tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401500848495407892024-02-20T22:59:18.990-05:00Everyday, EverywhereThis blog is in response to the last verse in Psalm 107 which says, "If you really are wise, you'll think this over--it's time you appreciated God's deep love." (The Message) My heart is to see God everyday, everywhere and to document His deep love for me.Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-73202600986170133242012-03-20T00:33:00.004-04:002012-03-20T12:10:36.176-04:00Bless My Blessings<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I started this blog a couple of months ago, for me it was a means to share God's amazing gifts in my life. I have always been better at expressing myself in the written form rather than the spoken. The pictures I took became a way of pausing moments that I hoped could last longer than the vapor of my life. I decided to take a photography class because I had a really nice camera and no idea how to use it. It opened up a whole new, visual world for me. I began asking friends if they would let me "practice" my photography skills on their kids. I love photographing children because they don't get bothered by a camera, they know how to "play on." They aren't overly conscious and they carry such a free spirit about them. Everything they do is without pretension or cause, innocence. Capturing their images, is capturing a glimpse of God's love for humanity. Children are some of His most precious gifts to this world. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wyatt and Briggs</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RtRF2-i1l4VkT1PThCgIg9ssJobSDKEQZBWy4-X_pz9TdLzGVrvdyPmKAaRu10mDXQQVe6G1EMDdZCvbuy0N_Su0TVkv1OA2GJ4CYpXmIQIsBFg8MdZ1UyyleDhXATyX7wb6ZFp-26SD/s1600/IMG_4366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RtRF2-i1l4VkT1PThCgIg9ssJobSDKEQZBWy4-X_pz9TdLzGVrvdyPmKAaRu10mDXQQVe6G1EMDdZCvbuy0N_Su0TVkv1OA2GJ4CYpXmIQIsBFg8MdZ1UyyleDhXATyX7wb6ZFp-26SD/s640/IMG_4366.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Having two daughters, I had no idea what two boys would be like. They kept me running all over the place. My girls love to stop and pose, these boys loved running free. I had a blast taking their pictures, I learned to be quick and to never stop snapping shots. To get them to stay in one place long enough together, I sat them on top of a saw horse (luckily their parents are very laid back). I love these two pictures because it shows that they are already bonded in a way only brothers can be. You can tell by their expressions that they truly get one another.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXFqg4ijdmx3ChLRLx1qcYXhRHoXgIVzbRKYIOaCpsbPH3GkG4205XWK36AJjbCLCVkzi1yJk6rwqYyFT574d_ptBwXwdimScgHxCWoLSDxhqzHrvKxqyI_SgXxzKQKDPk-WTFScAwvM1/s1600/IMG_4433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXFqg4ijdmx3ChLRLx1qcYXhRHoXgIVzbRKYIOaCpsbPH3GkG4205XWK36AJjbCLCVkzi1yJk6rwqYyFT574d_ptBwXwdimScgHxCWoLSDxhqzHrvKxqyI_SgXxzKQKDPk-WTFScAwvM1/s640/IMG_4433.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Briggs was everywhere...I was absolutely amazed at how quickly he could disappear. I loved this shot of him because it shows him still. I love his hands in this picture.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SefiQRWocCc2ztsZc_ysb2SBF0atO2RWDK3USUiMFA8Xdj4geSOurhTkQvqQUktwqbL2fMT8XRa6AMPzKxrG9AKAOwJcAa8ebywhABDLIRXK9x6jBxXrvOhK_dVgvnSASYsvYRZPInsM/s1600/IMG_4501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SefiQRWocCc2ztsZc_ysb2SBF0atO2RWDK3USUiMFA8Xdj4geSOurhTkQvqQUktwqbL2fMT8XRa6AMPzKxrG9AKAOwJcAa8ebywhABDLIRXK9x6jBxXrvOhK_dVgvnSASYsvYRZPInsM/s640/IMG_4501.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Those blue eyes...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsmw8DvswRPQ0IrDmRelo_uGpuMEnx7US1P7MQw4E6Dqc9khxrkUTjuvtFOun-W_AtRKV4cB8HN-Zi2-rE0t3eh0Hf-jSGL2Pq4uZunByoI13gEFG1lwZVbC38jQif6WFmr7Z8boe3aPq/s1600/IMG_4333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsmw8DvswRPQ0IrDmRelo_uGpuMEnx7US1P7MQw4E6Dqc9khxrkUTjuvtFOun-W_AtRKV4cB8HN-Zi2-rE0t3eh0Hf-jSGL2Pq4uZunByoI13gEFG1lwZVbC38jQif6WFmr7Z8boe3aPq/s640/IMG_4333.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To get the boys to follow me, I told them there were "surprises" at each place. Wyatt responded, "can you eat them?" He is ALL boy...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiM9yl044jM3ws6CtiXsS3db8W4LYA2pFV2R2f1K8AII0mR33XWly-f3p9T2CvhhcsHUbZjVckiZeToIhNniu0x2IrjCtp53Kd1L4z1DLMH6H9B4nxftpmyNyYPcwkehCtDDuUWCt4_caN/s1600/IMG_4399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiM9yl044jM3ws6CtiXsS3db8W4LYA2pFV2R2f1K8AII0mR33XWly-f3p9T2CvhhcsHUbZjVckiZeToIhNniu0x2IrjCtp53Kd1L4z1DLMH6H9B4nxftpmyNyYPcwkehCtDDuUWCt4_caN/s640/IMG_4399.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPLqCQzehhhRLb2mS22cUYRHpbjpKPevkYL3DZQhE3Jls-aKP78ZrwngbzY-Zp9YRWkQjn3AZBk5Bghyahr_gWyupNbp1IuCoEqJw1W6_je2DveFehvllJ6VLV3uFoJ4L-0xzKqDeIH4K9/s1600/IMG_4292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPLqCQzehhhRLb2mS22cUYRHpbjpKPevkYL3DZQhE3Jls-aKP78ZrwngbzY-Zp9YRWkQjn3AZBk5Bghyahr_gWyupNbp1IuCoEqJw1W6_je2DveFehvllJ6VLV3uFoJ4L-0xzKqDeIH4K9/s640/IMG_4292.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have a picture on this blog I titled "sister feet." I titled this one, "Brother Boots..."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_UikTYkhCBcW9tF8IYGZnTiXPvCWAdoe0cYLszoVJvmCqEREFc032tf6nr6Xu8SE0RLbybJ7cOwcGfIPRdvIGphDXbxQS7A0eZUEEzq4M_onQTcFF2UOvtX3FB2VHClvqazzltfHe33R/s1600/IMG_4428_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn_UikTYkhCBcW9tF8IYGZnTiXPvCWAdoe0cYLszoVJvmCqEREFc032tf6nr6Xu8SE0RLbybJ7cOwcGfIPRdvIGphDXbxQS7A0eZUEEzq4M_onQTcFF2UOvtX3FB2VHClvqazzltfHe33R/s400/IMG_4428_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Jed, Quinn, and Kale</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVj57aT3x8R_3ZsLFMbwQSt_HBSQtYuaUPAkJlN51g7-lo4A3-cLXw_e-IyW75SeD0RgzJXhEDZS23vl7TXvxHJBV26tOzNNQiG1UcAE9vCwEuGgUcdMPIh9U7hF8jrE9bRAI4oTbuZ8J/s1600/IMG_5047_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVj57aT3x8R_3ZsLFMbwQSt_HBSQtYuaUPAkJlN51g7-lo4A3-cLXw_e-IyW75SeD0RgzJXhEDZS23vl7TXvxHJBV26tOzNNQiG1UcAE9vCwEuGgUcdMPIh9U7hF8jrE9bRAI4oTbuZ8J/s640/IMG_5047_2.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These three belong to one of my best friends (since the sixth grade). Her husband's family, (one of my husband's best friends since birth, a gift of living in a small town), have this amazing "retreat cabin" near Caesar's Head. He was telling me that it was an old church that was brought by his family via horse and buggy and re-assembled. Their family still spends many a Spring and Summer together here and it was only fitting that we took pictures of his children there. While there, I thought of how many generations have and will enjoy something that began nearly a century before...talk about a legacy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love how the ancient trees surrounding this home cast a shadow against its side...if those trees could talk.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW4ZhsL46PeZMNUFKfPI39KJRWn7MAJnAmYDF3Ry3KXzNXL1ncWP00u5DE3cLvS7z8UP3eHKElHutfxUcoGclvG7gdgKoM-PbVI6e5q46Igi-xCzfpnR4kMVh5c4mknufxE98YC8-0m3j/s1600/IMG_5145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiW4ZhsL46PeZMNUFKfPI39KJRWn7MAJnAmYDF3Ry3KXzNXL1ncWP00u5DE3cLvS7z8UP3eHKElHutfxUcoGclvG7gdgKoM-PbVI6e5q46Igi-xCzfpnR4kMVh5c4mknufxE98YC8-0m3j/s640/IMG_5145.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Big Brother...Jed is the perfect big brother for two sisters. He is very patient and sweet with them and in older sibling fashion, gets the blame for most everything and takes it well.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQM7MziCg5agpJ-2NTtyJ0AECFK_ZDqU5BoHW2SkdbqXgzMz4nbN0ERiWvp9UHfhGVtWEFuAX9bB9A2PH_CCGPB_edRYY70_MOtIcqxJiFH9Zw00A0Vjj4VKhOl3kR_lVSp5X2sIkydNZo/s1600/IMG_5025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQM7MziCg5agpJ-2NTtyJ0AECFK_ZDqU5BoHW2SkdbqXgzMz4nbN0ERiWvp9UHfhGVtWEFuAX9bB9A2PH_CCGPB_edRYY70_MOtIcqxJiFH9Zw00A0Vjj4VKhOl3kR_lVSp5X2sIkydNZo/s640/IMG_5025.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Quinn and Kale are twins, but couldn't be more different...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHY_EOzePIht89Eqj0i2LZ0od9MIWzCphSYgT2GNI3oBkayGyQKemZJLk-ArerZx1YMhdBAeEqmT0-aILf3cbMrLVs0mvLp_fQxRK5WhbX6rijs6AUI2707NSyWK9df4c0MypGS9Du-Mpu/s1600/IMG_5200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHY_EOzePIht89Eqj0i2LZ0od9MIWzCphSYgT2GNI3oBkayGyQKemZJLk-ArerZx1YMhdBAeEqmT0-aILf3cbMrLVs0mvLp_fQxRK5WhbX6rijs6AUI2707NSyWK9df4c0MypGS9Du-Mpu/s640/IMG_5200.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kale is a miniature version of her mother. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Her mother is a very talented interior designer. She used this Louis Ghost chair to bring a modern element to this old cabin. I absolutely love how it all turned out...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCz0qPRI3pWOLxPUpUjDg4jWIoilVlrd3aLjpuO-P03kmn2ClmOJ-ArHJpJoXIwOzhjich_iHKb1QMrA48In03VMDEHi8YA5tb-TBX0MSrO3gN5BVaCZ6f_9TVoCSeofss58O0giOj5uBg/s1600/IMG_4657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCz0qPRI3pWOLxPUpUjDg4jWIoilVlrd3aLjpuO-P03kmn2ClmOJ-ArHJpJoXIwOzhjich_iHKb1QMrA48In03VMDEHi8YA5tb-TBX0MSrO3gN5BVaCZ6f_9TVoCSeofss58O0giOj5uBg/s640/IMG_4657.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Quinn is her dad's side of the family. She is very laid back and easy going. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I fell in love with this picture. I love how my camera focused on the stalks and faded her out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHmvq6GoFDcEjnxhKHgyVls6JUCcuOzIcJy8Dp4Egwj4LFxK0wOA4tqHRBfHeitxRpK3M2mdFcSWsoItdIPrdPvIYkBusyeHiB5_wPrhoQpjwJOEbF3Taxq0yY3MkV4HqlHrwMNLNghmN/s1600/IMG_4709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHmvq6GoFDcEjnxhKHgyVls6JUCcuOzIcJy8Dp4Egwj4LFxK0wOA4tqHRBfHeitxRpK3M2mdFcSWsoItdIPrdPvIYkBusyeHiB5_wPrhoQpjwJOEbF3Taxq0yY3MkV4HqlHrwMNLNghmN/s640/IMG_4709.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This picture was an unexpected gem. I was trying to see what the view would look like on the other side of the lake and captured the whole family. I love everything about it. This is Stone Lake and the dad has many great, childhood memories here. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmCRhn5LOwylAyQud5FH6HJuNnTpbSrUXSNGLUQZNJ94IqpyTa4jgfRIGEHi1D9rt9VWW-cvkAROkC080akiCZxkAsJohVZxPIk9PEVHKAKhQkVKV1J9Ub0WtS-H-A6jAtSt6Y9heri75/s1600/IMG_5205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmCRhn5LOwylAyQud5FH6HJuNnTpbSrUXSNGLUQZNJ94IqpyTa4jgfRIGEHi1D9rt9VWW-cvkAROkC080akiCZxkAsJohVZxPIk9PEVHKAKhQkVKV1J9Ub0WtS-H-A6jAtSt6Y9heri75/s640/IMG_5205.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the things I love about doing this is getting to see places like this off of the beaten path. Hearing stories that shape who we become as adults and as parents. Memories and moments that we can pass onto another generation. The other thing is that I got to share this experience with one of mine. Jess came along as my "assistant." I got a shot of her enjoying a makeshift boat (leaves and sticks) and watching it pass from one side of a creek to another (via drainage pipe)...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipeClphQp5z2Tuy7D1ivoXKg0poXPc9APc9XwdE3PqSypMls0YdKSpZe7r6_LuZ062kUxFXi-MG2NWN7pPCAoKpdY-7DTiVQXAN461tcSbrMa5F5RoFzBuM6RJLrrEComHckzDaFPyxgIG/s1600/IMG_4803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipeClphQp5z2Tuy7D1ivoXKg0poXPc9APc9XwdE3PqSypMls0YdKSpZe7r6_LuZ062kUxFXi-MG2NWN7pPCAoKpdY-7DTiVQXAN461tcSbrMa5F5RoFzBuM6RJLrrEComHckzDaFPyxgIG/s640/IMG_4803.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Baby Ames</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">About a month ago, Will's cousin and his wife (a dear friend of mine), had their first baby. Meredith is an incredibly gifted photographer so I was beyond honored when she asked me to take the first shots of their new family. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ANz75THTRxPka72CMqWKdPgYzM6Q2dyoEJFNXz8SzT4nblFy6dGacne2sAzNmmUWNH8fXu2v1s_oxgKH6WbLPeEXVILrJeVa3CiSeHC1U2Z7R07zOGsg0-ZbynlGyLeF5w0W82XSXk4H/s1600/IMG_5490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ANz75THTRxPka72CMqWKdPgYzM6Q2dyoEJFNXz8SzT4nblFy6dGacne2sAzNmmUWNH8fXu2v1s_oxgKH6WbLPeEXVILrJeVa3CiSeHC1U2Z7R07zOGsg0-ZbynlGyLeF5w0W82XSXk4H/s640/IMG_5490.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The picture below moved me when I saw it. I loved how Jack was holding baby Ames and how Meredith was holding onto Jack...all I could think is there is a lot of love in this picture.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8s435RvScH3tyeFd0lFjINKO8b-nw_apVezHffG-n1Sox64lcJoKoKhLIleqvI7GPECeyrdUZPXyFDg76wn2t4wcS2SdCtJg2Bams0H728zXurzxEr7v_ESh6zG_LHdJ7nHENZb4JDxw9/s1600/IMG_5430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8s435RvScH3tyeFd0lFjINKO8b-nw_apVezHffG-n1Sox64lcJoKoKhLIleqvI7GPECeyrdUZPXyFDg76wn2t4wcS2SdCtJg2Bams0H728zXurzxEr7v_ESh6zG_LHdJ7nHENZb4JDxw9/s640/IMG_5430.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...and there is...</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTcd19L06zp6Fpk20cpa5SZGa9YVd3wUe10lj9LKlor17FX1d7k3dky-R7CAR02kl7-V5QzeTPSbYSGPauSzvzV6iJuleXTE5QV3_zNmnqqVkgorM2ymIzvk2_rzASLYx20z_lBpI4B_m/s1600/IMG_5329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTcd19L06zp6Fpk20cpa5SZGa9YVd3wUe10lj9LKlor17FX1d7k3dky-R7CAR02kl7-V5QzeTPSbYSGPauSzvzV6iJuleXTE5QV3_zNmnqqVkgorM2ymIzvk2_rzASLYx20z_lBpI4B_m/s640/IMG_5329.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This next picture reminded me that there is nothing like a dad and his baby girl (this I know), what a great image to begin that story...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-BsPBF8QYfg5c_D9ll2m9ULGsfnlRTiOtwSiwYCIQQM0zJg-0gZE0L8l8Wzc_C9Ou2wy7iNH39xttjkiGKViKpycqBHZBWsSQNZuh06IMLPwDgLC3mLnxYlsyLG-FRBvuOxPV5oG6-jM/s1600/IMG_5498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg-BsPBF8QYfg5c_D9ll2m9ULGsfnlRTiOtwSiwYCIQQM0zJg-0gZE0L8l8Wzc_C9Ou2wy7iNH39xttjkiGKViKpycqBHZBWsSQNZuh06IMLPwDgLC3mLnxYlsyLG-FRBvuOxPV5oG6-jM/s640/IMG_5498.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This next picture is Ames with her little hands wrapped around her mom's finger. That life holding on to the one who gave her life...precious.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVf7HHz7IXr4njeZQmvedmK3MgLLVc65rFwADpRGg0Kk9Hyxd5AZ47H0Hd9sRqSOhI2Q1abiW4SttcR1LNPqhUEugsHvZH7Q5FEuTN9t0aso4jipMrnjH4AxIiyKWqf2gc6bjEkh5mGhyphenhyphen/s1600/IMG_5558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVf7HHz7IXr4njeZQmvedmK3MgLLVc65rFwADpRGg0Kk9Hyxd5AZ47H0Hd9sRqSOhI2Q1abiW4SttcR1LNPqhUEugsHvZH7Q5FEuTN9t0aso4jipMrnjH4AxIiyKWqf2gc6bjEkh5mGhyphenhyphen/s640/IMG_5558.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ames is a beautiful baby girl. She is lying on a blanket that her mom gave her dad while they were dating...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIUL1Hap0Pi0VE1uQSN9Kgdn_7dhBLp__0VqCfBV7PiHQEnO4X2dY2OvWTVeT0mKs6qM8NQ4rJBMEm0_vJ-rG_lmofYVidC20YdKSqu1sYPnjanlyGESgWqPLLMZHBXW-8D8za7Lf7GVo/s1600/IMG_5542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIUL1Hap0Pi0VE1uQSN9Kgdn_7dhBLp__0VqCfBV7PiHQEnO4X2dY2OvWTVeT0mKs6qM8NQ4rJBMEm0_vJ-rG_lmofYVidC20YdKSqu1sYPnjanlyGESgWqPLLMZHBXW-8D8za7Lf7GVo/s640/IMG_5542.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvUeWnz4gePdDthrB8tTc50nUldXq3FjBvSgjwKF4BUi7ts3cN0LPf-0SaA5grjlvbMS4qKDCVmZvGIaF6IcH1i-qGxWNpUum1DHNsMo3jyIxRcwEuJMMjGI_amyTZSig2C3JfuolVIRY/s1600/IMG_5533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvUeWnz4gePdDthrB8tTc50nUldXq3FjBvSgjwKF4BUi7ts3cN0LPf-0SaA5grjlvbMS4qKDCVmZvGIaF6IcH1i-qGxWNpUum1DHNsMo3jyIxRcwEuJMMjGI_amyTZSig2C3JfuolVIRY/s640/IMG_5533.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A brand new family, on a brand new path...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvfcF1X4qfZcFP3Yv-tIqPWoALIAyrCfhMJ0CUMMxWndF5Z4mG0wfSjPNVdSs6W2bLAPX6wAIC0aP3WjGzo5cn06LQRRzwVLsPBiE_dB1uy0m2WxRcnCN3-HrwiBIfbTJh4EkTbLmGVaM/s1600/IMG_5395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvfcF1X4qfZcFP3Yv-tIqPWoALIAyrCfhMJ0CUMMxWndF5Z4mG0wfSjPNVdSs6W2bLAPX6wAIC0aP3WjGzo5cn06LQRRzwVLsPBiE_dB1uy0m2WxRcnCN3-HrwiBIfbTJh4EkTbLmGVaM/s640/IMG_5395.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquspSyVa9UgLdwRY9CMYvI4cCbjcroQVVAwKqzW5PzumrQeoLZIxYkPA0MkT8MUenoCtqix47K3xTxpGKcD7iRKMLTcJ4-e7Z0aok3fn3DYZVFvzXIGTqT7hJ5msMGUJ80cTBlCPN2m8V/s1600/IMG_5590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquspSyVa9UgLdwRY9CMYvI4cCbjcroQVVAwKqzW5PzumrQeoLZIxYkPA0MkT8MUenoCtqix47K3xTxpGKcD7iRKMLTcJ4-e7Z0aok3fn3DYZVFvzXIGTqT7hJ5msMGUJ80cTBlCPN2m8V/s640/IMG_5590.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">...there are few things in life more precious and beautiful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Capturing these moments has blessed me more than I could have ever imagined. To get to share in others' blessings just makes my own that much better. The other night, Jess asked God to bless her blessings. I get it. He has blessed my blessings by giving me this opportunity. All of these pictures tell a story. These children are loved so much and that alone blesses my heart. They are being raised by incredible men and women and taught to love and to recognize God...they are so blessed. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mine</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the meantime, I try to still capture my own as much as I can. Usually it is with my phone. But it is always good.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYAwKlovFjniFDwdbT5MZwssbt4czmYffqoMFC0qi6FWFqeSPY3eOUKooJxJnB87Hz5huIXG8hXCB6H-sZbJtZArwpJ52uP69F6-Rv3sbix6k2D_3gEsh8hGrA4nXuqBrUK0nsBF8pID7/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYAwKlovFjniFDwdbT5MZwssbt4czmYffqoMFC0qi6FWFqeSPY3eOUKooJxJnB87Hz5huIXG8hXCB6H-sZbJtZArwpJ52uP69F6-Rv3sbix6k2D_3gEsh8hGrA4nXuqBrUK0nsBF8pID7/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reagan is a master photographer on my phone. She got this picture of Jess while I was taking pictures of baby Ames. Wild and crazy, having the time of her life in some imaginary world. She should still be Ames' size.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBqmyW8jj-l8pLpqFD-oACdz2ScgUVrzixWFfpYXU-awEpdrhmlponos03zXzfj_Zr5bIvhAgV6PSkT5SC78M7XT2h3xsTXmJnIGJF3KWbMhK8Jtp8o4QF0DWFEXGqUqGRMuGJ-Krjh6F/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBqmyW8jj-l8pLpqFD-oACdz2ScgUVrzixWFfpYXU-awEpdrhmlponos03zXzfj_Zr5bIvhAgV6PSkT5SC78M7XT2h3xsTXmJnIGJF3KWbMhK8Jtp8o4QF0DWFEXGqUqGRMuGJ-Krjh6F/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This one I took today. The last day of Winter. I hope every Winter is as mild as this one was. Goodbye Winter, hello Spring...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaeBGo6x4P5ToKxPDIOdH2FUABRsLhzZ_3xtAUs-BgfyS2ynCmMlIVCrNtls648gCmuyGi-uu0omuhXASphG5uAC-qS7Amo-ZcTrnP2RtcDnTORy9acFK_8mv6g4EzMPFAhfLCvE4eqnN/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaeBGo6x4P5ToKxPDIOdH2FUABRsLhzZ_3xtAUs-BgfyS2ynCmMlIVCrNtls648gCmuyGi-uu0omuhXASphG5uAC-qS7Amo-ZcTrnP2RtcDnTORy9acFK_8mv6g4EzMPFAhfLCvE4eqnN/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Luke 18:16</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"But Jesus called the children to Him and said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FYI: The name of the photography class I took is called SnapShots. You can get more information on it on <a href="http://ashleyannphotography/">ashleyannphotography.com</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To see Meredith's amazing pictures of Ames visit her blog, <a href="http://meredithward.blogspot.com/">meredithward.blogspot.com</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Happy Spring</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyBXObsSsKmwYeY1hag4AUOvyLDorRt3ajrO-j-HhNebfrhzqOjQ0JAf1Igv8gd1DWEtGfsLJGY_McFwSbio_h6KAXojJ_1Fh-RG4wgpztIMU9wQDq5CDqGBgjhcXqrGLSwitu6G7xJy7/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCyBXObsSsKmwYeY1hag4AUOvyLDorRt3ajrO-j-HhNebfrhzqOjQ0JAf1Igv8gd1DWEtGfsLJGY_McFwSbio_h6KAXojJ_1Fh-RG4wgpztIMU9wQDq5CDqGBgjhcXqrGLSwitu6G7xJy7/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-44664282098478850982012-02-20T00:03:00.000-05:002012-02-20T00:03:28.359-05:00If?Dark hours come when we least expect them and usually when we are the least prepared. One of Satan's weapons he launched at Jesus was simply asking, "If you are the Son of God..." (Luke 4:9). If? If can be a dangerous word. I find myself during the darkest moments listening to Satan himself saying, if He is God then...At times, I find myself crying, why God don't you see me, why have you stopped speaking? This blog has become a weapon for me in these moments. It is so easy to let a dark season, day, or hour creep in and steal the very life and joy from us. Or...we can have something tangible to see God through. His word, a list of blessings, prayer, pictures...For me it is in these images. Images taken in an imperfect, broken world. Images that remind me that even in our darkest hours, God is there, God sees me, God loves me and He speaks...<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> <b>"Why do you complain to Him that He answers none of man's words? For God does speak--now one way, now another--though man may not perceive it." Job 33:13-14</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxag7bBqP4WSTILdRS0DtgYD3B3M7gFL3eRbl9xT0INb41Awl5KvyDJX0z8v6LunvWsnp1zwoLPL8Pd8eEGc196eSow-9wzrfAgBLnel5fC5u9Je2ZGHu1GKSZ5J9MWoiQrdGjCcdLLSH/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxag7bBqP4WSTILdRS0DtgYD3B3M7gFL3eRbl9xT0INb41Awl5KvyDJX0z8v6LunvWsnp1zwoLPL8Pd8eEGc196eSow-9wzrfAgBLnel5fC5u9Je2ZGHu1GKSZ5J9MWoiQrdGjCcdLLSH/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Creek-side Chats...right after I snapped this picture, a dolphin came up out of the water less than two feet from the dock. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_odqMvglJXJuGYCbWGpDz6S3Y7HkRrO7RnEjl2BB49jpZ-VMerzycVBWbwO7AGzbb07nGUjO1mxUtRLOU6w4NNvuHq15j8lEMPeeZ5X5QHhp6Mxdz1U_UFwnlYoQWMg_8diCHpj_rfJs8/s1600/IMG_3995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_odqMvglJXJuGYCbWGpDz6S3Y7HkRrO7RnEjl2BB49jpZ-VMerzycVBWbwO7AGzbb07nGUjO1mxUtRLOU6w4NNvuHq15j8lEMPeeZ5X5QHhp6Mxdz1U_UFwnlYoQWMg_8diCHpj_rfJs8/s640/IMG_3995.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Her face says it all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We go every year to the Southeastern Wildlife Festival in Charleston. The girls absolutely love wandering around Francis Marion park and seeing all of the uniquely wild creatures that God created. They play, interact, and learn to appreciate these magnificent creations.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR2syeUZZngSTko_6v7FVW5ovjmjDaHh25DdINZRNeJQiRCEN2aO2V7X3h3wZwfrTuRoCybhnjuQGG8jNf1XuC4t15MAtYESxJVt0Pj2LeDZwnkD7sg6ZLp1tQ1VeX5MrSTgh-onOiDZf/s1600/IMG_4022_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR2syeUZZngSTko_6v7FVW5ovjmjDaHh25DdINZRNeJQiRCEN2aO2V7X3h3wZwfrTuRoCybhnjuQGG8jNf1XuC4t15MAtYESxJVt0Pj2LeDZwnkD7sg6ZLp1tQ1VeX5MrSTgh-onOiDZf/s640/IMG_4022_2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What is it about girls and ponies??</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3Z_KDnIstB2scZkungGZb3_Vxtnw_JXfgFZDxIkvFkbR3MydZaJ42imMfKmQ2rC_udD0qZeWpG3QEi_pGz-Ak4Vy2GF2qemxq-RewH072zkQ84FZ8LMAVulGRsRzMLzRGeBGGnoPNjEa/s1600/IMG_4057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3Z_KDnIstB2scZkungGZb3_Vxtnw_JXfgFZDxIkvFkbR3MydZaJ42imMfKmQ2rC_udD0qZeWpG3QEi_pGz-Ak4Vy2GF2qemxq-RewH072zkQ84FZ8LMAVulGRsRzMLzRGeBGGnoPNjEa/s640/IMG_4057.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I fell in love with this guy. I am going to have this picture blown up and give it a place of honor in our house. It can be a weapon to use against the temptation to take life so seriously and to be reminded that God created this guy, God has a sense of humor.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVIcCmwpm-KO2XD2PR_UZ9jf7mJEwNv5-zvBsw_M6XFKWaFcI0ujjkT4LzFq8BMf1QL_yh4P6VRtYyo3rmSxk3zKx3SgTRiuGf8350crt3yPI_4PAQgj85ugu2EKP0A0Bii0RkHXP4pa4/s1600/IMG_4087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVIcCmwpm-KO2XD2PR_UZ9jf7mJEwNv5-zvBsw_M6XFKWaFcI0ujjkT4LzFq8BMf1QL_yh4P6VRtYyo3rmSxk3zKx3SgTRiuGf8350crt3yPI_4PAQgj85ugu2EKP0A0Bii0RkHXP4pa4/s400/IMG_4087.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love the cutouts! They are just plain fun!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg737_spS-BRArtdftZwP56kfe1EUkFHmzfRrCjnXq23p6E3-qxPAVU6mJdY4JKmyHuqaxIPCArRH8XJzaue9HMB_TXpu5fK1eKnFWPLtoGjrVlz_-7j-gxg8RV6GLEvp6GFxBtfo_ZRbC5/s1600/IMG_4146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg737_spS-BRArtdftZwP56kfe1EUkFHmzfRrCjnXq23p6E3-qxPAVU6mJdY4JKmyHuqaxIPCArRH8XJzaue9HMB_TXpu5fK1eKnFWPLtoGjrVlz_-7j-gxg8RV6GLEvp6GFxBtfo_ZRbC5/s400/IMG_4146.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><span id="goog_828510298"></span><span id="goog_828510299"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90tOOFdLlkoVDN2w5Ze9qX4hBh4GS31-wjBaX2iJUKloQiZRk1s6EDiqPkNkMP4Xm6xQbfAP89wXvkq9bNzGYxA4HBM4BqP-85yJwLy7WGrVZlwdht-b5FdHPly946nB-KrJ41LkHxAs9/s1600/IMG_4148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90tOOFdLlkoVDN2w5Ze9qX4hBh4GS31-wjBaX2iJUKloQiZRk1s6EDiqPkNkMP4Xm6xQbfAP89wXvkq9bNzGYxA4HBM4BqP-85yJwLy7WGrVZlwdht-b5FdHPly946nB-KrJ41LkHxAs9/s640/IMG_4148.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I absolutely loathe this picture! I almost had a panic attack. Reagan went on her own and asked this man if she could hold this snake. The best part was as she was struggling to hold it, she asked him if it would bite and he simply nodded his head, yes. She will be the death of me!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She is fearless!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjb50Pe-IX9bASpuRHStxlSmR2RzIzRt135PxmqteU4pu9Ms3G71Pbk2E6jnim27URYUQkrp7b3TUi4dQ-t9nOsuhE8_TkX3nKOCet3lfRkDamyfgFZApBbrM58N5d1coNTRLegNqhq36J/s1600/IMG_4103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjb50Pe-IX9bASpuRHStxlSmR2RzIzRt135PxmqteU4pu9Ms3G71Pbk2E6jnim27URYUQkrp7b3TUi4dQ-t9nOsuhE8_TkX3nKOCet3lfRkDamyfgFZApBbrM58N5d1coNTRLegNqhq36J/s640/IMG_4103.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Will bought me an iphone and I discovered Instagram! It is a nice change to be in a couple of pictures...my girls will have memories to share of me after all.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj505sOMuC_BL4vZbKTaTJp_znL4ams4fFFI7IHUSaVhpX-ffRTDZ2TYOsAD5yG7Njz1fcALLvxxbf_U-sgs6uaTx86feYnt4Ob4SVyZRapKXSogHXBpIzHp8gK3-hDVyNnWMOTMIVeXU0A/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj505sOMuC_BL4vZbKTaTJp_znL4ams4fFFI7IHUSaVhpX-ffRTDZ2TYOsAD5yG7Njz1fcALLvxxbf_U-sgs6uaTx86feYnt4Ob4SVyZRapKXSogHXBpIzHp8gK3-hDVyNnWMOTMIVeXU0A/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-Jrc2WOrdNtGFIexLaR1hW8kHtXjzUvL2kyxJwg300C1yCjf0BqpWwbnPEapBPwbmV1xupP2-OdoCE3aDvy5IidiwC5mP_sHx0aTjK401aSQPIcY1dgmboisA2QGvbzb1sDnn3z1q4_X/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-Jrc2WOrdNtGFIexLaR1hW8kHtXjzUvL2kyxJwg300C1yCjf0BqpWwbnPEapBPwbmV1xupP2-OdoCE3aDvy5IidiwC5mP_sHx0aTjK401aSQPIcY1dgmboisA2QGvbzb1sDnn3z1q4_X/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Red's at Shem Creek</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrQjpgpEDWQgsvaW0ggR2zSrnuEbJ61q_cGLwxEuIbZRNKKiJXmnAhwbZ_Ab1_WZjh6w2n1-i5Q7vaeVhd1Qzrsx1lEX3l2miEz825HkoIOb_9Eq3grFC2q_8UCuf3yZBk-1XG6wijeWi/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrQjpgpEDWQgsvaW0ggR2zSrnuEbJ61q_cGLwxEuIbZRNKKiJXmnAhwbZ_Ab1_WZjh6w2n1-i5Q7vaeVhd1Qzrsx1lEX3l2miEz825HkoIOb_9Eq3grFC2q_8UCuf3yZBk-1XG6wijeWi/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was almost 70 degrees Saturday so why not spend the day on the beach? Jess absolutely loves sand. I miss the days when I didn't care about getting dirty. She takes me back to those days.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZSWdeZkg-VO5PQ5GGsrceMrOxrC_d7IwU8MUOj1OjR4AP4JdR9fb5f6WsW-LCqjg_As1Z7VJ-8npAYTovI0_Xrc4Zm7HwintdZNMSD6-3kXfPI_bSm4Yhz2dcO5M2-iT_8zYCjrE-IFE/s1600/IMG_4165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZSWdeZkg-VO5PQ5GGsrceMrOxrC_d7IwU8MUOj1OjR4AP4JdR9fb5f6WsW-LCqjg_As1Z7VJ-8npAYTovI0_Xrc4Zm7HwintdZNMSD6-3kXfPI_bSm4Yhz2dcO5M2-iT_8zYCjrE-IFE/s640/IMG_4165.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHxxDYG0Ihxufcyt4F8RrMuAKkFBUcj0BLUQxuxIViwxQuOYANeQziQjC9V3AzJs0xBvaMZ9hAf9xHjvC5cwVan1ZjZjHZ_qTN0Ib1tO5rlhkwdJbYAq9fOw2Qo3yxkzp9TuXO00JzGHC/s1600/IMG_4178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHxxDYG0Ihxufcyt4F8RrMuAKkFBUcj0BLUQxuxIViwxQuOYANeQziQjC9V3AzJs0xBvaMZ9hAf9xHjvC5cwVan1ZjZjHZ_qTN0Ib1tO5rlhkwdJbYAq9fOw2Qo3yxkzp9TuXO00JzGHC/s640/IMG_4178.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reagan went all the way into the ocean, fully clothed, begging us to let her swim. The water had to be 50 degrees. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-0nfLiD0WeiLlxG4Y9YETR7h4MX2J0wOh__RLysI_3Zlb9Xs9WsNc19vtrBuWqfKM8YMak04k0ihBACaEHZ_WdfsORs0YniXALYxAZ22y5IDhS10FvmmFpc_LjUdBSLQlhYLbrp-fROt/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-0nfLiD0WeiLlxG4Y9YETR7h4MX2J0wOh__RLysI_3Zlb9Xs9WsNc19vtrBuWqfKM8YMak04k0ihBACaEHZ_WdfsORs0YniXALYxAZ22y5IDhS10FvmmFpc_LjUdBSLQlhYLbrp-fROt/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5llbbTlJ0gatqYul909M4T2SMglIFTjiuKudSLJjURvgQPQLhBplnLhzZHMny9LM-YP99ejL-kEObo8SPtThKwzCMqfi4LgWKpqJl8XCcTF5GmQqwck57NNVLCVgoqhTGjX_si3qpm7Q/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5llbbTlJ0gatqYul909M4T2SMglIFTjiuKudSLJjURvgQPQLhBplnLhzZHMny9LM-YP99ejL-kEObo8SPtThKwzCMqfi4LgWKpqJl8XCcTF5GmQqwck57NNVLCVgoqhTGjX_si3qpm7Q/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Finding joy in the simple pleasures.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKDVXkdME5XLITgSxo0XYBRn95GQrl7pHWcyuMRsWgHk2jJ53KduKFbmAuoHpOShXhNYFCmoUsIYN99RMurUQ9njGKeVvhzgtQaibukCHrOJ4dsOe3yIVfE_8edWQV_CEiEcpR7NnH1Cf/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKDVXkdME5XLITgSxo0XYBRn95GQrl7pHWcyuMRsWgHk2jJ53KduKFbmAuoHpOShXhNYFCmoUsIYN99RMurUQ9njGKeVvhzgtQaibukCHrOJ4dsOe3yIVfE_8edWQV_CEiEcpR7NnH1Cf/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Time standing still, life slowing down, God speaking.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"...If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us! Jesus said, 'If? There are no 'ifs' among believers.' Anything can happen." (Mark 9:22-24)</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</b></div>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-11141938442526207332012-02-11T11:42:00.000-05:002012-02-11T11:42:33.093-05:00Dads and Daughters<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I always imagined myself with three boys. I married a big, tough guy. God gave us two daughters...God must be crazy. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, I cannot imagine life without Barbies, baby dolls, tears, giggles, more tears, flowers, tutus, smelly stuff...and neither can Will.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Every year, Reagan's school hosts a Daddy/Daughter Dance. I love that Reagan's earliest memories of dances will be with her dad. I love that he has the opportunity to teach her how a young man should treat her on "dates." I love that there is a night at her school devoted to this special bond. Last night was the night, and after a week of counting down days, it finally arrived...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0l0dMpCmKpTcu3rShnOlR43gqOjB8aJWfw54o-JafBmfFvxD5ZUAer-van_U68gJlxGPvToa6zMStf-LDwVhA2g8pzRQ96D3xeB9RGntdwCD-daJTpZw-ivXwOC7dH5NBD3hT2UD8-lsC/s1600/IMG_3960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0l0dMpCmKpTcu3rShnOlR43gqOjB8aJWfw54o-JafBmfFvxD5ZUAer-van_U68gJlxGPvToa6zMStf-LDwVhA2g8pzRQ96D3xeB9RGntdwCD-daJTpZw-ivXwOC7dH5NBD3hT2UD8-lsC/s640/IMG_3960.jpg" width="518" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He surprised her with a corsage.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaqwic-BXXBo3bZjhGmK4C4ABZz4ogwySV4URUpECsBSADLdM2z_i1exLFjhda2_GLZCbunJVx32ID_py_AUCZJOl8zwC24i3aTUNHK3HPRdJeC9u3z8EHmQWo4bTCB0YN2YJcKX4947d/s1600/IMG_3962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQaqwic-BXXBo3bZjhGmK4C4ABZz4ogwySV4URUpECsBSADLdM2z_i1exLFjhda2_GLZCbunJVx32ID_py_AUCZJOl8zwC24i3aTUNHK3HPRdJeC9u3z8EHmQWo4bTCB0YN2YJcKX4947d/s640/IMG_3962.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She loved it!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mMGMzJk93CFZQeGkHJa4j0o236layyeNAZkmquwmKOLB_1cyguixDpxFWfsbc7lataghgva04gJBB004emJremeKOlGG_4PemLWYpg39phyphenhyphenzJ4H3_4Ok53S1KiAGRdNnGncJf-N72KDt/s1600/IMG_3986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mMGMzJk93CFZQeGkHJa4j0o236layyeNAZkmquwmKOLB_1cyguixDpxFWfsbc7lataghgva04gJBB004emJremeKOlGG_4PemLWYpg39phyphenhyphenzJ4H3_4Ok53S1KiAGRdNnGncJf-N72KDt/s640/IMG_3986.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He gave his littlest one too! (Thank you God, for florists who remind dads not to forget about the little sister).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRoKx1KUIZ1lsXiO-MRf-YKBcqgDfRGzUsUjKidYF2equYk3nE9hpcZoKOXUNSR1dUMx7l5Fm5iq8LFGNY1XlGGDjUL-QfHmv7aYAoRX78vKLsz1DyC01irWvYvFxmwBvyGFy7V92rwZ9O/s1600/photo_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRoKx1KUIZ1lsXiO-MRf-YKBcqgDfRGzUsUjKidYF2equYk3nE9hpcZoKOXUNSR1dUMx7l5Fm5iq8LFGNY1XlGGDjUL-QfHmv7aYAoRX78vKLsz1DyC01irWvYvFxmwBvyGFy7V92rwZ9O/s400/photo_2.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He told her they could eat anywhere...she chose the Waffle House.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Et3Dady4XJCzY5t0kvWV1aSYxG5C9Dpg3LlW4mYMtN7lP66qU2xmKZHcv8y4FCh7E8VGP9H2NjmAEDBZnSzVw-F-alNz1up8iTDIXnGD7lS8yPzMJhRf_YnkeCtNZiJJa7g9DwA5WUXe/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Et3Dady4XJCzY5t0kvWV1aSYxG5C9Dpg3LlW4mYMtN7lP66qU2xmKZHcv8y4FCh7E8VGP9H2NjmAEDBZnSzVw-F-alNz1up8iTDIXnGD7lS8yPzMJhRf_YnkeCtNZiJJa7g9DwA5WUXe/s400/photo.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She enjoyed the dinner...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4m_t2u70LWM7TeAhk_BKGGas-DXRVB_TH1C0fr_uy_A-cQ3SbZG7E4GV84Q0gdKG-NkozVV1T2kinoYIgvQ6x73k9HY44ywQeXrk5I4waYCp0xx22eSDOLdi6gyMpM6ELAbcZI1GPbjS9/s1600/photo_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4m_t2u70LWM7TeAhk_BKGGas-DXRVB_TH1C0fr_uy_A-cQ3SbZG7E4GV84Q0gdKG-NkozVV1T2kinoYIgvQ6x73k9HY44ywQeXrk5I4waYCp0xx22eSDOLdi6gyMpM6ELAbcZI1GPbjS9/s640/photo_3.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">...and dessert.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kQy3aYN_k_bl-DNg06EOnpMtCG6BjrEby1Guy_NeoZQ9oNdJQ1TwvUCBwEVCDEr84M-Ubmewlf2pFB5VArzZlpg5m1XmOIUlFMyliVKnNEQrxjLzuah0Mpvccj9r5gq3M5rfDQ26G69-/s1600/photo_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kQy3aYN_k_bl-DNg06EOnpMtCG6BjrEby1Guy_NeoZQ9oNdJQ1TwvUCBwEVCDEr84M-Ubmewlf2pFB5VArzZlpg5m1XmOIUlFMyliVKnNEQrxjLzuah0Mpvccj9r5gq3M5rfDQ26G69-/s400/photo_4.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And dessert again because dads are cool like that. This girl is made of sugar!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He came home carrying a sleeping girl in his arms (probably due to hypoglycemic shock). They had fun and she chatted excitedly about it all morning...good memories. So, God could be crazy to give us, specifically Will, two daughters or He could just really love us. He could have known that anyone can raise children, but that it takes a man to raise little girls.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-7981248507134691792012-02-06T22:34:00.000-05:002012-02-06T22:34:58.560-05:00Consider the Daffodils<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WWDz-j59LBd-ReAGqGZPjt0Gd0TZM0j1Ea5_33kAKqRw27EYTxqT4EizzvX06Q6CX4KG5988ID-bjNKEibaNQY0lZmkYFDvf4FCmIU_cWXWDw6MZK4-HJ7ioIaiSjzamsXZL2YtD5X-h/s1600/IMG_3937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WWDz-j59LBd-ReAGqGZPjt0Gd0TZM0j1Ea5_33kAKqRw27EYTxqT4EizzvX06Q6CX4KG5988ID-bjNKEibaNQY0lZmkYFDvf4FCmIU_cWXWDw6MZK4-HJ7ioIaiSjzamsXZL2YtD5X-h/s400/IMG_3937.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some days are a lot easier than others. Some days it feels like I could literally take off and fly, unchained and boundless. Other days, it feels like I drag heavy chains around, weighed down with worries and burdens, choking life, slowing me down. I have not gained enough wisdom yet to know how this is, just that it is. For me, the chain that wraps itself the tightest is that of worry, distrust. I hold onto that one, gripping it with the delusion of control. Today (and for the last week), it has kept me immobile, blind. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Then, my daughter gave me a gift. A gift with a message from God. She gave me Daffodils. Daffodils picked from the ground in February...Winter bearing flowers. As soon as she handed them to me, I sensed the Holy Spirit prod..."consider these Daffodils." I acknowledged that my burdens are heavy because right now I don't trust God, I want control...I have little faith. Looking at those beautiful Daffodils reminded me of the verse in <b>Luke 12:26-28...</b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 'Consider how the wildflowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will He clothe you--you of little faith!'"</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am grateful for these flowers in this Winter season. Today, they represent God's love and faithfulness to me. A sweet reminder delivered by His sweet child. Again, I could not deny this gift, His love, His faithfulness...how much more? God, I ask you to increase my faith!</span></div>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-41341199154517415462012-02-03T01:12:00.000-05:002012-02-03T01:12:04.364-05:00Stooping Low<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today was one of those days that I just couldn't get it right. "It" being everything. Days like today can be extremely discouraging and can ignite an explosion of "I just can't do its." Spinning plates, crashing one by one. Finding myself telling God, if I am trying to see you, why are you so difficult to find? Blinded...Closing my eyes...absolutely refusing to see. A child throwing a temper tantrum aimed at a Heavenly Father. He waits patiently for me to finish. He loves me and His love is always patient and kind (even though mine is certainly not). I pick up a book to move it, I notice a page is dog-eared, I read this verse off of that page...</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"He must become greater, I must become less."</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b>John 3:30 </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Light. Blinding, painful light. My frustration is not a product of God not being there, it is a product of me becoming so big that I block out His light. Becoming full of myself, living in a world where I am "good," where I deserve so much, rising everyday like a tower to reach God. Needing to be brought down. God's gentle reminder spoken in the quote that accompanied the verse...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"I used to think that God's gifts were on shelves one above the other, and that the taller we grew in Christian character the easier we could reach them. I find now that God's gifts are on shelves one beneath the other, and that it is not a question of growing taller but to stooping lower, and that we have to go down, always down, to get His best gifts." --F.B. Meyer </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(the book is 1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As I began to process this, I remembered some pictures I took of Jess and her friend the other day. I was fascinated at how they would walk a little way down this path and stop, stooping down to just play with a stick or whatever else was there. I love how children aren't always so focused on the path or getting to the end. They take the time to stop and play or to stop and notice. I took a picture then and I love how I was just reminded of it now...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_b5RmjMW7-ZgfrNmDedYIhZSQD-8z0uplO12kNzGc4VxQTQHUlCQMpHCV7zwtUudsDEJQPAGCmauvmmSh6FYwgoVW6gni1sMOtmkN_K5o6g8eQD5DczPDeeldYrwNbBErnPHAmsxWWlht/s1600/IMG_3158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_b5RmjMW7-ZgfrNmDedYIhZSQD-8z0uplO12kNzGc4VxQTQHUlCQMpHCV7zwtUudsDEJQPAGCmauvmmSh6FYwgoVW6gni1sMOtmkN_K5o6g8eQD5DczPDeeldYrwNbBErnPHAmsxWWlht/s640/IMG_3158.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_7xtYKWwDwOAfbn16tMXDe0Y5rXk4RXsrJ4sZbsXpoAY2q69_E3TBUZNPHRxEdjJA4h3OCdtT3C8bZCpz2WnhGWn2BPAuZryruvDuWUSPj8Ku77DuHGEPQcywM4gEkkIZJpmprA6aMgx/s1600/IMG_3161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr_7xtYKWwDwOAfbn16tMXDe0Y5rXk4RXsrJ4sZbsXpoAY2q69_E3TBUZNPHRxEdjJA4h3OCdtT3C8bZCpz2WnhGWn2BPAuZryruvDuWUSPj8Ku77DuHGEPQcywM4gEkkIZJpmprA6aMgx/s640/IMG_3161.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of God's greatest gifts in my life, completely undeserved...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSAPLAnS-GnfP_8h1KyZg__kUT27FM3fIy2HiCSW6r4h34bdIZEpZCANSYT5dx_R2YuvXMemYqsF8-GWOlZLSAlIjUtelCqjGVOtKPoytDxFsIPhhnQl0Ft0SXC3ChhKMIuQ6RraKqtJB/s1600/IMG_3149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSAPLAnS-GnfP_8h1KyZg__kUT27FM3fIy2HiCSW6r4h34bdIZEpZCANSYT5dx_R2YuvXMemYqsF8-GWOlZLSAlIjUtelCqjGVOtKPoytDxFsIPhhnQl0Ft0SXC3ChhKMIuQ6RraKqtJB/s640/IMG_3149.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Even on a day where I refuse to see, He leads me to a place where I cannot deny that He has already given me some of His greatest gifts. God, please help me to stoop low.</span></div>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-80209823157699085312012-01-29T22:40:00.001-05:002012-01-29T22:46:51.168-05:00Rest<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Matthew 11:28-30</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This past weekend, Will and I got to get away. We are so blessed to have a family willing to take care of our girls so that we can spend some time taking care of just ourselves. To us that meant rest. We headed down to the coast and did just that. I tried to jot down God's gifts as they came pouring in...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sleeping late</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">eating brunch...having kids means three meals a day, not the luxury of combining two!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">matinee movie</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">68 degrees in January</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">roaming through antique stores</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a long bike ride on the IOP connector over the waterway </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the view...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6gVmWzMxwArQXMHFcbJZ7yGfHZo9QbMeaPHmZZCD61wi36yDEk2MKxeJ3UjCBjS-WUupOsbDXXQI5Gj0N6SFjHtCBmwDYr2y8E-G4waJlipmedBrpBXk9gsQbQDwEgxIiKg9N0TF49Uo/s1600/IMG_3060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6gVmWzMxwArQXMHFcbJZ7yGfHZo9QbMeaPHmZZCD61wi36yDEk2MKxeJ3UjCBjS-WUupOsbDXXQI5Gj0N6SFjHtCBmwDYr2y8E-G4waJlipmedBrpBXk9gsQbQDwEgxIiKg9N0TF49Uo/s640/IMG_3060.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">legs that got me over that bridge (in skinny jeans and leather riding boots, no less)...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">thank you, God, for yoga</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a husband that will ride bikes with me (the only bike available for him...a turquoise beach cruiser with a basket (containing my purse) and a bell...a confident man) </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">these two words...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCwqlwOMTjMd3U4RJlm87LWqTQYkBotW4pvMGNL0ZAQdw1Wz-68VFN7xpQvRmL_QYC5WQ5xiXnrCq4ogPb0IqYBKrBR5Uoy_cB23wHuXVs1oE1uMosJqUpTDbZnHm_k4wlSXsEqvrBLJr/s1600/IMG_3055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCwqlwOMTjMd3U4RJlm87LWqTQYkBotW4pvMGNL0ZAQdw1Wz-68VFN7xpQvRmL_QYC5WQ5xiXnrCq4ogPb0IqYBKrBR5Uoy_cB23wHuXVs1oE1uMosJqUpTDbZnHm_k4wlSXsEqvrBLJr/s320/IMG_3055.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">buffalo shrimp tacos and a "Tell-Tale Heart" burger (topped with a fried egg) at Poe's in a readily available booth, while the Clemson basketball game aired live on a nearby TV</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">long afternoon naps on a couch so worn that it is like sleeping in a nest</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a mixed up order at Starbucks that introduced me to a salted caramel mocha latte...divine </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(the first time I have ever drank an entire coffee drink...the caffeine high...I'm hooked)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">another movie, why not?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">eating sushi at 10:00pm...speechless</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sleeping later</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">going Home</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">two, beautiful girls wrapping themselves around us...FAMILY</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">one first missing tooth...the last first missing tooth...realizing the fleeting nature of time...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">GROWTH</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a reminder to open my eyes to see the beauty of her snaggle-tooth grin right now</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR96n1c_pYsgR226TmFL5W4ZikVre51nBZY7inI4DePUSJp0EzlgbtKEfTVTSbblIWPZNtaXP9XRnUozk0T04hQza6gtJmSlgkxsTILfPqVJpiKanbPRx-j9hb6a7mTygS2KtRaDznrv0k/s1600/0129121429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR96n1c_pYsgR226TmFL5W4ZikVre51nBZY7inI4DePUSJp0EzlgbtKEfTVTSbblIWPZNtaXP9XRnUozk0T04hQza6gtJmSlgkxsTILfPqVJpiKanbPRx-j9hb6a7mTygS2KtRaDznrv0k/s320/0129121429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(taken on a cell phone)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thanking God that His yoke is easy and His burden is light...Today, always.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thanking God for rest for our weary souls.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-18725550397423794822012-01-24T22:47:00.000-05:002012-01-24T22:47:03.644-05:00A Wildly Wonderful World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sunshine...61 degrees...thank you God for letting me live in the Sunny South. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have been taking an online photography class and needed some shots with light. Today the sun made its grand reappearance. As soon as I picked Reagan up from school, we headed out to one of our favorite spots and captured a wildly wonderful world...</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span id="goog_1127479816"></span><span id="goog_1127479817"></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHkv0Tgpnv03kYinprfyvBezmnKZw75Pxe6StYUveS8ue6cdfxtBmdpTvrFMYNNcyNdyhWKulHNVLmDwETbXwkp0wFooP7rRiLSED_Of5bNGs8xkwkVn2KQcSKk0JOWP_AePYlO1oW_uS/s1600/IMG_2657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHkv0Tgpnv03kYinprfyvBezmnKZw75Pxe6StYUveS8ue6cdfxtBmdpTvrFMYNNcyNdyhWKulHNVLmDwETbXwkp0wFooP7rRiLSED_Of5bNGs8xkwkVn2KQcSKk0JOWP_AePYlO1oW_uS/s400/IMG_2657.jpg" width="365" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Daydream Believer</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVS2jHuPTM24Ae4wQ_QVkWVkcZ_3obIsd-2AeZi98WMLC4t0om0b1iCxbk2K_D6l8DvqPVTgk1Xr1klzlYuQeYNx3ksqbsrzUIzMCksaodtFq58HdKRwOdj8TexcDZGHb-pTXzMMi2ngbn/s1600/IMG_2670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVS2jHuPTM24Ae4wQ_QVkWVkcZ_3obIsd-2AeZi98WMLC4t0om0b1iCxbk2K_D6l8DvqPVTgk1Xr1klzlYuQeYNx3ksqbsrzUIzMCksaodtFq58HdKRwOdj8TexcDZGHb-pTXzMMi2ngbn/s400/IMG_2670.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Uncontainable</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYc8cdD4aeMYZCCIG8gMamSseXX0tDEDVeUvTC17daHLM83CWRUNmLLqibSL06qew5-_opzXx2oF8Ia3hVViYwkyL_l4sQ64I_Hb0SLPCWCjpAgo3P2Ulya3rtXb9eHBFZR33eYFUlTiz1/s1600/18509663077_PrFtN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYc8cdD4aeMYZCCIG8gMamSseXX0tDEDVeUvTC17daHLM83CWRUNmLLqibSL06qew5-_opzXx2oF8Ia3hVViYwkyL_l4sQ64I_Hb0SLPCWCjpAgo3P2Ulya3rtXb9eHBFZR33eYFUlTiz1/s400/18509663077_PrFtN.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Searching and Finding</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKLbHGUjJLzGKxejQrSC5Dlbjrp2bNA4qhp_KTuW4ULTx3cVvYvAssZs4GfZRPqpMBCUFujsUC9J4XY8M977U0jatq1iQ9WrCbLHD2WIwXtYLirHjrjExCbtPpAzzYiEU7aY5BCp-ZGBD/s1600/18509744467_xWjn2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKLbHGUjJLzGKxejQrSC5Dlbjrp2bNA4qhp_KTuW4ULTx3cVvYvAssZs4GfZRPqpMBCUFujsUC9J4XY8M977U0jatq1iQ9WrCbLHD2WIwXtYLirHjrjExCbtPpAzzYiEU7aY5BCp-ZGBD/s640/18509744467_xWjn2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Seeing </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBgmVHn3prH_4GSd80EskxIs8w2nr7P5GDcTGjTEvYwtdLrj-NQlRbSKiWy9ajnQbb8OhawvJXwEPcGPn2EYGHStm-uml3LZc3O7dRr_oJvN6KFZJk1V2XOgWgGoF5JzLMDyKj9KSOYvv/s1600/18509830099_GZWm7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBgmVHn3prH_4GSd80EskxIs8w2nr7P5GDcTGjTEvYwtdLrj-NQlRbSKiWy9ajnQbb8OhawvJXwEPcGPn2EYGHStm-uml3LZc3O7dRr_oJvN6KFZJk1V2XOgWgGoF5JzLMDyKj9KSOYvv/s640/18509830099_GZWm7.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Resting, rare</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvpYhN0WabluCtVYdKlkDR5X2yxOi95rZM14GnGIc98TwwDDNTkJLmho-KjOhlDI_sXvRYjvv7AzEMPkz_P2RtBdLIplmRPd3iIKJZhhlWhLT_rVvk6Hqt4IvETSqdUamw-D1ScPCrmEo/s1600/18509895821_WN95g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvpYhN0WabluCtVYdKlkDR5X2yxOi95rZM14GnGIc98TwwDDNTkJLmho-KjOhlDI_sXvRYjvv7AzEMPkz_P2RtBdLIplmRPd3iIKJZhhlWhLT_rVvk6Hqt4IvETSqdUamw-D1ScPCrmEo/s400/18509895821_WN95g.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Grits "Gritsy Boy" Genesis Bud-Bud Merritt</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcF_crK0AFjENJ2io5pmb3JGA8VNONUTiBkJO8Ut4PieW_sfX55oak1q149gGACHfqchYlmw1RE-wWojz4dNgT3BTushc4BA2jBcyJSwo0uxPYXrb0vywcjq9qUTWTok_m9iVsIEGwmdK/s1600/18509964772_JD4ZP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcF_crK0AFjENJ2io5pmb3JGA8VNONUTiBkJO8Ut4PieW_sfX55oak1q149gGACHfqchYlmw1RE-wWojz4dNgT3BTushc4BA2jBcyJSwo0uxPYXrb0vywcjq9qUTWTok_m9iVsIEGwmdK/s640/18509964772_JD4ZP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thank you God for letting us have this dog.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmami7VOVBJXdbMOg0VovgQtADZbsA_gXemCAsdq9Z9ZT1XJlr7SIdpyFDVfKmQ72cJOz9IMoiGvNYxKUIjfHfMhqcwlAAJJ-RbFV749SgWB-ce8yQEl_QKZRM0TFnDImlIehMOlxdZLQ/s1600/18510019022_td65M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmami7VOVBJXdbMOg0VovgQtADZbsA_gXemCAsdq9Z9ZT1XJlr7SIdpyFDVfKmQ72cJOz9IMoiGvNYxKUIjfHfMhqcwlAAJJ-RbFV749SgWB-ce8yQEl_QKZRM0TFnDImlIehMOlxdZLQ/s640/18510019022_td65M.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A priceless, golden treasure</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJzkCtmW2sX5Rj4XA5See8znSm5OROh4eUvoWu2DAaBsexaybnS4271ywMzhGjmYZ18PEPDS7OfvolrLPtiq_oKhhegbZIjQeRtBs6XaILGubSlmEQr2sARs5P1Xq_4-X0No2UnSixhy8/s1600/18510067228_Tk6sd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJzkCtmW2sX5Rj4XA5See8znSm5OROh4eUvoWu2DAaBsexaybnS4271ywMzhGjmYZ18PEPDS7OfvolrLPtiq_oKhhegbZIjQeRtBs6XaILGubSlmEQr2sARs5P1Xq_4-X0No2UnSixhy8/s640/18510067228_Tk6sd.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Being kissed by the sun, taking my breath away.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmtllC5qR6SB9XsJPQZywCEIWW-g-X11hJUhsOEN9ZoP4b_qSj093nLfDrT70yedts399SdFgYYR3sCJPwQQ4RTcjIY6SMMT6hE04B-ZFP5yEoD2Q7azQDmkz5sEDHN8uCrEPYs8TORay/s1600/18510113093_9XbNr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmtllC5qR6SB9XsJPQZywCEIWW-g-X11hJUhsOEN9ZoP4b_qSj093nLfDrT70yedts399SdFgYYR3sCJPwQQ4RTcjIY6SMMT6hE04B-ZFP5yEoD2Q7azQDmkz5sEDHN8uCrEPYs8TORay/s640/18510113093_9XbNr.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eyes that speak</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDu-pvda6RYiQVrsH_ruJwADzmRFGD0SpuaoCm_8_9to_S6lbxXeX5eXRjrVBgCUH5nWv9dArVgJ7THxuJrPA3CUtz893KRM0dkBpXc4tx2-jSrzTgweCQZnLPXlViF_QfKPqfaKC_h6oL/s1600/18510178316_N8mLP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDu-pvda6RYiQVrsH_ruJwADzmRFGD0SpuaoCm_8_9to_S6lbxXeX5eXRjrVBgCUH5nWv9dArVgJ7THxuJrPA3CUtz893KRM0dkBpXc4tx2-jSrzTgweCQZnLPXlViF_QfKPqfaKC_h6oL/s640/18510178316_N8mLP.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Abundant life</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaPZRqB6vHqGIVbPn2N_Gd4u8s1pHMuMYP4kpdJEa8QFA0496COhuqgrc-vBbexDf6Sj7kSqyQ-_HExN_-djj8ydt0Y9vFh3-Wbp-vXiwsJQKhDPZRyqOvPcezilkKivNHiqq195m8_E0/s1600/18510260001_jmxC9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaPZRqB6vHqGIVbPn2N_Gd4u8s1pHMuMYP4kpdJEa8QFA0496COhuqgrc-vBbexDf6Sj7kSqyQ-_HExN_-djj8ydt0Y9vFh3-Wbp-vXiwsJQKhDPZRyqOvPcezilkKivNHiqq195m8_E0/s640/18510260001_jmxC9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pausing this moment, hoping to make it last forever.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1k2SA5lYeVDsB-F8RNozfPtIGWa6w6rPfSe2LMA-iSwp9OiNDZtKV_JpNd1JhzfP1-6YIhRlray_CGRq71wo9xOu7iveluOOu-tEoWXEH8hO3l9SW0OI2ZCBsvZFgrlZBwlmtsqLt-gKY/s1600/IMG_2790.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1k2SA5lYeVDsB-F8RNozfPtIGWa6w6rPfSe2LMA-iSwp9OiNDZtKV_JpNd1JhzfP1-6YIhRlray_CGRq71wo9xOu7iveluOOu-tEoWXEH8hO3l9SW0OI2ZCBsvZFgrlZBwlmtsqLt-gKY/s640/IMG_2790.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sister feet</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>(taken from Psalm 104) </b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>God, I am in awe of your wildly wonderful world!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-11169401756528364962012-01-23T12:49:00.002-05:002012-01-23T13:34:31.961-05:00Bind my Wandering Heart to Thee<b> "My son, pay attention to what I say: listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. </b><br />
<b> Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:20-27</b><br />
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Will and I have been trying to go through the Proverbs with Reagan. Last week, we were reading this verse and, yet again, God began to speak to me through this passage. The funny thing was, I wasn't quite sure (other than the obvious words on the pages) what He was saying to me.<br />
I haven't posted anything in three days. I had mentioned earlier that my goal (with great intentions) was to post everyday. However, God showed me quickly that this could easily become ritualistic and He preferred a flexible heart (a flexible heart leads to freedom...another gift). <br />
So, for three days I pondered. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is in Luke 2:19, <b>"...But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." </b>So many good things to see and to hear over the weekend. Rainy, lazy, restful days. God did not lead me to document any of it. He just allowed me to treasure it and ponder, to rest. God allowed this verse in Proverbs to stand out, and I believe since then he has been weaving the following into my heart, opening my eyes and ears to what He is saying and only allowing its very simplified articulation until now.<br />
First, the obvious for me..."<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">pay attention to what I say: listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight..." </span>More of God encouraging me to open up my eyes and see (sight), to pay attention, to stay awake, a reoccurring theme in His word. Also, a reminder to stay in His word. The daily discipline of reading the Bible. His living story, sustained thousands of years...a miracle, a gift in and of itself.<br />
Second, <b>"</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body." </span>Two posts ago, I wrote about becoming untangled. This was a reminder of the interconnectedness of our spiritual and physical beings. What is good for the heart is good for the body.<br />
Third, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk from your lips." </span>Guarding my heart has been a discipline I have only recently began consciously pursuing. While in Virginia this past fall, we stayed with some friends who live very close to an Amish community. We were talking about the no TV/no technology rules this community embraces. He said when he asked one of them, they explained (and I am over-simplifying and condensing here) that one of the reasons they did not watch TV was the rapidity of which information came at you. That your brain does not have time to process what it is seeing or hearing before it reaches your heart. It reaches your mind so quickly, unfiltered and then spills into your heart (sometimes without us ever being aware). I couldn't argue with that logic. I got rid of the satellite. My attempt to guarding my heart (we still watch movies so I am not exactly sure how that is different, but it saves money anyway ;). Realizing the need to rely on God's help in guarding this treasure (before I bury myself in rules...so Type A of me). I read His words.<br />
I love how this verse ties guarding our hearts directly to our words. What spills forth from our mouths is a direct reflection of our hearts. This, I needed to be reminded of! Today, for me, guarding my heart means less talking, more hearing. It reminded me of a quote I once read,<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>"There was a wise, old owl who lived in an oak,</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>the more he saw, the less he spoke.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The less he spoke, the more he heard.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Why can't we all be like that bird?"</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Fourth, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you." </span>Our pastor constantly reminds us that life is about simply taking and focusing on the next step (a discipline that I have grown to love). Only living in today, right now, that is all I have...a gift. Last night, Will and I were watching previews to a movie and the trailer for War Horse came on (a rainy, movie weekend...another gift). I was only half paying attention until I heard this quote...<b>"Can you imagine flying over a war and you know you can never look down? You have to look forward, or you'll never get home. I ask you, what could be braver than that?" </b>The Holy Spirit immediately wove that quote into my heart. Hearing through ears that are striving to listen. I felt it was a message I was hearing directly from God. The Grandfather who said this was explaining to his grandchildren how brave a soldier must be in battle to fulfill his sole goal, coming home. This road may only be attained and conquered with eyes that look straight, a gaze that is direct. God instantly reminded me of this verse, encouraged me to be brave, to look straight ahead, to fix my gaze on Him, and to someday reach home.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Finally, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." </span>A gentle reminder. By nature, I wander. I have a very difficult time staying on any, one path. This verse, I pray for Him to seal into my heart. This verse brought me back to one of my favorite hymns. One, I frequently play(Sufjan Stevens' version is my favorite) and frequently pray. One that speaks to and about the heart. All of this being connected, everything being connected to Him as He "binds my wandering heart to Thee."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
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<b>"Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace;</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it, mount of thy redeeming love.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Here I raise my Ebeneezer, hither by thy help I'm come;</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>and I hope by thy good pleasure; safely to arrive at home.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God;</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>He to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>O, to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>here's my heart, o take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above."</b></div><b><br />
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</b>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-5605494390581570912012-01-19T22:39:00.000-05:002012-01-19T22:39:45.438-05:00The Gift of Another Day<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>God's Sunrise will break in upon us,</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Shining on those in the darkness, </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>those sitting in the shadow of death,</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Then showing us the way, one foot at a time,</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>down the path of peace." </b>Luke 1:77-79 (The Message)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This morning, my husband gave me a gift. I am not a morning person so I can count on my fingers the number of times I have seen the sunrise. If I have seen it, I am usually too ill about being up to even be in awe of its beauty. However, my husband is a very early riser and captured the sunrise for me this morning. He emailed it to me after 8:00am. This morning, my husband gave me this magnificent gift through his eyes... </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUPaOC8juQmKH4fNGmirSvP5flvOmT0Kl7ZoaVGfOtkvpqVLe8v3GiP4o6B-uB0D4L_cundE6bMk06uOnBaQxvWENDw-qT2891wHYQV0fg3tG3rb87a9yuPWvtlJ1kK6u4i3cWfiw-5qD/s1600/2012-01-18_18-15-20_855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUPaOC8juQmKH4fNGmirSvP5flvOmT0Kl7ZoaVGfOtkvpqVLe8v3GiP4o6B-uB0D4L_cundE6bMk06uOnBaQxvWENDw-qT2891wHYQV0fg3tG3rb87a9yuPWvtlJ1kK6u4i3cWfiw-5qD/s640/2012-01-18_18-15-20_855.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN86_tc1lBzWGifePJrHgooi3Vglg_C_XMmZGqaGZsY4Utwv9OyTdhvDuJalswZwCIPbx1I7VcG9YY6yhfHJZMqnTVYCIXV6QpmowXMB0z4RHlyrQtPxYOLVOKySDOCwR27k2mRH0vpZeA/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN86_tc1lBzWGifePJrHgooi3Vglg_C_XMmZGqaGZsY4Utwv9OyTdhvDuJalswZwCIPbx1I7VcG9YY6yhfHJZMqnTVYCIXV6QpmowXMB0z4RHlyrQtPxYOLVOKySDOCwR27k2mRH0vpZeA/s640/image.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love the above picture because the sunrise looks like a "consuming fire." </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire'" </b>Hebrews 12:28-29</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thanks to my husband, my day began by seeing God's glory because he stopped to take these pictures for me. Knowing, that I would love this, encouraging me in my quest to see God, seeing Him for me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Starting the day like this, makes it hard not to see God's love throughout the rest of the day...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxgPHtb3QEpuPjtDNMPkMHFUT0pPpYAp6TwNNMR4YVXVOdbfvUKTYNnxxVMeiLICBfHYs3DaGpnmoZ5BR9sqVN4qtDVF-EA_t8UL1VT7gz4MzPaGBDuU8zMuh2J_2QWTXeUHlJmHhNujc/s1600/18384355675_LSJZs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxgPHtb3QEpuPjtDNMPkMHFUT0pPpYAp6TwNNMR4YVXVOdbfvUKTYNnxxVMeiLICBfHYs3DaGpnmoZ5BR9sqVN4qtDVF-EA_t8UL1VT7gz4MzPaGBDuU8zMuh2J_2QWTXeUHlJmHhNujc/s640/18384355675_LSJZs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The gift of imagination...It was 40-something degrees this January day, but that did not stop this one from putting on her surf shirt, kicking off her shoes, and surfing on the see saw. Oh, to be seven again! The next best thing is living through her eyes, her imagination.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjymWB4IxRS1qNHlOvtK0RIe29GLDXWv09nLyO3gzfkZskC2kwtGJcv7fX63auZj7UITIOjO32F-Zpd38XxzgRdaUyhPccpUPN6B37MASrD2l5rOXrJKMzq3rO0qozEMuSErVXInK39R1/s1600/18384377371_T2Mfz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjymWB4IxRS1qNHlOvtK0RIe29GLDXWv09nLyO3gzfkZskC2kwtGJcv7fX63auZj7UITIOjO32F-Zpd38XxzgRdaUyhPccpUPN6B37MASrD2l5rOXrJKMzq3rO0qozEMuSErVXInK39R1/s640/18384377371_T2Mfz.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With her, we just never know...always up to or into something.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tonight, I got to fix one of the girls' favorites...mac and cheese (Jess said that was her gift from God today). Last year, I got serious about our family eating more whole, natural foods (okay, a little serious...I absolutely cannot give up Cheetos and if I quit buying Little Debbies, I think my family would send me into exile). I figured that we are going to eat processed foods some, but if I took the time to cook, I would try to focus on cooking with real food. I read a great book called <span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Real Food Has Curves</span> (by B. Weinstein & M. Scarbrough). These two guys give a really practical overview of getting off processed foods (at your own pace and comfort level) and it is full of information of the yucky/fake stuff that is in a lot of processed foods. The best thing about this book was that it included recipes (they both have written several cookbooks). The mac and cheese I made tonight, I adapted from their recipe (their recipe has mushrooms, onions, and broccoli...yum to me, not so much to my girls). I love this because it literally takes minutes to make. It is packed full of protein and can stand alone as a main dish. It is a skillet version and if you grate the cheese the night before, then you could probably make this in 20 min (10 of that will be boiling pasta). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ingredients...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKCEE6_5XYl3ElAQRZBVdw2v9mb5Db9FAe2AlWnd-u0hUPMCIECqDso7xTwDgs1mgVj9uGjxVuJxiIdZSLLUc40IDgXXztZ54ayP7kpzXEVxKpM3Ayyk-AN4ifLrOMmIlBqkRO-jmUXpX/s1600/IMG_2474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKCEE6_5XYl3ElAQRZBVdw2v9mb5Db9FAe2AlWnd-u0hUPMCIECqDso7xTwDgs1mgVj9uGjxVuJxiIdZSLLUc40IDgXXztZ54ayP7kpzXEVxKpM3Ayyk-AN4ifLrOMmIlBqkRO-jmUXpX/s400/IMG_2474.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Pasta of choice</b> (I buy the whole wheat (less processed) penne variety because it is full of fiber and since it will be drowned in cheese, you really can't taste the difference)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Parmigiano-Reggiano</b> cheese (it is always better to buy in wedge or block form and shred. Plus it tastes so much better. It is pricey but it will keep for a long time and you can use it in other recipes or salads.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Cheddar Cheese </b>(I choose cabot smooth sharp because they don't add animal rennet). Again, whatever cheese you choose, buy in block form for a much better taste. Feel free to add your own favorite cheese to the mix or substitute.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Butter </b>(always real butter, never margarine)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Unbleached Flour </b>(minimally processed and you cannot taste the difference)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Dijon Mustard</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Whole Milk </b>(or low-fat)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Black Pepper and Salt </b>(I use Kosher Salt)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To make...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shred approx 4 oz. (half the block) or <b>Cheddar Cheese</b> and 2-3 oz. of <b>Parm-Reg</b>. cheese (feel free to reduce or add to this, you can always shred more or save the excess). Mix together in a bowl and set aside.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cook about 1/2 a box of <b>pasta</b> (8oz.), drain and set aside.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Melt 1 tbsp. of <b>butter</b> (you can get away with reducing this if you are making a lower calorie version) on medium-high heat in large, high-sided, oven-safe skillet.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add about 1.5-2 tbsp. of <b>flour.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whisk in about 1.5 cups of <b>milk </b>in a steady, thin stream until creamy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whisk in about 1/2 to 1 tbsp. of <b>Dijon Mustard, </b><b>salt</b> (I guess, but about 1/4-1/2 tsp), and <b>pepper</b> (I just sprinkle enough pepper to sparsely cover the top).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Continue whisking until the mixture starts to bubble and the liquid thickens (about 3 minutes).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in three-quarters of the shredded cheeses until smooth. Stir in cooked pasta.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat the broiler after setting the rack 4-6 inches from the heat source. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese over the top of the skillet.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Broil until lightly browned and bubbling (around 5 minutes).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Handles will be HOT!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cool for about 5-10 minutes </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-GQ5_mZpCV1R9AK3gZEXnPUnNuPC5T3BM9NyhhoUs5aekOmBefG2nwti_1IWp45YwW5xXlPiAUe9MfH87D71KiChf3j65Q68_IC2K3lNTjqMpJTITwPKxzw3uwebrxanBzso9_v1Qm4K/s1600/IMG_2494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-GQ5_mZpCV1R9AK3gZEXnPUnNuPC5T3BM9NyhhoUs5aekOmBefG2nwti_1IWp45YwW5xXlPiAUe9MfH87D71KiChf3j65Q68_IC2K3lNTjqMpJTITwPKxzw3uwebrxanBzso9_v1Qm4K/s400/IMG_2494.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It is so creamy, delicious, filling, and full of fiber and protein. It easily makes 4-5 portions. What we don't eat, we heat up for left overs.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_NF7sA0CRRTk7EIPBhpcVxyLVBiX6CFJ4dwBeH81u0pCYHVOmSQ2EjPi2FLDNu8WbUX6gysEqHNcTFlxJ7bqTuXodZGVfb6tjIeHDFQJI7DYvvX37JOAafqWz-wUmVAfCbDjTwQYLpeO/s1600/IMG_2501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_NF7sA0CRRTk7EIPBhpcVxyLVBiX6CFJ4dwBeH81u0pCYHVOmSQ2EjPi2FLDNu8WbUX6gysEqHNcTFlxJ7bqTuXodZGVfb6tjIeHDFQJI7DYvvX37JOAafqWz-wUmVAfCbDjTwQYLpeO/s400/IMG_2501.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I serve it with some steamed broccoli (I just put a handful of frozen broccoli in a bowl in the microwave, sit an oversized lid on top, and microwave for a minute and a half. Reagan requested a salad with hers topped with Ranch (see, only a little serious about the whole processed thing).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you God for sunrises, a husband who captures them for me, time to play, and for macaroni and cheese...all found on a path of peace. God, thank you for the gift of another day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-62799582879168321442012-01-18T22:11:00.001-05:002012-01-18T22:16:30.291-05:00Becoming Untangled<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> While reading in Matthew yesterday, I came across a familiar passage. Knowing I had read and heard this story so many times before, I stopped and prayed. I asked the Holy Spirit to shine His light on what I was reading...to make the familiar unfamiliar...to allow me to see Him speaking to me through this text. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Matthew 26:36-45 is about the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is about to be betrayed and handed over to the ones who will kill Him. He asks his friends to pray with Him, to be awake, to be aware. They fell asleep. Three times he found them sleeping. The first time he found them sleeping He told Peter something that immediately caught my attention...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(v.41). Here, the spirit and the body are connected...something I had somehow missed before. One can be willing, but if the other is weak, then there is brokenness. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Last week, I had just read where the disciples asked Jesus which of the commands or laws was the most important. He replied, </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind"</span></b><span class="woj"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 5px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(Matthew 22:37). Heart, soul, and </span></span></b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 5px;">mind...again, all connected. Every living part of us is interwoven. We cannot let one area </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 5px;">weaken and expect the others to thrive. Even if the spirit is willing, we will fall if the body is </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 5px;">weak. If our soul thirsts, it will eventually break our hearts. If our hearts are broken, our minds will begin to grow weary. We are one tangled mess. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 5px;"> Jesus warned his friends. He told them to watch and pray to avoid falling into </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 5px;">temptation, to avoid becoming tangled. I was struck by the simplicity of this, yet how much </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 5px;">my life has lacked these disciplines. Watching has now become my focus. Staying awake is a </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 5px;">new discipline for me. In every moment, good or bad, opening my eyes, waking up and </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 5px;">watching God. Watching Him is seeing Him. Seeing Him is, again, knowing Him. Knowing Him allows us to speak to Him through prayer...an expression of love, of trust. Watching and praying lead to being loved and loving. Focusing not on the weight of the burdens, not on the giant knot of tangles I have become, but just on Him being God. Loving Him by surrendering my mind, my heart, and my soul to Him and only to Him. Watching and praying as He untangles this mess in me. Trusting Him as he begins to straighten me out. Becoming one spirit, one body, one heart, one mind, and one soul. Becoming untangled.</span><br />
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</span></span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-47167693881569740182012-01-16T01:36:00.000-05:002012-01-16T01:36:42.553-05:00A Birthday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<b>"Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>womb</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>. I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day." Psalm 139:13</b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I had the privilege of turning 33 today. It was an especially blessed day for me. I have a husband who goes out of his way to toil and stress to make a birthday the "perfect day." I have two, spirited girls who love to shower me with gifts, affection, surprises, and who love birthdays period. I have two parents who drove over three hours just to spend the day with me (I wouldn't have had this day had they not done their part, a pretty important gift)! I got to spend this day in some of the most beautiful places my eyes have ever seen. I experienced God's presence everywhere today, spilling over. My soul recognizes His works and rejoices in His beauty. Today, He displayed these works, His creation and I received each one as a gift. Today, He opened my eyes to see...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWS8I_FUK0nDFEHnipAk_7pUcD3hUkDTO1Mg09WUHC85zbZjlLdpyQI422xNpt_YCqOCPipS5WW3nSlaBuot36Q_a7aozOSJkDrUP0jgZ_cmTTxyorCb4Iq1kTgjhJtI9yFAcd-_xA0dE/s1600/18326137252_L6438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWS8I_FUK0nDFEHnipAk_7pUcD3hUkDTO1Mg09WUHC85zbZjlLdpyQI422xNpt_YCqOCPipS5WW3nSlaBuot36Q_a7aozOSJkDrUP0jgZ_cmTTxyorCb4Iq1kTgjhJtI9yFAcd-_xA0dE/s400/18326137252_L6438.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After serving me breakfast in bed (his famous bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches), he decided to do the dishes. He said no one ever told him you couldn't put dish soap in the dishwasher. Hence, the river of soapy water that invaded our kitchen...He tries so hard!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_6hqnbj3MEFE5zf0gMDO5dVyfkZHH3PVBhEGMF8rfo38UZVaftTEnR6XqBGm26fZCzDotE_k8Ew6LoMi_VzdxDfJzQH0dZ9vSCOj0ozw27YeQdkH-fosFX4L71MH5hnxvjml5Muz3JRM/s1600/18326373026_BPvQC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="457" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_6hqnbj3MEFE5zf0gMDO5dVyfkZHH3PVBhEGMF8rfo38UZVaftTEnR6XqBGm26fZCzDotE_k8Ew6LoMi_VzdxDfJzQH0dZ9vSCOj0ozw27YeQdkH-fosFX4L71MH5hnxvjml5Muz3JRM/s640/18326373026_BPvQC.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Getting to spend some time in one of my most favorite, little towns....McClellanville. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDhyIRA0euR2A_WPHEd-23o9vGJwO3zTtKwm33ZRQI0q9v4gY7rsNU02QeFX0ahB94rR_gKN-BFondrbc_F3igxZ90JZd9T5AL-GPsZuHO8r9G2_XxnHJFDLQSp03IajHxtvvXWsg5pV-/s1600/18326166929_Mpb7Z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDhyIRA0euR2A_WPHEd-23o9vGJwO3zTtKwm33ZRQI0q9v4gY7rsNU02QeFX0ahB94rR_gKN-BFondrbc_F3igxZ90JZd9T5AL-GPsZuHO8r9G2_XxnHJFDLQSp03IajHxtvvXWsg5pV-/s400/18326166929_Mpb7Z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eating local shrimp at T.W. Grahams. I love this shrimp! I love how it is caught in their backyard and I love that it isn't the size of my hand like the kind you get at the grocery store. This is good ole South Carolina shrimp! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgixwAyYCWzLMmGBe2i3oDNgROLVmSQwrPJVtUs4SMjRzgw6NakvFrvO2j_x4O7rxE4h9cy8jf1IsaSjoAbDweShqc-as7J6TfqFrTxX3o4JgK4Ko6vdxgykxGAkMe1pfs2YKJeusila9x/s1600/IMG_2251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgixwAyYCWzLMmGBe2i3oDNgROLVmSQwrPJVtUs4SMjRzgw6NakvFrvO2j_x4O7rxE4h9cy8jf1IsaSjoAbDweShqc-as7J6TfqFrTxX3o4JgK4Ko6vdxgykxGAkMe1pfs2YKJeusila9x/s400/IMG_2251.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYr2ZBuwzlMFn99ydRNZAizZvLU_LJASRDiPeqa1kqvH9GpBfstcAtxm0wiXYLqElB28t9RKc_Te3mqoIa-GHa-xtddN6Qa5Jv4QvFgOvwAaPrCr4uTKIHIFrxo9bPsqs3FHBwAv9hqHef/s1600/18326220360_K4GrG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYr2ZBuwzlMFn99ydRNZAizZvLU_LJASRDiPeqa1kqvH9GpBfstcAtxm0wiXYLqElB28t9RKc_Te3mqoIa-GHa-xtddN6Qa5Jv4QvFgOvwAaPrCr4uTKIHIFrxo9bPsqs3FHBwAv9hqHef/s640/18326220360_K4GrG.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shrimp Boats...now that's fresh!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfm6qgn7OPxiEHmnrQ9i4YhB0N6kVnvoiSNOuVHsPDtrlnakKM5dumPnqiFdyOLkNmY5tSmOLfnSBjV8gynw1xPuQSS9ECbWvpl5VJ_KnKWJRyOdwqbXw92F2MrviFrERLf-TR_hocBDG3/s1600/18326275732_Q5Kwt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfm6qgn7OPxiEHmnrQ9i4YhB0N6kVnvoiSNOuVHsPDtrlnakKM5dumPnqiFdyOLkNmY5tSmOLfnSBjV8gynw1xPuQSS9ECbWvpl5VJ_KnKWJRyOdwqbXw92F2MrviFrERLf-TR_hocBDG3/s640/18326275732_Q5Kwt.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A quaint little church sitting in a quaint little town...breathtaking!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgc8itGuetmlB_666eKLZ1HCM3YmV9IQ4wdqz1efmR-GiTIWas2iV_j2BXl7XaXnq7knECDtvOU6hOYPZuaz-fNdAfwHOyPqaMwnSazUuiQc4bCzdKdEpY4PFLX3Q5Z4R2PU5_sucAqRQm/s1600/18326550541_7WJHz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgc8itGuetmlB_666eKLZ1HCM3YmV9IQ4wdqz1efmR-GiTIWas2iV_j2BXl7XaXnq7knECDtvOU6hOYPZuaz-fNdAfwHOyPqaMwnSazUuiQc4bCzdKdEpY4PFLX3Q5Z4R2PU5_sucAqRQm/s640/18326550541_7WJHz.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">fter leaving McClellanville, we headed to the beach. The sand, the ocean, the sky, the sun, my family...all gifts, all from God.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3WQe77_3x58zZPBjO95dIScyNqbM5vp8PRs-kuz9mLReoy8pb4u2fvDAdNIHVLW91Iwbax05Gc0FPDpuVK41R5_WJceMTFfagoelNQjlwjg4WprGtPWMDYvyjvs7PuYP-h33HLzaLMhx/s1600/18326464432_cqgJ2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3WQe77_3x58zZPBjO95dIScyNqbM5vp8PRs-kuz9mLReoy8pb4u2fvDAdNIHVLW91Iwbax05Gc0FPDpuVK41R5_WJceMTFfagoelNQjlwjg4WprGtPWMDYvyjvs7PuYP-h33HLzaLMhx/s640/18326464432_cqgJ2.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jess...always searching, always finding.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVf_DDngOD6Uw_FNgXG_czaYvbuLfe3rssEuUzQWT4rFi40lBW3jL3Gz-HEIrHz8sW27vslJjTK1XIMVcXOccaGYFDlsewUZKnoo44w35tgfLQEDKm4gMn_Rro-N2cJTCbdBj34D245kT/s1600/18327683892_8rDJ7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVf_DDngOD6Uw_FNgXG_czaYvbuLfe3rssEuUzQWT4rFi40lBW3jL3Gz-HEIrHz8sW27vslJjTK1XIMVcXOccaGYFDlsewUZKnoo44w35tgfLQEDKm4gMn_Rro-N2cJTCbdBj34D245kT/s640/18327683892_8rDJ7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My parents...always there, always loving.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjnCpI4-Rx8YwFE72dJ242SrapsoUWvLt4xN57qpiaQfsPgDPCsN2ex88g87aVGgoJm8BH1unkn77JcJDX8fuj6ioXxgm7kLmgF1pcXjnUQfC5asPCwQBv1oSnVK_QfPtDjOHIBbRXIlE/s1600/18327604870_9HjcM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjnCpI4-Rx8YwFE72dJ242SrapsoUWvLt4xN57qpiaQfsPgDPCsN2ex88g87aVGgoJm8BH1unkn77JcJDX8fuj6ioXxgm7kLmgF1pcXjnUQfC5asPCwQBv1oSnVK_QfPtDjOHIBbRXIlE/s640/18327604870_9HjcM.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Will and Rea...always playing, always having fun!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1Qb8H6iHdBrBoXd0Z7GQvaW5mO7_nndhFancLAr5x8OAqv7BSCS6pXVLT3vKjPsPlM-j0ZLbZH-6G3ufRcm2UE2sfrXGasKBddhvWgLS8u8V8W2Yxp09e8DWKla-8TU1nvXwjGIMsoJP/s1600/18327527920_mzj3s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1Qb8H6iHdBrBoXd0Z7GQvaW5mO7_nndhFancLAr5x8OAqv7BSCS6pXVLT3vKjPsPlM-j0ZLbZH-6G3ufRcm2UE2sfrXGasKBddhvWgLS8u8V8W2Yxp09e8DWKla-8TU1nvXwjGIMsoJP/s640/18327527920_mzj3s.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This one loves the camera capturing her moments...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQP2eMilMt55h45BIZmjMNIJ6eLV8Jnnzml7zlEH_BNjNtTaqRSbz61bTw_TqkXp9kzkH3YVBnZrj8wTvUxZC94dHKKLVMTm8MZBq6tpPVQ_F9OVv1nDDnCfcVLLLcUlN1ViqnMEGjDqt/s1600/18326750993_xnt9X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQP2eMilMt55h45BIZmjMNIJ6eLV8Jnnzml7zlEH_BNjNtTaqRSbz61bTw_TqkXp9kzkH3YVBnZrj8wTvUxZC94dHKKLVMTm8MZBq6tpPVQ_F9OVv1nDDnCfcVLLLcUlN1ViqnMEGjDqt/s640/18326750993_xnt9X.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Piles and piles of sea shells!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyXjDr9pxI7FLvByZSHa76oZFAolnD43Ytfh7RGuh3gZlvIdk4fsGzzcQgwCjgWDKfxCcNTSqTkeM6DtOYo9RjaRE2yQwQHWyljkTPN8csbP6u0bUaURHqP4ye4R1CTvD_1o_g_lzEABR/s1600/18327571753_5V7tP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyXjDr9pxI7FLvByZSHa76oZFAolnD43Ytfh7RGuh3gZlvIdk4fsGzzcQgwCjgWDKfxCcNTSqTkeM6DtOYo9RjaRE2yQwQHWyljkTPN8csbP6u0bUaURHqP4ye4R1CTvD_1o_g_lzEABR/s400/18327571753_5V7tP.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Her Papa...he gave up his Sunday nap to be with us, to be with me. Every type A trait I have came from him. He loves me alot!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAs9Le97h2M_VaBGO-DqeUmHbs813aVkcj-GgPtnD7U2OXzABGT-GGv_Pb4IVykZz_N_tqZMH4oNCyeLeRr5JEjmipB9w2_6V43PSe5nTttuduscmNQYZofJM1QGoLDqFkC2aZzUbgGIs/s1600/18326654124_R2hNB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAs9Le97h2M_VaBGO-DqeUmHbs813aVkcj-GgPtnD7U2OXzABGT-GGv_Pb4IVykZz_N_tqZMH4oNCyeLeRr5JEjmipB9w2_6V43PSe5nTttuduscmNQYZofJM1QGoLDqFkC2aZzUbgGIs/s640/18326654124_R2hNB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Her sister...again, I love her point of view. The crookedness of the shot, its imperfections making it so perfect. Her best friend.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv29YFvppgDSn58I_IROZyDHheGAOETZO2MOvL__IEKSJDt8tUciQzzs7Pz4w47yHSXQ4qxPFMSvGqPy44Tk4YSAbRTt-7D0G69tpXlVLhXdBhWV-ZbKv8I6x_8Y-2HVehVneoBMwg7VAR/s1600/18327064686_rRS7J.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv29YFvppgDSn58I_IROZyDHheGAOETZO2MOvL__IEKSJDt8tUciQzzs7Pz4w47yHSXQ4qxPFMSvGqPy44Tk4YSAbRTt-7D0G69tpXlVLhXdBhWV-ZbKv8I6x_8Y-2HVehVneoBMwg7VAR/s640/18327064686_rRS7J.jpg" width="467" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This time, I captured her. She is wild and free and I feel like I caught a glimpse of that uncontainable spirit in this shot.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_a1kgZOIC8Yry4bbqDJf1KxjCkOWac420SLK7W5tVqYpkzCK199Xnce9TWV7akeDC5ZEUnPvuXd6NJQkl7nGwEYj9V7bWTUxaEBgJkU2vWrFOdU8vHqSbgs6l2ltEQuij_-yY2GlJlH-K/s1600/18327655302_wXgZs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_a1kgZOIC8Yry4bbqDJf1KxjCkOWac420SLK7W5tVqYpkzCK199Xnce9TWV7akeDC5ZEUnPvuXd6NJQkl7nGwEYj9V7bWTUxaEBgJkU2vWrFOdU8vHqSbgs6l2ltEQuij_-yY2GlJlH-K/s640/18327655302_wXgZs.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Love.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHudkdw12Mvuem-XCvp32KMjsnn7tFj1Pc6D3glhyphenhyphenyiPmAsx1i7Rct6SvKYIgDChLwA8zfcxzSNAV1zyCx4j1e2viQ2CAyeco_8bKwdYwTaejJ0ZMAtSl9CZT5b_mYnTYh41DblUZFpTG/s1600/18326909728_tnbJt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBHudkdw12Mvuem-XCvp32KMjsnn7tFj1Pc6D3glhyphenhyphenyiPmAsx1i7Rct6SvKYIgDChLwA8zfcxzSNAV1zyCx4j1e2viQ2CAyeco_8bKwdYwTaejJ0ZMAtSl9CZT5b_mYnTYh41DblUZFpTG/s640/18326909728_tnbJt.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love his size compared to her...her gentle giant. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFeOwq5iugH1My90FWyR6MU8iipK9sfr4T7s95xsLap0Jsk5XT23WGpYe482217UwYLrmPwgwsiDbJW2F4Kb5Gz53YRtIDgnOnr2-ANKLlC9vVXsKVwGxXKCJ7y2OqvalI7b03dGymF9z/s1600/18326946696_n8djp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFeOwq5iugH1My90FWyR6MU8iipK9sfr4T7s95xsLap0Jsk5XT23WGpYe482217UwYLrmPwgwsiDbJW2F4Kb5Gz53YRtIDgnOnr2-ANKLlC9vVXsKVwGxXKCJ7y2OqvalI7b03dGymF9z/s640/18326946696_n8djp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Her ride.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpJcfVP_jqia79H9TAsEG2xyLtlgvRX7PaM3Nf7yDKh4s2WLl4Jyi7vf4_qTQNP8H4Yi-27llMLnunxAe2Y1qaTe8Wvk0RoygH25MHmzR0TY9NFsjBwnZlC8dqBLsoxzUCffOALkpoF4Y/s1600/18326980809_ZnC2b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpJcfVP_jqia79H9TAsEG2xyLtlgvRX7PaM3Nf7yDKh4s2WLl4Jyi7vf4_qTQNP8H4Yi-27llMLnunxAe2Y1qaTe8Wvk0RoygH25MHmzR0TY9NFsjBwnZlC8dqBLsoxzUCffOALkpoF4Y/s640/18326980809_ZnC2b.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNt5ai-9ECZlt5CW67bOWUc_6KxAQGa23rb64pgUraOj7mw3ncRaGd-e5XCe_Pca1XPqxxU6UgmaBBEOFErfD3sjoxmsWHjsOsnZ46pHD3nj3L0J_aOQ2Q2ME78srLo1SnK3PfwlIoABgM/s1600/18327026382_pmPdT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNt5ai-9ECZlt5CW67bOWUc_6KxAQGa23rb64pgUraOj7mw3ncRaGd-e5XCe_Pca1XPqxxU6UgmaBBEOFErfD3sjoxmsWHjsOsnZ46pHD3nj3L0J_aOQ2Q2ME78srLo1SnK3PfwlIoABgM/s640/18327026382_pmPdT.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My baby girl...always.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSouOFxD-4vUI7Y5qtV9U_CUEV5o6Aqzo-9ZmNdF4ojG3oaKqN16_v2Kl9N44GlgPZA1CH6EhdxJS3grfm56EBgLc54QlfsLff3rO9jql7vKfXz3F9EugruXCGF-wujKVkCP68IlT_KyWu/s1600/18327420104_sZBSF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSouOFxD-4vUI7Y5qtV9U_CUEV5o6Aqzo-9ZmNdF4ojG3oaKqN16_v2Kl9N44GlgPZA1CH6EhdxJS3grfm56EBgLc54QlfsLff3rO9jql7vKfXz3F9EugruXCGF-wujKVkCP68IlT_KyWu/s640/18327420104_sZBSF.jpg" width="536" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My other baby, my first...the one who never stands still...always in motion.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60c6HF30xwzqIwhQM176nKBmDBRGLN9CnxAnImev68rpV7v-DNw0UzqlBqhL9ntHwu2vrbyYxadC-ugAdEbMQhXzOu6PH7MxmksQVnr6CsqaMQ5bl2EQLUiMtbVRa2WxE7GiVHU4exQZa/s1600/18327315299_FHfDV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60c6HF30xwzqIwhQM176nKBmDBRGLN9CnxAnImev68rpV7v-DNw0UzqlBqhL9ntHwu2vrbyYxadC-ugAdEbMQhXzOu6PH7MxmksQVnr6CsqaMQ5bl2EQLUiMtbVRa2WxE7GiVHU4exQZa/s640/18327315299_FHfDV.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Endless Energy</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwHLTcRQe2Yb1wuSff1DSzFe688u6rUAHS3iUERWan1LKD6T-Ni7vRvciFer7oIXuoifM3xdMt8ydXPFe6DXfUHd2M_I6m8W_vRpbwZelYG-KgXSCIgqY9iX_p_7fCRPPap9OsjMwSDZw/s1600/IMG_2440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwHLTcRQe2Yb1wuSff1DSzFe688u6rUAHS3iUERWan1LKD6T-Ni7vRvciFer7oIXuoifM3xdMt8ydXPFe6DXfUHd2M_I6m8W_vRpbwZelYG-KgXSCIgqY9iX_p_7fCRPPap9OsjMwSDZw/s640/IMG_2440.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Boundless Strength</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3y4-GeD5nGbSGej-7wkCFg5Ba4VuRfDpjxeID3AJGtrv0z2zTjerXKcTvexzNhAIY8ORxCTWxmdYmUKzA1cqgOziQL_qdzZdoQDgaMcqDnnrJDFYUdBpR6mdRSyXwnO1Co_9GbfkIuBL/s1600/18326612632_g4jzh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3y4-GeD5nGbSGej-7wkCFg5Ba4VuRfDpjxeID3AJGtrv0z2zTjerXKcTvexzNhAIY8ORxCTWxmdYmUKzA1cqgOziQL_qdzZdoQDgaMcqDnnrJDFYUdBpR6mdRSyXwnO1Co_9GbfkIuBL/s640/18326612632_g4jzh.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">God, I love her.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKVOvaV-Rdsy4-w3sWa8VZ58e9tio38PW1nUqux6SbV3lY2GpsDmD2zaVsxX2Y6-gXEFi_yF6ZnrTfdUxamcLyAaIKvKUnWxgEZP69-IRss56scpe4QWUER-uQIHzkBcCvWUaHn5Ye-sh/s1600/18326705581_mGtVw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKVOvaV-Rdsy4-w3sWa8VZ58e9tio38PW1nUqux6SbV3lY2GpsDmD2zaVsxX2Y6-gXEFi_yF6ZnrTfdUxamcLyAaIKvKUnWxgEZP69-IRss56scpe4QWUER-uQIHzkBcCvWUaHn5Ye-sh/s400/18326705581_mGtVw.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Your thoughts--how rare, how beautiful! God, I'll never comprehend them! I couldn't even begin to count them--any more than I could count the sand of the sea." (Psalm 139:17)</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yjm3w-EOSTt1zBnpyNPGed7erJleb9IGN8p1kC7W-ZHLe4nP6XZezyw6Aqzu8KaMFRDtqTbP1zpMAkwe0sLuSugDtKFgxKy0rZPKEvOgmUseXWLd3YZllpb1MtTUTdAt9woNCbPDwn_u/s1600/18327450707_2Q8mz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yjm3w-EOSTt1zBnpyNPGed7erJleb9IGN8p1kC7W-ZHLe4nP6XZezyw6Aqzu8KaMFRDtqTbP1zpMAkwe0sLuSugDtKFgxKy0rZPKEvOgmUseXWLd3YZllpb1MtTUTdAt9woNCbPDwn_u/s640/18327450707_2Q8mz.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jess took this picture...I love everything about it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUukHjSHmRjyzrNNszygGF9DZf0MR_46KPMJX8zMI3IGc8UfVMuEuib7_9UEc_nxKYV7eQ5LjcuT-jMdnVHH89lNCStQww1dFJpbmrg4K50GNVvpYT17Onj97yrlYvz-J5i-eSz4h8Ernv/s1600/18327493699_JZ6mR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUukHjSHmRjyzrNNszygGF9DZf0MR_46KPMJX8zMI3IGc8UfVMuEuib7_9UEc_nxKYV7eQ5LjcuT-jMdnVHH89lNCStQww1dFJpbmrg4K50GNVvpYT17Onj97yrlYvz-J5i-eSz4h8Ernv/s640/18327493699_JZ6mR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These trees, this sun...I cannot write words to describe them...I love what I read once...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"Every time you feel in God's creatures something pleasing and attractive, do not let your attention be arrested by them alone, but, passing them by, transfer your thought to God and say:</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>'O my God, if Thy creations are so full of beauty, delight and joy, how infinitely more full of beauty, delight and joy art Thou Thyself, Creator of all!"</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>--Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">God, thank you for a 33rd birthday. Thank you for sharing your infinite beauty with me. You have given me eyes to see and love to share. I rejoice in adoration at your great works. I am in awe. I delight in your gifts!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-89606752144174691452012-01-15T00:58:00.000-05:002012-01-15T00:58:26.005-05:00The Good and the Bad<b>"On a good day, enjoy yourself; On a bad day, examine your conscience. God arranges for both kinds of days so that we won't take anything for granted." Ecclesiastes 7:14</b><br />
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Ecclesiastes makes it known that there is a time on earth for everything. If there is a time for laughter there will also be a time for tears. If there is a time for happiness, then sadness must come too. For me, there are times that seeing God is as natural as breathing. He is everywhere (because He is everywhere). However, due to my nature, there are times when I cannot see Him anywhere. Sin, anger, sadness, frustration...all lead to blindness. There are bad days, simply because those days have been arranged too. However, before searching His word and His promises, before training my senses to see Him on the good days, bad days would have been the crumbling house of cards. If I do not see Him, He is not here...crumbling. But learning to see God becomes a deeper way of knowing Him. Knowing God is rooted in His truth that He is always here, always everywhere (omnipresent). Knowing this allows us to endure the bad days, to focus on examining our own hurtful ways. Bad days make us so incredibly grateful for the good ones. On these days we may not see, feel, or hear God, but we may still know Him. In the very last part of Habakkuk, I feel this outspoken prophet said it best...<br />
<b>"Though the cherry trees don't blossom</b><br />
<b> and the strawberries don't ripen,</b><br />
<b> Though the apples are worm-eaten</b><br />
<b> and the wheat fields stunted,</b><br />
<b> Though the sheep pens are sheepless </b><br />
<b> and the cattle barns empty,</b><br />
<b> I'm singing joyful praise to God. I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.</b><br />
<b> Counting on God's rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength.</b><br />
<b> I run like a deer. I feel like I'm king of the mountain!" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Habakkuk 3:17-19 (The Message)</span></b><br />
Taking heart and gaining strength not in the things of this world or in people coming through for us, but in God's rule prevailing...His promises, Him coming through. Not being defined by the sadness, the ugly, or the bad the day may bring, but in His goodness alone...He always is, He always will be. Our day may not be good, we may not be good, but we can sing joyful praise to God because He is always good...everyday, everywhere.Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-19590208541783533422012-01-14T00:27:00.000-05:002012-01-14T00:27:41.070-05:00Head in the Clouds<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I couldn't help myself. The sky was amazing today. A cold, winter's day and my head was stuck in the clouds...captivating! </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jobBfug9qZDMxtfWMPG-h20f4MfST5INcO6DIo-k5QKV7Whp4286Czw65eE3Y8rVZfLPZW9YIOtKKZVhbH8r-UZ8750wF9PG5WNgAp9daQ4V3oxyRXPghbFe9WkMeHvwI0uI8A8IW71u/s1600/IMG_2232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jobBfug9qZDMxtfWMPG-h20f4MfST5INcO6DIo-k5QKV7Whp4286Czw65eE3Y8rVZfLPZW9YIOtKKZVhbH8r-UZ8750wF9PG5WNgAp9daQ4V3oxyRXPghbFe9WkMeHvwI0uI8A8IW71u/s320/IMG_2232.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuX1BphD6YHSI6NOMdZx9ztpEKTzaPyZPRlL5s8M6qBmlbc2LNtM5rpB5AvIT-1RyoNCevitnoAt0bccUsqJA3dhZ32aZjz2gbObh5rY2HSC9VjrOY_lEi6K4cuITfgIVgxlPO5pCLREn/s1600/IMG_2234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeuX1BphD6YHSI6NOMdZx9ztpEKTzaPyZPRlL5s8M6qBmlbc2LNtM5rpB5AvIT-1RyoNCevitnoAt0bccUsqJA3dhZ32aZjz2gbObh5rY2HSC9VjrOY_lEi6K4cuITfgIVgxlPO5pCLREn/s320/IMG_2234.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>"Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life..."</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Psalm 23:6</b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-55028274802084974332012-01-12T23:26:00.000-05:002012-01-12T23:26:38.979-05:00Grace<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"If you want to be really alert to seeing Jesus' divine beauty, His glory...then make sure you tune your senses to see His grace. That's what His glory is full of."</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">--John Piper (taken from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">1000 Gifts</span>)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To me grace is simply having what we don't deserve and not getting what we do deserve. Every good thing in my life is because of His grace. I did nothing to earn it, not a thing. A gift, the most sufficient, enduring gift. I am in need of grace every single day and God freely pours it out...amazing! Seeing His beauty and undeserved favor in my life, is identifying His grace. I truly believe if I could be trained to see all of His gifts of grace just in my life, nothing in this world could contain the vast amount of space needed to document it. Here are a few beautiful things I captured today. All examples in their own ways of God's grace and beauty through my eyes...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioucfqESmmZGLAY3HEnn__ZmA9X9TQI2xQd6x9i_jFyh5IioJDOW7c6w-_87j27UXNgCVLgJhWntgiD5dQ5FmOihQkgfx1sO2TFAI7qnfM847CQUnKNAtjVa9bjEHela3Dgu55KiMVUHcY/s1600/IMG_2216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioucfqESmmZGLAY3HEnn__ZmA9X9TQI2xQd6x9i_jFyh5IioJDOW7c6w-_87j27UXNgCVLgJhWntgiD5dQ5FmOihQkgfx1sO2TFAI7qnfM847CQUnKNAtjVa9bjEHela3Dgu55KiMVUHcY/s320/IMG_2216.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Two dark clouds being parted by the shining sun.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>"...Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss. God spoke: 'Light!' And light appeared. God saw the light was good and separated light from dark."</b> (Genesis 1:2-4)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grace is when God's light shines through the darkness in our lives. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqLsfrc68Y96dAsBHfZfX9X6hfIIu9KjjzYzoWtk9J87NdiVzdJ7nj-WrmQIQDYMGzI7rrVbW4rY1z2WbKvQM1OEhHKOY_RYz3k9ymC7tJFS5ygtP0QXTfRBYgLbT3kovqPkLhAS3uUek/s1600/IMG_2214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqLsfrc68Y96dAsBHfZfX9X6hfIIu9KjjzYzoWtk9J87NdiVzdJ7nj-WrmQIQDYMGzI7rrVbW4rY1z2WbKvQM1OEhHKOY_RYz3k9ymC7tJFS5ygtP0QXTfRBYgLbT3kovqPkLhAS3uUek/s320/IMG_2214.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I discovered this road today running errands. It made me smile...whoever came up with this has a sense of humor and the fact that it is a county road is even better. I loved that the words "Dead End" came before Lame Duck Drive.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grace is that sign never defining me because He gives me purpose and direction (pretty good, huh?)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SEFtyetEh1QKZfkOinUO22odCjTRJXktiCKp9QLnJHs9AJzagvk1r72nUanDtnkX3KwrFEkWpdVT1N04l0Um-l9gP5z5NcP9U2hoGKkUFoUmCSt1ce2FZ56F8Nu_adheIhyphenhyphenCkRmX5jqC/s1600/IMG_2223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SEFtyetEh1QKZfkOinUO22odCjTRJXktiCKp9QLnJHs9AJzagvk1r72nUanDtnkX3KwrFEkWpdVT1N04l0Um-l9gP5z5NcP9U2hoGKkUFoUmCSt1ce2FZ56F8Nu_adheIhyphenhyphenCkRmX5jqC/s320/IMG_2223.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZy8DHLZYDpPDAMrssd9sVIDoEeInBd-aFzLf0ZJUiA8dnxEtx53ZC2isgQqLzOYJMBNti5F8xDiDwe2BL_N5znW4ZekK1acS-hRSACTX9Snu9bXhckreBXbleQ2U7SzC7637f5u14qiEa/s1600/IMG_2227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZy8DHLZYDpPDAMrssd9sVIDoEeInBd-aFzLf0ZJUiA8dnxEtx53ZC2isgQqLzOYJMBNti5F8xDiDwe2BL_N5znW4ZekK1acS-hRSACTX9Snu9bXhckreBXbleQ2U7SzC7637f5u14qiEa/s320/IMG_2227.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My girls, painting fingers and toes...need I say more?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1shCDZnWwga7GoZL1TDibKXKxVkxgKDMrd40XugH6MV9VOEaH_cI5Tn2nTl1d1wQrQ1M_6wVZmLzCtz2MJqfxVt6KpBpDkb5PspYD-5RwM0TzL5oUSdA-ieu3PNyn8kF7AzbAY1COplZ/s1600/IMG_2230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1shCDZnWwga7GoZL1TDibKXKxVkxgKDMrd40XugH6MV9VOEaH_cI5Tn2nTl1d1wQrQ1M_6wVZmLzCtz2MJqfxVt6KpBpDkb5PspYD-5RwM0TzL5oUSdA-ieu3PNyn8kF7AzbAY1COplZ/s320/IMG_2230.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I pass this shack everyday when I pick Reagan up from school. I love it, it's just beautiful to me. It doesn't seem like much, but through my eyes it is absolutely stunning. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grace is the way God sees me. Not much...but He sees so much beauty, so much potential.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you God for your amazing grace!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-58833713905267277562012-01-12T09:57:00.001-05:002012-01-12T10:01:41.735-05:00Control Freak<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>**</b>This was supposed to be published last night. I stayed up until 1 am to finish it. However, when I hit the "publish" button, I realized that my wireless card had died. For whatever reason, I could not get it to connect...I thought I had lost this post and was still grieving over it this morning. However, I feel God knew that my expectation had been to post something every night. He reminded me of what I read two days ago in Matthew 12:6-7...that Jesus "<b>prefers a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual."</b> I feel like He had to remind me that this blog is not a ritual but a pouring out of my heart. A heart that must be led by Him in His way, in His time. I was able to recover the draft this morning. Reading the following will allow you to see the humor and irony at God doing a work in my life. All I have to say is He loves me well!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"It is not life that's complicated, it's the struggle to guide and control life."</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">--F. Scott Fitzgerald (from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">This Side of Paradise)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I pretty much planned my life out in its entirety around the age of 16. In high school, I looked to college, in college I looked to marriage, in marriage, I looked to kids. When I turned 30, I realized that I hadn't made any more plans past kids. Thirty always seemed so old to me and I figured I'd have all the wisdom in the world at that ripe old age to manage. Truthfully, at 16, I am sure I was thinking 30 would almost be like a retirement phase in life. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Thirty (now almost 33) has been a wake up call. The mask of "planner" has been peeled away and under it revealed a much harsher identity...control freak. You see, everything I planned, I did. To me, that meant I was a pretty good planner. Unfortunately time revealed a chain wrapped around me so tight, bonding me in its locks. This chain was my delusion of control. This delusion became the way I steered life. When I became the one steering life, things got complicated. Plans not going my way became shattered dreams. People not living up to my expectations became broken relationships. I read in a book that expectations kill relationships. Creating expectations is just a way of planning subconsciously. I can say that my intentions are great for myself and for those I love (my plans are always good), but underneath, it's still me in control. MY plans, MY dreams, MY expectations...no room for God. No room for anyone but ME. In that way of life, me being the center, I lost myself completely. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> However, I serve a patient God. I knew that I was broken but because I was such a "good person," (ugh, I hate even writing that, but I believed it), I truly didn't know how. I had a lot of anger at things not going my way and a lot of blame to heap on everyone but me. In this anger, the Holy Spirit led me to a prayer. In Psalm 139:23-24, I prayed, <b>"Search me , God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b> In time, He did. My heart, my anxious thoughts, my offensive ways were wrapped up in a life that could not surrender control. I just had no idea. In His relentlessness and gentleness, He began to break each lock and unravel the chain. I had to learn that to live freely, I had to live in today only. I had to let go of my anger and expectations of others because I was a heaping mess myself. I had to let go of trying to fix the stuff I didn't like about people and myself and let Him do it in His way, in His time, because only He could. I had/have to get out of my own way and most importantly, His. I had/have to let that part of me die. It was and is painful, and I grieve(d) the loss of comfort I got/get from feeling like I was/am in control...it is and will be an ongoing process. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> However, since Jesus came to set us free, I may live freely. No chains, no lies. My hopes and expectations must be born from His promises. I cannot get enough of His word because it is filled with so many great plans, so many promises. I live in the truth that God's plans are...<b>"Plans to take care of me, not abandon me, plans to give me the future I hope for." When I call on Him and pray to Him, He promises to listen. When I go looking for Him, He promises to find me. He promises to make sure that I will not be disappointed when I focus on finding Him. </b>(from Jeremiah 29:11-14). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> There it is again, seeing and finding Him. His plans are immensely wonderful, mine must be to look for and find Him everyday, everywhere. God, give me a flexible heart so that I may do this well! </span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-18679661469810408322012-01-10T23:53:00.000-05:002012-01-10T23:53:00.967-05:00Foggy Days<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I am learning that disciplining myself in the truth that God is with us everywhere, everyday becomes most important on days we just cannot see. Today was foggy and overcast and somehow my mind slipped into the same condition. Probably because this sort of weather makes me feel sleepy. My senses weren't fine tuned today, but God is still faithful and spoke to me through this Psalm. When I cannot even focus enough to form a prayer, I run to the Psalms. Today I am grateful that I have His spoken word. A place to just be quiet and listen as He speaks His most gracious words to me.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <b>"But me he caught--reached all the way from sky to sea; he pulled me out of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning...He stood me up on a wide-open field; I stood there saved--surprised to be loved! God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before Him. When I got my act together, He gave me a fresh start. Now I'm alert to God's ways; I don't take God for granted. Every day I review the ways He works; I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together, and I'm watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to His eyes...What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs towards Him makes it." </b> <b>Psalm 18:16-24 and 18:30 </b>(The Message) </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Even on a day when I am distracted and tired, the last part of this verse renews my energy and invigorates my soul...A promise that on this road I will make it. Not on my own strength, but on His alone. What a God! What love!</span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-50100094728729942152012-01-10T01:16:00.001-05:002012-01-10T01:19:50.200-05:00The Familiar Becoming Unfamiliar<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Our perennial </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[enduring]</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> spiritual and psychological task is to look at things familiar until they become unfamiliar again." </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">--G.K. Chesterton</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Routine and ordinary. The two words I could use to describe today. Monday...house work, paying bills, running errands, picking up from school, groceries, washing clothes...the list goes on and on. Sometimes, it is harder to see God in routine and ordinary days than at any other time. We move by rote. Our senses numbed, we've done it a million times. Where is God on these days? Everywhere. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I thought of the above quote today as I processed all of this. Last Fall, I read a book called </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1000 Gifts</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> by Ann Voskamp. A book about gratitude. A book that helped to spark this revolution in me. This quote came from her book...inspiration on a day like today (a lasting gift). Everyday could be familiar, but it won't be. My task has changed from mindlessly enduring chores and routines to opening my eyes and seeing. Making things familiar become unfamiliar. I tried to see everything today like I was seeing it for the first time. Everything, a new gift. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I heard it in Jess' laugh...it comes from a place deep inside of her, a pure and joyful place. I saw it in Reagan's smiling eyes, there is something about that girl's eyes that pulls me into a trance (remembering her eyes were awake and alert the moment she entered this world). Listening to my husband speak and realizing that I instinctively smile when he calls. Seeing people hold doors, caring for one another. Overhearing a conversation between a dad and his preteen daughter. Wondering if he recognized her adoration for him as she laughed at all of the silly things he said. Her pride, her joy, her dad being there with her, interested in just her...remembering that a girl's first love is her dad. All reminders of this straight path that I am on. All reminders that God is in every one of these moments...everywhere. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> One moment I had to capture because it overwhelmed my senses. Salmon. Dinner. I cook this meal regularly...very familiar. Yet, tonight, it became unfamiliar, it became beautiful. Realizing that God created this fish. Its color is one of my favorite colors (second only to chartreuse). Thinking how packed full of nutrients it is. Smelling its sweet aroma as it sizzled in olive oil and Greek seasoning. Being thankful that it would fill our tummies and as we slept nourish our bodies and minds. What a gift provided by God...His creation, His sustenance. One I could see, taste, hear, and smell. Always God giving, us receiving. More of His love, more of Him in every good thing! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No more ordinary days, just unfamiliar ones. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEaxMJAntlpb5R_I6_7O2LPOKQsqG8Nqo8KxJkpkAgg2Cil2QJqwxbswEFn0o_3QRjgZJCpbCiaD7yGj_4R71Ti00IPhHSacSL6yheRmpM0gyziTJkW7KWwTx3oKofrVEYc2KP5-z8nb3/s1600/IMG_2200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEaxMJAntlpb5R_I6_7O2LPOKQsqG8Nqo8KxJkpkAgg2Cil2QJqwxbswEFn0o_3QRjgZJCpbCiaD7yGj_4R71Ti00IPhHSacSL6yheRmpM0gyziTJkW7KWwTx3oKofrVEYc2KP5-z8nb3/s320/IMG_2200.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I buy the frozen Sockeye Salmon at Publix. I read that you should always eat wild Salmon and never farm raised (in farm raised you lose a lot of the nutrients). Two filets (one bag) is more than enough for the four of us.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8op7hURDRjgxofWRP1GGk9NrwT0-c9xcO4AHSkajzpodHtPp4zipLQTVhqXJkDvyTyrskqLPWyMhV9SR3HT9thKqu8DyCNNhxL0h0i_qOHC0YxdniFPw3Eka6zaylOYQ38kNTCXa-nUh/s1600/IMG_2208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8op7hURDRjgxofWRP1GGk9NrwT0-c9xcO4AHSkajzpodHtPp4zipLQTVhqXJkDvyTyrskqLPWyMhV9SR3HT9thKqu8DyCNNhxL0h0i_qOHC0YxdniFPw3Eka6zaylOYQ38kNTCXa-nUh/s320/IMG_2208.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I saute it in olive oil and sprinkle it with Greek seasoning. I am leery of fish so I tend to make mine a little crispy ;) I buy a pre-made greens, cranberry and walnut salad from Publix. A beautiful (and delicious) meal in about 20 minutes (this one containing God's own handiwork ;)</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wSlN1-BYbis9x2JKiCbo8blQ6JR1Fkzz-Mwko-rpLOBfRUScLdRMq4mmlAmSUEt6yHmLlZwQshYPok7XNlLv6RE2yN0nNourGdPp1M6E1mRfpoCWWwf6XxLsFRQVsyxqzpBKin4AqFMk/s1600/IMG_2209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wSlN1-BYbis9x2JKiCbo8blQ6JR1Fkzz-Mwko-rpLOBfRUScLdRMq4mmlAmSUEt6yHmLlZwQshYPok7XNlLv6RE2yN0nNourGdPp1M6E1mRfpoCWWwf6XxLsFRQVsyxqzpBKin4AqFMk/s320/IMG_2209.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The girls even enjoy "pink fish." For them, I steam some red potatoes in the microwave and mash with milk, butter, garlic, shredded cheese, and salt. Tonight I had edamame in the freezer but any veggie will work. A side of ranch and ketchup and their meal is complete.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"The way to life--to God--is vigorous and requires total attention."</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Matthew 7:14 (The Message) </span></span></div>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-75554987954320814902012-01-08T23:45:00.000-05:002012-01-08T23:45:21.490-05:00God With Us<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel'--which means, <b>'God with us.'"</b> (Matthew 1:23 NIV)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> God with us. Another reminder from God, another gift. Everywhere, everyday...God with us. My driving focus and prayer for the last 8 days has been to see God and to appreciate His deep love for me. I am writing this out because as I began to read Matthew 1 tonight, in my mind all I could think was how many times I have read this before. The story of Jesus' birth. Then, there it was, there He was in verse 23 reminding me, loving me..."they will call him Immanuel--which means, "God with us." It may as well have said, yes, I am here, with you, still and always...what love! A verse I have probably heard or read hundreds of times, but this time with opened eyes, listening ears, and a grateful heart. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> As I read further in chapter 5, another verse jumped off the page. Matthew 5:8 says, <b>"You're blessed when you get your inside world--your mind and heart--put right. Then you can see God in the outside world." </b>(The Message) This verse gripped me because just a few weeks ago I prayed specifically from Psalm 86. I prayed that God would put me together, ONE heart and mind, so that I could worship Him undivided. This is a prayer that I return to frequently as I feel the world pulling me in one direction and His calling in another. It is through this prayer that I am beginning to truly see Him in this world. A gift. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Finally, as I read on to Matthew 5:13 it says, <b>"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth." </b>In verse 14 it says, <b>"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.</b>" (The Message). God colors, God flavors. This is what I desire for this blog to be about. Documenting His rich colors and his enticing flavors in my life so that you may begin to see them in yours. He is so faithful to show Himself. After all, He is Immanuel.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-67995692836826764162012-01-08T00:23:00.000-05:002012-01-08T00:23:37.727-05:00The Fort<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"Teach me how to live to please you, because you're my God. Lead me by your blessed Spirit into clear and level pastureland." (Psalm 143:9-10)</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqVMmh6PwDKD36h-eG18rSSLP3QkmLgDWMktq-FWXmFeMO-aZ_ax-5U0KZUToKTdwAmh6NlkUnGHbFb7Ztv4RIA5C4nMGYkOsGlhTVfLsjiPQR8Bfv0eCHCcEIpVX6yZDzjB2khuo5P30/s1600/IMG_2159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqVMmh6PwDKD36h-eG18rSSLP3QkmLgDWMktq-FWXmFeMO-aZ_ax-5U0KZUToKTdwAmh6NlkUnGHbFb7Ztv4RIA5C4nMGYkOsGlhTVfLsjiPQR8Bfv0eCHCcEIpVX6yZDzjB2khuo5P30/s320/IMG_2159.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today was a beautiful day. January and 67 degrees...a gift. Will and Reagan had been planning to build a fort the last couple of days. Today was the day! These two never cease to amaze me with what they can create together. I am so grateful that they had a gorgeous Saturday to do this. I am thankful that we had access to all kinds of "materials." I am blessed that we have a wide open space to build a fort (clear and level pastureland). I am so glad that we have each other. We spent the entire afternoon in this resting place. For a few hours, we left the world behind. God is so good and His glory was shining all around us. Words cannot begin to articulate just how thankful I am to have had today, which is why I am so glad to have pictures...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VYKTGolbHOoW3xzcZm3Zls2r7T_FXPAaIpBdhCaO3LyWIQTyk1jPz6QUVzEZH0HqbadVBMC-fx4IJxX2N6dU1eDTfW62hXBTfIiiLEayeCkSVFSakqLUF0KvcO34_NhOsIpINSqtWs45/s1600/2012-01-07_10-22-48_437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VYKTGolbHOoW3xzcZm3Zls2r7T_FXPAaIpBdhCaO3LyWIQTyk1jPz6QUVzEZH0HqbadVBMC-fx4IJxX2N6dU1eDTfW62hXBTfIiiLEayeCkSVFSakqLUF0KvcO34_NhOsIpINSqtWs45/s320/2012-01-07_10-22-48_437.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gathering the materials.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXelf1g1duLmzvYvEWyWsQ12vmRBQySS24FFMY7w9Jvlo8ADBcoN7YkXcDpN_PG8BrrggLRxRONQTPMr_LhwOHlgCVCJTQtStC307Qisb8fLIAYR4FZNfKLZdGY3_90Y-CODSdEDkpccuy/s1600/2012-01-07_11-28-50_456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXelf1g1duLmzvYvEWyWsQ12vmRBQySS24FFMY7w9Jvlo8ADBcoN7YkXcDpN_PG8BrrggLRxRONQTPMr_LhwOHlgCVCJTQtStC307Qisb8fLIAYR4FZNfKLZdGY3_90Y-CODSdEDkpccuy/s320/2012-01-07_11-28-50_456.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of those roll down your window kind of days.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBqXLBKZlrEtKs6A9V2DWVYZJBpPzaEKySfXtJAueIUUArUsG71Ib9hHoeKg_2Z7kg40AD8GkeXNPLIsHJxfZyCFO5EtS5mMvkCGGDQu_cRljuoM6gpQUEkJbBIvfPlVHr1T9m25PTxBu/s1600/2012-01-07_11-37-31_131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBqXLBKZlrEtKs6A9V2DWVYZJBpPzaEKySfXtJAueIUUArUsG71Ib9hHoeKg_2Z7kg40AD8GkeXNPLIsHJxfZyCFO5EtS5mMvkCGGDQu_cRljuoM6gpQUEkJbBIvfPlVHr1T9m25PTxBu/s320/2012-01-07_11-37-31_131.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sitting on the hood of dad's truck and choosing the fort site...a gift for her.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBOoDA2n1CNKCv1lVvBrUyqu4L5pb4D0V2XItzzyFj3-12q3we5hPldwUXixC6XrnwZuQSaAr3TS6DwJnLTZ9U2RAROFfmxQzUYt3xU48V5hZZoJH-UFC2nMgpivnr3VLicXgO3TLPReD/s1600/IMG_2051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkBOoDA2n1CNKCv1lVvBrUyqu4L5pb4D0V2XItzzyFj3-12q3we5hPldwUXixC6XrnwZuQSaAr3TS6DwJnLTZ9U2RAROFfmxQzUYt3xU48V5hZZoJH-UFC2nMgpivnr3VLicXgO3TLPReD/s320/IMG_2051.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We ended up calling it a condo when all was said and done.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qcZsAojXTF_dl59BJQmsL5rNpckXYV7v63bmKHQrS1WDWnsFqkVsx-1YVNhuxYN2JsbKPFoeMcYl8XwTXcT9ixeA5zvkOQ5wSoClYa3qhZCywX-GTKCCLtLLKWM9kSTunA9AIQ3DEBAV/s1600/IMG_2054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qcZsAojXTF_dl59BJQmsL5rNpckXYV7v63bmKHQrS1WDWnsFqkVsx-1YVNhuxYN2JsbKPFoeMcYl8XwTXcT9ixeA5zvkOQ5wSoClYa3qhZCywX-GTKCCLtLLKWM9kSTunA9AIQ3DEBAV/s320/IMG_2054.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">seeing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo6TNNCWs9RNG9CT46iq2TRxsR6GjDq-fYHFLSFLZDh4yxWCAo997Nl4xXcUUI178qzYb-jdhwGx_zRP69SROYdyxUPxvOLRAEwxD-Wm_8cUo4LR5lRajGqdUPdAoUx2NyMn2pVd3MVeR/s1600/IMG_2057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo6TNNCWs9RNG9CT46iq2TRxsR6GjDq-fYHFLSFLZDh4yxWCAo997Nl4xXcUUI178qzYb-jdhwGx_zRP69SROYdyxUPxvOLRAEwxD-Wm_8cUo4LR5lRajGqdUPdAoUx2NyMn2pVd3MVeR/s320/IMG_2057.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">living</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXurZkD2LXDM-PdrPLveqqjpdJpqI2rHbg-ZqFxjb85heH4DsGlWZtueL6Fq2Jm51PPQ0hpTlKPeLsGutXB8M-OktPFBXca3Oe8b3qn700z5GBtuMyLWCm-bAL8PYav7_eKr-dU_M9NsG/s1600/IMG_2038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtXurZkD2LXDM-PdrPLveqqjpdJpqI2rHbg-ZqFxjb85heH4DsGlWZtueL6Fq2Jm51PPQ0hpTlKPeLsGutXB8M-OktPFBXca3Oe8b3qn700z5GBtuMyLWCm-bAL8PYav7_eKr-dU_M9NsG/s320/IMG_2038.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">resting</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynJskBEvAZTN2R3WkbqaLQ03nxgB4O3weRVbesfujsU9jhW6znHiuLyrcfjdq3Gi-5Z2NfqWZPCAyeC0TrzyMqc_3BaY07P8JpktHiKScLYVlDv3L8TVYYq1r_wNKUyPQhrf1InxeuORc/s1600/IMG_2082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynJskBEvAZTN2R3WkbqaLQ03nxgB4O3weRVbesfujsU9jhW6znHiuLyrcfjdq3Gi-5Z2NfqWZPCAyeC0TrzyMqc_3BaY07P8JpktHiKScLYVlDv3L8TVYYq1r_wNKUyPQhrf1InxeuORc/s320/IMG_2082.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">thanksgiving</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSOTe2jl4HVccAupnUVSjta-Raiuai_C0bv5KCsbrQuse8ZosU87qSincMBMclm4PJvV4FmeMOYViRubJhCoPs8_IEr21iI7SsBcu9OO2iLfdKP8JKx3oltvCWFA-ZDSfD8fGVnbzUtpt/s1600/IMG_2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSOTe2jl4HVccAupnUVSjta-Raiuai_C0bv5KCsbrQuse8ZosU87qSincMBMclm4PJvV4FmeMOYViRubJhCoPs8_IEr21iI7SsBcu9OO2iLfdKP8JKx3oltvCWFA-ZDSfD8fGVnbzUtpt/s320/IMG_2004.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My resting place...I have not climbed a tree in twenty years and it scared me to death. I am so glad that I did it though because it was just fun. I am grateful to have a husband strong enough to catch me when I had to fall into his arms to get down...trusting!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-70354146304060665062012-01-07T01:41:00.000-05:002012-01-07T01:41:36.924-05:00A Mist<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> While I was having my car washed today, Jess began to blow fog on the window. She loves to draw pictures in it before it disappears. She started drawing an "M" for me and was getting so frustrated because it disappeared so fast. She said something that stopped me in my tracks. She said, "it doesn't stay here for very long!" I hesitated because on my quest to see and hear God everywhere I felt like He needed me to hear THAT. I remembered what James 4:14-15 says, <b>"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b> Even with the best of intentions, I still carry plans, expectations, and worries around with me. I will allow myself a "bad" day because part of me feels entitled to so many days. Although this illustration seems kind of morbid, it actually encouraged me. It reminded me that today is a gift. The choices I make today matter because I am not promised tomorrow. Living just for today was not overwhelming. Had I tried to live in tomorrow or next month, I would have had a bad day...a portion of my blob would have disappeared in worrying about things that haven't even happened, in a future I am not guaranteed. There is a reason I am alive today and I know that God didn't want me to miss that...this is the day the Lord has made. He is asking me to rejoice in that. When you think of that mist rapidly evaporating, today becomes a precious gift.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because I am such a visual learner, I took pictures so that I would see and remember. This all took about five seconds...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am grateful to God for TODAY. I am so thankful that days come one at a time! Thank you, Lord, for reminding me that I am but a mist because it makes today and everyday extremely valuable, extremely worthwhile.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"Here dies another day during which I have had eyes, ears, hands and the great world round me; and with tomorrow begins another. Why am I allowed two?"</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>--G.K. Chesterton</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-72147497683922280142012-01-05T23:34:00.001-05:002012-01-05T23:40:33.544-05:00In Training<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"Train me God, to walk straight; then I'll follow your true path." (Psalm 86:11)</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Tonight I got to sit down with a great friend of mine while our girls were doing gymnastics and talk (adult conversation with a girl I love=another gift). She was talking about the "treasures" post I did last night. She said that I was a good mom to sit down with Jess and talk about her treasures...I had to stop her! She has known me for awhile now so I reminded her that is not who I am at all. I am the mom that yells and screams and gets frustrated. I am the mom who will do dishes 16 times a day to not have to look at dirty dishes in the sink and I will follow my kids as they play just to put all of their things away so I don't have to look at the stuff. I will play hide and seek and not seek. That is who I truly am...until. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Until, God wrecked me. He exposed how controlling I am. How I have these monstrous expectations and if they are not fulfilled I break into a million little pieces. How I spend a ridiculous amount of time doing things with no eternal value. He called me into another life and I believe He is calling us all into another way of life. A life where we train ourselves to see Him everywhere. We live in a society that makes it so hard to see Him. We have so many distractions, so many roles to live up to, we just have so much period. I have the opportunity to go to Kenya in July to serve a village of people that have so little, but are described by others who have gone before as incredibly grateful and joyful. They see God everywhere. I surrendered my daily routine and way of life to God. I couldn't take Groundhog Day everyday anymore. When He spoke to me in the verse that defines this blog (Psalm 107:43) I knew exactly what He was calling me into. A life of gratitude. I told my friend that it is my calling to see Him everyday. That is why I am constantly hitting pause on life. This blog keeps me accountable. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Today I had a bad attitude for a good portion of the day. Little things began to creep in and annoy me. God's path is described as straight but I had jumped back onto mine and it was dizzying. I prayed and asked God to show me Him. He responded by telling me to go for a walk. Well, I am preparing dinner. Well, go anyway I am training you. So, I asked my family if anyone wanted to join me and my little free spirit was game. We grabbed the camera. I told God, "I have 20 minutes" (and no the irony of me telling God how much time I had did not escape me). Jess knows about my "training" so we began to open our eyes and see. Our 20 minutes turned to 30 and 99 pictures later we made our way back. Will was more than happy to finish dinner (a husband who lets me wander=a priceless gift) while I rushed Jess to her gymnastics class. After we got home, we picked our 10 most favorite pictures...all love letters from God. All would have never been had I not been training.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwkp_bjIMCb1Z1jX2rNojcc6yPHN0AvvdVOvtR_S03D4DTFBYIqoO0bClR7bJl97E_USkjMGuOlj_fIX_sehkbk4eP1YkkL5vT3Wu8Ks9wG7NEuf8GG-6PMzhCJLZgOlYJQpTx6ufIPiU/s1600/IMG_1869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwkp_bjIMCb1Z1jX2rNojcc6yPHN0AvvdVOvtR_S03D4DTFBYIqoO0bClR7bJl97E_USkjMGuOlj_fIX_sehkbk4eP1YkkL5vT3Wu8Ks9wG7NEuf8GG-6PMzhCJLZgOlYJQpTx6ufIPiU/s320/IMG_1869.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love how the tips of these branches look like they are reaching for the last little bit of light.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2TJ-BY-ai75bIi8_QNzdBYcov-zNztaq3iC3KxoClaRVZZaddnPwqIofR0FEp7h86iKmpKlTzAdgHDIuCBjf1BBMnQKoWTGL_z-iphFCIvbU3XYzHlXllT-OPAyMH1_n-VABZ5YMhLrE/s1600/IMG_1895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2TJ-BY-ai75bIi8_QNzdBYcov-zNztaq3iC3KxoClaRVZZaddnPwqIofR0FEp7h86iKmpKlTzAdgHDIuCBjf1BBMnQKoWTGL_z-iphFCIvbU3XYzHlXllT-OPAyMH1_n-VABZ5YMhLrE/s320/IMG_1895.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My encouragement.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSFMw_gRanYjNk0ntvEtu7OU6-u0GMqFhrNXyXcbbZ8a307J5rehRBpEwqM5EPSR5NhhV39Ft1_808OVJVlShtXIwMfKMNNVlJYqnHOINTtj9Vje8IgqFE-IWbRGeOq9m3XxutXd5fKgk/s1600/IMG_1900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSFMw_gRanYjNk0ntvEtu7OU6-u0GMqFhrNXyXcbbZ8a307J5rehRBpEwqM5EPSR5NhhV39Ft1_808OVJVlShtXIwMfKMNNVlJYqnHOINTtj9Vje8IgqFE-IWbRGeOq9m3XxutXd5fKgk/s320/IMG_1900.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Although you can barely see it on here, we took about 80 pictures of the moon (I need to invest in a zoom lens). It reminded me of the saying, "God made the moon and God made me. I see the moon and God sees me."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2gOK9RISn2vQ-fsHrNEDwkqmYHLzCqQRysn5vt4vBSuEfZRukbhMSFNnMRHgC4ptKnIsnJFhApNDojQlS8fTOJh3B8mlIBJak7Qep7CotwfjAPRJlrt77jURmw_7mUjIUMzMdQP23UvZ/s1600/IMG_1927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2gOK9RISn2vQ-fsHrNEDwkqmYHLzCqQRysn5vt4vBSuEfZRukbhMSFNnMRHgC4ptKnIsnJFhApNDojQlS8fTOJh3B8mlIBJak7Qep7CotwfjAPRJlrt77jURmw_7mUjIUMzMdQP23UvZ/s320/IMG_1927.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had just written this verse down a couple of days ago (I am visually obsessed with clouds and the sky) "The deeper your love, the higher it goes; every cloud a flag to your faithfulness. Soar high in the skies, O God! Cover the whole earth with your glory!" </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Psalm 108:4-5)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLjwbao4AXLvjbNXqeLxtC6Ra8eevc-FLUBmu7ldyWel-TjL6oOiy_OEFV8E2kg9jhTDEDDzHKV_e1el-1DVRnfdbRr_KAlGGfPqMRQZEm8atmEt0dDAmyVHYVH5oqDvOeFObsl_V6ezw/s1600/IMG_1917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLjwbao4AXLvjbNXqeLxtC6Ra8eevc-FLUBmu7ldyWel-TjL6oOiy_OEFV8E2kg9jhTDEDDzHKV_e1el-1DVRnfdbRr_KAlGGfPqMRQZEm8atmEt0dDAmyVHYVH5oqDvOeFObsl_V6ezw/s320/IMG_1917.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXD-JcLq843345rbwSTjlq8I1YoaChehGaQ4Uv486d_NVjZmYz_gB7SQ4DcYW2jB89qbxr_PcQQkyjyKEUlobDzQabbh7DjRSRIVhY9eqprB4XK7brP9gduhrkG3EDOFjvH1IE3QGukbeH/s1600/IMG_1933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXD-JcLq843345rbwSTjlq8I1YoaChehGaQ4Uv486d_NVjZmYz_gB7SQ4DcYW2jB89qbxr_PcQQkyjyKEUlobDzQabbh7DjRSRIVhY9eqprB4XK7brP9gduhrkG3EDOFjvH1IE3QGukbeH/s320/IMG_1933.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fearfully and wonderfully made.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkdLdXBw6eyrPIeUPwoTjWsuQWf3Dqcvf99fXFYeS8GyWvBjDnHjSgL1R4MsZhuDq7IhZfKSReCup9ufkyNas6DZnCYb3kQF9JR_8oXBSXVA2oPKZzxHHG1WNwjTrEvlLDbnDgLJYtUuB/s1600/IMG_1871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkdLdXBw6eyrPIeUPwoTjWsuQWf3Dqcvf99fXFYeS8GyWvBjDnHjSgL1R4MsZhuDq7IhZfKSReCup9ufkyNas6DZnCYb3kQF9JR_8oXBSXVA2oPKZzxHHG1WNwjTrEvlLDbnDgLJYtUuB/s320/IMG_1871.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We loved this tree because where it splits, it looks like two people are about to kiss. We decided that Dad, the story-teller, would have to come up with a good tale about this tree.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKogf0f7-E12yJvNMMbIJ5oZlggBDO2uDGi75vfEzUdXoigbTfiaTQNRnoPKw_SfwqzKDGBSlZc9EDvjSfFIyw1Cuc2iiumKNiXFLDuT25UGiv-aoFkeIEhVCEjY_uSDoUOc8mKWL9PMIy/s1600/IMG_1945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKogf0f7-E12yJvNMMbIJ5oZlggBDO2uDGi75vfEzUdXoigbTfiaTQNRnoPKw_SfwqzKDGBSlZc9EDvjSfFIyw1Cuc2iiumKNiXFLDuT25UGiv-aoFkeIEhVCEjY_uSDoUOc8mKWL9PMIy/s320/IMG_1945.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jessie's turn. She took about 30 pictures. I love her point of view and I wish I had a camera to photograph her taking pictures. She kept saying, "mom, it's so beautiful." It took us 10 minutes to go 10 feet. In her prayers tonight she thanked God for being such a wonderful artist.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Who would have ever thought training could be so beautiful?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>"Be generous with me and I'll live a full life; not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road. Open my eyes so I can see what you show me of your miracle-wonders." (Psalm 119:17-18)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-58466705825002850592012-01-04T22:33:00.000-05:002012-01-04T22:33:41.234-05:00Treasures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSFQYyBYpjMmJhwc_HQovJvJcuVvcABCAq7p3Pbx4_dGqX2-mJgoplorYbFsIlxpWB8aI5G-fJjOjXRTU_PmQgoTYc0RIEu4FEoKrzOyhBSLA-DU-ukjyTOTPUzxWz_f5k3R2cc_NW5JU/s1600/IMG_1854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSFQYyBYpjMmJhwc_HQovJvJcuVvcABCAq7p3Pbx4_dGqX2-mJgoplorYbFsIlxpWB8aI5G-fJjOjXRTU_PmQgoTYc0RIEu4FEoKrzOyhBSLA-DU-ukjyTOTPUzxWz_f5k3R2cc_NW5JU/s320/IMG_1854.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jessie has been walking around all week with a little pink bag. Today I was carelessly tossing it on the stairs. Offended by my carelessness, she informed me that her bag was full of "treasures." Intrigued, I had her spread her treasures on the table and tell me about each one. She had collected a very shiny and beautiful assortment of her play jewelry and a few other odds and ends. We ooohed and ahhhed over each trinket. As I looked at her bounty, I smiled as I thought how she won't even care about any of this a week from now. As she meticulously put each treasure back into its bag, I wandered over to the counter to look at the latest J.Crew catalog. As I flipped through it, I became entranced by all of the clothes that I just "need." Oh, how I would treasure that blouse and that purse would be life changing, and if I had that sweater, I would never need another sweater again. And bathing suits? Yes, I know it is 40 degrees outside but who doesn't need another bathing suit? How much is all of this? Oh, the same as our mortgage this month...but it would make me so happy...what treasures! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Holy Spirit was listening and responded (with a smile I am sure)...but you won't even care about any of this a week from now. God reminded me of John 4 where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well. He tells her, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>"If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking <i>me</i> for a drink, and I would give you fresh living water." (v.10)</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b>Immediately, I remembered an illustration I had seen several years ago. I had (a very reluctant) Jess dump her most precious treasures into a vase. Reagan went and got her treasure and put it in another. I got my catalog and put it in another. Then, we took an empty vase and filled it with water. I explained that the reason Jesus compared Himself with water is that there are no empty spaces when a vase is filled with water. Our stuff left empty spaces everywhere, but the vase with the water was full. I read them the rest of what Jesus said,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"<b>Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again </b>[our vases]<b>. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst--not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life." </b>(John 4:13-14)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jess, my boundary pusher, pointed out, well there is still an empty space at the top of that jar. So, to illustrate Jesus' last point, we took it to the sink and turned the water on and let it overflow. Jess got so excited when she saw it and truthfully so did I. We let it run and talked about how Jesus never stops filling us, how we won't be able to contain His abundance of love so we have to share it with others, and how if we make Him our treasure, we will never have empty spaces. It is okay to have our stuff but we need to understand that our stuff will never make us feel full. To feel full, we need Jesus.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As I thought about this the rest of the afternoon, I was reminded of a quote I read in a book that said, "Every sin is an attempt to fly from emptiness (Simone Weil)." It made me think back to all of the ways I have tried to fill the empty places in my life. What started as looking at the treasures of my five year old, became an incredible and gentle reminder that the only treasure in life comes through the One who offers the living water. A gift of a promise that as long as He is my treasure, I will never thirst again. The J.Crew catalog went into the recycling bin and my cup ran over.</span><br />
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</span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-15728524398246951122012-01-03T23:31:00.000-05:002012-01-03T23:31:11.732-05:00Building a Transporter...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The following is a series of texts I discovered while looking on my phone this afternoon. My seven year old has a way of making off with my phone from time to time. These were the texts between her and her dad who had left this morning to board a plane for Miami (which she calls "new mini").</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Daddy's Girl: I miss you why do you have to go to new mini call me when your there love reagan.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Dad: Sweet girl. I don't want to go to new mini, but that's where the football game is and the transporter isn't ready yet, as soon as u invent it, I won't ever have to go to new mini again.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Daddy's Girl: ill start on the transporter right now</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Dad: I love you so much. Thanks.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Daddy's Girl: your welcome</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After asking her about the texts, she said that they talk about building a transporter so that they can be together all of the time. It made my heart soar. A father's love for his baby girl, a girl's absolute adoration for her dad...God is so good to allow me to see this.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know that time changes things. However, I wrote these texts down and I recorded them here. In ten years, that transporter may not be such a great idea to this seven year old girl. However, it will be a memory that her dad and I will want to visit together over and over. So maybe by writing this down, I have begun the process of building my own little transporter. </span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-621208567438302682012-01-03T00:49:00.000-05:002012-01-03T00:49:09.843-05:00Alive in the Land of the Living"I said to myself, 'Relax and rest.<br />
God has showered you with blessings.<br />
Soul, you've been rescued from death;<br />
Eye, you've been rescued from tears;<br />
And you, Foot, were kept from stumbling.'<br />
I'm striding in the presence of God, alive in the land of the living!"<br />
<b>Psalm 116:7-9</b> (The Message)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today I am grateful to be alive in the land of the living...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Feeling good about the decision to have our satellite turned off for the year after capturing this...</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Making time stand still because she is growing up so fast...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5SnntyjsqSw4UleU7KomOF2AbWUiWKNhSaq3hH8nclrMRgODALeKu9JNQ1NBzPQT_3mI6e3L0vvKO3CxDFzGSv485TaY2RYtAHAHNNq1KW_HdVPkhfbe8Mn6_gzd0kLxj2CQYoEMOqNw/s1600/IMG_1780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5SnntyjsqSw4UleU7KomOF2AbWUiWKNhSaq3hH8nclrMRgODALeKu9JNQ1NBzPQT_3mI6e3L0vvKO3CxDFzGSv485TaY2RYtAHAHNNq1KW_HdVPkhfbe8Mn6_gzd0kLxj2CQYoEMOqNw/s320/IMG_1780.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Today I saw her eyes turn a color I had never seen them before...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnr_Vnnl_KLKjQe4nHY2QPo-5OPjBylEdp8HYZak6Mt8F-pNliCuirCMR0YsMd0DxXfKWuyRurUAuYikNwxNiSLxnjp1W40TMizN6VUHHw-KAJ9LlJAvKutwefEcImSiU78q2KiBkC9m2s/s1600/IMG_1779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnr_Vnnl_KLKjQe4nHY2QPo-5OPjBylEdp8HYZak6Mt8F-pNliCuirCMR0YsMd0DxXfKWuyRurUAuYikNwxNiSLxnjp1W40TMizN6VUHHw-KAJ9LlJAvKutwefEcImSiU78q2KiBkC9m2s/s320/IMG_1779.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Stopping at the end of my road to be awestruck by ancient trees against winter's dusky sky (in colors that have no name), standing beautiful in their bareness...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CnxbozkKTlo2yRT867xEbZ0lcCOmDr3cNgGd3WejzYKef60hyCTAaMPWoVKXsoSCtIVzYx82uR5fpfvTbfbBxKMgSByP2Bb1bcFmmNi3uBXFPf88fJH7f25HG7jTbkhyphenhyphenS7jygJ14JdNw/s1600/IMG_1784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CnxbozkKTlo2yRT867xEbZ0lcCOmDr3cNgGd3WejzYKef60hyCTAaMPWoVKXsoSCtIVzYx82uR5fpfvTbfbBxKMgSByP2Bb1bcFmmNi3uBXFPf88fJH7f25HG7jTbkhyphenhyphenS7jygJ14JdNw/s320/IMG_1784.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Making lemonade...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNMe7o-hs94iAmY_B1JIVyBhMBgLqNjKo1pfKZMfWREn28xV3VDIi9vFI0yT-KFU_ODc-m1WcuKBN2n7gSKhvAfYV0We3jpMZZB9YD6WZB3H4V_y34P4FdhY_dvlRc9IYSmVvqBCLsWYI/s1600/IMG_1790.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNMe7o-hs94iAmY_B1JIVyBhMBgLqNjKo1pfKZMfWREn28xV3VDIi9vFI0yT-KFU_ODc-m1WcuKBN2n7gSKhvAfYV0We3jpMZZB9YD6WZB3H4V_y34P4FdhY_dvlRc9IYSmVvqBCLsWYI/s320/IMG_1790.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The ability to capture these moments so they never end!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Striding in the presence of God everywhere, alive in the land of the living...to God be the glory!</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01158117424600055007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540150084849540789.post-39245191538662428932012-01-02T09:43:00.003-05:002012-01-02T09:52:16.057-05:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: ArialMT;"><b>Sunday, January 1, 2012<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: ArialMT;"><b><a href="http://appreicatinghisdeeplove.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-years-resolution.html"><span style="color: #4157d1; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 24pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">A New Year's Resolution...</span></a></b></span><span style="color: #4157d1; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 24pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 22.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Psalm 107:43</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>"If you are really wise, you'll think this over--It's time you appreciated God's deep love." </b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>(The Message)</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>2012. I would like for 2012 to be defined by my appreciation, acknowledgement, and documentation of God's deep love for me. A daily practice. To see, to hear, to taste, to touch God every, single day. To live in this day, to receive my DAILY bread. Knowing God is knowing that He is everywhere. He speaks, loves, and works through all of His creation. I don't want to miss it. I write this in the eye of a storm. Limping away from a very difficult 2011. Not having any idea what tomorrow or this year will bring, but knowing that I have only been given this day. Although this season of storms has tossed, beaten, broken, and half-drowned me, I remember Peter walking on water. All I must do is fix my eyes on God. I will remain whole, praying for a heart and mind undivided, training my eyes to see. I will not be destroyed by this storm, I will just stand in awe of the beauty that only storms can possess. </b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>At a concert last night, God gave me a vision of a resolution for 2012. The vision came in an old hymn sung by the Avett Brothers at their concert (God is truly everywhere). So I write out the lyrics to this old hymn as my love song to God, as my New Year's Resolution...</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Just a Closer Walk With Thee</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Just a closer walk with Thee,</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Grant it, Jesus, is my plea</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Daily walking close to Thee,</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>I am weak, but Thou art strong;</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Jesus, keep me from all wrong;</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>I'll be satisfied as long</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Through this world of toil and snares,</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>If I falter, Lord, who cares?</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Who with me my burden shares?</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>When my feeble life is o'er.</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Time for me will be no more;</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Guide me gently, safely o'er</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 14pt;"><b>To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTu5NGwetCcsCKlxT-XWCQECNHJxfhtmxJucTbifXJP5lVBZ27QP6Qe1Js5RpEGH1Hj71lUd7zLeKWB6i5IIOFZB79kwm8bO_liWKJm-vHRtd-Omiv6I49xMsVKCkgAuKzbbOy8jnTYY7L/s1600/IMG_1739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTu5NGwetCcsCKlxT-XWCQECNHJxfhtmxJucTbifXJP5lVBZ27QP6Qe1Js5RpEGH1Hj71lUd7zLeKWB6i5IIOFZB79kwm8bO_liWKJm-vHRtd-Omiv6I49xMsVKCkgAuKzbbOy8jnTYY7L/s320/IMG_1739.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 19px; line-height: 25px;">Today, appreciating God's deep love for me was as simple as capturing these images of the freest spirit I have ever known...I love this girl and I love the time of day when dusk begins to make her entrance. God is so good!</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZSr1bXkTTA2NVinpuP_FFRaiZGW-Pt4GmjZChukEWZX1D8zs69ZUQf3LhhS5HSE97zykor2S08ZvTqp6EUgVEttQRYjDoYahj0RMhTNnSfbCjUqqRSKgdO-5CCzPkyfB0byDeDhVMuW8/s1600/IMG_1757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZSr1bXkTTA2NVinpuP_FFRaiZGW-Pt4GmjZChukEWZX1D8zs69ZUQf3LhhS5HSE97zykor2S08ZvTqp6EUgVEttQRYjDoYahj0RMhTNnSfbCjUqqRSKgdO-5CCzPkyfB0byDeDhVMuW8/s320/IMG_1757.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><br />
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