Strong woman, soft hearts

I am excited to start reading the next book for our book club! Get to know Paula Rinehart, the author of this book and some background into what made her write this book. Enjoy!

Keep Your List Short,

These words really spoke volumes to me. Are we really acting out what we say? If we do not believe in something then why so often do we continue to be a part of things that we know are not right? Walking in TRUE faith is hard. Here are some words that may help you as they have helped me.

Keep Your List Short,

You know what I do , but do you know who I am?

Real Estate is what I do- it is not who I am. Who I am is a person who loves God- Loves his people and wants to do what he needs me to do each day to bless those around me. Real Estate is the career I have chosen- One that I am passionate about because it is a tool that allows me to bless people who need someone to care about them during a big event in their life. Whether you are moving today, tomorrow or you just need someone to talk to- that is what matters to me. Yes- I am a realtor- a good one- but beyond all of that I am just a person like you dealing with the same struggles each day. I am not a superhero, I am just me. I am an asset to you not just because I have all the right tools and knowledge (because I do) but because I am me, a person who does what I say I will do. A person who does right by people and a person who knows WHY I do what I do each day. I have a purpose and a vision. I sell houses yes- but more important I serve people. So thats my story- I look forward to meeting you, hearing your story and helping you in your Real Estate journey or just getting to know you and sharing in the joys or the sorrows of life.

The bottom line...

I will continue to make the choice not to stay where God is not invited. To demonstrate my faith and let the truth be known. Whether or not that truth is accepted or if it is rejected. I continue to make the choice to not submit to the power of rejection but to conquer it. Making this choice may cost me popularity, it may cost me money and most times it will bring to me rejection and pain. I have learned that true worship will cost me something and it is risky. This is a risk and a cost that I am willing to take to continue to plant the seeds of truth and to continue to trust God to produce the fruit....

In God We Trust

As many of you are aware the TV and Radio has been filled with the voices of politician's and Americans as the new health care bill is being discussed. I am not big into politics and have many thoughts on this subject- this post is not the place for them. The other night Dustin had the debate on. As I watched each person come to the podium and reveal what they thought about the health care bill my eye was fixed on what was written on the wood above them in the courtroom. It said - IN GOD WE TRUST. Do they? Do these people trust in God to provide for them? I felt confused and bothered by what I saw. I prayed about it. Dustin has become very involved in the politics of all of this and I see such a fire in him for the first time. This is something we do not share ( up until now). I have wondered - am I wrong for not caring? For not wanting to get involved? Does my opinion really count? I also say though that keeping quiet and not standing up for what you believe is wrong so why do I do it with this? I have been praying about this and I feel like God has put in my heart that I do need to be more educated, more involved and stand up for what I believe but know that no matter what happens he is always good. No matter the outcome. I am not going to go on and on about my thoughts but I am not for this health care bill. Dustin and I have many reasons why and some would disagree. In life we have to really believe in what we are fighting for. We also have to know that no matter what happens good or bad, wrong or right - that will not stop our faith in God and knowing the truth that he brings to our lives. I will get involved and exercise my freedom to speech but I will always choose to exercise my right to Freedom from fear, anxiety,and loss of hope for Gods people. Things in this world are a mess- they are ugly- and I feel like more people need to live by the words - IN GOD WE TRUST just a little bit more. Read below ....

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No matter how unsettled the world becomes, God's people can relax and keep their joy flowing, because our Lord has promised special protection when it is most needed.

Didn't God have an emergency plan for the children of Israel during the worldwide famine? He sent Joseph ahead to Egypt, promoted him to prime minister and filled the warehouses with enough grain to last out the famine. He then transported his people within walking distance of those storehouses and fed them to the full all through the raging famine.

Didn't God have emergency plans for Elijah? While his nation reeled under the impact of an economic collapse and food was scare because of severe famine—and a wicked king had a ransom on his head—God put his emergency plan for Elijah into effect. He hid him by a quiet brook and fed him by having a bird deliver his food. The survival plan also included a mysterious barrel of grain that never ran out.

What about Noah? What a detailed survival plan God had for him and his family! An ark—floating him and his family safely above all the death and destruction of a worldwide flood.

And Lot? God actually sent angels to personally pull him and his children out of the doomed city of Sodom. God's hands were tied until Lot was safely out of the suburbs. It was more than a loss of his job, more than a collapse of the economy, more than a downfall of the government—it was total annihilation of his society. But Lot was delivered safely.

Paul proved God's emergency contingencies over and over! This apostle was shipwrecked, chased by thieves, imprisoned, accused of treason and plotted against by assassins yet, in every crisis, God had a contingency plan for deliverance. Only when God determined his race was over did he call in his last contingency plan. He called him to his resurrection.

We, too, have an emergency plan for survival—designed specifically for each believer.

Let there be no question about it—God will see us through every crisis!

David Wilkerson.

ACT NOW!

Below is something that David Wilkerson wrote which really hit home for me. Faith is an action and we need to act on our faith and living out our freedom. It does not just happen. Someone once told me that being a christian is the easy way out - a crutch. Well, that could not be farther from the truth. Being a christian is hard- it takes work each day to die of your flesh and live and walk out your life the way that the bible show us to. As this world becomes more and more ran by the devil- feeding our heads with lies we have to work even harder to stay focused on the truth. We are all free but we all need to act that way in order to live the life the is meant for us. I find it troubling how you can see people who from the outside look so pulled together, they live in their big fancy house, run a "successful business" , go to church every Sunday, put the christian bumper sticker ( so to speak) on everyday but yet I see how each day they add chains of bondage to them by their fear of ACTING out their faith. They can speak of god and his word but they can not DO his word. I hear from this very person how it is everyone else that is holding them captive but in actuality it is only them who adds the chains to their lives. They do not see the accountability part in being a christian and see it as everyone else's problem when they are called out on choices they are making. Jesus would say reach out to them but I would say remember that they have choices just like everyone else- free will to either listen to you or to continue to be held captive. We are all held captive and each day need to work towards breaking those chains. We are all the same- all going through life fighting the same battle. We may all look different but we are not so different after all. The only main difference that I see is that there are those who take responsibility for their actions and realize it is them who can make the difference and then there are those who look at everyone else for the reason they are held captive. You are either a survivor or a victim. I am starting to realize that not many victim thinking people can change. Be careful how long you invest in them because before you know it they are adding chains to you and dragging you along with them . Do not allow yourself to fall into the trap of being the one to assume the role they want for you to play. The role that only takes the accountablity off of them. By doing this you are only adding to the problem. The problem of what this shows to other's who are watching. The reason that so many people are not walking with us is from these very people and people like you and me that assume it for them to make them and ourselves feel better. Face it- it is easier to not say anything and just ignore. Well that is a lie. Who said we are to always do the easy thing? Act now and be free yourself and do your part in bringing others to freedom. Saving lives may not make you most popular in this life but it will in another....

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Abraham Lincoln is said to have "freed the slaves" with the Emancipation Proclamation. This legal document declared that slavery was dead and all the slaves were set free.

When this news first spread through southern plantations, many of the slaves would not believe it. They continued slaving for their masters, convinced their promise of freedom was a hoax. Numbers of unscrupulous landowners told their slaves it was just a rumor and kept them under bondage. But little by little, the truth dawned on them as they saw former slaves walking about, happy in their newfound freedom. One by one, they threw down their loads, turned their backs on slavery, and walked away to begin a new life.

Maybe you haven't heard yet, or maybe it sounds too good to be true, but Christ emancipated all the slaves to sin at Calvary. You can now "walk out" on the devil! You can throw down your load of sin, walk away from Satan's dominion, and enter into a new life of freedom.

Let me show you what the Bible means when it talks about dying to sin. When Lincoln emancipated the slaves, the "issue" of slavery died. Not the slave master—not the slave. The slave could walk away free, saying to himself, “Slavery is a dead issue.”

Now the slave could slip back into the field and pick a few more rows of cotton—perhaps through fear or instinct—but that in no way made him a slave again. He was free, but he had to exercise his freedom. The proclamation couldn't force compliance, and neither could the slave master force him to return. It was a matter of the will of the slave.

The Bible says, "...he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe we shall also live with him" (Romans 6:7-8).

What that means is simply this: Since the matter of your slavery to sin is a dead issue, seeing that Christ has already declared you emancipated, you are now free to live as a new person in Christ by thinking of yourself as unchained.

Christ can't make you do right, and Satan can't make you do wrong. Christ declares you are free by faith, but you must act as a free person.

Weichert INSITES - News you can use...

Valuable information for buyers and sellers. If you are selling your house, insight as to what buyers are looking for in a home is priceless. According to the results of the Next Home Survey recently presented by Eliot Nusbaum, executive editor at Better Homes and Gardens magazine, consumers are taking a "cents and sensibilities" approach when buying a home. For those buyers planning to purchase a new home in the coming months, price, energy-efficiency, organization and comfort are their top priorities. This is in sharp contrast to several years ago, when the focus was on large homes with expensive touches. The Next Home Survey also found that: 87 percent of respondents would like a greener, more energy efficient home. 68 percent wanted an outdoor grilling and living area. 59 percent wanted a home office. 36 percent said their next home would be somewhat smaller or much smaller.

Plan B

I follow the blog Jesus Needs New PR by Matthew Paul Turner. He is a great writer. He wrote recently about his pastor who has a book coming out. I watched the trailer and found tears streaming down my face. I look forward to reading it and thought I would share it with you. Pete Wilson, is the pastor of Crosspoint church. Although I do not live in Nashville where his church is I do listen to his teachings. He delivers such a strong message and goes a bit deeper which is where I love to go.

So what happens when your plan A does not work out? I have been so fearful for so long to even think of a plan b in my life. So angry, confused, sad and left wondering why if God loves me so much would he withhold my plan A from me? Life is tough,painful and sometimes so overwhelming you just can't breath. I pray that if you are fearful of plan B that you will be given the peace to move out of your comfort zone and explore what else God has in store for you. Here's to taking that first step together..

Sweetheart night

Last night Dustin and I went to a friends church to enjoy Sweetheart night. It was a fun filled night of fellowship with friends, delicious desserts and music by Matt and Kim Goss. Dustin and I left with this beautiful flower since we were the couple at our table married the closest to 25 years. I hope all of you had a wonderful Valentines day and will remember to love the ones we love not just on valentines day but every day of the year..

To do List continued..

The last couple of days have been relaxing and productive. I embraced the blizzard of 2010 and embraced balance between productivity and relaxation. I feel pretty good about the list of things I completed and thought I would share them with you..

1. All wash is done AND put away

2. Cleaned our bedroom and bath

3. Spare bedroom cleaned and organized and closet project list is complete so I can tackle that at a later date.

4. Upstairs bathroom sparkling clean

5. Entire downstairs is cleaned and organized

6. Completed my book club book and caught up on all discussions

7. Ample time to read teachings and online research

8. Organized my workspace/desk downstairs

9. Talked with friends and family and had good for the soul conversations

I think that is it for right now. Needless to say I was busy but also took time to relax and enjoy the silence of life. I am excited for my hubby to come home from his trip and enjoy the scene I have set for him when he arrives home to a clean house, project lists and a freshly made/washed bed for him to crawl into after sleeping away from home for 5 days. I did not get to everything on my to do list from earlier in my blog but I added a few others and feel pretty good about what I have accomplished.

PS- Add to this list of course shoveling- lots and lots of shoveling!!

TGIF!

Pages

As the pages of your life are written may you always remember that God is with you, guiding you. May he be your raincoat in the storm and be praised while it is raining and when the sun is shining. May your book be one that can inspire another as they read the pages of your life. May it be one that they will want to share with others to bring inspiration for all who read them. Let your pages be the legacy you leave for others who will live on after you have gone home...

Chapter Clip - Same kind of Different as me

God gives each person on the earth a set of keys, keys to live this life down here on earth. Now in this set, there is one key you can use to unlock prison doors and set captives free.

Denver turned his head just slightly so that the right side of his face was closer to me than the left. He leaned in with his right shoulder and narrowed his eyes even farther. "Mr. Ron , I was captive in the devils prison. That was easy for Miss Debbie to see. But I got to tell you: many folks had seen me behind the bars in that prison for more than thirty years, and they just walked on by. Kept their keys in their pocket and left me locked up. Now I ain't tryin to run them other folks down, cause I was not a nice fella- dangerous - and probly just as happy to stay in prison. But Miss Debbie was different - she seen me behind them bars and reached way down in her pocket and pulled out the keys God gave her and used one to unlock the prison door and set me free.

Denver pounded home those last words like eight separate nails, then sat back in his chair, sipped his coffee. He put the mug down. "She the onlyest person that ever loved me enough not to give up on me, and I praise God that today I can sit here in your home a changed man- a free man.

_____________________________________

This is such a good book. As I read this book my eyes are filling up with tears. Such an amazing story, one that will stay with me forever. I love learning, growing and joining along in the journey of ones story whether face to face with them in life or in reading a book. So good for the soul.

MORE SNOW!

So today I am snowed in again! We are getting another major storm here in Lancaster. I have not seen this much snow in a long time. I am thankful for a fenced in yard so that I can just let my dogs out to explore as I stay warm inside. They are so funny to watch. This is even too much snow for my snow dogs. They look confused and disappointed that all the tunnels they created are now all covered. I will soon have to bundle up and go out to shovel but for now I am going to curl up with the book I am reading with a book club. It is so good but heart wrenching. I am working my way to the next stopping point so I can embrace the discussions with other's reading and learn how this book is impacting them.

Happy Snow Day!!

Peace Making or Truth Telling

There comes a point in your life when you will be faced with telling the truth. Telling the truth when that truth may be hard for someone to hear. Being honest with someone you see making bad choices is showing what it is to be real. Showing that you are not going to continue to ignore things that need fixed. Are you choosing peace making over truth telling? Is it time to be honest with someone about the things they are doing to themselves or others? If so I encourage you to be honest with them but do so remembering the following:

Always think before speaking and speak the truth when necessary.

Love and Truth go together. Think about how your words can come from your heart in a loving way.

Do not underestimate the power of what your words of truth can do for another

Their decision is their choice. Even if they lie and do not tell the truth or even hear your words of truth you go to bed knowing you spoke the truth.

The truth shall set you free and who knows who else along the way...

Snow of 2010

Today we had a fun snow day! We got almost 20 inches of snow..

Here is Aspen in her hideaway in the snow

Breck peaking out through the fence

Walkway leading to the front door

Breck walking in a tunnel in the back yard

Our patio furniture. This is where I like to sit in the sun when it is nice weather out

A place to rest from shoveling

Even though I am not much of a cold weather person I am thankful for beautiful days like this that I am able to spend the day at home sipping hot chocolate and spending time with my best friend in the whole wide world, the love of my life Dustin.

Thank you God for this beautiful day...

To do list...

As the snow is falling I sit here snuggled up in a blanket thinking of what I need to get done with my snow day. I am going to try to be productive with the time while I am snowed in. So what is on your To Do list? Here are some of the things I would like to get completed.

1. Get caught up on reading

2. Organize my desk and files

3. Wash

4. Make appointment for Breck to get a bath

5. Taxes - YUCK

Here are just a few things. The most important thing, although it is not on my list, is spend time with my hubby since he has an upcoming trip to Colorado to go skiing. I will miss him!

Happy weekend fellow bloggers,

Anne

The next chapter

So with much thinking and praying I have made the decision to leave the John Smith Real Estate Group and join the Weichert Realtors team! This is a decision that I am very excited about although I will miss all the people that I am leaving behind. I do know though that God will allow those friendships to continue to grow even if we are not working together anymore. I have learned a lot while on my journey in E-Town with the John Smith Team but feel like God has opened another door for me that I wanted to take the opportunity to explore. Being the closing coordinator was a great way for me to continue to learn and grow in real estate but I am now looking forward to having my own schedule back as I am now going back to full time sales. I am back to working from home and getting more balance back into my life. I look forward to growing in my faith as the lord opens doors of opportunity for me. Like I have been told before, a rolling stone never gathers moss. Here's to new chapters in life and looking forward to what the future holds!

Words of Denver from "Same kind of different as me"

Whether your rich or poor or somewhere in between this earth is not a final resting place so in a way we are all homeless just working our way towards home.

Sin, Faith, Duty

Sin, Faith, Duty

"If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

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As I read this passage I am left with questions. I am left wondering when God says if he repents, forgive him. What does repents mean exactly? Below is the dictionary meaning of repent:

feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc. (often fol. by of): He repented after his thoughtless act.

to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent.

My mind is focused on "to feel such sorry for sin or fault as to be disposed to change ones life for the better".

To me this is repentance. So often people use the words I'm Sorry as a way of getting off the hook. I have struggled with this for a while. At what point does I'm sorry just not cut it? When do you draw the line and expose someone for not really being sorry? To me sorry means you are aware of what you did wrong and you are willing to work towards changing. What if that I'm sorry means that person is not willing to make those changes? I lived most of my life being told I'm Sorry by someone who was suppose to love me but chose to continue to abuse me. I took the abuse day in and day out but they always said they were sorry. So we forgive them right? Is that what God is saying? Now I am aware that not all situations are going to be abusive. I think abuse is a reason to stop and evaluate having that person in your life. Remembering that you are to forgive them and pray for them to be delivered from the stronghold on their life. You can do this from a distance though and not allow the abuse to continue. I think now looking at the situation minus the abuse. When the person says I'm sorry but continues that bad behavior and does nothing to make their words an action in their day to day you should hold them accountable. I think too we need to remember that you can forgive someone but not be OK with the behavior. You can choose not to be a part of it. I don't think forgiving someone means allowing them to continue to treat you badly and having them think their sorry is good enough. We need to remember in this that you can not change someone, only God can and only if they allow the change to happen. That thing called free will. That would be where this comes into play. When you forgive someone it allows you to be free. When you pray for someone who has wronged you it also allows you to be free. Am I being too cold to think that a simple I'm sorry is not enough? Should we just let those off the hook that easy? Allow them to be lazy and selfish thinking that them and their actions do not play a part in the bigger picture? I think this is for each one of you to decide. Being who I am and coming from where I have come from this is the decision I have decided to make. To hold those accountable as I would want to be held accountable. I don't want to allow the fake sorry's to bring me down and set me off course to the path god has set for me. I want to work on forgiving those that have wronged me but letting them know that if they choose to continue the behavior that they really are not sorry. I want to forgive and move on and know who to keep close to me and who will keep my light lit when the darkness starts to make it fade..

Vision

As I think through my vision lately and the days when I feel like it is passing through my fingers I am reminded through God that there is always someone fighting harder than me. As I read this story of a man named Moses in Uganda I am brought to tears. Thank you to this man for his vision and fighting for it, thank you for the man who was willing to go outside of his comfort zone to bring me and many others this amazing story. How blessed this man is when to many he may seem very poor.. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did. What an amazing God we serve!

Home buyer tax credits

For anyone thinking about making a move you might want to read this information regarding the tax credits available.

Any questions just let me know.

Have a good rest of the week!

~Anne

Some will,some won't, So what..

You are going to have people in your life that will care about you and what you want in life. There will be those that won't. I am challenging myself to focus more on those that will and less on those that won't. I need to stop putting energy and time into those that don't care and allowing them to affect my attitude, diminish my goals and my purpose. Start really believing who people show you they are. Know who does support you, cares about you and who will help you get to where you are going. Focus on the bigger picture and remember that allowing those who don't care or support you to be your focus will only allow your goals, dreams and those who do believe in you to slip out of site.

You are here for a reason, great things are in store for you. Each day remember, Some will, Some won't, So what !

Read - Discuss - Grow

So this Sunday starts the new book in The Bloom Book Club. I have just a couple more chapters left to get me to the finish line. I am excited to start hearing everyones thoughts and idea's on what each chapter means to them. I love to be in an environment where there is brainstorming and I am being challenged to think or view something in a way that I may not have seen before. If you have not checked this out yet and you are looking for a book club to be a part of we would love to have you join us. The ladies that head this up really work hard and I am thankful to them for all they do. The last book we read was "Crazy Love". That book changed the way that I think and my relationship with God. The book we are reading now is "Same Kind of Different as me". This is a little different style than the last book but very good. This book engages you in the journey of two mens lives and how God brought them together and changed each of them through the journey. You can look for new posts on the book to start either Sunday or Monday.

Have a great weekend!

~Anne

Disbelief

Someone said to me the other day that when someone shows you who they are believe them. I had to really digest this. Isn't this so true? Don't we so often see someones true colors and we don't want to believe it. They are so clearly showing you who they are and we just act as if it does not exist. I know that people are not perfect and they make mistakes but at what point do you just believe that they are the person they are showing you they are? If there is one thing I have learned in my life it is that you can not change people. You can encourage them to be better and hold them accountable for their own good but if they are not willing to do what it takes then you can not assume that for them. You can not allow them to bring you down or compromise who you are. So what am I showing to others of who I am? When am I going to just start believing people when they show me who they are? Is doing that putting God in a box and saying that he can not bring change or help them? All many things that have been whirling around in my mind lately which is a crazy place to be. Thank you for continuing to take the wild ride into Anne's World..

TGIF!

Discipline

Although I am not much of a New Years resolution person I have made the choice to start getting back into going to the gym again. The holidays took me away from my routine. So this week I started back and I feel great! It is amazing how good you feel when you leave the gym. Although I may be very sore it is such good therapy for my soul. I then question myself about why I am not always as committed to the gym as I should be. The answer is always "I don't know". I think this is true of many things in life. There are so many things that we know we should be doing and when we do them we feel so much better. So why don't we do them? I think the answer is many times "I don't know". It is weird to me how if we have no reason why we would not do it then why don't we do it? Why are we wired this way? I also find it very interesting how although we know what we should be doing we are surprised when we end on the wrong path and do not arrive at the destination we intended. There are some lucky people out there that can stay thin and in shape and not work out but it is rare. I fell into this same trap asking myself why I had gained 15 pounds and felt horrible about myself when all along I knew it was because I did not exercise or eat right. I did nothing to get to the destination in which I intended to arrive but then seemed surprised when I did not arrive there. I see this so many times with people in life. They really WANT to do something but they just don't do it. They don't want it bad enough or they just think it will happen on it's own. This year although I do not like to set New Year's resolutions I pray that I can be more of a "Just do it" kind of person. That I do not allow myself to justify things I know I should not be doing or not doing things I know I should be doing. I pray this for you too because I know how hard this is. I think it is very important to have people around you who constantly motivate you and challenge you. I am blessed to have people like that in my life. They make me want to do better and be better. I pray that you will find people like that if you have not already been blessed with them in your life. So here's to not just saying that 2010 is going to be a good year, here's to MAKING 2010 a great year!

Making Vision Stick

It is neat to have a moment when you can see how things come together and when you realize that God plan for you will never make sense at the time but that is where discipline comes into play. I will admit, I do not do so well in this department. I always viewed discipline as something negative, a sort of submission. If we always understood everything and had our plan all mapped out it would be boring and we would never learn anything from it. True faith comes into play when no matter how unclear things seem to be that you are willing to continue to do what you know you should do by continuing to follow God. Not play the game of walking away every time things get to tough or things don't go you're way. I always say that I do not want to play the victim in life. Just get over the crap and move on. What I failed to realize is that every time I walk away I was playing the victim. I am saying to God that it is all about me. What I want is more important than the bigger plan ahead. The devil will allow you to believe that it is all about you but it is not. Stay focused on the truth and stay focused on the bigger picture. When you pray for God to show you and guide you remember to have your eyes open to see what he is showing you. It will not always be in bold print with flashing lights. You have to really look for it but when you do you will see amazing things. Also remember that even in the ugly, painful, unfair things that happen to be praying and looking. It is in those times that God can be the most present in your life. I was depressed when this summer I turned 30. I kept thinking of the fact that I had not accomplished what I had planned and I was not where I should be. The truth is that I am where I should be. I am embracing the past years no matter how good or bad because it has brought me to where I am today and I am finally understanding who I am and catching a vision for the future. What I have realized is I have had vision but it was all about me. God has put a vision into my heart that I have a passion for because I am realizing that vision is from him, for why I am here and for the legacy that I will leave behind. What is your vision? Pray and open your eyes so God can reveal it to you.

God bless!!

I am not much of a magazine reader but I found a magazine that is pretty neat. It is called "all you". It has all sorts of things in it that are very helpful. They also have some good recipes. I just read an article about using your phone to save money and noticed some things I thought I would share. Below are some apps that I thought were neat:

* The Cellfire app- (free) delivers grocery deals to a blackberry or iphone. search for a local supermarket and choose coupons to download to your loyalty card. The discounts show up when you use your card to check out.

* Your shopping and see an item you like, but you wonder if it costs less elsewhere. With REDLASER ($2.00) on your iphone, simply point the phones camera at the product bar code. The app scans it and searches the web to find the best price.

* With iphone shopper ($1) check off items on your list as you shop and you can input prices to see your running total. the app helps you stick to your budget and lets you customize lists to your stores layout.

It is amazing where technology has taken us. I am excited to try some of these. Dustin has the redlaser and used it a lot around Christmas.

Another thing I have realized lately is that I need to eat breakfast more often. A lot of people say it helps to loose weight and it is a lot healthier. They had an article in this months all you with some ideas for each meal of the day. This drink caught my eye for a quick breakfast on the go:

Put 6 to 8 oz of fat free milk , 1 cup frozen berries, 1 tsp honey and a half a banana in your blender the night before and stash in the fridge. In the morning, pop it onto the blender base, puree and pour into a travel mug.

Hope some of this was helpful. Have a great weekend!!

Life, death, love and faith to move on...

It is weird how you can feel someone be so close to you who is no longer living. Almost like they are sitting right next to you. That is how I feel right now about my grammy. My grandmother went home to be with the lord on Tuesday after suffering from a stroke in the beginning of the month. Her death is so overwhelming to me for so many reasons. I am so filled with emotions. She will be missed by so many people. She was the most unselfish person I have ever met. Her faith was always so strong and she was such a rock for all her loved her. She has taught me so much. Some of which are only entertaining my mind now that she has passed. God has revealed things to me in such amazing ways through the process of loosing her. I am so sad that she is gone and wish she could still be here but I more than anything am so happy for the life she had lived. I feel so blessed that I had the opportunity to know her and be privileged enough to call her my grandmother. She is in me and even if she is not here anymore each person that knew her has piece of her that will allow her to live on. The family values she has left my family with are solid. She built up a strong foundation that nothing can break down. As I held her hand after she had passed I felt as if she was there even though I knew she was no longer able to feel me touching her. I have peace in knowing that she is happy and in a beautiful place. She has finally arrived in her home where I will some day see her again. Until then I know that I am going to look at the way I live while still here on this earth through a new pair of lenses. Grammy left me with such understanding of love, family, compassion, strength, endurance and faith. I have peace in my heart that I know God has placed there letting me know that no matter what happens no one can take those things away from any of us as long as we hold onto them tight, never give up and keep fighting while staying focused on him until he takes us home to our final destination.

So which way would you go?

Continuing to pray that God will show me the way he wants for me to go. Life can sometimes be unclear.

Remembering his promise to me...

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4 New International Version Bible

Though a mighty army surrounds me,
my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
I will remain confident.
Psalm 27:3 New Living Translation Bible

The LORD is my light and my salvation
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life
of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1 New International Version Bible

Phil. 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Ps. 91:4-5 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

Ps. 91:10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.

Prov. 3:25-26 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.

Isa. 54:14 In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you.

Ps. 56:11 in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

2Tim. 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Rom. 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

1John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Ps. 91:11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

Ps. 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Rom. 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Rom. 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Rom. 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ps. 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Ps. 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?

Ps. 27:3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

Hebr. 13:6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

I am down Lord, please pick me up. I do not have the strength to get myself up

Crawling in my skin
These wounds, they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real


There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface
Consuming/confusing
This lack of self-control I fear is never ending
Controlling/I can't seem


To find myself again
My walls are closing in
(Without a sense of confidence, I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
So insecure

Crawling in my skin
These wounds, they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real

Discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me
Distracting/reacting
Against my will I stand beside my own reflection
It`s haunting how I can't seem...

To find myself again
My walls are closing in
(Without a sense of confidence, I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
So insecure

Crawling in my skin
These wounds, they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real

Crawling in my skin
These wounds, they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing, confusing what is real
(There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface)
Consuming, confusing what is real
(This lack of self-control I fear is never ending)
Controlling, confusing what is real.

Same Kind of Different as me

Today I found out the next book in The Bloom Book Club! I am really looking forward to reading the next book! The title is "Same Kind of different as me".

Click on the link above to find out more about joining us in our journey of discovering the next book together.

Happy Holidays!

8 Gifts

With the economic times here where everyone is watching their pennies Christmas becomes more of a stress. We live in a spend, bigger, better world. I think we have become a country of people who think that things will make us happy. We have lost touch with people and the little things in life. We miss the precious moments in life that God has for us to see because we are so caught up in the world. Someone sent these to me and I thought I would share them with you. I challenge you this holiday to try to be more creative with your giving. To try to incorporate some of these below into your gift giving. I am going to be taking some time to do this myself and look forward to sharing with you what I came up with. I am not very creative but this holiday I am going to ask God to fill my mind with creative thoughts and ways to give a unique and special gift to those that I love. Happy Holidays..

8 Gifts That Do Not Cost A Penny

1. The Gift of Listening- But you must really listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just Listening.

2. The Gift of Affection- Be generous hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

3. The Gift of Laughter- Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, “I love to laugh with you.”

4. The Gift of a Written Note- It can be a simple “Thanks for the help” note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life.

5. The Gift of a Compliment- A simple and sincere, “You look great in red,” “You did a super job” or “That was a wonderful meal” can truly make someone’s day.

6. The Gift of a Favor- Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.

7. The Gift of Solitude- There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

8. The Gift of a Cheerful Disposition- The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone, really it’s not that hard to say, help or thank you.

SOLD

Announcing: 831 E Marion Street is now SOLD!

Happy faces and another great person that I have met along my way in my journey of Real Estate.. One of the many things I am thankful for this year...

Thanksgiving

Yesterday was a fun day filled with Turkey, family and fun. I am so thankful for so many things this year. I have seen God work in some amazing ways and I am excited to continue to see him in my life. I am thankful for the situations , although trying, which allowed me to draw near to God and feel him with every step I take. I am going to try to continue to give things to him and not take them on myself. Only he can make the difference. I thank him for the light at the end of the tunnel that I can start to see a glimmer of. The hope that fills my lungs and allows me to take in a full breath of air and begin to feel alive again. With this year, I am for the first time really excited about Christmas. It is about that time again to sit down and make a list of gift ideas for those I love. I am not a shopper and I hate crowds so I will not be going out to the Black Friday sales but I am excited to start planning out my course to embracing a time of year that once brought on stress and sadness and allowing God to shine the light so I can rejoice as I should be in the birth of his son Jesus who died on the cross so I can live. And LIVE is just what I am going to start to do.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Crazy Love

I just finished reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan and I have to say WOW! What an awesome book. I want for this to be a book that I do not just put on my shelf and say I read it. I want to really try to focus on how I can implement change into my life to allow me to walk in a stronger faith. I am challenging myself after reading this to just start taking steps towards change and allowing God the opportunity to open or close doors in my life. To allow him to lead me. This book changed my thinking and how I will conduct each day. I would highly recommend reading if you are looking for good book to read. If you do read it check out the Bloom Book Club to hear thoughts on each chapter and gather additional information from others reading along. A new book will be announced in December!

Have a great week!

A-21 Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYpLwfDKX8k

Don't Fake the Funk

As a professional I am always looking for other professionals that I admire. Ones that I can look to for inspiration and ideas. I am blessed to have a friend who is one of those people. He and his wife are amazing people. He brings life into what he does by bringing a piece of who he is to his business. He owns Pearl Street photography and takes some amazing photo's. He shares in special moments in peoples lives but it is so much more than just a picture for him. I was reading one of his blog posts and thought it was very interesting. I thought I would share it with you. Go to http://ponderingloudly.blogspot.com/and read " a really cool workshop and real long shot". The work that both Matt and this photographer do is amazing but what is more amazing is what they bring of themselves to others. She noted in her post that she does not want to fake the funk. How refreshing those words are to me. I admire those who allow their life to run their business and not allow their business to run their lives. I feel that you can mix business with pleasure. I take much pleasure in my business. In allowing myself to walk along in the journey of each and every one of my clients. I am not in the business of selling homes, I am in the business of helping people, reaching people, touching people. Leaving that person with an experience. I hope you enjoy the post I have shared with you. Happy weekend to all my blog readers!

Reflection

Looking back over my life I realize that I may have planned too much. It is good to plan but while doing that you need to be open to the fact that God may have another plan for your life. I think that God does though want us to be prepared. Use the time he has given us and where he has place us wisely. Learn from it and grow because it is a place of preparation. I realize that I do need to plan. I need to think through each day and look into the future but maybe not to the extreme in which I was planning. Now I like to think of it more as dreaming. Dream about what is placed in your heart. Dream about where you want to go. How you want things to be. Dream about how you can use the circumstances of today to make you one step closer to that dream. Dream but also be patient and know that your dreams can come true, they will come true but all in Gods timing. Know that no matter how much you think your plan for your life is great that the plan he has for you is greater. Be joyful in where you are now even if it is not exactly where you want to be. Be willing to take a detour. That detour could turn out to be an amazing place..

Under contract

Announcing that 831 E Marion Street is now under contract and set to settle Nov 27th!

Trick or Treat!

I love halloween night! Watching the kids run around the neighborhood all dressed up makes me remember how much I loved trick or treat night as a kid. What fun did we have! Now just so we get rid of all of our candy so I don't "have" to eat it!

Happy Halloween!

Fall fun

Wow, what a fun fall day! I spent the day with my cousin and her 6 month old son Zaden. We went to Funks, admired all the mums and pumpkins. I got pumpkins for my front porch to greet the kiddies on Trick or Treat night.

We had a great lunch at the John Wright Restaurant. If you have never eaten there I would highly recommend it.

From there we headed to the Christmas Tree Store for lots of shopping fun. I am excited that I got some Christmas shopping done already. Zaden was such a good baby! He had fun hangin with us girls while his daddy did work on his room. Looking forward to more fun fall days like today!

I have to say that Fall is my favorite time of year. It is the time of year that I married my amazing husband and the fall just brings warm feeling to my soul. Sipping on warm cider on a cool night, sitting by the warm fire being held by the one you love, enjoying the amazing beauty as the tree's change color. This year I want to really enjoy fall and embrace winter. With each passing season comes beauty that are to embrace and enjoy for it will only be with us for a short time. Happy Fall everyone! Snuggle up with the one you love...

Actions speak louder than words

So, many people went to church today. Listened to really good lessons about what it is to be a christian. So today I did not go to church. Why? Because I got sick of going to church and seeing Christians listen to the service get in there cars and go home to spend that day and week forgetting everything they listened to that day in church. They go about there days and week only thinking of themselves, treating others badly and leaving those around them who themselves are not Christians wondering why in the heck would I want to go to church and believe in this so called God with people like them? Faith is an action. When you hear someone say actions speak louder than words what does that really mean? Do we really go as so deep as to dissect that for a moment? Today that means to me that I want to know from all of you that went to church today and listened to your pastor speak- what are you going to do today and for the rest of the week to take action on what you heard today? How are you going to take action to show those around you why it is that they should love and know God? Today is the day to show it and not speak it people. I speak for myself when I say I want to see it. Do you even know why more people are not saved? Why this world is such a crappy place to be? Why there are so many horrible things happening around us? Look in the mirror and you will see your answer. Edgy? No -its called the truth. Can you handle it?

Uncovering the truth

Thank you...

As I look back through my life I am thankful for so many people. Today one person stands out in my mind as a person who I am glad took the time to reach out to me to give me something that has helped me make some real big steps in my growth lately. This person gave me the information to learn about The Redemptive Gifts of Individuals. We all have a gift from God, one that makes us who we are and what God created us to be. Revealing this for me has really given me peace about who I am and a sense of where to start when doing my daily check up from the neck up. I encourage you to check this out and see for yourself how amazing this information will be not just for you but to learn about the other people in your lives that you love. Thank you to this person for taking the time to share this information and for seeing something in me that I did not even see. I am excited as we both grow into the true people that God really wants for us to be. Click the link below to learn more..

http://www.plumblineministries.com/inc/sdetail/1306

More than a touch

So for all of you that are married I am sure you will appreciate this story. My husband is notorious for putting my things places where I do not know where they are. In his mind that place he put it makes sense but then I am not able to find things in the place that I would call their home. So this past week I have been beside myself because I have not been able to find all my necklaces that I placed in a bag which was packed with us when we were at the beach last week. Since I have still not unpacked from this trip which I know bothers my very organized husband I thought maybe it was here or there in my other bags but as the week went on realized it in fact was not in those places. So today after a night of rethinking our departure from our hotel and trying to discover where it may have gone said something to Dustin about it. He looked at me and said that I have not been looking hard enough and because I am still not unpacked this is probably part of my problem. A lecture that I expected from him. He then proceeded to take me upstairs and open a drawer in the bottom of my dresser that I never use and said here they are! As I was trying to explain to him that this was not where they went he proceeded to remind me that then I should have put them where they did go and then also back tracked and then said he did not even put them there which makes me very confused to how in 1.2 seconds he knew where they were! I told him that he is not to put his hands on my stuff and put them places they don't belong. This though did not cause a fight since after 10 years of marriage we tend to just laugh at each other more than anything anymore in amazement that two people as different as we are can even still be married. So as I thought about this and the fact that deep down it did make me a little frustrated that over a week had gone by an I had looked and looked for those necklaces and stressed about where they could be and that it was all because he stuck them in some bottom drawer I never look in and did not even bother to tell me he put them there. Also frustrated that as I thought this through I realized that he is right and if I would be more organized I would have discovered them earlier since that bottom drawer where the necklaces were tucked away really does have a purpose which is for my hair dyer and flat iron which I decide to leave lay out each day rather than put them away where they belong. Discovering this fact made me even more mad but I guess at myself rather than him (sort of) As I thought this through I tried to get to the bottom line of it all which is that if he were not here to touch my stuff and place it in the most odd places that I would very much miss it. I would miss him and the lesson that I learned from it today although if I am being honest I would miss him more than the lesson.

So today I am embracing his kind gesture to try to help me out and place those necklaces in a drawer to where he thought was a safe place and for the lesson to myself to be more organized which I know will be a long work in progress. So touch away hubby! Your touch is very much desired in more ways than one..

Blog vision

When I first started this blog I was not really sure what I wanted it to be. I had many thoughts running through my head. I know that I wanted it to have some real estate in it since that is what I do but I also wanted it to have some of what I, being me, had to share. I feel that being a realtor I am very good at what I do because I educate myself in the current market and the tools in which I have to help my clients but I also bring me, being who I am. Someone who is always looking for a way to reach out to someone and be that very thing that day that they needed. I feel that I can bring that to what I offer in real estate. I know that when someone is selling or buying a home they are not just needing someone to help them with their sale or purchase but they are also inviting me into their lives to share in the joy of the reason for buying or selling or the sad sorrow behind why they are. I know that I can bring where I have been and what I was created for also as a tool to help my clients. I also know that what I do for someone may have nothing to do with real estate. It just might end up being someone who stumbles upon my blog and reads something that hits close to their heart. Maybe helps to give them a sense of understanding, or gives them hope or lets them know that they are not alone. So I guess this blog for me is to just let you know who I am and allow you to get to know me and where I have been and where I am now. I honestly believe that we all have a story to tell and we never know who or where it will be that our story will make a change in someone's life. So thank you for reading and bearing with me as I am learning why it is I feel so compelled to put my fingers to my keyboard and write while I discover and learn how to be content with "just being me".

Remembering 10-2-99

Today marks the day 1o years ago that I married the Man of my dreams! This is the day that my life changed forever. The day I became Mrs. Anne Schlenbaker. Thank you God for bringing this man into my life to truly love me in the good times and the bad for better or for worse. I am blessed to get to spend each day with my best friend.

So today I remember A&D- October 2, 1999.

Truth or fantacy

So tonight I finish my day and I am feeling very fired up. I ask myself why? The reason for my burning inside has nothing to do with me. So why do I allow myself to become to involved? Why do I go so deep? I am then revealed things I do not want to see ,the very things that make me so fired up not for me but for those around me. Or am I taking the focus off myself? I am sitting here tonight just unsettled. Unaware of whether I should reach out to this person that is so on my heart right now or just let them go. I feel they need someone to say some honest things and express my concern for them but fear that would be the wrong thing to do. So why does this have me so shaken? Am I just crazy or does this person really need me? God please let me know. Maybe I am not the person that I thought I was. Maybe everyone would just be better off if I just left them alone and just ignored what I see. Kick up my feet and just let them figure it out. Why do I give a damn so much about other peoples problems and fighting for them! I give people my heart and soul and for what? To be shut out and thrown to the side. I could scream until I cant scream anymore, I am coming unglued and coming out of my skin. Are they believing lies or am I? Please God help me to know the truth..