Looky Here Mom

The boys had their end of the school year awards assembly on Tuesday.

Cameron got a certificate for Track, a Leadership Award for F.C.A. (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and three music certificates. He played basketball this year as well.

Christian received a certificate for golf, he lettered in Math and Vocal Music, he received a Tri-M patch (to qualify you had to be at every performance, go to State Music Contest and have above a 3.0 grade point average) and was the top Piano I student, he received a medal for that. He earned 9 music medals this year, 4 or 5 math medals, and a medal for golf.

Needless to say, we are very proud of both of them.

God's Promise

I spotted this Thursday evening on my way to my "Captivating" Bible study. God is so amazing! I love rainbows, it is God's promise to us, it's awesome that He makes any promises to little ole me, let alone giving us a reminder of that promise in the form of a magnificent rainbow!


Well, we finished up 'Captivating' and are going to have a 'girls night' sometime next week and watch Sylvia Harney, she is an awesome speaker, so funny, and has an incredible story. I saw her last October at a Women's Conference in Branson.

I have grown to love these 'Captivating Women' in our small group, they really got into doing this study and I am so proud of all of them. They shared their hearts along the way, we learned
from each other, and drew closer to our Lord. I am grateful for this opportunity to lead this, love these ladies, and see them grow.

Good News at Graduation 2010!

Several teenagers at our church completed their high school education this last week. Warsaw's Baccalaureate was held at our church and our youth pastor gave the message. Several area pastors read scripture and spoke a few words, some were right on and some were wishy washy, not wanting to offend but to keep everybody happy. This makes me sad, how are people going to know how to be forgiven and redeemed if we skirt around salvation. The cross is offensive but some Christians are so worried about what people think or stepping on toes that they avoid it all together. They are forgetting what we are called to do, to tell this lost and dying world about the Son of God coming to die on a cross so we could be saved, that he would rather die than to live without us.

Mrs. McCubbin, a teacher selected by the senior class, spoke...she told them about Jesus! She spoke the truth, how refreshing it is that school teachers will still stand up for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Youth Pastor's message was awesome, the invitation was given, and the free gift of salvation was accepted! What a night!

Friday evening was Warsaw's graduation ceremony, a young lady from our church, Stevie, was the Salutatorian. Her speech was incredible, she quoted scripture and presented the gospel. What an ambassador for Christ, I am so proud of her. I told her so afterward and she said "that's the most important thing I could tell them". She demonstrated how we should seize every opportunity to tell others the good news of Jesus Christ.

Busy, Busy

Hardly a moment to spare it seems, this has been and is a busy week. Last night was Evening of Song, a High School music concert, tonight is my Captivating Bible Study which I moved from Thursday to tonight due to Baccalaureate on Thursday, tomorrow night is church and Friday is graduation, graduation parties on Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon. And...our washing machine broke last night, full of water. I bailed it out today so we could move it outside, and of course now we have a red neck yard. But we got a new washer in and going, whew. I've been working on VBS stuff today as well which will be what I do almost every day until it's over, but I love it. And sometimes the busy stuff too...

And James has a kitchen to get installed by Saturday! Hee, hee! *delirious laugh

Preacher, Preacher

Preachers are everywhere! Let me explain...my father-in-law has been a Pastor for 20+ years, two years ago in June, my oldest son Christian was called into the ministry and then a little over a year ago, my wonderful husband James was called to preach as well. James jokes about Christian beating him to it but James says he felt God's call for a long time and kept running from it, which of course, made him miserable. I am truly blessed to be in this family. Does it seem strange that I am surrounded by preachers? Not to me, God can do whatever He wants, lol. I have listened to my husband preach and thought, wow, who is that? That's how I know that God has called them and anointed them.

Christian preached his first sermon at age 13, it was a pretty amazing thing for a mother to witness, I was so proud. Proud that he stands boldly in the pulpit to preach God's word, proud that he is listening to God and being obedient. He has preached several times, at our church and at Broadway Baptist Church in Springfield at a Youth Conference.

James' first sermon was on January 18, 2009 and will be forever etched on my heart. He called it "One Man's Prayer", he used Psalm 66:16 - 20 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!" He told how a friend of his father's prayed and prayed for his family and how he kept inviting them to church and how eventually James' dad said "okay, I'll go". That was the beginning, James' mom and dad received Christ that night and it changed their family forever because that's what Jesus does! He changes lives! He reminded us that we need to keep praying for our family and friends and what 'One Man's Prayer' did for his family and ours and for generations to come. My husband has preached several times since then, some sermons I remember more than others, sometimes I am used in illustrations or jokes but I love every minute of it.

Wondering, what is my Lord going to do with Cameron...can't wait to find out!

Living Well is Over

Well that title sounds great doesn't it? My 3D Bible Study met for the last time yesterday. Am I going to be able to keep this up? I will try :) I have learned a lot about Eating Right, Living Well, and Loving God. It is a great study and I highly recommend it. I leave you with this...it's the 3D Prayer.

Dear Lord,

This is a new day

That means I can expect

from your hand

all I need to live.

Help me to know

Your grace is sufficient

Your power is overwhelming

and your peace and joy

are here for the asking.

I need you in so many

practical ways, Lord

I need you to help me choose

the right spirit

at the beginning of the day

I need you to help me

with my family

the work I need to get done

and the pressures that come at me

before my eyes are even open.

I need you to go ahead of me

every step of the way

You will that

This day is Yours

I am Yours.

Thank you for loving me

and giving me

the gift of life today.

When I am ready to close my eyes

at the end of this day

May I say with a steady voice:

I have loved You more today

than I did yesterday

But not as much as I will tomorrow..

Make is so, dear Lord.

Amen.

The "New" Wal-Mart

Our Wal-Mart is being renovated and is a hot topic of discussion right now. I snapped these pics this morning.

It smells like paint when you enter now but in a month or two or three (I've heard all those responses) it will be finished. It started with closing off the back restrooms which only left a one-holer by the deli, long lines or wait, you can use the port-a-potties outside the store in front. Nothing is where it used to be and usually it is somewhere else the next day, store employees are struggling to find items, not to mention, if you go late at night it's really noisy with jack hammering floors, hammering, sawing, you know that usual carpenter type work. The best is the pharmacy, it is hysterical! They built a plywood box in the middle of the store as a make-shift pharmacy till the new one is completed but it works 'cause I picked up my blood pressure pills the other day. I need my pills you know. People are whining and complaining about the whole thing. But not me, lol, I love it! I love change (and I'm Baptist!) and something fresh and new! I can't wait to explore when it is finally finished, I know, I am so weird.

Beautiful Warsaw

I went for a run yesterday at Drake Harbor. Warsaw is such a beautiful place to live! Well, I walked too, interval training ya know...

Monday Mentionables

Yesterday was truly a glorious day :) Mondays for most are monotonous, irritating, and come too quickly. My Mondays as of late are filled with God's touch. For the past few weeks, my friend Darlene and I have been visiting a young mother and have started a bible study with her on Monday mornings. It is amazing, seeing God working in her life and seeing God work in mine, making me love her more each time I see her...only God's love can do that, not that she is unlovable, because she is far from that. She has a sweet personality, loves her children, and has been open to seeing what God has in store for her life. I feel unworthy to have been given this opportunity to see God's wondrous working, to love, to minister, to witness and I am so thankful that He has chosen me for this.

Mondays, the first Monday of each month, we have cottage prayer meetings at a church member's home. Last night it was at a dear old (mature) lady's house. It brings closeness and unity. I usually sob and weep when I pray with these people, I'm sure some of them think I'm nuts and they would tell me like I have told them. We love to tease and I just can't help myself. It is usually the same people that attend so we have gotten used to each other, ha, outside of God's house. I have always hosted the December cottage prayer meeting because I love Christmas so and I love having people over. God's presence was felt last night, He heard our petitions, he hears our petitions; what a blessing it is to gather together in prayer and praise to our Heavenly Father. What a gift...

Somedays are Sundays

Today is/was Sunday and it was a long one...but I love them! I love being in God's house, worshipping Him through music, giving, the hearing of His word! Sunday School was amazing today, we are doing a discipleship class called "MasterLife". There are four books, our Pastor is teaching the first one and then James and I are teaching the following three. Our Pastor will be in the class, so no pressure, right? Anyway, then morning worship...K.F.C. (Kids For Christ, not the chicken place) choir sang "My Savior My God", children singing is one of the most beautiful, precious things on earth. Then an awesome message from our anointed, Holy Spirit filled Pastor.

Lunch at the In-Laws, they are wonderful, and then back to church at 2 pm for a baby shower. I figured I might as well stay in town today and live at church, no sense running home and back again. A parent meeting with our new Youth Pastor at 5 pm, it was phenomenal, I almost started to cry when he was talking about what he is going to be doing with our teenagers. I'm sure I will talk about this more later. 6 pm - choir practice, love it!, we are starting our patriotic cantata which this year will be actually on the 4th of July down at the harbor by the water, with an old fashioned church picnic complete with homemade ice cream! Can't wait!

Well, next I just had to hold that baby, (that baby is Emma Grace) she is our Youth Pastor, Justin and his wife, Becky's little one, three and a half months old and already loves me. I'm sure when she's older she will prefer James, most kids do, teenagers too, probably because he is a big kid but I am going to relish the attention while I have it. Emma was just a cackling and having a great time and spit up all over my pants, I really didn't care, I kept her still and even took her to the cry room at the back of the sanctuary. I was sitting there rocking her when I was asked to pray, lol, well soon they realized I wasn't there and asked someone else. She was bein' fussy and mom arrived to rescue her. The message was sooooo good tonight, it always is but tonight's was about the Holy Spirit. I am just in awe that God sends us His Spirit to dwell in us when we accept Him. We forget that the same Holy Spirit that we read about in His word dwells in us, that we can accomplish great things for Him if we are willing and obedient and faithful. Thank you Lord for this truth, for Your truth.

A New Day

It's Saturday! I love Saturdays! The plan for today...well, first I'm going to fix a good breakfast so I need to get on that, it's ten after eight. Christian was supposed to sing at Worlds of Fun today but he is not feeling well :(, poor guy. James said he's going to work on cabinets, I will probably get some house cleaning done, work on VBS stuff, my bible studies, play with the boys if they let me, and maybe check out Lincoln's City Wide Garage Sale. Tonight we will probably watch a movie and eat Nachos and Buffalo Wings, I will try to take it easy on them since I am trying to lose a couple more pounds to reach my goal...okay sure.

This is titled "A New Day", I was thinking the other day when it seemed that I didn't get much at all accomplished and slacked on my quiet time how God's mercies are new every morning, oh how I needed that reminder that I need and can brush myself off and start anew. Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace! Today really is a new day!

Well, better get started on Mount Washmore and breakfast...stay tuned!