Waaaaa!

Ever feel like this?

Good news: You're not trapped. Its just that the ride is not quite over.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Fear Not

The kids just received a Natvity set in the mail from the grandparents. Mary Hannah was playing with it as I was cooking dinner tonight. The simplicity of what I heard made me smile.
Mary Hannah provided the voices for the characters

Angel: Mary you're going to have a baby.
Mary: AAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!
Angel: Don't worry.

What's even funnier is that very concept is what has stuck out most to me this Christmas season. As God plans to do the crazy and impossible, he says "Don't worry, I am with you."
God, who is all knowing, had his angels speak words of affirmation and comfort, knowing Mary would need to hear them ...

"The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Luke 2:28

Don't Know What You've Got ...

Don't know what you've got til its gone ...
There is a place I long to visit. It is so beautiful. A vacation destination for many. And to think I used to live 10 minutes from there ... BUT HARDLY EVER WENT!

I love this beach!
Now that I live about 1000 miles away, I often wonder why I didn't take advantage of what was right down the road. I remember feeling bogged down by the beach "stuff" needed for the kids, metered parking, and sandy car. It now takes special vacation time and a 20 hour road trip to visit. Ugh. That really puts things in perspective!
Since moving to Texas I have found fantastic spots around town that are charming and fun. There are so many new experiences that are unique to this area: farmer's markets, museums, parks, farms, and sporting events. And I remember not to take them for granted or let a short drive make me decide not to go. Its too easy to be too busy to get out and enjoy your town. Embracing what you have ... that is what its all about. 

Avery's Teacher

So another praise ... Avery's teacher. I met her tonight at the Elementary School and then I knew ...
God answered my prayers in an over abundance.

When it came to Kindergarten, I was a nervous mother, first time with her own child in school. I talked to God about my concerns as if he didn't already know them. I asked him for just the right teacher, maybe even a "Cuddly Grandma" you know, someone you could just hug forever.  Well, that is EXACTLY what I got! She is tender, caring, and has been teaching for 21 years. And she just so happens to be a new grandmother!

Avery was actually originally placed in another class, but the Principal hand-wrote Avery's name on Mrs. S's roster after meeting me at New Family Night. (Which, by the way, isn't it cool that they have a new family night? I digress ...) And I didn't even talk with the principal about what kind of class I hoped for!  It was just a "Hello, my name is Emily. I used to be a teacher. This is Avery" .... then Avery interjects "Yes, I am going to go to this school and it's gonna be awesome!" Apparently that made an impression. There were no smooth connections,  no slipping the $20 bill with a sly "Gimme your best one, Chief!" Not even a question about his class!  It just worked out God just worked it out like that.

She said Mrs. S. was just the right teacher for Avery. I was so impressed. The teacher looked at Chris and said "You look familiar to me." Wouldn't you know she has been to our church, and her kids attend regularly!?!?!  Upon leaving the school, the Principal said to me "Isn't it neat how God works it all out?"

Yes, Mrs Principal. It is!

Now I'm The Mom ...

 I learned A LOT from my mommy ... and I thought about that last night as I was taking care of my sick daughter.

I was holding MH's hair back when she was throwing up. She asked me to rub her back. Then she needed to be held. I whispered softly while she was gripping the toilet in her tiny little hands, "Its okay, Mommy is here."  I remembered how my mom would talk calmly to me, hold me, rub my belly, and sit with me as I was sick.

I thought of my mom in the middle of the night as I changed MH's sheets. I helped her to the bathroom, wiped her little mouth, put her in new PJs, then laid her on the floor as I gave her a fresh bed. I have a very strong memory of my mom helping me like that. And when I was sick, being taken care of was the best part. I remember the comfort I felt lying half asleep on the floor. I was sick, tired, and in need of help ... but not the least bit worried or scared. I probably fell fast asleep before my mom was able to get all 4 corners of the fitted sheet to stay in place!

Now, I'm the mom who changes the sheets and lysols everything in sight. And I jump at every little noise I hear in the middle of the night when one of my children is sick. I am the one who is hopelessly tired in the morning after such unpleasant events. Now I'm the mom ... which means I pray! I pray for my sick kids to be healed, and for everyone to have rest.

Mercifully, God healed her from whatever stomach bug she had.  And I know it was God ... because I prayed and told him I knew all about Job and how he allows his children to be touched, bothered ... so I told Him that I knew he could also stop it. And, mercifully, He did!

This week has been the busiest ever for Chris. He has been at the East Campus for most of the week, coming home only to sleep a little and go right back. Its a very big week for him. The kids and I were having a great time enjoying each other and playing around town until Captain Stomach Bug came about. Satan was trying to steal my contentment and give me something to gripe about. Also, something to disrupt our calm home and distract Chris or make him feel badly that I am taking care of a sick child while he has to be away. Well, I was NOT going to have any of that mess. So I talked to God about it and He heard me.

And when God answers prayer, we are supposed to tell about what God has done instead of a mediocre nod ...like a "Yeah, by the way, thanks for that. .. I deserved it." I believe God still heals. And I am so thankful for it!

XYZ

Chris is an ordained minister. As the old saying goes, he can marry ya and bury ya! You can call him Brother, Pastor, Reverend, Man of the Cloth. Hahaha! I think he'd prefer to just be called "Chris." Regardless of title, he is a man who seeks God and feels called into full time ministry. So he preaches, teaches, speaks, delivers the sermon... whatever you may want to call it. He is part of the pastoral team at our church. This weekend he spoke about parenting the next generation. It was phenominal! I learned about being a better parent, showing my kids love, and teaching them about God. Check it out if you are interested in learning about parenting, too.

The Best Jokes Begin Like This...

The best jokes always begin like this...

... A Catholic, A Baptist, and a Jew...

The best jokes always start with Angela, Emily, and Michele! We have had some fantastic laughs this year teaching together at school. When one of us was missing, the day just didn't seem right. From our early morning gatherings to our after school meetings, we have been there to encourage each other ... and laugh. Lots of laughter!

I am so blessed to have friends of different faiths. We love each other despite our differences, and encourage each other to a more committed life. We respect each other, and accept each other.

I am going to miss my girls when I am away from "The Hill" next year. Will you come visit me?

The Coolest Wedding Music

Last night was the wedding of my long time friend Natalie. Her husband Dan had a host of talented groomsmen, who, one by one, walked down the aisle and up on stage to create a full band. The band played the coolest wedding music ever, beginning with "I Like The Way You Move" followed by "Let's Get Married" and "How He Loves Us" by John Mark McMillian.Natalie walked down the aisle to "Wonderful King" by the David Crowder band. The music was beautiful (and very well done, I might add). It suited the couple quite well, while telling their story! What a creative idea. I guess that's what one should expect from an artist and a musician!

(How He Loves Us)


(Wonderful King)


I love the lyrics to the song "Wonderful King." They are perfect for a wedding that is focused on Christ and His love for us. So worshipful (is that a new word?). So grateful. So thankful. So true.

We are here
Because of grace
Because of love
We are here
Because of You
Because of You
You fill our hearts
With more than we
Can hold inside
And so we sing

Chorus:
Beautiful Savior
Wonderful King [2x]

Bridge:
Oh, beautiful sound
The joy of Heaven here
Oh, wonderful sound
Love of Heaven now
Oh, beautiful sound
The joy of Heaven here
Oh, wonderful sound
Love of Heaven now
Oh, beautiful sound
The joy of Heaven here
Oh, wonderful sound
Oh, wonderful sound

Simple and Sweet Mother's Day

Its Sunday, a busy one in our house. Chris took our car to church, not to return until late this afternoon. The kids and I stayed home. (We are a one car family this week). Its a special day for me because I got to share breakfast with my children, a rare delight for a working mom. Its also Mother's Day, which makes today even more special. I wanted to celebrate this rare occasion by making something yummy. So I made a delicious breakfast for the kids and me to share: Apple Walnut Stuffed French Toast. It was a hit! I made up the recipe, based on a breakfast we had while visiting friends in PA. See the original recipe below. (I am proud of myself for this one!)

Before we ate, Avery prayed. In his own sweet words he said "Dear Jesus, Thank you for our food. Thank you that Mommy gets to stay home with us today. Amen." My heart absolutely melted! It was such an innocent prayer. He really just wanted to thank God that I could be with them. I was thankful, too. Ugh, seriously, I was total puddle! Only 4 more weeks until I am able to stay home with he and MH for good! 4 weeks and counting...

And as for my very busy husband, we are looking forward to celebrating Mother's Day together tomorrow. He has something up his sleeve and won't tell me. I love it when he does that! (Ok, well, I love it when he plans things, but I can't stand the secrets!!!)

---

APPLE WALNUT STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
*make ahead recipe, must refrigerate overnight*
Ingredients:

• 1 loaf Pepperidge Farm Swirl Bread (I used Brown Sugar Cinnamon)
• 1 block Cream Cheese or Neufchatel Cheese (I used Neufchatel, its 1/3 less fat, and tastes the same to me)
• 2 C. walnuts, chopped
• 2 apples, peeled and diced
• 1/4 C. brown sugar
• 2 T vanilla extract
• 8 eggs
• 2 C. milk (I used Skim, but any kind would do... I bet my great grandma would've used canned evaporated milk, and that would taste even better!)
  
• Cinnamon (just a dash)
  
• Butter
• Non stick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Spray 9x13 pan with non stick cooking spray.
2. Line bottom of pan with slices of bread until covered.
3. Spread cream cheese over bread, making a thick layer. Use the entire block of cheese.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the diced apples, walnuts, and brown sugar until apples are coated. Spread evenly on top of cream cheese.
5. Butter the remaining bread slices on both sides. Place them on top of apples.
6. Get your hands dirty: press down the bread, squishing together the layers.
7. In seperate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, and a dash of cinnamon.
8. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, enough to completely cover the tops and sides of the casserole. *You may not use all of the egg mixture. You be the judge.
9. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

BAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Remove the plastic wrap and cover with foil.
3. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered another 30 minutes.
4. Call Emily to tell her how much you LOVE this recipe. It is ok to go on and on describing how all of your guests loved it, too.

I love it when he does that

I love it when Chris sings. Especially when he sings something new that I've never heard him sing before. This week at church he and a friend sang Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You Baby."

It fit perfectly with the new sermon series, IGNITE. Its a hot one! The series is about the passion and spark in a marriage relationship. If you are a married couple, I highly encourage you to listen to the sermon on Song of Solomon. Just a fair warning, though: its intense, and most certainly NOT for little ears.

Here's the song. P.S. The band did a great job, too. Didn't they?

Something I Love about Oasis

One thing I love about our church is its organic diversity. It is something that has happened naturally, not because of a special diversity push or a implemented program. The sanctuary is filled with people from over 70 different countries. It is a beautiful picture of heaven, and of how big our God is that he knows and loves people from every corner of creation. Our people love the mixture of cultures, and would have it no other way.
I have gotten to know a woman named Ebele through our women's ministry. Whenever we're together, I ask her about her home in Nigeria, the people, her church, the clothing, and so on. She has the best clothes! She told me when I commented on the dress she's wearing in the picture that its just a house dress, something very casual to visit a friend. I have to say that her version of casual is quite different than mine! Her Sunday dresses are so colorful and rich with taffeta and silk.
I have never been out of the country, but I have a thirst for understanding the lives of people who are from other places. One special Sunday, Chris incorporated into the worship scripture reading in multiple languages. It brought tears to my eyes as I listened to God's word being read in English, Spanish, Japanese, and even Ebu, Ebele's language. Even though I could not understand the words that they were saying, I knew God could. The message was just as clear: He is the Creator of all. What a great and huge God He is!

Mighty to Save

Remember this post about worship songs? Well, here's a video of my husband leading worship at our church... and it happens to be one of my recent favorites.



Here are some others that we've been singing recently. I love 'em.

The Night Before Christmas

Christmas Eve was a busy time, but a special time in our house. Chris led worship for the 3 Christmas Eve services at our church. But in between the last 2 he was able to come home to make some memories. After baths and new Christmas PJs, we read the the story of Jesus' birth in the Bible. Then we put out milk and cookies for Santa... and a carrot for the reindeer. The kids were very excited, and so were we. Its fun to see the magic of Christmas through the children's eyes!
Here is a little video of our Christmas Eve tradition.

..


It is important to us to teach our kids about Christ, and to have Christmas as a celebration of his birth. We also love the excitement of Santa! Our kids know that we give gifts on Christmas to celebrate Jesus' birth, just like the wise men brought gifts to Jesus. And they know that Santa is a nice man who lives in the North Pole and loves to give gifts to children. It has been so much fun to experience the magic of the season through our children's eyes!!!

Sunday Times

(I love pictures like these. They're pretty much my favorite.)

Sunday is a very busy day in our house. Chris is up and out quite early to get to church. He leads worship for all 3 morning services at Oasis. The kids and I spend some quality time together before we head off to church, too. This morning we had a special breakfast, Pumpkin French Toast. I made up this new recipe (although I am sure it is out there somewhere already... because its not that complicated.) The kids loved to help. They cut the bread with our pumpkin cookie cutter. And then gobbled it up and headed off to play.

Because Sundays are also tiring, I like start preparing lunch/dinner in the morning. So, after cleaning up breakfast, I put something in the crock pot.

Church was awesome. I always love the music. Today I kept the kids with me for some of the music instead of taking them directly to their classes. MH always loves seeing Daddy up on stage. She always yells a huge "There's Daddy! Hi Daddy!" and waves. Luckily, the music is loud and the crowd is not disturbed! Avery and MH love the music, too, and they love hearing their daddy sing. Avery was experimenting with trying to clap to the beat today. He doesn't have it yet, but he's trying. I was glad to see that he was getting into it. It was pretty cute.

We are going to get ready for our small group tonight. That means the house is going to be extra clean! A benefit of a small house is that there are not many hiding places for "stuff." That can also be a bad thing when we are feeling lazy. However, we'll accept that blessing in disguise and clean, clean, clean! Those of you who know me well know that I can have somewhat of a cleaning problem. I always want to clean, and I want it to stay that way. This is an unrealistic expectation. Our preschool and toddler tornadoes are great at undoing everything we have just done. Sigh. I work hard at accepting this new normal. But this afternoon, its a family effort. We will all be cleaning. I will probably cry tears of joy at that beautiful sight.

Only One

I was listening to a wonderful sermon and heard this fantastic quote:

"Anything without a head is dead.
Anything with two heads is a freak."

In speaking of family and marital peace, there must be one head. Only one. God has set up a plan for family. And if we TRUST in GOD, we will be willing to accept this plan. Husbands are to be responsible and loving. Leading with a gentle presence instead of an iron fist. They should lift up their wives, encouraging and praising her. Wives are to be respectful of their husbands. Loving and encouraging to him.

To some, the word "submission" is distasteful, even offensive. But it is my experience that what is most offensive, even oppressive, is anger in the home. It happens when we both try to lead, butting heads, working against each other instead of remembering that we are ONE team, working towards a common goal.

Even in the cut-throat corporate world we are comfortable with the fact that teams work best with ONE leader and many members. No one is more important than the other. Each member has a role. They all have essential contributions that allow the team to press on toward the common goal. However, we have seen, even on Donald Trump's "Apprentice," what happens when there is no project manager, or there are too many. Teams win ONLY when each member completes his role with confidence.

So why not explore what God says about roles in the home? After all, He did create the moon and the stars. He did orchestrate the rising and setting of the sun. He has made everything from nothing. So why would I not trust that He has made a plan for me? A way to keep peace and to achieve success as a family. I am interested! ... I want to know!

Ephesians 5:22-33

Any thoughts???

And then I learned something...

I have never cried so hard when reading something. In fact, I don't believe the written word has ever moved me to tears. Until today. I read something that struck the deepest most emotional parts of me, and the tears flowed freely.

As my babies slept perflectly in their beds, resting a bit to recover from their full morning of play, I read about a woman who gracefully said goodbye to her baby girl. I read the letter she wrote to her daughter, alive for only 2 1/2 hours, and how she described the intensity of her love for the little one. She talked about the miracles that God had done for them, how she prepared to release her baby back to her Maker, fully knowing that it would not be long before she was gone. "This is a woman of faith!" I thought as the tears streamed down my cheeks, taking all the mascara with them! There is no other way to explain the peace that eminates even from her writing. The hope that permeates the sadness and puts me at ease is clearly from her relationship with God. (Blog: Bring the Rain)

I thought about my children, sleeping so peacefully, about how I wanted to hold them and smell them and stroke their soft blondish brownish hair. I wanted to hug them so tightly that they would never leave me ... or worse ... be taken from me. I wanted to freeze time, to keep them healthy, safe and present. There is something within me that labels them "mine." But the truth is, they are not.

It is a good thing to realize whose they are. It is God who has given. I did not create them, rather they were created within me. He gives and takes away, the scripture says. And it is true. So I praise God for giving life to me. But still I struggle. It is only natural to feel upset that I cannot control life, to be in control, and to make things the way I wish they were. I cannot push a magic button to make my children appear. Nor can I orchestrate their days. I admit that at times I wrestle with the fear that God may one day choose to take them. Even typing this brings me to tears, and in some way makes me nervous that in just considering this it could be "preparing" me for something big and bad. But that is trash. God does not give a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). Even if dark days come, He is ever present in times of need. I will let David, the writer of the Psalms, be my example. He says "But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble." It is even in the depths, He is there. There is no where we can go to esacape His presence.

It feels so good to know that God is present. He is in control. He makes no mistakes. And He loves me unconditionally. He cares deeply. He knows my name. He knows my fears, hopes and dreams. He is not out to hurt, but to love. Although there may be pain, He is the comfort and hope and peace.


Today began as just another ordinary day. I sweat with my children in the South Florida heat. We laughed and played. They created huge toy messes and I cleaned around the house. Ordinary. I ate lunch, changed diapers, read a blog... and so unexpectedly cried. I balled. Which led to reflection. And then I learned something. Appreciation. That's my new word. I want to appreciate all that God has blessed me with. And TRUST. I need to let go of even the things that are the most painfully dear to me and just trust them to God's care.

I hear some noises down the hall. Usually I wish for just 5 more minutes before the kids get up so I can finish another project or maybe catch a few winks. But today I am happy that their naps ended early. I can't wait to go hug my babies, and thank God for teaching me how to trust Him a little bit more.

Spring Tea

I love to teach... not elementary school, but people. I love to encourage women in their relationships with each other and with God. Many years ago I dreamed of becoming a speaker, but wasn't sure what path to take to get there, or even what exactly I would talk about. So the dream laid dormant ... until now.

I recently had the opportunity to speak at our church's Spring Tea! It was wonderful! I loved the whole thing. I had a great time and I think that the ladies did, too. Oasis Church will have it as a pod cast for those of you who weren't able to be there but would still love to listen. (Check for the podcast in the next several days. Its not up yet 4/22). If you do listen, let me know what you think!

A synopsis of what I shared:


Most women experience a feeling of insecurity or inadequacy at some point in their lives. For some women its a daily struggle. For others it pops up its ugly head every once in a while, maybe just at times when they run into old classmates, or spend time with others who have lots of money, greater possessions, or a "happier" life. The tea was an opportunity for me to share with the ladies how God has helped me overcome those feelings. I, like many others, began to believe that in order to do away with that negativity I should focus on the positive, the popular psychology that says "I need to learn to love myself." The truth is, I already love myself! What I really need to do is stop focusing on ME and start focusing on HIM! It is only when our focus is on the dependable, faithful God who desires our full trust can we put to death the awful feelings of insecurity in ourselves and begin trusting and accepting His design for our lives!

My challenge:


Explore God, get to know His true character.
If we only rely on our perceptions of God, we will inevitably have a distored view of ourselves. But when we know who God is, we will have a true picture of who we are in God.