Weekend Rewind

After work on Friday I picked up the girls and we went to a taekwondo class.  We learned the last bit of our form adn came home to practice.  Danny took us to dinner at Fuddruckers and then we all came home and picked up the house a bit and went to bed.

Saturday morning I woke up extra early and continued to clean the house (not really clean but more like pick up paperwork, and sort laumdry kinda stuff.  The girls and I were going to head over to a tournament while a new lady came to deep clean the house.

We picked up Jennifer (Makaila's friend) and headed to Hendersons for our In School tournament. We were there until noon, meanwhile a new lady my sister recommended to me was at the house cleaning.

Isabella rocked her form (placed second - out of a group of 10 - so that was great).  Makaila and I were in the same women's ring - so of course we competed against one another (which I really don't care for - but considering the alternative is combining all the men and women competitors - Iwent with it).  We tried combat sparring for the first time and Makaila rocked it!!  She was a beast with that weapon.

We placed in every division which was great - because we all earned point for state titles!  Makaila won 3rd in sparring and 3rd in combat sparring.  I placed third in forms, 2nd in sparring and 2nd in combat sparring!

We headed home when the tournament was over and I figured we would run some errands and what not.  Well the lady had the house turned over when I got there.  She took house cleaning to another level....she had moved out my couches and flipped them over and was sweeping the couch bases when I got home.  She ended up staying for about 8 hours cleaning base boards, fans, moving furniture, doing the windows and mini blinds....EVERYTHING!!  My house looked spectacular!!  I was very very happy with her work.  She will most definitely be coming back!

Makaila had a babysitting gig to watch Carson (a little cutie from our taekwondo school).  Once he arrived we headed over to Uncle Ernie's to discuss plans for Karena's baby shower since it is only a couple weeks away.  We decided on the menu and made a list of to-do's and what nots, we all had some pizza.  Danny met us there after work and hung out for awhile too.  We came home and while I worked online paying bills and sorting mail - the kids played Mario cart on the Wii.  Carson was so easy and really Issy entertained him the entire time - so her sister had it super easy!

They finally went to bed at midnight and I prayed with them and tucked them in and went straight to bed myself.

On Sunday morning, my dad called me at 7am, to complain about my moms mail which comes to our house, and how I'm not a good secretary! LOL.  We trash talked back and forth and laughed for about an hour in the morning and by then Issy and Carson were awake again and back on the Wii. LOL Easiest sitter job ever for Makaila - she was still sound asleep.

I made the kids some breakfast and then we all got ready for church (mainly because Isabella and Carson kept bugging that they wanted to go to church already - that made me smile). 

Finally we woke Makaila up and once everyone was ready - we headed to church. 

Church Notes -
Today's service was focused on giving.  On tithing to your church. 
* God's grace is like rain - we have no control over it; but if we have a faith bucket we can collect all the grace we want!
* Giving is the ultimate act of grace.
* faith is activated in giving (Jesus gave his life to pay for our sins)
* Love is not love until you give it away
* Forgiveness is not real until it is given
* Don't give to answer anothers needs ; but give because you love God and want to honor his requests of you.
* Don't give out of guilt, give out of grace.
* What we give to God is not lost; because he blesses it and multiplies it
* REMEMBER - It all comes from God
8 Put him first and he will take care of the rest.
* Stop focusing on your greed's - and focus on your needs
* If you trust got with your eternal salvation - why not trust him with your finances.

Ok - now let me just tell you that Our pastor hardly ever focuses on giving in his message.  Yes we collect our tithing at each service, but its not really emphasises (not how I remember it when I was growing up in church).  And for me its so different.  I have been a church hopper most my life.  I like to visit different churches, and I have been a member of many churches in the past.  I have an overwhelming love for God.  I enjoy hearing his message and most times I feel like it was picked just for me!  I can't even explain to you how fulfilled I feel after church, or refreshed, or just plain loved! I enjoy praise and worship like none other.  I enjoy hearing the bible translated to me in messages that most always hit home. 

Years ago - a big turn off from church was the whole tithing bit.  I never real did it and I kinda thought it was a scam - cause I couldn't see where this money was going or how it was being used or any benefits to the church goers, etc.  Since day one of us attending services at Woodlands Church East - I saw very clearly how they invested their tithing's in my kids.  They gave us bibles, the gave us reading materials, they provided snacks, and toys and had so many missions going and collections for local causes, and I saw God's work all around me. 
About 4 years ago I took and accepted Pastor Kerry's tithing challenge.  Now understand that Danny and I were in a rut.  We weer living paycheck to paycheck and our marriage was not so stable.  Every so often the Pastor puts this challenge out there and it is this.  He challenged everyone to start tithing for 3 months.  To give the first 10 % of our income to the church and in those three months if you did not receive God's blessings multiplied in your life - he would return to you everything you tithed plus interest - no questions asked.  My first thought was - wow he will loose money for sure.  Then I though - hmm......I wonder how many people have taken it and for about a week I kept thinking about the challenge.  I knew that Danny would get mad if I did it - cause we were really not financially stable and he would think I was crazy (at the time his opinion of churches wasn't very high).  That next Sunday I made the decision to tithe on my income alone.  I did it for a few weeks straight and it hurt!  By the third week I was second guessing myself, but I tithed anyway.

Long story short - I took the challange and felt God's blessings over those three months in ways that I never EVER would have imagined.  I got a good bonus at my job job, I got refunds for stuff I wasn't even expecting in the mail......God was pouring it out to us in so many ways. 

I am happy hearted to tell you that Danny and I tithe now as a family and there are times in service where he is reminding me to write the check!  I have a tremendous faith in God and his promises.  I know he answers prayers.  I know that he wants us all to be happy and to love him and honor him.  I am so glad that I do.  I see his blessings poured upon me in my marriage in my kids in our health, in our families....

If you don't go to church - Start! If you don't tithe - DO IT!  I speak from experience in that when you tithe and honor God's word he will most definitely give it back to you and multiply it!  The more you ive, the more you receive. 

After church - we headed back home and Carson left.  We went to run a few errands in the gloomy weather.  We hit up Micheal's for some things, went to TJ Maxx, Target, and Aldi's.  We headed back home and I gave Jello popcorn a lame attempt! LOL  It didn't go so well. 

My friend Vicky came over for a bit, and then we relaxed and watched the ACM awards.  Showers and prayers and lights out!

It was  good weekend - I hope you have a good week too!