simply grateful

We are so excited that there are signs of spring around us! Little buds are starting to come out on the trees....the grass is starting to grow again...and occasional warm days are helping us to get out of the house. The kids love being outside. This is a picture of them on the porch sharing the rocking chair. Elijah is saying, "aaaahhh" and Makayla is obviously amused.

I cannot believe how fast time flies. Here we are with Karissa already 2 months old! She is smiling and starting to try to "talk" with sweet little coos. The toddlers are doing well too. Makayla has been working really hard at going potty like a big girl! She is just almost there. (This photo is for Uncle Paul...both kids love this hat. We have momentarily lost our Sweetie Pie hat) Elijah, poor kid, has just been fighting off a cold this week. But he has also been working on talking...a lot. We just don't understand many of his words yet. He is such a great cheerleader for Makayla.

Their nets were already washed after a night of unsuccessful fishing. Probably ready to head home and get some shut-eye, this man named Jesus crashed their plans. “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch,” he told Simon. Simon’s response does little to disguise his doubt (and probably frustration!), “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Can’t you just sense his frustration? Let’s size up the situation. First, by trade he was a fisherman and Jesus was not. Second, he had fished all night and not caught a thing. (Which is enough to frustrate any fisherman) Third, he had taken the time and cleaned the nets, the same nets Jesus now wanted him to get dirty again… which would mean he would have to clean them again. Finally, he was heading to the bed! He had fished all night and now it was time to sleep! Despite all of the above, he was obedient and his obedience was rewarded. They ca...

Maybe it was because it was relatively simple. Maybe it was because it gave me hope. Maybe it was just the tune… but for some reason I have always enjoyed the hymn, We are standing on Holy Ground. As I think back to my earlier days in the faith I recall singing this hymn and a sense of peace coming over me. A sense of hope. A sense of “rightness”. (is that even a word?) And I believe it was mainly for this one reason; for those few moments singing the song, I sensed the presence of God. It’s interesting to think about. Was God any less there the five or ten minutes before we sang that song? Did God, sitting on his throne in heaven, hear our voices and decide to come down and join us? Was there something in the song that obligated Him to make an appearance? I don’t think so. What that song did was bring me to the realization of the presence of God. Like a ringing alarm clock brings us back to reality from our slumber, this song woke me to His presence. It is not that He arrived, it was ...

We cannot believe out little Karissa is already one month old. She is doing very well. She is growing so much and starting to smile. We are all very busy, but very happy as well. Last week, I turned in my resignation for my teaching position. I am now going to be a stay-at-home mommy! Even though I am o verwhelmed at times, I thoroughly enjoy being home with them all. I feel like I am getting to know Makayla and Elijah better by just being around them. You can pray for time management...and creativity. We are praising God that He has provided for us in a way that staying home is an option for our family...

My sweet husband is phenomenal. Truly. He is so gifted and so giving that I am humbled that he chose me...He is an amazing, romantic husband, a tremendous father...and a hottie. He is also my favorite writer...really. I cannot read something that he has written and step away unchanged...or unchallenged. I wanted to share one of his recent articles because I enjoyed it so much... Holiness by David Last week I had an opportunity to do something I have not been able to in quite some time. I took a day just to spend with the Lord. I left Rock Hill and spent the day away from e-mails, phones, text messages and the internet. I read the Bible, prayed, read some more and prayed some more. It was refreshing to say the least. While there was much that God spoke to me about that day, there was one thing that really became the theme for the day, the holiness of God. It spoke to me on two fronts. The first was just the unadulterated holiness of God. I found myself reading from Isaiah’s vision in Ch...