This stained glass window is in Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Collinsville, IL. It is such a great visual of John 10 where Jesus speaks of being the Good Shepherd Who knows His sheep, leads His sheep, and lays down His life for His sheep. It is such a comfort to look up at that window and know I am one of Jesus’ sheep. 
This is the Signature dessert of The Tap Room in St. Louis. It is a very moist, dense cake served with warm caramel sauce and whipped cream. Delicious!
Chris got me into this place located in the wonderful city of St. Louis. For an appetizer, the pretzel sticks with the white cheddar dipping sauce are awesome. They have great sandwiches like the roast beef or the wiener schnitzel. And for dessert, I highly recommend the sticky toffee pudding.
“Now examine further the effectiveness and benefits that really caused the Sacrament to be instituted. This is its most necessary part, so that we may know what we should seek and gain there. This is plain and clear from the words just mentioned, ‘This is My body and blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.’ Briefly, that is like saying, ‘For this reason we go to the Sacrament: there we receive such a treasure by and in which we gain forgiveness of sins.’ ‘Why so?’ Because the words stand here and give us this. Therefore, Christ asks me to eat and drink, so that this treasure may be my own and may benefit me as a sure pledge and token. In fact, it is the very same treasure that is appointed for me against my sins, death, and every disaster.’
This may not be as well known as some other DMB songs, but I really like it. I think it’s great musically, and it makes for a good theme song for life—sometimes we just have to make the best of what’s around.
“…one sees what a great, excellent thing Baptism is. It delivers us from the devil’s jaws and makes us God’s own. It suppresses and takes away sin and then daily strengthens the new man. It is working and always continues working until we pass from this estate of misery to eternal glory.
This book tells the true story of how Corrie ten Boom and her family risked their lives to help Jews escape from the Nazis. She and her family were Christians, and this book shows how that faith sustained Corrie, even as she endured the concentration camp. It is awesome to read how she was able to forgive the people who had tormented her and so many others. This was a woman who knew God’s love and forgiveness, and lived her faith.
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.This is such an important passage since it reminds us we can do NOTHING to earn our salvation. We are saved by grace alone. And our faith is a gift from God. By our nature we are hostile to God and would not come to him. But thanks be to God that He gives us faith. I am so thankful everything depends on Him, and nothing depends on me.
There is so much I could say about Disney World. It truly is a magical place. Going there is escaping reality for awhile which is nice. I love everything about it—the characters, the rides, the parades, the fireworks, just the atmosphere of it. Each park offers a unique experience. Magic Kingdom has some great rides like It’s a Small World, and Haunted Mansion, and fun shows like Country Bear Jamboree. Epcot has the great international pavilion. I love being able to get a glimpse of 11 different countries. And the fireworks/laser show there is amazing. Soarin’ was an awesome ride too. MGM is fun for me since I used to study film. I like the Great Movie Ride, and enjoy the drop on Tower of Terror. And Animal Kingdom with its safari and The Lion King show is lots of fun. Downtown Disney is cool too with all the shops and restaurants.
I remember when I was little going shopping with my mom, and today we still enjoy our shopping trips. We always have fun together, and we seem to always have something comical happen or have some adventure. I love going to the mall, and also stores that are unique in nature, whether it be a grocery store like Trader Joe’s or a store that sells collectibles like Coca-Cola stuff or movie/TV memorabilia or a store that sells all games and puzzles. I also enjoy trips to Target or Wal-Mart occasionally, and I love bookstores. And I love stores at Christmas time, with all the decorations and fun Christmas stuff they have. Shopping is a fun activity to do with my mom or a friend because we can chat while looking at stuff. Sometimes my mom and I have had quests going from store to store looking for a particular collectible item. A good quest is fun once in awhile. Though I like to buy myself something occasionally, I also love buying gifts for others. I love finding something I know a person I care about will like.
This was a really cute movie about a brilliant chef who ends up raising her niece and develops feelings for her sous-chef whom she initially dislikes. I thought Catherine Zeta-Jones was great, and she plays the kind of character I like to write—someone who puts up walls and is afraid to trust, but eventually learns it’s good to let people in. I would have gone a little deeper with some of the stuff, but I thought the movie was quite enjoyable and touching too.
A prayer of David.
I have loved cucumbers since I was a kid. I remember when I was little, there was a restaurant my parents and I used to go to a lot, so the owner would sometimes come and talk to us. When he found out I liked cucumbers, he would sometimes bring a plate of cucumbers for me. And I still like them with dip or on a salad, or on veggie sandwiches or even on a hot dog sometimes. And cucumber salads, especially with sour cream, onion, and sugar are delicious.
I love Barnes & Nobles for the same reason I love Borders—they have so many things I love—books, CDs, movies, magazines, coffee, etc. A lot of people have a preference between Borders and Barnes & Noble, but I don’t think I really do. I love both stores, and shop at both. And it’s nice because if one store doesn’t have a specific thing I’m looking for, I’ll just go to the other one. Barnes & Noble is a store I can spend a lot of time in; I always find plenty to look at.
I love books. I love music. I love movies. I love coffee. So a store like Borders is incredibly awesome. I actually get overwhelmed sometimes when I’m in there (but in a good way) because there is so much stuff in there I am interested in and want to look at. I can easily spend hours in a store like Borders. I can also easily spend a lot of money there! Borders is a very happy place! 
“But because He is God, He also claims the honor of giving much more and more abundantly than anyone can understand (Ephesians 3:20). He is like an eternal, unfailing fountain. The more it pours forth and overflows, the more it continues to give. God desires nothing more seriously from us than that we ask Him for much and great things. In fact, He is angry if we do not ask and pray confidently (Hebrews 4:16).”
Trader Joe’s is a grocery store, but is unique. They have brands and food items you can’t find in your typical grocery store. I like some of the ethnic foods they have there. I love the guaca-salsa they have there, and I love to try different wines. When looking for cheap wine (that is good), you can’t really beat Charles Shaw wine that they sell (or “3 buck chuck” as it is often called). It is always a treat to go there and find new things to try. And the prices are VERY reasonable.
This was the first album the Crash Test Dummies did. This group was popular in the 90s, and the lead singer has a very unique voice. My favorite songs on this album, “Comin’ Back Soon (The Bereft Man’s Song),” “Thick-Necked Man,” “Here on Earth (I’ll Have My Cake),” and “At My Funeral,” were not hit singles, but they are my favorite from this album. I used to say some of this music was my “angry music,” that I’d play it when I was in a bad mood, particularly “Thick-Necked Man.” But it doesn’t mean I ONLY listen to this music when I’m angry or in a bad mood. Some of the songs are fun, and some ponder the deep stuff people contemplate having to do with death and relationships. 
This is a revolving restaurant located on the 28th floor of the Millennium Hotel in St. Louis. It’s weird at first moving, but the movement is very slow and you get a great panoramic view of the city and the Arch. It’s gorgeous at night looking out over all the lights. The food is great—wonderful appetizers like the mushrooms or crabcakes. Great lobster bisque. And the Tuttomare is great for an entre. And an incredible dessert cart! Awesome place for the food and the atmosphere!
Petra rocks it! There are so many great songs on this CD including “King of Kings,” “Salvation Belongs to Our God,” “The King of Glory Shall Come In,” “No Weapon Formed Against Us,” “I Will Celebrate,” “I Will Sing Praise,” “I Will Call Upon the Lord,” etc. It’s a great album to listen to.
12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
As if Oreos themselves aren’t good enough, they then come out with milk chocolate covered Oreos. Awesome! I especially like the milk chocolate covered mint Oreos, and also like peanut butter crème Oreos covered with milk chocolate. 
“For when we had been created by God the Father and had received from Him all kinds of good, the devil came and led us into disobedience, sin, death, and all evil (Genesis 3). So we fell under God’s wrath and displeasure and were doomed to eternal damnation, just as we had merited and deserved. There was no counsel, help, or comfort until this only and eternal Son of God—in His immeasurable goodness—had compassion upon our misery and wretchedness. He came from heaven to help us (John 1:9). So those tyrants and jailers are all expelled now. In their place has come Jesus Christ, Lord of life, righteousness and every blessing, and salvation. He has delivered us poor, lost people from hell’s jaws, has won us, has made us free (Romans 8:1-2), and has brought us again into the Father’s favor and grace. He has taken us as His own property under His shelter and protection (Psalm 61:3-4) so that He may govern us by His righteousness, wisdom, power, life and blessedness.
Praise to God for a Living Hope
I was pretty little when this show first aired, but when I was in junior high, I really got into watching reruns of Eight is Enough. I think for me being an only child, this show about a large family was fascinating. I loved watching the sibling interactions and seeing how the family dealt with different challenges, tragedies, conflicts with each other etc. Some of it may be a little hokey when you watch it now, but it’s one of those shows that gives me a happy feeling when I watch it because I watched it as a kid and enjoyed it so much. It’s too bad so many of the actors/actresses struggled with drugs and alcohol, but some of them became Christians (Grant Goodeve and Willie Aames “Bibleman”) and their lives turned around.
“Wherever we escape from disaster or danger, we ought to remember that it is God who gives and does all these things. In these escapes we sense and see His fatherly heart and His surpassing love toward us (Exodus 34:6). In this way the heart would be warmed and kindled to be thankful, and to use all such good things to honor and praise God…
This soundtrack consists of mostly instrumental pieces, which in large part are performed by Kenny G. I like writing with this soundtrack on in the background. 
This third Bourne movie is the most suspenseful yet. Lots of great chase sequences, and scenes of Bourne eluding people as he finally really pieces together what happened to him and finds out what the CIA program he got drawn into was all about.
Eddie Bauer has become my favorite clothing store. I love the dress shirts there, and I especially love that they are wrinkle resistant since I hate ironing so much! The clothes can be a little pricey, so I look for things on clearance, or ask for gift cards for the store for Christmas or my birthday.
People blog for all different reasons. I have blogged to keep a journal for myself about what was happening at a particular my life and to update people on what’s happening in my life. This particular blog was inspired by my boyfriend Chris who has a similar type blog. This is a great way to celebrate all the blessings God gives. As I make all these entries I am thankful for the many many ways God blesses us and makes life interesting for us. And I hope it’s fun for the people who happen to read this blog to see this stuff, maybe be exposed to some new stuff or be reminded themselves of all the blessings they have.
More Than Conquerors 
This is a great sequel to The Bourne Identity. When his girlfriend is killed, and he is framed for something, Jason gets in touch with the CIA and starts to remember more of his past and what he’s done for the CIA. Lots of suspense. 
I love this Greek food. Meat (lamb usually, but could be another kind of meat) with onions, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce (yogurt cucumber sauce) served on pita bread. It's so good!
