Sometimes it is just good to be QUIET!!!!!

I love this first song on my blog... Word of God Speak by Mercy Me. If you have a minute just close your eyes and listen to the words. So many times I find myself talking waaaaaay tooooo much. When I really just need to stop and listen and take in all that the Lord has done for me. I have to laugh because there is a verse in Proverbs that I believe the Lord has in the Bible just for me.. I will have to find the reference but the verse is... Even a fool looks wise when he's quiet.
Have a great day!!
Blesssings,
Linda

OUCH!!

I just read this in Max Lucado's book, It's Not About Me. It jumped right off the page.......

Is there any chance, any possibility, that you have been selected to struggle for God's Glory?

I know when I face struggles the first thing I usually do is try to figure out what I have done wrong why this would be happening to me. Sometimes I can be legalistic and think maybe I did not pray enough, go to church enough, or tithe enough when in all actuality there is nothing I can do to make him love me more. There are times when I know right away that I may be suffering because of a poor choice I made and the struggle is the consequence to sin but there are a lot of other times that I just can't understand what God is doing in my life. I know that once I have been through a struggle I peek over my shoulder at what lies behind and I always see His fingerprints. Dear friend if you are struggling right now just hold on tight to the creator of the Universe, the one who chose to breathe life into you, who has a plan for each of your days.
Blessings,
Linda
If you don't already have the book It's Not About Me by Max Lucado run out during the after Christmas sales and pick up a copy it will really bless you.

Happy Birthday Jesus!!!!

We have had a wonderful day. Very busy and I have been soooooo sick. Our second child, Carson woke up at 2:30am and insisted on checking to see if Santa came. My husband and I did not even have to think about that one the answer was a quick NO!!!! After getting snuggled back into bed our oldest, Chandler woke us up at 6:30am. This was a more reasonable request in which we chose to honor. We hurriedly woke up the younger two and the whirlwind began. The presents were opened very quickly and methodically as Carson passed them all to the rightful owner. I don't use gift tags for the kids. I buy 3 different types of paper and wrap each child's in a certain wrap then in their stockings will be a little cut out of their paper so they know which presents are theirs. They love this and it cuts back on shaking and poking. Something else I have always done is place a clue in their stocking. They follow this clue to another one and after finding 3 clues there is the final present usually the "big one". My kids love this. I will probably do it well into their grown years.

David was able to speak to his sister, Pauline and John-Paul is doing well. His cell phone was messed up in the accident so once he was able he borrowed hers and was calling all of his college friends to tell them about the accident. Please continue to keep him in your prayers as the physical healing will take a while.

My in laws came over for brunch this morning and I went right to bed once we ate. I have been sick since Dec. 1st and it seems to be getting worse rather than better. I can't seem to shake it. The big brunch was about all I could manage so we ate grilled cheese for Christmas dinner instead of the turkey I bought and Jesus's birthday cake will be made tomorrow as well.

Enough of my rambling. I hope you all had a blessed day. Even being sick I still have so many things I am thankful for and blessed with.

Blessings,

Linda

Merry Christmas

I hope each and every one of you have a very Merry Christmas. Our family has so much to be thankful for and we are praising our Savior for coming to be born as a baby to die on a cross so that we may have eternal life.
Blessings to all of you,
Linda & Family

Please Pray

I just got word that my Nephew, John-Paul was in a horrible accident. He has several broken bones, pelvis, knee caps, and a colapsed lung. He and my sil and bil are all out of town. Please pray that the Lord will give them guidance and wisdom as to how to handle this situation and that they will be able to get him home asap so that they can get started on the physical healing end of things. Praise God that there were no head injures. He was the passenger in the car and the driver, his cousin, was not hurt.
Thank you so much,
Linda

Bad Blogger

I am so incredibly frustrated with blogger!!!! It shrunk my header and now it won't let me download any of my personal pictures. If any of you have had the same problem PLEASE help me out.
Thanks,
Linda

Ramblings

Kids really do say the cutest things!!! As I dropped Cameron off at his classroom today he quite loudly told his teachers that he brought a show and share item that was breakable and fragable. He keeps us all in stitches. He has even told us he had a girlfriend but she broke up with him and she did not tell him. He is 4! Me thinks he has been listening to one very moody teenager that happens to dwell amongst us. (hehe)


If your kids don't humble you when they are little never fret they are just waiting til they are a teen. I love my teen but the hardest part about raising him is the actual realization that I don't get a say in a lot of his day to day choices anymore you know like when they were little, using the red cup instead of the green one or wearing cowboy boots with shorts silly things like that or even the neat things like the innocence that comes with his belief in Christ. Just believing because he does and does not have the cares of the world weighing him down. Now there is so much weight on teens the hormones and the world around them that is doing it's very best to take Christ out of everything. The outer influences are so strong. It is a major reminder and wake up call that I really never had control God just let me believe I did for a while then he welcomed me to reality with the teen years. I know I have said it before but I so need to remind myself over and over that when anyone deserves to be loved the very least is when they need it the very most!!!(myself included) I do have to insert that sometimes hugging a teenager can be like hugging a cactus. hehe I borrowed that from a book title I have heard before.

Please, as the Lord leads, remember my mother in prayer, she took a bad fall on a train this past weekend, I also have a dear friend whose son, Clayton, has been admitted into the hospital for a problem with this foot, another friend whose husband will soon need a bone marrow transplant and of course don't forget Adam in Iraq.
I pray that this Christmas season has been a Christ centered one for all of you and if not I pray that you are able to refocus (as I have to do often, almost minute by minute) and make it all about the only one who deserves honor and glory.... Jesus Christ our Lord!
Blessings,

Linda

Happy Anniversary to us..20 years

Blogger is giving me problems this morning. I can't seem to get my pictures posted.

I can't believe that I am old enough to have been married for 20 years. David and I were talking about it last night and we both agreed it really was one of the best decisions we have ever made. We met in high school I was 15 and he was 17. We dated for 6 years with an on again off again relationship. We ended up engaged on September 10, 1986 and then took the big step the following year. I must brag that I have a great husband. He has evolved through his relationship with the Lord into a really great man. He loves me and tries very hard to protect me from everyone including myself sometimes. He has provided for me and our 3 boys beautifully. He has a great sense of humor that still keeps me laughing. When I need something from him (if I tell him and don't expect him to guess) he tries very hard to provide it whether it is material, physical, or emotional. Honey, I hope you have a great day and know that I do believe that God has put us togther and I am looking forward to many more great years with you.


I love you!!!


Linda

Please pray for this family & updates on ours

I would like to ask that you pray for the Luce family. If you visit their blog, Poppy Joy, you will know why. She is the grand-daughter of my former pastor. My pastor, her beloved grandfather, passed 12 hours after she delivered her first born and now she delivered her second born yesterday that resulted in the baby only living 3 hours after birth. They knew she would probably not live long. I do not know her personally but after reading her blog I know that she and her husband are two incredibly godly people.

An update on my father in law.... He is recovering nicely from the surgery, however, the doctor did tell him that at his age he would never fully regain all the elasticity needed in the arm. My prayer request for him now is that he will be able to at least function well enough that he can go into his workshop and do the woodworking he so loves to do. He has built some incredible things through the years and I know it would be extremely hard on him and my mother in law if he were not able to continue building.
My parents took a trip to Egypt I am asking for safe travels for them, and as always continue to pray for Adam who has been deployed.

On a lighter note we are all well. Carson had his first basketball game Saturday and we had so much fun watching. At half time the score was a whopping 0-0. Often times it ends this way so during the half time each team goes out and every player shoots a free throw. That is usually where the points come from. The opposing team made 4 and we only made 1. Carson did however, score a basket which was cool. They ended up losing 8-3.
Cameron has said that he is perfectly fine watching his brothers play sports and has no intention of playing any which is perfectly fine with us. We will just have to find that one thing that really interests him maybe boyscouts?
Chandler's soccer team has had quite an impressive 6 months. In 6 months they have won 2 state championships, competed in regionals where they beat a Texas team which was huge, got second in the premier league and then royally messed up this last tournament that they had this past weekend. It is a really big tournament and they have played well but just could not put the ball in the net. They lost both their games yesterday and they have one this morning.
David travels this week and I have a sinus infection, lucky me.
Blessings to you and your family,
Linda