!!
YOU ARE INVITED!!!
WHEN: Friday February 12th @ 7pm @ my place email me for directions
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1. First of all this is an ALL girls party!!! LOL SOMEONE, I won't mention ANY names was not going to come cause they said  it would be weird cause they had a boy friend...I was like OKAAAAAAY!...so I am just like TRYING not to be rude or anything but I am just thinkin you got a problem with you hanging out with a buncha girls?!?! HAHAHA!!! Finally they are like WAIT MARY is this an all girls party...I am like uh DUH!!!!! Whatda ya think, I am gonna be invitin all the single mchotties over to my house for a Valentine's party...she is like, with you YES!!!! HAHA! (Whatever...like Bro Abbott would just be cool with THAT!)~~~Sooooo just makin it clear...
It's an ALL GIRLS PARTY! ;)
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2. Please come hungry! I am cookin and there is nothing that makes me happier(Well aside from hot guys tellin me I look good)then when everyone pigs out on my food!!!
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3. Come dressed TOTALLY babelicious! Like you have a really HOT date! LOL Or if your just gettin off work come as you are cause I mean lets face it, there really won't be any hot guys!!! LOL
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4. We're gonna do a Valentine gift exchange- so bring a valentine present---whatever you want to bring- stuffed animal, candy, accessories...blah, blah, blah!

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5. If you want, I just thought this would be fun, you could bring those ghetto little valentines that we gave out in elementary school with our name and email addy on them so that we can ya know keep in touch with new people. (If you wanna do this just everyone bring their own pre-written)
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6. Bring your cameras and get ready to have fun...
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*Ooooooo and I WILL be reading exerpts from my teenage diary!!! Its BEYOND hysterical!!!

Obama Love!



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Ask Mar Bear! (Fashion advice column ;)

Dear Mar Bear,
I have a BIG dilema and I need your awesome opinion.Valentines day is coming up soon and I have NOTHING to wear.I mean all my friends say that I HAVE to wear pink or red, because those are the holiday colors. But my purse got stolen and now I have NO money to buy I new outfit. I have a lot of cute clothes already and I had planned on wearing this blue outfit, but I don't know, do you think its ok to wear BLUE on VALENTINE'S day?! I know that you would know what to do!
Sincerley,
Confused about blue-blue-hearted gal! :,(
P.S. I don't know if this matters but I have blue eyes too! *Sob!
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Dear Confused about Blue,
Your blue-hearted days are about to be OVER!!! Mar bear has some AWESOME news! If you wanna wear blue, WEAR blue girl! Embrace your blue outfit! It sooooooooo does NOT matter if your wearing red or pink or even neon green on Valentine's day! The ONLY thing that matters is that you look GOOOOOOOOD!!! If you look good in blue then WHERE IT!!!
Mar Bear
P.S. There is no reason to sob over having blue eyes, I have blue eyes too and I hear the guys like em! ;)

Do you have a fashion question for Mar Bear?
Leave a comment or shoot me and email!

Broken Hearts...

Shattered. Seperated. Crushed. Smashed. Ragged. Uneven. Tattered. Like an old forgotten teddy bear that had lost all its stuffing, thats how I felt. On the outside, I apeared the same, but on the inside I was different. Broken. Even though it had been over a year and a half since my big break-up, I still felt heart broken. I really couldn't understand why I still felt this way. I didn't even want to be with him anymore. I had liked a million guys since then and yet I couldn't deny the fact that there was a sadness inside my heart. For two years he had been my best friend. We talked every night before I went to bed. I had shared all my hopes and dreams with him. No matter how hard I tried to push that feeling away, it remained intact. I still had a broken heart....
* To finish reading this story click HERE
This is kind of a pretty personal story for me to write, But for me it's a thing of the past...
 I feel that there are people that perhaps this story could help.
 Special thanks to Stephanie Flores for the pictures.
If you continue reading the story you will see a picture at the very bottom that she created special for me!

Playing Hard-To-Get

"Mary, if you want that guy you NEED to play hard to get! I am telling you it works...just try it!"
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I don't kow HOW many times  people (females)have told me this, and in my not-so-humble-opinion, I think it is some of the dumbest adivice I have ever heard! The jist of playing-hard-to-get is basically where you ignore or show disinterest in a guy that you really, REALLY like, when they communicate with you...ummm...okaaaaaay...that makes A LOT of sense...cause I always thought that was called; BEING RUDE!!!!
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One time we were at church setting up for a youth rummage(JUNK!) sale we were having the next day. So I am standing there talking to one of the married woman, (someone that is my age but has been married since she was 19) and this woman, who is one of my friends, is like Mary, this year at Heritage, you GOTTA play hard to get! And I am just like, "yeah, yeah, whatever... and she is like IT WORKS! That is how I got MY husband! I played hard-to-get! So at this point her husband is like WHAT are you guys talking about?! I am like, Oh NOTHING, your wife is just telling me about how she played hard-to-get for you and that it worked and that I should do the same. Her husband was like, OH WHATEVER!!! You were just falling all OVER me...she is like I was NOT...so they are like "discussin" this and I am like, ok, ok, ok guys, I really don't care, let me just say this...
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The problem with us girls, in THIS church, is you can ONLY play hard-to-get, if there is someone that ACTUALLY wants to play with you!!! At this point Bro. Abbott walks by and just cracks up laughing at my statement! I guess just cause it was SOOOO true!!! LOL But I mean SERIOUSLEY, HOW can you play hard-to-get if they don't even know you exist?! It's like heeeeeey! I am ignoring you!!! Oh btw-My name is MARY!!! HAHA! Then these same girls will tell you, WELL...you need to talk to them...then play-hard-to-get! (OH brother!) The guys in my church say that girls that play-hard-to-get are just ANNOYING!!! LOL They said that yes guys like a good chase, BUT not girls that play games. One of my guy friends once told me that, girls need to find a place between forward and hard-to-get. That made me think...hmmm...what is that place?!
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In THE MEANTIME... I did try playing hard -to-get..ONE time!!! ONE TIME!!! There was this guy I really liked, that didn't like me back, but he was still my friend and he was always really cool with me. (cause I mean, I am totally awesome NO matter what! even if you don't like me like THAT;) So one time I just decided to ignore my friend. Like, he gave me a COMPLIMENT and I just acted like I didn't even hear-So then he asked me about it and ALL the girls were like SEE it works! It works!!! HE noticed! And I was like, Oh yeah, it soooooo worked... I think he is about to PROPOSE....HAHA! Of course he NOTICED- I mean I WAS RUDE!!! I felt sooooooooo bad about it!
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So I decided playing hard-to-get just isn't for me! I would end up apologizing for it!!! I figure if a guy doesn't wanna like me cause i'm nice, then he is probabley a doofus anyways! If playing-hard-to-get works for you, thats GREAT, but thats just NOT the way Mar Bear rolls. Plus ignoring guys is SOOOO boring! Its soooo much funner being able to all just hang out, goof off and enjoy each others company. After thinking about it for awhile, I think I found the in-between forward and hard-to-get...
Its a place called
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FRIENDLY!!! ;)

Monday, February 8, 2010

A look good cookie

At my last job I was a nanny for two kids and their mom was a professional wedding and event planner. Now I am not talking your typical Apostolic wedding planner-she did HUGE elaborate weddings catering toward high end brides. Usually the budgets for the weddings were about $50.000 dollars and quite a few weddings had NO budget at all. Companies were always giving stuff to my boss hoping that she would try their product and promote it to her clients, so she was always coming home with flower arangments or cake samples and sometimes cookies. However these were NOT just your ordinary chocolate chip cookie. These cookies were FANCY!!! They would have beautiful intricate designs on them and my boss would show them to me. "Mary, look at these cookies! They just look AMAZING!" And I would of course agree with her... BUT what I really wanted to do was just eat one of the cookies! Cause I mean as far as I am concerned, cookies are for eating. So as soon as she would leave for work I would eat one. I remember thinkin man this cookie is gonna be SOOOOO good...then I took a bite! I was sooooo disapointed! It was hard and didn't have any flavor. After that when she would bring them home I just looked at them-and she would be saying look at how beautiful they are...and in my head I would be thinkin...SO!!! Who cares how beautiful they are!!! They don't even taste good!!! If a cookie don't taste GOOD- it's POINTLESS!!!
I think sometimes thats the way we are. We know how to look oh so good. Apostolic girls KNOW how too look Awesome. We know how to do our hair! Apostolic guys know how to dress sharp and look manly. And this is good. But how is our flavor? How are we acting? How are we treating each other?  I know some really good-looking people... I mean MAN do they look good- but it ENDS there! They talk trash about their peers and you wouldn't catch them DEAD hanging out with certain people. Well I don't care HOW good you look, THATS WRONG! Thats being a pointless christian. It's like when we get ready for the day, I mean I don't know about you all, BUT I like looking in the mirror!!! :) Because a mirror tells us if we look ok. We have to use God's word as a mirror to examine our hearts. One of my favorite things to pray is Psalm 51:10, Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. That means getting rid of all the junk inside our hearts and askin God to give us a GOOD attitude. Quite often I can look at myself in the mirror, give myself the little nod, wink, yeah girl, you got it GOING ON!!! BUT...
I want to be MORE than just a LOOK-GOOD-COOKIE...

I wanna taste good too!!!
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And be ye kind one to another,
 tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Epesians 4:32

Sunday, February 7, 2010

I wanna say this!!!






















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So the other day a friend from ANOTHER church was visiting our church. They leave like a MINUTE before us...and then we pull out onto Shea and we see flashing lights...We're like I wonder if thats them...naw...WAIT...thatstheir tan mini van!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!So I send my friend a text...SOOOOO is he like HOT OR WHAT?! She writes back, while he is STILL there...YES!!! I was like AW man...come on Jac...lets go get us a ticket too!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!So then my friend calls me and she is like MARY you would have been FREAKING out...He was SOOOOOO hot!!I am like okaaaaaaay did you invite him to our church?!?! She said no but he asked where it was and she gave him the location! She said that he was really nice and did not right her a ticket AND she said that he looked like he was around 25ish....WOW!!! I am feelin such a burden for the Scottsdale police right now!!! MAN!!!! I hope NEXT Sunday he is ready to  WRITE us all out some VALENTINES!!! ;) 

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Your DREAM

Have you ever wanted something?I mean really, really, REALLY wanted something!!!The desire for this thing is so strong and so deep you don't think you could be whole without it.With each and every passing day the desire for your dream seems to intensify even more.You wait and you wait and you wait but it never happens.Your dream never comes true...but still...YOU WAIT
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Eventually, you sorta put the dream aside.It's NOT that you have wanting this dream to come true.It's NOT that you have given up ALL hope! Your just getting on with your life...living life to the fullest...AND you THINK it's ok...you'll make it...but then you see it AGAIN...YOUR DREAM!!!
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It's right there in front of you. EVERYTHING you ever wanted...Its REAL!!!Only...It's NOT for you. It belongs to someone else. You can't believe it! You don't understand! You waited SOOOOO long for this...and now they have it...YOUR dream!
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They are holding it in their arms. Rocking it slowly...back and forth...back and forth.They cradle your dream to their heart as they whisper sweet I love you's. You wonder if they know just how blessed they are to have your dream.
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You try NOT to be jealous. You try to be happy for them. You try to push away the envy that is overwhelming you...but it's still there. Once again your aware of the empty, gaping whole in your heart...The aching in your arms.You try to hold back the tears...but you can't.When no one is looking you let the tears fall...Your body shakes as you cry...you sob.You don't understand...it's NOT fair!HOW DID THEY GET YOUR DREAM?
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But then...Then they hand it to you...The dream.You hold the dream in your arms...and it's PERFECT! Better than you could have ever imagined, You feel every teeny, tiny breath as it peacfully sleeps. SUDDENLY it begins to move...stretching...then it opens it's eyes...AND it looks at you...and you can't help but smile just a little. The dream raise it's little eybrows...crinckling it's forhead...you smile a little bigger. It raises it's arm and yawns...you can't help but giggle...It moves it's lips...you laugh...you just have to! It just looks at you and you laugh some more.
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You hold it to your  heart and cuddle it....the dream.You put your cheek on it's cheek...and your dream quickley falls back asleep. You can't help but feel so happy.The joy of the dream overflows your heart. It's still not your dream...so you hand it back...smiling...envy washed away.It's not as if you don't still have the desire for your dream...it's still there...burning in your heart...

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But your learning...
Learning as you wait, to enjoy someone else's dream.
Thats what I call CONTENTMENT.