Sushi Blog

A Message From My Dear Friends and Mentors

2007-07-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

What's Up?

I want to share an update that Charles and Renee wrote this week. If you do not know, Charles and Renee Harper are an amazing couple, and they are vey dear friends to Elizabeth and I. I honestly do not know what we would do without them in our life.

Well, here is the update:
**************************************************************************************

July 20, 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

As many of you know, this year has again presented our family with difficult health challenges. From January through April, Charles and I moved to Houston for Charles to receive a Stem Cell Transplant. This high risk procedure came with the great promise of a complete cure. Charles tolerated the transplant well and we returned home in April. This past week, July 16 – 19, we returned to Houston for a follow-up week of various tests. You can imagine the pain, fear and sorrow that gripped us upon hearing that cancer had returned. We again found ourselves telling God, “This is more than we can handle.” Immediately, we felt God reminding us that our circumstances are not too much for Him to handle.

Our medical team has regrouped and has a new action plan to reduce and deter the cancer. The plan is scheduled to begin in Baton Rouge next week. The goal is to achieve remission followed by an additional infusion of donor cells, provided they are available.

These experiences continue to teach us much. Though we tried to control our emotions, we were initially distraught and filled with despair. Because faith comes by hearing, we continue to say to ourselves that God is in control. He is. And we believe that.

We know that sometimes God takes cancer out of people and sometimes He takes them out of cancer. But always God continues to touch us with His divine love and meets our deepest needs. We recently read, “No matter how many (or how few) tomorrows doctors have told us to expect, those tomorrows are safe with God. We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds tomorrow. And that is enough.”

The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!”

We are blessed to have all of you on this journey with us. Thank you dear family and friends for standing together with us.

Charles and Renee

***********************************************************************************

Keep this beautiful family in your prayers. God is doing a mighty work through them!

Have a great week.

Your #1 Fans,

Stacy & Elizabeth

Good Morning!

2007-07-11T04:33:00.000-07:00

Good Morning friends!

It has been so long...too long since Elizabeth or I have Blogged, we almost forgot how!

We miss all of you! We miss hearing from you!

We promise not to let so much time go between blogs again, so stay tuned to your email box...

If you receive this message, please send an email to elizabeth@livebluesushi.com so we can know that we still have your correct address.

Also, tell your friends to go to livebluesushi.com and sign up for our blog. We have soooo much to tell you, we have a lot to catch up on....

We love you and miss you!

We want to say a special What's Up? to the Blue Sushi of Healing Place Church! What's Up Blue Sushi!!! We are hearing all about the awesome things you are doing in the Baton Rouge Community, you are "living Blue Sushi" and we are proud of you! You have an amazing leader in Kari, so listen carefully to what she has to say...she ROCKS!!!

Now, Zone 56'ers....get ready...our house will be complete in a few weeks, and we will begin having movie night at least twice a month! So start making your top movie picks now, and tell your friends. And don't forget, Summer Camp is only three weeks away! We are ready...are you?

Have an Awesome and Blessed day!

Remember, "the master you serve is Jesus Christ!"

Your #1 Fans,

Stacy and Elizabeth

We are in the Zone...ZONE56!

2007-01-31T20:31:00.000-08:00

What's up Blue Sushi? What's up Zone56?

What is Zone56? To learn more you have to go checkout the website of our new church home:

http://www.woodsedge.org/home/home.htm

Mrs. Elizabeth and I are excited about working with Zone56 at the Montgomery campus. We are having our first Fun Night on February 9th at Incredible Pizza. Incredible Pizza is like a Chuck E. Cheese Supersized! It is huge and a lot of fun.

Tonight at church we talked with the students about "Being Blessed to be a Blessing". We are....Blessed to be a Blessing. In the story of the Three Servants, which is story about the kingdom of heaven, the servants who invested and gave their gold away were blessed. Then, they were blessed again by their Master.

Your challenge this week is to be a blessing to a friend. Encourage them in school, pray with them about something they are going through, or buy them lunch.

Givers Gain!

Have a great week.

Live Blue Sushi!

Who are you?

2007-01-17T03:35:00.000-08:00

What's up Blue Sushi?

I titled this entry "Who are you?" because this is the exact question I have asked myself on occasion.

Strange? Maybe. Maybe not.

I am not talking about amnesia and forgetting your name...I am talking about forgetting your true identity. This does not mean that you fall into the deep end of trouble or sin, however as a Christian forgetting your identity for a moment can be worse!

Let me explain. Everything is going great, really great, so you relax your prayer and bible study to four times a week...three times a week...And before you know it...Once a week if that. The result of this "spiritual vacation" (that is what I am calling it) is working later and being away from your family longer one day a week...Two days a week...Three days a week...And soon seven days a week.

Get the point?

You let your satisfaction of your "performance" at your job lull you into a temporary "spiritual sleep" and when you wake up, you realize the master you are serving for a short period is "yourself", "your friends", "your co-workers", etc., and not Jesus.

As you mature as a Christian, and your relationship with Jesus becomes intimate (you know His plan for your life, and your life reflects His glory and not your own), you reach a level where you truly understand that you are nothing without Him. When your life is not Christ Centered (Where you are praying without ceasing, not taking a step, making a decision, not taking a test, not speaking in public without an hour or more of prior intimate prayer time) you don't speak the same, you are not as wise, the decisions you make are not as "smart", you are less!

Disagree? Read Proverbs 13 and ask your self, "Am I living wisely or foolish?"

If you are living a Christ Centered life, you will be encouraged by these words.

If your life is not Christ Centered at this moment, you may tend to be discouraged by these words in Proverbs. If this is you, do not be discouraged! Rejoice instead, because now you have recognized that you are OFF TRACK!

That discouraged feeling is better known as "CONVICTION" of the Holy Spirit. A gentle (or not so gentle) reminder of who you really are!

How do you re-center and get back on the RIGHT TRACK? Easy!

1. Read the Bible everyday (Begin right now). Dive deep into the scriptures, God's plan for your life is in there waiting for you.

2. Pray daily and without ceasing. Do not do anything important (like breathe) without praying. This can be simply whispering the name...JESUS...And say "I love you".

3. Change your schedule and re-prioritize. Where you are spending your time will demonstrate where your heart is. Spend time on the things that really matter most.

Who are you?

Answer the question!

Hint: You are a child of the KING! Serve Him only!

,

Stacy

Words To Win With

Matthew 6:24
"No one can serve two masters."

“DON’T BECOME SO WELL-ADJUSTED TO YOUR CULTURE THAT YOU FIT INTO IT WITHOUT EVEN THINKING.” Romans 12:2

2006-12-12T03:48:00.000-08:00

Be a Thermostat!

Don’t be a thermometer, be a thermostat. Thermometers just reflect the climate around them – thermostats set it. Actually, they lift it!

Most of us are like thermometers reflecting the culture around us. We buy things others buy, say things others say, wear things others wear, and value things others value. Oh, there are slight variations, but most of the time we don’t set the climate for the world we live in; we simply adjust to it.

But not "Thermostats"! No, they take life to the next level. They become thermostats and change the environment in which they’re placed. For instance, you may know people who raise the spiritual temperature of a group, or determine the attitudes of others just by being present. They’re pacesetters. They influence, rather than merely allowing others to influence them.

Paul’s challenge to the Romans was to move from being a thermometer to being a thermostat. Listen:

"Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking, Instead fix your attentions on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

God calls us to be authentic. The word authentic comes from the Greek word "to author." It means to read God’s script for your life and then write your own story, not copy somebody else’s.

That’s living. That’s being a thermostat, not a thermometer!

That's Living Blue Sushi!

Stacy

Christmas in Reverse!

2006-12-11T14:06:00.000-08:00

NEW Pictures just posted in the Gallery, check it out by clicking here!

Just keep giving, just keep giving, just keep giving...giving...giving

2006-12-05T04:41:00.000-08:00

What's up Blue Sushi?

Only 20 more days until Christmas!

Have you made a list of all of the people you want to give a gift to and what you want to give them?

Or...have you made a list of all the things you want to receive?

I challenge you this year to try to give more than you receive. Now you might be saying, I am only 12...I don't have money...right? No worries, be creative and give from your heart. Speaking as a father, gifts from the heart are the best gifts of all.

Here is what you do...for every gift you get or think you will get, you give 2 gifts to people you know. Some ideas for gifts you can give are:

1. A handmade card.
2. Cookies or candy
3. Make a craft or ornament.
4. A letter, (mailed not emailed), especially to your Parents or Grand Parents.
5. Your time.

If you do this, it will impact your life.

This idea of outgiving is not a new idea. You see, there is this man that lived about 2006 years ago. He outgave everyone. He gave His life for you and me. He is the true meaning of Christmas. His name...JESUS!

Paul gives some good advice in Galatians 6:7-10:

"Don't be mislead. Remember that you cannot ignore God and get away with it. You will reap what you sow. Those who live only to satisfy their sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially our Christian brothers and sisters."

Remember, just keep giving, just keep giving, just keep giving..giving...giving.

Live Blue Sushi!

Stacy

Real Life Lessons -

2006-11-25T07:57:00.000-08:00

What's up Blue Sushi?

I have learned some stuff over the past few weeks and I want to share it with you.

When my family and I were preparing to move to Texas, we were preparing for a Winter season. We were moving from the comfort of our home, our near perfect church, our wonderful friends, the amazing young men and ladies (aka Blue Sushi and Junior Counselors), a cushy job, and not to mention our family in Baton Rouge.

Then we moved and now we are here and settled in, and the winter season has not yet come. Sure, we have had some challenging moments, like L and N missing their friends and teachers, and E missing her friends, and me missing Monday morning breakfast with my friends who I count on for good mentoring.

Looking back over the twenty or so days we have lived here, it is easy to see the challenges and successes for what they are...stepping stones to the next. What is that promise in the bible about being "unique and wonderfully made"? How about the promise of God knowing everything about us" and having a "perfect plan for our lives"?

These Words to Win With are just that. I am living them. These are the lessons I want to share.

Lesson #1 = We all need a "Stream of Counseling"

Some days it is hard to remember that I am child of the King. Some moments I do "feel" unique alright...like a unique freak of nature that demands too much, that expects too much, and is out of touch with reality...and surely not "wonderful". And just when I begin to stumble into believing these lies, I get a call or an email from one of my life friends and their voice is louder than the ones in my head. They rescue me.

Do you ever feel like that? Not wonderful...not unique?
If or when you do, you should LOL! I mean really LOL!!! Why? Because you must be right on track, because the enemy is working overtime to stop you. Yeap, you must be right on track! LOL and scream to the top of your lungs these words...

I AM WONDERFULLY MADE!!!
I AM UNIQUE AND PEFECT!!!
I AM A CHILD OF THE KING!!!

Then call one of your friends, your parents, your mentor, or your counselor and share with them all of the things that are on your mind. Listen carefully to their counseling, and most importantly, find their advice in the scriptures. All you have to do then is BELIEVE the words of truth you have received from your mentor.

Keep a "Stream of Counseling" flowing from your parents and your friends who are strong in their faith in God and grounded in their commitment to living the life God intends for them. Do not wait on this, do it now! Not a trickle...a STREAM OF COUNSELING!

Lesson #2 = Pay Attention!

I am reading the Ransomed Heart by John Eldredge, and on page 352 he writes,

"When we set out to hear God's voice, we do not listen as though it will come from somewhere above us or in the room around us. It comes from within, from the heart, the dwelling place of God. Now most of us haven't been trained in this, and it's going to take a little practice "tuning in" to all that's going on in there. And there's a lot going on in there, by the way."

For those of you who have taken any of the Blue Sushi classes, you have received training on "listening" and "paying attention" to what God has in store for you. It takes practice. Sometimes it takes turning off the I Pod, Playstation, X box 360, and oh yeah...the TV and being still and quiet.

For me, it takes finding a quiet spot (usually outside taking a walk). When I am at work, I often close my door and sit alone quietly for about fifteen minutes. This quiet time helps me listen to God as he reveal the plan for my day and helps me pay attention to the people around me as my priority rather than the projects on my list of things to do. When I fail to take the time, I often fail to keep my priorities straight!

I pray that you will learn from these words from my heart.

Fly straight as an arrow from God's bow, He will point you to life's bullseye that is meant for you.

And always...

Live Blue Sushi!

Stacy

What's Up Blue Sushi?

2006-11-14T19:37:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about Sushi Blog. Livebluesushi.com is longer a figment of our imagination...Thanks to Mrs. Lorri, the best webmaster in the entire universe.

Elizabeth and I have enjoyed hearing from all of you, we miss you also!

Keep in touch, and check the Sushi Blog soon for more updates.

Good night Baton Rouge!

Stacy

We're here and moved in! True texans now! :) Chec...

2006-11-07T13:56:00.001-08:00

We're here and moved in! True texans now! :) Check out all the pictures here!

Welcome to Sushi Blog!

2006-11-06T10:29:00.000-08:00

Hi and Welcome! This is the place to keep up on all things Blue Sushi! Great place to keep in touch with the Smith family too! Feel free to leave comments! Bookmark this site! The next post you see will be from Stacy or Elizabeth!! :)