Saturday, July 30, 2011

It's a small world after all...

My heart is so full and aching right now...I can't wait to see Mailey and Emry after a week of them being gone...where have they been you ask?
Well....quick! Go check HERE to find out!!!!! Go! Go!
And in case you need more prompting...Here are a few pictures to wet your appetite...Go look through the last four posts...they'll give you a giant dose of joy to get through your day!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Take a deep breath

Last week was so amazing, we spent it at the prescott conference and it impacted me so much. It was also our very first conference without any children!! Okay, I seriously thought I was going to miss them horribly, but truth be told, and much to my chagrin, I didn't miss a'tall....seriously, besides the occasional pang of sadness I was really, REALLY, thankful to have time without them, so I could just hear a sermon (for once) and not do nursery, not feel the pressure off setting up a service, not try to snap out of mommy mode and into wife mode..(if you know what I mean).
My parents, who are superheroes, came ALLL the way down to chico, picked up the girls and went alllll the way back up to McMinnville...my mom took the week off and the girls had a jam packed week of fun...but then,  it was back to reality for all of us.
I was obviously very happy to see my little monsters (er darling little wonders) again but man oh man, they are loud and chaotic and needy and well...children. So monday I was exhausted and spent the day unpacking/cleaning etc...then tuesday came around and man...I was ready to ship those kids back to papa and nana's house.
Do you ever find yourself at the end of the day, realizing you've spent it frustrated and upset with the kids, all you can hear is your own voice scolding and scolding and sighing all the live long day? You go to bed feeling like you've just failed as a mother, you suck at being patient, you suck at teaching them anything good, you just suck. sorry if thats a naughty word in your house, it really just fits the bill when it comes to how I felt.
I got up tuesday and it resumed, the scolding and trying to clean around the messy small children, and finally, I stopped. I stopped and looked at those big brown eyes, and realized, the house will always need cleaning, the children will always need schooling and scolding, the laundry will magically keep reproducing and I will never feel like everythings done. BUT! I will miss these days with the kids, as long and stressful as they seem, they will fly and they will be days that I will look back on and wish I had savored.
So at eleven thirty, I packed a lunch, I threw my hair up, and off we went. To explore and picnic the chico creek, to catch little fishies in the stream and learn how to skip rocks across the water....and I loved it...It was gorgeous and relaxing. I was struck by a thought as I soaked in the trees and the beautiful plants and birds, I watched the water flowing over time smoothed pebbles and stones...and I was struck by how, despite the glorious beauty all around me, nothing struck me more, gripped my heart and soul so completely, as my little children, these three small wonders running their fingers through flowing water, skipping rocks across a glassy pond, sinking their toes in the deep deep mud. To quote the famous Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice fame, "you have bewitched me body and soul". And they have and do...
Here's the pictures from those happy two hours..





















Tuesday, July 5, 2011

The Glory of God was here.

Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.
C. S. Lewis 



On Saturday, we had a magic show at bidwell one mile park, the central park in our town. It was a magic show, a gospel illusionist at his finest. We spent the day with the dear people from Oroville and their pastor, the gentlemen from Medford and the couple from Eugene that came with Jed and Elaine Matthews...it was hot. like 102 degrees hot. They labored all day, inviting out the town...John went with them, I ran around town gathering all we would need for the event that night. 
As it came down to the last few hours, we began to set up, no one was there yet and if you've done this before, you know that weird knot that forms in your tummy, that ugly scared voice that says, "what if no one comes?". You push it aside and trust God that your labor was not in vain and you begin to set up the harvest field.
The stage was set, the hot dogs were starting to cook...the team was exhausted and hot, sweating and hopeful...hopeful for God's glory to be poured out...and dear God, you are so good...it really did.


300(approx) came and watched our humble show, they packed into our sitting area, they stood and watched and they listened with hearts that were so open to the gospel, that at the end, 47 came to the very front and gave their lives to Jesus openly for everyone to see. 
It was breathtaking. I literally had to catch my breath and thank God for such a sweet, confirming miracle...




look at that sweet baby in that wonderful man's arms...watching in sweet innocence as souls are added to the kingdom of God and heaven begins to rejoice...

Monday, July 4, 2011

O Beautiful for spacious skies....

Happy fourth to you and yours! I love this holiday, its lazy and not full of bustle and expectation, although I would be lying if I said Christmas wasn't my absolute favorite holiday. But the fourth is so reminiscent of barbecue's and river going, sparklers and watermelon...sunshine and a warm breeze...it just so embodies the lazy days of summer.
Here's some little patriotic darlings for you...




































Do you remember this picture from last summer?
















A year later we have....

















And although I love all the picture's of John and Rea-Rea, here is my favorite by far...