Awake 2009!!

It's that time again! I would like to personally invite you to be a part of OCC's 2nd Annual Women's Event, AWAKE 2009, "Dangerous Faith!" Mark your calendars for March 6th and 7th!

Come get connected to the OCC community and learn how to begin living out a Dangerous Faith. If you have been a follower of Jesus for a long time or are just beginning the process of investigating faith, this is the event for you!

Although we are all women, we are a diverse bunch! Single, married, divorced, widowed, mother, career focused, young, old, strong, quiet, hurting. There is amazing strength in our diversity and when we come together to celebrate our uniqueness, amazing things happen!

Join me (Jodie), author/speaker Linda Vujnov, OCC's Lynne Ellis, and the AWAKE Worship Band (led by me - scary, I know) for a weekend of fun and challenge as we take a look at what living a life fully awake and completely tuned in to God's call looks like! We have 3 main sessions, a beautiful (non boxed) luncheon and six different workshops to choose from!

Here is a list of the workshops...

SEX in Sixty Minutes
Life Hurts, God Heals
Discovering my Purpose – Exploring and Developing Spiritual Gifts
Practical Compassion: How can I change the world?
Learning to Live Dangerously
Parenting under Pressure

Invite a friend or neighbor! Register online today and you will receive the Early Bird discount Price ($45) Regular price is $65 so hurry and save $20! www.occfamily.org/events/events.asp

Looking for Help!!

I am putting this out to the blog world because you just never know who is reading your blog and how they might be able to help.

Eastside Women of Purpose is putting on their 2nd Annual Charity Golf Tournament, "Tee Off Against Trafficking" on Saturday, April 25th and we need your help.

Here is a little bit about what we are raising money for...

For every one child rescued from a brothel, there are thousands of kids waiting to take their place.

This form of modern day slavery called Human Trafficking, continues to grow. An estimated 600,000-800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across international borders each year (some international and non-governmental organizations place the number far higher), and the trade is growing. Victims of sex trafficking can be women or men, girls or boys, but the majority are women and girls.

Determined to be a part of the solution, our goal is to help raise funds to STOP trafficking in SE Asia through education and prevention. In doing so, we are working with World Concern (worldconcern.org) and The San Jai Network (Of One Heart) based in Bangkok, Thailand. We will be funding the duplication and translation of materials proven to be effective in the prevention of trafficking. Our financial support will also be used to raise up a new generation of highly trained workers. We will provide them with the tools and knowledge of how to help the smallest victims of trafficking that have been severely sexually abused and traumatized.

World Concern estimates that for each worker The San Jai Network educates, a hundred children will be saved from being trafficked. The far-reaching effect is that this information will be passed down from person to person and village to village and be multiplied to save the many whom are vulnerable.

Here is the help that we need...

1) Do you own or work for a company that would like to help through sponsorship? Does your company have a product or service that you would like to donate to our Silent Auction? Every dollar donated in a tax deduction.

2) Do you golf? Would you like to sign up to play in our tournament? The player fee minus $60 is a tax deduction.

For more info, check out our website at www.TeeOffAgainstTrafficking.com. It hasn't been updated for this year's tournament yet, but the info is very similar.

If you would like to help, please shoot me and email at EastsideWOP@gmail.com.

Sweet Lord

I was just tagged on facebook in maybe the MOST unflattering shot ever. I almost cried. I am sure that you can see why. No, I'm not 8 months pregnant. I swear that I was just twisted into some strange "super fat" position.

I am laughing now, thanks to my Liam.

I was looking at the shot and my ever inquistive 4 year old comes up to see what I'm gasping about. He points at me and says,

"Mama. Who is that?"

"That's Mama."

"No. That's your head, but who's body is that?"

Awesome. I am deciding to take that to mean that I don't normally look that HORRIBLE! If I do, please don't tell me. I am all for a healthy little lie like, "Oh my gosh, you totally look way thinner than that normally."

I am very thankful for another "before" picture. And don't worry, I've untagged myself on facebook already. I'm hoping that people will have the same reaction as Liam did.

Gosh, how did Marisa's head get on that pregnant woman's body? Must be that darn computer magic again!

Do You Know What Today Is?

On the way to school this morning, Jesse asked Liam if he knew what today was.

Nope.

Jesse explained that today we have a new President.

Liam looked at Jesse like he was an idiot (how did he become a teenage girl all the sudden - hopefully a phase) and said,

"Yeah, I know. Rock Obama is our President now."

Duh.

My BEFORE Shot...

My BEFORE Shot - oh sweet Lord...

I have been at war with my weight for the last nine years. I won, it won, I won, it won, it won, it won. Let's just say that it's been winning for a while. I figure that I am due for a win now. I've had two kids and don't plan on having any more (the natural way at least) and therefore have no discouragement/excuse in my way. I am tired of not being able to wear clothes that I like. Some people say that they want to be healthy... I'm not going to lie. I want to be SKINNIER!

I'm not sure why I have decided to make my battle public. I guess I want encouragement and want to provide some encouragement to anyone else out there trying to shed some poundage. So I will share with you a little bit of my journey as I try for a win.

So... I joined Weight Watchers two weeks ago with my supportive husband and a good friend and I have to say (knock on wood) that it hasn't been too horrific. It is great to have the support and have someone to call when I want to stress eat. It is so nice to share in the tiny victories that come along the way.

I would love any helpful hints to leading the thinner life!

Sam and Esther

I found this on a blog that I hadn't visited in a little while. It has just rocked me to the core.

Yes, I'll Admit It

I'm obsessed with all things Twilight.

Liam just laughed when he saw this picture and said,
"You love the Twilight man."

Yes, son...
I do.

How Do You Know You Need to Lose Weight?

When your son gently pats your stomach and sweetly coos, "Ooo... You've got a little baby in there. Hi little baby. Soo... sweet..."

Let's just say that I am already counting points...

HELP US STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING!