the reason i think "50 shades" is a turn for the worse...

you see this guy right here...

yes, that one... the amazing man to my left, your right... that's MY husband! this year we'll have been married for 10 years. they have been the most challenging yet fulfilling years of my life. we have worked SO hard to get where we are... fighting for our marriage when the love didn't feel like it was enough... the fact of the matter is our love will NEVER be enough... but God's love was enough during those days of despair...

anyway... so yea that's MY husband :) he is the most amazing, compassionate, hilarious, giving, thoughtful, hard-working, man of God i have ever met! everyone who meets him thinks & says the same things.

now because he's MY husband i get to say a few things about him that others can't... he is gorgeous, oh God he is so handsome! he is beyond sexy... the man has a natural swagger about him that just doesn't stop! there is a magnet that draws me to him... oh Lord am i drawn to him!!! but he is MY husband so i can say all of these things freely, with pride & God smiles on our passion for each other!!

this leads me to the topic at hand... this "50 shades" nonsense {disclaimer... this is my blog, if you don't like my opinion that's ok! you can go kick rocks in flip-flops!! mmkay} i have not, nor do i intend to, read or watch that garbage...

#canibehonest ... it's girl porn... it's damaging, it's garbage & it's making women very aggressive

while out on the town this weekend, MY husband & i saw droves of women going to see the above stated movie... they were coming out of the theater cackling & so overtly affected...
{once again, my opinion, it was like there was a demonic spirit that had attached itself to them... a spirit of "i have no cares... i'm so free... my inhibitions are gone"... it was weird}

through out the weekend, in numbers like never before, women were just short of throwing themselves at MY husband... making long lasting eye contact with him, eying him up & down like he was a piece of meat... one woman... #ifyoucancallherthat... walked up to him & said "i just want to tell you, you are so sexy. you need to know that"... I WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE!!!!!!

wow... just wow... omg...

since when?? when did women become so classless... so aggressive... so trashy!!??!! oh!! what a coincidence... it's the same timing as the release of socially acceptable girl porn... #imjustsaying

#sorrynotsorry

so, this is me putting all women on notice... & to the woman that think it's ok to hit on another woman's husband .... wait that would require you to be a woman to begin with...  to the pieces of trash that think it's ok to hit on another woman's husband, i'm putting you on blast... it's not ok!! as a woman {& i use that term loosely} you should have a little more respect for yourselves than to make a pass at married man. to disrespect marriage, a marriage i have fought so hard to keep alive & thriving through mountaintops & valleys... how dare you.

my heart breaks for the current condition of womanhood. we should be lifting one another up & exalting each other. think about what it says in titus 2:3-5 {disclaimer... don't hate the messenger...}

³ Teach the older women to be quiet and respectful in everything they do. They must not go around speaking evil of others and must not be heavy drinkers, but they should be teachers of goodness. ⁴ These older women must train the younger women to live quietly, to love their husbands and their children, ⁵ and to be sensible and clean minded, spending their time in their own homes, being kind and obedient to their husbands so that the Christian faith can’t be spoken against by those who know them.

i think i'll finish with this... the world needs a little more titus 2:3-5 & a little less "50 shades"...

#imjustsaying

xoxo,

jeni

too many emotions...

so... i cancelled my infertility consult...

we will reschedule eventually {maybe in a few months} but for now jason & i both realized that as the appointment date was nearing, neither of us are ready for bad news :( there is so much emotion that you bury down after a loss {let alone 2!!} & all of that started unearthing for both of us...

it's just too much right now...

and really God is so much bigger than any medical diagnosis anyway!!!

 

The Valley of Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:1-14

 

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. ² He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. ³ He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! ⁵ This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. ⁶ I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

¹¹ Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. ¹⁴ I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

 

**i used italics & bold on areas that stood out to me :)**

 

xoxo,

jeni

the power of a praying woman...

grab more tissues ladies...

we are daughters of the King of Kings!! He hears you & your prayers carry POWER!!!

101 rules: one thru seven...

i'm compiling a list of 101 rules to marriage... one thru seven are finished :)

http://lifeofmrsperkins.blogspot.com/p/101-lessons-ive-learned-in-marriage.html

i'm impressed with them, if i do say so myself!! slow & steady wins the race...

still a work in progress for sure!!

xoxo,

jeni

quick journey update...

quick update to "His journey to our baby" page :)

check it out!!

xoxo,

jeni

perhaps there is a king in her...

this message just rocked my world!! thank you Jesus that you are not a man that you could lie... i hold tight to your promises that there is a king in me!! (grab a tissue before 36:00!!)

scientific evidence that two become one...

Genesis 2:18-24

^"18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” ¹⁹ Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. ²¹ So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. ²² And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made  into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³ Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
    because she was taken out of Man.”

²⁴ Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

 

 

 

hey party people!! i have heard so many stories recently about long time lovers {aka MARRIED PEOPLE!!! ... i love calling my hubby "lover"... God knew what he was doing when He created all aspects of marriage... i still get butterflies}...

 

where was i?? oh yes!! long time lovers :)  ...  check out this blog from the daily stir about the latest married couple to die within hours of each other... (& he didn't even know his wife had passed!!)

 

i count this as scientific evidence of Genesis 2:24... two become one flesh... he could no longer survive without his lover...

 

 

 

Couple Married 67 Years Die Within Hours of Each Other Without Knowing It 

by Jenny Erikson 

 

 

When Olympia DeNittis died last week at the age of 95, her family decided not to tell her husband of 67 years about her passing. The two were being treated in separate care facilities just miles apart, and they hoped that Michael DeNittis, 94, would continue to fight his four-year battle with colon cancer if he believed his wife was still alive.

 

Instead, his family reports that he dreamed of his own death on the night his wife died, and he quietly slipped away the next day. The couple's granddaughter AnnMarie McDonald said, “It was bizarre ... I think instinctually he knew she had died.”

 

The two grew up in the same neighborhood and had been childhood sweethearts. They married after World War II and, according to the family, had a great romance and were inspirational to many. McDonald said, “They were both remarkable people. We relied on their guidance and insight until the end. And now they’re together.”

 

The granddaughter also said that Olympia was dying of a broken heart (although it was pneumonia that finally took her) and that she wanted to get to Heaven first so she could be there to welcome him.

 

While death is always sad, there is something valiant about living a life with love so deep that you sense a part of you dying when your soul mate passes away. Michael had no way of knowing about Olympia’s death, yet he dreamed that he had died. Not that she had died, but that he himself had.

 

What a sweet and poignant tribute to love and to a long and fruitful life on Earth. It’s obvious they will be missed here, but I hope their story continues to be an inspiration to many.

 

 

just a sweet reminder of our awesome God... now go hug your lover!!

 

xoxo,

 

jeni

 

 

 

 

countdown to GOLD!!!

the countdown begins today... for no particular reason other than i say so :) 19 days & counting...

 

omg... i'm almost THIRTY!!!! & it's my golden birthday {the birthday when you turn the same age as your birth date} so that's pretty much awesome...but this is where reality sets in. 

i am beginning to question if i have accomplished what i should have by this season of my life. let's be completely honest & transparent... i struggle with comparing myself & my accomplishments with the lives of others... i know, i know bad jeni! {insert image of me slapping my own hand here} comparison is the thief of joy & one of the devil's tactics he uses to take our focus away from God & the plans He has for us... so what exactly does the Word have to say about this??

first of all Jeremiah 29:11 says ' "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ' {emphasis added is mine} this scripture is so powerful!! it doesn't say "I know the plans I have for your friends, your family, your coworkers, your nail lady, your favorite barista at starbucks & your neighbor's-dog walker's-cousin"... lol... it says I know the plans I have for YOU!!! hello!! God has plans for you specific to the talents He gave you to use for His glory! how awesome is that?

just like every part of the body has a different function, a different use, a different talent, God has given us each a gift. Romans 12: 6-8 says it beautifully..."We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." {again, emphasis mine}

John Bevere was at our church recently & had an amazing illustration for this very concept... you don't expect your thumb to talk, God gave that talent to your mouth... so why do we try to work outside of our gifts & talents that God created us for?? ouch! so true it stings a little :)

really the bottom line is... i shouldn't worry about what is going on with everyone else around me, what they have accomplished or what they have that i think i should have... God only holds me accountable to the plans He has for me & what i have done with the talents He gave me... that's what pleases God! having faith that He has a plan & seeking His will for your life... "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

my prayer during my golden birthday countdown is that i remember to focus on what God has brought me through & the path He is laying before us... it is also golden & built on the foundation of His promises!!

xoxo,

jeni

"Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life."
Galatians 6:4 & 5 {The Message}

the dreaded "kids" question...

hey ya'll... i'm feeling very country today lol :)

i was just asked the dreaded "kids" question :( i know i know... if your familiar with my story you just thought "ugh!! that sucks... i want to hug you right now". please hug away because i need it...

a patient at the office i work in just asked me, "so when are you & your husband gonna try to have some kids" {insert "come on already! what's taking you guys so long" attitude}. i felt my face get red {with anxiety, not rage... ok a little rage...} & i proceeded to tell her actually we have been trying for years & have lost 2 babies in the last 3 years, forgetting until now that it's actually been 4 & 1/2 years {wow... that realization stings}. i tried to keep it all smiles as i felt my heart breaking, begging God to keep me strong & thanking Him for the opportunity to show His love & glory. i explained that so many of my girlfriends have been through miscarriages over the last few years & i felt grateful for having been through losses, that i could lift them up & be an encouragement. even in this moment i thank God that we have been through struggles. it will make the blessing just that much sweeter {btw... our future children will be so awesome & loved beyond all comparison!!!}

the Lord promises in Ephesians 3:20 that we will have infinitely more than we might ask or imagine & i hold strong to that promise... when the Lord blesses us with children, it will be better than we could have ever imagined!!{thanks to www.hannahbunker.com for the image}

so thank you, random patient, for asking me the "dreaded question" so that God could remind me of His promise :)

xoxo,
Jeni

just a small ray of God's love to brighten the day...

my Joyce Meyer devotion is quite relevant today! God is right on time... every time!!

Courage to Be Yourself Are you tired of playing games, wearing masks or trying to be someone other than yourself? Wouldn't you like the freedom to just be accepted for who you are, without the pressure to be someone you really don't know how to be? Would you like to learn how to embrace your uniqueness and resist the pull to be like everyone else? If you're going to overcome insecurities and be the person God's called you to be, you must have the courage to be different. Unhappiness and frustration happen when we reject our uniqueness and try to be like each other. You're going to have to take a chance on not being like everyone else. You must ask yourself, am I a people pleaser or a God pleaser? It's not worth it to try and please man, because God didn't make you to live for other people's approval. God knew what He was doing when He made you. You are a unique individual, God created you the way you are! It's time that you dare to accept yourself as different and stop being insecure about who you are. Prayer Starter: God, I will not fear man. You did not design me to live for the approval of others. Today, I dare to be different. I want to be a God pleaser, living as the unique individual You created me to be.

Psalm 56:4 I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?

let's do this!!

so i figure since baby is on the way i need to document this AMAZING experience... what a better way than to blog! so here we go :)

officially 10 full weeks today and can not wait until our appointment next week!! hearing 'lil bit's (short for little baby it lol) heart beat is going to be one of the best moments in our lives for sure!

now back to work :)