4.13.2010

21 years old!

That's right! I turned 21 almost one week ago! My birthday was not extravagant but still was great. I had the day off and it was Kevin's scheduled day off so we were able to spend the day together.. (which hasn't happened in a LONG time!!) So in the morning I went to go get a pedicure which was SO NICE one of my favorite things to do is to get my toes done, I feel so much better afterward. Then I went home and Kevin and I went to go meet my dad at Joe's BBQ for lunch. They have amazing food AND I got to eat for free because it was my birthday! After that we went to a few stores to go shopping and get some things for around the house and use some gift cards. All in all it was a great day and I enjoyed every minute of my Wednesday night at church instead of at some bar getting drunk and doing stuff that is regrettable. Once again I thank God for deliverance from sin and the ability to think straight and have sound judgment. One thing is for sure, I know that I would not be in my right mind if I didn't accept Jesus' blood sacrifice on the cross almost 4 years ago. It was the best decision I could ever have made!

On April 21st it will be 4 years, man how the time has flown by, I cannot believe how much God has changed me into one of His children!

Also, it was just my mother-in-laws birthday on Sunday and her and the family came over (besides Brian (we couldn't get a hold of him)). I make Sunday lunch for us all and it turned out really good! I was kind of nervous because it was something that I have not made before, but it turned out great anyways. For dessert I made some ambrosia type of thing and it had tapioca beads in it. It was delicious. We also had a pie from coco's it was a cherry cream cheese flavor. The whole afternoon was wonderful and I was glad to be able to bless her and the family on that special day.

Kevin and I also finally are making time to work out! It is a big trial because we barely have any time together to begin with but it needs to be done. We have a gym in our apartment complex that is free of charge and it is in the clubhouse. It is really pretty nice for being free. It has an elliptical machine, a bike, a treadmill and a HUGE weight machine. It is really nice that they offer that to us. Our apartments have just been one blessing on top of another!

I am going to Alexa's bridal shower tonight, so that should be great fun! Alexa was one of my roommates that I had before I got married. Her and I became good friends and I am so lucky that she is apart of my life. She is going to be a beautiful bride and I am so happy for her and Jason!

Well that is all for now

With Love

Sharlene Teeling

3.18.2010

A Whole Bunch of Celebration!

This past week and weekend have been filled with so much joy and happiness I will have to try to explain it all in words. Lets see... Well last Tuesday we started off a crazy happy week with my father-in-law's 69th birthday. We went over to there house for some dinner and cake and just took time to enjoy each others company. I had made him my famous chocolate cake and it turned out wonderful. At the end of the night we all sat in the living room looking at John's high school yearbooks. Man how things can change in 50+ years! All of the girls were only wearing dresses and they were actually MODEST! and very stylish! I kept saying, wow! I want them for myself :-) It was a totally different world back then and it kinda got me to thinking about society these days and how corrupt teenagers are these days (I know, I was just one of them!) John told us some stories and it was so nice to spend time relaxing with his family. They are such a blessing to me.

And then it was time for another birthday party! My dad was turning the big 50! So Tiffany (my sister) and I had been trying to plan it for a long time and we were able to get it all together at the last minute. (for those of you who don't know, Tiffany is still living in Alabama) So Tiffany wanted to surprise my dad with her visit so she flew in on Thursday. Due to plane complications and flying stand bye she was supposed to get to AZ at 5:40 but was delayed and didn't get home until 11:30!!! So I was able to take a half day at work and I drove down to Casa Grande to pick up my niece from her grandma's because that is where she is living right now. Tiffany stayed with us and we got all of the stuff ready for the birthday party. Then on Friday night Kevin and I went to Alyssa and Chris' Bachelor and bachelorette party. The bachelorette party was a blast we had a lot of fun with friends! Then Saturday was all about getting ready for the party that was supposed to start at 1:00 We were busy trying to get the last minute things and trying to run to Costco. BTW Costco is SUPER busy on Saturdays!! So we got everything ready and since it was a surprise party my dad didn't know that he was supposed to be there on time. He got there at about 2:30... So by that time we had a bunch of very hungry people! My dad was very surprised and he had a lot of fun at his party! I was so glad that Tiffany and I could do that for him!

Then Sunday came around which was Alyssa's wedding! She looked so beautiful and it was a wonderful wedding! After the wedding we went to the reception. She had it at a place called lavender and old lace. My hubby and his band got to play a couple of songs there and it was very nice. I hope and pray that they are blessed throughout their marriage.

God has really been getting a hold of me lately and there is no better feeling. He has been able to use me to minister to people: new Christians, backsliders, young girls... and I just feel so grateful that he has allowed me to be used by him because I don't deserve any of it. But it just shows the power of God's love and His grace. We don't have to earn His love or anything that he can give us. The blood of Jesus casts our sins as far as the east is from the west when we repent of all our sins. It just amazes me how people can be so blinded from the love of Jesus.

We have been having to practice quite a bit for the Dark Circus play at our church lately. Mostly just the carousel because one of our 4 girls (Charlyn) had to be brought into another scene in the play (vanity) and through this little switch and all of this practice God has really stretched me in my Christianity. Because my flesh sometimes does not want to be there, and God has checked me SO many times on my attitude and I actually think it is starting to change and I am starting to have my character strengthened. This has not been easy for me, but God (and the others I am preforming with) are patient with me in this learning experience.

Ok now that I am kinda caught up on the blog, I think that I will get to work now!!

3.02.2010

A Lifetime of... Happiness!!!

This past weekend was wonderful!! We were able to preform our Dark Circus play in north Phoenix at an elementary school. It was the first time that we had Eric take the part of the lead role and he did a GREAT job! He has his own way of doing things and really brings a lot to the character. Our performance ran so smoothly and there were about 12 that gave their lives to Christ.
We preformed the play on saturday but before I went there I was able to attend the bridal shower of one of my best friend ever- Ingrid! She is getting married on Saturday and I have known her for 8 years and through the years we have grown up together :-) She is one of the nicest people and really understands me! She is a blessing to my life and I wish her all of the happiness in the world.


This weekend I was able to welcome back my old friend Stephanie to church. I am so excited to see what God is going to do in her life and it is nice to be able to help and minister to her. She came on Sunday morning and Sunday night. But I was especially glad that she was there on sunday night because one of my friends (sarah) from pastor Bates church came and got baptized. I was glad that she was able to hear her testimony because I thought that it would give her some hope and encouragement through this transition. There is nothing better than seeing people come and get their heart right with the Lord. It is so awesome that God takes the mess that we have made with our life because of sin and He takes that sin and casts it as far as the east is from the west never to remember it any longer. We don't need to go through any 12 step program or purification process to make ourselves clean because Jesus Christ washes us white as snow because He died on the cross for us. All we have to do is accept it. I am amazed every day by the power of God's grace.


Tonight there is a bridal shower for one of my friend's in the church, Alyssa. She is getting married march 14th! It is going to be a great time. I love having her as a friend, she is always making me laugh! I will take some pictures tonight and try to get them posted.


I am so grateful for my Sunday school class at church. I teach the second graders and it is amazing how God has opened my heart towards them and given me a love for these kids. I want to see them learn because I know that it's in these classes they learn things that they will remember forever. I always wanted to be a teacher or a nurse and God has given me the ability to do one of them :-) It is so awesome when you can tell that the children understand what we are teaching them.



I love Kevin so much, I am incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful guy who cares and treats me right. He is so wonderful and Loves God. I don't know why I got so lucky but I thank God every day that I did.


Well I think that's all for now!

2.25.2010

updates!

Hello!

It has been a couple of days since my last blog... mostly because I kept forgetting about it when I actually have some free time to write. Life has been going pretty well. I have the MOST amazing husband ever. He has been helping me more around the house. The other night I was tired and wanted to go to bed around 9:30 but I asked him to do a few things around the house like unload and do the dishes, cleans Sebastian's litter, and do the laundry. and I was off to bed not really expecting him to get all of it done. I woke up at about 12:30 am and noticed that he wasn't laying there. So I got up to go look around and low and behold he had done EVERYTHING. I was so happy and every time I think about it he gets more points. *ding ding ding* I am so wonderfully blessed to have such a great husband!

On another note, God has really been meeting with us at church in a supernatural way! Pastor has been preaching some very timely sermons that have helped me greatly. Especially the one last night. Pastor preached about how sometimes people are hindered in their walk with God because they simply think that they aren't good enough to receive God's favor, grace and help. That has really been the case with me and I think that it is the case with a lot of church kids. (kids that were raised in church) I think that it really affects church kids because somehow we think of it as a check point religion, like if we do everything right then that is the only way that God will give us favor. and if we don't do everything that we are "supposed" to then we are somehow not on God's good side. But the revelation is that we are saved by grace and not our works lest any man should boast.

Our dark Circus play is preforming on Saturday in Phoenix! Which is going to be very exciting I hope we have a lot of people that come that have not seen the play before. It is a lot of work but totally worth it!! Saturday is also my friend Ingrid's bridal shower!!! She is getting married and I am so happy for her. But the only thing I can make it to is her bridal shower because we always have a lot of stuff going on at the church and it interferes with each other. Which is no big deal! At least I can go to the shower.

Then Tuesday is Alyssa's bridal shower which is going to be beautiful. I am very excited for her and Chris! I am so happy that all of the teenagers at church are finally starting to date and get married. When it is like 25 years from now we'll always remember each others wedding dates because we will all have been married close together.

Kevin and I are also FINALLY getting out of debt! Which is SO exciting <3 I can't believe that it is actually working!! In this time of "financial hardship" in America God is allowing us to surpass the ordinary and get out of debt. It feels so good, and we are almost there!

Well I think that is all for now.

Have a wonderful day <3

2.19.2010

*White Noise*

Hello!

I have finally (mostly) recovered from the horrible back pain. Now when I move I can still feel it a bit but NOTHING as to how bad it was before. So I might not be preforming in the dark circus (which is a total bummer) but on a positive note yesterday was the first Thursday I can think of that we both had off since we have gotten married! So we had a little date night. First I made us dinner and we went to Tempe Town lake to walk around some and then we went over to the men's warehouse because they are having a huge sale and we are thinking about buying a new suit for Kevin. Then we went over to Target to pick up some things that we needed. I am a very light sleeper and I have to sleep with the fan right by my ear for white noise to be able to fall asleep. During the course of the move somehow my favorite little fan ate dirt. Lol it just stopped working all together!! So we had to get a new one at Target. It was so nice being able to just go on a date and talk and spend wonderful time together <3 So we went to Target and then went to barnes and noble for a bit and then we got some frozen yogurt from mojo... It was really good but kinda expensive. All in all it was a great night and I had a great time with my wonderful hubby. He is so sweet and takes such good care of me. Another thing that I love is that there is never a dull conversation, Kevin always thinks of something crazy, or does something wierd... just to see me smile.

I love being married! one of the BEST choices that I have ever made.

I thank God for all that He has given me, when I was once a sinner who cursed His name and He took me back when I repented and gave me more than I could ever deserve. That is God's grace.

2.16.2010

Pain...

Kevin and I had a wonderful Valentine's day on Sunday. I made him a nice lunch after church and this amazingly good chocolate cake. But when I woke up on Sunday morning I had this horrible pain in my back on the right side right on my ribs. It started hurting and the pain continued throughout the night until Monday morning. When I woke up Monday morning I couldn't even move without being in such terrible pain. It even hurt to breathe... I finally talked Kevin into letting me take some strong medicine to help cure the pain and even that didnt really help. So Kevin insisted that I go to the hospital...but I got him to change it to the urgent care... Which was good because I don't like being in hospitals. So they told me that I had strained my back and the only way to fix it was to rest and LOAD UP on pain killers. It feels a bit better today, but i think that the pain killers are really helping.

The one thing that I am so bummed about is our dark Circus play. We are supposed to be preforming on the 27th and I have practice for it tonight. My part is very physical and I pretty much am sooo bummed because I am not going to be able to do it. I am frustrated because this is the second time an injury has happened to me and not permitted me to practice. I hate letting the other cast members down and the feeling of being replaced... to say the least... is horrible.

Please pray for me!!!!

***SHAR***

2.13.2010

Kiddo and Kitty....

It's Saturday!! And the day before Valentines day... which means lots of WORK, WORK, WORK!! Yesterday was crazy all in itself because I was asked to watch Cole Herrera because his parents are trying to move and it is rather difficult with a 2 year old unpacking everything that they try to pack. So I agreed not knowing how much of a challenge it is with a kitten and a 2 year old. To say the least this cat is going to be traumatized. Cole stayed the night with us, which was fine but Sebastian is getting jealous. So when Cole first got to my apartment he had a toy foam bat. But this bat is regular size and looks just like a bat except made from foam. So Cole has his bat and he is crying because he is deathly afraid of the cat. Automatically the cat is like what is the little human with such a loud sound? So the cat goes into attack mode. I found the toy for the kitten to play with until I could calm Cole down. All that Cole was saying was that he was going to hit the cat with the bat. And he was serious!! He even took a few swings at it... I was like OH NO... we have a problem on our hands. So I take the bat away but cole just wants to throw other things at Sebastian... And this morning they were playing on the floor and Cole wanted to hit Sebastian with the toy hammer... I actually got a really cute picture of that!

And then Cole had to take a bath to get ready for the day... so while Cole was in the bath Sebastian was curious as to what he was doing and he came to the edge of the tub to say hello. Cole slashed Sebastian a few times and kitty was out of there, as fast as lightning!

So far it has been a long day and I finally got both Sebastian and Cole asleep and it's nice and quiet around here. But i need to get some more cooking done for tomorrow. I am making a few things for tomorrow that just seem to take up a lot of time! and after a busy day i either need coffee or a nap!

All in all Cole is a great kid and I love being able to watch him! It is just funny to see them interact together.

~~Happy Saturday~~