Doing Instead of Saying

Something has been on my mind lately and I'd like to share with you today...

How many times have we heard people say things like this to others going through a difficult season in their lives...

"If you need anything - let me know."

or

"Call me if you need anything."

Sincere people wanting to help. Wanting to do something to aide another one through their time of grief, suffering and pain.

I believe the motives are right. We want to help, don't we? We want to know that others can depend on us if they should need help in an area we can provide for them. And let's face it - we're pretty good at it. We help in all kinds of situations by doing all sorts of good things. We make meals, we provide child care, we give money, we pray for them. But sometimes, too often, we watch at a distance and wait for them to ask us for the help that they need.

I am in no way suggesting that we don't have sincere motives behind offering our help to others. I think most of us desire to actually be taken up on our offer to help. But - what happens when they don't ask.

All too often I've been a witness to people needing help but not knowing how to ask for it. No matter what kind of situation it is - some people just won't ask for help period. Perhaps it's pride. Maybe it's guilt. Just maybe they are too deep in their suffering that they can't possibly think of anything someone else can do that will ease even a bit of their pain. And although we may know something about what their going through - we don't know. This is THEIR journey, no ours.

A year ago a guest speaker named Tim Butler spoke at our church. Tim is a wonderful man, husband, father and counselor, who lost his daughter when she was just a young pre-teen to a terrible illness. Tim knows a little something about grief and suffering, and the desire to be comforted and supported during those days surrounding her death.

Tim suggests 4 guidelines for comforting those in grief:

1.) Make sure you have the right relationship for comforting close up and personal.
2.) Make plans to show personal support; include others if they are like-minded.
3.) Be prepared to find them in bad shape; be mentally prepared to allow them to be real.
4.) Sit with them and be silent; let them break for silence; do not let your anxiety control the conversation.

Tim went on to tell a story that I don't think I will forget. It was a story of practical support during the most devastating time of his life. A neighbor, knowing a little bit about what he was going through, made a decision to NOT ask Tim what he could do for him - but instead, decided to help in one of the most practical ways possible. In a visit with Tim late one evening just a day or so before the funeral, this neighbor told Tim that he had arranged to have a dumpster arrive at his home the following day. He explained to Tim that he knew he'd be needing it with all the visitors they'd be having at the house for the meal following the funeral. He went on to explain, "This is going to be very helpful for you and one less thing you have to worry about. Once it's filled, I'll just arrange to have it picked up."

Wow. This neighbor indeed knew how to be supportive and understood well that Tim would have never thought of this necessary item on his own as he was too knee-deep in his own suffering to even think about it. Or care. Thanks to this neighbor, the dumpster was the perfect way to support and comfort in time of need.

Tim suggests a number of things we should NOT do or say to someone grieving which includes things like:

"If you need anything call me." {They won't}
"I know how you feel." {You can't - this is their journey and everyone's pain is different}
"They are in a better place now." {They may know this to be true, but it doesn't help us when all we want is that person to be back with us}

and don't:
ask, "How are you doing?" {If you are not prepared to share their sorrow}
think you can fix them.
talk if you can't handle silence.

He goes on to provide us with a list of things TO do:

Listen.
Be present.
Laugh with them; weep with them.
Bring up the deceased by name.
Share any relevant stories that you had of their loved one.
Do something they will need/want - without asking.
Stay with them.

Tim goes on to say that perhaps it's just sitting... in the dark with them. And being still. And quiet. He says, "Sit in the dark space with someone you care about until your eyes adjust to the darkness and you can see what they see... that's what a helper is."

This is a real challenge for me. I am CLASSIC at offering my help by saying those words, "Let me know if you need anything." But I PRAY that God will make me into the type of person who gives without being asked. Who serves because Jesus came to serve. Who supports and comforts in tangible, practical ways that demonstrates genuine love for others. May I be used by God to DO instead of SAY I'm going to.

Recipe Friday

I made these about a month ago for my family. Used shredded chicken... and they were YUMMY!

Hope you enjoy!

SHREDDED BEEF OR CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Ingredients:

* 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
* 2 medium onions, chopped
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 1 cup milk
* 2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chilies
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 8-9 flour or corn tortillas
* 2 1/2 cups cooked, shredded beefchuck roast or shredded chicken
* 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
* 2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced (optional)
* Sour cream
* Salsa

Directions:

1. Prepare your meat however you would like. I baked three chicken breasts, with a small amount of enchilada sauce, in the oven for about an hour on 400 degrees F. Remove from oven, shred into a bowl and set aside. (You can be creative here, use whatever meat you want and cook it how you like).
2. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until onion is tender. Mix the flour in the broth, stir into pan. Stir in milk, chilies, salt and cumin. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
3. Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Spoon a little sauce in the center of each tortilla; spread to the edges. Place meat down the center of each tortilla. Combine cheeses; sprinkle on top of meat. Roll up tortillas and place in baking dish, seam-side down.
4. Pour remaining sauce and some enchilada sauce over tortillas, if you like a wet enchilada use more sauce. Sprinkle with green onions and remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Listening for God

Do any of you have trouble being still and quiet? I mean - really still. And really quiet.

I do.

I have always been an on-the-go person. Always going. Always moving. Always somewhere to go, someone to call, something to write, a book to read, a meal to make, a snotty nose to wipe, laundry to fold or dishes to do. I even have a hard time sitting in front of the television even if I'm purely exhausted to just sit. And listen.

My sweet husband has the amazing ability to come home and shut down. I don't mean shut down from his family - that's not it at all - but I do mean that once he comes through the door at the end of a hard days work, he can easily decompress and just "be".

I'm not so lucky. My mind's always wandering. Planning. Thinking. If this tells you anything about the way my brain works - I have a notebook in my living room, one in my bedroom, one in my bathroom and SEVERAL in my kitchen - which, by the way, tends to be the place we "hang out in" the most. These "notebooks" are for me to write down the thoughts that are in my head. It may be an errand that I need to make, a birthday card I need to send, a name of a friend who I need to call, email or pray for or even just a random thought that pops in my head for no apparent reason at all!

It's no wonder then that when God tries to get my attention about something... I'm often times "unavailable" to hear His call.

I confessed to someone recently that I struggle (a lot) with the idea of discernment. I'll admit that I'm often envious of people who express their abilities to "hear God". I've heard great women and men of God say things like, "I heard God tell me to ______" or "God has called me to _______". I cheer for them and celebrate with them - but for a number of years have not been able to relate to them.

Until recently.

You see - I decided that if I'm going to hear God, and I don't mean audibly hear Him, although I know He can and does speak this way to many people, if I'm going to really hear Him - then I have to be ready to listen for Him.

I believe God speaks to us through many different ways... through praying, through reading His word are just a couple - but I believe God speaks to us most clearly when we come to Him, prepared to listen and when we are still and quiet. There is so much distraction in our every day lives. So much noise. So many things that are pulling is in one direction or another. But when we decide to carve time out of our days to actively LISTEN to the God that created the universe and allow all other distractions to fade away and be STILL and QUIET... we're going to hear from Him.

I've learned recently that in order for me to FULLY hear what God is trying to communicate to me... I MUST give Him my full attention. So... these are the steps I've taken to prepare myself to hear:

1.) Create a Time
I've carved out a specific time in my day EVERY day to become a listener to what God is saying. To me this means the SAME time every day. A time when I know I will be undisturbed or distracted.

2.) Create a Space
I've dedicated a special place in my home which, for me, creates the ideal environment for receiving a word from God.

3.) Shut off the World Around Me
This is the most important. I turn off all distractions there could possibly be. My cell phone, the T.V., music, the dryer, dishwasher etc. I believe this says to God, "I am ready. I am yours. Let's talk."

I believe God desperately wants to have a conversation with us, but that doesn't mean that we do all the talking. He has things He wants to tell us... we just have to be ready and willing to listen. Really listen. Are you ready to listen? I am!

Loving Difficult People

Beth Moore has SUCH a creative way of getting to the HEART of matters that are so painful and difficult to deal with. Anyone who has ever heard her speak, listened to her podcasts, read one of her books, or taken one of her bible studies, know this to be absolute truth. She is an amazing woman of God who has been blessed with an incredible ability to minister to women.

A few weeks back I ran across one of Beth's videos posted on youtube and it hit me to the CORE. It's entitled "Loving Difficult People". I don't know if I'm the ONLY one out there who's ever dealt with this kind of thing before - but I knew the moment I found it that God was trying to speak to me.

This world is filled with difficult, unlovely people. People who hurt us with their words, people who drive us crazy by their negativity, and people who have left us drained and empty from their bitterness. It never fails... just when I think I've discovered freedom from the scars they've left, another attack comes... sometimes harsher than the one before it.

My prayer is that someone else out there besides me has been in this same situation before and will be blessed by Beth's teaching on Loving Difficult People. Below are some of the key points of her video sessions including scriptures. I have also attached the link to these video sessions below - please note there are 6 total sessions each approximately 8 minutes in length. If you've struggled in this area, I pray that you will take some time this week to listen to these sessions. Let's learn together about what God has to say about how to deal with these difficult people...

Loving Difficult People - Beth Moore {Life Today}

Do you have that kind of person who has such a negative and critical spirit that leaves you so frustrated and so empty that when you leave you just have to go each some Mexican food?

The people who drive you crazy the most are the people we are challenged to be around often or it wouldn't drive us so crazy!

Who is your THORNY?

The most effective things we could do to become healthy people in Christ is to let people off the hook for failing to be God. They will fail us over and over and over again but they'll never fail us as often if we just let them be man... only God can love like God.

God IS love - it's party of WHAT He is - it's IN His DNA. To have God not love us one day in our minds is to say "God isn't God today"... because love is what God is!

We need to say to ourselves... I love ________ because God first loved me. (1 John 4:19)

I can be so certain of God's love that I am freed up to love who does not love me back because I've already been loved back by God.

You've got to know your significant before you ever even walk out the door!

We can love people who can give us back nothing because God gives us everything.

God never calls us to love blind... biblical love is love with a smart heart.

Sometimes the people who hurt us the most had no idea how much that was gonna hurt.

1.) Know and rely on the love God has for us. (1 John 4:7-21)

2.) Learn to love with God's love. (Romans 5:5)

3.) Learn to love with insight. (Phil 1:9-11)

Ask God to tell you what's happened to them and give you compassion for what they are going through.

Let God deal with our stuff!

Is there a possibility that the person who nearly kills us to love is used by God to kill something in us to love? (It turns up the heat to reveal all our sin in us and skim it off of us!)

We will never look more like our Father in Heaven, then we love the unlovely!

We need to learn to love WELL!

1 John 4:20 "If anyone says, 'I love God' yet hates his brother, is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother whom He has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen."

Monday Moments with God

So... I am starting something new on my blog. It's called Monday Moments with God.

I have been abundantly blessed with such wonderful people in my life who have prayed for me. I mean, diligently prayed for me. I have felt these prayers through some of the darkest hours of my life... and I have appreciated their petitions to God on my behalf more than I can ever say.

So... I'm choosing to give back.

I've chosen to designate Monday as the day that I will pray for YOU! I find it an honor and a privilege to be able to serve this way and will pray for any and all requests that I receive.

Now - this doesn't mean that the only day I'm going to pray for others will be on Monday... please know that I am in prayer DAILY... however, I want to provide a way for my friends and followers, to be able to share their hearts with me. You may submit a prayer request by one of the following ways:

Comment on my facebook page

Comment here on my blog

Email me (wbender73@yahoo.com)

Thank you for allowing me to partner with God on your behalf. Again, I consider it an honor and privilege to PRAY for you.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Recipe Friday

Oops - haven't had any time to blog this week - but wanted to throw in my Friday recipe. I made this one this summer. It was very yummy! It's a Neely's recipe from TV Food Network.

Hope you get to make it - - enjoy!

Zucchini Gratin

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 6 zucchini, sliced into half moons 1/4-inch thick
* 2 plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded
* 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1/2 cup half-and-half
* 1/4 cup grated sharp white Cheddar
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch casserole dish.

In a large heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Saute onion and garlic until translucent. Add zucchini and tomatoes, about 7 minutes Add thyme, and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Add mixture to the buttered casserole dish.

In a medium size bowl, add brown sugar, eggs, and half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the milk mixture over the zucchini and sprinkle with both of the cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes.

Treasure Hunt 2010

So - I decided to do a Halloween Party again for Chloe this year. I'm just as excited as she is about it - if not a little more. I am CHERISHING these days with her as I know there will come a time (ALL TOO SOON) when she won't want anything to do with Halloween parties. :(

This year I decided to do a Treasure Hunt for the six girls who will be with us this evening. I had TOO much fun making this little rhyming game up and so I wanted to share it with you. I've included the anwers for all of you to see... shhh!! :)

I will post pictures tomorrow!

CLUE # 1 (Chloe reads)
Happy Halloween all you witches and warlocks
here is your first clue...
He scares you as you enter into the long driveway
that's where you will find clue # 2
(blog friends - this is our scarecrow in our driveway)

CLUE # 2 (Hannah Blakely reads)
So you found clue # 2 and that was GOOD
but you have so much to see...
hope the tree ghosts don't scare you
as you search for # 3
(blog friends - this is the paper ghosts we have tied up in our tree)

CLUE # 3 (Victoria reads)
You are doing well and on your way
closer than you were before
be careful not to cross the bridge
as you look for # 4
(blog friends - this is the bridge we have over our pond)

CLUE # 4 (Maya reads)
Do you like to dance and groove?
Do you like to jive?
Check out where there's music
and you'll discover # 5
(blog friends - this is a boombox I'll have with music playing)

CLUE # 5 (Hannah Bartenslager reads)
On summer days it's nice for dad
to swing out in the sticks
but don't sit around too long
as you're finding # 6
(blog friends - this is Trevor's hammock he got this year for Father's Day)

CLUE # 6 (Samantha reads)
There is a sky so blue
when you look to towards heaven
but something else is up there managing the wind
could it be clue # 7?
(blog friends - this is our windmill we have by our pond)

CLUE # 7 (Chloe reads)
“Be careful” is what my mom says.
You'd better have a mate...
because it's lots more fun that way
as you jump to # 8
(blog friends - this is Chloe's trampoline)

CLUE # 8 (Hannah Blakely reads)
You are getting very close
but the treasure will be mine
if you can't locate in the cornstalks
for the next clue # 9
(blog friends - this is the decorative stalks I have on our front porch)

CLUE # 9 (Victoria reads)
AHA! There's only one clue left
Find it if you can!
Don't burn yourself in the fire
as you arrive at # 10!
(blog friends - this is the bonfire pit)

Recipe Friday

When I was blogging before, I did a RECIPE FRIDAY, and had so much fun with it - I decided to continue it. I am hoping some might find these recipes helpful. I will only post those in which my family and I have tried and found tasty ourselves. :)

I tried this one this summer... and it's not a very "warm-weather" dish, but would certainly be good as a fall/winter meal for a larger family. It's delicious and filling! (And if you're anything like me - you'll appreciate the one-dish meals!) Don't be discouraged by the long list of ingredients - they can all be prepped ahead of time and placed in small baggies until you're ready to cook! Note: I didn't include the jalapeno pepper when I made it.

ENJOY!


Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 pound sausage, such as kielbasa or andouille, sliced
* 1 pound smoked ham, cubed
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 medium onion, diced
* 1 cup diced celery
* 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
* 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
* 1 cup seeded and diced tomato
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 2 teaspoons diced fresh oregano
* 1 teaspoon diced fresh thyme
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
* 3 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
* 3 bay leaves
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 6 to 8 dashes hot sauce, optional (recommended: Tabasco)
* 1/2 cup chopped scallions, divided
* 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
* 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1 pound medium shrimp, deveined (20 to 24 count)

Directions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or black iron pot over medium heat, add the kielbasa and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the kielbasa to a bowl, and set aside. Add the ham to the same pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to the bowl with the kielbasa, and set aside. Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno or cayenne, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, ham, bay leaves, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the scallions, 1/4 cup of the parsley, the lemon juice and the shrimp, and stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya steam, for 15 minutes, before serving.

Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup scallions and 1/2 cup parsley, and a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

The Hairspray

I ran out of hairspray yesterday. It's never a good day when this happens. At first I thought - WHAT am I going to do? But had I really paid attention to the weather outside and the almost SIXTY-miles-an-hour winds, I would have passed on even the ATTEMPT to do my hair.

After realizing that my current bottle was completely out, I began to panic a little bit. Superficial, I know, but my hair requires hairspray to look half way decent when I leave the house.

In a panic, I began searching the bathroom cupboards for perhaps an old bottle remaining somewhere. Anywhere. One was not to be found. UNTIL I reached my hand to the VERY back shelf and found a VERY OLD and DUSTY bottle of spray. Alas.. an answer to prayer! (Well - okay, I wasn't actually PRAYING I'd find a bottle of hairspray - but it did save me for a time.) :) It still worked and did the trick. I was grateful.

But then it got me thinking...

I wonder if that's how God feels sometimes. I mean... don't we tend to "put him on a shelf", tucked away neatly behind all the other junk in our cupboards, only pulling him out when we desperately NEED Him? We try it on our own... perhaps we try other things to help me, give us answers, make us feel better - only to discover that we really can't to it without Him.

I've been completely guilty of this! There have times in my life when I've felt myself saying, "God, I've got this, why don't you go ahead and sit this one out." And so - I put Him on that shelf... way in the back... and try to do life my own way. But here's the thing... it never works! I always find myself in that desperate place of needing Him.

Perhaps it's a crisis going on in your life... a cancer that was just discovered, an accident led to tragedy, a broken heart, a wounded spirit, an intolerable child, an angry spouse, an opportunity missed, a friendship broken, a marriage crushed. I believe God's waiting for us to discover our EVERY DAY dependency on Him. I believe God's saying, "I GOT THIS... you can go ahead and sit this one out!"

We were NOT meant to do this thing called life alone! He's just a prayer away and longing for us to reach out for Him. Will we continue to put him on the shelf, in the back of the cupboard or will we allow Him to work in our lives every day?

He's got this, friend, He's got this!

I Am A Mom

I waited my WHOLE life to be a mom. Really. I did. I remember playing as a child with my baby dolls and having a longing to mother another human being. I guess God blessed me with that innate desire for nurturing.

I remember when Chloe was first born. I couldn't stop looking at her. I stared for hours into that tiny face, studying her every feature. The way her nose twitched, the way her mouth drooped when she giggled and those eyes... those beautiful eyes that could melt your heart!

I remember praying for her. I prayed that God would protect her. I prayed that she would have a heart for pleasing Jesus and she would grow up tall and strong, kind, caring and smart. I prayed over and over again that she would make wise decisions and live a life filled with joy and peace.

I still pray every day for this precious daughter of mine! She is a gift from God. Now my prayers include thanksgiving. Chloe loves Jesus and lives her life to serve Him and others. She is strong, kind, caring and smart! With Gods help, she is making wise decisions that make her daddy and I very proud.

I am a mom. God, help me to be the best mom I can be!

I'm Out of Blog Retirement!

Well... it's been almost 21 months since my last post!! WOWZERS! Where DOES the time go? Lots has changed for me within those months. I should have lots to say - and I DO... but I will need to learn how to refrain to one post per day. :)

This... is my journey. This is a glimpse into my daily living. Glad you've stopped by to join me on this ride! I hope you will stop by often.

Because of His Grace,

Dreaming

On December 21, Pastor Scott, of my home church, Crossroads Community Church, did a great message on Dreaming. It was part of a message series entitled.. 'Tis the Season. This message... 'Tis the Season for Dreaming.

I have to say, it was one of the best messages I've had the privilege to hear him give over the past 5 years of attending Crossroads.

I pulled out the message CD the other day and got to listening to it again. Here's some of my favorite key points from that powerful message:

"I believe God is sick and tired of Christians asking God to give us breadcrumbs, when He's capable of giving us a feast!"

"God doesn't need our recommendations... He wants our recognition."

"God didn't die on a cross so we can survive, He died on a cross so we could thrive!"

"God is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever ask for or imagine."

"We're certainly not a perfect church because we've got people in it!"

"Can you imagine a church that is more concerned about people than it is about the color of the carpet? That's it's more concerned that when people walk in that we want people to come as they are... that we don't care what color you are, what economic level you come from, what side of the tracks you come from... that we're more concerned that we love you, that we appreciate you, that you're welcome because God is passionate about people!"

"Can you imagine a church that reaches out into the community and stops playing political games and doing protests and doing boycotts that Jesus couldn't give a rip about? I can!"

"I've got news for you and I've got news for the critics and skeptics and naysayers about Crossroads or about any other church that goes through growth... We're not gonna back up, we're not gonna let up, we're not gonna shut up until we are called up. We're not gonna give up because we serve a God who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask for or imagine and I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get on with it!"

"What would you be willing to do for God and His Kingdom if you knew you couldn't fail?"

"God wants you to get over your but."

"If we're going to reach people that no one else is reaching, I believe we've got to be willing to do things that no one else is doing."

I'm proud to belong to a church that dreams like this.

Are you dreaming like this?

More on Lasting Impressions

I mentioned in my last post that I'm reading a terrific book entitled, Lasting Impressions by Mark Waltz. Here's some more highlights... some things I'm chewing on...

Mark teaches the difference between feeling responsible FOR people he leads verses being responsible TO the people he leads.

"THE FREEDOM OF RESPONSIBILITY TO:

When I'm responsible to people, I understand they have choices.
When I'm responsible for people, I think I should decide for them.
When I'm responsible to people, I know they must figure out their next steps.
When I'm responsible for people, I try to tell them what their next steps are.
When I'm responsible to people, I know they must bear the consequences of their own chosen actions.
When I'm responsible for people, I assume the guilt - or worse, the shame - for them.
When I'm responsible to people, I share their journeys, offering encouragement and teaching.
When I'm responsible for people, I try to direct their journeys, never allowing them to wrestle, mess up, or make a wrong turn.
When I'm responsible to people, I talk to God a lot on their behalf.
When I'm responsible for people, I talk to people a lot on God's behalf."

New Book!

I love a new book! This one I actually pre-ordered about 2 months ago and I just got it a couple weeks ago. I was so excited. This is book #2 by Mark Waltz, Connections Pastor for Granger Community Church in Indiana. This one is a must read first... but I'm discovering a new love for this new one. Here's something I've been pondering...

"People want to belong to something bigger than they are, something exciting, adventurous, something excellent and significant. But if we aren't clear about calling people to be disciples, sold-out followers of Jesus Christ, they will continue to show up, cheer and maybe even tell their friends, but their lives may not reflect a personal, missional buy-in to the agenda of the kingdom of God and the grace of Jesus Christ. People matter too much to miss this critical distinction. God's agenda matters too much to allow this confusion."

Prayer Needed

I ran across this link through a blog I follow a couple days ago and I have felt burdened to pray for this family.





Mark Lamberth was in a dirt bike accident on Saturday afternoon, December 13. It appears that the damage to Mark’s brain is severe and irreversible, but his family and friends are praying for a miracle.

You can read more about his condition through the blog that was created for him here.

Will you join me in prayer for this family? I don't know them, but God certainly does and they need as many prayers as we're willing to give.

Christmas Traditions

I LOVE Christmas! And with that - I LOVE Christmas traditions! I love the oldies that we've been doing year after year and I love the new ones we make with our family each year.

Here are some of our family's Christmas traditions...

1.) Family Christmas Cookie Day. When I was a kid my grandma, my aunt, my cousins, my mom and myself used to get together for a cookie bake off always the week before Christmas! It was a BLAST! I just remember my grandma's tiny kitchen being jam-packed with flour, eggs, baking soda, peanut butter, chocolate chips and sugar covered over everything that would stand still! It was such a great time and some of my sweetest memories are of us in that kitchen!

2.) Birthday Cake for Jesus. This is something that Chloe has really enjoyed the last couple years. She especially enjoys the decorative touches!

3.) Christmas Prayer Links. This is something we started a couple years ago. We take green and red construction paper and make a prayer link (you know the links you used to make as a kid?). We put the name of someone we want to pray for on each link and then take the days leading up to Christmas to pray for each and every individual name on the links. It's a neat way to keep the focus away from ourselves and on other people we love and care about.

4.) Snowflakes. We make home-made snowflakes and hang them up from our kitchen ceiling. Chloe's gotten into the habit of then naming all of her snowflakes. :)

5.) Christmas picture. We've done this every year since Chloe's been born. We take her picture (or of all three of us if it works out) next to our decorated Christmas tree to send in our Christmas cards to our friends and family. Then we frame the picture and put them out on display during the Christmas holiday.

6.) Christmas Tree decorating night. Every year our Christmas tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving. No exceptions. As we decorate the tree, we ALWAYS watch Christmas Vacation. It's just what we watch! ALWAYS!

7.) Mama's House Sleepover. For years we used to stay the night at my mother-in-law's the night before Christmas Eve. We did this from the time Chloe was born (the year my father-in-law passed away) until about 2 years ago. Hey mom - we need to continue that tradition... we're coming over this year! :)

8.) Sleigh Ride. Every Christmas Eve since I was a KID, we've gone out to look at Christmas lights around town. In recent years, we've added a twist to this old time favorite... we bundle up in coats, hats, scarfs and gloves, pack a thermos of hot cocoa, get in the car and drive around looking at lights WITH THE WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN! This is particularly fun when it's snowing... kind of feels like you're strolling in a carriage ride through the snow!

9.) Thank You Letters. Every year I sit down days before Christmas and write individual letters to my family members. My daughter, my husband and my parents. I thank them for being in my life and tell them what they mean to me. I highlight memories I have with them over that year and just simply take the time to tell them how much I love them. Then I hide them in the tree for them to find on Christmas morning.

Those are some of our family's Christmas traditions... what are some of yours???

Proud Mommy Moment # 1,009 :)

So... my daughter decided today that she'd like to go see Santa at the Adrian Mall. This is a far cry from last year when she would barely walk past the man without "feeling embarrassed."

She marched right up to Santa's station and before I knew it, she was on his knee. Have I ever mentioned how cute she is?

He started out with the same question he asks all the kids... "Have you been naughty or nice?"

Then he asked what she wanted this year for Christmas.

I think some of her answers surprised him.

First she started out with all the normal things she's been asking for for some time now... a guitar, pix-o's, HSM3 stuff etc, etc.

But these last 2 requests made Santa a bit speechless.

"I'd like a hardcover Bible." (He mentioned that for him, this was a first.)
"I'd like some soup for the poor people."

I love how compassionate Chloe is.
I love her heart and how she's always thinking of other people's needs before her own.
I believe that's how Christ intends for us to live.

I'm such a proud mommy.
I have the best little girl in the world!

I love you Chloe!

New Recipe

I realized that I hadn't posted a recipe in quite a long time. I found this one in a magazine a couple months back and I made them this past Thanksgiving. They were a big hit so I thought I'd share it here with all of you.

Candy Bar Cookies

Prep time: 35 minutes Bake time: 10 minutes Cool: 2 hours

1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup butter
1/4 cup dark or light-color corn syrup (I used light b/c that's what I had)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1 cup butterscotch chips
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

For oat layer, in medium saucepan, stir together brown sugar, butter and corn syrup over medium-low heat until combined. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in the 1/4 cup peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.

Place the rolled oats in a very large bowl. Pour brown sugar mixture over oats, stirring gently until combined. Press oat mixture evenly onto bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let oat layer cool slightly in pan on wire rack.

In the same saucepan, stir together chocolate chips and butterscotch chips over low heat until melted. Stir in the 2/3 cups peanut butter until mixture is smooth.

Sprinkle half of the peanuts over oat layer in pan. Slowly pour chocolate mixture over the peanut-topped oat layer, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top of chocolate.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for several hours or until chocolate layer is firm. Cut into 1-inch squares. Makes about 115 pieces.

To store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

YUM-O!

Charlene

I met Charlene Larson back in October of 2001 when she started Small Wonders Preschool and Daycare. I will never forget the first time I met her! That smile, that laughter... it was contagious! I knew I had found the right person to take care of my only child, Chloe.

I cannot begin to put into words the kind of person Charlene was and what she meant to our family. Words that come to mind that describe my friend include... joyful, caring, loving, trustworthy, funny, outrageous, courageous, thankful, gentle, spontaneous, wonderful, crazy... the list could go on and on. I loved so many things about Charlene. She changed my world. She made me want to be a better person. I feel privileged and honored to have been able to have her as part of my life for 7 years!

So - here's to you, my friend...

Thank you for living an authentic, transparent life.
Thank you for loving my child like she was one of your own.
Thank you for your hugs.
Thank you for the Small Wonders back rubs.
Thank you for living selflessly.
Thank you for teaching us about forgiveness.
Thank you for teaching us about finding the good in everything and everyone.
Thank you for your courage.
Thank you for your laughter.

Thank you... for you. I love you my dear friend and I will miss you every day this side of heaven. But I rest in the knowledge that we will be together again one day in paradise. Today... the angels have one more reason to celebrate and I can just hear the words of our Savior saying... "WELL DONE, my good and faithful servant."

You will live in our hearts forever!

Dance on, Charlene! Dance on!

I know it's gonna be worth it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQVmR0jV52A

Feeling Thankful...

This year I thought I'd jot a few of my thankful thoughts down as this Thanksgiving day quickly approaches.

I'm THANKful for...

My wonderful husband who makes my life complete!
My beautiful daughter for giving me a reason to want to be a better person!
My mom and dad who gave me life and who stand beside me no matter what!
The awesome work I get to do every day of my life!
My friends who know me well and STILL love me!
My dog who teaches me every day about loyalty!
The volunteers I have the privledge of serving alongside of each week who teach me what it means to truly give your life away!
CHOCOLATE! This one goes without saying, right?
My mother-in-law for living such a selfless life!
My great nieces and nephews and all the smooches I get from them!
SNOW! I LOVE SNOW!
Coca-Cola - the drink that's gotten me through many a mornings!
My health.
My trusty Trail Blazer. It's not the greatest, but it's reliable and always gets me where I'm going.
My small group. They pretty much ROCK!
Email! What would we do without email?!
God! For sending His son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross for ME! For His grace, mercy and love!

What are YOU thankful for this year?

Happy Thanksgiving!!

She's 8...

Had an interesting conversation with Chloe tonight while cutting her nails...

Chloe: Don't cut that one too short, that's my special nail.

Me: Why, is that the one you use to pick your nose?

Chloe: NO! I use my middle one for that.

Ha! That kid cracks me up!

It's Coming...

... mark your calendars! December 5 & 6. More info coming Sunday at Crossroads!

Here's last years video (you'll want to put my play list on pause so you can hear the music with the video).

Paying It Forward... Pass it on!

So.. I'm normally not a breakfast eater, but this morning when I left the house I realized I needed to take some cold meds and the side of the bottle strongly advised that I eat something when taking the medicine. So - I decided to stop at Mickey D's for a breakfast of champions... an Egg McMuffin Meal.

When I got up to the window to pay the woman said to me, "No need to worry about paying - the gentleman ahead of you paid for your breakfast this morning!"

WHAT? Who does that?

She went on to explain that almost every day this particular person comes through the drive-thru and he "pays it forward" by paying for the car in back of him. She even said that there are days that it's a little more expensive than normal - but it's okay by him. She said he feels honored and humbled to be able to do for someone else.

Again - WHAT? Who does that?

Well - this man does! And I was quite inspired by that! I have to say - it made my day and it caused me to pause during the hustle and bustle of my day to thank God for this man and to thank Him for all of the blessings He has given to me in my life.

When I got to work this morning, I received a note from a friend. She, too, was "paying it forward" by forwarding me a note she'd received in the signature line of another friend of hers. It said:

"You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who cannot repay you."

Priceless! A perfect ending to my blessed morning.

I'm going to pay it forward. I'm going to encourage my teams to pay it forward. Together - we can change lives by demonstrating Christ's love. Let's be His hands and feet. Start today.

Pay it forward... Pass it on!

Fall Time Fun!

Took the kids to the Clinton Fall Festival last week. We had a nice time. I think the kids had more fun. For the first hour or so that we were there - it was all about them. We ate - what they wanted, visited the booths - they wanted to visit and did things - they wanted to do. What's up with that? :)

One of the first booths we came across was face painting. This was NO ordinary face painting either, let me tell you! This woman was incredible! So - with their own money... they picked out and purchased their own face painting. Take a look...









Happy Fall!

Wherefore Art Thou Toothfairy?

I'm ashamed right now to even admit this.

I blogged earlier in the week about Chloe losing 2 teeth right?

So... She goes to bed on Tuesday night and decides that she should tape the envelope with her teeth in it to her bedpost so that 1.) It doesn't fall behind her bed and 2.) So to make SURE that the Tooth Fairy sees the tooth (after all she's very small, you know?!). I have a pretty smart kid. :)

Wednesday morning she wakes up. Envelope still there. Teeth still inside. No money.

Darn that Tooth Fairy must have forgotten all about it!

Wednesday night Chloe decides to tape it to the very top of her bunk bed ledge. This time "she's sure to see it" my daughter cries out!

Yep - for SURE she should have seen it.

She didn't.

She forgot.

Again.

So... we will try again tonight.

Must be the Tooth Fairy is getting old.

And forgetful!

;)

Losing Teeth!

There's an epidemic going around Chloe's third grade classroom! Everyone is losing teeth like mad! This week Chloe lost 2 teeth. Other kids in her class have also lost multiple teeth too! Good thing picture day was LAST week!

Here's my very own jack-o-lantern! :)

Complete Randomness

I haven't posted in a while. I know most of you will believe me when I say this... it's NOT because I haven't had anything to say. Just not enough time to say it! :)

So - here's some complete randomness...

~ School starts next week and my baby's gonna be in the THIRD grade! I can hardly believe she's that old already! Heck - I can hardly believe I'm that old already!

~ Trevor and I passed a sign hanging in a store today that said, "50% off everything today only!" Not very unusual. But the store was closed. Hmmm...?

~ I just saw a sign that said "Obama-Biden" and for a moment I could have sworn it said "Osama Binladin". What??

~ It's the end of summer and I realized the other day that not only did we NOT finish the projects we had planned... some of them we didn't even start! It's been a busy summer! Guess those summer projects will turn into fall projects... and so on. ;)

~ Went school shopping the other day. Was successful on clothes - but found absolutely NO shoes that were decent! Not ONE pair. Seriously. It was weird. It's slim pickens out there for shoes! Does anyone know where they actually have cute shoes for 8-year-olds?

~ Every morning this week - I've woke up at 4:20 A.M. and couldn't get back to sleep. Weird? Is God revealing 4:20 to me for some reason?

~ Went to lunch this week with two of the greatest people I know. I'm blessed to have such wonderful friendships!

~ I spent 2 hours on an online project this week that I accidentally deleted and LOST in it's entirety! ARGH! That's 2 hours I can't get back! :0

~ I'm addicted to party planning. I know, it's weird. I've already started planning Chloe's Fall Party in October.

~ Have you been grocery shopping lately? OMW! I was in Wal-Mart yesterday and was so disgusted at the rising prices of things! Things I noted that were SKY HIGH are... cheese, milk, produce, peanut butter, butter and bread. And that's just because those are the basics I needed. WOW! Dropped $140.32 like it was nothing!

That's it. That's all I got.

Hope to get back to posting more regularly soon.

;}

The Lead of Love

The other day I was sharing my story with someone who had some questions about the my life's journey. During the course of the conversation, I found myself, several times, saying, "looking back I see God's fingerprints all over my life!"

The person I was talking with was questioning this... asking, "What do you mean by 'God's fingerprints'?" And so I continued with story after story about the times God had me in just the right place at just the right moment and how His love has been so evident in this journey of mine.

I decided to post some of these "Fingerprints of God" in my life...

~ The time I was in a severe car accident that should have ended my life. I shaved the side of a tree with my car. An onlooker would later recall the incident as "amazing"... "like someone "lifted your car and moved it right out of the path that was leading directly into a tree!" No - that was God' fingerprints.

~ Blessing me with a wonderful man in which to share my life with. Someone who is not only my husband, but my best friend. Someone to laugh with, cry with and love. God's fingerprints.

~ The love and support I received from friends and family following the death of my best friend my freshmen year of college and the lessons learned about God's grace and mercy even in times of great sorrow. God's fingerprints.

~ For God's perfect timing on the conception and birth of my daughter, Chloe. I waited and waited to have her - begging God for a baby in my timing. I learned that only His time is the perfect time. God's fingerprints.

~ For giving me special friends and mentors who aren't afraid to speak truth into my life - even when it hurts - because they care about me that much. God's fingerprints.

~ For a sprained ankle back in 2005 that kept me down and out for close to 3 weeks because God needed to get my attention and tell me to slow down! I slowed down and was able to really hear God during that time. God's fingerprints.

I could go on and on about the times in which God was leading in my life. Times that I can look back on and see Him at work and it's absolutely amazing!

I love the song by Caedmon's Call entitled, "Lead of Love".... Enjoy it!

A man is more than the sum of his deeds! Thank you, God, for your lead of love!

My Daughter Cracks Me Up!

So - - Chloe sat in the service with us yesterday. (She does that far more than I like to admit!) And she's become a pretty good note-taker. She pays attention and even though I know she doesn't always "get it" she always seems to take something away from the service she attends.

I'm afraid this is not so true for yesterday.

Pastor Scott's message yesterday was entitled Shadows. He talked about the valleys we go through in life and how even in the midst of those valleys we should fear no evil, because as Christ-followers, we can rest in the knowledge that God is always with us. He said that all dark valleys are inevitable... we're either just coming out of a really dark valley, we're currently in a dark valley or we're getting ready to go into a dark valley. Either way - valleys of the shadow of death are unpredictable, impartial, temporary and purposeful.

Pretty good stuff.

As I look down at the fill-in's on my eight-year-olds paper, here is what I see...

Valleys are COOL
Valleys are WIRD (supposed to be WEIRD)
Valleys are DISASTERS (surprisingly spelled correctly!)
Valleys are INSTANT
Valleys are TENTS

What to do in Dark Valleys
Refuse MOM (what?!?)
Remember LIFE
Rely on DIEGO (what can I say, he's one of her best friends!)

3 Important things about Shadows
Shadows are always WIRD (there it is again!)
Shadows cannot SKIP
There is no shadow HERE

I'm not even sure what to think about this...

:)

My Purse Is Too Heavy?

So - I went to the doctor yesterday. Been having some pains that were worrying me a bit, so I went to get them checked out. Things are okay. HOWEVER, my purse, apparently, is not okay.

It has to go on a diet!

Yes - I was scolded by the Physicians Assistant and told that my bag was "way to heavy" to be carried around!

IN FACT - - the P.A. actually put my purse on the SCALE to be weighed!

7 lbs!

I carry around a 7 lb bag! I couldn't believe it.

BUT - I use everything in there on a regular basis. I'm a mom, for crying out loud, I HAVE to be prepared.

The P.A. wasn't haven't it! She told me to go home and empty the purse out and get rid of all the things I didn't ABSOLUTELY NEED! In fact, she even made Trevor carry it out of the doctors office!

So - - it's a day later and my purse is still not cleaned out.

I'm having a hard time defining "NECESSITY".

Here's a peek inside my bag...

















Help! What do I get rid of? Here's just some of the items I'm having a hard time letting go of (because, you never know, right?)...

2 pair of sunglasses
Tylenol Bottle
Excedrin Migraine Bottle
Bayer Bottle
Camera
iPhone
Scrunchies
Checkbook
Writing Tablet
Pocket Planner
Pens
Chap stick
Rolaids
Tide to Go Pen
Mini Lysol Can
Mini Container of wipes
Tissues
Cold Sore Treatment
Prescription Meds for Migraines
Keys
Ankle Brace
Wallet

HELLO?? What could I possibly get rid of?

What about you... what's in your purse?

Vacation Recap Days 4-7

Wednesday morning we awoke to this really weird sound coming from what appeared to be next door to us. It wasn't next door - it actually turned out to be outside. It was hail! FORTUNATLY it only lasted about 20 minutes with a little bit of rain and then gorgeous again by about 10. That was, literally, the only rain we saw all week!

So - we decided to head out around lunchtime from the hotel towards the U.P. It was long drive - but one I didn't mind too much - because the sites were incredible! Saw much of Lake Michigan on the trip to Escanaba. Beautiful weather, easy traffic and country tunes crankin'! :) Doesn't get much better! (Did I mention that the ONLY 3 channels we got for 3 days were country stations. I learned how to appreciate country music all over again!)

We ended up in Escanaba at around 5. Nice little town. Checked into our hotel room and then headed to the lake for some pictures. Got some really cool lighthouse pics and scenery shots (all on Trev's camera of course). Nice, relaxing night.

Went to dinner at a place called Hudson's. Cool little burger joint - kind of like a greasy spoon-type place. After dinner, visited their Wal-Mart (guess this is just a must on vacation) and got some things we needed and then it was back to the hotel for the night.

End - Day 4.

Thursday morning we woke up early and headed toward Mackinaw City. It was a gorgeous day! We stopped a couple different times along the water to stop and look and of course, take pictures. Trevor loves the water and HAS to be as close to it as he can be when he can be. :)

Arrived in Mackinaw City in the mid afternoon of day 5. Weather was PERFECT - about 70 degrees! I'm just gonna say right now that it could never get a degree past 75 and I would be ONE HAPPY person! :)

Ate lunch in Mackinaw City and then did some shopping. Played putt-putt in the early evening. Trevor won. Of course he did! But only by one stroke! It was funny - Chloe had forgotten that the LOWEST score wins and so was happy each time I told her daddy got a 2 and she got a 5. Needless to say, at the end hearing she got a 60 and daddy got a 42 and that daddy one, it did not make her very happy. She did get 2 hole-in-one's, though, so I was very proud of her! :)

Walked through downtown, Mackinaw Crossing, in the evening. Got Ice Cream and then watched a pretty cool laser show before heading back to the hotel for the night.

End - Day 5.

Friday morning, Trevor and Chloe headed to the hotel's continental breakfast while I stayed back and took my shower and got ready. Pretty crazy - while they were gone I set-off the fire alarm with my hair dryer! (Now maybe Trevor will believe me the next time I tell him that I literally SWEAT getting ready in the morning because that darn dryer is so hot!) It did finally go off by itself, but it was a little scary there for a moment!

Took the Ferry to Mackinac Island on Friday. Another BEAUTIFUL day! Literally - not a cloud in the sky! The Ferry Boat to the Island was very fun. Windy - but fun. Here's a picture of Chloe. She didn't much care for all the wind.



Got to the island and did lots of walking. Took a pretty cool Horse Carriage Tour that took us all around the Island - including a stop to Fort Mackniac a stop by the Butterfly Conservatory. Trevor got some AMAZING pictures at the Conservatory! I'm not kidding - some of these pictures need to be in magazines! (Insert: Bragging up my hubby here!)

Ya'll have to ask Trevor about the Haunted House that we toured while we were there, too. Talk about scary! I did learn that my family and I are all whimps! Big barks, with little bites! :)

Learned some really interesting facts about the Island. VERY imformative Tour Guides. Check this out for a a little more touristy stuff about Mackinac.

Got back to the main land about 6. I had a pretty intense migraine so I went back to the hotel to lay down while Trevor and Chloe went to the beach just outside of our hotel. They were able to get KILLER seats for the fireworks, too!

Decided on pizza for dinner. Pizza on the beach was pretty sweet! When I came back down from resting from my headache - this is what I saw...



Sweet set-up. My hubs rocks!

We did get yelled at by some guy who accused us of stealing "his chair" from his room (the one with the cooler on it). It was pretty interesting since all Trev had done was get it from the beach when he first arrived and no one was around. We told him he could have it - but he just said, "N0 - whatever!" Guess he was pretty mad. Oh well. We didn't let it ruin our evening.

Fireworks on Lake Michigan were incredible to say the least. They were literally setting them off just a piers-length away from us. It was pretty increible. They also lasted longer than any I've ever seen.

Here's some pics of Chloe's time splashing around in the lake...

















We even did some sparklers. Everyone loves sparklers, right?



Ended the day about midnight. Got to bed late, but it was good. Well worth it for all the fun we had! :) Great memories!

End - Day 6.

We took our time getting up on Saturday. The last day of vacation is never fun - so we just took it slow. Checked out of hotel and grabbed a bite to eat at a really cool family-style restaurant before getting on the road again.

Filled gas tank - $4.27! WOW!

We decided to stop at West Branch at the Outlet Malls. Now my husband is one heck of a guy. He only stops at these places for me. Isn't he the best? He even did some shopping with me in Bath and Body Works. Now that's love, right ladies?

Ended up texting my friends of ours who were staying in a cottage up in Hale, Michigan, near Tawas. Knew we were pretty close - so called to see if they wanted to come over and shop with us. They ended up inviting us over - so we decided to make a "pit stop" for a little bit to hang with them. Ended up eating dinner and before you knew it - it was late. We still had 4 hours of driving home to do. So... we did what any sane person would do - - we stayed the night - adding ONE MORE night/day to our vacation. It was unexpected - and very fun! We laughed with friends, watched a movie and was able to spend some extra down time relaxing before heading back the next morning at 8 a.m.

Overall - it was a wonderful vacation! Expensive - yes. Longer than we had planned - yes. Well worth it - ABSOLUTELY! I love getting time like that to unplug and connect with my family. They are THE BEST and I am one blessed wife and mother!

Days 4-7 Highlights
~ Singing country tunes in the car with Chloe.
~ Driving across the bridge in Mackinaw (SCARY!)
~ Laying on grass next to Lake Michigan on the Island.
~ Fireworks on the beach.
~ Sharing some unexpected time with great friends!

Vacation Recap Days 2 & 3

Got up early on Monday morning, June 30. Not sure why - - I'm guessing it was the time change (one hour behind us). Whatever the reason - we were up and at 'em by 7 a.m.

We took some time to contemplate whether or not we should stay in Chicago for a little while - but as soon as we got on the road, it was very clear that Chicago traffic is NOT for us! So - we started headed north.

Ended up eating lunch at a really cool little bakery called Corner Bakery. Pretty neat little place! Got a Baby Bundt Cake (chocolate on chocolate of course!). YUM-O!

Then it was off to Wisconsin Dells. Gotta be honest - I fell asleep as soon as we hit the road. Must have been that the chocolate put me in a coma. I honestly don't remember much of the trip. I do remember waking up to the GPS lady's voice saying, "You have reached your destination". Oops.

Got the the Dells and this place is unbelievable! There must be well over 20 water park resorts - not to mention all the other large pool hotels! It was one right after the other! We ended up here. The main reason was because it was the largest water park in the Dells. 125,000 square feet indoor park, not to mention a killer outdoor park complete with over 7 big water slides, a lazy river (gotta just love the name of that when you're on vacation!) and a family raft ride. I'll tell ya what's a blast to watch is the Flowrider Surfing! These kids (sometimes younger than Chloe) are amazing to watch! Definitely something I'll always pass at - but fun to watch none-the-less. :)



After checking in to our hotel, we decided to do have dinner and then go play in the water park. Did I mention Chloe had her swim goggles on practically the whole ride to the Dells from Chicago? She was ready!

Following water park fun, Chloe got some Dippin' Dots and we headed back to the room.

End - Day 1.

Tuesday morning - another GREAT, beautiful day! The weather in the Dells was PERFECT... between 70-75 the whole time we were there!

We decided to take a one of these tours on Tuesday morning. An Army Duck = An Amphibious Truck that can run on land and water. It's a truck and it's a boat! :) It was fun. The 1-hour tour took us through parts of the Wisconsin River and by some pretty cool rock formations along the river. Got some pretty cool pics (Trev's camera, not mine). Had an awesome Tour Guide named Zach. He was funny and gave us some pretty informative information about the Dells... like the city used to be called Kilbourn City until the late 40's when the name was changed to Wisconsin Dells and there are over 3 million visitors to the Dells annually. The Dells certainly is place to plan to get to if you've never been. Especially if you have children who enjoy water parks! :)

Following our Duck Tour and lunch, we headed to the outdoor water park at our hotel for the day. This was probably our favorite afternoon. Just swimming in the pool - getting some sun and sliding down some incredible slides. Great day spent with my 2 favorite people on the planet!



At around 7 we decided to leave the water park and head to the city to look around. Before heading into town, we caught a horse carriage ride from Kalahari that took us for a 20 minute tour around the resort. It was fun. Our horse's name was Jake. Chloe thought the ride was pretty cool!

After getting into town around 8, we decided to eat at a place called Crabby's Seafood. This place was pretty neat! All-you-can-eat seafood buffet including salad bar and dessert bar. They actually bring you plate after plate of crab legs - as many as you can eat. Well worth the money you spend and a little entertainment from the pirate crew while you're eating. It was fun!

Following dinner, we headed into town to see what was "happening". LOTS was happening! The town was bustling! People everywhere. Stores open late, even during the week, to accommodate all the tourists.

We went into a couple stores for some souvenirs. Fun stuff - mostly all the same things in each store. Went into a really neat candy store that had every kind of Pez Dispenser you could ever imagine!

Got back to the hotel late, but had an awesome time! GREAT day! Lots of memories! Definitely will want to return someday to the Dells!















Day 2 and 3 Highlights
~ Seeing Chloe overcome her fears of the water slides!
~ Hanging by the pool with Trevor watching Chloe have the time of her life!
~ Hearing Chloe say "Chula Vista Baby" (inside joke you'll have to ask me about!)

Vacation Recap Day 1

Oh vacation, vacation - where have you gone? :0 Seems like it passes just as quickly as it came. No - let's face it - we wait and we wait for it and then it's gone in a blink of an eye.

This year's summer vacation was a great time! There's something to be said about 3 people trapped inside of a car for over 1,300 miles! I don't think I've ever laughed as hard as we did on this trip!

The first day was the windy city... Chicago! This was actually an "added" stop in our trip around Lake Michigan. And I have to admit - it was an expensive add-on. But none-the-less, time well spent!

We arrived in Chicago on Sunday, June 29, at around 2. Even at 2 p.m. on a Sunday, traffic was pretty heavy. We later discovered that it was partly due to the fact that the Taste of Chicago was going on right on the water. We contemplated going, but decided that it looked way too chaotic. (Yeah - duh! Everything is chaotic in Chicago!)

First we checked into our hotel - The Hard Rock Hotel. It was nice. It was TALL! Chloe loved being on the 23rd floor! I have to tell you - the most impressive thing about our stay was the bell boy service and the concierge! It was amazing! These men were amazing! Talk about customer service! These guys have been well trained - and they get it!

Following our check-in at the hotel, we decided to make the trip to this place. Chloe would say - this visit made it all worth it!



I am not sure who liked this place better - her or me! I'm not kidding! I was like a little girl all over again! "Get this one, Chloe! Get this one!" I kept saying. It was pretty sad when one time she commented back to me, "Mom, if you want one, you should get one!" :) Sad, I know! But these dolls were amazing (oh, and the prices were amazing too! NOT!) Here's Chloe by some dolls that I wanted.. (:))



(oh my - look at the blue tongue!)

And these ones were cool too!



We ended up with Kit. As in Kit Kittridge... the new movie that's out. Haven't seen it - but I suppose that the doll will be in tow when we do! :)

All-in-all, The American Girl Doll Place was a great experience! And I'm pretty sure we will make regular trips back there in years to come!

Next, following our doll place experience, was the Shedd Aquarium. Pretty neat place! If you haven't been - I suggest a trip out there! Well worth the money you pay for tickets! Unfortunately, the 4-D show was down when we were there - but I hear that's pretty cool, too! We spent about 3 hours at the Aquarium. Saw some amazing fish and turtles and sharks and lizards! My favorite, by FAR, were the Sea Otters and the Penguins (those little guys are amazing!)

Some of the most "curious" experiences about our trip to Chicago were the taxi rides. Unique to say the least. Chloe thought they were pretty "weird" as she later admitted following her inability to breathe due to an "unusual odor" in one of the cabbies! These were experiences.

At about 6:30 p.m. it was off to Fogo De Chao. WOW! For those who follow my on Twitter, I promised an entire post dedicated to my experience here. It's coming! All I will say is that I was certain following dinner here that I would never eat again. I've since re-evaluated this comment, but have decided that if I'm ever blessed to go again, I will fast for 2 days first. :)

At the end of the day, we were exhausted! It was raining and we had a nice night of sleep. GREAT first day!

Day 1 Highlights:
~ Getting off at an exit that advertised a store that no longer existed. :)
~ Hearing Trevor give the GPS lady "the business" when she was improperly directing us!
~ Eating lunch at an old-fashioned drive-up restaurant where they serve you your food on the trays that they attach to your car window.
~ Singing along to the radio with Chloe!
~ The Chubby Trout (gonna have to ask Trevor about that one!)
~ Taxi rides in downtown Chicago!
~ Eating at a Brazilian Steakhouse.

Turning Eight!

My BABY turned eight years old on June 27! It is down right crazy to think of her as that old! It doesn't seem possible! I swear to you that it was JUST yesterday that we loaded her up in the car to come home with us for the first time and I wouldn't even let Trevor drive on the highway because "What if we get hit or something?" Now here we are celebrating one more year closer to double digits!!!

For the theme this year, Chloe picked out "Under Water Sea Adventure". How cute was that? We had sea shells and sand, blue and green cupcakes, fish table skirting and some neat birthday gifts for her friends in plastic blue fish cups. :)



We invited 3 friends to join her for a celebration! We started off the evening with a trip to see Wall-E. What a cute movie! If you haven't seen it - I highly recommend it! Then it was off for pizza at Basil Boys in Tecumseh. This was her choice - she loves the bread sticks (so much like her mom). Then it was back home where she opened presents from her friends, ate cupcakes and watched Air Buddies. All was pretty quiet when I went in to check on them at 1 A.M.!! :)

Happy Birthday Chloe Jean! :) We love you so much!

Home -- at last!

One week ago today we embarked upon a vacation journey that took us through 5 states, 1,350 miles and today, it's all over. I have to admit - I'm a always a bit sad coming back to reality - but we are all glad to be home. Happy to have had the opportunity to have seen so many different things (and tasted some terrific food!). We are blessed.

I'll be blogging my vacation highlights soon. Pics coming soon too!

Got Me Thinking...

Been seeing this advertisement a lot lately...



I like it.

I get it... I'm a mom.

And it got me thinking a bit.

Our kids are on loan to us by God. They're really not ours. They don't belong to us - they belong to Him. We have them only for a little while.

As a believer, what if God told you to do something that felt "uncomfortable"? Would your response be, "Anything you want from me, Lord." Even when it concerns your child.

Do you really mean that?

I think about this sometimes when I'm riding the fence. You know... you've been there. Thinking about your life and asking God what it is He wants from you. Asking Him where He wants you to go. I do this all the time... "God - what do You want from me? Where would You have me to go? Send me! I'm ready."

Do I really mean that?

I better mean it and I'd better be ready to go where He wants me to go and do what He wants me to do. It may be hard. It may not feel good at the time - but I must trust Him.

After all - He's in control, not me!

My Daughter Rocks!

I had one of those VERY proud mom moments today on my way home from picking Chloe up from summer camp.

Her Eighth Birthday is Friday, June 27. We leave on vacation Sunday, June 29, so we didn't have a whole lot of time between to do a big birthday party as I have in the past (yeah... I'm one of those moms and we're one of those families that REALLY do-up birthdays!) So - I told her she could have 3 girls over for sleepover. The plan is - we are going to do Wall-E at the movie theatre and then going for pizza. The girls will then sleepover and go home by 11 a.m. the next morning. She invited three of her BEST friends in the world - Hannah, Samantha and Maya (who is actually her friend AND cousin). Hannah is her VERY best friend! She's been her bestest bud since they were only a year and a half old - and so she was the FIRST invitation that went out. Until today - we had received an RSVP from everyone but Hannah. Today, we got the news that Hannah wasn't going to be able to make it - she will be out of town on vacation with her family. BUMMER! I was NOT looking forward to relaying the information to her... I knew she would devastated!

I was right. She was. She cried. I wanted to cry for her. Hannah doesn't attend school with Chloe and we have only rare opportunities to see her - so this was total sadness.

After some tears and a bit of silence (I could tell she was really thinking), she finally said something to me, I don't think I will ever forget. She said to me,

"Mom, even though I'm really sad that Hannah can't come to my party, it's probably a good thing ... because I would just want to play with her the most and then the other girls would feel badly and I wouldn't want them to be sad."

I could feel the tears well up in my eyes. I knew that she was sad, but through her pain, she was able to find the GOOD in a bad situation.

God taught me a lesson through my child today. To find the good... the blessing... in each painful experience.

I love you Chloe!

Posts

Here are some blog posts I've read recently that I felt were worthy of passing along! There's some good stuff here - - worth the read...

This Post about McDonald's is a must read! "Little things don't mean a lot, they mean everything!"

This Post has to be one of my favorite posts followed up by this one.

This Post will get you thinking. GREAT stuff! By far one of the best posts I've read!

If you didn't know that I host another blog - well, now you do. This Post was meant to honor and motivate those who serve week in and week out at Crossroads Community Church! Just a reminder for all of us... check it out.

This Picking People Post is good stuff. Same can be said about picking volunteers for the right roles!

Been reading a lot on this blog lately. If you want to read posts that will touch your heart - read this! Warning: Get your tissues!

This is an older post - but good. One of my fav's in the archives! Makes you think, doesn't it?

That's it for now... Happy reading!

Wedding Songs

Just a fun post today... did you know:

Top Wedding Songs For The First Dance (Per Yahoo)

Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)

Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)

Can I Have This Dance? (Ann Murray)

The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra)

It Had To Be You (Harry Connick, Jr.)

What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

Endless Love (Diana Ross and Lionel Richie)

I Cross My Heart (George Strait)

I Swear (John M. Montgomery or All 4 One)

A Whole New World (Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle)

As Time Goes By (A Kiss Is Just A Kiss) (Michael Feinstein)

When You Say Nothing At All (Allison Krauss)

Faithfully (Journey)

No Ordinary Love (Sade)

Here And Now (Luther Vandross)

I Can Love you Like That (John M. Montgomery)

Power Of Love (Celine Dion)

Tonight I Celebrate My Love (Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson)

Everything I Do {I Do For You} (Bryan Adams)

When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge or Michael Bolton)

All My Life (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)

I'll Be There (Mariah Carey)

On Bended Knee (Boyz II Men)

At Last (Etta James)

Don't Know Much (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)

From This Moment On (Shania Twain)

Our Love Is Here To Stay (Harry Connick, Jr.)

Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers)

And mine and Trevor's first dance song made it on this list! "I Can Love You Like That" (John Michael Montgomery).

We're so cool!

Wow...

Heard someone say this yesterday and it got me thinking about things...

"When you're screwing up and nobody's saying anything to you anymore... that means they gave up."

Ponder on that for a bit.

I pray that the people who truly love and care about me will always speak truth into my life. I'm counting on you to tell me when I blow it... because that means you haven't given up!

Gal 6:9
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."