Be Still.....

Thursday 13

Hollie has started Thursday Thirteen on her blog and I couldn't participate last week because we were on vacation. But this week's theme is Thirteen Random things about me. I know you are excited beyond belief! So here they are!

1. I grew up in Roswell, Ga.

2. Until now, I had always lived in the Atlanta area.

3. I so miss Publix grocery stores!

4. We live in a county that has a population of about 8,000. Yes, you read that correctly.

5. I used to attend a church (FBCW) that had the same number in attendance on any given Sunday morning as our current county's population. Mind-boggling, I know!

6. I love contemporary praise music, I think the organ should be banned. (sorry to all you traditionalists.)

7. Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks.

8. My first job was at Roswell Mall Theater (see #7)

9. My favorite thing to do for myself is to get a pedicure.

10. Steven and I will celebrate our 3rd anniversary next month.

11. I can't believe this but next year will be my 20th class reunion.

12. I love blogging and Facebook! This is my 92 post, I'm close!

13. I am living proof that our God is a God of 2nd (and 3rd and 4th and 5th...) chances!

So now it's your turn!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!!!

Ok, that title has absolutely nothing to do with this post but I wanted to keep my 80's song titles going! Also my typing errors continue, although you'll never see it. But if you did my first sentence would have read something like this:
Ok, that tilte has absolutley nothin g to do with this pot.... you get the picture!

If you're wondering, I'm stalling because my pictures are uploading to Picasa as I'm typing and I'm ready to post them and then watch the UGA game. The Baseball World Series and I hate to tell you this but Fresno State will be going home tonight! How's that for some smack talking!

75% loaded, we're almost there!

I could have used the title, "Gonna wash that gray right out of my hair!" Can you guess where I went today? I visited Suzanne and she did wonders with my hair! No more gray!!!!

It's stuck at 98%, so I guess I'll ramble some more!

I am very excited because another church in our community has called a new pastor and they are dear friends of ours. And not only are they living in our town, they are living literally just around the corner! They are a young couple with a boy that is Caleb's age and they have a newborn little girl. YEAH!!! Ok, here's the pictures from our vacation. We were at my aunt and uncle's lake house. On Friday, we went to the Ga. Aquarium and a Braves game. Sorry about all the beluga whale pictures, I was a little obsessed. There are ALOT of pictures, you don't have to look at all of them.

Back to life, back to reality!!

I can't stop using 80's songs as my titles!!!
We're home and had a great vacation. I'm wiped out today and can't seemed to get motivated. I've at least started some laundry. Hopefully I will post some pictures soon, I know you'll be anxiously awaiting. (I've had so may typos, I think it took me 5 times to get anxiously correct and it still doesn't look right!) I think I forgot how to type!!
Anyway!!!! I'm going to take a nap and watch UGA in the college world series! GOOOOOOOOO Dawgs!!!!!

Vacation.......All I ever wanted!!!!!

We are headed on a much needed vacation this week. We won't have internet access so I will be on a bloggy break! Have a great week and I'll catch up with everyone when I get back.

Something to ponder:

I pray that out of his glorious riches, he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. And to know this love that surpasses all knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever amen. Ephesians 3:16-18 (emphasis added)

I love you all!

Be Still......

Garden Party 2008

When Lisa a.k.a. The Preacher's Wife announced that she was going to host a Garden Party, my first thought was, well I'll check out other's gardens but all my plants will probably be dead by June. I don't have a green thumb people! But low and behold some of my plants are still living and so I figured, why not?




I bought these hanging baskets on the clearance rack at Lowes. They were $4 a piece and they are some hardy little suckers. Poor things have to be, they've been on the brink of death many times! Here in dry, hot south Ga. if you don't water your plants every single day, they won't survive and sometimes I just forget!!! That's why I didn't take a close-up!




This is my FA-vorite! This hydrangea was in a pot and was used as one of the table centerpieces at our rehearsal dinner. I planted 2 of them and naturally only one survived. When I planted it almost 3 years ago, it was the most beautiful shade of blue. This year the blossoms are turning purple. I know it all has to do with the acidity in the soil and maybe someday I'll care enough to do whatever it takes to turn it blue. But for now I'm just thrilled that it has 2 beautiful blooms!

Now to the backyard!!




I don't know what kind of plants these are but they're doing exactly what I'd hoped they'd do!
I love how they're all flowy except the one on the top stair. It's growing up and not cooperating! But they still look pretty and I love the purple blooms!

Now I can't take any credit for the next plants you are about to see. My wonderful hubby decided to plants some tomatos, eggplants and bell peppers. Who knew that there would be a recall on tomatos this summer and because of awesome husband, we don't have to go without! Because in this house, we LOVE us some "manos". (Caleb-ese)




There are about 11 tomatos growing right now and 3 bell peppers! We've already enjoyed the fruits of my hubby's labor and had a tomato. I'm fighting the urge to take one of those green ones and whip up a batch of fried green tomatos! I didn't put a picture of the eggplant because 1) there's nothing to see yet, we probably won't get and eggplant until Sept. 2)I have a SERIOUS aversion to eggplant thanks to a mission trip to the Ukraine in 92. Just ask my dad! I'm not even sure why Steven planted one!




Thanks for stopping by and remember no matter how your garden grows,
keep the main thing the main thing!






Oh yeah, please be praying for us this weekend. We're heading out this afternoon on a retreat with our youth group.
Did I mention that we'll be in cabins.....on a lake.....with teenagers......and it's Friday the 13th???!! I'm not worried, really, all those 80's horror movies haven't affected me one bit!!!
Seriously, pray for the teens and for those of us who will be sharing with them!
Love y'all, have grrrreeeat weekend!

"Don't Give Me That Bull!"

A few months ago, Vicki Courtney, hosted a writing contest on her blog. I submitted an article and it was chosen to be featured on her Virtuous Reality website! The article was to be written with teenage girls in mind. Here's what I submitted:


They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt. Psalm 106:20-21

In Psalm 106:20-21, the Psalmist is reminding us of a time when the children of Israel turned their backs on God. If you know the story, you know that God miraculously delivered them out of slavery. God actually parted the Red Sea so the children of Israel could escape, and then He used that same body of water to drown the army that was pursuing them. After all of that, God told Moses to come up on the mountain so that He could give him the laws which they were to live by. It was during this 40-day period, while Moses was on the mountain with God, that the children of Israel began worshipping a bull. They forgot all the great things that God had done.
It’s so easy for us to look back at the children of Israel and think, How could they? I mean, he was only gone for 40 days. That’s just over a month. How could they forget all the miraculous things that God had done in such a short period?

Are we really any different?

Are you as close to God as you were when you first gave your life to Him? When you go to a great youth camp this summer and you come back ready to be the shining light in your school, how long will that light shine, a month, 2 months? How long will it be before you resign to the thought, One person can’t make a difference so I might as well not even try?

You don’t have to exchange your Glory for the bull! Now you may be thinking, Do you really think I would bow down to a bull? No, I don’t, but I do believe that we can allow things to take the place of God in our lives, and when we do that, we are giving up the Glory that God wants to get from our lives. To put this in today’s life, the scripture might read something like this:

She exchanged her Glory for a boyfriend, which “loves” her with a selfish, imperfect love.
Or
She exchanged her Glory for popularity, which will cause her to seek the approval of others rather than the approval of God.
Or
She exchanged her Glory for pursuit of physical beauty, which will leave her insecure and in a perpetual state of comparing herself with others.
Or
She exchanged her Glory for an intimate relationship, which will leave her emotionally scarred, with a sense of worthlessness and could even lead to pregnancy, disease or even infertility.

You see, God is saying to you, “Don’t give Me that bull, that boyfriend, those friendships or anything else because none of those things can take MY place in your life.” If you will put God in His rightful place in your life, He will get so much Glory.
Let’s make a new commitment today to keep God in His rightful place in our lives.

Now you can go here to see how they greatly improved the article that I submitted!

YESSSS!!!!!!!

It was just announced moments ago.....................

PASTOR JOHNNY HUNT IS THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION!!!!

Congratulations to Pastor Johnny and his family!

Still Sunday!

Emma...Again

Hey!!! Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. I've been pretty busy lately. Caleb has pink eye and I've been helping out. My mom posts when Caleb is napping and when everybody is in bed. Mainly when Caleb is napping.

My mom & I have been reading a book called "Preparing Your Daughter for Every Women's Battle." It is terrific! If you are a mother of a 10-16 year old girl this book is great for you to read together. You can get it at any Christian book store (or at Christian Books Online). I think every mom should read it with their daughter. A good time to read it is before bed and after you say your prayers. It really is a good time to bond. I know we did. We have 4 more chapters till we are finished. I hope you will consider reading it. Also the first part is just for moms. Here is a picture of it down below.

GTG (got to go). LUV 4EVA!


**Updated by Cheryl**

Here's how Emma and Dougie spent their afternoon. Watching the shrinky dinks!!! I thought this was a priceless photo op but my camera was dead so I grabbed a cell phone. It's not the best pic but it works! Dougie is kneeling on a stool, he's not taller than Emma.......yet!

I've flipped-flopped.......

about this. I wasn't sure if I should. Go here, you'll see.

Bloggy Flip Flop Carnival

It's officially summer and Alana had a great idea to help us start it of on the right foot flip flop!

Here are the cute flip flops that I got from Fran. Not only did she give me some cute flip flops, she also sent a great fridge notepad and an adorable picture frame! Don't look too closely at the picture because you can already see some signs of wear on my flip flops, I basically worn them all weekend! Thanks again Fran and thanks Alana for hosting this. So fun!!!!

Prayers needed

Go here to read a prayer request from my sis, Laura.
Thank you in advance for lifting them up in prayer.
Love y'all,