the o'steens

it's been a while...

2012-01-07T10:15:00.000-06:00

...but please watch this video of the alexanders bringing home their precious baby girl, and 3rd orphan from ethiopia. i was boo-hooing. what a beautiful picture of the gospel. we have a heavenly father who loves us so much, and has adopted us as orphans into His forever family. nothing could be sweeter.

me a to z...

2011-08-10T09:08:00.000-05:00

just for fun :)

A. age :: 31

B. bed size :: olympic queen

C. chore you hate :: mopping the floors!

D. dogs :: not at the moment :(

E. essential start to your day :: the Word

F. favorite color :: pink & white

G. gold or silver :: gold

H. height :: 5'8"

I. instruments you play :: none

J. job title :: mommy

K. kids :: owen. evan & chloe

L. live :: grapevine, tx

M. maiden name :: bieroth

N. nicknames :: jenn, jenny

O. overnight hospital stays :: with owen's birth

P. pet peeve :: repetitive noises

Q. quote :: "have your heart right with Christ, and He will visit you often, and so turn weekdays into Sundays, meals into sacraments, homes into temples, and earth into heaven." -Charles Spurgeon

R. righty or lefty :: lefty

S. siblings :: older sister & younger sister

T. time you wake up :: 6:30 give or take :)

U. university attended :: baylor university

V. vegetables you dislike: green beans

W. what makes you run late :: getting 4 people ready

X. x-rays you’ve had :: chiropractor, dentist

Y. yummy food :: chocolate chip cookies

Z. zoo animal favorite :: tigers

quote love...

2011-08-09T09:57:00.000-05:00

have you heart right with Christ,
and He will visit you often,
and so turn,
weekdays into Sundays,
meals into sacraments,
homes into temples,
and earth into heaven.

-Charles Spurgeon

the missional church simple

2011-08-01T16:38:00.002-05:00

the missional community simple

2011-06-30T15:05:00.002-05:00

quote love...

2011-06-24T19:05:00.001-05:00

i love nature. it truly stirs my affections for our Creator. just take a minute and soak it in. i was trying to tell someone the other day what my favorite season is, and i truly couldn't pick one. i appreciate and love so much about all of them.

"something of God...flows into us from the blue of the sky, the taste of honey, the delicious embrace of water...."

-C.S. Lewis in 'Scraps', St. James' Magazine

striving for this...

2011-05-30T15:32:00.000-05:00

Missional Community

2011-05-17T18:27:00.002-05:00

Renovation Church - Atlanta, GA from Verge Network on Vimeo.

the missional church simple

2011-05-10T13:44:00.003-05:00

Now is all we have.

2011-04-18T13:52:00.000-05:00

Read here.

A little girl and a poor frail lady

2011-04-12T21:38:00.001-05:00

Tuesdays are long for me. Lanny is gone all day usually until about 10pm. I'm in a good place with Tuesdays though. We have a great routine and I don't dread them like I used to. However, I am still pretty tired at the end of the day.
Tonight I was putting the kids to bed, and Owen was asking me to read him a story like we do every night. My immediate reaction was no because I still had to put Evan and Chloe to bed, and there was so much that still needed to be done around the house.
After I got the girls to bed, I went in to kiss Owen one last time, and, of course, he asked again if we could read a story. I couldn't resist those puppy dog eyes so I agreed to "just one" story.
I turned to the next story in line..."A little girl and a poor frail lady. The story of Jairus' daughter, from Luke 8". It's a beautiful story about a loving father whose little girl is deathly ill. Her father sets out on foot to find Jesus in hopes that He will heal his daughter. When he finds him, Jairus begs Jesus to please heal his daughter. Jesus agrees, and they start making the journey back to his house. Jesus was pretty well known for being able to heal people, so you can only imagine the crowds that followed him, making it difficult to get to the little girl in a timely manner. And on the way an elderly woman, frail and sick, touches the hem of his robe in hopes of being healed. I'll pick up the story there from the Jesus Storybook Bible:

"Who touched me?" Jesus asked, because he felt power go out of him. "Me", said a frail lady looking down at the ground because she was ashamed. The poor lady had been sick for twelve years and she had to get well. She knew if she only touched Jesus' coat, she would be healed. So she touched his coat and instantly she was well. "We don't have time!" Jesus' friends said. But Jesus always had time. He reached out his hands and gently lifted her head. He looked into her eyes and smiled. "You believed," he said, wiping a tear from her eye, "and now you are well."

The story goes on to say that Jairus' daughter passes away because they didn't get to her in time. I can see it now.... everyone saying, "see I knew we didn't have time for that old woman. Now Jairus' daughter is dead." But Jesus knew different. They continued on to Jairus' house and, among the doubters, Jesus brings the little girl back to life.

I will never be able to get back April 12, 2011 with my sweet Owen. I'm so thankful that I listened to my heart and spent the 10 minutes (ridiculous that I didn't think I had 10 min.) reading to him. And what a valuable lesson I learned myself. Regardless of how tired I am, or what chores are waiting to be done, I need to remember Jesus always had time. He was here to serve, to love. That is so important for me to teach my kids. But I have to be willing to model it. Especially when it comes to spending time with them. That's what they value most, right?

I should always have time. Nothing is more important.

why 1000 gifts?

2011-03-04T14:47:00.000-06:00

"counting one thousand gifts is more than gratitude. that can be mere cultural construct. counting one thousand gifts is about eucharisteo. that is Christ command. eucharisteo, that greek word that expresses what Christ did at the last supper: take the bread of pain as grace. give thanks for that which is hard. endure the cross, all in view of the joy set before. counting one thousand gifts means counting the hard things - otherwise i've miscounted."

-ann voskamp
(read more here.)

aaron's blessing

2011-03-03T09:53:00.000-06:00

this is a prayer that lanny always prays over our children.

"the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine
upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance
upon you and give you peace."
-Numbers 6:24-26

i came across it today while reading and was just curious as to what some commentaries said about it. it is such a beautiful prayer. here's what i found:

"the priests were solemnly to bless the people in the name of the Lord. to be under the almighty protection of God our Saviour; to enjoy his favor as the smile of a loving Father, or as the cheering beams of the sun; while he mercifully forgives our sins, supplies our wants, consoles the heart, and prepares us by his grace for eternal glory; these things form the substance of this blessing, and the sum total of all blessings."

new lenses

2011-02-17T14:41:00.005-06:00

I just finished Exodus today. I love how its all coming together in my mind. How all the random stories I learned as a child are finally making sense in one big picture. All parts to the story that He is writing, that He has been writing. God instructing Moses on how to get His people out of Egypt. How many times it would take before Pharaoh would agree. The Israelites eating manna alone for 40 years. 40 unimaginably long years, but that was just what they needed to sustain. God giving Moses detailed instructions on constructing the tabernacle and then putting His spirit into the craftsmen so that they could execute perfectly. It all has a purpose. I admit it can all run together. It can be boring at times. But maybe we should change our lenses. These things must happen for the rest of history to happen. For Jesus to happen. For hope to happen. Read through those lenses. Read through lenses of awe at every detail. Read through lenses of eucharisto.

"The passion on the page is a Person, and the lens I wear of the Word is not abstract idea but the eyes of the God-Man who came and knows the pain." -Ann Voskamp

a long wait...

2011-01-17T14:09:00.000-06:00

I can't say enough about her. I've said it before, the Lord uses her mightily to speak to me. To touch the deepest parts of my soul. Her way with words is supernatural. Only from Him. Please read this book. It just might change your life. My prayer for you is that it does.

The Glad Surrender

2011-01-03T13:05:00.000-06:00

Year naming. It has quickly become a tradition that I love. Last year, communion.

This year, discipline.

It's not a word that makes me want to curl up with a blanket and hot cup of tea by the fire and soak it in. It doesn't emote the same comforting, safe feeling as learning to commune with my Jesus did. It is a word of another kind. It will teach me, stretch me, grow me. It will leave an unsettled feeling. Convict. But it is a word that I feel blessed to have received. It calls me to a higher standard of myself. If I can commit to it, battle through it, believe it and Him for what it promises to be, then all the stretching, growing, and teaching will be worth it.

Hebrews 12:11
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Advent

2010-12-19T21:33:00.003-06:00

Well now it's day 22. I missed some days. It makes me sad because I wanted to post something every day of advent for my own accountability. But like most things, I started with gusto and great intentions and life got in the way.

But there is grace.

And church tonight refilled my lungs. And my heart. Our pastor talked about the Israelites and their journey waiting for the King. As he spoke tonight the Spirit really put in perspective for me how long they had to wait. In our bibles we read the old testament and all the prophecies about the Messiah, conclude with Malachi, and jump right on in to the gospels with Jesus' birth. For us, it's immediate. For God's people it was around 400 YEARS! I didn't realize that, and I don't know about you, but I think I would've lost hope. So when He finally came, can you just imagine the emotion that had been building for thousands of years? Can you imagine the joy? Can you imagine the shepherds laying eyes on their King?

I try. But I just don't think anything that I conjure up could be anything near to what they felt. But one thing I do know is that when we sing the songs of Christmas they fill my heart and give me just a glimpse into the weight of the waiting. And I'm thankful.

Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

Advent

2010-12-13T14:44:00.000-06:00

Days 9, 10, 11, 12, & 13
My kids LOVE to sing. They have recently been captivated by "This Little Light of Mine". I could hear them singing in the background as I read today's reading in A Jesus Advent Celebration by Ann Voskamp.
It says in Isaiah 9:2&6:
"Before those people lived in darkness, but now they have seen a great light. They lived in a dark land, but a light has shined on them...A child has been born to us; God has given a son to us. He will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be Wonderful, Counselor, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace."
We were given the Light of the world to rescue us out of sin and darkness. What a gift. All we have to do is accept it. But I am also challenged today by the message sung by three tiny voices...

"This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel - NO!
I'm gonna let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel - NO!
I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Don't let satan (blow) it out,
I'm gonna let it shine.
Don't let satan (blow) it out,
I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Let it shine 'til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine.
Let it shine 'til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."

Advent

2010-12-08T15:38:00.001-06:00

Day 11
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

-Frances J. Crosby, 1873

Advent

2010-12-07T14:50:00.000-06:00

Day 10
I am unbelievably blessed to be surrounded by a group of women who walk with each other through this crazy life. We are all different, but we all love Jesus. Our deepest desire is to love Him more, and to be like Him more to each other and others around us. Our pastor always says, "It's ok to not be ok, but you just can't stay there." And there are many things that we struggle with, and one of my favorite things about "us" is that we struggle together. We aren't afraid to confess to each other, but there is always encouragement, wisdom, and a big bath of prayer. We were talking last night about just wanting to love Him more and commune with Him more, and how difficult that is sometimes, I had this thought on the way home (this is part of the email that I wrote them)...

What is my ultimate goal for my devotional life? What would I want it to look like so that I would be satisfied and not frustrated all the time? So the obvious answer I came up with is something like....to be communing with Him daily, in the word, MEMORIZING the word, in prayer constantly, etc. etc...

Then I thought....I know I am not perfect, yet that seems like a "perfect" goal. Or better put, I know I won't be satisfied or happy with myself until my devotional life looks something like that. SO what if I need to change my goal? What if I just accept the hills and valleys (because I know they will come) and shift my goal to be that I strive to learn and welcome (and even delight in) being refined in both of those times as much as I can. If I mentally shift my goal, then it seems that the pressure is off. I know that sounds silly, but you do what you gotta do, right? Then my mind is free to just love Him, and what matters is where are hearts and minds are focused ALL the time. Just like that quote in the book:

"All we have to do is devote our most valuable mental attentions to it ("it" being whatever we make our god...). In it's most basic essence, worship is simple focus." -Beth Moore

If our focus is simple and on Him, all of our "quiet times" will look differently. They should. Heck, we ourselves shouldn't do the same things every day. Keep it fresh and exciting and He'll seem that way. We are all different people and the Holy Spirit convicts us of different things. But our focus should all be the same...simply Jesus.

I'll leave you with the devotion in Jesus Calling from yesterday, ironically on lulu day (I know most of you have probably read it, but it's good):

What I Want Most

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." -Deuteronomy 6:5

Staying close to Me is really all about love-My love for you and your love for Me.

Too many people believe their faith is all about what they do. They give Me their time, their money, and their service, but they don't give Me the one thing I want most-their hearts.

Be careful not to let your faith become a set of rules to follow: church on Sunday, read your Bible, pray ten minutes each day. Rules lead to habits-things you do without even thinking-lulling your soul to sleep.

What I search for in My children is an awakened soul that finds My Presence thrilling! There is abundant Joy in My Presence-and it is for you. After all, I created you to glorify Me and enjoy Me forever. I provide the Joy; your job is to live close to Me. This brings Glory to Me and Joy to you!

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." -Psalm 16:11

Let us find more of Him this Advent season and always.

Advent

2010-12-06T08:08:00.000-06:00

Day 9
"Jesus observed, "Without me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Yet we act, for the most part, as though without us God can do nothing. We think we have to make Christmas come, which is to say we think we have to bring about the redemption of the universe on our own. When all God needs is a willing womb, a place of safety, nourishment, and love. "Oh, but nothing will get done," you say. "If I don't do it, Christmas won't happen." And we crowd out Christ with our fretful fears. God asks us to give away everything of ourselves. The gift of greatest efficacy and power that we can offer God and creation is not our skills, gifts, abilities, and possessions. The wise men had their gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Paul and Peter had their preaching. Mary offered only space, love, belief. What is it that delivers Christ into the world - preaching, art, writing, scholarship, social justice? Those are all gifts well worth sharing. But preachers lose their charisma, scholarship grows pedantic, social justice alone cannot save us. In the end, when all other human gifts have met their inevitable limitation, it is the recollected one, the bold virgin with a heart in love with God who makes a sanctuary of her life, who delivers Christ who then delivers us. Try it. Leave behind your honed skills and knowledge. Leave the Christmas decorations up in the attic. Go to someone in need and say, "Here, all I have is Christ." And find out that that is enough."

-Loretta Ross-Gotta

Advent

2010-12-05T07:42:00.000-06:00

Day 8
Luke 2:7
"And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn."

Advent

2010-12-04T07:38:00.000-06:00

Day 7
Psalm 89:1-4
"I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness. You have said, I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: 'I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.'"

Advent

2010-12-03T07:29:00.006-06:00

Day 6
John 1:4-5
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not."

forgotten christmas

2010-12-02T17:31:00.000-06:00

Advent

2010-12-02T14:19:00.000-06:00

Day 5

Light of lights! All gloom dispelling,
Thou didst come to make thy dwelling
Here within our world of sight.
Lord, in pity and in power,
Thou didst in our darkest hour
Rend the clouds and show thy light.

Praise to thee in earth and heaven
Now and evermore be given,
Christ, who are our sun and shield.
Lord, for us thy life thou gavest,
Those who trust in thee thou savest,
All thy mercy stands revealed.

-St. Thomas Aquinas

Advent

2010-12-01T14:11:00.000-06:00

Day 4
Genesis 3:8-15
"And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself." He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman who you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." The Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

God passes sentence for their disobedience in verse 15; and he begins where the sin began, with the serpent. Under the cover of the serpent, the devil is sentenced to be degraded and accursed of God; detested and abhorred of all mankind; also to be destroyed and ruined at last by the great Redeemer, signified by the breaking of his head.

Advent

2010-11-30T13:58:00.002-06:00

Day 3
Isaiah 40:9-11
"Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news, lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young."

I can't help but see so many parallels between the waiting that was done before the tiny King was born in a manger, and the waiting believers are doing now. Waiting for his return. Anxiously. Reverently. Waiting. The prophet Isaiah was charging the people of Zion and Jerusalem to get up, proclaim it, lift up their voice with strength, shout it from a mountain top...Behold this is your King! The One you have been waiting for. He is here! The disciples were commanded to tell the world, starting in Jerusalem. Lord, help me to obey.

Advent

2010-11-29T14:49:00.002-06:00

Day 2
Isaiah 52:7-10
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." The voice of your watchmen-they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God."

Advent

2010-11-28T14:26:00.020-06:00

Day 1
Adventus comes from the greek word Parousia which is used 24 times in the New Testament to mean "coming, arrival, personal presence." It was also commonly used in reference to the second coming of Christ. The season of advent serves as a reminder both of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the Messiah, and for the waiting of the return of Christ.

Isaiah 40:1-5
"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

Matthew 24:44
"Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

Isaiah 11:1-2
"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord."

'tis the season...

2010-11-26T14:30:00.001-06:00

this is a great reminder as we enter into a holiday season that has been misshapen, misconstrued, and completely turned upside down from it's true meaning. let us remember during this Advent and christmas season that we are indeed awaiting the birth of Jesus, without whom we would have nothing.

radical

2010-09-15T14:20:00.000-05:00

This is an excerpt from the book I am currently reading, and it just drives the point home.

"So how do we respond to this gospel? Suddenly contemporary Christianity sales pitches don't seem adequate anymore. Ask Jesus to come into your heart. Invite Jesus to come into your life. Pray this prayer, sign this card, walk down this aisle, and accept Jesus as your personal Savior. Our attempt to reduce this gospel to a shrink-wrapped presentation that persuades someone to say or pray the right things back to us no longer seems appropriate.
That is why none of these man-made catch phrases are in the Bible. You will not find a verse in Scripture where people are told to "bow your heads, close your eyes, and repeat after me." You will not find a place where a superstitious sinner's prayer is even mentioned. And you will not find an emphasis on accepting Jesus. We have taken the infinitely glorious Son of God, who endured the infinitely terrible wrath of God and who now reigns as the infinitely worthy Lord of all, and we have reduced him to a poor, puny Savior who is just begging for us to accept him.
Accept him? Do we really think Jesus needs our acceptance? Don't we need him?
I invite you to consider with me a proper response to this gospel. Surely more than praying is involved. Surely more than religious attendance is warranted. Surely this gospel evokes unconditional surrender of all that we are and all that we have to all that he is.
You and I desperately need to consider whether we have ever truly, authentically trusted in Christ for our salvation. In this light Jesus' words at the end of the Sermon on the Mount are some of the most humbling in all Scripture.
"Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?" Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"
Jesus was not speaking here to irreligious people, atheists, or agnostics. He was not speaking to pagans or heretics. He was speaking to devoutly religious people who were deluded into thinking they were on the narrow road that leads to heaven when they were actually on the broad road that leads to hell. According to Jesus, one day not just a few but many will be shocked-eternally shocked-to find that they were not in the kingdom of God after all.
The danger of spiritual deception is real. As a pastor, I shudder at the thought and lie awake at night when I consider the possibility that scores of people who sit before me on a Sunday morning might think they are saved when they are not. Scores of people who have positioned their lives on a religious road that make grandiose promises at minimal cost. We have been told all that is required is a one-time decision, maybe even mere intellectual assent to Jesus, but after that we need not worry about his commands, his standards, or his glory. We have a ticket to heaven, and we can live however we want on earth. Our sin will be tolerated along the way. Much of modern evangelism today is built on leading people down this road, and crowds flock to it, but in the end it is a road built on sinking sand, and it risks disillusioning millions of souls.
Biblical proclamation of the gospel beckons us to a much different response and leads us down a much different road. Here the gospel demands and enables us to turn from our sin, to take up our cross, to die to ourselves, and to follow Jesus. These are the terms and phrases we see in the Bible. And salvation now consists of a deep wrestling in our souls with the sinfulness of our hearts, the depth of our depravity, and the desperation of our need for his grace. Jesus is no longer one to be accepted or invited in but one who is infinitely worthy of our immediate and total surrender.
You might think this sounds as though we have to earn our way to Jesus through radical obedience, but that is not the case at all. Indeed, "it is by grace you [are] saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast." We are saved from our sins by a free gift of grace, something that only God can do in us and that we cannot manufacture ourselves.
But that gift of grace involves the gift of a new heart. New desires. New longings. For the first time, we want God. We see our need for him, and we love him. We seek after him, and we find him, and we discover that he is indeed the great reward of our salvation. We realize that we are saved not just to be forgiven of our sins or to be assured of our eternity in heaven, but we are saved to know God. So we yearn for him. We want him so much that we abandon everything else to experience him. This is the only proper response to the revelation of God in the gospel.
This is why men and women around the world risk their lives to know more about him. This is why we must avoid cheap caricatures of Christianity that fail to exalt the revelation of God in his Word. This is why you and I cannot settle for anything less than a God-centered, Christ-exalting, self-denying gospel."

-David Platt, Radical

I am most assuredly not suggesting that you do not know Jesus and furthermore that this is how you are currently living. This is convicting on a personal level, and I felt like I should share. This book is great so far. I recommend it.

2010-09-14T15:09:00.002-05:00

Those around me feel it too. It's not something that is easily put to words, but I have to try. It's that important to me. A sixth sense maybe, a feeling, so overwhelmingly strong that you can't ignore it.

We are too comfortable.

Why do we think that the God we serve looks favorably upon us sitting around being entertained by (fill in technology of your choice here), being nice, eating our fill, going to church every now and then or even every week, attending Bible studies where we acquire knowledge that we do nothing with, and says, "I'm so proud of them. What a good little Christian."? Sure those things are not wrong (I do them all), heck, they're even good, but I would argue not fully "right" either. We tend to have such an 'out of sight, out of mind' outlook on this world. There are SO many all over, this country included, who are hurting, poor, widowed, needy, lost, orphaned.

So.

Many.

And what are we doing to help? And I don't mean just giving x-amount each month that comes off your credit card and you would never know if it were there or not because, let's face it, you don't need that money. I'm not knocking it, we support 5, I just think there's more to it. More to be done.

There is just a sense of urgency behind these feelings. These words. I'm tired of sitting. I'm tired of being comfortable. I might be alone here, but I'm done.

"He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; then it was well. Is not that what it means to know Me? Declares the Lord."

-Jeremiah 22:!6 NASB

Please read these last few post from Ann Voskamp. She just returned from Guatemala with Compassion, and her burdens and her heart pour out so beautifully into words. I could never do it justice.

Start here and read until today's post or until you ache so badly that you can't anymore.

check up stats

2010-09-01T16:42:00.000-05:00

we went to the dr today, and it was supposed to just be a vaccine visit, but for whatever reason they did a well check too. anyway, just wanted to write these down for my records.

owen - 4 1/2 yrs. (on the 23rd of this month)
weight: 44 lbs. 2oz. - 90%
hight: 3ft. 9in. - above 97%

evan - 2 1/2 yrs. (on the 22nd of this month)
weight: 30lbs. 6oz. - 75%
height: 3ft. 1 1/2in. - 90%
head: 48.3 - 50%

chloe - 2 1/2 yrs. (on the 22nd of this month)
weight: 29lbs. 2 oz. - 50-75%
height: 3ft. 1in. - 75-90%
head: 48.1 - 50%

one of those days...

2010-07-21T20:46:00.000-05:00

It's been one of those days were I can't get a moment of quiet. I just need a little, and at about 7:00pm I was done. All d. Then I read this from Ann Voskamp...........of course. The Lord uses her mightily to speak to me, and for that I am so very thankful.

"You get tired of all the noise.

And the barrage of sound that wears you right down and who knew that the tumult of the daily grind can leave you tone deaf to God?

.....

People are always listening to something.

They say that. That you must listen for the Lord or the wagging tongue of the world will keep you deaf.

But I wonder if the opposite of hearing is not deafness but disobedience. We are always listening to something."

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left,

your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,

"This is the way; walk in it."

~Isa. 30: 21

the big bucket...

2010-07-02T14:54:00.000-05:00

we've been swimming a lot this summer already, and have the tan lines to show it. the place we have been going has a great pool with a lazy river, lap pool, separate deep end (which is only 4ft. ish), and a fun kids area. the kids area has little slides, fountains, a water slide, and a big bucket that fills up with water and dumps every 10 minutes or so. therefore, my children lovingly call the pool the "big bucket". so i hear phrases like this, "we go swimming in the big bucket tomorrow" all the time! we're loving summer so far!

this is how i know...

2010-07-02T13:56:00.000-05:00

it's in the way he looks at me. the way he just smiles in the middle of a serious conversation only to interrupt with "sorry, i just think you're so cute". how he is so quick to ask for forgiveness even when it's all my fault. the way he peeks his head out from the covers to stare at me while i'm getting ready. the way his hand always seems to find my bottom :). how he always wants to hold my hand in the car. the way he trains me in the gym because i asked him to, but will also go get me cookies because i need them. the way he looks up to his grandfather who loved his grandmother unlike anything i have ever seen. how he keeps his hair long when all he really wants to do is buzz it off because that's the way i like it. the way he drops everything to help me with the kids. the way he teaches our children how to love, forgive, respect. the way he loves his Savior. the way he calls me "doll". the way he wears just a tiny bit of cologne on his neck so that i am the only person who can smell it. how he takes care of our family.

he is handsome....oh, so handsome, loving, kind, selfless, intelligent, caring, generous, soft-hearted, a brilliant man of God, and as of last monday he is my husband of seven years....and this is how i know that there will be many many more.

Shelter

2010-06-25T15:53:00.000-05:00

i've been thinking a lot about prayer lately. talking a lot about it. love these insights and guidelines from my favorite....ann voskamp.

a must have

2010-05-25T13:00:00.000-05:00

when any of my children get bit by a mosquito they swell to the size of a ping pong ball, so i have recently learned the importance of having multiple tubes of and carrying this

EVERYWHERE!!

God bless Texas...

bad mom or efficient?

2010-05-16T22:25:00.000-05:00

do you ever just use these

to clean these

no??......yea me either.

are anyone else's children obsessed with....

2010-04-11T17:15:00.001-05:00

cause mine are.

A Reminder

2010-04-07T13:54:00.000-05:00

Through tears, I read a reminder to continuously plead on my childrens behalf that they would one day die to themselves to only be alive in Christ.

"return to Me with all your heart..."

2010-04-01T09:57:00.000-05:00

I must confess my lack of the Lord lately. I just plain haven't wanted to spend time with Him. Judge me if you will, but it's the honest gut-wrenching truth. I could list 1,000 excuses, but they're just that. I think I was looking forward to my Monday bible study getting me "back on track". But Jesus had other plans. Since it was gorgeous outside, we decided to meet for dinner on a patio somewhere, so needless to say there was no reconnecting happening over fajitas and margaritas. It was a such a fun time though, and we even got a free meal because it was their opening night! But Tuesday morning still came, and I realized that I was still lacking the Lord. He very gently revealed to me that nothing or no one is responsible for pursuing my relationship with Christ but me.

After that set in, I spent nap time reading, reflecting, reconnecting, communing. I am often hard on myself when He has not been first in my life for a while. I feel that I can only come to Him after I have a big repent and confess session, and a day or two of feeling guilty and down on myself. As I was reading in Joel, He again revealed to me that He desires me now, just as I am. And what He desires is not what I can offer Him by checking off a list of things that I think make me a good Christian, He simply desires my heart.

"Yet even now", declares the Lord,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments."
Return to the Lord your God,
for He is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and He relents over disaster."

-Joel 2:12-13

I also thought a lot about the upcoming holiday. Although not the most anticipated, definitely the most important holiday I celebrate, for without it, I have no faith. I've been busy planning family time and Easter egg hunts for the kids, but not at all remembering what we are celebrating. It is such a beautiful picture of the grace of God. Something we don't deserve, but something that is freely offered to us. And wow, do I ever not deserve it. I know that I am wretched. I know that my soul is starved. That part is not hard to see.

"Saving faith is knowing that you are soul starved and the only thing that will save your soul is supping on Christ the Savior."
-Ann Voskamp

He even tells us, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst." -John 6:35. We remember His body that was broken for us this weekend, and we remember the elements that represent it. The bread. The wine. But it goes further than just remembering, just believing, although that is part of it. And that's where my quest for desire, for hunger comes in. John Piper says it so well in Future Grace.

"Belief is not merely an agreement with facts in the head, it is also an appetite for God in the heart, which fastens on Jesus for satisfaction....
Therefore eternal life is not given to people who merely think that Jesus is the son of God.
It is given to people who drink from Jesus as the son of God....The point of these images of drinking and eating is to make clear the essence of faith. It is more than believing that there is such a thing as water and food.
Faith is coming to Jesus and drinking the water and eating the food so that we find our hearts satisfied in Him."

I long to be satisfied by Him and only Him. And I am more thankful than ever this Easter that I can be.

Admirer vs. Follower

2010-03-30T11:49:00.002-05:00

And Christ's life indeed makes it manifest, terrifyingly manifest, what dreadful untruth it is to admire the truth instead of following it. When there is no danger, when there is a dead calm, when everything is favorable to our Christianity, then it is all too easy to confuse an admirer with a follower.

And this can happen very quietly. The admirer can be under the delusion that the position he takes is the true one, when all he is doing is playing it safe. Give heed, therefore, to the call of discipleship!

If you have any knowledge of human nature, who can doubt that Judas was an admirer of Christ?

~Kierkegaard

Guilty of this lately. Thankful for revelation of sin through different avenues in my life. May I get back on the right path to becoming a devoted follower of the One who loves me so much and desires nothing less.

4!!

2010-03-25T17:41:00.001-05:00

two days ago this little guy

turned 4!

he's such a big boy (literally)! he looks like he's 7, so i'm glad that he's finally at least 4. now people won't look at me like i'm NUTS like they did when i told them he was only three. he is 45 inches tall which is 3 feet 9 inches! so at this rate he's on target to ~~make us a lot of money~~ be about 6 foot somthin' :) he still has a lot of energy! i can run him, bike him, jump him, baseball him, soccer him, going bonkers him, tag him...you name it and he still doesn't want to nap AND still wakes up at about 7:30 every day no matter how tired i think he should be! so like i've said before, if we can just channel that energy in the right direction he'll do GREAT things! he does have a soft side, and loves his sisters so much! he takes great care of them, protects them, and makes sure they have what they need. he is and is going to be a great big brother! he's doing great in school, and has a memory of a fox (or whatever animal is supposed to have a good memory). right now he is OBSESSED with toy story and all things related! i know he loves Jesus because he wants to talk about him all the time, and the things he says are so profound. i can't wait to see that relationship develop. i just love him so much. i love his big smile, the silly things he says, his big soft heart, and his infectious laugh. happy 4th birthday owen blue!

2!!!

2010-03-22T14:24:00.000-05:00

i can not believe these sweet babies are 2!

it really has flown by! the first year of their life was complete chaos (which, sadly, i have almost completely blocked out of my memory), and went by super fast. anyway, they are doing so well! talking up a storm...they have both amazed me lately with 5 and 6 word sentences! they love each other so much as i talked about a little in my twins post, and are always concerned about where the other one is or if their sister is getting whatever they are getting. so cute! chloe is miss independent. she wants to do everything by herself! so the phrase "i do it!" is often heard from her. evan is super strong and might even be more athletic than her brother! we'll see (hopefully she steers that athleticism towards dance!!) they both love their big brother! evan really seems to be able to keep up with him more than chloe, but they both want to do what he is doing most of the time. they are really interested in dressing themselves and can almost put their clothes on, but definitely take them off by themselves. it's so fun for me because i am starting to see the "girlyness" come out. i love it! i love playing with dolls & doll houses, and having tea parties! we got them a little kitchen for their birthday so hopefully we'll be cooking up a storm together! i just love them so much, and CAN'T imagine our life without them!

more fun business-y stuff :)

2010-03-18T21:26:00.000-05:00

click

here

for some pictures from our newest event!! so much fun!

some more pictures from our event yesterday...

2010-03-09T14:40:00.000-06:00

Just a Little Business....

2010-03-08T22:52:00.000-06:00

My friends Meredith and Christen, and I have been nurturing a little business since the beginning of this year. We are designing custom dessert tables. Our first event (a baby shower) was at the beginning of February, and we just did our second "official" event yesterday. It was a corporate birthday party, and it was so much fun to do! We had a professional photographer come and take some pictures for us (who is AMAZING by the way...you can find her here ) and she put a little blurb about us on her blog.

Check it out.

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."

-Steve Jobs

twins...

2010-02-25T16:31:00.000-06:00

I need to record this story to have for my memories, it's not really that exciting.

The girls will be 2 in a month, and they have just started doing some funny twin stuff. I wondered if that would ever happen, but wasn't sure if fraternal twins did that. Anyway, they don't nap in the same room so that they will actually sleep, so when i go get one of them up they immediately ask about the other one. Evie usually says, "co-e (pronounced "co" as in co-pilot and "e" like e) wake?" And if one of them is crying the other usually says, "evie cying? or co-e cying" (pronounced like crying without the r). That constant concern for the other one seems to always be there even when not in the same room. It's pretty cute!

And then today we went to jump for fun like we normally do on Thursdays, and as we were leaving Chloe decided she didn't want to go and sat down on the rug in front of the door. Everyone else was already outside, so I just said, "I guess Chloe doesn't want to go. Bye-bye Chloe" and then acted like I was walking to the car. Well Evan really surprised me with her reaction. She immediately started crying (like really crying) and ran back to the door and tried to open it to go get Chloe. She couldn't open the door so she got even more upset, and turned to me like aren't you going to get her? I opened the door and said to Evan, "well go get her." So she went in and tried to convince Chloe that coming with us was probably in her best interest.

yes

2010-02-20T14:33:00.000-06:00

oh my friend jen. such an amazing person AND writer. please do it more.

read this.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

2010-01-20T21:26:00.000-06:00

What does it mean to live radically for the Lord? This is the question that Lanny and I have been mulling over for about six (or more) months now. Obviously we haven't figured out the answer (I think it's different for everyone), but some convictions have definitely made themselves known in our hearts. One of the big ones being how we spend our time. It just seems, ok well I know, that it is something that we don't have a lot of. So we're working on being better stewards of our time. For me what goes along with that is that I have been convicted for a long time now to be spending time daily communing with Jesus. And just as a result of how I was raised, I default to thinking that I have to have a "quiet time" which, to me, means opening my Bible and reading. That is obviously not a bad thing, but has been frustrating for me in the past because my heart was not/has not been in the right place while doing it. I would get frustrated that I wasn't getting anything out of what I was reading or that I really just wanted to be doing something else. However, the Lord has graciously been teaching me that communing with Him comes in many forms, and again, it's different for everyone. I have been freed from thinking that it is only through being in the word that I will draw closer to Jesus. While that is a big part of it, there are many other things that compliment it. I love music. I love corporate worship. My affections for Christ are definitely stirred when I am worshiping him through song. Lately, this has been a way that I have been able to tune out the world and really deeply commune with Him. Lanny and I have also put a 'no t.v. during the week rule' into place. This is just a tool or boundary that helps us find balance with our time. The result has been frustrating some times, but so beautiful for the most part. So whether its worshiping, reading a book that causes me to think on Him, reading the Bible, saying little prayers throughout the day for people, friends, my children, my husband, Haiti or just being still, I am starting to feel like I am truly communing with sweet Jesus. Something that I have longed to do for so long.
My friend Jen likes to play a fun game with God and her iPod. She always listenes to the 1st and the 33rd song and then sees how it applies to her life, but what she finds more often than not, is that He knows exactly what she needs to hear. So today, I decided to play along although my favorite number is 2, and this is what i heard:

click here

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth
Will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.

So this year my word is communion. I hope that what I understand that word to be now, is only a glimpse of what I will know it to be nearing 2011. As one of my favorite authors, Ann Voskamp, points out, "Communion comes in common ways. And living in the awareness of knowing His intimate, unending presence, transforms."

over the top

2010-01-16T20:54:00.001-06:00

i got a fun award! my friend kate presented this prestigious award to me, and i am so very honored to accept it. i would first like to thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ. i would also like to thank my husband because he is always.............i digress.

so, i am supposed to answer all of these questions with one word. it may be a little difficult, but i'll give it a shot! here goes...

1. where is your cell phone? hmmmm....

2. your hair? dirty
3. your mother? sacrificial

4. your father? servant
5. your favorite food? pizza
6. your dream last night? maggie

7. your favorite drink? coke

8. your dream / goal? balance

9. what room are you in? kitchen

10. your hobby? partyplanning
11. your fear? loss
12. where do you want to be in six years? here
13. where were you last night? meeting

14. something that you aren't? business-y
15. muffins? traders
16. wish list item? tahoe
17. where did you grow up? carrollton
18. last thing you did? rearranged
19. what are you wearing? workout
20. your t.v.? football
21. your pets? someday

22. friends? unbelievable

23. your life? blessed

24. your mood? sleepy

25. missing someone? no
26. vehicle? pearla
27. something your not wearing? gloves

28. your favorite store? target
29. your favorite color? pink
30. what was the last time you laughed? earlier

31. last time you cried? church
32. your best friend? lance
33. one place that I could go over and over? kauai

34. one person who emails you regularly? kate :)

35. favorite place to eat? brio

I pass this award on to:

1. chirsten

2. marcie

3. mary beth

4. jeannie

5. jen

6. laura

have fun friends!

2010-01-11T13:53:00.002-06:00

sooooooooooo much to update soooooooooo little time....

soon.

you might need to read...

2009-12-07T14:03:00.002-06:00

this.

one of my favorite writers...

2009-12-03T15:14:00.001-06:00

"For Christmas isn't the making of a product; Christmas is the meeting of a Person.

Each evening of Advent -- in candle light, in love's light, in Jesus Light -- we peacefully rest, for we have no Christmas to make or buy. We have only a Christmas to find.

And we simply -- joyfully -- find Christmas in Christ."

-Ann Voskamp

Please read these:

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2009/12/what-advent-is-really-all-about.html

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2009/12/3-simple-practices-for-peaceful-advent.html

playing catch up...

2009-12-03T14:41:00.000-06:00

owen's fall party
halloween
random pics

owen's fall party

2009-12-03T14:37:00.000-06:00

i volunteered to help with owen's little fall party at his school this year. i ended up making the goody bags, and helping with the craft. it was fun. reminded me a little bit of teaching (which i don't miss), but fun. here are some pictures of the little goody buckets, his little class (complete with spider girl), and i even snuck a picture of them saying a sweet blessing before their snack. so cute!

halloween...

2009-12-03T14:22:00.005-06:00

my sister and i always went to the fall carnival (or whatever it was called) at our church when we were little for ~~that holiday where it's too scary to trick or treat in your own neighborhood~~ halloween. this year my mom asked if we wanted to go since the kids are old enough, and i thought that they would enjoy it. ok bare with me.....these are my memories of the fbc's fall carnival circa 1985.....

different games around the perimeter of our church gym
lost of familiar faces
the infamous cake walk in the center of the gym
about 100ish people
get some candy and go home

so that's the memory that i conjured up, and was expecting to recreate with my kids. updated of course. well the five of us and our friend meredith (who had a very similar (if not the exact one) "fall festival" experience growing up in houston) pull up to my parents church and...red flag #1...the parking lot is unbelievably full complete with parking attendants. for whatever reason we decide to go forth. we jump in the line of people who...red flag #2...they have filtering in and out in a very specific mapped out kinda way to try to make it to the other parking lot to meet up with my parents, sister, brother-in-law and niece. it takes us about 25 minutes, when it should've been about a 3 min walk. the games that used to be fully confined to the gymnasium are now spread out ALL over the church. each of the games and jumpy houses have AT LEAST a 10 person long line. we pet some animals, jump in one jumpy house, and (I) decide that there are just WAY too many people there. so now we have to make our way back through the maze to our car which takes another 25 minutes. on the way home i ask lanny how many people he thought were there, and his answer...."oh at least mulitple thousands". i say, "like 2?" and he says, "more like 5" uh....it's come a long way since 1985. anyway, we came home and trick or treated in our sweet little neighborhood (where we should've stayed all along), had a GREAT time, ate some candy, took baths, and went to bed! (owen kept petting this poor little guy and saying, "mommy look, i'm petting this ghost, i'm petting this ghost." appropriate.

so much to catch up on!....

2009-12-03T13:44:00.003-06:00

just a few recent pics from playing in the rain and bath time with our new favorite toy (shown below). these are from a while ago, but i have a lot of catching up to do! we've been really busy :)

wordless wednesday....

2009-10-28T14:53:00.001-05:00

'Love Himself in the center'

2009-10-12T15:31:00.001-05:00

i'm so thankful for my husband. my lover. my friend. i love him deeply. and i love that we can fall in love deeper still.

this post affirms just that.

"love is more than words. love is the life-weaving, a braid of a three fold cord, Love Himself in the center."
-ann voskamp

unbelievable

2009-09-29T20:51:00.001-05:00

i need to record what my son ate today so that i won't forget. and also so i'll understand, when he's a teenager, why he's eating 5 times his body weight.

breakfast:
waffle with peanut buter
tlc cereal bar
carnation instant breakfast mixed with whole milk (we were out of 2%)

lunch:
12 piece nugget from chick-fil-a
6 or 7 whole strawberries
1 thing of pomegranate applesauce
a hand full of chick-fil-a french fries

snack:
popcorn

dinner:
peanut butter & jelly (around 4pm because he was starving)

*we went to the gym & got home at about 7:45*

snack before bed:
ANOTHER peanut butter & jelly
cliff mojo bar

unbelievable.

mocha club

2009-09-18T14:17:00.003-05:00

i just wanted to share a little bit about mocha club. this is something that we did a while back, but stopped giving to it because we really didn't feel connected and wanted to give to something that was closer to our hearts. BUT, in hindsight, that was really not the issue. lanny and i have recently been talking about the fact that we are so so blessed, and that some of our giving is just something that is deducted from our account each month. we never see it or even notice that the money is gone for that matter. we really don't have to sacrifice anything to help. it's easy. it's not meaningful. we are called to help the sick, the poor, the orphans, the hurting, the widows. wouldn't we feel more involved, more connected if when we skipped our starbucks coffee each day we knew why we were making that sacrifice. and then we just took a moment to pray for whoever or wherever that specific money was going. let's live sacrificially together so that the love and hope of Christ can spread like wildfire.

so, mocha club is this organization where you give up $7 a month (or more) - the cost of 2 mochas - to support a project in africa. for example, $7 can provide clean water to 7 africans for one year. what do you think? what's something that you're willing to sacrifice?

let us be refreshed...

2009-09-17T13:37:00.002-05:00

...with this.

my little niece

2009-09-16T13:01:00.001-05:00

i got to take some pictures of my sweet little niece yesterday. she is getting dedicated on sunday, and my sister just needed a few cute pics. she is so stinkin' cute! here are the best ones :)

multitude monday

2009-09-14T13:10:00.007-05:00

my gratitude journal has followed me around this week. it's pages begging to be filled, but not with the obvious. with the thanks that comes from being "a seeker, a looker, a God hunter"(ann voskamp -a holy experience).

the firsts:

2. as the laundry looms, i am surprisingly thankful for clothes

3. laughter coming from three little mouths being tickled by their daddy

4. first day of school excitement

5. loving father arms to comfort a crying baby

6. mother-in-law

7. a shelter from the rain

it's the little things

2009-09-11T10:45:00.001-05:00

thank you Lord for these......they keep fits at target to a minimum.

One Thousand Gifts

2009-09-08T16:29:00.002-05:00

i've just recently started reading this blog. i love it. i really love it. i can just sense her quiet nature, soft spoken voice, joyous spirit, and gratitude for grace from the words she writes. three years ago in november she started a list. read about it here. i love this idea because of what it is, but also because it closely relates to how i have been feeling lately. just grateful for everything; the good, the bad, and the ugly-beautiful. many are the blessings that God has chosen to bestow upon us. and they are many. i want to start my own list. i want to capture it all. i secretly want it to reach one million. i want to someday be able to share them all with my children so that they too can appreciate what they have; even if through the world's eyes is not very much.

#1: thankful that i do not have to see through the world's eyes

what opportunities are we missing with our children?

2009-09-03T13:05:00.003-05:00

and what are our excuses?

this little blog post is convicting, yes, but should also be encouraging. the last paragraph was for me. i get a to play a part in this...this big plan that God has for my family and my children. i get to play a part in it...but only if i'm willing to.

so giddy!!

2009-09-03T12:32:00.006-05:00

this is my absolute most favorite time of year!!! from the beginning of college football through the new year. it awakens a spirit in me that has been dormant for a while. i dream of the days where it is cool enough to open the windows and have a fresh breeze blowing in and out all day, especially on the weekends. i dream of fires in the fireplace, and soup on the stove. i dream of friends hanging out; some falling in and out of sleep with the sounds of pads clashing is in the background. it's here. it's here. glorious fall!

i have big dreams for these guys and have been a loyal fan forever seeing as though i have lived in the dfw area my whole life:

and i have another (very hopeful) dream for these guys:

we can do it this year! sic 'em!

boys will be boys crazy!!

2009-08-26T16:27:00.003-05:00

two stories that i have to journal so i don't forget.

1. last friday (august 21st, 2009) we were literally headed out the door to go to a friends house, and i was gathering all the final children items that we needed. lanny was putting the kids in the car, and as i walked into the living room/kitchen from our room i greeted by a room filled with smoke! i quickly yelled for lanny as i tried to find the source. i turned the corner into the kitchen and quickly saw that our toaster oven was quite literally smokin' hot. as i opened the door it took me a second to actually process what was in there, but once i did i was surprised to find our mouse pad and computer mouse just cookin' away. needless to say that a curious little boy almost caused our house to burn down. thank the Lord we found it BEFORE we left!

2. last night (august 25th, 2009) we were again headed out the door for a prayer meeting, and lanny's sister was staying with the kids for us. the girls were eating and owen was going to the bathroom as we were leaving. as i walked in to kiss owen bye bye, my lips stopped abruptly as i saw him dripping wet while sitting on the potty. only 1 explanation for this one...yes, he had dipped his head in the potty. we're not for sure if he did it before he actually peed, but i'm going with that story for the sake of my cleanliness sanity :) again, needless to say we put him in the bath and walked out the door (after a stern talking to about how the potty is very very dirty!).

i don't have any brothers nor did i grow up around boys, but am quickly learning (via my husband) that these are "just things they do." great.

restaurant week

2009-08-24T13:26:00.006-05:00

every year a bunch of my girlfriends ~~get dolled up and get together for fabulous dinner and drinks~~ participate in restaurant week for charity. this is the fourth year that we have done it, and it never disappoints! this year we ate at al biernat's. for dinner i had:

tuna tartar tacos/toasted sesame/red onion/scotch bonnet pepper

summer salad/mixed field greens/seasonal fruits & vegetables/raspberry-garlic vinaigrette

pot roast/braised root vegetables/mimi's mashed potatoes

grand marnier creme brulee

scrumptious!

here's to next year!

(in)courage

2009-08-12T19:44:00.002-05:00

this amazing new site launched recently called (in)courage. it is simply a place for women to.....well, they put it best so...."come in and make your heart at home...we hope you'll think of (in)courage as a bit like a beach house-you can put your sandy, dirty feet on the coffee table, help yourself to whatever is in the fridge, laugh late into the night with friends, and hear God's voice more clearly than perhaps anywhere else."

they have 20 amazing writers contributing their thoughts on topics like courage, everyday faith, family, finances, home, imperfection, & stories. the first topic they are covering is courage. for me courage looks different at different times. and sometimes i'm not real sure if it even takes on form. but i do know one thing for sure...

"Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. Don't give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down; He won't leave you."
-Deuteronomy 31:6 (The Message)

check out (in)courage. the blog from today only the lowly is brilliant.

some conviction for your sunday...

2009-08-09T15:43:00.004-05:00

read this first.

i'll be the first one to admit that most days i am just trying to get through the day. i am not usually intentional about the time that i spend with my children. i used to be when it was just me and owen, but now it's so much more difficult. sure we do fun things, but how much of my time with them is spent teaching and training? it seems there is so much to do, so many mouths to feed (all the time), so many battles to break up, but those are just excuses. what has gotten in the way? laziness? exhaustion? sin? probably a little bit of all these things.

BUT i just want my children to know that i value them more than television. more than the computer. more than facebook. more than the dishes. more than my own desires. that stuff can wait, and is often times not even important.

sons...

2009-07-14T13:51:00.003-05:00

i came across this from the village preschool blog:

Sons.

Good grief.

Bouncing off the walls, can’t pay attention, forget half the things they DO hear, acting like complete monkeys, disobedient, defiant, rebellious.

Sound familiar? If so, you probably have a son. If not, find someone who does and offer to babysit. They need a break.

But let’s look at those attributes again. Perhaps it’s more familiar than we realize. WE don’t pay attention to the Lord, WE are too busy trying to do what pleases us, WE are disobedient, WE are defiant, WE are rebellious. Perhaps the Lord is trying to show us something in our sons?

As we strive to be obedient in our parenting, the very thing we are trying to war against in our sons is exposed in us – a reminder that we, along with this world, suffer from depravity. In Adam, we are all broken and in need of a savior. We would never have chosen Him without His grace and mercy. “According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1 : 3b – 5, emphasis added) The Scriptures tell us again and again that it is the grace and mercy of the Lord that gives us faith. Our hope rests in Christ alone.

So how does that look for our sons? Can we put our hope in controlling their behavior and teaching them morality? As Paul would say, by no means! It is only Christ and His work on the cross that can save them from their own wicked hearts. Make no mistake, their hearts are wicked. Do not allow the enemy to whisper lies to you that your children are inherently good and your job is to prevent the evil from penetrating them. They were born sinful, and only the cross of Jesus Christ can set them free.

Teach your boys the truth of Scripture. It will require immense amounts of your time. Often, it will require more of your time than it will your daughters. The male mind is difficult to penetrate (sorry guys, you know it’s true), and you must invest the time necessary for your boys to process and grasp the truth – “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – “ (Ephesians 2 : 4-5, emphasis added).

Demonstrate manhood for them. Show them how you love your wife. Teach them how to love and lead. If you don’t know how, find an older man who does and walk with him. Learn from this man so that the ignorance of God’s instruction is not passed to your sons. Walk humbly and fearfully before your God, demonstrating your understanding of His sovereignty and your weakness. Do this where your son can see. Do not try to be superman for your son. This creates prideful sin for you, and idolatrous sin for him. Let him see your brokenness, and let him watch you lay it at the foot of the cross.

We are called to make disciples, and this starts in your home. Point everything back to Christ. Your son will desire to watch you, imitate you, be like you. Point him to Christ. You will be held accountable for these things, do not take that lightly. Your car, your job, your house – these things must take a backseat to loving, leading, teaching.

Pray with your sons. Demonstrate for them that prayer is not a “wish list” for God, but an opportunity to praise and worship Him, to confess your iniquities, and to thank Him for the gift of His Son. He is worthy of our time, our energy, our money, our thoughts, our lives. Teach your sons this, and then show them.

For many, this will be extremely difficult, but it is worthy labor. Pray that the Lord would strengthen you and give you an extra portion of grace. Pray for humility and for a biblical understanding of what you are called to do. Pray that He would kill in your heart the worldly idea of a man, so that you can freely pursue biblical manhood. Lead your sons to Christ. You plant the seed, you cultivate, you water, but God will take care of the growth. Christ alone. Christ alone. Christ alone.

“I want to be like you, Daddy.”

“Son, Daddy wants to be like Jesus. “

http://hv.thevillagechurch.net/blog/hvpreschool/?p=33

i am so glad that this guy...

...has this guy...

...for a daddy. i know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is doing his BEST to be like Jesus for owen (and evan & chloe), and that is all i could ever ask for.

how He loves...

2009-07-07T09:21:00.000-05:00

i've been obsessed with this song sung by david crowder

and i mean playing it on repeat ALL day. it is powerful.

then my friend jen emailed me this link with the story behind it.

i can only imagine that steven is smiling in heaven.

i'm obsessed...

2009-06-30T13:05:00.000-05:00

...with these

it's been a little battle because she just wants to pull them out, but i'm being persistent and hopefully she will eventually get used to them cause they are just so darn cute!!

it's sooooooooooo hot...

2009-06-25T13:49:00.000-05:00

this summer is already ridiculous! it's sooooooo hot! we've tried being outside even in the wee hours of the morning, but even then it's just sooooooo hot! swimming is almost unbearable unless the pool is completely shaded! but one thing's for sure, i've loved hanging out with these little faces lately and we've had fun trying to find new ways to beat the heat (while we also try to figure out a way to move to california).

start them young...

2009-06-22T12:06:00.000-05:00

the girls have really been OBSESSED with shoes lately, and it all started when i got them these:

they get very upset when they have to take them off...like when it's time for BED! anyway, so they have loved playing in their shoe basket and bringing lanny or i different shoes to try on.

this is what they came up with the other day, and lanny of course obliged even though it was 100+ degrees outside!

here are some more pictures of our shoe adventures. should i start saving now? i thought it was supposed to be weddings and college??....

sum sum summertime...

2009-06-09T10:10:00.000-05:00

we sure have been spending a lot of time outside these days. it has been beautiful, but with the heat quickly approaching we have to make sure and get our time in in the morning. we filled the pool and have enjoyed swimming in our mosquito-less backyard thanks to these, and owen is OBSESSED with playing, watching, living baseball. he literally has a baseball cap on and a ball, bat and glove in his hand at ALL times.

her, here.

2009-06-05T21:21:00.000-05:00

if you get a sec, read this. it's pretty amazing.

some fun new pics

2009-05-26T11:20:00.000-05:00

my friend jessica from high school asked if she could take some pictures of my kiddos for a photography class that she was taking, and of course, i said sure! i'm never one to pass up pictures of my babies! owen and chloe had a blast in the water (and got completely drenched), evan walked around with osage oranges the whole time, and their faces (and clothes) got a little messy from the whole batch of strawberries they gobbled up! anyway, here are a few of my favorites! thanks jessica!

just for fun...

2009-05-24T12:37:00.000-05:00

i saw this on my friend summer's blog. play if you'd like :)

rules: copy the note below, erase my answers, write yours. use the first letter of your name to answer each of the questions. it has to be real things ... not made up! you cannot repeat any of the answers and you cannot use your name to answer questions 3 or 4. you cannot ask anyone for an answer!

j is for jennifer

1. Your name: jennifer
2. A four letter word: jolt
3. A boy's name: john
4. A girl's name: jodi
5. An occupation: janitor
6. A color: jade
7. Something I put on: jewelry
8. A food: jelly beans
9. Something you find in the bathroom: jacuzzi
10. A place: jacksonville, fl
11. A reason to arrive late: jammed traffic
12. Something I shout: "just quit, owen!"
13. A movie title: juno
14. Something I drink: jamba juice
15. Something I give: joy (hopefully)
16. Something you purchase a lot: jeans....not a good thing :)
17. Something I've never seen: japan
18. Something I hate: junk
19. A part of your body: jaw
20. An insult: jerk

all the single ladies...

2009-05-21T11:31:00.000-05:00

first listen to this and please pay close attention to the "oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh whoa oh oh's"...

Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce

now listen to this...

she really loves that song :)

hills and valleys

2009-04-29T13:13:00.000-05:00

(this is a little long...sorry)

like most people, (i assume) my relationship with God goes through hills and valleys, hills and valleys. and rightly so. you should only expect to feel, know, breathe, and experience God if you are engaged with Him regularly. right? i believe so. anyway, i've been in a valley lately and have just been really yearning for and needing to feel close to Him. during some prayer time, i was recently convicted to repent. not of one thing specifically, but just many different things that i felt like i haven't dealt with in a while. it is easy to forget, as christians, our relationship with a living God involves maintanance, if you will. we can't just leave it alone and expect it to grow. we need constant confession and repentance because that is what we are called to do and more importantly because we are of this world. one of the things that has been weighing heavily on my heart was the way that i have been so quick to become angry with lanny. it's hard when he comes home. it's dinner time and there are usually three hungry mouths making that very apparent. i'm exhausted from the day by this time, and when we disagree on something small it usually escalates really fast because my fuse is almost gone. i hate this about myself, and i realize that not being able to admit that i was wrong is pride in it's greatest form.

in conjunction with these thoughts, i recently listened to a sermon where part of it was devoted to describing the trinity. it was beautifully explained that all three entities are constantly glorifying each other. one is not better or higher than the other which makes for a beautiful picture of humility. we as christians are invited by Jesus to participate in this circle.

"through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." 2 peter 1:4

amazing. simply amazing. being obedient brings glory to God, and when we are not, well, it's hard to think about how that makes Him feel. i work so hard day in and day out to teach obedience to owen. when he is not obiendent my hope is that he will be repentant. and it is frustrating when he isn't. i realized that i can't expect him to act this way if he does not see it in my life. just like the old saying that is so true...actions speak louder than words. i can tell him over and over how i want him to act, and i can even come up with some really good reasons why, BUT when i am living out the opposite i shouldn't be surprised that he doesn't get it. it is amazing how much being a parent mirrors my relationship with God. i am so grateful for my children and the understanding they give me of the grace that my heavenly father must pour out on me so often. it is also amazing how much being a wife mirrors my relationship with God. i know that i need to work on being that picture of Christ to my children in the way i treat lanny. this, i believe, will ultimately speak louder than words to them.

this is a blog that i also happened to read that day entitled 'of rules and obedience':

"We have rules in our home. Many of them are God’s, some are ours. One of the rules that originated with my wife and I was the notion that we do NOT take toys into places we go. We don’t take toys into grocery stores, restaurants, shops or church. This has been a standing rule for years.

As we pulled up to the church, my son was in the backseat playing with his new favorite toy (we allow them in the car, they just have to leave them in the car when we arrive) a small plastic sphere that opens up into a robot. We get out and head inside, and check them both in. I head up the stairs and begin to mingle and converse with many of the people on their way into service. After about four minutes I see my son walk by me, tears streaming down his face. As I begin to wonder how and why he escaped from his classroom, I see he is followed closely behind by one of his teachers. She scans the room, sees me, and comes over. “Sorry, but he is really upset,” she says. “Something about a toy, and disobeying you.” She calls to Taylor and he comes over, arm outstretched and his hand open, offering me the toy that he’d been playing with in the car.

Through his sobbing and tears, I can make out most of his words. “Daddy… I… disobeyed… put it in my pocket… thought it would be ok… so sorry…”

I scooped him up into my arms, held him close and whispered into his ear, “Daddy still loves you, buddy. Thank you so much for telling me the truth. Because you came and told me, I know that you love and trust me. We’ll talk about this more when we get home, but for now you should know that I love you and am so happy that you listened to the Holy Spirit reminding you to obey and to confess.”

He confessed and repented, then headed back to his classroom feeling like a fun-loving six year old again. His shame and grief were gone, and he was comforted by and able to rest in the love and forgiveness of his father.

Of course I am delighted by his response to his sin in this situation. Grief, and a desire to put the sin to death through confession and repentance, is wonderful and beautiful. I have been convicted however, that this lesson was not for my son but for me. I played my part well in this scenario, but when I am in my son’s shoes, do I play that part well? Am I grieved by my sin? Do I run to my Father, arm outstretched with the object of my idolatry raised up asking him to take it away?

As fathers we must not fall into the trap of looking closely at the lives and hearts of our family but not our own. We must self-examine, thinking intentionally about our own obedience. We have been given a charge by God to lead and love, and part of that must be by example. Do we confess our sins? Do we repent? Do we do those things in the light where our wives and children can see it? Are we walking in guilt and shame afterwards and thereby not receiving the forgiveness that He has offered? How else can our kids know that we truly believe these things are true and necessary if they don’t see us practicing them?

Beg the Lord to not let fear and pride prevent you from responding to your sin with godly grief, confession and repentance. Lead your wife in love and humility. Endeavor to instruct your children with the example of your life, while teaching them about the perfect life lived by our Lord and Savior. Do these things as an act of love and obedience to the Father – your obedience will lead you to joy."

i'll leave you with this from an email i wrote asking forgivness from lanny:

"....I can tell them with my words what I want and expect from them everyday, but if it does not show in my own life (as a result of what's in my heart) then it means nothing and they are destined to just look at God and this faith that we love so much as meaningless. And that I do not want."

3D chalk and some funny glasses

2009-04-27T08:47:00.000-05:00

owen got this for his birthday...

....and we finally got it out friday while our sweet friend reese was over playing with us! i have to admit i was kind of skeptical of it actually working, BUT it was really pretty amazing! with the glasses on some of the colors looked like they were on the ground, other colors looked like they were floating above the ground, while others looked like they were under/below the ground. ....how the heck did they do that?? anyway, what we really enjoyed almost more than the chalk were the 3D glasses! the way that everyone looked in the glasses was SO SO funny! they proved to be pretty popular amongst my children, so needless to say we practiced a lot of turn taking and sharing! here are a few pics:

[gallery link="file"]

2 down...

2009-04-20T16:40:00.000-05:00

5k number 2 is under my belt. yay! it was a georgus day for the Rise and Shine 5k! this is the preschool where i used to teach and love on those precious kiddos, so it was super special for me! owen and the girls ran in the fun run 1k and did so good! running combined with all the jumpy houses and slides wore owen completely out. he was asleep by 5! jen, meredith and i signed up a while ago, and last minute lanny's friend jon (who is in town for a while from colorado) and his family decided to do it with us! maddison, jon's little sister ran with me and tried to help me reach my goal. That sadly didn't happen, but i did improve my time from the cowtown by 2 minutes, so overall it was a successful/fun day! :)

(side note: i will try to avoid races on sundays in the future. definitely need the extra weekend day to rest before jumping into monday!!)

[gallery link="file"]

1 year check-up

2009-04-14T14:52:00.000-05:00

we weren't too late for evan and chloe's 1 year check up. i finally found a doctor who splits the MMR vaccine yay!! i took them by myself so that was a little difficult, but good reports all around.

they were both 30 inches tall

chloe weighed in at 22lbs

evan weighed in at 23lbs

[gallery link="file" columns="2"]

this is what my growing boy ate for dinner last night...

2009-04-13T08:08:00.000-05:00

[gallery link="file" columns="4"]

on being a princess

2009-04-09T14:03:00.000-05:00

a friend shared this blog post with me the other day, and it really challenged and even encouraged me in what i am doing every day. as we reflect and celebrate our resurrected Savior this weekend may we try with everything in us to humble ourselves before the world so that we can look more like Him.

2 funny conversations with owen tonight...

2009-04-05T21:26:00.000-05:00

owen: mommy, that's throw up.

me: WHAT??! what's throw up?

owen: just in my mouth.

me: oh ok.

me: (laughing at owen) you're funny!

owen: yes

me: you're so funny.

owen: (laughing turned serious) are you kidding?

me: no, i think you're funny.

owen: oh. you can laugh at me.

me: thanks.

gosh i love this kid.

well we tried blackberries for the first time...

2009-04-01T20:31:00.000-05:00

[gallery link="file"]

now this is funny

2009-03-29T11:48:00.000-05:00

you might not think this is as funny as i do, but just watch it again

a little walk to the lake....

2009-02-26T09:28:00.000-06:00

we're so excited that the weather has been so nice because owen can't get enough of the lake! we usually go to the lake house during the summer and he LOVES to do the same thing there....throw rocks in the water! he would spend hours doing it if we'd let him. the part he loves is the splash, so he's figured out, the bigger the rock the bigger the splash. it's really funny to watch him try to pick up the giant rocks, and sometimes he amazes me with his strength! the girls also love to be outside so i'm so very thankful that we have a lake within walking distance! here are a few pictures...

lanny trying to teach owen how to skip a rock :o)

the girls watching their big brother

way back when-esday

2009-02-25T12:31:00.000-06:00

owen - february 2007

does he look like either of the girls??

february 2008

i just put this one up because, yes, that is my pregnant belly :o)

Valentines For Us

2009-02-17T10:58:00.000-06:00

(this was supposed to be posted on valentines day and i forgot, so just pretend it was)
lanny and i have never been big valentines day people. we both just think that it's all kinda silly and money is wasted on things that are either eaten or dead in a couple of days. i just like for us to be able to express our love for each other whenever we want to or feel like it, not when a holiday tells us to. i'm not trying to be bah humbug about it, for US, that's just how we feel. however, i know that the majority of the world around me loves it and will continue to make valentines day a big deal and that will include my children. so we've decided to celebrate it from now on as a family holiday, including fun times together making valentines for our kids friends, classmates and teachers, showing each other our love as a family, and most importantly trying to show the world around us that Jesus loves them! so this year owen and i made cookies and put together these little bags for his class.

then evan, chloe and i joined him for his party where they ate some heart shaped brownies,

(owen told me that Liza (on the right) is his girlfriend :o)

made valentines wreaths,

and enjoyed looking through their valentines from their friends.

i just thought this was SO cute!

and i had to take a picture of this....seriously???

what lanny and i do like to celebrate however is the day we got engaged, and that happens to be february 15th. six years ago on that day i said yes to the man of my dreams, and these gorgeous flowers arrived at my door step to celebrate that :o)

So just remember today and everyday that the love we have from our sweet Jesus is the best and most fulfilling love of all!

2009-02-17T10:40:00.000-06:00

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
John 1:14 & 16

kimberly and matt's wedding

2009-02-13T11:46:00.000-06:00

we spent this past weekend in keystone, colorado for one of my life long friends' wedding. it was a very quick and busy weekend, but absolutely amazing!! everything was gorgeous from the stark white snow everywhere to the beautiful bride in her white gown! it was great to just get away for a weekend, see all of our friends, and to celebrate the start of their lives together! we love you, mr. and mrs. smith!!

me, chirsten, kimberly, monica, ashley & lindsey

lindsey, monica & me

lindsey and her new fiance josh :o)

erin & j.d.

guy, christen, erin & j.d.

chirsten & i

trying to show off our boots :)

yes, she is 7 months pregnant and looks amazing!!

our besties!

group shot

the hottest man there :)

erin, me, the beautiful bride & chirsten

christen & i

christen & erin

the view from our condo balcony

i could maybe live there!!

not too far behind...

2009-02-11T12:57:00.000-06:00

(I know you can't see her feet but I promise she's walking :o)