Amazing Race- Week 11

This week I finished Matthew, the rest of the Gospels, and started Acts.  It was hard to narrow down the topics for the New Testament, but I tried to choose things that really impacted me.

First, in Mark 9, a man asks Jesus to heal his son.  The man says, "...if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." " 'If you can can'?" said Jesus.  "Everything is possible for him who believes."  (verse22-23) The boy's father then exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (verse 24)  This is my prayer to God, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"  I believe, but sometimes not as strongly as I should.  I find myself having nagging thoughts in the back of my mind and slight unbelief.  I want so desperately for God to help me overcome any disbelief that I may have.

I loved reading through Luke this week too.  It's the best gospel to read for the Christmas story in my opinion and with it being Christmastime I really enjoyed reading all about Christ's arrival on Earth.  One of my favorite parts is in the very first chapter when the angel is visiting Mary and telling her what is to come.  He says in verse 37, "For nothing is impossible with God." Mary responds, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said." (verse 38)  I was so amazed at Mary's response.  She didn't fight it, she didn't say choose someone else, I can't do this.  She accepted God's will for her life without blinking.  I would love to be able to so easily accept what God is doing (or not doing) in my life.  Mary taught me a great lesson this week!

Finally, in John 13:7 is one of my favorite verses.  Jesus is washing the disciples' feet in anticipation of his coming arrest.  He tells Peter, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."  I have taken much comfort from this verse during times of loss and confusion over what God is doing, what His plan is for my life, and what comes next.  It has been a lifeline that reminds me that no matter what, some day we will understand.  I know that sometime in my future (either here on Earth or in heaven) God will reveal to me why He did some of the things He did.  Of course, there are times when I wish "later" would hurry up and get here ;-), but nonetheless what a great promise from our God!

This week has me reading all the way up to Hebrews.  After that, I only have 4 more days of reading!  I'm getting so close!

Recent Blackberry Pictures

I try to take most pictures with my camera to get better quality, but sometimes you need to capture the moment before it's gone and I almost always have my phone on me so it's easier.  Here are a few recent pictures from the Blackberry.

Ryker picking up sticks at the antique fair...he hangs out Grandma Sheepie a lot! My grandmother is notorious for picking up sticks in her yard every day...no joke! ;-)

Showing off his muscles and his super cool Lightning McQueen tattoo

I put Ryker down for a nap with stickers on his face for going potty and later went in to find them on his tiger's eyes...it creeped me out at first glance!

The night before Thanksgiving, the table was already set and there was nowhere for Ryker to eat so I set him up like this to watch Beauty and the Beast and enjoy his Fruit Loops.  He was digging it!

This morning while I was getting ready

He put the headband in all by himself...so funny!

Today after a long day of shopping...funniest thing I've seen in a while!  He stayed like that for a long time until I moved him.

Christmas Time is Here Again!

Now that our hosting duties for Thanksgiving are over, we were finally able to get the Christmas decorations up today.  I usually have everything up shortly after my birthday at the beginning of November.  It was so hard to wait this year!  Robert helped bring in all the boxes and Ryker and I unpacked everything and got all the stuff in the family room up.  Robert is the Head Tree Decorator here and once again did most of the tree by himself this year.  My mom let us borrow a ton of stuff that didn't work out on one of her trees this year.  It is GORGEOUS!  I'm on the lookout for all new stuff to have for our own for next year, but I'm glad to be able to use her stuff for this year.  Ryker really enjoyed helping this year.  This is the first year he's really understood what Christmas is all about.  It's so much fun to watch his pure joy and wonder at all the Christmas season has to offer.  I LOVE it!

The trees in Ryker's room

His mini Nativity scene

One side of the built-ins...the nativity scene is a hand-me-down from my mom.  I'm on the lookout for a new one

The mantle

The other side...Ryker was watching Charlotte's Web

The couch and coffee table with new pillow cases courtesy of Aunt Diane...yay!

In the front room/office...I won the Believe graphic at a Swap Meet with friends and applied it to the green plate..I thought it was a nice touch for the season!

The tree!

Without the overhead light on...so pretty!  Ryker loves the twinkling lights!

Daddy's Little Boy

Ryker and Daddy had the house to themselves this week for a bit.  I went to download pictures I took today and found several of the two of them.  Apparently, they had a little photo shoot while I was out.  I'm so blessed to have a hubby who is such a good Daddy! 

My sweet little boy!

I think he was pretending to take a picture here...silly!

LOVE him!

Ryker's turn to take pictures

Daddy and his boy!

I am Thankful For....

A God who loves me in spite of all

Robert and Ryker for all the love and joy they bring me

Friends that are always there to listen and make me laugh!

Parents that are like my best friends and are always there to give great advice

Grandparents that have built an amazing heritage of faith and love that I am so proud to be a part of

My brother (not pictured) and his talented wife, Kate and the fun they bring to my life

For cousins that are not just relatives, but friends

For my house...it may not be the Taj Mahal, but it's much more than most have, and it's home

.....AND SO MUCH MORE!

I hope you have a great Thanksgiving and take the time to remember all you have to be thankful for in your own life.  I am truly blessed and am so lucky to be able to share this life with those that I love! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Amazing Race- Week 10

This week was a busy week.  I read 12 entire books of the Bible and almost all of 2 more.  It was a great week!  I finished up Daniel, read all of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, and most of Matthew.  I loved reading all these books by the minor prophets. I really enjoyed all the references to Christ.  One thing I've liked about this journey has been seeing the connectdness of the entire Bible and how so many things from the Old Testament connect to the New Testament. 

The first thing I'll touch on this week is from Jonah.  I'll be honest, much of the Old Testament is about God's anger with His children for turning from Him and promises of His wrath.  Of course, this only goes to prove once more why we need the forgiveness that Christ's death provides us with.  Nonetheless, as you read the "doom and gloom"  you can get bogged down in it.  But, right in the middle of all that, God reminded me of his mercy in Jonah 4:2.  It says, "...I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity."  It was just what I needed this week!

Second, is one of my favorite verses.  I didn't discover this verse until a year ago when I purchased Michael W. Smith's album, "A New Hallelujah" which is a live recording from a concert he did in Texas.  While reading over the liner notes, there were scriptural references for some of the songs he'd written.  The song, "When I Think of You" is based on Zephaniah 3:17.  Click here to see the live version of the song with the African Children's Choir.  I LOVE this song!  When I looked up Zephaniah 3:17 it was revolutionary for me.  It says, "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."  I had never thought of God singing or dancing over little 'ol me.  To praise Him makes total sense...He is my Savior after all, but to think of Him doing that for me was just a crazy thought!  It was easier for me to imagine once I started thinking of myself as God's child.  I know how much I delight in Ryker, so I just imagined God feeling that way about me, but even more so (which is hard to do).  It gives me such joy to think that God could delight in me like I delight in Him!

Finally, I found something new in Matthew this week.  It's amazing to me how each time I turn to His word He reveals something new to me.  I've read Matthew a ton of times and it's marked up like crazy in my Bible, but He still showed me something new this week.  I love that about God!  Anyway, in 7:9 it says, "Which of you, if his son asks for his bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"  Being a parent really helps put things in perspective and this verse is no different.  I know how hard Robert and I work to provide for Ryker and give him gifts.  Even though I am a fallen human, I still can do good.  God however, is perfect; would His gifts not be that much greater then? I think so!  Such a nice reminder of His giving nature!

This week should be fun.  I'll be through most of Acts by my next post!  Stay tuned for more! It's hard to believe, but I only have 2 posts left!

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child is a program sponsored by Samaritans Purse that send shoe boxes filled with toys and other items to children in need all over the world for Christmas.  You can learn more about it here.  My church growing up did a huge drive for these shoe boxes and we always helped fill some.  I thought it would be a great time to continue that tradition in our family too.  It's a great experience for Ryker to learn about how not everyone has all the fun things he has.  He enjoyed helping me pick out all the toys.  Of course he wanted to keep a few when it came time to pack them up, but he'll get it eventually I guess.  ;-)  We even wrote a letter and colored a picture for him!  It was a fun little activity that will hopefully bring a smile to some little boy somewhere in the world!

Everything getting ready to get loaded up

Ryker adding some more gifts

This was the ball he really wanted to keep for himself...I told him if he was a good boy maybe Santa would bring him one too!

Fort Building

Today, I watched the Blair's out at their house.  We took Josiah to school in the morning and then came back to hang at the house.  Silas asked to build a fort and, of course, I obliged.  Building forts was one of my brother and I's favorite activities when we were kids.  We would pretend they were castles and then we'd wrap blankets around us like royal robes and pretend to be the King and Queen.  Mom was an expert fort maker and I hope I've inherited her skills.  Ryker and Silas had a great time playing in our little fort.

The boys hanging out in the tent

Getting ready to climb in...

He was going from one end to the other and playing peek-a-boo

Ryker joined in too.

Hey!

Win a FREE Devotional!

I saw this deal on another friend's blog and thought I'd pass it along.  You can enter to win a free devotional for yourself or your kids or both!  I'm in the middle of two bible studies right now, but I'd love to get Ryker one.  I think at almost 2 1/2 he's ready to listen and understand a bit more.  He does good with listening to Bible stories and praying, so this would be a great next step in building his faith!  :-)  You can go here to find the deal!  Good luck!

BRCC Skating Party

Our church had a skating party at the good 'ol Roller Cave for the 20 and 30 somethings.  My friend, Sarah Blair, did a great job organizing and over 30 of us came out in our country gear for the Boot Scootin' theme.  We all had a great time.  Robert was a sweaty mess by the end after running time trials with some of the other guys around the rink over and over again.  I only fell once, which was much better than I thought I'd do!  ;-) 

Robert and I all suited up and ready to skate!

Katie and I

Me skating

The whole group (minus Josh Brown, our photographer)

Just the girls this time...we joked that it was very Senior picture-ish...haha

Robert and I

Rachel Kleine, Theresa Schwedler, and I

I think this photo could be submitted to awkwardfamilyphotos.com :-)

Becky Flink and Rick Stump won for Best Dressed...they won Chicken Poop chapstick for their prize

Ryker wanted to wear Daddy's hat when we got home

Cute little cowboy!