A Ransomed Life

The Uganda Team...

2008-06-23T11:18:00.005-04:00

Hello Dear Friends...

This brief Selah hasn't ended all together... I'm just back to provide a brief update on the Uganda trip. We're down to single digits --- 9 days to go! And there is much to be taken of before we leave, but the Lord has been faithful thus far... and he will always be! So... I interrupt this Selah to ask you to remember us in your prayers. Our team of 11 from Resonate will join up with another 30-40 more (I have no idea what the final number is), and we have a few specific prayer requests. As the Lord brings us to your mind, please consider praying over the following:

that above all God would be glorified by our words and actions and the posture of our hearts
that God would protect us, keeping us safe and healthy, and that our travel will be efficient
that He would cultivate in our hearts a deep desire to see His Name and His Word spread among the people we encounter
that He would fuel our human efforts with his power so that others might taste and see His goodness and love
that He would protect and bless the families we are leaving behind in Ohio and that He would sustain Mom and Dad as they care for Dylan and Brooklyn
that He would richly bless the family, friends, and fellow church members who have graciously given money, supplies, and support to make this trip possible. Many of you have truly been co-laborers in this adventure and for what God has done through you, we are so very grateful!

The picture above is our prayer card that was passed out at church yesterday... just thought you may want to see what our team looks like. Also, there's one additional team member that is not technically part of Resonate, but is particularly dear to me --- my sister, Karen. Please remember her in your prayers as well.

Thanks for holding the rope for us...

Selah...

2008-06-02T08:22:00.003-04:00

Selah: Term of unknown meaning appearing in psalms, outside of Psalms only in Habakkuk 3. Scholars have advanced various unprovable theories: a pause either for silence or musical interlude, a signal for the congregation to sing, recite, or fall prostrate on the ground, a cue for the cymbals to crash, a word to be shouted by the congregation, a sign to the choir to sing a higher pitch or louder.

For a period of time, I have decided to take a break from this blog. There are a number of things preciptating this decision... none which I will enumerate here. But I do hope to return as soon as possible... and with images to share with you from Uganda.

In the meantime, I will still be keeping up on Facebook.

Can we ever be "too serious" about studying the Word of God?

2008-05-29T09:49:00.004-04:00

No... that is the simple answer.

Early this morning as I lie awake in my bed I listened to a sermon given by John Piper at the New Attitude Conference just earlier this week... on Memorial Day, to be exact. The title was William Tyndale: A Life Transformed by God's Word, and you can click here to listen or download the audio.

Piper recounts the story of the life and work of William Tyndale (c. 1494-1536) who was a Protestant Reformer and Bible Translator. He described Tyndale as having "one driving passion: he wanted to see the Bible in English to that ordinary folks would have access to it." Now, as one of those "ordinary folks" who can read and write in the single language of English, I have much to be thankful for as I learn about the great sacrifice that Tyndale gave so that today I might be in possession of not one, but several Bibles. Tyndale gave his life for the Word... he was strangled and burned at the stake at the age of 42.

But Tyndale's work lives on... According to Piper, Tyndale's work made its way into about 90% of the King James Version of the Bible, originally published in 1611. Listen to the sermon to hear some of the key passages that you know very well that are part of Tyndale's contribution.

And when you listen to the sermon, focus in on Piper's closing comments:

"Young people, you are the heirs of an amazing legacy...The Bible you hold in your hand cost William Tyndale and many others their lives, so don’t spare any effort in thought, any effort in work to know [your Bible]...And don’t ever think your hard work is the decisive key. The decisive key is the sovereign grace of God... I plead with you, don’t waste your life."

A few hours after listening to this sermon and thinking through it a bit, I remembered some comments I have heard over the past couple of days and my heart was broken. Comments like "we're just going to take the summer off (spiritually, that is)" or "let's do a bible study... nothing too serious" or "I just can't seem to find time to study God's Word." Heart broken.

God, as an heir to this amazing legacy, may I never treat your Word lightly. May I be "too serious" and "too intentional" about learning it, meditating upon it, applying it, proclaiming it, relying on it! May I spare no effort to work it into the fabric of my every day life... Through Your Word and the power of Your Spirit at work within me, will You transform this lowly , sinful, wretched life into one that brings glory to Your Name? Not for my sake, but for the sake of Your precious Son!

Friends... get serious about God's Word!

Multi-tasking is overrated!

2008-05-22T12:47:00.004-04:00

Multi-tasking... yep! It's overrated! I prefer to focus on one thing at a time, but life as a Mom usually means that there are times when multi-tasking is imperative. Today has been one of those days --- a lot to get done in a little amount of time!

So... I went to the granddaddy of all "Stuff-marts"... yeah, you guessed it... W@l-m@$t! Not my favorite place in the world, but look at what I got done in one single trip and under one single roof...

Grocery shopping for both parties this weekend --- Uganda Celebration Dinner and Resonate's Memorial Day Cookout
New Windshield Wipers and an air filter --- installed on my car!!
Tons of mulch for getting the backyard ready for the parties this weekend --- not sure how we fit all of this in the car. We nearly had to perch young Dylan and his carseat on the roof!
And toilet paper --- the most essential reason for the trip!!!

Now that the kids detest me for making them hang out in Stuff-mart all morning, they are down for their naps, and I am going outside to focus on one single task --- planting my containers to make the deck a little more festive for this weekend!

Happy "we're-getting-really-close-to-a-holiday-weekend" Thursday! Have a good one!

Uganda: It's all paid...

2008-05-22T12:40:00.004-04:00

Thanks be to God! I mailed in the packet full of our team's final payment towards the Uganda trip yesterday, and I feel a huge load lifted off of my shoulders --- not because I wondered whether we'd ever raise enough, but because it was a huge effort to keep up with everything that was literally "pouring" in!

Please continue to pray for the Resonate team and the rest of the people going to Uganda... we've had some twists and turns that have surfaced this week, and we don't exactly know what this means for the trip. God does, so we just need to go along with His will.

Conversations with Dylan: The Beautiful Cross

2008-05-12T11:21:00.004-04:00

Just a few moments ago, Dylan and I were up in the kitchen experimenting with a strange cake we're attempting to make into the shapes of trains, space shuttles, and the state of Texas (don't ask!). We had some scraps of paper lying on the table from a previous project, and Dylan asked if he could play with them. He started making them into guitar strings and practicing his strumming. Then he made one into the shape of a cross...

Dylan: Mom... Look I made a cross!

Mom (while working on the cake): You sure did... it looks great!

Dylan: Mom... actually... it's beautiful!

Mom (utterly speechless and quite reflective): You bet it is. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

At 4, I know he doesn't understand the entire weight of that statement, but I pray that someday he will. I pray that as he grows up he will never cease to gaze upon the cross, amazed by the grace and love of God bled out for us and for His own glory.

Mom (speaking to Dylan in his own language because music gets through to him): Hey, Dylan, I know a song about that... want to hear it?

Dylan: Yeah! Yeah!

Mom: Listen to this... It's called The Wonderful Cross.

Dylan (after hearing the first verse): That's Matt Redman singing!

Dylan (after hearing the refrain): Hey, now Chris Tomlin's singing!

Mom (laughing to herself because Dylan can identify those two by their voices!): Sure is, kiddo!

Mom... Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-09T15:24:00.003-04:00

Dear Mom ---

I know this is a bit early, but I wanted to wish you a very Happy Mother's Day! You are an amazing mom... giving me much to live up to. And you're an amazing "Nana"... giving my kids much be thankful for. We will miss you this weekend... have a blessed mother's day!

Love,

the eldest

P.S. How do you like this old pic of us? Found this on my hard drive...

Uganda: Major Deadline Met

2008-05-01T13:12:00.008-04:00

The deadlines for Uganda are upon us!! We submitted our first major payment this past week to secure airline tickets for the team. As of last Thursday (April 24th), we were in need of about $10,000 by May 1st to meet that deadline. We asked God to meet our needs, and in less than a week, he had exceeded them abundantly! I wish that I could recount to you all of the amazing stories of God's provision for this trip. I lack the time to do so (kids in the background today!), but I want you to know that He has been faithful to equip and prepare us for what He has already called us to do.

Continue to remember us in your prayers... our next deadline is coming up around the middle of May, and we have about $7,500 to go to meet that one. Fundraisers continue, including planting a million flowers for the Memorial Golf Tournament, the 4th installment of Parent's Night Out, lots of mulching, yard work, and babysitting jobs, and whatever else comes our way.

A Glimpse of Passion...

2008-04-21T07:48:00.002-04:00

For those of you who have never been to a Passion event, have you ever just wondered what it might look like? Well... here's a little glimpse of the 9,500 young adults in Atlanta a couple of weekends ago... Watch your volume control because with that many young adults passionate about the Lord, it can get a little LOUD!!!

(HT: Francis Chan's Video Journal)

Bringing Your Heart to Christ's Love

2008-04-15T08:31:00.005-04:00

“Bring your heart with its profoundest emptiness, its most startling discovery of sin, its lowest frame, its deepest sorrow, and sink it into the depths of the Saviour’s love… Christ’s love touching your hard heart, will dissolve it; touching your cold heart, will warm it; touching your sinful heart, will purify it; touching your sorrowful heart, will soothe it; touching your wandering heart, will draw it back to Jesus. Only bring your heart to Christ’s love.”

- Octavius Winslow, The Sympathy of Christ

(Harrisonburg, Va.: Sprinkle Publications, 1994), 165.

More like this on a daily basis, visit Of First Importance
Photo courtesy of Allposters.com

Payload of Pleasure or Spiritual Cavity?

2008-04-14T14:14:00.002-04:00

If you dropped dead right now, would you take with you a payload of pleasure in God or would you stand before him with a spiritual cavity where covetousness used to be?

~ John Piper, Future Grace, p. 226.

More at Desiring God

Photo courtesy of allposters.com

Matt Maher... a new CD!

2008-04-08T13:09:00.004-04:00

It's like a birthday gift for Brooklyn by the guy who recorded her favorite song!!

After Passion '07 (and a brief chance to meet him as he went up the "stairwell" that we were entrusted to be "doorkeepers" over that weekend), Brian downloaded Matt Maher's CD, Overflow, off of iTunes. Brooklyn somehow connected with the song "For Your Glory" and would squeal with delight when she and Brian would dance around the room to that song. It's a fantastic song... check out these lyrics:

There is a time to dance,
A time for joy's embrace,
And in all seasons, God
we humbly seek Your face.

This is our offering to You,
This is our offering.

Everything I am is for Your glory,
Everything, I am for You, Lord.
Everything I am is for Your glory,
Everything, I am for You, Lord.

And then I really love the bridge...

The earth stands still without You.
We could only move because You made us to.
The world is nothing without You.
We could only love you because You made us to.

I gotta give the kid credit... she's got great taste in music! You can click here to hear the entire song.

And the greater news is that if you are a blogger, you can click here to get a free copy of latest CD, Empty and Beautiful, which is due in stores TODAY!

Happy Birthday Bookends!

2008-04-08T06:59:00.005-04:00

Then...

Now...

Happy Birthday Brooklyn!

He saves the crushed in spirit...

2008-04-07T06:22:00.004-04:00

Psalm 34:17-19

When the righteous cry for help,

the LORD hears and delivers them

out of all their troubles.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Oh, how He does save the crushed in spirit! I'm off to pack my bags now, and I'll see y'all when I get back!

Lest you think that I think I am righteous on my own accord (how's that for a phrase!), might I remind you of Romans 5:19 and 2 Corinthians 5:21 which says that only by Christ are we made righteous.

Can I just be honest here?

2008-04-05T13:00:00.004-04:00

Well… yes… technically, I can… I can write whatever I want to on my own blog, right?!

This week has been very full of discouraging and disappointing things for me, and to be perfectly honest with you, my spirits are down… way down. I’m not at all talking about a “loss of joy” here… joy resides much deeper than where these discouraging things fall. But I am talking about the kind of discouraging feelings that, if left unchecked, can lead to bitterness and a deterioration of active faith.

From discouraging comments made by a trusted leader to the ceasing of airline operations (read: a cancelled flight with no refund at this point) leaving us with no way to get home to Baton Rouge on Tuesday --- a trip that has been long anticipated, much looked forward to, and desperately in need of --- the discouragement has been piling up!

These are the kinds of things (as are all things) that simply must be given over to God because He alone is sovereign… He alone is truly loving… He alone works the details of our lives to maximize His glory (which as it turns out is always for our good)! But how do I really do that? I thought about an old hymn I love to sing… Count Your Blessings! So, I’m gonna count a few for you (but mostly for me!)…

The flight was cancelled before we were en route. Imagine if everything would have ceased while we were already in Baton Rouge! The cost to get back home would have been pretty high, and with our Uganda Mission Trip deadline being only May 1st, that would have left us with a lot of extra costs.

Though my real family is thousands of miles away and even though my heart is really aching right now to be with them, God has given me friends here who show God’s love to me everyday. They are family of a different kind… and they are one of the greatest blessings God has ever given me.

Though some people think today’s generation of young adults are fickle, self-seeking, and in search of constant entertainment (and yes, some are), God has placed a few of them in my life who are proof that He is at work in the lives of this generation. They are evidence to me that God, through His Spirit, is enacting true transformation within this generation for His glory.

Rather than travel alone to Atlanta for Passion next weekend, Brian might be able to travel with the guys from Resonate… imagine the abundant time of iron sharpening iron that can take place during their long drive!

Brian, Dylan, and Brooklyn... my mom & dad... Lisa, Chuck, Katherine, and Audrey... Karen... Mawmaw... Bobbi... all who will also be affected by our flight cancellation

Through our concert last night, we did raise a little bit of money to go towards the Uganda Mission Trip, and we experienced the generosity of local musicians who willingly gave of themselves.

Bottom line... my cup overfloweth with the goodness of the Lord in my life!

Count Your Blessings

Words by Johnson Oatman, Jr and Music by Edwin O. Excell

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Glimpse of Spring...

2008-04-04T15:05:00.004-04:00

There was a tiny glimpse of spring yesterday. Between the days of cold, rain, and wind, a little bit of sun and a smidgen of warmth found us yesterday. The ground is soft and wet, and the spring bulbs are just barely peeking through the dirt. It was just enough incentive to get out and run around the backyard...

Brooklyn is conviced summer is coming,

so she insists on wearing her new "beach" hat!

Dylan thinks he is a zoo keeper so he

wanted to be dressed from head to toe in khaki.

An observer of bugs, he is...

Me... I just love my new camera with it's convenient telephoto lens!

Words to Live By... Book #3

2008-04-04T07:15:00.000-04:00

Book #3 --- Passion and Purity
by Elisabeth Elliot

I have to admit that this is one book even I didn't expect to be on my list, but after thinking about all the books I've read over the years, I realized the influence that Passion & Purity had on my life has been long-lasting. The concept of Christ’s Lordship over my life began to be an adult reality around the time I first read this book. So much so that many of the quotes from this book were posted over the walls of my dorm room, my cubicle at Eastman, and my little apartment in Longview.

I stumbled upon this book during the spring quarter of my junior year of college (I think... that was such a long time ago!), after a few of us from the BSU went down to New Orleans for a missions conference at NOBTS. We arrived late and walked into a huge room where everyone was already engrossed in a movie that I didn't recognize. We joined in and watched the tale end of the movie which involved the story of a group of missionaries who were killed in Ecuador. I never caught the name of the movie nor the names of the missionaries, but the story stuck with me and I couldn't get it out of my mind. Some time later, I encountered Passion and Purity, and as I read through this book, I began to put the pieces together.

So… yes… at a time when I began to truly accept and try to live out Christ’s Lordship over my life, this book left some serous footprints all over my life! While this book is often read for it’s insight into dating, courtship, and marriage, the lasting lessons have mostly to do with surrendering our will to the Lord’s and following Him whole-heartedly down whatever road He chooses to take us on. This is how the book is described on the back cover:

“In Passion and Purity, [Elisabeth Elliot] emphasizes the need to commit daily to Christ all matters of the heart and to wait upon Him. She teaches this often-painful, yet rewarding discipline by candidly tracing her love story with Jim Elliot to ‘serve as evidence that I’ve been there.’ Through letters, diary entries, and recollections, she shares the temptations, difficulties, victories, and sacrifices of two young people whose commitment to Christ takes priority over their love for each other. These revealing personal glimpses, combined with relevant biblical teaching, may help to remind you that only by putting your human passion and desire through His fire can God purify your love.”

But here are some of the quotes that made their way onto the “walls” in my life…

“Until the will and the affections are brought under the authority of Christ, we have not begun to understand, let alone to accept, His lordship.”

“I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one’s thoughts.”

“God’s time for further revelations of the heart might come later. Tomorrow was not our business; it was His. Letting it rest with Him was the discipline for the day, and it was enough.”

“But the things we feel most deeply about we ought to learn to be silent about, at least until we have talked them over thoroughly with God.”

“We are not meant to die merely in order to be dead. God could not want that for the creatures for whom He has given the breath of life. We die in order to live.”

“Wherever you are, be all there… Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.”
~ Jim Elliot

“Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering. The love of God is of a different nature altogether. It does not hate tragedy. It never denies reality. It stands in the very teeth of suffering. The love of God did not protect His own Son. That was the proof of His love --- that He gave that Son, that He let Him go to Calvary’s cross, though ‘legions of angels’ might have rescued Him. He will not necessarily protect us --- not from anything it takes to make us like His Son. A lot of hammering and chiseling and purifying by fire will have to go into the process.”

“The disposition… to leave the dearest objects of our hearts in the sublime keeping of the general and unspecific belief that God is now answering our prayers in his own time and way, and in the best manner, involves a present process of inward crucifixion which is not obviously favorable to the growth and even the existence of the life of self.”
~ T. C. Upham Inward Divine Guidance

Discouraged... then encouraged!

2008-04-02T13:54:00.006-04:00

I'll just admit it... this post is a bit of a vent!

Yesterday while catching up on the writings of friends, family, and other bloggers that I read often, I came across a post that was so completely discouraging to me that I literally wept at my computer. To me, it was a rather personal post --- a post negatively targeted towards the generation that I love deeply and have invested in personally, yet it was written by someone I have admired and respected. I don't feel like going into details, but know that while I agreed with some of the points made, I was taken aback by the tone, the criticism, and the stereotyping. Oh, I have much to say in response, but will hold my tongue. God has softened my heart towards this generation, and I long to see them mature in their faith, assured of their salvation, and living passionately to proclaim Christ. Needless to say, that post brought great discouragement to me all day. At least until I opened the mail yesterday afternoon...

where I found a little postcard written to Brian and me by our newest pastor. It contained only a few sentences about his recent visit to our small groups, but it encouraged me so greatly that I smiled and all my frustrations and bitterness melted away...

Words matter! Whether they are spoken, written in a journal, or posted for the entire world to see, they matter!

"A soft answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger."

~ Proverbs 15:1 ~

Photo courtesy of Christian Book Distributors.

Uganda: Yellow Fever, Fundraising, and Letters

2008-04-02T09:53:00.004-04:00

We're pressing on... there are many things that need to be done in preparation for our trip to Uganda, but most urgent has been documentation and fundraising.

Last week, we sent our documentation packet to WH to continue the visa application process. We were required to first have yellow fever vaccinations before sending in our applications, and there seems to be a bit of a YF vaccine shortage in some areas of the country. So, we're thankful that God made a way for our entire team to get the vaccine on time! And it was just in time!!

Fundraising continues to move forward, although we still have a very long way to go before we reach the $3500 per person required. Our group has already hosted a couple of Parent's Night Outs, and this weekend is our benefit concert with One Life Lost and Richard Jordan. We're thinking about having a garage sale later this month, and my little neice has been hard at work selling cookies at her local bowling alley. We have also begun to send out support letters to friends and family and church members... we simply cannot reach our goals without God pouring out His favor on this trip through the generosity of those who hear about our trip and respond.

We are trying to be faithful by doing our part, but we are fully aware that our mere human efforts will prove useless unless the Lord pours out His favor on us.

"Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses,

but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

Psalms 20:7

So as we come to mind, please pray that God will continue to meet our needs... that His favor would be upon our upcoming fundraisers... that He would continue to place our needs on the hearts of other church members, family members, and friends who will partner with us through prayer and giving.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

~ Ephesians 3:20-21 ~

Words to Live By... Book #2

2008-03-24T14:10:00.001-04:00

Book #2: Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

Karen, you guessed it right! Pride & Prejudice is definitely on the list, but possibly not for the reasons you may suspect. Bear in mind that my list is not in order of greater influence, but in the order that I first read them.

If you haven’t already read this book, you simply must! The MW Encyclopedia of Literature describes it as a

Novel by Jane Austen, published anonymously in three volumes in 1813. The narrative, which Austen initially titled “First Impressions,” describes the clash between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich and aristocratic landowner. Austen reverses the convention of first impressions: "pride" of rank and fortune, and "prejudice" against Elizabeth's inferiority of family, hold Darcy aloof; while Elizabeth is equally fired both by the pride of self-respect and by prejudice against Darcy's snobbery. Ultimately, they come together in love and self-understanding.

I first read this book during my sophomore year of high school. My English teacher, whose name I can’t even remember at all, decided that the entire class was going to read a book together and report on it. For the life of me, I can’t remember what book we were asked to read --- neither the book nor the teacher left a lasting impression on me. My school (which was an engineering high school) seemed to attract quite good math and science teachers, but it was seriously lacking in English teachers who inspired anything more than just getting the basic, required work done. I digress… The book we were asked to read was appalling. I remember being absolutely disgusted by the first chapter because of its crude and indecent nature. My teacher agreed to let me select another book to read and report on, and I have no idea how I made my choice, but I somehow ended up with Pride and Prejudice. The decision proved serendipitous!

Pride and Prejudice remains a book that I love to read… and re-read. I think I read it about once a year! It was springtime in Louisiana the first time that I read it, and I can vividly remember lying facedown on my bed, windows thrown wide open to the gentle breeze with my feet kicked up into the air as I devoured the text.

Something about this book awakened in me a true love of books and of reading… a love that continues to this day and is evidenced by the stacks and stacks of books precariously balanced upon my night stand. For that, it finds its way onto my list of influential books.

So, what do you think of Pride and Prejudice? And what books top your list of influential reading?

Jesus Paid It All...

2008-03-22T19:17:00.004-04:00

Happy Easter!

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim,
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
"Jesus died my soul to save"
My lips shall still repeat!

Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

O praise the One who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead
I'll praise the One who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead

JESUS

Yeah!

Words to Live By... Book #1

2008-03-18T13:52:00.002-04:00

Book #1: The Bible (the given!)

I'll start off with the easy one... the given I mentioned in the previous post. The Bible trumps all other books as the single most influential book in my life. Period. Amen. After all, there is no other book that I can actually use as an offensive weapon in the daily struggles and spiritual battles of my life... no other book that is "living and active"... no book whose words are truly worth "storing up in our hearts"... no other book that is "breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness". So the Bible stands as the first, last, and always most influential book in my life!

I do have some Bibles that are more meaningful to me than others, though ---

... like my very first Bible, the little pink New Testament someone gave me when I was born...
... or the Children's Living Bible that my parents gave me in 1982 on which I later wrote the date of my salvation in 1984 and on which my sister Karen decided to inscribe her own name (not sure why you did that, sis, but I treasure it!)...
... or the NIV Thinline that I carried to Merida, Mexico in 1996 on the trip where God rescued me from me...
...or the burgundy NASB Thinline that I took to Passion '98 where God awakened me to the understanding that "God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him"...
... or the black NASB Giant Print that Brian gave to Brother Steve to use in our wedding ceremony...
... or the little burgundy NASB that Brian gave me the first Christmas after we were married which I carried all over Europe as I read through the Psalms...
... or the Tiny Black ESV that Brian gave me one Valentine's Day that I carry in my purse today. I figure I better carry my sword with me everywhere I go, right!
... or the Bible recently given to us by The Seed Company that appears to be a normal Bible from the outside cover; however, upon opening this one, you will find the pages entirely blank. What a reminder to us that there are many people around the world who still do not have a Bible translated into their native language!

Most of you need no convincing that the Bible is the most influential book for everyone of us, so I will just leave it at that!

Words to Live By... a series of influential books!

2008-03-17T12:11:00.011-04:00

"The worth of a book

is to be measured by what

you carry away from it."

~ James Bryce

A month or so ago I read a book that made a lasting impact on me... a long-lasting one! When I would describe it to others who had not already read it, the only way I could adequately communicate how much I got out of this book was to call it "one of the top 5 most influential books I've ever read." Books are best friends to me, but quite frankly, some books are just better than others! Some books are worth reading and some books profit me so little.

Emerson once wrote

"If we encounter a man of rare intellect we should ask him what books he reads."

And Abraham Lincoln once said

"The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who will get me a book I have not read."

I love to read and I read a fair amount, but what are the books that have really been the most influential to me? I've been thinking about this for a while, and I think I've finally narrowed it down to actually six books. Six because there is a "given" in this equation. So, here begins a new series...

Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting the six books which I consider to be the ones that have had the greatest impact on my life. The titles may suprise you because some of them actually surprised me. I'll post them in chronological order rathern than in order of influence (that is way too hard to figure out!). I'll write a little bit about the book and why it's impact on my life has been long-lasting.

But I need more reading recommendations, so I want you to join in... will you? If you are reading this post, consider yourself "tagged!"

If you have a blog, please join me in posting the most influential books in your life. Then leave me a comment on this post so I can find your site. If you do not have a blog, just leave me your list as a series of comments. And for those of you who have been lurking around here, now's your time to 'fess up and help me create a new reading list!

Stay tuned... the first installment is coming shortly!

Ohio Blizzard '08

2008-03-08T15:12:00.004-05:00

View from the front stoop!

The NWS was right!! We've got snow... and lots of it! The one-two punch happened just as they forecasted. There's not too much going on around our house today... pajamas until after noon, a morning movie, toys spread out everywhere, a little bit of lunch, and then off to the outdoors. We measured several points in the yard and found snow levels ranging from 14 inches (on the hill in the front yard) to 20 inches (in the backyard)! The kids had a blast wading through the fluffy stuff and riding their Daddy's old sled down the street...

Makes you want to say "Brrrrrrrr!", huh?! After this storm, we're going to have to have to restock our Community reserves!

One-Two Punch!

2008-03-07T17:36:00.003-05:00

Yes... our "Winter Storm Warning" just got upgraded to a "Blizzard Warning." It's the first one we've had since we moved here 4 winters ago. That made me curious as to when the last blizzard was for this area, and after surfing around a bit, I can't seem to find records of a blizzard around here since 1978... the "Great Blizzard" as it is referred to around these parts. Evidently it shut down Central Ohio for a couple of days... oh my! Is that what we are in store for this weekend?

I ran outside to measure the snow, and there's almost 5 inches on the ground right now. I've read that we may have another 4-6 inches tonight and then another 4-6 inches tomorrow... okay, people, that's a total of 13-17 inches. The NWS reports a total of 10-15 inches by tomorrow afternoon. Either way, that's WAY TOO MUCH snow for this poor little Southern girl!

427 PM EST FRI MAR 7 2008
...A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT
THROUGH 4 PM SATURDAY...

EXTREME WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT.
STEADY SNOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE REGION INTO THE EVENING. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH 9 PM. THE SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES CAUSING WHITEOUT AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS OVERNIGHT.

THIS STORM WILL HIT AS A ONE TWO PUNCH AND THERE MAY BE A BRIEF LULL IN THE SNOW INTENSITY ACTIVITY THIS EVENING... BEFORE PICKING UP IN INTENSITY AGAIN OVERNIGHT WHEN THE SECOND PUNCH HITS. BEFORE THE STORM DIMINISHES SATURDAY AFTERNOON YOU CAN EXPECT 10 TO 15 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION.

DO NOT TRAVEL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. CONDITIONS CAN DETERIORATE RAPIDLY IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.

I'll report back later... maybe with some pics! In the meantime, I think I'll put on another pot of coffee --- Community, that is!

A Benefit Concert...

2008-03-06T16:12:00.005-05:00

For those of you in Central Ohio, Resonate (the College & Young Adult Ministry of New Life Church) will be hosting a benefit concert featuring One Life Lost with Richard Jordan to raise money for our upcoming Uganda Mission Trip.

For more information on the concert, click here or click on the image above to see it full size.

For those of who are not in the area, will you pray for this event and for the other fundraising opportunities that God has given us? Pray that God will multiply our meager human efforts with his supernatural power so that our needs might be met.

Hospitality's Purpose

2008-03-05T17:12:00.001-05:00

Our home has been open a lot lately... and to a lot of different people... and for a lot of different reasons. We don't mind at all that our home has become a sort of "kool aid" house for the young adults in our lives... we absolutely love having them over. But after sitting up until 4:30 this morning with a couple of them (Brian made it all the way through the entire night with them... I couldn't last), I sit here today and I can honestly barely muster enough energy and clear thought to spell my own name. Through the fog of my fatigue, God brought a couple of thoughts to mind.

The first thing is the subject of hospitality. I discovered a blog this morning called The Purple Cellar and found an article about hospitality that I really enjoyed reading. The blog author, Lydia, writes about her friend Susie who personifies hospitality. Here's what she writes:

Susie defines two distinct types of hospitality, both of which we should prepare our hearts to offer. First is calculated ospitality, which includes hosting our friends, making meals for the sick--basically, the sort we can plan ahead. The second type is spontaneous hospitality, which is opening our home and heart to that drop-in neighbor or friend who calls at an inconvenient time. How we handle spontaneous hospitality is a matter of mindset, of putting others ahead of our personal comfort. But that doesn't mean there aren't great rewards for such service: generosity comes back on our heads! But, primarily, every time we open our homes and hearts to someone in need, it is Jesus we are serving. Do we think about that? Do we see today's interruption or inconvenience as an opportunity to love Christ? Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me" (Matt. 5:40).

I love the description of spontaneous hospitality as "a matter of mindset, of putting others ahead of our personal comfort." Click here to read the rest of the article.

The second thing came to me as I was thinking about Colossians 1:28-29 which says,

"Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that He powerfully works within me."

As I struggle to keep my eyes open today, I can know that our toil was done in an effort to proclaim Christ! Knowledge of this causes a surge of energy to coarse through my body... maybe I can actually make it through the rest of the day!

Uganda: Fundraising Update

2008-03-01T14:58:00.001-05:00

Click on the picture to see the current update.

Rearranging Things...

2008-02-29T10:23:00.003-05:00

It was just time to rearrange the furniture around here! I've been wanting a "new look" for quite a while now, but these things just take a little time to put together. But, the renovations are now complete... welcome to a new look and a new name!

Conversations With Dylan: Christy Nockels

2008-02-28T16:29:00.004-05:00

So here's the background: The latest Passion CD, God of this City, was released earlier this month, and that's pretty much all we've been listening to lately. Track 5 is a song called "Hosanna" recorded on this project by Christy Nockels, and to date, this is Dylan's favorite song on the CD.

Now, I know that we now have 6 blog readers (thank you Jen for your comment on the last post), and within those 6, and even smaller subset of you will find this post to be at all funny. But for those of you who are into the music thing or the 4-year old thing, this post is for you...

This morning as we were driving to CBS, we were listening to "Hosanna" and thus the conversation began.

Dylan: Mom, who is singing this song?
Mom: Christy Nockels
Dylan: Oh, is she in Resonate?
Mom: No, she's not.
Dylan: Well, where does she live?
Mom: Somewhere in Tenessee, I think.
Dylan: Oh... (followed by a thoughtful pause)... well, I think we should invite her to Resonate because she sings this song really good and I really like this song. Can she come sing "Hosanna" in Resonate?
Mom: (speechless, as usual. Then we listened to the song again while Dylan sang Hosanna as loud as he could.)

So... Christy Nockels, if you ever Google yourself and come across this post, you've got an open invitation to come and sing "Hosanna" for a little 4-year old boy who has a long way to go before he'll make it to a Passion Conference! Until then, he's happy to see you sing the song on YouTube.

Passion:DC

2008-02-27T08:01:00.006-05:00

How do you adequately describe a "conference" that God uses to radically set your life in an entirely different direction? That's the question I asked myself 10 years ago after my first Passion Conference, and that is the question some of the young adults that came with us to DC are now asking themselves. For anyone who has ever been to a Passion event and who has really engaged in what God was doing through it, the ability to describe what goes on in your heart and mind the next morning, the next week is virtually impossible. It seems that the Lord moves grandly through the humble speakers and lead worshippers associated with Passion, and Passion:DC has been no exception.

The weekend got off to a difficult start! Precarious weather situations seem to follow Passion events wherever they go, so I have to admit that I was not at all surprised that talk of bad weather began to surface just before we left on Thursday. I guess some things just build faith, and after enduring the horrific thunderstorms at One Day '03 in Sherman, Texas, we've learned not to even worry about the weather. Bad weather tends to make the journey just a little bit sweeter... okay, a whole lot sweeter!

By Thursday afternoon, we were already in DC (Fairfax, technically), but most of our group was still waiting to leave Columbus. The snow began to roll into to Central Ohio by Thursday afternoon, and talk of several inches of snow followed by an ice storm closer to Northern Virginia was all that we heard about on the news. Part of our group planned on leaving Columbus on Thursday night, and the other group planned on leaving before dawn on Friday morning. So that night I slept pitifully! Our hotel rooms were all on the same hall, and I slept with one ear to the door just waiting to hear any sound that they had arrived safely. Brian spent much of Thursday evening on the phone with the Friday crew encouraging them to press on despite the weather. Shortly after 5 am on Friday morning, I heard the sweetest sound --- a text message! Kyle had sent word to let us know that they were safe and secure in their rooms! I could finally sleep... at least for another hour or so!

We woke up Friday morning to an inconsequential ice storm! Light ice, but nothing to stop the event! The Friday morning crew eventually made it in safely, and Passion:DC was off to a start.

I wish I could recount the entire weekend to you (all 5 of you who read this blog!). I wish that I could adequately describe the impact of the conversations we had while driving or sitting around... the impact of the music led by Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall, and Matt Redman... the way it sounds when 3,000 young adults shout "Sing, Sing, Sing" as loud as they can with hands lifted high... the way a "real life" story about a girl named Ashley and her roommate called "Fruitcake" can rock the lives of countless young adults... the way an unpredicted BURP can relieve the emotional intensity of a powerful moment while maintaining the focus and point of the message... the way God can call out a young girl to go to China through orchestrating the testimony of a Chinese college student to coincide with His pulling at her heart strings. Ultimately, I can't do justice with words to the impact this weekend had on many. Many stories remain untold even today as God fans into flame transformation at the very deepest level of people's hearts.

Before I close, I have to thank my mother-in-law who made the trip to Ohio to watch our kids while we went to DC and my father-in-law who let her come. I couldn't have made the trip without your help, and I'm beyond grateful for the sacrifice you both made. As Louie said during prayer time before Saturday night's session, the families left behind last weekend are just as much a part of the Passion story as those on the stage or those in the arena. So, thanks...

The picture above was taken on Saturday night after everything was over. This is the group of "attendees" that went from Resonate, but we also had 4 others from Resonate who "volunteered" throughout the event. They served tirelessly, and I thank them for all they did to foster an environment where God could work on hearts. So, thanks to Jen F, Dave, Mike, and Jen M... we love you guys! I wish I had you in the picture too... maybe I can just Photoshop you in!

Want to hear the craziest thing? Many of our young adults are now talking about heading to Passion:Atlanta or one of the stops on the World Tour... I just love it!

A Quirky Tag...

2008-02-16T12:24:00.003-05:00

Michelle at they outnumber us now tagged me for this fun little meme about our own quirks. The difficult part is limiting my quirks to only 6. So, here are the rules...

Link to the person that tagged you.

Post the rules on your blog.

Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself

Tag at least 3 people at the end of your post and link to their blogs

Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Let the fun begin!

Well... here goes...

I love a great salad loaded with lots of romaine, green leaf lettuce, or mixed greens, but I don't care for lettuce on a sandwich. Additionally, on all but very rare occasions, I can't stand iceberg lettuce.

I love white dishware. I know it's plain, but the decorating possibilities are endless... and with my tiny little kitchen, I do not have the luxury of keeping around multiple coordinating sets of dinnerware.

I always plan my week and my day horizontally and vertically on little 4x6 cards that I print off every week. The idea is from some book I once read, but I never can remember which book. Horizontally means I list the major tasks that I want to do each day for the entire week, and vertically means I schedule my intended tasks for that particular day by the half hour. Weird and tedious, I know... but I don't think I would ever get much done without this system!

Whenever I go to a restaurant, I love to try their lemonade. The criteria: It must be fresh lemonade (no Minute Maid stuff). I prefer a sparkling, bubbling concoction, and I would rather it not be pink lemonade. The best I've ever had is from a little Italian restaurant on the west side of Houston called Carmelo's Ristorante, but Giant Eagle carries a rather wonderful Sparkling Sicilian Lemonade that I can enjoy right at home!

I record Leave It To Beaver episodes throughout the week and sometimes I sit down briefly during the kids' naptime to catch an episode. There's just nothing on TV during the day, and this show feeds my fascination with the late 50s/early 60s.

I absolutely have to read... At all times, I need to have at least one book that I'm in the process of reading, but I usually have 3-4 going at the same time... And I have to read before I fall asleep, regardless of what time I go to bed.

So... I tag Sarah at from afar park, Tallie at my little corner of the planet, and Lisa at ...and everything, although I can't imagine you'll post something, sis!

Uganda: How far is it from here?

2008-02-10T19:26:00.000-05:00

More on our trip to Uganda...

Some time just before Christmas, Brian and I were presented with the idea of taking the college & young adults of Resonate to Gulu, Uganda to work alongside of WorldHelp in a number of capacities. We had a very short amount of time to publicize the trip, recruit team members, and submit applications, and we are astonished by the way that God moved among the young adults. As of right now, we have a team of 13 members, including a very special team member to me --- my sister! We will join up with additional young adults from around the country --- I think about 17 more --- before making our way to Uganda.

The trip will cost each team member about $3500, and as I've said to our church body, $3500 to a college student might as well be a million dollars! But we know that God's resources are limitless, and we trust that He will provide. He's already started!

So here's my thought... per some internet site I found, it is about 7,763 miles from Columbus to Gulu. It will cost all 13 team members a total of $45,500 to get there. That means that the cost for us to get our entire team to Uganda will be about $5.86 per mile. That's how we'll track our fundraising progress. If I were brilliant and not a completely busy young mother of 2 little ones, I might come up with a cool graphic to track our progress, but for now, I'll have to leave it to the "smart" ones. Maybe we'll get something created in the future.

As of today, we are 102 miles along on our journey with 7,661 miles to go. Later this week, we will host a Parent's Night Out. Pray that the response will be favorable and that God will move us further along on our journey to Uganda!

The World I've Seen...

2008-01-31T06:30:00.001-05:00

7%... that's it! I've only seen 7% of the World... There's so much more to see, so many more people to meet...

Hopefully, this summer I can add one more country to this list!

States I've Visited...

Countries I've Visited...

Answered prayers and more to pray about...

2008-01-28T13:21:00.001-05:00

I know that I've been completely absent from this blog for quite some time now. Once we returned from our trip down to Texas earlier this month, the pace of life went into "turbo" drive... at least for a little while around here. Some serious deadlines faced us, but these deadlines have brought with them serious excitement about what God has been doing in our lives and in the lives of the young adults that we love and serve.

First up... Passion:DC coming at the end of February. We've pressed hard to encourage as many young adults as possible to attend, and I think we now have about 10 people going. There are still more we would like to see commit to this "you-just-better-not-pass-it-up" opportunity, but I know that God will stir those whom He wants to go. I, personally, am still praying that God will work a little miracle for me so that I can go... but I'm good with whatever. Our last minute need to change our plans from attending Passion:Atlanta to attending Passion:DC is really working out better for the young adults, but it has now left Brian and I without anyone to care the kids. Brian will bring the young adults, and if it works out, then I will join them. If not, the kids and I might just get another chance to explore only my favorite city in the country!

Next up... Uganda this summer. An opportunity to travel with WorldHelp to Uganda on a short-term mission trip presented itself to us just before Christmas, and we've been in a whirlwind ever since. This trip is targeted especially toward young adults, and what started as a mere "Hey... this would be a really great trip for Resonate" has taken root in the hearts of several of the young adults. God has infused these plans with his special energy, and we now have a team of 12 young adults signed up to make the trip to Uganda. We will join another 17 or so young adults from around the country and serve in several capacities. Brian and I are also hoping that the chance to meet Joan, the young girl we sponsor, would present itself, but it's too early to know if our paths will even intersect during the trip.

The journey to get to Uganda will be one full of hard work for the team... the trip will cost each member about $3500... or $42,000 for the team! To a college student that might as well be a billion dollars! We're in the process of lining up several fundraisers including a Parent's Night Out for the young families of our church and a "Band Aid" concert featuring Station 2, One Life Lost, and Jared Mahone. These fundraisers are in their infancy, and we are working hard to see that they happen, but ultimately, these are just our plans. We are leaning on the provisions that God will raise up that we are completely unaware of at this time.

And last up... and possibly my favorite... a friend I've been praying for for many, many months made a decision this weekend to trust in Christ. He has struggled with theological "stuff" for a while now, but this weekend he made a decision to simply trust... with faith like a child.

There's really too much to say in just this one post, so stay tuned... more to come on the trip to Uganda!

Conversations with Dylan: That's not Chris Tomlin...

2008-01-21T12:30:00.002-05:00

My kid knows his music and artists... seriously, he does :). Yesterday, Dylan came into the worship service with me, and the worship leader started to play "Made to Worship." Dylan peered as high as he could to see the band on stage, and with a very puzzled look he said (not too quietly, either), "Mom, that is not Chris Tomlin!" It caused quite a little stir on our row.

Later, he followed up that astute observation with "Mom, I have to go poopoo!" That wasn't quiet either... but to his credit, he really did have to go!

Oh, bringing kids into the church service is always an adventure!

Some things do satisfy...

2008-01-19T16:22:00.001-05:00

You'll have to peer very closely to see that this Fleur de Lis tablecloth very subtly says "This gal's far from home." Oh, how it satisfies my love of the Fleur de Lis.

Photo courtesy of Dillards.com - Artimino "Fleur de Lis" Table Linens

Advent Tree: Day 21

2007-12-21T14:31:00.000-05:00

Luke 2:8-20

The Shepherds and Angels

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Advent Tree: Day 20

2007-12-20T14:28:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 7:14

God With Us

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Sometimes the packaging is the "real" gift...

2007-12-19T17:38:00.000-05:00

Two giant boxes of Christmas gifts from our family back in Louisiana arrived today. There were lots of nicely wrapped gifts and some much-treasured Community Coffee tucked inside, but I think the best part for the kids was the packaging!

Advent Tree: Day 19

2007-12-19T15:38:00.000-05:00

Hebrews 12:1-2

Jesus, Founder and Perfector of Our Faith

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Advent Tree: Day 18

2007-12-18T15:35:00.000-05:00

Hebrews 1:1-4

The Supremacy of God's Son

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Advent Tree: Day 17

2007-12-17T15:30:00.000-05:00

Colossians 3:1-4

Put On the New Self

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Advent Tree: Day 16

2007-12-16T14:04:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 42:1-9

The Lord's Chosen Servant

Behold my servant, whom I uphold,my chosen, in whom my soul delights;I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.

Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Advent Tree: Day 15

2007-12-15T17:10:00.000-05:00

Colossians 1:15-23

The Preeminence of Christ

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Advent Tree: Day 14

2007-12-14T17:04:00.000-05:00

John 1:9-14

The Word Became Flesh

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

A 100% chance...

2007-12-14T15:34:00.000-05:00

I guess they're pretty certain we'll be getting snow tomorrow... I rarely see a forecast with a 100% chance of anything in it! Well, the shovels are ready, and the plan is to snuggle up and have a special family night ~ a Nutcracker Dinner!

Advent Tree: Day 13

2007-12-13T15:29:00.000-05:00

Psalm 72:18-19

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever;may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!

Advent Tree: Day 12

2007-12-12T17:34:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 53:3-6

He was wounded for our transgressions

He was despised and rejected by men;a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefsand carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken,smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions;he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray;we have turned—every one—to his own way;and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

A Visit with Ol' St. Nick...

2007-12-12T13:13:00.000-05:00

Jolly old St. Nicholas, lean your ear this way
Don't you tell a single soul what I'm going to say;
Christmas Eve is coming soon; Now, you dear old man,
Whisper what you'll bring to me, tell me if you can.

This morning we took a little trip to the local shopping center to take pictures with Santa. I wasn't too sure just how Brooklyn would react to seeing St. Nick up close this year, but she did very well. She was a little apprehensive (as evidenced by the picture above), but she didn't cry or make a scene.

Dylan was very quick to recount his Christmas wish list --- a new train car like the Polar Express --- but I don't think Santa had a clue what he was saying. He described the train car in great detail --- needs to be a steam engine, black, with a tender, pulling lots of passenger cars. Brooklyn just watched and tried to grab his beard.

It's a good thing "Mrs. Claus" was there to ensure proper wish list interpretation and to know what Brooklyn wants even though she can't say it!

Advent Tree: Day 11

2007-12-11T19:21:00.000-05:00

Philippians 3:20-21

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Advent Tree: Day 10

2007-12-10T19:15:00.000-05:00

Romans 3:21-26

The Righteous of God Through Faith

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Advent Tree: Day 9

2007-12-09T19:37:00.000-05:00

Luke 1:46-55
Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat

And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me,and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear himfrom generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm;he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thronesand exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things,and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel,in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers,to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Advent Tree: Day 8

2007-12-08T19:31:00.000-05:00

Psalm 118:22

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

Advent Tree: Day 7

2007-12-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

Luke 1:26-38

Birth of Jesus Foretold

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

First Snowfall...

2007-12-06T12:36:00.000-05:00

Remember our first flurries? Well, this week marks our first snowfall. Not sure what the recorded snowfall was in the area, but if I get out with a ruler in the backyard, I've got about 5 inches or more lying on the ground.

EDITED: I just found out that the correct snowfall for my little town was 5.5 inches.

Needless to say, yesterday's plans were rearranged. We spent much of the day shoveling driveways --- yes, more than one, and our own driveway had to be shoveled more than once --- and playing. The snow was the super fluffy kind, and we thought we'd make a snowman. We weren't too successful... that's what happens when your mom is nothing but a southern girl. So, we opted for a Snow Volcano. I'm sure it's the only one on the planet, but Dylan thought a volcano would be a nice thing to make. So, a Snow Volcano, it is!!

After the snow had stopped falling and the roads were starting to clear up, we headed out to meet Brian at the Conservatory to see The Enchanted Express, a garden railway exhibit, and the creative Gingerbread Houses in the Holiday Exhibit. It was a wonderful visit to the Conservatory, especially for the hefty price tag of FREE!

Today is bright, clear, and cold, and if it's possible to get out of the city (which we did this morning), it is a veritable winter wonderland around here!

Advent Tree: Day 6

2007-12-06T11:53:00.000-05:00

Matthew 1:18-25
The Birth of Jesus Christ

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us.

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Advent Tree: Day 5

2007-12-05T11:45:00.000-05:00

Jeremiah 23:5-6

The Righteous Branch

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’"

Advent Tree: Day 4

2007-12-04T11:40:00.000-05:00

Hebrews 2:14-18

Made Like His Brothers

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Advent Tree: Day 3

2007-12-03T11:35:00.000-05:00

Luke 2:1-7

The Birth of Jesus Christ

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Advent Tree: Day 2

2007-12-02T11:27:00.000-05:00

Hebrews 9:11-14

Redemption Through the Blood of Christ

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Advent Tree: Day 1

2007-12-01T21:00:00.000-05:00

Advent is here, and our "new" tradition of using an Advent Tree has begun. I thought I would share with you the Scriptures we are reading each night. If you were here, I would share with you one of our peppermint patties or caramels, but what I can share with you is really the most important part any ways.

In preparing the verses, I focused them around a couple of things --- the story of the birth of Jesus and what the Scriptures say about him. They are in no particular order... maybe that can be next year's goal.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Jesus, the Great High Priest

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

An Inadvertent Tradition: The Advent Tree

2007-12-01T13:11:00.000-05:00

Some traditions are well thought out, while others (and probably most!) really just occur inadvertently. So it has been with our Advent Tree...

It turned out that at each new home we've had since we got married, we needed a different Christmas tree! We started out with a 4 foot "apartment" tree with the few ornaments left over primarily from our single days. When we moved into the house we built in Houston, we needed a 9 foot tree to even come slightly close to filling the 12 foot ceiling we had in the foyer and the 10 foot ceiling in the family room. Then God brought us to Ohio, and he nestled us in this quaint little cottage-like house with a max ceiling of 8 feet... another tree was needed! Now, we have three trees, but we're not really sure where the 9 foot one is. Mom, do you have that one??

This leads me to the real reason of this post.... the Advent Tree! We always set up our main tree in our living room on the main floor. That's the one with the real ornaments, the special snowflakes that we collect each year, and the one where the presents camp out before Christmas Day! But the little 4 foot "apartment" tree has made its way into the basement (which is our family room) and into a new family tradition. It started a couple of years ago when I wanted to do an advent wreath. The idea is great --- light a candle on each of the four Sundays before Christmas during devotions --- but for a 2-year old, a once a week tradition probably wouldn't make a real significant impression. So, we elaborated on the idea of an advent calendar by creating the advent tree.

Everything on the tree is entirely homemade... even the star on top! The ornaments are containers of some sort which hold the Scripture reading for the day and a little treat... chocolate, of course!! Each night before bedtime, we sit down in front of the little tree --- gee, too bad there's no fireplace to go with it --- read the scripture, talk a little bit about it, pray, and eat the treats! For toddlers and preschoolers, the repetitive nature of doing this every single day seems to sink in more than the once-a-week advent wreath.

This year our verses are focusing on what Scripture says about Jesus Christ ... how he is the "image of the invisible God", "the radiance of God's glory", "the author and perfector of our faith"... you get the point... and it also includes the passages in Luke and Matthew that tell the story of his birth. The containers are homemade "boxes" that were made out of a template found on the internet, and tucked inside are chocolate peppermint patties and caramels.

As a mom, I have a love-hate relationship with this tree. I love the time we spend reading through the scripture and enjoying each other's company and the treats, but I hate putting it together. It takes work and lots of time (as do most traditions) to print out the little boxes, cut them out, research the scriptures, add the numbers, stuff them with treats, etc, but the rewards of speding 25 days learning about Jesus and sharing that with the kids is more than worth it!

Living away from our families is always tough during the holidays, but God has shown me that in moving me away, He has given me the chance to rewrite tradition. Some of the things we do are carry-overs from what Brian and I did with our own families as kids, but a lot of what we do is brand new... fresh vision that coincides with our personal desires to See and Savor Jesus Christ alone during a season that belongs to Him and is for His glory!

So later today --- December 1, 2007 --- we will open the first box and see what we can learn about the Saviour we want to savor...

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

~ Hebrews 2:14-18

An Unusual Christmas Wish List...

2007-11-21T17:59:00.000-05:00

Yesterday while we were driving to the grocery store, Dylan started talking about music. The conversation went a bit like this...

Dylan: I want to learn to play music, Mom.

Me: Oh yeah? Which instrument do you want to learn to play?

Dylan: The drums. But I need a lot of instruments for Christmas to learn to play.

Me: Which ones?

Dylan: Well, first --- you know --- I need a stage. It doesn't have to be a big stage. I only need a little stage. And then I need 2 guitars, one piano, a drum set. I think I need some microphones and amp-uh-friers, too. May I please have that for Christmas?

Me: That's a lot to ask for. What are you going to do with all that stuff?

Dylan: I need it to play the "Oh No Song" and "O Praise the One".

Me (silently to myself): I guess I need to ask for a sound proof room for Christmas!

Photo of David Crowder Band found here.

First you make a roux...

2007-11-20T14:16:00.000-05:00

Around here we have a golden rule: "No gumbo will be prepared in Mom's Kitchen until the daytime temperatures are mostly in the 40s." But today we are making an exception... It's Brian's birthday, and he requested chicken & sausage gumbo as his birthday dinner. So, on this very mild November day, a pot of gumbo is bubbling on the stove.

Most of you who read this blog, know what it takes to make a gumbo, and you've heard your Mawmaw tell you over and over again, "First you make a roux!" Here, folks have some strange ideas about what gumbo is, and they just don't understand how difficult it is to make when you are mommy to little ones. To get my gumbo started, I have to tether myself to the stove while I make the roux, and for chicken & sausage gumbo, I go for a seriously dark roux. This means I'm at the stove for about an hour before I can get the roux made and the gumbo back down to a slow simmer. So, a few weeks ago I invested in a "Gumbo Gate" to keep the kids out of the kitchen and away from the hot stove.

Thankfully today we timed it so that they were napping during that initial hour of cooking... and oh, the smell is so good. I almost don't feel like I'm in Ohio right now... And later tonight when Brian gets home, we will celebrate with our Louisiana gumbo chocked full of Manda Sausage, a chocolate cake from a local bakery, and some Texas Blue Bell Ice Cream... and we'll probably end our dinner with a little Community Coffee.

Why are all our favorite foods imported??

November nears it's end...

2007-11-19T20:41:00.000-05:00

November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettle sings,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring.
~ C. Watson

Happy Birthday Daddy...

2007-11-16T21:25:00.000-05:00

Last week my dad celebrated his 60th birthday, and for months, we had planned a special trip. Mom was to bring him up to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on a vacation intended for just the two of them. What he didn't know was that Lisa, Karen, and I (and of course Brian and the kids too) would also be there to celebrate... We surprised him entirely!

We spent a lovely week visiting with each other, watching the kids play, walking around Gatlinburg, and celebrating Daddy!

Nana, Pawpaw, and the Keikis

A heated game of checkers!

Stay tuned for another post about the sidetrip Brian and I made to visit the Biltmore!

First Flurries and Last Leaves...

2007-11-16T20:57:00.000-05:00

The first flurries of the season fell yesterday... a little bit later than last year. We were on our way to CBS, and when Dylan realized that a light snow was falling, he was more than thrilled. He got out of the car at Bible School, and very loudly and energetically, he jumped up and down announcing to everyone in the parking lot that he loved snow.

I even needed to pull out my down coat this evening when I left on a brief errand... only a few leaves remain on the trees... fall is nearing its end... oh, but there are so many leaves still to rake up! More on that later...

Back to Mopeytown...

2007-11-12T09:50:00.000-05:00

We're back from vacation... and living in "Mopeytown" right now. Trust me... you can spot a Buckeye fan a mile away just by the way they all seem to be moping around this week...

More on the vacation later...

Dylan's Coat of Many Colors...

2007-11-01T16:40:00.000-04:00

Community Bible Study has become a real highlight of our week. Dylan and Brooklyn really enjoy their classes each week, and Dylan has been having a lot of fun with the weekly craft. They are creative and applicable to that day's lesson, and here's a glimpse of today's craft...

Dylan's Coat of Many Colors

P.S. And here's a question... just how young is too young to start reading John Piper?

Dylan, caught looking at the The Legacy of Sovereign Joy by John Piper

The Lion and the Astronaut...

2007-11-01T16:29:00.000-04:00

Last night was pretty low-key for us. The kids dressed in their costumes, and we visited our neighbors. We did make it one street further than we have any other year! Just a couple of pics... The Astronaut costume seems to have become a regular part of Dylan's wardrobe... even if it's not dress-up day!

Resonate... launched!

2007-10-28T20:50:00.000-04:00

Has it really been 10 days since my last post? The past 10 days have been incredibly busy with preparations for launching Resonate, the new College & Young Adult Ministry at our church. This weekend has been full of activity, and now at the end of Sunday, I can look back in amazement at how things came together.

Last night we hosted a Chili Cookout for the group as a sort of celebration of the brand new class. We paired it with watching the OSU - Penn State game which was favorable for the majority of attendees... I think we only had 1 Penn State fan, and a couple of Red Sox fans who would have rather been watching that game! The night ended well past midnight, and no --- Dylan and Brooklyn were not there the entire time! We packed it all up, headed home, and set the alarms for a very early start.

The young adults are pretty used to going to the 11:00 service only, so this morning they were all in need of some good coffee to make it through the 9:00 am service. Community Coffee was the requested brew, but due to logistics issues, we had to settle for that which is provided in Bert's Cafe. Trust me, the day Community Coffee makes it up here to Ohio, there will much rejoicing in our household and by those friends of ours who have been introduced to CC's Dark Roast!

Between services, we got our room set up, and while putting the prayer request cards on the tables, I rather seriously said to one of my friends, "We'll probably only need these 2 front tables. I don't think we'll have that many people." To my surprise and delight, we needed 7 tables for the more than 30 people that came. The turnout was far more than any of us were expecting, and there were many who expressed an interest in getting plugged into a Small Group.

I could say so much more, but it's been a long weekend! Just know that God is working in this group and that we are just excited to be joining him where he is already working!

More to come later... but right now I'm planning to wrap up the evening. Mama doesn't do too well with less than 4 hours of sleep a night!

Direct Quote...

2007-10-18T15:23:00.000-04:00

"Mom... When I'm an architect, I'm going to need some white wood and some brown wood... to build a tower for the hospital. Can we go get some? But not right now, Mom, because I'm not an architect yet."

~ Dylan, following a visit to Children's Hospital where he saw a very detailed architectural model of the hospital complex. Obviously, it was lacking a tower, and who knows, maybe someday he'll design and build them one.

Back to the Patch...

2007-10-16T14:44:00.000-04:00

Our good friend Andrew came to visit us this past weekend, and we decided to head out to the Pumpkin Patch on Saturday morning. It was a beautiful day, and one of the only days lately to actually feel like autumn. The air was cool, crisp, and very slightly breezy... a perfect fall day!

For days leading up to our trip, Dylan was sure to remind us of last year's mishap at the pumpkin patch, and we're pleased to report that while the bees were plentiful, we ended up with no stings and no oversized lips! We did enjoy a hayride (while snacking on Kettle Corn... that stuff is so good!), a bonfire on which we roasted hot dogs, and of course, the arduous undertaking of selecting pumpkins from the patch --- 7 in total --- one for Mommy, one for Daddy, one for Dylan, one for Brooklyn, one for Riley, one for Unca Drew, and one that somehow just managed to get into the wheelbarrow! I guess they say you should always decorate in odd numbers, so maybe we're on the right track. The majority of them were small --- an important thing to note when paying by the pound!

Brooklyn was a little unsettled at first. After all, her only other trip to the pumpkin patch basically involved riding around in the sling all day, and I doubt that was very memorable for her. So she was hesitant at first, but after she decided that the patch looked like a field full of orange balls, she was fine... a busy body that ran Unca Drew all around the patch while Dylan and Brian picked out pumpkins and I went into the Country Market to look for pumpkin coffee. Eventually, we had to pry her out of the patch.

Somehow despite the constant movement of the two of them, we finally snapped a shot of them together.

And a bonus pic... from a return trip to the patch a couple of days later for some wonderful Amish cheese!

To see the more pictures from the patch, click here.

Apple Crisp...

2007-10-13T07:15:00.000-04:00

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wed to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking successive autumns."

~ George Eliot

Apples... apples... apples... Once the air gets a bit chilly and it's time to pullout the turtle necks and sweaters, then it must also be time to crank up the warm oven and bake a nice, hot apple crisp!

Andrew, or Unca Drew as the children refer to him, is in town this weekend, and we're lazily catching up and enjoying the brisk autumn weather. So, last night we heated up the stove and popped an apple crisp in to enjoy after dinner. Comfort food... at its very best!

Apple Crisp

8 apples (I used a combination of Granny Smith and Gala Apples), peeled, cored, and sliced
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup regular oats
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup butter, cut into small cubes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Toss sliced apples gently with 2-3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Place in prepared baking dish.

In another bowl, mix together flour, sugar, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add to this mixture the melted butter. Stir until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the apples, and dot with cubed butter.

Bake for 50 minutes until crisp is lightly browned and apples are tender. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Last night, the only thing our apple crisp was lacking was a side of Bluebell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream!

Song --- 'Cause I am the Mom

2007-10-09T09:02:00.000-04:00

Hey Moms... check out this video to get your day off to a laughing start.

Comedian Anita Renfroe has come up with the many things a mom says in a 24 hour period and set it to the tune of the William Tell Overture!

Hat tip to Carolyn McCulley at Solo Feminity for the drop dead funny find!

An ER kind of morning...

2007-10-08T13:21:00.000-04:00

It's Monday, and as of this morning, my schedule was full of things to do to get ready for our friend Andrew who is coming up from Houston to visit this weekend. He took us up on our offer to enjoy fall in Ohio, and we're really excited to see him again.

But back to Monday... now those of you who have known me for a while may somewhat recall that prior to becoming a mother and homemaker, I was an engineer. I love math and science... there I admit it!! That is important to know because you will understand my reaction when Brian came down to the basement this morning and said "I think Brooklyn might have eaten a battery!"

My first thought was "You've got to be kidding me... how in the world did she get hold of a battery?"

Brian said something like "She was playing with this light thing, and I'm pretty sure there were 3 batteries in it. I pulled one out of her mouth, and I have one in my hand, but I can't find the third one. I think she ate it." Immediately, I went into Mommy/former-Chemical Engineer mode and thought of all the problems that might result from eating a battery. In the base case, water and electricity just never mix... and that includes a battery inside your throat!

So... we searched the house and couldn't find the 3rd battery. Not wanting to waste too much time, I loaded the kids in the car and drove off to Children's Hospital. We checked in and the nurses at the front desk seemed rather concerned, expressing their need to get us back to triage as soon as possible. We waited maybe only 45 seconds before they took us back. They got her vitals, ordered an x-ray, and sent us across the very short hall to Radiology.

In Radiology, we sat... and sat... and sat... and sat. Obviously, they were not as concerned as the folks in the ER. Eventually, they got us to the x-ray room and we pinned Brooklyn down. This took only 6 adults --- one to operate the x-ray, three to hold down Brooklyn, and two to occupy Dylan.

That done... we were told to wait out in the hallway for the results. Meanwhile, the ER nurses found us in the hallway and were freaked out by why this x-ray was taking so long. They rushed us back to one of the ER rooms and did a few more evaluations of Brooklyn.

By this time, the kids were way past done with the whole ER/Hospital thing, and they were starting to get really restless. So... we read a book about Madeline going to Texas... and sang some hymns... and Dylan prayed for Brooklyn... and we read some book about a pig... and then one about a tree... and then the resident came in.

"Mam... we've looked over the x-rays, and we can't find a battery inside your daughter. I think she's going to be just fine." Brooklyn looked up at him, reached up for him, and jumped in his lap. He picked her up and she hugged him... it was really precious. He asked me how she got a hold of a battery, and I recounted the story (again!). He said, "You know, I've heard about this happening before, but had never seen it up until last week. I had another baby come in who swallowed the same kind of battery, and it's giving him a lot of serious problems."

As it turns out, those ChE instincts were not entirely inaccurate. A battery is among one of the most dangerous things a child can swallow. The saliva in their mouth and esophagus can react with the battery, causing it to short. When this happens, it can actually heat up and burn through the esophagus. So... beware of the gadgets around your home and be thankful that you have to get the screwdriver out every time the batteries go out on one of your kid's toys!

Now... they're all down for a nap, and I'm on a mission to find that 3rd battery!

"Like a shepherd He tends His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in His bosom;
He will gently lead those that have young."
Isaiah 40:11

((( resonate )))

2007-10-06T16:30:00.001-04:00

For the past several months, Brian and I, along with a team of wonderful young adults, have been working to begin a new ministry to the College & Young Adults at New Life. As a leadership team, we've been seeking the Lord for His vision and direction for this ministry, and after much prayer, thought, and hard work, we are almost ready to launch!

So...on Sunday, October 28th during the 9:00 hour, we will officially begin meeting as ((( resonate ))). Here's a glimpse into what we want to be all about...

((( resonate)))

WE EXIST to glorify God by pursuing Christ and proclaiming His renown in our generation and our world.

WE AIM to fulfill this calling

... through primary dependence on intentional prayer

... through engaging outreach to college students and young professionals

... through strategic fellowship events

... through regular exploration and application of God's Word

... through a zealous love for people, both locally and abroad

As a celebration of the beginning of this new ministry, we are also planning a Chili Cookout the night before we launch, and at this time, there are still many more things that need to be completed before that first class. As we cross your mind, we would appreciate your prayers

... that all obstacles to launching on the 28th will be removed or worked through

... that God would give Brian direction, energy, and insight as he begins to prepare the weekly lessons

... that those among us would awaken to God's glory and that their lives would reflect this

... that we would be a group who perseveres and endures for the sake of the Lord

By the way, the graphic above is just a "test" I've been working on. I'll post what becomes our official graphic later on... just for fun!

A New Pet Peeve...

2007-10-05T19:19:00.001-04:00

when you discover the most delightful new blog and there is no feed detected! The use of subscriptions makes keeping up with several blogs much easier, so everyone should be obligated to provide one to their readers, right?!?

A Birthday Trip to Write Home About...

2007-09-26T18:51:00.000-04:00

Mt. Rainier National Park

I celebrated my birthday last week, and as a rather significant part of my gift, my dear sweet husband gave me the chance to visit my friend, Bobbi, in Washington. I traveled alone for the first time since having kids, and the rest was much needed as was the visit with a God-appointed friend.

The Seattle area is an amazing place... a little bit for everyone! Big city, lots of water, mountains to hike, professional sports, and evergreens everywhere... beautiful! Oh --- and for Buckeye fans, a little bit of OSU football to make the deal sweeter! In fact, there were so many fans in Seattle on Friday that it felt more like being in Columbus on game day. Even the football team made their way to Pike Place Market to throw a few fish with the fishmongers.

I won't give a detailed account of the entire trip here, but I will provide a few collages to peak your interest in that part of the country if you have never been.

Tacoma

Pike Place Market

Safeco Field, Home of the Seattle Mariners
(another ballpark to add to my list)

From the Ferry to Bainbridge

Mt. Rainier National Park

Hymns: Ancient & Modern...

2007-09-26T12:57:00.001-04:00

This morning I started pulling out the fall decorations. I almost always wait until the final week of September to decorate, and here it is! Knee deep in pumpkins, gourds, and scarecrows, we decided to turn on a little music. Around here, we sing a lot of old hymns interspersed with a lot of modern worship music, so I scrolled through the ipod until I found this album --- Hymns: Ancient & Modern from the folks at Passion.

You know what... with songs like "O Worship the King," "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty," and "Fairest Lord Jesus," it made the perfect background music to prepare the house for a season of gratefulness.

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done."

1 Chronicles 16:8

Whiter than Snow...

2007-09-25T14:10:00.000-04:00

Today, a little child through her mother's blog reminded me of a wonderful hymn I haven't sung in a very long while. It bears a message I want a friend of mine, who has probably never read this blog, to hear. I want him to hear the last verse when Nicholson penned "Come now, and within me a new heart create; To those who have sought Thee Thou never saidst, No," and I want him to know that the Lord will not reject him... that with arms open wide, He will receive him into His family and create in him a clean heart.

I also want you to listen, read, think...

Whiter Than Snow
by James Nicholson
Composer: William Gustavus Fischer

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole, I want Thee forever to live in my soul; Break down every idol, cast out every foe; Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Refrain: Whiter than snow; yes, whiter than snow; Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain, Apply Thine own blood and extract every stain; To get this blest cleansing I all things forego; Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies, And help me to make a complete sacrifice; I give up myself and whatever I know; Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat; I wait, blessed Lord, at Thy crucified feet; By faith, for my cleansing I see Thy blood flow; Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait; Come now, and within me a new heart create; To those who have sought Thee Thou never saidst, No; Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

You can hear the instrumental version here.

Photo courtesy of allposters.com

White Fog I by Stan Shire

Tiny Bibles...

2007-09-24T12:18:00.000-04:00

I have a thing for tiny bibles so imagine my curiosity when I stumbled upon a post entitled "Itsy Bitsy Bibles" over at Bible Design and Binding. (Hat tip to The Gospel-Driven Church for the link!)

Since my senior year of college, I have had a string of little bibles, all small enough to tuck into my purse, backpack, or diaper bag. The thought of carrying around one of those 10 lb study bibles just doesn't sit well with me... after all, I am usually also toting a couple of 20-30 lb kids and their gear too!

So... this is my current "little" bible... a Valentine's Day gift from my dear husband. It's a mere 3.75" x 5.75" and the text is --- well --- not for the faint of sight!! It's an ESV, and I have completely enjoyed the transition away from my long-time NIV and even my much-loved NASB. You can read more about the ESV here, but John Piper summed it up when he said "The ESV satisfies the preaching, memorizing, studying, and reading needs of our church, from children to adults."

I'm just glad to know that there are others in the world who love their "little" bibles as much as I do and who hide God's word in their hearts (and their purses)!

Autumn is arriving...

2007-09-24T10:14:00.000-04:00

"Autumn is a second spring

when every leaf's a flower."
~ A. Camus

No... this isn't what our house looks like yet. We are still a couple of weeks away from the glorious changing of the leaves, but this morning when I stepped outside I noticed the Sugar Maple down the street had already begun it's quiet transformation.

This particular Sugar Maple is the first to change every year, and it's bright orange leaves burn with the announcement that Autumn has indeed arrived. This is the time of the year I cherish the most --- the cool, breezy days... the bright blue skies... the pumpkins, gourds, and hay bales... the difference between Ohio and Louisiana.

I miss "home" often because things there are familiar and the people are so dear to me and the food is so good, but each fall God brings me a special gift that He could never have given me had I not obeyed His call to follow. That gift is His incredible creation dressed in His glory and displaying the colors of fall.

So... check back later. As the brief, but glorious season of fall continues around our little house, there will be more pictures of God's glory on display for us to see.

You can also find the Fall Color Reports for Ohio here... the guest room is open!

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all."

1 Chronicles 29:11

Buckeye Candy...

2007-09-12T16:19:00.000-04:00

On weekends when the Buckeyes are playing, I am sure that peanut butter and chocolate sales across Central Ohio must hit an all-time peak. These candies are truly wonderful, and there's not a football watching party in this part of the country that doesn't feature a plate full of them, either homemade or bought at the local candy shop.

Tomorrow I'm heading out to Seattle to visit my dear friend, Bobbi, so the kids and I decided to make a batch of Buckeyes to take to her and her family. These little candies are the simplest thing to make, but they are a little bit time-consuming.

We mixed up our batch and started rolling them out into balls. Dylan decided that his should be a log rather than a ball, and then told me that he wanted to call his "Tiger Bait." I made a blob and said it was "Dawg Chow."

Brooklyn didn't care what shape hers was in as long as she could eat it as soon as possible.

Our friends in Ohio already know that our true loyalty lies elsewhere, so y'all don't fuss at me again for talking about the Buckeyes on this blog! If you want to make your own Buckeyes (or more appropriately called Tiger Bait for the majority of y'all reading this), here's the recipe we use:

Buckeye Candy

3 cups creamy peanut butter
2 sticks butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
about 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (adjust to desired consistency)
2 (12 oz) packages semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ bar of paraffin wax

Mix together peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar. Mixing it by hand seems to work the best. Form into 3/4-inch balls. For better results, refrigerate for 30-45 minutes before dipping.

Over a double boiler, melt chocolate along with paraffin wax. Using a toothpick, dip peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate until almost covered, leaving some of the peanut mixture exposed on top. (Just drop the whole thing in if you're making Tiger Bait and don't even worry about a neatly shaped ball if you're making Dawg Chow!) Cool on waxed paper. Refrigerate.

Makes about 10 dozen.

The Bucketheads...

2007-09-12T16:08:00.000-04:00

I think it is safe to say that we are a family of bucketheads... and this is without any prompting!

Dylan, age 19 months...

Brooklyn, age 17 months...

Seasonal Delights... new online magazine

2007-09-06T13:33:00.000-04:00

There is no season such delight can bring,

as summer, autumn, winter, and the spring.

~ William Browne ~

Simply by registering before the end of September, you can enjoy a free one-year subscription to the new online magazine, Seasonal Delights. I downloaded my free copy today, and it is full of wonderful fall-inspired recipes, crafts, and reading recommendations. Detailed instructions are given with every recipe and craft, and the entire magazine is full of beautiful, original photographs. Secure your subscription today by clicking here!

Seasonal Delights is a quarterly magazine. It is primarily designed for young ladies and their mothers, but can be enjoyed by anyone who loves celebrating the joys of each passing season.

Seasonal Delights is scheduled for four issues each year, in September, December, March, and June.

Seasonal Delights is published electronically as a PDF file, and is formatted for 8.5 x 11″ pages. It is a full-color publication, and is produced by Kelli and Phillip Winn.

The Combo Kids...

2007-08-31T20:18:00.000-04:00

There's a fun website that you can use to see who your child looks most like... Mom or Dad. So here are our results...

Dylan... looks like Mom by 5%

Brooklyn... looks like Mom by 4%

Guess that Sanders gene is running only slightly stronger... I do find i a bit funny since I've been asked on more than one occasion if I am their nanny. Something just doesn't fit when you see me carrying a fair-skinned, blue-eyed, blond hair baby girl...

I just did something I've never done before...

2007-08-31T15:59:00.000-04:00

I just went through my planner and marked off every Saturday between tomorrow and November 17th so that I would know when and where the Buckeyes are playing!

Oh my... am I catching Buckeye fever??

Happy Birthday, Dylan!

2007-08-25T15:03:00.001-04:00

He is officially 4 years old! As mentioned in a previous post, we took Dylan on a surprise birthday trip to Washington, DC to visit the Space Shuttle on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Dulles, VA. We all had a wonderful time, and it would take pages and pages to recount the trip in detail. I'll spare you the verbose description, and instead I'll let these picture collages speak for themselves. (click on the pictures to enlarge)

At the Capital

Space Shuttle Enterprise

Dylan in his Astronaut Suit

(thank you Auntie Cayenne... it was a wonderful gift)

Birthday Party in a Hotel

Can't Leave out Brooklyn

Washington, DC

Steelers vs. Redskins

Look Familiar, Mom & Dad?

Dylan's Top Ten...

2007-08-25T15:00:00.001-04:00

On our way home from Dylan's Trip, we asked him what he liked best about his birthday. This is what he came up with...

Dylan's Top Ten Favorite Things About His Birthday

10. Drinking chocolate milk with my birthday cake.

9. Seeing the paddle boats in the Tidal Basin... although he didn't get to ride one

8. Standing in the line like Pawpaw at the FDR Memorial.

7. Seeing all the water fountains at the FDR Memorial.

6. Seeing the place where Daddy asked Mommy to marry him (the Thomas Jefferson Memorial).

5. Seeing the "Tower"... known to most as the Washington Monument

4. Seeing the fireworks... at the Redskins/Steelers pre-season game

3. Riding the Subway... his favorite was the Green Line, but we didn't have the heart to tell him that we never actually rode on the Green Line

2. Getting a Space Shuttle

1. Seeing the Space Shuttle

Under Construction...

2007-08-15T12:03:00.000-04:00

Please pardon the mess (and missing links) as I make a few changes to this site...

I just got really tired of those sunflowers!

A Call for Coronary Christians...

2007-08-15T08:52:00.000-04:00

What kind of Christian are you? Marked by spurts of energy & fatigue or by endurance over the long-haul? Here's a thought-provoking quote from John Piper from his 2002 Taste & See Article, A Call for Coronary Christians.

I am glad for adrenaline; I suspect it gets me through lots of Sundays. But it doesn't do much for Mondays. I am more thankful for my heart. It just keeps on serving – during good days and bad days, happy and sad, high and low, appreciated and unappreciated. It never lets me down. It never says, "I don't like your attitude, Piper, I'm taking a day off." It just keeps humbly lubb-dubbing along.

Coronary Christians are like the heart in the causes they serve. Adrenal Christians are like adrenaline – a spurt of energy and then fatigue. What we need in the cause of racial justice and justice for the unborn is coronary Christians. Marathoners, not just sprinters. People who find the pace to finish the (life-long) race.

O, for coronary Christians! Christians committed to great Causes, not great comforts. I pleaded with you to dream a dream bigger than you and your families and your churches. I tried to un-deify the American family and say that our children are not our cause; they are given to us to train for the great causes of mercy and justice in a prejudiced, pain-filled, and perishing world.

By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: http://www.desiringgod.org/. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.

Photo Courtesy of Art.com

Hard Road to a Good Place...

2007-08-13T20:47:00.000-04:00

"In between one place and another, we're vulnerable to the discomfort of our transitory state. If the trip is long or taxing, at odd mile markers our restlessness overrides expectation, or even drifts into despair. When trouble comes we may wonder why we ever embarked at all --- or simply stop short of our intended destination, insisting (like the Israelites east of Jordan) that the spot we've settled for is adequate enough, thank you. The best of all journeys may be a hard road to a good place; perhaps fully experiencing the hard, unpredictable road helps us to recognize the good place when we
arrive."

~ Leigh McLeroy

The Beautiful Ache: Finding the God Who Statisfies When Life Does Not

Traveling the Countryside I

by Charlene Winter Olson

Photo Courtesy of Allposters.com

A Day at the Fair...

2007-08-10T18:39:00.000-04:00

Since were were already so hot from the A/C being out yesterday, we decided to head to the Ohio State Fair today. It's really amazing --- we've lived here for three years now, and this was the first time we've ever even considered going to the Fair. I'm not exactly a "Fair" kind of person --- I don't particularly enjoy walking around in the sweltering heat, I distinctly make a point not to ride portable roller coasters, and I don't really feel compelled to eat a deep-fried food on a very hot summer day.

However, this year one of the local model railroad groups added a layout of Thomas the Tank Engine and Sodor Island to their display. This got Dylan pretty excited, so I caved in and we made a trip to the Fair.

I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. The Fair was very well done! There was the typical Fair Midway complete with plenty of rides, lemonade booths, and deep-fried food and turkey legs, but there was also several very interesting exhibits about the agriculture and livestock of Ohio. And to sweeten the deal for me, there were lots of horse shows and the Budweiser Clydesdales. It was reminiscent of the Houston Rodeo in many ways and the Arabian Horse Shows at LSU that we attended as children.

We had a great time checking out the livestock (sorry, Daddy, we missed the "shoats" this year), watching a Retriever demonstration in the pond (Lisa, GT & Tex could have entered), getting the kids fingerprinted, eating kettle corn, watching the horse shows, and of course, seeing Thomas the Tank Engine!

The long, hot day came to an end with the Clydesdale team hooking up for their parade around the fairgrounds. The massive size and pristine condition of those horses always amaze me. After they took off, we made the long walk back to the car --- tired, smelly, and dirty. The ride home was strangely quiet. I made a few laps around Worthington to get a few additional minutes of this...

And just so you know... we returned to a wonderfully cool house thanks to our very timely A/C Repairman, Mark!!

Two Men on a Lake...

2007-08-09T15:32:00.000-04:00

You may be wondering why the increase in blog posts lately... the answer is very simple. Our A/C is out, and it's HOT!!! Normally, I spend the mornings doing my household chores and the afternoons out playing and exploring with the children, but the chores will have to wait. It is entirely too hot in this house to move a muscle. So, to feel productive (at least in my mind), I am catching up on posts that have been rumbling around in my mind all summer. Hopefully, the A/C will be fixed by the end of the day and my house can get a little attention tomorrow, but we'll see...

Last weekend, we went along with our Young Adult / College Ministry on their annual end-of-the-summer retreat. A couple in our church owns an amazing piece of property just outside of town that can perfectly accommodate our group. I went along with the primary function of cooking their meals, and Brian and Dylan went mainly to play and hang out. As we were packing up the cars that morning, we received a call that a medical emergency was going to prevent our leader's attendance, so Brian's duties increased slightly. We had a great weekend relaxing with friends and getting to know some of the college students before they head off to school.

Brian and Dylan had a wonderful little canoe trip on one of the lakes. Dylan even jumped out of the canoe by himself to go swimming, but I don't think it lasted very long --- not with enormous fish swimming just beneath the mirky surface.

So, once the A/C is working again, the posts may very well subside a little, but until then, I hope you've enjoyed getting a little caught up with our family. It's been a fun summer around here, and one of the trips which will be a highlight of the summer comes around next week.

Dayton Airshow 2007...

2007-08-08T10:12:00.000-04:00

A couple of weekends ago, we attended the Dayton Airshow. One of the main attractions was to be the Thunderbirds which Dylan was really excited to see. Unfortunately, due to a tragedy we'll never forget, the Thunderbirds didn't fly that day, but we made the best of the day. The children had a lot of fun, Brian got a terrible sunburn, and the B-2 bomber flew a rare flyby which was terrific highlight of the day.

Dylan sitting inside of the engine of a Delta 7-something-7

Thunderbirds during the engine test (this was LOUD!!)

David (Brian's dad)

Dylan at the USAF Museum

Brooklyn, who lost one of her shoes 10 minutes after we got to the Airshow

David & Mary (Brian's parents)

Jim Leroy's Bulldog

(This picture was taken only a couple of hours before he crashed.)

The Day I Fell in the Manhole...

2007-08-07T16:44:00.000-04:00

...also known as the day we visited the Topiary Gardens and the Park of Roses. However, I feel that I will most remember it as the day I fell in the manhole.

The story is long and somewhat boring, so let's just say that my entire left leg went into the manhole when the cover dislodged itself. My slip-on shoe plummeted 7 feet to the bottom of the hole, and I was left seriously bruised and wondering how in the world I was going to get my shoe back.

Then a very nice Frenchman and his wife came over. She was perfectly terrified at what had happened. I had my umbrella stroller with me, and she insisted very adamantly that her husband lay down on the grass, extend the stroller into the hole, and using the hooked handle, retrieve my shoe.

He and I exchanged silent looks. Mine said "You really don't have to go that far. The shoe isn't worth very much at all." His said, "Do I really lay prostrate on the grass in the middle of this beautiful garden to retrieve a perfect stranger's slipper?"

In the end, his wife won out, and I left with both of my shoes and the largest bruises I have ever had in my life.

The gardens were beautiful and the children had a wonderful time exploring. Here they are...

Jesus is my Rock(et)...

2007-07-31T19:50:00.000-04:00

For those of you who really know Dylan, this story will probably seem very commonplace. For those of you who don't, this will give you a clue to the one-tracked mind he can sometimes have.

Dylan is very much in a space shuttle/rocket/outerspace phase right now. He loves the space shuttle and can name more parts of the shuttle than most grown ups. If you ask him to count to ten, he will do so perfectly... backwards! He shakes and rumbles around the house as if it were about to blast off, and he is perfectly disappointed that he is too young for space camp.

Back to the thing that made me laugh today... While driving home from the grocery store, we were talking about how God gives us the Holy Spirit to help us. After stringing a few parts of our conversation together, he finally spoke up, and the conversation continued like this...

Dylan: How does the Holy Spirit get inside you? Does he go through Jesus? Well, does God live here on earth too?

Mommy: No, God lives in heaven. (Choosing to answer the simplest question of the three)

Dylan: Oh... well, is heaven here on earth?

Mommy: No (choosing to leave it at that)

Dylan: Is heaven up in the sky? Is it in outer space?

Mommy: Uh... (No answer... not really sure what to say at this point.)

Dylan: (long, thoughtful pause followed by a loud shout) WOW!! When I go to heaven to see God, I'm going to ride on a rocket!! I'll definitely need that astronaut's suit now, Mommy.

I guess the next conversation will need to include a more detailed explanation about how Jesus is the only rocket to heaven...

An Anniversary of Sorts...

2007-07-19T15:44:00.000-04:00

This month marks the third anniversary of our move to Ohio. If you would have asked me 5 years ago if I'd ever end up in Ohio, I would have laughed, figuring there would be no possible reason or opportunity for me ever to move to the Midwest. It's just not a place this Southern girl ever gave much thought, but the Lord has His ways and they are much higher than mine.

So, here we are... The road to Ohio was marked with much difficulty, and it proved to be a time where our faith in God was stretched farther than it ever had been before. We had deep roots in Houston and along the Gulf Coast --- family within a few hours drive, a brand new house that we had just built, friends with whom we had true fellowship, and a church that was vibrant, passionate, and in pursuit of making the name of Christ known among the nations. We had also just added a new member to our family, our son Dylan, who was born premature and was struggling to gain weight those first few months. In my mind, a move to Ohio seemed absurd.

For ten months, my husband traveled back and forth each week between Houston and Ohio while we waited for our house to sell. At times, we weren't sure if the move was going to happen, but God in His sovereignty worked all things out for our good and for His glory. Finally, after ten months, our house in Houston had sold, we had put down a contract on a house in Ohio, and we were making the long drive to the Buckeye State.

That was three years ago, and since then, I have come to love living here in Ohio. We've added another member to the family, a baby girl, and with two curious little ones, there is much to do around here.

A few months after moving, a friend from Houston had asked me if I had been able to see through God's eyes why we needed to move to Ohio. At the time, I hadn't, and to this day, I don't fully know why we are here. I do know there have been many blessings along the way, and God has used this time in my life to "work" on me affecting great change that wouldn't have happened otherwise...

Here are just a few of the blessings I count as a result from this move...

having my husband home every evening instead of the weekly long-distance commute he was doing

living in a small community that feels idyllic on an ordinary day

experiencing all four seasons and discovering that autumn is my absolute favorite time of the year (never had a true fall before!)

adding a baby girl to our family

being able to stay home with our children and being available to my husband without the additional distraction of an outside job

a cozy, quaint 1940's Cape Cod home that has plenty of quirks

neighbors that are like family to me

a small group that seeks to know God and bring Him glory through all that they do

Maple trees and apple orchards, raking leaves, enjoying summer evenings on the deck (it was always too hot in Houston to really enjoy this)

Daffodils, tulips, and hycainths in the spring

Blankets of pristine snow after a winter storm

And most of all, being right where God wants you to be