How is Christ like photoshop?

Yes, you read that right! I asked, how is Christ like photoshop? An interesting question brought up by a friend this morning! Then I shared this thought with my husband and he added it to his sermon this morning!

Yes, this is me beside one of the Cowboy exhibits at the Texas State Fair last October. My friend, Ellie, thought it would be funny to photoshop my head onto the torso of this young, toned Cowboy cheerleader silhoutte! Thanks Ellie! It was cute and funny and such a good analogy for how Christ is like photoshop! How you say? Well, Romans 3:11-12 says, "there is no one righteous, no not one..." We are NOT perfect and God demands perfection. So the problem is how do we achieve perfection to please God and to get into heaven? Well, yes, Romans 3:21-26 goes on to say we can be "justified by Grace!..." Whew... what a relief! What a blessing! How wonderful! Even though we are not perfect, all we have to do is accept Christ's gift to us, his offer to pay the price for our sins, and all we have to do is accept that free gift! Then when God looks at us and judges us and how good we are and have been He sees us THROUGH Christ!! Isn't that amazing! Just like photoshop but for real! God sees Jesus because He paid the price and saved us from the punishment we deserve. He perfected us when we accepted Him as our Savior!

Now THAT is real and not a facade or a photoshopped image of what is not really existent. Jesus is our defender when we stand to be judged before God and because of Jesus God sees us through Christ! Christ as our filter, our perfector, our finisher, our salvation, our air brush, our redeemer is how Christ is like photoshop but even better!

Things I'm Loving Thursday!

Things I'm Loving this Thursday!

This product is absolutely AMAZING! "It's a 10! - Miracle leave-in product" is truly a MUST HAVE for all girls and ladies! Hey, I guess guys would like it too! You spray some on wet hair after shampooing, comb it through, and leave it in! It totally restores the shine, smoothness, and luster of your hair!

I am loving my No-Touch Hand Soap system in my kitchen! Love it!

Quaker High Fiber Oat Meal, the best!!

I can't say enough good things about Tervis Tumblers! We have LOTS in two sizes! We have lids and straws for all sizes! They come plain or with your favorite school, symbol, saying, or more! They keep your drink hot or cold and they come with a lifetime guarantee! I had one split apart and took it back to Bed Bath & Beyond and they gave me a new one, no questions asked!

Yankee candles! Make your kitchen and house smell wonderful!

We went to eat Fajitas at Luna de Noche at Northpark Mall Saturday night and then did our brisk 45 minute walk. It was wonderful! Northpark Mall is one of my Happy places! They have a brand new Disney store there too! I didn't buy anything (except a red dress on sale at Ann Taylor that Bill insisted on buying me!). We just ate a delicious healthy meal and did our cardio indoors and loved th atmosphere! I LOVE Luna de Noche AND Northpark Mall with my husband!

Ahhh.... a little glimpse of heaven! Thank you Lord for the many things you bless us with to enjoy! I can't imagine what heaven is going to be like but I know it's gonna be good!

Pretty girl!

This is my brother-in-law and his precious daughter Maggie! He and his wife Kari and their two children joined my husband and me, along with two of our good friends Glenn and Gail at Disney World this past week to celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary! Maggie does the cutest thing when she sees herself in the mirror she smiles and says, "pretty girl!" I smiled to myself and thought how priceless this gift of good self esteem is to Maggie! This will help her the rest of her life!
One reason she has this healthy and valid self image is because that is what her wonderful daddy calls her! I got to watch as Keith would call to her, talk with her, and validate her again and again throughout the week. She would look at him, gain eye contact, seek affirmation, he would respond "Hi Maggie, you're my pretty girl!" Other times he'd simply say "pretty girl!" to her when their eyes would meet! How simple, how inexpensive, but yet how important and essential to every female alive, women need: #1. Security and #2. Good Self Esteem! If only every daddy knew how important this is and how easy to teach to their darling daughter, their "pretty girl!"
Daddies, tell your daughters often that she is just fine the way she is. Tell and teach her that God created her with strengths and abilities! Validate her self esteem and core identity! She'll know she's not perfect, she won't become conceited, she will gain confidence and thus be able to experience joy as she grows and works on her own weaknesses. She will have that inner confidence and knowledge that even if she's not perfect, no one is. She won't be dependent on anyone else to make her feel good about herself, because she has grown to know she is just fine the way she is.
Low self esteem among women is pervasive and cuts across all socioeconomic lines. It can invariably communicate that the victim is worthless. Many women endure verbal abuse and allow their self esteem to be destroyed. The results can lead to depression and anxiety as well as relationship problems. If wives feel their needs aren't being met by their partner because they feel like they don't deserve to have them met, their relationship can suffer. They can also have difficulty disciplining and setting limits or demanding the respect they deserve.
Fathers are truly a gift and an ambassador to their children, an ambassador and a model of God's love! Fathers AND mothers can give their children a priceless gift of good and healthy self-esteem by continually giving positive affirmation over and over to their children!
Every little girl and every big girl and then woman deserves to be nurtured and empowered with true positive self image and self esteem. Jesus himself modeled respect for women over and over. He showed respect for the shamed woman at the well just by speaking to her and allowing her to draw him a drink from that well. He then affirmed her and challenged her to go and sin no more and tell others what happened there. She did! One act of kindness and one verbal affirmation and she turned her life of sin around, ran to tell others and brought them to Jesus! Father's, how powerful and priceless is your gift you can give your daughter, instill in her that SHE IS your precious, priceless, God created, gifted, amazing, valuable, worthy of respect and honor, "pretty girl!"
I am so thankful that God blessed me with a wonderful "Daddy" who gave me repeated verbal affirmation and encouragement. I am thankful now for an amazing husband who continues to praise and honor me and my daughter with positive words and acts. I am thankful that despite my imperfections, I know my creator and He made me! He is honored and glorified when I have a positive self image and I am then empowered to do what it is He has for me to do!
Let's hear it for all "pretty girls!"

Things I'm Loving This Thursday!

Here's a few things I am loving this Thursday! Thank you Lord for,

Bill and I joined the Disney Vacation Club about 4 years ago when we stayed at the Saratoga Springs Golf Resort and Spa on Disney property for our 25th anniversary! Best decision we ever made!

Bill and I bought new Max Lite Travelpro bags, mine is red and his is black! I packed my stuff for our upcoming anniversary trip and my bag and stuff only weighed 30 pounds! Wow! I can add 20 more pounds if I want to! That is a first! These bags really are light and help out since most airlines now charge for bags and charge even more if your bag weighs over 50 pounds! Max-lite is THIS girl's best friend, for sure!

I just LOVE this new Fiber One Raisin Bran! Tastes good and is good for you!

Crest white strips are amazing!

I am loving my Ab rocket! Really keeps you from hurting your neck!

I know, I know, it is so funny, and you'll NEVER think of this weight the same if you've seen SNL's humorous satire about it, BUT is is great and really does help tone your arms in just 6 minutes a day! It comes with a DVD that leads you through the 6 minute workout! I love it! I got mine at Target!

Best lowfat brownies ever!!

I work in Grand Prairie ISD and it is a wonderful district to work for! We have amazing administration and employees who truly care about students and their success! I am so blessed to have a job where I love what I get to do and they pay me to have fun doing diagnosis and treatment for speech and language disorders at schools I love and enjoy!

I am so blessed! Now off to grill steaks, bake sweet potatoes, steam veggies, and get Bill off to lead the opening prayer for the GPISD school board meeting!

Daily Quiet Time Guide by Dr. Bill Skaar

MONDAY, January 10th

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth . . .” (Romans 1:18)
Passage: John 3:31-36

Read the front page of the paper. Listen to the evening news. Just look around you. It doesn’t take much to see that there are a lot of bad things taking place in the world . . . the world which God created . . . the world which God loves. But God’s love does not wink or turn a blind eye towards sin. The flip side of God’s love is God’s justice. His justice demands that a penalty must be paid for sin and everyone who sins will pay that penalty. . . except those of us who have put our trust in Jesus.
Jesus paid the penalty for sin and offers forgiveness and eternal life. All we had to do was accept Him as Lord and Savior. This world is really His, but those who reject Him will always act as though it is not. There will be a payday someday. Start your week by thanking God that Jesus paid your debt and pray for someone who has yet to acknowledge Jesus as the Truth.

Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)

TUESDAY, January 11th

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities . . . have been clearly seen . . . so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)
Passage: Psalm 19:1-6

Creation is amazing. The universe moves at such precision that astronomers can calculate the exact moment an eclipse or other astronomical event will take place hundreds of years into the future. The earth’s atmosphere is composed of exactly the right blend of hydroden, oxygen and other gases to sustain life. The earth’s distance from the sun and the axis upon which is rotates is precisely set and if it were altered, life could not exist.
Random chance? About as likely as a Rolex watch being put together by setting all the individual parts in a drying machine, turning it on and letting it run until the watch was made. Even if that could happen over the course of a billion years, someone had to be behind the part and the dryer. Creation screams out – There is a Creator! God’s Word cries out – His name is Jesus! And He loves you!

Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)
WEDNESDAY, January 12th

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “Although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him . . .”
(Romans 1:21a)
Passage: Psalm 8:1-9

In addition to His Word, God has given two witnesses to mankind which testify to Him. One is the witness of the inner conscience which speaks out of the God-shaped void that every person has to tell them that there is a Power in the universe greater than them. The other is the witness of creation which testifies that there must be a Creator.
It’s a sad reality that most people do not seek to find out the truth about the God who loves them and reveals Himself through conscience and creation. But to those who know God personally through faith in Jesus, every day is an opportunity to give Him glory and thanks. This reminds me, there is a third witness God has given to the world in addition to His Word. You. Now, tell God how great He is and then go out and be a blessing to others in His name.

Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)

THURSDAY, January 13th

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “(they) exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” (Romans 1:23)
Passage: Isaiah 44:6-23

The God of the universe made mankind in His image. When people reject Him, they still have a God-shaped void they seek to fill and they do so by making a god in their own image. They make an idol. An idol is whatever replaces God as first place in a person’s life. The idol may be formed in the shape of an animal or a person. It may be a sport’s team or a celebrity. It may be money or a hobby. Whatever it is, God calls it idolatry.
The idols people set up can never fill the deepest hunger of their hearts. Those idols will never answer their prayers or get them into heaven. Those idols will never soothe their hurts, forgive their sin, or provide peace and security for their lives. But God will. Theirs is no one else like Him. There is no other god apart from Him. He loves you and is glad you’re spending time with Him.

Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)

FRIDAY, January 14th

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity . . .”
(Romans 1:24)
Passage: Galatians 6:7-10

I was disappointed this past fall that I didn’t have any vegetables growing in my garden. I was looking forward to a harvest of carrots and broccoli and peas. I guess it’s really my own fault. First, I don’t have a garden. Second, I didn’t plant any vegetable seeds. If I had planted something, I would have gotten something out, because God designed His creation to operate with a law of sowing and reaping.
God has given everyone on earth a garden. It’s called life. In this garden, you reap what you sow. Those who reject God’s Word are free to sow to please themselves, but the harvest they reap will not be pretty or beneficial to others. God wants you to sow good seeds in your life. Every day, you are sowing seeds in your home, your work, your school and neighborhood by what you say and how you behave. Sow well and enjoy a good harvest.

Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)
SATURDAY, January 15th

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “(they) also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:32b)
Passage: John 4:13-26

Acceptance is not affirmation. Acceptance is not approval. People in this world who reject God’s Word and therefore practice sinful behavior, do not need affirmation or approval for their sin. They do, however, need acceptance. They do need love. I have never seen any one changed by being confronted with condemnation, judgment and hatred over how sinful they are. I have seen many people changed by being showered with love.
Jesus accepted people as they were. He didn’t insist that they change first before He would visit with them. He was willing to visit first and He knew that if they received Him, He would change them later. That’s how He dealt with the Samaritan woman he met at the well. He showed her love and acceptance without affirming or approving of her behavior. He met her where she was so He could take her to where He wanted her to be. Be loving like Him.

Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)

He has numbered the hairs on our head...

Me and my curly headed daughter, Melissa!
Bill and I with our curly headed Kappa Kappa Gamma daughter, Melissa!
At Minute Maid Park in Houston humidity, our curls thrive in the weather there!
No time to straighten today! Curls will reign today for sure!


Matthew 10:30 says, "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 - Therefore do not fear, you are of more value than many sparrows."

Isn't it amazing! God knows the number of hairs on our head?! This morning I was in a hurry so no time to straighten my hair. It been quite a while since I let it go natural and just air dry and do it's curly thing that it does! I hope my husband recognizes me! I remember years ago when a good friend in Livingston, Tammy, straighten her very curly hair for the first time! Her husband got home from work and joking said to her, " I don't know who you are, but you better leave before my wife gets home!" So funny, a sweet Christian couple, much younger than Bill and I but both have great gifts of humor! He really knew who she was! Much like God with us, we may try to change who we are or who we think we are by changing our appearance, changing our job, or changing our location. No matter what we change God always knows us! HE created us! He even knows the exact number of hairs on our head at any given time! Wow, how reassuring that is that we are HIS and HE will always know and love us unconditionally and completely! Curly hair or straigt hair, HE knows me and HE loves me just as I am! I am HIS!

Quiet Time

Quiet Time Guide by Dr. Bill Skaar for Jan. 3rd through 8th

MONDAY, January 3rd

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.”
(Romans 1:1)
Passage: John 15:14-16

Who are you? I don’t mean what is your name. I mean who are you as a person? What is your purpose in life? What are you doing that makes a real difference now and into eternity? The answers to those questions will frame how you live your life. They will determine your attitude at work and how you interact with others. They will affect how you budget your time and your money.
In a deep relationship with Jesus, you are both a friend and servant to Him. That relationship has purpose and meaning. It has direction. Jesus chose you to produce eternal fruit for His Kingdom. You have a call to glorify Him and be part of His work through using your time, talents and treasures. As you begin this New Year, write out a prayer of commitment that expresses to God that you know who you are in Christ and why you are here.

Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)

TUESDAY, January 4th

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “. . . your faith is being reported all over the world.” (Romans 1:8b)
Passage: Matthew 5:13-16

As a city, Rome was a city built on seven hills. It could be seen from miles away, but it was known across the world as both the center of the Empire and as a place filled with idolatry and immorality. Yet the believers in Rome were known for their deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ. They were known as people who lived pure lives and made a difference in the world.
God wants you to develop a reputation like those believers in Rome. He didn’t intend for Christ to be hidden in your life. He designed for Christ to be displayed through your life. Your reputation is built by what people see and hear in you. Are you known for your faith in Christ? Are you known for your kindness and honesty? Are you known for your patience and generosity? Are you known for being faithful to your family? Are you known for being active in your local church? Are you known for being a caring citizen in your community? Every day you contribute something to your reputation. Build well today.

Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)


WEDNESDAY, January 5th

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “I remember you in my prayers at all times.” (Romans 1:9c-10a)
Passage: Ephesians 6:18-20
The Apostle Paul prayed for people and he asked people to pray for him. He knew that prayer was an essential part of our lives as believers. He considered prayer to be the lifeblood of his ministry. Prayer connects us to God’s power and resources. Prayer keeps us reminded that we are not independent from God or from each other. Prayer is oxygen for our souls.
God wants you and every believer to stand strong in Christ. He wants you to hate nothing but sin, and fear nothing but Him. He wants to use your life to change the world. Therefore, He wants you to pray. Pray for yourself. Pray for your family. Pray for your pastor and church staff. Pray for your community leaders. Pray for your nation. Nothing is beyond the reach of your prayers.
Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)


THURSDAY, January 6th

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “I long to see you . . . that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”
(Romans 1:11a-12)
Passage: Proverbs 27:17

It’s rare to see a goose flying alone. When a goose flies, it almost always flies with a flock in a V-formation. That flight pattern is not accidental. The V formation creates an updraft which enables the geese to conserve energy and fly farther than they each could individually. Whenever the geese in the lead of the V get tired, they fall back and other geese move into their place. The constant honking you here is actually the group’s encouragement to each other.
You could call it the Geese Principle. Life is a journey, but it was never designed by God to be a solo trip. It’s impossible to fully develop in a life of faith apart from being in community with other believers. You need them and they need you. You need their encouragement and they need yours. Your need their strength and they need yours. This is major reason God established the Church. We need each other.

Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)


FRIDAY, January 7th

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:” (Romans 1:16)
Passage: John 3:16-18

Paul knew the power of the Roman Empire. He also knew the power of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. The Roman Empire was powerful enough to conquer nations and control people’s lives, but it wasn’t powerful enough to convict people’s hearts and change people’s lives. Only the gospel can do that.
The gospel message is simple. God loved you. You are separated from Him by sin. God sent His Son Jesus to die for your sin. He was raised to life and offers you salvation through faith in Him. That message is so simple, a child can understand it. Yet, it is so profound, a scholar can study a lifetime and not plumb the depths of it. Paul had accepted the gospel and he was unashamed to acknowledge it and to proclaim it. Are you?

Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)


SATURDAY, January 8th

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (3 minutes) “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
(Romans 1:17)
Passage: Galatians 2:15-21

Faith. It is the key to living a victorious life. It is the essential element of being right with God. Faith had to be exercised in order to received Jesus as Lord and Savior. Faith has to be exercised in order to grow as a Christian. It has to be applied for you to be used by Christ each day. Faith that is solid rests upon the person of Jesus Christ and who He is. It hold on to the promises of God found in His Word. It is conscious of Christ’s presence in your life. Faith starts each day with an uplifted heart saying, “Jesus, this day is for you.”
Now, go out into your day by faith. Prepare yourself for Sunday worship by faith. Look at your problems by faith. Be kind to your neighbors by faith. Serve at your church and in your community by faith. Be a steward of your resources by faith. From start to finish in the Christian life, there’s only one effective way to live. By faith.

Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)















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Keeping short accounts... or keeping fessed up!

This is the pretty cross/car charm I have hanging in my car! This is what inspired this post!

"...forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us;..." Quoting the Lord's prayer, or the prayer which Jesus Christ taught to His disciples is part of the Rosary.
I have a pretty "Car Charm" that dangles and hangs from my rear view mirror in my car. It was given to me by my precious friend, Sandy, who is also a sister in Christ and just a fun friend I have a lot in common with! When Melissa was home recently she asked me if it was a Rosary! I chuckled and said, "No, it's a car charm, and it's a glass cross on a chain with a few beads as well.
Later, I mulled over in my mind Melissa's question. Is it a Rosary? I have several Catholic friends who are committed Christians and practicing Catholics. I remember rooming with my friend Jane, at the TSHA convention and she would keep her Rosary beads by her bedside and say her prayers silently at bedtime.

The more and more I thought about the specifics of the Rosary I thought how those practices really are a good habit. When praying through a Rosary you actually say the Lord's Prayer or "Our Father" three separate times. If you truly speak these words from your heart to God even just once, God hears. I appreciate that this facilitates helping one keep "fessed up" or keep short accounts of sin. Saying even just one Lord's prayer, sincerely, from your heart, and asking God to forgive your sins keeps your communication with Him open and right! It's like having ALL your cell phone bars on or your Internet up and running at the fastest speed possible! Oppositely, when you have UN CONFESSED SIN in your life, you don't have any bars! Your Internet is down and your communication lines with God are closed! The Holy Spirit is quenched inside you and you are in need of an "Our Father" to get your sins all confessed and forgiven! It is so simple and so true! It just works!

First John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

God has taught me so much the past 10 years about forgiveness. These lessons were painful but very productive and life changing. Is there anyone you are not forgiving? Are you harboring bitterness, anger, or hatred toward someone who has wronged you? Well, you aren't going to want to hear this but it is a command that you have to process your anger, then choose to let it go and forgive. Not condone or give in or even submit to something wrong, but forgive in your heart and let it go. This is not for them, it is for you and for your health. It is best for you if you can forgive, then the other person is no longer in control over you and your feelings. They still have to face consequences, make reparations etc but you are not allowing yourself to spiral into the dungeon of bitterness that eats you up and becomes a cancer like growth that makes you bitter and traps you into the pit of sin and harboring unforgiveness. Choose to forgive, let it go. Keep processing. They may not deserve it nor ask for it and you may or may not even tell them but in your heart and mind, find a way to process and work until you can forgive. You may have to write out a letter and then read it aloud to yourself and cry or scream. Do it. Process it. Go there. Stop letting it control you. Then tear up the letter or burn it as you consciously and verbally issue forgiveness and let it go. God doesn't forgive US if WE are not forgiving others. Go there. Work to it. You can do it with God's grace and strength. Forgiving others is a huge part of accepting forgiveness yourself. Forgiveness is very healing and cathartic. I promise!

"...forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us;..."

everyday, every hour, keep your sins confessed to God, keep your connection to him open and clear!