Youth!

Youth Can Lead!

We had an awesome Youth Outreach service last night at Church. The gym was filled with about 300+ teenagers and young adults! It reminded me of our years of Youth Leaders....to be a youth leader you have to be called of God! We did it for 12+ years. We loved every minute of it and were able to share our lives with the teens in our youth group back then.

Last night I saw the same faces, the same worship, the same tears, the same cry for a closer relationship with the Lord. I saw kids crying out to the Lord. I saw kids coming to the altar looking for an answer and finding one so precious.

I saw girls holding each other and just weeping...tear stained faces that just need to be loved and understood. Girls that need to be guided ever so gently......that will one day be wives and mothers and leaders in this nation.

I saw boys and young men lifting their hands in worship and crying openly as they felt the presence of God. Boys and young men that will one day be husbands and fathers and leaders in this nation.

My heart swelled with joy as I saw over 100 kids give their lives to the Lord and/or recommitted their lives to the Lord.

I saw a Youth Pastor with a calling - our dear Pastor Jimn. There are not many out there with the same passion that I saw in him. The first time I met him, I felt a quickening in my spirit! I told my husband....this guy is going to be one of the great ones! I love his Passion! He preached our socks off last night!

The room was filled with electricity from the moment we walked in. Lights flickering everywhere, kids excited and walking around waiting for the service to begin. Several churches with different religious Christian backgrounds participated. We left denomination at the door and we all entered in one accord....ready to worship the one true God!

I prayed with a young girl of a mere 13 years old....she stood with a far away look about her. I felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit push me to stand behind her and pray for her. I whispered in her ear...."Your Father in Heaven truly Loves you".....I shared with her His love and she began to weep. We held each other for a lifetime it seemed. I felt her pain began to melt. I wrapped my arms around her and told her that God's arms were around the both of us at the moment. I felt a warmth envelop us and we both cried....She for all the pain she has endured in such a short lived life of 13....Me, for the priviledge of being used by the Holy Spirit in such a way!

Our Father is such a tender God. He truly hears our heart...He truly is involved in the details of our lives.

I am so in awe of all that took place last night at this Youth Rally that our church sponsored. Lives were changed! Young lives!

My heart is still in love with "Youth Ministry" its a calling that will never leave you!

Thank you Lord for your faithfulness once again!

Ruth

Why Greed?

Interesting that as you look at the news, tv, articles etc....we see more and more the greed in our society. Where did it come from? Why is so predominant in our world?

In my banking career I traveled to Mexico, Latin America and Europe. Clients were millionaires and their homes we visited were amazing! During my business trips I was able to view a whole new world, a world of money. I met the older generation of individuals that were born in a poor family and made their money by pure sweat and tears. These millionaires lived modestly....had ideals.....had morals.....most, in one way or another claimed to believe in God. I remember having breakfast with one of these individuals in Mexico City. We were ushered into his Penthouse. A beautiful magnificent view of the whole city. This couple at the time were in their 70's....they had just made this home purchase and still felt very awkward about its grandiosity. Seemed like they felt guilty of living in such lavish style.

I then began meeting the next generation of these millionaires......something was different...

these were brought up in rich homes....most had lost that simpleness that their parents still had. They had fancier cars....fancier homes.....our discussions were about fear of being kidnapped, fear of keeping up with the Jones' etc. A very different conversation. Very cold and very non-chalant. They were harder to work with and they could not trust anyone.

Something was lost from one generation to the next....

I worked for a company and an individual that claimed to be concerned and loyal to his clients and his employees. He professed to be a Christian. I remember offsite meetings where He would open in prayer in a room of about 50 - 75 Financial brokers. Everyone bowed their heads while He or his CFO prayed. Christianity was talked about openly in the halls....These top 3 executives came from Christian homes and attended church weekly....taught Sunday School, were on the board at their churches, etc...

He is now in jail and his company has been dissolved...all of it was a lie. A ponzi scheme! Talk about having discernment. I worked there for 1 year and all the while kept questioning things. Within 3 months of my employment there I started getting suspicious...everything was too good to be true. The plan - start a well exit plan in order to remove all potential harm for our clients that we brought with us. Thanks God! We did this in time!

I look back and I am so grateful to the Lord that he protected me in that whole mess!

So much greed! "He who is greedy is always in want".

The heartbreaking news is that when I skim through Christian TV...the greed is showing up there as well. All talk is about prosperity....for what? So that we can buy more things? Think about all the elderly that give and send their money gifts to these ministries all the while living in lack. This age group is bombarded with requests and they then feel an obligation to help out, because "that's what faith is all about"....that's what they are being told.

I have to reel myself in every now and then...how? I try to give out more than I give in...I don't ever want to be taken in by greed! I will fight it....I've seen too much of it!

I want to live my life in servitude. Please Lord help me accomplish this! I need more of you and less of me.....

I'm writing this because I've spent the morning looking at my old boss in handcuffs....He started off in a Christian home. He knows the Lord. Alot of the people there did. Somewhere down the road they got greedy.......they made a choice and it was the wrong one....

It could happen to you... to me... to anyone....

Ruth

More on how to dress over 40!

I found some great tips on this issue. I've been working on my arms and legs because thats all I'm a gonna be showing in the years to come.....HA!

Women over 40....lets get together and wow our world! Diane Saywer is a classy lady and one of my favorite!

Read and be moved:

Big Changes:

One of the most challenging fashion aspects for women over 40 is how to dress for the changes that are occuring.

"Our bodies are in transition. Our lifestyles are changing. We may be becoming empty nesters, divorcing, starting new jobs," said Gross.
"As your body is changing, so must your clothes," she said. You have to learn how to flatter your body without doing a style overhaul.

And even if you are in the best shape of your life -- she gives 50-something Oprah as an example -- your body is physiologically changing, from thinning hair to ruddier, duller skin.
The key to dealing with the changes and being your best is to refresh your look, said Gross, who is currently working on a book about style over 40.

"Shoes and bags are the quickest way to update your look," said Gross. Women over 40 need to learn how to adapt trends that will work for them, she said.
Most of all you need learn to not hang onto what worked before; undergo what Gross calls a "style evolution" and learn to dress for your new assets.

Fashion Sins for Over 40:

Gross said there are a few guidelines that will help you look your best:
Don't dress too young. "The worst thing you can do is to dress younger than you are," said Gross. "It makes you look older."

No miniskirts, regardless of how great your legs are, said this former model (who is thinking about making pillows out of her minis).

Skip baggy clothes and look for pieces that give you shape.
Don't think you can wear the same colors you did in your 20s (at least not against your face).
Don't pick colors from color charts; experiment by trying on different colors when you go shopping. "You'll know it when you see it instantly," she said.
"Trendy is no longer attractive," she said. "Don't worry about the trend of the moment." Instead, she suggested you find a print or a bold piece of jewelry and develop a signature look.

Fashion and Beauty Fixes:

Gravity takes its toll on women of a certain age, but Gross said fashion tricks can camouflage most of these problems:

Wrinkled neck - Stand-up or turn-up collars, according to Gross, are a great way to cover that area and bring focus to the face. She mentioned Candace Bergen in "Boston Legal" as a good example of making that look work for her.

Thick in the middle - Add jackets and pieces that will give you shape, she said.
Thinner hair- "Your hair has to suit you. Get a fresh cut," she said. She also said shorter hair gives more of a lift and the variety of new products can improve your hairstyle.
Focus on shoulders and legs - They are the slowest to age, she said. That doesn't mean wearing miniskirts, she said, but you can bring attention to legs with a knee-length skirt and sexy shoes.
Change in coloring - Gross reminded women to lighten up. One tip she got from a chic former fashion director was to always wear a bit of white close to the face. Soft colors -- pale pink, white, beige, ice blue -- bring light to the face, she said.

Get Started Looking Your Best:

Look at mature television and movie actresses you admire and emulate their look, said Gross.
Shop at stores that cater to stylish, mature women. Gross listed Chicos, Liz Claiborne, Giorgo Armani, St. John and Escada as a few of the manufacturers and designers who offer great selections for women over 40.

Don't be afraid to experiment. By the time you are 50 you have some sense of what your style is, she said. You probably have the basics down and now it's time to add pizzazz like adding bold glasses or wearing a collar turned up.

Recycle pieces from your closet (with caution). Gross said that some trends can come back and you can revisit them with a twist. She says chain belts are a good example. But she said the classics -- trench coats, Pucci prints, leopard prints -- are the best pieces to keep pulling out.

Article by Cynthia Nellis

Now we know what to do but most importantly what NOT to do! YEAH! I will have more on this soon....

Ruth

Jenny Sanford!

I just read a good article...This woman Jenny is such an inspiration to how Women should react to an unfaithful husband.

Here is an exerpt:

I think”—she chooses her words carefully—“my husband has got some issues that he needs to work on, about happiness and what happiness means. You wish it wouldn’t come to a crisis like this, but I think when a lot of men get to this midpoint in life, they start asking questions that they probably should have asked a long time ago.” A former investment banker and a stay-at-home, full-time mother, Sanford doesn’t share her husband’s angst. “Midlife aging is different for men than for women,” she says. “Mark is worried about what his next job is. He worries about making money, running for office again, his legacy. I know my legacy is my children. I don’t worry about that.”

She is married to the Governor of South Carolina. Her husband admitted to an affair. She has handled this so gracefully...

I like her words above where she said "a lot of men start asking questions that they probably should have asked a long time ago". I SO AGREE WITH THIS!

Ladies ask your spouse questions about you, about his feelings, about your marriage! Don't take anything for granted. Part of having a successful marriage is trying to anticipate before the bomb drops. Having a feeling and not ignoring it....be bold in your marriage. If there is something you are not quite sure of bring it out in the open. Ask questions!!!!!!! Make your spouse talk to you about his feelings.

Read the whole article...it really is interesting. I've linked it here:

http://www.style.com/vogue/feature/2009/08/jenny-sanford/

Ruth

Sons

If you do for one you have to do for the other as well....That has been our motto in raising our son and daughter. I don't know how parents do it when they have more than one girl and more than one son. Quite frankly I'm glad we just had one of each because I can truly say.....

My daughter is my favorite daughter and my son is my favorite son.

Chris has always been my protector. He has always felt in his heart since he was a child that this was his role as my son. He takes up his sword just as his father takes up his sword when it comes to me. Don't cross either one of them when their sword of protection is up because there is no telling what they would do to shield me....

Chris has a very tender heart....and he covers it up with walls to protect it. He loves deeply and he is very loyal. He has a great sense of humor and he can make me laugh til i pee....ooops! Chris probably looks more like me but his personality is all like his dad. That's why I don't worry about him much anymore because God showed me that he would grow up to be like his Dad. So, I have every confidence that he will be a great husband and dad when the time comes. But most importantly he will love the Lord just like his Dad does because they are very similar in their hearts.

Chris is also a gifted singer and he is learning to play the guitar....His passion is music and sound. We prayed for a long time that he would be a part of our church because I knew that the men in our church would be great influences in his life. I love that men like Pastor Randy, Garry, Tom, Rodney, Ron, Rex, Howard, Greg, Michael R. are surrounding him. Recently he went to a men's prayer breakfast with Harold and when he came home he mentioned to me all the men that were there that he thought were cool....those that I have mentioned above....

Chris is in college and earning a teaching degree. He wants to be a history teacher.

One thing...I must say, as a mother we are all very protective of our children...so if you mess with my child your gonna have to deal with me and it won't be pretty... and all the mothers said? "AMEN".

Pray for your children because they are a great gift from God! Love them, encourage them, enjoy them....

Ruth

Daughters

Today I'd like to introduce you all to my lovely daughter.

She is amazing, beautiful and a combination of both her father and mother.

I look at her life and see alot of me in her. I look at her...and see her dad. She resembles Harold when you look at her.

Andrea is 27 years old. I cannot believe my firstborn is this old. Where did the years go... I remember her as a little girl and she was very quiet and thoughful. Very strong willed and at an early age, like so many little girls, showed her desire to be a Mom.

She is a high school teacher by trade although now retired to be a stay at home Mom! I'm so proud of her and so happy that she chose to do this no matter the cost.

She knew at age 9 who her husband would be (God had told her and she pointed him out to me at church one Sunday morning) and she told me this....He is the one she married.

She loves the Lord and seeks HIM everyday. She is gifted in so many ways, she can actually sew.....I've seen her work and she is awesome! She just picked this up and is already a pro. She certainly doesn't get this from me. Til this day I won't live down the fact that when I was pregnant with her I made the attempt to sew a couple of Care Bears. You know, the kind that you just had to cut out on the dotted line and then turn inside out to sew the stitching and then leave a little hole after you turn it right side out and fill with cotton or feather like stuffing to make a pillow? (Whew! that was a mouthful!) I made a blue one and a pink one. To this day my kiddos make fun of me because they were awful. All lumpy and the stitching was all crooked.

She has a beautiful voice and I think she should sing more often in church! She doesn't know it yet but God willing I want to have a 30th anniversary party next year and she will be singing!

Andrea is most importantly a great wife and mother. I watch her with her babies and she cares for them with such tenderness and love. I hope this comes from me...I hope she can somehow remember how deeply I cared for both of them, I mean actually have some memories that she can go to when she was a little tot. Regrets...sure... we mom's always have regrets because we lived the moment not always with the future in mind. But huge regrets?...thank God I don't. My kids were and still mean the world to me. There is nothing or no one beside their father that I love most in this life!

Mothers and Daughters have a special bond. The bond is motherhood! She is strong and level headed...like me!

My baby girl grew up to be an awesome Woman of Faith in Christ! She continues to transcend me in so many areas....that makes me so happy! I love her so!

next....Sons!