I made this video as a gift to Eric at his 40th birthday party. It is such a beautiful picture of God's grace and how He can change our lives and I wanted to share it with you! (make sure to pause my music on the bottom right side)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC!!!

Well, it's here. It's official. The Big E is finally the Big 4-0 today! Eric, here are 40 things I LOVE about the you, the love of my life:

1. Your love for the Lord. So there. So real. So noticeable. So contagious.
2. Your steadiness, your calmness, your coolness amidst my yo-yo ness and flightiness.
3. Your dedication to running and triathloning--it is a physical representation to those around you of persevering with the Lord through trials and tribulations. Don't ever give this up. Our children are learning so much from you!
4. The fact that you could care less about what others think.
5. You are a great listener.
6. You take prayer seriously and I know you are praying for me and our kids.
7. That you like the beach and the ocean as much as I do.
8. Your theology is sound but you are not all 'theological'.
9. You are the most loyal person I know.
10. You make me coffee. You bring me coffee. You love coffee.
11. You do the things behind the scenes at our house so that homeschooling will work for us.
12. Watching you coach our kids makes me happy.
13. You make a mean breakfast.
14. You've always dressed up as whoever I want you to at our kid's birthday parties.
15. You leave me notes
16. Your dry wit and how unassuming it is.
17. You look mighty fine in a cowboy hat
18. The fact that you text me. It makes me feel special.
19. You pray with me.
20. You still date me.
21. Your 'just wing it' mentality.
22. You are very thoughtful and 'wordy' when you give cards to me or anyone else. You don't just sign your name. I love that.
23. The special bond that you and Owen share makes me smile.
24. You do laundry better than I do (ok, that is not saying much, but still)
25. Your singing voice that i get to hear every Sunday beside me at church. Your voice is my favorite (well, maybe after Mac Powell....okay, your voice is my second favorite)
26. Cheering you on at a race has been some of the best times of my life.
27. You are one of the most giving people I know.
28. Your burden for helping the poor, the downtrodden, the hungry, the orphaned.
29. You never complain. EVER.
30. How you bust out with something funny at the most unexpected times...like doing cheerleading moves with the girls at Wayside :)
31. You have that 'cool' component that I have never had. And you still love me, even though I am uncool.
32. You are not perfect and you don't try to act like it.
33. That you lead our family by serving us. You are a true example of a Servant Leader.
34. Our weekly date, watching 'The Office'. So glad you share this same kind of humor!
35. You let me have time to myself whenever i need it.
36. The fact that you are not materialistic in the least bit.
37. You continue to organize our cabinets even though I keep messing them up.
38. You are involved in our kid's lifes.
39. You're hot.
40. The fact that you still love me after all of these years, despite all of my hang ups

I LOVE YOU!!!

I hope you have felt extra special this week!!!!

Final Instructions -- 1 Thess. 5: 12-24

The thoughts in parenthesis are the thoughts the Lord gave me/asked me as I read through this scripture this morning...the thoughts that came to mind as I struggle through this life! I thought I would share them with you!

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. (Have you prayed for your pastor and your church leaders today? They need our prayers! They need our respect!)

Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
(Have you encouraged your pastor lately? If we remain silent, they will never know the encouragement that we were thinking. So often, the correspondence they receive is discouraging or critical. Take time today to thank your church leaders and to tell them they are doing a good job! They need encouragement!)

And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. (God does not give us discernment to be critical or judgmental of others but he gives it to us so we will intercede for them. Intercede this morning for a weaker brother in Christ with thanksgiving and joyfulness. Ask the Lord to help you be watchful today so that you can encourage the discouraged and speak the truth in love to someone who is needing it)

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. (When someone hurts you, what is your first response? Is it to get back at them? Christ calls us to be kind. No. matter. what. It's easy to be kind and love those who are easy to love. What about the ones who are mean? What about the ones who disappoint you? Christ calls us to love. No. matter. what. If you are only surrounding yourselves with those who are easy to have relationships with than you are missing out on so, so much!)

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (Ask the Lord to help you do this throughout the day! Make a conscious effort to offer up little prayers throughout the day, especially those of thanksgiving!)

Do not put out the Spirit's fire;

do not treat prophecies with contempt. (maybe there are some who believe what the Bible says about Bible prophecies a little differently than you do. What makes you so sure you are right and they are wrong? Ask God for humility as you study the scripture and whatever you do, don't treat His Word with contempt! I cringe when I hear people making fun of others who take unfulfilled Bible prophecy literally...don't make fun, instead, do what the next verse says and 'test everything...'

Test everything. Hold on to the good.

Avoid every kind of evil. (Ask the Lord to help you to avoid it yet at the same time be 'in this world' as we are called to live here and exclaim the Gospel to others who don't know Him! Don't become a recluse, a Separatist....what good is that?)

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Pray for sanctification through and through! He answers Yes to this prayer every single time!)

The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. (Amen, Amen and Amen! HE IS SO FAITHFUL!!!!!!!)

1 Thess. 5:12-24

HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY SOPHIE!!!

10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY SOPHIE GIRL:

1. Your encouraging spirit. You have always expressed yourself through notes and letters. I love this about you! I love reading the emails that you send your friends and that you want to keep up with how they're doing.


2. All of the maps that you draw--especially the ones of your 'room designs'.


3. The way you look up to your older brother.


4. The fact that you don't hold grudges and get over conflicts quickly.


5. Your ability to get things done quickly.


6. The fact that you are not a perfectionist.


7. Your 'eagle eyes' -- you can spot something speedy quick


8. That you love Snoopy and the Peanuts -- reminds me of my childhood


9. Your new found love of running


10. The fact that you've always got something new going--whether it's 'Sophie's Science Lab' or creating cartoon characters or redecorating your room. You are a mover and shaker--always moving on to the next 'great thing' that interests you.

There are so many other things that I love about you, but these are just a few things!

I love you, Soph!

Are you experiencing sorrow? Prayer can make your time of affliction one of strength and sweetness. Are you experiencing happiness? Prayer can add a heavenly fragrance to your time of joy. Are you in grave danger from some outward or inward enemy? Prayer can place an angel by your side whose very touch could shatter a millstone into smaller grains of dust than the flour it grinds, and whose glance could destoy an entire army. What will prayer do for you? My answer is this: Everything that God can do for you. "Ask for whatever you want me to give you" (2 Chron. 1:7) ~Frederick William Farrar