Heavenly Father,
You are above all and beyond all! You are mighty to save, gracious to forgive, and merciful to forget all that I've done wrong. I praise You for who You are, and thank You for the grace that is at work in my heart and in my life. Help me cast aside everything that keeps me from You today, Lord.

Mom, I really am a Princess!

Last week at gymnastics, Raegan's friend Amber invited her to a Princess Party at her church. Raegan was very excited and so Saturday morning she got up, headed to basketball and then rushed home to change for the princess party. She chose her Ariel wedding gown that we had bought in Disney 2 years ago and added all her girly extras to finish off the outfit. Raegan is beginning to outgrow the princess stage but still LOVES to act like and be treated like a princess. We flew out the door and got to the church ontime for Raegan to get her picture taken and join the group in the activities. The teen girls in the church and their moms had decorated a beautiful "photo op", came up with crafts, games, bible lesson and gifts for each of the little girls. What a wonderful christian service for these older girls to participate in and demonstrate that each girl is beautifully and wonderfully made by her Creator!

There were atleast 20 little princesses that attended the party and 10 big girl helpers

I was impressed with this activity but not nearly as much as when we returned home and she shared this bit of heartwarming information with me. She said ...
"Mom, I really am a Princess! Since I have accepted Jesus as my Savior and He's my King, then I'm his princess. If you don't believe that Jesus died for your sins and accept Him as your Savior then you are just pretending to be a princess!"

I couldn't have said it any better myself, princess!
( A big-girl princess!)

Happy Birthday Aaron

Birthdays were a big deal in our house when we were growing up. My mom would convert our dining room to an in-home birthday party while we were at school. She would blow up balloons, string streamers, set the table with a special tablecloth. She would pull out the cardboard Happy Birthday letters that she had covered in foil and hang them up above a wall of pictures from our birth to present. Our meal of choice would be lovingly prepared and our favorite dessert (usually cake) would be decorated lavishly with icing, writing and doo-dads. Of course presents were always a part of the occasion as well but they were never the center of it. It was always about "you". There would be stories of when "you" were born, when "you" were little, what "you" had done or said funny. The whole atmosphere created on those days not only made our birthday so much fun, it made us feel like the favorite kid for a day. I can honestly say my mom loves celebrating birthdays more than she likes Christmas!

Aaron's favorite dessert was pie. We always knew that we could bet on pie for dessert when it was January 9th. But true to mother's celebratory style, the pies would be accessorized as well. I remember one specific birthday when Aaron had been talking about getting a 4 wheeler. (The kid always loved motorcycles). When the pie was served, there sat a miniature 4 wheeler sunken into the moist pumpkin leaving behind very visible tracks all over the top of the pie. How cool!

So today we miss you even more, Aaron, because you aren't here for us to tell you how much we love you & how special you are to each of us. And you aren't here to enjoy the pie with us. Oh, and by the way, we all know you are the favorite!

Your baby sister

Holiday Highlights

Just a few photo highlights from our week of Christmas. It's a hodge-podge!



This is the photo we used on our Christmas cards this year. Taken at the downtown treelighting in Cumberland. Brrr was it cold but the perfect way to start off the holiday!

Raegan and Bailey before we rushed off to the church Christmas program.

We spent Christmas eve with Mimi & Pappy (Joel's mom & dad). The kids were entertaining us with some Christmas carols. Yes, Raegan's mouth is blue - the result of several blue candy canes! Shhh.....don't tell her orthodontist.

This was what Santa left on his plate after his stop at our house. He actually licked the cream out of the middle of the Oreo! Raegan was sure he would like the Hannah Montana cup.

This picture is self-explanatory! The very last gift was the best - Thank you Santa!

Raegan had asked for this since the summer. It's a flipper that you put on your feet when you are swimming to swim like a mermaid. She is obsessed with mermaids!!

This dolls name is "Reagan". We were so excited to find a doll with her name that we just had to get it for her, even if they spelled it a bit differently than we did. Here, Mimi is babysitting the doll for Raegan while she opened her presents at their house.

Later in the afternoon my parents and Christina and the kids arrived. Notice that Lanie's babydoll is waving at the camera.

Samuel and Chandler in a rare moment of brotherly "cease-fire".

Bennett was rolling up his tape measure that came with his new Home Depot Toolbox!

Later in the week we all got together at mom and dad's church for games and food. This picture of Jacob in Grammy's glasses makes me laugh. He's such a cutie!

A favorite game in our family - TWISTER!

We decided to get all the kids in one picture since we had them all together. This was Take 1....

And this was take 2. We managed to get everyone in the shot, we even woke Rebecca up from her nap and plopped her down in Jacob's lap. Mean, I know!

What a crew of blessings!

Happy New Year!

Wow, are the holidays really over? Whew! What a whirlwind of utter and complete chaos. I love all the fun and joy of the Christmas season but hate the leftovers. Like a messy house, neglected stacks of mail, piles and piles of laundry, an empty refrigerator and a sinus infection that leaves me wondering where all that junk really comes from in my head! AAAGGGGHHH!

Our family enjoyed a wonderful holiday and we hope you all did too. We were blessed to all be together at one point or another over the last week and a half. What a gift to have our Arkansas family "home for Chrismas." Everyone had grown and changed so much and the cousins have quite a crew to play with when we all gather! But like so many families, our hearts were tinged with sadness as we missed our loved ones that are no longer with us. We continue to miss Aaron with each passing holiday. In addition we experienced our first Christmas without our grandmas. Joel's Nana died just before New Years last year and my Grandma Charlotte died in February. It's a reminder that our lives are but a vapor - here for a little while and then gone. Despite this sadness there is great joy in knowing they are with the Lord and as believers we will be too, oh what a day that will be.

The beautiful events of this past season continue to warm our hearts as we are looking forward to a brand new year that is full of possibility and opportunity. We find hope, not fear, in the unknown and know that the Lord has it all under control.

Held by Hope

Have you ever wanted to travel back in time to be an eyewitness of the celestial celebration that took place in Bethlehem the night that Jesus was born? Now, I am quite particular about fashion, but I'd even consider donning shepherd garb and hanging out with a few sheep for that opportunity! To see angels fill the sky, to hear the voice of God through the cries of a baby. To catch a glimpse of the brilliant Star of David, and to satisfy my curiosity as to what exactly a host of heavenly angels sounds like.
Oh, and to talk to Mary! Wouldn't that be amazing to hear what she was thinking as she witnessed, and took part in, the greatest miracle ever known to man? This baby she gave birth to was God made flesh, a true bundle of love. What do you think she treasured in her heart as she took it all in? I'm struck by this thought: As she held the Hope of the world, the Hope of the world was also holding her. Ponder that!
The baby born in a barn that holy night long ago is the Hope of the world - the Grace that saves us - the Love that heals us. Jesus is Hope that changes our worthless into precious, our guilty to forgiven, our hungry into satisfied, and our empty into full. His presence is inescapable. We cannot flee from His stubborn grip. The psalmist, David said: "If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast" (Psalm 139:8-10).
The Bible tells us in the New Testament that Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God, the Father in heaven. God's Word clearly shows us that Jesus "holds us fast." Relish that thought. The Hope that holds us is Jesus Christ. We are held by Hope.
In the Old Testament, God told Joshua that He would "never leave or forsake" him (Joshua 1:5). God says the same to us. He will never leave us or forsake us; no matter the circumstances, not matter the diagnoses, no matter the financial struggle. Our faithful LORD is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We can rest assured that in everything, we are held by Hope.
After His resurrection and before His ascension into heaven, Jesus said, "Surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). He is always with us. Always loving us. Always wanting us to find comfort, refuge, joy and satisfaction in Him.
As Christmas approaches and a New Year dawns, let's be mindful of God's promise that we are never alone. Just like the shepherds received the headline news of Jesus' birth from singing angels so long ago, receive this glad tiding of great joy today: If you are in Christ, then you are held by Hope.

Giving Thanks

In homes across America, friends and family will gather around beautifully decorated tables filled with warm, scrumptious food to give thanks. It's Thanksgiving Day. However, this day will be nothing like holidays of the past for many people.
Lonely but committed soldiers covered in the dust of battle will patrol foreign borders, fighting for our freedom while their families back home long for word of their safety. The homeless will make their way to the nearest soup kitchen, hoping for a warm meal and a smiling face as so many celebrate this day of abundance. An empty place at the table will be a painful reminder of the loved one lost not long ago. A worried husband and dad will sit at the head of the table, wondering how he is going to tell his family that he just lost his job. The list of wounded hearts and unmet needs is endless.
We convince ourselves that life will be better when we have more money, when we find the right mate, when we get the kids raised or build the right house. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, when we get that promotion, when we are able to go on our dream vacation or when we retire. We keep trying to find joy, contentment and peace in lifeless places and things. Jesus Christ is life. He is Joy and Love and He took our place on the cross. That's why we can give thanks when it seems as if there is nothing for which to be thankful.
Yes, we live in a broken world and life is filled with pain, challenges, dark times and trials, but today can still be a day of thanksgiving and praise because praise and thanksgiving have little to do with the Thanksgiving holiday and everything to do with our inner attitude toward God. It really doesn't matter how much we lose here, my friend. I have read the Book and we win ... for all of eternity! We just need to take the time to remember ... and give thanks.

Father, we come to You today, praising You for meeting our needs this year in ways that we may or may not have understood at the time. Looking back, we see Your hand of mercy and love. We recognize Your presence and your power and we celebrate You ...we celebrate life.

With a greatful heart