Desperate for Jesus Flash Mob

Oh my, my, my ... what a time we had! All ages, all shapes and sizes, but all for Jesus. I almost talked myself out of it. So glad I didn't. This was part of our Women's Conference Desperate for Jesus Kingdom Woman Conference. Nice surprise for the afternoon.

Enjoy!

Is this thing still on?

My, my, my .... I love, love blogging, but somewhere in the last few months LIFE took over. Friends passing on to be face to face with our Father in Heaven, church conferences, school ending, summer trip already completed, etc. etc. I am going to try and get back on the ole bike and write a few posts each week.

I like to write down my thoughts and have some built in memories for my family, but especially for my boys who as crazy as it sounds, they like to "visit" my blog, look at old pictures, read the "happenings" in our family and take it all in and walk down memory lane.

We have had a full summer and I can't believe school is exactly 4 weeks away!!! We visited the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, visited family in Kentucky, ate Cajun food in Louisiana and once back home RESTED, RESTED, RESTED.

I love that my boys are home and  that I have had the time to stop and chat with each of them, cooked for them (While teaching them a few things), showed the how to load the dishwasher, clean the bathrooms and yes I know ... I will slowly begin to miss them as we start the preparation for the next school year. Time waits for no one.

What I don't want to happen is have these summer days go by while I am home with them and DO NOTHING. Make no impact at all. Which actually could be very easy to do. Let them wake up late, have some cereal and sandwiches and send them off to their rooms for a video game marathon. You  know more than just a lazy day. I am learning I have to be INTENTIONAL with my moments with them and you have to admit, sometimes it takes EFFORT. But what do I want them to remember about their mom? That I cooked, cleaned and drove them around? Or that while I drove them around, we played, prayed, talked and that I was genuinely interested in what they had to say and what they were thinking and that their mom had time for them.

These aren't just summer days .. these are their lives. This is my life. There aren't as they say any "do overs" for the time and the lessons I have taught and will continue to share with them.

Pretty sure I am all over the map today ... lots going on in my head. Thankful that God gives us new days ... so even if I have fallen off the horse and what and when I share with them .. I can start fresh and I can start right now.

Gone Too Soon ....

2 friends in 3 weeks. Gone. One killed in a car accident, the other died helping a lady with 6 kids in her car who ran out gas. He was hit by a driver who fled the scene. Coward.

Both under the age of 50. Both we ALL feel are gone too soon. Of course we are left here on earth trying to make sense of both tragedies. BUT God was with both of them .. even as the angels carried their souls away.

I'll admit I've gotten more serious about enjoy each moment of life since I had a breast cancer scare and my son started having seizures again, but in the last three weeks upon hearing the news of both deaths and I immediately thought ... surely the Lord is coming back and He is coming soon.

I already know and am for certain that He is coming back, but what gripped me for just a minute or two, ok perhaps an hour was FEAR. How would I die? What would happen to my husband, my children? Who would cook for them, who would make a Gazillon calls to clear up medical bills and get referrals for services? Who would drive them around and make unhealthy afternoon snacks and laugh, read and just enjoy them? WHO?

God was there with Rosheeda and Michael and only He knows when and where for me. He has my family in the palm of his hands where I go to Heaven now or later and I have to trust His words to me.

I refuse to walk around in fear, paralyzed and afraid to live my life.

Thank you Lord for your words ...

1. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT
2. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32 NIV
3. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Psalm 34:7 NIV
4. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matt 10:31 NIV
5. Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. Deuteronomy 13:4 NLT
6. I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27 NLT
7. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NLT
8. But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 1 Peter 3:14 NLT

(Credit Bible Cafe for Women)

Reading these as a reminder of what I KNOW in my head, but need to apply to my heart.

I.AM.NOT.READY!

We are three and a half weeks away from school starting and I have been looking forward to this day for the last year .. I.AM.NOT.READY!

JackJack has been waiting to join his brothers in school and they actually have been wanting him to join them, but now that the days are getting closer and closer. I.AM.NOT.READY!

I think it is mainly because of the hustle and bustle, homework, driving 20 mins one way to get them there, parent teacher meetings, making 15 lunches per week, meeting new teachers, making new friends all overwhelms me and it makes me want to hide under the cover for another 5 weeks, because just the thought of it makes me scream .. because I.AM.NOT.READY!

So when we get back from vacation, I will refresh the kids uniforms, start inventory and ironing, start the hunt of buying new socks, underwear and shoes - it will be right in my face, because the week we get back, we have 2 parent orientations and meet the teacher nights and then we jump right into school and I.AM.NOT.READY!

School's out!

We have 10 weeks of summer, 10 weeks of crazy, 10 weeks of laughs, 10 weeks of I'm bored, 10 weeks of stay in the house (too hot in TX), 10 weeks of cleaning the house from top to bottom, 10 weeks of when are we going to Kentucky, 10 weeks of counting down to the 1st day of school and JackJack joining the other 2!

and we are headed to our new drink station every week of the summer!

Whohoo!

Back again ..

Wednesday we head to the hospital so #1 son can have a sedation MRI. The surgeon wants to check the tumor site to make sure nothing is growing back or forming anywhere else in his brain.

It's been 2 years since we spent 2 weeks in the hospital and J had 2 surgeries .. and we are SO grateful for son's healing, but when we have to go back for the MRIs  .. those two weeks of memories just comes flowing back to the forefront of my mind.

I will NEVER forget what God did - the healing, the providing, the talks, the disbelief, the shock, the snow and ice, the doctors, the other families, the hospital bills, the LOVE shown by members of our church and community - the MIRACLE!

No matter what words we heard, the tests performed, the medicine incorrectly given, the extra nights in ICU, the heart murmur - God WAS there and He will be with us tomorrow as well.

Even when it doesn't feel like God is there - no doubt, He is. He will always be there ... no matter what the situation, the problem, the people, the doubt, the disbelief, the words, the darkness - HE IS WITH US - HE IS WITH YOU.

What Jesus did ....

Besides Christmas, Easter is one of the most glorious days in my Christian life. I LOVE Christmas and adore Easter, but as I age, have begun to appreciate even more what God did for me and for YOU. When I sit back and think that Jesus was born to die. He died for me. He took my sin. He hung on a cross. FOR ME. I shutter inside just thinking about it.

The life God gives us is not a dress rehersal .. this is it. Jesus was born for a purpose, he died for a purpose. So we could live forever WITH God. But while I am on earth, I want to fulfill my purpose, do the job God wants me to do, be the woman, wife and mom He wants me to be. Fulfill my purpose. Living out my thank you to Jesus for loving me enough to do what he did.

If you don't know Jesus, have questions, want to know more, do not want to be judged because you don't know where to go, what to do - you can start here.  http://needhim.org/

God Bless you - I pray that you can come to know Him and what He did for me and YES even for you!

2012 ....

As many other people you know have shared, I can't believe another year has come and gone. My father used to say, "be careful, if you blink, you will miss something". I totally agree. 2011 was the year to get through. We made it through the year, but I can't tell you much about it except we were busy and it seemed the like the "wheel" would never slow down. There was ALWAYS something to do, ALWAYS somewhere to be, ALWAYS something marked on the calendar .. 2012 will be no different, but this year I intend to be intentional about what I am doing, spending time with my family and making memories and treasuring every .. single .. day.

The kids are older and the memories of toddlers and preschoolers are fading in my memory, but I want to capture each moment, each smile, each disappointment, each tear and learn from them, help the learn from these situations and have more teachable moments. More time with God, more time for God, more time doing what He's intended for us to do.. all of us .. the whole family.

Praying for Kate MaCrae

When I started blogging I think it was 3 years ago, I blogged for my inlaws so they could watch their grandchildren grow up and be a part of their lives some 700 miles away.

Then I started reading blogs and being introduced to blogs .. and met this beautiful little girl .. and my whole family started praying for her.

Won't you join us?

prayingforkate.com

test, test ...

I haven't been able to post any drafts .... can you see this one?

Gotta get back to blogging...

too much is passing me by ... I need to start writing and posting pictures again ... how in the world did my son go from 6 to 14 1/2? AND ... I need to get the 1200 photos on my memory card OFF!

Let's see.... I am gonna try twice per week ... starting very sloooowllly!

Twas the Night before school started .....

I don't even know where to start. I have been looking forward to the start of school ALL summer, but then last week a HUGE cloud of dread came over me.

Could it be that I am not looking forward to the pick up line? Homework? Asking for letters from school out of the bottom of the backpacks? Papers? Creating lunch menus (Lunch is 3.10 this year ... so we will be making lunches at least 3 times per week)Being alone with my 4yr old?

Vacation 2011Day One, The drive

As usual we did not leave when we said, but we were completely packed the night before we were scheduled to leave....which in of itself was a HUGE accomplishment. It probably also helped that we have had the suitcases out and ready to fill since July 4th. :)

For once we decided to ENJOY the rest and enjoy the 12hr ride, so we decided to leave a day late. That way no driver would be too tired or get too tired only 2 hours after driving.

D loaded up the car and kept saying, "did we pack everything?" I said yes, a million times and was so glad we didn't pack every single item of clothing we owned. I am not sure what the difference is between this summer & last, but alas everybody had something to wear & toothbrushes were packed, so in the end, that's all that matters.

After washing the last of the breakfast dishes and mopping the kitchen floor (I love to come home to clean kitchen), we got in the car and headed off for vacation. 15 minutes into the trip, I said, hum, did I turn off the oven? You know where this is going right? Yes, we turned around to go back and check. Good thing we did .. the oven was off, but my favorite dress and hubby's shorts had NOT made it into the suitcase! That would have been a disaster!

Armed with our outfits I tiptoed back through the kitchen and hopped in the car. Off we zoomed. BUT WAIT, did the garage go all the way down? Yes, we turned around. Yes, down. GO now!

As we drove off for the third time, daddy noticed a light was out on the house and yes, we turned around AGAIN so daddy could repair the light.

Ok, now are we ready to go?

We made it safely down the road; then after an hour had to stop for a break. After that is really was smooth sailing.

Snow or Should say ICE Day

I am so thankful for a mandatory break in my schedule.

We have 3 inches of ice and some very restless boys on my hand.

They are bored, they are hungry, they want to play video games, they want to do whatever they want to do ALL DAY LONG and you know what .. they just might get their way.

It has been a busy two weeks and I must say I am glad God let it snow and sleet a little bit so we could stay home, relax, and REST!

Hubby's home too, so it is especially nice. I let the boys go outside this morning and I think they were out there for maybe 5 minutes. I knew that would happen. Weathermen say it is a whopping 18 degrees and will be a good 2 by tonight. I don't I have ever seen temps that low in my life ... on tv .. yes, right in front of me .. NO ...

This day is also building memories for the boys. I remember my days out of school. They were fun and filled with food. As long as we don't have to venture out .. we are good.

Praying for another one of these lazy days again tomorrow. :)

Cold & Rainy

Even though it is cold and rainy, it has been the best day ever. First service at church (What kind of Christian are you?), a little grocery shopping for the week and back home to change into Sunday afternoon laying around clothes. :)

It's cold and rainy here and all I want to is cook and bake. I am talking comfort food and scrumptious dessert.

So, I decided to cook spaghetti/zucchini, great northern beans/spiral ham, homemade chicken soup, peanut butter cookies and oatmeal chocolate chip & cranberry cookies. Make my meal planning this week REAL easy.
(By the way, I just got an email about electronic cigarettes... huh?)

I disgress ... anyway .. I have been having a ball in my kitchen with all the meals and the aromas and watching my boys watch football w/ their daddy. (Love that man)

I am soaking up this laaaaazy day because these days are few and far between. There seems to be something on the calendar every, single, day and I want a break. I want to get off the roller coaster and today is that day.

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

New Year's Eve

I simply cannot believe it is 12.31.2010. Wasn't it just Valentine's Day?

God has been simply amazing to my family in 2010 and I don't want to ever forget to praise Him for what He did or stop telling people how He changed my son's life by healing him this year. Seemed like yesterday that we were checking into the hospital for brain surgery and today I am sitting here watching that same son preparing to beat me in a game of Wii bowling.

SO many times my daddy would say "take it all in .. the days disappear quickly" and that is so true. I didn't always believe my daddy when he would say things like that, but I know, what he knew then.

Thanking the Lord for an amazing 2010 .. praying ahead for 2011 .. that I will hear from Him and be obedient to whatever is it He calls me to do.

Happy New Year to you and yours .. from me and mine!

Merry Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas ... from the Temptations....ok .. us!
I just adore my sons.
Yes, this is son #1. No more babies.

Hanging out at the outdoor mall. The decorations were wonderful and there was a LIVE nativity scene.

Christmas Day. It has been a gaming kinda year.

We finally got a Wii. No excuses anymore. Lots of weight to lose.

Daddy showing Mr. Know it all .. how to hold the nunchuck.

Ok dad, I got it now.

My own DS. YES!

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

It has been one of the best Christmas'. Not because of gifts, but because I think my kids really got it this year and we spent a lot of time w/ family.

Jesus is the reason for the season and my kids made sure they gave Jesus His gifts!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

15

15, 15, we are 15!

I remember when I met my best friend almost 16 years ago. It was after a class I was taking at church during Wednesday Night Bible study. I had signed up for another class which I didn't know at the time started 6 weeks later, so I decided to stay at church and drop in on another class.

After class a bunch of us stood in the hallway and a friend of mine introduced me to this very handsome man and said J perhaps you can assist this gentleman with finding a job. This handsome man was somewhat new to area and the job he currently had just wasn't the right fit and he was looking for a job in his field (which just happened to be radio/tv like me .. see how God works. :)

So D and I talked about the things he had done before moving to Texas and what type of job he was looking for in radio/tv. At the time I was a member of a local journalism group, so I invited him to attend one of our meetings and to call the jobline. I gave him my phone number and told me to call me when and I would be able to provide the location for our next meeting.

A few days later, he called and we talked about jobs, the meeting and life at our church. We seemed to have great chemistry and the conversation went on and on. I remember being late for the work the next morning because we were on the phone so late. :) The next two weeks would bring about many more conversations, with one call being a very special call.

I was working my weekend gig (I love to say that word, weird I know) and D said he would call me to ask a few more questions about working in media. He called and we talked about media and then out of nowhere he said, " I didn't just call you to find a job, but I also called to see if you would be interested in being more than just friends." (wha?) OMGosh ... YES!!!

Little did he know that I had been writing in my journal about him and asking God to show me CLEARLY what this relationship was about and what it was for. A few days we would go out on a date and D would reveal to me that he had been writing in his journal about me .. once he told me this, I told him what I had been doing. OMGosh.

God had been weaving us together and now was time. Finally a relationship where the "man" was pursuing me.

Many, many more "things" would happen to us in 1995, but they all confirmed to me that I was with the right person.

We met in February, we were married in December of that same year. I haven't looked back and am thanking God for a GREAT husband, friend and father of my babies.

I love you honey!!

Happy Anniversary!

Coming back slowly ...

I realize I am only typing to myself because it has been sooooooooooooo long since I posted an entry that I very well may have lost the 10 ppl who read on any regular basis.

Life took over and I put my blogs on the backburner, (Why I thought I could manage two blogs is beyond me) but continued to read some of my favorites and enjoy what they were writing.

Last week I realized I had been missing my own life. I have taken a gizillon photos, but they are ALL on my memory card and what fun is that, flipping through our lives on a 2in screen. Even though I had the photos ... I didn't have the "what we were thinking and saying" in that photo. I was enjoying others lives, but not my own.

So, I have decided to come back even if only a few posts per week, so I can go back and watch my boys grow, relive the funny things they say, brag on hubby and share some recipes and funny stories of what we call "Life".

Even though our lives have been thrown a curve ball ... God has been to us .. and I don't want to keep it in any longer.

Summer Fun

Lazy river...but without the cost of the water park.
You would never be able to tell him this isn't a real pool.

Look at me! Look at me! Look at me!

I think he's going to love the water. Next summer swim lessons for sure. This summer, we'll just stick to this kind of pool.

Thanks G & L for giving us this pool. Now all I have to do is blow ours up and fill it up with water.