The Nativity Story

We took the family to see The Nativity Story yesterday. It was a wonderful movie that really brought the story, that we take for granted, to life! The sacrifice that Mary and Joseph made in obedience to the Lord made me realize how puny my willingness to sacrifice is. But I still stand in amazement the Glory that Christ left in order to come and save us from our sin. Why would He do that?? He truly loves us with an Everlasting love! Christmas past is Him coming as a baby. Christmas present is the wonderful presence of His Holy Spirit leading and guiding the way today. And Christmas Future is being in His glorious Presence for all eternity!! Merry Christmas! and "God bless us everyone"!

no "doubting Thomas" found here

I want to share today an email we received about an incredible family. We learned of Thomas through our home schooling families here. This is just one of the amazing emails we have received about this strong, Christian young man. He ended his battle with cancer in November and now stands in the presence of the One he loved and honored with his life--Jesus Christ and he is completely healed. His faith was stronger at 16 than any 70 year old Christian I know. It is obvious that he had a special annointing of the Lord on his life. May you be challenged by this as much as we were this week:

"d ear friends, one morning on the way to the doctor for chemo, i was talking to thomas about my wrestling with the specifics of ," giving thanks to God for "everything" in our lives. and praising Him for everything in our lives" Really, my question was wether i had to actually be in a place of thanking God FOR the brain tumors--- or was i just supposed to be able to thank God for His provisions in/through the tumors: answered prayers, blessings, His will in thomas' life etc.....basically,was it that i just needed to thank God for what He was doing in thomas' life with the tumors or was my heart supposed to be at a place of thankfulness/praise for the actual tumors.... i was wrestling with it,because i so wanted everything i was doing to be "right", so that my prayers for thomas' healing would be effective . i told thomas i was struggling with it because it would be so hard for me to honestly be thankful and praise for the " actual thing " that was causing so, so much pain and suffering to my child....... after alot of discussion with thomas and back and forth-- thomas ,always answering me patiently ,and then me saying , but what about this or that .. i asked thomas, " how do you feel, do you thank Him" for" the tumors or how do you handle/feel about it for you personally?" .... thomas looked at me and said, " mom, you think too much!!!! you are wasting time on rabbit trails. the bottom line is this: God sent His Son to die for me! if God never did anything else for me ever: if He never answered another prayer of mine, if He doesn't heal me, if i have brain tumors and suffer, no matter what happens to me ever, if He never ,ever did another thing for me again but that-- His sending Jesus for me- that is enough for me to Praise Him continually, daily , as long as i live..... so mom, just focus on that... praise Him for sending Jesus and quit worrying about the tumors! and being thankful for them or not---all we need to continually praise Him, is His sending Jesus. " so , it hit me this morning as i thought about christmas and it's meaning... for me thanks to thomas' testimony to me.... it is about , Jesus. that is God's gift to all of us---- thankyou for blessing our family this christmas season with your prayers , we are grateful....."

Merry Christmas

From Untitled Album

Merry Christmas from the Grove Park Inn. We had fun going to the Grove Park in Asheville, NC on Thanksgiving night and looking at all the beautiful gingerbread houses. Who knows? The girls and I might even enter the contest next year!

Buff kids

Untitled Album

the buff beach bums

Ask, Seek, Knock! Receive, Find, OPEN!!

As you may already know, I have been looking to return to the work force (at least part time). This requires me to be licensed in dental hygiene in this great state of SC! I found out when we moved here that my National Hygiene Boards expired after 15 years. ( I can't believe I graduated almost 19 years ago!) So, pursuing my license would require me, not only to take South Regional Clinical Boards and state jurisprudence, but my Nationals--ugh!!! It's like the SAT of all I learned 20 years ago. Even with the overwhelming task ahead, I thought "well, the Lord is the only reason I passed them before in '88, so He will do it again if this is His desire for me." So Tuesday, as I was having my quiet time, I prayed that God would give me a miracle. He says in Matthew 7, "Ask and you will receive, Seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you." So in accordance with His will, I asked that He would help me to by-pass taking these Nationals, with no idea of how He was going to do that, but that I would prepare to take them if that was His desire.

Well...I called the State Board yesterday out of frustration of finding conflicting information on the multiple websites. As I spoke to the lady, she blessed me with the incredible news (drum roll please)...The state of SC no longer requires that the Nationals be retaken!!!! As long as I passed them at some time in my life, they no longer expire! I should not be amazed, but here I stand--constantly amazed at how the Lord works in our lives individually. His Grace is "one size fits all, but it is personalized for each individual"! How does He do that??

So, now I am looking at applying for my South Regional Clinicals which are offered March 23-24 in Charleston, then I will take State jurisprudence after passing SRTA. I have several things to get in order before I can apply, so pray for me as the Lord brings it all together in His way. But a challenge to you...What is God wanting to do in your life (for HIS glory--not ours) that you need to ask, seek, and knock???? Only He sees the big picture, remember we are only a "vapor" here to glorify Him. What does He want to do with our vapor for His eternity?

I can't believe I did this!

Well, if you are reading this....you are reading HISTORY!! This is a first in the Ownbey household--our first blog!! If my sister is reading this, please call 911 now! She will need to be recovered quickly from falling on the floor! What do you think Paula?? I can't believe I actually did it!