Memorable Memorial Day

We had a fun time with family (husband's side) yesterday. We took the opportunity to celebrate (a few weeks early) our daughter's 3rd birthday with them and it was just WONDERFUL! We (Mommy and Daddy) had fun decorating their porch with a princess theme and pink and white balloons and crepe paper! I made white cupcakes with pink icing and her grandparents and aunt made the food. She had fun with her cousins (water balloons, running around, riding bikes and kiddie cars, etc.), playing her new games (from cousins), and trying on her new Disney princess dress-up clothes (from grandparents). She is all girl - that's for sure... and it's SO FUN! Thanks to a loving and caring family for helping to create sweet childhood memories for our precious little girl! We are BLESSED!

Decisions, decisions...

This artwork found HERE.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

That poem makes me think of this Scripture...

"Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

"Which ones?" the man inquired.

   Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." - Matthew 19:16-30 (NIV)

PONDERINGS for TODAY...

 - So, which road will I travel?

- What does the Jesus Way (less traveled) require of me?

- Am I willing to give it all up for Jesus?

- Am I willing to be last now so that I can be first later?

- Do I believe this choice has truly "made all the difference"?

Psalm 145

Psalm 145

I will exalt you, my God the King; 
       I will praise your name for ever and ever.

 Every day I will praise you 
       and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; 
       his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation will commend your works to another; 
       they will tell of your mighty acts.

They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, 
       and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 

They will tell of the power of your awesome works, 
       and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They will celebrate your abundant goodness 
       and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and compassionate, 
       slow to anger and rich in love.

The LORD is good to all; 
       he has compassion on all he has made.

All you have made will praise you, O LORD; 
       your saints will extol you.

They will tell of the glory of your kingdom 
       and speak of your might,

 so that all men may know of your mighty acts 

       and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, 
       and your dominion endures through all generations. 
       

The LORD is faithful to all his promises 
       and loving toward all he has made.

 The LORD upholds all those who fall 
       and lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you, 
       and you give them their food at the proper time.

You open your hand 
       and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all his ways 
       and loving toward all he has made.

The LORD is near to all who call on him, 
       to all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; 
       he hears their cry and saves them.

The LORD watches over all who love him, 

       but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. 
       Let every creature praise his holy name 
       for ever and ever.

We Are Moving...

My husband is a United Methodist Elder (Pastor) in the Western Pennsylvania Conference and this spring we received a new appointment from our Bishop to go to a new charge (a church about three hours northeast from our current) to take effect July 1. 

We are sad to be leaving so many loved parishioners here at our current charge... this place has many memories and faces we'll never forget! It is also our daughter's first home... where we brought her home from China! The little blue house (a parsonage provided by the church) where she learned to walk, go potty, sleep in a big girl bed, and .... whoa... oh my... I need to stop right now or I'm going to BAWL MY EYES OUT! Let me just say... the people here have loved the three of us like you wouldn't believe! What a precious place this is and it will ALWAYS hold a special place in our heart! Thank you God for these dear people you placed in our lives these past four years and hopefully as forever friends.

In the midst of all those emotions we are also excited to go to this next particular place where God has called us. We prayed for this new church before we even knew its name. We were willing to go wherever but, didn't want to go just anywhere... does that make sense? In other words, we wanted to go only where God wanted to send us so that we would be in His perfect will and not our own. 

We wanted to go to a place that was all about Jesus, doing His work, and that would be the perfect fit... and let me just say... God has once again KNOCKED OUR SOCKS OFF! We've met some of the people and they are contagiously enthusiastic about ministry! They show this by reaching out into the community and actively seeking to grow in their personal and cooperate faith. 

They also love their current pastor and we certainly understand why... he and his wife have done incredible things there...  needless to say... we have big shoes to fill, to be sure! However, in all the shock of change they have been very welcoming to us which is a true blessing! 

Transition is hard on both church families and in-coming and out-going pastoral families. No doubt that loving and gracious people make it smoother and easier to make the changes needed. We continue to pray for our current church, the new in-coming pastor here, and our new charge and their out-going pastor as well. We humbly ask for your prayers for our family in the midst of packing, moving, and unpacking (literally and metaphorically speaking). 

More blogs on moving to come...

Tim Hawkins Makes Me Laugh...

I Love My Husband....

Today is our 14th Wedding Anniversary!

We used tulips in our wedding ceremony... it was a beautiful day!

Matthew 19:4-6 (New International Version)

 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

I PRAISE GOD FOR GIVING ME SUCH AN INCREDIBLE LIFETIME LOVE! 

OUR LOVE IS THE GROWING KIND... 

I LOVE HIM MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY!

I Love My Mom and I Love Being a Mommy!

(As a rule, I don't put personal pictures on my blog but, my last post and today's post are extra special days. Since I have this recent photo which is just THE perfect picture for today... our 3 generations... well, I couldn't resist!)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

Read: Proverbs 31

CELEBRATION TIME!!!

TODAY IS OUR 2 YEAR ADOPTION ANNIVERSARY!!

THEN (in China) and NOW (this past Easter)

Today is our little girl's 2 year adoption anniversary! What a joy! What a blessing! Oh, how she has grown too... she will be 3 years old next month! She is the sweetest, cutest, funniest, smartest, bravest, strongest, and most loving soul I know! (I'm completely unbiased of course!)

Words can not express how I feel about her! SHE IS AWESOME! My dream baby made real in my arms... handed to us from God's own hand! The journey leading up to, during, and these two years after the adoption have been the most spiritually life-changing and life-defining experience for me personally (beyond my decision to accept Christ as my Savior of course). 

Jesus saved my soul and then used this little soul in my sanctification process to help save me from my self-centered ways. There is nothing like a child to mold us and shape us more into Christ's image... because they teach us to be unselfish... to be givers... how to die to self... and to experience the JOY in it all! She has taught me these things without effort of course... just doing what a child does... I am the one who adjusts and tweaks my ways to give her what she needs (not just what she wants) so that she can become a loving, giving, and spiritually strong woman herself.

Thank you God for her... for creating her... for placing her in our life. Thank you for entrusting her to us to raise, love, and enjoy. We ask ourselves everyday... who are we to deserve this pleasure? My heart overflows! I'm am the richest woman on earth! Thank You! Thank You! THANK YOU! - AMEN

Personal Reflection Series

You may have seen these Beth Moore books/studies out there... such as the one I have, "John: 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple"... which is part of her "Personal Reflection Series". My husband bought it for me for my birthday this year and let me just say... I REALY, REALLY enjoy this study! 

It is packed with short daily reflections which is just perfect for a daily devotion or "quiet time". It is designed for personal reflection on the Word. Each day has a portion of Scripture to read, a verse to stop and consider, a couple personal questions to answer, reading Beth's thoughts, sometimes another personal question, and it ends with praying God's Word (with help from Beth to get started) and then you write out a prayer. 

It is not a group setting or video study and it is not intense on the knowledge of facts, etc.... These studies are about the heart... God speaking right to me and it is just what I need between the bigger studies (like Esther, Daniel, etc...). 

Here is a good reason why I highly recommend it...

 "Psalm 25:4 (NIV) says, 'The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.' I desperately want God to be able to confide in me, don't you?.... I want God to tell me His secrets! I believe these hidden treasures are not secret because He tells them only to a chosen few, but because not many seek to know Him and tarry with Him long enough to find out.... I truly believe that if we're willing to see, God uses every difficulty and every assignment to confide deep things to us, and that the lessons are not complete until their beauty has been revealed. I fear, however, that we have such attention deficit that we settle for bearable when beauty was just around the corner." - A quote from Beth Moore on Day 14 (p.68)

Ahh... Just Remembering....