Love Dare Day 3- Love is not selfish

Hope everyone did well yesterday with your dares. Josh and I stayed up late watching "Lost" so by the time we went to bed it was past our bedtimes, so I turned over and asked, "would you like me to rub your back?" In his half sleep state he replied, "no I'm alright." So I really didn't complete my dare but I did try, kinda.
Today's topic is Love is not selfish.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor - Romans 12:10
Now for today's dare:
Whatever you put your time, energy, and money into will become more important to you. It's hard to care for something you are not investing in. Along with restraining from negative comments, buy your spouse something that says "I was thinking of you today."
This one should be fun, I have no idea what I am going to buy Josh. Let me know what you guys all buy.

Love Dare Day 2- Love is Kind

Ok, so hopefully everyone had a great first day and didn't say anything negative to your spouse yesterday! So here is today's dare.
"In addition to saying nothing negative to your spouse again today, do at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness."
This one should be quite simple, I know Josh loves to have his back rubbed and I HATE to do it but today this will be my very unexpected act of kindess. Let me know how this is working for you guys.

The Love Dare - Day 1

First off, I am so excited to experience this with each of you that sent me an email saying you were in. I am posting the dare here on the blog but then I will also send you a little more infor via email today. So for the first day the topic is Love is Patient.
Today's Dare: The first part of this dare is fairly simple. Although love is communicated in a number of ways, our words often reflect the condition of our heart. For the next day, resolve to demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your spouse at all. If the temptation arises, choose not to say anything. It's better to hold your tongue than to say something you'll regret.

Sounds simple enough, let me know how you guys do with it.

Fabulous Valentines!!!!

Ok Ladies, Valentines Day is just around the corner and this is the year to Blow his socks off!! Typically you go out to dinner, rent a movie, and receive some flowers but what do you get him?? You probably bought him a little stuffed Elephant with a red heart that he has kept in his sock drawer because he doesn't want to hurt your feelings... that's all going to change this year! Show him just how much you love him with a gift he will treasure for years to come. This year surprise him with a fabulous self portrait of YOU!!! I am launching a Valentines Boudoir special, put on your tallest stilettos, favorite lingerie and top it off with some glittery jewels. I am only accepting 10 shoots from now til the first weekend of February so hurry up and email to reserve your spot. Feel free to invite your best girlfriends and lets celebrate just how fabulous you are. Special price is 250 which includes shoot, edited images on CD, 50 print credit and of course a bottle of champagne to top your special night off. Be Bold, Be Beautiful and give him a gift to remember!

Ask and you shall receive

Once again I have deviated off the path. Several posts back I questioned whether God uses the internet, after the whole experience and ordering the book I have read only once chapter, that's it one little chapter. One of my favorite stories in the bible is when Moses leads his people out of Egypt, God gives them sign after sign and they just don't get it. Well, now that is what I feel like, I pray and ask God to give me signs as to where I should go or what I should be doing to glorify Him and then I get my modern day "miracle" and it is sitting in my backpack with only 1 chapter read. I am the type of person that when everything is going good I start to think how great I am doing etc. etc. but I couldn't be more wrong. I drive a Honda civic, my dad bought me that car when I turned 16 in 1999 and she is still going strong. This car has taken me to numerous places (some I had no business going to) but nonetheless we have been everywhere together. Some people pray at night or during the shower, I pray in my car. Even when I was in high school my favorite part of the day was once I got off work at American Eagle and I would just enjoy the ride home. Often I would even take the long way home just to have a little extra "me" time. Throughout college I would accomplish more on my 3 hour trips back and forth from Princeton and Morgantown then I ever did in the library. During the period of my grandpa being sick I would take the travel time in the car to listen to Bebo Norman and just cry til there were no tears left. Today was just another one of these times when I was headed to work this morning but God was sitting there beside me pulling me back to him. As I was driving the song "motions" by matthew west came on and as I sang the words I was reminded how much I need my Heavenly Father no matter how strong or independent I think I may be. I was just thinking how I just need another Christian friend to talk with about daily struggles. I pulled in and just took a minute to pray and prepare for my day. Once I got to work and changes into my scrubs my friend Ethan came in we exchanged good morning like we do every morning and I went to set up my room. Then I realized I forgot my pen so I went back into the lounge and as I was digging in my backpack Ethan just asked "candice, are you okay? you just seem a little distant lately" that was all it took as the tears came pouring down. Within 5 minutes of asking, God provided me a friend to talk too. If you are ever struggling whether it be with daily life, family, friends, faith, motherhood, or anything else and you need a friend I am here for you.

Let your Light Shine!!

I was driving home after an evening of last minute shopping and just singing to the radio when I started to think back to last year's Christmas Eve. I was on call so Josh and I stayed here in Morgantown, it was also the first time we attended our church's Christmas Eve service. The whole service was just amazing from singing the best Christmas songs and Pastor Tim's message was wonderful as always, but what brought me to tears was how the service was closed. For the last song we were each given a candle and to light while we continued to worship. We were sitting in the back of the church and I became speechless as I watched how one lit candle turned to another doubling the light and this continued as 2 became 4 and 4 became 8 and so on. I felt like a child as it occured to me this is the perfect example of being a Christian. Yes it is hard but you share your faith with a friend 1 becomes 2, then you both share again 2 becomes 4 and you get the picture. Can you just imagine what a sight if we would just let our light and savior shine. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas just remember when you shopping for you never list and becoming inpatient because you have been in line for over 5 minutes that we are so Blessed.
Merry Christmas!!
Candice

My favorite three letter word....?

MOM! This has officially become my new favorite word. Noah is starting to verbalize little words including mom and dad, of course we are estatic. For 26 years I have been "Candice", my mom has always had little pet names for me but in general everyone just calls me Candice. I love that my little guy has a special name for me that only he can use, to him I will never be Candice but instead I will always be his mom. I then started thinking about how I (being an only child) am also the only one that can call my mother mom. It's amazing how one little word can have such power. Motherhood with it's many many challenges is the best blessing I have ever received!