Baby Reyes

I am so excited to announce that I'm pregnant! I am so excited about this baby and I praise God! I am only 8 weeks (9 on Sunday), and am due July 18th, 2010. Ricky went to the doctor with me and we got to hear the baby's heartbeat and saw the baby through the ultrasound! :) So far I do not have any morning sickness and am feeling really good, I just get tired during the day. We're in the middle of unpacking all our stuff in our house, so that's been a little draining too. Just wanted to share our excitement and joy :)

Charity

Change

I can not begin to tell you how excited I am of the changes that are about to happen in my world. This past weekend was spent up in Louisiana in view of a call at the church. The weekend was jammed packed of meetings, interviews, question & answer times, sharing testimonies, meeting youth, meeting parents, meeting the church! Talk about anticipation - waiting till last night to hear how the church vote went was nerve wracking :) God is so good in complete clarity and His will for this move because the vote was unanimous to bring Rick on as Youth Pastor :) Ahh I definitely did a happy dance when I heard the news! Now the plan is to move up there by September 1st. Thankfully we have temporary housing until we find a rental house or find one to buy.

Here I am up early with my mind going w/ packing on the brain. Tons to do!

God is so good. I know I got impatient waiting, and frustrated about the unknowns of taking a step of faith and of obedience. Louisiana's very different, but I am so excited to see how God will use us out of our comfort zones, and how He will use us to further His kingdom.

Psalm 115:1 "Not to us, Oh LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth."

This year has been challenging, trying, and Refining!


it took a verse that I'd memorized way back in highschool (since then had amnesia and serious heart issues with God) to finally realize that God is doing some good things in my life and that His timing is perfect and he waits and longs with us during the "waiting" seasons (Isaiah 30:18)....

James 1:2,3 "Consider it all joy,my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."
Also from Power of a Praying woman, I read this statement and it challenged my thoughts on trials: "Trials can be a purifying fire and a cleansing water. You don't want to get burned or drowned; you want to get refined and renewed."

I did not realize how choice of words were impacting my life and attitude to cause a victim mentality. I'm not really getting burned - just refined and the fire does have to get really hot at times...but I must count it all joy.

Looking back 4-5 years (even just this past year), there were so many trials that have molded my faith. I don't think Ricky or I would be ready to move on to the next journey if it were not for the refining trials we've gone through. Attitude is huge and trusting God amidst the trial is vital in order to survive it!

here is an update as far as our present career choice/journey :) I believe that "God works all things together for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose" (Romans) In May, the Camp manager of Clara Springs Baptist Encampment, in Louisiana, called up Ricky a week before Ricky tried out for the Police academy. He told him he had talked to a pastor at a local church who was looking for a Youth Pastor/media guy and he had thought or Ricky. Ricky kinda blew it off because he was trying out for the Police academy. When Ricky did not make it into the the police academy - we definitely saw that door closed. In June, we were headed up to Louisiana for 2 weeks to lead music at the Camp, and prayed about going ahead and meeting the pastor. We prayed and prayed that God would give us discernment and clarity when meeting with the pastor and his wife. Well, to make it short - we're in view of a call right now - which means we're going to meet the congregation in August and then they'll vote us in (but i'm pretty sure they're going to vote "yes"). We are really really excited and at peace about it all. Please keep praying for us and the church. There are a lot of details w/ moving so please please pray.

I know God is my Jehovah Jirah (My Provider) I've seen his provision* very clearly these past months and am excited to see where He takes us and what journey is next. Thanks for your prayers.

*side note - Provider has the root word Pro=before and
Vider (Video)= to see. You can think of it as as viewing a video/dvd in that God can see before hand what's going to happen and we're just part of the story in the movie. He definitely knows our needs even before we see them and he's ready every time to Provide.

Abby's Big Day!

Today is Abby's (my sister) big day - she's going to be having her baby this afternoon! Please be praying for her as she is very nervous about having her first baby. She looks beautiful with her baby belly and I have loved being here with my family as we anticipate seeing baby Hailey and holding her :) Here is a picture from last night's "photo shoot" haha :) You can view more pics on my facebook page - ricky uploaded a lot of them :)

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of Glory died

My riches gain I count but loss

And pour contempt on all my pride

See from his head, his hands, his feet

Sorrow and love flow mingled down

Did ever such love and sorrow meet

Or thorns compose so rich a crown

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross

Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross

All who gather here by grace draw near and bless

Your name

Were the whole realm of nature mine

That were and offering far too small

Love so amazing, so divine

Demands my soul, my life, my all

I was tagged by abby to share 7 random facts about myself that people my or may not know. 

1. I laugh in my sleep and usually remember my dreams when i wake up... i usually try to recall them and tell them to ricky, but sometimes they are so off the wall and weird/random that Ricky is not always interested in hearing them :) I think he's just jealous b/c he never remembers his dreams ;) . I love dreaming. 

2. I can sew! I love to sew if i get the chance. My seamstress grandma first taught me and my sisters how to sew when we were really little - i still remember her showing me how to knot the end of a needle & thread with my fingers. My mom also taught me and in highschool i took a sewing class. the hardest thing i've sewn is a huge blanket for ricky, my curtains, and some rag dolls :) 

3. I can whistle really well! When I was younger I used to go around the house whistling all day long - along to any music being playing. I would even whistle along to my sisters' practicing their classical piano pieces. I'd know their difficult passages and whistle the melody along while they practiced...i was a strange girl...I really don't whistle much anymore, just when the mood strikes :) 

4. When a song is on the radio, i usually don't sing the melody, i sing the harmony - i just hear it and end up singing it instead - unless i really love the melody and it's in a key I can sing in - otherwise harmony all the way! :) 

5. I'm an animal lover. I used to just like cats, but then when Ricky and I got married, we got a Labrador puppy. I like dogs a lot now. When I was younger, i dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. This dream ended when I was in highschool.... my class went on a field trip to the vet to see a girl dog (cat?? i don't even remember what type of animal it was...) get fixed - I thought the whole surgical process was soooo cool! Right at the end when the vet was stitching the animal, i had to excuse myself out of the room for a break. Outside the room, i vaguely remember leaning my back against the wall and slowly laying on the floor....I fainted! Ah so yeah...maybe all that blood and guts was too much to handle for me. And there went any dream of being a vet, doctor, or nurse... :) 

6.  I've played the violin for 18 years. But when I was a year into it, i almost quit. I told my dad that i didn't want to play the violin anymore, and he told me that I'd have to tell my teacher myself that I didn't want to play anymore.....well I ended up never getting the courage to tell my teacher I wanted to quit, b/c I really did like her and she was a nice teacher and I was scared of what she would say. I know God had other plans for me and looking back, I am so glad I didn't quit. I wouldn't have been able to musically accomplish something so beautiful, as well as learn sooo much confidence and courage through music. Now I'm able to pass my skills on to others :)  Plus music scholarships paid for college! whoohoo :) 

7.  I can do 25 push ups in a row. 

i tag all those who would  care to join the fun :) 

10 things Ricky loves

wow where to begin....

I was tagged by my dear friend, Jackie, and my sisters, to post 10 things my husband loves, here it goes in no particular order:

1. macintosh products. Anything that is mac-related or mac-made, he loves it and knows everything about it. He loves his macbook pro, his iphone, any program that can only be used on mac - he loves it and will be able to tell you everything about it. 

2. music.  he loves listening to it and playing it. He loves all kinds of music: pop, r&b, country, classic rock, oldies, love songs, jazz, classical, 80's, 90's, 2000's, almost anything on the radio - he loves and appreciates it all. He knows who sings what song and the lyrics, and if he really likes the song he will learn it in no time. He's so talented in this area, that it amazes me : ) He sings so gorgeous, he plays guitar, piano, drums, and trumpet. He is always saying he wants to learn the cello someday, so maybe that'll be his next instrument : ) I am so privileged to have married a musician and one who appreciates how much work and practice goes into making beautiful music. 

3. Samson. He loves our black lab, Samson. Ricky's the one who wanted him at first and always reminds me that life would be different without of big handsome samson :)  (i love sammy too). If i let him, we'd have 4 dogs right now...all the little sweet homeless dogs he sees, he wants to pull over the car and adopt : ) 

4. family. He loves his family: me, his siblings, my siblings, his nephew and nieces, in-laws, out-laws, . He'd do anything for anyone of them. 

5. golf. He loooves golf - he'd spend every day golfing if he had the time and money to do it. And he's pretty good too! He's even been patient enough to teach me a little bit. He loves Tiger Woods, he thinks Tiger is the greatest (for good reason). He loves to practice his swing, and go to the driving range. If he takes sammy outside, he usually takes a golf club with him to practice his golf stance/swing while sammy does his duties :) 

6. bubble gum. He loves gum, especially the pink sugary bubble gum flavored ones. He loves bubble tape (the one that is in a roll and you can cut whatever size strip you want)- I swear, every time we go on a trip out of town or something, he eyes the bubble gum. He loves gum. :) 

7. learning. He is so knowledgeable about most anything. he usually has an answer for my questions (and I usually don't run out) when I don't know how something works, or the definition to some random acronym, or how any electronic device works. He knows these things because he loves to learn, and if he doesn't know how to do something, he'll learn. He's smart and it's because he loves to learn.

8. Fishing. he loves to fish, the whole experience of fishing. He won't eat the fish b/c he doesn't like the taste, but he looooves to catch them and be outside in the sun (or even rain) fishing - especially with friends or family.

9. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/reyes-tv

   This is his new thing that he loves :) He made this channel to chat with friends and family, and they can see us dancing, singing, being silly....He's been really excited about this, he's been setting it up and trying to network it to our friends. 

10. Laughing. Ricky loves to laugh, and loves to make people laugh. He loves to see people smile and loves to bring joy into the room - and he's really good at it. :)

 

now I tag: Aubree, Tara C., Aleida, & Heather S.