Another One Off to Middle School

Well, I am officially feeling older and older and older:

Dropped another one off for Middle School Day Camp today. I was so impressed with the way the school had things set up. With our new principal Mrs. Stewart in charge, I believe that Abby is going to have a much better experience than Jacob did 2 years ago. And boy am I glad of that!

Also, my 20th year reunion from Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee is this weekend! No comment.......

Gearing up for a busy weekend - yard sale, football scrimmage, soccer scrimmage, boat-riding with dear friends, etc. Hope everyone has a great one!

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Well people, we are living proof that God does have a plan and that He also still performs miracles. As we prayed this morning before work, Chris said "thank you Lord for giving us the tenacity to stick this thing out." HA, that is SO true! Sometimes that is really all there is, just hanging in there and sticking it out. (Very hard for a romantic drama queen like myself. I want a fairy tale all the time.) Oh well, if marriage teaches you anything, it is that life is NOT a fairy tale. I will say, however, that it does get better with time.

Happy Anniversary Chris! 14 years married and 19 years putting up with me. Wow! Love you, Boo

Randy Pausch 1960-2008

If you never have had the opportunity to watch The Last Lecture, then please do right now. So sad to hear about his passing and I am sending up prayers for his wife and three small children.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

SO glad it's Friday......

I was thinking this morning about what a rough week this has been for me. From Sunday on it seems like I have been under constant attack and haven't done such a good job standing firm against it. Honestly, I have just given in to it. I have allowed myself to be selfish and critical this week and I hate that! I have found myself falling into old patterns during the past week and I really hate that! Sometimes it seems that we are alone - without a prayer partner in the world or without anyone to talk to about our problems, but I really do believe that this is when God can be at most work in our lives. If we recognize our complete need for Him during these times and cry out to Him, then He WILL answer. So, I am dusting myself off this morning and getting back on the horse. Pity party is over. For those of you who have had the unfortunate opportunity to be around me this week, I am sorry. I have not been a good witness nor a good friend to be around. With that said, this is the devotional I had this morning in my inbox:

". . . let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16 NIV).

Last fall my husband and I were traveling in the beautiful Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Frequently, we would see a lake with a beautiful reflection of the rugged snow covered mountains. It was an awesome scene. I could not help but think, "Does God's love reflect from my life? Do others see Jesus in me?" As I was considering these questions and the possible answer, the thought came to me that in order for God's love to reflect from my life, the love of God's Son, Jesus, must shine in my heart. Just as it is the shining sun that causes a reflection to appear on the lake, so also without the sun shining on the water, there is not reflection. I live in Oregon where we have many days of cloudy, rainy weather. It is easy to allow these dreary days to depress my spirits and weary my soul. However, the clouds and rain cannot obscure the love of Jesus when I remind myself that it is God's Son who shines in my heart. God's love will reflect from my heart when I read and meditate on God's Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to my heart. When our hearts are overflowing with God's love, our lives will reflect the love of Jesus. He will help us as we:

Show concern for others.

Be a good listener.

Reach out to others, not waiting for them to reach out first.

Be cheerful and positive.

Be hospitable.

Be generous.

Be their prayer warrior.

Our New Little Addition

Thanks to our friend Tammy and Darryl and Tammy's sweet sister Jennifer, we got a new puppy last night. She is tiny and sweet and the kids are in love. Chris and I are both a little stand-offish at this point due to our recent broken hearts.......I long for the heart of a child.

We have no idea what type of mix she is, but we shall find out soon when we take her to the vet. We still have not decided on a name, so if you have any ideas, please post them!!!!

Just Hilarious - Watch These

http://www.godtube.com/view_video?viewkey=2275da59ba352aa5070c


http://www.godtube.com/view_video?viewkey=2c8d6d5f61d0ddb88acd

Consider it Joy!

James 1:2-5

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

I love this verse. I think because I have been through so many trials in my life (like all of you I am sure). It is so interesting to me to know that when I am enduring trials in my life, whether it be financial, dealing with kids, my career (or lack thereof), etc. that God loves me enough to put me through it. He loves me enough to test my faith. He loves me enough to develop my perserverance. He also loves me enough to give me generous amounts of wisdom if I only ask.

So trust God with your trials. Trust Him that he is doing a work in your life and that He loves you enough to do so! Basically, hang in there. God is good. He means only good for your life - not harm.

Red State Update

Chris has been out of town all week, thus not much time to post. Regular Saturday around here. We got haircuts - Chris is going to freak when he sees mine tonight (finally in from Atlanta!). I cut it all off fairly short. HA! The kids look great. Jacob starts practice in pads on Monday and so I made him take part of his off - he was really happy with me. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Too tired to post anything with any thought process involved. Love you all!!!

Eddie The Man

For those of you who aren't aware, we lost Eddie our dog last night. We are all terribly sad and it is a hard time for all of us. Eddie was absolultely the kindest, most loving and gentle dog I have ever known. Please keep the kids in your prayers as he was their very best friend.

This has been a very rough year for us to say the least. I am going to take a few days off from blogging. Love to all -

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Happy Anniversary to my niece Marcie and her husband Nick! I love you both.

Words

God has really been speaking to me lately about the power of words in our lives. Anyone who knows me knows that I am fairly outspoken (to say the least). One person I have been very outspoken to in my life is my husband. Chris and I both have used words in our marriage to hurt each other. We know each other well enough to know that words are the weapon that wound each other the most. I have been very convicted over the past few months and especially in the past few days over taking responsibility for the words that I speak. Words are VERY powerful. They have long lasting effect in our lives and in the lives of others. I am making a conscious decision to try with God's help to speak nothing but words of blessing on others (including my husband - especially my husband and children). God calls us to speak encouragement to others. Never are we to speak critical words or words of discouragement to others. Never. It is not scriptural. Words have a long-lasting effect on others and I pray Lord that you will help me to speak only kind words to not only those that I love, but all those around me.

Proverbs 16:24

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

James 3:9-12

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and saltwater flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Happy 4th of July from the Browns!!!

Beautiful

Really, does it get more beautiful than this?

There is a time in life when you stop existing and you start living. There is a time in life when you are given a new chance and new dreams. There is a time in life when the old is to be forgotten and the new embraced. There is a time in life...And that time is now...

copied from the web.