Happy 4th of July!

HAPPY 4th of July! I hope everyone is having a good time.

We've been enjoying my brother, Scott, & his family this week.

Today we went to the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, TN. We're not big whiskey drinkers but it was still very interesting seeing how things are made. The Distillery grounds are also very beautiful!

Here's a picture of all of us at one of the more scenic spots on our tour.

Prayer Request - UPDATED 7/2

I just spoke with Dina & their house has 6 inches of water in it and the water is still rising. Please continue to pray for them!




I know, I've been the queen of posting prayer requests but prayer works!

From my friend, Dina, in Bartlesville:

It has been a nerve-wracking day. We’d appreciate your prayers for our home. Our backyard is ¾ flooded and our front yard is now flooding. The water has reached our driveway and we are told to expect 4 more feet of water. We have friends who are out of town, so if need be, we are going to spend the night at their house. We are packing up things now. Thanks for your prayers.

Prayer Request - Unspoken

I can't go into details but I would REALLY appreciate you all praying today for a friend of mine.

Thank you!

Testimony - You've got one.

When I first became a Christian I heard many people, mainly those that had grown up in the church, say that I had a great testimony and that they wished that one like that. It really bugged me then and it bugs me now. Why? Because as Christians we ALL have a testimony and each testimony is equally as powerful, vital and necessary to share with others. We have all been saved from he same hell.

I just received the July newsletter from The Voice of the Martyrs and it was all about the importance of testimonies. As as former employee of VOM, I remember so many times being floored, humbled, challenged, and sometimes saddened by the testimonies that I heard. These Christians are truly on the front lines, choosing literally between life & death by the choice they make to follow after Christ.

Some thoughts I thought I'd highlight from the July 2007 feature article in the VOM newsletter written by Tom White, Executive Director:

"Testimony may be the most underused force in Western Christianity today. As I travel to hostile nations, I am struck each time by the power of a testimony."

"Do we dare claim, sitting in our office, or home or school, 'Jesus, I realize from observation that I may be Your only living presence in this room. I will open my mouth somewhere today and let you speak. Help me."

"In the Muslim, Hindu and communist worlds, many are powerfully touched reading about the merciful Jesus in the New Testament, but most of those in extremely hostile villages can barely read. When they witness the joy of the Christian and hear the testimony of changed lives, many come to Christ. My pastor, Joe Colaw (also my former pastor), has described how the highly-educ ted, post-modern, skeptical world may not accept a Bible verse as truth, but is willing to listen to a personal account of what God has done in a life. Testimony opens the door for the gospel.

Is there some connection here? If it is our Christian testimony which can hold the most highly-educated skeptic and also touch the illiterate, why is testimony, whether inside or outside of church, sometimes treated as an abandoned orphan or a less worthy instrument than a Sunday school lesson, a sermon or singing in the choir? Because the devil wins when we keep our mouth shut."

1 Peter 3:15-17:

but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

FRUSTRATION - Updated

FOUND IT!!! After going through my entire room and destroying it, I found it in the game room, in the toy box. :)


Owen got ahold of my driver's license yesterday and now I have NO IDEA where it is. It is in my house, I think, but I can't find it.

So, as stupid a prayer as this may be, please, please pray that I find it. If you live in TN you know how incredibly frustrating it is to get that stinkin' license in the first place, I have no idea how hard it will be to replace it.

Ughhh.....

I just want to scream!!!

VBS Day 4

Really quick post from me as I am starting to wind down and tire out - those K-1st graders are wearing me out!

Here is a great pic of Suzanne & Tammy.


This is me & my crew (minus 2 people).

Tastefully Simple

A friend of mine just started selling an awesome line of products called Tastefully Simple. Check out her website - it's good stuff.

Update on prayer request

Thank you for praying for my friends, the Wall family. Please see their blog for an update on little Isaac. They Dr's. have found the cause of his problems and did surgery. It will require at least another surgery in about a year but we are thankful that they found the problem and can fix it.

Grrrr.... continuing dental work saga

Okay, I have to take a moment and post a bit of a GRRRR regarding the dental issues that I have been having.

Sometime in late March (I think), I lost a filling in a tooth and went to the dentist. I was told that I needed a crown and waited 3 weeks to get back into the dentist to get this done. Go to the dentist the week prior to going to Bartlesville and get some of the work done for a crown and am told that I have to get a root canal done. It seemed that I may have to wait 10 days with a gaping hole in my tooth before I could get a root canal but thankfully I found a dentist (after calling several) who got me in right away. Got the root canal and went on my trip. Came back, called the first dentist to get the crown scheduled and found out that they were no longer taking my insurance. WHAT????!!! After some talking they decided that they would complete the crown work at the insured price. I went in last week, Monday for to get a temporary crown done and am scheduled to go back 3 weeks later for the permanent one.

Sounds good right????

The temporary crown BROKE on Sunday and then came completely out on Monday and that was without eating or doing anything I wasn't supposed to. Go in on Thursday to get it fixed and think things will be okay for the remaining 10 days.

NOT SO.

Guess what came out tonight while I was drinking a glass of ice tea?????

Yep, you guessed it - the second temporary crown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is making me crazy!

VBS Day 3 - This is what it's all about

Today was an incredible day at VBS. Yes, we're all having fun and being goofy but ultimately the goal of VBS is to teach these children about Jesus and let them know how much He loves them and wants to be the center of their lives. Today was the day that we talked specifically about the sacrifice that Jesus made for each person there. It was during our Bible Adventure time that three of my kids said that they wanted to talk more about what Jesus did for them and how they can make Him real in their lives. At that point we got them together with Pastor Allen and others that were there specifically to talk to the kids one-on-one about what it means to follow Jesus.

Two of the children were not quite ready yet to make the decision to ask Jesus into their hearts but they are close. That is exciting - the seeds are being planted and they are paying attention. They are getting there.

The third child did make a decision to ask Jesus into her heart!!! WOW!!! How exciting. - a life forever changed. What was really special was that her mom is also a crew leader and they went and got her and shared with her what happened. She was so excited that she was crying and her daughter was beaming. It was a very special moment that brought tears to my eyes.

Today there were 30 children that made the decision to ask Jesus into their hearts!!!!!!!

This is what it's all about.

Thank you Jesus for changing lives and for loving us so completely that you died on the cross for us, making a way for us to be with you in heaven, forever. Thank you for the lives that were changed today. That you for the seeds that have been planted in the lives of the 500+ children (and families) that have been at VBS this week. You are an amazing God.

Prayer Request for a friend

I wanted to post a quick prayer request for a friend whose newborn son is in the hospital. Please pray for the Wall family as they try to figure out what is causing their newborn son, Isaac's, bowel problems. THANK YOU!

VBS Day 2 - Do My Best

"Whatever you do, whether in word or in deed,
do everything for the Lord Jesus."
Colossions 3:17

This was our theme verse for today. And the idea we were going for was to always do your best.

I have to tell you, I have been SO impressed with VBS at our church. It's not like I've really seen a lot of VBS programs or helped with them but the ones that I have seen haven't been nearly this well put together and organized. It's pretty amazing! GOOD JOB to all those that have helped put this together, I'm sure it took a TON of work but it has really paid off. It's been a blast!

Here are some more pics. I'm sure that y'all think I'm crazy for even bringing my camera but, hey, I'm a scrapbooker (when I find the time) and I love to take pictures (just ask anyone who has gone anywhere with me LOL).

Miss. Jennifer starts us off with fun songs. Here she is showing us how to sing a "Camp Fire Song". Miss. Jennifer is doing a GREAT job leading some of the music and fun stuff. I have to say, though, the songs have really changed since I worked at a camp. Whatever happened to "Father Abraham" and the Egyptian song? :)

Pastor Allen with his the kids helping with the worship. Looks like fun - huh?



Sorry Laura - I had to share this - it's not an embarrassing picture though :) In our closing assembly they choose a crew leader to come on stage and today it was Miss. Laura. She was a good sport and was really good at bouncing a basketball and twirling a hool-a-hoop at the same time. GO LAURA!
We made spirit hands (I guess that's what they're called). This is Miss. Suzanne whose group was at our table too!

I love this - he came up with everything on his hand all by himself!!! WOW.

Vacation Bible School starts

This morning started Vacation Bible School at church. The theme this year is Lifeway's "Game Day Central". My team is the Minnesota Twins (yes, Becca, I'm still bitter about not being the ST. LOUIS CARDINALS!!! ;) ) The kids I have completed Kindergarten - 1st grade this past May.

The day started out pretty early, at least for me. We had to be at church at 8 am and well, that was quite the endeavor with three kiddos but we made it. My team is sitting on the FRONT row of the church - I have to laugh about that. I'm not really one to jump and dance around - my feet tend to stay planted firmly on the ground. I can keep a beat in the privacy of my own home but ask me to dance or jump around outside of that and well, it doesn't happen often. I'm sure you can imagine the crazy songs & dances that come with kids ages K-5th grade and so, well, you can all laugh at my lack of rhythm now. :)

I think I have a great group of kids. There are 3 girls and 5 boys. One of the girls had a bit of a hard time being there today and spent much of the first two rotations crying to go back to school (she came there with a local school) but she pushed through and ended up having a GREAT time.

For craft time we stuffed teddy bears that are going to be sent to children in Germany. It was so nice to have the kids do something that will make a real difference to children in another country.

We went to several other rotations and ended the day back in the worship center singing more crazy songs.

Can't wait for tomorrow.

Here are a few pics from today (yes, I couldn't resist taking my camera even to vbs!):

Happy Father's Day!

I have to tell you, I think my kids have the very best Daddy ever and I am so thankful for that. Eric is a WONDERFUL father. I love to watch him interact with the kids. He is very thoughtful and involved with them. He's not afraid to take all three kids out and about by himself. For Mother's Day he took all three kids by himself to the Discovery Center to make me a Mother's Day gift and then took them out to lunch and out a few other places. That's pretty good, don't you think? A week or so ago he came home with a bag full of stuff from the store. I was confused as to what he got until he told me that he wanted to make ice cream cone cupcakes with the kids (pics below). The next day he got Morgan & Drew to help make the yummy treats. The other day I went out and when I came home he had made cupcakes with the kiddos. The games they play around the house are hilarious. They love to play "Gotcha" with soft toy balls. The kids run and Eric pelts them with the balls - they love it.

I really wanted Eric to have a special Father's Day because he is very special to us. I wanted him to pick a place that he wanted to have lunch and was really suprised at what he chose. He could have gone anywhere but he chose to go to Chuck E. Cheese! WHAT??? He said that he wouldn't have a Father's Day without being a father and so he wanted to do something that the kids would enjoy. We had been promising Drew that we'd take him to CEC for doing so well on his potty training so we decided to go there. Good choice honestly - with everyone going out for Father's Day, CEC's was pretty empty! :)

The only other thing he wanted to do for Father's day was take a nap so he's downstairs right now "watching" the Cardinal's game and taking a nap.

Thank you for being a FANTASTIC father Eric!!

Pics from making cupcakes:

"Round 5" or "I should buy stock"

Take your pick - either title will work.

Round 5 of tubes for our family.

OR

I should buy stock in whomever produces the little tubes that go in ears.

I took O to the ENT this morning and while his ear isn't still infected, the fluid is still there.

A little recap: O had tubes put in when he was 2 months old (yeah - young, we had good reason to do it). One tube fell out shortly after arriving in TN. Since that time he's been on antibiotics at least 5-6 times. He had a ear infection the end of April that required 3 rounds of antibiotics and his ears STILL aren't completely clear.

SOOO - just guess what the dr. recommended?????

TUBES and ADENOIDS!!!!!!

M has had 2 rounds of tubes and her adenoids out.

D has had 1 round of tubes.

Moral of the story: If you are a child in our family just get tubes in place before leaving the hospital, you'll end up needing them anyways.

Flaws

Do you ever stop and think about all the areas in your life or character traits that you have that you view as flaws and wish were different? I do from time to time and honestly, just had a few of mine (or rather one big one) in my face today.


My flaw of choice today: I am very unorganized and unstructured to the point that at times I feel like I appear lazy.

Maybe that doesn't seem like a big deal to you, but it is to me and to those that have to live with me (feel sorry for my kids & husband!).

In an ideal world I would be this super organized wife & mother with a plan in place for my week before it even began. I'd have a list of daily tasks that included what to clean, what to wash, what to eat and what days those things needed to happen. I would remember the budget and not forget what I spent the day before and how it adds up. I would have a plan for what I did with my kids which included a wide array of activities both at home and outside the home and when I went out I'd always have everything I needed, I'd be prepared. Life would be nice, neat & organized.

I know people like this.

I wish I was like this.

I tend to fly by the seat of my pants. When I plan ahead, I rarely prepare ahead. Does that make sense? Here's an example. I knew that I was going to go swimming today with the kids and packing a lunch. The best thing for me to have done was gotten the stuff together the night before - clothes, food, etc. With three kids it would have made more sense to do this ahead of time so I wouldn't have to waste time with it in the morning. Did I????? NOPE. Instead I was rushing around the house, getting frustrated with the kids for things that weren't really their fault and leaving my house a complete & utter disaster. When we got home do you think I used their nap time to clean up said disaster? NOPE again. Perhaps if I had then I would have been able to use the time that they were awake doing something fun & productive with them instead of turning on the TV so I could clean up (which didn't really work anyways).

I frustrate myself.

I want to be more organized & structured but I just can't. I try and I fail - over and over again. I look at my friends who are with envy because I see the value in being that way. It's just not me.

Don't think I go around bashing myself all the time, I don't. I think we all have days where what we see (or choose to see) isn't the most flattering of things.

Update to prayer request

From my friend Dina:

How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every blessing in heaven because we belong to Christ. Ephesians 1:3

Dear familia and friends—praise Jesus: there is absolutely no flood water anywhere near or around our house!!! We really can’t believe it and yet totally attribute it to your faithful prayers for us. There are so many places in B’ville flooded right now and usually by now our house would be surrounded by water. The city forecasted for us that between midnight and 7 am we’d likely have water 3 feet above street level in our cul-de-sac. I had no doubt the water would fill our back yard and perhaps the front and was just praying that it would not come into our house. We took turns during the night getting up to check the water levels. Unbelievably, and thankfully—there is no water!!! YAY!! Whoppee—praise Almighty God!!

Prayer request

A good friend of mine, Dina, has asked for prayer because of flood waters that are threatening her neighborhood. Her house, in particular, is not far off of a river that is expected to crest at 4' ABOVE flood stage. If this happens, her house will most certainly be flooded.

Here is a link to a story about the flooding in Dewey which is just north of Bartlesville.

Please, please pray that the river crests far below what is expected and that homes are spared of being flooded.

Thanks!

Quack Quack

Okay, I'm STILL working on photos from our trip to PA but in the mean time I FINALLY finished painting the "Ducky Bathroom" as D calls it. It's the bathroom for the kids and I wanted it to be bright & fun. I think it turned out great - it only took me 9 months to use the paint that I bought b/c I HATE to paint.

One room down, oh so many more to go! I'm half-way inspired to get something done after seeing my brother's house - he has done some FANTASTIC painting at his house!

Here it is:

Memories

We just got back today from a visit to see my family in PA. We had a GREAT time & I can't wait to share the pictures. I'm pretty tired so that will have to wait for another day but I did want to write down a few memories that have been floating around in this head of mine. They are two of my favorite memories of my childhood.

MEMORY #1: My brother w/red toe nails.

I love a good prank and my favorite one included my brother as my "victim." He had done something to frustrate me as only a brother could and I decided to exact my revenge by painting his toenails a bright red. While he was sleeping I went into his room and painted his toenails. It was during the middle of summer swim season so he was none to pleased. We lived on an air force base and I remember my mom making me go buy some nail polish remover and take it off. I took it off but he still had remnants around the edges. He went swimming anyways. Sorry Scott!

MEMORY #2: My Pop-Pop's strawberry patch.

My grandfather, also known as Pop-Pop, used to keep a garden each summer and one of my most favorite "crop" was strawberries. If you know me very well, then you know that I LOVE strawberries - they are my absolute favorite fruit. I remember going out to the strawberry patch with a basket and picking one and then eating one and so on. I LOVED going out to visit during strawberry season.

So, until I can get my pics uploaded, there are two of my favorite childhood memories.

So sweet.

Yesterday was a fun day. I took the kiddos to Steve's Fantastic Fun Zone with some friends from church and then to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. We got home and the kids' friend, Sam, stayed with us for the afternoon. I think they had a good time, I know Sam had a good time playing with D's cars and race thing.

We decided to meet up with Sam's mom, Ashley, and his brother, John, for dinner before church. For a little refresher, this is M's friend John - I just love these pictures of them, so stinkin' sweet.

Any way, M got her dinner and it was really hot and I told her to blow on it but apparently that wasn't doing it. John was so sweet and went over and blew on her food for her until it cooled down.

Last night, as we were saying our prayers M prayed and thanked God for a good day and then she said, "Lord, thank you for giving John a good day swimming with his mom."

Everyone say it together now: "Awwwwwwwwwww"

Such sweet friends.

Trip to the dentist

Okay, I hate to admit this, but despite the fact that M is 5-years-old and D is 3-years-old, today was the first time that either had seen a dentist. What possessed me to schedule and appt. at 8:20 am I'll never know but we made it and that was good.

The kids did GREAT! They didn't cry and weren't scared at all. Surprisingly, neither had any cavities and the dentist said that their oral hygiene was great. Gotta love that! Here are some pics.




A couple of extra pics. D & O both got up super early but fell asleep on my bed. This is how I found them after I took a shower.

We were out & about this morning and I grabbed this shot of all three kids at one of the parks we went to. I love it!

Splash Pad

Okay, I finally was able to get the pictures off my camera from the other day at the splash pad. The kids had a great time, even O who just preferred to stay on the side-lines.

Time to step it up

Being a Christ-follower involves more than just attending a church each week, absorbing what is shared with us and then going home to our "regular" lives. I firmly believe that we should be doing several things. We should be active in sharing our faith through any way that we can, with our friends, with our neighbors, to those that don't know Jesus. We should also be active in volunteering in our church. It drives me absolutely nuts when people attend week after week yet refuse to see how God can use them in the church they claim to be a part of.

David McCaman, high school pastor at First Baptist, shared some interesting statistics this weekend in his message (a MUST hear if you have time).

Statistics on generational believers:

World War 2 generation – 65% adults claim to be believers

Baby boomers – 35% of adults claim to be believers

Generation X – 16% of adults claim to be believers

Millennial generation (Seniors graduating, high school) 4% claim to be believers!!!

In America, 15 & 16 year olds (10 million) – 1 million more than any other 2 ages combined.

85% of students who don’t accept Christ before they leave high school, never will

2/3rds of believing adults in America came to Christ before they were 18 years old.

Why such a drastic drop in the % of people claiming to be believers???? Do you see those numbers???? If you are a believer, especially one with children, they should scare you!

What kills me hear is that the area of the church that is the hardest to find volunteers? Nursery, preschool, children, middle school & high school!!!! No wonder the numbers are dropping, no one wants to invest in the CHILDREN - it's always someone else's job.

Wrong. It's OUR job. If you are a believer and are attending a church then you NEED to invest in that church. You NEED to share your faith with the younger generations. Don't look at volunteering in the nursery, children's or high school ministry as a nuisance. You are the face of Jesus to these kids. That's exciting. That's needed. It's not a nuisance.

That said, I want to clarify that I think you need to make sure your heart is in things and that you are where God wants you to be. As a mom to three preschoolers, I have many times felt the unspoken assumption that I must volunteer in the nursery & preschool ministry because of my kids. At my former church, I did volunteer in that area and I have to tell you, I didn't do it joyfully, I did it because they needed someone to step up and not many would. If they asked me to volunteer, I never even thought about saying no.

I have to tell you, about a week ago I was asked if I would consider volunteering to work in the preschool area every other week. I said "no" and tried to explain why. I have three preschoolers and honestly, I need a break from that age group and that's okay. I said "no" because my heart would not have been in it and that would have been a disservice to those kids and to the Lord. And, thankfully, the person who asked me said that she understood.

Tonight I got to get a taste of another ministry in our church that I think I'd really like to be a part of - the high school ministry, Crave. I have to tell you, I am a bit intimidated thinking about this. I haven't been around high schoolers for any length of time, well, since I was one and that was quite a while ago. When thinking about where I should volunteer, I immediately thought of the high school ministry and then thought better of it because it just made me uncomfortable. I started thinking about what it meant to me when I accepted Christ the summer before my senior year of high school and my Wed. night youth group was an amazing thing to be a part of my first year as a Christian. So, maybe going and helping where I feel uncomfortable and inadequate is right where God wants me to be. He can be my strength where I definitely feel weak. After going tonight, I am REALLY excited to see what God does through this. I am EXCITED to share my faith with a group of high school girls and maybe, just maybe, teach them how to take their faith beyond the church walls.

If you haven't stepped up and been active in your church - DO IT NOW. Don't wait for someone else to do it. Look at those numbers again and then STEP UP.

What a day!

Good stuff, bad stuff, stuff stuff. Here we go:

Went to the Splash Pad this morning with Becca & her crew. It was fun & I'd share pics but I'm just not sure where my cable is to get my pics off of my digital (no honey - I didn't lose the cord to my new camera like I did the charger - it's from the old camera). When I find the right cable, you'll see some adorable pics. Wish I could say that I finally went somewhere with my kiddos and had my act together. I got there 15 minutes late (sorry Becca) and then I realized I left our lunch sitting on the counter at the house. I'm so organized (NOT)!

O STILL has an ear infection!!!! A little background, O had tubes put in his ears over a year ago and one has fallen out. Well, this is the ear that keeps getting infected. He got an EI right before we went to Oklahoma and he still has it despite 2 rounds of antibiotics. So, today he got a shot of Rosefin (misspelled, I'm sure), another round of Augmentin and a referral to an ENT. I guess we're probably headed back for a second round of tubes. Poor kid, his legs were so sore tonight and he wasn't himself.

Remember - last Thursday?

Apparently I told D a lot of things "last Thursday". A young child's concept of time is just so funny sometimes. So, to D, EVERYTHING happened "last Thursday."

Chocolate/Banana Bomb Pop

One of my favorite sweet treats was brought around by the ice cream man - the chocolate & banana bomb pop. YUM! Every time the ice cream man comes through our neighborhood I have to restrain myself from running out there and buying one LOL!

Well, now, I have something else that will always remind me of one of my favorite sweet treats - my downstairs bathroom!!!!!

About 6 months ago I purchased paint for all three of our bathrooms. We got our master bath painted but after painting our family room/kitchen and living/dining room we were burned out on painting and the paint just sat there. Well, I was wanting to paint my craft room as I have an idea for it but couldn't justify painting it until we got the other two bathrooms painted so I decided to get started again. I took the paint back to Lowe's and had the cans shook up again since they've sat for so long and then I got working.

My "vision" for our downstairs bathroom was a very, very light cream color with a tinge of yellow. I found the sample of the paint that I thought would be "perfect" and got it, expecting the room to look as I had envisioned.

NOT SO.

Note to self, small room w/no windows and yellowish lighting magnifies any tiny bit of yellow in the paint and suddenly I have Little Miss. Sunshine living in my bathroom. Oh my goodness - you seriously needed sunglasses to go in that room. WOW!

So - you may be wondering where the chocolate part of that choc/banana bomb pop comes in. Well - wait for it, it's coming.

First I grabbed some white paint we had lying around and tried to dry brush over the yellow and then I tried using a plastic bag for a different technique on another wall. No noticeable change.

I painted it a slightly lighter color without improvement and then decided to try the paint that we had used on our family room & kitchen. I couldn't simply go for straight painting with that one either. I again tried dry brushing and using a plastic bag and it didn't look bad at all but all I could think of was how my bathroom now looked like a bomb pop! Seriously - chocolate and banana was all I could think when I looked at it.

So - I painted over it with the family room/kitchen color - classic khaki.

After seeing how crazy the yellow looked it that bathroom I am thinking I need to not paint the kids' bathroom yellow. Theirs is a duck theme and yellow would look great - a bright, vibrant yellow - and yes, I purchased this paint about 6 months ago as well. We have the same lighting in there as well so I'm betting it would be crazy yellow.

So - does anyone need any yellow paint? Seriously! I have PLENTY.

Saving money

I'm not the best person in the world at watching the bottom line, just ask my husband. It's NOT my strong point. I easily forget what I spent the day before and I just don't plan very well and end up making several trips to the store and always seem to come home with stuff we don't need.

There are ways that I know are obvious but I was wondering what your tips are for saving a few bucks here & there. Living on one income is a new experience for us!

Watch & Learn

My middle son and the things that he says!!!

Tonight I was trying to get D to eat his carrots. I was joking with him that he wouldn't be able to do it. His response to me, "Mom, watch & learn."

Oh my - this kid just kills me sometimes with the things that he says.

You're being ridiculous mom

Sometimes my kids just kill me with the things that they say.

This morning I was making Drew sit on the potty. He has a bad habit of throwing a fit when I make him sit because he hates to poop (tmi - I know). At any rate, after sitting there for about 20 minutes and telling me that he couldn't poop he turns to me and says in his best 3-year old pronunciation - "You're being ridiculous Mom".

Gotta love it.

What would you do?

I had a truly uncomfortable experience today that just got more uncomfortable when I went to church this evening.

I went with my friend, Ashley, to McDonald's today to let the kids play together and well, the lady at the register was very unfriendly. When I ordered my initial meal she made a couple of comments & faces when I was trying to order something because she put it into her register incorrectly. I didn't get exactly what I wanted but honestly, she seemed to be in a pretty sour mood and I didn't feel like getting into it with her.

Fast forward.

The kids are done with their meals and asked for ice cream so I obliged. I went back up to the register and she was still there and still in just as sour a mood. I wanted to order kid's size ice cream cones. Now, I didn't realize that they had tiny little cones, I thought that a kid's size ice cream was a regular cone but half the amount of ice cream on it. That is what I've gotten every time I've ever ordered it at every other McD's. When another lady started to get out the tiny cones, I asked if that was what I ordered and basically said that it wasn't what I wanted or thought I was ordering. I wasn't rude & I wasn't mean. She, however, responded VERY, VERY rudely and basically gave me tremendous attitude.

At that point I was NOT happy and decided that the ice cream cones weren't worth the hassle and commented as such and walked off. A manager was standing right there during the entire transaction.

Now, I was a bit hot about it and came back in the play area and spouted off a little bit. Probably should have controlled my tongue a bit around my kids (didn't say any cuss words, just expressing my frustration a bit strongly).

A few minutes later I asked to speak with the manager and she told me that she was sorry and that this particular employee had been involved in SEVERAL altercations with co-workers and with customers and that my little interaction with her was the third today and she told her to clock out & go home. I don't believe she was fired, just sent home for the day.

I thought that was the end of it.

Fast forward again to tonight. Morgan was singing in church and I take her in along with the rest of my family. As I was leaving the front area a lady says "Hi! Do you remember me? From today?" in a very "cheerful" voice. Condescendingly cheerful, not genuinely cheerful. It was then that I realized that I had seen this lady before EVERY WED NIGHT IN CHURCH. All I could say at that point was "Yeah - I do" and walk off.

So now, every time I'm in church on Wed. night and see her I will feel awkward. I probably should apologize for being a bit rude in how I walked off but honestly, it's hard to think of doing that when I feel that she was SO far over the line in how she treated me (and apparently others). With her fake cheerful tone it felt like she was saying "And you say you're a Christian" and quite truthfully that's exactly what I was thinking about her.

So - if you were me, what would you do? Should I ignore it and hope it ends there (she initiated conversation with me, I don't know if she'd do it again)? Should I apologize for my inappropriate response to her? If I do apologize, should I comment on how I felt when she treated me as she did? Am I dumb for even thinking about this further?

Oh & not that it probably matters but she is about 20 years my senior.

Our Oklahoma Trip

Here is a slideshow of our time in Oklahoma. We miss our friends so much! Thank you for spending time with us while we were out there. You are always welcome to come toTN and visit us too (hint hint!).

My little cutie

I am waiting on my slideshow of our trip to Oklahoma to be created and I thought I'd post this pic of O. I JUST LOVE THIS PICTURE! Isn't he adorable???

Tag!

I've been tagged by Becca & Megan so here it goes.

Here are the rules. Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about the seven things and the rules. You need to choose seven people to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

1. I lived in Germany when I was really young (yrs 1-4, I think) and I learned to speak German at the same time that I learned English. I even went to a German preschool where they didn't speak English.

2. I was a cheerleader for 2 years (I think) in jr. high. Our colors were yucky gold & brown. Hated wearing that uniform!

3. I was on the swim team my sophomore year in high school. I stunk at it! I did, however, like swimming and got my lifeguard certification in high school and helped out at the pool on the Air Force base that we lived on.

4. My "dream" when I was growing up was to be a famous movie director and to ride around NYC in a black, stretch limo. As you can see - I'm close to reaching that goal LOL!

5. I LOVE to play cards. Rook, spades, hearts, nerts, hands & feet, russian rummy - you name it. Good thing Eric likes to play too - anyone else like to play, maybe we can get together!

6. Panda bears are my favorite animal. I have two nicknames to go along with it too - Pandie and Andie Panda. I can't wait to go see the Pandas at the Memphis zoo!

7. I rarely actually sing in church or anywhere else that someone could actually hear me. I am normally mouthing the words. I can sing in tune (most of the time) but it doesn't necessarily sound good. If you stand next to me in church I can pretty much guarentee that you won't be hearing me sing. Get me in the car with my IPOD and just my kids and, well, I let loose LOL!

I'd tag 7 more people but everyone I know that blogs has already been tagged so this is it.

Chick-Fil-A!!!

Okay, if you've known me for any length of time then you probably know that I LOVE CHICK-FIL-A! It is one of my absolute favorite places to eat. I worked there for many years while in high school and early college and it was my pregnancy craving with Morgan (could that be why she hates it?).

Well, when we moved to middle TN, I was excited that there was a CFA about 15 miles up the road - much closer than when we lived in OK. I've frequented that store many times since moving here.

Imagine my excitement when I heard that a CFA was opening here in Smyrna!!!! WOOHOO!! It opened yesterday & of course I just had to go along with my other "Chicken Way" buddies!!!!

All we need now is for the Super Target to open and well, I've got my little slice of heaven. LOL!

And we're home...

Wow! Over the last 10 days we have done so much! We went to MO to visit Grandma & family and then on to OK to visit friends from our old hometown. Eric couldn't take off with me so he drove me to OK and then flew back to Nashville. We missed having him with us during the week.

I have SO much I can post but honestly, after driving 2 days with 3 kids by myself with very little good sleep at night, I AM EXHAUSTED!!!

G'night!

Silly prayer request

Okay, I know this is probably really minor and it's kind of silly to pray about it but if you could join me and pray that it doesn't thunderstorm on Saturday afternoon & evening that would be great. We are away from home for a short time and where we are is supposed to storm all weekend. There is something that our kiddos REALLY want to do but it won't happen if it's storming.

THANKS!

Great quote

I was reading a comment left on another blog and saw a quote that really struck a cord in me. It was on the back on a business card left by a technician:

"If you meet me and forget about me, you have lost NOTHING but if you meet Jesus and forget about Him, you have lost EVERYTHING".

I can't expand much on that as I think it says it all.

Why?

Okay, something has bugged me every since moving to TN and after driving today, I just have to ask.

WHY do they "do" the roads the way that they do here, I seriously don't get it.

You can be at a stop sign and if you turn right the road is under one name and if you turn left, it's another. Example - if you are at the intersection of Broad street and 96 it is Old Fort Parkway if you turn right (coming from Smyrna) or Memorial if you turn left. It is like that EVERYWHERE.

You can be driving on a road and it will change names for no apparent reason. Example - Nissan, Hwy 102, Lee Victory Parkway, Almaville Rd, and eventually Sam Ridley = ALL THE SAME ROAD!

Or, better yet, you can turn onto a new road but the name will be the exact same as the road you just turned off of. Example = One Mile Road, Rocky Fork (or whatever this road is named), etc.

Ackk! This makes a newbie to the area CRAZY.

Never thought I'd say this

I'm thankful for my insurance company!!! Dental insurance, that is. It's usually so much easier to gripe about insurance companies, I know I've had my fair share of gripes, but this time I'm kind of happy with them.

I went to the dentist this morning because I needed to get a crown on a back molar that I lost a filling from 3 weeks ago. After doing some work (basically whittling down my tooth to NOTHING), the dentist told me that I needed to be referred to an Endodontist for a root canal. The dr. they normally refer to was supposed to be really good and would probably be able to get me in today or tomorrow. Well, that didn't happen. I guess all the drs. in that practice were in PA for some kind of dental conference. Ughh. I sure didn't want to wait 10+ days to go get this root canal done as I imagine I'd be in some pain.

I started calling around and I called all the drs. that were in-network but none could get me in. I called another dr. and they could get me in tomorrow but they were out-of-network. Ughhh.

I called my insurance company, explained the situation, and they approved a one-time visit with this out-of-network dentist without any problem!!!! WOOHOO! I'm so used to having to fight with insurance companies for things that I was pleasantly suprised when they didn't give me any fight on this.

So - tomorrow I get to go have a root canal! YUCK. Good thing that dental work is the one thing that truly doesn't bother me that much. I guess it's from all those years growing up with a variety of orthodontic appliances in my mouth.

Glad I didn't have to wait 2 weeks as the numbing medication is wearing off and this thing HURTS.

OH & the dentist that I went to was great - Dr. Alissandratos. I wasn't overly impressed the first time I went there, I have to be honest, but today his staff was very friendly and he was very nice as well. I got to hear first hand how they interact with children and I am impressed and confident that they will do a great job with my kiddos.

Did you like the shovel & crackers?

Yesterday we went to Rock Springs Park with Suzanne & Nathan. It was a nice day out and we wanted to take advantage of the nice weather before the rain moved in. Nathan brought a purple shovel to play with and we brought a box of cracker sticks for a snack.

After playing on the playset for a while we decided to walk along the path for a little bit and left the shovel and the closed box of crackers behind, thinking they'd be safe. We were the only ones at the park so we didn't really think it was a problem.

We were gone for maybe 10-15 minutes and when we got back to the playset area the shovel and box of crackers were GONE! There was NO ONE else at the park.

What in the world?!

I was a bit freaked because I had left my car unlocked with a lot of valuable stuff in it but it was all still there.

It made me wonder if some lonely neighbor around there (this park backs up to a neighborhood) kept watch and decided to "clean up" when we walked away.

Who knows.

Hope who ever took it enjoyed the snack and has fun with the shovel.

Life of Hope Prayer & Praise Update

I've mentioned several times a ministry called LIFE OF HOPE that works with the street children in Latin America, specifically in Guatemala at this time. Here is their praise & prayer update, please say some prayers for the people below. Prayer is powerful so please join with us.

"Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you." 2 Timothy 1:14

Life transitions are always scary and difficult. God has entrusted us with His love and power to overcome the things that the evil one has done in our lives. This week a group of boys are leaving the streets and starting a new life as a family in the hostel home. This will be a time that God will speak to them more about His love and power. However, this will be a time that Satan will be at full battle trying to destroy these boys. They need our faithful prayers this week that God's angels will protect them from temptation and distractions. May the power of the Holy Spirit be extremely present within them blocking Satan from any earthly victories. In Christ, Life of Hope Staff

Please pray for the following throughout this week:

Jose Ernesto was very aggressive and reluctant to participate when he first came to the day center. However, he now has a positive attitude and takes part in a lot of activities. Thank God for this transformation, and please pray that Jose will continue forward in this way. Gerzon was at first very irregular in his attendance at the day center. However, he decided to continue with the process of leaving the streets, and is now at the hostel. He has a real desire to follow Jesus and to have a different life. Please pray that God will help him to achieve this. Jose Ricardo suffered a lot of bad treatment while on the streets, and was often in tears at the day center. He was encouraged to attend the day center by the love and attention he received there, and is now in the hostel. Please pray that God will heal Jose of the hurts from life on the streets, and that Jose will continue to know he is loved. Although at first Jose Antonio showed very negative attitudes and aggressive behavior in the day center, he discovered a love of carpentry. Because of this, he kept attending the center, and is now in the hostel. Although he found it very hard to stay off the streets, he has managed it. Please thank God for this transformation in Jose's life, and pray that he will stay in the hostel and away from street life. * Please pray for the protection of the street team as they work in dangerous areas: Cesar, Romeo, Dorita and Irma.

Ouch!

I was surfing through a few blogs that I've found and like to read and came across this entry that really, really convicted me for several reasons.

“Though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me”

I read this scripture in the dim earliness of this morning, and it lodged in my spirit like a splinter, poking and prodding me into active thought.

The Lord is speaking about His people, the chosen ones, the ones He has performed awesome deed after awesome deed for, only to see them continually flirt, court, and finally bed down with flashy impostors, all the while enjoying the fruits of His deliverance.

This speaks to me so profoundly. Israel didn’t leap into idolatry’s arms. It was the slow, gradual pull of easier things that led them there. Easy things. Moderate things. Don’t-rock-the-boat things. Why strive for the highest calling? Won’t the lower suffice? Why follow hard after His heart when a snooze in the hammock of apathy is so much more appealing? (ANDIE'S NOTE: Can I be honest and say that I struggle with this? Sometimes I get tired of pressing on and a "snooze" does sound more appealing. Satan & his footholds! Ughhh)

Israel wanted the shortcut to blessing, and so do I. But even when the outcome seems laudable (hey, I love my kids, my husband, my marriage), when it eclipses my love for God, it is idolatry.

Idolatry! It’s such an ugly word. Yet the definition is so simple, and like Israel I continually place the good above the best and reap the consequences.

The consequences? I speak lies about God. (OUCH!) When I set my children, or husband, or love of writing, or any thing above God, my perception of Him becomes skewed. I misrepresent Him, both to myself, and to the world. I view Him as colder, more distant, indifferent, and even cruel; someone who might at any moment inflict pain upon me for the sole purpose of watching me squirm. When I am in the midst of my idolatry I view the world as a terrifying place, one that is spinning out of control while God shrugs and mumbles “they asked for it.” Lies. He is not so, but I cannot see this through the haze of deception brought on by refusing to subvert the temporal to the Holy. His chastisement ceases to be that of a loving Daddy who cares about my eternal state and instead seems to be that of a harsh taskmaster who is determined to break me into pieces. Even reading His own words becomes difficult; I forget balance and see only the fire and brimstone.

When I view God inaccurately, my first response needs to be repentance. I need to examine my life and see what I have tried to place upon the throne where He alone belongs. He does not change. Yesterday, Today, and Forever, His character stands immovable and perfect: too wise to be unjust and too loving to be unkind. If I find His presence difficult to enter it is undoubtedly because I feel the weight of His sorrow at my prostitution.

Dare I hope?

Day two of NO ACCIDENTS for my little man! He was in undies all day long and did not have an accident - either pee or poop (if you know our history with poop then you will understand my joy about this one!).

WOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally!!!

Finally for several things.

Finally - Sanjaya got voted off of American Idol!!!!!!! Nice enough guy but come on! Go Melinda!

Finally - Drew was in underwear and went ALL DAY without any accidents!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!!! He still stresses over BM's and spent 30 minutes trying to take care of this today but, heck, it was on the potty and not in the pants.

Sweet Tea

I'm procrastinating putting the kids down for a nap and starting the clean-up process with random, stupid little thoughts.

So - what is it about sweet tea around this place? It's more like sugar syrup with a little bit of tea in it! Yikes! I like sweet stuff as much as the next person but I can't handle the sweet tea here. I tend to order 1/2 sweet & 1/2 unsweet and that's perfect.

Just a warning for all you "foreigners" who come to visit us in TN (and you'd better come!!!), be prepared.

He's got a baby in his belly

D that is. The kid is giving me lots of funny stuff lately which is good as it counters the bad stuff LOL!

So - we are sitting here at the lunch table and he takes a doll and puts it up his shirt and proceeds to tell me that he has a baby in his belly. Didn't know boys could have babies did ya?

Let me just repost this

Instead of retyping it, I'll just repost it.

I'm back in this place. I'm not suprised really. God has been doing some amazing things in my life lately.

So - if you think about it, please say a prayer for strength & focus. I really struggle sometimes and I just need peace tonight that I am having a hard time finding.

Satan - get thee behind me.

Blue

That is D's absolute favorite color. He's so funny about it. Today he was painting a picture and he only wanted to use the blue paints - no other color. He wanted his snack in a blue bowl and he wants to drink his water with a blue straw. BLUE BLUE BLUE. The other day he colored a picture and used every single blue crayon in the box of 96!

M was never overly crazy about one particular color, she just likes them all. D - well, it's all about blue.

Please pray

I am so sad. A family in our church has lost their little girl to cancer today. I did not know them but I know that they need all the prayers they can get right now. I just cannot imagine losing any of my children. My heart breaks for them.

Please pray for the family of Rachel Olerud.

Gotta love temper tantrums!

At the risk of being negative, once again, and hearing about it, I just have to recount the events of this morning/afternoon with my middle child, D.

We were at Christ Church with Becca & Tammy playing on their indoor playscape that is awesome. It had been a while since D had used the restroom and so I needed him to go. He wasn't excited about it but I truly did not expect him to throw a big fit over it. We get outside the play area and head to the bathroom (with Tammy, Braden & Eli) and D runs away from me. Now, we've had this issue before and he knows that it's not okay to run away from mommy but he kept doing it. I asked him repeatedly to stop running but he just kept going. He knows the consequences for running away - he gets a spanking (no comments please). I took him to a downstairs restroom, carrying him because he's crying, and we go in. He calms down, we talk, he gets a spanking, we hug, and then he starts crying again. I told him that he needed to control himself and stop crying. He continues. We go outside the restroom and once again he runs away from me. NOT COOL.

At this point it's obvious that we just need to leave. I got ahold of him and took him downstairs, throwing a fit and put him in the stroller so I can get O & M. Well, he just starts to lose it. He doesn't want to go home. I end up putting O in the stroller, having M push him while I hold D on the way to the car.

I was already embarrassed that my friends had to see my child throw a temper tantrum and I was getting looks from the other mothers in the play area but it got MUCH worse. D started hitting me, kicking me, scratching me, trying to bite me, etc. It took all I had to get him out to the car. On the way we had to pass a work-out room and a gym where there were guys playing basketball. D's fit was so bad that the guys STOPPED PLAYING BASKETBALL to watch, the guys in the work-out room came OUT OF THE ROOM to watch and it was all I could do to get my child out the door.

Can I be honest and say that it was VERY hard to control my temper and there was nothing I wanted to do more at that moment than to pull that kid's pants down and give him the spanking of a lifetime. Seriously.

I did not do that because regardless of how much he might deserve a spanking, I'm not going to act out of anger and frustration like that. How can I expect my child to learn to control himself if I can't do it myself. So, I held it together.

I finally get the kid buckled in his seat in the car and we head out. He got out of his seat in the car so I had to pull over and buckle him in with the buckle facing backwards.

We got home, he calmed down, I calmed down, we talked about self-control, obeying and making good choices and then he got a spanking. I made him call Becca & Tammy to apologize because he threw a fit in front of them and that's not okay, and then he went down for a nap. He has also lost his Friday night movie.

This is the second time this week that he's thrown a huge fit out in public and honestly, it's really the second time ever that he's thrown one this big. I remember that Morgan went through a time like this too. I think it's a lot about testing the limits. Yes, the easy thing would be to give in to him so that he would stop throwing a fit but it would be the hard thing in the long run because I'd be raising a spoiled brat. He has to know that he has to obey and control himself and that there are consequences for not doing those things.

This past week has got me thinking though. I don't want to over spiritualize things but my experiences with D this week have given me some insight on my relationship with Christ. God is my Father and He loves me and wants the best for me but He has expectations of me as well - God expects me to obey Him and His word. How often do I choose to disobey time & time again and throw a "fit" when things don't go my way. I know how much it frustrates me when D does not obey me and I've had to stop and think that I must really frustrated God sometimes when I choose to not obey. I must make Him crazy sometimes and yet He still loves me and wants the best for me. As with D, there are always consequences for disobeying, even for me.

I don't know, I can't express what I'm thinking very good today but if you're a parent, stop and think about how your experiences raising your children relate to your walk with the Lord and His role as your heavenly Father. It can be eye-opening.

A little bit of a vent

At the risk of being told by my husband that I gripe too much on this blog, I just couldn't resist this one.

I called to make an appt. for myself with a new women's Dr. that was recommended to me and I was told that the next available appt. wasn't until AUGUST, 4 months away. I was pretty surprised and asked a few questions before deciding whether or not to go to this Dr. While I am not having any issues, I don't want to go to a Dr. that can't see you forever if you did have a problem. I asked the receptionist (who wasn't very friendly) if I would have to wait until August if I was calling with a problem and she said that, yes, as a new patient I would.

Does that not seem ridiculous to you? The Dr. is accepting new patients but why the heck would anyone want to go to her with that kind of "service"?

So - as stupid as this sounds, I am just going to go back to my old Dr. in Bartlesville when I go out to visit later this Spring.

At any rate, that's my rant for the day. :) Sorry honey - couldn't help it.

Mary-tha

Tonight at church we were back in men's & women's groups. We typically do that all but one Wed. out of the month but it had been a while since we were in those groups b/c of Spring Break & Easter.

We talked about the story of Mary & Martha. Quick recap: Jesus was coming to Martha & Mary's house and Martha was busy doing the household things (cooking, cleaning, etc - all the stuff you do when you have guests in your home) and Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus. Martha got frustrated and talked to Jesus about it asking Him to have Mary help her. Jesus and basically commented to her that she needed to find balance & prioritize things in the midst of her many worries.

Amy then had us split into groups - those like Mary on one side, those like Martha on the other.

The "Martha's" outnumbered the "Mary's" by a lot. Not really suprising I guess.

I struggled to know where I fit. If I look at the story objectively and really look at myself, I guess I said I was more like Mary but so many of the Martha traits fit me as well. "Martha's" are more detail oriented, leaders, take-care-of-you type. They tend to be perfectionists and want things to be just so. Mary's are not like that.

Honestly, I think I'm a combination of both. I said "Mary" simply because I couldn't sit on the floor in the middle. I do tend to be a leader and I can plan with the best of them, I just lack the follow-thru at times. I'd like things to be "just so" but I struggle as it doesn't come naturally to me.

So, there you have it, I am a Mary-tha!

Easter Weekend

Just a real quick post as I am staring at a room full of laundry to put away.

Pics from this past weekend in Missouri. We had a blast!

The Cross of Christ

"I could never myself believe in God if it were not for the cross. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? I have entered many Buddhist temples in Asian countries and stood respectfully before the statue of Buddha, his legs crossed, arms folded, eyes closed, the ghost of a smile playing around his mouth, a remote look on his face, detached from the agonies of the world, but each time after a while I have had to turn away. And in imagination I have turned instead to that lonely, twisted, tortured figure on the cross, nails through hand and feet, back lacerated, limbs wrenched, brow bleeding from thorn pricks, mouth dry and intolerably thirsty, plunged in God forsaken darkness. That is the God for me! He laid aside his immunity to pain. He entered our world of flesh and blood, tears and death. He suffered for us. Our sufferings become more manageable in the light of his. There is still a question mark against human suffering, but over it we boldly stamp another mark, the cross which symbolizes divine suffering. The cross of Christ… is God’s only self justification in such a world as ours."

--John Stott, The Cross of Christ

"Mine"

That is the latest word in the ever growing vocabulary of my 18-month old son! Gotta love it when they learn the word "mine" and "no". LOVE IT! ;)

Had a check-up for each of the boys today and they are doing great! O is in the 75% for height & weight and doing good. D, well, I don't know what percentile he's in but he's doing good too. He threw a minor fit for the finger poke but that's okay, we got through it and I treated the boys to McD's afterwards.

Now they are all "resting" and I am obviously getting LOTS done around the house, better run!

The Barbarian Way - Again

Can you tell that I am really enjoying reading this book? If you haven't read it - YOU NEED TO.

And, you DEFINITELY need to read THIS book if you haven't - it doesn't get better than this.

Let me preface this by saying a few things. Yes, many of my posts as of late have been about the Lord and what He is teaching me. I'm excited about it and I want to share it. That said, I don't have it all together and I am FAR from a perfect Christian. I fail on a regular basis, just ask my husband and children. I'm not claiming by any means to have it all together, I just know the One that does have it all together! :)

Looking back on my Christian journey so far, I would say that my first year as a Christian was incredible. God had radically changed my life and I was SO excited about that. I was active in sharing my faith and zeal for the Lord. I saw God do some amazing things that first year.

It was my senior year of high school and I decided that it would be AWESOME to go to a Christian college. My naive expectation of a Christian college was that it was a place where EVERYONE was excited about God. I pictured going to my Bible classes and learning all kinds of new things, going to chapel and having an all around amazing time. I honestly didn't understand it when the Bible Dept. chair said that he really hoped that I wouldn't come out of my 4-years there with any of my zeal lost.

I understand now.

I think that McManus lays it out there in his book talking about how "domesticated" Christianity has become.

"Yet Christianity over the past two thousand years has moved from a tribe of renegades to a religion of conformists" (p. 5)

"Jesus is being lost in a religion bearing His name. People are being lost because they cannot reconcile Jesus' association with Christianity. Christianity has become docile, domesticated, civilized" (p. 17)

My first year as a Christian I was around more non-Christians than Christians. I was constantly aware that Christ in me may be the only introduction to Jesus that they got. I got to college and, of course, everyone was a "believer" so I let down my guard, I relaxed, I got domesticated in my faith and I lost my zeal. Oh, it came back in bursts but never lasted long as I would start to "relax" again. As ridiculous as this sounds, it was easier to be excited about my faith around non-believers. Even in the "Christian" world, believers excited about their faith are often viewed as crazy, fanatical - probably something you are thinking about me right now. For many years what ever people thought of me trumped what God wanted for me.

"If you are a follower of Christ and you have allowed yourself to be domesticated, you have lost the power of who you are and who God intends for you to be. You were not created to be normal. God's desire for you is not compliance and conformity. You have been baptized by Spirit and fire" (p. 82).

"One of the tragedies of a civilized society is that no one wants to get involved. What becomes appropriate is to mind our own business. When we join a community that lacks a passionate heart for the world, we soon find ourselves acquiescing to apathy. It is a painful tragedy to see a brand-new follower of Christ alive with a barbarian spirit soon conformed to the status quo" (p. 123).

While I am not perfect and I don't have it all together, I strive to be and do ALL that God wants me to be and do. That is my heart. HE is my heart. He saved me from the hell that I so deserve and He redeemed my life. He is an AMAZING God. He blows my mind. Here is the God that created EVERYTHING and EVERYONE around - from generation to generation, from here to the farthest point of the universe, HE made it, and yet He knows me, He loves me and He died FOR ME (and you).


Now that is something to be excited about.

Thank you Jesus for helping me to see that following you is a great adventure and is not meant to be a "civilized" experience. Help me to walk in Your ways without compromise and with an excitement about who You are.

Behind the scenes.

A couple of days ago I posted THIS and I quoted a good friend of mine, Todd Nettleton, who wrote the April 2007 Voice of the Martyrs newsletter feature article. He posted the original opening to this article on the persecution blog and I thought I'd post a link to it here. Please check it out!

VOM Newsletter: Behind the Scenes (original opening to April 2007 feature article)

Child-like

Lots of thoughts running around in this over-active mind of mine but I think I'll just focus on one.

I've been reading in the Gospel of Mark this week and this verse jumped off the page at me.


Mark 10:14-16 (New International Version)

14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

I've heard this verse numerous times since becoming a Christian but it has never had quite the meaning to me as it does now that I have my own children. Things are so simple, so black & white for them. You either believe in Jesus or you don't. They don't get caught up in the debates that many "enlightened" adults get into - they just believe.

Morgan asked Jesus into her heart last year, the Wednesday night before Easter. It was during her preschool time. We talked about how Jesus came and died for our sins. We talked about what a sin was, what Jesus did specifically and how we can get to heaven (we had been talking about this for a while at home too). When we got done talking about what Easter was about and what Jesus did for them, we asked the children if they would like to pray and ask Jesus to forgive them of their sins and ask Him to come into their heart. Morgan and 5 other kids raised their hands. We talked to each one to make sure they understood what they were doing and I remember Morgan looking at me like - "Duh - Mom, I know what I'm doing - I get it." It was SO SIMPLE.

It should be that simple for all of us - young & old. Jesus did all the hard work for us to have a place in heaven - HE DIED FOR US - all we have to do is ACCEPT IT. Isn't that easy?


I could go on & on with examples and I'm sure that those of you who are parents can probably add a few yourself.

God tells us that we need to receive the Kingdom like a child. It's so simple yet we make it seem so complex.

Thank you Jesus for my children and all the new things that you teach me about YOU through them.

Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt!

What a GREAT day. Today was our FIRST annual neighborhood Easter Egg hunt. It went AWESOME. I think we had around 40-50 kids and many, many adults - even some without kids who came just to meet their neighbors.

We divided the yards by age groups so that all the kids would have a good experience. We didn't want the little kids to get over-run by the big kids. We had 11 yards and over 600 eggs! WOW!

As people began to arrive we had them register to win several prizes (see slideshow below). It was a great way to find out how many people came and from what part of the neighborhood in a very easy & fun manner.

We scheduled the hunt to last 2 hours but in reality the "hunt" was over in 15-minutes. Those kids were EFFICIENT. After that we gave some time for everyone to talk and get to know each other before doing the raffle. It was SO nice to meet so many new people. We have a very diverse and interesting neighborhood.

Even after the raffle was over many stayed around talking. Several families came late and I was so happy to see that the other kids were quick to give up some of their eggs so those children could also parttake. WOW. :)

After everyone went back to their homes, about 5 households in our culdesac got together and continued the fun with a BBQ. The kids had a blast as did the adults.

This is what it is about - connecting with our neighbors. Connect - relate. Connect - relate. Share Jesus.

At any rate, it was a fun day.

THANK YOU to Chris & Susan's small group who came out to help us!!! You guys ROCK! Chris, you did a fabulous job leading this effort!!

Enjoy the slideshow!