Wednesday, September 28, 2011

I'm Thankful

For the freedom I have in Christ Jesus.  I don't have to worry about saving myself, or seeming perfect in the eyes of the world...I get to be me...flawed, broken and in constant need of His hand in my life.

For a Christian radio station.  I seriously do NOT know what I would do without the blessing of Klove. 

For a day that my kids get to meet other kids around the flag pole at their school and pray for their friends, their school and their city. 

For the promises that comes from God in His word...just this morning I read in Isaiah about the ministry of Jesus Christ.  He came to preach the good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve, to bestow a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of despair.  (Taken from Isaiah 61:1-3)

For the right to be able to pray with a group of amazing friends.  My Mom's in Touch group has blessed my life in so many ways...and if I need someone to pray for something...then I can call them.  These ladies love the Lord with all their hearts, souls, minds and strength.  God is so good for bringing them into my life. 

Quiet time in the morning...my favorite way to spend my morning is in God's word...and I am loving the new Bible study I started last Wednesday night at church.  I love the homework more than anything...it brings me so much closer to God and I feel like I get to know Him better through it. 

Praise and worship cd's.  Enough said.  Current favorite: Gateway Worship.  Ahmaaaaaaazing.

Being able to help out in First Kids' Church...and worshiping alongside almost 200 kids this past Sunday morning.  Those little guys bless my socks off...and make me wish I could rewind and go back to First Kids' Camp.  I am counting down till next year. 

My amazing family.  I love them so much it hurts.  I am so blessed to be able to drive them to school, to make their lunches, to cook dinner for them, to buy their favorite foods for them, to be able to be home with them when they come home from school...I love the honor and privilege of being a wife and mother.  I was called to do exactly this...my daily life.  I praise God that He has shown me the effectiveness of that calling and I am blessed because of it.

Well...I must go.  Love to all. 

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Remember Me?

I'm in a writing funk.  Life is great, and all is well with us, I just haven't been in the mood to write. 

I will tell you that this weekend was amazing.  We've spent lots of time at church, and I have been so blessed (once again) by all the love poured into our kids' lives.  :)  God is so good, and our church is doing great things to make sure kids everywhere know Him. 

Random thing of the weekend: it's sunny outside, 80 degrees and we're under a tornado warning.  Which never happens this late in the year.  Weird, I know.  Welcome to Memphis.

I don't have much for now...hopefully this little bit will inspire me to write more later. 

Love to all!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Happy Friday!

It's my favorite week day!  The weather this week has been ahhhmaazing!  High's in the mid-upper 70's, lows in the 50's...perfection.  Right now it's a cool 52*...and I cannot wait to sit out in this amazing-ness tonight at the CHS football game. 

And we are finally getting to have our redneck campfire after the game!  We invited some friends over after the game tonight.  I. CANNOT. WAIT.  :)

Before tonight, though, after I drop all the kiddos off at school, I am heading to Chik-Fil-A to meet a friend that goes all the way back to my elementary years.  I'm excited about seeing her after all these years...we graduated together, but by the time high school came around, we had grown apart.  Another girl was supposed to join us that we graduated with, but she's unable to make it.  I'm excited about catching up, though...it's been ages. 

My sweet Daddy comes over today.  I think he's coming to the game with us, too...he's been itching to get back into a football game.  This is his favorite thing...high school football.  We used to go every single Friday night when I was a young girl.  He didn't come with us last week because he wasn't feeling well, but this week, all is good. 

It's going to be an awesome weekend...and I can't wait to get it started.  I hope all of you have a wonderful Friday...get outside and enjoy this amazing weather!  Love to all.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Tough Conversations

I read a blog post this morning from a wife and homeschooling mom named Courtney.  If you're interested in reading what I'm talking about, go HERE and check it out for yourself. 

Let me start by saying that I love how she so graciously responds to some pretty vicious attacks.  The article is called, 'My Conversation With an Atheist'.  In this post, she lets us in to see how her daily walk with the Lord makes her a target for condemnation and slander. 

I am considering buying the book she talks about in the article, Evidence Demands A Verdict, by Josh McDowell.  Why?  Because I want to be prepared to answer some pretty tough questions, should the need ever arise. 

And I think that we are at the point that we need to be prepared.  In the South, where we're still known as 'the Bible belt', we don't see quite as much adversary as people in the North.  (And yes, I do believe your location makes a difference.) 

I think that more and more issues are going to pop into our lives on a daily basis...and we as Christians need to be equipped to answer some of those questions. 

The only way to do that is to stay in the Word. 

Second Timothy 3:16 and 17 says that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Every 'good work'...sharing with others all about Jesus.  How He was born a man, and was the only perfect man to have ever walked this earth.  How He was innocent...yet died a sinner's death on a cross.  For us...so that we could live eternally with Him when we leave this earth behind.  How death could not keep Him...three days after His burial, He rose again.  And now He sits at the right hand of God the Father. 

He loves all of us.  No matter the sin we've committed, He loves us all the same.  Aren't you glad that you don't have to depend on yourself to get you by in this life?  I'm so thankful that I have One that I can look to for guidance, for wisdom...I trust Him.  Do you?

It's funny that my dad and I were talking about this very subject last Friday.  We laughed at a story he told me about the vacation they just got back from.  They met a nice waitress from Japan while they were in Montana (Oregon?  Wyoming?  It doesn't matter.).  Dad asked her if she had ever heard of Elvis. 

Then he thought, "ELVIS???  Shouldn't I have instead asked her if she knew JESUS?" 

It was funny to both of us.  (The girl had never heard of Elvis Presley, by the way.  Hopefully she has heard of Jesus.)

But it was sad to both of us, as well.  Why do we talk endlessly of some things and not nearly enough of the subjects that matter.  Like where we're going to spend our eternity.  I don't want any of my family and friends to be left behind...I want them all in Heaven with me.  I love them all so much...I don't want to think about them not being there. 

Dad and I agreed to pray for one another to be bold in our faith...bold, yet loving.  Some Christians come across as 'in your face', and I don't want to be like that.  I want to be kind, gentle, loving, yet firm in my faith and my beliefs.  Don't you?? 

I'm thinking that my dad's prayers are coming to fruition in me.  I pray that I always answer any question in love and kindness.  All for His glory...for His kingdom...so that all of my loved ones can be with me in our life eternal. 

Jonah and Noah talked about Heaven yesterday.  I love their simple, child-like beliefs.  You know we're called to be like children.  The Bible talks about the faith of a child...to me that means to just believe.  To know.  To trust.  To have faith in Him.  And He'll do all the rest.  Anyway, we talked about Heaven yesterday.  Noah wanted to know if we would see Sambo someday in Heaven.  I don't know if animals will be in Heaven, but I don't think so.  But I didn't say that to him...I told him that we might.  And we might...we really might.  I don't know anyone that's still alive that I can ask.  ;-)  We talked about angels that are all around us, and the streets of gold that Heaven will have. 

I love my life on this earth...I am blessed to be a wife and mom of some pretty amazing short people.  But when I think of Heaven and what it will be like reuniting with all those who've gone on before me...my heart gets all fluttery with excitement.  I cannot imagine the worship that will be taking place.  I cannot wait to see the glorified bodies of my precious God-fearing grandmothers, my grandfathers (one of whom I've never even met), my aunts, my uncles, my niece Ashley...

I want to be prepared.  Do you? 

Can I pray for you?  Or for a family member?  A friend? 

I would consider it an honor. 

I hope you have a blessed day.  Love to all. 

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Worship

My Mornings

They're my favorite. 

Especially when I'm able to jump out of bed easily and shower in a reasonable amount of time. 

I love waking up while everyone is asleep and coming downstairs while the it's still dark. 

I love watching the sun slowly makes its way up in the sky every morning. 

I love that first cup of coffee...don't you?  It's the best. 

I love sitting in my chair, or at the kitchen table, with a cup of coffee and an open Bible.  That time is precious to me.  It sets the tone for my entire day.

I love mornings when I don't have anything going on until work.  I can come home, pack Jonah's and Noah's lunch, and spend more time in the Word. 

I love popping in one of my favorite worship cd's and worshiping my little heart out...right in my very own kitchen.  Some of the best 'church' I've ever had has taken place in there. 

I love seeing the completed task of folded laundry. 

I love that the boys try their best to get up in time to make their beds each morning.  (Although I don't think it happened today.  But it's okay...I'm always pleasantly surprised when they do.)

I just love the routine of our mornings.  I LOVE routine.  :)  I know...I'm a nerd. 

What do YOU love?

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

If you were a fly on our wall tonight....

You would have seen Drew licking his plate like a dog.  Seriously.  It was brown gravy and rice.  And hamburger steak with gravy, green beans and black eyed peas.  And garlic bread.

You would have heard some Christmas music being played in my kitchen. 

You would have heard how Jonah told us that (once again) the tooth fairy forgot to bring him money last night.

And how a girl in his class at school doesn't get $1 for a tooth, but $2 a tooth.

You would have seen Todd almost spit his food out to keep from laughing out loud.

You would have heard me threaten to smack Graham when he said, "I need to speak with the chef."

You would NOT have heard the television. 

You would have heard the sweet music of kids voices playing outside and using their creative little imaginations.

You would have overheard a couple of sweet phone calls I had with some teachers...Jonah's and Noah's, and Graham's.  :)

You would have heard me being everything BUT the Proverbs 31 woman.  Open mouth...insert foot. 

Don't judge. 

G'night.

Blessed

It's been a great weekend.  We had a couple of little 'setbacks', but all is good now.  My car decided to start acting all weird Saturday night at my sister's house, but my personal mechanic got it all working properly again.  ;-)

We were able to watch some Friday night football...CHS Dragons vs. Houston Mustangs.  The Dragons won.  In a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat ending, no less. 

Yesterday we had friends come over for a cookout.  We were going to get a fire going in our fire pit and roast marshmallows for s'mores, but it was too windy. 

We still had a great time, though.  We just played cards instead. 

I'm thinking tonight we might have to have that fire.  :)

The weather is ahhhmaaazing this week.  High's in the mid to upper 70's, lows in the lower to mid 50's...perfect!  I just wish we were on a camping trip. 

 That's okay, though...hopefully we'll have one of those soon.  It's weather like this that is the perfect camping weather. 

I'm looking forward to another great week...I hope you all have one as well. 

Love to all.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

the usual weekly random

The kids lost their minds in the cafeteria today.  Seriously.  I had to get mean a couple times!

I no longer hate Officer Smiley.  I just moderately put up with him coming in and bugging the kids.

Graham's teacher is amazing.  She was confused by a weird email I dictated to him and just said, "Call me..." with her number at the end of it.  LOVE HER.  P.S. That doesn't happen nowadays.  Teachers never give out their numbers anymore.  Not that I would ever abuse it, but still...made my heart all happy.

Drew is bummed because Mr. Zoska is moving up to seventh grade.

Graham is excited because Mr. Zoska is moving up to seventh grade.  :)

I have not felt very nice all day. 

I cannot WAIT to enjoy a long weekend.  Big plans...lots of things going on...so, so excited.  And God bless all the teachers...I know they're as ready as my kids!

I heart Jonah's and Noah's teacher.  I feel like she's my best friend...I'm that comfortable with her.  And so are they. 

The dinner I made tonight almost made me sick to my stomach.  More on that later.  Maybe.  It is very damaging to my pride and I'm feeling fragile tonight. 

My sister turns 43 tomorrow!!!  And Trishy, I'm sorry for revealing your age on here.

I had a pity party last night...and it was so lonely in my head.  :(  More on that later, too...maybe.

I love my family.  L.O.V.E. 

I don't like my hair.  Especially today. 

How many episodes of Wipeout can there be???  Seriously...they're all the exact same, yet to my boys, it never gets old. 

I need some nail polish therapy.  Gonna go paint my nails now. 

Love to all. 

third Tuesday check-in

  Happy Tuesday, friends! It's time for the third Tuesday check-in, when I'll share a very honest assessment on how life is going in...