I sit here in tears. My niece shared her heart and a beautiful song in this post as she waits on the birth of her fourth baby. (Yes, I am not only an aunt, but a GREAT aunt...14 - almost 16 times! I can't believe I left that out of my 100 things!)
Oh, how this world hurts. Her heavy heart reflects my own. I have hugged my children tighter this week - thankful for the moments I have them to hold - and yet cry and pray for the hurting...and long so desperately for the return of my Lord.
This was the first time I heard the song she shared - "Glory" by Selah. I have played it many times since...and added it to my list of favorites. I found a video so I could share it with you.
"...Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:28
"He who testifies about these things says, 'Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" Revelation 22:20
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
100 Things
Ok, so since my blog anniversary, my bloggy friend Tara has been frequently reminding me that I am long overdue for a 100 things about me post. She even used her own 100 things post to do so. Apparently this is something you are supposed to do at 100 posts...but I was still a clueless newbie (still am!) then. So here it is...the much delayed (by exactly 100 posts!), long awaited (by at least one person!) 100 things about me!
1. I was born in a small town in Wisconsin
2. Moved to Florida when I was 7
3. Moved 6 more times before I turned 10
4. Didn’t move again until I got married at 21
5. I said I would never get married
6. Told my husband this (before he was my husband)
7. He didn’t believe me
8. I broke up with him a year before I married him
9. He still didn’t believe me
10. I thought he was going to ask me to date him again
11. But he proposed
12. I said, “Yes!”
13. Almost 8 years later
14. I am almost 30
15. I said I would be done having kids by the time I’m 30
16. Pretty sure I am
17. I also said Jesus would come back before I turned 30
18. Still waiting on that one
19. But would not be disappointed if He does
20. I have three beautiful children – ages 5,4 and 19 months
21. Love them to pieces
22. If we go to four, the plan is to adopt
23. Maybe from China
24. China holds a special place in my heart
25. I taught English there one summer
26. Left behind 16 pieces of my heart
27. Dealt with huge culture shock upon returning home
28. I have walked on the Great Wall
29. Rode in a train for 10 hours
30. Been on the news in China - twice
31. Been to a Chinese doctor – thankfully just once
32. I have eaten a 25 course meal – complete with pig tongue, pig ear, whole fish, frog legs, cow stomach, goose eggs, snake, octopus…and then I stopped asking…
33. My favorite food is still Chinese food
34. Right after chocolate
35. I have also been to Hawaii
36. And Alaska – but I didn’t get off the plane
37. I have spent a total of 6 weeks in various places in CA
38. And a week in Arizona
39. Summer has been on five airplane rides
40. And a 24 hour car ride
41. Than we had Connor
42. Haven’t traveled much since
43. I miss it a little
44. But I will have time for traveling in Heaven, if not before
45. When we do decide to brave a plane with three kids – we will go to Wisconsin
46. I miss my family
47. And cheese curds
48. I am counting on plenty of make-up time in Heaven
49. I am bad at keeping in touch
50. One reason I have a blog
51. And it’s just fun
52. I love comments (hint, HINT)
53. I am a reality TV junkie: American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance?, Beauty and the Geek, Amazing Race, Trading Spaces, Jon and Kate Plus 8, What Not To Wear...
54. Not much for movies
55. They are too long
56. But I will watch anything if I can cuddle up to Shawn
57. Just don't count on me staying awake
58. I will stay up until 3 am for a good book
59. Clothes are another one of my obsessions
60. I like to be subtly trendy
61. My favorite store is Delia’s
62. My favorite color is pink
63. Followed by lime green
64. My mother’s ring would have pink and green stones plus a diamond
65. If I had one
66. But I really don't like jewelry much
67. Shawn is rather happy about that
68. I am addicted to Target clearance
69. And coke in the morning
70. I like a coffee now and again
71. In the afternoon or evening
72. My brother taught me to drive
73. And I finally got my license when I was 17
74. After failing my drivers test once..maybe twice
75. Even though I had a 4.0 grade point average in school
76. I still hate driving
77. I graduated third in my class
78. On purpose
79. I hated the thought of a speech, but could still get a scholarship
80. I was a good student
81. But knew how to get out of what I didn’t want to do
82. I organized and led a drama ministry in high school
83. We performed at schools and churches
84. I also did street ministry
85. Most recently I have found a passion for women’s ministry
86. Particularly Bible studies
87. At age 5, I asked Jesus to come into my heart
88. So did my little girl
89. Finally at age 13, I let Jesus “take over”
90. And I haven’t been able to get enough of Him ever since
91. I love studying His Word
92. I love praising Him
93. I love seeing Him change lives
94. I just love Jesus
95. And I can't wait to see Him
96. But here and now, I long to share Him more boldly
97. Know Him more intimately
98. I long for His return
99. I can NOT wait until Heaven
100. But I will…
Friday, May 23, 2008
New Hair - The Long and Short of It
Chloe's new hair... (it's getting longer!)
Piggy Tails!! I have been waiting for this day since I found out I was having another girl! I loved fixing Summer's hair when she was a baby...just took a little longer for Chloe...to umm...get hair.Summer's new hair...(it's shorter - A LOT shorter!)
Five minutes (literally five minutes) before we needed to leave for church last Sunday evening, I walk into the bathroom to find Summer cutting her hair. She had cut both sides about ear level and now had a very dramatic mullet. In effort to help her look a bit better for church, I quickly cut the looong back hair. So sad, but there was no other way to fix it. I, rather she cried and cried. She didn't want it short, or at least ALL of it short.
"It's only hair," I assured myself...I mean her, "it will grow back." Between sobs, she asked, "Are you sure, Mommy? Are you sure it will grow back?"
When we returned home later that night, I did my best to fix it for school the next morning. For the first time my little girl was terrified to go to school. She was afraid people were going to call her a boy or laugh at her. (None of which happened.) The whole experience was quite traumatic for me, I mean her...I don't think (hope...pray) she doesn't attempt this ever again. At least not until completing "cutter girl" school.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Kayla's Birthday Party
A couple weeks ago Kayla celebrated her 6th birthday...mad scientist style! It was quite interesting and a huge hit with the kids. They learned a bunch and had fun at the same time! Does it get any better than that?!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Chores
I was faced again with the drastic difference between my boy and girl yesterday when Connor tried his hand at vacuuming his room for the first time. Summer has been vacuuming the girl's room for awhile now - thanks to a lightweight vacuum with an adjustable handle. She usually does her chores well, all the while insisting I call her "Cinderella". She takes her time and is pretty thorough for a five year old....a lot like Grandma, remember?
So when Connor asked if he could vacuum his room yesterday, I said, "sure". Even if he only gets it half done...that is still half done, right? I go to get the vacuum and come back to find him ready and waiting...with his safety goggles on. We turn the vacuum on and he is off...pushing it as fast as he can to the other side of the room. He crashes into the wall...turns around and does it again. No wonder he thought he needed safety goggles.
I had to have him pause and look at the camera or he would have been a blur. Other than that, he didn't stop once until I pulled the plug. I am not even sure he stopped then... just didn't have the vacuum anymore.
Sweet Chloe had to have a turn too...
Monday, May 19, 2008
Cross Centered Life
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ… Galatians 6:14
For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified… 1 Corinthians 2:2
If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you probably know by now, I find myself “obsessed” or passionate (is the term I prefer) about certain topics quite often. One usually leads to another. I like to think God is teaching me these things. My tabernacle obsession lead to me to want to know more about Heaven and that left me with a passion for the gospel…that led me to pick up this book: Living the Cross Centered Life - Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing by C.J. Mahaney.
I have reread parts of this book numerous times…so many huge truths packed into this tiny treasure. I skimmed over and searched the pages, trying to decide what I wanted to share on here…what I wanted to look back upon with only a click of the mouse…what I wanted to remember. I could pull a bit from nearly every page, but that would either bore those who have read it or ruin it for those who have not. I decided rather to share a good amount from two portions of the book that impacted me the most. These parts are the ones that drew my sobbing heart to the foot of the cross more than ever before. He had to endure it all because of me. And I would rise praising Him because He did endure it...and He endured it instead of me.
C.J. explains with great clarity God’s holiness, man’s sinfulness, our need of a Savior and why only Jesus could be that for us. This book helped me understand big words and big concepts such as justification, sanctification, legalism and condemnation. But my heart changed the most…moved the closest to the cross somewhere in the middle where C.J. takes chapters to explain all Jesus endured from Gethsemane to his last breath.
Here are only small portions of two of those chapters:
From Chapter Six: Staring into the Cup - The Shock of Gethsemane
“Remove this cup,” Jesus pleads in the garden. Isaiah 51:17 shows us this cup in God’s extended hand – it’s “the cup of wrath,” and for those who drink from it, it’s “the cup of staggering.” The cup contains the full vehemence and fierceness of God’s holy wrath poured out against all sin, and we discover in Scripture that it’s intended for all of sinful humanity to drink. It’s your cup…and mine. No wonder that when Jesus stares into this detestable vessel, He stumbles to the ground.
“Yet not what I will, but what You will.” As we watch Jesus pray in agony in Gethsemane, He has every right to turn His tearful eyes toward you and me and shout, “This is your cup. You’re responsible for this. It’s your sin! You drink it.” This cup should rightfully be thrust into my hand and yours. Instead, Jesus freely takes it Himself…so that from the cross He can look down at you and me, whisper our names, and say, “I drain this cup for you – for you who have lived in defiance of Me, who have hated Me, who have oppressed Me. I drink it all…for you.”
This is what our sin makes necessary. This is what’s required by your pride and my pride, by your selfishness and my selfishness, by your disobedience and my disobedience. Behold Him…behold His suffering…and recognize His love.
From Chapter 8: The Scream of the Damned - Our Savior's Worst Torment
"Why have You forsaken Me?"
Jesus is experiencing what you and I should be receiving - His Father's full and furious wrath. He's experiencing what every other human being in history deserves and what He alone does not deserve. And He's experiencing it alone.
He who for all eternity has never been alone is now wholly abandoned. Such utter desolation has never even existed before in all eternity, because of the infinite love and fellowship of the Trinity, which can never be broken. But now the incarnate Son must be forsaken by the Father...because the Father is holy, and there in the Father's sight is "the most grotesque display of ugliness imaginable," as R.C. Sproul termed it. It's the monstrous sight of the unbound totality of human sin resting upon one Man.
Jesus doesn't just feel forsaken; He is forsaken...It isn't a deceptive feeling; it's reality. In Gethsemane, when Jesus looked into the cup, this is what He had seen. This is what had staggered Him.
Why alone? He's alone so that we might never be alone. He cries out to God, "Why have you forsaken Me?" so that you and I will never have to make a similar cry. He was cut off from His Father so that we can boldly say, "Nothing shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus." He's forsaken so that we might be forgiven.
God, in abandoning His Son, is treating Jesus as a sinner so that He can treat you and me - who are sinners - as if were were righteous...all because of Jesus.
For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified… 1 Corinthians 2:2
If you have been reading this blog for any length of time, you probably know by now, I find myself “obsessed” or passionate (is the term I prefer) about certain topics quite often. One usually leads to another. I like to think God is teaching me these things. My tabernacle obsession lead to me to want to know more about Heaven and that left me with a passion for the gospel…that led me to pick up this book: Living the Cross Centered Life - Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing by C.J. Mahaney.
I have reread parts of this book numerous times…so many huge truths packed into this tiny treasure. I skimmed over and searched the pages, trying to decide what I wanted to share on here…what I wanted to look back upon with only a click of the mouse…what I wanted to remember. I could pull a bit from nearly every page, but that would either bore those who have read it or ruin it for those who have not. I decided rather to share a good amount from two portions of the book that impacted me the most. These parts are the ones that drew my sobbing heart to the foot of the cross more than ever before. He had to endure it all because of me. And I would rise praising Him because He did endure it...and He endured it instead of me.
C.J. explains with great clarity God’s holiness, man’s sinfulness, our need of a Savior and why only Jesus could be that for us. This book helped me understand big words and big concepts such as justification, sanctification, legalism and condemnation. But my heart changed the most…moved the closest to the cross somewhere in the middle where C.J. takes chapters to explain all Jesus endured from Gethsemane to his last breath.
Here are only small portions of two of those chapters:
From Chapter Six: Staring into the Cup - The Shock of Gethsemane
“Remove this cup,” Jesus pleads in the garden. Isaiah 51:17 shows us this cup in God’s extended hand – it’s “the cup of wrath,” and for those who drink from it, it’s “the cup of staggering.” The cup contains the full vehemence and fierceness of God’s holy wrath poured out against all sin, and we discover in Scripture that it’s intended for all of sinful humanity to drink. It’s your cup…and mine. No wonder that when Jesus stares into this detestable vessel, He stumbles to the ground.
“Yet not what I will, but what You will.” As we watch Jesus pray in agony in Gethsemane, He has every right to turn His tearful eyes toward you and me and shout, “This is your cup. You’re responsible for this. It’s your sin! You drink it.” This cup should rightfully be thrust into my hand and yours. Instead, Jesus freely takes it Himself…so that from the cross He can look down at you and me, whisper our names, and say, “I drain this cup for you – for you who have lived in defiance of Me, who have hated Me, who have oppressed Me. I drink it all…for you.”
This is what our sin makes necessary. This is what’s required by your pride and my pride, by your selfishness and my selfishness, by your disobedience and my disobedience. Behold Him…behold His suffering…and recognize His love.
From Chapter 8: The Scream of the Damned - Our Savior's Worst Torment
"Why have You forsaken Me?"
Jesus is experiencing what you and I should be receiving - His Father's full and furious wrath. He's experiencing what every other human being in history deserves and what He alone does not deserve. And He's experiencing it alone.
He who for all eternity has never been alone is now wholly abandoned. Such utter desolation has never even existed before in all eternity, because of the infinite love and fellowship of the Trinity, which can never be broken. But now the incarnate Son must be forsaken by the Father...because the Father is holy, and there in the Father's sight is "the most grotesque display of ugliness imaginable," as R.C. Sproul termed it. It's the monstrous sight of the unbound totality of human sin resting upon one Man.
Jesus doesn't just feel forsaken; He is forsaken...It isn't a deceptive feeling; it's reality. In Gethsemane, when Jesus looked into the cup, this is what He had seen. This is what had staggered Him.
Why alone? He's alone so that we might never be alone. He cries out to God, "Why have you forsaken Me?" so that you and I will never have to make a similar cry. He was cut off from His Father so that we can boldly say, "Nothing shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus." He's forsaken so that we might be forgiven.
God, in abandoning His Son, is treating Jesus as a sinner so that He can treat you and me - who are sinners - as if were were righteous...all because of Jesus.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
and you take a picture. :)
Monday, May 12, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Baby Cady at the Zoo
Last weekend, Michael and Alysa came up to visit for the first time as a family of three. We celebrated by taking baby Cadence on her first trip to the zoo. Her little 7 month old self, seemed to enjoy it very much indeed! And so did we!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Bloom
Shawn and a team of friends have been working really hard creating a video (a really good video, I must say!) to submit to an independent film festival. There will be 15 winners picked and awarded money (and a trip to Nashville!) to make another video.
And guess what?!?! You can help them win!! You can view the video here and then vote. The voting will be one of the ways used to determine a winner. After viewing, click on the link below the video to vote on it. This will take you to a page to register and after that you must go back to the original link where you watched the video (this one) and give it a bunch of stars!!
Seriously, leave your honest feedback. I know all the guys will appreciate it!
Thank you for your help!!
And guess what?!?! You can help them win!! You can view the video here and then vote. The voting will be one of the ways used to determine a winner. After viewing, click on the link below the video to vote on it. This will take you to a page to register and after that you must go back to the original link where you watched the video (this one) and give it a bunch of stars!!
Seriously, leave your honest feedback. I know all the guys will appreciate it!
Thank you for your help!!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
National Day of Prayer
So lets pray!
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:2-6
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:2-6
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