It's really there

Today was round two of doctor's appointments. A month ago, James and I nervously and very excitedly met with our doctor to see our literal bean. There was about an entire minute the doctor struggled to find the baby. We both were dead locked on the little screen just praying it would show up. Longest minute of our lives. No joke. Then there it was. Complete and total confirmation that there is a life forming. 

Now, prior to this first appointment, James and I had taken three tests and had blood work done to confirm there was actual life. Nonetheless- I still had a bit of hesitation. So today, we went back and I am amazed that I would still have doubt. I got a little bit nervous before the doppler came out, but really shouldn't have when our doctor found the heartbeat in less then five seconds. Yes, I am pregnant. The smell aversions and four weeks of nausea should have pinpointed that. But, I still didn't believe it. Even now as I sit and write this, I am wondering if our now lime is still there. 

It really is fascinating to me that after all this proof of life, I still would have doubt. I am sure most first time moms and moms in general go through this feeling. Then one night you wake up to constant kicking and spend the next 20 or so weeks wishing your baby wasn't deciding to be a soccer player. However, the reason I find it so interesting is that for the last three weeks in my kid's church class we have been talking about faith. Faith is believing in what you can't see, because of what you can see. My kid's have this down. They can give examples, they know the bible stories we have shared to learn this, they know what faith is...and they have faith in God because of it. 

Wondering if our baby is still there is just one small example of an area I have doubt. I am sure a lot of you struggle with simple situations to the more extensive ones and lack a bit of faith. We all will doubt, yet in those moments we also have a choice to have faith. I watch my kid's faces come to life as I share stories from the Bible of what God has done. I see them jump with excitement as they hear a new missions story and see what God is doing. I am humbled, in how my faith truly needs to be more child-liked, as I listen to them pray, fully trusting and believing God to still work in their life today and in the future.

Faith is believing in what you can't see, because of what you can see. I cannot see our baby yet. I cannot feel our baby, but it doesn't mean this little Corbin is not there. I know I saw three positive tests...I know I have a picture of a very misshaped bean in our living room...I have heard a 170/minute heartbeat that was not mine and because of all that I know I have a baby inside of me. I want to encourage you all today to stretch your faith a bit. Share a story of something God has done in your life and watch how that will catalyst into something more. Be encouraged in your faith and that thing you have been doubting about- trust God with it completely and watch Him move in your situation. 

There's a tid-bit for you.

An Unlikely Teacher

Wednesday night's have turned into a smorgasbord of students. I have two that are 2, a three year old, a four year old, two that are six, two that are eight, a nine and ten, and then four that are between twelve and fourteen. It gets a little crazy between bible story and craft time to say the least. And I love it. 

Last night I had a new student in my Wednesday night class. I asked him if he had ever been to church before and he said yes. He loved drawing his favorite bible hero for the opening project (Jesus on the cross). He listened intently to the bible story, completed his craft, and then proclaimed to me that this was his best day ever. He continued playing with the friends that brought him and some new ones he made. Then, completely out of the blue, he came straight up to me and let me know that he is the youngest of three. His brothers are quite older then him...and they don't go to church. In fact, they don't believe in God; they believe in the Devil. His words exactly. I finally had the opportunity to reply and I told him the best thing he could do as a little brother is pray for his older brothers. He proceed to inform me that he had...sixteen times to be exact. 

Now before I go any further, I want to point out one thing about this two minute conversation that provoked an entire blog post from me. This new little boy is only six years old, but "will be seven this year". A six year old, who most of the night played with building blocks, had trouble opening a glue stick, and made new friends during a round of duck, duck, goose has a deep compassion for his two brothers that no longer go to church, so much so that he has prayed for them. Consistently, I might add. I honestly cannot remember a time that I have prayed for something sixteen times or more. Yes, I do pray, but I feel I fall into a category of making too quick decisions when I feel God hasn't answered my prayers or just forgetting to pray through a situation because nothing has changed it. 

Both are unacceptable I realize, but it is the mentality of how most people pray. I know not all do. I feel one of the reasons I have been blessed with not just a man of God, but one who deeply loves and cares about me above himself is because of Isabel. Isabel is my second grandmother and since I was a teen, she has prayed everyday for me and for my future spouse. She prayed for me over ten years, over 4,000 days for my well being and my husband. This type of determination to see God move is what I desire and what we need more people in this world doing. 

Right now, our church staff is reading through "Draw the Circle: The 40-Day Prayer Challenge" by Mark Batterson. Yesterday's reading hit me hard. Mark started out by sharing how the bible described Cornelius. "He prayed to God regularly" Acts 10:2. He continues on in the short chapter to explain that when we try to expedite God's plan, we in reality delay it. I am a person who does this. I try to "fedex" what God wants with my own personal expertise plan. But Mark ends with two major points, that I feel were a perfect start to this new 40 day challenge.

From Mark: 

• Don't try to manufacture your own miracles. Don't try to answer your own prayers. Don't try to do God's job for Him. Stay humble, Stay patient. Stay focused. Keep circling. 
• If you pray regularly, irregular things will happen on a regular basis.

These two things I saw lived out in the heart of a six year old. He doesn't have answers for why his brothers don't go to church, but he knows to pray for them. He is doing that continuously. His brothers may come to church this Easter because of his prayers or they may not for many years, but I do know this little six year old is not giving up. He has shown me that, even in a fast pace, drive-through generation, my prayers are not to be. I need to stay patient, pray continuously and watch God move in my situations.

There's a tid-bit for you.

40

I do apologize for the great lack of writing. Who knew being married for nine months and then finding out you are pregnant could take up so much time? Anyways, I am trying to get back into the swing of things and thought I would start today on Ash Wednesday. 

At my church this past Sunday, we made a commitment over the next forty days to pray an hour a day and fast a meal a day. We had one hundred and ten people accept this challenge. 4,400 hours of prayer. 4,400 meals fasted. This is going to be good and I am very much looking forward to the next forty days. 

Even though this seems simple enough to pray only an hour a day and one meal a day, it actually is proving to be a bit more challenging for me....the lady with child. (Still hasn't hit me that I am having a baby; hopefully by nine months I will be ready!) At first, my boss suggested that I just give up my "4th Meal" of the day to fast. However, baby and I have come quite accustomed to our late night bowl of Cheerios and not waking up sick in the morning. So with not being able to give up food, per se, I am opting to do several other things that distract me. It's rather funny, just a mere two years ago I was sharing in kid's church what it meant to fast and actually created this list of "alternatives" for kid's to be able to participate. Here are just a few ways to help those of you who really cannot opt out of food...

1) Facebook- The blatantly obvious choice in today's society.  I tried this a couple of years ago and just opted to skip a meal instead. I was amazed to discover how much I (the person who is never on and has only posted a couple times this month) spent just browsing. I wake up in the morning check my email...and facebook. I take a five minute break to grab water and my morning snack of the day...and check facebook. I end a phone call with a friend...and check facebook. I bet I am not the only one with this kind of habit. I am not on for hours at a time, I am not posting constant updates of my "drama-filled" day, I am not even posting pictures of food anymore. I just check it practically every hour, for about five minutes at a time. I catch up on some actual news and then am able to justify my time spent on. This option I will be using for several days of my 40 day fast, to opt out of being on it or logged in even. The first time I gave this up, I was truly amazed at how many times I grabbed my phone to just "zone on facebook". One day away gave me much needed time that I could focus on prayer. 

2) T.V- I know...I don't even have cable, so how in the world could t v be a hindrance to me? Well quite simply. While I am waiting for James to get off work, I hate being in the quite at home. I turn on the t.v and pretty soon in the middle of putting dishes away or trying not to overcook dinner...I am engaged in a show. James and I do enjoy one show together every night, because it is our way of relaxing from our day at work and a way for us to catch up and talk. So what I am opting to do throughout this challenge is, instead of immediately flipping on a show or movie, taking my first hour home to have silence, to spend time reading my bible, to pray. I think Criminal Minds will forgive me and more then likely repeat next month. 

The last option I want to share is...  

3) Electronics- I am on my computer and phone all day it seems like. My job revolves around researching, emailing, entering data, and I am non-stop on my computer or phone. During the week, I leave my computer at work, in order to separate being home and not at work anymore. However, I still have my phone that I am on searching for information, the next craft to do, or just communicating with my friends and family. I am constantly surrounded by emails and texts. My fasting electronics will consist of, yes I am going to say it, turning off my phone for an entire hour. I know it's crazy, right? No, it is not. The world will not come crumbling down if I do not have my phone attached to my ear for an hour or within a ten inch vicinity. I will survive and you will too. 

So there are my top three alternatives to fasting a meal for this challenge. The point is not to starve yourself giving up a meal, but to take that time you would have been eating to focus on God. I know I have a lot of things that take away my time from spending with God and I am hoping for the next forty days to be different. These are my suggestions that take away hours in my day. I am sure that if you are unable to give up a meal, if these three don't fit into your top time wasters, you can find other alternatives to fast from and truly give a focus on God over the next 40 days. Who knows...it may even become a new norm for you.

And there's a tid-bit for you. 

Marriage 101.2

Like I said in a post prior, every so often I will be posting about Marriage 101. (You know in all my vast, infinite 4-months of knowledge on marriage). So Marriage 101.1 was a lesson on caring for your spouse. This .2 lesson is on encouragement.

Before we were married, James and I started encouraging one another. Our trust level and love towards each other deepened as we did this simple act. Then when we married each other the importance of being encouraging became crucial to our marriage. And, frankly, it has become one of the top vital foundations of our marriage.

So what does this look like? It's really quite easy...just takes a bit of practice. While we were dating, I would find little opportunities to tell James he was handsome, or smart, or even a ninja. Nothing fancy. Just a compliment or two that put positive words in his head and heart. After we were married, I noticed that encouragement wasn't just a compliment every now and then...it was a constant.

I have the power to make him feel stronger and wiser in everything I do. I could be having a rough day and download everything on him...and he would sit and listen. He would tell me it would be ok and give me advice on whatever situation I was facing. He then would keep me accountable to that and encourage me through those hard times. But I have to be there for him too and it's not all that easy to know when he needs some uplifting.

Most men are not going to come home and sit and pout until their wife says, "Honey, what's wrong?". I can't overwhelmingly pester him every time he tells me his day was just "fine" and doesn't give me every detail. But instead, I have to set my needs aside and my perspectives and be aware of his needs. I have to see him after a 52-hour work week, absolutely exhausted and having to wake up at 5:30am to do it all over again, and know he needs a note in his lunch telling him how much I love him or waking up with him to layout his clothes for the day. I have to take note of him bowing his head just a little lower in prayer over the youth of our church and city and know he needs his wife sitting their praying with him and supporting him as we impact this generation. I have to give him some space and let him have a night to be in the man cave, rather then hassling him with helping around the house. In return, for encouraging him, he takes time to be more encouraging to me and in ways I never expected.

One of my favorite verses that has always challenged me, in relationships, is Hebrews 10:24, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds...". I use this in my relationship with James and know that it is a pivotal and intricate layer of our relationship. Take a second wives and husbands and think...how can you encourage your spouse today? Even take it a step further and discover how you can 'spur someone on toward love and good deeds', instead of putting them down. 

There's a tid-bit for you.

Big Announcement...Biggest Yet!

 

Well this is a bit sooner then I ever anticipated in announcing. But I can hardly keep it a secret anymore. James has been just beaming with joy and I am so ecstatic, I can't sleep at night. See it's something I have been dreaming about, but just didn't know when the right timing would come along. And now...well we are ready. Lottie is not sure about it yet, but I am certain she can make the adjustment. Everything is set. James just finished the office and I cleaned out the garage. So everything is organized and ready to go. We even have been able to cut back in our budget to save for this. Neither one of us can wait...we just want it to be here already!

We are going to his best friend's wedding at the end of this month in Oregon and then taking a couple of extra days off to head to Seattle. I have been waiting over two years for this trip, but I just didn't know when or how I would go back up. James can't wait to be in his best friend's wedding, then be indulged in the coffee capital for a few days. Plus, we get to spend time with my family up there. The last time I saw them, James and I were getting married so we didn't get to spend much time. And I will be able to meet my dear friend's baby for the first time.

Being able to take James where I lived and share with him this portion of my life is something I thought would take years to make happen...and probably would be after we had kids! So to all my Seattle friends and family, I will be up in the area labor day weekend and be there for a couple of days.

There's my "Big Announcement" and tid-bit for you today...

Marriage 101.1

I am not an expert on this marriage thing yet and I don't plan on being one for quite some time, but I have already learned some very simple truths and I want to share them occasionally with you all. I have been blessed with a slue of wonderful and not so wonderful marriage examples. Both have been extremely helpful in setting a strong foundation for James and my marriage. In Marriage 101.1, the simple truth is this: Care for your spouse.

How does that look? It's not easy. I mean think about it- the grizzly bear snoring away next to you who always leaves their half drunk coco-cola bottles in your car or the always half-way through a household project and never gets up to turn the lights off woman won't always cultivate an emotion of "care". I have discovered that caring for one another is found in the small and simple things, instead of always pointing out the flaws of the other.

For example, a dear friend of mine (and a marriage I have always admired) once shared with me right before I started dating James a story from early on in her marriage. She told me how one day, just a few months into their marriage, she was cleaning the house and found a spider. Not a huge set back to her routine, but nonetheless she took it upon herself to show her spouse she cared. She called him at work (only a few blocks from home) and told him there was a spider in the house and she needed him to come kill it. Of course, he thought it was ridiculous that she wouldn't just handle it herself. She wasn't a fearful woman or one incapable to kill a spider. However, he got in his car, drove home, and killed the spider. Why? Because he cared about her. 

I know this story may seem silly to some, but it truly does speak volumes. See at the beginning of their marriage they were already setting up opportunities and a standard for one another to show that they cared. The pivotal and most vital part of this story is the fact that they BOTH showed they cared. She could have assassinated the little terror herself and her husband would have never known. She instead took an opportunity to build him up and show that in all things she needed him. He could have ignored her call and told her it was a stupid request and to just deal with it, but instead he came to her rescue because she asked. This is just a small example in their marriage that has grown over the years.

The other day James cleaned up the office. It was packed full with boxes, crafts things from the wedding, and every other miscellaneous item you could think of. And he just cleaned it. I didn't ask him to, but he did know it was on my to-do list so he took care of it. So in return, I worked on the garage one day while he was at work and gave him a man-cave. I love having the office clean and ready for guests and he absolutely loves walking into the garage and having a place all to himself. We do things for one another, not out of obligation to each other, but because we deeply care for one another and want that established now. We also understand that it is not a one way road. We both have to care and not stop caring for the other, even through the tough times.

There's a first marriage tid-bit for you. 

To- do's

The last thing I want to do today is write a new blog post. I know...then why write one? But you see I have said that for the last two weeks...and I probably could say that for the next week. So I am forcing myself to do this. I have not written in over a month! It's kind of frustrating, because I love to write. I have always loved writing stories- capturing my thoughts or those of others and being as creative as possible in communicating it. I actually wrote several of my friends auto-biography senior year, because I was blocked on writing mine and they needed help. I love to write. But right now... this post- I loathe.

Why all this frustration for a few moments of thought? Because, it clearly pinpoints the exact moment I let procrastination flood into my life and dropped all sense of prioritizing my schedule. When I started this blog, I sat down each week to write something new and then slowly it became once every two weeks...to once a month...to now once every two months!?! And the blog just started in January! I could state very valid excuses for not having the time to share with all of you...like getting married, starting a new position at work, going on a mission's trip, Lottie- but honestly, they are just excuses for not doing what I can and need to do. 

We all get caught up with our "things I will do tomorrow" list being double-sided with tasks that we could have completed already. For example, I am learning very slowly, the balance of married life. James and I love spending time with each other. Seriously. I crave time with him..and I hope he enjoys spending time with me ;). We have started to establish "time" together. We both have Mondays off and it is our day with each other. Each night for dinner we sit down at the table with one another and talk about our day. Then (this is where I have let procrastination come in) we sit down and watch a movie, the news, or a show. Get ready for bed, coax Lottie into her kennel, and then wake up the next morning to go through our day again. Missed the procrastination? There is no picking up of dishes, or touching base on the laundry, or tidying the house. Now that might not be a major, but after a week of cherishing "our time" together, I am overwhelmed with all the to-do's and inevitably it takes time away from James...the very thing I didn't want to do. If I would have put the dishes away after dinner, or had James take out the trash before bed it wouldn't turn into a major, overwhelming project Saturday morning and I actually would be able to accomplish more. 

So this post, isn't just a post. It is a statement that I am trying to get out of my "easy-procrastination-rut" and back into being more pro-active with life. I hope you all enjoyed a tid-bit of encouragement to be ahead of the game and take a few moments to move some of those to-do's off your list.

Business Meetings

I look to the left and have an old dieing nursery that went out of business six months ago. Smack dab behind me are offices and offices of all things dental. I have one book shelf with the top tier being children's books, middle being youth items, and the bottom containing...well I am not really sure, but there is one pair of my shoes sitting on something. I have three half-way working lamps and a lamp shade. A whole garbage bag of extremely thick, black out paper producing a lovely fragrance to the room. One lonesome chair for any passerbyers that would like to chat. I have an organ. Well, half of an organ with a bench. There is a box of paper towels and someone's coffee cup. I have a big box of pool noodle/light sabers and an entire crate of video games. Playing in the background of my room is but of course Pastor Andrew's latest message (You can enjoy it here: http://www.rccconline.com/online-messages/sunday-messages.html ) and I have my husbands orange electric with pedals. My desk is covered with youth to kid's paperwork, a chocolate mousse (thank you Kathy Bryson) and a cup full of crayons. 

This is my new work home. I have been exiled to the far corner of the sanctuary, but I have my own personal bathroom. This week we officially made transitions at work. I am no longer up front answering phones or checking emails. I am working away on kid's lessons, youth missions trips and brainstorming sanity relief for all my parents that have multiple children who just got out of school for the entire summer. I am not greeting people as they come in or dealing with pushy sales people. I am instead reading and organizing. I am allowing Pastor Jesse to do my old job and watching him excel at it, as he is allowing James and me to take over a portion of his job. This is the new life.

And in this humble abode, that in just two days, I have grown to love so much...completed my very first business meetings in ten minutes of each other. My first was a full intense debriefing from 3 of the Huson's. We had quite a bit to catch up on from their weekend and talk about summer plans. Of course, they had some opinions about my new office. Mighty walked into the bathroom and after a few minutes walked back out and told me it was really small in there and it was kind of stinky. As I asked him jokingly if he was the cause of the "stinkiness" a huge grin came across his face. Thank goodness the bathroom door is fairly thick. Then when they left to move onto the next exciting thing, Pastor Andrew came in to talk over some church business. He also had an opinion of my office...it was too messy. Apparently, before any further meetings with him I have to pick up a bit. Then my last, but certainly not least, Miss Elsie came back in to talk a little bit more about summer. She insisted that we arrange a date for Pinto and Lottie to meet up so we can comb their hair and dress them up.

I love the balance of business and fun my job has. I don't know of anyone else who could talk about planning major events, paying bills, coloring, and clowns all in the same day. I would not change my business meetings for any other kind of business meetings.

There's a tid-bit for you.

Sincerely, Mrs. Corbin

Since I am married, I have unfortunately made a habit of not writing. This last week I have been chomping at the bit to figure out a funny "tid-bit" to share or something so completely mesmerizing that it changes your life. And the harder I have tried to find something to share, the more I have thought my life is pretty boring with nothing exciting to write about. Then this morning hit...
 
See, James and I have been adjusting to married life quite well. We love being married. I haven't had to take out the trash and he hasn't had to wash clothes. We have been splitting meal duty and any household cleaning I need help with, I just ask and he is right there assisting me. It's perfect...right? I know all you marriage troopers are probably shaking your head and laughing at me right now thinking, "It's only the first month...just wait". 

I will admit that I never seem to have his lunches fully done the night before, the laundry is an endless marathon to complete, and after almost a month of marital bliss I actually had enough time to make the bed yesterday before going to work-a first. Life is happening. So what prompted me this morning to bring about a chuckle? Our capital D-iva problem. Lottie. As we have adjusted quite nicely to this new life and look forward to the future, Lottie has had a few difficulties.

Two weeks ago she decided that she owned the bed as much as we do and it is her right to sleep in it...throughout the entire night. We have been battling her desperately and ferociously on this one, until last night we both realized she is smarter then us. After a week of her being mad at us, we thought that she made a compromise and would sleep in her bed all night and only come up to our bed about 5:00am and sleep the rest of the morning. We were praising her and even let go of our "no dogs in the bed policy". Oh, how naive we were. Yesterday, James made an observation that Lottie was in bed a lot earlier that morning and wondered if she just waited until she heard him snoring before coming to bed. I brushed it off, but when we went to bed last night, curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to test his hypothesis. Lo and behold, about 10 minutes after he was dead asleep...the little princess jingled her way over to my side and started to try and jump up on bed. She had no idea I was waiting to catch her in the act. Much to my pleasure of proving a theory and correcting her, changed nothing, this morning wrestling under the covers by our feet was our little diva. 

Then today right before I was leaving for work, she decided to jump up on the bed like always and somehow missed, only to land on her leg. Of course she is ok. (James and I thoroughly checked her out.) But you would think that her life is over. She hollered and whined and then when James put her down, she whimpered until I picked her up and gave her attention. Can a dog cry? Lottie can. She had huge crocodile tears. And then when I put her in her kennel for the day, she just laid on her bed and didn't move. If Lottie was in Hollywood, she would be the Angeline Jolie of actresses. Gripping her audience into believing it's real. 

So here is to the next week of watching our diva soak up any attention she can get, but if she sticks with her acting job she won't be in our bed. 

There's a first tid-bit for you from Mrs. Corbin.

Lottie...right smack between us..like always

I need your help

It's 6 days until my wedding and I am sitting here on my couch....with a cold. This is one of my last two full days to finish up all the last minute details for the wedding and my body decides to have a clogged up nose and scratchy throat. What's this soon-to-be-bride to do?

Well that's where I need your help...I know the basic remedys for healing a cold: Lots of rest and liquids, chicken noodle soup, getting a foot massage from my fiance, beauty and the beast, and chocolate. However, I am on emergency get better mode and would love to have your input on what works. I have a very full next 6 days and now they are starting with a trip to Target to raid the medicine aisle.

Thanks for your help!

Give me a tid-bit today :)

It's the last double digit

I know it has been awhile since I have been on here. I literally have 3 half-way finished posts saved that I have yet to complete because of something preoccuping me and well...I haven't completed them yet. So here is now my 4th attempt to finish a post. (Ps: it's taken me 30 minutes just to write these few lines). 

James and I are in the final days around here. This is the last double digit day. I am getting married in 10 days exactly. My life as I know it will be completely changed around and it took a kid's church lesson to hit me. See these past few weeks I have been teaching in children's church the power of choosing good friends. Last week, I talked about how to be a good friend and shared the story of the good Samaritan. (For those unfamiliar with it, you can read it here: The Good Samaritan. It is Luke 10:25-37). From this story, I have come to realize that the ultimate act of unselfishness is coming at the end of next week. I no longer can put myself first, but have the responsibility to put James before me. Now the world may tell me I am crazy to think like that. It should be about me, me, and more me. That I need to do what's best for me at all times. But how wrong is that mindset?

During per-marital counseling, a truth kept revealing itself and came up almost every session: First- there is nothing more important to us then God, Secondly- my priority and greatest concern is James and James'  priority and greatest concern is me. We will have our own individual lives combining and will have a learning process of accepting each others hobbies and lifestyles, but as long as we choose the other over ourselves, our marriage will not only work, but grow a deeper trust and intimacy. 

It already has begun to develop. I truly am amazed how unselfish James is towards me. He automatically puts me before him. He is constantly thinking of ways to show how much he appreciates me or striving to do things that will help me. Yesterday afternoon, for example, he was resting while I was picking up the house. He stopped from enjoying his day off to get up and offer help. He not only did everything I asked of him, but made himself fully aware of what I was trying to accomplish and did things to help without me even telling him they needed to be done. I stop and think sometimes how can someone so quickly adjust to being this unselfishly-focused and demonstrate such care and concern towards another? I try and I fail. I make choices and do things and then realize that the decisions I just made were all about me and I didn't once think of James. It's a struggle, but it is a struggle worth fighting to experience such a deep love and trust with him. I admire him more and more each day for this ability he has.

This foundation that James and I are laying down now and will make permanent next Friday night before our dearest friends and family is a foundation and truth that was laid down as an example many years ago. Not only in the story of the good Samaritan, but with Jesus himself. The good Samaritan gave up time and money to help someone he did not know...Jesus gave an ultimate sacrifice and laid down his life out of love for us. He taught those who would listen for three years to love your neighbor as yourself. Not to love yourself more than anyone else. I hope that James and I can find the joy in putting one another first even when we are surrounded by a very self-focused world. And as I encouraged my students last week, I want to encourage you all to take up a challenge. Do something for someone else this week with no strings attached and experience how blessed they feel and what a joy it brings to you. 





There's a tid-bit for you.