Kara and Alex woke Sleeping Beauty up and stole him away for a Chick-fil-A breakfast.

Prayers for Damon

Keep praying...prayer warriors. Contact.

Joy. Pure joy...to walk downstairs to find that Zion has gotten out the water colors and is using an Eric Carle book as inspiration for a work of her very own.

Me: That's a beautiful garden, honey.
Zion: Thanks but it's not a garden.
Me: It isn't?

I stop what I am doing (multi tasker that I am) and actually take a closer look. Still appears to be a garden.

Me: What is it?
Zion: It's a field

Me: Oh....of course. Lovely field.

Tell them they can be illustrators one day and they will believe you.

Pretty good. Much like The Breakfast Club (All Time Top 10 List)...only docu drama.... like a good version of The Hills.

Cute.

I love Anne Hathaway and can't wait to see what she does as Judy Garland. You heard it here first....Oscar nomination.....Oscar win.

Could've gone to one of those fancy organizer stores...or even Target, I guess. Instead, I picked up these thrift store book racks for $2 bucks a piece. Such a deal!

PAUSE my Music Player first.

Matthew Parris Article

Great article if you care about evangelism. Africa, Iran, Chicago, your neighborhood...your home...wherever.

Prayers for Damon

For those of you who are praying for Damon...please continue to do so.

Scott Stapp

So....I rediscovered Scott Stapp.

I like what I read and what I hear.

I've also read the crappy reports...of his sin troubles since salvation. Ummmmmmmmm....who among us does not have them?

In fact, after we were saved...two members of our family (I was one of them & Bradley was not the other) were causing such a ruckus in a public place that the fuzz was called. "Yes," sad to say we were under the influence at the time..... and "Yes," the witnesses are correct when they mention..."They were arguing about Jesus."

Did we stay in that place? Did we get stuck there? Heck NO! The Lord is so faithful. He will complete the good works that He sees fit to start.

I'm lifting Scott Stapp up in prayer today. If you are so led....please join me.


PAUSE my Music Player first.

Because I said, "No."

You know how we as parents...might say "no" to our kids and they do not understand our reasons at all. It makes zero sense to them as to why we withhold something.

For instance...

A child wants a piece of candy in the car and his parents say, "No." Mom and Dad know they are on their way to a fiesta w/a pinata. Very soon....sweets will be overflowing. The boy thinks he's got mean parents who are withholding their love.

Daughters are in a store. They would like the freedom to browse the racks by themselves. Mom says, "No." Is she harsh or is she protecting them from a possible danger she has been alerted to?

There are many situations in our lives which work out in ways that are difficult to comprehend. For me, the most difficult ones are the relational ones...which I've talked about here in Blogland before. If I'm honest...sometimes, I kick and scream and think..."Why, Lord?....Why not heal this now?!!!! This makes no possible sense."

Then I remember. He loves me.

He sees the completed tapestry when I do not.

He sees the hidden dangers when I do not.

He has my best interest at heart.

He loves me.

This relationship or that relationship might have been dissolved or put on hold simply because He loves me and for no other reason.

The question is....do I trust Him....even with my relationships?

______________________

Another possibility...

I might be the crutch in someone else's life which needs to be kicked out of the way...so that the Lord may have access to brokenness w/out distraction.

He may remove me...because He loves them(which He does)...and wants their full attention.

_______________________

Another possibility....


Might I be a stumbling block to someone else's salvation? If so...shove me out of the way Lord.

New in Town

Cute.

Harry Connick Jr. did a good job...very natural.

Sweet portrayal of Christ following Minnesotans.

Happy Father's Day

It's easier for us to place our lives in the hands the Lord when we've had loving earthly fathers, I think. When I heard the good news of the Gospel...my heart melted. Of course...the Lord loves me. Like my dad loves me...but even more so! Abba Father.

Father's Day encouragement....

If you have an earthly father who fails to show you love...do not lose heart. When all else fails...you can honor him by praying for him.

For we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
(Romans 8:26)

"Dad...this is you. I forgot to give you ears...but it's still you."
Zion

I'm wondering where his eye brows went to....and I love his scruff. Also his nose.

The just man walketh in his integrity: his children
are blessed after him.

Proverbs 20:7

We woke up this morning with absolutely no plans for the day. First time in a long time that we had no agenda...nothing to "accomplish."

Bartlett Lake is in our backyard.


What a great afternoon!








Laugh of the day....absent minded me forgot a bathing suit. Didn't stop me from going in the water though...in my unmentionables and a "t" shirt. Brad was smiling big time....as he watched from the beach. He felt as if he we were in a Kid Rock video.

Translation: just a lil' bit "trashy."

Don't think I got any shots of his new tattoo. I'll have to sneak up on him when he's not looking.

I think most of the moms I know have a desire to bring beauty into their homes. To create lovely spaces for themselves and their loved ones. I like cheap things. Cheap beautiful things.

The fake speckled eggs....$2 bucks at a garage sale last week...along with the spice crusher thing $8 bucks (that's a bit high for me...but I've been looking for one for a while now.) All three...the napkin holder ($1)...the brown bowl ($2) and the black bowl ($2) I snagged at Savers.

Tickled pink...I am...with my cheap decorator items which happen to be very useful as we live our very beautiful lives.

Bride and Prejudice

So colorful. Quite humorous. Much like My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

I'm going to show the girls the English (Keira Knightly) version and not mention a thing....see how long it takes them to pick up on the similarities. Aside from the setting/culture differences...the two versions resemble each other greatly. Yet, they are so different. I love that!

There's just something about that Mr. Darcy. He waltzed onto the scene in 1813...and still causes all sorts of flutters and such in the hearts of ladies everywhere.

Son of Rambow

Fantabulous. I love how the character, Will.... rejects religion while acknowledging and giving honor to the Lord and his relationship with Him at the very same time.

Steve Hickok / Stories and Squares

Galilee and Jemima's hand prints in paint can be found in Steve Hickok's latest series.... "Stories and Squares." What a fun experience for the girls. What a talented artist, Steve is!

Cedars of lebanon

So we were invited to attend this coffee house jam/art show in Mesa. We pulled up the website to see what we had to look forward to.....and fell in love w/ Wonderings an image created by Keegan Rider...a Tucson based artist. He wound up being a super nice guy and blessed us w/the piece. It's the new Cedars of Lebanon poster.

Worship Camp

To see the girls worshipping their Savior and Lord...well, let's just say....I've cried more than a few times over the past few days.

Jemima just seems like more of herself.

Galilee has made a night and day about face.

What little faith I've had....to be taken so by surprise.

VBX(perience) ROME

And I just love this sweet simple Kristina moment. It says "Mommy" to me.

And while their sisters were finding religion...the boys jumped on the fast track to hell in a hand basket.
Gotta keep it real.

PAUSE my Music Player first.

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Household Salvation

The girls had an assignment for their Music Worship Camp. Bring in a photo of yourself worshipping the Lord through song or dance.

What the leader didn't know is that our girls....were not professing Christ followers. Shocking, huh? Especially growing up with us "on fire types"....within a "Christian" home.

We have spoken much about why it is that they have had difficulty believing. One would shrug her shoulders...not really having a clue as to why...or not choosing to articulate her reasons. The other confessed recently that she has been trying to "be better....you know not sin as much" before she asked Jesus into her heart. "Hmmmmmm," I answered not very long ago. "Do you think it makes any sense at all....I mean, to wait until you clean up your act when the Lord in His power and by His Spirit....is the only One who can truly help you do that in any way shape or form...? then..."btw...that's prideful. Jesus' blood covers all the stuff that we are trying to clean up on our own." Her answer....as the light bulb flickered in her mind...."I never thought of it like that. No.....that doesn't make any sense, does it, Mom?"

"Nope,"I responded. Then I shared the story w/Bradley, my mom, and a friend and went back to praying unceasingly for the Lord to get a hold of the hearts of my children.

Last week...a pastor seemed taken quite aback when we shared that our 11 and 13 year old daughters did not yet partake in the Lord's table. When asked, "Really? Why not? When will you let them?"....we responded simply with, "When they have saving faith."

So tonight....my girls found themselves in a dilemma. They have many photos of themselves dancing in Worship services over the years. They've danced in churches. They danced at the Veteran's Hospital....in nursing homes...in the CHRISTmas musical...many many cute outfits and pretty photos with wide praise smiles and raised hands. But they could not answer my next question without confronting the Truth the Way and the Life. You have many photos you could bring....but if you do not know Jesus....who were/are you worshipping when you dance?

Silence.


We are upstairs later...when without fanfare...and any hoopla at all.....Jemima whispers through a shaky voice...."Mom, I want to become a Christian." I ask her to come downstairs with me and speak in front of the family so that when the day comes that she questions her salvation...she can be encouraged by witnesses of her testimony and conversion. On the verge of tears...she tells Bradley, Bria and myself...with Galilee and Zion watching....how she knows that she is a sinner and needs salvation. Bria's immediate and heartfelt response..."Cool."

She explains how she wants to pray to someone and believe in that someone because it's ridiculous to pray just to pray which is what she's been doing...and how she want to go to church for a reason... not for no reason. She quivers and her eyes fill up...as if she is going to cry. When asked why....she says, "because I know I am a sinner." "This is not something someone does in an attempt to be popular," I tell her (knowing her temptations well.) She poo paas me. "Nooooo. I know that my friends love me whether I am a Christian or not," she reassures us. "It has nothing to do with being popular but has to do with me being a sinner and needing Jesus." I tell her that we love her no matter what...whether she accepts the Lord at His Word or not. She know this. I am sure she believes it too...with all that is in her.... because she sees how fiercely we love the non-believers in our lives. She wants to be a Christian."
My darling daughter climbs into my lap and we pray together. She is saved so sweetly...so gently...so humbly. So gracefully.

As I kiss Zion goodnight...she's obviously pondering what just took place between her sister and the Lord. "So that's how you do it?"...she asks. "That's how you become a Christian?" "There is no magic way," I tell her. "But yeah...that's how you do it." We've talked about it before...Zion and I. She's even asked to say the prayer. Twice...(time will reveal if the fruit of repentance is growing in the garden of her life.) What I do know...is that witnessing her sister's brokenness left a mark on her tonight and that I've never ever been more pleased that we have a cramped home where three daughters share a room. By design...due to sovereignly placed circumstances...Zion hears every word spoken in that place. That is...until she falls sound asleep.


http://www.biblebb.com/files/spurgeon/1019.htm

40 minutes later???? 45?????....after all lights are turned out and girls are tucked into beds....Galilee enters the living room where we are watching television with tear streaked cheeks and swollen eyes. She is an absolute mess. Train wreck. Disaster area.

She and Jemima have been passionately discussing her predicament. She blurts out..."I am a sinner. I am a *!**!!#!itchy sinner and I am stuck!" We turn the t.v. off. Bradley, Bria, and I have slow motion eye contact. Galilee purges everything that she has been holding inside about how horrible she feels about her choices and her damaged relationships, her selfishness, her disobedience, her trying to live life on her own... and her anger. She is sobbing. Mcabe enters the house at the height of it. He takes his place on the couch and listens to her raw tranparent confession alongside us. Galilee articulates very well...the miserable condition of her heart...who Jesus is and why she needs HIM to get her unstuck. She tells us that the last time she did this...talked about accepting Jesus into her heart....she didn't really understand any of it and so she didn't really mean it. We affirm the fact that the last time ....when she was 5???....there was no evidence of conviction of sin and that there has been no evidence of Godly fruit in her life over the years since. She agrees.

Oh, Lord to have authentic heathens living in my home rather than white washed tombs.

With tears still flowing...she tells us that today at VBX she was convicted of her need for the Lord but that she didn't know if she should talk with a teacher or with us. We tell her that it's best that she talked with us....because we know her so well....her weaknesses....temptations etc...but that if at any time during the day...she believed the Gospel message as true.... that no words were needed for salvation at that moment because the Lord could hear her heart speaking.

Still...she climbs into my lap and we pray...for a long time. Different words than Jemima prayed. Different child. Different needs. Different struggles. She is more broken than I have ever seen her and climbs back into bed filled with more hope than I ever dreamed dared to dream possible for her in my own weakness.


This nite has almost been too unbelievable for me to believe. I am so humbled by this loving King who works in His time schedule to draw His children when He does...in the ways that He does...so that all glory and honor is given to Him.

Jemima wanted to dance...so she plugged in the boom box...put on a praise song and danced. Galilee was so relieved. Such a heavy burden lifted from her heart.




____________________________

This morning...a new day has dawned. As I get breakfast ready...I overhear Galilee declare that she feels such a peace. That she feels like a new person. She is amazed that her anger is gone. All the anger she has been carrying is gone. I remind her that the anger will most likely rear it's ugly head again...somewhere down the road...but that now she has the Holy Spirit to help her through it.

I find out that she and Jemima reintroduced themselves last night...shaking hands as new people meeting for the very first time before slumber overtook them.

Zion is confused. "Wait, Galilee got saved too?" she asks.

"Yes," I tell her. Last night after you fell asleep Galilee came to Mommy and Daddy and talked all about the ugly sin in her life and how she wanted to accept Jesus and have Him change her heart."

Zion's eyebrows raised...almost in disbelief. I can't read minds but I think she was thinking, "WOW!"

Zion Evangeline turns the BIG 6!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for,lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee,"
saith the Lord.

Zechariah 2:10

I love the images that come from these old fashioned photo booths. Not the cheesy new computer generated ones...the old school vintage ones. And it's so much fun to go in to the booth....close the curtain...pose for the lights...and wait for the magic to appear. Kinda sorta like the fun that comes with polaroids.

As far as I can tell....we mostly align and only differ in one area (no desire to discuss it here.) That being said...I seriously adore this preacher's preaching.

PAUSE my Music Player first.

You know how certain things have a way of staying with you forever? Like the smell of rain drops through an open window on a summer day. Or, honeysuckle.

Visuals too....like the glitter in Manhattan pavement...and....seagulls silhouetted against the sunset.

I hope my kids grow up to remember our kitchen filled with coffee & color...
....flowers and .....
love.

Place all around them...what you want them to remember.

Vegas

What a crazy looney wacko town.