Oh Jada

Oh my sweet Jada. While out shopping the other day my precious last born saw something she simply could not live without. She picked up her new "friend" and told me it was "hers." So I did what any other mother would do if their child demanded a toy... I bought it. :0)

We got home and Jada told us her friend's name was "Price Lip." I'm not making this up. That is it's name and she came up with it without any prompting what-so-ever.

So, friends, family... meet Price Lip!

Good Ol' 99 cent store :0)

Last week, while at the 99 cent store, we bought some badmitton rackets and some "birdies." (I cracked myself up calling them their other name but my hubby wasn't too happy so I'll just call them birdies for this post). I digress...

Anyhoo, we bought some rackets and had hours of fun. It's amazing how much fun you can get for under five bucks!! The kids got so crazy, and almost broke their ankles on our rocks!! We were having so much fun that we played, literally, until it was too dark to see the "birdie." **Smile to self**

Here are some pics. of our game. One is pretty blurry, but the sky behind Ally is so beautiful that I had to post it anyway.

Not quite holy~

After my kids (and my Chriss) watched Passion of the Christ, they were a little down. I decided to perk them up with some egg decorating. Not quite holy, but we did try to make Jesus a part of it! :0)

Oh my baby girl...

My sweet baby girl said the most amazing thing on Easter.

I was getting pretty tired of the whole "commercial" aspect of Easter. I decided we were going to celebrate Easter in a manner that best represented the "holiness" of the season.

We went to Maundy Thursday service, Good Friday service. I had dialogue with the kids about what Easter means. We watched Passion of the Christ.

And in keeping with the "holy" theme, I told my kids that Jesus was bringing them a little goody on Easter, and NOT the Easter Bunny.

Fast forward to Easter morning.

I woke up my sweet Jada and the first question out of her mouth was, "Did Jesus come?"

I said, "Of course honey. And he brought you something!"

I put her down so she could see what she had been left. She spotted the Easter basket but started to walk past it.

I said, "Jada, there is your basket."

And that sweet princess said to me, "Hold on mom. I need to go see Jesus first. Then I will get it."

I didn't even know what to say. My girl was wanting to speak to Jesus before she received her gift!! I was blown away. Amazing. Just amazing...

Good Friday

I just love Holy Week.

Last night we went to the Good Friday service.

I love the "darkness" of the message.

I love that my heart felt so guilty and so convicted, so holy and so undeserving, so saddened and so grateful...

I love the contrast between Friday night and Sunday morning...

During the message there was a woman on the stage painting a picture. When we walked in the canvas was blank. It was completely white. When we left... Well, I'll have to let you see for yourself. AMAZING!

Maundy Thursday

(I wrote this yesterday morning, Friday, and am just now posting it:0)

I have not written in a while. I’m sorry. Or you’re welcome (whichever suites you)! :0) I don’t exactly know what the reason has been for my absence. I have been following others stories, just not writing my own.

I think, sometimes, I get a little overwhelmed as I read the blogs. I am moved, and saddened, and humbled, and devastated, and humored, and intrigued… I could go on…

Like Misty I begin to get really wrapped up in other people’s stories. I begin to go through their struggles. I begin to plead with God for people I have not met yet (I say yet because I really like the way Angie put it). I even begin to feel guilty for my own blessings.

“How did I deserve to have such healthy babies, when so many people out there are delivering theirs to Jesus?”

Of course we will never know the answers to these questions or the many others we have until we are sitting at the feet of our most precious Lord breathing in his grace…

My story? I haven’t figured it out.

Today, this is what I am…

I am a woman who has been praying feverishly for Stellan. I have never laid eyes on him and yet I want Jesus to heal him (preferably on earth)!

I am a woman who longs to trust in God like Angie does. I have never met her. I do not know her face, or her childhood fantasy, or her middle name, but I want to trust God’s Grace just like she does.

I am an undeserving woman who married an undeserving man and by the Grace of God we are living a fairy tale life. I adore him; he adores Jesus; it just works…

I am a woman who wept through the Maundy Thursday service last night. In the past few weeks I have felt “absent” at church. I don’t know if it is me, or Satan, or both, but I haven’t really been there. And it has shown in my life (ask my kids). But last night… Oh my… I wept like I was in pain. I wept like a broken woman who was being led back to safety by someone who loves me more than I deserve. I don’t know why it hit me so hard but I was shattered. God moved me. Our first song of worship was the Doxology. I grew up with that song. I haven’t heard it in years, but it is part of me. Jesus knew that. I think he picked it just for me… It was a miraculous display of the Creator of the ENTIRE world taking the time to show me that he’s still here…

I am a woman who is broken because even though my children are perfectly healthy, they are perfectly sinful as well. I have not escaped my share of suffering; wondering if my children will inherit the Kingdom; wondering if I am doing enough (I’ll get to the specifics later, when I’m ready)…

Perhaps I am just a woman overcome with the season… Today is the anniversary of Jesus’ crucifixion… I am undeserving. I am a sinner. Maybe beyond hope. I can’t help but ask why… We are so self-righteous by nature that I can’t even imagine the sacrifice. I wouldn’t want to sacrifice my child for someone who was truly deserving, let alone someone who will never be!!!

But he did. He is. He does…

Maybe the point of all of this is that I am learning. I am growing. I am better because of other people’s stories. And definitely better because of Him. Maybe I needed to stop talking (writing) for a minute and just listen. Just absorb…

He is God. He is Grace. He deserves all praises.

And in this past week I have been blessed by so many people, some I know, some I do not. I just feel the need to post a few names here of people who have shaped me this week:

My Prince Charming
Mom
Tara
Shannon
Bridget
Angie
MckMama
Misty
Carolyn
Deb
Dad
Tracie
Takiyah
Brit
Tati
Jo
Jacob
Ally
Jada
Bre
Kay
Christine
Patty
Kandi
Rachel
Jessica
Destony
Desiree
Denise
Cayden
Michelle

I am so undeserving…

Happy Maundy Thursday. Happy Good Friday. May you go out into the world and just listen. May you confront all problems you face with the peace that passes understanding. And may God be with you as he has been with me!