A Wedding Feast

Things have been so busy the past 2 weeks. I'M TIRED!!! I've actually been "on the run", which I hate, but there were some fun times built into those runs...here goes...life is a highway!

It seems at this particular time that life really IS a highway!!! Of course, we just got off the road a little bit ago from driving 5 hours to get home from SC, so it would seem that way, I suppose. And actually, I'm glad that life seems more like a highway instead of a hurricane!

(Picture of Steven Emory...Dean's brother...and his AWESOME girlfriend, Mirinda)

We just got back from a wonderful weekend spent in Rock Hill, SC. My brother-in-law married Dana Smith, whom we all love to pieces. (Picture of the happy couple)

We had SO MUCH FUN! We stayed at a great hotel, and upon arrival, received goody bags from the wedding party. We unloaded like we were moving in (it does look that way when you're packing for 7; one of which is a baby!), and relaxed for a rest time before getting ready for the rehearsal dinner. The dinner was nice, the food was good, and the company was OUT OF THIS WORLD! We were all in a celebratory mood, considering why we had been brought together.

On Saturday, we dressed in our fancies and headed to the church to see baby brother make a vow before God, Dana, and the rest of us, to be married "til death do us part'. As the guest came in, I observed and took pictures (of course!).

Dana was beautiful walking down the isle to meet her groom.

I couldn't help thinking that we, God's people, are consistantly compared to a bride in the Bible. In Revelations, John describes the scene from the divine vision God gave him concerning the end times. Again, we are described as a bride. In the spiritual aspects of being a bride, we must prepare for our wedding feast, which is when we will meet with Christ and reign with Him forever.

There were so many decisions made, and plans put into motion in order for Dana & Michael's wedding to be as beautiful and fun as it was. They were ready to be joined together not only physically, but spiritually as well. How ready were YOU on your wedding day?

I well remember my wedding day. My incredible friend, Ruth, and I got up early and drove out to a gorgeous home in East Flat Rock to collect gardenias for our bouquets. It was so fun to meet the wonderful lady who allowed us to pick them from her bush. We had a lot of fun preparing for my wedding that day! And throughout the planning period beforehand, we had made some fun decisions, as well as some tough decisions. In the end, all that mattered to me was for the wedding to flow, and for Dean & I to be joined together as husband & wife.

That's an accurate picture of our walk with Christ!

In this life, we will have tough decisions to make. Sometimes because of our faith, and sometimes because of our mistakes. But the plans are being made throughout, for an ultimate joining together of hearts and spirits with our Lord Jesus Christ. We should be an active, and even excited participant in the planning here on this earth because in the end, if we have a personal relationship with Christ, we'll be joined together with Him forever.

At the ultimate wedding feast.

I can only imagine the reception and party that God will "throw down" for us! I'm thinking appetizers (my favorite is fried cheese...ummm...how about fried mushrooms?...), a fresh garden salad with homemade blue cheese dressing...macaroni and cheese...squash casserole (HEY! I'm Baptist!!!! We eat casseroles!!!)...okra fried up so crisp and yummy...can you smell the hot chocolate chip cookies? Dude! We won't EVEN have to worry about gaining weight!!!!!

We won't have to worry about wedding dramas, either. The wedding will be perfect. The pictures will be perfect. The food will be perfect. The reception will be perfect. The cake will be perfectly moist. We'll be with our Creator in a well planned out P*A*R*T*AAAAAYYYYY.

Best of all?

The price has already been paid.

God's Moving...Part 1 & 2

Oooooo! I'm excited!!! And you know when I get excited, I'm rockin' & rollin'!!!!

I just got a call from a friend that I made last spring. We hit it off right from the start. She's an awesome lady! She's so cheerful most of the time, and we truly have fun talking. Katrina is married with a blended family that includes 2 adorable girls, who are friends with my daughters. We just love 'em! Her girls have spent the night so many times at our house, that we joke about our "shared custody arrangement"...and tonight it's MY turn to have them!!!! HA!!!!!

From about the beginning of our relationship, we've encouraged them to attend church. Most of my friends in the past and present attend church. Most regularly, and some irregularly. Katrina wants to get back in church, and we've talked a lot about the need for her to do so. Last weekend (the last time the girls spent the night), I had to scold Summerlyn & Brianna for being up at 3AM!!!!! Now for any of you friends that have allowed us to have your kids overnight...you know AT MY HOUSE, they go down at a certain time and they sleep. Otherwise they are separated, and that always makes them fall asleep. I believe in a good night's rest!!!!
Back to the 3am scolding...

The next day, I was running Summerlyn into town in the Suburban when she started telling me about WHY she & Brianna were up at 3am.

"Mom..."

"Yes?"

.

"Last night, Brianna asked Jesus into her heart"

"Okay...like WHEN last night?"

"Last night!"

"Okay...what happened?"

"She had been asking me questions about Jesus, and about church. I told her about Jesus coming into your heart to live, and she asked me how to do that."

I held my breath!!!! MY Summerlyn had witnessed to her friend!!!!

"Then what happened?"

"She asked me to step out of the room so she could ask Jesus into her heart in private."

"Soooo...Brianna asked Jesus into her heart?"

"Yes, Mom...she said she did."

"SUMMERLYN THAT'S AWESOME!!!!! THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT JESUS WANTS US TO DO IS SHARE HIM WITH OUR FRIENDS, AND WITH THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW HIM!!!!!"

"I know Mom."

"WOW!!!!! YOU TOLD YOUR FRIEND HOW TO BE SAVED, SUMMERLYN!!!"

.

"Yep, Mom"

"THAT'S INCREDIBLE!!!!"

"That's why we were up at 3am."

"3am???"

"Remember when you came downstairs to see why we were out of the bed?"

"OH...yes...3am...I understand...don't worry about that."

So I was FREAKING OUT, and my daughter was acting like it was something she does everyday (hopefully she does)!!!!

Later that afternoon, it was time for Brianna & Grace to go back to their Mom and prepare for cheerleading practice. Upon delivery of these precious girls, I told Katrina about the 3am situation. Then, upon my husband's request, I asked her if we could take the girls to church (that was last weekend). She said that actually, they had been talking about ALL of them getting back in church anyway, and that yes, they could probably do that. I tried not to pee my pants, and encouraged her to call me and let me know for sure. I never heard from her, even after I called her and left a message.

Yesterday...

Summerlyn popped in the truck after completing her "safety" job at school, and told me that she had just seen Katrina picking up the girls, and she had been their safety. THEN she tells me that she told Katrina to "call my Mom IMMEDIATELY when you get home!". I asked Summerlyn why she told her that, and she said, "Church, Mom...remember? We want to pick up Grace & Brianna for church...?". Oh yes...church. I wasn't thinking about it, because we didn't hear from them the first time, until after the work week started.

So we got home and while I'm indisposed, Katrina calls to let me know that she's thinking about going to church Sunday and she'll call me back to let me know.

So guess who JUST called me???!!!!

The girls are going to spend the night tonight and go to church with us tomorrow!!!!

I HAD to call Dean!!!!! As we were talking, I pointed out that even with the Excursion, we wouldn't be able to get everyone in a seat. I told him that Tyler or I could just sit in the very back. After a few seconds of silence...Dean said, "Wait a minute...Tyler isn't going with us tomorrow!"

"Dean...it's a God thing", I said, "He just moved".

"Yep! He did!"

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE THAT????

At any given point in my day, God moves. And it's always like getting a wonderful surprise! I guess He will never cease to amaze me. In the big ways He moves, and most certainly the little ways. How exciting it is for me to SEE Him do it! His plan plays out day after day, and sometimes it takes a little more than a smack on my head to watch that plan in motion. You want to hear something wild? At the beginning of time, when He was forming Adam out of dirt and mud, God knew that Tyler wasn't going to be riding in the Excursion on August 17th, 2008. Sounds crazy, huh?

God is too big for that kind of stuff, right?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! He's interested in every detail of our day. EVERYTHING. Because the plan that He created for our life, He created with our every need and desire in mind, mixed with what He knows is best for us...and He wants to see that plan in action.

Tyler, btw, is going to church with a friend tomorrow. He got his job back at Ingles, because he & his friend are working the same schedule there, so he can ride to work with his friend! Another God thing...!!!!!!

So...I asked Katrina, as my friend, to please come to church with us, and she's considering that. I'll let you know what happens.

Either way, God is going to move.

It's just what He does.

And I'm going to do my best to follow His plan and be a part of His work.

Rockin' & Rollin' every chance I get!

You Really CAN Teach An Old Dog New Tricks!

God blew my mind again tonight.

I'm the "old dog". And I discovered a "new trick".

For months, Dean has been praying about purchasing a new SUV. He's had it figured that once the gas prices got bad enough, all those people who own an SUV, but don't really need one, will start getting rid of them. So the people (like us!) who DO really need the space (but don't want to go the van route OR the passenger van route), would be able to snap up a good SUV at an even better price. Sounds great, huh? So all this time, I've been like..."If we have to do this, then of course it has to be another GMC/Chevy". God has SO blessed us with the one we have now, and I don't want to turn it loose, and God isn't calling me to do that, anyway.

Last week, as Dean was cruising on craigslist.com, he became interested in the Ford Excursion. Okay...like...they aren't even MAKING those anymore. Probably because nobody could drive them! They're MONSTERS, for sure!!! I'm saying to my wonderful Man,

"Honey...that's not a Suburban...", to which he replies back to me with,

"I know...but this is what Daddy wants!".

To say I'm not a Ford fan is just not true. But we've had so much success with this Suburban, and have been so blessed with it, that it would only be natural to want another one like it!

HE says, "Daddy wants to be comfortable".

I say, "What's wrong with what we have?".

HE says, "Other than it has nearly 200,000 miles on it...".

Okay...I get your point, my man.

So back to the praying for months.

My Man went before the throne boldly. He believed...and why not? God has never failed us. In fact...God promises that He's always with us and will never fail us. My Man got real specific in his prayers for the SUV. He told God that he'd like a white one with tan leather interior and low miles, and even asked for one in a certain price range. Didn't care about the age of the SUV...just the above mentioned.

Now back to last week...

He's cruising through craigslist, when he comes upon this:

"2000 Ford Excursion Limited, 4 WD, V-10 (Gas) 58,000 miles garage kept. Has rear A/C, third row seating, leather seats, tow package, service records, new front rotors and pads. The vehicle is in great shape and needs nothing. Truck still has 2 years and 30,000 miles left on bumper to bumper extended warranty", and it was in our price range!

After praying for another day or 2, Dean contacts the owner and drives the truck home. And after many more prayers and a lot of talking, we purchased the SUV. We brought it home tonight. It truly is a very nice vehicle! Has a lot of "bells and whistles". It's the vehicle we will use when we ALL go somewhere...church, trips, dinner, etc.

We took it for a ride, upon which, I got car sick...like I said, the thing is a MONSTER and it kind of floats. I remember the Suburban did that when we first purchased it, so I know I'll just have to adjust to the ride. We haven't purchased a vehicle in 9 years.

So after coming home from our "excursion"...pardon the pun...and getting the kiddies in the bed, etc...I started working on some dishes in the sink and Dean sat at the table to eat a bite. Then he looks at me and says, "I know we just bought that truck, but I'm really not all that excited about it". And I replied,

"That's because it's just a truck. God just provided a need for our family...

THAT'S the exciting part!"

He totally agreed.

And that's when God blew my mind. Like He hasn't blessed us enough by providing ALL of our needs...and then some! He LOVES to blow our minds!!!

Here's what He said to me...the new trick...

Your excitement...your joy,

should come from the fact

that God has provided a need,

instead of it coming from

what He provided the need with.

.

We tend to get REAL excited when God blesses us, don't we? But are we more excited about the WHAT or the fact that God chose to bless us at all?

So am I the only one who thinks that is the coolest thing? Actually, what's so cool is that God speaks to us...that He cares about us...that He chooses to bless us because He loves us.

So now we can drive to Rock Hill, SC next weekend to attend Dean's brother's wedding (GO MICHAEL!!!!), in a much roomier SUV that has way less miles on it than my 'ole Suburban. And like my 'ole Suburban, the best thing about this Ford Excursion is the fact that God hand picked it for us!!!

And He taught this 'ole dog a new trick, to boot!!!!!!

My Tween versus My OCD

When I was a kid, and my brother was much younger, he would sing a song that he learned off of a commercial entitled, "Am I Blue?". Today is one of those days that I'm thinking about that song...

"Am I Bllluuuuueeeee?", "Am I Bllluuuueee?",

"I'm so blllluuuuuuueeeeee..."

I don't know if I feel blue today, but I definitely am frustrated. And I have a question for God.

Why, Lord, did you have to

create a "tween" stage?

I mean, like changing poopy diapers for 3 years PER child wasn't enough. Ummm...so far that's 15 years worth of stinking diapers. Or wiping snotty noses...wiping off the shoelace slobber hanging from my 20 mos old's chin. Like the terrible two's (or the three's in my house!) weren't terrible enough! As if finding curdled milk cups underneath the furniture or in a plant wasn't enough to upset my stomach! Like finding a royal pile of stinky brown stuff on the carpet, and discovering my 2 yr old had ripped off her diaper...like that wasn't feeding my OCD!!!!!

PREACH IT, SISTER!!!

My OCD is acting up something terrible today. I'm ready to throw my tween's stuff...and I mean ALL OF IT...out in the barn. Can't throw it out in the yard, because it would be out of place, and we certainly can't have that!!!

Seriously...

What harm could possibly come from Summerlyn having her room in the barn? It stinks out there, but her feet stink anyway. I think for the most part, the chickens, sheep, and pigs all sleep at night...so she'd get her tween sleep. She could make a huge mess out there and I'd never even have to see it! And she'd even have an alarm...the 2 roosters out there crow so loud, we can hear them at the house! No problem with her getting up on time...or maybe even a little bit early. She could breeze into the house, while we're all still sleeping and get ready. No fuss. Because I would have taped her mouth shut with electrical tape before I threw her out in the barn.

Summerlyn is SO particular, it makes my OCD look like NOTHING. As if straightening my couch pillows at least 10 times a day is ridiculous (that one's for you, Sherry)...or sweeping the kitchen floor about 3 times a day is excessive...did I mention my Dyson? You DON'T want to go there!!!

How about "I can't wear this because it's not comfortable"...when you just wore it 32 times in the past 3 months? Or "Mom, you said they had to ask before coming in my room!", when the one sister invites herself into THEIR room on a regular basis! Or..."Mom, help me find something to wear to school!!!", but sister disses all 67 outfits you pick out of her stuff for her to wear. Sister needs to go live in the barn. I've had it! "Take your kitties with you", I'd tell her. "You can take food and drinks with you, too!"...and that's a BIG bargain considering that NOT ONE CRUMB, much less a drink, better come out of my kitchen/dining room! And sister! If you want a REAL adventure, you can bath in the sheep's water, which is in the huge old bathtub right beside the barn! Utter privacy, if you don't mind 22 animals watching you!!!!

Okay...I know I'm ranting. I can't help it. I think my medicine is NOT working today. WHERE is my DR????? I just want to lay down in my bed and scratch like a dog.

In Isaiah 55:8, God says, "...your ways are not My ways."

That's really good news for my tween! It's also good news for me. And good news for you. If I was walking MY way with this situation, I'd probably make Summerlyn ride naked to school and back home, and that might cure her not being able to choose from those 67 outfits! My grace would be shown of course, in the fact that I didn't make her get out of the Suburban while being naked.

I don't understand how God doesn't kick us out in the barn sometimes. Well...He does allow that sometimes. But when we are truly sorry for our sorry-ness, He waits with open arms. I, on the other hand, could totally get used to Sum-Sum living out in the barn until her 25th birthday, I think.

Wonder if God ever thinks that about me? Surely He must grow weary of trying to teach me the same things over and over again. At the very least, He must be up to His eyeballs in ME focusing on ME all the time. Yes, I thank God that His ways are not mine.

'Cause I'd be in jail.

And Summerlyn would be in the barn.

What Are Friends For, Anyway?

This blog is about friends. Not about the road to friendship, or the challenges OF a friendship.

It's about true friends caring about friends.
It's about carrying each other's burdens.

In the book of Job, it shows us some things about friends. Think about the reaction that Job's friends had when they learned of his devastation. "Now when Job's three friends-Eli/Bil/Zo, heard about all this adversity that had happened to him, each of them came from his home. They met together to go and offer sympathy and comfort to him. When they looked from a distance, they could barely recognize him. They wept aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust into the air and on his head. They they sat on the ground with him seven days and nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw that his suffering was very intense." Job 2:11-13...Do you have friends who would do that for you? Obviously, these friends of Job's were dedicated and loyal. They hurt for and with their friend, Job. And that is admirable. BUT...his 3 friends did not point him back to God. Instead, they berated him for what he must have surely done wrong to deserve this. As Job repeatedly tells them that he has done nothing to deserve this punishment from God, his friends are insistant that whatever sin Job has committed is the only explanation. In essence, his 3 friends did not listen to him. They didn't explore any other possibility for God allowing this to happen, except by some sin that Job supposedly committed against God. They were quick to judge the situation without fully understanding Job's relationship with God. Do you have friends like that?

Some friends experience suffering right along with you. Some friends experience the suffering, but remind you that God is the answer....that there is a solution...but you must remember what God has taught you and how He has been there for you in the past.

Friends mean well, for the most part. But like Job, we search for a friend who will listen and point us back to the only answer that will ever truly satisfy and heal...which is Christ.

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Do you have friends that point you back to Christ?

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We're not "lone rangers" in the tribulations that we experience in life. God gave us friends who know us and know Him, to help carry the load and give you perspective when you desperately need it.

I can name friends, outside of my family, who've been there for me in my darkest hours. To listen...to suffer with me...and to go before the throne on my behalf.

Friends with whom I've shared the deepest thoughts.

Times when I wasn't sure what God was doing, but they were faithful to point me back to Him.
Some of which, I don't have pictures of.

Are you a friend like that?

YOU are there to point your friends back to Christ, as they point YOU back to Christ.

More To Life?

Between the kids starting school, filling out the oodles of paperwork (3 times over!), and fighting back a migraine, it's hard for me to believe it's ONLY Wednesday!!!
I honestly have to say that I was tickled for the kids to go back to school this year. Usually I'm complaining about how short the summer is...and having to get them up early...and running to school and back each day...but THIS year, I'm not complaining at all.
Even though it was a nice summer...
I'm tired! I was ready for a break.

So as I walked in the door of my "peaceful" home at 8:30am on Monday morning, after seeing the girls to class and meeting their teachers, etc...
I felt as though I could take a deep breath without being interrupted. HA! That feeling lasted a few seconds before my 20 month old heartily (that's for you, Amanda!) reminded me he was there! So what about that deep breath? Do we ever really get it?

Maybe when we're sleeping!

Or maybe you don't have kids...perhaps your kids are grown...maybe you only have 2 or 3 kids...a VERY different story with 5 kids ranging in age from 20 mos to almost 18 years old!!!! I have to admit that I have it better than a lot of Moms with this many. Luke takes a good 2 hour nap each day, so I do get to do whatever it is I think I need to (Ebay is open 24-7). And generally speaking, I can do things around the house as long as I don't mind hauling an extra 23 pounds around on my leg! A good workout, I suppose.

But as the current song on my blog says,

"There's got to be more to life"

And there is!

It's called a relationship with Christ. Of course, you only gain more in life if you're willing to maintain that relationship. That's hard sometimes. The last thing I feel like doing after a day of cleaning house, lugging around that 23 extra pounds, being a chaffeur, cook, Mom, friend, problem solver, referee...did I mention WIFE???...pig slopper (I really like this part!)...you get the point...is to sit down and read my Bible or even talk. Really, I just want to sleep...or escape MY world into the world of a good James Patterson murder investigation. That's definitely what the flesh tells me to do. As if I don't have a responsibility to anyone in my home to maintain my relationship with them...much less maintain my relationship with God. Tough sometimes, huh? Just admit it. We're all human.
But then I miss the revelations that God gives me. I miss the perspective He shows me. I miss the little ways He speaks to me throughout the day. It's like missing your best friend because you grew apart...or moved away...or death dissolved a relationship that was important to you.

Do you view your relationship with God that way?

We're currently studying prayer in Sunday School. It's all about talking to God. Sometimes we come to Him with our faces to the ground. Sometimes we come to Him needing a friend. Sometimes we just need our Father. Sometimes we're just tired. Tired of being tired.

God settles that for us. He gives us purpose. Even when we're 80 years old and have lost the love of our life. Even when we feel as though our days are plain old boring...if we feel defeated...if we're at death's door...if we love Him and feel as if we have no direction. Even when God's plan for us at 60, is a complete change of location and responsibilities...when we are the ripe old age of 30 and aren't married or even dating. Even when we have chosen to stay-at-home with our preschoolers and take care of our family...instead of working outside the home. WE HAVE PURPOSE! But what you have to realize is that our purpose ONLY comes from God.
If we will invest in our relationship with God, things won't be so crazy. Life will be incredibly more productive. Not a rose garden, mind you, but if you know Him, you're never without hope! Never without purpose! And the purpose we have...the reason we are here...why we even exist...is

TO KNOW CHRIST AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN.

He provides our purpose...our reason to go on. In everything, there is a purpose.

Okay, so now I can take that deep breath. It may not be uninterrupted, but I realize that my 20 month old and the way that I care for him & our family IS God's purpose for me.

And that extra 23 pounds really IS a good workout!