flying is not about wings...

For some reason this song really touched me today. I feel confident in saying that this has got to be one of the best songs I've heard in a while. It's a simple song with simple lyrics...but wow!! At present, "Not About Wings" is the very last song on my playlist (at the bottom of my blog page). Click to choose to play this song, and follow along the lyrics I've copied below. I get goosebumps - don't you!?!? It's amazing to think of all the different meanings this song can have for you and/or your family. What you've been through, decisions you've made, your personal weaknesses, your shortcomings, your imperfections, just where God has taken you on this journey called LIFE. Please listen and think about what it means to you...

Not About Wings - Downhere

Wake dove, stretch your feathers,

Worry not love, how far you could fall.

Fly now, darling find how;

A broken wing can be the best to soar on.

It's not the perch you've climbed to reach,
But the broken wing that's made you meek;
that's when He lifts you high.

Chorus:
Believing is not about seeing,
Faith is not about reaching,
and on this journey I keep learning,
Flying is not
Flying is not
Flying is not about wings.

Sparrow trapped by a window,
every resource spent for just one goal.

It's not by work you find your escape,
but in your defeat when you seek his face;
that's when He lifts you high.

Fabulous Fall Train Ride

mountains we climb

I've come to realize that a "mountain" one family climbs may not be even a "hill" to another family. We have been struggling for a while now with a big decision that needs to be made. For some families, this decision would be a no-brainer - in either direction. For us, I think we might have a clear answer just sitting in our laps...but we'll have to see. What's the saying? Only time will tell! And so is the case with this situation...only time will tell. None-the-less, I found a recent kids activity (an inflatable mountain of all things!) fitting for our family and the big "mountain" we are dealing with and struggling over right now. What fun to climb!

SOME MORE FUN PICTURES - that have nothing to do with climbing mountains :)

I feel like I have to explain...but we ARE attempting to grow the girls bangs out...so if you see pictures of them and their hair is totally in their face and looking scraggly - that's why...it's not b/c I don't try to keep their hair back - it just keeps falling down...tee hee! :)

WHOA!!! BIG BUMP!!

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."Proverbs 16:9

Escape...(& the pina colada song)

Ms. P enjoying a day of playing on the slip & slide (with Charlie who slides with her)...

Pizza #1 in the making...

Pizza #2 in the making...



Pizza #3 in the making...

TA DA!!! 3 finished pizzas...

2 finished dessert pizzas - yum!

The kids picked the ingredients for these: butter, cinnamon/sugar, jam, cereal...I never tried a piece...but the kids gobbled it up! Must have been a good kid-friendly flavor combination!

After an afternoon of swimming, we did homemade pizzas tonight (as we do on most Sunday nights) and it was GREAT! Bought some fun and unique cheeses for our cheese pizza...used turkey meatballs for our "sausage" pizza...and had an all-veggie option, too - YUM!! The kids did their own mini-pizzas this time - like they like to do at a local restaurant that they love so much. So, we set up a mini-pizza station for them, too, so they could use their new kid-sized dough. Normally they help make the "big pizzas" - but this time they got to make their own mini ones, too! We ended up making "dessert pizzas" with the extra mini doughs.

I also made a big batch of pina coladas tonight for everyone and that sparked up a conversation about "the pina colada song" (the real name of the song is "Escape" - by Rupert Holmes). I think that is such a cute, cute song - so I added it to the music on my blog. So we enjoyed homemade pizza, salad (from the garden), and the kids had their dessert pizza - and tried to figure out the lyrics of Escape while sipping our pina coladas...here was the Question: in the song lyrics, did the girlfriend write the classified ad or did the boyfriend? (A: the girlfriend wrote the original classified...the boyfriend responded to the ad)

Fun fun!!

a new beginning

Sometimes in life, you need a break from something that you know is good and something you enjoy, but you just need a change-up for a while. Something to stir up inside you what you need to figure out. Time to decide what is important and what's not. We are at that place in life, once again. We visited this "place" one year ago, and now we're back.

We aren't quite sure where we'll go from here...we're thinking that we'll head back to our "roots" so to speak - back to the church sweet hubby & I have attended off and on between newborns, sick kids, life's happenings, and etc - since 1995. It's a church that reminds me of who I want to be, who I was in the past, and of who the 2 of us were before we had kids...not sure if that's where we'll end up in the long run, but it's a good start for now.

We did need a change-up for a bit...we gave it our all...we were really involved at another church, met some incredible people, our kids had a blast, but we're so excited to be heading back to something a bit more familiar and closer to our hearts. Summer will be the perfect time to transition, hang out with the kids, get into a new groove during the warmer months...and soaking up some of the stuff we've missed. Life is good.

I love how God brings you around...even when YOU think you need a change-up (and maybe you really do)...He grants you that time - if for no other reason, just to show you that what you had was what He wanted for you all along.

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Romans 8:28

6 kinds of conscience

From church this weekend. We all exhibit at least one (if not more) of these kinds of conscience.
("you" means you, pl.)

1) Weak or Over-Developed Conscience (also called "religious" conscience):
You feel guilty all the time. You have a list of rules that are impossible to keep. You think that following rules means you are more spiritual and/or better than others who don't follow your list of rules. Romans 14:1-6

2) Mis-Guided Conscience: You wholly believe things that aren't true and don't feel bad at all. You've got things all backwards in your head. You have no conscience. Romans 14: 1-6

3) Defiled Conscience: Your heart has become calloused, seared and has no feeling. You have lost your confidence in God because you've done what's wrong so many times that you just don't feel bad anymore. 1 Tim. 4:2

4) Cleared Conscience: You feel as though you have had a huge weight lifted off your shoulders. We collect guilt all throughout our life. With a cleared conscience, we let God take all of that guilt off, the weight of guilt is gone.

5) Cleansed Conscience: This world stains our heart. Our conscience needs to be freed and cleansed by Jesus. We are cleansed by God's blood. All of our smudge-marks have been washed off. Heb. 9:9-14

6) Fully Developed Conscience: When your conscience has been trained by the word of God to know what's right and what's wrong. Our conscience is only trustworthy when it's been shaped by the word of God. Romans 12:15

don't go through life without "buddies"

Today we went to a funeral...I have not been to many funerals, but I can only hope they are all as beautiful as this one! This was definitely a celebration of new life. The man who passed has suffered from M.S. for 40 years and today would have been his 65th birthday. I am so excited that he has a NEW body and a health in heaven that none of us can even come close to imagining! Of course this makes it no easier on those left behind...my prayers and thoughts are with you all.

My favorite part of the service today was hearing from his "buddies". As one of them put it, we all have "friends" in life - but everyone definitely needs some people we call "buddies". There is a difference. Four of Jim's closest buddies each got up and spoke about his life and their time with him and it was so incredible! I was so blessed hearing from each of them speak. Wow. What great memories they each had with their friend.

I was really touched by one of the 4 men's distinction between friends and buddies, though. What an incredible gift to have your closest "buddies" speak about you and share their favorite memories of you. Not everyone has true "buddies" and it made me realize how important they really are! This concept is paramount and I think much of the world misses out on this gift of friendship. I'm not talking about friendship within your family unit (that is a wonderful gift in itself and not to be taken for granted). I'm talking about close friends whom you have no genetic relation to, but people whom God has placed in your life to fellowship with - to laugh & cry with and share life's good & hard times with. What a gift and what an inspiration these men were - I so enjoyed their sharing! Nobody should be going through this life alone...(ie: without "buddies"!) Get out there and make yourself some "buddies" - sure it takes time and sometimes work to form bonds with other people - but it's SO WORTH IT and the rewards of having "buddies" are overwhelming - this was clearly evident today at Jim's funeral. It was just incredible and I was so priviledged to get to be a part of it.

Nobody wants to start planning their funeral early, but a group of us were talking at lunch this afternoon about how it will be so neat to have "buddies" speak on our behalf at our memorial service! How sad it would be to not have any "buddies" speak at your funeral...we only live on this earth one time - and God has called us to FELLOWSHIP with others. I hope we don't lose sight of the benefits of having friends - or better yet - people we call our "buddies"!

sunday sonshine

A mentor of mine emailed out a great chart - I had to share for my Sunday notes:

You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible
(Luke 18:27)

You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest
(Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you
(John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )

You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient
(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps
(Proverbs 3:5- 6)

You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things
(Philippians 4:13)

You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able
(II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it
(Roman 8:28 )

You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I Forgive you
(I John 1:9! & Romans 8:1)

You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs
(Philippians 4:19)

You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear
(II Timothy 1:7)

You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME
(I Peter 5:7)

You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom
(I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5)

Thanks, LG!

sunday sonshine

We were not able to go sledding this weekend, so we were bummed about that. Sweet Hubby has had a VERY busy week with work-stuff...and this weekend has been no exception, he's been working a lot. But, it's been a good weekend to lay low...Mr. G has a cough that is fine if he's inside, but flares up when he's outside in the cold air, and Ms. P has been fighting something since late Friday. (What was I saying earlier this week about January being the month to get sick?!) I'm waiting for Ms. K to come down with something...she'll probably get what Ms. P has, so I'm expecting by Tuesday she'll have cold-type symptoms of some sort. I *really* want them all to be well by this coming Friday, though, as they are having a fun event this Friday night at church for the elementary-age kids. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for health...they will be bummed if they have to miss it b/c they are sick.

So, this morning, sweet hubby started something new at church. He is now one of the storytellers for the elementary-age kids' worship time. He has to memorize a script and "perform" up on stage. A friend at church has been asking him for quite some time now to do this as she thought he would be great at it. He finally gave in! :) He's been so unusually busy this week with work that he was not able to put in the necessary time to memorize his script, so he was up fairly early this morning trying to get it all memorized. He said for his first time, he thought he did okay. He felt bad he was not able to put more time into memorization during the week...next time should be better! Mr. G & Ms. K LOVED having him be up on stage during worship, though. They thought that was pretty neat! He said that even if nobody else thought he did a good job, at least they did! :)

make 2008 great

Two weeks ago, our pastor gave a sermon on making 2008 great. I took notes and thought I would share them. His message covered some basic concepts, but ones that are so good to remember on a day to day basis. Here is what he said:

1. HUMILITY is the ability to be comfortable in your own skin. To allow others to be who they are and acknowledge that I’m not the center of the universe. I don’t have to be #1.
2. LISTEN TO OTHERS. Listen to the counsel of others and seek out advice. Getting advice is important, there is nothing wrong with asking others for their opinion. Who or what do you learn from? Books, CD’s, the TV, or personal relationships? Make sure you’re getting advice from a credible, God-centered source. Make sure you’re plugged in and regularly fellowshipping with others.
3. SELF-DISCIPLINE. Anything worth doing is worth overdoing?! NO! On the contrary, anything worth doing is worth doing little bits at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself with tasks that are too large – break them down into “bite size” pieces.
4. DO THE "NORMAL STUFF". Do your part around the house. Do the dishes, take out the garbage, vacuum, balance your checkbook, wash your car. Keep it basic, but get it done.
5. WORDS. Watch what you say. Well spoken words bring satisfaction. I loved this quote: “You create your world by the words you say to those around you.” Tell everyone you meet something you like about them. We all hunger for affirmation. For every critique you give, verbalize 20 compliments.
6. BE INDUSTRIOUS. Think! use your brain (both sides!). Don’t be lazy.
7. ACCEPT CORRECTION. Accept those who correct you and truly consider what they say. Allow yourself to be critiqued. Accept correction with a good attitude. Don't get bitter.
8. OVERLOOK OFFENSES. Don’t harbor bitterness towards others.
9. KEEP YOUR TEMPER. People often quickly forget acts of kindness, but they will rarely (if ever) forget someone who loses their temper.
10. THINK AHEAD. An upright man gives thought to his ways.
11. DON’T BLAME your parents. If you didn’t have the best parenting growing up (and who did, honestly?!), and if your childhood bothers you or frustrates you, then (as an adult), take the initiative to “parent yourself” (no matter what your age). By the age of 24, we should be able to recognize areas we are lacking in, weren’t parented in, get help if necessary, and improve upon and take control of our lives and stop blaming our parents. It’s such a basic truth to remember that nobody is perfect – esp. not parents.
12. PARENTS: teach your children 1) how to work hard (live by example!) and 2) that life has consequences. Don’t shelter your children from consequences.
13. EARN all you can (keep 80% max).
14. GIVE all you can (minimum 10%).
15. SAVE all you can (minimum 10%).