Wordless Wednesday...

Just a few pictures from Christmas '09...

My Christmas gifts...

I don't need any gifts this year, because I have already been given so much. God continues to bless me over and over, even though I am so undeserving. My greatest and most treasured gift is my salvation. I thank God for my greatest blessings...

my husband...
my children...
my parents...
my sisters...
friends...

Merry Christmas...from our family to yours!

Is this not THE BEST season? I LOVE Christmas. I love everything about it...the lights, decorating, baking, the music, kids on break from college/school, celebrating Christ's birth.
The only thing that has been sad this year is watching some of our traditions going by the wayside. We have always lit an advent candle each morning with our kids that counts down the days beginning with December 1st and ends with December 24th. Not this year...nope, with Lindsay away at school, Heather either sleeping in or rushing off to work/school, and Caleb just barely getting out the door on time for school, that's not a big deal to them anymore. So we passed it along to friends to light with their small children (I'll bet they're enjoying it just as our kids did when they were little). And then there is our advent calendar. I remember our kids used to look forward to pulling out that little ornament each morning and hanging it on a felt Christmas tree. They'd get so excited to hang that final ornament on December 24th. Nope, not this year (see reasons above)...the little felt tree is hanging on the door with not one ornament hung in it's place.But we will bake together next week, watch Christmas movies, the kids will sleep together on Christmas Eve (including Max, our dog), and they'll be up at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning. At least they haven't given up on that...yet!
Hoping you and your family have a wonderful Christmas season, celebrating the birth of our Saviour who was born to die for us!

A perfect Thanksgiving day...

This year we were able to spend Thanksgiving with my mom, both my sisters and their families. This is extremely rare as we're usually not able to find the time to all be together...kids included. My sister's and I try really hard to schedule time together at least twice a year.
It was a beautiful day...sun shining and slightly warm weather. We were quite concerned with the noise level in a tiny space. You see, we met at my older sister's apartment (she hates when I say she's older :)in Goldsboro...all 25 of us!
Let's see, there was my mom, my family (total of 5), Karen's family (her boyfriend, Randy, and two sons, Phillip and Andrew, along with Phillip's girlfriend, Jessie), my younger sister, Kristi, and her family of 14 (her husband, Steve, their 10 children, along with their oldest daughter, Kati's husband, Matt, and their 4-week old son, Johnathan. Talk about crazy...
But it was perfect. We cooked, laughed, reminisced, ate, of course, and enjoyed watching all the kids have a great time together!
I'm already looking forward to next year.
All the cousins...

With our newest niece, Natalie...

Grandma, my mom, enjoying her new granddaughter and great-grandson...


Singing with my sisters...our favorite thing to do!

Humbled...

Scott returned safely from Africa Saturday a week ago. I stayed up 'til 1:30 that morning tracking his flight because I was afraid he would miss his New York connection. His flight left Abuja, Nigeria, an hour and a half later than scheduled. He (well, the plane actually) touched down in Dakar to refuel and pick up passengers. The Delta agent told me there was virtually no way Scott would make his connection unless they caught a tail-wind...and that they did. He arrived into JFK only 10 minutes later than originally scheduled. He was due to arrive into Charlotte at 11:03 Saturday morning (11/14). I was up early getting my dinner in the oven to cook all day when I decided to check the internet to get an update...to see that the flight was going to get in at 10:15....and it was 9:15 when I checked. I went crazy getting the kids up because we wanted to get to the airport well on time. We did...20 minutes early! We had our homemade signs in tow and we were ready to greet him! As we watched everyone come down the escalator from the flight, there was one thing missing...Scott! He came down another escalator because he didn't see the other one. We had scores of people saying "oh, we're so glad you missed us" as they saw our signs. We finally met up in baggage claim :)
That evening we sat down to look at the pictures that he had taken on his trip. I was so humbled as I saw what these people had...virtually nothing. They had nothing, yet each one of the faces in these pictures had glowing smiles. They had the Lord and nothing else...and that was enough for them. I was so convicted that evening as I straightened up and looked around our house and saw all that we have. And yet I complain about things that do not matter. As I fell asleep that night I asked the Lord to forgive me for my complaining tongue...and also thanked Him for a comfortable bed in a warm house with a husband that He returned safely!
The host pastor in Liberia with his family.
The host pastor's house
People who attended the conference
Our kids dressing in the outfits that were given to Scott

10:18am...

That's the estimated time of arrival of Scott's plane back in to Charlotte. The kids and I are up and preparing to leave...homemade signs in hand!!! The london broil is in the oven and the 7-layer cake is made.
I cannot wait to see him!

Abuja, Nigeria

Scott arrived safely yesterday in Nigeria. This week he will do the same as he did in Liberia...teaching and training the pastors. He was due to arrive on Saturday evening, but his flight was cancelled at the last minute. He found that out when he reached his layover in Lagos, Nigeria. A sweet couple put him up for the night and made him dinner when he arrived...chicken! I know he was so grateful and indeed blessed by their hospitality but I'm sure if he never has chicken again, he will be okay with that :)
He arrived safely at his hotel and was ready for a warm shower. Warm shower means you go down to the front desk and get a bucket that they fill with warm water and give you a ladel to pour over you. He had no towels in his room so he also asked for towels to which they replied, "we don't have towels here". I have not even been on this trip with Scott, yet I have been so convicted at the things I take for granted...even my towels!
He will finish up Friday afternoon, so I was able to contact his airline and get him a flight out late that evening. That means he will arrive back in Charlotte this Saturday morning...two days earlier than expected!
The e-mail he sent me last night ended with him letting me know that with everything he has experienced these past two weeks, He has seen the grace of God at work.
I can't wait to hear all about it!

Monrovia, Liberia...

Here is a picture of the church where Scott is teaching/training each day this week. There are 100 men attending and Scott said they are the most appreciative group of men. They treat him like royalty. This past Sunday, Scott preached in a church service...4 people were saved and 10 rededicated.
This Saturday he will fly to Abuja, Nigeria for the remainder of his trip.
He did say that food leaves little to be desired. For breakfast each morning, he is served cornflakes with warm milk (not from a cow!), hotdogs and beans. Each night, they serve the same dinner...fish or chicken and rice...he thinks it's chicken :)

Update

25 minutes ago, my Grandma came face to face with Jesus. I'm envious of her and cannot even begin to imagine what that must be like.
I love you, Grandma, and I will miss you! One day I'll get to see you again!

In honor of grandma....

I just want to take a minute to honor a very special lady in my life...my grandma!
They don't get much better than her. She will celebrate 94 years this January 1st unless the Lord decides to take her before then. It looks as if that could even be this weekend. Her health has declined rapidly in the past several months. According to hospice, it could be any day.
Grandma lived with us most of our childhood years. She is the one who took the time to teach me to cook, to crochet, to sew (when my kids were little I sewed alot of their clothes, thanks to her), and introduced me to the Lawrence Welk show...we watched him every Saturday night.
Most of my birthdays, grandma would make me a baby doll cake. They were my favorite! Basically, she would do anything we asked of her...yes, she spoiled us rotten!
Growing up, we had a house with stairs...wooden stairs. I remember Grandma making me and Karen silk jumpsuits just so we could start at the top and slide down...and fast! My own children, when they were little, took on that same tradition. My grandma ended up making herself a silky suit and would slide down with us.
My grandfather died when my dad was 12 years old and my aunt was only 2. Grandma worked 2-3 jobs to support them. She has lived her life doing everything she could for her family. Such an amazing lady and I thank God for her.
Living 6 hours away from Virginia Beach, I haven't been able to get home to see her as often as I would have liked to. I have set aside time to travel there once every 6 months with Karen and get our younger sister, Kristi. We would go to her "home" (assisted living) and sit for hours and listen to her telling stories. She loved our visits. She said the best part was that I would always make her laugh...such memories!
I honor her today. She truly is a gift!

Almost there...

I received a couple of e-mails from Scott this morning. He made it safely to Brussels, Belgium and is now on a 7-hour flight to Liberia, Africa. He will be there until November 7th and then flying to Nigeria, Abuja, Monrovia (I may not have that in the correct order)for the remainder of the trip.
What an opportunity God is giving him. To teach and train 250 pastors each day and preaching for the 3 Sundays while he is there in different churches.
Please pray for him while he is away...his safety, strength while teaching (I know he'll be surviving on little sleep), and his health.
I miss him already. This is the longest we've been apart in our 22 years of marriage (he went to Israel for 7 days several years ago). If you've ever heard the song The Longer I Serve Him, the Sweeter He Grows, you'll know just how true that is in your spiritual walk with the Lord, but it's also quite the same in a marriage; the longer you're married, the sweeter it is. You see, when our kids were younger, I was needed constantly by them. Now that they are older and gone here and there, Scott and I have all kinds of time together. He truly is my best friend!
Yes, I miss him and I can't wait for him to return, but I'm thankful...and envious...of what God is going to do in his heart. He will minister to hearts that are truly appreciative and see just how spoiled we are.
I'll keep you posted...

Bucket list...

That is exactly what our oldest daughter, Heather (soon to be 20 years old) has made...a Bucket List! Recently, she crossed off one thing on that list...skydiving! She says it was an amazing experience and plans to do it again next year. On her list is: a trip to Israel, Italy, and Germany to drive on the Autobahn, to name a few.


Last weekend, she and friends drove to Liberty University and picked up Lindsay on their way. They attended the Homecoming Game and went to Scaremare. This isn't on her bucket list, but they are having the time of their lives. We encourage them to do it now while they can :)

It's all around us...

Illnesses, of every type. It seems to be everywhere. Not a week goes by that I don't hear of someone sick...cancer! It's heart-breaking. Yet these same people, I see such peace on their faces. Why is that? It's God's grace. I told someone just today when asked why that is? I told them that God gives them the grace right at the moment that they need it. I read someone's blog just this week as she invited her brother to submit his thoughts about living with cancer (this "brother" is the father of some of our friends in Wilson). As I read...and cried, he said that God has given him perfect peace (the outcome does not look good), that he's not afraid to die, that he must control the things he can and trust God for the things he can't.
What a testimony! Just this week, parents we know that attend our church were told once again that after 3 short months, their 8 year old daughter's cancer has returned and they only give her a 10% survival rate. They are left this week to decide treatment or no treatment.
A man in our church was just told that he has pancreatic cancer and has been given two months to live.
It's all around us. Our pastor is in the midst of a series on Daniel. Today's message was strong; Handling a Crisis God's Way. Some of those same people, and other's fighting unforeseen circumstances, sat in that service. We heard that in the midst of a crisis, we should be like Daniel...a man of faith, a man of prayer, a man of worship, and a man of wisdom and power.
That's exactly how I want to be...prepared and armed...ready!
In 2001, I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. God chose to heal me. Yet, prior to my surgery, when I didn't know the outcome (the surgeon told me in the Dr.'s office after giving me the diagnosis, that if it has spread, it could be two weeks or a year), I remember having such peace. Again, such grace given to me by such a loving God. My Dad (a 3-time cancer survivor) gave me a verse right before my surgery that I cherish...
Isaiah 43:1-3 "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I AM the Lord your God".
Now that is peace...knowing that no matter what happens in this world, God is mine and He will NEVER leave me nor forsake me.
Just as the song says that is playing right now...when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart!

The haircut...

For two years, Lindsay has not had a hair cut. She has wanted to donate 10" of her hair to Locks of Love. That day was today. She was nervous this morning but very excited to give to this great charity.
Way to go Lindsay!

It IS all about ME, isn't it?

Isaiah 47:8,10 "Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, who dwell securely, who say in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one else besides me'. For you have trusted in your wickedness; You have said, 'No one sees me'; Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; and you have said in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one else besides me.'"
Convicting? You have no idea. I finally have the privilege of attending a bible study class at church on Tuesday mornings and this semester I have chosen to study the book of Daniel. I have no idea what awaits me, but I've already caught a glimpse early on. We're already learning the parallels between Babylon and our generation (Daniel 1:3-4)...self-absorption, seeking pleasure for what pleases us, money, power, beauty...me, me, me!
It breaks my heart. And it really breaks when I realize that I'm no different. God isn't concerned about my wrinkles (my fault from past sun worshipping), my cellulite (my fault from self-indulgence...by the way, Beth Moore, said that they make jeans now that have a special material to make cellulite disappear as you wear them...believe me, there is no amount of material...), anything that is outward...the things the world notices. What He is extremely concerned with is my heart! And that is something I CAN do something about. Staying on my knees, being aware of what I see, what I watch, what I read, what I say...pleasing Him.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting".

Will you trust Him?

I've climbed a mountain,
I've walked a valley low,
Still there's a hand guiding me where to go.
So I cannot question, when storm clouds come my way.
My faith is secure, safe is my trust, in You alone.

Still I will trust You.
Still I will follow.
Still I will listen to Your every calling.
When the storm rages on, and I can't find my way,
Still I will trust You Lord.

When in my dark hour, You restore my weary soul.
You've led me to that resting place and made me whole.
So I will not question, when stormy billows roll.
My faith is secure, safe is my trust, in You alone!

Still I will trust You.
Still I will follow.
Still I will listen to Your every calling.
When the storm rages on, and I can't find my way,
Still I will trust, Still I will follow, Still I will trust You Lord.

One of my favorite songs and by one of my favorite singers, Babbie Mason.
Have you ever questioned what the Lord was doing in your life? Ever wondered why you've prayed and prayed, and didn't seem to get answers? Ever thought about giving up? I'm sure that there have been times in all our lives where we just didn't understand.
But God does. He is answering our prayers, just maybe not the way we want Him to.
Remember, that His timing is perfect. He knows what's best for us. He knows what our future holds. No matter what you are going through today, no matter how many times you've prayed for something to happen....sit and wait patiently on the Lord.
Trust Him...

Public school....first day, first time!

Wow, public school sure does start early? We left this morning at 6:50 to take him. Yes, I was my normal emotional self (but not in front of him, of course). Lots of changes...Yes, I know I'm raising them to leave the nest...blah! blah! blah!
Doesn't Caleb look excited? That's a normal face for him...not cool to smile in pictures.
What's sad about this picture? It's only him...no Heather, no Lindsay!
The praise though is that he feels really good about his decision to switch to public school. And even though it's not his school of choice, he's doing great! I'm so thankful for answered prayers!

All settled in...

It was a great day yesterday...well, except for the fact that we didn't come home with Lindsay...
She's all settled in. We finally, after 18 changes in the furniture (slight exaggeration), got their room arranged, bed made, books picked up, the Walmart run, tears shed, etc. and all that by dinner time. It was a quiet ride home but we couldn't be any more excited for Lindsay. She is rooming with a sweet friend and they were discussing different churches they could visit when we were leaving...that was sweet music to my ears!
Remember to say a prayer for her when the Lord brings her to your mind. She's going to do great. What an awesome experience this is for her!

UNCG...here she comes!

We will leave bright and early tomorrow morning to take Lindsay to college...didn't we just do this with Heather last year?
We have mixed emotions but we are so excited for Lindsay! What a joy she is and we are thankful that God has given her to us.
We are proud of you, Lindsay. We love you so much and we will miss you!

Back to reality, I'm afraid....

Well, today is the last day of vacation. We were able to get a late checkout at 1pm and then we will hang out by the pool playing cards/games until our Amtrak train departs tonight at 7:30. We will arrive in Columbia, SC around 4:30am and then make the drive back to Charlotte tomorrow morning.
It has been a fantastic week. Perfect weather, much-needed relaxing, lots of fun, and many memories.
The kids even awoke early to have breakfast with us. They didn't seem too excited about it, but enjoyed it never-the-less.
Now it's back to reality...back to work. Heather will start her college sophomore year this Monday and we will leave on Friday to take Lindsay to UNCG.
Here are just a few pictures from our week.

Day 5...lazy!

And it was wonderful! Scott and I began yesterday morning just as all the others...slept in (8am for us :-) and then went down to the hotel lobby to enjoy a wonderful breakfast. Then we bring food back for the kids who sleep until 11'ish and we head out poolside to read.
And that's where we stayed the entire day. The hotel has a completely shaded area by the pool with ceiling fans and we have marked our spot each morning. Yesterday, we read and read and read. Once the kids got up, we played games the entire afternoon...cards, skip-bo, and more cards. It was great!
Last night was the first time it rained and boy, did it ever rain! It was so nice though...really cooled things off. We ended the evening playing The Book...a board game about people, places, and things in the Bible. It is so much fun. Our goal each time is to beat Scott...rarely do we. But when we do, we have a party and celebrate! Unfortunately, it was not the case again last night. He won and he won big! Oh well, better luck next time.
This morning, Scott, Heather and Caleb are at Aquatica...Sea World's newest water park. They will spend several hours there and then meet us back for the afternoon. Lindsay and I are getting ready to head out to enjoy breakfast.
Is this just not the best time of the day???!!!!!!

Day Three - Discovery Cove

The most incredible day of vacation. Discovery Cove! The day included breakfast, lunch, and all snacks throughout the day (also included an unlimited amount of sunscreen, which I got carried away with...as noted in the bottom picture). We were able to swim with stingrays and with every fish known to mankind as we snorkled. The highlight of the day was swimming with our own personal dolphin. It was so much fun and probably THE BEST family vacation we've ever taken. 4 days remain to relax, read, and enjoy SeaWorld. If you ever have an opportunity to vacation in Orlando, you definitely want to include Discovery Cove!