Wherever You Go, There You Are

Yeah, this post has been a long time coming. Yeah, this post should have happened over a year ago. Yeah, I'm still ridiculously sporadic in my posting.

And that's me. Love me or leave me.

I'm not even going to offer the routine apology for my another extended absence. If you follow me, you ought to be used to my wanton desire to write but lack of actual writing. All the same, thanks for stopping in again.

Of course I'm posting because I'm back at it again. Back at working hard to lose weight. I've read a lot of success stories by truly inspiring people and I've organized my food/exercise time for (hopefully) optimum success for myself. Another major catalyst is that my life right now is very different than it ever has been before. Let me explain briefly, if mainly to encourage myself a little about why I am where I am...

In October of 2012, Z & I decided that we were going to move closer to my fam. Yes, we both had great jobs & I was on the path of a very successful career but we also both knew that there was more to life than work. At first, he had to convince me but thanks to some revealing events at work (read: a dictator boss) and personal reflection, I was able to accept that the time had come to move on. So on November 30, 2012, we quit our jobs, packed up our things, and made the long drive from TX to NC. (One of the weirdest feelings ever, knowing I was driving that stretch of I-20 but wouldn't be returning within the week-our typical trip.)

So we did what any excited 20-something year old couple seeking adventure would do, we moved in with my parents. Wow, what a difference 10 years makes (it's been that long since I've lived within 100 miles of my parents, much less 100 feet of them). Really though, they've been so gracious & giving toward us as we figure out where we are headed and I can tell you right now, the extra time spent with my nephew, H has more than paid off any personality clashes while living with the 'rents.

And that's where we are right now-'figuring out where we are headed'. I honestly have no clue what that means. We've interviewed for a youth pastor position at a church a couple of hours away but both of us had bad vibes on that so it's a no go. Z met the brother of a family friend at the church we attended last Sunday and we really enjoy it there. They don't have a youth pastor but also don't have the $ to pay one so who knows, we may end up volunteering some there.

What I do know for now is that this is the ONLY period of my life I can remember that I have had enough time (because, you know, working and making money is so overrated) to really work on myself. I want to make the most of this in every way possible-especially since the first 2 months literally flew by and now it's already February. Come join me for this (hopefully) wild, (at times very) sarcastic, but (inevitably) hilarious adventure of life-one step at a time.

The 1st Step

It's been a while, huh? I'm not even going to try to make up for my absence nor recap my life over the past 11 months. I will just provide a few details about life as I now know it and then explain my reason for reappearance.

Life is good for Z & I. We're still in TX and I'm at the same charter school I've been at for about 1.5 years now. The only difference? Z works there now too. Actually, he's about 10 feet from me all day-we share a desk. While I'm still handling all things front office related (i.e. enrollment, school lunch program, parent requests, teacher requests, admin assistant-ish things), he's taking care of all things PEIMS (state reports) and is the attendance officer as well as assistant IT guy. He's been there since August and while I won't go into all the details, it really has been a blessing. We now both know what it's like to work in such a great environment with amazing (unwritten) benefits and under decent leadership. And our school is the first iSchool in Texas-check out ischoolcampus.org and cumberlandacademy.com (which will be new and improved very soon) for more details.

We are starting to be more faithful and get more involved in church after a brief hiatus for personal reasons.  God is really beginning to stir our hearts in different areas and we're looking forward to what the future holds. There's also a new member of our family:

Meet Oscar. He's our 4 month old Yorkie that Z surprised me with for Valentine's day this year. We had fallen in love with the yorkie that some of our friends have and I had puppy fever. I figure, better a dog than a kid. Oscar is learning to use puppy pads and is a playful little guy even if he is the quietest. dog. ever. No barking or whining at his first vet visit (which included shots) and he's super laid back and loves to cuddle. (Z says he got the perfect dog for me-we love cuddling...see below.)

Now for the reason I'm back to blogging (and hopefully not making this entirely too long).

A few months ago, I really got my booty into gear with working out and eating healthier. Z & I were hitting the gym 5+ days a week and on Weight Watchers, I was doing great at keeping track of what I ate. I lost 12 pounds in 6 weeks and was feeling good. Until I got sick. And then, I used my sickness as an excuse. And have been even to this day.

I'm tired of the excuses and ridiculous reasons I come up with about not being able to eat right or not going to the gym. So this time, I'm becoming accountable. To you. But more importantly, to myself. I know I don't have many readers and I may never have more than my mom and my husband. But I figure if I at least start writing about my journey to healthiness, I can be aware of the person I am, the person I'm becoming and the decisions I make.

With these newest posts, I plan to have weigh-ins, post pictures, write reflections and summaries of how I'm spending my days and what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. I want to have some memories of my current life and be able to really see the transformation taking place-what better way to keep up with all of those things than the written word.

For the record, my heaviest weight was somewhere around 300 pounds. 300 POUNDS!!! Yes, you read that right. I'm not proud of that. Today, I hover around 290 and while I'm not obsessive about the numbers on a scale, my numbers OBVIOUSLY show I have a long road ahead of me. I'm back to tracking my food/activity on Weight Watchers and plan to let the gym kick my booty again soon. Join me if you'd like as I make this trek to a healthier life and if you choose not to, I'll just keep moving forward for the person it matters to the most: ME.

One step at a time, one choice at a time...

Bethany

Ah, To Be Young Again

Since I am homebound for the evening and have been since noon today, it's time for an update. I'm actually bored out of my mind even though I have a few things to get done and I've already been pretty productive for someone who has a sever sinus infection, no voice, and can't stop coughing to save my life.

There's not too much to say since my last post yesterday. It's funny how when I'm busy I want to be home but when I'm stuck at home, I desperately want to be busy. When I woke up this morning and barely had a voice, I decided that a doctor's visit was in order. So I went ahead to work and called the doc 15 minutes after they opened. I was in and out of there in 30 minutes so after dropping off my prescription, picking up breakfast and working a bit longer, I made my way home. I was online for a bit and tried to sleep but could only doze. So I got up and did what any sick person would do.

I made pancakes, washed dishes, filed bills, organized my planner, rearranged kitchen cabinets, took out the trash, wrote a birthday card, checked e-mails and here I am. I definitely don't like this whole "lay around the house all day" thing which is why I would never be a good housewife. I'd at least have to volunteer or work part time. (And I am definitely not opposed to either of those options.)

Since The Refining (my girls' small group meeting) last night, I haven't really been able to stop thinking about them. I had 5 teenage girls 13-17 and in all honesty, I had no idea what to do with them. Our lesson was about feeling invisible and how we aren't invisible to God but they shared so much more than I imagined they would. I am amazed at how much young women determine their value based on what boys say about them. Or even their friends. My heart breaks for them and longs for them to understand that the only opinion that matters is God's. But I catch myself, even before I say something that sounds like it came straight out of my mother's mouth, remembering how I felt at 15 and what I wouldn't have given to have just 1 boy tell me I was beautiful. The extra sad thing about this? All of those girls are beautiful and have no idea how much potential they have. But then again, at their age, neither did I. It's so ironic how similar we (girls) all are and how much we long for the same things and really just desire acceptance and love. And no matter how long I preach that God created us exactly how He wants us to be and loves us beyond anything we could ever imagine, we still just desire human love and affection-myself included. I can't tell you how many times I catch myself wishing for the days of my teenage years again and what I would do differently and how great my friends were. And then I remember the angst that every teenage girl feels and all the time I wasted focusing on boys or how good/bad I looked. As the phrase says, "If I had known then what I know now..."

I just pray God is helping them through me. I pray that they would learn to love and accept themselves as the radiant and beautiful young ladies that I know they are. And above all else to seek the approval of the only One who truly matters...

For His smile,
B

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

Busy, Busy

Yeah, I'm over a month overdue for a post. And I would apologize for that if I felt sorry. But I don't. These past 5 weeks have been jammed full of "stuff". After spring break week-which ended wonderfully with our few days away in big D-work kinda spun outta control. Apparently, spring break signifies "the point in which we stop working" to the kids and teachers. A fact which I have forgotten since my elementary school days. Everyone's been stressed to the max and we still have some TAKS tests (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) to go. Not to mention I've been preparing paperwork for 500 packets to be given to new and returning students this coming week. Thankfully, I had a parent volunteer and my sweet husband to help me finish all of them. Otherwise, I'd be going crazy over finishing them. Needless to say, the next 6 weeks should be quite interesting as things start to wind down. And I'm just hanging on til summer break. Once the kids are gone, my days shorten and I'm pretty sure I'm off on Fridays. Hallelujah! Thank ya Jesus!

I'm supposed to be at church right now but Friday, I had the WORST sore throat ever accompanied by tons of drainage-yep, I just said that. Yesterday was ok but my breathing was still quite constricted and when I woke up this morning, everything had shifted and it all felt like it was moving to my chest. I've already battled pollen and won and we are FINALLY getting a good rain (after 2-3 weeks without much beyond some sprinkles of showers) so I'm hoping I can fight this off pretty easily. Z is the best and told me to stay home and get some rest so I can be ready to teach The Refining (my girls' small group) tonight. So here I am, listening to David Crowder and writing from bed.

I can't believe I didn't even write about the youth pastors' retreat because HELLO! It changed my life. Yeah, in some small ways but Z and I had so much fun and hung out with such cool people. We just really received much needed refreshing and were able to spend some good, quality time together. And we stayed at this AWESOME hotel which was just perfect and beautiful. (As a side note-I would just like to say that I LOVE heated pools.) I'm looking forward to the end of the month because we're attending a live recording at Christ For the Nations Institute for free and may get to stay at the same hotel.

The end of school may translate into a slow time for me at work but it means MAJOR acceleration with youth activities. We're 7 weeks away from our mission trip to D.C. I'm very excited but I'm just praying God will prick the hearts of our church people to support us in our endeavor. Our kids are going to have some amazing opportunities to see what true missions is all about instead of just giving it lip service or throwing money at it like so many people do. I believe this trip will literally change their lives.

We'll also be heading to youth camp in July and having pool parties, overnighters, and all the other fun events that make youth pastoring so "rewarding". Ha! We've got a 30 Hour Famine planned for the upcoming weekend and then 2 weeks after that is Fine Arts competition. Both of which are overnight events but will be fun to attend.  I'm looking forward to being able to spend more time with the kids since my job will allow me that opportunity unlike last summer. Our kids are making some serious spiritual advances and I'm so proud of them and the time Z is pouring into them.

Speaking of Z, he and I are still working on our weight loss. We've both lost 7 pounds and I'm so proud of both us for sticking with it. We didn't get to the gym as much as we'd hoped last week but it's a new day and we should make it this week. Yes, we want to lose weight but we're learning a lot about just living healthfully and making better choices. We're both drinking water exclusively (with a sweet tea thrown in maybe once a week) and overall, just feeling better. With working the weights at the gym, we're also feeling ourselves becoming stronger and toning up our muscles. It's amazing how much better we both feel.

Well, this post is ENTIRELY too long. So sorry but thanks for reading. Hopefully it won't take me so long to update next time. By the way, I didn't even touch on Easter Sunday or our church's building dedication but both were a great success. And you should check out this song I sang for Easter-had me crying by the end of hearing it the first time. Truly, we are the reason He had to die.

Thankful for His sacrifice,
B
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

SB Day 3: Running Fast

Today has been a BUSY day but so productive. I've been able to sleep a bit better although last night I went to bed with a headache-which has become more and more common. Z & I talked last night trying to figure out why I've had a headache almost every day for the past 2 weeks but didn't reach any conclusions and I haven't had one today so we'll see. It's not caffeine because I've still been drinking coffee and I can't really isolate any other reason. It's very frustrating but if I have to, I'll figure it out by trial and error.

Yesterday was spent eating lunch and bowling with the youth. We took 17 of our group and I think everyone had a good time. They are so funny and have such great personalities to be around. Last night we went over to my Grandmother's and had dinner with her-lots of veggies and some chicken. And some VERY tart pink lemonade. Today I've been running errands all day-car oil changed/inspected, bought new pillows for the master bed, bought a bathroom scale & set of strainers, bought some zebra jewelry, took a pair of my shoes & a pair of grandma's shoes to have the heels repaired, went to the post office and am getting ready to go to church and take the kids out to Whataburger. Wow-I'm tired just thinking about all that! I'm also doing laundry and getting things ready for our weekend trip :) I can't wait to get out of town and just enjoy time away from the hectic lives we lead here at home.

Well, that's all I have time for right now but rest assured-after our weekend away, there will definitely be some great updates! Everyone have a fabulous weekend & I'll check back in on Sunday or so...

Blessings,
Bethany

P.S. Healthy eating habits haven't gone completely by the wayside but I have a feeling this weekend isn't going to help things. On the plus side, I am hoping to get some walking in as we trek around the campgrounds. Maybe it will all even out!

SB Day 1: Sleep, Oh How I Miss Thee!

It has been quite the productive 1st day of spring break for me. Although I was up way too late last night, I got up (read-woke up) around 7:45 this morning. I know that's not early to most of you but when it's your 1st day of a week off...HELLO! Sleep, why aren't you my friend???

So I got up and made Z a quick breakfast of cheese eggs & toast-YUM-and then did a few house chores and met him at his office. We ran a few errands and had lunch together and I'm pleased to say that in 7-10 business days, I will officially be Bethany Ann Parker. Let me chase a quick rabbit here...

I've had quite a hangup regarding my name change since Z & I got married. Yes, my new name is Parker but there is a part of me that doesn't want to forget my roots, where I came from, because that's who I am or at least it has made me who I am. My family is a very important reason I am the woman I am today. So this whole name-changing process has me a bit torn. I really hate having to leave out part of my name, really I do. On the plus side, I don't have to change my monogram and I do like that I'm still BAP. :) So Mom, if you're reading, now you know the truth. (And yes, I do know how trivial this is to most people but it's kinda a big deal to me.)

Anyway, the wait time really wasn't bad at the social security office or at the DMV so I was able to finish that up pretty quickly and then come home and try to organize my music library. I have SO much music (read - cds) that I hardly know what to do with them all. But I'm making some progress. Dinner was enchilada casserole that turned out really good. I was quite full from that and some mexican rice (that I make by just adding salsa & taco seasoning to white rice). After my apple I realized that I had done pretty well today considering it's my 1st day of break. Granted, we still have the rest of the week to go but Z is helping me and we're doing well at staying on track.

Well, that's it for now. Tomorrow I have several things I want to cross off my spring break list including getting some of my recipes organized and getting my car inspected. We also will be having lunch & bowling with the youth and then heading to Grandmother's for dinner. Looking forward to another busy day...hopefully with a little more sleep.

Night night,
Bethany

SPRING BREAK :)

It is Sunday night of the week of spring break and I am SO thankful! I've been looking forward to this week for a while now and can't wait for all the excitement that is planned. I won't detail it now but how 'bout a little listy-list to share a few upcoming events:

1. Update social security card & DL w/married name :)
2. Workout at least 3 days this week
3. Eat lunch & go bowling w/youth
4. Visit grandma
5. Out to eat for Wednesday youth service
6. Organize/clean the house
7. Start recipe book (collecting & organizing the ones I have)
8. Help Z w/youth stuff
9. Organize Z's office :)
10. Finish editing my grandmother's picture book from her 90th birthday party
11. Clean inside/outside of my car
12. Head to Lakeview for a few days of relaxation & Dallas adventures w/ Z (YAY!)

I've got lots to get done but am so excited. I think this break is exactly why I've been needing to get me a bit more motivated in some departments and I'm SO looking forward to it.

Tonight was a good night of girl time w/the youth group girls from church. We started our small group ministry tonight and ours is called The Refining symbolizing that God is refining us and taking all our impurities and making us pure. Z & I are both SO excited about the direction this ministry is headed and we can't wait to see what God is going to do in the lives of our teens. They are precious kids and I only pray that they realize how much more the Father loves them than we do. We've had a lot of fun with them lately.

About the healthy living journey... It hasn't been all bad lately-just haven't made as many healthy decisions as I should. Yesterday we celebrated Z's dad's birthday in Rockwall at Gloria's and we all know how I LOVE me some Mexican food! It was the PERFECT day for being down by the lake-mid 60's, sunny w/a breeze-so we ate outside and then walked down by the water. We took some fun photos and then had Coldstone ice cream (where I LOVE the cheesecake & cinnamon mixed). But that plus and a little fruit and a fiber bar was all I had. I definitely need to drink more water and I'm hoping to get my workouts in this week. Some of the girls from youth want to go walk/workout with me so we may try to do that since everyone's off. Overall I feel good and am really proud of Z and myself for being so serious about this. We even gave up PIZZA today to come home and have beef tips and rice. So the health train is still rolling-hopefully it's picking back up after slowing down a little for the weekend.

Well, I better go get a little snack before heading to bed. Busy day tomorrow with all the errands I need to run but looking forward to extra time to sleep :)

Blessings,
Bethany

In Like A Lion...

March has officially arrived sneaking in on February's coattails! And I still haven't disciplined myself enough to write consistently. But onward we go...

The 90th birthday party for grandmother was a huge success! My mom worked her li'l booty off and I think she'd agree that it was worth it.

Everything was delicious and most of it was homemade. And since I did a lot of the decorating, I told mom we should definitely start our own event planning business and offer catering. I think we'd make a good team but neither of us has the cash flow to start it. Needless to say, a good time was had by all and it was great to see all the family.

February seemed to fly by but that was prob'ly because I was sidelined by a hideous head cold for about 2 weeks. Now all of a sudden, it's March. We celebrated the groundbreaking of the school I work for on the 19th of last month and I am super excited that it will be 1 of 2 iSchools in the country. We will be turning people away for sure now and I'm glad to be a part of such an innovative organization (and a place where I will ALWAYS meet my daily quota of hugs-love 'em!).

This past weekend was quite busy for Z & I. After a bit of an itinerary mishap with my mom flying back to NC (dad and brothers drove back last Monday), she stayed with us from Saturday afternoon until this morning. So after a laundry-filled Friday night, we had a low-key youth fundraiser Saturday morning and then headed to get mom from grandma's. After rescheduling flights at the airport, we headed to AT&T to fix Z's phone bill and then on to Sonic for a Low-cal Cherry Limeade (more on that later) and Target where we discovered some great finds! We all laughed a lot and enjoyed just being together.

Yesterday was 2 church services (I sang a solo in the AM & the youth did the PM w/Z preaching), a meet & greet w/the church staff, & a parent meeting for youth members. All went fine but after doing all that plus cleaning up the house in the afternoon, I didn't even make it all the way through Julie & Julia that we rented (such a great movie-very inspiring for a cook). So we hit the sheets around 11.

It's the last week of school before spring break and I CANNOT WAIT! Z & I have some special plans and I am planning to catch up on rest and do some projects around the house. It will be an entire glorious week of getting to do what I want to do. :)

Ok, that's all for now. A new update is coming very soon...and hopefully even more after that but I make no promises.

Blessings,
Bethany

And You Thought I'd Given Up...Again

Nope, I'm still around. Just running as hard and fast as ever. My week has been slammed FULL of chaos and I can happily say that the cure for that was almost 12 hours of sleep last night. And man, did that feel good. As I stated on Monday, having administrators out of the office is no fun (for me, anyway) and seeing as how I had at least one of them out every day, there was a big ol' lack of fun in my office. I was telling my mom the other day that I honestly cannot tell you what happens between 7:30am & 4pm every work day. After 8.5 hours at work with 300+ people relying on me, I can't really remember a single thing that happened. That's sad to not remember over a 1/3 of my day but that's how fast my mind runs. Oh well...

We had moving day at our church today (which sounds really strange to say). They've been in a temporary situation for 2.5 years now and we just got our certificate of occupancy from the city this week so we were finally able to start moving things in. There was much disbelief about how much stuff (aka junk) had been in 5 storage rooms and by the time we left, I was just ready to toss everything into the trash pile (I felt like Niecy from Clean Sweep). But at least the biggest chunk of all that moving/organizing is done. Now if we can just find Z a nice, small desk...

This is so sad but I am pooped so I'm afraid I'm gonna have to say goodbye already. Yes, I'll be back-I'm doing my best to keep y'all posted. So take care until next time! Blessings on you!

~Bethany

P.S. Only 1 more week til Mom & Dad are in town for Grandma's 90th and I CAN'T WAIT!!! Good times to come :)

February, How I Love Thee

It's the evening of the 1st day of one of my favorite months and right now, I'm just thankful I survived it. With all 3 admins gone to an out of town meeting, I am lucky to be alive. 3 MIA admins+240 sad-the-wkend-is-over kids=1 very crazed/drained school secretary. Overall, it was a good day (I've def had worse) and I still love my job. Here is my day in numbers:

22 - the # of kids who needed the nurse (me)
3 - the # of kids who got sent to the principal's office
137,592 - the # of phone calls I answered (at least it felt like it)
5 - the # of people I told about our new school and what we offer
25 - the # of teachers who asked me for something
17 - the # of things I had on my desk at 3pm and had to clear off by 4
0 - the # of breaks I took today
1 - the # of corndogs I ate for lunch (Can I get an amen for corndog day?)
11 - the # of people who tried to 'help' me do my job
8 - the # of times I walked the entire school looking for someone/something
0 - the # of times I'd trade my job to go back to insurance (or most any other profession)

So like I said, all in all I had a decent day.

The weekend turned out quite interesting since Z and I stole away to Lakeview for a few hours. We made it a nice overnight date and minus the bruise on my hip that's bigger than my hand (which I'll spare your eyes from viewing), it was a good getaway.

Side story: I had a little slip up in the shower at the camp grounds Saturday morning that left the aforementioned bruise. Z had gone to his morning meeting and I was getting ready in the cabin (which turned out to be a nice 2 bed/2 bath house). Let's just say that soft water and a tub with no tread on the bottom do not like me, standing on 1 leg getting ready to shave. As soon as I hit the floor of the shower and realized what had happened, I repeated to myself over and over (out loud) "You're ok, you're ok, you're ok". Sometimes you just need to give yourself a little pep talk. So I assessed the situation and came to these conclusions:

1. I had hit my head but was not going to pass out. I willed myself not to pass out because I most certainly was not going to have a camp staffer see the cabin leaking water out of every crevice and find me laying naked in a tub full of water.

2. I had 2 choices, I could either lay there (like I remember from all those Lifetime movies I've watched) and let said staffer find my dead, naked body or I could get myself up and get the shower curtain that I pulled down re-hung and get it together.

I chose the latter. And while my body was definitely not happy about having moved in such a way that it was so unfamiliar with, I am glad I chose to salvage my pride. I didn't have a bruise until about 5 hours later (so I couldn't even prove to Z that I really had fallen until much later) but boy, did it appear when it finally found the surface of my skin. Yes, I am still sore and yes, this bruise will inevitably last until October but by golly, I still have my pride. That is, until the hundreds of you my mother reads this and tells all my friends to check my blog.

Nonetheless, February is one of my favorite months for many reasons.

1. Most years, it has 28 days which means there are 4 perfect weeks and that means the days & dates for February match the days & dates for March.
2. The years it has 29 days just make it that much cooler because what other month gets to add an extra day to itself?
3. My favorite holiday is in February. Valentine's day has always been of utmost importance to me ever since my infatuation with hot pink and royal purple began at the age of 4. I love love and I love sharing gifts of love. Hearts are definitely my thing and I like to think that I can celebrate Valentine's day all month long.
4. Have you seen the cute stuff you can buy at Target & Walmart for V-day? Especially if you wait until February 15th.
5. There is an endless chasm full of heart-shaped things to make at home and I LOVE browsing those options.

As you can tell, February is a favorite month of mine. And this February is one of the best since my family is coming to visit. My Grandmother is turning 90 on February 16th and my mom is throwing a little shindig for her and so the fam is all getting together. Side note: this is my grandmother who picked up her new eyeglasses and then directly went and renewed her driver's license. Watch out. But it will be a fun celebration and I look forward to seeing everyone.

That's all for today, folks. I'm heading to finish some wifely duties and get my tired self in bed. Blessings to you all for a terrific Tuesday!

~BAPP

How do you summarize 6 months???

The answer: You don't.

Instead of trying to recap the past 6 months of my life, I figure I'll settle for the next best thing (at least in my opinion) which is inform you of my daily life. I have really missed writing and being able to express myself but I'm finding little pockets in my day when I can get a few lines written here and there. So here we go again...and I really am gonna try.

The weekend is finally upon us and I couldn't be more ready. Z & I are slipping out of town for a night and heading up to the Assemblies of God campgrounds just outside of Waxahachie. I'm very excited to just be able to get some rest but also to spend some quality time with him in our free little cabin just off the lake. Thank goodness the AG gives every minister 5 free nights a year. I can see this becoming a habit-one that is much needed. We need a little "no cell phones/no church stuff" time and I can't wait! (We're also gonna see his family and I am glad to spend some time with them since we haven't seen them much lately. Plus, Big D is cooking-yum!)

Just as an fyi for any readers other than my mom, I am working full-time for a charter school as the secretary and absolutely love it. I see the kids enough to meet my hug quota every day but also am not trapped with them all day. It was a little overwhelming at first but I've been with them since mid-September and have gotten most all of it under control. Last week was the end of my time with the temp agency that got me in here and I'm so excited to be them full-time now and starting my contract in August. It is such a blessing to go to work every day and not dread it and have the opportunity to be Jesus to little kids. They are so loving and I have SO many funny stories (which I'm sure will end up on the blog)-I am blessed. The hours are great and I have a month off in the summer, 2 weeks at Christmas, 1 week for spring break, and the occasional holiday/flexible hours so it couldn't work better for me and Z as we work with the youth.

Almost 6 months of wedded bliss and things are going splendidly. The occasional clash has occurred but no major battles. (I know, I know-you marriage veterans are screaming "They will come!".) But we have been fortunate enough to have the Lord working for us and through us and have worked through our "opportunities for compromise" quite swimmingly. (And now I am British apparently.) I am so thankful for my husband who loves God and loves me and treats me like a queen. I honestly couldn't ask for better.

As a side note, I have now laced 2 shoes, delivered 1 lunch, dealt with 1 stomachache, 1 toothache, 1 busted lip, conferred with 3 teachers and handled the front office workings and it's not even lunch time. But these days, that's an easy morning.

Until the next adventure,
Bethany

And yes, there will be more of this to come-I forgot how simple and therapeutic it was.

A happy little list

Although the public my mother has been clamoring for my long-awaited return to the blog for quite a while, I've been lacking a bit in the motivation department. However, the mood finally struck me this afternoon as I've been doing matronly, house-wifey things. Without wanting to have to post a novel to catch everyone up to speed (I am planning a recap of the days prior to and immediately following the wedding), I decided to post in my blog form of choice: the list. So journey with me as I revisit some random thoughts on the past 3 weeks of married life...

1. Our 2 bed/2 bath apartment is finally starting to look like home since Z and I spend Labor Day laboring on it.

2. There are probably only 5 cardboard boxes of junk visible within our house which is a huge accomplishment considering 5 days ago there were probably 20.

3. I have *almost* found a place for everything which is definitely something I'm proud of.

4. Z and I scored $200 worth of Bed, Bath, & Beyond items yesterday for FREE (when we combined our gift cards and coupons).

5. As I type, Z is at the DMV fighting the war attempting to obtain his Texas DL (he still has one from AR which he moved from many moons ago)- which expires in less than a month so I warned him of letting it expire since anyone who knows me knows all about me having to take the written and driving tests since my out of state license expired before I got my TX one last year.

6. Z and I are officially on one insurance policy-thank goodness.

7. Since we have no tv service at the moment (and haven't for the past 5 weeks since we've been in the new place) we have successfully watched 2 1/2 seasons of The Office. And he's learning why I'm so addicted :)

8. I'm happy to announce that ALL wedding gifts & paraphenalia have been put away or put to use and I couldn't be happier! Now if the rest of those pesky little thank you notes would write themselves... (I don't mind writing them-enjoy it actually-but when you have 125 to do, completion of the task can seem a little out of reach.)

9. In the first 3 weeks of married life, Z and I have conquered some major obstacles that come with living together and getting adjusted to each other. Although I sure haven't maintained the same title, he has really been the 'angel-pie' that his grandma thinks he is. I certainly couldn't ask for a better husband...

10. There are some good job leads that I will be hitting tomorrow and I am excited about my re-entrance into the 'rat race'. I always thought I would enjoy being a housewife (and I do) but I need a little part-time something or I will go crazy!

And that, friends Mom, is my "Top 10 Happy Things About Married Life Off The Top Of My Head".

Hope you enjoyed and tune in again soon for another update on the 1st year!

Blessings,
B

Pssssst...

I'm back!

Honestly, it feels like 6 months that I last wrote a post. And in truth, I have enough news for 6 months' worth of blogs. But I won't attempt to share them with you all in this 1 post. In fact, I don't even know where to begin. But I'll attempt to start an update with my favorite format...The List (even if each bullet is a bit long).


~I guess the biggest difference in my life (to me anyway) has been my living arrangements. Since I moved, I've been living with my grandmother in a town about 40 minutes from Big Town. It's definitely been an adjustment as she is 89 years old and keeps hours that are very different from mine. I'm up around 6:30 each morning while she sleeps until 8. And (you know me) I'm out till 10 or 11 every night while she goes to bed between 9 and 10. It hasn't been as terrible as I first thought it would be, although there was some major adjusting to do but I've found that as long as I'm calling her to keep her in the loop about where I am and what my plans are, it's really not all that bad. The main difference in her house and mine is that hers feels like a tropical Floridian vacation 95% of the time as she is cold-natured and keeps her thermostat set on 80. Normally, I wouldn't be bothered by this but in Texas heat (especially through the summer), it really doesn't cool down ever-even at night. So I suppose that for the next couple months, I'll have to endure it and be thankful I'm not going to hell.
UPDATE:Gma has now been leaving the air on at night. MIRACLES DO STILL HAPPEN!

~Wedding planning is taking a lot of my time. This weekend, I MUST get the invites in the mail. We had a few minor setbacks in getting them printed but they look great (in my opinion) & I'm very excited! Z & I also need to make some decisions about some things for the ceremony as well. 3 of 4 bridesmaids have ordered their dresses and that sure has made a difference. I went w/Z's sis, A on Wednesday to get fitted for hers while she was in town visiting. We had fun and I'm so fortunate to have such beautiful & FABULOUS ladies to share my special day!
UPDATE: We received our 1st official wedding gift on Wednesday! Some of my family's good friends from my hometown sent us 3 (THREE) pieces of Fiestaware! They are absolutely wonderful-the friends and the gifts! That moment was really surreal for me and Z but it was almost like the 1st official moment of REAL wedding festivities-and that makes us SUPER excited!

Be sure to keep up w/all the wedding glitz & glamour (ha) on our wedding website: www.zapandbap.blogspot.com.

~Since I last posted, a lot has happened with my job. I'm at a Farmers Insurance agency and actually like it pretty well. We moved at the end of May & boy was that an ordeal! We're not 100% settled but we're getting close. The new place is SO nice-very professional-and we are enjoying it quite a bit. 

~The fam is doing well-Mom and Dad will welcome the new pastor to their church Sunday with an all day "Welcome the Pastor" marathon event. Ok not really but it may as well be. Mom's still working a LOT and is doing SO GREAT at helping with the wedding. I don't know what I'd do without her-wedding & otherwise. Older bro & wife are doing good-just enjoying summer from what I hear and staying busy. Little bro is doing well-just moved into a new place in the same apt. complex with 2 friends instead of 1 so maybe rent will be cheaper. He's still at Best Buy and still helping me with all things techie. I'm so excited to see them all in July!

~There has been lots going on at church too-we are moving quickly on our new building and looking forward to being in it. I haven't done much for the children's ministry (not because I don't want to but because I am so pressed for time) and something had to give. But Z & I have been busy with the youth doing all kinds of things. We've:

-ridden rides at 6 Flags

-sang at Southwestern University in Waxahachie for Fine Arts competition where 1 of our kids was invited to Nationals

-seen the animals at the zoo

-swam at a pool party

-sold pizza cards & rose bushes for fundraisers

-and are washing cars tomorrow for more $$$

We've had a lot of fun and it's crazy how close you get to kids in just a few months. They definitely make me laugh and 1 even wrote a rap about me and Z which goes like this:

RAP TIME! by Haley Bridges

Bethany is a G
butt she smells like pee.
Zeb is her man,
she loves him cuz he smells like spam.
She is awesome,
& she loves possums.
I like that dress,
it makes her look the best.
OH YEEEH :)

And the best part is at the end, she signed it 'happy honaku'. Those girls crack me up! They are so much fun and are keeping us young. Overall, they are sweet kids and we love them!

Well, that's all of a recap I can give for now and wow, that was a lot. But there's surely more to come! Hope all of you are blessed & highly favored!

~B

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Big Town: Day 1

This Monday morning is quite different from my standard Monday morning. Usually, I am arriving home at 1 or 2 AM to sleep for a few hours and then rush into work. Or I awaken at 4:30am and drive from Big Town to Tiny Town, Texas to rush and get ready for work only to arrive 15 minutes late and totally exhausted from such a wild weekend. Then I spend the day miserable wishing for a huge cup of caffeine or my bed. Mainly, my bed.

But this morning, I awoke and got ready for the day and have spent the majority of my time at my church in Big Town. Yep, the official transition has begun. I'm staying in town this week and will be moving all my worldly possessions from Tiny Town to a storage unit in Big Town this Friday. I can't put into words how awkward today has been. While I appreciate the time off, I do not appreciate the lack of a paycheck. But the time had come. The time for me to leave and step out in faith. I had finished my work in Tiny Town and have been ready for a few weeks to make the move but the timing wasn't quite right.

Today is a new day, a new season, a new chapter. Today is the day I begin my life with Z in our new town working together and just being together. (That is still such a strange concept since we're so used to being at least 2 hours apart.) So today as I start my new life here, we start our new life together. We have so much to keep us busy but I look forward to being busy with him instead of apart from him.

This new chapter is already full of new people, new places, and new experiences. It will most assuredly be full of new words, new stories, and new feelings. And even through all the changes, the loss, and the gain I know this will definitely be one of the best chapters of my life!

Blessings,
Bethany
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

***BAP News Update***

Wow...I think this is the longest stint I've been without writing in a LONG time-and I can tell. For me, this is more than just a blog. It is a safe haven, a place where I can unload and unwind and share my thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Writing is my stress reliever just like coloring is used to be when I was younger. And since it's been so long, I have no idea where to start...

How about with my and Z's trip to NC? While we were there we...
~met w/the event planner at the conference center where we're getting married and got LOTS of ?s answered.
~met with a baker who makes AMAZING cakes and decided on ours (I got to design it myself-yay!). (And since I am addicted to cake, you KNOW it will be delish!)
~ate at Zaxby's.
~met my older bro for lunch.
~ate at Moe's for Z's 1st meal there.
~attended a wedding rehearsal.
~attended the rehearsal dinner in my hometown where we gave Z the 30 minute highlight tour which translates to "we showed him the whole town since it only takes 30 minutes for the grand tour".
~attended the wedding of one of my best friends in the world.
~ordered my wedding dress. *BIG smiles* :)
~made a quick stop at Hobby Lobby w/my parents.
~had Cinnabons TWICE.
~spent a lot of quality time w/my parents which I desperately needed.
~stayed up too late and got up too early for too many nights.

And upon our return we had a quick meal with his parents and arrived back in Tyler at 2am-on Daylight Savings Time weekend. Talk about not a fun Sunday. Those kids at Youth Bible Study got the Mr. Hyde of my personality that morning even though I tried to be as nice as possible. I slept so hard during my Sunday afternoon nap that I don't think I actually woke back up until about 1/2 way through our evening church service. But afterward, we took the kids bowling and ended up having a great time. As of today, my body still hasn't figured out the whole jet lag/daylight savings time so I'm still staying up WAY too late.

Work is getting increasingly harder-not in difficulty but because I desperately need to move. There is barely enough work for 1 person (and certainly not full-time at that) so to have 2 of us is really uncalled for. So I'm back to an interview blitz on Friday and am determined to find a job if it kills me. I am so beyond ready to be moved and living the next stage of my life-with Z, with the church, in a bigger town, establishing myself. I'm praying for God to do a quick work and am believing for Him to be faithful as He always is.

Wedding planning is coming along really well. As I mentioned before, my dress is ordered and we have a cake and have confirmed the location for the ceremony and reception. At first, there weren't any room available in the hotel at the center and so our guests were going to have to stay in other locations on the campus. But we got good news that the group that had reserved 96 rooms in the hotel had cancelled so there were now plenty of rooms for our event. This is wonderful not only so our guests can have really nice accommodations but also because the hotel is connected to the reception location (a brand new conference building). I am so excited about everything coming together. We've requested pricing for our menu so we'll see what can stay and what must go but I'm extremely excited about all of it! And I must thank my parents for being so supportive and standing behind me through all of this. They have truly shown 100% support of everything and I will be forever indebted to them (though I already am).

This post really wouldn't be complete without mentioning a very special person who has been the 1 factor of stability in my life for the past 8 months. Z, thank you for being my other half. Even though I am a complete person, you only enhance me and make me want to be better. I could never thank you enough for your devotion and support. You are my one true love, the only person who truly "gets" me and continues to put up with me. My gratitude is eternal and my love will last even longer. 'Thank you' could never begin to repay you for all you've done for me. I look forward with excitement to growing old with you by my side and hope you are always certain of my forever love for you. You are the other half of our 'Dynamic Duo', the man who I respect, admire and have given my heart to for all of eternity. Tu eres mi corazon y te amo siempre.

Blessings to you all!
~B
From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. John 1:16

A Post About Nothing

There's not been that much to post about lately in Small Town, TX unless you count all the chaos that is my life. Still driving to Tyler on the weekends, directing a children's ministry, planning a wedding, job hunting, training a new girl at my current job and basically trying to maintain 2 lives-1 in Small Town & 1 in New Town.

Z and I went to mi abuela's (grandmother) house 2 weekends in a row around her birthday week. The 1st weekend he met my aunt and uncle and the 2nd he met their son and daughter. They were interesting weekends but went well. We played the game that never ends aka Phase 10 the 2nd visit and had quite a few good laughs. It was good to see family again but boy, were we busy!

Since Z and I started as the Youth & Children's Pastors at our church, he and I have both been extremely stressed. He is the only other full-time staff member besides our Senior Pastor (who is bi-vocational) so therefore he is the only person at the church all day every day. That much is fine but we are in the beginning stages of a building program and soon he will be managing workers and making sure the construction is getting done. In addition, I've been leaning on him heavily regarding children's ministry "stuff" and he has been a HUGE help. But he's had a lot of pressure as we've been working for the church, planning events, planning the wedding (which he's had a lot of input on), and all this while being away from family. Not to mention the hardest job of all-handling me. I've been on an emotional rollercoaster for the past few weeks as I struggle with exhaustion, stress with the wedding, and pressure on myself for a job, with the church, and just with life in general. So poor Z has had his hands full.

BUT everything is about to change with 1 little word: VACATION. We fly out super early Wednesday morning to visit NC for a few days so we can do cake tastings, an engagement photo shoot, meet with the event planner, I can try on dresses and attend my best friend's wedding. Wow-that will be a busy 4 days! But at least we're getting out of town for a bit by ourselves. It will be nice to not deal with work or church for at least a short time. And I'm excited to see my parents and get to spend time with them. It should be a fun and only semi-stressful trip.

So, until next time...I'm going to Carolina in my mind (& for real)!

Blessings,
B

Our greatest plans...

often go awry. Unfortunately, that's been the motto with my blog as of late. I've written 2 posts but after clicking the 'Publish Post' button, Blogger decided to erase significant chunks of my writing both times. The 1st I edited the content back in after an e-mail from my mother. The 2nd I have yet to correct and re-post (so it's sitting in my draft list) because I just haven't felt like recreating almost half of the post. One day soon, I hope but that explains my absence.

Yesterday dealt me an ugly blow by my despised enemy Mr. Reality regarding my personal life. I knew this day was coming but I was doing all I could to run the opposite direction. But I just couldn't run fast enough and he caught up with me. Thankfully, good can come from bad and God does make messages out of my messes. I am definitely learning total dependence on Him through this situation. When you've reached the end of who you are and what you have, there He begins. And the funny thing is that He wants me to reach for Him first to begin with, which I fail to do so often. I've been in similar situations before but never with such pressure that I feel now.

The irony is that lately my daily e-mail devotions have been dealing with God being faithful and working things out for me. He is my Shield, my Protector, my Defender, my Provider, my Way Maker. I especially love that in Romans, Paul asks us that if God gave us His most prized possession, His Son, so why would he withhold anything else from us? My God is faithful and always shows up on time and I know He will in this situation as well. And if it causes me to be drawn closer to Him, bring on the struggles.

On the positive side, Zeb and I have grown closer through this, as we always do during trials. He has, once again, proven himself to be the best blessing I've ever received. I am able to be 100% completely honest and he continues to love and support me as best he can long distance. Today he even e-mailed me a "Prayer Time" playlist for me to use while I spent some MUCH needed time in serious prayer. My life is blessed to the utmost because of him and I would never want to even try to find someone to compare to him-I know I'd fail miserably. He is sensitive to my needs and knows exactly what I need to feel safe and when I need a spiritual kick in the tushie (and how to say that without feeling like I'm being kicked). He really is my soulmate and that surprises me and makes me grateful beyond measure every day.

For now, I am choosing to be thankful for my blessings. Even with hardships, I am blessed-with a fabulous family and friends, job security, an amazing fiance, a progressing church, a dependable car, a nice home with all the amenities I need, and more food and clothes than I need. I realize that I am unworthily blessed and have decided to live accordingly-walking in confidence and gratitude that the Lord of creation is not just my Best Friend but my Daddy.

Blessings,
B
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32

It Is Times Like These...

When I find myself doing someone else's work because they are SLACKING that I really wish I was already moved and settled at my new job. Jesus, could you help me out a little on this???

Now, where was I?

It's been a wild 10 days. I've been to NC and back which means I've been to Dallas and back. It was a busy trip-or at least it felt that way. Here's how the past week and a half have gone in my world.

*Monday, 12/22/08
Had a good, busy day at work and left immediately after to go to DFW to see Z. Arrived safely and celebrated Christmas with him and his family. Went out to dinner at BJ's-a great pizza/sports bar in Arlington. They have the BEST pizza! Headed back to his house and did a photo shoot with him and his siblings. They are so fun! Had some of the Coldstone ice cream he got me and then hit the sheets.

*Tuesday, 12/23/08
Left DFW east bound and arrived in the Tarheel state at noon. The airport and traffic were total chaos but I ended up sitting next to a guy my age from Tyler so he filled me in on the events and attractions of my future home. Upon arrival, after a quick stop at Panera for a baker's dozen of their Cinnamon Crunch bagels (which is becoming a tradition), we headed home. Both brothers & sis-in-law had already arrived and Grandma had been there for a week. Was super tired from getting up so early & traveling so managed a short nap after lunch. Then headed out for some last minute shopping with the whole fam minus Gma & Dad. Never want to do that again. Came home, had pizza for dinner then opened presents with older bro & SIL as they were heading to her parents' house the next day. Got some great stuff, all from my list so that was good. Fell asleep on the couch with bros watching tv and chatting around 1am.

*Wednesday, 12/24/08 CHRISTMAS EVE
Got up late at 7:30 since I was supposed to pick Dad up from a minor medical procedure at 8am. Headed to get him & we had some father/daughter time. Ate breakfast & shopped for a bit then headed home. Hung out for a while until bro & SIL left and then went out last minute shopping AGAIN w/mom and little bro. Not so fun but really not as bad as I expected. Finished up then headed to Christmas Eve service at church where I sang a couple songs. It was a good service. Came home, ate dinner and just hung out until bedtime.

*Thursday, 12/25/08 CHRISTMAS DAY
Woke up around 9:30 and just sat for a while with mom til others started to wake up. Watched tv and ate breakfast then just enjoyed laying around in my pj's. Finally got a shower and we opened presents around 2. It was a good Christmas-I got all I asked for and more and the time spent with family was priceless. Stayed up watching tv & hanging around the house after bro & his gf left around 9.

*Friday, 12/26/08
I like to refer to this day as the "Post-Christmas Crash"-the day when everyone realizes the Big Day is over and 'real life' has begun it's trek back. Just did a little shopping with Mom, Gma & Dad & ate the BEST Mexican food EVER. Although, I think that's probably just because I've had to eat Tex-Mex for the past 16 months. I LOVE real Mexican though and I think it's because I LOVE white cheese sauce. I've seriously considered buying some from Moe's and bringing it home and probably will soon. So after great Mexican, we headed home to relax and enjoy the evening.

*Saturday, 12/27/08
The Post-Christmas Crash is in full swing but Mom and I ventured out early for a little Christmas surprise-manicures at Dashing Diva. We had a good time together and I really enjoyed just being with her. She's a lot of fun and I really enjoy her company. After lunch at home, we went out shopping for a bit and then went home and I went back out with Dad. Had a touch of the holiday letdown and stayed up way too late.

*Sunday, 12/28/08
Church time came early but it was a good service and lunch was grand-I finally got chicken & hashbrowns. Mix that with broccoli cornbread, leftover sweet potatoes and butter beans and that's a feast folks. Spent the afternoon napping and watched "The Notebook" with the fam that night. Packed, did a little laundry, and hit the sheets in preparation for my travel back.

*Monday, 12/29/08
Left around 9:30 headed back to the airport with a bag that weighed well over 50 lbs. Upon arrival, I found that it would cost $65.00 to get that 57 lb. bag back to TX so I unpacked a few items into my carry-ons and made it at 50 lbs even. Stood in the security line for 30 minutes and was finally in and ready to board. Perused the bustling airport for a bit and then made my way to my gate. We boarded and loaded on time and headed out. I slept most of the way and was picked up by my wonderful fiance in Dallas. (As you can tell, the flight back was a bit less thrilling than the flight there-as it usually is.) Back at his house, we enjoyed being together and had a great dinner of burgers and hot dogs that his dad had grilled. I made it back home at 11:30pm and unloaded, unpacked and hit the sheets. It was an excellent end to a wonderful Christmas vacation.

So that's the roundup of the holiday season for my little life. I'll do a 2008 finale and 2009 projection in the next couple days as I have time. I'll be traveling quite a bit but really want to get some writing in as well. The new year is bringing lots of change to my Pearce party of 1 but good times are coming!

For now, have a happy and safe New Year's Eve and a joyous celebration of the new beginning! Blessings to you all!

~B
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Christmastime is here, happiness and cheer...

Sad but true fact:

I finally officially got in the Christmas spirit last night.

Why has it taken so long for me to embrace the holiday season?

Well, between changing job assignments at work, planning a move (more on that later), planning a wedding, traveling every weekend and getting ready to start a new position w/Z at our new church (related to the move), I just have not had time or energy to shop or do anything Christmas related.

But last night, I finally had the chance (and felt up) to face the Christmas retail industry. And in all honesty, it wasn't that bad. I hit up Hasting's, Tuesday Morning, Office Max (they actually have some funny "Office" stuff), Dollar Tree (picked up a ton of great notepads for my co-workers) and Wal-Mart (where I bought everything else since that's the only place to really shop in this town).

I'm only buying for a few people here in TX, mostly Z & his fam, and then will pick up the gifts for my family (if my sweet mother hasn't already) after I fly to NC. I figure I'll save the $25 it would be to check a 2nd bag on my flight. I feel pretty good though because when I made my list last night, I have something for almost everyone on it. And I don't have too much to do this weekend to get ready. Some baking, wrapping, and minor prep and I'll be good to go.

However, I have 3 songs to prepare to sing while I'm in NC at my father's request. And as much as I love "Feliz Navidad", I don't think that's quite what he had in mind. So I'll be working on prepping those in the next few days-or on the plane.

I'm looking forward to being away from work for a bit. I switched positions within my office and my new desk is up front. This wouldn't be a problem except for the co-workers up front are a bit rowdy. I'm really trying to do my best to keep my cool but the past few days I've seethed quite a bit so my method of combat?

CARRY MY BIBLE. And that's just what I'm doing. I figure I will kill 'em with kindness or soak myself with Scripture. I'm thinking the latter will have the better end result. So I'll give it a whirl.

I'm hoping next year I'll be able to prepare more for the Christmas season. *Hopefully* Z & I will be settled in our apt/house and I won't be dealing with so much change. Maybe that will mean I can get my Christmas list to my family more than a week in advance. But in my defense, the 1st list from the others just got sent out Sunday.

My prayer this season is that we all will take the time to remember the Reason we even celebrate this blessed holy day Christmas. And that I don't get a huge photo of my brother's dogs as a gift.


We Are The Reason as recorded by Avalon

As little children
We would dream of Christmas morn
Of all the gifts and toys
We knew we'd find
But we never realized
A baby born one blessed night
Gave us the greatest gift of our lives

We were the reason
That He gave His life
We were the reason
That He suffered and died
To a world that was lost
He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

As the years went by
We learned more about gifts
The giving of ourselves
And what that means
On a dark and cloudy day
A man hung crying in the rain
All because of love, all because of love

I've finally found the reason for living
It's in giving every part of my heart to Him
In all that I do every word that I say
I'll be giving my all just for Him, for Him

He is my reason to live 

Blessings,
B
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11