A Birthday Memory

A few of my thoughts yesterday morning...

Can I remember my 11th birthday? 

I am sure it was great fun! 

I don't think I was ever disappointed by a birthday as a child, but I can't remember it. 

I remember a few things about my 10th birthday. 

My mom woke me very early after she stayed up all night making me a Bible cover. 

My gift was a new Bible with my name engraved in it with silver letters, 

and the Bible cover my mom had stayed up many nights to make. 

I still have it and I will try to post pix of it later. 

The front of the Bible cover has a rather large cross-stitches letter A.

It was/is beautiful.

I still remember the surprise of it when she woke me, 

and the scent of the new leather Bible...

my first experience that I can remember with the scent of a new leather Bible.

The other thing I remember about my 10th birthday is the outfit (or one of them) 

grandma Sutherland gave me that year. 

I remember standing in the front yard with the skirt and blouse on to have a picture taken. 

Wonder how hard it would be to dig up that picture, or if it even still exists.

Well, anyway, I won't go into all the little pieces of memories that I have of my childhood birthdays.

...my next thoughts...

Today's goal - make this day memorable!

I was quite late in planning the birthday fun, 

but it did turn out to be a fun packed day including some routine events 

and also some more rare and special moments... 

birthday breakfast at Panera with some coupons of course, swimming lessons, golf date with papa, shopping, 

playing with a friend, a walk to the park, dinner date with daddy, 

and the grand finale  - cake and gifts with nana and papa 

followed by a family movie.

A Whirlwind of a Week

What an eventful week! While we were out tonight I asked a friend how her week was. After her answer she asked me the same. As usual I could not remember anything past this morning. After we were home from this evenings fun, had the kids in bed, Jerry went off you work I took time to remember the events of the week. It has been a crazy fun one. Allow me to share the highlights.

1. Sunday was a blessing to be home and in our church. I jotted down a few notes from each service - Sunday school, morning worship, and the evening service. I knew I would forget if I didn't write them down. I have looked back on my notes a few times during the week and have been repeatedly blessed and encouraged. Also, we went to some friends house for Sunday dinner. Very fun! I am so thankful for the sweet people God has put in our life. So thankful!

I sure missed the mountains while we were gone.

2. The kids and I went to the Bolder Boulder with my parents on Monday morning. I was up bright and early - as early as a school day! What! During summer break! We first had to stop at our favorite coffee stop - Panera.  Then on to Boulder. I will admit, I always thought the race was called the Boulder Boulder. I really wondered why they couldn't come up with something more creative. I had never been there, never done that, never even saw the "T" shirt before Monday. When I saw the "T" shirt... "I get it!" I was exhilarated just watching the real runners come in for the finish. We stood, clapped, cheered - my first goose bumps of the day. Then the Memorial Day "stuff" - we heard a few short bios of two true American heros - goose bumps again. The plains few over head. Don't ask me what they were. I don't know. They were military plains. They were cool! Then came goose bumps number three. The five paratroopers jumped out of another plain one at a time. The first four flying the flags of each of the branches of the military and the fifth jumper carried a very large American flag all while we listened to Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" over the loud speakers. It was thrilling! There was more. Guess you had to be there. My kids all want to run the Bolder Boulder next year. Guess we better start saving our pennies now.

3. Tuesday spur of the moment fun, we had two of Jordan's friends come over for most of the day. Walked to the park. Had some pizza. Laughed a lot!

4. Wednesday fun at Arbor Lake Park with some awesome friends, and Yea! Church at the park! Yea summer. We stayed after to play and visit till dark.

Kyla made a fun treat.

5. I went out with my mom on Thursday while the kids spent a few hours with their friends who just got back from their vacay. Taylor said, "It has been almost two weeks since we've seen them. That is the longest ever!" She's right. We "babysit" these friends all summer and they go to the same school, we see them almost everyday. They are all like siblings at this point.

6. Yea for friday - family movie night!

7. Saturday was our first experience with the MLS. We went to the Colorado Rapids game. Even Kyla was into it - cheering and singing - but no booing! Also, we experienced our first tailgate party. :) It was a blast! Visiting, fellowshiping, getting better acquainted with some great people... I am all wound up. "I'm too excited to sleep." Oh, you're supposed to say that before you do something fun? Not after? I'm sayin' it can go either way.

All that fun, but I have to tell you the highlight of my week was a walk around the neighborhood just Taylor and I. She is growing up so fast, y'all. I wish I was better at savoring the moments. Why do the dishes always seem so important?

So I think this blog may sometimes be the way I save my memories. Hope you don't mind reading about them.

My man who worked everyday and every night this week at home, on his routes and mowing lawns. 

Blessings

This song has been going through my head for the past few days. Just thought I'd share.

I feel like this is a very appropriate song to pair with my current study of Job which has already been a huge blessing to me. Funny that the preface of the book spoke of my initial feelings on studying Job as a common yet wrong school of thought.

Not the first time this has happened, but as I read through this book, Grace For Every Trial, it seems like the author, Betty Henderson, is speaking directly to me addressing my own thoughts, fears, concerns and confirming and strengthening my belief, faith and trust in God.

I've not gotten very far in my study. I'm taking it slow and really trying to soak it all in.

I, like many others, do enjoy listening to music throughout the day that goes along with my current devotion. Doing so keeps me focused and enhances my learning. Do you have a piece to suggest? Please share.

Duped or Directed

I have never had a desire to be like Job. From a completely human perspective, if I were to prove myself like Job I would have to endure some pretty devastating and tragic events. I ask God's protection almost daily from these sort of things in my life. If I were to experience a life like Job's I am not even slightly confident that I would do so with the same grace and faith that Job exhibited. It may be because of my lack of desire to ever have the "opportunity" to prove myself a Job that I have never studied Job on my own. Sure, I've been a part of Job studies in church and such, but never of my own choosing.

Just recently I was drawn to a book because I liked the cover. Strange reason to purchase a Bible study, I know, but I liked the picture none-the-less. The image on the front of this book that I found so enticing as to make an impulse purchase was a butterfly. The significance of the butterfly to me is another story for another day.

For those of you who may be questioning my judgement in choosing a Bible study book based upon the front cover alone, let me assure you I got it from a very trusted source. I didn't need to read a portion of the book or the back cover or find out about the author. I knew that had already been done for me.

It was only after getting the book home that I even read the title, "Grace." "That sounds nice," I thought. "I would like to be more graceful (haha)." I am kind of a klutz. Oh, no, that's not what that means?  Just kidding. :)

Then I opened the book to the beginning and found "Lesson One My Searvant Job." I immediately closed the book, took a second look at the front. The whole title was "Grace for Every Trial." "Tricky," I thought. "It doesn't say Job anywhere on the front."

Why not study Job? Do any of you have this conflict? Have you ever said or heard it said, "Don't ever pray for patience."? Generally the thought is that God doesn't just hand out patience. Patience has to be learned, and how do we thick-headed human beings learn? Usually the hard way, right!? So therefore praying for patience is the same as asking for a trial.

Well, for me the idea of studying Job always intimidated me as if the process would bring on tragedy quite the same way that praying for patience would bring on a trial. Am I the only one who thinks this way? I don't think I am.

It has been a month or two since I bought this book. The cover is not quite as enticing to me anymore, but I have a weird thing about books. After I buy them they "haunt" me till I read them. They talk to me (no, not really), saying things like, "Remember how much you spent on me, and yet here I sit collecting dust." Even the books I get for quarters at yard sales bug me, "I'm taking up all this space, still nobody ever picks me up."

Long story short-ish, I am starting this study inside this beautiful cover, and hopefully by the end I will be transformed into something more beautiful -- without too much pain.

talking about teachable moments

A few months ago my kids and I were in the car on the way home from school enjoying some very yummy Dove chocolates. If you've had some lately you may have noticed there are quotes on the inside of the wrappers. We were reading our wrappers to each other. I remember my foil read, "Always follow your heart." I was bothered by this and the realization that we hear this a lot in our society. In fact I just heard it on a TV show the other night. A young girl was telling about the night her dad passed away. She said she was with him in his last moments. His last words to her were, "Always follow your heart."

While reading my wrapper I was reminded of a few Bible verses, and I asked my kiddos what they thought the Bible had to say about this "advice." We then discussed these verses. 

Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

Matthew 15:18,19 "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:"

And Proverbs 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."


Matthew 4:19 "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."


Matthew 16:24 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

After a very neat chat I asked them what they thought the correct advice would be. It was unanimous  "Always follow Jesus." 

I hope I never forget those sweet moments in the car.