Easter 2008

We had a wonderful Easter celebrating the empty cross.

Mark 16:6

6"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.

Me and my brother Chris at Mom's.

The kids are getting so big! Khloe did not want a dress with flowers or frills this year. As you can see I talked her into it, but I fear this may be my last year of frilly dresses!

Enjoying the 1lb chocolate bunny that the Easter Bunny brought.

Daily Devotion

I am very much a worrier. I worry all of the time that something bad could happen to one of my children. This two day devotional really spoke to my heart, and I wanted to share it.

God Can Handle Even My Greatest Fears, Part One
Lysa TerKeurst

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

Devotion:
Last week my sister called to tell me that she'd gotten an urgent call from the school nurse. The bad news - her son had gotten choked on a piece of apple. The great news- the nurse was able to successfully do the Heimlich maneuver and he was going to be fine.I must admit, instantly when I heard the word "choked" my heart seized and my pulse started to race. Even when I heard that my nephew was going to be fine, it still took my heart a while to calm down. You see, I know sometimes these stories don't end with, "and he's going to be fine."When I was 18 years old, my baby sister tragically died after having surgery. Before the surgery, everyone thought she would be fine. Even the doctors were shocked by what happened. Do you ever fear something happening to one of your children? For most moms, this is their greatest fear. You see your teenage son drive away from your home and fear grabs your heart. You hear of another child getting diagnosed with cancer and you start asking the "what if" questions. You watch the news reports on a child that has been abducted and you hold yours just a little tighter that night. You know that children die every day from drowning, accidents, and choking and it can make you feel helpless and overly controlling all at the same time. Having 5 children, I know these fears well. I know their paralyzing affects. I know how it can make you want to just tuck your kids under your wing and never let them leave your side. But I also know that this is not how God wants us to handle our fears. And I know it would not be healthy for my kids to never be able to spread their own wings and fly.So, I pray. I read God's truths. I verbalize my trust in Him. And I make the choice to walk in assurance.

In tomorrow's devotion I'll expand on each of these steps.
For now, think on that key verse from 2 Timothy 1:7. God does not want us to be held captive by a spirit of debilitating fear. We must believe that with God we have the power to deal with anything life brings our way. We must cling to the reality that God loves us and He loves those that we love. God is a merciful God who keeps our best interest in mind. We can put our runaway minds at ease when we are grounded in God's truths. The more truth we fill our minds with, the more sound our minds become. Then we can make wise decisions where our kids are concerned not from a worrisome place of fear but rather a wise mindset of complete trust in God.

Dear Lord, help me know You are good even when circumstances are not. Help my unbelief. Help me to make the choice to live fully trusting You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Lysa's Blog today for more on how to handle our fears

Order Lysa's CD message on this topic, "Fear-LESS, Thank-FULL."

Who Holds the Key to Your Heart by Lysa TerKeurst

Application Steps: List your greatest fear(s). How has fearing that affected your choices and behaviors?
Reflections: How you would you live differently if you were able to fully release thatfear to God?

Power Verses:
1 Peter 5:7, "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (NIV)

1 John 4:18, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (NIV)


God Can Handle Even My Greatest Fears, Part 2
Lysa TerKeurst

"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."
Matthew 18:10 (NIV)
Devotion:
Do you ever fear something happening to one of your children? I think most of us moms do. I have learned to make a choice to get intentional when I feel fear creeping into my heart. I pray. I read God's truths. I verbalize my trust in Him. And I make the choice to walk in assurance.
Does it mean that nothing bad will ever happen to my children? No. Does it mean that my heart can finally find peace past the fears that could consume me? Yes.The next time you find yourself being pulled into fear, try these steps:Pray -We should pray honestly to God telling Him what we are afraid of and asking Him to help us not live in this fear. I ask Him for His protection over whatever I fear. But I also ask God to fill my heart with the rich blessing of His perspective so that no matter what, I will be reassured. Read God's Truths -
Matthew 18:10 is a really amazing verse: "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. Do children really have guardian angels? I was always hesitant to think this because it seemed mystical and new age-ish. But here it is in God's Word! Not only do my children have a guardian angel that has direct access to God but because I am a child of God, I must have one as well! Think about this for a minute. God has assigned an angel to guard over our children and us every minute of every day. And there is never a second where God does not know what is going on with us. Knowing this, we are ready for what we must do next.Verbalize My Trust in Him -
Isaiah 54:10 (written below) reminds us that God's love is too pure not to have our best interest in mind. Pause for a minute and let's state that profound truth again. God's love for my children, my husband, my family, my friends, and me is too pure not to have our best interest in mind. If I really believed this with all my heart, I could completely trust God.That's how we can process the fact that bad things sometimes do happen and still trust. I think we struggle at not fully trusting God because we know the realities of this world. Parents trust God and children still go missing, choke, get cancer, and die in car accidents. This is hard to reconcile apart from understanding God's love. God's love is complete and able to transcend the here and now. God sees an eternal picture that we'll never understand on this side of eternity. God is all-knowing and fully compassionate. Therefore, we can trust that even when the outcome seems tragic to us, it is still in the best interest of the one He loves. I'm convinced He allows one thing, to save that person from that which is so much worse.
Knowing this, I can say aloud, "God You are bigger than my fears. And no matter what I will continue to trust You and Your perfect plan. Therefore I make the choice to reject the paralyzing feeling of fear so I can walk confidently in the truth of Your assurance."Walk in Assurance -
When I look back on a tragedy my family faced, I can now trace God's goodness through it. And amazingly, it is well with my soul. Through it all God has brought me to a sweet place of intimacy with Jesus that I would not want to trade. Though the circumstances of my childhood were rotten, God's plan throughout my childhood was good and perfect. I see that now and my trust in Him grows stronger still.I can now face every one of my fears with a newfound confidence. While I can't control the events of my life, I can rest assured in God's amazing love for me and my loved ones. So even when I face times I don't understand His hand, I can always trust His heart.

Dear Lord, help me find that peaceful trust in You. Assure me of Your love. Reveal Your goodness in every situation. Give me just enough wisdom to process all that I must face and just enough perspective to keep my mind fixed on You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Lysa's Blog for more encouragement on finding peace past our fears

Order Lysa's CD message on this topic, "Fear-LESS, Thank-FULL."

What Happens When Women Walk in Faith by Lysa TerKeurst

Application Steps:
Go through the Bible and write out verses where God talks about His love for His people. Write in your name and the names of those you love. Believe theses verses as absolute truths that transform our thinking and solidify our trust in God.

Reflections:
Think back on God's hand of faithfulness in your life. Write out some ways that God has brought good even out of very hard situations. How have you grown closer to the Lord through these times?

Power Verses:
Psalm 36:5, "Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies." (NIV)

Isaiah 54:10, "'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,' says the LORD, who has compassion on you." (NIV)

My Baby is growing up!!

Before
After

My baby has lost his first and second tooth!! Oh it is so sad!! He is growing up!!

So long friend...

Some memories of my friend Trish...

Laughing with friends.
Our girls at our American Girl outing.

New Years Eve 2006.
All of us!!
Trish and Duane were part of our re-comittment ceremony.

They were one of 6 couples the took a vow to pray for us, counsel us and hold us accountable.
This is one of my favorite memories of Trish!!
Having fun at the Chocolate Botique.Above is a picture of me and my friends Trish and Becky from New Years Eve 2007. I am so sad that tomorrow my friend Trish will be moving away, far away. I have grown very close to her since coming to Delavan and joining Delavan Baptist Church. She and her family were a constant in our church. You could always count on them to be at every function! They were always in church, always at fellowships and volunteered a lot of their time. So over the past 5 years, we have all grown close to their family. Her husband and Rich have formed a friendship through a men's ministry and through church. Khloe and her daughter have also become friends. We are all so sad to see them go. I was driving into town today after work and I hoped not to see a moving truck in front of their house. If it was there, then it would make this all real. Sure enough, once I passed by their house, the truck was out front. I was able to see Trish one last time at the school. We hugged good-bye, I was a bit glad that I was at the school and had to keep it together!

One thing will not change, we will continue to be friends. I know that Trish prays for me continually, and I will continue to pray for her too. We will keep in touch through e-mail, IM and the phone. I am sad to see her go, but excited for her new opportunity in Ohio. I pray that they will have a safe trip, and then live happily ever after!

So long good friend. Be safe, be happy and enjoy your new adventure!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

The cake says "You're not just a Guitar Hero, you're our hero!"
Happy 34th birthday to my Richard!

Best Friends

Drew and Khloe have a very close brother/sister relationship. Sure they fight, and they would never admit it, but they truly are best friends. This is what I found one night while going in to check on them...

Vacation pics

This should take you to all of the pics. i will write more when I have a bit of time! I hop eone of these works, you will have to copy and paste because I can't figure out how to post a link.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZNGLRk2buGLpw

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZNGLRk2buGLpw&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

O Christmas Tree, again this year

Us in front of the tree before it was cut down.

Drew cut the tree this year! He was so proud!
Khloe
Drew hanging all of his ornaments on the same branch!

This is so cute, it is probably the last year he will do this!
Kait hanging the rudloph nose.
The finished product!

Christmas Program

The kids had their christmas program tonight. Here are several pictures to share. http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZNGLRk2buGLnI&emid=sharview&linkid=link5

Here are just a few...

My pride, my joy, my life.

I cannot believe how much they grow. I will have to try and do a blog entry with a Christmas Picture from in front of the tree for each year that has passed.

It is amazing how quickly time goes by.

My Drew bird, my Moochie Head. Oh what this boy has taught me about having a son! He still likes to snuggle, he still lets me rub his head and give him kisses. He is an excellent reader. He loves to create and explore. He loves Jesus. He has his first loose tooth. I will be sad when it falls out. He loves his Mama and his Dad, and will use “who’s baby are you” to his best advantage! He is not so much a baby anymore. He likes for mom to have a happy face and does not like to disappoint me. I think he will always be a mama’s boy.
My Khloe girl. She made banana bread last month all by herself! She wants to be a Mommy. She is going to make someone a wonderful wife and mother. She is so affectionate and will smother you with cuddles. She has beautiful eyes that she got from Rich's mom that passed away when he was 18. She has a wonderful laugh, and when she laughs, those eyes sparkle. She has just started piano lessens. I cannot believe how grown up she looks in this picture!

My Kait who is so smart and driven and independent. She has a bright future in front of her. She is so much like me it is sometimes painful! She is beautiful, she is funny, she loves to sing, she loves animals she loves American Girl Dolls (at 10!! I am so thankful she is still playing with dolls!). She plays the piano and the clarinet. I think that someday, we will be best friends.
Kaitlyn playing piano durring the opening of the Christmas Program at school tonight.
Khloe had her first lessen this month. She also performed tonight at the opening of the Christmas Program. She did a wonderful job!
This program is K-4th grade. Here is the finale.

American Girl Trip

The girls and I took a trip up to Chicago to the American Girl Store. Each girl got to invite a friend. Kaitlyn took Cali Jo and Khloe invited Makayla. Makayla's mom Trish came along and so did Grandma Penny!

Here are our girls at Ed Debevics.

The waitress did not like American Girl dolls and made them sit at their own table!!

The beautiful windows at AGP.

All of the American Girls in their holiday dresses.

Khloe & Addy, Cali Jo & Marisol and Julie, Kaitlyn & Julie and Felicity, Makayla & Julie

Our girls getting ready to go in to see "An American Girl Holiday".
These are the actresses from the play.
We sure had fun!!
Is there any room for the girls??

A cozy home!

I was so excited to have an Interior Designer come and visit this weekend! She takes things that you already have and changes it into something wonderfully new! She helps with room arrangements and placement. Here is what she did in the living room. I wish I would have taken before pictures! You should be able to click on the pictures to enlarge them a bit.

This is my favorite thing that she did.

It's my favorite little spot!

She took this out of the dining room.

It looks so great in here!

I have struggled with this room for 5 years not knowing where to put the furniture!
It looks so great the way she has arranged it!

This picture came out kinda fuzzy, but she had me put all of my books up

above the mirror. I love how this looks!

Books are one of my favorite things

and it is great to have them on display!

She said that you should display things that reflect your personality and/or passion.

After much struggle, she finally talked me into taking down the border.I loved that border, but she explained how it takes the focus away from the wood.There really is a big difference!
Here is what she did in the family room. I sold ALOT of my Americana things on E-Bay last week, and so we tried to simplify things in here. I am sooooo pleased with the end result! I can't wait to have her back in January to work on a few more rooms!

First Day of School

I simply cannot believe that Kait started 5th grade this year!!! Oh my goodness it seems like yesterday when I was in 5th grade! I remember it was a big year for me. The year when it started to matter where you bought your clothes, the year you started to notice boys and if they were cute! The year it mattered who your friends were! I can't believe my baby is in 5th grade!! Khloe entered the 3rd grade this year. Her last year before school actually gets hard. Drew is the "helper" for Kindergarten this year. We knew going into Kindergarten last year that he would most likely do it twice, and at the end of the year we all felt that it would be in his best interest to repeat the year. I am happy with the decision. He is a smart boy and can read whole books, but he just has trouble sitting and listening. He has a hard time concentrating in class and I think a year is going to make a big difference for him. I would so rather have him at the top of his class rather than always trying to keep up. The had a good first few weeks and then a week off for vacation. Now tomorrow is back to school all over again!