God's Love

LOVE is all we need the Beatles said. But 1,000s of years before this God said it: the greatest of these is LOVE. "Your love, your love, the only thing that matters is your love," says Brandon Heath. It is what helps us to love others, it has enabled us to go to heaven. We have a daily devotion at work and a co-worker was praying one morning and she thanked God for his love. "Thank you God for your love!" WOW! I had never thought about this (am I an idiot or WHAT?) and find myself praying daily, thanking God for his love. What is more important than this!? I sin and stumble daily, and I know God's love is there. He is there to wrap His arms around me so I can truly, physically feel the warmth of His love. Your love that never fails, never boasts, isn't pride filled. Your love that is so pure in the filth-filled world we live in. How is it that you can love me, surrounded by my filth and rags? Humble me today Lord, humble me to see your love everywhere I look, in faces, in places, in my family, in my world. Help me not to waste a minute with facebook, twitter, bad TV. 

After reading a blog called Life in Grace recently, I found words Edie spoke on this very subject, "No matter what life is throwing at you, you can be sure that He is up to something, and that something is love. So, whether your house burns down or your spouse leaves or your children rebel or you have cancer—there is one thing you can count on. For the sake of Christ, God has loved you with an everlasting love.  He is your Father and He knows your sorrow and counts your tears. He will make every piece of the puzzle make sense. He is not waiting for you to obey or be strong or be faithful. He has obeyed and been strong and faithful in your place."

WOW! God's love IS AMAZING!

all of you

Well, I normally talk about my chillin (Southern for children) on here, but today I am going to talk about something a bit more spiritual. And I love my family and am so blessed to have them! God has also blessed me with some amazing friends throughout my life and continues to do so today. I read this scripture last night and it made me feel so full because I am so so so thankful. I have great Christian friends, women who work for God everyday, and who believe that prayer works, because we have seen it work. Brother Mike loves to quote John Wesley who said, "God does nothing but in answer to prayer." So why are we peddling and peddling to find answers when prayer is so powerful, yet so simple. This is how I feel about my good and kind friends who walk with God daily and are striving to do his work.Thank you God for giving me these friends and thank you friends for inspiring me by your words and most importantly your actions.
We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by home in our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

Catch up with myself!

Well, I had promised myself I would do better, then a month has whirled by and I have no blog posts to show for it. BUT I am jotting this post down right now as a blogging "to-do" list and am going to come back to each topic, b/c there is a lot of this stuff that I don't want to forget!
1) Mary Flynn is 9 months old...CRA-ZEE!! We lowered her baby bed down the day of the 9 month b-day which was October 4th and it made me sad. She has a little cyst on her ear and we will be going to see an ENT about what to do about it...getting it removed and finding out exactly what it is. Doesn't seem to bother her but we want to know. Also, she is patting some cakes, waving bye, and will say, "da-da-da-da-da-da-da" if you say it too! Can get around a room, but it is a Houdini act b/c the girl "ain't" crawling anywhere but backwards.
2) Found boys Star Wars Halloween costumes (Luke -- Darth Vader (go firgure), Reed -- Luke Skywalker) at Dirt Cheap for $5 each (ended up with 2 Darth Vader masks which was CLUTCH!). Need to do a whole post on all the jewels I have found at dirt cheap...love/hate relationship with that place. They want Mary Flynn to be Princess Layla, which was not MY first choice for her, but I have to remember that next year they may/may not want anything to do with her!
3) Rob's grandfather died last week after a long battle with alzmiemers and had one of the most beautiful funeral services I have ever witnessed with lots of wonderful scripture and stories about his life...I still get emotional thinking about it and his precious grandmother who was married to him for 65 years!
4)  AND my migranes are back...ugh. After a 5 year sabbatical they reared their ugly head about 4 weeks ago and after a crazy trip to the emergency room, we thought it best to see a Neurologist. She gave me some new meds to try, did MRI (which found nothing...Rob loves to make jokes about this) and said to try the meds when the next one came, if it came. Well, the next one came the day after I went to see her. Long story short, my miracle has come in the form of Maxalt -- I LOVE YOU creators of this wonderful drug. I started getting symptoms, took Maxalt, and 20 minutes later I felt like (I almost said $1,000,000, but wouldn't go that far) REAL GOOD compared to how I normally feel after one. 
5) Soccer is starting. Boys are thrilled. And we are too b/c our good friend Jeff is their coach. Rob is the #1 assistant. Both boys are on the same team which is clutch! I am sure there will be some hilarity involving this throughout the season and I will be posting under a new label: "things I want to remember!"

6) Our church is simulcasting David Platt's Secret Church on "Family, Marriage, Sex, and the Gospel" and we are so so so so excited. I am already feeling God work in our community with this and I know He is going to bring lots of people into our church for this event. David Platt is such a powerful preacher and I know that many lives in our community and around the world will be touched by the message God shares through him!
7) I feel like these years are FLY-ing by and I am in a fog of work, school, etc. Lord, help me to live each day with the grace you give me! And to be thankful. And to share myself with others. And for my children to know WHY they love me! And why I love them! And most importantly, why You love them! Philippians 4:6-7 
 

5, 3, and 8 months...and playing catch up!

Where has the time gone? I am going to play a little bit of catch up here and update myself on how quickly my children are growing up. Let me just say...I am NOT ready for 6, 4, and 1! 

Reed:
1st day of school, August 5th, with Mary Flynn and Mimi

First day with me!

• Turned 5, August 15
• Wanted boxers for his birthday and hasn't skipped a day in wearing them. Bye bye my little boy.
• Also wanted a "sight-bow" which he got and is hitting that (gosh-awful plastic deer) target in our backyard every time! I can't help but scream with excitement every time he hits it though!
• Also got a Nintendo DS for his birthday and is impressing me each day with his hand-eye skills AND (super big plus) is for the most part letting his little bro look on with delight when he plays it! 
• Started school this year and is can't get enough!
• Loves his sister to pieces! 
• I asked him a few nights ago who his girlfriend was to which he replied, "I don't know, I hadn't thinked about it yet!" Good Boy!

 

LUKE:
On his first day of school, August 15th

• Mothers, lock up your daughters...this boy is going to be something (still not sure what).
• My middle child, who is a lover and a fighter and who's favorite phrases right now are, "No mommy!" and "Mommy, you are mean", and "I love you, mommy!" He cares about me, but sometimes I wonder if he would sell me for some candy.
• Would definitely sell his sister for candy -- no doubt in my mind!
• And speaking of candy, he LOVES it! Would eat it for every meal and in between. 
• Just started 3K  and loving it (finally)...first day, not so much.

MARY FLYNN:

• Sweet baby girl! She turned 8 months old on September 4th and I absolutely CANNOT believe it! 
• Is getting the hang of baby food BUT it is still the most frustrating part of my day trying to get it into her mouth...I need to take a video of the process and post. 
• She is now eating puffs, taking a bath in the big bath tub, and moved up to size 3 diapers this week.
• Having fun making her precious things which I am planning to put on another post!

Reed turns 5!

It is so hard to believe that Reed is turning 5. It seems like yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital...now he has a little brother and a little sister! I want them all to stay little forever! He is a wonderful big brother, kind, and smart!

And there was no questions, we would be having a Star Wars Party!!! We are ALL THINGS Luke Skywalker, Yoda, General Grievous, Obi Wan, the list goes on. Of course, I waited until the last minute, since it was one week after the Fair when I was needing to send out invites and found the cutest ones on Etsy. I printed them on my home computer and had them the next day! I also got these adorable stickers for treat bags.

You can't have a party these days without the jumpers, 

so we slid and jumped and slid and jumped!

The setup!

The Cake (AWESOME!)

Jabba Juice (Rob asked me why I was going to all the trouble to name the food, that these kids couldn't read, but I wanted to do it!!)

About to blow out the 5 candles!!

Lilly, enjoying the festivities

A moment of brotherly love on the slide...Luke refused to go down but would run up the wrong was as far as he could go then fall down into the water. At least he was having fun!

Present time!

Luke!

Best present #1: "sight" bow (not sure why he is calling it that but he is)

Best present #2: DS

DS game, which he is getting VERY good at!

Luke and his Mimi (whenever he gets in trouble he always, SCREAMS, "I want my mimi!!!!"

And let's make sure we get everything out of the bow box.

I have a great video of Reed shooting his bow I will have to post b/c it is pretty darn good for a 5 year old! We had a great day and enjoyed being with family and good friends! Thanks so much for celebrating with us!

...and he takes the tractor another round, another round, another round...

Spring means lots of things, but around our house, all the talk was about the garden.

And after a not so successful season (that is why there were no during shots), the boys have decided they are going to have to devote more time next year!!! Although we did have corn, black-eyed peas, okra, and more peppers than you can imagine, Rob mowed down what we was left last weekend! We were disappointed that we didn't have more squash and cucumber, from which Rob made these delicious pickles:

Aunt Allie's Dill Pickles 

(from Mississippi Magazine July/August 2010)

6 pound small fresh cucumbers

16 fresh hot peppers

16 teaspoons dill seeds

16 teaspoons mustard seed

16 cloves fresh peeled garlic

6 cups white vinegar

6 cups water

12 tablespoons pickling salt

 

Wash and sterilize 8 quart jars and lids. To each jar add 2 teaspoons dill and mustard seed, 2 cloves garlic, and 2 hot peppers. Wash cucumbers and pack into jars. Bring vinegar, water, and salt to rolling boil. Fill jars with boiling mixture. Seal immediately. Pickles will be ready to enjoy in 4-6 weeks. Any soon, and the pickle flavor will not have time to develop. 

Yield: 8 quart jars
Can't wait for next year!!!

Princess "Leo" and the "walks"

Well I have been waiting, waiting until the day when my little boy grows up, leaves behind Scooby Doo, Tom and Jerry, and The Jetsons, and becomes obsessed with Star Wars. Well, the time has come. He is now all things Obi Won, Luke, Yoda, Hans Solo -- loves them all. And, (as Rob would interject, "just like his mother,") he cannot watch this movie without asking 100 questions about every scene. The best part, though, is that in true Reed fashion, the "off" words are in full effect. 
Princess Laya -- Princess "Leo"
E-woks -- "Walks"

And speaking of the off words, here are a few more from summer:
Icee -- "snowy"
Sunburn -- sun"bites"