First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage, Then Comes...

BABY!

Week 20!

Yep, Mr. J and I are expecting our first! Excited does not even begin to describe how we feel!

While it has been quite awhile since my last post, I thought what better way to make my debut back then to blog about our expanding family!

We are 21 weeks and counting down the days to July!

Being pregnant has been such a thrilling, exciting, and anxious experience!

This being our first, I have had no idea what to expect, from what is safe to eat to what I can/can't do! Luckily, with a wonderful husband, extremely helpful family and friends, and an amazing God who is there to carry us through anything, we have made it over halfway!

So, while I missed the first half of the pregnancy, as far as the blogging goes, here is what Baby J has been up to!

Week 21:

Facts: Baby J is currently the size of a carrot!

Cravings: None...luckily I am getting more and more of an appetite...after the morning sickness phase it was rare that anything sounded remotely decent, but now we are making 2+ grocery trips every week as I am eating the whole house!

Fun New Experiences: Baby J has been moving/kicking/ and I swear dancing more and more! Movements are getting stronger, making Mr.  Daddy J excited to finally be able to feel our little peanut himself!

What We Are Looking Forward to This Week: Time for another appointment with the midwife! Excited to hear Baby J's heartbeat and discuss setting up our ultrasound appointment! Looking forward to seeing if our oldest will be a son or daughter!

Scripture Focus This Week: I am naturally a worrier, so of course being pregnant, I find all sorts of things to worry about. Red dye 40...how I am sitting...how I am laying...laying on my back....etc. Not only am I a natural worrier, however, this is also the way that Satan likes to attack me and take my excitement for the pregnancy away. So, I have decided on a new plan of attack for my worry...scripture memorization. Every week, I am going to pick a scripture to focus and memorize so that I can dwell on God's Word for us every time a worry tries to take my excitement away from the pregnancy! (more info/insight/scripture about my battle with worry to come)!

This weeks scripture:

 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;"

 (Philippians 4:6). *Underlining and emphasis added.

Live like no one else, so later you can live like no one else

Lately, I have been reading Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. Chris and I are good with money, but we could always be better. In the book, the motto is "if you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else". This statement is such an extraordinary statement, especially in this day in age. Dave Ramsey uses this statement to encourage people to not live the "american dream", indulge in debt, and get caught up in the whole credit card phase. The more I read this book, the more I am encouraged to start living like no one else. And not just when it comes to finances.

The idea of living like no one else now so that later we can live like no one else is not a new idea. This idea, in more or less terms, was actually brought to us at the beginning of time. God asks us to live like no one else of this world so that when we pass on from this Earth, we will get to truly live like no one else in Heaven.

"No one can serve two masters, either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money" (Matt. 6:24).

When we are told in Matthew 6:24 that we cannot serve two masters, that we have to choose one, our two options are laid before us. Money. Or God. In John 18:36, Jesus tells us " 'My kingdom is not of this world'". With this knowledge, we can break it down that our two options are of this world, or not of this world; money or God. If we are not choosing God, if we choose money (this world) it is important to know that we are choosing Satan. "We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19).

Satan has the world. Satan has the money. Between God and Satan, which one do we want invest our time in. Which one do we want to live for now so that later, we can live like no one else?

When you take a moment to step back and truly think about what God wants and when you think about this world, it is amazing the comparison. For instance, how many of us live a less than Christian life, or give up Christian activities/beliefs, so that we can live the life of this world? How many of us are peer pressured against our beliefs so that we can seem "cool" to others? When it is all over, which crowd do I want to be considered "in"? Earth, where we are just vapors, or Heaven, for all eternity?

"whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:4).

According to CDC, the average life expectancy of a human is 78.7 years. If behind one door, the door labeled World, you could pick 78.7 years, and behind the other door, labeled God, you could pick eternity. Which one would you pick?

"'Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also'" (Matthew 6:19-21).

Saying yes and investing our time and efforts into this world is easier. More convenient. That's the angle of Satan's plan. We see this angle in the very beginning. Convincing Eve to eat from the forbidden tree was easy. convenient.

But, if we can say no to this world, if we can not live of this world, later, we will live better than we ever imagined. If we can say no to self and yes to the one who saved us, we will live better than the world could ever even provided.

" 'For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it' " (Mark 8:35).

So, besides eternity, what does God provide? Eternity in Heaven is beautiful. "The twelve gates were twelve pearls; each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass" (Rev. 21:21). There is no sadness, God will be with us, physically, always. "And I heard a loud voice from Heaven saying 'behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them, and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away'" (Rev. 21:3-4).

Yes, we will suffer. Be persecuted. Maybe even killed for following God. We will have to suffer now, live like no one else of this world, but in return, we get to serve the one true God, our Father, so that later, we can live like no one else.

"Remember, if the Joneses (all the broke people) think you are cool, you are heading the wrong way. If they think you are crazy, you are probably on track" (Total Money Makeover, p.105). In the case of life, if the Joneses, people of the world, think you are crazy, then you are doing something completely right. Ready to be crazy?

Happy Husband Day to Mr. J!

September 8th was a very fun day in our household! After months, and yes, months, of having this idea in my head and "planning", I was able to surprise Mr. J with our first annual Husband Day!

I had initially received the idea off of Pinterest/realizing that moms and dads have a day, my wonderful husband should too!

Not only was this a GREAT way to honor Mr. J, but let me tell ya, he DESERVES it!

Our husbands work so hard to provide for us, lead us, support us, and make time for us, they deserve a day to be all about them! Mr. J is very good at making every day about me and helps me more than he probably has energy to around the house, that I wanted to say thank you, and make sure that I say thank you at least once a year! :p

Not only is Mr. J a WONDERFUL husband, but he is also a TERRIFIC uncle!

So, first, HAPPY HUSBAND DAY TO THE MOST WONDERFUL HUSBAND! Even though I already was able to share that with the hubby on the 8th, I wanted to capitalize on my chance here to do it again.

And he's a GREAT brother-in-law!

For our first Husband Day, I didn't have to do to much planning. This being the first Husband Day, I wanted Mr. J to tell me what he would like to do. So, the only planning I did was first, make a card. Stores do not sell Happy Husband Day cards (lame) so I got to make this beautiful thing with some leftover scrapbooking scraps I had.

Now, originally I went through two different dates at work trying to plan this event (part of the reason it took so long to happen), but with conflicting work schedules with other coworkers, it kept getting pushed back. Finally, September 8th was the date picked and locked in!

My next step, leaving daily clues around the house for Mr. J. Now, Mr. J is ridiculously good at figuring out hints and clues. So these ones had to be extra hard. Even with unusually hard clues, being able to leave these surprises for Chris before/after work and in different spots around the house everday created a fun way to build anticipation as well as stump your husband! Mr. J also really enjoyed having these little post it's to find everyday. I always changed their location as well...on the door, on the t.v., etc.

This was the clue for husband. :)

Next up, I bought this sweet shirt off of Etsy! I purchased this shirt from KrazyKustomTees. This shirt plus shipping and handling was less than $15!! SCORE! I made it a point to wear this shirt all day on Husband Day, because this girl DOES love her husband!

Shirt does not come wrinkled. That's just the affects of me air drying my shirt.

The last thing I planned was a budget. Since I did not know what Mr. J would want to do, I set aside and saved up a budget for this day...then I presented Mr. J with options.

A few of my options included: A. Crater Lake B. Enjoying our local city, going to catch a movie and a burger etc.

In the end, Mr. J and I had a great time going out to breakfast at a delicious place, One Street Down. Then grabbing some coffee (Hello Pumpkin Spice Latte!) and relaxing at home. Mr. J then kicked off our afternoon with a much anticipated 49'ers game at a local brewery and followed up by a zombie date with some of our great friends!

We had a blast! But, most importantly, Mr. J had his ideal day and I got to show him how much I love and honor him.

I cannot believe that it has been almost a year since Mr. J agreed to marry me and spend the rest of his life with me! Being able to honor him on our new family tradition of Husband Day is just one of many ways I plan to thank him for making me Mrs. J and the happiest woman ever!

"The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil..." (Proverbs 31:11-12a).

Can't wait to see what next years Husband Day will bring!

A Radically Sweet August

Wow, I cannot believe it is September! Which  means, time for my favorite season, FALL! Mr. J has already treated me to the long awaited Pumpkin Spice Latte!

After such a great August, we are really looking forward to September. Football. Pumpkins. And most importantly, another month to praise and follow God!

But first, our radical August!

This month, God has taken us through quite a journey! From getting our applications completed for Full Circle to being able to help at our youth groups all-nighter (ya, we are not as young as we once were...that's for sure!). Full Circle had been closed due to training, so we are very stoked to get our applications in this month! Can't wait to see what God has waiting for us through this journey!

First, I am so stoked to have made it through Joshua and Judges in August (wrapped up Judges a few days ago, so I guess that is kind of cheating!). I do have to say, however, there is some items in Judges that may have me traumatized for awhile (hello Judges 20).

As Mr. J will testify to, I am actually really excited to jump in and dissect Ruth! Ruth is partly about the in-law relationship and I am excited to read what God has to show me in this book! While I have read Ruth many times, I am excited to dive into it with the intent of keeping an open mind and really reading it as well as seeing how to apply it to my life!

Mr. J and I have had such an encouraging month. We have spent an increased amount of time in prayer and discussion about our Lord and what an experience it has been. This is very important to us in marriage as we want to be sure that our foundation is founded in the Lord. This, my friends, REALLY is the key to any successful to marriage. Keeping the Lord in all you do, you cannot fail!

For my charity bit this month, Amazima has our heart! If you have not read Katie Davis' book, Kisses from Katie, you need to stop reading this and start reading that (Ok not entirely, please keep reading me...maybe do both? Muti-tasking is NOT overrated). This organization helps not only orphans in Uganda, but also single moms and the community! Katie's journey is one that can be described as completely forsaking this world to follow God, it is truly an inspiring story and an encouraging reminder of what following God looks like!

We look forward to seeing what September, and God, has in store for us!

Summer Travels

This post is a little belated, but better late than never (I know, kinda sounds like my blogs motto...)

A few weeks ago, Mr. J and I took an exciting journey on a trail to Green Lake off of the beautiful Cascade Lakes Highway here in Central Oregon!

Mr. J and I have really been enjoying not only getting a chance to go out and enjoy the GORGEOUS state that we live in, but this has given us quite a bit of bonding time as well as some wonderful memories!

During this adventure, we did not hike all the way to Green Lake, but we made quite a bit of progress along this breathtaking trail!

 This is one of the first views of the river that you come across along the trail. SO beautiful!

This bridge is just a few minutes after where the trail begins, yet to continue on the trail, you have to cross it. Pretty nifty eh?

Mr. J and I enjoyed the time catching up on our week and getting a chance to talk without the distractions of our social media/cell phone/ and t.v. driven world. Instead, we were able to catch up in the middle of God's AMAZING creation! With both of us blessed with good jobs, we manage to stay pretty busy at work, but making time with each other on these hikes is always something we look forward to!

Along our journey, I found myself wondering how the Israelites managed to do this for 40 years...wanna talk about some in shape people! I still do not know when I will be able to do the 4 mile one way hike to Green Lake...not to mention wander the desert for 40 years.

And, after a little hiking, I clearly enter a state of delirium, because not long into the hike, I was starting to ponder (out loud...poor Mr. J) if the 40 years in the desert were at all like an original Duck Dynasty...? 

Mr. J and I had such a good time out in God's creation! We cut the hike a little short, however, because Mr. J has a new favorite lake not far from Green Lake. Not sure what it is called...guess we will claim it Lake Johnson!

Can't wait to see where God takes us next to explore! 

The proof that zombies....EXIST!

First, it was this....

Then it was this....

And now, we are a generation all about this....

ZOMBIES!

Zombies are everywhere these days. They are the topic people talk about. They are the "in-thing". There are games. Bumper stickers. Clothing. Movies. The list goes on and on! (Ok, Mr. J and I are totally guilty of enjoying a good Zombie night...)

But, what is going to come as a shock to many, is the fact that THEY EXIST. Or, correction, they have existed. Don't believe me? Well, let me redirect you to the oldest history book we have that recalls the dead coming back to life.

What if I were to tell you that there once was an army of zombies that were raised from the dead? Ya, don't believe me...

"The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' I said, ' O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.' Then He said to me, 'Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'' So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, 'Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain that they may live''. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army" Ezekiel 37:1-10.

Ezekiel was brought to a valley by God and then was told to prophesy to the bones he found in the valley by God. First, I find it very interesting that the Bible makes it a point to specify "very dry bones" (v. 2). When you think of dry bones, you realize these are old bones. Bones that had been in the valley a long time, lying in the sun. Something old, decaying, unusable. Not quite something you would think to do anything with, except God. He takes something old and decaying, and makes it new. Only He could take an old bone and make a zombie! Yet, through the Spirit and God's words, these bones came together before his eyes and stood as a "vast army" (v. 10). Ya, God did not just raise one zombie with the wind, but a VAST army.

How GREAT is our God! He can literally make the dead come to life! He can raise armies! So, those days when I feel defeated, get frustrated that time is going by and I am not getting anything done, or just have "one of those days", I need to remember that standing with me, through everyday, is God...and he is a God that can make "dry bones" live.

Not only is God the star in this passage, but the Spirit of the Lord also makes an appearance (v. 1)! This just makes the passage even more beautiful. We have two of the trinity players in this passage. Ezekiel not only witnessed the dead come to life, but he experienced it with God AND the Holy Spirit. Talk about a crazy experience!

This is just one of the many examples I have in the Bible of zombies. (Who knew the Bible was so in-touch with today's culture!) This is just part one of the Johnson Journey: Zombie Edition! Look forward to more posts as we go through discovering how the Bible was/is the first and true Zombieland!

Our Radically Exciting July!

Wow! We cannot believe that July is already gone! And how fruitful it was!

It is now that time of the month where I tell you how well I have lived up to my Radical challenge and what I am learning from it!

First, and possibly the most exciting, Mr. J and I picked up our applications for Full Circle!! Full Circle is, now, a global organization that does work with the homeless. Mr. J has been very excited to start work with the homeless and I have always wanted to serve with them. For Mr. J, more specifically, this is an area that he feels very called to. Let me tell you, there is nothing better than being part of the work God is calling your husband to do and watching him live out his gift.

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:10-11, NIV). 

So this is a very exciting step in our spiritual journey!

Also, very exciting as well, I finished Deuteronomy! There was so much to learn and take away from the book of Deuteronomy! Mr. J and I actually read a few things that have changed the way our time together everyday. I quoted before in my May post Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and explained how Mr. J and I were planning on using these verses in our lives. As a result, while we may not come together as often as we should to dwell on scripture, we are more and more making it habit! Mr. J also bought a couples devotional book that we use as well to keep our discussion's Christ orientated on focused on Him.

We have so enjoyed these precious talks because not only do we grow closer together as a couple and come to love one another even more so than we thought was possible, but most importantly we purposely sit down and dwell and converse about our God, our Savior. This is such a blessings for husbands and wives, and even family and friends. We highly recommend it! (JOHNSON APPROVED!)

Reading through Deuteronomy, there were so many verses that just opened my eyes and that I fell in love with that I adopted the habit of memorizing scripture! Yes, sounds a little kindergarten, but if these verses are to dwell in our hearts (Deut. 11:18) then, for me at least, a little(...ok ok, a lot!)  repetition is necessary! If we are to properly serve our Lord, our goal is to obey Him, and the best way to prepare ourselves for success in this area, is to carry the Word in our heart.

"How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psalms 119: 9-11, NKJV). 

The book of Joshua even starts out with God telling Joshua not to let the Book of Law stop being something he dwells on (Joshua 1:8). You do not even get through one chapter in Joshua before God tells him to daily be surrounding himself in the Law of God!

On that note, yes I have started the book of Joshua! What a wonderful book it is! Very excited for all God has in store for me to gain from reading Joshua!

Now, a new section of this post that God introduced to me this morning is in regards to giving. Before, I have refrained from discussing on tithing and I still am. However, I have decided to introduce a new version of the idea. For those who enjoy giving to charities, I have decided that every month, I will post a charity for a good cause. Now,while we are called to give,  (Prov. 21:26; Deut. 15:10; Deut. 16:17; Acts 20:35, to name a few),  these are charities and organizations that are dear to my heart, and they are only my personal suggestions.

For the month of July, I have decided that Kidds Kids is the organization I want to promote. For those who do not know or who did not get to listen to the Kidd Kraddick in the morning show on their local radio stations EARLY in the a.m., Kidd Kraddick was a AM talk show host that had such a big heart! He not only won awards for his radio show, but he also founded the organization Kidds Kids. Kidds Kids is an organization that raises money throughout the year to send terminally ill children to Disney World in Florida. Now, while that may sound like no biggie, let me remind you that these are terminally ill children, and what better place on earth for a child to go than Disney World?!

Sadly, this past July, Kidd Kraddick died unexpectedly, but his organization continues on! So, this is my Charity of the Month you could say! You can give or you can purchase a shirt from the website. The shirt I am stoked about is a new one that has Kidd Kraddick's slogan "Keep Lookin' Up 'Cuz That's Where It All Is". I mean come on, how true is that! And, for those Kidd Kraddick lovers, it's a good way to remember him!

Chris and his sis were able to meet Kidd last summer at a local Bend Elks game!

Well, that's all for this month as far as the Radical post goes! Keep looking for more blog posts, I have one in the works for this month that I am pretty excited for!