A Little Girl Before Our Eyes

Loading the bus this morning . . . so thrilled!

After much debate, and some begging on her part - we agreed to let Isabelle ride the bus to & from school. She really wanted to. I really didn't want her to. However living in the farthest spot that you can live & still be in our school district, does make a difference with gas prices so high! :) So after some upset stomachs (completely on my part from nerves) we agreed to let her ride. We told her she could ride the bus home & we'd see how that went . . . she was beyond excited - the 1st words out of her mouth when she woke up on Friday morning were "Is today the day I ride the bus home?" So I was beyond excited to pick her up Friday afternoon. However, the upset stomach came back as I waited & waited with another mom & the bus was 25 minutes LATE! When it arrived, I could tell something wasn't right. She loaded off the bus with a red face & huge tears streaming down her face . . . the bus driver & I quickly recognized each other (SHE GOES TO OUR CHURCH - THANK YOU LORD!) and she explained the situation. I guess a boy had gotten on the bus that wasn't supposed to & they had to turn around. Isabelle knew they weren't going the right direction & she paniced thinking they weren't taking her home. Can you just imagine??? After she & I talked & I assured her Vickie our driver would get her to me everyday & she recovered from the panic - she perked up & said how awesome it was to ride. We saw Vickie at church yesterday & Isabelle asked if she could start riding in the morning today - so I sent her off to school on the bus this morning. We prayed for a smoother day today!

On Saturday night as Kevin put Isabelle to bed, they were messing around with a loose tooth & Kevin was "trying" to tease her about pulling it out, and actually DID pull it out to both of their amazement. It went flying to the floor & they were both hysterically laughing! One more sign of her becoming a little girl before our eyes! We love you baby girl.

A Little Man's First Big Catch

This weekend John Michael caught this incredible bass in the pond behind our house. Kevin cast the pole for him & walked away . . . he tugged & reeled this big one in! He was SO excited! The sheer joy & excitement could not be contained - by him or his dad!

John Michael Goes To Cooking School

John Michael is taking a cooking class on Friday mornings this month & absolutely LOVES it! Yesterday's was a "Firehouse" theme. They made Code One Bread & Firehouse Stew. He loved them both. . . as did I. I can't wait to make them at home!

September 11 Program

Today Isabelle had the privelege of speaking at a Sept. 11 program at school. She had to answer the following 3 questions . . . "What is a hero? Who is your Hero? And Why?" Her paper was chosen as one or 8 to be read at the program. Here's what she wrote.

"A hero is someone who helps the world and cares for people. Jesus is my hero. Jesus is always with me. He watches over me. Jesus loves me and cares for me. He is faithful. He is kind to me."

We are so proud of her & pray that God used her to plant seeds today!

Haiti Relief Fund

Please help us help the people of Haiti. You can read updates at www.c3missions.org & make donations to the Haiti Relief Fund.

All I Want for First Grade . . .PART II

(See the hole on the top left)

Isabelle lost her 5th tooth last week - guess who had to pull it out - MOM!!! It was so loose, she was afraid to go to sleep, so she laid on the couch & begged me to pull it out. She was so excited to have it out! Amazingly, after that tooth fell out, the 2 front teeth started breaking through. It makes me a little sad - it feels like yet another rite of passage. The cute little smile with no front teeth is no longer. Her big girl teeth are growing in quickly. She is growing up so fast!

What are you waiting for?

We have to "wait" our turn or "wait" for vacation. We are "waiting" for God's clear direction, while others "wait" for financial breakthrough. Some are "waiting" for a promotion or job change, while others "wait" for retirement to come. Some "wait" for relationships to be mended, while others "wait" for friendships to be made. "Waiting" seems to always include trials & struggle in some form. . .

What is it that you are "waiting" for? What is your Storm?

This very question was posed to me in a book I'm reading called Praying the Names of Jesus by Ann Spangler. She goes on to write "Ask yourself that question, because whatever you are waiting for is what you are living for." WOW . . . what truth she speaks in that statement. Stop & ponder that for yourself & what God may be saying to you. No wonder the "wait" turns into a storm. We become consumed with the "waiting" & our eyes turn from trusting & worshiping our Lord! She continues "At the deepest level, we need to remember that we are waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ." How easily we confuse what we should be waiting for.

God continued to solidify His point as I listened to Focus on the Family with James Dobson last week. He was interviewing Steven Curtis Chapman about the recent loss of his 5 yr. old daughter Maria in a tragic accident. Steven described how they see daily things in a different perspective since the accident. They know that Maria is whole & happy with Jesus & they will get to see her again. What a promise & what Joy! The two men went on to comment that today's culture, in secular & religious circles alike, we are told to that we can have the best life now . . . What a lie! Our Best Life is on the horizon. We are to live in light of eternity. This life is a training ground for what is coming & we MUST remember that.

God used a third approach to clearly solidify His point this morning at church. Our sermon was entitled "Life's Storms aren't the End". Our pastor used many biblical stories to illustrate that life is full of storms for us all - look at Joseph, Job, Esther, Daniel, David, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendigo - just to name a few. They all had circumstances that could have caused them to question God, give up, throw in the towel, or to draw false conclusions about how God was working. Yet they all stayed positive. . . because they BELIEVED in God. They believed that God was GREATER than their storms. They chose to see their "waiting" or their trials as
places to grow, as places of blessing. They lived in light of eternity. They knew that this life was NOT what they were living for, that they were being trained & shaped for eternity.

Consider the words of Job after losing all his family, his possessions, and his health - His eyes were on His redeemer. : Job 19:25 - 27 "I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes - I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" Job wasn't giving up!
John 16:33 "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have OVERCOME the world." John 14:1 "Do NOT let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me." God prepares us throughout His word with examples just like Job & truth that troubles, trials & waiting come - it's normal, but it's for a purpose. TRUST HIM!! He is the VICTORY!

Our pastor left us with this challenge that I pass on to you . . . "Be slow to draw conclusions on your life circumstances (ie. "this must be a blessing or this must be a curse") We only have a fragment of the picture God is creating. We can't make judgements about fragments, we must allow Him to create in us character NOT comfort through all of our circumstances. Choose to believe God. Choose to trust Him & have Joy in the wait." We do know 1 thing - the end of the Story & it is VICTORY!!! Praise be to God the Father & our Lord Jesus Christ!

What are you waiting for today? Where is the Storm in your life? Will you choose to follow the footsteps of those before us believing God! Allow Him to transform you!