YC2

When Evan and I moved to Louisville, plugging into a church was high priority for us. We were very excited when the one family we knew in town invited us to attend Ninth and O with them our very first Sunday. We went, liked it, and trusted Gibson and Julie enough that if that church was good enough for their family, it was good enough for ours. We joined the only BFG we ever attended, and began making friends. About a year later, Evan took on the role as class director for our BFG, taking care of many administrative type jobs involving our class. In the last four years, our class has evolved and changed in many ways...in fact, I think we are the only couple still around from four years ago! 

In four years these people: provided countless meals, spent holidays with us, let us borrow vehicles when our cars were in the shop, offered free childcare for my children, given us financial gifts, prayed for us and with us, helped us gut and dry-wall a bathroom, celebrated birthdays with us, grieved with us when my mom passed away, spent MANY late nights over dessert and/or coffee, and much, much more. These precious people have become our family. 

This past Sunday, Evan and I experienced one of the sweetest prayer times EVER, as our class spent a good part of our class time praying over us and our new adventure. Then, we received the nicest send-off lunch, complete with yummy food and even better fellowship. We left church feeling extremely loved and blessed.

YC2, now and then, WE LOVE YOU dearly! Thank you for ministering to our family above and beyond. We are eternally grateful for you and so thankful for your partnership in ministry with us! 

Family Worship

Several months ago, Evan and I got fed up with Kendall's bedtime routine. I mean, Kendall's routine was ridiculous. She was VERY rigid about what songs we needed to sing, in what order, who needed to pray when, what we prayed for...all the way down to where we sat on her bed. It was nuts, and Evan and I found ourselves rushing through the whole thing, just to get it done because we hated the ritual so much. Not to mention the fact that neither of us could really pinpoint how the routine came to be! Finally, one night after putting Kendall to bed, Evan and I had a discussion about how we just weren't using our time very wisely with Kendall in the evenings. We both really had the desire to have some sort of family devotional, but couldn't seem to make the time for it AND her very insane bedtime routine. That particular conversation led Evan to say, "Tomorrow night, we're done with Kendall's routine and we are starting family worship." (Okay, so I can't remember his actual words, but that's what happened.)

Kendall was VERY resistant at first. She DID NOT like that we were revamping things. In fact, she shed some tears the first night. However, Evan stuck to his guns, and let me just say that the result of that has exceeded my expectations! The bedtime routine no longer produces a sense of dread in me, it brings me great joy and is a time I look forward to nightly (as do Evan and Kendall) because it has become our family worship.

I love it because it's no longer routine and rigid. We usually read a Bible Story, work on memory verses, sing songs, teach truths about God, and pray. I love it because EVERYONE participates. I love it because we are all spending time together. I love it because it challenges and encourages my faith!

We have found The Truth and Grace Memory Book to be a HUGE help. This is actually a little series of books (that are super cheap!) divided into sections with age appropriate memory verses and songs, as well as catechisms (GASP! That's not a Baptist word! HA!) to teach. Kendall LOVES it and asks for her "yellow book" every night. Obviously, we know that none of these things in and of themselves will save her, but we also know that as her parents, it is our HUGE responsibility to teach her about God, and she has to learn the facts before she can accept them as truth.

And it's just so neat to watch her connect it all together! Just this morning, we were in the car and Kendall was looking at the clouds. She said, "Mommy, those clouds are broken." I said, "Yes, they kind-of look broken, don't they?" I then asked Kendall, "Who made the clouds?" and she replied with, "God made the clouds. God is up there." I said, "Kendall, Where is God?" (Because I KNEW she KNEW "up there" was not where God is.) Kendall says, "God is everywhere." I said, "You are right, Kendall. God is everywhere." The conversation didn't end there. Kendall then says, "But I can't see God." I said, "No, you can't see God. Why not?" Kendall says, "Because God is a spirit." I know she doesn't understand all that. She's three. (Ha...Many adults don't understand that!) But I KNOW that she's hearing it and learning it. That's huge!

I say all that, giving ALL credit to the work the Lord is doing in Evan. (The fact that we are having family worship is NOTHING of either of us!) So often I harp on the things Evan needs to improve and change, rather acknowledge the things he does well and encourage him. (Why is it so often easier to focus on the negative rather than the positive?) Evan does, though, do an excellent job at leading our family spiritually and I am so thankful. I'm thankful for the examples he has had in his life over time (his dad, Scottie, particular professors during school) that have made family a priority and the role of spiritual leadership so important to him. Our little family is so blessed.

One last thing...if you are looking for "help" in the area of family worship, our worship pastor (who is one of those men I listed above that has had huge influence on Evan in the last few years!) preached a sermon a few weeks ago on this topic. It is well worth the listen and you can go HERE for the audio link. I think it's about 45 minutes, but SOOO well worth it...both challenging AND encouraging.

Babies

Last night, we babysat my friend Abby's little girl, Georgia.
It was only for a couple of hours, but we had a blast!

It was a really great time to get in some practice on a real baby...

since Kendall is going to be a BIG SISTER!!!!

We are beyond thrilled!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17

making changes

Today would be the day that normally I would be headed back to the classroom for another school year. However, this year is different. While all the other teachers are sitting in meetings and preparing their classrooms for another flock of students, I'm trying to organize/pack up all my classroom stuff and find a place to store it in our basement!

Most of you are aware that last spring I did not renew my contract with JCPS. I have to say that quitting my job without another one in place was one of the most difficult things I've ever done, but we know it was the right decision. I'm so thankful for the experience and wisdom I gained the last two years in teaching at JCPS, even in the most difficult moments.

Even when you take a big faith step and don't have any idea what is going to happen, you still have a plan in your mind of what you think will happen. Well, at least I do, anyway. :) (Those who know me well will find that statement funny. We all know nothing EVER goes like I plan it! HA!) The plan was that Evan would keep on working at BTR, and I would just a job teaching at a private school somewhere. Well, that plan was apparently not God's plan. After interviewing at one school, filling out applications, sending in resumes, and making several phone calls, I didn't hear back from one single private school. Not a single one.Talk about blow to the ego! In hindsight, I see this as a blessing because I'm pretty sure I would have jumped on the first school that needed a teacher!

In the midst of me looking for a job, Evan was also trying to figure out what to do. His work at the law firm had slowed significantly, and we knew if I wasn't working, he was going to have to do something else. After much prayer and discussion, he finally accepted a sales position with Cellular Advantage, an AT&T company. It was really neat to see this job come about, and watch the Lord change my heart. I was REALLY, REALLY against him taking the job at first, but now I know it was the absolute best thing.

Through all these changes, Evan was also raising funds for his trip to Africa. I can't even begin to write on here of all the ways God provided for this trip! Absolutely unbelievable! I just know that every doubt I had about me staying home full-time was erased as I saw God completely provide above and beyond. I mean, really? If God could provide the cost of Evan's trip, why could I not trust him to meet the monthly needs for our family?

Evan is working his second week at Cellular Advantage, and I am at home full-time with Kendall. There is potential for me to do more writing for Lifeway, and I will be doing some little odd jobs here and there (helping a friend with after-school care for her daughter and am thinking about doing some tutoring). I've also got big plans for doing some pre-school things with Kendall. Oh, how I'm looking forward to it!

It doesn't always look right on paper, but I know God is bigger than a budget, and we're choosing to trust Him completely! We are so excited to see what is in store for this next school year!

Traveling

We just returned home from a very last-minute trip to Fayetteville. More on that later. I am extremely exhausted and really should be asleep, but I wanted to document the drive home, before these thoughts leave my mind.

Tonight I felt as though my family was nestled tightly in the hand of God as we traveled. All day, we drove through spitting snow, but about 90 miles outside of Louisville, things got pretty nasty. The roads were extremely slick and several cars were off in the ditch. At one point, we watched a police car spin around in front of us. From 8:45 until 10:00, we traveled a total of four miles due to the stand-still traffic on I-64 East.

As miserable as all three of us felt in our shoebox of a car, we were so thankful to be sitting in the warmth watching Strawberry Shortcake for the third time than to be stuck on the side of the road in the cold. God was truly guarding us and watching over us as we traveled.

Tonight I'm so very thankful for the power of prayer, my extra-cautious driver of a husband, and my (for the most part) content and well-behaved daughter. I'm thankful for the sack of snacks I put together before leaving last week, pull-ups, and portable DVD players. I'm thankful for stickers, books, baby dolls, and all the other things that keep my precious one occupied for (what was supposed to be a 10 hour trip) 12+hours. I'm thankful for that Blizzard I ate at the Dairy Queen, even though I complained about it being too much. It certainly stuck to my ribs! I'm thankful to come home and find my dad and nephews hanging out in my living room, who also traveled on some icy roads. Having them here makes leaving Fayetteville not sting so badly.

And most of all, I'm thankful for God's hand of protection heavy upon my family tonight. Thank You, Lord!

What do you get...

When you put this: this:
and this:

Together?

Answer: SUMMER FUN!!!

Summer is officially here and I am SO happy! I am SUCH an outside person and am so happy days of spending hours in the sun have finally arrived!

Cool story...We really wanted to get Kendall a swing set. Since her birthday, I've been looking religiously online at various places, trying to figure out something that would work with our budget, secretly hoping I would come across a great deal on Craigslist or something. A couple of months ago, I just kind-of gave up the hunt, mainly because we started focusing on finishing our kitchen and I knew with that project going, the swing set would just have to wait.

To make a long story short, Evan's boss had a practically brand new swing set that he needed to get rid of at his former home. He was planning to list it on Craigslist, but GAVE it to US for FREE as long as Evan would just come and get it. Crazy, huh???

Kendall was a little bit intimidated at first. The thing is HUGE and she will have to grow into it a bit, but I don't think that will take long. By the end of the evening, she was up the ladder and down the slide over and over all by herself.

Evan and I are just in awe of this happening. I know to a lot of people, a swing set is probably not that big of a deal, but we probably would never have been able to get one as nice as this one EVER. This thing is top-of-the-line! I think it's just another way that God shows us how involved He is in even the smallest aspects of our lives.






After the swing set was all set up, all the helping families (actually our small group from church) came over to grill and hang out. The kids had a blast playing outside! Evan bought a new pool for Kendall (which I think he secretly did it for himself...I think the wading pool was a little too crowded for him!) and the some of the kids got in the water for a while.

Pivotal Moment

Today at lunch, I casually asked a co-worker of mine if he had a good Easter. He answered with, "Yeah, for a non-religious sort of person, it was a good day. You know, the food, candy, and family." My reply was, "So, Easter is all about the Easter bunny for you, huh?" He then goes on to say, "Yeah, you could say that. You know, I've just never been much on religion. How can we really say that one person's ways/and beliefs are right or wrong? I believe there's something out there, I'm just not going to say that there is only one way."

I'd like to tell you that I shared the gospel with him right then and there, but I didn't. I was so taken a-back with his statement (you know you're from the south when you think everyone believes in Jesus), that I sat there silently, then walked to the water fountain and filled my cup, knowing that I'd just missed an opportunity to share Christ. I was just thinking to myself, "What could I have said in the five minutes that I have left that will show him truth?"

I can't get this whole scenario off my mind. I've been praying, praying, praying that my eyes would be opened to lost people, and buddy, you can't get more open than that! In this moment, though, I realized that I'm not ready to share, because I spend too much time filling my life with other things, instead spending time with God.

If we REALLY believe that Easter changes everything, then why aren't we showing it??? People, Heaven is real place with no more tears and sadness, but there is another place that is just as real and it's called HELL. It's more than "lifestyle evangelism" and hoping people see it in our actions. We've got to have the words to back it up.

I'm praying for another opportunity to share with my friend. Don't know when or how, but I know that God can open those doors. Until then, maybe he will see a difference in me by the way I live my life, so when the door opens again, he can more easily accept truth.

In John 14 (great chapter, by the way), Jesus is talking to his disciples and in the course of their conversation says to them, "I am THE way and THE truth and THE life. No one comes to the Father EXCEPT through me."



Do you believe it????

Easter

Happy Resurrection Sunday! For Evan, I don't think a weekend could be any better--celebrating Easter and watching the Master's. :)

We've had a wonderful day celebrating the resurrection of our Savior! Evan and I attended the worship service the first hour this morning, helped out in children's SS and nursery the second hour, then had this family (Emily and I teach SS together. She's become a sweet, sweet friend to me and she and Ryan just welcomed PRECIOUS baby Perry into their lives three weeks ago!) and part of this family (Abby is a nurse and this was her weekend to work) over for lunch today. We were very excited to open up our home and have some fellowship!

Evan cooked a YUMMY beef brisket and I made sides of green bean bundles, loaded-overnight mashed potatoes, baked mac-n-cheese, rolls, and banana pudding for dessert. Emily made a yummy spinach dip and some sausage balls for us to munch on while all the sides were heating AND Abby sent a second dessert of Oreo brownies, so we were all pretty stuffed by the time it was all said and done!

After lunch, Kendall passed out Easter goodies for all the kids--books for baby Perry and a basket with a ball, sidewalk chalk, Peeps, and M&Ms for Christian. Kendall got some dress up things along with the same things Christian received. She's had a lot of fun already dressing up in her new hat and putting things in her purse--all of which I found in the dollar slot at Target. :)

Happy Easter, everyone! We often sing the Resurrection Hymn at church and I love the last line of the song that says, "And we are raised with Him, death is dead, love has one, Christ has conquered. And we shall reign with Him, For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead." Isn't that a glorious thing???!?!?!

Praying that you know HIM today! Easter changes everything!

needs no commentary

At one time, we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by HIS grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:3-7

As for you, you were DEAD in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of WRATH.

BUT because of his great love for us, GOD, who is rich in mercy, made us ALIVE even when we were DEAD in our transgressions--it is by GRACE you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:1-5

Two Stories

Story #1
We ended up closing on our house yesterday instead of Monday due to the bank not getting the paperwork finished in time. (Surprise, surprise that it got pushed back two days!) Anyway, all the papers are signed and we have officially started the ripping of wallpaper. YAY!!!

However, yesterday we had a little drama after the closing. Here's what happened:

We were in separate vehicles at the bank because I had to meet them from school. As I was putting Kendall in the car and Evan was trying to get the stroller loaded, I saw that he put the folder with all our papers, home warranty, etc, on the hood of the car. I thought to myself, "That is not a good place for that." (Did I mention that the folder also contained the check we got back and closing AND a gift card to Home Depot from our realtors?) In the process of my noticing that, I bumped Kendall's head on the car and she starts screaming hysterically (more out of being tired and hungry than pain) and I guess I didn't say anything to Evan about the folder. We drive home in 5:00 traffic only to realize that neither of us picked up the folder. Evan jets out of the house as fast as he could as I get down on my knees and start praying.

He gets to the bank parking lot and no luck. We just knew it fell off the car somewhere when I was pulling out, because neither of us saw papers flying all over the place. At this point, Evan goes on to church and I stay home (mainly because I'm just tired of driving all over creation). I then call my best prayer warriors and ask them to pray. Miranda, my sweet accountability partner from AR, prayed with me right there on the phone. (I loved her words of, "God, you know where that folder is and we just pray you will return it to Evan and Leah without anything missing." ) We knew that the worst case scenario would be that we would have to stop payment on the check, recopy all the papers, and just loose the gift-card, but we also knew and believed that God was bigger than that. I was pretty much praying continually throughout the evening, Evan and I prayed together and then I read/prayed through the "worry" verses in Matthew 6 and went on to sleep.

Surprisingly, we were both able to sleep pretty well last night.

This morning, I woke up, got on my knees again. I just had hope that everything was going to be okay. Around 8:30 this morning, I got an email from Evan that said "THE FOLDER HAS BEEN FOUND!!!" A bank employee found it in the parking lot and gave it to our loan officer!

God is so faithful!

I've been thinking all day about the lessons learned from this situation. First, I know part of the lesson is to slow down and pay attention! We were so busy and excited about finally closing that we were getting too anxious and careless. Second, I also know that God has already proven his dependability to me, but he continually reminds me how faithful He is. He will always hear us when we cry out. I am so thankful. Last, I think God just wanted to remind me that my satisfaction and contentment will ALWAYS be from him alone. Not from a new house, decorating, paint colors, more square footage, etc. This is something that I've had to remind myself a lot along the way...that just because we are getting more space and I have new projects, I still need to remain faithful to Him and spending time daily in prayer and in the Word. I could just see Evan and I coming home from that closing talking about renovation projects, what we would do with that gift card money, more paint color/furniture buying talk (which I don't think any of that is bad at all) and clearly, last night, God wanted us focused on Him, as we should be ALWAYS.

He is so good. If only we would truly believe that all the time.


Story #2
Today is one of those days that I would have gladly quit my job. I'm not sure if my kiddos were on a day-after-a-field-trip high or if they just had the Thursday crazies, but EVERY ONE of them pushed every button on me today! I promise you, if I said "Stop talking" or heard "Mrs. Smith, I don't have a pencil/paper" one time today, I heard it 500 times, along with a plethora of other whines and cries. At one point, in my next-to-last period class, I said, "I am so tired of putting out fires today..." and the whole class starts in with, "Where was a fire?" "Who caught something on fire?" "You had to put out a fire, really?" When that all started, I just bent down over ever-so slightly and hung down my head for a minute. I just needed to "check out" for a moment. The longer I stood there bent over the kids started in with, "What's wrong, Mrs. Smith? Are you throwing up? Are you crying? What's wrong?" To which my sweet little George yells out, "No, she's pushing out a fart!"



Oh, the joys of middle school!!!! Will I get an extra jewel in my heavenly crown?!?!?!?!

The Rest of the Arkansas Pictures

**I was reading back through this post and I see a million errors. I'm not editing! Too tired. Please don't critique my writing tonight!**

I've been wanting to post the rest of these for a while now, and finally had a chance to do it. Here is the rest of our week in Arkansas.

Because my dad didn't know when he would be back from Arizona, we opted to fly to Little Rock and just hang out there for a few days. We knew it would probably be late Tuesday or Wednesday before he got back, and even thought about staying in Louisville until then, but I just needed to be near my family. Evan's sister, Meredith, was ever so gracious to let us come invade her space. I didn't get very many pictures from being at her house, but we had a great time with them. Kendall loved getting to be with Graham and Thomas. (For the most part. I think she and Thomas have a love/hate relationship going on.) Meredith got a few more pictures. (You can go here to see those. I especially like the one of Kendall in her car seat and the one of Kendall and Thomas watching TV.) Evan's parents were actually supposed to be in Louisville the week we came to Arkansas. They are being gracious enough to let us borrow a vehicle from them for a few months, until we decide what we want to do for a second vehicle, and were driving to Louisville the Tuesday after my mom died. Instead of coming to Louisville, Evan's parents came to Little Rock instead, and just kind-of stayed on stand-by for us all week. I have to say that I was a little sad that we didn't get to spend more time with them, but am so thankful they were able to be around to help us out. Kendall actually had her first overnight stay at Aunt Mere's with Nana and PawPaw the night of the visitation. (Mommy and daddy didn't even call to check up on her!) Having them around all week was SUCH a blessing.
Kendall also got a new car seat while we were in Arkansas. I actually sent Evan to pick it out and told him I didn't really care what he came back with. When I saw it though, I knew that Meredith picked it out. It was way too girly to have been picked out by a man! I love it, though! Thanks, Mere! My dad got back to Arkansas late Tuesday evening, so on Wednesday, we (Dad, Kara, Keith, Coby, Jackson, Evan, Kendall, and I) were finally all together. That night, we sat down and ate a yummy meal of Jones BBQ and then played outside with the boys for a while. I have to admit that sitting outside was very bittersweet to me. I loved watching the boys run around and play (we were ALL out there together) but couldn't help but think how much my mom would have enjoyed having all her kids and grand kids there at one time together.

Coby and Jackson LOVE Kendall. They wanted to hold her and play with her, and just love all over her. Coby kept saying to Evan over and over again, "Aren't little babies so much fun?" Jackson wanted to carry her around a lot and help feed her. He was constantly asking, "Where is Kendall?" So sweet.

I have some of the most amazing friends in the world. When we got to Little Rock on Monday, Evan took Kendall for the rest of the evening and I went out with three of my favorite girls-Jill, Heather, and Laura. We did a little shopping and then went to Mimi's Cafe for dinner. (Yummy! Very much a place that Evan would never step foot inside! Way to feminine!) Heather, Jill, and Laura were MORE THAN GRACIOUS to me. I can't even write about it because I will start crying. They are just wonderful, and have been even more wonderful since I've been back to Louisville.

I also have to say a big thank-you to all my high school friends, Adriane, Sarah, Robin, Carrie, Meghan. (Sorry, no picture here. I didn't think bringing my camera to visitation would be appropriate.) I didn't get to visit with any of you as much as I wanted, but I knew you were there and that's what mattered most. It's funny that after my dad called me to give me the news, the first person I called (besides my family) was Adriane. I don't know, but there was something about telling the people that had known me the longest. I remember thinking how comforting it was to hear Mrs. Ann and Mrs. Barbara's voice on the phone late that night. Maybe it's because they were like mother's to me (still are in so many ways) and they just know how to console girls. Whatever the case, I love ALL of you so much and am so thankful that you were there for me.

I was also touched that so many people from Fayetteville drove to Stuttgart for the funeral. Fayetteville is FOUR HOURS away! That is NO quick trip! Thank you Jennifer, Wendy, Karen L. , Ginny, Judy, Karen, Joyce, Taylor, Brian, Kendra, and Scottie. You just don't even know...

Kendall was having a big time in this walker during the lunch before the funeral and then after. She was EVERYWHERE! Coby, Jackson, and Faith were having fun playing chase with her. If we had a big space, we'd SO have to get one! :)

Of course, it was so good to see all of our extended family, even if the circumstances were not so hot. My cousin, Scott, flew in from New York and I was so excited to see him. I hadn't seen him since our wedding in 2005. He is one of my favorite people in the whole world and it was really good to visit with him for a bit. I also loved getting to see my grandparents and then some other distant cousins (Ginger and Amy, wish I could have visited with you more!) that I haven't seen in a while.


So, that's basically the trip in a nutshell. I hated the reason that we had to go to Arkansas, but the time we had with family and friends was wonderful.

Sisters, Sisters

My sister and I have always had this sort-of love/hate relationship. We are COMPLETE opposites! I'm a girly-girl and Kara is a tom-boy. (Don't get me wrong, she does love a good pair of shoes and an occasional shopping trip!) I am talkative and opinionated, she is even MORE talkative and opinionated. She likes to be outside to hunt and fish; I like to be outside to swim and tan! We have certainly had our differences throughout the years, but I am learning more and more just how much I do love her and how thankful I am that she is my sister.

Here are a few reasons why...


1.) Kara LOVES LOVES LOVES my Kendall. She is an amazing aunt. (Isn't that top picture so precious?!?!?) When Kara found out I was pregnant, she was probably more excited than I was! We don't get to see Kara, Keith, and the boys very often, but I can promise you that when we are with them, Kara will hardly let me take care of my own child. When we were in Arkansas, Kara bathed, fed, and changed Kendall any chance she got. Kara is really good with babies-I guess she gets that from my mom. I had so much fun watching Kendall get spoiled by her Auntie Kara.

2.) She works hard. Kara went back to finish her degree after Jackson (the youngest) was born. He was literally only 2 months old, but she was determined to finish school. She finished in 4 years (maybe less) and stayed on the Dean's list the entire time. She is now in her third year of teaching. I'm really proud of her.

3.) She paints my toenails, every time we are together. My mom did the same thing.

4.) We make each other laugh. The first night we were all "at home" together, Kara and I decided to go play in mom's closet. At first, we both felt kind-of funny about it, but then we realized that if mom were there, she would have been right there with us. I think after we started, looking through her stuff brought a sense of comfort to both of us. So as we got in her jewelry drawer, and I kept thinking, "This is NOT all her stuff. Where is everything else?" Finally, I found a jewelry hanger thing in the back of her closet with a ton more stuff. Of the items we found, we decided to do a little fashion show with her old Christmas jewelry. Oh yes, those are Christmas lights in my ears and wreaths made out of astroturf in Kara's ears. And you've got to love the jingle bell necklace! It's got Santa's face painted on the front! Maybe mom was saving all this for an Ugly Christmas Sweater party?!?!?!

I'm sure I will still have moments where my sister gets on my nerves like none other, as I will do her the same. However, through the death of my mother, I have learned that life is WAY too short to be arguing with others or to be bothered by what they do all the time. Instead, I need to see value and good in everyone, since that is how Jesus sees us.

I love you, sister, and I am always here for you!

Untitled

This is another one of those random posts about a lot of random things.

1.) I have some GREAT friends. I am so thankful for them. Today I am especially thankful for my Northwest Arkansas friends. Especially Miranda, Rachel, Kendra, and Allyce. These are my girls that pray. They don't just tell me they will pray, they really pray. I've talked to each of them on the phone this week and they encourage me so much. I'm especially thankful for my phone conversation with Miranda and Rachel today. Somehow, they just knew. They just knew I needed to hear from them. As I tell them what is going on with us right now (more on that in a sec.) one word that kept coming up was afraid. Finally, Miranda (who was my accountability partner in AR) said, "Leah, say our verse. Quote our verse to me right now." Our verse, that Miranda painted on a canvas and hangs on the wall in Kendall's room, is Isaiah 41:10..."Do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (I totally typed that from memory, just to let y'all know!) :) I could barely get the last words out because of the tears. Oh, how I needed the reminder today that I don't have to have fear. My faith is in God...He will help me! Thanks girls. I needed to visit with both of you more than you know!

2.) We had a wreck on Sunday. All of us. We were on our way to church Sunday evening and Evan t-boned the Dominos delivery car. He was trying to make sure these two pedestrians got across the road safely, and he didn't do a very good job looking the other way. It's always really difficult to see due to trees, telephone poles, double parking, etc., but the wreck was still our fault. Nobody was injured, thankfully, but both vehicles suffered major damage. The front of the 4-Runner is pretty messed up...to the point the hood is duct-taped shut.

I know a lot of people have more serious issues than we do with our vehicle situation, but if you think about it, will you please say a little prayer that we'll make a good decision about what to do next? Most of you probably know that we've been a one-vehicle family for this last year. We've planned on getting a second vehicle before I start back to work, but we were also planning on having the 4-Runner as a secondary vehicle since it is completely paid for. Besides the fact that the 4-Runner is majorly damaged in the front, we are also having some issues with it starting. The past few days, it's been hit or miss. We just aren't sure what to do next. It just seems like we need to make a decision out of some not ideal scenarios. Does that make sense?

3.) I've cut way back on my internet time. I didn't get on the computer at all on Sunday, which allowed me to get really organized with all my bible study stuff. I was excited. I got my journal organized AND made some prayer lists. I've also had a consistent quiet time the last 4 days. I found one of those guides that shows you how to read through the bible in a year. I just started in January and am going from there. I'm also using one of Evan's study bibles that has better notes than my bible. I also finished the chapter about Eve in the Extraordinary Women book that Evan gave me for Mother's Day. I hope I will continue to discipline myself.

4.)If you are looking for something funny to read, go visit here. My friend Reba has two biological children and has adopted two children from Guatemala. She blogs daily as her journal and I love reading the adventures of her family. Never a dull moment! I was laughing out loud as I read, and then had to read it out loud to Evan. He, too, was cracking up. Let's just say...she got creative with her discipline strategy. I'm putting this one in the parenting file for sure! :) Thanks, Reba!

5.) I'm sure many of you are familiar with this blog, but I just HAVE to mention it here. Bring the Rain is Angie Smith's blog. Her husband is the lead singer of the Christian group Selah. (Even you folks who don't know who Selah is, you know some of their songs. They sing You Raise Me Up, but I don't know if Selah or Josh Groban recorded it first. They've also recorded Bless the Broken Road.) Anyway, the blog is the journey of her pregnancy and the loss of her daughter only a few hours old. She has amazing faith. And it's not because she just grew up knowing God. It's because she searched for Him and found Him. I'm thankful for people like Angie Smith because she will reach people that I will never be able to reach with her story. Go read, but be warned, you need a box of tissues.

I'll close with a couple of Kendall things...
(Sorry, no pictures...I'm on the laptop!)

Kendall isn't really into feeding herself. She especially doesn't enjoy the puffs. I think it's mainly because she doesn't have the pincer grasp down. Last night, I put some puffs on her high chair tray. I was trying to show her how to pick up one and then I just put it in my palm, thinking it might be easier for her to grab it. Instead of grabbing it, she licked it off my hand! Isn't that funny??? Evan and I were cracking up.

When I had her weighed last week, she was up to 15 pounds! Woo Hoo!!!

She LOVES LOVES LOVES the water...bath time, the pool...it doesn't matter. She loves it. We've sure got our $8 out of that blue plastic pool!!! Everyday that it isn't raining, she is playing in it! So fun!

I will spellcheck, but I'm not going back to fix any grammatical errors. It's too late. I'm going to bed.

Learning and Growing

I'm trying to gear myself up/pray about an internet fast. I'm not sure how it's going to work out, being that I'm the one in charge of giving inquiring minds new info on my mom's condition. I just know that the one thing that is a hinders me from really digging into God's word is the time I spend messing around on the computer after Kendall goes to bed.

I begin with that just because, obviously, I've gone through a roller-coaster of emotions this last week, and the journey is only beginning. Evan and I had some great conversation last night about everything that is going on with my mom/my emotions and feelings towards it all and more. The one thing I know is that through this, God wants me to KNOW HIM. Not just know ABOUT Him, learn some new lesson or have an "a-ha" moment, but truly KNOW HIM. I'm determined that I can't miss out. I just can't.

I mentioned not too long ago about my quiet time (or lack thereof) and how I couldn't seem to spend consistent time in God's Word since finishing up the last bible study. I'm not sure why, but I've never been very good at just sitting down, opening up the bible and reading it. I am just one of those people that needs structure or some sort of a guide. But I really LONG to be a person (like my hubby) who can just sit down, open up God's word and read. Sometimes I feel like I'm just not smart enough to do it on my own. Sometimes I just feel like I go to the same places over and over...Psalm, James, the Gospels, Genesis 22. Other times I feel like I don't read things the way they are written or intended. Really, those are all just excuses and Satan's attempt (sadly, victorious) at keeping me from reading God's word. I've realized,though, that if I will make the effort to read the Bible, God will bless that effort. He will reveal to me places I need to turn or books I need to read. He will give me the wisdom and understanding, if I will just do it.

Last Monday evening, after we got word about my mom needing the transplants, I sat down with God. It was HORRIBLY late, but I couldn't sleep. I just talked to Him, wrote in my journal and then I turned to a comfort passage, Romans 8:28. The verse says, "And we know that in all things God works together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Usually, I read on to the end of the chapter, where it talks about "God being for us," how he "spared his own son" and "that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ." That night, however, I stopped reading after verse 28 and decided I wanted to know more about what God said about "working together for good." I went to the cross-references (you know, the tiny writing in the middle of the columns) and wrote down all the verses that were cross referenced to verse 28. I've been reading through those the last few nights and God is revealing Himself to me. I'm learning things that I've always believed as truth, but now I KNOW it's written in scripture. At this time, while my mom is so ill and the future is so uncertain, I need to know WHO GOD IS more than anything else.

I know this is getting long (for those of you who have stuck with me!) but I really wanted to throw in this one passage that just keeps screaming at me. It's in Hebrews.

Hebrews 6:13-20 (NIV) says the following:

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

First, I just want to point out how big God is. When the promise was made to Abraham, God swore by himself. God couldn't swear by anyone else, because there was nothing bigger to swear by. What happened? Abraham received what was promised and was blessed with many descendants.

Next, right here in scripture it says that God's nature is UNCHANGING and it's impossible for Him to lie. In a world where things are in constant change and lie after lie is told, I'm so thankful that I can trust in God's unchanging nature and know that he will never lie to me. He will never break a promise or promise something He can't fulfill.

Last, God is HOPE. He is an anchor that is FIRM and SECURE. I don't know what tomorrow holds for my family, but I know that I can trust in the promises and truth of God's word.

If you don't hear from me via this blog for a while, just know that I'm taking some time to get rid of some distractions. I'll be back. I'm sure I'll have lots to share!

My Mom

**Update-6/18-Mom got word today that she will be taken to Vanderbilt tomorrow or Friday for the prelimenary testing for the transplant(s). (My dad actually called it something else on the phone, but I can't remember now!) Daddy snuck his cell phone up to CCU tonight, so I was able to hear my momma's voice for the first time since last Monday. I told her I felt like I was talking to Darth Vadar since she is wearing an oxygen mask! We talked for a few minutes, and she is VERY hopeful. I heard the hope in her voice. I told her, "I'm scared, excited, nervous, sad, etc." My mom's exact words were, "Don't be scared, Leah. It's all in the Lord's hands. It's gonna be okay." What comfort.

Keep praying. It's working.

I don't even know where to start this blog post. I've started and erased about 10 times already.

Here goes...

(My mom and me, November 05)

For those of you who don't know my mom, let me introduce you. Her name is Janice. She's 53 years old and was diagnosed with a very serious lung disease called Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) about four years ago. Since that time, she's gone through some extensive treatment for her disease, the latest being a main-line port/pump/IV (whatever you want to call it) that was put in about a year and a half ago.

Since falling and breaking her elbow a few weeks ago, my mom hasn't felt well at all. She's retained a lot of fluid again (the same thing that happened back in December when she was in the hospital for about 10 days) and has struggled to get her oxygen levels regulated. She's been in CCU at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock since last Wednesday.

My mom's main pulmonologist is located in Nashville, and he was on vacation last week. Yesterday he teleconferenced extensively with the cardiologist and pulmonologist in Little Rock. Through the teleconference, the doctors have decided that my mom's "pump" has done about all it's going to do to help her. The next step is a heart AND lung transplant.

Right now, about all we know that she will go on to Vanderbilt for preliminary testing to see if she is even a candidate for the surgery. A lot is unknown at this point. Please keep my entire family (especially my dad, sister, and me) in your prayers. We have a lot of emotions and unanswered questions.

The good news is that right now, my mom is doing very well. They were able to turn her oxygen down to about 65 yesterday, which is huge, considering it had been at 90-100 the last few days. From what I hear, she is as alert, positive, and full of life. She has had lots of visitors, which I'm sure brighten her spirits always. I am now, more than ever, thankful for the week Kendall and I got to spend with her--even if it wasn't at the beach.

If you would like to send her your thoughts, you can do so at this link. We don't know how much longer she will be in LR, but while she is there, I know she would love any encouragement/well wishes from friends and family.

Please know that my family's faith is not weak. We serve a BIG God who can heal and perform miracles anytime he so chooses. We fully trust and believe that is truth. We also know that a heart/lung transplant is a very big deal. My mom knows and loves the Lord with her whole heart. While death from an earthly perspective is sad, it's glorious from an eternal one. We are praying (I know, because my dad, sister, and I have talked about it) for God's will to be done. However God chooses to heal her (whether it be through a miracle transplant or taking her home to heaven), we just hope and pray she won't endure much more suffering. Either way, my mom wins and God will recieve ALL the honor and glory!

Please just remember my family in your thoughts and prayers! I will try to keep the blog updated as best I can with info on how she's doing and how you can specifically pray for us.

PS. I'm very sorry that some of you are having to read this in a blog post. So many of you I wanted to call or email personally, but I just can't do it. Please don't be upset with me! I feel kind-of funny writing this for lots of reasons...it's impersonal, I'm putting my family and myself out there for everyone to see, and I'm having to process a lot of this while a I write (which is somewhat therapeutic). If you know my family very well, we wouldn't be classified in the "private" category when it comes to issues as these. I think the way we see it, the better off we will be because we have more people praying!

New Things...

1.) A new job...I accepted a job teaching 6th grade Social Studies at Conway Middle School this week. (Not Conway, Arkansas...I know some of y'all were getting excited thinking we were moving back to Arkansas! Conway is the name of the middle school. It's in the Jefferson County Public School District.) I'm excited about it and believe this is the place I need to be. I don't think I ever shared about the interview at the Christian School...while I am very thankful I had the opportunity to interview, I never had a peace about the job for many reasons...longer day, longer drive, dual prep, etc. I actually was offered the job, but turned it down. For whatever reason, I'm learning to truly believe that God has called me to work with impoverished students at this point in my life. (I often ask Him if that will be my calling forever. My teacher friends that read this can understand why I ask God this a lot.!!! Working with this population of students is NOT an easy task!) My new school seems to be a lot like KMS, minus the Hispanic/Marshallese population, so the language barrier issue is not one I will have to worry about much.

I have told several people this week, and even emailed my former principal, that I don't think I will ever have a problem getting a teaching job for the rest of my life. I'm not saying that out of vanity or thinking that "I'm an awesome teacher" because I often feel VERY inadequate to do my job. I say that because of the experience I had working at J.O. Kelly for 5 years. I wish you could have seen the faces on the interview panel when I told them I worked at a school that was about 60% Hispanic. Most of their eyes about bugged out of their heads! When I told the ones interviewing me about the high Marshallese population in Springdale, they had never even heard of the Marshall Islands. I felt such honor being able to share about the Marshallese culture and my experience teaching these students. Now, more than ever, am I grateful that I was hired by Ms. Ford six years ago. I learned so much and grew so much professionally during my experience at J.O. Kelly and I know all of what I learned will come in handy in the near future!

One of the questions I asked the panel was "How would you describe the relationship among the staff at your school?" They all said that everyone got along really well and even spent time together outside of school. One of the guys went on to say that "Out of all the schools he's taught at in the United States and a couple overseas, that by-far Conway's staff was the best staff to work with." I had to bite my tongue because I just wanted to answer with, "Oh, yeah? Well, you've never worked at J.O. Kelly Middle School. Nobody can hold a candle to the staff there!"

Oh...6th grade Social Studies is geography, which is what I taught when I was 7th grade at KMS. However, I think I gave away my notebook with all my resources!! (Carol...I may be getting you to fax me some stuff again!!!) :)

2.) Kendall discovered herself in the mirror this week. This is somewhat new. We have a little video of it that I'll have to get Evan to put on here later. So funny. She would get as close as she could to the mirror and then would crawl over to the side to see if she could see someone behind it. She played with "her friend" in the mirror forever!

3.) Kendall also is REALLY trying to pull up. She can get on her knees, but can't seem to figure out how to get all the way to her feet. One afternoon, I put her down for a nap and could hear something in her room. I poked my head in the door to see, and she was up on her knees banging on the rail of the crib. Now it seems like she's pulling up on her knees with everything. The pictures that follow are her pulling up on her car seat. (We have a video of this, too, but again, I don't know how to download those on blogger to make them play.) Today, I looked over and she had actually crawled into the car seat!!! Evan and I were sitting on the couch just a few minutes ago, and Kendall pulled up (on her knees) on the coffee table. Look out!!! She's becoming more mobile by the minute!!!

4.) A new sickness...Kendall has been sick with something since last Wednesday. She started running a low-grade fever Wednesday afternoon and had a runny nose, but I really didn't think too much about it. Evan and I have terrible allergies and it seems like every time we come back from a trip, Kendall gets allergy sick. She's never had fever before, but I really just thought it was probably her teeth. Then, on Thursday, the runny nose turned into a yucky, snotty nose and she still ran a little temp. We debated about taking her to the doctor on Friday, and talked ourselves out of it because it said to only call if the fever was higher than 101 degrees. She was running about 99 most of the time. (I think once we took it and it was 100.) Anyway, I'm really wishing we would have taken her to the doctor, because I'm a little afraid she might have an ear infection. She is still sleeping through the night, eating and playing fine, and hasn't really been tugging on her ears, but I'm still a little concerned, being that TODAY is the first day she hasn't had fever. I stayed home from church with her this morning and it seems as though her snotty nose is clearing up some, but it's still kind-of gross. Plus, she has this bump on the back of her head like a pimple that we aren't sure what it is. Evan was thinking an ingrown hair, but it has progressively become larger. I'd kind-of like to get that checked out as well, so I'm thinking I'll probably make an appointment tomorrow. It's just so difficult to know what to do!!!

5.) A new accountability partner...(I'm putting this out there in hopes that some of my N&O friends are in the same boat I am) I NEED ONE!!!! My quiet time is all out-of-whack since the Thursday Morning Bible Study came to an end. (Not to mention traveling twice in one month!!!!) My friend Miranda and I met weekly in AR to pray, talk about what God was doing in our lives, memorize scripture, etc.and I am DESPERATE to have this again!!! I'm praying God will provide this person for me!

6.) A new pool...I am missing my pool/sun time this summer. I have yet to step my foot into any kind of water! In the summer, I am not an "inside the house" kind of girl! I am TOTALLY having withdrawls from the FCC pool, Scottie and Allyce's pool, and the PG Aquatic Park. The seminary has an indoor pool with a little fountain area outside to sit in the sun, but I haven't been yet. (I'm also a little afraid to take Kendall swimming by myself, and I also don't think a swimming pool is the best place for her to be while she is sick!) All the other pools nearby are indoor, too. Plus, we haven't taken Kendall to the pool yet, so I don't know how she will do. She's so little and doesn't need tons of sun exposure, so I don't really want to pay an arm and a leg to only be able to stay somewhere for 30-45 minutes, you know? Evan has offered to stay with Kendall so I can go sit in the sun somewhere for an afternoon, but I feel gulity leaving Kendall, knowing that I'm about to go back to work full time this fall. Anyway...such a dillema, huh??? Do I need to just get over the fact that I'm going to be pasty white this summer?!?!?! HA!!!

7.) A new rule...I'm debating on having a "no-edit" rule when I blog. I just re-read this post and I see about a million errors I need to fix, but it will take way too long and Kendall is waking up from her nap. It's killing the grammar teacher in me...

Forever God is Faithful!

It's 11:15 and I'm tired. I've started a post and erased it three times because I just can't get the words out. All I know is that I'm completely overwhelmed by God's faithfulness!!!

I type this as Evan sits in the living room playing with his new laptop computer!!!!!!

Evan has needed a laptop for a while now for both work/school purposes and purchasing one has been a huge matter of prayer! Today, God gave us a very CLEAR answer about purchasing it AND the means to be able to do it!! We are so thrilled. Not at the money. Not at having the laptop. We are thrilled because God moved and worked in order for us to get it!!! He is SO big and cares about ALL the details. If you don't believe it, put yourself out there and just find out. I promise, God will NEVER fail you!!!

I looked back in my prayer journal and saw prayers over and over that went something like this, "God, provide a laptop for Evan. In a way unimaginable." Today, He answered our prayers. I really wish I had the time and the words to explain how this all came to fruition, but I don't. Maybe someday I will. All I can say is, "Praise Be to God!"

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations. Forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20 (NASB)

Loving God with all of my mind

Well, Leah's been on my case lately about how long it's been since I posted anything on here. Honestly, my lack of posting hasn't really been intentional. I just know she does such a good job of keeping everyone up to date with what's going on with us that I don't have to worry about it.

Anyway, here's a few thoughts on school.

I'm taking nine hours again this semester, Ancient Near Eastern History, Personal Evangelism and New Testament Survey II. The classes are all pretty enjoyable, but Ancient Near Eastern History and Personal Evangelism are definitely my favorites. Our Sunday School teacher, Dr. Betts, teaches the ANEH class, so I was really looking forward to that one. I didn't know anything about the other two professors (Dr. Randy Smith in Personal Evangelism, and Dr. Dave Deklavan in NT Survey II), but I have come to really appreciate both of them as well.

In fact, the professors have probably been the most pleasant surprise about Boyce. Before starting school, I was sort of skeptical about how they might be. For some reason, I had this preconceived idea that the professors were all going to be arrogant scholars who were more interested in proving how smart they were, than on the loving Jesus and other people. But that isn't what I've found at all. All six of the professors I've had so far have been some of the most humble, godly, men I have been around. That's not to say they aren't extremely smart or serious about academics, because they definitely make us work hard and place a high emphasis on excellence in the classroom. But they all stress the fact that the reason we strive for excellence in our schoolwork is because doing so glorifies God. After all, the Bible says to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your MIND and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30, NASB)

For whatever reason, it seems that many Christians have the same attitude I had before coming to school, that its somehow unimportant - or dangerous even - to study the "meatier", more complex aspects of theology. Since coming to Boyce, I have come to reject this idea. I believe God wants us to use our minds to know as much about Him as we possibly can. Having said that, there is a very real danger of falling in love with knowledge for the sake of knowledge, and focusing too much on secondary matters that quite frankly none of us will know the answers to this side of heaven. In my Personal Evangelism class this week, Dr. Smith gave us an example the other day of some theologians who once had a whole debate on how many angels could stand on the head of a pin.

I was reading in 1 Timothy last night, and I think this is exactly the sort of thing Paul addresses in the first chapter when he instructs Timothy to stay on in Ephesus to correct some bad teaching that was taking place there. This is what Paul tells Timothy:

"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussions, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions." (1 Timothy 1:5-7 NASB).

Unfortunately, I think these verses could apply to a lot of the students here at Boyce and Southern. I seem to hear a lot of confident assertions being made by students about matters that quite frankly I doubt they understand well enough to be making, and are ultimately part of fruitless discussions. On the other hand though, like I said, so far I haven't seen this at all with any of my professors. In fact, I have heard Dr. Betts warn our Sunday school class (which is comprised entirely of students and their spouses) about this exact thing on numerous occasions.

As a student on this campus (and probably any seminary campus for that matter), there is a fine line between loving God with all of our minds, and turning aside to fruitless discussions about matters we do not understand well enough to make confident assertions. But fortunately for me, the example of my professors proves that it is a line that can be walked, and that just because there is the danger of the latter is not an excuse to ignore the former.