I'm NOT creepy!!! I'm...

Sooooooooooo IF you know anything about me, it's that I ALWAYS know stuff!!! Ok NOT ALWAYS, liiiiiiike, I'm NOT a know-it-all, I'm NOT saying that at all, buuuuuuut, people will tell me stuff and I'll be like, Oh yeah I had heard that! OR they'll tell me about a cute guy, and I'm like Oh yeah, I seen him at, or I like this girl I was wondering if you could help me out, Oh yeah, I heard her favorite color is whatever OR...blah, blah, blah! Just like all this random stuff I have and people will be like, HOW DO YOU KNOW EVERYONE AND HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS RANDOM STUFF ABOUT THEM??? Honestly, I don't really know because I only keep in touch on a regular basis with like 2 people...As my sis and niece and others like to say, Your soooo CREEPY MARY!!! AHAHAHAAAA!!!
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Buuuuuuuuuut after last Monday's devotional, WHAT TO DO WHEN THE DEVIL IS CHASING YOU! Let's look at the scripture used...
"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." (2 Choronicles 16:9)
I would like to say in defense of my extreme knowledge of people's lives, that I'm NOT CREEPY!!! I'm simply STRIVING to be...

GODLY!!! 😇

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYY!!!👅

♥Mary Frances :)

Courtney-AZ, WWRR, 35th-bday, Whit's End, Heritage, SMORGASBORD!!!

HERITAGE 2018!!!

This is for you LAUREN!!! 

Weeeeeeeeelllll as far as I see it, my Heritage 2018 trip all started with my friend Courtney coming to AZ, I pulled up to my house from work to see THIS...

Yeeeeeeeeeessss!!!! She brought me a UNICORN!!! 

Classic Mary Grand ___________ Moment!!!

 Soooooooooo for the last month and a half or so, T's car has been shaking really badly, it was getting worse and worse, so she decided to take it in to the mechanic on Monday. Dreading what was wrong and the price it was going to cost, WHAAAAT a relief it was to her that it was ONLY one of tires! He said to get it changed ASAP!!! Weeeeeeellll, being the AMAAAAZING lil sis that I am, I offered to take it in for her while she was at work! ;)

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So yesterday we switched vehicles in the morning. I brought T's car to discount tire for her and when they were done I went out and saw that they had pulled the van up, with the door open and waiting, I got in and was about to pull away when this lil Asian man came running out, mouth hanging open and a panicked look on his face...

Apparently,

 I was in the WRONG VAN!!!

🤣😂🤣

I was like, Ooooooooh, I was wondering what the tools and pile of men's clothing on the passenger's seat was. I thought maybe the Discount Tire Men had gotten hot and discarded their shirts, I mean, this is AZ  SUMMER we're talking about, and LEFT their shirts and tools on the seat of the van! I figured my sister could just deal with it, after all, I have a BOOK to write and don't have time to deal with sweaty men's clothing!!! BAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! 

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Annnnnnd really, it may seem airheaded of me to almost drive off in the wrong vehicle, buuuuuut REALLY, who just pulls their vehicle up to the entrance of a building, leaves the keys in, door open??? It's NOT like we're living in Mitford, this is PHOENIX we're talking about!!! Bet he'll neverrrr do that again!!! I like to think I just kept him a little SAFER for the future...maybe even helped prevent him from REALLY getting his car stolen!!! BAHAHAHAAAA!!! 

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Anywayz, my sis was like, so on your way home, did you notice if the van had stopped shaking?! I was like, Ummmmm...I don't know, buuuuuuuuut considering that I almost drove away in the WRONG VAN, I'm probably THE WRONG PERSON to be asking!!! AHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

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Sooooooooooo there you guys have it, 

THE CLASSIC MARY GRAND

 

AUTO THEFT MOMENT!!! ;)

♥Mary Frances :)

What to do when the devil is chasing YOU!!!

Last night my pastor preached an amazing message called, "What to do when the devil is chasing you" So I thought for this weeks devotional, I would simply share with you all his message in my own words...

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"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1 Peter 5:8)

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First of all, we, the children of God, REALLY DO have an enemy and he is after us, seeking to devour our souls. The devil is NOT a joke, he is real, he is alive, ANNNNNNNNND he is after YOU!!! 

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The Bible says that Job was perfect...

"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." (Job 1:1) The devil went after Job... 

"Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. (Take NOTE right here, the devil is roaming to and fro in the earth, LOOKING for souls to destroy! Literally, he is roaming and looking for YOU!) And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD." (Job 1:6-12)

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We know that after this the devil went full force after Job. Job, the wealthiest man in all the land was stripped of all his physical goods, including all his kids.  BUUUUUT Job did you NOT curse God as Satan said he would do. The devil met back with God and said its only because I did not touch his body. It was then that the devil got permission from God to smote him physically too. As we know, and if you don't, go ahead to the book of Job and read it for yourself, but Job was struck down with boils all over his body. 

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TAKE NOTE: That devil could make NO MOVE on Job, without God's permission. So remember, the devil is still NOTHING!!! He's just the little man, BUUUUUUT we know THE BIG MAN!!! 

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WHAT DID JOB DO WHEN THE DEVIL CHASED HIM???

1. He did NOT curse God as satan said he would. While he did ask God some questions, HE NEVER CURSED HIM!!!

2. He BLESSED GOD!!! "And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21)

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What should you do when 

the devil is chasing you???

PRAISE THE LORD!!! There is NOTHING the devil hates more than our worship to God. That is what got him cast out of heaven, he wanted THE GLORY!!! Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!!! God your bigger than my problem! Your bigger than my failures! Your bigger than my dreams! Your blood is powerful to wash away any sin! Your bigger than the devil! God you are all powerful! You are all mighty! There is power in the name of Jesus! God you are the healer! You are the Prince of peace! 

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3. The devil IS REAL, buuuuuuut so IS GOD!!! "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." (2 Choronicles 16:9) While it says that the devil is roaming this earth to and fro, seeking souls, the Bible also says that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth....GOD DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO LEAVE HIS THROWN TO SEE, annnnnnd he is watching you, to show himself strong to those who hearts are seeking after him!!! 

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I just want to encourage you all this week, no matter what is going on in your life, seek after God!!! He is there for you, to show himself strong in your life!!! If the devil is chasing you this week, JUST PRAISE GOD!!! PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM!!! 

Happy Monday!!! Have a great weak praising Jesus!!! 

♥Mary Frances :)

That awkward moment when #947590322222

1. That awkward moment when you see someone you know, so you wave and smile at them, but they don't see you!!!

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2.That even AWKWARDER MOMENT when someone smiles and waves to YOU, so you smile and wave back, buuuuuuuuuuut it's really NOT YOU they were waving at, buuuuuuuut someone behind you!!!! 

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3.That AWKWARDEST MOMENT WHEN... someone starts talking to someone BEHIND YOU, and it almost seems like they're talking to you, buuuuuuuuuut you say to yourself, NOPE, not gonna fall for that one today!!! SOOOOOO you don't respond! Buuuuuuuut the person behind you NEVERRRR responds to the person talking to them. After three attempts, they finally say, did you hear me? Annnnnd you think, WELL OBVIOUSLEY THEY DIDN'T or else they would have responded to you by now, buuuuuut the person is just staring at YOU...Then it dawns on you, OMW, THEY ARE TALKING TO ME!!! 

Guess who, may have fallen 

into, the last category??? ;)

Yeah, AWKARD!!! 

♥Mary Frances :)

I wonder...

Just HOW AWESOME God truly is???

I was reading in my Bible the other day and I came to the end of the book of John, and I was reminded once again of one of my favorite scriptures, John 21:25!!! I just LOOOOOOVE that scripture! Apparently, I had already written in it the last time I read that portion of scripture, buuuuuut STILL, it gets me every time!!! How much has God done for each and everyone of individually, that we'll never even know about?! I wonder what all God had done that we'll never know about here on earth!z/ It says he's done SO MUCH, that even the whole world itself wouldn't have enough physical space to fill saying what he has done! I'm sooooo curious to know...

WHAT WOULD THE BOOKS SAY????

♥Mary Frances :)

That annoying healthy-eating moment when...

Soooooooo the other day, I'm over at Coffee Bean, my new favorite spot for writing, and I'm sitting there writing when I felt I was getting a little hungry. It was that time between lunch and and dinner, to early, not hungry enough for dinner, buuuuuut IF I didn't eat something, by dinner time I'd probably be making an unwise eating decision. BUUUUUUT I had planned for this...I had a HEALTHY SNACK packed and waiting in my car!!! (I don't take it in with me cuz then I'll eat it even if I'm NOT hungry cuz it's just sitting there...I know, I should have more self control...BUUUUT I don't! So I have to prepare make precautions to help myself) 

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SOOOOOOOO I'm sitting there, writing and munching my HEALTHY snack of a whole grain, brown rice, rice cake with dark chocolate almond butter...YUMMMM...Nom, nom, nom...I'm just sitting there ENJOYING MY HEALTHY SNACK...or so I THOUGHT it was a healthy snack...

BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT...

THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU THINK YOU'RE ALL HEALTHY, 

Snacking on your whole grain, while rice cake with almond butter, and you look over and the chick next to you is snacking on DRIED SEAWEED!!! 

Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike REALLY???

REEEEEEEEALLLLYYY???

You just HAD to OUThealth me????

Pssssssh!!!✋

♥Mary Frances :)
P.S. I bet my snack had MORE nutritional value anyway!!! ;)

Brain-boosting-Wednesday!!! (The Italian defense edition)

Here's your middle-of-the-week brain booster!!!

Okaaaaaaaaaaaay soooooo, 

As you guys may or may not remember, the end of May I did a post called, "When Your Best Friends With An Ethiopian" (Go ahead and refresh your memory if you can't remember;) In that post informed you all that I have a lovely lil bestie that likes to remind me from time to time, that us Italians invaded their country and TRIED to colonize the Ethiopians and that is WHY many Ethiopians know how to cook Italian food. Since that time, I made and AMAZING DISCOVERY....dunt, dunt, DA...

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Sooooooo I'm talking to Hanna on the phone one evening and she tells me that her mom made Lasagna for dinner...I'm like, OH YOUR WELCOME...we taught your people well!!! Hee, hee!!! ;) I'm like, SOOOOOOOOOOO I have to ask you a question, when your mom makes her lasagna, does she use cottage cheese OR RICOTTA CHEESE??? Because you have to understand that putting COTTAGE cheese in  your lasagna instead of RICOTTA cheese is like literally THE BIGGEST NOOOOOO!!! I mean, my mom could have gone on for hours on how DISCUSTING and DISGRACFUL that was to the dish!!! LOL
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If you don't know the difference between ricotta cheese and cottage cheese, I only have TWO things to say to you: 1. you are obviously NOT Italian and 2. go HERE to find out!!! hee, hee!!! (Pronounced RIGUTTA...Trust me, I spent my whole life with a mother correcting ME annnnnnnd EVERYONE ELSE, that said it wrong:) So she asks her mom and says, Oh my mom said, neither, she just did the layers with meat and sauce!
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I was like, OMW HANNA, do you know what this means??? It means it wasn't MY ITALIANS!!! She's like, what? I'm like, HANNNNNNAAAA...it wasn't us, it wasn't MY ITALIANS that tried to colonize you guys!!! I went on to explain, YOU JUST SAID, your mom doesn't use ricotta cheese in her lasagna, annnnnnnnnnd I was just reading the other day that there are certain parts of Italy that... 

"Did you know???..."

ACTUALLY don't really use ricotta cheese...
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"...Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllll NOW YOU DO, annnnnnnnnd don't you FORGET IT!!!" (AIO BTV quote;)

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For realz people, the Southern Italians are not as fond of ricotta cheese as the rest of us Italians!Therefore, it must have been the SOUTHERN Italians to invade Ethiopia and try to overtake them!!! 

It wasnt MY ITALIANS...it couldn't have been...We LOOOOOOVE RICOTTA CHEESE!!! Seriously, my mom and I would just eat it by the spoonful..It wasnt MY ITALIANS...

MY ITALIANS LOOOOOOOOOOVE RICOTTA CHEESE...

ANNNNNNNNNNNND 

WE LOVE CHOCOLATE TOO!!! ;)))

 OUR HONOR IS RESTORED!!! 

♥Mary Frances :)

NO blackmail!!!

First of all HAAAAAAAPPPPPY Monday peeps!!! This is my MONDAY look...bahahahaa!!! Sooooooooo, when we were driving to Heritage in the church van, my lovely lil friend Courtney decided to take a pic of me SLEEPING! When I woke up, first thing she says to me is, I HAVE BLACKMAIL ON YOU!!! And proceeds to let me know that she got an AMAZINGLY horrid picture of me!!

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Without missing a beat OR even asking to see the pic and still groggy from sleep, I smoothly say back to her, You don't got NO BLACKMAIL ON ME!!! She was like, YES, I do, wait til you see the picture!!! I was like, NO, you have no blackmail on me, BECAUSE...I could care less if anyone sees a horrible picture of me...IN FACT...if it's bad enough, I'll even post it on my blog!!! 

I think it qualifies!!! Hee, hee!!! ;)

Did you all know that there is an AMAZING freedom in NOT CARING what people think of you??? When you don't care what people think of you, they hold NO POWER OVER YOU!!! My friend, even teasingly, couldn't hold a horrible picture over my head, simply because, I could CARE LESS if anyone saw it!!! One of the biggest things my mom taught me was that you can't please everyone, so live to please GOD!!! When you live to please God, he is the only one that truly holds power over you! 

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Does this mean I just walk around doing whatever I want??? NO!!! The Bible says, "Abstain from all appearance of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:22) That means, we don't go or do things that appear to be ungodly, even tho we may not ACTUALLY be participating in them. In other words, I don't go to a non church event where there is alcohol and PRETEND that I have an alcoholic beverage in my cup, just so I don't have to explain to everyone at my table, WHY i'm not drinking and then say, well I wasn't drinking, it just LOOKED like I was...we ABSTAIN from even the appearance of evil. 

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I do my best to look my best and to appear well put together, ready to be a witness and a good representation of Christ. But at the same time, I'm living my life...emphasis on LIVING!!! That means, I work, I sweat, I eat, I sleep, I play, I laugh, I CRY, I worship God...I LIVE!!! If I happen to have a clothing malfunction, a bad hair day or someone gets a bad picture of me, OH WELL...my life is still going on!!! 

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So does only caring what God thinks mean I don't have to be obedient to my parent's??? Noooooooo...because IF you care what God thinks, you'll be obedient to whom he says to be obedient to!!!(OH SNAP...that's what's up my friends!!! ;)

Stop caring so much about being a good representation of your family or your friends and start caring MORE about being a good representation of Christ! Because IF you are a good representation of HIM, then you will indeed be a good representation to everything else you are involved in. Stop caring what PEOPLE think of you and start caring WHAT God thinks of you. 

STOP LETTING PEOPLE BE THE ONES TO HAVE POWER OVER YOU, 

LET GOD BE THE ONE TO HAVE POWER OVER YOU!!! 

"That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:5)

♥Mary Frances :)

AMA 2018

A Mountain Apart Camp in Sacramento New Mexico....

BUUUUUUUUUT FIRST...

ROSWELL's ALIEN McDonald's!!! AHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

Annnnnnnnnnnd now...

On our way to camp!!!

Following in the caravan...did I mention that they speed??? LOL 

The food at camp is SOOOOOO GOOD!!! Lunch the first day was PIZZA!!!

The campgrounds are GORGOUS!!!

First thing our group did was go HIKING...of course!!! Hee, hee!!!

I will say, I got myself a little over heated with what I chose to wear...the weather was so lovely I felt a sweater would be FIIIIIINE...this AZ girl just got a little to exuberant about fine weather!!! LOL