He's always there for us......

Lately it seems as though Satan is attacking many
of my friends/family members. It’s hard sitting back
and just watching my loved ones suffer while I can do
nothing but pray for them. Whether it’s divorce, death,
or any other struggle, I feel as though there’s only so
much I can do and that’s hard!! I want to be the problem
solver! I see a problem and I want a quick fix, right
away!!

Well that’s just not how things work. Prayer is the best
thing I can do for my loved ones. God answers prayers,
and even though he sometimes doesn’t answer them the
way we WANT, he does answer them.

I struggle myself with understanding the common question,
“Why does God allow our loved ones to die?” Well, this is
The best thing I can come up with…….

Hunter or Alli Jo can fall down & hurt themselves while
they’re standing right next to me! That does NOT mean that
I allowed it to happen. They know my unconditional love for
them, and each knows that I am going to pick them up and I’ll
be with them until they heal. We cannot forget His same promise
for us; that He is there for us always!

5 years ago........

I met the love of my life, Joe! It was on Buggy Bowl
night, 2004. It seems like just yesterday, but then
again seems like forever ago!

I had just split with Hunter's dad about two months
before. I was a little down in the dumps so my best
friend Laura begged me to go out with her that night.
She told me it was DJ night at Red Bones (a local bar/
restaurant) and there'd be a lot of people there. So
we planned to go eat supper and then dance the night
away. Of course when we get there, Laura and her
husband are trying to find me a new man LOL And at
first I was a little scared, b/c there were no cute
guys in there (sorry boys).

Then, in walked Joe.
Laura and her hubby had known Joe for years, they
both looked at me and said PERFECT. I just grin thinking
back at that moment. He was so cute! I looked across
the bar and he was staring right back at me. Believe
it or not, I was so shy. I had to look away and I'm sure
I blushed. After what seemed like hours of just catching
one another staring at each other....he finally walked
over and they introduced us. We had a blast that night!
Dancing, talking, and getting to know each other. I
remember the funniest thing that night was Joe sneaking my
cell phone and putting his number in it! Too funny :)

And the rest is HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!

So HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my soulmate of 5 years!!!!!!!!

I love you with all my heart! You complete me hahaha!!!!!

So today on lunch I saw a bumper sticker,
that really made me think. It read………

If going to church makes you a Christian /
Does going to the garage make you a car ?

WOW, Bam…..ouch!!!!!!

It also made me think, Can a TRUE Christian backslide?
Keyword is TRUE. Many people profess Christ but that
does not make them a true believer. Many people go
to church but that does not make that person a true
believer no more than living in a garage makes you a car.

Now obviously, only God truly knows the heart of a person.
We know there will be a lot of professing Christians at
judgment because Jesus said that MANY will be surprised
when he turns them away (Matthew 7:21-23)

Dr John McArthur answers this question thus:

Certainly true Christians can backslide, if by that you mean
they can regress into a period of spiritual dullness or
disobedience. Those who do so will bring God’s discipline
(Hebrews 12:6-11). That’s because God disciplines those
who are true sons (v. 8).

But no, if you are thinking of backsliding as a perpetual
state of willful rebellion or ungodly indifference on the
part of one who professes faith in Christ. That situation
is a sign of false profession (Matthew 7:21-23; 1 John 3:4-10).
The word backsliding is used two ways in Scripture. It is found
only in Old Testament references to the nation of Israel
(Jeremiah 3:22; 31:22; 49:4; Hosea 4:16; 11:7; 14:4, KJV).
Sometimes it speaks of backsliding as the action of
unregenerate people who turn stubbornly away from God
(cf. Jeremiah 8:5). In that sense the Word cannot be used to
describe true Christians.

Other times true believers are said to backslide (Jeremiah 14:7).
All believers go through times when they do not grow or are set
back in their growth by sin–they seem to be sliding backwards
like a calf on a muddy slope (cf. Hosea 4:16, KJV). In that sense
the word could apply to true believers.

Some people confuse this with "once saved, always saved so I can
do what I want and still go to heaven". Paul put it like this
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may
abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any
longer in it? (Rom 6:1-2)

The fact is, if you think like that, then that could be a good
indication that you are not truly born again in the first place.
If this is the case, it would be a good idea to examine yourself
to see if you are truly in the faith. (2 Cor 13:54)

Till the next time.......

Honesty

Hi my name is Leah Robinson, and I'm a sinner. LOL
I have no problem admitting the things I struggle
with, in my everyday life. Anyone who knew me growing
up, knows that I'm not perfect, nor did I live a perfect
life. But ya know what, here's the thing about sin.....
they're all the same in God's eyes. If I could say God
hates "something", I'd think it would be sin.

Yeah I was an un-wed teen mom, but ya know what....Sally
down the road went out every weekend and partied w/out
her parents knowing, and then lied about where she was.
So who's better??? Or should I ask, who's sin is worse?

It seems as though no matter what sin you commit, they
all tend to relate some how with "lying".

When Joe and I first got together, I told him I was more
likely to forgive him for something if he was just HONEST
to me about it. And I meant it. To me it hurts worse for
someone to keep lying about something, then to just come
out and tell me!! It has really helped Joe and I to trust
one another and our communication as well.

So what's the Bible say about Truth & Honesty???

First of all, What is honesty and why is it so important?
What's wrong with a little white lie? The Bible actually
has a lot to say about honesty, as God has called
Christians to be honest people. Even little white lies to
protect someone's feelings can compromise your faith.
Remember that speaking and living the truth help those
around us come to the Truth.

Christ said that He is the Way, the Truth, and the
Life. If Christ is Truth, then it follows that lying
is moving away from Christ. Being honest is about
following in God's footsteps, for He cannot lie. If
the Christian's goal is to become more God-like and
God-centered, then honesty needs to be a focus.

Hebrews 6:18 - "So God has given both his promise
and his oath. These two things are unchangeable
because it is impossible for God to lie.”

Honesty is a direct reflection of your inner character.
Your actions are a reflection on your faith, and
reflecting the truth in your actions is a part of
being a good witness. Learning how to be more honest
will also help you keep a clear conscious.

Luke 16:10 - "Whoever can be trusted with very little
can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest
with very little will also be dishonest with much."

1 Timothy 1:19 - "Cling to your faith in Christ, and
keep your conscience clear. For some people have
deliberately violated their consciences; as a result,
their faith has been shipwrecked."

Proverbs 12:5 - "The plans of the righteous are just,
but the advice of the wicked is deceitful."

While your honesty level is a reflection of your
character, it is also a way to show your faith. In
the Bible, God made honesty one of his commandments.
Since God cannot lie, He sets the example for all of
His people. It is God's desire that we follow that
example in all that we do.

Exodus 20:16 - "You shall not give false testimony
against your neighbor."

Proverbs 16:11 - "The Lord demands accurate scales
and balances; he sets the standards for fairness."

Psalm 119:160 - "The very essence of your words is
truth; all your just regulations will stand forever."

Being honest is not always easy. As Christians we know
how easy it is to fall into sin. Therefore, you need to
work at being truthful, and it is work. The world does
not give us easy situations, and sometimes we need to
really work to keep our eyes on God in order to find the
answers. Being honest can sometimes hurt, but knowing
that you are following what God wants for you will make
you more faithful in the end.

Honesty is also not just how you speak to others, but also
how you speak to yourself. While humility and modesty is a
good thing, being too harsh on yourself is not being truthful.
Also, thinking too highly of yourself is a sin. Thus, it is
important for you to find a balance of knowing your blessings
and shortcomings so you can continue to grow.

Proverbs 11:3 - "Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys
treacherous people.”

Romans 12:3 - "Because of the privilege and authority God has
given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are
better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of
yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us."


Till the next time………

American Idol

Well as most of you know the American Idol premier was
last night. We aren't die-hard fans, but we do enjoy
watching it as a family and making fun of the goofy
contestants! Matt & Jess came over with the girls and
we all watched it together. It was fun to have another
couple there to laugh with! Of course Joe and Matt acted
like they were sleeping, until the girl with the bikini
came on....then all of a sudden they were WIDE awake
ha ha!!

I will leave with a video of our own American Idol, Alli





Till the next time.........

Our visit to Providence

Well anyone that has talked to me recently or even
just read my blog, knows that Joe and I are looking
for a Church home for us & the girls. I had several
sweet ladies ask me to come to Providence, and since
our good friend Jess was getting baptized there this
past Sunday....what better reason then to attend!!
Joe and I both know several members there, but yet
I was a little nervous going.

When you attend a new church, at least with me....I
was a little worried. I was worried if people would
stare at us and wonder why we were there. I was
worried Alli Jo would be too loud and disrupt the
service. All sorts of thoughts were going through my
head.

Shawn seems like such a great pastor and was so friendly
in introducing himself to us as we were leaving the church.
The sermon was great! There were 4 people that were
baptized & brought in as members of the church. It was
really neat to see that! The sermon Sunday was from
John 10:22-42 It was very encouraging! Telling us how
secure we can be as true believers in Christ!

Starting Monday morning, I received some very encouraging
calls, emails, texts, etc. about how happy they were to
see us at church. I was like WOW, how special that makes
us feel! So if you're reading my blog, thanks for thinking
of us and encouraging us to come back!

I'm sure we'll be back this next Sunday!

Till the next time.......

Interview With My Girls

I was browsing one of my new blogging buddy's blog,
and she had a small interview with her son. I thought
it was the cutest idea ever! So I tried it with my girls,
pretty funny!!!

Hunter
If you could do 3 things what would they be?
1. Go swimming
2. Go Ice Skating
3. Learn how to rollerblade

What’s the most fun you ever had?
Going down the new slide @ Splashin' Safari with Aunt Megan

What’s your favorite meal?
Sausage Pizza

What the one thing you do well?
Back Float

What would you like to see?
I would like to go to New York on New Year’s Eve to see the ball drop!

What do you wanna be when you grow up?
Photographer




Alli Jo
If you could do 3 things what would they be?
1. Read book
2. Be with mommy (I promise I didn’t tell her to say that)
3. Be with sissy

What’s the most fun you ever had?
Bathtub


What’s your favorite meal?
Chicken & Fries


What the one thing you do well?
Color

What would you like to see?
Daddy

What do you wanna be when you grow up?
Babysitter

My vent for the day.........

So I know I’ve mentioned before I love the show
Jon & Kate plus 8. I’ve recently started hearing things
that have really saddened me. Maybe it’s b/c I have
really connected with this show, or that Jon and Kate
are similar to Joe and I as far as relationship & struggles
go…..but these things make me sad as to what this world
is coming to. Why are people so jealous & envious of others
happiness. To me, YOU make your own happiness. Quit
dwelling on how “lucky” others are and start working for it!

Here are a few things I’ve heard people say:

1. Yeah I’d love to be on a show & get free stuff all the time.

2. Why exploit your children like that in front of the world?

3. I personally would LOVE to see J&K get dumped by the
show and have to struggle. They have never learned what
"struggle" means.

4. Kate is such a B*tch

Here is my reply:

Jon and Kate struggled for a long time after having the
sextuplets. But the both sought after God to help them.
They wanted to have one more child after Cara & Mady,
and prayed about it. God blessed them with six HEALTHY
beautiful babies that are all miracles! Who wouldn’t
want to tell this story? Kate trusted God throughout her
pregnancy and the birth of the multiples. There was a time
the dr’s begged Kate to reduce the babies (which means select
babies to abort so that the pregnancy would be safer)…
Kate chose to trust God in what he had given her. Jon and
Kate had received an email from TLC asking them to do a show
documenting their life. Their first reaction was NO WAY!
One reason they finally decided to do it was just that, to
document the children’s lives. Kate said she was missing out
on so much and wanted to capture it on video.

As far as Kate being mean…..she has and does admit that she
isn’t always nice. Both Jon & Kate have saw themselves on
tape and have thought OMG! So to them when they sit down
together it’s sort of like counseling b/c they get to #1 sit
down in quite, and #2 talk! Nobody is perfect…..I bet if we
truly saw everyone behind doors, it wouldn’t be much different.
People get stressed, they say things they don’t mean…..sometime
it gets caught on tape and we learn from those mistakes!

So as far as the haters go…..get over it! You should be happy
for others!!! Jealousy is a sin and is not characteristic of a
Christian—instead it shows that we are still being controlled by
our own desires.

Galatians 5:26 says, “Let us not become conceited, provoking
and envying each other.”

The Bible tells us that we are to have for one another the
perfect kind of love that God has for us. “Love is patient,
love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not
proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs”
(1 Corinthians 13:4-5).

The more we focus on ourselves and our own desires, the less
we are able to focus on God. When we harden our hearts to the
truth, we cannot turn to Jesus and allow Him to heal us
(Matthew 13:15). But when we allow the Holy Spirit to control
us, He will produce in us the fruit of our salvation, which are
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). James 3:14-15
says, “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in
your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such
"wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly,
unspiritual, of the devil.”

Jealousy is an indication that we are not satisfied with what
God has given us. The Bible tells us to be content with what
we have, for God will never fail or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
In order to combat jealousy, we need to become more like
Jesus and less like ourselves. We can do this by forming a
personal relationship with God. We can get to know Him through
Bible study, prayer, and interaction with other believers.
As we seek God and His kingdom, we will learn how to serve
others instead of ourselves, our hearts will begin to change.
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but
be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will
be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good,
pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).


I’m done venting now!

Till the next time……

Christmas Pictures

So I finally have put some pictures together.....it was tough!

Christmas @ The Eaton's

Christmas at Our House

Christmas at my mom's

And the winner is...........

A couple weeks or so ago I had a blog entitled "Getting to
know each other". I wanted you to leave comments of
something you love or something that bugs you. I said I'd
pick a winner and they'd receive a free Digital Photo Frame.
Well I got some great replies!! So great I just could not pick one
winner....so I put you all in a bowl and had Alli Jo pick the winner :)

And the winner is...............

amy.stamm...........I'll email you soon!!


CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!

So Christmas and New Years have come and gone.....they

seemed to have gone so fast this year. I have been sick

most of December and it has not been fun! I started shortly

after my b-day (Dec 3rd) with a sinus infection, after that

mono, and the flu......now I have bronchitis. Someone PLEASE

give me a break!!!!!!!!! UGH!!! I'm hoping and praying that

2009 is much better!!! I haven't posted my Christmas pics...

as you can imagine there are several! I will get them uploaded

soon!

Till the next time..........