Hint to anyone that fills out the forms…Creat a  email address that you only use when filling out forms. This keeps your regular inbox filling up with more junk mail than you alread  get.

Here are some of the sites I really like…

Choyster Cash

Free Sample Freak

Budget Saving Mom

Deals Seeking Mom

And this woman just introduced me to Faithful Provisions

So what are you addicted to? Have any money saving/free sample blog sites you like?

Pastor Pete reminded me this morning why Cross Point is so different. We started a new series titled “Religion Lies.” Religions have begun to add to the equation of Salvation.

Jesus + (insert what you like here) = Salvation

For me I struggled with inserting smoking, drinking, tattoos, premarital sex, adultery, and the list goes on. Somewhere along the way in the church I was made to feel that people are horrible people if they fell in these categories. I thought these where horrible sins, sins worse than a little white lie. I was conditioned to think this at a very young age. I remember thinking bad about families I knew that had beer or wine in their house. It was hard for me to over come that and that I am not called judge or put them in the categories.

We have to remember the first Bible verse that we were taught.

“For God so Loved the World that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

No where in this verse does it say, “Whoever believes in him and doesn’t smoke, drink, have tattoos, commit adultery, ect shall not perish.” The equation is:

Jesus = Salvation

Also about today:

Cross Point launched their North Campus today. God has led me there to help lead in Kidz World under the guidance of Suzette Sanderfer and teach kindergarten and 1st grade class. It was amazing experience as I walked in today and reflected on the past 2 years there. I have been introduced to some great leaders of the church that have taken me under there wings and have helped me grow and have given me the opportunity to minister. With the church the size it is, I was afraid I might get lost in the crowd but they haven’t let that happen. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for Cross Point North in the upcoming weeks, months, and years. I pray that we don’t forget that “No One is Perfect, Everyone is Welcome, and Anything is Possible.”

I just realized I just missed Fallen Girl’s 1st Birthday. Her birthday was July 21st.  I am just a few days behind. I can’t tell you guys how much I have enjoyed this experience with everyone that has stopped by. I fail at time at writing but when I actually set down and write what is on my heart it feels so good.

Alot of things are changing right now for me and I’m trying to lean on God for guidance and understanding. I will try and keep you guys posted as much as I can though I ask that you pray for me.

41years go at a Dairy Queen in a small town in Kentucky two wonderful people crossed paths. One was looking at moving to the big city and another was a good ol’ country boy. They never dreamed of that July 4, 1968 to change their lives. There were many phone calls made from the telephone booth so parents, siblings, and nieces wouldn’t know who they were talking to, awkward moments meeting parents, and some wonderful memories made July 4, 1968 through June 7, 1969. 

If you haven’t figured this out yet who I’m talking about, these two wonderful people are my parents. I can’t go this 4th without saying how much it means to me that God placed them in the right places at the right time in both of their lives. Just last month they celebrated their 40th anniversary These past 41 years together have had speed bumps from death a child, passing of both sets of parents, and so many more.

Though, thru these tough times they have taught me what marriage means. They both gave 100% to each other and leaned on God to pull them through all their trails. Many couples would have given up once they hit just one of these speed bumps and would have never tried to face another one together. I am so thankful for what they have taught me and pray I can be a wonderful spouse one day.

As a single woman I wonder if I’m every going to meet my prince charming and where I will meet him. Will it be some romantic place that I can tell my kids how I looked across the candle light room and locked eyes with their dad? Or will I have a story like my parents where I was hot and sweaty one day and just went inside a restaurant to get something cool and refreshing? Sometimes I ponder on this too much but God reminds me that He is in control. I don’t need to worry about all the details but to just trust him.  God is preparing both of our heart so that when we are both ready we will be able to live happily (with speed bumps) on this earth together until God sees it is time to call us both home.

I can’t set here today and say I don’t wish God would hurry up any. I enjoy at times being single but I so long for the day to come home from a long hard day at work and cook a dinner for my husband, the day were we can set on the couch and not say a word to each other but just enjoy the moment, even running around busy with our heads cut off to make sure all the kids get to there practices. I do long for them times. God knows the desires of my heart and I have to rest assure that He will fulfill his promise.

If you are married how do did you meet your spouse? 

Anyone have advice on how to keep a marriage together and alive?

 Fibromyalgia, like many other chronic pain disorders can wreak havoc on and individual’s life. On the hot July morning all I remember was that was the end of my life. Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness that once you have it you will have to learn to live with it for the rest of you life. Those words still haunt me to this day “the rest of my life.” The more I read about what I would face in the coming months and years scared me. I got to the point as I had no energy or strength to set up in bed, more less move one muscle to get out, think why does God still have for me in this life on earth.

Days got dark and lonely as I began to lose touch with friends. Their life kept going and they began to graduate and start families. My life stood still and I didn’t know what shape I would be in the following day.

 I read an article just the other day that said one of the overlooked causes of this chronic condition is dysfunction in the nervous system. With this being said some of the symptoms are: Episodes of depression/anxiety, difficulty  scanning pages while reading -check, Difficulty adding or subtracting, difficulty expressing what you want to say – check – at times, difficulty understanding what others say to you – check, loss of short or long term memory, loss of sensation (numbness) – check, use to but not much any more, changes in handwriting – check, more irritable or angry, problems with balance – check, tripping or dropping things – CHECK (At this point I began to cry. Hint- Fallen Girl), and the list continues.

 God has healed my body, though there are still little things I do that I hold my breath because I know that it isn’t the normal Karen 9 years ago. I might laugh it off around people but deep down I start seeing it being the beginning of a horrible roller coaster ride all over again. I have to have faith that God has a plan and there is a reason he brought me through this and I am on the other side and trust he healed me for a reason.

 While I was participating in the Country Music ½ Marathon a couple a weeks ago every step on the course I was reminded that God was with me. I kept seeing images of me in a wheelchair just 5 years ago and in hospital beds not being able to move. It was my Great Physician that allowed me to finish the ½ Marathon strong and He was with me every step.

I thank my Lord for all he has brought me through and where he will lead me. My prayer today, on this Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, has been for this story and all the others who are suffering with FMS.

So in just 5 more days there will be over 35,000 people that will be crossing over Country Music Marathon Finish line.  As I will be one of the ones doing the 1/2 marathon that day for the 1st time I wanted to find out some interesting facts about Marathons.

The median times for U.S. marathoners in 2007 were 4:20 for men and 4:49 for women. In 1980, they were 3:32 and 4:03. The sport hasn’t become less competitive; it’s become more inclusive. In 1980, there were fewer charity runners, walk-run participants, and joggers. Runners of all ability levels are welcome at marathons today. And without a doubt, the sport as a whole is better for it.

ALL body types cross the finish line. You see absolutely EVERYTHING. The trend is now to do a marathon and just finish it (and this is the mind set I have as I line up Saturday and the Start line). That is the goal of the majority of the people running which is fantastic!

Here are some facts about a Full Marathon (26.2 miles)

• It is the same distance as running the length of a football field 460 times.
• A phrase that is used often between marathon runners, “Hitting the wall” which usually happens around the 20 mile mark.
• A runner will burn an average of 2600 calories during a marathon which equals; 4 Big Macs, 9 Chocolate filled creamed donuts, 1 large pizza with the works, or 26 bananas.  Which one of these will you be eating while I’m running? Don’t worry, I’ll be having pizza with my other running friends once I finish but I guess I can only eat a half of a pizza since I’m only doing a half.

Well today I stopped my my stats and noticed that the past two days I have had alot of peole stop by. And the search engine terms they used to find my blog “blows me out of the water” (there might be a little pun intended).

Take a look…

Search Engine Terms

These are terms people used to find your blog.

Today

Search	Views
whale	54
killer whale	24
killer whales	3
whale pictures	3
whale photos	2
whale pics	1
elmers glue	1
whale picture	1
whale photo	1

Yesterday

Search	Views
whale	17
killer whale	15
killer whales	3
pictures of killer whale	3
whale photo	2
picture of whale	1
fire pit	1

Is there something going on in the news the past 2 days about whales? Today I have 96 hits to my blog and 89 of them have to do with whales.

Thanks everyone that visited. Hope you enjoy and will stop by again.

Jes, Dinger, Rachel (non-blogger friend), and myself are taking off today to spend a much needed 5 day vacation at the beach. We have made this a semi-annual trip and is always a blast just hanging out with these guys.

This time we have a full agenda planned with Beach Olympic planned event. The Olympic games will be including, Karaoke, Dance Off, Sand Castle Building, Kite Flying, Track Ball Bowling, T-Shirt Designing and Card Games. Stay tuned throughout the next couple of days for Olympic updates.

Stop by here throughout the week also as you will be able to vote for the winner of some of these Olympic games.

Tennessee State Law: “You can’t shoot any game other than whales from a moving automobile.”

I haven’t seen one of these in the TN wild life in a long time. Nashville doesn’t even have one in captivity.

Women watch this video and let me know if you would actually buy a GoGirl.

Practice a time or two and it will become second nature? I don’t know if would ever become second nature for me or not.