Fifty-nine...

Thursday the 1st... I woke up and went to get coffee with my sister in the morning and then we went to go shopping down at Woodburn outlet mall, we stopped at my mom's job to say hi to her before going shopping... Shopping was a very enjoyable experience, Marissa did a lot better than she did the last time we went shopping... I got a lot of really awesome new outfits. We then got lunch at Arby's and went to drop off some sandwich's from mom and one of the other ladies she works with... Then after shopping... I went home and then came over later with Jonathan to watch Marissa... we watched some episodes of How I met your mother and just spent some good ole family time together... Jonathan and I drove up to Portland to meet up with a couple of my friends IR and MN, we did a scavenger hunt, we didn't stay for the prizes, but it was fun. I kind of was too slow and got left in the dark... but that's what happens when you're not a speed demon running at top notch speeds. It was good though... I had fun and I met up with them at the end. Then after the run... Jonathan and I drove home to watch Marissa so Katie could go to the airport to pick up Kyle from the airport. We had fun sleeping over at Katie's it was like a slumber party with all the siblings together... Yay!

What I read Exodus 9...

The Lord sends 3 more plagues, the plague of livestock, all the Egyptian livestock died but no one of the Hebrews livestock did, the plague of boils, the dust became boils on the Egyptians and even the Egyptian priests would not come face Moses and Aaron for they were in too much pain, and then the next plague was the plague of hail, where all those that feared the Lord, whether Egyptian or Hebrew those who kept all their livestock and slaves inside did not perish, but those who did not fear the Lord or heed their advice their livestock and slaves perished.... where did they get all this livestock if they just had all of them die? They probably sent for them and bought them off of neighboring towns or foreigners or perhaps bought them from the Hebrews... whatever the case they had livestock again that was dying yet again... Before the hailstorm is sent though, Moses goes to him in the morning and explains what the Lord has said of them...

This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worhsip me, 14 or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

I love how blunt the Lord is with Pharaoh, you may think you are the sun and that the earth rises and sets to you, but I AM about to show you something amazing I can control the weather if you have not already seen my power, see this, know this.. I can blink you off of the face of the earth, but I am using you for my plan that you may know me and others may know me... What an amazing God he is that he allows us such insight into his plans for the people. He tells us why he is allowing all of these plagues, why he is hardening the heart of Pharaoh, he wants everyone to know him, he wants all to know there is none like him, he wants all to turn to him and he wants all to follow him. He truly is a loving father that he allows so many plagues to occur is to get more people to come to know him. If I was one of the Egyptian priests, when the Lord did the sign of the gnats I think they knew he was LORD... yet still they feared Pharaoh more than God. How often do we fear men or others and not the Lord and thus we do not do what the Lord has commanded of us for fear of what others may think.... I serve an audience of one and thus I have to keep reminding myself... When I get to the pearly gate, little Suzzie or crazy tommy or whatever Tom, Dick or Harry, will not be there to decide whether or not I enter the kingdom of Heaven, but Jesus will be there, God will be the Holy Spirit will be there and I don't want my fear of what others might think preventing me from getting to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. HE IS the one who controls it all and I shall fear him above all.

Good Night and God Bless