Testing...

This is just a test... Wanted to see how easy it is to post from something other than my computer.

I DO actually plan to post something of substance in the very near future, and if anything, Halloween is this weekend so of COURSE there will be pictures of the kids. Then again at the rate I post pics, you *might* see them by Christmas.

Praying for everyone this morning to have a wonderful day and if you are in the Midwest? Try not to blow away. :)

Baby It's Cold Outside...

Brrrrrr.  It's only October 4th, but I'm COLD.  And if you know me at all, you know I RARELY am cold.  I prefer cooler temps (not frigid) and being curled up under a soft blanket year-round (yet one more reason the A/C is set to 68 or 69 generally and the heat is about the same.) :)  But for some reason, today I am COLD!!

Little Caleb has been in school for almost 9 full weeks now (I only know that because the little calendar from his school says the end of the 1st 9-weeks is this Friday.  Yes, I are smart.) and we have YET to wait for the bus in the rain.  That's right, I said almost NINE weeks and no rain.  (Ok, it finally rained on Saturday, but not a ton...)  Not that I'm complaining about standing waiting for the bus in the sun, but still...until today we hadn't experienced any poor weather.  But today??  It's COLD!!  We could see our breath as we stood waiting (which of course helped entertain the kids waiting for the bus...)  Sadly it was probably only 45 or something this morning, but it just made me realize that in a month or so, we'll have to be bundled up just to wait for the bus.  Not looking forward to that...

This week is spirit week at Little Caleb's school and today is Rock Star day.  Being the conservative little family that we are, we don't have a lot of rock star gear.  AND since picture day was less than 2 weeks ago, he just had a hair cut and his hair is too short to spike (sorry Uncle Chris...).  SO, all we had was this shirt that he got to wear (thanks for Amber for the inspiration!!):

This totally cracks me up.  So my little rock star is wearing this in addition to his shades, jeans with a hole in the knee and his sister's microphone.  Her *pink* microphone.  Ah well, here's hoping we can be a little more creative as he gets older....

And to answer your question...yes it's cold, but no, the heat is not on yet.  The heat will not be turned on until AT LEAST November, hopefully later. :)  Happy Random Monday!!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!

Today is my darling daughter's 4th birthday...where has the time gone?!?!?  Four years ago, she was this:

ALL cheeks, I kid you not.  Abby was my easiest delivery.  I remember sitting and waiting for the time to push (I was well epidural-ized and felt goooooood!) and when the time came, it only took about 25 minutes or so (which was REALLY nice after the 2 hours it took with Caleb!).  The entire time I was pushing, we were watching Wheel of Fortune and trying to solve the puzzles between contractions.  :)  Like I said, easiest delivery of all.  Then she came out...all 10 lbs 2 oz of sweet, chubby, red-haired goodness.

Abby, I love you more than you will know (I would say "ever know" but I'm confident that when you have a daughter, you will understand!) and am so thankful that God entrusted your daddy and me with your care.  You make us laugh daily!  I love how you enjoy being a girl and playing with dolls and dressing up but also want to play with your brothers' cars and trains.  Stick with your tutus and cars and don't let anyone tell you differently.

You have already grown into a beautiful little girl and I am excited to see the amazing things God has for you as you continue to grow.  My prayer for you is to constantly seek after God and strive to become the woman He has made you to be.  But for now?  Just stay my baby girl awhile longer please.

Permission to Speak Freely by Anne Jackson

Permission to Speak Freely by Anne Jackson is a compilation of both essays and art in a book full of honest views of the church and one woman's struggle with addictions and confession.  Anne is a blogger who asked the question "What is one thing you feel you can't say in the church?" and the response was MUCH larger than she expected.  She began to see there are SO many people within our church walls that are hurting and struggling with different sins, yet VERY few of them are willing to say anything about it.

Anne's book outlines her own personal struggles with addictions like pornography and pain killers as well as her struggle with trusting people within the church.  Sadly, Anne grew up in the church (as a pastor's kid no less) and had first hand knowledge of how judgemental fellow Christians can be.

The book started out well but it did tend to start wandering about half-way through.  Also, this is not a "self-help" book or even a "how-to" book, but it is truly all about her struggles and shows how freeing it was for her to be able to confess these things to others...to truly work through them all.  It is a very easy read and I would recommend it if only to begin thinking more about what true confession is (not just acknowledging but truly confessing and making a change).

This book was provided to me for review by Thomas Nelson Publishing as part of the Booksneeze program.  All opinions are my own. 

The Boy Who Changed The World by Andy Andrews

The Boy Who Changed The World by Andy Andrews is a children's book that illustrates the butterfly effect...where every action, good or bad, can influence other actions.  It was a very cute book with very cute and appropriate illustrations for children.  Each story weaves in the comment that God created us to make a difference.  It goes through the chain of events from a farmer adopting George Washington Carver all the way up to Norman Borlaug, and how decisions each one made (large or small) had an influence on others. 

I would recommend the book for children ages 3 - 8 as the story is written directly for children and is easily understood.  All in all a good read!

This book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of the Booksneeze program.  All opinions are my own.

Cast of Characters by Max Lucado

Cast of Characters: Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon God by Max Lucado...very good read!!  The book is actually segments from a lot of different books he's written through the years (and if you know anything about Max Lucado, you know he's written A LOT of books!) and details the lives of "common people" from the Bible.  Not only were they common people, but they accomplished amazing things with God's help.  This quote from the conclusion sums it up well: "If you ever wonder how in the world God could use you to change the world, look at these people.  This ragbag of ne'er-do-wells and has beens, failed followers and despairing church leaders who found hope, not in their performance, but in God's proverbially open arms." (pg 219)

My favorite chapter was about Mary, Martha and Lazarus.  If you don't know their story, find your Bible and read John 12.  But what I loved most about this chapter is the way Max described each...we all have a place at the table. The book as a whole is a good read and the shorter chapters make for quick reading as well.

This book was provided to me as part of the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze program.  All opinions are my own.

He's Not Finished With Me Yet...

Have you ever started a project and got about half-way through it before realizing it wasn't taking the shape you thought it should?  Maybe it was off-center, maybe it was larger (or smaller) than you thought it was supposed to be.  Maybe you used the wrong materials and didn't realize until it was too late.  I've done this quite a few times throughout my (getting longer every year) crafty life. 

As I was working on a project last night and having one of those times listed above, something hit me:

God's not finished with me yet!

While I may see a project in my hands that is not going the way I planned or desired it to go, God could say the same thing about me!!  The difference??  I would probably (and have at times) just decide to scrap the idea/project and start over (or NOT start over and just give up) yet God doesn't!!  God knows the end project...He knows how all the pieces fit together...He may see a partially complete project (and may not be pleased with its current state!) but He knows how it ends!  He's not finished with me yet!

There is a wonderful freeing feeling in those words, but you have to trust that they're true!  A song by Brandon Heath called "Wait and See" uses the phrase "he's not finished with me yet," and my favorite part of the song is this:

Still wondering why I'm here

Still wrestling with my fear,

But OH! He's up to something.

And the farther on I go, I've seen enough to know

that I'm not here for nothing, He's up to something...

He's not finished with me yet.

My prayer today is that I would continue to believe those words.  That I would KNOW He's still working in my life!!  And whether or not I know how things will all come together in this project of my life, God's word tells me in Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  Thank you Lord that you are NOT finished with me yet!!