All about L

A couple of days ago L came to me and said she was going to make something in her room. She requested some paper and a pencil then got to work.

Yesterday I asked her what she had made.

Here it is...

I think she was in a hurry:)

True...

I laughed so hard when I saw this!! I asked her if she got this from her comb. She looks at me and says, "No silly it's hair. It came from my head." I asked her why she didn't draw her hair instead and her response...

Why draw hair that doesn't even look like hair when I can just grab a few pieces and tape it on!!

The girls got a point!!

from the playground to eternity

Matt and I have a fun story of how we fell in love, but I'll save that for another time (maybe I'll post about it this summer when we celebrate our 10th anniversary). This fall we will have known each other 20 years!! Here is something fun I found today while doing some spring cleaning...

For those of you who did not grow up in Paso Robles, Ca. Matt and I attended Pat Butler Elementary School the year it first opened (1990-91 school year Matt and I were in 4th grade). This was the 5th grade "yearbook." I remember sitting on the planters out in the sun, passing these around. I probably wrote something similar in each one. When I came upon Matt's today I opened it up to see if I had signed it and I HAD!! Here it is...

Wow. It is so cool to see God's sovereign plan, even way back in 5th grade:)

I love you Matty!!!

On a side note. 

Thanks mom for letting me walk out the door with a Donald Trump comb over and a tye die pink shirt. 

I also, apparently, didn't realize I could just add and E and an ' and make YOUR into YOU'RE...genius.

Let me tell you how this ends ... the treadmill won

As some of you know, I am training for my first marathon. This past week I began my training schedule and today was my "long run" day. The distance was set for 6 miles. But when I woke up to rain/snow I decided I'd better hold off until tomorrow. I am an outdoor runner. The treadmill is intimidating and I like to set my own pace and enjoy my run (while still challenging myself). I know myself well and thought, "if I don't do it today chances are I won't do it at all." So I set off for the RAC to run on the treadmill. I had a quick warm up and was running for a short while. I had just passed the 1 mile mark and was cruising along. Thinking, daydreaming. It's why I enjoy running. I get to think things over and spend time with the Lord.

So, as you can imagine, I am running at a 7 mph pace and next thing I know I am running on my knees!! I caught myself on the way down (I don't remember much because I must have been daydreaming but I have a bruise on my arm where I caught myself). My left knee was still dragging on the treadmill. Once I finally righted myself I had the bright idea to pull the emergency off magnet (duh). It probably lasted all of 4 seconds but no one came to my rescue...I am hoping that means no one saw me or maybe they couldn't ask if I was okay without laughing. Either way I caught my breath, looked at my bloody knee, and grabbed my stuff. Matt and the kids were playing b-ball so he grabbed my some ice and we went home.

I can now say without hesitation that:
a) I am clumsy
b) I am officially an outdoor runner
c) I am thankful I was not really injured, just a flesh wound
and finally...
d) my knee may heal in a couple of days but deflated ego may not (this is why I hate going to the gym)

Here is my treadmill battle scar. Feel free to laugh along with me (I wish I could have seen it myself. I'm sure it was graceful) and post a comment if you have a funny gym or treadmill story!!

Neighborhood Movie Night

This was our 3rd movie night and we are slowly growing. Tonight we had 10 and we are praying for 20 in a couple of weeks. They consumed six bags of popcorn in about 45 minutes!! The movie we picked was Kung Foo Panda. They oldest kids (from Nigeria) had never seen it and they LOVED it!! I haven't seen children laugh that hard over a cartoon...ever. We had a great time. Here are a couple of pics...

Aprons from Bunnie

Many of you already know who Bunnie is (if you don't see here). She is always looking for ways to show our kiddos some LOVE. She sends them post cards and pictures every other week. So to our delight we received a package in the mail last week. She found two aprons (child size) and added lace and button to "doll them up."

As always, Bunnie was careful not to leave anyone out. K received a HIGHLIGHTS magazine...and he loved it!

keeping the faith

This past week has been filled with highs and lows. Internship. Heartache. Great friends. Sickness. New school. Adjustment.

God has been highlighting my weakness. I have been seeing His strength. He has carried me. I have fought him to walk on my own. He has shown Himself faithful. I fall short every time.

Once again the scales have been removed from my eyes and I can see a glimpse of what He sees. I realize if at times I feel like this with Jesus, what must others feel like without Him. Who will share with them? Will we offer them a meal that is fleeting, a superficial conversation or will we offer them Jesus whose salvation is eternal? I don't want to help people "feel" better. Because feelings lie to us. I want to offer them truth and everlasting life. I want to be bold.

I knew seeking the Lord and living in obedience to God's call on our lives would open us up to free for all attacks from the enemy. Praise the Lord I already know who wins this battle. Jesus has already paid the price. Satan cannot touch me. He must be mad. I can feel his attacks, like a barrage of arrows to my soul. 

Thankfully I wear the armor of God...

Ephesians 6:10-20

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

 ¹⁹Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.