The Weekend

How do they go by so fast? Saturday we had a fun packed day. Carlie's last Upward basketball game was in the morning. She had quite the fan base! Both grandma's and grandpa's showed up, and even Aunt Ginger! Can't tell she is loved...

Then we tried our hand at a "service project." As I have confessed in the past, our family has been struggling finding a "service project" that allows us to show our children how to act out God's love towards others. This weekend I planned a "Kid's Outing" for our House Church. We went to the local nursing and rehab home and coordinated bingo with the residents. The kids loved it. Some of the residents were unable to watch their bingo boards, so the kids sat with them and helped them. I loved seeing my girl's speak kindly and respectfully to the elderly. I loved watching them help and the smile on their faces when they got to yell - Bingo!

Then off to bowling. Believe it or not, this is the first time we took our kids bowling! They loved it and did great. With 10 kids...all under 9, we had many near missed pinched fingers, many balls "thrown" (pitched?) down the alley, and many near missed toes with dropped bowling balls. But by the end, everybody had fun! I am thankful for the friends I have through our church. I am thankful for their values they teach their children. And I am thankful my girls can have friends that love Jesus as much as they do. And I am most thankful for my healthy family.

Lady Rockets

My beautiful girl is getting so big!! This is her basketball team picture!

Baptism

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Mark 16:16

When I met Jeff 16 years ago, we were both unbelievers. I had the advantage of knowing Christ, and being raised in a Christian home. Not that Jeff's home was bad in any way, he had two loving parents, but they simply did not practice the attendance of church on a regular basis. Before we were married, I remember my father at one point telling me that I needed to be the spiritual head of the family. I knew Jeff was my one and only, and I was prepared to take on that role to marry him. Fast forward 8 years, and God blessed us with a beautiful baby girl. At that time, I felt God nudging me back to church, and wanting to recommit to Him in my life. At this point, my marriage could have went one of two ways. Jeff could have told me, I am not going to church, I never have, and I do not ever want to. Or he could decide to attend with me. And I think we know, he picked the latter. We found Grace Gathering with many young families, and a pastor who Jeff could relate with on a personal level. We also met a couple who graciously took Jeff and I through a Seeking God bible study. At that point, I still was not sure where Jeff's heart was on accepting Christ. He struggled with waiting for that "a-ha" moment ... and when it never came, he wondered why? Then one Sunday he decided he didn't need that "a-ha" moment, and simply told God that he was His, and ready to do His work. Next, the natural realm of Christianity is baptism. Nope. Didn't want to. Didn't want to go in front of everybody. Didn't feel like he needed to. Knew scripture didn't mandate baptism. For awhile, I bugged (nagged?) him. I should know by now, that this is NOT the way to get Jeff to do something! You think I would have learned that with the marriage proposal! So for some time, several people in our house church, as well as me, have been praying for Jeff to take this next step of obedience to God. This morning - Valentine's Day - while I was dressing for church, Jeff casually mentioned to me, "If it makes any difference in what you wear today, you are baptizing me." Tears of joy and happiness. So Carlie, Lucy and I got to baptize Jeff today in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I am no longer the spiritual head of this household. If somebody would have told me that I would love my husband more today than the day we married, I would have laughed. But I do.

Chucky Cheese Birthday

Birthdays at Central are quite the thing. Parents don't just "do" - they seem to "over do." We attended a party at Chucky Cheeses on Friday, and Martha Stewart couldn't have planned it better herself. Each child has a crown of ribbons and hearts, each child received a hand made draw string bag filled with goodies...not to mention each sibling that attended also got a gift! Then each parent was sent home with a chocolate and white frosted cake hearts. All for a seven year old birthday party! It was so fun to attend, and even Lucy got to enjoy the fun. I love seeing Carlie interact with her classmates, their giggles are so contagious. With such a small class, it is easy to know each child personally and each parent as well. I enjoy and appreciate that about Central. Perhaps it will come back and "bite me" someday. But I rather remain blissfully ignorant at this point.

Copon for Carlie's Petacear or Manacear

Am I raising "high maintenance" girls? Perhaps. The girls were playing the other day, and I when I was cleaning up, I came across this "Copon" that Carlie's prepared. I love her effort for spelling and it made me smile. I look forward to the days of getting a coffee with my girls and having a "mani and pedi"!