Monday, November 30, 2009

Deck the halls.....




So, we took the whole holiday saying "deck the halls" to a whole new literal level. While everyone was decorating their houses this past weekend for Christmas... we were decking our deck.
Whew was it hard work. We woke up the next day sore, covered in paint, and with bandaids all over our fingers. Boy was it worth it. We didn't realize how much it weighed us down and made us think differently about our house when we had a junky deck. We never wanted to go out there and we most definitely didn't want anyone else to either.

Just some paint and a couple new boards of wood made our house look like a breath of fresh air.

Just $50 later, we have a brand new deck!

Now this week is a new project. Hardwood floors!!

THE BEFORE PICS......




THE AFTER PICS......


Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Praisin God!

I know everyone and their brother will be talking about what they're thankful for this week. And, I wanted to jump on the bandwagon. I have SO much to be thankful for!!

- Family. God has given me more family than I ever thought possible... and will be giving me more throughout the years!! My family is great, along with an awesome family on Will's side.

- Health. Even though I've dealt with a lot of health issues this year that have been thrown at me by the enemy, I'm still thankful for my health. It actually makes me think more about how happy I am that the Lord chooses me to be on this earth during this time to be in His will. Along those lines, I got a call back from the doctor today after going last week for more blood tests. My thyroid stimulating hormone levels have gone WAY down from 58 to 4 (normal is between 1 and 2). AND my T3 and T4 levels are completely normal. God is SO good!! I'm changing medications this week from the synthetic to the natural just because I think I will feel better... but, I'm just thankful for finally a good report after many negative ones!

- Growth. This year as been the biggest challenge yet the biggest blessing I've ever had! God has brought us through the fire in order to grow us. It wouldn't have been done either way. I'm thankful that God even cares to help us grow into people that love Him more. I've never loved God more than I have this year, and I hope I can say that every year!!

- Provision. Ok, what the HECK? I am SOOO blessed!!! This year, God has provided me a husband, a house, 2 cars upgraded from the last, all of our furniture and appliances (most of it given to us), I'm never left hungry, I always have clean water to drink, my Arbonne business is growing, my photography business is growing. The list goes on and on. Have you ever taken a minute to really think about how you father in heaven has provided for you? Go through the list and you will smile afterwards... I promise!

- New endeavors. We were prophesied over when we were engaged that we would be on a roller coaster of things throughout life, but we would always know it was God's will. Well, that's kinda how we feel right now. God has got huge new things in our path within the next few months... we are just ready to take them on!

- My husband. He deserves his own category :) God provided for me the most perfect man for me (like he was created exactly to fit me in every way). It's crazy how that works. We always talk about how we are literally made for each other. God had me in mind when He made Will (6 years before He made me) ha ha. It's so cool to think about. Will Stern has blown me away with His love for me, his talents, his selflessness, his soft heart, his love for GOD!, his patience, etc etc. I could obviously keep going. Even our exact same taste in fashion or how neither of us like to hang out in big groups.... the little stuff even fits :)


God is SO good!
Lately, He has been reminding me of Matthew 7. You know those verses that you read and kind of skip over but God tells you to look at it more? He's taught me so much over this passage in the past few weeks, I'm amazed. Especially when I was getting discouraged with health problems it's really gotten me encouraged to see God's will over me. He won't leave us high and dry. He is our FATHER. Our heavenly father who only ever wants the best for us.
What are you thankful for this year?





Sunday, November 8, 2009

Time Flies...


...when you're having fun.

This was us exactly 1 year ago.

November 9, 2008

I can't believe time has flown by so fast. It's been the greatest year of my entire life spending it with this amazing man. How blessed am I to have him in my life and to share every waking moment with him! God truly has blessed us and our marriage and I will always be grateful for what we share together.

Will Stern, I love you. It's amazing how much I love you.

I'm ready for many more years with this marriage thing. Bring it on! :) 80 more!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Picture Updates

- We got a new car. Well, new for us. It's a 2003 Honda Element... and we adore it!! This whole selling both of our cars deal and then looking for new cars has been somewhat of a headache, so we were glad to find this one! This is the car we wanted all along but didn't think it was in our price range. Lo and behold, God works wonders! We were talking on the way home from church how God would provide a car in the right timing for us. Not a car that we have to settle for, but a car we actually want. God wants to bless His children, right?! We go home and check on Craigslist and this ad had only been up for an hour. We called the guy and bought it the next day for an awesome deal. God, you're faithful!

- Poor little pup still has his stupid cone on his head. He's been moping around. Almost like he's depressed or something. Will and I laugh at him all the time because he is so not himself. This morning we took him outside and all he wanted to do was lay down in the grass. Then this morning, he continued to fall in between the sofa and cushion and didn't care. Just stayed right where he was. Poor little guy doesn't know what happened to him
- However, while practicing piano today I walked out to find this surprise waiting for me in the living room. Not 2 chewed up tissues, but the entire box of tissues scattered around the house. Somehow he jumped up on the table and grabbed the tissue box. I think this is pay back for having him neutered.

- Here's me practicing piano. I took it for Will as proof that I was, in fact, practicing today. God put it on my heart about 2 years ago that I needed to learn, and I've been learning slowly but surely. However, I really feel like He is wanting me to really know how to do it by the 1st of the year. I'm really going to try to kick my butt into gear and do this. Along with it, I'm practicing my vocal range as well. We will see.
- As for the chickens, our friend Julie is a lawyer and she is calling the Town and Country board and lawyer to talk to them about how we are covered by the Grandfather Clause. Basically meaning that since we were abiding by the law before they made the law, they can't tell us that we need to get rid of them. Hopefully we figure this whole thing out before the end of December when they have threatened to take them away. Maybe I should just send these folks some eggs... do you think that would change their minds? Ha ha.

- As for Arbonne, it looks like I qualified for District Manager. In order to finish District, I'll need to keep going, but it's exciting to be on the road to my new Mercedes Benz :) haha. And financial freedom. God continually encourages us and shows His hand in this business. I'm completely confident that God is working good things out for us!

That's all for now, folks!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

He Works All Things Together For Our Good

I took some pictures of my friends, the Deters, the other night. They wanted to document Jessica's pregnancy as well as get some family pictures done.
The morning after we took these pictures, Jessica decided to go to the hospital because she wasn't feeling the baby moving. The doctors confirmed that they couldn't find a heartbeat. She was induced and had to wait all day to give birth to her precious little baby girl.

Baby Ava Deters is now with the Lord and in his loving arms. Although God would never have something turn out like this in his sovereign plan, we are still so sure of his faithfulness and promises over the Deters. He is above all and knows all. If the enemy has stolen from them, they will be repaid sevenfold and justice will come to them.

We are just praying that the Lord comfort this family in this time of mourning. I can't even comprehend being in that position. I am still so thankful for the opportunity to take pictures of baby Ava before she passed away.

Will went with me to take the pictures and he randomly picked up a stick, broke it in half, and put the cross in a garden. Not to say that we knew any of this would happen, but it is kind of cool to show that maybe the Lord was saying that it was ok. That she would be taken care of.

Here's a few pics. Be praying over this special family. The funeral is on Friday. Just be praying healing and restoration in their time of need!








Thursday, September 24, 2009

A Few Selling Points...

Book a photo session with me for fall




We currently have both of our cars up for sale. I put the craigslist ads along with them 2001

Chevy Tahoe LT 4WD
$9500

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1374197652.html


1993 Mercedes Benz 300E
$3500

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1389136469.html


Saturday, September 5, 2009

Choosing Thomas

This is a video of of a mother who gave her child life even when the circumstances weren't easy. This is a perfect example and answer to anyone who asks "well, what about if the baby has defects or if it's a danger to the mother"
Well, here ya go. No reason in murdering a perfectly lovable child.

This video is sooo my heart. I cried the whole way through.


Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Our New Pride and Joy

This is Gibson (named after guitars, of course)

He is a Shichon...half Shih tzu half Bichon Frise. He's a good boy.






Monday, July 6, 2009

As America Has Done To Israel


What I would give to get this book in the hands of our president. Oh how the tables would turn.

My brother in law, Jim, let me borrow this book and boy has it changed a lot of the ways I think! This book has given me not only the biggest heart for Israel, but the biggest heart for America and where it has come from with their history of protecting the jews. America has been so blessed because of that. If we choose to no longer support Israel, we've got some major devastation headed for our nation.

...Still praying for our nation. God, send revival to America!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Forerunners

Will just finished a great series about becoming a forerunner in the body of Christ and how we live that out.

Listen to his series here (scroll down the page)

forerunners

Friday, April 10, 2009

Guilty Pleasures

Figure I’d lighten the mood here and talk about my most recent loves.

This morning I was singing a song that I love. It got me thinking about how that would make a great blog. Why is it that it’s so much easier to expose everything about yourself via blog. Oh well, I embrace it. You make a list too :)

I love……

- Taco Bell. How does that mexican money making machine steal my heart so easily?

- Skin Ceuticals skin care line. Seriously…amazing. The science behind it. I feel like a new woman.

- Building a new home for my soon to be chicken babies.

- Dancing and singing around the house with Will. I mean…. we don’t do that. Ever. ;)

- Heels. They have magical confidence powers.

- The new “pale skin is in” trend. YES. Finally!

- Having God provide even before you could even have time to worry about provision.

- Moes. It’s the highlight of my week on Sundays after church.

- The old Daniel Bedingfield “If You’re Not the One” song that never gets old in my book. So romantic.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Killing Babies

I’m gonna just venture out here and say something quite out of the ordinary. What I’m about to say is something that was put on my heart after quite some time of the Lord dealing with me about it. Last night I was at church and the message was about caring for orphans, widows, and aliens. That’s God’s heart.

Of course, as most of you have been aware, I’m strongly against murdering babies. I think if everyone used that wording, rather than the nice term that our world has given it, then maybe people would really see what’s happening. Will and I have been watching different documentaries on the elite of the world who have one concern… to gain power. These people, either government officials or strong business leaders, want to gain power by reducing the world’s population to about half a billion people. Now, we have about 6 billion people on the earth now… don’t ya think that’s a little unreasonable? Yeahhhh, me too. So here’s the reality of it, these people don’t want me or you here. Unless you own some big company or you have been to harvard and now make millions of dollars, then they would rather us not still keep reproducing. It’s a simple way of thinking for evolutionists, kill off anyone who is of a lesser being (or so they think). This was all Hitler’s views. He was a believer in evolution and the reason why he did the things he did was to make the world a “better” place by getting rid of the people that haven’t evolved as far (or so he thought). It’s messed up.

Anyway, our world hasn’t changed that much since then. We have people still to this day, probably more than ever before, who want the world to be this amazing place with tons of money and power (basically selfishness). It’s written in the Bible, the last days really won’t be pretty. All people looking to themselves for happiness and wealth. Not caring about anyone else. It’s the opposite of what Jesus would do in the Earth.

Margaret Sanger, the creator of Planned Parenthood and of birth control, was a huge supporter of Eugenics and, no surprise, evolution. Another example of someone who supported the thought that humans should be killed in order to control population.

I don’t know what all this hulabuloo about over-population is. Seriously. Drive around in Kansas or Illinois for a while and you’ll know what I’m talking about. There’s plenty of room for us.

God created a world that would continue to flourish. A world where His people would keep multiplying so that He could spend time with them. However, Satan’s got another plan. It’s obvious to me that Satan’s main plan is to kill as many people as he can in order to ruin what God had originally planned. Think about it, 20% of the earth’s population has been killed off just in killing babies alone. Our nation makes a huge deal about Sept. 11 (which was, indeed, an awful thing)… but what about the people that are being killed day by day? 3030 people died that tragic day, while 4500 people are being killed without even a word being said about it. What is wrong with this picture?

God has been bringing so many things to the light to me about what’s really going on in the world. Try asking Him about it and really listening, if you haven’t already, because He’s eager to tell the people that want to hear. It’s sad and it’s breaking my heart, but mostly God’s.

Have you ever wondered why the killing of babies has ever been ok? Really think about it. It doesn’t make sense. Satan has blinded so many people into thinking that it’s a choice. When has life ever been a choice? The Christians are made out to be these awful people by using terms negative terms such as “anti-abortionist” while they get the term “pro-choice”. Pro anything sounds so much more loving and accepting. We are battling a war here… not just any war but one against spirits. Satan so wants this to keep going under cover so that people don’t really realize what’s going on. The longer he can go with people being distracted with other issues such as rape, incest, or women’s rights… the better for him. He’s got so many people tricked.

My goal is to bring his nasty lies to the light. That’s exactly what he doesn’t want. Wake people up! Killing babies is wrong. Period. Evil is always done in the darkness… good is done in plain daylight for people to see. Have we ever considered that maybe killing babies is done on purpose for a specific end cause? That it’s not, in fact, supporting “women’s rights”. If we were for the cause of supporting women’s rights, we would do everything in our power to support women who are hurting and in need and confused on where to go and what to do. It’s not ever a person’s “right” to kill another person. Will always says, “if I were somehow in your body, would it be ok for you to kill me?” of course not! The baby is not the woman’s body. It’s a separate life. It deserves a chance. Even the argument that says that it’s not alive because it can’t live on it’s own doesn’t make sense. If you or I were out in the arctic with nothing, no clothes no food, would that give anyone the right to kill us because we can’t live on our own? No. Many people have survived botched abortions. Isn’t that proof that it is alive?

I just don’t understand the debate… why there is even a debate. There shouldn’t be.

So… after all that ranting and rambling (ha!)… I will say this.

If anyone is considering an abortion or knows someone that is, tell them the truth. I would also like to say that if you are considering an abortion, I will find someone that would be happy to take your baby and give it a loving home or support you during your pregnancy (even if it’s me). One life is a BIG DEAL… and I’m willing to do anything to help.

Comment me and let me know.

Thanks for reading this. I know it was a lot of words… but, let’s be honest, it’s a lot of truth too. I don’t want to be shut up about this issue. That’s what satan wants. Let’s bring this whole thing to the light and do something about it.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Eyelash Tinting and Hospital

There’s been a lot of excitement around here. And when I say excitement, I don’t mean the kind that’s fun and all smiles.

I’ve been at home today with red, itchy, puffed up eyes. Let me give you the low down.

On Wednesday last week, I was at school doing what we always do… practice services on each other. We usually just do facials and things like that, but my teacher wanted us to practice eyelash tinting this time. I already have the blackest eyelashes already, but she wanted me to try it so that the other girls could practice. Without thinking, I budged. Stupid, Laura, stupid! By the looks of my eyes, I’m regretting it.

Things were fine for the first couple days. On Friday I was at school and suddenly my eyes started to itch and itch to high heaven. I had to give one of my clients away because it was so bothersome for me and I couldn’t concentrate. It got worse and worse as time progressed, and Saturday night I was fed up. I was at church trying to pay attention, but my dang eyeballs kept tearing and itching that it got to the point that I couldn’t even open them. It hurt to blink. It hurt to just keep my eyes open.

So, Will and I came home that night and I went straight to the computer and looked up eyelash tinting and tried to find some answers. Apparently, every site we went tostressed that it is highly important to do a patch test on your skin 2 days before since so many people are allergic. Also, it’s been turned into an illegal service for salons in a lot of states because it’s so dangerous. There is one case of a woman going completely blind and another woman that DIED. Say what? Yes, died. One girl wrote about her symptoms saying that her eyes were itchy, red, and in pain. After 3 weeks of thinking it would go away, she was blinded for 3 days. She described the same symptoms I had been having… and there was no way in heck that I was about to risk my eyesight for some tinting that didn’t even do anything.

So, I said to Will, “I think I need to go to the Emergency Room” and, right after, he said “Yeah. I know. God has been telling me to take you all day”.

If you know Will well, then you know that he’s not big on doctors or hospitals. He’s never even been to the emergency room. But God was telling both of us that this was a big deal and could turn bad quickly. With the eyes being so close to the brain, we wanted to move fast.

So, I went to the hospital and endured one of the most painful experiences of my life of them flushing each eye out with an entire bottle for each eye of fluid. My eyes were already agitated, so this did not feel good. I couldn’t open my eyes for the next hour or so until she put numbing drops in. I seriously looked like I was on drugs or something. It was pretty bad. The eye doctor gave me a prescription for some steroid ointment that I have to rub on my eyes every 6 hours. I’m also on a high dosage of Benadryl. I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow for a follow up. For now, I’m missing 2 days of school and just trying to sit this out. My eyes seem to be gradually getting better. I think it’s because every time I rub them, Will smacks my hand away :) ha ha. What a good husband.

We got home at about 1:00 am from the hospital and had to get up at 6:00 am for O’Fallon church. Although I still felt bad and looked awful, I threw on a hat and my glasses and headed to church with him. I even helped lead worship. Ha. I’m still thankful I didn’t faint due to the way the Benadryl was making me feel. My outlook was, Will was there for me all those hours at the hospital, and I wanted to be there for him. We’re a team now.

So… moral of the story, ladies and gents… (well, moreso ladies)

Don’t touch eyelash dye.

We will be leaving for Florida on Sunday this week and can’t wait to just relax from all the craziness that’s been taking place.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Snowed In

There are some major thumbs up for living in a place with frigid winters. You get to sit in front of the fire, drink some hot cocoa, play outside and make snowmen, do donuts in your car in the church parking lot. But, what I’ve come to find is that, the most wonderful of them all is being off of school for 2 days in a row. You always hope that when you look on the news channel that your school will be on the list. In high school, my school was rarely on the list because they knew that everyone lived in, at the most, a 5 mile radius of the school. Dumb small towns.

Anyway, I’ve been really excited! Will and I both had the day off yesterday and enjoyed our time being snowed in together. Well, sort of. You’re never really snowed in persay when you have 4 wheel drive. But, even the monster of a car that we have was slipping and sliding on all the snow today. I guess our biggest concern ended up being all of the rear wheel drivers out there. Yikes. We won’t be pulling our other car out of the garage any time soon.

Here’s some pics from our snow day. I forced Will to take these pictures. Haha, poor guy.

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