Saturday, April 23, 2011

Easter

Happy Easter!

i am so thankful for what God has allowed over 2,000 years ago. He offered up His one and only Son for the world. every event from scripture has been flooding through my mind this past week and it has been very hard to pen my thoughts (well, type them out!!).

i hope i can do it better today.

this italian is allowed to be a part of God's family. He has saved, healed, delivered, preserved, renewed, washed, protected, disciplined, forgiven, taught, and loved me... M E ~ i am thankful!

triumphal entry; temple cleansed; signs & wonders & lots of questions; teachings; Mary anoints Jesus; betrayal plot; passover preparations & celebration; beginning of Lord's supper; denial prediction; the garden ~ Jesus praying; betrayal executed; the arrest; the trials; 3 denials; 1 freed; the beatings; the cross; the death; the sky & veil & graves opened; the burial; the resurrection; an empty tomb; His appearances; the great commission; and His ascension!

last night we watched "The Prince of Egypt" as a family.  and i got a better appreciation for why God had His people retell this Exodus Story to their children every year. He sent His deliverer and he was a foreshadow of The Deliverer ~ The Prince of Peace. i have known this portion of scripture for 23 years and it still amazes me how fresh God can make it and the wonder full things He reveals!!

sisters it is vital to recall to mind all that the Lord has done for you as a person and what He has done for mankind. we must share this with our children as well. in all your celebrating take some time for remembering and thanking.

you are loved with an everlasting love ~ Laurie Kay

Thursday, March 31, 2011

extreme saving

saturday i went to an extreme coupon class & i was wicked excited about it and have been talking non-stop to anyone/everyone  i see!!

o my gravy!!! where to begin??

ok...so, this class was a total God-given gift to me ~ i said to myself one day last week "there has to be a way for me to save more money on our food" see ~ i want to make home improvements n such, but i don't want to go over in my budget.

i read many books & followed many websites, but i needed to see with my own eyes "live examples". i am a visual learner. i know i'm not stupid ~ i had all A+'s throughout my school career ~ so why couldn't i save more money a month on our food & household items??

well, just like Daddy ~ 2 days later my girlfriend MR posts on fb about the class. {gLoRy B 2 GoD!} i didn't blink or ask my man if i could go. i just responded count me in & can we carpool?? then, i went and told my hubby about it and "officially" asked. i believe in submitting to my husband like it says in ephesians 5:22 & colossians 3:18 ~ so if he needed me to be home for anything, i would have backed out. well, PrAiSe GoD!!! my hubby likes to save money.

so i went.

andria alexander was her name and simply frugal living is her aim!!   on that you can quote me! dude she knows her stuff. i was on the edge of my seat listening/laughing/learning & getting diZZy!!! o my stars ~ she covered everything you need to know to shop financially smarter. "every" thing!!

i have a new best friend & a stalker i will be *kidding ~ on the stalking* i spent almost 2 hours with her this morning and i gotta tell you ~ she has a heart to save you money all for the glory to God. she has a heart for women. and she loves Jesus & o, i love that!!!!

sistas ~ she is organized, knowledgeable, patient, & compassionate ~ must i go on here!!??!!

r u interested or curious yet???

then go check out her site ~ simplyfrugalliving.com ~ it is jam packed {like how you have to properly measure brown sugar~ that kind of packed}. there are sooo many common sense-frugal-simple tips for living. and let me tell you ~ not living like a beggar but living well or as she says "extravagantly"! o & she is also on fb. so go on there and "like" simply frugal living

she will be having more classes & trust me, you will want to be there. i will keep you posted here and on fb about dates & times.

happy extreme saving & God bless you sistas ~ laurie kay
ps ~ i learned soo much that to start writing what i learned i would end up writing you all a book. sooo, hope i didn't disappoint ya & if i did ~ hugs to you & i'm sorry 

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

me ~ a bouncer & about today

o my gravy, i have been so excited to share with you what i have been up to the past few days ~ today i am going to talk about my rockin' friday night & today!!

*friday night ~ i volunteered at the SHE event at my home church ~ rebecca st james; evie tornquist; & rebecca's brothers ~ joel & luke were our entertainment for the evening

my job was to be the "bouncer" of the good seats ~ o my gravy! i was pumped ~ bring it, bring it!! *kidding*

OK, let me start with a funny thing {well, to me at least} ~ the good seats were called the "gold seats" and the tickets for that section were pink. the "general seats" had purple tickets ~ i thought that was comical & so, i threw my head back and laughed loudly "hahaha!!" for simplicity, i think we should have called them pink seats & purple seats ~ but that's just my cRaZy idea!!

there were at least 20 ladies that i had to "bounce out" of the good section because they had "general seats". some were gracious & some not ~ hopefully they knew it wasn't personal, but, that i was just doing my job {God bless you dear ladies!} i think we needed more signage ~ i don't think that they were "stealing" seats ~ but, if they were, they got bounced!! i did what i was told to do ~ do i get a star sticker or smiley faced sticker for that????? nah ~ they gave me a few pieces of chocolate ~ divine reward indeed!!!

next, a few women came late {a lot actually, but i didn't count} ~ poor things got stuck in construction traffic! {can you believe that there would be construction traffic that would cause delays in the 'burgh??} well, they were very upset that there was no seat available for them in my "gold seats"  ~ see, we were told {by the ticket powers that be} that we should allow for x amount of seats in the "gold seats" section and they {the blessed ticket powers that be} said they sold x amount plus some ~ yikes!!

also, the seats/tickets weren't marked {like: Row 4 Seat 4} so, ladies sat as close to the front as possible & as close to the other dear ladies as i instructed them ~ see, i had a feeling that we would have some late comers and i didn't want too many people being disturbed by having someone step over them. who likes that??!!??

well, even with our very good planning {tx AB, LY, TB} i still had quite a few women yell at me that there was no where for them and the ladies in their party to sit. they were mAd. now, dude, i don't want to separate a mom and a daughter at an event that is for moms with their daughters!!! totally not groovy, right!!??!! so, i understood their plight and took action!

guess what happened??!!??

i bet you can't ~ i grabbed a mic and jumped up on the platform steps and gave a hello shout out and please in the name of our dear sweet Jesus can you shift your seats!! see, some rows had one seat on the one end and one seat on the other that were each empty ~ and as graciously as i could i asked them to shift down to help the sistas out ~ and they did ~ great job ladies!!! 'burgh hospitality at work!

 OK, so there still wasn't enough seats {remember the plus from above??} i had to move seats around. o baby, i was rockin' n a rollin' alright and in my sparkly high heels ~ 4 penny-sized blisters later and i am still smiling about the night!! i grabbed loose "general seats" and put them into the "gold seats" section.

*a funny* i was movin' around the seats and a dear older lady helped me and i "thanked her soo much for offering to help serve these other women" and she said ~ o, hunny no problem! well, insert foot into mouth ~ it was none other than evie!! i am so sorry to say, i didn't know who she was ~ she just laughed about that when i "officially" met her at the end of the night!! she rocks!!!

so, yeah, there i am ~ multi-award-winning artist rockin' on the stage n me movin' around chairs!! but hey, i drug some over and made room. everyone had their seats. tickets were not seat numbered so some rows had odd amounts of people in them. but hey, when we come as a group we are going to stay together ~ i totally get that and so did the gals who needed a seat. it became ~ all good.

*serious note* i got yelled at about this ~ apparently i made a few fire hazard moves. the isles got smaller. i thought it was the lesser of 2 evils ~ because the worst would have been to ask the "general seat" ladies to move back even further. i am sorry for making a few fire hazard moves. they paid for the "gold seats" i felt inclined to give them to them & never thought i was endangering someone ~ again, i am so very sorry.

Dear Jesus, i thank you that we didn't have a fire or another emergency that night. thank you for your protection ~ Amen!!

at the end of the night, i helped to clean up the sanctuary & the foyer. then the autograph lines went down and i went over to meet rebecca & evie. evie remembered me ~ i guess that is groovy :o) and i asked them each to sign my bible. they said yes, and i opened to the almost empty page and they each said "ruth graham signed your bible!!" and i said "the daughter". and they giggled. ~ i spoke to them separately as there were 2 autograph lines ~ one for each woman ~ so, i thought it was really funny that they each said the same thing and then giggled!!!

when i met ruth at our church years ago we hung out before her talk and after. she was so inspiring and at the end of the day, i confessed to her that prior to that day i had no idea who she was and she thought that was comical. i told her about how much i was blessed by her mom's writings and then she called herself ruth graham "the daughter". so that is what i lovingly call her. still moved & motivated by that sweet sister & i can say "the daughter" rocks too!!

so, those are my funnies about friday night ~ it was so great to see my sistas out in numbers fellowshipping and praising our God!!

*today ~ i was supposed to exercise with AK ~ but her lil one was ill-ish ~ so, we did it together alone! so, i spent the morning exercising, cooking lunch and baked a few cookies for the kiddos. then i blogged to you. tonight: family time ~ sign on door will read ~ do not disturb unless you need us ~ cuz we are chillin'!! *kidding ~ again*

God bless you sistas ~ i hope you have a great day ~ laurie kay

Friday, March 25, 2011

wandering mind interrupted

 i was at bible study the other week...we were doing priscilla shirer's ~ discerning the voice of God ~ we just had our small group time and went into our large group - watching the dvd time...we settled in and priscilla started teaching...about 10 min later my mind wandered!!

i was thinking about nothing ~ no-thing ~ and yet i wasn't hearing her. so being the good christian girl that i am...i started to yell at myself in my head ~ hey, you better pay attention young lady...this is important stuff here...it's God's Word...we take this very seriously...get one solid truth from this lesson and walk in it. God wants to talk to you laurie kay!!

BOOM ~ thunder n lightning baby!!

priscilla's next words were something like this - as she looked directly into the camera-  there are some of you out there who are in ministry and you are thinking you should just stop because the numbers are so low...it seems to you that this really isn't what God wants you to be doing...and then she went on teaching...i looked around like - did that really just happen here!!??!!

i was in shock

her point in the study was that when it seems like we are in "desert times" we need to keep doing what we are doing because God is equipping us with dedication. He wants me to be dedicated to Him...His plan...His destiny for me. He will lead me to what i can not see...then she shared with us the scripture below and i felt Him say to me...go back out there again!

 Luke 5:4-6 (nkjv) When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.

so what does that have to do with me...or thunder or lightening you may ask??? well, just a few weeks prior i was thinking those exact words about namesake ministries. now, i have always said that i didn't care about the numbers...so why is it that everyone around me judges success by numbers...people would ask how an event went - i would answer - and then they would say - so how many people showed up?? and no matter the number i gave their response was always - o, maybe it will be better next time.

f r u s t r a t i o n ~ from the people n their words

great "c o m f o r t" in my interruption

i always said - i have a lot to learn and am thankful to be learning what i am now while i am young - that i should not despise humble beginnings - this is a time of growth for me and the ministry

i needed to hear that word spoken in due season from her bcuz it WAS due season indeed!

so, no matter the numbers - i will do what i feel Daddy wants me to do - may i live dedicated to Him!

i am so glad this girl was interrupted
grace & peace ~ laurie kay

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Where in the world has LK been??

i haven't blogged since january 1st of this year...yikes...not groovy at all.

i have been too preoccupied with life to get on here and chat about it...and i had a few gals ask me on facebook why aren't you bloggin'??

well, cuz i've been facebookin'!

actually, i haven't done much of either lately. i have been writing more tho ~ bible studies and "real book" kinds of stuff.

let me be honest...blogging has seemed like a chore...i was told i should do it...then i thought that it needed to be "formally" done as if it was going to be critiqued or something. that doesn't make me want to write anything.

so, i have decided if i'm going to blog...i'm doing it my way...no formal english/grammar rules applying here...just what is on my mind n heart & then just how i feel like writing it at the time!

so that is where i've been...here but not "here".

**i also want to say...i have many dear sistas who read this blog and they are english/grammar guru's...i know these things may bug you "big time"...i am so sorry...i need to write it how i feel it and not worry about formality...please excuse my "weirdness" and read as if you are talking to me face to face over a cup of warm java and we are enjoying each others company immensely and don't want to leave...that is how i want to write to you...i love you my brilliant & beautiful & blessed sistas of mine!!

grace 2 u and peace from our God & Father and our dear Lord Jesus Christ 
love u ~ laurie kay

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy New Year

It's a new year. Are you excited? Are you dreading it? Or...does it feel like "just" another day?

I am very excited. There is something about a fresh calendar that reminds me that God makes all things new ~ Rev 21:5.

I have some big goals for this year, well, improvements that I would like to make ~ be healthier physically & spiritually; be a better mom; be a better wife; be a better friend. As for the rest of life, I pray God gives me wisdom for each thing as it comes up and discernment & then strength to walk in it!

I pray you all have a healthy & happy new year in Him!!
Laurie Kay

Merry Christmas ~ Day 31

December 31

Please read today’s scriptures out loud. I inserted the Old Testament scriptures for you to go back and read.

Matthew 2:13-23 (NKJV) Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” (Hosea 11:1) Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: “ A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15) Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Jesus is the fulfillment of all the law and prophets (See John 1:45; Acts 28:33; Matthew 5:17). Our amazing God became Man to save, rescue, heal, deliver, preserve and help you and me. This makes me so thankful ~ stop right now and thank Him for all He has done for you.

Tonight is New Year’s Eve ~ a time of celebration. Many people tell their loved ones, “If you are going out tonight, please, be safe.” Did you see the great lengths God went to to provide safety for His Son? He knew what was going to happen when His Son came into the world. He knew all this before the foundation of the world and He planned out every detail then ~ none of this is a “Plan B”. (See 1 Peter 1:20) He told the prophets.

In dreams He warned Joseph (Three times in this section of scripture) about what they needed to do right when they needed to do it. Our God is great and greatly to be praised!

Let this New Year be a year of seeking God’s wisdom and direction for you and your family. Then walk in it, praising and thanking Him every step of the way.

He will lead you and guide you into all truth and make known to you the way you should go ~ because He loves you so much!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year ~ Laurie Kay