Go. Be. Do.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross— whether things on earth or things in heaven. Colossians 1:15-20 Yesterday evening, for the first time in almost a year, I picked up my Christmas quilt.  I have been thinking of it for about a week or so and wanted to get it out of its resting place and begin working on it again.  While I was sitting there trying to get the stitches t

A little chickadee flew into our picture window the other morning.  We all heard the boom as he hit the glass.  Tim was the first to see his little body lying on the ground.  With his voice filled with concern, Tim called out that he saw him and was going out to help him.  I joined Tim outside...just in case.  It was a crazy loud boom, afterall. I was holding my breath as I bent down toward the little fellow.  With Tim right beside me, waiting to get his chance to see the state bird of Maine up close and personal, I was so thankful to see the twinkling little eye looking back up at me.  Although it was apparent he was still stunned and possibly in shock from the impact, he was alive.  His tiny chest rising and falling with each breath. Tim and I began talking very soothingly to Chick Jr., so lovingly named by my little softie.  No idea of the "Jr." part, but that is beside the point.  He had landed in some weeds (who let those grow in the flower bed??).  It was crazy how

I saw a post from The MOB Society (Mothers of Boys) on dreaming with my sons, not for them.  Very powerful and insightful words from Lisa Whittle... "Because, I realized…it is never a mother’s job to dream for her kids. It is her privilege to get to dream with them." I desire for my boys to realize that life is about living, not conforming. Just look at Jesus. Jesus is the Hero of all heroes.  Especially where non-conformity is concerned. After all, He was and is perfect.  He thought outside the box.  He was not at all what the people expected as (or even wanted for) a king but, yet, He is the King of Kings. He grew up a carpenter's son on Earth...yet, He sits on the throne in Heaven. Jesus had years of doing the ordinary before the extraordinary began getting others' attention. Isn't life often just like that? Years drag on while the ordinary surrounds us.  All of those things we have to do when we are young...all the expectations of how things should

Through my boys, Jesus teaches me about... Love. Laughter. Joy. Confidence. Wrinkles. Happiness. Mercy. Sore muscles. Memories. Fun! Pain. Adventure. Forgiveness. Excitement. Nerves. Faith. Experience. Loyalty. Intrigue. Smiles. Thankfulness. Imagination. Adoration. Aggravation. Truth. Peace. Friendship. Snuggles. Exhilaration. Reckless abandon. Patience. Belief. Promises. Integrity. Gratefulness. But the greatest of these is Love. Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be with you, as you have claimed. Amos 5:14 NLT

After our visit with family in So. IN, we headed to the great not-so-white North for Bible Memory winter camp.  A weekend of worshiping God, seeing familiar friends who are like family (and meeting new ones), games, and pine car races! This scene was the inspiration for my pine car design. Fastest moving glacier ever.  :) It was great to be back! An awesome way to begin our year...Jesus, friends, and BMC!

January held great times for such a long, winterish month... Spent a few days in southern IN with my family...with snow on the ground!  It was melting fast, but we made the most of it while we could. We have had our snow fix...now, bring on SPRING!  

Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart,  with all your soul, and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 There are a few things in life that I have learned over the years.  Things you can never know until you have experienced them personally.  More and more, I realize that without God, I really can do nothing. Absolutely nothing. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.  John 15:5 The good news is that the exact opposite is true, too.  With God, I can do more than I ever imagined possible.  These things, however, are not for the faint at heart.  Not at all. Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think  according to the power that works in us - to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 What tops my list? Being