May 21st. . .

Have you seen the Billboards like this:

Or the Bumper stickers that say this?:

I hadn't until this past weekend while
we were driving from Texas to Oklahoma
for JFSC. Andrea Duran (2008 Olympian)
told me how these billboards are all over
in LA. I hadn't heard about all of this
but when I started checking it all out,
I immediately thought about the verse
in the Bible that says "no man knows
the day and not even the Son (Jesus)".
Here is that verse:

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My
words will by no means pass away. But of
that day and hour no one knows, not even
the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but
only the Father. Take heed, watch and
pray; for you do not know when the time
is." Mark 13:31-33

This man believes he is warning people
and I do agree with him that Jesus will
return, but the problem is that he is
claiming to know WHEN and says it is
this Saturday. The rapture is what the
Bible talks about and says that Jesus
will come and take up (rapture) His
children. These verses explain it:


"For this we say to you by the word of the
Lord, that we who are alive [and] remain
until the coming of the Lord will by no
means precede those who are asleep. For
the Lord Himself will descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of an archangel,
and with the trumpet of God. And the dead
in Christ will rise first. Then we who are
alive [and] remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air. And thus we shall
always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort
one another with these words."
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

So, I do believe it will happen one day
and like Jesus said in Mark 13, we
are to watch and pray. I don't believe
this man knows the day and hour like
he claims. We need to be ready at all
times, but it is something we are to
encourage eachother with. We should
live as godly examples and share our
faith when the opportunity is there,
but we need to keep our focus
on Jesus at all times. Know Jesus
and there will be no fear!

Laughing at myself right now. . .

I don't know what got into me, but I am
laughing right now about what I just did.
I received an email about somebody needing
money and how he will repay me when he gets
back into the US. It has S.C.A.M. written
all over it but what's so sad is that some
kind-hearted people fall for this sometimes!
Well, this time, instead of ignoring it, I
wrote an email back to them. Here is what
they wrote and my response:

Hello

How are you doing? i made a visit to London
(United Kingdom) unannounced some days back,
Unfortunately for me,i go mugged at gun point
last nights. All cash,Credit card and cell
phones were stolen,It was a terrible experience,
Thank God i still have my life and passport saved.

i have been to the embassy they are not helping
issues so i concluded that returning back home
will be the best option,i also have limited
means of getting out of here,as i have canceled
my cards so i won’t get a new card till i get
back home.I really need your support &
assistance as my flight leaves in few hours,
but i have problems checking out of the Hotel,
as i need to sort out some bills,I need you
to loan me ($2,380.) to sort out the bills
and get a cab back to the airport,i promise
to pay back and brief you in full as soon as
am back home..You can have the funds wire
to me Via Western Union all you need is my
name and present location...

this is all you need in sending the money
via western union

Receivers Name:Tim Maxwell
Location: 5 Hamilton Terrace London
NW8 9RE, UK
Amount:$2,380.

As soon as the transfer is done i will
appreciate you get back to me with the
money transfer control number MTCN so i
can use that in picking up the money
with my passport ID. I'll def refund
your cash as soon as i get home.

Hope to Read From You Soon.
Regards
--
Tim Maxwell

My response:
I am sorry for your misfortune, but
I do have some advice for you.
You need to know Jesus and can ask Him
to be the Lord of your life and to help
you. He is the true Provider, and if
you truly know Him and pray to Him,
then He can help you more than anyone
else can. You can meet Him by opening
the Holy Bible and praying to the God
who createdyou. He will help you through
all your troubles, not just your money
troubles. The best part is that Jesus
already paid your debt by dying on the
cross for you. And you don't
have to worry, because you never have
to repay Him! I hope you will call
out to Him while you still have the
chance.

Jesus Loves You


I don't know what got into me, but
maybe they just might feel a little
conviction for trying to take money
from people. . .at least I'm hoping
God convicts them :)

Happy Birthday to my hubby!!!

Happy Birthday to the Love of my
Life: Tommy Amico


Have an amazing day my love!!! You
are the best husband and daddy to our
boys. I love you!

Oklahoma, Here I come!

I have so much I want to write and so little
time! Isn't that the case for all of us???
We are so busy but I cannot complain. Baseball
season is almost over: Drew has really enjoyed
it and Tommy has been helping coach the little
guys! Only 1 more month of school! I have
been running a lot lately (I ran 6 miles on
my treadmill this morning!) trying to get
ready for the Mud Run at Camp Pendleton next
month. I have pictures to share from the
past couple weekends in Topeka, KS and
the Fred Jordan Mission Mother's Day Event.
I'll do that when I get back next week.

This is the time of year for softball! College
softball is on TV a lot right now and in a
couple weeks, I'll get another chance to
be an analyst for Super Regionals. I also
am very excited to share that I am going to
do NCAA Radio for the best of 3 series of
the WCWS Championships! It's the first time
softball has ever been on the radio and our
sport just keeps making new strides! I love
it.

I'm flying in a couple hours to Oklahoma for
Jennie Finch Softball Camp.

The clinic is held in the same place as
last year: Dunn's Outwest Arena.

That's right, Arena: Like "Rodeo Arena".

Here is a picture from last year:

The girls played softball, and shared the
arena with these guys:

They work hard to get it ready for 300
softball players

For us, it's just more memories that we
are making.

In fact, last year they gave me the keys
to drive to the arena. There had been a
storm the night before and when I tried
to follow Jennie's SUV, this is what
"memory" was made:

Yep, I got stuck in the mud! Luckily, we
had guys around who are used to getting
dirty and pulling cars out of the mud.
By the time the clinic was over, our
van was ready to go. Needless to say,
I am now a passenger! ha ha

I'm looking forward to this weekend!
One of my favorite parts are the
Bible study/devotions that we do
prior to camp on Sunday morning.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Arizona SB @ UCLA

My niece, Taylor, started playing softball
a year ago. It's so fun to see her get
better each day. She is working hard
and has been spending a lot of time
trying to become a better player. In
her playoff game last Friday night,
she got her best hit of her young
career: a line drive to left field.
I was so excited for her and very
proud of her! She got 2 RBI's on that
hit!

Saturday, Tommy and I took her to
watch Arizona play @ UCLA.

It was a beautiful night! We sat
with Coach Candrea's wife, Tina, in
the middle of the Arizona crowd.

Arizona won the game, 7-1. It was so
fun afterward to visit with people that
I know through softball! I am
so grateful for all the friendships this
great sport has given me!

It was so cute to see Taylor excited to
get autographs and pictures.

Of course, I made sure she got a picture
with Coach Candrea (I love him like a dad!)

She took pictures with:

Outfielders: Lauren Shutzler and
Brittany Lastrapes


Shelby Babcock(winning pitcher, Freshman)


Soph. Pitcher Kenzie Fowler


Arizona Alumni:
Caitlin Lowe (2008 Olympic Silver Medalist)
and Kristie Fox


Then we headed into Bruin Territory.
We are enemies on the field, but I love
these people off the field :)

2008 Olympian, Andrea Duran (my roomie
at Jennie Finch Softball Camps)

Freshman Shortstop, Kellie Fox (I coached
her at the Under Armour All-American Game
and was so impressed by her!)

#4 Hitter, Andrea Harrison

Freshman 2nd Baseman, Talee Snow
(I gave her hitting lessons when she was
9-11 years old and coached her in HS @
Chino Hills HS her freshman and sophomore
years. I am SO proud of her and it's
great to see her living out her dream!)

The Snow Family (I love them!!!)
You WILL see her two younger sisters
in DI college softball when they are old
enough! What a talented family!

With Head Coach at UCLA, Kelly Inouye-Perez

Asst. Coaches: Puppy (Gina Vecchione) and
Lisa Fernandez (Olympic Gold 1996, 2000, 2004)

We were some of the last people in the park!
It was so fun to laugh and catch up with them
all. Puppy even started throwing balls in
a drill to Taylor. She went out on the field
and was running the bases with a few other
girls. It was great to see her have so much
fun!

I had to take a picture with Puppy! Tommy
and I love her! I coached with her as a
Volunteer Coach at Oregon State when
Tommy and I lived up in Oregon.

After this game, I was reminded of how much
softball has given me. Like I wrote, the friend-
ships are the best part of all. It is a family
atmosphere and our common love of the game,
love of competition and the goal to strive to
be the very best connects our hearts! These
people are all amazing and talented in this
sport, but it is who they ARE that leaves
such an impact on the lives of others around
them. I could see the sparkle in Taylor's
eyes and she came home and asked me when we
can practice again. I know that with hard
work and a continued passion for this sport,
she too can wear a college uniform one day
and enjoy the entire experience like I did.
I am so grateful for every opportunity I
ever had, and for my parents who gave me
every chance to follow my dreams!

Boys. . .Friends

Boys and their Friends


My boys with my best friend's boys

This is the area in our courtyard
at church that we gather and the
boys run and play until we get
done talking and visiting. I am
thankful for our church and our
friends!

Happy Mom's Day

I hope you all had a wonderful day
celebrating your Moms! God gave you
and me as a gift to our mothers and
they have impacted our lives forever!

I love my "2" Moms!


My mom taught me through her actions that
there is nothing more important that we can
give our children than love! Her love and
support made me into the mom I am today!
I hope my boys adore me and cherish me
like I do her. I know my boys have seen
the love their dad has for their "Nana"
and can understand that her love impacted
him in many ways.

These boys have my whole heart!

Here are a few statements about Moms that
I agree with:

If you have a mom, there is nowhere you
are likely to go where a prayer has not
already been. ~Robert Brault

Mothers hold their children's hands for
a short while, but their hearts forever.
~Author Unknown

A man's work is from sun to sun, but a
mother's work is never done. ~Author
Unknown

Happy 5:5 and National Day of Prayer

The 5 of us wish you a Happy 5/5!

I hope you have wonderful Cinco de Mayo
and join others in this blessed country
in praying for our nation. I will be
joining a group of friends at a park
where we will eat, talk, laugh, and
even join in prayer together lifting
up our leaders, the future of our
country, our freedom, our amazing
military men and women, our families
and churches and much more. My
friend, Kristi, organized it and
last year was such a blessing. This
year my kids are all in school on
Thursdays, so it will just be me.
I'm looking forward to praying with
others- there is something powerful
that takes place when we pray with
others!! I am a big believer in praying
expectantly and believing God answers
prayers. Sometimes His answers are
just different than ours, but either
way, I pray and then trust!

Have a wonderful day!


Jeremiah 33:3:
"'Call to Me, and I will answer you,
and show you great and mighty things,
which you do not know.'

James 1:5-6
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should
ask God, who gives generously to all
without finding fault, and it will be
given to him. But when he asks, he must
believe and not doubt, because he who
doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown
and tossed by the wind."

Sports World in So Cal

Last week I was able to speak for
Sports World again, but this time
it was in my home town and surrounding
cities!

The best part, was that my first
assembly was for Seniors at my
old High School:
Don Lugo HS in Chino, CA

It was so fun to be back and talking
to students about what I've learned
since sitting in those same seats :)

It was great to see familiar faces:
Athletic Director and Baseball Coach:
Joe Marcos and Activities Director:
Connie Weeks

My former softball coach, Coach
Sheffield, even stopped by! I
have such great memories from
my time playing softball at DL!

He's a good coach: Just look at these
credentials: (my years were '89-'92)

Honored to be up on the Hall of Fame
(yep, Diana Taurasi went to the same
High School as me!)

Next stop was Miller Middle School
in Riverside, CA

I spoke 6 times in 2 days to all their
P.E. Classes and all the girls

The staff was awesome, especially Mr.
Jones! What great teachers this school
has.

Thursday I went to Hidden Trails Elementary
in Chino Hills. The principal, Mrs. Fellows,
was my brother's 6th grade teacher! Good
thing I had time afterward to hang out because
I signed a lot of cards, and some arms and
shoes!

They made this cute welcome sign for me.

The last school for me was
Lincoln Alternative Elementary School
in Corona. The principal, Mr. Scott,
was wonderful to work with and very
excited to offer his students this
assembly. They were a great crowd
and had the best questions after I
was done speaking!



I was once again grateful for the
opportunity to speak to students and
share the importance of PACT:
Passion
Attitude
Choices
Teamwork

I thank God for all the doors He opens!

Mommy & Me Tea

Drew's Class held a Mommy & Me Tea for
all the moms

They spent time making us feel special and
reminding us how special this time with
our little ones really is.

We had lots of treats: cupcakes, rice
crispy treats, chocalte.

The kids performed a song for us. You could
tell they practiced a lot for it.

Drew loves his teachers:
Mrs. Martinez and Mrs. Rupright

I am thankful for all that they are
teaching Drew, but even more thankful
that they love Jesus and the Bible is
the foundation in their class.