Humbled

LET'S GET READY TO BE HUUUUUMMMMBBBLLLEEEDDD!!!

For all of you Mt. Olive folks out there...I am still laughing with you. For all of you who don't know what I am talking out, yesterday was Youth Sunday at church. What a wonderful service. From start to finish it was filled with the love of God, the excitement of the youth and the hit on the head we all needed. I felt like I had traveled back in time and was at a Young Life meeting listening to Tim Teague or David Talley speak. The difference is that it was a high school senior and a college freshman who blew me away and knocked me off my feet.

During the service there was wonderful music, humor in the video, fellowship with the huge crowd we had at church, but most importantly there was not one....but TWO sermons that hit me where it hurt. These young men are more mature in their walk well beyond their years and have the "swagger" (as Dustin said) to lead many many many youth in their direction...just by living the way they already are.

First Bryce spoke. As I hit my snooze this morning I couldn't help but think about this message. It was so hard to wake up this morning... Then I think about how it was just as hard for me to be awake for my walk with Jesus. Bryce made a wonderful point to say that we are not supposed to be comfortable where we are. We are supposed to be striving to BE more and to be DOING more in our walk. If we are set in our place and in our walk, then we are not doing what we are called to be doing. We need to be constantly looking ahead...we need to be constantly wanting more for ourselves...we need to be constantly living for MORE and to DO more for Him. Wow. We all live our lives to find comfort...we all live our lives to be content...we all are conforming to what we think we need to be doing. We are all selling ourselves short. There is so much more for us...there is a new generation of warriors ready to lead.

Then Jonathan spoke. Arms Wide Open...what a wonderful concept. We need to be more loving and accepting. We need to be WANTING people to see God in our face. We need to be WANTING to be the example. We need to be WANTING people to wonder how and why we are so happy in life. Jonathan gave a wonderful illustration through Extreme Home Make Over. When the building is all over and they have brought the people home to see the house they all yell "Busdriver...Move That Bus!" then the camera pans to the owners faces...not the house. We can see how extravagant the house is and how happy and grateful they are from their faces. We don't have to see the house to know. I don't want people to look at me and see a lame house. I want them to look at me and see the mansion God has provided me with.

I knew I would enjoy this service, but I never imagined how much I would receive from it. Not only has it lit a fire under me and helped me see the new path I need to take, it has given me hope for my son's future. God has placed the service for Him in these young men's hearts. Taylor will have people to look up to. Taylor will have good examples to follow. God has set a future for these young men and I am honored to be able to watch it.

Whoa....

Whoa...Where did the time go??

New year...new beginning...time to move on.

2010 is going to be great. I've already decided. The end of 2009 was stressful to say the least, so it's time to move on. Over the course of my life I have had many many broken bones but no surgeries to speak of. I had surgery when I was an infant, but since I don't remember, I don't think that counts :) Now I am less a gallbladder (and VERY happy about it) and been through a D and C (and not as happy about that). I've figured out that I am a VERY light weight regarding anesthesia and if you are upset when you go into surgery, they tend to keep giving you more....haha!

The child who didn't want to talk, now doesn't stop talking. If you ever want to know anything about anything, just ask Taylor. He now talks about everything... Counts everything (in English and in Spanish), tells you what color they are, asks if he is right about what it is, asks you what you think it is and then wants to know why you aren't talking to him or answering any of his questions. We are also potty trained!! Whoo Hoo!! We only sleep in a pull up and we now make it through the day with NO ACCIDENTS! Not as bad as I thought it would be (knock on wood).

While Taylor has moved forward on the talking, we are still battling eating. I know I know...look at the kid...he's growing fine. He has FINALLY learned that he has to at least try what we offer, and usually he does and then follows with "That wasn't so bad!" Then you ask "Do you want more??" and the most polite three year old I know says "No thank you Mommy." Gotta take what you can get :)

I have also started doing embroidery for a local shop in Maryville, Dandy Lions. I LOVE IT. I was blessed enough to have the opportunity to buy an industrial home machine and it is wonderful. I am still working on redoing the examples and the font book, but everyone should send ALL their embroidery and monogramming to Dandy Lions. I am still taking orders from home, but if you live in the Maryville area just drop it off at the store. I pick up Mondays and Thursdays. Still trying to sell my wonderful old machine. Know anyone who would want it, please let me know!

One of my resolutions is to blog more. If it is written down, I am more accountable. If you have already read it, then I have to follow it. So for the handful of folks out there who might still check this site...here we go!