A Christmas I Corinthians 13

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchens, carol in the nursing homes, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the tree with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can't.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.

Merry Christmas
Author unknown

JD and the Manger

JD has been very intruiged with the Nativity scene as of late. Today I grabbed the camera and asked him a few questions. Thought you might enjoy...

YEah! It's Christmas season again! The tree is up, the mantel is lit up and my wonderful husband loaded 13 CD's worth of Christmas music onto my Ipod. I am a happy camper!

We went and cut down our tree again this year. Such a fun tradition. The boys love it more each year. Enjoy the pictures..

When I think of you...

It's 8:17 am.  I just got Caleb on the bus and headed to school.  The other two boys are still asleep...and I'm enjoying my first cup of coffee and the quiet that is so rare in this house. 

God has been working on me over the past few weeks.  I had just felt "off", not depressed or sad, just kinda "blah."  I wanted so badly to "feel and see" God in my daily life.  For so many years I felt like we have gone from crisis to crisis.  Be it a move, job loss, premature baby or loss of a loved one, we've faced those head on.  In the midst of  the crisis, I know how to act.  I know how to trust in God...it's my only option.  Living in surrender is easy during a crisis. 

 These past two and a half years I 've lived in the same house, worshipped at the same church, shopped at the same Wal-Mart.  Stability is a wonderful thing.  Yet in the midst of stability, I've found it easy to stagnate.  To get comfortable.  I've found it hard to stay faithful in my time with God.   I have not felt the same closeness to the Lord that I felt during those raw moments of grief or fear.   I know that God has not changed.  His arms still encircle me, his love is the same.  My sense of it is just different for some reason.

However, I've heard God whisper to me over the past few weeks.  His whisper is gentle and has stirred my heart in ways that I've longed for.  I was listening to a Michael W Smiths new worship CD  in the car the other day, and found myself WEEPING out of sheer love for Jesus. 

One song in particular has the African Childrens Choir in it.  The song talks about how much Jesus really does love us.  These kids are singing words like..." When I think of you I see you dancing...when I think of you I see you smiling at me...When I think of you  I see you praying for me.."  The very thought of Jesus smiling at me, dancing and singing....it's such a visual to me of his love...his covering and his faithfulness in the storm and in the calm.

Here is a clip of the song that I found on Youtube....  

Museum, Movie and the Moon

It's Monty's Drill weekend, and I always try to do somthing fun with the boys when he is out of town. Today was a great day....

Our adventures started out with me taking the boys to the Philbrook Museum here in Tulsa, OK. The museum has a FREE (yes, no charge) program for kids. They get an art box with supplies that they get to keep, and they had three different projects for the kids to do. The boys had a blast working on the different crafts. I was greatful for a fully supplied craft studio with helpers! We were there for almost two hours. So fun! (Thanks Jenni for the heads up about this program!)

We also saw a mantinee showing of Madagascar 2. Near my house there is a theater that shows the NEW movies for $2.50 per person. Gotta love that!

After the movie was over, we went home and I got the boys ready for bed. I told them we had to put on "Footie" jammies. We then grabbed some blankets and to thier delight we headed out to the backyard. We all snuggled under the blankets and watched the moon, the stars. The boys were giddy and wide eyed. It was so much fun!

We came inside and had some hot chocolate. I watched thier little faces smile and listened to thier great little giggles as they slurped up the half melted marshmallows. We then brushed teeth, read our stories, said our prayers and I tucked them each in bed.

It was a great day....thank you Lord

Groundhog Day...

I haven't posted much recently.  I have had lots of memorable moments with the boys.  Life is never dull with them around.  However, there are times when I don't feel like I have much to say.  It's almost like life gets turned into a Mommy version of the movie "Groundhog Day."  It's the same day everyday...

I don't want it to be like that.  I don't think it will stay this way.  It's just how I've felt over the past few weeks.  Funny, how life can be a new adventure for children everyday..and I get stuck looking at the sink full of dishes, the laundry that needs folded, the diapers that need changed, the food that needs prepared.  I think that's the challenge for Moms.  It's finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.  It's waking up...and not just walking through life in that "Mom" daze.   

My prayer is that God will "wake me up" .  I know the these days will pass all to quickly.  I don't want to miss them.... 

I love Fall

I love fall.  I love the cooler weather (although Tulsa does not get cool quickly enough for my tastes...).  I love Fall activities.  I love taking the boys to Pumpkin Patches and Apple Orchards.

I love that I can have the windows open.  I love that our air conditioning bills are down and our heating bills have not started to rise.  I love long sleeved T-shirts and jeans.  I love a cup of hot coffee in the morning when it's chilly outside.  I love the leaves turning.  I love driving along a tree lined street when the wind blows leaves off the trees and they tumble down around my car.  I love pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks.  I love season premiers of my favorite TV Shows.  I love Fall!

Immanuel - Songs Of Praise

This was absolutely beautiful. I sang in choirs all through grade school, middle school, High School and College. I would have loved to just stand in the middle of this sanctuary and listen....

God is in Control

My Dad had surgery today. His back has been giving him a lot of problems as of late. He went to the Doctor last week, and they scheduled and MRI. The radiologist contacted my Dad right away and told him it was imperative that he see a neurosurgeon. He got into the Neurosurgeon on Wednesday. The Surgeon postponed his vacation so he operate on my Dad today. It's a been a whirlwind. I'm glad to report that the surgery went well. There was some risk that he would have some permanent nerve damage that would leave him in a wheelchair. Praise God they were able to get in there and stop the progression of that nerve damage. There are a few other issues he will have to deal with due to some permanent nerve damage in other areas, but we are just so grateful that he will be able to walk! None of us knew it was this "bad". We knew he was in a lot of pain, but we did not know the danger he was in. Thank you Lord for taking care of him!

Another great thing happend today. As many of you know, my little Caleb has some severe speech delay issues. He is almost 4 and communicates at about a 2-2 1/2 year old level. He will "parrot" a lot of words back to you, but does not communicate needs or wants with words. We have him in a speech delay preschool and have used some sign language with him. It's very exhausting trying to figure out what he wants. I just want to know what is going on in that little noggin.

Today, I took the boys to a pumpkin patch. Caleb picked up a little pumpkin and said... "Turtle hungry". What is remarkable about this statement, is he is recalling the memory of a different pumpkin patch that we went to A YEAR AGO. They had a large tortoise there that was eating a small pumpkin. The more I thought about it, the more choked up I got. He was able to, for the first time, relay a memory to me. A memory that he has up there in his little head...and it was finally able to make it past his lips...and I could understand what he was saying. It was a HUGE deal, and leaves me in tears still.

Both of these events, though very different , impress on me that God is in control. He is moving and even though the progress may be slow or the process painful, He is in control. He is in control.....

Saved by Love

I love my boys.   They are amazing little gifts.  I am so greatful for the time God has given us with each of them.  However, in the midst of having a 2, 3 and 4 year old, I'm tired.  I'm flat out exhausted.  I want to be the best wife and mother that I can be. I've only got one shot at this.  It's just hard sometimes.  I've been struggling lately.  I'm easily annoyed and frustrated.  This is not who I am.  It's not who I want to be.  It's just a tiring season.  I want to raise these boys up to love and serve the Lord.  I desire for them to fall in love with Jesus and to be great men of God.  I need refreshing.  I need to know I'm doing a good job.  I don't want to fail at the greatest oppourtunity God has given me.  

I think sometimes when the day is over, the toys are picked up, the dishes done and the house is quiet is when I feel the most overwhelmed and relieved all at once.  It's a strange emotion.  I can't really explain it.  Maybe other of you stay at home Moms know what I mean.  Its at these moments when I truly need to cling to my Father in heaven.  He knows what I can handle.  He knows where my breaking points are.  He knows what I need.  The rest I desire is not just physical, it's emotional and spiritual as well.  Lord...help me on this road of Motherhood, to be who you want me to be.  Nothing more, nothing less.  

Jesus Is My Friend

Ok..sit back and laugh. My sister sent me this clip the other day. All I can say is ...."wow...."

Summer 2008

Here is a taste of our summer...now that it's all over....

Actual Conversation

I was at Hobby Lobby with JD yesterday. We were in line waiting to check out, and a friend of his from church and his parents were behind us in line. The conversation between the two 4 year old boys went as follows:

Tate: "Hey JD"
JD: "Hey Tate"
Tate: "So how ya been doin these days?"
JD: "Good"
JD "So, have you been watching the Olympics?"
Tate: "No, I haven't"
JD: "Well, you should, Michael Phelps is the Coolest.."


I had to laugh. We have watched A LOT of the Olympics around here!

My First Crack at Homeschooling

Well, after much prayer, a lot of discussion and honestly a lot of reservation on my side, we have started the

homeschooling journey. We've decided to take it "year by year, and kid by kid" to see how it goes. This year, JD gets to be my guinea pig. ( Caleb is going to continue his speech delay classes M-W at a local school and Nater is not quite 2 so no school for him yet!)

Our reasoning for homeschooling (or at least giving it a shot), has a lot to do with Monty heading into the military chaplaincy. In a couple of years, we will Lord willing go active duty and then we will be at the whim of the Army as to where we live. Most often this means moving quite a bit. I think it will be difficult for them educationally if they are jumping around from school to school during their formative elementary years.

JD technically would not start Kindergarten until next year in the Public School system. So, we thought this would be a great "dry run" year. If I find that I can't handle it, or absolutely hate it, we can move on and try something else. At least this year I'm willing to give it a shot.

I've started Kindergarten curriculum with JD this week. I have honestly been very surprised how much we both like it. I'm not a real "crafty" person. So, the whole idea of breaking out scissors, paint and glue was not exactly my idea of a fun way to spend the morning. I have really enjoyed it so far. We've had a lot of good time together, and it's been a lot of fun.

A time to Clean..and a time to make a mess

This is how the Johnson boys make cookies....

Emily

So, I just have to tell this story. It's pretty stinkin amazing and I thought that it was worth sharing. Many of you know that I worked on youth staff at Mission Hills Church in Colorado for many years. During my time there, I got the chance to work with so many amazing young women. This story is about one of "my" girls and her recent engagement.

Emily graduated from High School in 1998. She then attended Cedarville University in Ohio. After graduating from college, she returned to Colorado and has worked in the Real Estate business there for the past few years. She is an amazing woman of God who has served Him faithfully in her singleness.

This past year started dating a guy that she had gone to college with at Cedarville. From the start, thier relationship has been rooted and grounded in the Lord. They both have a heart for Him and have honored him in thier relationship.

Over the first week of July, Emily had gone to Ohio to visit Josh. (She lives in Denver, he lives in Dayton, OH). She was staying at a friends house during her visit. Josh came over, and told her that she needed to pack her bags. She did so, and they headed off to an unknown locations. Much to her confusion, they headed to the airport and boarded a plane headed for London. They did indeed fly to Europe. During thier time there, they spent time visiting several missionaries. They went to Vienna, and eventually Prauge.

It was in Prauge where on a rainy morning Josh took Emily out for a walk. They ended up in front of a beatiful statue of Jesus, in front of a cathedral. He then pulled a water bottle and towell from his backpack and washed her feet. He then read some scriptures depicting Jesus' view of servant leadership. He then proposed and she greatfully accepted.

What she did not know, is that Josh had arranged for Emily's parents and brother and His Mother and Sister to join them in Prauge. From a distance, they had secretly photographed the moment. As Emily and Josh walked away from the cross and through the plaza, her parents came into her view and gave her the surprise of her life! It was truly amazing.

They are planning a wedding sometime before Chrirstmas and are heading to Africa for a Missions trip in February. They truly are a Godly couple. I couldn't be happier for them!

Here's a video of the surpise "unveiling" of her parents...

So much to be Thankful for

Our 1994 Chevy Tahoe has had some issues. Mind you, the car was a gift to us, and for that we are continually thankful. However, it has had some radiator issues. Monty has been adding fluid before work everyday and I believe he's been adding some before he returns home. Not good. Monty is a wonderful man, who can fix anyone's jewelry or paintball gun pretty much blindfolded. However, he will admit to anyone, he is not a great "car guy". His schedule and our budget have just not allowed us to get it fixed.

Today, two guys from our Sunday School Class (err, I mean, Adult Bible Fellowship Class) came over with tools in hand. They took the old radiator out and were just about to leave to go get a new radiator, when Jake asked me if I had the receipt for the broken radiator (it was only two years old). We are not the greatest "receipt keepers" in the world, but I went to look for it. Lo and behold...I found it. It was in a file labeled "car stuff"...very professional don't you think? Because of that piece of paper, the radiator was replaced for FREE! That is a savings of $200+. Jake and Dewayne had the Tahoe up and running. I fed them pizza, which seems like a small payment for such a big job! Thank you guys...you are a true blessing us!

My other exciting news is after searching for an outdoor toy box in countless garage sales, I found one yesterday! I drove up to this sale yesterday and spotted the absolute perfect toy box. It was full of random toys that were labeled "free". I asked the gentleman if the toy box was for sale. He said... "If you take the toys in the toy box, I'll give it to you for $10". No joke! So, I handed over the said $10, loaded up the toy box and drove home. My boys were ecstatic to browse through a toy box full of new treasures. (I tossed a bunch of them when the boys went to bed..)

So, all that to say that God is so good. He really is "Jehovah Jirah"...my provider! He takes care of our needs and even a few of our wants along the way.

Thank you Lord for your continual hand in our lives. Thanks for friends who sacrifice their time on a hot July Saturday , thanks for a new toy box for the back yard. You are so good to us...

I'm back

Hello All...no I did not fall off the face of the earth. I am still here. It has been a crazy past month, full of traveling, family and friends. On June 26th, the boys and I headed towards Denver to help throw a 40th Wedding Anniversary party for my folks. I survived the 800 mile trip with the boys ALONE...thank you very much. They actually are good travelers. Monty flew in on the 5th of July and was able to be there for the open house on the 6th of July.

The Open House was such a great time. It was a fun way for my sisters and I to honor our folks. The three of us have not been together for a very long time. (Cari, my youngest sister, lives in San Diego. Christy and her family live in Denver. So, getting us all in one geographical location is not easy. Cari got to meet Nathan for the first time! ) We had about 75 people turn out for the event. It was really a testimony to their faithfulness to Christ and to each other.

We arrived home on the 9th of July. I've honestly had a bit of a rough time getting back in the swing of things. It seems like the laundry would not quit, and I was more crabby than normal. I'm not sure what that was all about. I feel like I'm coming out of the post vacation fog and putting one foot in front of the other.

Monty is really swamped and work and trying to do Grad School work and National Guard and be a husband and Father....you might pray for him. He's stretched really thin right now. He's so tired all of the time. I'm actually pretty concerned for him. I'm trying to do all I can to not put things on his plate, because his is so full. I keep reminding myself that this is a "season".

Anyway..the kids are all napping (praise the Lord.) and I need to go get some things done..and spend time with God. Wait...don't I have the order reversed on that?

Swim Lessons....

For the past two weeks, JD and Caleb have had swimming lessons every morning. They have had BLAST. They love being under water and have actually progressed really well. They love to jump off the diving board and have fallen in love with goggles. They are getting so tan and so blonde...ahh the joys of summer!

Oh the difference....

Boys are so much different than girls. I realized this tonight as I was putting JD to bed. We had had some sweet time together. I had read books, we snuggled under the covers and we prayed. I was leaving the room with a smile on my face...when my sweet boy said this...

"Mommy, if there were bad guys, I would poke them with a sword and they would bleed everywhere..."

Ahh.. the words every mother wants to hear as her son drifts off to sleep.

Delight vs. Tolerate

I just got done making Peanut Butter cookies with Caleb. He was supposed to be napping. However, sleep would not come for him at his regular nap time. His brothers were both asleep, yet Caleb was inconsolable as he lay in his toddler bed. Usually, I am a stickler and do not give in to tantrums. I was getting ready to start on my "to do" list, when the overwhelming desire to make cookies with Caleb came over me. This does not typically happen. So, I went into his room and retrieved a very grateful 3 year old. We made our way to the kitchen and he helped me make cookies with the sheer delight. I let him eat brown sugar and fingers full of peanut butter. He helped me use the mixer and we each licked a "beater" clean.

Once the cookie making process was done and we had each had a glass of milk, I sent him back to his room. I didn't hear a sound from him for two hours. I guess he was hungry for some "Mommy" time. I find that even though I'm home with the boys all day long, that I sometimes don't spend the time with them that I need too. I get wrapped up in volunteer projects, checking email, talking on the phone, cleaning, laundry...you get the picture. My prayer lately is that I will delight in my children...not just tolerate them. Anyone else feel that way?

Memorial Day

Boy Land

JD commented to me this morning that "our backyard is like boyland"...Couldn't have said it better myself. We love it.

Bagels

I was sitting at Panera Bread Co. yesterday having a bagel with 20 month old Nate. A few tables over from me, was a group of about 12 people having breakfast. It did not take me long to figure out that they were the staff of a local church. They all had their Bibles, notebooks and coffee. The pastor opened in prayer, another gal led a short devotional. Then they got on with business, reviewing the past Sunday, coming up with new ideas, sharing how God was working in their individual ministries. I had to admit as I picked up Nate's juice cup off the floor for the 5th time, that I was a bit jealous of them. 15 years of my life I served on some type of ministry staff. I remember well sitting around tables and brainstorming how to more effectively reach people for Christ. I remember what it felt like to be part of a team, to be a part of a "staff" of some sort. As I drove home, my eyes clouded with tears. I realized how badly I miss that. I don't think I had really felt it that much until that moment.

As I pondered on that throughout the day, I had another realization. I remember sitting in meetings like that, and glancing across the room and watching a young mother with her child. I remember what the ache for a husband and children felt like. I remember driving home with tears in my eyes wondering if I would ever know what it felt like to take my own child out for a bagel on a spring morning.

God gently reminded me that there are indeed seasons in life. If I spend my time missing what used to be...or yearning for what could be, I miss the beauty of the season I'm in. Lord remind me to be content in whatever circumstance I am in.

Laminin

Our God is amazing. He is so intimately aquainted with us. This video is about 8 minutes long, but so worth it.

Spring

Here are a few shots of our spring so far. The last few pictures include the newest addition to our backyard. We were able to get a swinset/playset for the boys. The Lord really provided and I'm humbled that he gives us not just our needs...but at times our desires. We have wanted to get the boys a playset for a long time. God really did out do himself. Thank you Lord.

Realization

Over the past few days I have embarked on the journey of closet cleaning/ clothes sorting. It's time to break out the summer clothing and pack up the winter clothing. I do the "closet shuffle" moving clothing from JD's closet to Calebs, Calebs to Nate. It dawned on me as I sat in a pile of 12Month clothing that is to small for Nate, that I have no other child to hand these clothes down to. I know God has completed our family. I know that I am not meant to have anymore children (a seriously ruptured uterus and two c-sections will do that). Even still, there was a twinge of sadness as I packed up these outfits that all three of my boys have worn. It was yet another reminder that they don't stay small. They are growing up....all to quickly

JD's First week at Home


Caleb weighing in at barely 5lbs and 6 weeks old

Little Nathan in the Hospital

Playlands

Being a Mother of 3 boys gives me a unique perspective on life. Boys are a strange breed. The need to climb, run, jump and explore are an absolute necessity to their survival. I have grown accustomed to them jumping off the arms of my couches, climbing trees and scaling door frames.

I am not grossed out by the toads and worms they seem to always find in the backyard. I don't balk at them getting dirty and muddy. It's just part of the package.

When the weather is rainy, or it's to cold to go outside, I've often resorted to taking them to a fast food restaurant with a play land to "get some wiggles out". It is here that I am faced with a dilemma. The dilemma is based around the slide. My boys love the slide. They go down it with gusto and climb it with ease. Sometimes they climb up the stairs and go down, other times they climb up the inside of the slide. There have been times when, a mother (most likely a mother of girls...no offense to my friends who only have daughters) absolutely insists on their child going down the slide the "right" way. I can only assume that means going up the stairs and down the slide in that order. Several Mothers have looked sideways at me while explaining to their child just loud enough for me to hear that "We never go up the slide, that's not the right way to do that".

I do insist on my boys being courteous, watching out for "littler" kids, no pushing or being rude. But I absolutely will let them climb and run and play. It's a PLAY land. Is there really a rule book for proper slide etiquette? If so, I've obviously misplaced it.

Living the Dream

Well, it seems like the boys are on the rebound. After Calebs ordeal, JD got sick for a couple of days. I'm so done with fevers and sickness. Thanks for your prayers. It's great to see them up and around and being the crazy boys they are.

Yesterday, Caleb had fun with eggs. Unfortunately, he had fun with them on the freshly mopped kitchen floor. He got in a bit of trouble, and I made him clean them up. I did manage to snap a few pictures of the mess. I know someday, when the boys are older, I will miss these days. However, at the moment, it can be a bit annoying! (Funny...but annoying)

Monty built a tree house for the boys. They LOVE it. JD ate his lunch up there yesterday. I think he'd sleep in it if we let him. Our back yard is coming together to be a fun backyard for the boys. I'm so glad its warm outside and we can let the boys play.

I'm so grateful for my life. I may be exhausted, and I worn out at times. But I wouldn't trade it. I remember when I was single and wondered if I would ever get married and have kids. I longed for the day when I could spend time raising children and taking care of my husband. I now have this dream as a reality. I need to remember that I am living smack in the middle of my dream...

The best laid plans...

So, the boys and I were planning on heading to Grandmas to help out and just spend some sweet time with her. She is doing much better, but was a little nervous about being alone. So, last weekend, I ran around town like a crazy person, trying to get everything done for a 12 hour road trip with three boys. We were planning on leaving on Tuesday.

Monday arrives and Caleb has a fever. I'm not the type of Mom who rushes to the Doctor for every sniffle, but I figured we had better figure out what was going on. The appointment took a few minutes and we filled a prescrition for an antibiotic and headed home. Tuesday the fever was still here and we were giving him tylenol/motrin every four hours. His fever would not go below 103 even with the medicine. Tuesday evening his fever went to 106 and I decided that an emergency room visit was in order. After several hours,IV's and Xrays it turns out the little guy has pnemonia.

We went home and he went in for a check up on Thursday. Still running a fever, still miserable. The Doctor did not seem overly concerned. Just said it would have to run it's course. Friday, Calebs nose started running in a way that I did not know the human nose could. It was actually POURING out of his little nose. He started drooling and would not drink anything. (He also had not really eaten since Monday. ) Saturday morning Caleb came into our room at about 4 AM. We pulled him in bed with us, he was burning up. He stayed in our bed motionless until 10:30 am. I made an appointment for him at the urgent care center at Childrens Hospital.

We headed down to the urgent care center. My neighbors watched the other two boys until my wonderful friend Jasmine could get to our house to take the boys home with her for the night. The Doctors at the urgent care center were really concerned over little Caleb. They found a HUGE abcess on the roof of his mouth (which explains the drooling) They were afraid that he may have abcesses throughout his sinuses, so they did a CT scan as well as X-rays to check on the pnemonia. They gave him IV antibiotics and steroids as well as fluids. They were going to admit us, but the had given him all the medicine they could and figured he would sleep better at home. So, they gave him Tylenol with Codine and sent us home for the night. We had to go back in the morning for more medicine etc.

THANKFULLY, the medicine has seemed to work. He's still not "better", but he's much improved. What a crazy week. I'm exhausted!

News

I just got off the phone with my parents. My Grandma was just taken to the emergency room with heart related pain. My Grandma is 90 years old and lives alone in a small town in Nebraska. Grandma is one of the most Godly people I know. She and I have been so close through the years. I know that she would want nothing more than to go home to be with Jesus. I long for her to be with the saviour whom she has served faithfully for over 7 1/2 decades. However, if this is the beginning of the end for her, my heart trembles and tears flow freely as I try to imagine my life without her. She has always been a phone call away, and I know that many things that have occurred in my life are a direct result of her faithful prayers. Anyway, if you could send up a prayer for her, for us, it would be greatly appreciated.

Seeds

I don't enjoy gardening. I never have. I hear people talk about "loving" the smell of the earth and finding in gardening a great sense of stress relief. I on the other hand detest gardening. I find it annoying and time consuming. I don't like pulling weeds, and I feel like I'm wasting money when I water the lawn.

However, in a great twist of irony, I have a child who is absolutely fascinated with plants and watching things grow. So, last week JD and I went to Lowes, and purchased a small green house geared for children. We dutifully planted the seeds and carefully set them in the window. Wouldn't you know it...they grew. In the process, I've become strangely excited about seeing if they will actually survive and eventually bloom.

As a mother, I have the priviledge and responsibilty to sow seeds in my childrens lives. Everyday God gives me opportunities to tell my children about Him. Everyday I have the oppourtunity to live a life in front of them that reflects Christ. I know that ultimately, like the seeds JD and I have planted, it's God who is responsible for the growth. Each of my boys will have to stand on thier own before God. My prayer is that I will faithfully sow seeds of truth and tend to the tender shoots of growth while I have them in my care. My hope as a Mother is that when the harvest comes, that these three boys will be Godly men sowing seeds for the next generation.

Lets go surfin now....

Well, the project is just about done. We finally got the boys bathroom looking like a boys bathroom. We got rid of the floral wallpaper and teal cabinets, and traded them for crisp white cabinets and a cool "surfin" blue wall. I have a surfboard shower curtain and floor mat, and we got some other surf board accents on the wall as well. I'm going to put some of the boys old swim trunks up on the wall too...just have to get them out of storage... Anyway....just thought I'd share some pictures....

Playing...Playing with the boys....

It's finally nice out! It was in the mid 80's here today. Monty got home from work and

spent the next couple of hours playing outside with the boys. We even grilled and ate out on the patio. The boys are so much fun. Thanks Lord for the daily gift that they are!