Collage of Life

Our lives are a huge collage of things.
 

First steps, first scrapes, learning to ride a bike...First day of school, graduations, college, engagements, weddings,pregnancies, newborns...

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And it starts all over again with newborns, first steps, first scrapes…

First time to sit in Pa's lap.

first day of school,

 First Snow

Learning to ride a bike...

First haircuts,

First day of high school,  First dates, first dance,


First Deer

More engagements, weddings, and newborns

Along the way there are triumphs, fears, victories, and battles.  There are things that bring great joy and equally great sorrow.

We walk tall, trip and fall, dust ourselves off and get moving again.

We lead or we follow as we try to do our best in everything we do.

Sometimes it seems we move along at some great rate -meeting goals, accomplishing things, and making strides and life is great.  Then out of nowhere we meet a wall.  Or HIT a wall, or something sad happens and there is grief.

And so sometimes we grieve.

The bible says as Christians we don’t have to grieve as those who have no hope.  Yet still we grieve  when there is a death of a loved one, with the end of something, or some loss of another kind.   When you lose something you have always known or known for a long time.  A way of life, how things should be, whatever it is…  along the way sometimes we grieve.

But we cant stay there.

Psalm 121: 1&2    I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth

I have a little hanging plaque with this scripture on it.  I see it daily in my bathroom.  It is a good reminder.  We need to be reminded to LOOK UP.  We need to be reminded where our help comes from.  He is our help.  There is no better helper.  No better help.

No matter what disappoints, hurts, scares, infuriates us, or even changes our lives, our God is still on the throne.  My mother in law just told me yesterday, "Yes Bill left, but Jesus hasnt gone from me."  God never changes, disappoints or leaves us.  We can still trust Him, rely on Him, and lean on Him.   1 Peter 5:7  Cast all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.

As a matter of fact, He is the only one who does not disappoint.  We must put our hope and trust in Him and Him alone.

Psalm 46:1  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 146: 5-6

Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.

He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful forever.

What an awesome promise! What an awesome God.

When things fail around us, it is great to know that no matter what, we still and always will be able to rely on our Father in Heaven.  Even as we begin the process of doing that, we will feel the weight, of whatever may be lurking near, lighten up.  That’s why Jesus says to take up his yoke.  For his yoke is easy, and his burden is light.  So take that thing that seems strapped around your neck and remove it.  Place it on Jesus.  He can handle it way better than we can and we will be able to breathe easier along the way, in this collage of things that make life.

Random Facts

• It feels weird not to pull my hair up to cook or pull it up like I always do on weekends. 
• I have short hair
• I love to cook
• I really want to go take some pictures just so I can use my new camera bag. 
• I love spicy food
• I love food. :)
• I got up early this morning just to go shop the sales at Belk. Was there at 7 AM!!! 
• The sale is NEXT WEEKEND!!!
• I love the cool weather
• Saturdays are GREAT
• It's almost time to decorate for Christmas 
• May start today. 
• I think I drink more coffee now that I have a Keurig
• I love my husband. 

This Years Balloons

This years balloon festival was a bust the first few days.  Nothing Friday.  Nothing Saturday either.  But finally on Sunday morning though, as soon as Todd and I heard they were flying, we jumped up, grabbed Avery and coffee and ran to see what we could see. 

This was one of the first we saw.  I love this shot with the moon in there.  Plus I was born in Tennessee and I have family there.

It was pretty nice seeing Avery's face while she was watching them fly.

She was chilly so Poppa loaned her his hoody.  He's sweet like that.

 It was so funny, Avery was enjoying counting the balloons in the sky.  She would say 1, 2, 3, Wait, theres another one.  1,2,3,4 Wait theres another one.  1,2,3,4,5   That happened over and over again. 


This is what your hair looks like when Nonna and Poppa grab you up and say lets go, the balloons are flying!

Sweet

Wasn't the river beautiful that day. 

Thankfully later that afternoon the balloons flew one more time.  The rest of the family was up and moving by then so we all got to see them.


Here Mark and Paige were posing for someone else to take their picture.  I jumped in and stole a shot.

My sweetie drove us all around to see the balloons, and to get ice cream.  Did I mention he is a sweetie?

There is mention that this may have been our last Balloon Race.  That would be sad.  I hope not.  Its always fun to see.  They are beautiful AND I havent even gotten to ride in one yet!  :(

WHAT IF

It seems every time I turn around, something is going on where I wish I could just rescue someone. 

Working in a public High School you see and hear of a lot.

Fights...
Suicide...
Hurts...
Death of Kids Parents...
So much more...
So obviously every now and then something happens with our students, that makes my heart ache for them.
Today my heart was aching in such a way and right about that time our Pastor tweeted the words "What if"That was all - WHAT IF
There was no explanation.  I assume it may be the theme for the next sermon series he will be doing. 
Maybe not.  May just have been thought provoking.  It was for me.

What if-

I couldnt help but think what if the things we were teaching these kids on Wednesdays and Sundays too - stuck with them.  What if it made them think before making terrible life changing decisions.  What if the things we taught them from Gods word became the lifeline they need.

That rescue

Why wouldnt it?

It should.

It IS a lifeline, a rescue.

What if each of those kids in each of those situations chose to follow Gods will for their lives in that situation.  Things would be different. 
Better. 
It doesnt mean there wouldnt be difficult things, hard times, or sadness.

But God---

That rescue

What if I was the person that said something or did something or shared something that made that person in need of rescue take notice.

What if you were????????

A DIFFERENCE

 Do you know that it has been said that most children form their idea of who God is and choose whether or not they will have a relationship with Him BEFORE leaving 5th grade.

When I read that, it took me back a bit.

What a difference it makes whether or not we show these kids Jesus.

 There are 3 core truths that we want to teach these children before they leave the 5th grade.

•  I can trust God no matter what
• I need to make wise choices
• I should treat others the way I want to be treated

 Thats what we are working towards at the moment with our Cornerstone Kids.

We talked this week about how God can do things that seem impossible to us.  Sometimes we sure need Him to, don't we?

The kids responded to it well.  We had fun learning. 

Fun always makes learning better.

 Sometimes with Pre K and Kindergartners, (Thats my group) you wonder if you're getting anything through.in between the giggles, wiggles, and roars. (Literally)

 Camila had a fascination with Johns hair.

But I know I am saying it, and I know that they are all listening some of the time.  :)  Repetition is a necessity!

 It is so great to have those who help us.  It certainly takes a group effort to get this done.  But it is so important!  Chelsey is great  with the 1st and 2nd Graders.  They love her.  I do too.  Who wouldn't?

 I have no idea what this face is for????    :)

Todd always dresses the part.  He has been a scientist, a Safari character, and a Coach among other things.  This time he is decked out in his Island gear. 

 Beaux and his big smile!  What a guy.

 We have a good time.  Sometimes the kids are worn out, and sometimes we are.  :)

 But at the end of the night we are blessed to have this group of great kids.  We take this responsibility seriously. We want them to remember the things they learn while they are with us, for years to come.  Above all we want them to know they are loved by us and by God himself.

In Jesus Name...

Getting Together

 A few more pictures from our last get together after Pawpaws funeral.

This is Paige propping her foot.  She fell off the sidewalk near her work and hurt her ankle.  (She may or may not be accident prone...)

 This is Avery, sharing her Uncle Josh. with Grayson.  After Grayson got home he wanted Avery to come to his birthday party dinner.  His mom explained how far away we lived but let him know that Avery had told her mom that she missed him.  He said, well what about Josh, did he say he missed me too?  And what about Mark, then proceeded to name all of us. :)  Love him!  And YES WE MISS HIM!

 I mean, who wouldnt miss this????

Talk about laid back and relaxing...

 What a cute couple

 They're gorgeous, gorgeous I say!

The Barber

From the looks of things a few weeks ago you would think Paige (Marks girlfriend) was our new barber!

 Apparently it was somewhat painful...

 I don't know why Mark ended up doing the neckline part???

Mics turn!

 I told Grayson, after his Pawpaw was finished it would be his turn...

He looked at me with crazy eyes, and said "Then my mom wont know who I am."  hehehe

 

You would think Paige would be sick of this hair cutting thing by now, but nah, its way too fun!

Todd for some reason wasn't brave enough.  So his hair is still in need of a cut!