Thursday, May 19, 2011

Isaiah...a letter from God :)

We studied Isaiah this year in BSF and it was a hard study, but good. The girls have an awesome storybook Bible called, 'the Jesus Storybook Bible'...every story whispers His name. All the old testament stories will end with how the story points to Jesus' coming. It's awesome. Could not recommend a better book to read at night to your children. It will have them, and you, absolutely captivated :)

Here's Isaiah summarized in this Storybook Bible...I loved it and want to share it.

Operation "No More Tears!"
The Rescuer will come: prophecies from Isaiah 9, 11, 40, 50, 53, 55, 60

Do you know what your name means? Well, there was once a man called Isaiah, and his name meant "God to the rescue!"

That might sound like a bit of a funny name to you, but it was just the right name for Isaiah because God had a special job for Isaiah. You see, Isaiah's job was to listen to God and then tell the people what he heard.

Now God let Isaiah know a secret. God was going to mend His broken world. He showed Isaiah His Secret Rescue Plan: Operation "No More Tears!"

This is the message God gave Isaiah (it was like a letter God wrote to His children)...

Dear Little Flock,

You're all wandering away from Me, like sheep in an open field. You have always been running away from Me. And now you're lost. You can't find your way back.

But I can't stop loving you. I will come to find you. So I am sending you a Shepherd to look after you and love you. To carry you home to Me.

You've been stumbling around, like people in a dark room. But into the darkness, a bright Light will shine! It will chase away all the shadows, like sunshine.

A little baby will be born. A Royal Son. His mommy will be a young girl who doesn't have a husband. His name will be Emmanuel, which means "God has come to live with us." He is one of King David's children's children's children. The Prince of Peace.

Yes, Someone is going to come and rescue you! But He won't be who anyone expects.

He will be a King! But He won't live in a palace. And He won't have lots of money. He will be poor. And He will be a servant. But this King will heal the whole world.

He will be a Hero! He will fight for His people, and rescue them from their enemies. But He won't have big armies, and He won't fight with swords.

He will make the blind see, He will make the lame leap like deer! He will make everything the way it was always meant to be.

But people will hate Him, and they won't listen to Him. He will be like a Lamb- He will suffer and die.

It's the Secret Rescue Plan we made---from before the beginning of the world!

It's the only way to get you back.

But He won't stay dead - I will make Him alive again!

And, one day, when He comes back to rule forever, the mountains and trees will dance and sing for joy! The earth will shout out loud! His fame will fill the whole earth - as the waters cover the sea! Everything sad will come untrue. Even death is going to die! And He will wipe away every tear from every eye.

Yes, the Rescuer will come. Look for Him. Watch for Him. Wait for Him. He will come!

I promise.

Love, God

Poor Isaiah. He read God's letter over and over to God's people, but no one listened to him - at all. Ever. They didn't want to hear God's promise. They didn't believe it.

Did it sound maybe too good to be true? A story that ends happily ever after? Well, it does sound like a fairy tale, doesn't it? And, as anyone will quickly tell you, fairy tales aren't true.

Or are they?

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Easter, Disney, and Swim Team

It's been a busy time here as I'm sure it is with all in May :) We spent Easter and Disney with D and Cha Cha and started swim team. This year Brooke is on the team with Erin :) It has been so much fun watching both girls 'do their best'! Kameron is enjoying watching too...it won't be long before she joins the fun...

Easter baskets from Cha Cha are the best!

Nothing like going to three different parks your first day at Disney...smiles were only for the camera :)
D and Cha Cha made our trip really special, fun, and much easier :)

Lots of princess time at the character meals :)

Cha Cha is our Snow White!

Epcot Vikings :)

Cold water has been challenging!!!! Especially when you just sit in it for pictures...please tell me how you are supposed to get a new 5 year old to smile in these conditions :)

Hurricanes is so much more fun with all our neighbors on the team this year!

Brooke did both of her races...and gave it her all!

Happy on-looker!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Happy Birthday (cake)

It's Brooke's 5th birthday today and we're celebrating! We love our BMW!!
More to come (post slumber party!)

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Life...

Life keeps happening and the blog falls behind :(

This year has been a tough year...spiritually....lots of wrestling with God, that has led me to a wilderness...I know how I got here...not prioritizing a daily time with God, looking at circumstances instead of Him, being too self absorbed and too busy...

but, God is merciful and so gracious to gently keep showing Himself over and over to me in ways my stubborn heart just dismisses...

But two weeks ago, I could not, I was in awe of His power, love, and grace.

We flew to PA to see Mary. An emergency trip.

She is our 10 year old niece/cousin...she is so gentle, strong, caring, nurturing, kind-hearted, determined, beautiful inside and out little girl. She is one of six in her homeschooling, dairy farm living, hard working home.

My sister noticed a lump in her tummy...after laxatives, waiting, x-rays that led to a CT...Mary has cancer. A 9x9x9, softball sized tumor, pressed against her pelvic floor, spine, diaphragm, and began to slightly distend her belly...

Phil, her daddy, took her to the cat scan. When the results came in, he called Becky and asked her to meet he and Mary at a hospital 2 hours away from home. She asked what they had found and, because Mary was with him, he didn't explain and instead asked Becky to come to the hospital. She started crying and he reminded her 'our God is not asleep'.

Indeed, He is not.

Doctors were back and forth on whether they thought this massive tumor was cancerous...until the last blood analysis. So the docs informed the family that her four hour surgery would include time to put in a port.

Heart wrenching news.

...one of the three oncologist who 'broke the news' after an hour into the surgery, with tears in his eyes, told Becky and Phil that this tumor was cancer and it was huge...he was absolutely floored by Phil's response, 'okay, what's next'? 'Okay', he said in a bewildered voice? 'Yes, okay, we trust our God, please let us know what's next.'

We flew to PA the next day.

We were so sad, our hearts were aching, but God was with us and we knew it.

An incision that went from hip to hip, pale skin, a weak voice said 'hi' as we walked in and we saw her beautiful smile. Sweet Mary. I wanted to cry, I thought I would, but God's strength was made evident in my weakness...and there were no tears, but soon, real laughter, smiles, and peace, surpassing all understanding as the docs told us it was stage 3 (3 lesions on lungs and one on the diaphragm).

After 5 days, the original prognosis changed...with very good news...great type of cancer, excision curative (so no chemo!), and just blood work every couple of months is necessary for the next year...this could change as we await a second opinion...but what doesn't change is the undeniable presence and peace of God while we spent time in some very dark days...He is faithful, in the good times and in the bad.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Happy Trails!

Erin loved performing in their Kindergarten program last week! She is a performer. She had big moves up there!! :) She also got to read on the microphone :) She loved every second!











Wednesday, March 9, 2011

LOL

I was cooking dinner in the kitchen and I could hear the girls playing and talking in the living room...they were trying to figure out something.

Then Brooke pokes her head into the kitchen and runs back to the living room. I hear her tell Erin, 'I know what that smell is. It's our food.'

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Anniversary and Our Valentines




Kyle planned a surprise trip to Breckenridge and Cha Cha and D watched the girls...it was awesome. I didn't take very many pictures...room service, skiing, long breakfasts, uninterrupted dinners, couple's massage, and lots of relaxing :) So grateful...

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

100 days...



of school! Erin dressed up like an old lady to celebrate her first 100 days :)

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Kissing Cousins

Drew and Brooke LOVE each other, most of the time :) At their preschool, Drew reminds Brooke that he is her 'husband' when she wants to sit with someone else at lunch. They make their teachers laugh...

and Brooke asked me today when she could take Drew on a date...

I told both of them, they couldn't date each other...they would just have to be friends :)

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Erin's 6!

She had a really fun week celebrating her sixth birthday! Erin left school early on Friday, picked up Brooke, and all the girls headed to Dallas to spend E's birthday with my friend Kelly. She had a manicure with her sisters...it lasted just a couple of hours before it looked like it does in the picture below, wore a cute new outfit Kelly got her, and saw Yogi Bear while we ate pizza...it was a good time!

Today all of her cousins had lunch with her at school and when we got home Brooke asked if she could buy a birthday gift for Erin with her piggy bank money. So, we did...a unicorn in a bag from Krogers :)

We love you Erin! You are a joy :)






Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Into the Streets...

of Ethiopia! A 5k fundraiser on March 19th, Barbara Bush Elementary in The Woodlands! Mark your calendars and come run/walk with us for liquid gold!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Waiting.

another awesome video created by a man in Portland who is creating the video for our Into the Streets of Ethiopia 5k run on March 19th! Mark your calendars and be there!! All money raised will buy formula for 4 orphanages in Ethiopia!!

Waiting on the Lord...