Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The Call Day website is up!

Call Day is less than a week away! We are so excited to learn where Don and all his classmates will be placed. Go to this website to learn everything about Call Day, including the ability to watch the service live. Click on "Watch Streaming Video" to test it. Remember that Don's service (the vicarage service) begins at 3:00 Central Time and the Call service (the fourth year guys getting their first real pastoral assignment) begins at 7:00 Central Time. Let us know if you have any questions or problems. It's almost here!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Making Memories That Matter

This is from an email I received from MOPS International. I needed to share it with all of you and I definitely need to remember it as I go through a busy season of life with my family.

Making Memories that Matter
By Katherine Craddock

Spring is finally here! With this fresh new season comes a flood of memories of the spring before. But as hard as I try, I can’t recall the laundry I folded, the dishes I washed, or even the beloved flowers I spent hours planting last spring.

I remember yelling at my kids for interrupting my email writing, my Facebook time and the season finales of a dozen reality shows that have since slipped from my mind. Those deadlines and projects were so important at the time, but now, like those flowers I planted, they’ve faded away, never to return.

Thankfully, though, I do remember some things that seemed boring and non-urgent. Like the dandelion crown I placed on my daughter’s head and the night we cuddled on a blanket in the backyard and stared at the clouds until the stars came out. And bubbles. Popsicles. Galloping around the yard like a pony. Tackling my boys and playing baseball with them. Slow moments, all of them. Non-urgent moments without deadlines.

There is not one material thing, one worldly accomplishment, even one friendship that I now value more than those precious, fleeting moments with my little girl who’s now in Kindergarten and my boys. For this season of your life, I challenge you: make memories that last. Savor the small. Treasure your time with your babies in your heart, and tear yourself away from the unimportant. You will never, ever regret it.


God, help me slow down once a day to make a memory my whole family will cherish.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter!

Praise God for this beautiful Easter day and for the gift of His Son. We are so incredibly blessed beyond anything we deserve. Thank You Jesus, for loving me enough to die on the cross for everything I've ever done wrong.

Besides celebrating Easter today, we celebrated Bethie's 3rd birthday today! I can't believe we've had the blessing of Bethie in our lives for three whole years. She is such a sweet, kooky, crazy kid.

We spent 3 1/2 hours with friends and neighbors having an Easter picnic while the kids ran around playing (and getting sunburns). When we finally got upstairs the phone rang and it was Don's mom. She said, "Can I use your bathroom?" I tried to figure out what she was talking about and finally realized that she had driven up to surprise us and celebrate Bethie's birthday - how fun! So we have had lots to celebrate today and we hope you have too. Take a minute and thank Jesus for His love for you. God's blessings and Happy Easter!