Catching Up

Last week was really busy and I ended up neglecting this blog. Especially that column over there where I'm talking about those verses in James. I can't promise how this week will go. I feel like I'm at the top of one of those really big roller coaster hills and starting to go down. It's just gonna get faster and faster before it ever slows down...

But I will try to keep up. Yesterday, if you were at church with me, you heard Pastor begin his series on James! I was so excited to hear him talk about the things I have been re-reading lately. See, I knew this was coming, so I wanted to get a head start (yeah, teacher's pet). God has already taught me so much, I can't wait to hear what else He has to tell me through these sermons.

Also, I realized last night that if you go online to our church site you can listen to the entire service from Easter. Kearsdad and I stayed up late last night and relived almost the whole thing. That part in "In Christ Alone" where Marc sings "Up from the grave he rose!" still made me want to jump up and shout! Even sitting here at the puter! Wow...

So anyway, it is Monday morning. I've got a lot to do this week. We are having a Garage Sale Saturday morning. (If you or anyone you know needs girl stuff, toys, a white dresser and mirror, or any other STUFF let me know...tell everyone you know about it...I have got to get this stuff outta here!) I've also got to go get Kat's horse show clothes and boots. And new ballet shoes for Banana. And a lot of other stuff. Hopefully, I won't neglect this blog all week.

Wisdom and Peace

God taught me something this morning that I want to share. I don't usually post things of such a personal and serious nature. But I feel compelled to share this...maybe for the sake of accountability.

For a long time now I have struggled with an issue in which I have very little control. Several years ago, when the situation reached a critical point, I reached out and begged God for His wisdom. At that time, He showed me very clearly that His wisdom is right there for the taking. I don't have to go looking for it...it is already seeking me out.

Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares;

at the head of the noisy streets she cries out,

in the gateways of the city she makes her speech.

Proverbs 1:20-21

So again, the last few days, I have found myself reaching out for that wisdom. How would God have me act in this situation. What, if anything, would he have me do? Pray, obviously. Anything else? Again, His Word was faithful. Here is what He taught me today. This time it is in James...again it is about wisdom. Isn't God good? He is always consistent.

But the wisom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:17-18

God would always have me act with Godly wisom. And in this particular situation, I am called to be a peace-maker. That is my role. It is my duty. Whether I like it or not. That doesn't mean that I allow or endure things that might be harmful or wrong, but that I deal with them when I must. And I deal with them in a loving and peaceful way. And when I do this, God promises that mine will be a harvest of righteousness. What a promise!

So, here's the deal. First, I have decided I will commit these verses to memory. God has much more to teach me about these words. So I will ponder them over the next few days. I plan to put these verses over in the side column, and each day or so I will consider a different part of them. What is Godly wisdom? First it is pure...

Happy Easter!

May your day be blessed, and filled with the joy of our Savior!

The Power of Love

Some 2000 years ago, God stepped into our world and changed the course of time. Time stood still and the Creator of the universe became the perfect sacrifice. The power of sin was forever conquered.

I am sure that I don't think about these things nearly enough. I know that I don't comprehend it. The power of love so strong, so pure, so complete. The power that overcame death forever. A wise lady once taught me that I possess that very same power. Not on my own, of course, but in Christ. My position in Christ means that I have in me everything for life, the power to overcome, the power to live in victory. But I just don't get it. It's obvious that I don't because I know for sure that I don't live it out everyday.

When I do stop to think about the gift of Life that is mine through the cross and through the blood, I am overwhelmed. There are those moments...those brief glimpses into heaven, those moments of divine presence, when I can almost touch His glory. Then I get an inkling. But all too soon, it slips away. Not because He closes the door, but because I do. I close it to get back to the business at hand...all the stuff that I think is important when I know that it isn't. None of it is. It will all fade away someday...be burned and blown away. Even the things I think are good things. And all that will be left is me facing my Creator. All I will hold then will be the eternal things I did for him. I hope and pray my hands aren't empty on that day. When I step into His glory, I want to be unable to hold all that I have to present to Him. I want it to spill over.

So I think about the Power of Love. The Power of the Cross. The Power of a God who sacrifice everything for my life. And I pray that my life will reflect my gratitude.

Happy Birthday Sammy!!!

Our big black puppy is ONE! Well, we think he is...

When we adopted him, we were told he was 10 weeks old. So we counted backwards from that date and came to mid-march. We randomly chose March 17-St. Patrick's Day. We figured it was as good a day as any, and it would be easy to remember. Therefore, it's Sammy's birthday today!

He celebrated first by going to Petsmart. For a bath and a haircut. Not your idea of a good time? He seems to have had an okay time...not so sure about the poor girl who had to wrestle him. After his spa appointment, he came home and opened his presents. He got a new football-on-a-rope toy and a frisbee. The football toy is plastic, to replace the cloth stuffed one that ended up shredded all over the yard. Then he ended the day with a bowl of birthday yogurt. If you have been reading recently, you will remember Sammy's attraction to Key Lime Pie yogurt.

The yogurt eating was briefly interupted by my attempt to get a picture of the birthday boy enjoying his treat. Unfortunately, he has developed a fear of cameras. He doesn't like the flash. He ran away and we had to coax him back to finish his birthday yogurt. This is the only picture I was able to get. I'll have to stick to daytime photos with no flash.

A Million Dollar Smile

Or at least a couple of thousand dollars, and a little over two years...but it sure was worth it! Look at that beautiful smile!

Here she is posing for one last "braces" picture...


And here's that beautiful smile!


We celebrated with lunch at Margarita's, where Kat was happy to eat chips without worrying about them getting caught in her braces. And she was thrilled that she didn't have to remove those dreaded rubberbands!! After lunch, we stopped at Walgreens and purchased two years worth of bubblegum!

Happy Day Kat!

Loud Time

You HAVE to see this video. I tried to put the video here on the page, but I am not that technologically advanced, and Kearsdad is at work. So I will just add the link.

LOUD TIME

This is from the recent Student Ministry Winter Retreat. Kearsdad had pointed out to his guys the designated time for "quiet time" on the retreat schedule. DWitt replied that he wanted to have "loud time", just cutting up. But the idea stuck. This is DW with videographer Spencer. Kearsdad is with them. They thought they were in front of Student Pastor's cabin. Turns out it was Twiner's (one of our interns). That just made it funnier.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

Dilemma

That's what I have. A blogging dilemma. To blog or not to blog... I started this about a year ago, at the prodding of a couple of friends. Sometimes it has been enjoyable. But other times it just becomes frustrating to me. Lately, I find myself asking more and more "Does anyone really care?" I mean, really, is anyone but me REALLY interested in what my kids did last week? Of course I know Kearsdad is, but then he already knows. So what good does it do me to blog it?

One of the things I told myself when I began was that blogging would give me a way to keep far away friends up to date on my family. However, I am almost positive that none of those friends EVER look at my blog. If they do, I am not aware of it. I didn't share this blog with family, but started a separate on for them. I posted two, maybe three, times. Then I realized that they were completely uninterested in it. I made it a "private blog" so that I could use real names and such. My uncle proclaimed it was too much trouble to register with Google so he could access the blog. My mother looked once or twice, but only with major help from me over the phone which took way too much time. It's easier to just email her pictures. I think my father-in-law looked one time, then forgot to tell my mother-in-law about it. She never looks at the computer anyway. My sister-in-law and brother admitted to never looking at it. I think I'm just going to shut that blog down. Obviously none of the people it was intended for are interested.

I suppose that is where my frustration comes in. I take it too personally.

So...I've had a few hours to think about this post. Here's what I decided. I have been writing since I was in 4th grade. It's very therapeutic for me and I enjoy it. Until this blog, only a handful of people were ever aloud to see anything I had written-my husband, my mother when I was younger, my dear friend who passed away last week, and a few other teachers. Now, my writing is out there for the world to see. If anyone chooses to read, that's great. If they choose to comment, even better. But I will continue to write anyway, because I like to. And this is a great forum to be creative.

Cinderella

Cinderella, the Spring Performance 2008, is over. It was a lot of work. Many late nights last week. But it was wonderful. Beautiful dancing. Banana had a blast.

I was especially proud of how Banana handled herself. We have spent a lot of time in our house talking with her, praying with her and for her, about how she can be a witness for Jesus and praise God in her dancing. I know that she doesn't completely "get it" yet...how that is supposed to work in her life. But this weekend, I saw clear evidence that those prayers are being answered in her life. I saw a composed, mature, well mannered, responsible young lady in my girl. I was so proud and so happy to see her beginning to "get it". I'm proud of the beautiful dancer that she is, but I am more proud of the beautiful heart for Jesus she displays.

She was one of the "numbers on the clock". They appeared in the garden in the first act, when the fairy godmother transformed Cinderella. They appeared again in the second act when the clock struck midnight at the ball, and they chased Cinderella away.

Something really cool...the guest dancers, Cinderella and the Prince, are world class, award winning dancers. These were big time dancers my little girl was on stage with!

Getting ready...


Me and my girl...


Banana and her dragonfly buddy (aka number VII on the clock)...


In the Garden with the fairy godmother...


In the ballroom chasing Cinderella away as midnight approaches, with the prince looking on...
That's Banana in the back...the tall one :)