From the Inside Out

I am reminded, just about every time I pray or open my Bible, about My Savior's everlasting mercies and grace. I am so unworthy of His amazing love...but yet He opens His heart to me every time I seek Him. I put Him on the back burner, 'forgetting' my quiet time for weeks on end, but every time I make the effort to put Him back in control, He NEVER ceases to amaze me with His peace and comfort He gives! Even on my best day, my effort are like filthy rags...All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away (Isaiah 64:6). But, He promises that if I just pray, he will hear me and answer me! If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15)
I have probably talked about this before, but it just never ceases to amaze me, and I wanted to remind my friends and family that if you are dealing with anything, to remember to turn to our Lord Jesus Christ, and he will renew you! Take your struggles to the Cross...every day!

We sang a new song in church recently, and it really struck my heart. It has wonderfully true lyrics, and is just beautiful!!!! It should be playing as you read this, and here are the lyrics:

From The Inside Out
by Hillsong United
album: United We Stand (2006)

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Chorus 2x
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out Lord, my soul cries out

He Asks, He Receives... subtitle: "Funny Face" :)

Well, while my brother was here (oh that reminds me...I need to post about Gator Country!)...uh...where was I...oh yes...he asked for more video on my blog! So, I tried to capture Emmalyn doing this hilarious funny face she makes...on video! Not easy, but after 3 or 4 attempts, this is what I got. Her mouth usually opens wide enough to stick a couple of hands in, but I guess trying this while she is eating, I got the "watered down" version. Enjoy!

A Tribute To Daddies!!!

Funny photo: My dad (on the right) and my husband.

(What is that about marrying a man that reminds you of your dad?)

“Any man can be a Father, but it takes someone special to be a Dad.” -Anne Geddes

“He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” -Clarence Budington Kelland

"One night a father overheard his son pray: Dear God, Make me the kind of man my Daddy is. Later that night, the Father prayed, Dear God, Make me the kind of man my son wants me to be." -Anonymous

"The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him."
-Proverb 20:7

Kris and I were both blessed with great dads, and I am realizing more and more how important the role of a daddy is in the home. I am so thankful we had good role models! Kris has learned a LOT in the last 16 months, and I am so proud of how he has grown. He truly is a great daddy! I know it is 4 days late, but Father's Day has me feeling especially proud of the father figures in my life, and grateful for the role they will play in Emmalyn's life as she grows up.

But even more, I am so very grateful for the example we have in our Heavenly Father! He truly never will leave us or forsake us, and I am overwhelmed with emotion and thankfulness that He has called me to Himself! Abba truly is an awe-inspiring daddy!!!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." -Ephesians 1:3

Here are a few pictures of the wonderful Earthly fathers in my life...

My Daddy...aka, Grandaddy :)
Emmalyn's other proud Grandpa, Kris's awesome dad, Mike:
The WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC, TERRIFFIC daddy of my child:
A bonus daddy picture too cute not to share!!!

Great Movie!

This movie was hysterical and you should go see it!!! Just thought you should know. :)

Finally, some pictures from my niece's visit :)

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. I guess with the situation with my friend Jessica, blogging seemed less important. Please continute to keep them in your prayers, this will be a long trial, I am sure.


Well, she (I'll call her "B") was here for 2 weeks, and we had a really great time! Emmalyn and I spent the 2nd week pretty under the weather, but managed to stay busy enough to keep B entertained, I believe. I am trying to remember what we did, exactly. :) Oh yes, the first week, she went with me to MOPS, a playdate with my friend Lauren, and around town for fun errands, like Target. :) I am sure we did more, but my almost 30-year old memory fails me. :)


The second week, we went to a great splash park, but I managed to forget my camera. I promise it was adorable! :) I also got a fun little wading pool and slip and slide for them to play in in the back yard. (Well, the wading pool for Emmalyn...the slip and slide was definitely more fun for B.) We played around a lot this week, and generally had a great time!!! Here are some photos:

B and Emmalyn Dance "Under the Sea":

Jessica had her baby

I just wanted to let you all know that our friends Jessica and Josh welcomed their baby boy, Treyson Kemp, into the world yesterday at almost 3:00 p.m. He was adorable, and apparently looked just like his older brother, Luke. They had about an hour with him, and he went home to be with Jesus at 4:00 p.m. Jess and Josh are home now, and apparently doing pretty well. Please pray for this family.

Just Checking In

Well, the last week and a half have been busy, but mostly a lot of fun! I have had my beautiful 16 year old niece with me since May 30th, and we are having a lot of fun! Memorial Day was fun, and we have since been trying to keep busy around town. But for the last couple days, I have apparently come down with a bug. Kris thinks it might be Strep! So, I am now worried about getting these 2 beautiful girls in my care sick! Please pray with me that this passes quickly, I feel miserable! Please also pray that these girls don't get sick! She is really a lot of help with Emmalyn, and for that I am very grateful! I certainly will miss her when she leaves!

I will post more about the visit, hopefully with lots of great pictures, when I have more time and feel better!

But, Jessica has been going through a LOT the last week and a half...please go read her blog and pray for her!!! Please pray that she can carry this baby as long as possible, but that when God decides it is time to have the baby, that she will go into labor on her own and not have to be induced! Pitocin=yuk!!!

Pray for Your Children

From the day we found out we were pregnant, I have been praying for Emmalyn. But recently, I have been thinking...how can I pray more effectively for her? How can I pray more specifically for her? John 16:23-24 says "In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

So, asked my dear friends over at Titus Two how they pray for their children. I got a lot of great responses from these wonderful, Godly women! One of my favorite responses was this list from my friend "Momma5." This list gives you a Godly characteristic to pray for each day of the month, and better yet...the scripture to pray! This is such a wonderful list, I wanted to share it with my mommy friends!!!


*Daily, pray for their physical protection, purity, a close walk with Christ, their future mates, their testimony in the world, but you can also use this list to remind you of other things.

1 salvation "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory" (Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10).

2 growth in grace "I pray that they may 'grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ'" (2 Peter 3:18).

3 love "Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to 'live a life of love,' through the Spirit who dwells in them" (Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22).

4 honesty and integrity " May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection" (Psalm 25:21, NLT).

5 self-control " Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be 'alert and self-controlled' in all they do" (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

6 a love for God's Word " May my children grow to find your Word 'more precious than gold, than much pure gold; [and] sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb'" (Psalm 19:10).

7 justice " God, help my children to love justice as you do and to 'act justly' in all they do" (Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8).

8 mercy " May my children always 'be merciful, as [their] Father is merciful'" (Luke 6:36).

9 respect (for self, others, authority) " Father, grant that my children may 'show proper respect to everyone,' as your Word commands" (1 Peter 2:17a).

10 strong, Biblical self-esteem " Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are 'God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus'" (Ephesians 2:10).

11 faithfulness "' Let love and faithfulness never leave [my children],' but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts" (Proverbs 3:3).

12 courage "May my children always 'Be strong and courageous' in their character and in their actions" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

13 purity "'Create in [them] a pure heart, O God,' and let their purity of heart be shown in their actions" (Psalm 51:10).

14 kindness "Lord, may my children 'always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else'" (1 Thessalonians 5:15).

15 generosity "Grant that my children may 'be generous and willing to share [and so] lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age'" (1 Timothy 6:18-19).

16 peace, peaceability "Father, let my children 'make every effort to do what leads to peace'" (Romans 14:19).

17 joy " May my children be filled 'with the joy given by the Holy Spirit'" (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

18 perseverance " Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to 'run with perseverance the race marked out for [them]'" (Hebrews 12:1).

19 humility " God, please cultivate in my children the ability to 'show true humility toward all'" (Titus 3:2).

20 compassion " Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion" (Colossians 3:12).

21 responsibility " Grant that my children may learn responsibility, 'for each one should carry his own load'" (Galatians 6:5).

22 contentment " Father, teach my children 'the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . . through him who gives [them] strength'" (Philippians 4:12-13).

23 faith " I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them" (Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40).

24 a servant heart " God, please help my children develop servant hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, 'as to the Lord, and not to men'" (Ephesians 6:7, KJV).

25 hope " May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

26 the willingness and ability to work hard " Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, 'as working for the Lord, not for men'" (Colossians 3:23).

27 a passion for God " Lord, please instill in my children a soul that "followeth hard after thee," a heart that clings passionately to you (Psalm 63:8, KJV).

28 self-discipline " Father, I pray that my children may develop self-discipline, that they may acquire 'a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair'" (Proverbs 1:3).

29 prayerfulness " Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to 'pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Ephesians 6:18).

30 gratitude " Help my children to live lives that are always 'overflowing with thankfulness,' 'always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ'" (Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 5:20).

31 a heart for missions " Lord, please help my children to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples" (Psalm 96:3).

I finally made it to the gym! :)

I have been talking about it for months, and I finally joined the YMCA and had my first workout this morning! I mainly joined b/c my back surgeon suggested pool therapy and exercises, and they have a great pool.

But since today was the first time for Emmalyn to be in the nursery there, I didn't want to be "unaccessible" in the water. So, I kept it short, and just rode the bicycle (I couldn't think of anything else to do that would be no-impact for my back). But, I rode 3 miles!!! I only "worked out" for 17 minutes, but I feel great about it! And Emmalyn did great! She didn't fuss at all, and apparently played well! So, tomorrow, I will go to the water aerobics class that is an hour long...I am excited!

Just for your amusement... :) :) :)

Needed something to post...

I have been feeling, well...uninspired recently. I haven't posted much this month, and felt I needed to post something. Well, most of you have probably already seen this, but if not, enjoy!!! (Even if you have...it is still funny!!! I laugh out loud every time!)

It is called The Mom Song, by Anita Renfroe...sung to the tune of the William Tell Overture.

Miss Independent

Please click on "Miss Independent," by Kelly Clarkson on my plalylist , make sure you have the volume up, and enjoy Baby Girl's Theme Song playing while you read!:) :) :)

Emmalyn has 2 stubborn parents. We knew we would have a stubborn child. We used to say, "poor kid" will have to deal with this. Now, we say "POOR US!!!" We did not know, however, how fast we would learn how independent she would be!!! She is only 15 months, and already exerting her own opinion daily! She does NOT want to hold your hand walking down the sidewalk...she wants to "do it herself!" She does NOT want you to feed her...she wants to "do it herself!" She does NOT want you to show her how to get up into her rocking chair or riding toy...she wants to "do it herself!" I could go on! It is cute to see how she is learning how to do these things, but frustrating when I truly know she can't, but won't let me help her! This is the cause of most of her fits these days, and the poor thing is so frustrated! Hopefully, she won't give us TOO much trouble when she is 2! Ha ha ha ha!!!

Just so you get a visual for this little tirade...this is what happened when I would not allow her to go to the water "by herself" at the beach! pitiful, isn't it?

Update on Jessica

If you will remember, I posted a prayer request for my dear friend Jessica a little while back. A few prayer warrior friends have asked me how she is doing. Well, she is doing well! The prognosis has not changed for the baby, but God's unsurpassed peace and grace has truly been lavished upon her! What an amazing God we serve! She has started a blog, and you will find a link to it on the right hand side of my blog, entitled Surrender: Jessica's Journey . I hope you will take time to read her story, prayer requests, and praises...and please keep her and her precious baby and family in your prayers!

Here is a quote from her blog:
"To all you prayer warriors out there we thank you for standing in the gap for us. I pray and thank God for you daily. I have prayed that God will bless you for your faithfulness. In James he says, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16b. It also says, "the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up." James 5:15aRemember this though, God is at work and has his hand on this situation no matter what the outcome is."

What a treasure we have that some of us have not even met each other, but we share our struggles and praises because we are all children of God! What a wonderful sisterhood this is! I am so very thankful God called each of you and me to His heart, so that we may share this life on earth together!

Ephesians 3:14-19
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

You NEED to see this movie!

Kris and I went to see Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed Friday night, and it was WELL worth the time and money! It is a documentary about the way anyone in the world of science, especially Academia, is ostracized and often, well...expelled, from their positions if they give ANY regard to Intelligent Design. This does not even mean creation, just any form of intelligent design. The film really opened my eyes to greater implications of believing in evolution...such as loss of human purpose, free will, and the like. It also discussed how Hitler used the Holocaust to try to further human evolution and "natural selection." And if we are to try to do this on our own...that leads the way for abortion and many other catastrophes!

Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis says this:
"Although Stein is not a biblical creationist and comes from a Jewish background, we have found some common ground with him, as he does a masterful job of exposing the scientific problems with Darwinian evolution as well as the ruthlessness of its defenders in suppressing academic freedom. It’s not a Christian film, but it is very much worth your time because you will get a better understanding of the creation/evolution battle and how it is on the front lines of the culture war. Plus, you will see compelling evidence for design in the universe."

The movie was a documentary, but it is Ben Stein, and he is just funny. He uses black and white movie clips and music tracts for the transitions that make this film actually pretty funny in parts! It is about an hour and a half, but feels like 30 minutes...very informative, very entertaining!

If you would like to find more information, follow these links:

http://www.expelledthemovie.com/enterflash.php

http://www.getexpelled.com/

http://www.wingclips.com/cart.php?page=expelled

I Have a New Niece!!!

One of my very best friends, Pennie, who is more like a sister than a friend, had her first baby last week!!! I have been dying to share this with all of you, but wanted to wait until she could send me a picture! :) Well, the newborn days are still exhausting and hectic, but she has found a little time to send me some pictures! I won't share her name b/c I haven't cleared that with Pennie, but I assure you it is beautiful! Baby Girl entered the world at 5:17p.m. on April 17th, 2008, weighing 6lbs, 15 oz, and measuring 19 inches long. Pennie had a GREAT natural birth, that even she called a "perfect" experience. Pennie and Will are exceedingly proud, as they should be, and very excited!!! They will be great parents! So, without any further ado...here she is!
Pennie looks great!!!!!!!!!! :
Is this a proud papa, or what?! :)

LOOK AT THOSE CHEEKS!!! HOW ADORABLE IS SHE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to see this little bundle of joy in person! Oh, how I wish I wasn't 5 hours away!!!

A Little Feeling of Accomplishment, Part Two

So, this is the other part of the house I have managed to organize. I feel like finishing smaller projects might help me get motivated to move on to the office! Here is the (very scary) before of the closet, with Emmalyn acting as Vanna! :)

I did manage to get rid of some things, adding them to the garage sale pile out in the garage. Here is Emmalyn deciding she needed to help me carry things out. (Mikasa candle holders I never liked...wedding gift.)
And, TADA, here is the after! :) :) Much easier on the eyes, and MUCH easier to find what I need WHEN I need it! :)
The next is a close up, showing my husband's worse nightmare coming true. I am going crazy with my label maker! :) [When he gave it to me, he claimed it was ONLY from Emmalyn...that he would not be a part of something where everything in his house becomes labeled!:) ]

..if you click the picture, you can actually read the labels. Because I'm sure that will be the highlight of your day, right?!

Okay...so now...I MUST move on to the office!!!!! AAAAAHHHHHGGGGG!!!!!

A Little Feeling of Accomplishment

So, I have a house with WAY too much stuff...and that creates chaos, right?!?! Tell me I am not alone! So, I have set out recently to at least TRY to organize and get rid of some stuff. I started with Emmalyn's closet, which has WAY too many items for a 14 month old!!! (Can we tell she is the first grandbaby on the daddy's side?!) We are clearly not getting rid of anything...since we would like another kid or two eventually, so I sorted and organized by size and put it all into nice little clear rubbermaid containers. And my handy-dandy label maker proved to be VERY useful!!! :)

Here are the BEFORE photos:


Scary, huh? Notice the plethora of stuff just piled on the top shelf. That is the stuff she has already outgrown! Oh, how the time flies by! ***sigh***

Anyways... Here are the AFTER photos:

The top shelf is outgrown clothes, the top hanging bar is stuff that currently fits, and the bottom bar is stuff that she will not fit for a while. [Again...grandparents of first grandbabies can be very generous! :) :) :)] Oh, and she has a dresser of pajamas and more casual clothes that I did organize, but it would not have been near as exciting to photograph! :)

btw...Have I mentioned I LOVE MY LABEL MAKER!!!!!!!!!!!

So, this is the first project of 2 that I have actually finished. I know you will be DYING to see the rest of my amazingly exciting daily activities, so I will share more later! :) And more as I complete them. :)

Her First Word is DOG!

I think it is apparent that she is her mother's daughter!! :)

Well, it sounds more like "Da,"...dog, without the g at the end. But it is the first real word, obviously identifying something. She constantly points to dogs and exclaims "DA!" She absolutely loves these animals! She does not smile at me when I enter her room to pick her up in the mornings, but she squeals with excitement if the dogs are clicking around on the hardwood behind me! She loves to chase the dogs, hugging their necks and petting their backs...it is really precious! We have been very lucky to have great dogs that allow her to do all of this, usually licking her arm or leaning into her in response.

Here she is at only 10 months giving Bella a belly rub. [Bella now has a new family in Louisianna. :)] Lounging on Mocha, apparently aware of how cute she is!
Petting Spencer at only 6 months old:
He was very sweet when she would pet him...but didn't like being chased and hugged like the other dogs. He would just get up and walk away. :)
Giving hugs to Shiloh, my dad's dog while he was here with us. So sweet!
hhmmmm...maybe she thinks she is a dog?
Before you call CPS...let me assure you I DID NOT put her in this cage, nor would I or have I ...ever! :) :) :)

And here is a video of her giggles at Mocha:

A Natural Beach Bum

Is this not the most adorable photo?!?!

I took Emmalyn to the beach for the first time yesterday, with my friend Jessica and her two children, Luke and Raylen. We had such a great time! Jana, we missed you...you'll have to come with next time!

I didn't quite know how Baby Girl would like this. Well, from the moment I put Emmalyn on the sand in her little bare feet, she was smiling! She absolutely LOVED it! When I took her to the water, I assumed it might frighten her a little. Nope. She giggled when the waves swished across her feet. Then she sat in the water. The water came up a little high, and again, I thought she would be a little scared. Nope again. She laughed hystercially! She thought this was the best time ever! I let her play and splash for a while, but when it got a little too cold, and she was shivering a bit, I took her back to the sand to play. She was SOOO MAD at me! But, she got over it as she sat down with her bff, Raylen to play in the sand. :-)

The day was a success, and all of the kids (and mommies) had a wonderful afternoon! We stayed for about 2 hours (covered in sunscreen and a hat of course), and boy, was she tired after all that great playing. She was asleep in the car within 5 minutes!

Daddy HATES the beach, so any more beach trips for us will probably be with our beach-loving friends again! :) The sand is annoying, but oh the fun we had!

Here are a few photos of the day, but for more, go here! :-)

Ready to go, isn't the cover-up, cute?

A smile from the minute I put her down:
Aren't they adorable together?!:
Playing with the sand...

Spencer

Well, yesterday, I had to let go of Spencer.
He truly was the best dog anyone could EVER ask for! He was my cuddly, loyal, loving, sweet baby boy. I miss him terribly already. Here is a video montage I made of him. Notice lots of pictures are of him on a bed...he was spoiled rotten! He had a very good life, just way too short. Through tears, I would like to share this with you...
(You have to click on the picture to see the montage.)


Spencer

Cletus, Take the Reel

This is so funny, I nearly cried! The guy singing is Christian Comedian Tim Hawkins, and his website is here if you would like to check out some more of his stuff.