Our Family Circus

My Dear and I have been encouraged to look for God Moments! God is at work, we need to be watching for that work, join in, and praise Him for it! Last week, our AWANA ministry hosted Hope For the Holidays for families who send their children to us but do not attend church with them. Many of these families have financial needs as well. It was such a cool night! Families had their pictures made together and a delicious spread of food laid in front of them. A church member was seated at their table to build relationships, carols were sang, craft and the Christmas story for the children, and a message of Hope from the Manger for the adults. It was one of those nights when you wondered who was blessed most, those served or those serving! I had asked my friend "Co Co" to be a table host. Co Co sings-beautifully I might add. She is in front of people often using that gift. She really wanted to be behind the scenes because of that. I tried to convince her otherwise wanting her to be...

When my parents moved south leaving my brother the blessing of their "stuff." I asked about the nativity my mother set up when we were children. No one knew exactly where it was, but had their ideas. This summer, I ventured into my brother's attic to find Barbie, Little People, and Strawberry Shortcake that my mother had saved for her grandchildren. But among the rubble, I saw the old nativity. It was so beautiful to me as a child and was always placed higher then our little hands could reach. My mom was there, so I immediately asked if I could have it. The nativity is not expensive. It is not exactly Biblically accurate, but I love that I only found 2 magi because we know of 3 gifts does not mean that there were 3 men. The men are not in this picture because they did not see the baby at the birth spot but at his home. I enjoyed setting up the nativity. I looked at each piece noting the price tags of simple amounts on the figures and displaying it as accurate...

Anybody else married to "the dad life." (minus that awesome lawn mower!)

When I went to test for my driver's permit, I failed the vision test. I did not know I had a visual impairment. I had always had it and did not know my vision was "different." Since My Dear and I have only been married to one another, we did not know marriage could be different. We would both agree that we have a good marriage because we truly love and care for one another and.... that is all we know. As I begin to unload my baggage, it is like I am sitting in the courthouse for the driver's vision test. I see there is a problem. With each passing week, I am able to shovel up another heap and pitch it! As I dig, I unearth 20/20 vision! I see this precious gift that has always been there but the blurry vision of my past has kept it hidden. But no more! What is weighing you down? Do you believe that the God of every good and perfect gift has something better for you? I know He does! I am proof!

So much for being a blogger! I guess my post are now once a month! We are still here! Life has taken over and my hobby of blogging is taking a back burner. My heart and head get full and there are notes jotted with what to blog but it does not always happen. So, here is what is going on..... We just returned from a trip south to visit precious friends and their cherubs....10 people in a house keeps the kitchen and the dishwasher busy. I sure love those people and am awaiting the arrival of a package containing the items we left at their house. That package will be full of all kinds of surprises and a pair of little, pink, fuzzy boots. How can a person over look packing pink, fuzzy boots? From there we went to the grandparents. Our children are blessed with 3 biological sets of grandparents all living in different parts of the south as well as a couple of adopted sets living in the North. We enjoyed our time with family and My Dear always get some fishing or golf in regardless o...

Last week, I was kneeling at my washer and dryer doing laundry and thinking about the people who wear the clothes I was handling. I would very much like to protect them from ANY hurt in the world. But then God showed me how shallow their faith would be if they never had to rely on Him. I am going through a time where I have to rely on God for healing. Because of the "dirty work", I am falling even more in love with God as He shows more of who He is. His mercy and grace overwhelm me! It is because of the hard times, that I have fallen into this communion with God. Why would I want to keep my children from this type of relationship! I wish they could just have it, but I know it comes from God revealing Himself. So I prayed that He would protect their hearts, bodies, and minds as He grows them in deep faith in Him. Last night, tummy troubles made Billy anxious. He was probably more scared then hurting knowing that 2 things would likely happen to ease the pain in his belly. He di...

What an exciting weekend! Dolly enjoyed her first sleep over. We ate and laughed with our small group and I got to share once again about what I saw God doing in VNam and in my life while I was there. AND the girls took their stuffed animals to have a sleep over at that library. No, the girls did not sleep over but the animals did! B. chose to take Sharky . She took a BB type blanket along with Sharky for the night. She did not like the idea of leaving Sharky there but, did not realize we had done so until it was too late . Mental note, 3 year olds are more then willing to take their toys places but they want to come home with them as well. The girls made picture frames while they were there. They returned this morning to get their animals and the picture frames they made along with a little treat! (sorry for the poor scanning job.) Surprisingly, Sharky likes the very same book B. does! He also sat at the computer and listened to Mercer Mayer's Just My Grandma and Me while h...