Spring Snow

Happy Easter from the Raabes

Spring has Sprung and today (April 1st, one day after this picture was taken) we have snow on the ground again. What the heck is wrong with our crazy weather? Yes, the snow all melted by lunch time but it's just not right to wake up to snow the morning after Easter.

Spring is a time of new beginnings. Praise the Good Lord for new beginnings! 

*new wardrobes-break out the flip flops

*new sports seasons-Olivia playing softball and Reagan playing outdoor soccer

*new book releases

*newly recharged marriage-aw, I love my husband!

*new life-celebrating the birth of two new babies

*new summer plans-vacation to Seattle

*new priorities

If I sit here long enough I could probably come up with more "new" things to celebrate this time of year but you get the idea.

Easter is by far one of my favorite holidays. I know there are people who get very caught up in the chocolate bunnies and Easter egg hunts but we don't. Sure my girls get baskets from us and from Nana but we seem to do a better job keeping the true meaning of the celebration in perspective. Our baking consists of empty tomb rolls and our decorating is pretty simple. But for weeks we concentrate on 2 simple days that have made the largest impact in history...Good Friday when Christ Jesus was beaten and crucified on the cross next to the 2 criminals and Sunday morning when the women found the empty tomb. Oh the Glory of it all! 

If you keep current with texting lingo you know about YOLO (you only live once). My favorite quote this season was made by the pastor at Third City Christian Church in Grand Island, "Easter: the day Jesus slapped YOLO in the face!" I love it!! Jesus' twitter feed would probably read "YOLT" (you only live twice)

It's way past my bed time, all good things must come to an end. Tomorrow my to-do lists consists of a hospital visit, more painting, folding laundry, changing out hardware, baseboard touch ups and prep for my Wednesday class. Then it will be time to pick up the girls from school, that's when things really get busy. 

Blessings to each one of you who takes the time to read my ramblings.

Taking ON THE RUN to the Schools

After taking some time off from the book for a number of reasons, this week Chris and I have been connecting with several local schools in hopes to get THE PHENOMENON SERIES in the hands of students. People young and old are eating this series up, now to figure out how to get it to the masses.

We are looking for reviews to be posted.  If you have read The New Phenomenon or On The Run please take a few moments to write a review (it can be just a couple sentences). Places to post review include but are not limited to...

Amazon.com (print and ebook)

Good Reads

BarnesandNoble.com

Chrisraabe.net

Facebook...Chris has 2 book pages. Please use https://www.facebook.com/authorchrisraabe 

Thank you to everyone who has read our books. 

Busy Signal

It's been a month...oh what a month it has been. I didn't realize God had such an important message for me. Apparently, He has been trying to reach me and my line has been busy. Wow, that takes me back to memories of trying to call someone on a rotary phone and the sound through the receiver was an annoying intermittent buzzing telling me they were either on the phone or someone in the house accidentally left the receiver off the hook. That was frustrating as a teenager when I had THE MOST IMPORTANT INFO EVER to tell my BFF. Sometimes I was so desperate I went to extraordinary lengths to talk to them. I am pretty sure that is how God has felt with me lately.

Music has been very important part of my life as long a I can remember. My mother is an excellent musician, I grew up listening to her sing and play the piano, teach piano and voice lessons in our home and lead all kinds of music in church. I played the piano, violin and flute growing up and sang in every possible choir. However, it wasn't until I became acquainted with christian contemporary music in college that I developed a new love. Until then I didn't realize there was a powerful message packed into songs. Other than Christian music, I still listen to country and sometimes pop artists but I have found dangerous messages lurking in the lyrics. We have to protect our minds. Recently Chris and I have found healing "powers" in song. I sit back and wonder if my house has been bugged, the lyrics are speaking directly to me in the midst of my trials.

Mandisa's "Stronger"
Brandon Heath's "Jesus In Disguise"
Third Day's "I Need A Prayer"

Chris is the perfect man for me and I love him dearly but my relationship with Christ is more important. God loves me more. Looking for fulfillment in a man is foolish, only Christ Jesus can meet my every need. Although I experienced a depth of pain that I would not wish on my worst enemy, I am also grateful that God allowed me to "go there" in order to restore a full relationship with a loving, all knowing and powerful Creator.

If you find yourself in a tough spot and there is nothing you can do about it may I suggest you drop to your knees and allow God to break through that busy signal of your crazy life. He has a message of freedom, grace and love especially for you. He doesn't care who you are or what you have done, He loves you just the way you are. The rest of that thought is this...He loves you just as you are but cares too much to leave you where you are. He wants so much more for us.

HaPpY BiRtHdAy #1

My oldest is turning 14 today.  How is that possible? Before I know it she will be in high school and you know that means in a blink of an eye she will be out the door and (somewhat) on her own. Wow, that went fast! This is the picture I posted on facebook, I love the comparison. This little blue dress and hat, taken 10 years ago brings back so many memories. Certainly one of my favorite pictures of Emma.

Sweet Emma, we love you dearly and thank God for the great honor of being your parents. We cherish every day that we have with you. From before you were born we have prayed for you, your friends and your the man you will some day marry. May God remain the cornerstone of your life. As much as we love you, He loves you more! Happy 14th year to you.

Everyone Gets a Medal

Oh My Word! This drives me crazy!! 

At age two it is okay to tell your sweet toddler that they did a great job coloring even though they scribbled all over the page and that they ran the fastest even though you were crawling on your hands and knees and still crossed the finish line first. What is NOT okay is telling your 3rd grader that even though their softball team came in last place they deserve a trophy for showing up with their gloves on. 

-Not everyone gets an A!

-Not everyone gets the preferred job. (or any job)

-Not everyone gets the girl!

-Not everyone wins!

-Not everyone gets a medal!

Why do I even need to talk about this? It seems like common sense to me. Learning to deal with disappointment and failure is part of becoming a well adjusted person who will have something useful to offer society. 

Our church did Project 4:4 last year which meant we read through the chronological bible in a year. Not everyone completed the project but hopefully everyone learned a little more than what they knew in December 2011. I missed some days and even missed some weeks but did my best to catch up or listen to some of the video accelerators the pastors made to enhance the reading. So either you did it or you didn't, not a big deal either way. No one gets a fast pass to Heaven nor does anyone have to stand in the corner of shame. With that in mind, I was bugged when I overheard two women at church discussing the stickers that were handed out at church. Everyone was offered a sticker that said "I finished Project 4:4" 

Woman 1: I see you got a Project 4:4 sticker?

Woman 2: Yes I this was the first time I ever tried to read through the bible.

Woman 1: Don't you think this sets up an environment to make people feel bad if they didn't read it or finish it?

Woman 2: Maybe they should have made stickers that said "I participated in Project 4:4"

OH MY WORD!!  I had to walk away. I wanted to tell them, "In Jesus name, you are what is wrong with society these days!!!" 

I feel better now that I got that off my chest. 

Agree with me or don't.  It really does not matter. We can disagree and both go to heaven but if you have a child, please allow them to fail while they are still in the safety of your home. If you don't, they will fail when they are too big for you to fight their battles and it will not only hurt them but it will hurt others around them.

Blessings to each and every one of you!

The Phenomenon Goes On The Run

BOOK UPDATE

1. ON THE RUN has been well received so far. The reports I am hearing are that this book is better than the first book.  Love that!

2. Our official release date of OTR is January 15, 2013 and it looks like everything is going as planned. That day the ebook will also be released on kindle. If you do not have a kindle or a device that allows you to use the kindle app don't worry it will be released 91 days later in other formats.

3. Our new business cards were ordered today...they look great.  Seriously, it's the little things that get me so excited!!

4. We are still hoping to get the rights to publish our first book, THE NEW PHENOMENON. I don't want to bash anyone...oh that's not true.  I DO but trying hard to take the high road.

5. The author (my handsome husband), is a great speaker and presenter. If you or your organization is looking for someone to speak about writing, reading, publishing, teaching and/or motivational speaking please contact me through this blog or at melanie@chrisraabe.net.
Please check out Chris' website... http://chrisraabe.net
Like his facebook page... https://www.facebook.com/authorchrisraabe (he has a new author page)

Post Christmas Crash

The kids went back to school
The hubby went back to work
The house is moderately clean
I have so much to get done

SO WHY CAN'T I GET MOVING???

I love having my family home during Christmas vacation, spring break and summer. This Christmas our break  was only ten days so it flew by. I didn't even have the opportunity to get tired of everyone being here. (I hate to admit it but that usually happens the last day.) Now that everyone is gone, I really want to take a day to veg out and watch movies by myself. Instead, I have been trying to get stuff done but find myself getting easily distracted and not accomplishing the things on my list. I have all the signs of "Post-Christmas Crash." Oh it's a made up name but it is still a real thing.

With that said, I am logging off and setting my timer (fly lady) so I can get two things checked off my list before lunch. I will then feel like something was accomplished today.