Marvelous Monday

Just keepin' it real. The Monday Morning aftermath. Do you experience this at your house? :)

There was a tease of fall in the air for a bit this morning.


Lots of fun at the park this morning with some friends.



More fun outside tonight with our sweet neighbors.

Blake, there is no denying her. I think she is your mini me.

I have been reading Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson, as recommended by my sweet friend, Jenna. I am about halfway through the book, and have loved, loved every chapter. She talks so much about the influence of a mother in a home. Often the mother's attitude can control the atmosphere of the home...I have had that on my heart, and have thought about it often the past couple of weeks. I really do want to embrace my role as a wife and mother, and give it all I have for the glory of Him. I love when God reaffirms what has been in your heart in different ways...

This morning I was reading my devotion, and was reading about the disciples and different things Jesus asked them to do. Some of the requests made sense to the disciples, others did not. The disciples grumbled about some things they were asked to do, others they did willingly. Some things He asked them to do....the disciples did not understand the relevance of significance of them at all. They did not know if what He asked them to do even really mattered.

I love what Beth Moore said when she was talking about the disciples and paralleling it to our lives.

"We have no idea as to the significance of the work God called us to do."

"Christ's ultimate goal in any work He assigns to us is to reveal Himself, either through us or to us."

"The tasks God gives you are never trivial."

(page 361, Jesus: 90 Days with the One and Only)

Good Friday...but, Sunday is on the Way!

What Wondrous Love Is This

American Folk Hymn

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!

What wondrous love is this, O my soul!What wondrous love is this

That caused the Lord of bliss

To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,

To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,

When I was sinking down, sinking down,

When I was sinking down

Beneath God’s righteous frown,

Christ laid aside His crown for my soul for my soul,

Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing;

To God and to the Lamb I will sing;

To God and to the Lamb, Who is the great I AM,

While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,

While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.And when from death I’m free

I’ll sing His love for me,And through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,

And through eternity I’ll sing on.

http://youtu.be/CgwGY6xpvLI

Click here....this song is played with some beautiful images.

107-113: Busy Week and Blessed

We have had a pretty busy week. Blake's great grandmother passed away. She was 99 1/2 years old. She would have been 100 years old on October 15. I can't even imagine all of the changes and amazing things she got to see in her life. We also celebrated Bella's first birthday with her on Saturday. She is so precious.

The boys were so excited about cake. Loved the glittery, sparkly icing.

And Claire...she is just a happy girl! There was also a baby shower on Saturday morning for a friend at my parents church. I loved seeing all that pink being unwrapped...those tiny newborn clothes get me every time....

Jackson expereinced his first fine art performance. "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" at the Tivoli. He enjoyed the show. I enjoyed a little one on one time with my son.

Claire had cereal for the first time today (4-21-11). She did not love it.

This rascal came into the living room last night (we thought he was asleep). He was sporting a pull up on his head, and over his pants. He said he was Mr. Potato Head.

This mess happened in exactly 1 minute and 30 seconds. I know this because I had put something in the microwave to warm up...went to my bedroom to change my clothes...by the time the timer went off...Bisquik. I am going to have to find higher ground for some of my stuff.

Firemen: Jack and Ben.

This poor girl went back to the doctor again yesterday. She still has a double ear infection and has a virus....tons of blisters all in her little mouth. Last night she grabbed and scratched her ear so much in her sleep, she made herself bleed. Hoping this second round of antibiotics does the trick.

That's about all, folks.

I have been reading Beth Moore's book, "Jesus: 90 Days with the One and Only." It is excellent!

I read a paragraph a few weeks ago, and it keeps resounding in my spirit. (I think it is on page 145 if anyone else is currently reading this book).

"The original word for "blessed" is makarios. Revel in this definition of the term: "Biblically, one is pronounced blessed when God is present and involved in his life. The Hand of God is at work directing all his affairs for a divine purpose, and thus, in a sense, such a person lives coram Deo, before the face of God."

My prayer for myself and for my family is that we always live a blessed life. I want God present and involved in my life, and in our little family's life. I want Him directing all of our affairs, so we may know Him more and seek Him in all we do. Our purpose here on this Earth is to share His love...to further His Kingdom. Everything doesn't have to be just perfect in order to be blessed. Having Him is more than enough. I am blessed.

51: Dedicating Claire

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." Psalm 139:14

All good things, God has given, and he’s given, this little life.

Everything is so perfect

Lord you made

Her perfect, when you made this little life.

An eternal soul is placed in our safe keeping, to love care for and raise, in the way she should go.

We bow our hearts and say thank you, Lord we thank you, for this little life.

The greatest treasures we possess, are these little lives, for Jesus said suffer the little children,

to come unto me, for as such is the kingdom of heaven.

For all good things, God has given, and now were

Given, Thanks unto You.

Prayer

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/01/the-only-way-a-soul-can-live-habit-3-for-a-new-year/

I read this today, and thought it was worth sharing.

29 Weeks

Our baby girl has a name! Yay!! We are naming her Madeline Claire Freeman, and are going to call her Claire. It is time to start monogramming those sweet initials on all things pink. We also picked out paint colors this weekend, and are going to start getting her room ready next weekend. We picked out the colors, "Fairest of them All," and "Pretty in Pink." Blake is going to paint the top half of the wall the lighter pink, and the bottom the brighter pink, and put a chair rail up in her room. I am excited about starting this project! Yay!!

We had an awesome church service this morning. I usually keep our blog pretty light hearted, and is usually just updates with what is going on with us, but I thought I would share just a little bit of what has been going on, and how BIG my God is, and how much He loves and cares for me.

Ever since I found out I was pregnant with baby girl, I have pretty much known I will have to have another cesarean with this baby's delivery. This was something I really struggled with after I had Jackson...I don't know why....it was not that bad, and my recovery was really easy, but it scared the heebie jeebies out of me! I get scared when I think about doing it again. These little fears have been creeping up in other areas of my life too....worrying about Blake, Jackson, and other things big and small...things that I have no control over.

This morning at church, I was praying and I was gently and sweetly reminded that God has not given me a Spirit of fear, but of love, and that he is a shield for me. He protects His children. His word tells me so. He protects Blake, Jackson, me, and is a shield for all of these things (great and small) that I am carrying around and worrying about. So I prayed, and surrendered these things to him...and my load has been a lot lighter this afternoon.

With all that being said, tonight, we were leaving my parents' house, and Jackson was walking down the front porch steps, which he has done tons of times, and somehow leans forward and does a front flip of the porch. It looked awful, and of course scared me...Blake picked him up...he was crying...guess what? He had a tiny scratch on his face. That is all. God protected my little guy. He is taking good care of him, and maybe I just shouldn't worry so much.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. 2 Samuel 22:31

Mine, Not Yours

Our little guy, Jackson, continues to teach me more about life, each and every day. His baby days are slipping by (too fast), and he is quickly approaching full blown toddlerhood. With that comes lots and lots of Jackson craving independence, and him staking out his territory on pretty much everything. He wants to do everything himself. He says, "My turn." "Jackson do it, Mommy." His latest saying is, "Mine, not yours." This is typically while he is snatching something out of my hand, off the floor, out of his diaper bag. Everyone probably knows the behavior I am talking about. The other day I was playing Hot Wheel cars with Jackson, and he grabbed the car out of my hand, and said "Mine, not yours." I thought to myself, you little turkey. Then, I started thinking about my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I wonder how many times in my life, I hold onto things....doubt, fear, anxiety, and hold onto matters I have no control over. Sure, I will pray about matters and lay situations at His feet....and pick them right back up again, almost like I am saying, "Lord, that is mine, not Yours." God desires for me to be totally dependent on Him, and for me to say, "I am Yours." He really wants to have my worries, anxiety, my family, and my future. I really do want to give Him everything..... Everything is His, not mine! So, that is my prayer.

"My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart." Psalm 7:10

"As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. Psalm 18:30

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thankgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

Crazy Love

Blake and I were at Books A Million Saturday night, trying to find some new books to read. I have been reading my Bible, but haven't read any other books in a long time. I have heard a couple of people talk about the book "Crazy Love," by Francis Chan. I picked it up, and it looked like something we would both like to read. Blake and I both read some of it today, and I think it is a great book, so far. There are videos on the books' website www.crazylovebook.com. In Chapter 1, the video "The Awe Factor of God," made me literally in awe of how big our universe is, and how amazing it is that God loves and cares for each of his children.