Thursday, December 31, 2009

My Birthday Dinner photos


Hey, if there's music...........


My MOM will be dancing to it!!!!























I had a WONDERFUL birthday dinner and am grateful for all my wonderful friends!! Thank you, Jesus, for such a blessed life!

Joann~

Disneyland at Christmas!!


Our friend, Jack Skellington, in the Haunted Mansion!



Jack Sparrow relaxing with a drink!!



Sally, Jack, Chris, and Jennifer (a friend that went with us).


The Main Street Christmas Tree.


Sleeping Beauty's Castle really sparkles at night!!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

God's Blessings!


These are my friends, Roseann & Kathy.



This is ME after a good SOAK!! LOL!!

We went to a friend's house for a Christmas party yesterday. Janie has a beautiful condo right on the beach.... outside her living room window all you see is ocean, it was beautiful!! She also has another home in the desert... that's the best of both world's!! She had several homes before she and her husband retired, but they've sold most of them now, and live very comfortably.

I talked a bit with Janie, and she gave me some very valuable advice. Advice that I'm totally taking to heart.

She said that there's NO WAY in the world that she and her husband should have such a great life except for the grace of GOD!! She said that during their entire married life (and they married young), they've ALWAYS, ALWAYS TITHED!!

That REALLY got me thinking, you know, I tithe, but I don't tithe my FULL 10%. I know that I'm supposed to, but 10% of my GROSS salary (which is what He requires) is ALOT of money, so I compromise... I'm sure GOD understands... running a household on one salary is hard enough without giving back 10%... I could USE that 10%... I have LOTS of bills to pay... I'm sure God will excuse me from paying my FULL tithe.... right!!???

WRONG!!! He GAVE me my job, and everything else I have, I know that... so why would I be exempt from His law, and essentially, His PLAN. This money is ALL HIS to begin with... it really is!! So why not give Him just the small part that He requires back!?

My New Year's Resolution is to give Him back His FULL 10% of the money He gives me.

I may never see the blessings that Janie has, but I'll be right with God, He'll know that my heart is where it belongs in HIM!!! And it will allow Him to do the things He is trying to do THROUGH ME!!

Thanks, Janie!!



Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Happy Birthday, Roseann!!

OK, these pics were taken with my phone, so they aren't the best pics... but I thought I'd post them anyway!!


My friend, Donna, and I at one of many birthday dinners for Roseann!! LOL!!!



Denise & Roseann


Of course, we all had a great time!! Great food, and great company.... what more could you ask for, right?!?!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Our Community Christmas Parade



I'm so proud of our little community. Tonight was our annual Christmas parade, and it rocked!!

We are a community that actually CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS!!!! There were THREE different nativity scenes in the parade from 3 different churches; there were several floats singing different Christmas songs celebrating the birth of Jesus... and there was one float from another church where my friend, Lilly (along with others from her worship team), sang "Mighty to Save".... (you guys were the best, Lilly)!! All the banners on the floats and cars said "Merry Christmas", not 'Happy Holidays'! PEOPLE shouted "Merry Christmas" to each other!!

It's just so wonderful to live in a place where people aren't afraid to stand up for what they believe!! I love my Lord, and I'm so blessed to live in a place where I'm free to share my passion.

Sometimes, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be FREE to do that, but I'll always feel the same about Him!! That will NEVER change!!

Joann~