There's a PARTY in Heaven Tonight

Jason and I are so excited that Nathan made the most important decision of his life tonight. After dinner we were talking and Nathan announced that he had asked Jesus into his heart. We talked more about his decision and we could tell that he really understood what he had done. He told us that if he met someone who didn't know about Jesus, he wanted to tell them.

He is so excited and we are too. We told him that the angels in heaven were throwing a party for him!!

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Nathan,

We could not be more excited for you and your decision! Daddy and I are so proud of you! We can't wait to see how you grow in your walk with the Lord. God has a very special plan for you. You are about to begin a wonderful journey. We will continue to pray for you daily! What a special boy you are!

We love you,

Mommy and Daddy

John 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

I do not like them.....

You all are familiar with the "Gre-en Eggs and H-am" book. It's a fun one to read. Persuasion is the theme I see in that book. Come on, eat it. Give it a try. Go ahead, try it and you will see! You will like it!

Positive self talk. Filling our mind with positive talk helps us get over some hurdles, right!? I do believe that talking things up in our mind helps us overcome things.

I know there are many times I do this with our boys. We have one who is a picky eater! He wasn't always that way, but man, it can be exhausting! I must say he's gotten MUCH better. And anything with ketchup helps. For him a spoonful of ketchup helps anything go d-o-w-n!

Anyway.... positive thinking.... persuasion.... new outlook = new experience --- something you might actually like and even enjoy!

Ok, switch gears with me here......

We are looking for a car for Jason right now. He is due! His Honda has 305 k miles and has been a great car, but it's time. "Chloe" (his car) is ready to retire! He got it new before we even met!!! We've been married 12 years!

To say that my husband likes cars is an understatement. To say that he is a car enthusiast.... well, that's a little closer! This can have it's pluses, but to me it also has it's minuses. He knows a lot about cars, usually more than car salesmen. Seriously!! He does. He reads about cars, test drives cars just because, wants to race cars, plays car racing games, looks at cars as they drive by constantly, etc.! He also has his own style in cars.

Maybe he isn't all alone b/c someone out there actually designed and produces these cars. But in our household, he's all alone. I can't seem to get the positive thoughts in my head to stay and look past my disapproval. I want to side with him and enjoy things he enjoys. I want to be seen with him and experience new things with him. When it comes to this though........ (he supplied the pictures by the way)

I DO. NOT. LIKE. THEM, Sam-I-am! He is seriously wanting one of these!! UGH!! Do you see that? A station wagon? Oh, I'm sorry.... a Sports Wagon! WHY?????? I just don't know what else to say! We differ so much in our taste of cars! (Not that I am driving the car of my dreams, but this certainly is not on the list!) All the persuasion and positive self talk is not really helping me. Am I out of whack here? Really? I'd love your feedback... be totally honest!! (J, I know your feedback... still love you!)

The Striped Calico Tiger

Last Friday, Nathan came home from school BEAMING! He told me he had a surprise. He took something out of his pack back very carefully. It was wrapped in 3 layers of newspaper.

For the past several weeks, Nathan had been telling me that he was working on something VERY special in art class. He was about to come out of his skin with excitement as I gently unwrapped the gift. When I opened it up he told me all about it. He had worked so hard on it and was so proud of his accomplishment. My heart was overflowing with joy! I was so glad to see him excited!

He made a bowl, but not just any bowl. A beautiful colored bowl. He had a specific name for it. It's a striped calico tiger bowl.

Saturday for breakfast he had cereal out of his special bowl. He of course thought the cereal was much better in his bowl.

Stylin'

Nathan and Ryan were due for haircuts so Saturday was the plan to get that done. Ryan LOVES to get his haircut. Nathan on the other hand, not so much! He has gotten better over the years. Anyway.... at the last minute I decided to take them somewhere different. I am so glad we did!

They looked so good afterwards!!! Jason even ended up getting his haircut too! The girl that cut their hair did a great job. She styled Ryan's very differently than he'd ever had it. He was pumped!!

Take a look........ it's a little messy here after playing outside, but you get the idea! :)

Nathan looked so cute too, but he wasn't up for a picture. Maybe I can sneak one soon and get it posted on here!

Seeking Him

We just got home from church tonight. It is so awesome to see how God is bringing us together as a church family to plan for our first multi-site campus. The fact that He has chosen us to help start it is very exciting.


However, I can't seem to shake the feeling that Satan is really not liking this plan. :) It seems that he has tried quite a few things lately to attack us and pull us away. Today has been one of those days that I feel Satan attacking me spiritually and emotionally. I hate those days!! I am really working on focusing my thoughts on God and not listen to the garbage Satan is filling my head with.


Tonight, in training, we talked about our place of service in the church. We are to be praying about where God wants each of us to use our gifts/talents to serve Him at the new South campus. I pray that God will reveal to us without a doubt exactly where we are to be serving.
My other prayer is that I will support Jason in his area of service. Even though it may not be MY area (gift/talent) or even comfort zone, I want to help and encourage him.


On another note, the homeschooling idea is still in the back of my mind. I have almost finished reading another book as part of my research. I still don't have a peace, one way or the other. I feel like I am so swamped with info. in my head, that I really need to sit down and sort it all out. I just don't know where to begin! This week several of us contemplating homeschooling are getting together with some homeschool moms in our area. It will be a great Q & A time and hopefully will help me see a bigger picture. I continue to wait and see where God will lead.


I will seek Him in all things!



"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

So sweet!

I walked upstairs one afternoon last week to find the boys in the bonus room. Ryan had just gotten up from his nap and Nathan was playing. When I walked over to Ryan to tell him "Hello," he looked up at me and said, "Mommy, I want to cuthle!" (translate: "Mommy I want to CUDDLE!") Awwww.... my heart melted and I plopped in the chair and "cuthled" with my sweet little boy! Will he ever get too big to cuddle? I sure hope not!

The BIG 4-0!

Today is my BIG brother's 4-o-th birthday! I can't believe it! But ya know what that means?I'm getting closer to that number too! Thankfully I still have a little ways to go! Whew! I had a hard enough time turining 35! I'm over that. It hasn't been so bad.

I think I just made it more in my head. Crazy, I know!

I remember when my Mom turned 4-0! I really do. But what I remember most about it is a note pad that she got from a good friend of hers. It read: "F-o-r-t-y isn't old unless you are a tree!" Why is that what I remember???

Anyway..... Brian, you aren't a tree, so you aren't old. It's a mind thing. As much as we'd like to stall our age and not grow any older.... that's not God's way. We never know how long God gives us here on earth. We need to make each day our best and live it for Him (however long that is).

Being the little sis, I know that sometimes I was a pest, but I am so thankful that I had an older brother to grow up with and can grow old-er with! Wishing you the best birthday ever!! Love you!!

Quick update

For all of you who've wondered where I've been..... here, just busy!!!



I am up and around w/o pain! I tell ya, my chiropractor helped sooooo much! I've been working on the excercises he gave me and I can certainly tell a big difference.



You'd think, being limited in movement, resting I should have been able to blog alot, right? Well, I couldn't lay on my back and trying to type laying on my stomach was a little harder than I thought. I ended up pecking at the keys. That wasn't fun! Neither was the headache I got.



So, enough about that... I am better and I thank God that He chose to heal me quickly so I could get on with life. Sometimes I think He has to get our attention for one reason or another. I only wish that it didn't have to be so painful. God is in control though, not me!



Now that I am better, it's been cleaning, painting, etc. I am working on getting the boys' rooms re-done. It stresses me out, but I love it too! Nathan has chosen a military/camo theme while Ryan wants a sports theme! All that, I can handle. It's the planning out the storage solutions, organizational, where things will go stuff! What can I say.... that's me!! It really does make life much easier!

Laid up

What a year this has been so far! The latest is that my back has decided to "go out." It's been about 2 yrs.or so since this has happened. It's never fun, but I didn't choose this either. I didn't even do anything cool or stupid. I don't have a great story to tell about it. All I can say is it doesn't want to work. I couldn't move or walk. I had to call Jason to turn around and head back home on his way in to work yesterday morning. Somehow he was able to get me to the doctor. I am now on a Steroid pack and am feeling somewhat better today. I can get out of bed w/o help and I can walk. Albeit, slowly and awkward, but I can move.



I think God is saying I need to rest and do nothing for a bit. So.... that's what I am doing. By the way..... it is so wonderful to have a laptop during this trial!!



I'll take prayers for a quick recovery if you wish!



(I am still hoping to post about Ryan's b-day and our trip!)