Runners for Grace doing it in 2013

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas holiday! By now all the tamales should be out of the house and your probably feeling a little guilty about all the stuff you ate. I know that feeling all to well. BUT I will start on the first because we have one more celebration to get through New Years! I aint hating!

Are you thinking about your goals and what you want to do in the new year? I know I am praying on some. A friend texted me the other day and asked how I did on my laundry list from this year. I love that she called me out on it, I love the accountability. Well I will talk about them in the next few days.

Today , I want to talk about Children's Cancer and how you can help. Perhaps you don't know any children who have had cancer or have it now. So to you it may not seem like an urgency to find a cure. But this I know, at the rapid rate that this monster is growing that can change. And then at that time it could be to late.

So what can you do? You can use your legs, time and money. Once again "Runners for Grace" will be participating in next years Reaching for a Cure event. It is to raise money for pediatric cancer research. I personally saw last year, a friend and her son take part in a cool event that was paid for by this foundation. What I loved, was seeing that what we did directly impact someone we knew! I have greater expectations this year for this event.

Its my prayer that runners for grace will be participating in each event and that we would raise double of what we did last year. I know everything is possible with God. You are probably thinking of alot of excuses why you cant do this. I know, trust me, I am too. I said that I was never going to do another half marathon again, but guess what by faith that is what I am registering for.

Why? Because I don't have the cure and all I can give is me. I have health, I have heart and I have legs that work. There are families that are praying and battling everyday on behalf of their children. Gracie fought till the end. Every day that Noah ( not mine) gets up it is a blessing, because he is still fighting. His cousin Jonathan is a fighter to. Daisy Love, doctors say she needs a miracle or a divine intervention from God. And the list goes on. Can we intervene? Can we do what we are scared to do on behalf of these children?

There is no greater feeling than to finish something that goes beyond yourself. To step out in faith and out of your comfort zone to bless someone else. I have to tell you that the cool thing is that you will be blessed abundantly. So do it as one of your resolutions, your goals, whatever it takes to get you moving.

I pray that you would consider! If you would like all the information, off to the right you will find a link to the information under "2013 Runners for Grace information" in that body of text there is a link to the site. Please hold off to register till Friday, because I need to set up the team registration.

Also here is the link to the blog of last years recap..!

Running for Him
Moni

Christmas Funk, Hope & Family

Christmas Picture 2012

I ain't going to lie, I have been in a little funk the last few weeks. With social media it makes it easy to connect and get to know people that you would not have had an opportunity to in every day living. It is because of this that you become social media friends. You get to know them, their families, their ministries and what makes them....well them.

You open up your heart and they become part of it. Then when tragedy hits them or their family, you wonder how your heart hurts so much for people that you don't even "really" know outside of the social media realm. There were so many times within the last two weeks that I wanted to blog but didn't know where to start. There were times that I went out to shop and stood in the isle and felt guilty trying to decide the perfect present for my boys, when there are 20 families that were picking out caskets for their babies. Newton Mommies, I am praying for you!

This is the first year that I got my husband a Christmas card. Never thought of doing it before, just wasn't the way I was brought up. As I sat in the card isle trying to find that card to let my husband know that I loved him and grateful that we had another Christmas together. I wept.. Thinking of a lady who lost her husband last week and it would be her first without him.  Frank Pastore was a instrumental part of my husbands life. Although we never knew his voice on the radio he sparked the urgency of the importance of defending our faith many years ago. Frank Pastore, we will miss your voice on the radio and Gina as a wife I am praying for you!

unfortunately the list went on, from a pastor losing his five year old daughter, to a friend losing two teenage cousins in a car accident. Lusko family and Sandy I am praying for you.

Saturday night, the house was quiet the family was asleep and I sat there staring at gifts that needed to wrap and I asked God why? Lord please show me that there is more than this. Please show me the hope in the brokenness of these people. My heart ached for these many families.

Yesterday I watched Pastor Levi Lusko preach the most powerful message I have ever heard on the power of Jesus. The hope of Jesus, in the midst of his own hurt and brokenness, he proclaimed the good new of God. He reminded me of the Hope we have in Jesus. The reminder that we are simply passing through this earth. We are traveling to the shores of Heaven a place where we will settle and there will be no more hurt or pain. A place where there is perfect peace and a place where we have some waiting to greet us.

We took in our first candle light night service this Christmas. We visited a local church and what I loved is that we sat in the back with just our small family, and didn't know anyone so I felt as though it was just a true intimate time with us and Jesus. As the lights went out and one by one the candles were lit, darkness fell to the power of just one small candle. As one by one, the candle were lit and people proclaimed out loud that "Jesus is light" I found hope. I was reminded that Jesus came to give us life, even in death He gave us life.

This Christmas is quite different, sal lost his nana, I am sure it will be hard today for his family. My grandma is still in rehab trying to get well, and Noah is now under the weather. Despite all the tragedy and losses we have hope in Jesus. Today I celebrate the birth of our Lord, the one who was born to die for our sins. A living sacrifice because He came to pay a debt that I couldn't pay, and a debt that wasn't His. He is the perfect gift and the only one we need! I pray that your Christmas is more than food and the wrapping paper. I pray that is is wrapped with the love, I pray that its about the time spent with family and not the money spent and I pray that you recognize why we celebrate. If Jesus was never born there would be no Christmas!

I'm going to end this blog with a few pictures. I have been blessed to practice my new hobby of photography with some trusting friends. What I love best about photography is the ones in front of the lens! Celebrate family!

                                                                Broxton Luke! Adorable! 

 Sanders Family! Love this family! 

 Family a girl in our family.. My niece

Auntie B and Uncle Eddie and their miracle baby! coming soon! 

Merry Christmas! Love you Moni!
P.s. I realized that I am the only with the ability to be silly in our family pictures!

A full life!

My husbands great grandma passed away about a week ago. Yesterday we had her services and celebrated her life. When we have told people that she was 100 years old, the common response is that she led a "full" life.

As we were driving home yesterday tired, he asked what does a full life mean? So if I died tomorrow at 37 years old , I didn't live a full life? Because my Nana lived to 100, it means that she lived a full life? It was a good question and a good point. No disrespect to those wanting to give condolences, but what do you consider full?

This morning, I convinced my hubby to stay home one more day. He looked tired and needed extra TLC from the family. He went to Noah's school to help in the class, and then we packed a picnic, went to the park, played, laughed and watch ducks. We took the boys to their favorite place for dessert,  came home to play avengers and made gingerbread houses.

Our day ended as we did our family devotion, tag teamed on the bath time, prayed and sang worship as they both drifted off to sleep!

Its days like these that add to a life. Is my life full? My tank can use many more days like this,  but I surely my tank ain't empty! That is a fact! May God help us, that despite our circumstance that we would have full days of love, Gods love!

On the way out I grabbed my camera, not because it was an occasion, but just because and I am so glad that I did. I captured what will probably be the most important pictures I will ever take. The day the Lord showed me what a full life looks like!

I would like to share them with you, because I love you!

Only thing I regretted was not jumping in on a few. The day was beautiful and the natural light was awesome!