SNOW!

I just love this time of year! Christmas...Isn't it wonderful. I do have to say that it is completely different from a California Christmas...It's actually cold here in Ireland. I cannot leave the house with out my hat, scarf, jacket, and even gloves. Yes, it's that cold. I don't think I will ever say I am cold when I am in California ever again... I now know what cold means. Actually, its not so bad when you are all layered up and have the mindset that its going to be cold. I have done pretty well, me thinks! It has snowed though!!

Several times already...It's the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The way it falls from the sky in a downward spiral and lands on your eyelashes and nos; It's marvelous! It's a chilling and gorgeous sight!! It truly makes it feel like Christmas though. The thought of having a White Christmas just makes me so happy. They are saying that there is a very likely chance that we will have one. I think it's much more fun to have a cold christmas. you can cuddle up by the fire and drink your tea and watch the snow fall outside your window. Oh....I love Christmas in Ireland!!! Here are some pix of my house and the snow....I even have some of Katja and I decorating our trees. I let Katja decorate the big one, and I settled for the mini tree. I like it though...a mini tree for a mini me. I even strung the popcorn garland myself! It was quite difficult to string the popcorn when it smelled so good...I think I ate most of it! I did find the secret tip to stringing popcorn...wait until the next day after the popcorn is a day old. It is soggy and stale and you're not tempted to eat it anymore and it actually strings better too!

Thanksgiving

I made my first Thanksgiving dinner all by myself! So we had a gorgeous turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, stuffing, carmelized carrots, creamed corn, green bean casserole, rolls, pumpkin bread, & pumpkin spice cake! I had to get some canned pumpkin sent over because they don't sell it here. Darn american products! Anyway...we had a brilliant time. Ben, Katja and I all invited a guest and we introduced Thanksgiving to out Irish friends. We even went arounnd the table and said what we were thankful for...good times. It was amazing and we had a fab time! here are some pix!!!

Happy Bday Janet!

It was Janet's birthday last month, so naturally I asked if I could make her a birthday cake. She accepted my offer of course and so I started to plan. Janet doesn't like chocolate cake so I had to think of something else to satisfy a woman's tastebuds. So I made a good ole fashion american white cake (victorian sponge cake to the irish) with alternating layers of raspberry and lemon curd filling. I frosted it with a delightful buttercream and added handmade white chocolate roses and fresh, red raspberries. Tori, my neighbor, drove us to Coast which was the restaurant we were having dinner at. Transporting the cake was so nerve racking, but i managed to get it there all in one piece. We got to Coast and sat at the table and poeple where staring at us and coming over to look at the cake...one guy even took a photo of it. You would think that poeple had never seen a cake before! But Janet came in and was awestruck with the monstrosity of a cake and we all had a fabulous dinner. Coast is an incredible place with yummy, yummy food. After dinner and dessert we went back to Janet's where we sat by the fire and drank wine and watched Mama Mia and had a totally relaxing girls night. It was so much fun!!!

Halloween

Halloween... Every one of my friends had never carved a pumpkin before. I would have none of that....So I hosted a pumpkin carving party.

Faithful Promises

True are your promises...

When you are living your dream and fulfilling the very purpose that God has created you for, the enemy will do whatever it takes to stop you. His only aim is to steal, kill and destroy. I am here in Northern Ireland living out my calling; And the enemy is skirming at my victories.

Financially I am not where I should be. I came here with the little that I had in my bank account. I had not planned to pack up everything and leave the life I had behind. I had a wonderful job, a brand new car, and my life was deemed "successful" in a worldly sense. So, when God said to move to Northern Ireland I was overcome with excitement and complete fear at the same time. I did not have the resources to move my life overseas and live in a foriegn country with no income. It was absolutely absurd! But God insisted that I obey, and now I am here.

I have been continually praying for God to provide and each and every time I ask Him, He assures me that he will take care of me and that I shouldn't worry so much. About two weeks ago a financial crisis hit me when my main supporters let me know that they could no longer support me. I instantly collasped to my knees and asked God what I needed to do. He just said not to worry; to rely solely on Him to provide for me. I decided that I was not going to let the enemy win. I am going to fight to be here. This is where I am supossed to be and I am already seeing fruit. God has brought me here for a reason and I am not going to let a little obstacle like money get in my way. God is bigger than money. So I dried my eyes and went to bed. The next morning before I left for the offices I checked my email, which I never do in the mornings. There in my inbox was an email from one of my supporters saying that She was sending a check for the last 2 months and that just so happened to be double of what I was originally expecting of her! I knew then and there that I was going to be just fine. God would provide.

I stepped outside of my house after reading the email and was about to begin my walk to the office when I looked up and saw a beautiful, bright rainbow infront of my house. I took a couple steps foward and then realized that it was a double rainbow. Just Gods way of letting me know that He keeps his promises and how His love for me is never ending.

He has continued to bless me in these last 2 weeks with little gifts as well. I needed a bike for transportation but it would have cost me about $200 and I couldn't afford that. I prayed for a bike and sure enough one of my friends is lending me a bike. I also broke my brand new blow dryer when I first arrived here, and a friend just so happened to have a spare one. I needed a new brush and went to the store to purchase one...I found the one that I wanted but it was too much, so I did not buy it. I went back one week later with a friend who needed some make-up and saw the exact same brush I wanted only now it was half off. I have been blessed with a mobile phone, and incredible sums of money by people from the church. I have been blessed with rides from friends to and from church...and just small things that mean so much to me. God is taking care of me even with the tiniest of things. Isn't that incredible!?!?

When you are living the dream and walking with your Daddy... He will bless you with everything you need. I am amazed at how incredible My God is. Thank you. True are your promises.