Walk It Out

I tell you what, one of my greatest joys thus far as being a mom is to witness my first born ask Jesus to come into his heart and take away his "yucky" sin. What a precious moment! Yesterday, Owen wanted to play with the Resurrection Eggs which display the story of Easter, so he and his brother were talking out the story and playing with the figurines. Soon into their time he asked if I would read the story. I was thinking "great moment to drip truth on a heart, not anticipating the return."

As we were reading we got to the picture of people on one side of a huge revein and God on the other. As we talked about the picture and what that meant for us, I asked him why those people can't get to God, and his reply " They have yucky stuff, aka sin in their heart and God doesn't. So the story went on about how there is nothing we as people can do ourselves to get to God, and that Jesus had to die for our yuck, because he was perfect like God. After talking some more, he wanted to pray....Talk about a fullness of emotion. I was in awe of how a mighty God loves each of us and draws us to HIm in different ways. But I must admit, the Father of doubt didn't miss a beat, because in my mind I thought, "at four, can he really comprehend" Yes, I believe at his ripe age he can and does.

Later that night some youth girls came over to babysit. I asked if anything interesting happened, and they said no, but something sweet did. "Owen was jumping on the trampoline pretending to be an animal and he announced to everybody that he can never die....of course they asked why...he said, "because I have Jesus in my heart and I'm going to Heaven!"

Today we were talking some more and I asked him how he was going to get to Heaven, he said, "I guess I'll walk." Well, the pictures in the book have the people walking across the cross to God. At first, Chad and I just chuckled, but as I thought about it, he's right. All we have to do is "Walk it out!" Walk out our faith relationship with everyone we come in contact with. Oh, to have the faith of a child.

Heavenly Father, my heart is full of richness to know that Owen has trusted you as his Savior. May he continue to grow in wisdom and stature to multiply your kingdom. Guide Chad and me in your ways as we cultivate a home of gentleness, love, patience, truth, forgiveness and grace. Thank you for entrusting us with his life!

Celebrating our Freedoms

Tonight while coming home from an evening of fun with friends, we were talking about why people were shooting off fireworks. We talked about how this was one way of celebrating all the freedoms we have in our country and we have so much to be thankful for. Well, this is Owen's list of thanks and reasons we should shoot fireworks. Freedom to:

• Go to the grocery store
• Eat ice cream (Griffin eats SO delicious)
• Go to parks
• Go to church and Bible study (CBS)
• Play in the pool
• Read any book we want
• Jump on the trampoline
• Play with sparklers
• Go out to eat
• Read the Bible
• Listen to music
• Play with friends
• Watch movies
• Play with animals
• Say prayers
• Play Frisbee golf
• Jump off a diving board

Yes, we as Americans do have quite a bit to be thankful for. Life is definitely not perfect and neither is our world, but we must still be thankful and not cynical. Especially all the people that are serving our country in arms way, and their families back home that are missing sweet time with their moms, dads, brothers, sisters, daughters, grandpas, or grandmas.

I was a girl from the 80's because.....

my hair was bigger than my face
I had a stash of garbage pal kids (maybe not all girls)
smurfs was my Saturday morning fun
I dreamed of being wonderwoman
I wore "units" tube belts, skirts, and shirts
my earrings and belts were as big as my hair
I had multiple cabbage patch children with birth certificate in tow
I owned an add-a-bead(or pearl) necklace
I now laugh at the lace leggings and leg warmers
I owned a little wooden handled purse with changeable covers to match most outfits
I loved "Thriller" and had my own white glove

......can anyone add more?.......

just a few memories from purging my gargage

(oh, yes! I forgot to mention earlier, but while in NC I cut about 12 inches of hair off to donate to locks of love. Instead of my hair being down most of my back, the longest part touches my chin...it was definately a shocker to Chad)

Trip to NC

Great grandmother Ivey trying to hold on to Tate.

Grandmother in her favorite spot.

IN the mud..where Aunt belle and the boys would rather be

Sorry Jen, it was the only one on my camera!

My sweet boys!

Yes, we are still alive!

I know, I know....It has been way to long since I last posted, and you are right Mandy. Interesting things have been going on. Right after Memorial weekend, our family packed up and headed east at about 12:00 am. You are probally thinking "crazy", but if you have travelled 10 hours with multiple chitlins, then you know sleep time is the time to go. They rested well, and we made it to Smithfield in a whooping 10 1/2 hours. Now that's a record!
Once we were there, Chad went with Owen and Griffin to grandma Jo's for a few days while I stayed with YaYa, Poppie, Aunt Jen and Aunt Belle to finalize wedding details. I had not been able to attend many wedding things, so helping out that last week was such a joy for me. The wedding was beautiful and I must add that Chad did an AMAZING job officiating. (That sounds so formal, but yet better than "marrying them") Now we ALL were in the wedding program, but Griffin made a detour as soon as he walked the aisle. My mom was there to stay in the nursery with Owen and Griffin as well as the flower girl. Owen lasted about 15 minutes and then made his detour. THis was my first experience with my children in a wedding that CHad and were both in, and my only advice is have backup. Thankfully Jenna and Derek's expectations weren't too high, but still as the mom, you want them in it, but it was unfamiliar territory. After the wedding we stayed in Smithfield another day (mud picture), and then Chad headed home for a trip to Mexico while I stayed in Chapel Hill with my mom for 2 weeks. (while Chad was gone)
The boys had a blast on the farm! They were up and out the door at 7:00 to swing on the playgrounds, let the dogs out of their pin, play with the cats, ride the "child-safe" motorcycle, play in a pool, picked blackberries(grandmother made the jam) and just run free. They loved the freedom and freshness of seeing green and playing with few limits. While we were there, Anna and her family came to visit (they just moved to Durham), we went to a zoo (1st time ever), and went to grandma Jo's.
When the boys went to Grandma Jo's, mom and I tackled her 3 car gargage that only 1 car could fit into. We travelled down a 30 year memory lane. We laughed. laughed and laughed more as we saw old hairstyles in pictures and found MY MOM'S maternity clothes that she made! If only I had had them to wear the last 3 years! hehe...I'm not sure they would fit, she was all of 100 lbs. wet when she had us. We also found alot of the smocked dresses that she had made me, so of course, we washed and kept them for my granddaughters. Can't see the boys appreciating them. THe wedding outfit was as close as I can get. IT was great, we found a video of mom and dad when they had gone a cruise back in '89. Just to see dad, hear his voice and watch his mannerisms made all that hard work worth it. Mom and I took 9 truck loads FULL to the recycling/solid waste place. We at least made a big dent in the garage, and mom said it was now manageable to finish on her own.
So those of you wondering where I have been....I have spent this week getting back into our routine at home and thankful to be in my own bed with my hubby!

Dancing In the Rain

Do you remember dancing in the rain as a child? There is something so freeing, so uninhibited of whirling around as the rain drops on your back. You aren't concerned with anything else in the world, because you are just dancing. You know it's there and that you are getting covered with water, but at the same time it is as if it is washing "something" away. I just loved it as a child, and so do my children.

As I watched Owen and Griffin just dance the other day I was reminded of a song my Young Life leader wrote and sang:

I can see the trouble in your eyes

And I see the smiles disappearing

But I know there's more to this life

Than the things we keep fearing

So let's not worry about the things that we can't change

Cause we've got so much to be thankful for

Christ died to save us all

So let it rain, let the water fall

I'll be dancing in the rain

I'm gonna take this time to celebrate

And I know my sun will shine again

But until then...I'll be dancing in the rain

I want my joy to shine right through

And I'm gonna share my hope with you

But I won't be frightened by this world anymore

Cause standing strong, and I'm holding on

To the hand of my Savior

What precious words! As I literally watch my children dance in the rain, my prayer is that they too will one day dance in the rains of life. When the water is coming down on every side. That they would just dance through those circumstances knowing, believing, and trusting that died Christ to save us.

May you too know, believe and trust!

Myrtle Beach, SC

Road trip, movies in the car, dance music, quiet reading, Hunting Beach State Park, tire swing, pretending to be an eagle sliding down the slide, Bojangle's (2x), gorgeous sunrises, fresh ocean air, sandy faces, chasing seagulls, building sand castles..only to be stomped down, picking up shells for Ivey, the smell of sunscreen, Tate falling asleep in the backpack, cold water, fresh seafood, chasing waves, playing with cousins: H1, H2, and H3 (Haywood, Hallsey, Hamilton), drawing creatures in the sand, visiting the Aquarium, holding horseshoe crab, seeing sawfish and sharks, touching stringrays, Fuddruckers(yum), Tate bouncing in his swing,watching fudge be made, dancing and singing at "the Fudgery," Owen flying on the trampoline thingy, celebrating our Anniversary, competing with my brother as to who is "wiser"..I definately am due to my glorious gray coverage, washing that gray away:-), enjoying pure laughter, dinners with family, put-putting, sushi, lazy river, Owen swimming like a fish, Griffin jumping in the pool like a frog, and Tate grinning from ear to ear, joy, and meeting Vinson cousins at Aunt Jenna's wedding shower

Dear Jesus, thank you for the refreshment we found while away. Time with each other was joyful and I praise you for family; near and far. Thank you for the beautiful creation you made for us to enjoy and to anticipate the indescribable beauty of Heaven one day!