Remembering Some Things of Importance

WOW, I can't believe it has been 4 years since I have posted here! I have been itching to have a place to write again and decided to revisit my old blog. Life has really happened and changed a lot since my previous post in 2010!

We now have two precious children, Parker (3) and Kate (18 months), who are our world,  and are still happy to have our two labs with us, Duke and Ace, as well. I have been a stay at home mom for the past 3 years hence why I did stop writing. Now that life is starting to get more in a groove again I have felt it on my heart to write again. I can't guarantee it will be often but I promise to try and follow the promptings when I feel God is laying it on my heart.

 Wednesday especially left me wanting to document my feelings and perception of the day: It was what I would call a very special day for me and my kids. Their Mimi (my mom) was able to come be with us for the entire day. This doesn't happen as much as it used to so for us this is always something we look forward to. Before my mom was on her way, I ended up getting in a small finder binder on my way home from the gym. Luckily it was not an awful one and all I did was Thank God the entire way home that it wasn't worse. When my mom called to say she was on the way, she was saying how something had hit her car, causing damage to her new car. We were both kind of complaining- saying "what in the world".

 She finally arrived and we all get to our destination: A Day of Fun at the Cumming Aquatic Center! While there we played, we talked about little things going on in our lives to comfort or help each other sort through it, but then, this sweet sweet boy whom me and the kids had seen the day before there, came up to us in his wheelchair with the biggest smile on his face and said "Hey! I'm back!". See the day before Kate kept going up to him and giving him high fives. She is only 18 months so she doesn't speak yet. She was very drawn to him and he knew it. Today as he swam with us off and on as did a few new friends he had with him there whom had other disabilities of their own, it really hit me like a ton of bricks "we are way beyond blessed".

 You see, we all get caught up in our own lives with "what to wear?", "do they like me?", "Should I get this or that?", "Traffic is awful", "Yikes a wreck!", yet in the grand scheme of things, we all have it BEYOND good. It's hard to always remember that every second of the day, especially when we mainly surround ourselves with people often similar to us whom we love and adore. But what did God call us to do? He called us to love those who feel unloved, those without fathers, those that are widows, those that in general may feel lonely. To me that is also those with disabilities whom may be the victims of unfair treatment or name calling, the elderly in the nursing homes with no one to visit, the sweet young teenage girls or boys whom have been moved to foster shelters whom feel forgotten by their own families. Those are the people we need to be surrounding ourselves and our children's lives with as well.

 Growing up, for several years in a row at Thanksgiving, my mom took me with her as we delivered treats to this one nursing home. We would walk in each room and sit and visit with the person in there. It was very hard and I usually left crying but there is one thing the visits always did, it always left me remembering how blessed I was and that I was doing one of the things God cared about and called us to do.

 I have definitely been feeling the itch again to start volunteering and my prayers have started shifting that God will bring about the opportunity with one of the above groups to spend my time with this Fall. My prayer is that in such a selfish world, we as Christ Followers, will keep it on our hearts and our children's hearts to be a blessing and show love to those whom need it the most. To those that may not look or act just like us. To be kind and be a blessing.

 Heavenly Father, I just want to publicly thank you for this very gentle and huge reminder today while with my children. I pray that I will love those whom need it most and focus on sharing you with them. Help me to keep my children grounded and to grow up doing your work as well. Thank you for loving a sinner like me. AMEN

A Time for Everything

The Bible says that everything we pray for and everything we need will happen on God's Time. I dont know about you but for me I often get caught up in praying like crazy about something and wondering if God is even listening. I can tell you that he is. Yesterday he answered a prayer that I have been praying for probably close to a year. Whole heartedly I have probably been praying it for 3 months but thought that maybe I was on the wrong track with the burden I felt to keep praying about it. Now I know I wasn't and what a great feeling it is when he finally does give you a glimpse of hope or peace about the situation! I know the situation is not totally "fixed" but he gave a sign that he hears me and is in full control!

I am still new in my faith given that I have been an active Christian since the Fall of the year 2000. By that I mean I grew up going to Church, going to Sunday School, and attending Church Camps but it was not until September of the year 2000 that I was led by two very special people, Erin North Thompson and Jonathan Berry, on how to accept and ask Jesus Christ into my heart. I remember the day like it was yesterday, we were on a 3 way phone conversation and I continued to ask questions to them and then accepted him as my Savior that night. It was like a switch had been turned on. I woke up the next day feeling "different" and I became interested in reading the Bible and suddenly my conscious was telling me the difference between right and wrong according to God. I would take my Bible to school and put it in between my text book and read and read and read and underline and write down scriptures! It was something I have never experienced in my life!

With that said, so far in my journey one thing has remained the same. God has ALWAYS been on time. Not on MY time but on HIS time and everytime I have finally received an answer or a sign it seems that is when I really needed it the most. If anything I just wanted to share this with you guys as encouragement that God DOES hear us and wants us to continue to seek and press forward, trusting him and presenting all of our requests to him through prayer! When the time is right he will come through!

A Saturday of Flag Football!

Yesterday was a BEAUTIFUL day and luckily Slate was in a flag football tournament that lasted all day so we were able to enjoy the great weather and the day! They were not sure how they would do but they ended up making it to the championship round and then lost by one touchdown. It was a good game because my husband Slate used to play for Ole Miss and then there were a couple of guys that play/played for GA Tech on the other team!

I'm going to attach a picture for those of you that don't see me all the time because I cut all of my hair off! I have gradually been going shorter but this is defintely the shortest that it has ever been and the first pic I have to show of it!

My favorite Praise Song right now!

This is my very favorite praise song right now! Yahweh Is the most intimate name for our Heavenly Father. It has been translated to mean many things but mainly "I AM" the one who brings all things into being" and its beautiful! It is God's personal name. I was first introduced to this term at Passion City Church last fall where Chris Tomlin was leading worship and started out the night singing Yahweh! I have been in love with this song and this term ever since!! We have an amazing Heavenly Father and are so blessed to have people like Chris Tomlin give us amazing worship songs like this one!

YAHWEH- Holy is your Name!

"So Long Insecurity" by Beth Moore

If there is one book that I have read so far in my lifetime that I would suggest every single woman I know to read, it would be this book by Beth Moore. Beth has a way with words and she makes you feel like she wrote the book to you and for you, like she knows so much about you. Even if every single thing doesnt hit at home with you, I am sure that there will be sections that do. After all I would love to meet a woman who didn't pick out or beat herself up over her own flaws more than she would like to admit. Through most of the book I was underlining different passages or starring certain sections so that I don't forget what hit at home with me when I need a little pep talk!

Beth is also doing this book as a study online through her blog- http://www.livingproofministries.blogspot.com/ . It's a great way to stay connected if you do read this book because she offers a deeper look into each chapter and you will see how many women comment about what they are insecure about! She is definitely onto something huge with this.. something that we have all needed to hear for a long time!!

Either way if you are looking for a good read and you know you are insecure, PLEASE read this book! If you don't think you are (I really didnt know how insecure I really was) then give it a shot, it may surprise you! :)

Excited for another new year!

January always flies by for us because we have my dad's birthday, my birthday, and my best friend Amy's birthday all within 2 weeks of each other! Needless to say we have been BUSY but it's been fun!

Slate and I are so excited about this year because it marks new beginnings, new memories, new goals etc. Our goal this year as a couple is to continue to keep God at the center of our relationship and that's it. We found that he worked wonders in our relationship when he brought us to our lowest point last August and we wouldn't trade it for anything! Everything definitely happens for a reason and there is no way we would be where we are today without the trials we went through last year! THANK YOU GOD!

This year is also special to us because we will be celebrating our 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY in May!! Im so excited that I wont have to say "we got married this year".. now I will say "we got married LAST year"!! It ends up that we will be celebrating it at the beach with my family so that will be exciting!!

Slate has begun his bible study already and our girls one is just about to start up again! We are all so excited because we are doing the study of "Esther" by Beth Moore! Last time we did "Living Beyond Yourself" by her and it was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! Life changing for sure! I am also starting my journey as a mentor for Jesses House this week! I am really excited!

Anything new going on with you guys?

Good Bye 2009

WOW what a year it has been! This was quite a amazing year for Slate and I but also a BUSY one! We spent the months of January to May attending parties and showers for our big day then wed on May 16th! For the fall, we spent most of our time attending football games (Go REBELS!) and other friends weddings! Next thing we knew, it was Thanksgiving, then Christmas, and now close to New Year's Eve!

A Couple of Firsts this year:

1. We got married!!
2. Slate attended his first bible study
3. I started my first bible study
4. I rode a horse
5. I quail hunted
6. We moved in together
7. Celebrated our 1st Thanksgiving in Oxford
8. Celebrated Christmas Day together (everything use to be seperate until we were married :)
9. I started volunteering actively for a non profit!!
10. Slate participated in his 1st Polar Bear swim!


I hope to make this a tradition that we tell our "firsts" at the end of each year to look back and think of all the new things we did or tried that year!

Any big firsts for you guys? I would love to hear!