A story about a boy

 I am going to tell you a story about a boy. He grew up hunting and fishing,the baby of the family. He had an infectious smile,a kind heart, and a quiet spirit. He grew up like most boys: playing tball and making friends, riding bikes, playing street hockey, 4wheeling. Building pillow forts with his sister, getting into trouble, playing micro machines, watching teenage mutant Nina turtles (what up splinter)  .  He had crushes, learned how to drive-wrecked a few trucks, did some mudding and tore his jeans. He went to church, heard about Jesus; one night was moved to tears in a crowded room full of others just like him. He made some mistakes and paid dearly, but he has no regrets because it made him who he is and one thing he is-forgiven. He went away, he came home, learned tough lessons, he found true friendships in unexpected places. He was prayed over, encouraged, even in opposition, he was taught and loved on and cherished in all of it. This boy fell in love and had struggle, he grew up...his eyes and he is no longer a boy-but like a man he made a choice and he's realizing more and more everyday that his life is not just about him. "For in a mans heart he plans his steps, but The Lord determines his steps".  And now he's walking a straight path, narrow and long but with great purpose, although he has a ways to go- his gaze is fixed his steps are firm he has his burdens carried for him he does not walk alone the seed has fallen on good soil, and he will not rest until that day when he hears the words-"we'll done my good and faithful one. Welcome, welcome.

Come thou Long Expected Jesus

There is so much to post come advent season I usually post pics of my home and all the fun decor we put up and then I post pics of us getting our tree and doing advent ornamnets and fun things around town and all the intimate family time we get to share... this is all great and good and gets my girls excited for jesus' arrival, but this morning we wil sit at the breakfast table ill pull up my kindle and show them this video.  I cant wait to see their faces.  Come thou Expected Jesus!  We love our King.

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=09BCCJNU
gather your family and enjoy!!

Texting with God

have you ever felt so removed from intimate conversation with the Lord in your daily life that it feels more like your texting with God...

Doing bible study, teaching bible lessons to your children, sharing Christs work with friends, convictions with accountability partners.  Praying daily for your family members and friends by name, reading God's word.  BUT still staying at a distance that you don't even realize is further from the arms of Christ day by day, like old friends drifting further and further apart because they are in a different place in their lives... I need a fire in my soul. I think I see a spark.  I didnt even know the fire had dwindled til just now.

I've been living all my titles so well that I forgot the one that means the most...

"my beloved child" 1 Corinthians 4:14

One thing I love most about being a mother, is that I see now the deep love God has for His children... the love I have for them doesn't dare come close to the Lord's deep love for me...for you.

Brys an old man

All i can remember about the month of September is one birthday after the next! 
Bry's 30 list... i cant remember them now but I made a list of Bry's 30 fav things and he opened something funny to do with them while we shared dinner with family!  Here are just a few...
top gun, jesus, rap, the girls, churck norris tshirts, camping, bear grills, hunting and fishing, smellnig good, george straight, doing the yard, (or winning yard of the month), journaling and reading the word, coffee, mnt dew. chocolate or anything little debbie makes with chocolate!, family, TECH, red heads...i know  there is more but thats all i got time for right now :)  Here are the highlights! (maybe I need to start posting the photobooks instead of individual pictures. 

lotta ladies that love this guy!

looks like we had a good time

 

Daddy's favorites...he appreciates a good moustache lol

 Yard House for the big 30th!

I wonder how it must feel to have 3 baby girls at 30... i guess the same as it feels to have 3 baby girls at 31 (thats me) AMAZING and a little shell shocked, and a big time blessed, and really tired, and a little confused, and in awe of God's plans, and full of excitement for the future, and in desperate need for a moment of peace and quiet!

My fav. restaurant with some of my fav. people

 

Leave it to the girls to get a show on the iphone durring dinner lol

 

My helper for making birthday wishes ;)

 

I only had one...and it came true.

Its been a while...I guess maybe... 1 baby, 1 summer, 1 get house ready for baby, 2 big sibling weddings, a 5 yr olds bday, 1 summer trip, 1 billion 5 am sessions, 10+ jogging buddy stroller runs, 6 showers, 3 wedding stationary workings, 100 degrees alternative play times, 8 rented at home movies, 3 friends visiting from outta town, 10 days straight swim practice, 2 old peoples birthdays, 1 bama trip, 4 new teeth on 2 little children, 23 projects/art with kids/recipies tried from pintrest, and a lot of time outs and tears and laughs and snowcones and coconut icecream sammies.  Im back!  (not into my reg jeans, but back to other things)

here are some of my favorites!!

5 years fly by

Kehnley you turned five today... not sure if its more of an accomplishment for you or for me and daddy that we made it 5 years so fast, what wonderful memories we already have to share! (and what great lessons we have learned)  We are beyond proud of the little girl you are becoming.  Fun. sweet. smart.imaginative .artistic. kind. friendly. lovable. laughing. dear. cherished. tough. sassy. witty. unique. silly. brave. light hearted. energetic. gifted. wise. caring....and more and more and more.  I wish that I had written this next part, but i didn't, and that's okay.  Because its comforting to know that there are other moms out there praying things for their little one just like I pray for you.  It reminds me of the things I need to live out in example for you.  Some times we get off track, thank heaven for Jesus...we always have a new day with Him.  These words I hope you will remember and think on often when you are wayyy older than 5 and you look on them :)
 I love you my darling.

When I Pray for You, Daughter

by burningbushes on April 16, 2012

in Mothering

When I pray for you, daughter of mine, I pray for the most beautiful home…

I see you with that doll house, see you already learning to make that nest for the babies and their blankets. I know God made you to love to feel at home, to love to make a house into a home. And so I pray this for you…that you would let Christ make His home in you. Do you know that every home here, no matter how lovely, will seem a shack compared to the one Christ will build for those who follow Him down the narrow road? So follow Him, daughter-even if He asks you to make your nest in a place that’s less than beautiful here.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4

When I pray for you, daughter of mine, I pray for perfect love and life happily ever after…

I see you with your daddy, hear your voice when you call him to look at you. You want to be loved, want to know you’re the center of someone else’s world. And so I pray this for you… that you’d make Christ the center of your own. For a husband can be so many things but he cannot be all things for you. He cannot give all that you need to take. But Christ can. So let Christ love you before you go looking for love in so many other places.
Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:7-10

When I pray for you, daughter of mine, I pray for you to be beautiful…

I’ve seen you catch your reflection in the glass and take a second look, seen you twirl around and look to see who might be looking. I know you want to be beautiful and want to know someone thinks so too. And so I pray this for you…that you’d see Christ’s beauty. That you’d notice Him more than you notice yourself, that you’d look at Him more often than you glance in the mirror. I pray you’d be taken by His beauty and slowly let Him take you and make your spirit more lovely than you can imagine.
The LORD their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women. Zechariah 9:16-17
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7

When I pray for you daughter of mine, I pray you’d have your arms full of children…

I see you with those dolls and watch you hold our own little baby. I know you’d love to dress and feed and carry and teach your own children one day. And so I pray this for you…that you would first be a child of God. I pray you’d let Christ feed and carry and teach you. Then, I pray you’d do what His disciples do…feed and carry and teach others. I pray you’d find your hands full, even at a young age, of young ones who call you ‘mama’ and look to you for help in this long, challenging walk with Christ.
Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people. He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD. Psalm 113
Daughter of mine, I see you standing here, feet and hair and mind growing by the minute. All the world is before you, but how, in all the world, will you keep Christ before the world? I pray all this for you, daughter, that Christ will be your world and that you might become a beautiful gift to all the world around you.

Little lessons that change EVERYTHING

I have been out of the blogging world for a little while, busy with mom-hood and sister-hood and wife-hood and friend-hood...ive been in the hood! Anyway, its been a lot of life lessons that have uncovered my heart in the past few-ok more than few, months.  Lots of challenges and changes...as I type this post, I hear the sounds of the girls playing probably way to rough with daddy in the next room, and the sweet coo's of baby Lainey in the bassinet next to me.  Over the past few months mixed in with our everyday life of family friends, trips, birthdays, invitations, showers, events, play, learning, campouts, princess tea parties... we have been waiting on baby Lainey to join our Bunch and it seemed like just adding a number for a little while (never in my heart of course) but with such a busy year for so many ppl around us she became the after thought a lot of times. 

Durring this pregnancy I have heard and been heart broken by news of friends and people close to those who have had tough pregnancies, lost babies, infants with illness, fetal distress, miscarriage, birth defects... more than I can even say.  At times it's caused fear for my own child, humility for the favor that we've have been spared those hurts, dependence on God for things out of our control, and revelation to my weakness and God's strength. 
We anxiously have been awaiting Lainey's arrival, not sure why pregnancy seemed longer this time and why I had labored every day or night for a month with little to no progress, her due date came and went, her "second" due date came and went and the day came to induce.  Bry and I felt called to fast for her and our family and God's timing the Sunday before she was born.  That night I was sure she would come.  She didnt, but what DID come was a peace that if I prayed something that didnt happen, it was for good reason.  I could live with that!  I no longer doubted or worried about things out of my reach, Im not saying I didnt grow weary of waiting, but I did learn that if I let myself, it can be a time that me and God walk so closely in step the journey doesnt seem as long. 
Wednesday morning we left bright and early for the hospital (something in me was unsure of induction, i was more nervous than when i progressed on my own and something else was telling me a terribly lie...that I was not giving my baby time to come on her own and what if something went wrong in coming today, even though I heard a faint whisper saying in my spirit...trust me, this is right)

We got to the hospital-paperwork.iv.more paperwork.God answered our prayers with amazing nurses. Jennifer and Ashlynn.the got the meds going to push the contractions but it wasn't anything as strong as the night before. they hooked up the monitors and told me (something i thought strange but disregarded) that they would be watching her closely and not to be alarmed if they rushed in and repositioned me.after we all made our guestimations on her weight size and time of birth (Bryson picked 10:30 he was ruled out quickly lol) we played the waiting game.  the came and checked me a few times.  kept repositioning me and would be pretty strict about keeping me there. even made me and Bry have to stop our game of dominoes to keep me laying down. ice chips=heaven.checked again.jen had to step out bc she was preggers herself. i think she got sick. new nurse checked me and i was 8.time to push.a big team of ppl came in. still didn't think anything of it. pushed 3 times.Lainey was born....1:00 7.7lb 19 1/2 in
I saw the cord around her neck.her body was limp.she was purple.  We had decided to let my mom be in the room to get to experience it all since she had never done that before... the look on her face as the suctioned Lainey made me worried but i tried to keep it together.  Although it was a tough thing to see I am glad she was there.  They had to cut the cord instead of Bry to get it off quickly, my Dr. was totally calm they were all moving fast but quietly as they took her to the warmer and suctioned her and trying to get her tempt to rise and lungs and everything cleared out. 

i try not to think about the those few scary moments but instead the moment I held her for the first time and those beautiful eyes looked straight at me.  I have been waiting for you my Darling, praying and anticipating, fighting doubt and fear of all that I couldn't control, impatient at times...yes, but so ready for this time that we would meet face to face. 

I am ashamed to say that in the weeks prior I had been doubtful and anxious and angry even that I was not progressing and STILL pregnant (as everyone reminded week to week) but I felt God was trying to show me something, teach me something in the midst of my childish tantrums asking for the same thing over and over when clearing the answer was no! Every time i opened my bible, a study, or my phone the verses that popped up were "Wait for the Lord"  "Wait patiently for the Lord" "Blessed are those who wait for the Lord"

God could see her little body and knew that the cord was constricting and keeping her from dropping.  I couldn't.  God knew her little heart was pumping like crazy all those times I had worked out, luckily i had taken a bit of a break after a fluke scare that sent me to the Dr. the month before her birth.  God knew the perfect timing for our girls, for us to talk about Lainey and prepare them and get their hearts right, they have accepted her with such love....I know it could only be from the Father.  God certainly worked wonders in our hearts and in the life of this baby girl.

Exodus 15:11 "Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is majestic in holiness- awesome in glory, working wonders?

Lainey your name means : a torch, bright light...you have certainly lit places in my life that I have never known were hidden in the dark, and have changed me forever just by your existence.  I know you are just getting started.  How blessed I am as your mother to see God using you already to impact lives. 

Update: I wrote this above passage the week she was born, since then we have had a hard few weeks with a colic baby.  Who can blame her, she entered the world pretty traumatically and has a lot to take in each day in our busy and joyfully LOUD home ;) ...but from 3-7 every night she has been in pain and cant settle and uncomfortable.  Some days she is in pain all day crying out and there is nothing that we do that is helping relieve that. 

Two days ago we prayed, our family prayed, friends prayed, distant relatives and acquaintances prayed...today she is sleeping soundly, no longer in pain, and finally we as a family are able to enjoy her as she enjoys her new home.  It could always come back..but for two nights and two days God has let me see that it WILL get better, I CAN ask Him anything, I have been too prideful to let others help me, and there are SO many who are willing.  I am humbled that there are so many ppl who truly care for us, and I see Gods hand in them being in our lives...i hope that I can give back just a fraction of the Love we have felt through so many in our lives.  Even just an encouraging word has helped my very fragile state of emotions in this time.  God you are so good.  And thank you all of those who have been petitioning for us and lifting us up!

Exodus 15:13 "in your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed.  in your strength you will guide them..."