Jesus – Page 5 – The Bless Your Heart Blog

Random Rambles

Besides playhouse move-in day, yesterday was also chicken moving day!

The 100 little hens that we ordered a while back were ready to join the big flock in the chicken house. Sawyer is an incredible helper! She carried two chickens at a time and made about 10 trips with us. They were still exploring their new digs this morning, but I’m betting they feel right at home soon enough.

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On the playhouse front, I had to laugh/grimace/shake my head yesterday. After breakfast, we went back out to play and I had a little mowing to finish up. The kids played in the little house for about 20-30 minutes and then I see them scurrying off……..to the barn………where they played for over an hour. HA! Sweet Tredessa reminded me that the barn was just like a really big playhouse…

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I was talking to a friend last night about some of the struggles life throws at us. She was saying she just felt like she was unequipped to deal with some of the trials that her family has been going through as of late; she felt like she had no strength to dig in and conquer. She felt frayed and frazzled and a little scared.

As I was chatting with her, the Lord gave me a picture of childbirth. When you get into transition phase – right before that sweet, beautiful baby that you’ve been waiting on for nine (long) months physically makes its way into the world – things get rough. The pain is intense, it feels like it’s gonna never gonna be over and you start saying/screaming/yelling/crying “I can’t do this! It’s too hard! I’m not gonna be able to do it!” – the tell-tale sign of transition. Don’t ask me how I know. *ahem*

And lo and behold, you’re able to…you’re more than able to…and out comes this sweet little life that has been knit inside your womb by the very hands of God. And? Every month and day and minute of pain and discomfort was worth it.

Isn’t that how life is sometimes, too? When you’re being held over the refining fire…when the Lord is working things out for the better for you, even if it feels like the worst…when we finally get to the other side, there is LIFE. I’m praying that for her and for you…and for me.

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Sweet Sawyer put on her swimsuit yesterday all by her lonesome!

I didn’t tell her it was on backwards because she was so proud of herself and I was proud of her, too. Plus, she looks stinkin’ cute with her backwards suit! And in these sunglasses…

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Daddy took Sawyer to the sale barn today as part of “birthday week” and I stayed home with little man to have some one-on-one time with him and to catch up on some housework. I had just sat down with a notebook and pen to make a lit of things that ‘needed’ to be done when I came across this post from Ann Voskamp.

I get increasingly frustrated by moms that celebrate their kids going back to school, not for the sake of the kid, but out of their own selfishness. THAT’S another post for another day…

Ann beautifully captures the order in which things should be. She writes:

What if I want to play more games of monopoly and leave the dishes in the sink more often? What if I want to take you fishing more Saturdays and blow off cleaning up the garage? Why doesn’t someone tell all the homemakers: Cleanliness isn’t next to godliness. Love is.

Oh. My. Heart. I’m crying again just reading it. Let’s just say I haven’t done much cleaning…and I’ve loved every minute. Please, please take the time to read her post…

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I’m off to see if I can catch a nap before WD wakes up…it’ll be all over after that!

Praying for Our People

Wrex and I were working downstairs yesterday afternoon and Sawyer was up playing in her room. We looked at each and smiled every few minutes as we heard her worshiping at the top of her lungs. “I’m running to your arms. I’m running to your arms. Nothing compares to your embrace. Light of the world forever reign.”

We got to talk to her later about what was happening in Iraq and that was the perfect way to initiate the conversation.

The images coming out of that country are absolutely heartbreaking. I’ve come across a few on Facebook and I can hardly bare to look. I try to scroll right past them as quickly as possible…and then have to remind myself that not looking is not going to solve the problem.

I can’t help but see the face of baby Wryder in this photo, instead…

I get so comfortable in my corner of the world. While we’re out going to family reunions and renovating playhouses and worshiping the Lord in our homes, people are being forced from theirs. They’re running for their lives, just hoping to survive. Children and adults are dying of dehydration, are being thrown off of mountains, beheaded and executed. Our people are dying en masse because they proclaim the name of Jesus.

Join me in praying for our people. We are praying that the Lord shows off in the grandest of forms. We’re praying that the shield of protection around these people is impenetrable and that because of that, ISIS members will have their eyes opened to the glory of the Lord. We’re praying for revival, for shifts, for change, for life.

The homes of Christian (and other non-Muslim) families in Iraq are being marked as such.

It’s a symbol used 1) as a mark of shame and 2) to give permission to ISIS members to kill anyone left in the residence and to pillage their belongings. That symbol is nun, 14th letter of the Arabic alphabet. It’s equivalent to the Roman letter ‘n’ and is the first symbol in words like Nazarene…as in Jesus the Nazarene, as in ‘can anything good come from Nazareth?’…it’s a common Arabic term for Christians.

Some Iraqis around the city of Mosul are standing in solidarity and have began to use this symbol (on social media and in their city) as one of hope instead of shame.

10488083_428374527300687_349373373144429446_n — “We are all Christians”

"Yes I am and I am proud." — “Yes I am and I am proud.”

We will do the same.

Pray for the persecuted Christian all over the world.

Pray that the Lord will show off and protect His people for His glory.

Pray that the genocide stops, in the name of Jesus.

Pray for our people.

Random Rambles

It’s overcast and cool out; my soul is begging for fall! This has been such a mild summer and I have very little tan left on my arms and legs…might as well call it and hide them under sweaters and jeans, right?! Come on, fall…

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Wryder’s namesake and great-grandpa is turning 85 this year and I have the distinct honor of providing decor for the grand event! I’ve got about 10 projects half done and ~~quite~~ a few *ahem* that I have yet to embark upon. For some reason, this overcast weather makes me uber-productive, so I’m hoping to take advantage of that today. I’ve already got these bad boys in the dishwasher…

Stay tuned for a DIY this week! Maybe that will REALLY make me get it done this week…

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Our church cleaned out their library and had tables of free books for us to peruse this past Sunday. For bibliophiles, it was hard not to take them all, but we decided upon these:

Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories — Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories

These are the sweetest little stories that discuss character and wise choices and how the Lord would prefer us to live. They’ve been a fun edition to our daily readings and we highly recommend them if you can get your hands on a set!

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I missed my kiddos terribly while I was at jury duty last week so we’ve tried to make up for lost play time with LOTS of playtime. I must say, I have the cutest playmates of anyone around.

This girl throws quite the party and this little guest sure makes them fun!

It warms my heart how well they get along. I’m sure those feelings for each other might change and evolve as the years go on but I hope they only intensify amorously. It’s so cute to see them interact together and greet each other in the morning and give random hugs and pull each other close to sit…

I wish I could say this attentive shot was during our family devotions…but I was letting them watch “Let it Go.” *ahem* Maybe I should start theatrically singing all of our Bible lessons…

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I don’t know about your kids, but Sawyer is a lover of rocks! Every parking lot/driveway/restaurant/farm/house/business/ we visit, she finds at least one to add to her “collection.” Wrex was cleaning out his pickup last night and found a stash under her seat. He brought them in and she put them in a little baggie and showed them to us and said, “These are so I can remember all the places I’ve been.”

It was completely cute and completely heart melting. We talked to her about how incredibly Biblical that was. Over and over in the Old Testament, stones are placed at significant places of significant happenings so that when people saw them, they would remember what transpired there…they would remember the faithfulness of God and what He did.

That’s sort of what this blog is; a giant rock of remembrance for me and my family. He has done so much for us and I don’t want them to forget where all of this good comes from.

I don’t think I’ll be forgetting her and her rocks anytime soon.

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If you’re not familiar with Angie Smith, you should be! She has quite the story, the best red hair, an adorable self-deprecation and I swear she’s my sister from another mister…or something. Her latest book, Chasing God, is on sale today for $0.99 (Kindle edition) at Amazon. I haven’t read it yet but if it’s anything like her others, it will be worth the buck. Bought and downloaded!

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All right, I better hop to it! The coffee cup is empty, the play tent is set up and the natives are growing restless; time to camp and then create! Enjoy this cozy day!

Jury Duty

When we arrived home from vacation I had a red, white and blue piece of paper awaiting me; I was being summoned for jury duty for the second time in three years. I served on a jury six months after we had moved to the area and it appeared it might be my time again.

That time, Goo Goo was in town and kept Sawyer for me while I was away. This time…well, I feel like the court picked the busiest week in the history of the world to hold district court. We don’t trust our kids with just anyone…and rightfully so…and it was becoming a challenge to find care for them. Our lovely neighbors came to the rescue on Monday and kept them for jury selection day.

The week leading up to my report date, I felt like I was in denial. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to leave the kids. I was hoping it would get cancelled. No such luck. A friend texted me and reminded me that maybe the Lord had me there for a time such as this…so off I went, verbally submitting myself to Him, as a reminder to myself if nothing else.

There were about 100 potential jurors and before we had our first break so the attorneys could look over the juror questionnaires, they had excused 10 or so people because of conflicts of interest, 10 or so people that worked in law enforcement or social services, etc. After the break, they dismissed 20 or so after reading their questionnaires. They then sat 25 jurors in the box and then had to have private meetings with them. When one was dismissed, they were replaced with another. During this time, I’d say close to 30 people were excused for one reason or another during the private meetings or for wheat harvest or one reason or another.

It was around 3:30 in the afternoon and the attorneys were just about to dismiss each of their six choices…when the judge dismissed one last individual who was replaced by a gentleman who asked to be dismissed so he could finish his harvest. And? You guessed it…my name and number were called to replace him.

At the end of the day, I was chosen to sit the jury. We knew from the moment we walked in that it was a child sexual assault case; a grandfather was being accused of repeatedly engaging his grandson in unwanted sexual acts. I wasn’t looking very forward to the testimony…at all. It was a hard, confusing, frustrating week.

There were testimonies that made your stomach turn…testimonies that made you question whether the boys’ parents should’ve been on trial for poor parenting…facts and figures that made you shake your head…things that were hard to follow because a child’s memory and concept of time is only so good.

At the end of the day, after five hours of deliberation, we found the defendant guilty. It was the right choice, no question – but still hard to make. We had to remember though, that the defendant chose this…not us. He chose this the first time he sexually abused his vulnerable grandson and he chose this for every time he did so after…for three. solid. years.

I am spent; my heart is heavy and my head hurts…though what I’m experiencing is not nearly as bad as what the victim has been through.

As we left the courthouse, the sky had clouded over and rain was just beginning to fall, almost as if the heavens were weeping for the victim.

I have been praying for you from the first day of this ordeal and commit to continuing to do so. I pray that you receive the help that you need to get past this and to quit blaming yourself and to heal. I pray that your new community would embrace you and not bully you. I pray that your parents, especially your step-dad, would truly understand the trauma you have experienced and will have grace with you. I pray that you would know Jesus and that He would send someone that is worthy of your trust to disciple you for Him. I pray that you would be able to trust again. I pray that you would be able to sort out all of the confusion and shame and mixed emotions so that you can use your story to help others and be all that the Lord created you to be.

The Perfect Saturday

Yesterday just might have been our favorite day of the summer, thus far. We got to spend the day with some of the most God-fearing, solid people on the planet! How lucky are we?!

The summer I was pregnant with Sawyer, Wrex and I ran a trade show booth for his previous employer down at the Colorado Cattlemen’s Convention. We were boothed next to the Farm Credit team and in so doing, made some of our dearest friends.

They were so kind and encouraging and offered up so much wisdom and love regarding the new journey of parenthood that we were about to embark upon. We stayed in touch via Facebook (it has it’s good, it really does!) and then we got to see part of them again the next year.

The next convention was less than a month from our departure date to a new adventure in life and they ministered to us sooooooo incredibly much! We still have the piece of paper with a word they had given us regarding our decision that affirmed all that we had heard from the Lord as well. Seriously, these are some special people.

Besides Facebooking and a few phone calls, that was the last time we had really spent considerable time together…until yesterday! We met in southeastern Colorado for some swimming and picnic-ing and playing and chatting – it was the BEST! The kids all had an absolute ball together and we loved every minute as well.

Wryder and Gunner - how CUTE are they?! — Wryder and Gunner – how CUTE are they?!

The men in deep discussion on a break from their game of washers... — The men in deep discussion on a break from their game of washers…

It’s such a beautiful thing when the Lord connects people in the Spirit. These are people that love Him and live their lives for Him…who are bearing fruit that is evident in the lives of their children…who live their lives with their hands wide open, ready to give and encourage and love at the drop of the hat.

And their sweet kids! They were all so kind and loving and polite and grateful and obedient and CUTE!

We left feeling like someone just breathed a huge breath of life into us! Our steps felt lighter and our souls felt more joyful and we felt hopeful about the world.

You guys, seriously, we adore you – YOU ARE A RARITY in this world! We are so thankful for the time with you! Let’s attempt to make this happen at least twice a year, yes?! And if you’re really serious about that commune thing, we’re in! 😉

Happy Birthday, Sexy Wrexy!

You are the most handsome of all.

Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever.
Put on your sword, O mighty warrior!

You are so glorious, so majestic!

In your majesty, ride out to victory,
defending truth, humility, and justice.
Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!

Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’ hearts.
The nations fall beneath your feet.

Psalm 45…a word the Lord gave me regarding you many years ago. I pray it over you still, especially on your birthday.

You are a tremendous man of God and the fact that I get to spend my life with you humbles me daily. I don’t know of anyone more loyal, gentle, loving, kind, forgiving, selfless, gracious, merciful, hard-working, even tempered, servant-hearted, encouraging or capable than you. You are the glue that holds our family together. You keep us grounded and rooted in the Lord and lead us in the ways of righteousness.

I’ve known you for 13 of your 32 years and am so proud of the man that you were, are and are becoming. On this birthday, I bless you with health and vigor – 32’s not that old! I bless you with boldness to shine the light of Jesus in dark places; boldness to be ok with being so different than the rest of the world (it’s a great thing). I bless you with obedience, that you would continue fulfilling the Lord’s call for you and I pray that you will see the fulfillment of His promises regarding you. I bless you with a sound mind and strong hands to do the work of the Lord. I bless our marriage, that it would fulfill you and honor you and bless you right back. I bless your coming in and going out…with the presence of Jesus in all that you do.

I love you, sweet husband of mine. Happiest of birthdays to you!

Random Rambles

It’s 6:45 on Friday morning and I’m sitting in bed, blogging and eating a banana. Apparently, the letter of the day is ‘B.’ I kid, I kid.

I mowed and burned tumbleweeds yesterday and my sinuses are paying for it today. Ugh. Wrexy left for work around 5:30 and I was up popping Advil, allergy medicine and Sudafed. At this point, I think I might survive the day.

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We’ve been working on our basement this week. Our house is 100 years old (no really, it is) and we have an outside storm cellar/crawl space that we’ve been wanting to get situated for a while now. You know that I’m hoping that the severe weather season is a mild one, but in case we do have to spend extended time down there, it would be nice to have a clean, clutter-free space. Wrexy framed in a room, installed a door, put up new lights, and we’ve been shop vac-ing 100 year old dirt for days. It’s gone a lot faster than I thought it would and we’re about done!

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Sawyer has recently taken a liking to “chip tacos,” also known as crunchy tacos. (She likes mexican food of about any kind, especially chips and salsa – girl after my own heart!!) We cooked some up for lunch yesterday and I made some pinto beans to go in/with them. I put her beans in the bottom of her taco and as she was eating her taco from the top down, she noticed them in there.

Sawyer: “Oh, look – beans!”

Stef: “Yeah…it’s like a little bean family in a canoe!”

She played/ate her little canoe (what was left of her taco shell for a while) and then I hear…

Sawyer: “There goes momma!”

I look up to see what she’s talking about…and it’s the beans! She grabs two more and says, “Come on, dad, let’s go together!” And another and says, “Wait for me guys!”

She was totally giving life to the bean family and it tickled me to no end! She’s a funny girl!

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While mowing yesterday, it was a little breezy. Every time I headed north, I found myself huddled down in my sweatshirt and when I turned south, I reveled in the soaking warmth of the sunshine. I found myself saying, “I just want to face the sun…” And boy, do I. I want to live a life facing the SON; I want to keep my eyes fixed on Him. I don’t want to be shaken or moved or distracted or pulled elsewhere…I don’t want the world to speak to my soul louder than Him. I want all Him, all the time…..

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Wryder is such a funny little guy. He really does bring us so much joy! He is into everything and it is so fun to watch his mind work and explore and figure things out.

The other day, he had it in his head that this cat was real.

Look at those eyes... — Look at those eyes…

You could just see it in his eyes! He finally finished up lunch and I let him touch it and he was shocked…and a little pleased. We definitely have another animal lover on our hands.

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He got several toy trucks for his birthday and he loves to play with them, of course. I found this construction vest at a garage sale this weekend and I think he looks adorable in it!

He had so much fun dumping legos…until about 12:45 and then he was ready for nap!

Sawyer was, and is, a fantastic sleeper but Wryder takes the cake! Kid naps for 4-5 hours a day and sleeps 13 at night – woooooo hoooooo! (I know, I know…I should never complain about being tired…but I am…and I do…)

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Today is “fun Friday” but I really have no (firm) idea what we’re gonna do to make it “fun.” I suppose we better start with breakfast…I hear little bodies a stirring.

Happy Friday!

Step Up

Do you ever wish you could un-see things?

We ventured out to the park today because it was so splendidly nice out. I think I’ve written about it before but when I hole up in my little house on the prairie, it’s easy to lose perspective on the rest of the world. I get so used to our daily grind and how we choose to do things…then my naivety kicks in and I start thinking that every family is like our family. Oh, how I wish that were true. Not because I think we have it all figured out – by no means is that the case – but I do know that our children are loved and safe and cared for and fed and nourished and disciplined in love; they are not abused or scared or hungry or alone… It’s not that way for every kid, or even most kids, although it should be.

As a lover of justice (and humanity, for that matter), it’s hard for me to see someone treated poorly, especially a child. While we were playing, a little girl got in trouble for something by someone who didn’t talk to her not one time until it was time to go and they were displeased with something. Obviously, I don’t know all of the details, but I know what I saw and what I saw was ugly. I’m not saying she was physically abused in front me…had that been the case, I would have had no reservations in stepping in and/or calling the police…but she was treated extremely poorly…especially for a child. She was screamed at and handled roughly and shamed. It just makes you wonder what she goes through at home if her caretaker was unafraid to put on this show in public.

I know we all have bad days and bad parenting moments when we don’t always act the way the Lord asks of us (me included). Sadly, I don’t think this was an isolated incident. I was told by a friend, “She’s the kind of girl that will be really happy to get to go to school all day.”

Oh my soul. As a deep feeler, these kinds of things pain me; physically hurt me. My heart feels so shredded and I feel so helpless.

I spent my drive home just pleading to the Lord on behalf of this little girl and for those who care for her. I was begging Him for justice and safety and love for her – is that too much to ask?!

I’m not naive enough to think that what I saw is the worst any child has ever been treated; I know that’s not the case and the fact that that’s not the case intensifies the pain of the situation. We need Jesus. Our world needs Jesus. Our kids need Jesus. We all need Jesus.

Stuff like this makes me just want to hole up in our little house, do what we do and stay away from the crazies and the injustices of the world…but I’m certain that doesn’t solve anything. I don’t know what the point of experiencing that today was but my soul is stirred. I want to be part of the solution, the revolution, that changes the familial unit for Christ. A Bible teacher once preached a mantra that said, “What we struggle with and do not sanctify in ourselves will become a monster in our children.”

Struggle with anger and don’t work to change it? It will be amplified in your children.

Struggle with pride and don’t work to change it? It will be amplified in your children.

Struggle with self-worth and don’t work to change it? It will be amplified in your children.

Struggle with __________ and don’t work to change it? It will become a monster in your children.

As parents, we have got to wake up to the responsibilities bestowed upon us! Whether our children were “planned” by us or not matters not; they are now in our care and it is our duty and obligation to do right by them.

I’m so tired of seeing people/parents thinking they can birth a child and do nothing to actually raise it/teach it/love it/guide it/esteem it…

I’m so tired of seeing people/parents do “what their parents did” because that’s all they know… (Look at this generation…that’s not working (for the most part)!

I’m so tired of people/parents thinking that what they do and what they say has no bearing on the kinds of adults their children will be…

I’m so tired of people/parents putting their jobs, addictions, bank accounts, friends, social lives, etc. in front of their job as a spouse and parent…

I’m so tired of satan killing, stealing and destroying people and parents.

My heart is slivered tonight; I wish I could un-see and un-hear the events of the day…but I can’t…

I can, however, propose a call to action. Step up, parents. You have an enormous, important, future-changing job on your hands – your children. They are worth your time and your effort and your sacrifice. You are raising little adults who will one day be leading their generation. What you say and do today will effect them forever, believe it or not. Treat them with respect and dignity and grace and mercy and love – it covers a multitude of sins, you know. Teach them. Train them. Guide them along. Be slow to anger and abounding in love. Don’t harm them or shame them or abuse them or neglect them or break their spirits. Don’t just revert to what you know or experienced when growing up; refer to the Word of God and make that your standard. Put aside all of the injustices done to you and make life for your kids different. Link arms with other parents and help each other by vowing to do this life together and do this life well. We get one shot with these little guys. I’m not saying that the Lord can’t redeem our shortcomings (goodness knows He does it for me on a daily basis) but we owe it to Him and to them to give them our best; not our leftovers, not our ignorances, not our generational failures…our best.

Pray for children across the city and state and nation and world tonight who aren’t on the receiving end of someone’s best…and especially pray for those getting the worst.

Pray for me…that as much I want to un-see what I saw, that it will continue to spur me to keep seeking the Lord in what He has for me here…because it’s too important to do otherwise.

People Trump Tasks

I don’t have to be tomorrow, who I am today.

The Lord has given us the freedom of choice so I can choose to be different or act different or think different anytime I, well, choose. We have the opportunity to change our futures and to do things differently than the generations before us…for me, that’s a big deal.

The Lord has been saving me from a life of mediocrity for about twelve years and counting. He has soooo much more for us than just surviving, ya know? I have chosen to raise my children differently than I was raised and to have a marriage that’s different than what I witnessed growing up and to base the foundation of my being on Jesus and nothing else.

Those are some of the biggies and they are all things that have come easily for me. I love being a wife and a mom and it doesn’t feel like work to attempt the things He asks in those areas with excellence. There are, however, so many more things that the Lord keeps bringing to my attention that He desires for me…things that I know won’t be easy (for me) but things my heart is longing to attempt.

I want to be more about people and less about tasks. I’m sure to some of you, that sounds easy. For a type A, black-and-white, meticulous planner? Not so much. I’m wired in a way where the to-do list trumps all and being prepared for anything and everything is my mantra. My mind is always looking ahead…what do I need to pack or get ready? What’s next on the agenda? What might cause a problem/throw a wrench in our plans or our peace? How do we avoid that problem? What do I need to do now to make things easier later?

Honestly, those things are constantly on my mind and it’s not even exhausting! Dare I say it’s sort of enriching for me? (You’re worried about me, aren’t you?) Don’t be…about that anyways. 😉

Sadly, things like stopping to talk to people for extended periods of time or jumping in to lend a helping hand or investing in something other than wifedom/motherhood doesn’t always make the cut. To an extent, that’s ok; my family IS my priority, but I know myself enough to know that those priorities aren’t always the reason for my lack of engagement. I’m an introvert and a doer and that doesn’t leave a lot of room for people.

Jesus was a people person. He was a doer, yes, but He cared infinitely more about hearts and souls than He did any physical deficiency or any task that warranted His attention. I’m married to a people person who comes from a line of people persons and they are leaving a legacy of the fear of the Lord because of the time they take to sincerely invest in people. It’s a beautiful, beautiful thing.

When I think back on all the times in my life that I was affected in the deepest ways for Christ, it wasn’t by someone who worked their tail off at a task…it was by someone who took the time to invest in me.

Oh man, I wanna be like that! It’s not something that’s going to come easy for me; it’s going to be something that takes work (I should like that then, yes? Ha!)…something that will require a new mindset and array of habits…but the reward is great and the consequences of not changing are greater yet.

I don’t know what this looks like for sure yet and I’m sure I’ll be stumbling through it for a while…or forever…but I’m determined to make attempts towards that goal. Thankfully, I have that choice and thankfully I have a Father that I know will reward my efforts to be more like Him.

****** People trump tasks. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. *******

Until Next Year, Cubbie Bear

And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

I am a lover of Jesus and believe the Bible to be the inerrant word of God. It is completely whole, lacking nothing, and it is the foundation for which my family and I base our life and make decisions. As followers of Christ, we have chosen to stake our lives and our futures on the fact that we believe in Him and His word and we receive His gift of salvation…not because of anything we’ve done (or will do) but because of His graciousness.

In so doing, I’m also in love with His Word (which is also Him). A Bible teacher once told us that “time IN the word was time WITH the Word.” It’s timeless and true and it’s pages overflow with the love and wisdom and grace and mercy and justice of Jesus.

Sawyer loves to “read” her Bible and it delights my soul! She’ll sit and repeat stories and lessons she knows to me or Wryder or to herself. Sometimes they get a little discombobulated but that’s ok…I have no doubt that the Lord is delighted with her love for His word.

We’re big fans of the Awana programs and Sawyer’s been a member of Cubbies this year. Last night, she had her Cubbies award ceremony and it was so heartwarming to see so many kids who have taken the time to go through these programs and hide the Lord’s word in their hearts. Some of these kids come from non-Christian homes and some from homes where parents don’t have the most intimate relationship with the Lord, yet they work to memorize Scripture together. It’s a beautiful thing…

These leaders and teachers take time every week to help these kiddos grow in their relationships with the Lord by helping them learn Scripture and apply it to their lives.

With her leader, Ms. Rochelle... — With her leader, Ms. Rochelle…

Goo Goo is definitely leaving a legacy of the fear of the Lord with her family... — With Goo Goo, who is definitely leaving a legacy of the fear of the Lord with her family…

Cubbies has been a huge blessing to our family and I pray that if you are in area that has an Awana club that you would sign your children up!

One last hug until next year... — One last hug until next year…

Sweet Sawyer, I pray your love for the Word and your love for Jesus never waiver…that your thirst for His truth would never be quenched. I am so incredibly proud of all you’ve accomplished and learned this year. You inspire me to dig deeper and memorize more. I love you, sweet pea!