Go. Be. Do.

Legos are currently a major part of my free time. The love-hate relationship I have had with legos has turned a corner for the better. I am thankful to say that I am beginning to see the thrill of them...not necessarily for myself, but for my boys. Yes, there are other things that I enjoy more. However, time spent with my boys sitting on the floor watching them work so hard at putting together a masterpiece and seeing the joy on their faces when it's completed...that is what I treasure the most. I like being the one that helps find the pieces they are needing. Everyone needs a hero and it might as well be me. :) Just yesterday a Lego Club Jr. magazine arrived in the mail. What excitement stirred up around me over one little magazine. This was a special thing, though, for Tim. This magazine was just for him...it had his name on it. Apparently, Lego Club Jr. is only for those legolovers who are 6 and under. Seeing his name on the magazine brought a big smile to Tim's ...

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lif e? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need the...

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105 Psalm 119:105 has been on my mind the past few hours. Aside from reminding me of Bible Memory Camp and wearing 20+ years' worth of t-shirts with that verse on them (yeah, that many and hopefully many more to come) that verse brings to mind that God's looking out for me and is offering His light as a guide. Life happens, but I have God's Word to help me on my pathway through it. According to the MJV (that's Ms. Janet's Version) that verse holds a few truths. One, it infers that I have to keep walking...keep moving forward. Two, it is understood that as I keep walking, the pathway before me will be lit for as far as I need it to be...not necessarily as far as I want it to be. Three, outside of God's will is darkness...to walk in the light, I have to stay connected with the Light. Recently, God has impressed upon me that I'm on a "need-to-know" basis. I am guilty of ...

"A mild breeze, sunshine, and a cup of coffee--unforgettable moments..." ~a friend Cheers to all the unforgettable moments in life! Those moments we catch on film or wish we had anyway...those times we are participants in something bigger than ourselves in which we find such joy and peace...those days of sorrow when nothing seems to help with the pain. They are unforgettable for unique reasons and held onto in hearts and minds with the hope that the feelings about them never disappear...or sometimes it might be better if they would. The earliest memory I recall is my 5th birthday party...and the latest memory to hold onto is the birth of my nephew, Vincent Van Roth. Welcome into the world, little man! May your days be filled with unforgettable moments. There are moments out there to be made memorable still...take a chance at making the most out of every one!

God is not who you think He is; He is who He says He is. –Clarice Fluitt God is good...even when I don't understand what He's doing. Nothing in life changes His goodness which is a concept that I'm learning anew. It's one of those "understood" things about God that one day just hit me like a ton of bricks. Yes, we all know the saying..."God is good - all the time!" But a message from a friend of mine not too long ago made me realize even that God is good...when I'm confused...stressed...happy....lonely...confused...worried... You can fill in the blank with any words you choose and God will be good no matter what. It is a constant that is taken for granted and sometimes altogether forgotten. God gets thrown under the bus, so to speak, when life gets hard. All of a sudden our circumstances are affecting how we see God. Our circumstances do not change God. He was, and is, and always will be...no matter what. Our circumstances can change us, however....

"When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I'll know I'm growing old." Lady Bird Johnson I find it comical that my definition of a snow day has changed so dramatically since moving to GA. A friend commented "we call that a frost" when seeing what amount of snow in which we were playing. Only 3 times in the 8 years that I have now lived in GA, has it snowed...I'll enjoy any amount that comes my way. This year was different, however, in that, a cold snap has kept the ice/snow around many days. I like it better when it leaves within a day or so...I love my snow, but I love warmer weather even more. :) The boys and I were so excited when the first flakes started to fall. We started making p lans for the morning light. We were prepared this year for snow since we had purchased snow pants during our trip t o MI last January. Thankfully so, too, because it was only 20 degrees and very windy. We awoke to about 3/4 of an inch of snow in most parts ...

n. "A hopeful or comforting prospect in the midst of difficulty." That's the definition I found for silver lining. The funny thing is, it's not a sure thing, but only a prospect and yet it's enough to make one feel better. I know my silver lining moment today made me feel better. It doesn't take much sometimes and today was one of them that only took the very tops of daffodil leaves poking through the ground to make me feel hopeful in the days to come. I have the same reaction to the rosebud holding onto life at the end of its branch in these cold temperatures. Difficult circumstances, but it's holding on; offering itself to be used for the Creator's glory. That's a lesson to be learned and applied more often in my own life. Yesterday was "one of those days". Everyone has them (at least I hope it's not just me)...overwhelmed, stressed, confused...life gets in the way of living kind of days. Reading in 2 Corinthians last night before ...

Hello 2010! A look at the past year... ...winter road trip to IN, OH, and MI ...cruise to Mexico ...See Rock City/GA SNOW/Sarasota ...t-ball/Providence Canyon/camping ..."Turtles"/deep sea fishing (3 sharks)/Panama City Beach ...Bible Memory Camp in Ohio ...ALASKA: take 2 & CityPass: ATL ...Florida and Michigan ...Hot Air Balloons & Family Visit ...SUPERHEROES / Alex's 7th B-day ...Smoky Mountains ...Tim's 6th B-day/Playdates/Christmas 2009: a year of goodbyes...yet a year where sweetness and happiness were found. A look to the New Year... " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' " Jeremiah 29:11 "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal." Psalm 26:3-4 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek ...