LET'S GO BLUE!!

This was taken at the basketball game Friday night. The women's basketball team defeated LSU, the #8 team in the country. It was so fun!!

Wanna make it snow?

If you want it to snow, do the following (in no particular order):

1. Put a spoon under your pillow.
2. Flush an ice cube down the toilet.
3. Wear your PJ's inside out.
4. Do the snow dance.

Well, Claire thinks so anyway.

What kind of kids are you growing?

Stephen and I will be co-teaching a class with two other couples at our church this January called Growing Kids God's Way. We have taken the class twice and were so blessed by what we learned. When the opportunity to teach came about, we jumped at the chance. We are so excited to be able to share our experiences and what we have learned about parenting with others. We, by no means, feel like we have it all together. But we have been blessed by this material, and we feel like we have a responsibility to share our blessings with others.

Anyway, the last time we took the class, my friend Bonnie shared this story with us and I was thinking about it today. It has new meaning to me, especially as I am getting ready to homeschool. Also, today, I have been dealing with the "uniqueness" of my children in a not so pleasant way ;) I wanted to share this story with you, and I hope it blesses you as you seek to raise your kids in the image of God.


Gifts from God
by Max Lucado

A gardener gave a seedling to his friend, the orange grower. "Consider this a gift."

An orchestra conductor presented a package to her favorite cellist. "Just because I appreciate your work," she told her.

An artist thanked a plumber for his neighborliness by giving him a present.

And so the orange grower, the cellist, and the plumber unwrapped their gifts.

The orange grower planted the seedling, anticipating oranges. After all, he grew oranges, so this must be an orange-tree-to-be. But the plant spread into bushy, clustered branches. The orange grower couldn't coax a single orange out of his grove. He sprinkled it with orange-tree fertilizer, sprayed it with orange tree bug spray. He even poured orange juice on the soil. But, alas, no oranges. Tomatoes, yes. But oranges, no. He felt like a failure.

The cellist empathized. She had expected a cello. She was somewhat correct. The package contained an accordion. She treated the accordion like a cello, setting the base on the floor and running her bow across the keys. Noise came forth, but no music. She was less than enthused.

As was the plumber. He expected a gift of wrenches and hammers, but he was given a brush and palette. Puzzled, he set out to repair a leaky pipe with his new tools. But brushes don't open valves, and a palette won't tighten joints. He painted the plumbing and grumbled.

The orange grower raised tomatoes, but he preferred oranges. The cellist made sounds, but not music. The plumber painted the pipe, but didn't fix it.

Each assumed the gift would be what they knew rather than what the giver gave.

Each year God gives millions of parents a gift, a brand new baby. They tend to expect oranges, cellos, and plumbing tools. Heaven tends to distribute tomatoes, accordions, and paint supplies. Moms and Dads face a decision. Make our children in our image? Or release our children to follow their God-given identities?

God prewired your infant. He scripted your toddlers strengths. He set your teen on a trajectory. God gave you an eighteen year research project. Ask yourself, your spouse, and your friends: what sets this child apart? Childhood tendencies forecast adult abilities. Attend carefully to the unique childhood of your child. Uncommon are the parents who attempt to learn--and blessed are their children.

Wordless Wednesday

blue eyes

Really, God? Homeschool?

That's right. I believe with all my heart that God is calling us to homeschool. We homeschooled Jordan for the beginning of Kindergarten, and I loved it. But we got some misinformation from the schoolboard and it freaked me out, so I put him in school the next day. Well, it has been in the back of my mind ever since. Things that have happened over the last two years have now become very clear to me. Is this crazy? Maybe. Could it possibly not be God that I am hearing, buy my own desire? Maybe. But, as Beth Moore says, if I'm going to err, let me err on the side of faith. I won't go into all the details here, because frankly, it would be a really long, boring story. But we are confident that this is what God is calling us to do. Would you pray for us as we begin to plan for this journey? We thought, at first, we would let them finish out the year where they are. But some things have happened over the last week or so that have changed our minds. So, after the holidays, I will be a homeschooler!!! I am very excited, but we have a lot to do to get ready.

On another note, my baby turned 8 today! Jordan Andrew Shirley was born eight years ago today and I simply cannot believe it. Those of you with babies at home who think this time will last forever, it doesn't. But it does get better and better.

Jordan, I love you so much. I am so incredibly proud of you and the young man you are becoming. You are bright, unbelievably smart, funny, sweet, a fantastic big brother. You love to read. You love to learn. You love sports and playing soccer. You love God and are beginning to understand what that means. I am praying for your journey to becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. He loves you more than I could ever describe to you. I thank God for picking me to be your mommy!!! And yes, I will always call you my baby! Happy Birthday!!!!

Another sweet baby to pray for

Tonight, I went with my mother-in-law to the Farm Bureau Christmas dinner. One of the agents that was there has a baby girl named Larsen. I think she is four months old. The director asked that we pray for her because she needed a miracle. After the dinner, I went to the baby's father, Frank, and asked him how I could pray for his baby because no details were given. He said that all he could think of was that they need strength. Larsen has a rare genetic disorder that is causing her pulmonary arteries not to grow or function. The doctors have just recently told them that there really isn't anything more they can do for her. They have given her one, maybe two years (I tnink this is what he said) to live. Please pray for Frank, Tamara and baby Larsen. I can't imaging what they are going through. I don't know why God keeps leading me to these people, but I do know that I am responsible to pray for them. Maybe God knows I will not keep this prayer request to myself.

Blessed be your Name...

When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your Name.

You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be your name.

Sweet Claire

First of all, Claire got bangs! She has been begging me for quite some time. I have always had bangs, and I have also always wanted to not have them. So, when I had Claire, I said that I would never let her have them. Then I realized how silly that was. She loves them! Today, after her telling me for the 1000th time she wanted bangs, I said, "Why do you want bangs so bad? Who has bangs that you like?" She looked at me with that classic Claire look and

said, "Duh. Y-O-U!" I melted.

Second, I don't know how well you can tell in this picture, but Claire has been going around the house and finding things to give as presents. She has wrapped them all in construction paper, and written "To (name) from Claire." Yesterday, as she was wrapping, she said, "Mom, know what my favorite part about Christmas is this year? Giving presents. Because giving is more important than getting." Took the words right out of my mouth, baby girl.

Blessed

I have been reminded again of how incredibly blessed my life is. Not from a financial standpoint, although I need nothing. I just have so many blessings that I can't even begin to list them all. I was thinking today about Christmas and how we aren't going to be able to provide everything our kids want. But then as I was putting all of our sheets back on our beds, I thought of all the children in the world who don't have beds. I thought of all the children who don't have toys as I was moving the kids toys off their beds to put their sheets back on. I started thinking about having food in my kitchen anytime I want something to eat. I have amazing friends, some of whom I have only met through this blog and others, who I count among my greatest blessings. I have an unbelievable family, on my side and Stephen's. My FOUR kids are all healthy, happy and beautiful. I could go on and on.

The reason for this post is not to brag about how great my life is. Lately, I have found myself in a very negative place about where we are in our life, and I have just been reminded that I have absolutely NO reason to complain. I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams and I couldn't be more grateful.

Please pray for the Luce family tonight, as they welcomed their precious baby girl, Poppy Joy, into the world yesterday, three hours before she went to be with Jesus. Their website is www.poppyjoy.blogspot.com. Also, another famliy with the same situation (Trisomy 18) is welcoming their baby boy, Tristan, tomorrow morning. Please pray for them as well.

Boy, oh boy

Man. When something hits me, it hits me hard. I have realized today, tonight specifically, how little self-control I have. I can't really explain in detail, but I think God is shouting at me that I cannot live this life on my own. If I truly want to belong to Him and live the life He has called me to, I have to give up my own way. I have to surrender everything to Him, even if it hurts for a while. And the yucky stuff I want gone anyway, well, that will just be an added bonus. Why is this so hard? Maybe one day I can explain more. One thing I do know is that self-control is something I must have to please God. It is something I must have to be able to witness to others. It is something I must have in order to live the life He has called me to live.

So, tomorrow, this is my quest.

Question...

Do you draw a line between your physical health/fitness and being a Christian? I mean, not that anyone who is overweight and/or in poor health isn't a good Christian. I am just wondering if the two are related in some way. I have been searching today for some scripture that would help clear this question up, but I can't really find anything. Maybe that means they aren't really related. Any thoughts?

6 Months and Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Updates

First things first: Campbell is 6 months old! She had her checkup yesterday. She weighed 15 lbs 6 0z and was a little over 25 inches long. She is doing well. She has been running a little fever, so she couldn't get her shots. I have to take her back tomorrow for that. Overall, though, she is perfect. I couldn't ask for a sweeter baby.

As far as our neighborhood goes, there was another shooting Wednesday night at the same house. But, it is all drug/gang related. So if you aren't in a gang or involved in drugs, you are pretty safe. We are taking the necessary precautions like playing at other parks, not being outside too late, and making sure our kids know all the safety rules. But honestly, God has given me a sense of safety and security lately that I haven't felt here before, and we have lived here for almost 4 years.

Thanksgiving is going to be crazy. We have always gone to my paternal grandmother's for lunch and my maternal grandmother's for dinner. We are doing neither this year. Lunch will be at my dad's sister's house, and dinner just isn't happening. My grandmother lost her best friend this week and she just isn't feeling up to it. We have other family issues going on on the other side of the family, which is why we are going to my aunt's house. It will actually work better because she has more room. It will just be weird not being where we always are. I know, though, that the important thing is that we will all be together and it doesn't matter where we are. That is what I am focusing on.

Tomorrow, the kids and I are making goody bags for the boys at Cedar Grove Boys' Home. This is a place that my church works with. Every year at Thanksgiving, Stephen's family is in charge of their lunch and whoever is available goes and has T'giving with the boys at the home. Since we can't do the lunch, we are making the bags so the kids will feel a part of that tradition. The kids will make cards to attach to the bags to encourage the residents, so I hope my kids will understand who they are helping. I am going to talk to them about it tonight.

Well, that is about all that is going on with us. I will post some pictures later. Hope everyone has a good day.

Are we safe?

A shooting took place in our neighborhood yesterday. It was on the street that runs paralell to ours. We were outside and heard the whole thing. It happened at 3:30 in the afternoon. The getaway car was parked on the street that connects our street to the street it happened on. I heard the shots, I heard the sirens, and I heard the getaway car screech away. I also found out last week that the park on the same street where the shooting happened that we go to alot is gang territory. At what point do you decide the risk of staying somewhere it too dangerous? Are we safe? We know most of our neighbors right around us, but do we worry anyway? We really can't afford to move, but should we find a way to move anyway to keep our family safe? Or is our family safe where we are and we just need to trust God to keep us safe? These are the things that I am thinking today. This, and the thought that if I had been walking to the park, as we always do, I would have walked right past the getaway car and probably would have seen the shooters. Scary.

New insight

I usually use the New International Version of the Bible. My son, Jordan, has the New Living Translation. It was in the car so I read some of my favorite passages while I was waiting in the pick-up line at school. I have been looking for a verse to claim to help me with the changes I am trying to make in my life, breaking old habits, etc. I had read this verse in my Bible, but it spoke to me today. It is Rom. 8:11-12. "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do." The part in italics is what jumped out at me. Just wanted to share.

Suggestions, please...

I am trying to change the way I eat. I don't want to call it a diet, because I don't see it as something temporary. I see it as a life change, for me and my family. My question is this: does anyone have suggestions for eating healthy on a budget? Healthy foods are so much more expensive. We are on the tightest budget ever and I am having a hard time here. Also, my trainer wants me to eat 5 small meals a day. I don't know if I can afford to buy enough food to eat that much. Also, I don't want to eat if I'm not hungry just to fit the meals in, but that's another post. So, any suggestions you could offer would be great! Thanks.

5 months and a thought...

Campbell is actually 5 1/2 months now, but anyway, I have been seeing blogs where people put a picture of their babies for each month on their first birthday. I don't think I have one for month three, but I have the rest. So, I hope to do this on her first birthday. Anyway, here are her pictures for month 5. (The ones for today at least ;)




The words from a song spoke to me today. They kind of described where my thoughts are today. I challenge all of us to look at how we are spending our time.



"Sometimes I feel disappointed, by the way I spend my time, How can I further your kingdom, when I'm so wrapped up in mine?" This is from "In the Blink of an Eye" by Casting Crowns I think. I have been thinking a lot about making my life what it is supposed to be. Making sure I am the mom God wants me to be to his babies, making sure I am the wife I am supposed to be, the friend, daughter, etc. So when I heard this, it was exactly what I needed to hear. My life is not about me. God put me here to serve and love Him and point others to Him. That's it. Nothing more. Just something I need to remember.

FYI: If you smell nail polish...

and have a two year old, go find him! Sorry some of the pictures are blurry, I couldn't get him to stand still. Shocking.

Another song...

I don't know how many of you are touched by songs. I honestly don't know if I could live without music. Any kind. I heard a song today on the radio that I have heard several times before, and I have even sung along with it. But today I actually stopped and paid attention to the words. It is exactly what I have been trying to say about how I feel about Jesus right now. I don't know if I can adequately explain...I guess I can't because I can't even find words to finish this sentence. Anyway, here are the lyrics. Again, I don't know how to put a song on here, so if you can, go find it and listen to it. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Everything to Me by Avalon
I grew up in sunday school
I memorized the Golden rule
And how Jesus came to set the sinner free
I know the story inside out
I can tell you all about
The path that led Him up to Calvary
But ask me why He loves me
And I don't know what to say
But i'll never be the same
Because he changed my life when He became...

Everything to me
He's more than a story
more than words on a page of history
He's the air that I breath
The water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
He's everything, everything to me

We're living in uncertain times
And more and more I find that i'm aware
Of just how fragile life can be
I want to tell the world I found
A love that turned my life around
They need to know that they can taste and see
Now everyday I'm praying
Just to give my heart away
I want live for Jesus
So that someone else might see that he is...

Everything to me
He's more than a story
more than words on a page of history
He's the air that I breath
The water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
He's everything
And looking back over my life at the end
I'll go to meet you saying you've been...

You're everything to me
You're more than a story
More than words on a page of history
You're everything to me
You're more than a story
More than words on a page of history
You're the air that I breath
The water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
You're everything to meLord, you're everything to me

What am I doing here?

OK. I know a lot of people from my church are going to read this, so let me start out by saying that I love my church. I love the people there, and I especially love the dear friends I have made there. That having been said...

I am really struggling with my church right now. Let me explain just one example. I feel like we are focusing on the wrong things. I feel like we are focusing too much on being "perfect" and too little on reaching out to the lost. We are focusing too much on how our church building looks, making sure it is beautiful, but not enough on bringing people to our building who couldn't care less what it looks like. To me, Halloween is a perfect opportunity to reach out to our community. Why not throw a huge party and open your doors and offer the community a safe, positive place to spend Halloween? I am just not sure I understand. We couldn't even have Trunk-or-Treat in the parking lot. I just think it is ridiculous. My friend Brandon had a great post on this and there were some great comments made. (His blog is http://www.brandonscottthomas.blogspot.com/.) One of the commenters said that he didn't want to be that guy in the neighborhood with the porch light off who doesn't hand out candy to the neighbors. He was saying that he didn't understand how we are supposed to be the light of Jesus to the world if we seclude ourselves from it.

I get that we are supposed to be what Jesus wants. We are supposed to strive to be like Him in everything we do. But I don't think Jesus thought parking lots were sacred. And I don't think He would have shut himself in his house and turned the porch light off on Halloween night. I think He would have had the little dressed up children on his knees telling them how great their costumes looked. I think he would have reached out with a smile on his face and love would have radiated from him. Why can't we do this? I just don't understand. I know that I am at this church for a reason; I am just not sure what that reason is, yet.