A little perspective

We had a great Saturday! We played with the kids, watched a movie, took a nap, and read a book. A big people book! I seriously could not put it down. Have you ever read the story of Corrie ten Boom in her book The Hiding Place? I highly recommend it! She was a Christian lady who, along with her family, protected Jews during WW2. They were arrested and sent to concentration camps for about 10 months. Here are some thoughts from it that I hope I don't soon forget.

• "I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do."
• The role that the Bible played. Her father read it aloud every morning and every evening for whoever might be in the house. When she and her family were arrested, that was the first night she had not heard the Bible read. She and her sister had a smuggled-in copy of the Bible with them in the concentration camp and it was their life. She said, “Sometimes I would slip the Bible from its little sack with hands that shook, so mysterious had it become to me. It was new; it had just been written. I marveled sometimes that the ink was dry."
• After Corrie’s release from the concentration camp, she began to speak and tell people what they learned, as her sister had told her. She said, “Through the streets and suburbs of Haarlem I bumped on my bicycle rims, bringing the message that joy runs deeper than despair.”
• "There is no pit so deep that the love of Jesus Christ is not deeper still."
• “And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.”
• God's providence, His protection, His purpose--even in fleas, and the grace and wisdom to see that.

What an amazing woman of faith! Just doing what God created her to do--what needed to be done at that time in that place for His purpose.

My Sweet Family!

I finally remembered to ask for these. My brother took them at Christmas. He is quite the photographer! They are some of my favorites of our family. Enjoy!

Christmas Questionaire

Here is a glimpse of our Christmas blog style...

1. real or fake Christmas tree
Fake...I have enough trouble keeping us healthy without envoking the help of alergies!

2. favorite ornament
I don't have a specific favorite. But I enjoy unwrapping the ones of our first Christmas, the kids' first ornaments, the picture ones, the ones of places we have been (that is our souveneer that we shop for on trips).

3. favorite Christmas song
I love this time of year on the radio! Not so much for SweetHeart--I'll be singing along with harmony, and he says, "Let me guess, you sang that in show choir." Yep! I guess one of my favorites right now is Sandi Patti's Come Let Us Worship the King. I have been practicing signing it for church and it just sets my heart ready to worship! Travis Cotrell's new Christmas CD is high on the list too!

4. favorite tradition
Being with family, whether it is just the five of us or with 25-50 of our closest relatives (yes, seriously). I am thankful for a husband whose family cherishes family too and all are willing to share us with the other side when it is their turn. Other traditions come and go or modify, but this one is constant. If it is the five of us at home, we wear pj's all day, play with new toys, and watch movies.

5. favorite gift ever received
I have thought and thought about this one. I have received many wonderful gifts over the years, but not in particular is jumping to mind (except a razor!). My favorite is watching everyone else open the gift that we got them. The smile on their face or that "this is something I wanted but wouldn't get for myself" look. The kids are great at that "I wanted this my whole life" surprise look. (And they know I love it, so now if I miss it initially they just pose until the flash of the camera!) That is my favorite!

6. favorite Christmas meal
If we are with my side, we usually have the traditional dressing and all the fixings. (Mom makes the best cornbread dressing!) With hubby's side, we might have Mexican pile on because we have traditional meal at Mamaw's the day before. If it is just us, we have pizza! At this point in life, that is my favorite--easy prep, easy clean up, and no complaints!

7. favorite Christmas cookie
Mom, brother and I used to make "Judy's cut cookies" that are the best! I like them before they are iced. My kids like to make "painted cookies." Same cookies, just a different name! YUM! I also look forward to Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow), and chocolate covered pretzels!

8. favorite place to be
With family. We have gone to grandparents', great-grandparents', skiing in another state, or home and we have a good time together.

9. favorite memory
Singing carols with my cousins. SweetBoy telling the Christmas story with the VeggieTales nativity scene, complete with lights off for the scene changes!

One of the funniest memories was going to cut our own Christmas tree with Sweetheart, one of my cousins and her husband. I'm not sure exactly how many rules we broke, but we had a tree that, well, looked better in the forest at dusk! And then there was the year that Sadie, our dog, got sprayed by a skunk on a bitter cold night, so she couldn't stay outside. This year we can add our journey to and from to the "yea! memories" list--tummy troubles and flat tires! It is odd that I try so hard for everything to be perfect and smooth, but the ones that stick in my memory are the ones that weren't so perfect.

10. favorite Christmas movie
White Christmas... and Court Jester. I know, that isn't a Christmas movie, but that is one of the first things I did with the whole last name family when we were dating and it was Christmas time. So it is one that I enjoy seeing this time of year!

OK. I'll have to quit there or I'll get out the picture albums and stir too many memories to tell! It is a very hectic season, but the best part is sharing it with family, and refocusing on what is really important. Jesus, God with us, came to this earth for a purpose. Now what am I going to do with His gift? That should be my focus. More on that tomorrow!

Love my Siestas!

Wow! What a weekend! I have no idea who these girls are, but I thought it was a neat picture of the weekend. They may not have even known each other face to face before Friday, or they may have known each other for years! But that is what Siestas do...walk together under the umbrella of God's love through life's rain.

The teaching, the worship, being with the siestas, putting faces with screen names (like The Preacher's Wife and BooMama), spending time with Jen, my bff from high school, and my mom was great. But most of all I have been with Jesus! A couple of cool things...I made some cards for my roomies before we left and one of them was Psalm 16. After we sang incredible worship with Travis (one song in particular was In Christ Alone), Psalm 16 began to scroll on the screen. Then Beth said turn there for our main passage, I just got goosebumps! Then I flew home Sunday just in time to make it to church with my family. Guess what we sang...In Christ Alone and Enough! It was like God was saying, "yes, we had a sweet time in San Antonio, but here is where I have your lot set for now and for a purpose." Talk about God Stops! I just love it when He shows up personally like that!

Favorite Things--summer edition 2008

Jen suggested this post...

1. We usually get Blue Bell, but summer is the time for homemade vanilla ice cream!
2. Getting together with family--family reunions, camping trip, just-for-because trips
3. Escaping the heat to cool Colorado (missed that one this year)
4. The sound of my kids squeals of joy playing in the water
5. Yes, continuous spray sunscreen!
6. PJ/movie days when it is too stinkin hot outside!
7. reading
8. Air Conditioning--Are you seeing a theme here? We routinely walk in the house and say, "Thank You, God, for air conditioning!"
9. A slower pace where we don't have to be someplace every day.
10. SweetHeart's schedule relaxes and he is home for lunch most days.
11. Fresh garden veggies
12. Summer Bible study with the girls! (Have I mentioned that No Other Gods by Kelly Minter is incredible!)
13. In early summer the fireflies come out. I still think God really outdid Himself with those creative creatures! They just fascinate me!

We are the Children of God!

A few weeks ago Mom called and said Steven Curtis Chapman is coming to town, do you want to come? Um...let me think about it...YES! He is one of those musicians who write songs that just speak to my life every time! From "Great Adventure" going to college, "I'll Be Here" duet with SweetHeart at our wedding, "Fingerprints of God" on the walls of SweetBoy's nursery, "Dive," "All Things New," "Believe," "One Little Heartbeat" lost in mommy-hood, to "We Are the Children of God." When we got his latest CD for Christmas, the kids loved "Children of God" and ask for it every time we get in the car. I told SweetDoll that we were going to the concert and she needed to practice and be ready to sing it with SCC. And boy was she ready! She doesn't typically sing very loud. But when Steven started playing the song, her eyes lit up! When our part came to sing, I could hear her, even with the band rockin' out! What a blessing to have a blast with my girl, and see her light up about being in God's family! What fun! Not to mention I cried, again--I do everytime, during "Cinderella." I thought of SweetHeart when Steven sang "I will be Here," and SweetBoy during "Fignerprints." SweetTate was in my arms as we sang "You are Loved." Oh, I want my kids to grow up knowing that the Father sings over them and loves them more than they can know!

A few of my favorite things 2008

Here is a list of my favorite things January 2008:

1. my house picked up and clean and the kids outside or away at grandparents!
2. finding a new treasure in God's Word
3. Panhandle sunsets
4. hike in the mountains
5. finishing a project
6. not having to cook and clean
7. cobbler or angel food cake--fruit and bread
8. crunchy chocolate or chocolate cake
9. my kids' laugh
10. the older two did it too, but right now it is Sweet Tater--when he sees me at the nursery, and runs from accross the room for me to pick him up.
11. sleeping babies in my arms
12. opening day at the baseball park--any game is fun, but it is just more exciting opening day, especially when our team wins!
13. reading a silly book with my kids--right now our favorites are Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! and Fix it Duck
14. visiting with friends or reading their blog that cracks me up!
15. signing a song and worshiping God
16. getting lost in the story of a good book

Thanks Jen for the prompt!