What kind of people...

would give up their day off



to do hard labor



building a picket fence for friends they are just really getting to know?

{while I sat in a lawn chair or hobbled around on my injured foot trying to help and not be in the way}

The same kind of people who would drive the 2 hours to Tulsa (and 2 hours back to Enid) to pick us up from the airport when James was interviewing for this job in December...

 search for homes for us, taking about a bazillion photos and notes on every one...

house, feed and entertain James when he came to look at our house before writing a contract on it...

be here to unload the truck when we arrived...

be one of the very first families to join our OAC ministry team, serving as an entire family unit...

be brave enough to invite our whole fam over for dinner when they only have 2 kids of their own...

& love us (already) despite all of our flaws and idiosyncrasies.

These folks are good friends.  Those same kind of friends I spoke of a few posts back. The "laying down one's life for his friends" kind of friends. I am sure they could have thought of a million better ways to spend their day off. But here they were.

"Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable." 

Kenyan proverb, I thought this was fitting with the sticks we were putting together to build our fence and the bundle of sticks we are fastening together that is made of of each individual in our two families.

Give me Your eyes...

Nothing could have prepared us for what we witnessed in Joplin this weekend. Our family is among the few in the Midwest that didn't have close friends or relatives who were dramatically effected by the tornadoes last week. But still, they are our brothers and sisters, children of God, and they are hurting, broken hearted, lost, alone.

When faced with a sea of flattened homes and landfills for neighborhoods we wonder how much of an impact the cleaning supplies, plastic tubs, bottled water and sanitary items that fill our church van will make.

We believe that God will multiply our efforts and the efforts of hundreds of churches and thousands of individuals who have a heart for Joplin. He is bringing that community hope and healing through every 'one' doing his or her part. Organizations like the Red Cross and Salvation Army are training and equipping teams of people to clean-up, rebuild and restore hope.

When we feel overwhelmed and are tempted to give up for a lack of knowing how we can help, we need to look to those who are already helping and have systems in place to get things done in an organized professional way.

If we long to have Jesus' eyes, eyes that have NOT nor never will become desensitized to the needs & brokenness of humanity, we have got to be intentional about tuning out the fluff, the garbage on television and social media, the reckless violence and immorality we use for entertainment, the constant pursuit of our own comfort. And, we have to engage in life...real life...real people with real messy circumstances who need our love, our time and our energy. We are seriously fooling ourselves if we try to argue that what we allow to pass before our eyes and ultimately into our hearts does not affect how we view the world. We are either going to have the eyes of the world or the eyes of Jesus. The eyes of the world see needs, have a conversation about those needs, say, "what a shame about..." and it never goes any further than that. The eyes of Jesus connect to the heart of Jesus...moving every other part of the mind and body into action. I want Those eyes... I want my kids to have Those eyes...

He is jealous for me? Huh?

There is just something about music. God knows that and that's why He gives us the Psalms...songs once set to music that we read as poetry. Songs that reflect His heart and our human condition. When we are hurting, the Psalms are a good place to find solace. When we are elated, the Psalms give us words to praise Him for His goodness and mercy. When we feel alone, we gain comfort in the fact that we aren't the only ones to ever feel the emotions we are feeling. Music of every kind is essential for celebration, praise, comfort, drawing near to God and loved ones and expressing emotions of all kinds.

Some songs reach deep into our soul and resonate with our spirit in an almost mystical way. Through what I believe is divine inspiration, God finds creative ways to help us understand His heart, if we will have ears to hear.

The David Crowder song, How He Loves is one of those songs for me. It isn't a new song, it came out over a year ago, but it still gets me, every time I hear it.

Here is the the thing. The reason why I love this song so much is that it finally helped me to understand God's jealousy for me, for my heart and my complete devotion. His jealousy FOR me, not OF me {Oprah}, FOR me.You see, at the same time the song came out and I was listening to it often, I was going through a season of trying to seek security and comfort from something other than God himself. The more I forced my agenda, the less comfort and security I felt, the more and more difficult our circumstances became. His love was like a hurricane showing me that as long as I sought safety from anyone or anything else, I'd be discontent...even miserable. He loved me enough to allow my life to be uncomfortable as He wooed me back into His loving arms.
His jealousy is a righteous emotion, not the Jerry Springer kind of behavior we normally associate with jealousy.

It is similar to the feeling we get when someone is trying to attract our spouse's affection or lure our children into a lifestyle of destruction. If someone tries to steal my man and it looks like he is falling into their trap, you better believe I am gonna be jealous...not in a yelling or threatening way, but in a way that is going to set up boundaries in our life to protect our marriage, a way that is going to make it pretty darn uncomfortable for him to be tempted to stray.

If I sense my children being led astray, watch out, because I am jealous for their precious pure little lives and I will sure as heck not make it easy for them to fall into a trap that has been set to lead them on the wrong path. Sure they have free will, just like we all do, but I am going to make sure that if they step out of line it won't be comfortable for them. It is my extreme love for them that compels me to allow them to feel discomfort and even pain if it leads them back to the right path. And it is God's extreme unfailing love that compels Him to allow us to go through tough, uncomfortable and almost unbearable circumstances if it will lead us back to Him.

The great mysterious tension between God's sovereignty and our free will fascinates me. On one hand, I know we can choose to live our lives as we please, but on the other hand, when we are His children if we try to go it alone, His grace is nearly irresistible. The more we resist His path, the more lost, out of control and chaotic we feel. There is no peace. All other things that promise peace (friends, fiances, spouses, family, money, job security, a nice home, safe car, or storm shelter) fail to deliver if we are forcing our own agenda. Even when what He is calling us to do is scary, there is more peace walking in His will, than taking the 'safe' route...every time!

It took me a long time to grasp even a portion of how much God loves me, how jealous He is for my heart. I believe that once we give our lives to God, it's all over...we can try to go back to our old lives, old habits, old security blankets, but He's gonna do everything He can to remind us that we are not our own. We were bought for a price, adopted into His family and there is no emancipation or divorce in the divine family. It's for life, for all of eternity. We are His and He's not gonna give up on us without a fight. His kind of furious love is something we can never understand, but those of us who are parents can grasp a glimmer of it. Jealous Love...so beautiful.

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,


Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.

When all of a sudden,

I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,

And I realize just how beautiful You are,

And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us oh

Oh how He loves us,

How He loves us all

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,

Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.

When all of a sudden,

I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,

And I realize just how beautiful You are,

And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us oh,

Oh how He loves us,

How He loves us all

He loves us,

And we are His portion and He is our prize,

Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,

If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.

And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,

And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,

I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,

When I think about, the way…
That He loves us...

our make-shift tornado shelter...

Yesterday evening we had tornadoes all around us in Oklahoma and after the horrible devastation in Joplin a few days ago we were a little more cautious than we have ever been. Our little 100+ year old house isn't quite sturdy enough to withstand a major tornado, so we headed down to the church where we met up with most of the staff and their families. We worked together to build this little makeshift shelter in the youth room with the gymnastics mats as our cushions and a table overhead. I am pretty sure the kids were disappointed that the evil storm changed paths just before reaching Enid, but we parents were quite relieved! I have lived all of my life in Oklahoma or Kansas minus the past 2 years in AZ and I have never taken a tornado seriously because they have always hit tiny town trailer parks and missed cities of any substance...until the past few years. We have seen major destruction in OKC, Lawrence, Minneapolis, and now in Joplin. These storms mean business. So sad.

We are gathering supplies at the church to bring to Joplin this weekend. We had already planned to visit my parents in Grove and Joplin is only 45 minutes from them, so we are going to bring all the supplies we can fit in the church van. I wish we could do more, but God will multiply our efforts. He is still in control and He loves Joplin. He'll take care of them and comfort those who call on His name.

no greater love than this...

This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:12-13

Jesus literally laid down His life for us, his friends. He tells us there is no greater love than that...laying your life down for your friends. Will most of us ever really have the opportunity to literally lay down our life for a friend, maybe jump in front of a bullet or step in front of a moving car to push a friend  out of harms way and take the hit ourselves? Maybe, it's possible. It can and does happen sometimes & I can honestly say I'd do it. Most of us would, for the right person.

But could we possibly read further into what Jesus is saying about this kind of love to interpret what He is saying as the same kind of (laying down our life) dying to self he calls us to do for Him. His children know what He means when He says we must die to ourselves to live for Him. He simply means that we put His will, His law and His plans before our own. We put our desire to always be seeking our own comfort, safety or pleasure to death in order to have real life...fulfilling life. When we are the center of our own universe, our pursuit for those things is unquenchable. We never reach a point where we are content. It is only in living for Him and being a part of what He is doing in our world that we find contentment.

So how do we truly love our friends and family with that "no greater" kind of love, laying our own lives down for them? I am still figuring it out...learning, practicing, and growing in that area. I have a long way to go.

But I have a friend who has it figured out. She lives it. She loves me and my family with that "no greater" kind of love. I tell her we are moving to Enid and she says, "When will you be there? I am coming to help you unpack and decorate." {and she won't take no for an answer.} I tell her that Shelby has chosen to get baptized and she says, "When and where? We are coming. There is no way we are gonna miss her big day." I think she visited us 5 times in the 2 years we lived in Phoenix, once driving the entire way with her 3 kiddos. Forgetting her 'to do' list, her schedule, her lifestyle, she lays it all down whenever she can be a part of our life. She does it willingly and it is truly her desire to be a help and a blessing to us. No strings, no expectations. I don't get her. Don't get me wrong. I know her almost as well as I know myself, I just don't get that kind of love completely yet. I want to, though. I have good intentions, and I succeed about half of the time in putting my friends and family before myself, but that ain't a "no greater" kind of love.

So what is the deal with the freaky red-headed bouffant plantation princess, you are no doubt wondering?
My friend, my beautiful, amazing, thoughtful, full-of-surprises, friend bought her for me.  The thing is, there is a story behind her. When my friend was visiting the week after we arrived in Enid, we saw Ruby at the Hope thrift store {my all time fav. as you know}. I wanted her so bad, (i am a vintage junkie) but I had been spending too much money on my retro decor that week and I couldn't justify the extra $3 or $5. [whatever] I should have just gotten her! But, I didn't. I just pined for her over and over and left her on the shelf. After my friend went home, I told Shelby about this amazing doll I saw at Hope and she, of course, wanted to see her, so we hopped in the van and drove there and I promised her that if Ruby was still there, we'd get her. She wasn't. We were both majorly bummed. No clue, didn't even cross my mind that my sneaky little friend had some tricks up her sleeve. That rascal bought her for me and brought her this weekend. I am crying as I type this. Crazy, I know, but just knowing that someone loves me so much to secretly go buy something {a silly red-headed doll} I was really wanting and then keep it for a few months before bringing it to me makes my heart want to explode. It really is the small things...a $3 or $5 antique Ruby doll...for me. wow.
I love Ruby! And I love Jenn.  I have never known anyone like her. Imperfect, just like me, but so full of love. So full of grace. So full of "no greater" love. She has put my {and many others} needs & even wants before her own as long as I have known her. Her time, her life is not her own.

I love this lady. I am proud to call her friend and I can only pray that one day I will show her the "no greater" love she has always shown me. Thank you, sister!

Fast Asleep...

when the night comes

polar bear cubs sleep in their caves 

calves on the farm sleep in the barn

 warm in the hay



nothing in this world is quite as sweet as a tiny baby fast asleep

 i could watch you to the end of time

especially when that baby is mine

kittens and pups eyes all closed up snuggle near mom

 robin's and wren's chicks have been fed

sleep until dawn

nothing in this world is quite as sweet as a tiny baby fast asleep

  i could watch you to the end of time

especially when that baby is mine

Fast Asleep by Sara Groves

There's just something about my babies fast asleep...whether they are newborns or 50 years old, always my babies...and I will always love watching them sleep.

This is one of my favorite cds of all time. It is filled with beautifully written songs for mothers. Almost every one of them makes me cry and my kids know most of them by heart. I have a signed copy from when we met Sara at a MOPS conference.

What attracted me to the cd in the first place was the wood paneled stationed wagon. As a young child being, raised by a single mom, struggling to make ends meet, living in the richest school district in Tulsa, I had this weird fascination with wood paneled station wagons. To me, they symbolized family and prosperity. When I grew up, I'd own a wood paneled station wagon to fill with children and park in front of my two-story house with the wrap around porch. That was my dream.  Still is in a lot of ways. James is always on the look-out for a restored 70's wagon for me. One day, I will drive one, filled with my beautiful children...my true prosperity, each one a precious gift from God.

May 22, 2011, Shelby's Baptism...

Yesterday was a big day for Shelby Grace.

It was the day that she declared to the world that she believes in Jesus... 

and is choosing to live for Him, allowing Him to be the Lord of her life and direct her steps all of her days.

It is something she has been wanting to do for a couple of years, so we have had ongoing discussions about the significance of the symbolism of baptism and only recently did we feel like she really understood the commitment she was making. Now she is not only my daughter, but my sister in Christ! Welcome to the divine family, baby girl! You are a true princess and heir to the throne!

It was extra-special because we were able to share it with our new church family,
my parents and siblings, Kristin, Sherri and Nat and the Wiltses!

What a special weekend to remember!

More pics to come later, of course.

Chocolate Fever...

Chocolate Fever is a book I remember loving when I was Shelby's age,

so I was excited to find it at the library on tape. Thankfully, we still have a tape player! I gave Shelby and Jesse lots of different chocolate treats to sample while they listened to it during rest time last week. We bought two different kinds of choco chips, milk and semi-sweet, and they had thin mints, chocochip ice cream, & cookies and cream. They thought I was mother of the year that day!

So fun!

More of our first trip back to T-town...

Did I say that we are glad to be home? Well, in case I didn't, we are! Tulsa, and most of my extended family, are only an hour and 45 minutes away. We have been so busy since we got here that last weekend was the first time we had a chance to go. From this point forward we plan to go at least once a month. It was so awesome to be with both sets of grandparents and some cousins too. We celebrated my Dad's birthday with some pizza from Marley's Pizzeria {they have gluten-free pizza}!

And, we had a friendly game of coach pitch baseball with the whole family.



Noni had to help Preslie and Lucy run the bases. It was all very exciting and confusing for them.



If my Dad ever checks my blog, he is going to kill me for posting this pic, but I just had to.

I love the joyful faces.

James loves posing with my Grandpa. He always grabs him for a picture when we are there. I am sad that I didn't get any pictures of GiGi or Jay and Jeff. Someone else needs to take charge of the camera when we are there! Matt takes a nap almost every time we are there. Lucy gave him some huge fish pillows to make him cozy. Jeka stole a back rub from Dad. He is awesome at finding knots and rubbing them out. She's lucky she got to him before I did! I will have to be quicker next time.

My parents, Matt and Kristin, James' Mom, and Jenn and her kiddos will be here this weekend for Shelby's baptism. Family and friends two weeks in a row! We are blessed!

A Prayer in Spring...

A Prayer in Spring

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;

And give us not to think so far away

As the uncertain harvest; keep us here

All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,

Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;

And make us happy in the happy bees,

The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird

That suddenly above the bees is heard,

The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,

And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,

The which it is reserved for God above

To sanctify to what far ends He will,

But which it only needs that we fulfill.

by Robert Frost

Summer may be nearing soon, but lately it is still feeling like spring in Oklahoma.  Oh, the joy all this green brings me! We got to spend last Saturday in Tulsa visiting grandparents and cousins.  The kids (and I) couldn't get enough of the soft green grass {or the hugs from family!}



We.Are.Home.

what we ate wednesday QEC meals for busy families...

(forgot to take a pic of dinner so i thought i'd share some sweet preslie pics)

Last night we had something yummy for dinner. I don't even know what to call this chicken dish, but the recipe is simple. Take a whole chicken seasoned with garlic powder, salt and pep. Stick it in the crock pot and pour a can of cranberries and 1 cup of orange juice over it and let it go. We ate the chicken on top of a green salad. 3/4 kiddos loved, hubby loved.

The best part of dinner last night was joining James at the OAC. I just threw the crock pot and a big bowl of salad in the van and we drove up to church to join Daddy. We try to spend as much time as we can up there helping him and getting to know our community. The older kids watch the younger ones in the nursery if James and I are busy and they take turns helping behind the counter getting exercise room keys for people or ringing up their snacks. We are still figuring it all out, but it is turning into a real family ministry where each of us has his or her part. I love that our kids aren't waiting until they get older to start giving of their time and energy. Our hope is that they will learn a lifestyle of serving and it will just become second nature, so as they grow older giving of themselves will not seem like a chore or a sacrifice, but just a part of who they are.

Back to the QEC....
Here are the rules:
(QEC = quick, easy, cheap)

1)Leave me a comment with a favorite QEC lunch and dinner for your family. QEC = 4 or fewer steps, less than 5 ingredients (for main dish), and $6 or less for a family of 6...healthy is a bonus and gluten free is a double bonus.
2)Either give us the ingredients and prep steps in the comment, or give us a link to your blog with a post about QEC meals.
3)If you have kids, share with us your kids' like to dislike ratio. If you have a Honey,share his/her like or dislike.

 

i just love baby bellies!

My biggest struggle is...

Ok, so yesterday morning, I blew it with my mouth again. I tell you what, every time I blow it, I want to say, like David, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth..." If a muzzle is all it would take, sign me up.

We were having one of those mornings...
Preslie woke up crying for the second day in a row and wanting to be held all morning, making school rather difficult. The kids were distracted and taking unusually long to complete their work and we needed to get to the grocery store because we literally had nothing for lunch. Shelby had created the most amazing piece of artwork to open her Etsy shop with and it just needed a few finishing touches but when she left the table, Lucy scribbled all over it with an ink pen. {I am talking mixed media, collage, unique and beautiful...and ruined in an instant.} Then, as we were finally finished with all morning work and chores and getting ready to load the car, Jesse climbed up on the cabinet to get some of his allowance to spend at the store and knocked our favorite Princess Leia glass to the floor shattering it into a million pieces.  [Remember her? RIP]

That is when it happened. I lost it. I yelled at Jesse to get out of the kitchen, keep all of his sisters out and get shoes on everyone before someone sliced their foot open. I reminded him in a voice much too loud how special that glass was, how disappointed Daddy would be, and that if he would have stayed off the cabinet and asked me to get it for him, this would have never happened. He may have broken that glass, but I broke something in his spirit with my words. I could see it in his eyes.

Aren't we trying to teach our kiddos that people are more important than things? That stuff happens and it isn't the end of the world when something gets broken? When they make mistakes and have accidents, don't we want them to be able to come to us with remorse and ask for forgiveness? The way I behaved invites fear, not remorse. Fear doesn't lead to trust and does not encourage honesty.

So, I did what I needed to do...what I always do when I overreact. I apologized to Jesse and asked for his forgiveness. I told him that he had no reason to be ashamed because accidents do happen and that while it was true that he needed to be more careful and and follow directions because Mommy and Daddy's rules are set up to protect him and our things, that didn't give me an excuse to yell at him like I did. I went on to explain, like I always try to, that Mommy makes mistakes too and that is why I need a savior too. I explained how most people have one or two things that they really struggle with and have to ask for forgiveness a lot and pray for Jesus to change their hearts so that they can overcome those struggles. I told him that my mouth was the thing that I struggled with the most. To that, Shelby said, "No it is your tongue, remember Mom. Your tongue can't be tamed." Yep, ain't that the truth?! I agreed with her that it is my tongue and explained how our tongues are a big struggle for most people. My particular tongue issue is overreacting and losing my cool.

Jesse promptly forgave me and said he understood. Then, he went on to tell me that his biggest struggle with his tongue was lying, to me in particular. Ouch. What do you say when your child tells you they struggle with lying? My inner Momma, the fixer, wanted to demand that he tell me exactly what all he had lied to me about so that we could get it all out on the table and get to the bottom of this lying issue so we could fix it. I resisted that temptation, however, and spent some time deep in thought about how this could be his biggest struggle and I be unaware. Then it hit me...my boy, my deepest feeler of the bunch, the one who longs for and desires my approval and love maybe the most of all, is {at times} afraid to be honest with me because of how I might react. After all, I do freak out when a glass gets broken or (sometimes when) a wet towel is left on the wood floor. Am I safe for his truth even if it is messy? I want to be.

Lord, muzzle my mouth if you have too, but make me a safe place to land for my kiddos...always.

{photo above taken from here.}

Am I a sheep or a goat?

We are studying The Hole in Our Gospel by Rich Stearns right now with an amazing group of people at church and it shaking us up! God is moving in our group in a powerful way. Our hearts are broken, our eyes have been opened and we are so thankful for this incredible season God is taking us through.  Placing our family in this very neighborhood was His plan. {Of course it was, but we couldn't have known how he would use it to reshape our perception of the world.}We had no idea how much seeing the needs of our community every day would impact us. We've been sheltered in the suburbs for our entire marriage, only seeing the needs that come across our prayer lists at church or Angel trees at the mall. Now, we see it first hand.

I think we were always meant to see it, and embrace it, but we lived in a comfortable suburban bubble oblivious to the real hunger, loneliness, brokenness, despair that is all around. In the Hole in Our Gospel, Rich Stearns challenges American Christianity on many levels pointing out that the "Good News" of the gospel is so much more than a call to believe and be saved from eternal separation from God. Belief is only the first step. We are called to be His hands and feet...24-7, not just when we go on a mission trip, or write out a check to meet a need.

Our lives are His, and what a privilege and exciting adventure it is! If we have truly given our lives to Him, He takes up residence in our hearts and compells us into action, being about His business.We will be held accountable for how we live...yes, there is the morality issue, are we striving to live holy lives? But it is SO MUCH more than that. We give him our bodies as a living sacrifice and allow Him to purify and cleanse us inside and out for what? So that we will be good people and join the good, clean team that gets to go to heaven? So people will see how "moral" we are and want to be like us? NO, no, no...it is so that we can be usable by Him, hear his voice, allow Him full access to our lives, and do His will...be His sheep.

 Jesus makes a pretty clear distinction between the sheep and the goats, those who think they are going to heaven, and those who actually are. There isn't a man alive who can read this passage of scripture, spoken right out of Jesus' mouth, and not be moved, not wonder which category he'd fall into.  Read on...

The Sheep and the Goats
Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Rich Stearns gives us his American version of that last bit about the goats.  What Jesus might say to us, to me...

"I was hungry, while you had all you needed;
I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water;
I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported;
I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes;
I was sick, but you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness;
I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved.”

ouch...He could say every one of those things to me. Every.single.one at one time or another. No more.
We can all sit back and wait for the coolest, easiest, most comfortable, or most exotic way to serve God, or we can choose to give Him full access to our hearts, souls, mind and bodies now, 24-7, 365.

See a need, meet the need. This is our family's new motto. See a need, meet the need. Simple as that.

If you never "see a need" ask God to open your eyes. Free up some of your agenda and mental space and get out of your comfort zone. He will not only open your eyes, He will give you His eyes, and you will be changed, forever. Spending time catching up on all your dvr'd shows will have less and less of an appeal, because God has some work to do here on earth, and He is inviting you to be a part of it. Racing out to the mall to get the latest trendy outfit will cross your mind less and less often, because you are way too busy to be bothered with such silly pursuits. People need you, and you are cute enough right now to get on with the business of what Jesus is doing! What will give your 8 year old more joy, a new trendy toy or gadget or knowing that SHE too is Jesus' hands and feet, and SHE can make a real difference in her world?

We have to wake up...Thank God He is waking us up!

when they love each other...

It's moments

like these

that make

it all worthwhile.

When a Momma catches her kiddos loving on each other and she can snap some pictures without even asking bribing them to pose, her heart feels like it might burst from the joy.

I thank God that He gives me moments like this every day.

It makes the other {very rare} moments when life is crazy and I feel like

 Carol Burnett on Annie singing "Little Girls..."

all worth it.

Embrace the Camera May 12, 2011

Do you have a lot of pics of your Momma? Daddy? Grandparents, for that matter? Don't you want more? I know I wish I had more pics of my Momma, especially more pics of us together. So, I am taking Emily's challenge (at least once a month) to give my kiddos the gift of "ME!" When they grow up they will have so many pics of me they won't know what to do with them all. I am trying to capture their Daddy and Grandparents as much as I can too. They'll thank me later...Right?!

This is James, Preslie and Lucy walking home from the school yard across the street. It is the last Pre-Picket Fence pic we have because the posts are up, people!!! Our house is the super light green one on the left and the famous Aunt Jeka lives in the adorable bungalow behind us. 

I had to throw one more in.  I don't know why, but when I walked in and saw this going on, I had to capture it. I love how she is intently watching Daddy clipping her nails. These are moments we rarely photograph, but are so common and happen so often that they are easily forgotten. I love her fuzzy morning hair too.

p.s. Please take a minute to pray for Emily.

She's expecting her 6th child later this year just after adopting Elsa a little over a month ago, and she is battling severe morning sickness. really, all-day, on chemo-patient anti-nausea medication sickness.

thanks.