A new season...

Just like the earth goes through it's seasons; fall, winter, spring, summer, I think that our lives can go through seasons as well. Circumstances happen, people come and go and God changes your outlook on life and the things in it. Over the past few months, I can say that God has been bringing me into a new season of my life. He is teaching me things, bringing things to light (good and bad) and giving me a desire to know Him more.

This past Sunday I stood before my church family to let them know that I am "re-committing" my life to the Lord and that I am ready to enter this new season He has planned for me. Now, I first committed my life to Him at a younger age and have had my ups and downs like most Christians, but over the past few years I just feel like I have not lived the life that He has wanted for me. Sure, I know He has always been there for me and has loved me through it all, but I want to be the person (wife, friend, daughter, sister, co-worker) that He created me to be and desires for me to be. And that is what this "re-committement" is for me. I am saying to the Lord, "I know you have saved me, but I know that I have turned my back on you so many times and I want to know you more and I want you to know me more." No more games, no more fakeness (is that word? :) )

I found a great illustration on the North American Mission Board website that really explains how our relationship with God is a process and I thought it was really good. This is what they said...

"The thing to keep in mind is that salvation is both event and process. We are saved at a particular point in time, when we realize our need, confess our sin, and turn to Christ. But we are being saved through the process of sanctification. This involves a constant recommitment and renewal of the relationship with Christ on a daily basis.

It is rather like a marriage: a couple are thoroughly married at the point when they say, "I do!" and the minister pronounces them husband and wife and signs the marriage license. But they really have no concept at that point of all that being married means. The newlyweds and the couple celebrating their fiftieth anniversary are equally married in a legal sense, but in a relational sense, what a difference!"

To me this is saying that our relationship with Christ is a process - something that is started at the point of salvation and grows into a relationship as time passes. However, just like any other relationship, it will only grow and deepen if we seek Him, talk to Him and spend time with Him. (Trust me, I am preaching to myself right now.) I know my decision is not an instant change or just a warm, fuzzy feeling, but it is a process and a daily decision to live for Him each day and my desire is to commit to that.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Cor 5:17

My old seasons are gone and my new one has come! Thank you Lord!

[For anyone who may be reading this and has no clue what I am talking about and would like to know more about making a Committment to Jesus, please contact me -- mrs_soto@hotmail.com]

Polo is 1 year old!

Well our little furry baby turned one last Saturday (2/21/09). Time has flown with her and she has been so much fun! Frustrating at times, but still fun! Since we don't have a human child, she has been our "baby" and we definitely treat her that way. (Bobby more than me!) :)

I thought I would put together some of my favorite photos of her over the last year. Enjoy!

(put your cursor over each picture to see her age at that time)

Happy Birthday Polo-girl! We look forward to many more years with you!