Exciting News!!!!

So there's at least 20 things I could catch up on in bloggy land, but it's getting late, and this one's important, so I'm going to focus on just one :)

On Monday, September 28, 2009, Ezekiel decided to sing "Happy Day" by Fee. It goes a little like this...'O, happy day! Happy day! You washed my sins away! O, happy day! Happy day! I'll never be the same!..." So I asked Ezekiel, "What does it mean to have your sins washed away?"
Ezekiel: "You get baptized and ask Jesus into your heart."
Mommy: "Do you have Jesus in your heart?"
Ezekiel: "No, but Daddy hasn't..." (not sure I remember, but it's not important :)

I went on to let Ezekiel know that this was a very important decision that he needed to make, so we wanted to let him come to us to talk about it--we totally did not want to pressure him into anything. So I asked him if he wanted to talk to Daddy and I about it that day. Why, yes, he did :) So that night after our bedtime prayers, Ezekiel asked Jesus to come into his heart!

We had a wonderful family day together on Tuesday, then Wednesday morning we had a baptism service in our bathtub. The church baptistry seemed a little daunting (and deep!), so we had a holy, intimate moment right here, but I caught it on video because we wanted to share it with you!



Daddy and Mommy are so proud of your decision, Ezekiel!

I'm long overdue...

but we've gotta start somewhere. The garden pictured in the previous post looks much different today. Our corn, broccoli, sugar snap peas and lettuce did really well and are done growing so they all got uprooted this afternoon--who knew lettuce would be so easy and corn so hard to uproot??? I guess their size should have given me some clue, but I'm not always as smart as I look--haha! Our poor, poor watermelons had to be uprooted before we could harvest a single one. A wise word to any who would be looking to plant a garden/seedless watermelon next year--you must plant a seedless watermelon ALONG WITH a seeded variety. Something to do with pollination and how they have to alter the seeds to produce a seedless melon. I was so sad! Ezekiel requested watermelons and Isaiah requested strawberries and we got neither! Out of the 25 strawberry plants I planted, only 1 (no that was not a typo, that's ONE) plant grew. I tell you that was one expensive plant! Plus, strawberries don't tend to produce the first year they are planted, so we should have some next year, but no fruit for my boys right now. Bummer.

Life continues to move at lightning speed, although Craig is moving much faster than the boys and I this week. We had our first day of school on Wednesday (the same day the public schools began), then again today, so my Tuesday was spent lesson planning and reorganizing like a madwoman, but we got it done and now we get to rest tomorrow. The boys are already looking forward to the weekend.

Our ladies' small group study of Esther has been so much fun and so very insightful. God continues to teach me the importance of timing, waiting, and the value (and detriment) of our words. But that above all, He is working for our good, He loves us, He is totally prepared to fight for us, and He already proved His loyalty by dying for us. WOW! The LORD is an amazing God, so faithful and trustworthy. May I bring Him glory in my everyday actions and attitudes.

Have you learned anything worth remembering lately? Maybe we can learn from each other!

I've been dying to get some pics of our garden on here, and since we're short on time, I can just show a few, but here goes...
If you look closely you can see

broccoli growing

a baby cucumber (between the flower and the stem)

a baby watermelon

Isn't it amazing!

Stay with it!!!

Okay, ladies, I am so glad you had a great study tonight! I know a few of you couldn't be there, but hopefully you'll be able to make it next week :) Blogwise...I know not everyone is at the same part of the prayer study--don't worry about that, okay?! The main thing is that you're learning and growing and if we're sticking with this together that's gonna happen. Please don't ever NOT come to a meeting because of not doing your homework--not a good excuse. Let it be an encouragement to get the stuff done, but not to prevent attendance. Over this next week go ahead and take the time to finish the prayer study. Feel free to copy and paste the study into a word document and print it out if you're not on the internet/computer very often, then you'll have it with you whenever you have your quiet time. IF you are caught up on the prayer study, great! I would love for you to continue journaling (writing/typing) your prayers in the format we studied, but begin reading through the book of Ruth--it's only 4 chapters long and the only other book in the Bible with the title of a woman. Like Beth said, totally different story, but still about a woman. Take note of any tidbits of info you've never noticed before. Ask the who/what/when/where/why questions after and during your reading. I would encourage you to break it down into 5 days:
Day 1-Chapter 1:1-18
Day 2-Chapter 1:14-2:16
Day 3-Chapter 2:14-3:6
Day 4-Chapter 3:5-4:6
Day 5-Chapter 4:5-22

Again, please don't feel like you need to do the prayer study, read Ruth, and do Esther. That's way too much! There's no Esther study until Friday, July 3--so don't do that this week. I would like for you to complete the prayer study--if you don't get to Ruth, that's completely fine, but do continue to journal your prayers each day, even if you're not doing anything else--God wants to hear from us!

Okay, I'll let you be--I've thoroughly enjoyed this last week of study, I love you all and can't wait to meet will you again--have a great Friday and weekend!

Day 7: What about thanksgiving???

God forgives us, accepts us as His children, allows us to enter into His holy presence because of Jesus’ sacrifice and gives us a new life, mind and heart. We have everything to be thankful for—even difficulties. Tough as they may be, we can thank God for His constant presence and understanding. (paraphrased from Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, page 1023)

Here’s what Beth Moore has to say on giving thanks: “What about thanksgiving? Philippians 4:6 says, “in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Incorporate thanksgiving into every aspect of your prayer time. As you PRAISE, thank Him for choosing to reveal Himself to you. As you REPENT, thank Him for His faithfulness to forgive your sins. As you ACKNOWLEDGE His lordship, thank Him for being so trustworthy with His authority. As you INTERCEDE, thank Him for being your Great High Priest and adding power to your petitions. In SUPPLICATION for yourself, thank Him for knowing you intimately and desiring that you know Him. As you ask for EQUIPPING, thank Him for never calling on you to do anything He will not readily equip you to accomplish. In EVERYTHING, THANK HIM!” Whispers of Hope page 7

Take note of the thankfulness in these passages:

Psalm 136:1-26

Colossians 3:17

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Was there anything about this study that was new to you? Any favorite lesson? Take time to journal your prayer today, including all 6 steps of P.R.A.I.S.E. as well as incorporating thanksgiving. May we treasure the truth that ours is a God who loves us immensely and desires relationship with us. May our hearts and minds continue to expand to embrace the richness of His love!

His Word is a Light on our Path

Just a reminder: Keep a lookout for verses you are reading that speak to your heart, ones that resonate with you, and jot it down--perhaps in your Esther workbook, or on an index card to carry with you or use as your Bible study bookmark. I want to hear about any you may find when we meet next! I know our study of the Word delights our God--may we continue to bring Him more joy!

Day 6: Equipping

“Supplication for self helps us KNOW God; this step assists us as we grow in our capacity to SERVE God. Conclude your prayer time by asking Him to equip you in every way for a victorious day. You’re cleansed and prepared for His full habitation, so ask Him to fill you with His Spirit, to make Himself “conspicuous” in you and to make you victorious over the evil one. Ask Him to give you eyes that “see” Him and ears sensitized to “hear” Him. Ask Him to give you a heart to respond when He opens a door of opportunity. Ask Him to empower you to witness as He leads! Invite Him to equip you with the power of the heavenlies—a double portion of the Holy Spirit. “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” ASK HIM FOR IT ALL! May God fold His everlasting arms around us one day in Glory and say, “This child withheld nothing from me.” Beth More from Whispers of Hope page 7

Like yesterday, note the idea of each verse after you’ve read it:

1 Kings 3:9-10

Matthew 7:7

Matthew 21:21-22

John 14:12-14

James 1:5-8

I don’t know about you, but I need help in accomplishing all that is before me—my mind easily wanders, I’m not smart enough, my tongue gets me in trouble, I dawdle/piddle (however you call it—procrastinate by finding other things to do). I’m not looking for human sympathy, but I do need divine intervention or I will fail miserably. Psalm 37:23-24 tells us, “The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.” My ‘to-do’ list may or may not get done, but I know, if I have acknowledged the LORD’s authority over me this day, He will direct me. I still may stumble, but He’s still got me by the hand. Time to turn to your journal—let’s go through all 6 steps today—Praise—Repentance—Acknowledgement—Intercession—Supplication for Self—Equipping. May you be blessed through your honesty with our Creator!

Marriages...

Yesterday, as I was thinking about intercession, I began thinking of how I break down the big things I pray for.  Each day has its own particular requests I ask God's help for (certain people who may be in the hospital or have another immediate need).  But, since there were so many big things, I thought it would be helpful to follow Beth's advice and break those down into manageable bits, so I thought of a word that began with the same letter as the day I'd pray for it on--it sounds confusing as I'm typing, so let me just show you:

Sunday--I pray for the SALVATION of those I know need Jesus, and those I don't even know of yet.

Monday--I pray for the MARRIAGES of friends, family and around the world.

Tuesday--I pray for TEACHERS--of public schools, private schools, home schools, colleges & universities, Sunday schools--it's vast and I don't always mention all of them specifically.

Wednesday--I pray for WORLD LEADERS.  Anyone from a police officer/firefighter to the president of our country and others.

Thursday--I pray for THIS SUNDAY'S services--the message and the many preachers who will be delivering it, the worship leaders, Sunday school teachers, volunteers.

Friday--I pray for FREEDOM for the many that are enslaved in sex-trafficking, child soldiering, and those held captive for reasons I am not aware of.

Saturday--I pray for SOCIAL INJUSTICES--poverty, hunger, slavery, AIDS (specifically in Africa)--that God would rise up people like me and you to make a difference in this world for Christ.  Also I pray for humanitarian organizations like World Vision and Compassion to have success in their work.

These are examples, and I don't necessarily pray for each of these things on every day that I set aside for them, but it gives me a great way to remember the big issues and to not get absorbed by my own little world.  Feel free to divide your BIG stuff into categories, too.

But back to the beginning, because yesterday was Monday, I was thinking about marriages and praying for yours--and those of you who are not married, I prayed for your growth in Christ and your future husband.  The enemy desperately wants to destroy our marriages--to lie to us and convince us it's his/her fault.  When times are tough, we have to own up to our own shortcomings, apologize and ask for forgiveness.  We have to offer forgiveness and let God do the rest.  God gave us marriage so we could see His great love for creation in our love relationship.  Praise You, God!  There will be tough times, but He will see us through.

My last thought, we have been following Jon & Kate Plus 8 a little lately and have been discouraged by one main thing.  They are both doing all they do for their children.  It sounds okay, but it falls so short.  We have to love our husbands more than our children.  We have to love our Jesus more than our husbands.  If you are not at this point, I pray you will soon come to this level of love.  If we live our lives for anything less than Christ, it's foolishness.  Craig, my husband, and I are so passionate about marriages.  Just know this--when you are following God and seeking to know Him more, the enemy will attack, and most often he attacks the family.  May you receive encouragement knowing you are not alone--timing may be different, but the enemy wants to take us all down.  And for those of you who are enjoying a wonderful time in your marriage/singleness right now, may you praise God and strengthen your relationship with your God and your husband and look out for the enemy's traps.  Oh, how I love each of you (especially my Bible study gals) and I can't wait to see you again soon!

Father, please strengthen our marriages--when communication breaks down, help us to have patience to figure the thing out.  When disappointment creeps in, allow us to find hope in You.  When deep hurt cuts our hearts, may You heal us teach us to love without conditions.  Teach us to love like You do--to make the choice to be faithful and respectful even if we don't feel it.  Because You ARE faithful, even when we're not (2 Tim. 2:13).  Praise You, Jesus, for not leaving us alone.  I love you!

love,

me

Day 5: Supplication for Self

To supplicate is to make a humble request, so today we move along in our prayer to our requests for ourselves.  God does not answer every request we bring to Him in the way that we desire.  Some reasons include:  our disobedience, pride, lack of faith, or double-mindedness.  On the other hand, God promises to answer (though the answer may be different than what we had in mind) when we feed the hungry and stand up for the oppressed, when we believe that we will receive what we ask, when we forgive others, when we obey God’s commands, and when we pray in the Spirit.  God knows best and will answer in what is best for us—not just what sounds good to us. (paraphrased from Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1023)

“Now enter into a time of prayer for yourself.  I wholeheartedly disagree with both those who say we shouldn’t pray for ourselves and those who make us feel selfish when we do.  God has called each of us to love Him, serve Him, and live holy lives.  I need help to live that life!  We can only know Him intimately when we bring Him our innermost thoughts, fears, hurts, gains, losses and desires.  This is a time when I just talk to Him.  I ask Him to give me a heart to love Him more and to fill any empty or handicapped places in my heart with the safety of His love.  I discuss with Him my tendencies and any weaknesses I’m experiencing.  I share my needs and desires.  I use this as a very personal time between the two of us.  I hope you’ll do the same.  Pour out your heart to Him for God is our refuge (Ps. 6:8).”  Beth Moore from Whispers of Hope page 7

Isaiah 58:6-11

Mark 11:22-26

John 15:7

1 John 3:21-23; 5:13-15

Honesty—we want it from other people and God desires the same from us.  Find that paper or journal, praise Him, confess, acknowledge Him, intercede for others and be honest with Him about your heart and mind—don’t be afraid to ask God to fill you with more of Him and more of His love, strength, focus, _______.  He is so faithful!

Day 4: Intercession

Intercession and petition as defined by Webster:

Intercession—an interposing (intervening, influencing) or pleading on behalf of another person.

Petition—a formally drawn request…addressed to a person…in authority, soliciting some favor, right or other benefit; a respectful or humble request, as to a superior; a supplication or prayer.

“The sinful nature of this world separates human beings from God.  It has always been necessary, therefore, for righteous individuals to go before God to seek reconciliation between Him and His fallen creation—examples: Abraham speaking to God on behalf of Sodom, Moses petitioning God on behalf of the Hebrew people, Christ’s prayers on behalf of Peter, His disciples and those who crucified Him.  Christ continues to intercede for His church.” Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (602-3)

Beth Moore’s words on intercession:  “Pray for others!  I’m overwhelmed by how many people need prayer.  The list never ends!  If you have a long prayer list, you might divide the list into days of the week.  We probably pray more effectively over five or ten needs per day than fifty!  Ask God to burden your heart with the specific people He wants you to intercede for each day.  Intercessory prayer really works!  Here’s a tip:  we save time when we don’t tell God how to answer the prayer!  God doesn’t need our list of solutions.  When Mary, Christ’s mother, went to Christ with a petition in John 2:3, she simply stated the need.  She knew He was God.  Who could be more qualified to analyze the problem and apply the solution?” Whispers of Hope page 7

Romans 8:34

Hebrews 7:25

Who intercedes for us?  Makes requests to God on our behalf?

1Timothy 2:1-4

1 Peter 2:9

So…Christ petitions the Father, seeking reconciliation between creation and Creator.  He does this for us—He is our High Priest.  But it doesn’t end there, 1 Peter tells us that as Christ-followers we are chosen and we are a kingdom of priests—we have the high privilege of intervening on behalf of our family, friends, leaders, and even those we do not yet know—asking God a favor or request for them.  Now to your paper—praise God, repent, acknowledge His power and authority, and intercede for people you know who need help or direction…3-2-1-go!

Day 3: Acknowledgement

Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines knowledge as ”the truth or facts of life that a person acquires either through experience or thought.  The greatest truth that a person can possess with the mind or learn through experience is truth about God.  This cannot be gained by unaided human reason.  It is acquired only as God shows himself to people—in nature and conscience; in history or providence; and especially in the Bible.” (737)  Webster’s Dictionary defines acknowledgement as “recognition of the existence, truth, authority, or validity of something.”  Therefore, in our acknowledgement of God we are recognizing the existence, truth, authority and validity of God’s ability to take the reigns in our lives.

Hear what Beth Moore has to say on acknowledging God:  “Having praised Him and been purified by Him, you are ready to submit to God’s authority.  Acknowledge His right to rule and reign in your life everyday.  Then willingly and DELIBERATELY submit yourself to His lordship—ONE DAY AT A TIME.  Any day not surrendered to the authority of the Holy Spirit will automatically be lived in the flesh (see Gal. 5).  Acknowledging God’s specific authority over your personal life is not the same things as praise.  We can praise God all day long with our lips yet never deliberately surrender to His lordship with our hearts.  Often in this part of my prayer time, I acknowledge how trustworthy He’s been with His authority in my life.  I recall how He has never misled me and that He calls upon me to submit to Him for MY SAKE…not for His.  However you may word it, I urge you to make a specific point of acknowledging Him as Lord; voice your choice to bend your knee to Him.  You might also ask Him for an immediate awareness when you are departing His authority.  Acknowledge God’s goodness to you in the past and thank Him for His faithfulness during times you’ve allowed Him to be the uncontested Lord of your life.  This is a very important step.  Please don’t skip it!” Whispers of Hope page 6

Let’s read these verses of scripture:

Psalm 91:14-16

Proverbs 3:5-6

Hosea 6:3

Matthew 10:32

1 John 4:15

Do you believe God is big enough to take care of the world, but also to take care of you?  Grab that paper and begin your prayer today—first with praise, then repentance, then acknowledge God’s authority in your life.  If you like, please share a way God has proven Himself trustworthy in your life!

Day 2: Repentance

As defined in Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, repentance is “a turning away from sin, disobedience, or rebellion and a turning back to God…In Jesus’ preaching of the kingdom of God (we) see the truth that repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin:  by repentance, one turns away from sin; by faith, one turns toward God in accepting the Lord Jesus Christ…This type of repentance leads to a fundamental change in a person’s relationship to God.” (1077-8) “Awareness of God’s holiness leads to consciousness of our own sinfulness…By sinning we hurt ourselves and those closest to us; but first of all, and worst of all, sin is against God (Ps. 51:4).”  When we repent, or confess our sins to God, He is faithful to His promise to forgive us and restore our relationship with Him—we get rid of interference in the connection.

Beth Moore’s words on repentance:  “After you’ve spent several minutes in praise and worship, enter a time of confession and repentance.  I teach this sequence because in Matthew 6:9, 12 Christ taught the disciples to “hallow” God’s name first, then ask for forgiveness for sin.  However, I’ve experienced times when my heart was too full of sin and conviction to begin with praise.  You probably have, too.  Sometimes, based on Isaiah 59: 1,2, you may need to begin your prayer time with repentance rather than praise.  The Isaiah passage indicates that, when we have rebelled against God, all He wants to hear is repentance.  David’s prayer in Psalm 51 is an example.  His life had been so full of sin, his prayer of repentance simply started with the words, “Have mercy upon me!”  As you become increasingly sensitive to the Holy Spirit, you will discern times when your prayer life needs to begin with repentance rather than praise.  Your heart will feel burdened with sin and anxious for relief.  NO MATTER WHAT, practice a time of confession and repentance DAILY!!  We gain victory over sin by allowing God to treat our problems in their earliest stages.  Resist letting anything build up.  Confess sins of the thought life such as wrong motives, negativism, a critical spirit, or even right words with a wrong heart.  Let God catch things in early stages so we can be Spirit-filled people on a DAILY basis.  Remember, the only thing whiter than snow is a freshly cleansed child of God! (Ps. 51:7)” Whispers of Hope page 6

Look up and read these passages:

Jeremiah 15:19  (Note: “serve” is literally “stand before”—an appropriate posture for an obedient servant—footnote in Archaeological Study Bible, 1218)

2 Corinthians 7:8-11, especially verse 10

Revelation 2:5

True repentance clears the air and removes obstructions that may be between me and God.  Is there anything you began doing when you first came to know God’s saving love for us that you have since given up?  Perhaps you were more grateful, more forgiving of others, more bold to share this newfound love with anyone you met.  May we keep the space between us and God clear by reflecting daily on where we want to be and honestly asking God for forgiveness where we fall short.  Grab that notebook or paper again, and take some time to praise God, then enter into your time of confession and repentance.  God accepts us where we are, but longs to teach us and take us to a destination beyond our wildest dreams!

Day 1: Praise

Dearest visitors,

We will be using this blog for Bible study purposes for much of the summer--please feel free to come along if you so desire--we'd love to have you join us!

Through His marvelous love,

Audrey

Over the next week our study will be on the P.R.A.I.S.E. format for journaling our prayers.  Praise.  Repentance.  Acknowledgement.  Intercession.  Supplication for self.   Equipping.  In her prayer devotional, Whispers of Hope, Beth Moore says, ”I’m certain of two things:  prayerless lives are powerless lives, and prayerful lives are powerful lives.  May God “teach us how to pray” (Luke 11:1) and may we be willing to learn!” 

So before we take off on the “P” of our acrostic, let’s be sure we have a firm grasp on what prayer is.  Prayer is communication with God.  Because our God is personal, anyone can speak or pray to Him, however the most meaningful and effective prayer comes from a believer with a faithful heart.  (Believer—one who believes God is our Creator and Sustainer who sent Jesus to pay the penalty we deserved.  Faith—placing your trust in the Jesus of history and the teachings of the Bible.)  Although there are many good things we can do in this world to help others, those good deeds cannot replace prayer—we need this time to speak with God and to continually focus our lives on Him.   (paraphrased from Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1022)

Alright, let’s begin with praise.  Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines praise as “an act of worship or acknowledgement by which the virtues or deeds of another are recognized and extolled.  Our praise toward God is the means by which we express our joy to the Lord.  We are to praise God both for who He is and for what He does.” NNIBD (1022-3)

Adoration—praising God for who He is.

Thanksgiving—praising God for what He does.

Read Psalm 150:2 and note which parts of this verse express adoration and which express thanksgiving.

“Praise of God may be in song or prayer, individually or collectively, spontaneous or prearranged, originating from the emotions or from the will…We speak well of one whom we highly esteem and love.”  NNIBD (1022-3)

Listen to Beth Moore’s call to praise from Whispers of Hope:  “Begin your morning prayer time with praise.  Psalm 22:3 tells us God inhabits the praises of His people.  Sincere praise from your heart will invite God to pull up His chair and become your audience.  You might repeat to Him a few of the attributes the Word records for Him.  Tell Him Who He is!  God already knows but He’s wanting to make sure we know.  Praising God helps remind us He is fully able to do anything we could ask or think according to His will.  Tell Him how great He is and why you thing so!  You might repeat to Him the words to a hymn or worship chorus.  Don’t try to fit into a mold.  Just praise Him with your heart.” 

Look up and read these verses:

Deuteronomy 32:3

Matthew 21:14-16

Luke 2:13-20

Hebrews 13:15

Who can praise God?  Absolutely everyone!

What can you praise God for today?  Please take some time right now to post a comment for something you praise (or adore) God for, then grab a notebook or sheet of paper and begin telling God just how great you think He is!

Praise You, Holy Creator, for the marvelous pictures You paint for us daily.  Your love is so unending.  You continue to seek our best even when we're at our worst.  Thank You for Your infinite mercy, thank You for desiring a relationship with ME, thank You for orchestrating this whole summer Bible study.  You alone could do such a thing--You are Good!!!

love,

me

So Begins Something New...

well, not entirely new, but a new season.  Of Bible study that is.  I have the privilege of studying with close to 20 women and ladies this summer--all of us digging into the book of Esther to see what God has to show us and what He has planned for us.  I'm sure there'll be many surprises!  Each time I've met with them so far, I look forward to the next meeting the moment they're gone!  God's Word does wonderful things in bringing people together.  People from different backgrounds, different occupations and different aspirations.  Jesus wants to unite us all!  To fight for love and hope and peace and all sorts of other good stuff.  And that's how I tell our boys we give the enemy a good punch in the face--by keeping on doing good, even when we're tempted to do bad.  Through Christ Jesus, our LORD, we are more than conquerors...and by the end of this journey we will all be dangerous women whom the enemy should fear.  He has no power over us.  May we continually relinquish our lives to our Mighty God who will do more in us than we can even imagine.  Glory!

P.S.  I won't promise that my noodly brain (Craig and I read a book that said men's brains are like waffles and women's are like spaghetti--each thought flowing to another!) won't jump from one subject to another on this screen, but I do promise to be honest :)

Nashvill* 4Africa

So Craig surprised me by getting us tickets to the Nashvill*4Africa benefit on April 22 (in Tennessee).  We had so much fun!  My parents had our boys for a few days and we had an extended date :)  We stayed at the Hilton right across from the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.  We found out Third Day, David Crowder, Mark (from Audio Adrenaline), and a couple other christian bands I don't remember the names of were staying here as well--very cool!

We headed to Jack's Bar-B-Que for dinner--Craig had looked up area restaurants before we left and they are said to have the best BBQ in the area/Nashville--their food was delicious!!  And we didn't pay that much, either :)  (sorry, I couldn't figure out how to turn the picture--anyone willing to give a pointer???)

We had plenty of time after dinner to walk around downtown for a bit and just enjoy being together--it was a blast!!A view of Schermerhorn from our hotel room--beautiful!!
And our favorite part of the trip--the music!!  Especially the African Children's Choir--they're so talented!  They sang with musicians like Keith Urban, Damien Horne, Dierks Bentley, Ashley Cleveland, The SteelDrivers, Big Kenny, and.....FAITH HILL!  I am a huge Faith Hill fan and when Craig saw that she and Africa would be combined in something he knew we had to go.  Third Day and Jars of Clay played, too, along with Brad Arnold, Ben Moody and Brandon Young.  We were familiar with about 4 of the artists/bands but they were all SO talented!

I'll leave you with one final clip--the African Children's Choir singing a blessing from Deuteronomy over all in the hall--"may the LORD bless you and take care of you."

Amazing that children from a nation so far in poverty would care to sing blessing over a nation so blessed--but they know Him, our Hope and our Deliverer.  Awesome!!

Ball Games, Gardens & Chefs

Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures soon, but we kicked off our t-ball season with a bang last Saturday--complete with pictures, parade, 2 full innings of hitting and fielding and HOT DOGS!  Normally I don't much care for hot dogs, but Craig grilled these lowfat turkey hot dogs and we had wheat buns, so I felt a little bit better about eating them (that's right, I ate 2--and I wasn't the only one!!) and that made them taste so much better :)

The boys had a blast and were requesting to play certain positions, which the coaches allowed them to play.  We had grandparents from both sides of the family over for the big day--what a special time for Ezekiel & Isaiah!

On Monday we begin our games for both soccer and t-ball.  That's right, both on the same night.  I'm ready to soak in these next two weeks because soccer only has 2 weeks left (4 games total) and although it will be a busy 2 weeks, the boys will have so much fun!

On a different note, we are planting a garden this year and just planted our peppers tonight.  Hopefully I'll have pics of little sprouts to post in a couple weeks--we could easily have up to 35 plants if all of the seeds grow, but I doubt that will happen.  We'll plant and water and see what God does.

Before I go, I'll leave you with a few pictures of a friendly neighborhood practice baseball session we had back in February, as well as 2 proud boys displaying their chef's talent in making lunch for me!

A Peek at our Comedian

For whatever reason, Isaiah decided to be super silly and had Ezekiel and me laughing hysterically!  Enjoy!

Sundae Celebrations

We have been busy with school and Ezekiel finished one of his reading lesson books :) At certain points I've treated them with an ice cream sundae (decorated as they wish, mostly) for working so hard--it really is hard work to learn how to read and sight read so many words that do not follow the rules of our eclectic language!  Well, since we had just celebrated Easter, he came up with the idea to create a bunny sundae.  Needless to say, I put no boundaries on his creativity this time--I am so proud of him!!  (Isaiah has not been forgotten...he gets rewards at milestones as well and is doing REALLY well!)

Overwhelmed

I may ramble, but try to stick with me here...

These past few weeks have been interesting.  They began with me feeling completely overwhelmed with my "to-do" list--some stuff that really needed to be done, other stuff that would pop up throughout the day, and still other stuff that sounded more appealing to me than what really needed to be done.  Several mornings I would confess to God how overwhelmed I felt and that I really needed His help.  Then I read a wonderful Psalm during my quiet time at the beginning of last week...Psalm 37, about trusting in the LORD, committing everything you do to Him, being still in His presence, waiting for Him, allowing Him to be the avenger of wrongs and allowing Him to care for us.  Then tucked away in verses 23 & 24 David writes, "The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD.  He delights in every detail of their lives.  Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand."  I was completely overwhelmed!!!  But this time, I had a freeing feeling, not of being trapped in my "list."  So I began praying...instead of asking God to help me with my "list" or take away the awful feeling it gave me, I asked Him to overwhelm me with HIM.  He is so faithful!  This past week was full of thinking.  We prepared and observed our first Passover Seder (the Jewish Passover meal of remembrance) and the boys were definitely sure that it was special as they carried the fine china to the table with extra sensitive hands.  We remembered the sacrifice and pain and love of our Saviour on Good Friday with appropriate gloomy weather for such a day.  Then Sunday came--oh, how good it was to wake up and remember HE'S ALIVE!!!  Death is defeated, sin has no power over us, for He has broken those chains once and for all.  I was thrilled to enter His sanctuary!  We witnessed a powerful drama and I was overwhelmed by His love, His goodness, His greatness.

So, I have accomplished a lot on some days, and not so much on others (and on those I ask for more focus :), but through these last several days He has carried me on the promise that I may stumble, but I will never fall!  Glory!

Weeks of Craziness

So, at the time being our boys are being totally crazy, sandwiched between 3 weekends of retreats/conferences.  At least I feel more up to the task of a day than I did yesterday--I may as well have been in bed all day.  I was beat.  Saturday and Sunday Craig and I and 8 other adults took almost 40 high school students up to Wisconsin Dells to the Wilderness Resort and Indoor Waterpark.  By now we've been doing this every year for 4-5 years and we all really look forward to it.  We have also gone to 3 different resorts--Kalahari, Great Wolf and now the Wilderness.  Kalahari is by far the best--great rides that are all in one huge room, CLEAN, great locker rooms with privacy for those of us who would rather not get buck naked in front of the world, and those cool swimsuit spinners that get almost all of the water out.  Plus, this year we got to take a charter bus--how cool is that!  So we were recovering from the physical, emotional, and spiritual effects of preparing and tackling a trip of that size (our largest trip ever by the way), and now we have work, school and lots of other smaller things to do before we leave Friday afternoon for Superstart!, a CIY conference for 4-6th graders (although we are only taking 4-5th graders since 6th graders are in our Junior high group).  We had tremendous excitement for that as well--23 students and parents besides Craig and me--WOW!!!  The group that makes Superstart! happen is wonderfully creative and does a great job sharing God's love and how we can live for God right now with the students they have come.  We'll be home for church Sunday, through the Current on Wednesday, then we'll leave immediately for Craig's mom and dad's house.  I am so excited about going because I get to go to a Pastor's wives conference with Beth Moore--how cool is that!  I don't know what to expect so I'm just gonna let God surprise me :)

Well, the natives are getting restless and lunch is in order, so that's all for now...oh yeah, soccer and t-ball practices should start soon--did I mention we're a little crazy around here?

Better with than without

I am so thankful for the privilege of having a husband who is continuously seeking to be better at what he does--being a husband, dad, communicating God's love and leading those around him.  He is constantly coming home with new books--the latest being "The Truth About You" by Marcus Buckingham, a wonderful strengths based success book that you work through.  It's so exciting because when he is learning, it spurs me to learn, too (I don't want him to be that much smarter than me!!!).  Just kidding...I actually love learning.  There are things I watch or read that I never thought I would when I was a teenager.  There's a show on Discover or some channel like that called "How it's made"--horse saddles, car windshields, tons of stuff.  I've been learning tons about nutrition in the last few months, too.  Tosca Reno's clean eating cook book is one of my recent reads, along with a lot of other info to go along with it.  Our boys are definitely adapting to our more nutritious lifestyle (it wasn't horrible before, but we've definitely kicked it up a notch).  A few weeks ago, after checking out at Meijer, we (evidently) passed an older man scanning several 'un'healthy items.  And Ezekiel calls out, "What's that man thinking?!  Those aren't healthy!!"  We just continued walking away, hoping he wasn't offended, because we're pretty sure he heard.

Anyway, back to my fantastic husband's example, it was his idea for us to begin P90X and the whole nutrition makeover.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

He definitely makes me a better woman :)

Train Rides!

In September of 2007, Ezekiel and Isaiah went to Monticello to see and ride the trains at the Monticello Train Museum. They had so much fun!









The Museum had a cool playground for them to horse around on...












HUMONGOUS TRAINS!












The engineers station--careful, boys--don't push any buttons!!!













A fun ride on the track in an open train car. Thanks Nana & Papa!

Fall Soccer

I know these are from a while ago, but I thought I'd post on our soccer season!  Craig and I coached the boys team and had a blast--all the kids practiced and played so hard.  They worked together really well and had a good grasp on how to play the game by the time we were done with our season.  We are thinking about coaching them again this spring--the boys will still be on the same team, so it will be a little easier for now :)
Mary was our ref--we led the kids through stretches and then Mary had them hit their shinguards before each game.
Ezekiel loved being goalie and had goalie gloves he got (after this game :) for his birthday--he was so generous in sharing his new gloves with all the other goalies!  You can tell he needed a break from running in this pic!
What camaraderie!
GO TEAM!

Christmas Day

Christmas day was full!  We had a wonderful meal (which Craig and I did much better on than in years past with amount of food consumed!), then all the grandkids opened their gifts.  Ezekiel, Isaiah and Craig each got a pair of basketball shoes (Isaiah's were a tad small, so we exchanged them for the ones that are the same as Ezekiel's, so now all 3 of them have black basketball shoes!).  As you can see, Isaiah is thrilled with his football jersey--we root for the Bears, Illini and Cubs, however we do not discriminate when it comes to what teams jerseys our boys can wear--they have the Chargers, Bears, and now Isaiah has the Colts!  Ezekiel got the LeapFrog Tag reading system--so cool!  They love Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom!  Ezekiel writes notes and lists all the time--he really enjoys reading and writing!

Lydia needed a little attention amid the gift giving, too!

We were so blessed to celebrate with so many family members!  Please don't feel left out if you did not receive a Christmas card/pic/note (this year or last year)--no one did.  We really meant to, but ran out of time each year.  We are hoping to have a family shot taken soon (I want a 10x13 for a frame I have for the living room!) and we will try to send a note out with that when it happens--that might be after our 90 days with P90X, which is now 5 weeks down.

Sorry it's been so long, but I'll try to be more regular this year (hey, we've got diet and exercise to work on, so I might as well throw this in there, too!)

Enjoy your weekend!

On our way

to Grandma and Grandpa's we stopped at the Build-a-Bear workshop for the boys final gift from us--they each picked out a sweet puppy, helped make it, named them (Ezekiel's is Puppy, Isaiah's is Airbud) and they got to LOOK at the outfits.

This is where we got creative--everyone seems to "do Santa" a little differently, but we have been pretty upfront with them.  They'll talk about Santa and be excited and that's totally fine, but we'll inevitably get around to "Is that what the cartoon says happens?  That's really fun to talk about...Santa is really nice, and there really was someone who gave gifts, but this is just a fun thing to remember--a good story.  What about Jesus, is He just a story, or is He real?"  And 2 booming voices resound with, "He's REAL!"  So with that said, instead of us surprising the boys with a little gift "from Santa" this year, they got to be Santa.  They looked at all the outfits, decided which was their favorite, then I took Isaiah out while Ezekiel picked out a special outfit for Isaiah (keeping in mind what Isaiah was wanting) and when they were done, I took Isaiah in to pick out a special outfit for Ezekiel.  They were so excited and really get into keeping secrets, so they did a great job--and there was a little suspense, just in case brother didn't get just the right one.  They got to open these gifts from Santa Ezekiel and Santa Isaiah on Christmas morning.

When we were really close to Brownstown, we saw this stunning sunset--how beautiful!  The boys took the opportunity to take pics with their cameras (although this one is from my camera).

Craziness

Wow, the last 2 months have been such a whirlwind!  We celebrated Christmas with my family in Bloomington over Thanksgiving--we alternate whose in-laws we are at each year, so since we were all together at Thanksgiving, it made sense to give gifts in person.  We had a lot of fun, ate a lot of food and really enjoyed our gifts--Mom made us all huge picnic baskets and Mom and Dad loaded them with goodies, plus Mom and Dad made pajama pants for every daughter, son-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter (Even 5 month old Bella!)  What a wonderfully creative Christmas!

Craig surprised me with a new fitness program for us to do together--it arrived the beginning of December.  I was not offended--6 Christmases ago I asked for an exercise system, and I've used that (The Firm) plus a system I got about 2 years ago (Fluidity--I love this!), but we couldn't do either of these together, plus they were more feminine.  We are doing P90X (an extension of Beach Body, or something like that) and we are loving it!  It's been a lot of work to add 60-90 minutes of exercise 6 days a week (we were maybe doing 2-3 days before...maybe) and I feel like I've been enrolled in a nutrition class these past 5 weeks.  There is so much to learn and watch out for.  We were eating pretty healthy before, but this has definitely upped the anty.  We have so much energy and are beginning to see more muscle definition--there are 3 phases and phase 2 (which we are in right now) and phase 3  are when the results begin to really show.  Maybe I'll show a before and after pic after we're all done :)  we'll see...

We had a lot of fun with our Christmas with the boys this year!  They only got a few things--a book each, a coin popper (you know, those plastic things you put a finger on each end and have to squeeze the ends together to get your change out--that's the best I can describe it), Ezekiel got a sweater and Isaiah got a pink calculator (he had requested this for some time :).  We searched for a long time to find just the right ones, then returned and purchased different ones and finally found the perfect digital cameras for our little guys!  Ezekiel's is almost indestructible and can take pics in water--a little pricey, but it takes great pics!  Isaiah's is great for outdoor pics and is pretty durable, and the name was perfect--the Argus BEAN!! (That's his nickname--it was also mine when I was little, but we really had no intention of duplicating, it just happened).  So they opened their gifts from us on Christmas Eve morning, then we left for Grandma and Grandpa's house.

(my pics aren't appearing in the order I'd like for them to--kinda backwards)