Dancing for Jesus

Carrie Beth had her annual Footsteps in Faith Ballet Recital on Saturday and as usual it was beautiful!  All the classes dance to worship music, truly giving back to God the gifts they were given.  It is one of the most worshipful experiences we have all year.  I cry from beginning to end every year.  This is Carrie Beth’s 4th year and she is just beautiful to watch.  To be so young she really has a passion for dance and a very natural grace about her and she enjoys it so much.  Some of the pics are  a little blurred because we could not use flash and it was hard to capture all the moves with the delay.  But this is just a glimpse of the day.  She loves getting flowers at the end.  This year she received flowers from Mommy and Daddy, Mimi and Poppa G, Mama Fran and Papa Doc and my grandparents.  She had an armful and loved it.  She told us after it was over, “As we were walking back downstairs after the dance, I said to my friends, I wish were walking the other way going to the stage to get ready to do the dance.  I wanted to do it again, Mommy.”  She is a beautiful ballerina and loves worshipping Him this way.  She tells us all the time, “All I want to do is dance for Jesus!”  Thank you Lord for our little ballerina!  I know He was glorified on Saturday…

Walking with Christ

As I sit here and watch this majestical moment in the history of this free land, I am grateful!  Most for the mercies of God on our land and the privilege to live in a country where anyone can be elected to the highest position.  I may not agree with  my new President politically or spiritually, but God has allowed this moment in time for many reasons unknown to us.  I will pray for this administration with a passion like never before and ask God Almighty for extended mercy and guidance.  Most of all I will pray that President Obama will come to have  a personal relationship with Jesus Christ if he doesn’t already.  Not a religion, but a relationship.    And if he does already have a relationhip with HIM, I pray that he will allow the Lord to change his heart to follow all that Christ stands for as he leads this nation. 

But I cannot type this last thought of this day without passionately remembering “43″.  Just seconds before he walked through the doors one last time, the anchors described him in George W. Bush in his own words.  They said of George W. Bush that he was an Evangelical  Christian who had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  That he has been sustained by God.  That his life is best described by himself, as a Walk with Christ….giving him someone to report to other than the American people…that that relationsip is the most important to him.  I could want nothing more to be said of my President than that.  I would want nothing more to be said of me….that my life is best described as a Walk with Chirst.   I thank my God for the leadership over the last 8 years from this man.  I’ve said it all along, the decisions he made he made with conviction after talking to Jesus.  Whether I’ve agreed with everything or not, pales in the light of that thought.  There is a reality that we as Americans have not known all of the information that lead a President to make the decisions this President has had to make.  He cannot be judged solely by what we’ve seen.  Therefore, that is why I have been content knowing that he talks to my Jesus everyday.  He did not just go to church as the President it has been reported that he was active in his faith and this is a man of God.  It is no secret I and many others love this President and will miss him terribly.  God’s hand has been on him.  Because of that it should be of no surpise that the world has hated him at times.  Those who are following Christ wholeheartedly, experience times of great division among others.  The enemy doesn’t like for God to be glorified.  Even Jesus was rejected by the world.

May the years that he served lay a foundation for those to come that without Christ we have no hope for change and no hope for a future.  I am proud to be an American.  I am proud that I live in a land where my child can witness equality in the White House.  But it makes no difference what our race or ethenic background is ultimately.  The only thing that matters is admitting as a country that there is only ONE GOD and without HIM we are nothing.  If we follow anyone other than HIM, we will never have change!   God Bless America !!

Christmas at Poppa G and Mimi’s in Florida

We’ve been here since Friday and having a ball.  Today we celebrated Christmas and then went to the pool again.  We swam all day yesterday and last night went out to eat and dancing on the square in The Villages where Mimi and Poppa G live.  We are having such a good time in the golf carts and beautiful weather.  We have 3 more days of sunny fun!! Yeah!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Merry Christmas

“Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord!”  Luke 2:11

May you know the peace of this night and the joy of tomorrow!! 

Merry Christmas!!  Thank you Lord for this blessed day and for what you did for all of us

My Uncle Oscar

I have a wonderful family both on my mother’s side and my daddy’s.  We don’t see my daddy’s family as much as I’d like but I do have a very special Uncle and Aunt that mean the world to me.  This is my daddy’s mother’s sister and her  husband and for as long as I can remember they have been extra precious to me.   I feel so blessed to have family that loves me and prays for me.  Family that would move a mountain to help me.  That is what I have in this aunt and uncle.  I have very fond memories of my childhood visiting them in Florida, them visiting us in Alabama and I share a deep love of dogs with both of them.  They are gentle and kind and you would love them instantly if you met them.  The older I get the more special they become, and the more I learn of the blessing they are to me and my family from the Lord.   When writing to me my uncle always signs his notes, “With much love I remain, Uncle Oscar”.  Those words always move me.  They give me great comfort and bless me to the depth of my soul.  For they speak constant love, never ending honor for me and forever tenderness that reminds me that he is for me.   They say, “you belong to me…we are family”.  Merry Christmas Uncle Oscar and Aunt Ruby…I love you both more than you know and cherish that you belong to me…that you are MY family!

‘Tis the Season

Sunday was a great day of Christmasing…We went to Alabama for our extended family Christmas and fun was had by all.   I always love getting together with my cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.  We have a fairly large extended family and for those of you who know me well, if you think I talk a lot, come with me to a family gathering.  There are those who make me look rather shy.   But I love this about my family.  We have a lot of fun, carry on 5 to 6 conversations at once, with everyone capable of hearing them all, and we laugh a lot!!    We are dysfunctional in our own right, but as a friend of mine reminds me, there is no functional family.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Most of all what I love is that we are all full of life and we don’t have to ever worry about sitting around and staring at each other.  We are constantly talking, joking or laughing and making memories.  We are extremely loyal and would move heaven and earth to protect each other.  That is a blessing.

On our way back to GA we stopped off and played Santa Claus to a family we adopted.  There was a mom, dad and an 8 year old little girl.     The three of  us had gone shopping as a family a few weeks ago and wrapped all the presents for each of them.  We were so excited to meet them and give them the gifts.  We enjoyed visiting with them first and getting to know them.  Carrie Beth and the little girl became instant friends within minutes of us being there.   After we had been there awhile, we asked the mom how they wanted us to bring the gifts in to hide for Christmas morning.  She said, “Oh no, let her open them tonight while you are here.”  We were a little surprised but that’s what we did.  All three of us went out to the car and brought everything in.  You should have seen their eyes. They each had 8-10 gifts to open and they enjoyed every minute.   As usual we were the most blessed as we shared an unexpected Christmas with a family we had just met.  I love how God is in the details of life, for there were so many gifts that we had no idea they needed that we bought.  As they opened each gift they were amazed at how we seemed to know what they wanted and needed.   As we sat there in their modest home, decorated with a small tree, very beautifully I might add, Jesus was there.  They were a joy to talk to, get to know and share that time with.  God opened the door for us to share Jesus and they have agreed to come to XL with us after the first of the year.  We are thilled.

What I loved the most was watching my daughter get excited about giving this little girl a bit of joy.  She couldn’t wait for her to get each gift opened so she could see what her reaction would be.  When I was growing up my parents always did Operation Christmas Child with us and we do that every year with Carrie Beth too.    We love that as well but there is something extra sweet about having the privilege of seeing the joy in the faces of people when they open a gift you bought for them.   Some of the fondest memories I have  growing up are when my family helped another family.  As we explained to Carrie Beth, we have no guarantees that we won’t be the family in need one day, and oh what a blessing it would be if someone showed God’s love to us in a time of need like that.  We are to be Jesus to each other.

We also reflected with her on how God has so richly blessed us with the richest gifts possible….family and friends that love us and the gift of Jesus.  And how He has moved in our lives through the hands and hearts of other people.  It is a joy to be on either end of the love but for us, Sunday night, it was the breath of heaven that came down in that little living room as God gave us the privilege to be His hands and heart.

I absolutely LOVE buying gifts for others and gifts is not even my love language.   It is such an expression of love for me…it is for my mom too.  I guess I come by it honestly.   We explain to CB that we buy gifts for others at Christmas because the Wise Men brought gifts to baby Jesus.  One of our pastors explains it to their children that way and goes on to say, isn’t it cool that we get to receive gifts as well on Jesus’ birthday.  I love that.  For it truly is not the getting or buying the gifts that is the point.  It is the joy and expression of love that comes when I go looking for anything that will say, I love you and you are special to me…just like the Wise Men did for  Jesus.  It is an expression of love…of the heart.  It is possible for the attitude of the heart to be pure as we shop in the maddness that this season can be at times.  Even God, gives us gifts every day and delights in doing so.  I love that about Him. 

It was pure joy to give to our new friends but I must admit, we left there having been given far more than we brought.  As long as God allows this will be one of our many Christmas traditions as a family.  I say it every year, and I’ll say it again.  ‘Tis the Season to spread joy!!  May I continue to remember daily after the bows are put away that I can spread joy everyday.

No matter your circumstance this holiday, may you know the hope of Jesus and the JOY He truly brings.  There is no JOY without HIM!!

There is never a good time to experience loss

I have recently learned that a sweet friend of ours has passed away.   She was a precious lady and friend and one of the first people that welcomed my family to the church we attend when we first started visiting.  She was in the choir and I sat in front of her.  She made me feel at home and was always so encouraging.  She will be greatly missed and our prayers will continue to go out to her family.

There is never a good time to experience loss, but this time of year seems to be one of the worst.  Today, Dec. 18th my granddaddy died 17 years ago and my grandmother died on Dec. 7th,  34 years ago.  My family has experienced loss at this time of year and it is awful!   My daddy lost both of his parents during this holiday season. 

I’ve often thought of how God must have felt as He sent His son to earth.   That very act gave us this special time of year and  He must have had some grief as He knew what was to come.  He too knows the pain of separation from a loved one (the cross was the greatest separation of all) and the tremendous grief that is felt with a loss like that at any time.

But there is hope and joy if you know Jesus.  I do pray that at this time of year, as you celebrate with your family, that you make sure that you have a relationship with the Lord.  There is no greater gift…He is the reason for the season and this calls us all to celebrate, even in the midst of grief…

To the family of our friend, we love you, are praying for you and will miss your mom and wife with you!!  But what is that I hear…heavens choir is fuller tonight as it prepares to sing “Joy to the World” on Christmas mourn with one of it’s newest saints…

Until we see you again, Merry Christmas as you celebrate with the King of Kings

The joy of being my childs’ teacher

I just have to write this so I won’t forget…

Today while we were having school I asked Carrie Beth a MATH question, one I knew she knew.  

  Here was our dialogue…

I asked her the question–

She looked at me and said, “Hang on let me think.”

About 10 seconds later she looked up and said, “Nope!  Got nothin’ “

I cracked up!!  It made me laugh so hard and reminded me that even little one’s get there thoughts all turned around.  There are many times I know I should know an answer but I too could say because I’m tired or something else, “Nope!  Got nothin’ “

I love Christmas

Last weekend I spent a few days putting up Christmas decoration…a little earlier than usual I know but what can I say.  I love to decorate and doing it at Christmas is extra special.  I have wonderful memories decorating with my mother growing up and it has become such pure joy to do it with Carrie Beth.  She is growing to love it just like we do and absolutely loves her tree in her room.  I could truly live with two seasons, summer and winter although I like the fall days as well.  Everything about the holidays reminds me of family and tender moments.    I realize that everyone doesn’t have those feelings or the blessing of family around them.  And it is important to me that everyone who comes into our home feels at home and loved.  We are trying to explain to Carrie Beth that everyone doesn’t have a family to love and celebrate with.  She is so struggling with this concept.  She is definitely cut from the same piece of relational cloth that I am.  As I do every year, reflecting on the birth of my Lord is so precious to me.  I think long and hard about Mary and all the emotions she went through that first Christmas and the days leading up to it.  For you see, I’m reminded that she had to leave her family behind except for Joseph as she traveled many miles in the cold on a donkey…all the way she was cherishing all those moments in her heart. 

I know that many people hate the commercial image of this holiday time, but I believe it depends on the heart.  There truly is nothing wrong with all the lights, decorations and good food as long as we reflect and remember that for HIm to die He had to be born.  He is the true meaning of the season.  May you know the peace that Jesus brings and the joy He gives as you celebrate this season.

He showed Jesus!

As I sat and listened to John McCain’s speech as everything was over, I was once again, proud to have voted for him.  Although I do not agree with everything he has proposed he has proven to be a man with great character and his words tonight were nothing short of tremendously gracious.  He was humble as he always has been, and reminded me once again how proud I am to be an American.  I applaud him for his service to our country and for defending my freedoms in ways that bring tears to my eyes.  He has been extremely genuine and that has meant more to me as I’ve watched him throughout this race.  As we say at our house when we leave, “Make sure you show the love of Jesus today.”…and John McCain did just that tonight.  Now, may we continue to pray for our leaders and our nation and show the love of Jesus ouselves.  May it be said of us that even though we may disagree, we will not show hate but love.  Let us be reminded that God knew this outcome before the beginning of time and it IS all a part of HIS plan.  May we continue to proclaim our God is an Awesome God!!!  He reigns!  Yes, it is HE who reigns. 

Good night!