This goes out to the one I love...

I remember growing up that it was a big deal on the radio stations to call in and have a dedication made. I never did it...promise I didn't, but I do remember people thinking it was just the coolest.  You would listen to see who so and so's "song" was...what couple was fighting...moving on...new love.  It was a tell all for any small town.

Ric is not a music person...he listens to sermons when he drives...the bible read aloud...he is an R.C. Sproul junkie, so if you get in his ride...that's what you will hear. We never had a "song"...didn't dance at our wedding(which I highly regret). Me on the other hand, I love music. I hear a song and it brings back a memory...I have an iPod full of my favorites...and music is important to me. All that to say, I heard this song this morning...a song I have heard before, but today it meant a whole lot more to me. It's a song about love...commitment...forever...and Jesus...and if I'm gonna have a song with my man..this would be the one. May there be lots of dancing in the minefields...and at the end of my days when I forget my name...I know you will remind me. This goes out to the one I love...

Just like her...

I love Valentine's Day. I love candy...sweet little gifts...cheesy cards...school parties. I love celebrating my love for people on this day...as well as every other day of the year. I surely don't love them anymore just because the calendar tells me too...but I love expressing my love  in an extra way on this particular day.

I love getting to spend time with my husband and kids on this day. Some years we have a special date...some years we are at home with the kids. This year we will be at basketball practice...such is life. I love my man though and pretty much think that he is awesomeness. He loves me, with all my faults...with all my strange tendencies...he just loves me, and I am grateful for that.

Valentines took on a whole 'nother meaning for me 8 years ago. Snow was glistening on the ground that morning...it was freezing cold. I had woken up extra early that morning...why I'm not sure. It could have been Charlie waking up...me getting ready for the day...not being able to sleep because I was almost 9 months pregnant...but I remember where I was...what we were doing when that phone call came. The phone call we knew was coming eventually...but the call that we dreaded. The phone rang sometime after 6 that morning...my mom answered it...I heard her voice quivering as she talked...and I just knew. Knew that my sweet Mama who had been fighting dementia for years had gone to be with Jesus. Knew that our lives would be forever changed because of that day. Mom got off the phone and we just hugged and cried. We were broken...sad...but thankful she was no longer in any pain. Thankful that she was healed...that dementia no longer had its ugly grip on her mind...thankful she was in the presence of the King. I remember smiling and saying to mom..."that's just like her...to go on a day that stands for love...because that is what she did the best...love."

Valentine's Day will never be just about loving on my sweet family...it will forever be a reminder of her life...her love...her legacy. I am thankful to God that He chose to call her home that snowy day...that she lived her life so full of His love...His grace...that it poured out into everyone around her. She stood for love...so for her to be in the presence of Christ that day...well, it's just like her!

Laminin...

Wednesday nights we are going through the book of Colossians with the teenagers.  What a big book for us to wrap our minds around.  The Supremacy of Christ is big stuff, and stuff we want these teenagers to really get.  We are in chapter 1 and we talked about how Jesus holds all things together...including our bodies.  Ric used the illustration of Laminin...a protein molecule.  Yeah...nerd stuff....stuff you probably don't care about if we are being honest.   But this little video blew us away....left these teenagers with open mouths...some broken to tears...me, with chill bumps all over my body!  Take 8 minutes to watch this message from Louie Giglio...it will knock your socks off...I promise it will.  Tonight, I will be amazed at His Supremacy...how awesome He truly is...and how He holds all things together!  And I will continue to be amazed by a molecule called Laminin...what a mighty God we serve and that He cares about little 'ol me!!!
Colossians 1:15-17 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by  him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.   And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.



 

Flowers and torn tights...

Last Saturday night was Daddy/Daughter date night at Chick fil a.  I made reservations about two  weeks ago, and our girls were so excited to get a night out with Dad.  They couldn't wait to get dressed up and go out to eat.  After basketball we came home and got them all cleaned up...hair straightened just so...bows in...tights pulled up...and they were ready to go.

Dad came to the front door and knocked and the girls were just so giggly.  They opened the door and then hid behind it as he asked if Addie and Shelby were at home.  It was a hoot.  We took lots of pictures and the girls loved spinning around in their "puffy" dresses.  They looked so grown up and as I took Addie's picture I said "wow, this is the first time I have taken your picture with both of your front teeth"...she smiled cheesy the rest of the night!  They left in their limo SportTrac and headed to the Chick fil a where a great time with Dad awaited.

They had time to talk, eat good food, eat ice cream, take pictures...and Shelby even won a bouquet of "roses".  She was so excited that they called her name.  It was a special time...just for dads and daughters.

I can't think of a more important relationship for a little girl to have and I'm so glad I have a husband who invests his time in them.  A man that always tells them "why do I love you Addie/Shelby?" ...to hear every time..."cause I'm just Addie/Shelby".  They know he loves them...just for who they are.  Not because Addie is crazy talented in art(which she is)...or because  Shelby is the funniest child ever(which she is).  He just loves them 'cause they are his.

After dinner they went shopping at Wal-mart and went and picked me dinner up, and they came home on cloud nine.  They showed off their flowers...the sweet little gifts that Ric had gave them...they hugged me and said "we had the best time with Dad...we even ate ice-cream"!  Daddy/Daughter date was a success...two happy girls and one proud Dad!

And the torn tights....Shelby tore them in the car...on the way there...no words for this child...no words!

Thank you AT&T...

 Last night, my life as I know it, has been changed for the good. Why you ask? Oh, it's just so good I don't even know if words will do it justice...but I will try. Let me give you a little background so you will get the full affect of this life altering event.

When my husband and I moved to our house nestled in the woods open field we found out quickly that our cell phone service stunk to high heaven.  I was dubbed "queen of the dropped calls" by my friends...had to stand by the window on one leg to get a signal...if I found said signal then I couldn't move for the entire conversation(and y'all know that I can talk).  We would go outside and sit in the garage to talk...in the cars...it was a hot mess people.  Soon folk just quit calling me because I couldn't talk but for two seconds without losing them.  That 's the story people...and it's all true(well except for the standing on one leg part, but I thought that was funny).

Yesterday I get an email from AT&T...I NEVER open their marketing emails, but for some reason on this day I did.  It said..."to thank you for being a loyal customer, we are offering you a FREE microcell tower for your home".  I think my heart stopped...literally.  We almost bought one of these last year, but they are $200, so I didn't.  I start reading the fine print to see what the deal is...I only had to keep my contract with them for 12 months to get it for free...well, my contract is for 12 more months so that didn't change anything.  I call Ric lickety split and tell him to hurry over to that precious AT&T store and get me my cell tower.  I was so excited...people, you just don't know how this is gonna change my life!!!  So Ric comes home last night with this beautiful orange and white box...I am squealing like a girl(even though I am a girl) and he hooks it up.  I think angels were singing...the rain may have stopped for a few seconds...all was right in my world.  My kids were clapping..."yeah Mommy doesn't have to go outside anymore to make a call"(seriously they were)...it was a monumental night on our street.

So, several things came out of this whole expereince....#1 I no longer will be the queen of dropped calls...#2 I know AT&T is doing this to try to keep their customers from switching to Verizon when the iPhone comes out (which we had talked about doing when my contract ran out)....#3 if I could only convince them to make a mini cell tower for my car...than life would be just peachy!!

You know I always love to pull spiritual cards when I write...maybe it's just cause I love Jesus and He is always teaching me awesome stuff through everyday life...even Microcell towers...but I learned something from that sweet orange and white box.  When my service was bad, I was constantly dropping calls and had a bad connection...people couldn't hear me...I couldn't hear them.  Same thing goes for our relationship with God... Psalm 66:18 " If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear."  If we have unconfessed sin in our hearts...than there is a disconnection there. His word also tells us in  Isaiah 59:1,2 that "God's hand is not short that He cannot save, neither His ear heavy that He cannot hear.  But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear."

We want to blame God when things don't work out the way we want to...but from these verses we see that the problem is not on God's side...not His inability...His hand is not short and His hearing is just fine.  It's us...our sin that breaks that connection with God.  It cuts the line...drops the call...and until we confess that sin, our connection will never have "5 bars".  I have lived without having a good connection on my cell phone for 5 years now...and yes, there have been times in my life where my connection with God was on the outs.  I'm thankful that I don't have to wait on a promotional email...a little orange and white box...to get my connection with the Lord fixed.  Praise God that He promises us in 1 John 1:9 that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  

So today I am praising God for the blessing of my microcell tower...and more improtantly that I have a God that hears me...that loves me...and that I can have a real connection with! 

Yes...this is my phone...with 5 bars...can I get a whoop whoop!