A little bit of Christmas!

Charlie is back!

and Snug has found a favorite spot to sleep :)

thankful.

for all God has given, so undeserved, but in His grace, He gives many reasons to give thanks...

most thankful this Thanksgiving for His Word...that we can know God...in reading the Psalms the last few weeks, I get to know a little more of who He is...

He is the Holy One, a Just and Righteous Judge, His Statues are right and commandments are pure...His ways are Perfect. He is the King of Glory and Lord of Hosts, King Forever on His Forever Throne. He is the Rock, Unchanging, Constant, and Faithful Sustainer. He is Powerful, Majestic, the Maker of heaven and earth, by a word of the Lord they were made and they declare His glory. He is an Upright Warrior and Avenger. He is the Merciful Most High, Gentle, Generous, Defender of the weak, and full of Grace....Great is His goodness and Marvelous is His Kindness. He is the Beautiful Savior, Deliverer, Rescuer, Healer, Counselor, Advocate, Helper, Redeemer, Restorer, and Friend. He is the Fountain of Life, Living Water, Light of the world, our Hope, and the Truth.

He is my Shield, Protector, a Fortress and Refuge...my Hiding Place and Lifter of my head. He hears me and knows my heart and mind. He Teaches and Leads...He makes my ways straight, establishes my steps, and sets my feet on a Rock. He is my Salvation.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 15:57

Happy Thanksgiving!

a book craft, by Erin

favorite line: so if you are in pain, my dad will ask for your name and pray for you.

She asked where I was Friday night and I told her I was wrapping gifts, she asked if they were for her, and I said no, for boys and girls who won't get presents on Christmas, and she said, even if they're good? and i said, even if they're good, they won't get presents unless we send them one...
Operation Christmas Child sends a present with the Gospel...the greatest gift of all.

a book by erin on a saturday afternoon in villa's craft room...

Brooke's 'broken up club' and our SWEET concert

Kyle and I went out to dinner and just as we set down we got a phone call to come home to take Brooke to the ER. She jumped out of her swing so she could pet Snuggles and landed just right...breaking both the bones in her right arm.

We didn't need an x-ray. Her arm was obviously broken...looked like a goose neck. She was so brave! We told her about the broken bones we had growing up and she decided to make a 'broken up club'.

She loves her pink cast!

Went to the Shane and Shane concert and it was awesome, just as we expected. They are super talented...could be secular and mainstream if they wanted in a heartbeat, but they sing to Jesus and I'm so thankful they do. EVERY song on the new CD is awesome, but another one of my favorites is Liberty....this song is all about how Jesus sets us free. I can testify that this is exactly how I felt when Jesus saved me and how He continues to set me free from what the world says is important. Praise His Name!

The Lord is
The Spirit
Where the Spirit of the Lord is found
There is liberty
And the Spirit lives inside of me
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, now
There is liberty, there is liberty,
There is liberty

For freedom You set me free
And yes, I am free indeed
You rewrote my name
And shackled my shame
You opened my eyes to see
I am free

When the spirit
of the world comes
to kill me and enslave me I will say
There is liberty
For the chains of sin that once entangled me
Have been broken, now I'm singing 'cause I'm free
There is liberty, there is liberty,
There is liberty

For freedom You set me free
And yes, I am free indeed
You rewrote my name
And shackled my shame
You opened my eyes to see
I am free

The storm rolled in
It was dark in the land
As the Son of Man
Was crucified
You don't take his life
He laid it down
He paid the price
And shed His blood

It is done!
The veil is torn
He has won
And I am free
And I am free
And I am free
I am free

For freedom You set me free
And yes, I am free indeed
You rewrote my name
And shackled my shame
You opened my eyes to see

For freedom You set me free
And yes, I am free indeed
You rewrote my name
And shackled my shame
You opened my eyes to see
I am free

Erin's Baptism

Erin was baptized on Sunday. She has waited a long time to let others know that she loves and wants to follow Jesus...and she got to share her baptism with all of her cousins. I cannot express how special that day will always be for Erin and our family. The pastor said she was the most excited little girl he had ever baptized :) We giggled because we knew she was beyond excited to be 'bapaptized' :)

She accepted Christ in the BSF John study almost 2 years ago...she was very persistent and I was hesitant because she was so young...but God is sovereign and He knows her heart and I definitely didn't want to stand in the way. She finished her discipleship book just a month or so ago and was really ready to let people know that she loves Jesus and believes He is God's Son and that His death on the cross paid for her sins and declares her righteous before God.

We are so thankful...here's her baptism in pictures...













Our prayer for Erin and ourselves, Colossians 1:9-11,

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened in all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

A note to Erin:

Erin,

It was an awesome day. You were so ready, you were glowing. You were so persistent in your desire to ask Jesus to live in your heart and I was so hesitant because I thought you may be too young...I still have a lot to learn about God's sovereignty...

The fruit of the Holy Spirit has been so evident in you...your soft heart, your love for Jesus and others, your boldness in sharing the Gospel to others, your unashamed worship, your desire and faithfulness to know and memorize His true Word, your kindness, your self control (that's hard with 2 sisters!), your conviction and sorrow over your sin...

And when you asked Opa this weekend if you could pray for him, out of nowhere, I was just blown away by God's goodness...your prayer of thanksgiving for him and what he has done for his family and his country was beautiful...

I know you aren't and won't be perfect, or anywhere near it (none of us are) :) but I'm so glad you accepted the One who is...

I love you,
Mom

Because He's God.

Shane and Shane's album was released this week! Favorite song on there is Because He's God. I would download it from iTunes if I were you, you'll thank yourself...it's awesome. I want my girls to know that Jesus is the way, the only way....not just the only way to heaven, but the only way to live a life worth living.

Oooo, Oooo
What if God came down to earth
Stepped out of heaven
Walked into your house
Said ask me anything
And you said I just had to know
How do ya get to heaven
And you were hanging on His every word
Cuz He is God, You believe because He's God
And He said

There's a way to go, an open door
For the human soul
You can come today
Jesus is the way
He's my only Son, He's the one I love
And I gave Him up for you to be saved
Jesus is the way

You know that God came down to earth
He stepped out of heaven
Walked into my world
And made my heart His home
And He said there is a better way
A life worth living
And I'm hanging on His every word
Cuz He is God, I believe because He's God
And He said

There's a way to go, an open door
For the human soul
You can come today
Jesus is the way
He's my only Son, He's the one I love
And I gave Him up for you to be saved
Jesus is the way

Ohhhh
There's a fork in the road ahead
That you are walking
It is wide and it is easier
But it leads to destruction
The other way is a narrow gate
Its the path less taken
It is hard and it requires your life
It's the pathway to Zion
The pathway to Zion

There's a way to go, an open door
For the human soul
You can come today
Jesus is the way

There's a way to go, an open door
For the human soul
You can come today
Jesus is the way
He's my only son, He's the one I love
And I gave Him up for you to be saved
Jesus is the way

There's a way to go, an open door
For the human soul
You can come today
Jesus is the way
He's my only son, He's the one I love
And I gave Him up for you to be saved
Jesus is the way

Oooo, Ooooo

Beach House and BSF

Cha Cha took us to a beach house in Galveston last weekend. It was fun! Erin and Brooke got to get out of school early (they loved that!). They got to see their first IMAX movie when we got there and then to dinner at Westend...a really good place to eat that was on the water and in the middle of a neighborhood of homes...it was neat and the food was yummy.

Schlitterbaun was fun...the girls loved the slides and Kameron hung out with Cha Cha and loved the lazy river :) Kyle and Cha Cha took the girls out to the beach and got in the water...I only got knee deep and Kyle said the expression on my face would be awesome for a post card (he was being sarcastic).

On the last night, I put in Soul Surfer (it was in the DVD player at the home we rented)...mistake. I don't know if Brooke will ever go into the ocean again.

Erin and Brooke are going to BSF with Kyle!! They love it!

All That's Left

Slowly drawn
Moths to the flame
We think we're strong
We think we're anchored down
Then it comes
The hurricane
Down come the walls
Up come the foundations
We've been building on
And suddenly we'll see

That all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we ever really had
And all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we'll ever have

So let us look
Into each other's eyes
And read the stories
Written there between the lines
And take a list of all the wrongs we keep
And tear it into pieces
Let mercy be the only thing we're harboring
'Cause eventually
We're gonna see

That all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we ever really had
And all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we'll ever have

This is why our hearts are beating
To love each other
As we have been loved
Everything else is a fleeting shadow
But love endures all things, believes all things
Hopes all things
Love never ends
Love never ends

That all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we ever really had
And all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we'll ever have
All we really ever had
All we have in the end is love

Oh, the only thing that matters is to love
This is the only lasting treasure
Love endures all things, and believes all things
And hopes all things
Yeah, love endures all things, and believes all things
And hopes all things
(all that's left is to love)

Jesus is life.

Outside of Jesus Christ, there is existence, but there is no such thing as life.

Jesus makes the good days better, the mediocre days full of purpose, and the bad days glorious.

Immense joy and pleasure will only be found when we stop compartmentalizing Jesus Christ and we allow Him to be center in all things.

The most moronic thing in our culture is that we already have stuff that does not satisfy us, but we believe if we get more of what already doesn't satisfy us, we will be satisfied. A life in pursuit of the glory of God is the only way to be satisfied.

Joy is found in His presence. Jesus does not own joy, He is joy.

~quotes from my favorite, Matt Chandler


John 14:6, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life'.

John 10:10, 'The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly'.

John 15:11, '...that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.'

Psalm 107:9, 'For He satisfies the longing soul...'

we got...

spirit, yes we do, we got spirit how bout you!!?

Brooke woke up at 5:45 am to get her spirit on and came down fully dressed :) then went to wake up Erin and she did the same. Both have had a good week at school and we're settling in and establishing a routine, sort of.

First day!

Erin and Brooke started school today :) Brooke surprised us. She held our hand up to the door and I thought I would need to help her transition into the room...but she wanted me to leave...wouldn't even pose for a picture :( Erin still gave us a hug and a kiss in front of her friends... :) They're so different, yet precious in their own way. Kyle and I laughed as we talked about the girls and walked Kameron back to our car. God is good.

Erin wants to know...

just one thing before she goes back to school, 'will they recognize me!!?' Of course, we say, you're beautiful, with or without teeth!

Kameron is 3!

Our baby turned 3 today! She is so fun, funny and dearly loved. Aunt Rachel took some pictures of her, with her sisters, and the promised gift 'when Kam turned 3' :)

The gift's name is Maximus, after the Gladitor. Max was left for dead, but survived a chemical burn down the length of his back...during his recovery from his burns he contracted the parvo virus...he is well now and we're happy to have him!

The One You Need

Hey, hey sweet daughter
I am so proud to be your father
Each day is like a gift from God

Hey, hey sweet daughter
There’s no music like your laughter
And your smile is like a rising sun

You know I loved you from the start
So come in close
Take my hand while
Daddy shares his heart

I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one to give you all the things you need
Sometimes I’m gonna let you down
But there’s Someone if you just believe
Be your hero like He’s always been for me
Darling, Jesus is the one you need

No matter what you walk through
He will always love you
Just the way you are
For there’s nothing in this world
That I’d want for my baby girl
That she’ll be happy ever after

The story of your life is still untold
I pray the King of all the Universe
Would make your heart His own

I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one to give you all the things you need
Sometimes I’m gonna let you down
But there’s Someone if you just believe
Be your hero like He’s always been for me
Darling, Jesus is the one

Who will never leave
He’s been there all along
All ready You can find to love

I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one to give you all the things you need
Sometimes I’m gonna let you down
But there’s Someone if you just believe
Be your hero like He’s always been for me
Darling, Jesus is the one you need

California!

My first time and it was even better than I had imagined...the trees, flowers, homes, WEATHER (in the low 70's!) made me feel like I was in a different country! We loved it and Kelley and John were the best hosts...their hometown of Palo Alto is beautiful. They took us to a delicious breakfast in San Francisco, on to Napa and dinner at Morimotos (the Iron Chef's restaurant), then to Carmel for lunch, and ending with Pebble Beach...we got to listen to a man walk up the beach playing Amazing Grace on his bagpipe before dinner at Roy's :)

Lombard Street in San Francisco! eight turns in one block :)

Golden Gate Bridge out of our window :)

Alcatraz

our favorite winery, Schramsberg...our tour guide's toast, 'may your only pain be Champaign!'...

bottles of bubbly everywhere! floor to ceiling and 4 rows deep...all hand turned by a riddler...

the caves...loved the smell, reminded me of our jr. high girls locker room :)

the beach in Carmel...lots of art shopping and good food...

stopped here along our 17 mile drive in Pebble Beach...

Brooke marches...

to the beat of her own drum...singing 'I want my burrito back' while coloring a Christmas tree and cutting out ornaments...

Kameron

'I look great and have a pocket full of toys, in case I need to play.'

The Big Apple

Rachel and I have helped lead the music, even though we can't sing, for VBS the last 3 years...it's a lot of fun! And this year, I got to teach Erin's first grade class too :)
New York City was the theme and we decorated our room with skyscrapers and Central Park :)

I'm so thankful that God allows me to teach little ones about Him. I can still see their eyes as we talked about faith and what it means to trust in Jesus. Faith is indeed a gift, given only by God...it's believing, trusting, and hoping in things we cannot see...

Faith: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Hope: For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Romans 8:24-25

graffiti wall...our kids loved vandalizing, on butcher paper!

We did our Bible study in Central Park

Rachel and I had fun making these skyscrapers :)

Keeping it nice...

the first graders...

the music team!

my first grader!!