Christmas Memories

Stone Mountain Christmas

Friday night, Allan's boss & his wife treated the families to a night at Stone Mountain. It was so much fun. Over 2 million lights decorated the village. There were fireworks and a special Christmas laser show. The kids loved it. We left Seth with grandparents so that Nate & Alex could really enjoy a bit of one on one time with Mommy & Daddy. We watched about 20 mins of the Polar Express in 4D. The boys really liked that. They have been all into that movie right now, so it was perfect timing. Then, we rode the train around the mountain & sang Christmas carols. On the train ride, they tell the story of the birth of Jesus. That's something that you don't really hear of much lately in a public arena. Everyone always taking Christ out of Christmas. Anyway, we had a great time. So, thanks to Brad & Becky for taking us. And, thanks to Lindsay for the idea of going!!

Christmas Trees Everywhere...

I really like having a lot of Christmas trees. This year, total, we have 6. I don't promise all of them to be beautifully decorated, but they are fun & the kids LOVE them! The one to the left here is the Family room tree.

We have 3 full size trees. One of them being a live tree. And, we have two 4' trees & one 1.5' tree.
My front living room tree is one that I put all of my breakable ornaments on. Ornaments that Allan & I had prior to kids. And, it has white lights. This year, half of one of the strands of lights doesn't work.
The toyroom tree has colored lights on it only. No ornaments.
The Family Room tree is live & has colored lights. This is the tree that I put all the kids ornaments on. Ornaments they make in preschool & Sunday school. This is the one that I will allow them to rearrange the ornaments on.
This year, we got Nate & Alex little fiber optic trees for their bedroom. They have a few simple red ornaments & some cheapo candy cane garland. But, they absolutely LOVE going to bed each night & watching their trees.
Here's some pics of them...

The front living room tree. Notice the middle section w/no lights.
And, my counter in the kitchen has a few itty bitty ornaments on it with colored lights.














This one is our toyroom tree. It had to be rigged a bit since it's a prelit & the bottom part decided it didn't want to work this year, but don't tell anyone ! :)
Alex's room tree. Nothing fancy, but still 100% fun for him!
Nate's tree. Same as Alex's.

Christmas on the Corner

Tonight we went to Christmas on the Corner. It was an event put on by our church for everyone. It was so much fun. They had a live Nativity, which brought me to tears as I sat there with Nate & Alex. They are at the age where they are understanding more about Jesus and my heart just melts to see them get excited about hearing about Jesus. There were train rides and we roasted marshmallows and they had Chick Fil A & Dominos pizza on hand. Several local schools choral groups came and sang. Nate & Alex's favorite part I think was the marshmallows & the train ride. There was a funny moment... Nate was holding his stick (about 3-4 ft long) with 2 marshmallows on the end of it. Allan & I were talking to a friend from our neighborhood not really paying any attention when Nate all a sudden busted out crying hysterically. We were like "What's wrong Nate??"... and all he could get out was "my marshmallow".. .So, I was looking on the ground thinking he had dropped it and we looked at Seth. Mouth/Fist full of marshmallow! haha.. I guess he gave up on someone giving him one and the stick was up close to him so he helped himself! It was too funny. I guess you just have to have been there. Anyway, I'd say 3 of the possible 60-70 pics I took actually turned out. Point & Shoot cameras aren't great at night pics that are far away. So, enjoy the somewhat decent shot I got of the live Nativity. It was truly a special night!

Happy Anniversary & Happy Birthday

Happy 8 Year Anniversary to my best friend in the WHOLE WORLD!

And, Happy 33rd Birthday!!!

I love you so very much! God has blessed me tremendously with such a loving, faithful, patient & compassionate man! I love you so much!!

Oh, The Joy Of....

Trying for that ONE perfect picture! LOL!
Well, I don't think that's happening this year. Actually, these pics were taken before we took the boys down to Photographic Creations in Winder to visit Santa. The visit itself actually went pretty well. I thought Alex was going to have no part of Santa this year. He wasn't all googlie eyed, but with a bit of hesitation, he sat in his lap. Seth was oblivious as to what was going on. His feelings were... "oh, another picture?" Nate was pretty shy, but happy to see him as well.
Enjoy this little slide show...

Stinkin' ol' cheap lights...

Know what irritates me?!?!
Stinking Christmas Tree Lights that wait to go out after you get all the ornaments on the tree. UGH!
So, now, the middle part of my tree isn't lit. And, the things were brand new! Straight out of the box. I'm sure my children couldn't be the reason for them not working! I'm sure they've twisted a bulb & knocked out the strand. But, seriously, do you have to buy the $30 lights for them to keep working year after year??
Another issue I tend to have with them is for some reason they decide to spontaneously blink. Oh..NO!... not the whole tree just the top section.
Maybe if I combine all the trees I have in this house I'd have one totally lit/decorated tree! We will have 6 trees total by the time Christmas gets here. I have one in the toy room, one in the front living room, Nate & Alex have one in each of their bedrooms, I have a miniature tree on my bar & we'll go this weekend or next for our live, family room tree. I will say though that the toy room tree is lights only. No decorations. I'm sure Seth will have a tree on top of him before the season is over.
Stay tuned.. I'm sure I'll have more antics to post about.

I AM THANKFUL

After our Sunday school teacher shared the things he was thankful for yesterday, it inspired me to come up with a list of things that I am thankful for. So, I decided since there are 30 days in November, I'd come up with 30 things. I have so much to be thankful for that I could go on for days & days. But, for Bloggers sake, I'll keep it at 30.

I am THANKFUL for......

Jesus Christ who died for my sins, so that I may have eternal life in Heaven with my maker!

God’s forgiveness, His grace, His mercy & His unconditional love for me.

My wonderful husband, Allan, who loves me unconditionally with every ounce of his being.

My 3 healthy, beautiful boys who keep me laughing, frazzled, and busy. But, mostly I’m thankful for their big hugs & kisses.

The opportunity to be a stay at home mother… even as chaotic as it gets around here sometimes.

My church, my pastor, and our Sunday school teachers.

Our faithful, believing & encouraging Sunday school friends.

Our family has food on the table.

The beautiful house we’ve been blessed with.

The marvelous rain we have gotten for the past 2 days.

My second set of parents (aka Inlaws) for raising the God-loving man who is my husband.

My extended family that has helped shape me into who I am today.

Allan being the absolute best Daddy in the world to our three sons.

Allan’s job that provides financially for our family.

2 Bible studies this Fall, that have significantly impacted my life.

Nate & Alex’s preschool teachers who truly love what they do.

My sister.

My snowflake friends all over the US & Canada.

Internet & email.

Date nights when we can get one every now & then.

Nate, Alex & Seth’s friends at church & preschool.

The 2 cars we have in our garage.

The men & women who serve our country so I can have the freedoms I have.

A/C in summer & Heat in winter.

Chick-Fil-A.

Celebrating my 30th Birthday this year.

Christian missionaries stationed all over the world who are spreading the word of God - the good news - to lost people.

A&W Root beer & Skittles…. my new addictions!

Food Network.

My comfy bed.

C'mon, now. You make a list of what you're thankful for & share with someone!!
Blessings to you all!

Happy 4th Birthday Nate!

Today was Nate's 4th Birthday. I can't believe 4 years have gone by since he was born. Since we already had the combined birthday party, we celebrated today just the 5 of us. I made him blueberry muffins for breakfast. Then we headed to the mall. Crazy, I know, but it wasn't too bad. We had a Sbarros picnic in the foodcourt floor b/c there was no table to fit our party of 5 with double stroller in tow. I am sure it was pretty nasty, but what ya gonna do?? Then, we walked down to take a peek at Santa from a distance. Nate was in awe, Alex not so much. Then, we went outside to ride the train. They all enjoyed that & Daddy got to ride, too! Next, we headed to ToysRUs so the kids could test out a few toys to see what they wanted Santa to bring. It was a pretty fun time. They had a blast in the bicycle area. Then we topped our day out off with a good ol' trip to Krispy Kreme doughnuts.. and the light was ON! YUMMY!!
Here's a few pics from our outting.

Thankful for Toilet Paper...

But, not for waking up to toilet paper hanging from the huge trees in my front yard the day before Thanksgiving.

Oh, my poor neighbors!!

Lady Bugs, Lady Bugs Everywhere

Is it just my house or is everyone's house covered in ladybugs??

Nate is mildly obsessed with them. Back in the spring, Allan would go with Nate & Alex out in the back yard. We have different patches of some kind of grass in the very back that attracts lady bugs. They would sit forever just watching them crawl around. Nate & Alex just loved letting them crawl all over their arms. Nate is normally not a very patient child, but he'll sit with his finger stretched out so sweet, gentle & patient while the lady bug finds it & crawls right up it!

Anyway, they are crawling all over my kitchen windows and around the ceiling. In Nate's room, we found 5 in like 30 seconds. Not sure why there are so many!

Freedom of Speech.. sensored

I could not believe the bumper sticker I saw on a mini-van this morning, while I was on my way to take Nate to school. At first, I couldn't read it, but once we stopped at a stop sign I got to fully read what the bumper sticker said. "It's such a nice day.... Don't f*** it up". The 4 letter word was completely spelled out. I was in shock that a MINI-VAN would have such a vulgar sticker on it. Then after we turned, she pulled into the Middle School. I was appalled that a mother could put or would allow that to be put on her vehicle. A vehicle that she uses to shuttle her kids to school. Good grief. I really didn't want to start my day out reading something like that.
Application for freedom of speech... DENIED ..at least in carpool line! Where's my duct tape??

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILLY!

Well, I don't have any pictures of my uncle Billy to share. Unfortunately, he passed away before all this new technology such as the internet & digital photography that we have readily available to us now. But, today would have been his birthday. He would have been 56 years old, I believe. It's been 19 years since he passed away. It doesn't seem like that long ago. I can remember it like it was yesterday even though I was just a kid. Another victim of the tragic illness, cancer. So... HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE BILLY!!
Today's RBC.org devotion.
November 6, 2007
Better Yet
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. —Philippians 1:21
Sir Francis Bacon said, “I do not believe that any man fears to be dead, but only the stroke of death.” Woody Allen said, “I’m not afraid to die. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”
It’s not death that’s so frightening. It’s the dying that scares us. As Paul faced imprisonment and the prospect of dying in a jail cell, he shared his view about life and death: “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). What a perspective!
Death is our enemy (1 Cor. 15:25-28), but it does not possess the finality that so many dread. There is something waiting for believers beyond this life—something better.
Someone has said, “What the caterpillar thinks is the end of life, the butterfly thinks is just the beginning.” George MacDonald wrote, “How strange this fear of death is! We are never frightened at a sunset.”
I love this paraphrase of Philippians 1:21, “To me, living means opportunities for Christ, and dying—well, that’s better yet!” (TLB). During our physical life, we have opportunities to serve Jesus. But one day, we will actually be in His presence. Our fear will melt away when we see Him face to face.
That’s the “better yet” the apostle Paul is talking about!

Personally, having a better understanding of Eternity helps me to be totally at peace with death. Where will you spend Eternity? Do you know without a doubt that you'll go to Heaven when the end of this life is done? If not, please don't hesitate on starting that relationship right now! This world could come to an end right now, tomorrow or next week or several years from now. The point is to be ready at any given second. Unfortunately, many aren't given the last days of sickness to "get things right" before death comes. We could leave this world very unexpectedly and I want You to know without doubt where you'd end up. First, you have to admit & acknowledge you are a sinner. If you think you haven't sinned... maybe go through the checklist of the 10 Commandments. Ever lied, stolen anything? Ever said Oh My God? That's taking the Lord's name in vain! Do you realize that there is no amount of good works that can get us into Heaven? Simply being a good person, donating to charities, etc. won't do it. Going to church every time the door is open won't purchase our ticket to Heaven. Nothing but the blood of Jesus Christ can buy your ticket. Believing that Jesus died an innocent death on the cross for yours & my sins, is the ONLY way to enter into His kingdom. I know without doubt that God has prepared a place for me in Heaven. A place where there is no more sickness, no more tears, no worries, no more mean & hurtful situations/people. My next life has sooo much more to offer than this life. Acts 17:30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent. He will forgive us of our past, but we have to repent & ask forgiveness! It's my prayer that I see you all in Heaven with me!
Sorry... got carried away there, but I'm seriously passionate about it! And, if you aren't sure, you better call me right away!!

On to other ramblings... Nate has gotten to the fun stage of asking "WHY?" to every single thing! Oh my goodness... the WHYS don't stop. And, today at the lunch table he cracks me up by counting on his hand/fingers things that he thinks we "have to do" today. We gotta go to Lance's house, Conner's house, Brady's house, pick up socks & shoes, ride bikes, play on swingset, go to DahBuh's house and go to the ballfield.
Funny little kid. Then last night, Alex told me he had boogies. So, I told him he needed to go get a Kleenex. Nate said, "no, he needs a tennis shoe." I was like huh?? Then I realized he was trying to say he needed a TISSUE. HAHA..

the Trophy

Today was the official end of Nate's first season of TeeBall. We had the season-end party today! So much excitement... pizza, cheetos, juice boxes & of course the prize... THE TROPHY!
Nate is sooo proud of his trophy. He has been carrying it around with him all day long. I'm sure this is only the beginning of his trophy collection.
We're so proud of Nate. He really did a great job. Spring season will be here soon & then he & Alex will both be playing. I can only imagine how busy that will be!

Here's a sweet pic of Daddy & Seth. Too bad you can't see Seth for the big thumb in his mouth!!!

Don't forget to set your clocks back tonight!!!

Hebron Fall Festival

Yesterday started off weird. My alarm clock went off & the first thing I heard was "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas"... I was like "WHAT?!?! Please tell me the FISH isn't starting Christmas music on Halloween!" Then, finally after listening for a while, I realized it was their way of "tricking" listeners. I mean, I love Christmas music, but about a month of it is all I can take. I thought I was in for big trouble if I had to listen to it for 2 months! Last night was Hebron's Fall Festival. They boys had a great time. It started off kind of rocky since Seth was feeling awful, but it ended great. Seth cried for the first hour. Very unhappy camper. I got the docs to give him a mean ol' shot of antibiotics to kickstart those ears to getting better since the oral wasn't doing any good. Thankfully, he's been fever free ever since. 4 days of a high fever can take it's toll on such a little body!

Pumpkin Party Weekend

Saturday we had Nate, Alex & Seth's combined Birthday Party.
It was so much fun & we are still trying to recoup from it! It absolutely exhausted us, but was so worth it. It was so nice to spend the day with family & friends. Watch the little movie I made with the pictures. Everyone had a blast!

Here's the link to see the movie.
http://www.onetruemedia.com/my_shared?z=545f7b77550da80a75170&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

OH... and GOOOOO DAWGS!!!! Nothing like having Gator for dinner!!

Just Three Short Years Ago....

Awe.. just look at little NateNate!! I remember this just

like it was yesterday!

Another attempt at pics...

Seth in the pumpkins..


Here's Alex holding on for dear life in the tunnel slide.

Alex & Nate with the BIG Pumpkins


Cow train ride... Nate LOVED this part! Seth took his nap.




Nate & Alex doing duck races and Nate in the corn crib

Weeeekend Recap

We had a really good weekend.

Friday we took the boys for our annual pumpkin farm trip. They loved it. We got to play in a corn crib, pet animals, slide down a big tunnel slide, go on a cow-train ride, see pig races, and go on a hayride! It was so much fun after such a rough start.

We got to the farm at 1:30 after a struggle to get out the door. I mean a STRUGGLE! Kids kickin' & screamin' everywhere. Well, the stinking sign told us they didn't open til 3. Geez... so we rode around in back-country for 1.5 hours til they opened. Alex & Nate ended up catnapping. Seth was wide awake so I knew he'd have a melt down moment once we got to the farm. But, actually, he was pretty good.

Saturday was Nate's last ball game. Then we came home & worked in the yard all day long. Got a birthday party coming up this weekend, gotta get ready for the festivities.

Then Sunday, we enjoyed a nice lunch with our sunday school group at Seth & Chasidy's house. It was so nice. After that we went to Allan's sisters 40th BD party!

HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY DEBERA!!

Here's some pumpkin farm pics... we had such a good time.

So, blogger is giving me fits about uploading pics. So, I'll post more later in another post... still have many to share.

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!

Happy Birthday Stanley!

If my Uncle Stanley were still alive, today would have been his birthday. I miss his hilarious sense of humor, all his jokes & I really miss that sarcasm!! Stanley was one who could really tell you a joke & you'd buy into it hook, line & sinker.
He is missed by so many people. Although, he left this world in a terrible car accident, Stanley had been battling a horrible sickness, cancer. Today's RBC devotion relates to sickness. I truly believe The Great Physician has healed Stanley's body. His body is new and without pain. In our grief and anger we ask why God allows his children to suffer and be sick. But, think about it, if there were no sickness or suffering, would we ever fully trust & rely on God? Romans 5:3-4 also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope.
As much as I would love to have Stanley back here, I want him to be cancer free and pain free. And with Jesus, he is enjoying his new cancer free & pain free body! And, I'm sure when we see each other again, he's going to have so much to fill us in on since we last saw one another. And, it's going to be a great story!


The Great Physician
He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. —Matthew 8:17
In reflecting on his deteriorating health, John Donne (1572–1631) described his feelings as physicians examined him to find "the root and occasion" of a serious illness. In hushed tones, they discussed their conclusions outside his room.
At first Donne was afraid, but in time he saw compassion in their faces and began to trust them. Their concern reminded Donne that he could trust the Great Physician. As he read the Gospels, he saw God the Father’s face in the tender, compassionate face of Jesus.
Many of us struggle with our thoughts about God, especially during illness. Perhaps we grew up attending a church that portrayed an angry God who inflicted sickness on us. Can we trust Him? Like Donne, we turn to the Gospels for our reason to trust God. And we find it in His Son Jesus, who was unfailingly compassionate toward those who were afflicted, regardless of the reason.
So we pray as Donne prayed, "Deliver me, therefore, O my God, from these vain imaginations"—the belief that by our sin we have forfeited God’s goodness and mercy. As Donne wisely said, the Great Physician "knows our natural infirmities, for He had them, and knows the weight of our sins, for He paid a dear price for them."

Pics from today

Here's a couple more from his mini-birthday celebration.



Sweet Baby Seth with his homemade crown!


It's MY Birthday!!


Cupcakes Mommy made especially for me!


And, man, are they yummmmyyyyy!!!


It was a great day today!! I could get used to this birthday business!!

Happy First Birthday, Baby "Say"!!

So, one year ago today, Elijah Seth entered this world at 11:19 AM. What a chunky monkey he was at 9 pounds (3 weeks early)!! I remember bringing him home & Nate being very protective of him. Didn't want anyone holding him & proudly announcing that was HIS baby brother. Alex, well, he was a little less enthused. Now, I can see that Nate still has a protective instinct about him. Alex is his fight partner. I can see Alex starting to realize that Seth will be on the receiving end of whatever it is he wants to dish out. And, I see Nate scolding Alex when he's being ugly to Seth. Never mind Nate just did that to Alex 2 seconds prior!!

I can not believe how this past year has just flown by. Little milestones he has hit, all the firsts... wow, our baby boy is on his way to being a little boy now. Does that mean it's time for another?? LOL! Ya just never know! We'll keep ya'll guessing on that one! ;-)

I have to reminice a bit with pictures.

3 days old

6 months

He Reigns

I really enjoyed this video montage someone put together with this song. Helps me to know I have brothers & sisters in Christ all over the globe!

Nate Nate is sick... AGAIN!

I just can not get Nate well. Beginning of Sept he had a sinus infection. Then by Oct. 1st it had turned into bronchitis and now today he has an ear infection! It seems like he's been on antibiotics for 2 months solid.
Funny thing is the docs always tell me he's not contagious. So, to take him OR not to take him to church?? Quite the predicament since Allan & I teach. We have about 14 kids who depend on us to be there each Sunday. Not really sure what we'll do tomorrow.

Seth is nice & snotty today, too. He just got finished throwing a mini-fit. For whatever reason I don't know. I gave him some milk and he threw it down & proceeded to scream and cry for 10 mins. I guess he finally realized I wasn't going to cave in and baby him. So, he picked up the milk & is happy. Mr. Attitude! Guess he figures since Monday is his birthday that he can cry if he wants to!

Finally, GA is having some fall weather. It was nice & cool, so last night, I went & bought a firepit. We built a fire & roasted hotdogs & marshmallows and stayed outside til about 11 PM. The Johnsons came over the boys all had a blast running around outside with flashlights. Then, Nate was up at 4:30 AM complaining & crying that his ear was hurting. So, off we went to the doc this morning. Hopefully, he'll feel better soon. Poor kid. I really felt bad for him. This is the first time he's been able to really tell us when something hurts him in re: to sickness.

I'm cooking some Cheesy Chicken Corn soup right now & it's smelling good. I made some for a couple in our Sunday school class since they just had a baby & decided it sounded good for us, too. Nothing like good, cheesy soup w/ some warm chewy bread to dunk in it while watching the Bulldogs!

Off to finish dinner before the Dawgs get fired up!!

Do you & I give with the right attitude?

I really liked this devotion today. I have been known to enjoy raffle ticket style fundraisers more so than giving money. Never really thought of it as a something for me/something for you kind of donation. But, I guess that's what it really is.

Why Do We Give?

When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. —Matthew 6:3

Whatever happened to the notion of giving for the sake of giving?" asked Tim Harford, columnist for FinancialTimes. "The closer you look at charitable giving, the less charitable it appears to be." A study of door-to-door fund-raising campaigns, for instance, found that organizations earned far more by selling lottery tickets than by asking for donations.
"This hardly suggests a world populated by altruists seeking to do the maximum good with their charitable cash," says Harford. At least for some people, there’s a something-for-me/something-for-you approach to giving.
Jesus also dealt with the issue of motives in giving. When He said not to let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, He was teaching that our motives for giving to God and to others must be pure. Our giving should be in response to God’s love. To encourage pure motives, Jesus instructs people to give and to do good deeds in secret with no thought of themselves. God, who sees everything, will reward them (Matt. 6:3-4).
Our generosity should be God-centered—not to make us look good, but to please the Lord. With your next good deed, ask yourself: If I knew that no one would ever find out that I did this, would I still do it? —Marvin Williams

God sees the giver as well as the gift; the heart as well as the hand.

Cheers & Jeers

So, today's been a great day, despite Nate's antics at school that resulted in his clip getting moved to Yellow!! Apparently, he likes to look under the bathroom stalls. We need to work on this little behavior! Good grief! And, he was talking too loud in the halls at school. He thinks his echoing voice is the greatest thing since PB&Js. He loves to do it in Sams Club, too.

CHEERS
So, this morning, I went to a chain hair salon. Anyone who knows me, knows that I generally do not have good luck at these places. I've had mullets & gapped hair as results from these places. But, today, I was tired of fighting the mop on my head & on a whim, decided to go after I dropped Nate & Alex off at school. For once, I was actually pleased with a $13 haircut! Even if the place wreaked of cigarette smoke! GROSS! The guy was pretty weird, too. I need to find a good beautician who I can afford. Why can't there be tons of fabulous stylists for $25 and under, close to my house?? When you have short hair, $40+ haircuts gets pretty pricey when you're going every 5-6 weeks!

JEERS
I went to Wal-Mart again, today. I can't seem to figure out why I can't go in there and not spend less than $100. I can literally, on one hand, count the number of times I've gone in & spent less than $100. I need to steer clear of Wal-Mart for a few days! Geez!

Almost One Year Ago

WOW!

This picture was taken just shy of one year ago! I can still remember just how MISERABLE I was...waddling around with that massive watermelon in my tummy. But, what a huge blessing from God my "little" watermelon is! James 1:17- Every good & perfect gift is from above! I didn't even realize how big I was until I looked back at pictures. It's so hard to believe how massive I was! No wonder Seth was a 9 pound baby... 3 weeks EARLY!

Just one week from today my lil' Seth will be ONE year old!! I'll have to post pics on his birthday to reminisce.

No Excuses

WOW!
I have to share today's RBC devotional!!
It has such good points in it! There really are 'No Excuses'. I squirm to think about judgement day of those who have rejected him. Judgement day IS coming. I hope & pray everyone is ready when the LORD says it's time!

Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. —Romans 10:13

People have many different reasons for rejecting the gospel. A common one is to blame Christians for something they did or did not do. These critics say, "I know a Christian who treated me poorly." Or, "I went to church, and no one talked to me."

Indeed, Christians aren’t perfect, and many can be bad examples. But blaming others doesn’t remove one’s accountability to God.

The truth of the gospel does not depend on the way others live out their faith. Salvation is about Jesus alone. Romans 10:9 says, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Some people may use Christians as an excuse to reject the gospel. But they certainly can’t point a finger of blame at Jesus. He is sinless and perfect in every way. Pilate said of Him, "I have found no fault in this Man" (Luke 23:14). And Jesus did what no one else could do—He suffered death on a cross to provide salvation for all who believe in Him. That makes it tough for someone to say, "I’m not going to become a Christian because I don’t like what Jesus did."
Don’t get sidetracked by looking at the faults of others. Look to Jesus. He alone is the way to heaven.

There is no excuse for saying "No" to Christ.
He is the Way, the Truth, the Life—That One whose name is Jesus;There is no other name on earthThat has the power to save us. —Sper

Brothers... Together Forever

Took this sweet picture of two brothers who are absolutely lost without one another. I hope & pray that they always remain as close as they are now. I know each of them will develop their own likes/dislikes but I don't want the bond they share to be broken. Seth is now beginning to join them, too. Nate thinks it's great that Seth is crawling and follows them around the house where ever they go. Our sweet little munchkins!!

Little Seth all wet & slimy. He's had an icky nose & he's drooling something mad! Must have more teeth coming in!

Sad Story

This is a very sad story. People like this just amaze me with their actions. I can not even begin to imagine their frame of mind when doing something like this to a child.

GLENDALE, Wis. -- A Wisconsin couple said they couldn't afford a baby sitter, so they strapped their 14-month-old son in his stroller at home while they went out, police alleged, according to WISN-TV in Milwaukee.
Rachel Anderson and her live-in boyfriend, Mitch Laputka, both of Glendale, Wis., were ordered to stand trial Thursday on charges they neglected their son, Gabriel, so badly that his body was covered with diaper rash, his body temperature was 12 degrees below normal and he stopped breathing, requiring 21 minutes of CPR to revive him.
Police said the couple admitted to leaving the boy home alone because they wanted to party.
The couple recently got jobs at Pizza Hut, police said Anderson told them, and they used the money for drinking parties. Police said Anderson told them that she often left Gabriel strapped in his stroller when the couple went out or to work, and that she changed Gabriel's diaper once per day. Police said Laputka told them that he didn't do diapers because that was Anderson's job.
Dennis Ogilvie is a neighbor of the couple and said he's saddened by the allegations. He has a daughter the same age as Gabriel.
"I knew they had a baby, but I never saw them with him," Ogilvie said.
Both parents pleaded not guilty Thursday, and they remain in custody in the Milwaukee County Jail on $5,000 bail each. They're due back in court in October to set a trial schedule.
The Bureau of Child Welfare is overseeing the boy's care but said privacy rules prevent it from commenting on children in its care, except to say that Gabriel is safe.

Blah

Got a case of the blah's today. Weather is now gloomy gus & I went to my best friend's brother's funeral today. I would have never guessed that just 2 months after I post the lyrics to "Cry Out to Jesus", that I would be suggesting that song for his funeral. But, that's one of the first songs that popped in my head when I was asked for suggestions. It just goes to show that we never know when the LORD will call us home. We just need to be sure we are set on go when He's ready. MD was a great, loving person & will be missed by many! I pray for comfort, strength & peace for the family & children he left behind. But, I know he's in a much better place than this world! And, I find great comfort & peace in knowing he doesn't have to navigate this sinful world any longer! He's with his Maker... where there's nothing but grace, mercy, and love.
Pray the words to Praise You In This Storm, SJ. He will help you during this difficult time! Allan & I love you bunches. You know if you need anything we're here for ya!

Praise You In This Storm by Casting Crowns
I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day. But once again, I say amen and it's still raining as the thunder rolls I barely hear You whisper through the rain, "I'm with you"and as Your mercy falls I raise my hands and praise the God who gives and takes away. Chorus: And I'll praise you in this storm and I will lift my hands for You are who You are no matter where I am and every tear I've cried You hold in your hand You never left my side and though my heart is torn I will praise You in this storm I remember when I stumbled in the wind You heard my cry to Youand raised me up again my strength is almost gone how can I carry on if I can't find You and as the thunder rolls I barely hear You whisper through the rain "I'm with you"and as Your mercy falls I raise my hands and praise the God who gives and takes away Chorus I lift my eyes onto the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth I lift my eyes onto the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth Chorus

Our Sweet Boys

Yesterday, Alex came home w/ a set of Listening Ears he made in school. I thought they were too cute. Too bad they don't really work!! ;)






Then, last night I got a sweet picture of Seth. It's so hard to believe in about 19 days our BABY will be ONE YEAR OLD! Geez... before I know it, they'll all be graduating high school & off to college!

And, I can't put up Alex & Seth pics without adding a sweet picture of our NateBug!! Our Turbo... is definitely a TURBO now, but for some reason now that he's actually earned that name, we don't call him that anymore! Hmm, maybe we should.