Wedding Party at W & J

We gathered at Washington & Jefferson College for posed pictures before the wedding. Here are a few of what Dan & I got:

It was so cold that day,
The guys were keeping me warm.
Poor Annalise!
The Bridal Party
The bride & groomDonya keeping Annalise warm

Having fun!

Carissa kissing a pole?

Keeping Mandy warm!

John & his friends
Stopping at Starbucks before the wedding!

Sarah & John's Wedding

In leiu of the fact that we don't have the professional wedding pictures yet, I am combining pictures from various sources to post them on this blog. I will try to provide a link for the professional pictures from both weddings soon. Be patient, they'll be here soon.
The church:


The bridesmaids:
Donya, Carissa, Lindsay, & Mandy (maid of honor)

The flower girl, Annalise

Here comes the bride!The groomsmen:

Dr. Rashid, Hany, David, & Jason

Emily singing, Danny at the piano

Lighting the unity candle Time for exchanging of the rings

The kiss!!!

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. John Issac

The Receiving Line:

Carissa & Dave, the next in line to be wedded!

The bridal table.

John & Sarah and her grandparents

Quote

Here's another quote from the book I am reading. This is a passage in the book about a guy whose sister is an anorexic. She's 26 & is only 70 pounds, & has all manner of medical issues. He begins, "'I'm here to confess something to you...' Looking up at his audience, Paul paused: 'I don't even pray for her. I've been asking myself, 'Why not? Don't you care? Yes, I care! Do I believe in prayer? Yes, of course!' The reason I don't pray for my sister is because it's just too painful. To pray for her is to think about her situation. It means identifying with her and feeling her pain. So I find it easier just to forget the whole thing and pretend it's not happening.

'But God's been challenging me to feel my sister's pain, because that's actually what it means to truly intercede. I also believe God is challenging us...to dare to feel the pain all around us. To move from praying 'for' people from the comfort of our own salvation to interceding 'with' them from a position of need... Here's the question: 'Will we allow the things that break God's heart to break our hearts too? It'll mean more tears, more listening. It may even be the reason why so many of us struggle with our own personal burdens and heartaches - God is allowing us to feel the pain, to be weak and broken so that our prayers have power.

'Intercession means weeping for the Earthquake victims in the news right now, and for the anorexics, the drug abusers, the sexually abused, the friends who don't know Jesus. And God says that if we will stand in the gap in this way, bridging the ravine between a hurting generation and a healing God - we will see breakthrough, a new level of effectiveness in prayer. In short, there will be very great power in our pain, or, in the words of The Vision, we will weep 'sulphuric tears'.'

Paul scanned the crowd for a moment and noticed the way some were avoiding his gaze: 'This is a tough word isn't it? We're so often told to trust Jesus for a problem-free existence. But what if the call to pray is a call to bleed as well as to receive a blessing? Maybe we'll run out of words in the prayer room and just join the Spirit in praying with 'groans that words cannot express.' Maybe our passion will consume us until we actually live out our prayers in practical action? Will you carry the cross? Can you receive it?'"




Red Moon Rising by Pete Greig & Dave Roberts, page 162

Prayer Room

This is Go Time Ministry's Prayer Room right in the heart of Finleyville where Venetia Road empties out onto Rt. 88. Right across from the stop sign (that's where I took the picture). We are having a week of prayer Mar. 10th-15th from 7pm - 11pm. Scott gave the room fresh paint & I am hoping to get some scripture up on the walls. Brent has someone that's going to put up a wall map on 1 side of the room & dry erase boards on the other. And I'm asking my Dan if he could draw me a couple of pictures on the end wall to paint. There are a few other things that I need to get to fill in around the edges. When I'm done I'll post pictures for everyone to see. I'm so excited about this room! I love this room, its a wonderful sanctuary - a place to meet with God!

Go Time has a new website: www.gotimeministries.net
I have it listed to the left under "links".

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
praise Him in His mighty heavens!
Praise Him for His acts of power;
praise Him for His surpassing greatness!
Praise Him with the sounding of His trumpet,
praise Him with harp and lyre,
praise Him with tambourine and dancing,
praise Him with the strings and flute,
praise Him with the clash of cymbals,
praise Him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

Happy Valentine's Day!

The greatest love given:

For God so loved the world that He gave His one & only Son

That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Quote

Here's a quote from Red Moon Rising by Pete Greig & Dave Roberts, the book I am reading:

"Augustine once said that God puts salt on our tongues that we may thirst for Him. Sometimes it is tears which carry the salt." pg 26

King of Glory

Do you understand who the King of Glory is?
The One who reigns in splendor?
He is His majesty on high.
Who is He who commands the heavens & they obey?
Who is He who spoke the worlds into being?
Who splashed the sky with constellations?
Do you know my Lord?

Do you understand who the Creator is?
The One who knew us before time began?
He is the Almighty God.
Who is He who sculpted man out of the dust of the earth?
Who is He who drew up the mountains and set low the valleys?
Who formed us in our mother's womb?
Do you know my Lord?

Do you understand who the Lover of our soul is?
The One who sought us before we even knew Him?
He is the Regal King of glory.
Who is He who is passionately jealous for our attention?
Who is He who dances over us with singing?
Who begs us to come into His presence?
Do you know my Lord?

This same Lord who created the universes, desires our fellowship.
This same Lord who rules the heavens, became a humble man.
He died a martyr's death, spilling His blood for us.
He broke loose Hell's grip that we may enter Heaven's gates.
All He asks is that you choose His ways.
All He asks is that He's your first love.
Do you know my Lord?

Word of God Speak by Mercy Me

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say

CHORUS
Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

I'm finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice

CHORUS 2x
Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay

I've been tagged

Jordan, my niece, tagged me. I have to post 3 recipies from the most "delightful" dinners I've had. And I'm to tell why they are special to me. So here they are:

This recipe is one of my family's favorite. I made it to help with turkey leftovers after Thanksgiving. I wanted something different than having turkey dinners over & over again. So Minute Rice had a formula for making casseroles using their rice & viola!

DELICIOUS TURKEY CASSEROLE

1-1/2 cups turkey chunks
8 oz. broccoli, cut up
1-1/2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1-1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Cook rice according to directions. Cook broccoli until barely tender. Drain well. Stir in half of the cheeses. Stir soup & sour cream together. Add a little milk if need be. Add turkey & rice to soup mixture, then pour over broccoli in a baking pan. Microwave on high for 6 minutes. Stir & then flatten out; sprinkle with remaining cheeses & cook on high 5 minutes longer. (Finish under the broiler if desire browned cheese.) Or cook in a 350 degree oven for 30 -40 minutes.

This is an easy recipe to bump up the ingredients if you need more or if you prefer one over the other.


PASTA & CHEESE

This has been a long family favorite since my older kids were little. I give this casserole to those who need a meal & it's always a hit!

2 lbs. ground beef
1-2 jars spaghetti sauce
8 oz. package mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 lb. provolone cheese (this can be substituted for mozzarella cheese) shredded
1 pint sour cream
1 lb box medium shell noodles

Cook ground beef; drain. Add spaghetti sauce. Meanwhile, cook shells according to the package; drain. Then in a 9x13-inch pan begin to layer: 1/2 of the shells, 1/2 of the sauce, !/2 of the sour cream, & sprinkle 1/2 of the cheeses. Repeat. Bake covered for 30-40 minutes @ 350 degrees; then bake uncovered for 15 more minutes or until cheese is browned.


CHEDDAR CHOWDER

This is more my favorite than anyone else's. It's very cheesy & is good served with sweet corn muffins.

2 cups boiling water
2 cups diced potatoes
1/2 cup carrot slices
1/2 cup celery slices
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cheese sauce:
1/4 cup margerine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups ham, diced into chunks

Add vegetables to boiling water. Then salt & pepper. Cook for 10 - 20 minutes.
Make cheese sauce out of the next 4 ingredients: melt margerine in a pan until slightly bubbling. Slowly add flour; bring back to bubbling. Stir until smooth. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly until you have saucy consistency. Then stir in cheddar slowly until its all melted into the sauce. Add to the undrained vegetavles. Add in the ham. Heat up & serve.

This recipe has to be exact or it won't turn out right.

Decorating the church

I decided to post the pictures of us decorating the church for Sarah & John's wedding until our photographer gets back to us on our pictures.

I went & picked up the white poinsettias for the church.
They were to recognize those who couldn't be there.

The roses came right on schedule.

Now was the task of making up the bouquets,
boutonnieres, coursages, & the flower girl's flower ball.

At the church we went to town decorating.
Sarah & Andrew hanging the tulle amongst the garland.

Donya & Carissa showing us how to fix the crushed bows.

John trying out the candles on the candelabra
so they will light better at the wedding.

It's looking nice!
I think we were ready!

The Rehearsal

These are a few shots of the rehearsal & the dinner that followed:

John & his attendents waiting.Sarah encouraging to Annalise, the flower girl, & Andrew, the ring bearer.
Tylee was supposed to be the other flower girl - we miss you, Tylee!
Sarah practicing with her Dad.
I'm sorry these are a little blurry but these were from the video camera.
We are done, on to eating!

The ladies of the church did a wonderful job
of decorating & serving us!
Mandy, in the background, Lindsay, Sarah, Carissa, & Dave

the cousins:
Annalise, her sister, Brianna, Robyn, her sister, Ashley, & Dan

Bethany, her sister, Annalise, & Aunt Jacque

the siblings:
Vicki, Jacque, Debbie, & Craig

We had good time enjoying catching up on news!