All About Him

Hi Everyone,

It’s that time of year again and I am so excited to begin planning for another Christ-centered Christmas!

As always, God has given me a new endeavor for this fall. He has lead me to offer this plan as a class at our church. I am super thrilled to get to meet each week with a group of ladies who are interested in transforming their Christmas celebrations. This class will be an action oriented time where we work on everything from list making to hand made gifts. We will also walk through a devotional that celebrates Christ through the entire process.

For those who are not in this area or are unable to attend, don’t feel like you will be missing out! I will be posting everything we are doing on our forum and blog. I am excited about all the new and fun ideas that will be coming from this class.

For those who are local; come join us! We will begin meeting on Sunday, September 5th and will meet each Sunday evening until November 21st. Look for more details through the Women’s Ministry at the church.

Also, I know many of you have trouble remembering your user name and/or password to get onto the forum each year. Feel free to email me and I will look it up for you. I promise you will not be the only one – I get LOTS of requests for this. It is super easy for me to find and send back to you, so don’t let this keep you from joining in on all the fun!

Looking forward to getting started! It won’t be the same without you so I hope you will join us for another fun year!!!

Desiring to be all about Him,
Angela Turner

Hi Everyone,

It’s that time of year again and I am so excited to begin planning for another Christ-centered Christmas!

As always, God has given me a new endeavor for this fall. He has lead me to offer this plan as a class at our church. I am super thrilled to get to meet each week with a group of ladies who are interested in transforming their Christmas celebrations. This class will be an action oriented time where we work on everything from list making to hand made gifts. We will also walk through a devotional that celebrates Christ through the entire process.

For those who are not in this area or are unable to attend, don’t feel like you will be missing out! I will be posting everything we are doing on our forum and blog. I am excited about all the new and fun ideas that will be coming from this class.

For those who are local; come join us! We will begin meeting on Sunday, September 5th and will meet each Sunday evening until November 21st. Look for more details through the Women’s Ministry at the church.

Also, I know many of you have trouble remembering your user name and/or password to get onto the forum each year. Feel free to email me and I will look it up for you. I promise you will not be the only one – I get LOTS of requests for this. It is super easy for me to find and send back to you, so don’t let this keep you from joining in on all the fun!

Looking forward to getting started! It won’t be the same without you so I hope you will join us for another fun year!!!

Desiring to be all about Him,
Angela Turner

I love New Years!

I love the natural motivation it brings.

It causes me to evaluate where I am.

Where I am in my relationship with Christ,

in my relationship with my husband,

in my relationship with my kids,

in my homekeeping,

in my ministry,

where I am in my, well – everything!

Show me Lord, show me Your plans for me in 2010.

Not my will, but Yours.

Show me how to be more of who You want me to be.

Show me how to continue to grow closer to You.

Show me how to be the wife and mother You know I can be.

Show me how to be a blessing to those you put around me.

Show me Lord.

Wow what a busy week!  Here is what I accomplished…

Monday – Christ-centered Christmas Day

I will be working on any preparations I need to make for the Christ-Centered Christmas ideas I want to include in our 2009 holiday.

Monday – The Charlie Brown Christmas frames.  I’m so excited to add this to my decorations this year along with my little Charlie Brown tree.

Tuesday – Post Day

I will be working on my Christmas cards and packages I am planning to mail.

Tuesday – I am working on 10 cards a day to get them finished up by next week.

Wednesday – Gift List Day

I will be working on finishing off my gift list, stocking list and handmade gifts.

Wednesday – I polished off 6 handmade gifts.

Thursday – Menu Day

I will be working on my holiday menus as well as holiday meal planning needs.

Thursday – finalized all Thanksgiving plans with family members and ordered our ham.

Friday – Home Keeping/Traveling Day

I will work on my home decorating plans as well as my prep for guests.  If you will be traveling this holiday, work on travel plans on this day as well.

Friday – I scheduled a one time cleaning with a maid service for the week of Thanksgiving.  This is a gift from my sweet mom!  Have I written lately about how much I LOVE my mom???

Saturday – Major Progress Day

Saturday – I made the most of my major progress day!  My daughter and I spent a big part of the day out shopping.  I picked up several stocking stuffers, some items I needed to finish off my last handmade gift, found one more gift and bought the non-perishable groceries for Thanksgiving.

I hope you had a great week too!

Well, I have one party all planned and only one more to go!

Did I mention that my family has four birthdays within the months of Sept. – Dec.?

Yep

four

birthday

parties

Now you know why I try to get all my Christmas planning done so early!

Birthdays have always been something we celebrated BIG.

Growing up, I can remember so many amazing birthday celebrations.

I don’t remember much about the gifts, just the FUN!

My husband on the other hand celebrated birthdays much more “normally” as he puts it – lol!

He has been so good for me.  He keeps my feet on the ground.

BUT, the birthdays of my loved ones will always be very special occasions in my book.

Every mother I know lists the day she had her baby placed in her arms as

one

of

the

best

days

of

her

life.

Birthdays are special because they mark the beginning.

Without a beginning what else would there be?

I had the sweetest comment sent to me this week.

Maintaining the allaboutHim forum is something I truly enjoy, but it can be hard to see the evidence of how it is being used in people’s lives. These little glimpses are such an encouragement!!! Thanks Jean!

“…for the things we are planning, and for future Christmas event planning, we are enjoying the forethought that your site provides. I especially appreciate that it doesn’t load me with more stuff to do, but rather helps me be more realistic, and un-load some of my previous expectations. It helps me proactively plan for Jesus, rather than get caught up in the chaos and commercialism that historically has surrounded my family at this time.”

I started a new Bible study this week. I LOVE starting a new Bible study. I am always so excited to see what God will teach me, where He will take me, what I will see for the first time, how God’s Word will speak directly to me as if it was written with Dear Angela at the top of the page.

Don’t get me wrong, I work hard to be sure my Bible studies are not a substitute for my time sitting just with my Bible, asking God to show me what He has for me today, but I also love the fellowship that comes from a group of women studying His Word together. I always receive such practical wisdom and insight from listening to other ladies share what God has taught them.

This probably sounds a little cheesy, but as I hold this new study in my hands I feel like I’m jumping on a train. I don’t know exactly where it’s going, what stops we will be making or where I will ultimately end up, but I do know that God will be talking to me all along the way and I wouldn’t miss that for anything.

Have you heard this song?  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!  Here are some of the words…

There Could Never be a More Beautiful You by Jonny Diaz

There could never be a more beautiful you
Defy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you

So turn around you’re not too far
To back away be who you are
To change your path go another way
It’s not too late you can be saved
If you feel depressed with past regrets
The shameful nights hope to forget
Can disappear they can all be washed away
By the one who’s strong can right your wrongs
Can rid your fears dry all your tears
And change the way you look at this big world
He will take your dark distorted view
And with His light He will show you truth
And again you’ll see through the eyes of a little girl

There could never be a more beautiful you
Defy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you

Each August, as the more relaxed and easy days of summer come to an end and my fall schedule begins to take shape I seem to always find myself on my knees.

Why?

Because

I

don’t

want

to

be

too

busy.

For me (and I’m guessing for a lot of other women out there) it is a battle.
Keeping my family from being too busy and over committed is a serious battle…

I REFUSE to allow all of our evenings to be swallowed up by activities…, no matter how “good” they may be.

I REFUSE to fall into bed each night too tired to read with my daughter or talk with my son.

I REFUSE to be too busy with other things to read my Bible.

I REFUSE to allow my time with my husband to be stolen away by committee meetings or work…

I REFUSE to schedule my days so full that I have nothing left to give my family.

It is way too easy to get TOO involved these days.

I am not in anyway saying I am not going to volunteer at the school or at the church, and that my kids are not going to be allowed to participate in extra-curricular fun, but what I am saying is that…

I WILL have at least 2 nights each week around the dinner table with my entire family.

I WILL pray about the items I add to our calendar and say “no” a lot.

I WILL make spending time with God my top priority.

I WILL plan date nights with my husband on a regular basis.

I WILL reevaluate our schedule and cancel some things if I feel we are too stressed and busy.

I WILL make sure I am not too busy to help a friend or follow the Holy Spirit’s leading.

I WILL recognize my days with my kids at home are short

and

guard

this

special

time.

Wow what a day!  I was really glad to slide into home after…

We were all up and going by 7 a.m. this morning

(which is early for us since it’s summer).

We were on a mission.

We were going to get my son’s driver’s permit so he can start practicing behind the wheel.

We had to make a stop to get some needed documents, but we made it to the DPS office by 9:30 a.m.  The clerk checked to be sure I had all the necessary information, forms…

AND THEN she handed me a number.

I looked at the number – #40, okay.

I looked at the number display – #4???

Seriously?  #4?

I knew going to the DPS office would take a while, so we had all packed some things to do but #4 of 40???

We found a seat and I decided to see how long it would take for #5 to be called.

It was a LONG time.  To shorten the story, we left a couple of times to eat, run some errands, even went home and drove back!

Finally, our number was called and we were taken to the back where four frazzled looking women were processing everyone’s requests.  We had been waiting a really long time and I knew everyone else in the waiting area had been doing the same.  These women were probably hearing complaint after complaint and to be honest, I had thought of a few while sitting in the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting area myself.

I’m glad I didn’t use them.

Instead, I smiled and laughed with the clerk about my son being so excited to be getting his permit that he was absolutely no trouble to get out of bed this morning.

Five hours later we walked out of the DPS office with my son’s permit!  Wooohooo!

Know the best part?  We get to go back and do it all again in 6 months so he can take his driving test – lol!