My Trip to Colorado

I had the incredible opportunity to spend Memorial weekend with my best friend Julee of 25 years. She arranged a hotel for us in Vail, Colorado. So we both left our husbands with our kids and went and enjoyed the beautiful mountains of Colorado.

We had such a great time! We endlessly talked, laughed, cried. What a refreshing time we had.

When we first accepted Christ, we would read our Bibles and share what God was showing us. Well that is how we spent our mornings in Vail as well. What a wonderful friendship. We both have nothing more important in our lives than Christ. I am blessed beyond words to have a friend that is also passionate about living for His mission.

Discipleship 1

I have successfully discipled my girls (at least in one area). We were leaving the house the other day, gathering all the things we might need, diapers, snacks, water and a LIST! I always have a list. So what do you think the girls were wanting before we left? Their own list... I almost fell out! So here they were in-tow, with their own purses, babies, cell phones (pretend phones) sunglassess and their LIST! Too cute!

Avigail and her Imagination

Avigail our 4 year old, has an incredible imagination. I have troubles keeping up. She will pretend she is the girl in any and every movie (examples: Ariel, Susan or Lucy in Narnia, Fern in Charlotte's Web, Princess anything, etc...). She will interchange between characters quite frequently. I will be going through the routine of the day, asking her (Avigail) to come brush her teeth and she respond by saying, "no mom I'm Fern" and then proceed to tell me she needs to take care of Wilbur before she brushes her teeth. Once "Fern" brushes her teeth, then when we brush her hair she will be somebody different and low and below so am I. Now I am Susan from Narnia and she is Lucy and we need to find Aslan. I am not an imaginative person so I have to stay on my toes.

Singing in Spanish

Wowee! I had another opportunity to sing in Marco's class in Spanish. This time it seemed much more comfortable. This song I understood everything that I was singing so I could sing it with more passion and feeling. For me I don't want to just sing; it has to be with expression about God. I can't wait become more and more confident in my ability to sing in Spanish.

Looking Like What You've Been Through

I have often watched people in different walks of life and seen some that look like life has been hard on them. They truly look like what they have been through. I started really thinking about this about myself and my past (as dark as it is) and wondered if I look like what I have been through. Now with Christ in my life I do want to look what I have been through.

Moses came down from Mount Sinai in Exodus 34 glowing after being in the presence of God. Ex. 34:30 "...the skin of his face shone..." I want have a glow because of being in the presence of God. I want to be noticeably different.

Feeding the Ducks

One of our favorite things to do with our days is go to Loose Park (known to my girls as the "Duck Park). They love to feed the ducks. The pond is beautifully made and kept. The edge has always been a little scary for me because it just drops off. So I have always watched the girls carefully when they are by the edge. And really have played through my mind what I would do "if" one of them were to fall in. Would I jump or dive? Certainly I have never needed to worry about it until...this past Wednesday.

We were feeding the ducks and all of a sudden Avigail was in the water. I didn't see it happen. I tried to reach her from the side and couldn't, and without another thought jumped in to pull her out. Praise the Lord I was close by when she fell in. I am not always, because I am usually watching Ella, because I have always been more nervous about her adventurous side.

Avigail was very shaken up by the situation, understandably. One thing that was very interesting to me was how grateful she was. I mean grateful. That little girl must have said 10 times on our way home "thank you mommy for saving me. I love you!" And throughout the rest of the day many more times. It has faded now to every couple of days. And I'm sure it will go away completely.

Do you remember your salvation and how grateful you were? I do. I was SO grateful and never wanting to stop telling Him "Thank you, and that I loved Him". I didn't want to get away from saying how grateful I am to Him for saving me, but I have. But this situation has brought back the words to my speech. I am so grateful to Him for saving me from the pit I was in. May I never get away from saying it.

Power of Prayer

I am Praising the Lord for the prayers of people. It is so awesome to enlist prayer warriors about the issues of life and to watch the prayers being answered. I know people are praying because supernatural things happen when they do. Wow! Thank you for praying!

My Time with the Lord

I have been reading in Hebrews the last couple of days and have seen some really awesome things. Hebrews 5:8 "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered." What? Wait a minute, I thought Christ knew it all! Christ "learned" about obedience through His suffering. I crossed referenced this verse because I was so curious. Philippians 2:8 was one center column reference "...and became obedient unto death..." and the cross reference for that is Matthew 26:39, which says: "And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."

Christ's ultimate desire was not to go through death on the cross but was willing if that is what it took. Obviously, this made me feel relieved to know that even Christ the Son of God had to learn obedience also. I am more than certain it didn't take Him as long as it does for me during those times of "suffering".

I can think of several areas of my life currently that I struggle through. But am so encouraged to just obey. I need to always to be focused on the end not on the current struggle. Isaiah 1:19 "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land."

Daddy Daughter Banquet

Ryan and Avigail went to a Father /Daughter Banquet

February 2006 - What an amazing thing to have Avigail taken to a ball with her daddy. She was beaming when daddy put a beautiful locket around her neck before taking her to the ball. She was so proud to have a special date with daddy. What a tremendous impact this will have on her whole life. They had a great time along with 250 plus other dads and daughters from the church. What a huge success it was.

In the Midst of the Storm

I have had some of the toughest storms lately in regards to discipline with my girls. Resistence to obedience has been great lately. But it comes with no surprise because I had been praying that God would teach me how to truly experience Him as my refuge. He has given countless opportunities to seek Him and experience Him as just that. Wow, what peace came in the midst of each battle. I was able to see God's Word played out in the script of my days.

Psalm 46 says "God is our (my) refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." God has been my help in the "trouble" I have faced. I had a super natural strength to continue with the discipline and yet balanced with a deep love.

v.2 "Therefore will not we fear, though the earth shall be removed, and though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof..." It did seem at times lately that the earth was being removed and the mountains shaking. But....v.5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: (again the promise) God shall help her, and that right early."

In all honestly, I am working on the "fear" part of things. It was difficult to know the possibility of waking up the next day and facing the same battle again was not something I looked forward to. But I have begun praying that God would continue to grow me by increasing my faith in Him.

His promises were and are true. I've always known that, but lately have really been able to see it at a greater depth. I have always prayed that my dependence for Him would grow more and more. I know sometimes that comes from the difficult times.

Potting Training 101 - Updated 4/9/07

Here is an update on the Potty Training. When we started potty training Ella she showed all the signs of being ready. She had dry diapers overnight, she initiated going on the toilet. She was doing well for a time, but then started consistently having accidents. I really was getting frustrated. We made the decision to back off a lot. Because the accidents were becoming very negative for everyone. Everything I have read and heard said that it should not be a negative experience to potty train if they are truly ready. We made the decision to put Ella back in diapers. Making this decision has been a positive thing. She is perfectly content to go in her diaper. We will revisit again when she is 2 1/2 years. I don't feel regret for trying so early, nor do I regret putting her back in diapers. She'll get it!

Our House is a Very fine House

Wow things for us have changed so dramatically. We have moved out of our home in Raytown. We had the incredible blessing of moving into house rent-free. There is a couple in our church that were going to be house sitting for several months and they wanted us to come live in their house. So that enables us to have our house on the market without being in it. So we don't get a call 20 minutes before they are ready to show it. Oh my goodness how do you keep a house picked up with 2 little playful kids. We don't have worry now. God is so good.