Birthdays

Earlier, in the later part of August (is that grammatically correct? Did I spell grammatically correctly?) I got to tag along with my sister, my niece, and her friends, while they celebrated my niece's 12th Birthday out on the town. We went to the movie:

It had been years since I had watched a movie in 3-D!! Very neat!!

And then we went to dinner at Abuelos's:

My niece Rachel in the middle with her 2 friends. Amazingly all 3 girls were 12!!! The size difference just cracked me up all evening long!

My sister, Jennifer, and I:

We celebrated Jesse's 1st Birthday at his house with his parents this past Saturday. He has really grown!!

I thought they picked out a really cute cake!

Jesse sure seemed to enjoy the cake too!

Bryan and I are going down to Ada this coming weekend and will miss my nephew's 3 Year Old Birthday party so we took Jackson, his mom, and my parents to Chuck E Cheese Tuesday night. I had not been to Chuck E Cheese since I was 5!!! Jackson seemed to really like it. I'm so thankful we got the minimum number of tokens in a package. It took Jackson forever to "spend" the tokens. He was just so engrossed in watching everyone else.

Does anyone else have a birthday I need to attend !!!!

For Such a Time As This

Near the end of August I attended the Women's Conference at Emmaus with the theme of "For Such A Time as This." As always (it seems like for the past several months), I'm behind on blogging about it.

The decorations on the tables. I thought they were cute and went well with the theme.







One of the ladies made this wood cut out. I thought "she" was darling!!

Some of my friends led the group of ladies in Worship.

Amber Ivy, Amy Hillis, Julie Fletcher, and Betsy Vaughn on the keyboard (you can't see her).

I wanted to get a picture of them leading worship but I was afraid it would be too distracting. Instead I had them pose while they were practicing. Also pictured is Emmaus's Worship Minister, Joe Kellogg. He was one of a few men present at the conference. No wonder he made this pose!! :-)

The ladies did a great job. Sometimes I am so easily distracted with what is going on around me. But on this night, I closed my eyes or focused on the screen. I was able to truly worship and sing to my God. I appreciate them leading. The only thing....I feel bad for the folks in front of me since I am tone death (according to Bryan) and I know I must have sounded awful!! Music can be so soothing to me. I just wished I was talented enough to make a soothing noise!!

In one breakout session, a sweet godly woman whom I love and admire, Earlene Mays, shared this acronym:

P-R-A-I-S-E

P=Pray at all times Colossians 4:2 Jeremiah 33:3

R=Read the Word

A=Adore Him Psalm 37:4

I=Inspect your life. Confess sin

S=Surrender & Serve

E=Endure & Encourage

It amazes me how God can "speak" to each of us in different ways. I attended my friend Erin Anderson's breakout session on motherhood called "Timeout for Moms"; thinking I would use some of her insights at a later time when I am a mother. Erin shared Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Erin shared how some translations read "Cease striving." I'm sure this verse spoke to several women from the mothering perspective. But it spoke to me in such a different way. Bryan and I are in the midst of several important decisions. This verse has shown me that perhaps God is moving me into a position which will cause me to cease striving regardless of what I may want for myself. I think sometimes God will purposefully put us into a situation to bring us to a point of learning and closeness to Him. He removes "stuff" from our lives in order to hear Him and know Him more.

Erin is a great mother of 3 handsome boys and a huge example for me to look up to. She has the sweetest, gentlest countenance and she is so sensitive to the Holy Spirit. I was able to get a quick picture of her in motion before she started.

Erin is my friend who also opens up her home to ladies and mothers one Thursday night a month. She is so giving! In fact we have Ladies Night this very Thursday!! I am looking forward to it.

Count It All Joy

I mentioned previously 2 of my friends and I are reading the book of James during August. A mutual friend of ours suggested we select one book and read it for a month. This helps get God's word rooted deep into your heart and mind; lets it soak in. At the beginning of the month, I would read the 5 chapters everyday and now as the month has progressed, I've focused on 1 chapter a week. Unfortunately, I'm still stuck on chapter 1. I have to kick it in gear to finish the book by September!!! There's just so much detail!!!

I wanted to share this excerpt from John MacArthur's commentary on James 1:2:

"Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (worketh patience)." James 1:2-3

"The more we rejoice in our testings, the more we realize that they are not liabilities but privileges, ultimately beneficial and not harmful, no matter how destructive and painful the immediate experience of them might appear. When we face trials with the attitude that James admonishes, we discover that the greatest part of the joy is drawing closer to the Lord-the Source of all joy- by becoming more sensitive to His presence, His goodness, His love, and His grace. Our prayer life increases, as does our interest in and study of the Word, and in each of those ways our joy increases all the more." (page 21-22) (emphasis of mine added in bold)

I had to post this because this describes in many ways how I have felt not having a child. I have said and hope to always say, if it meant going through infertility and not having a biological child of our own, in order to draw me close to God, to experience Him and His Word, than I am grateful. It is a privilege to walk through a trial in order to comfort those who are in the middle. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4..."who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction." God has given me that opportunity this year. At times, Bryan and I are in the midst of a trial. But in other times, we have walked through part of our trial and we can comfort those who are behind us on that road.

Count It All Joy, My Friends!!!

I tried and tried to find a video of "Count It All Joy" with Shannon Wexelberg. But I could not find a decent one. If you know of one, would you comment or send me an email.

If you can, listen to this version of "Count It All Joy" with Charles Billingsley, Scott Krippayne, & Shannon Wexelberg on iTunes.

The B-I-B-L-E

YES THAT'S THE BOOK FOR ME!!!

I recently purchased a new Bible. I love a new Bible and especially this one. It is WIDE MARGIN which is excellent for note taking and journalling. I love to write notes or date references or explanations next to verses. I had been wanting a wide margin bible for a long time. Over the past few weeks, I've been working in my new Bible and getting some notes in. There is also a section to index additional notes you wish to take down.

Myself and 2 of my girlfriends have committed to reading/studying the book of James the month of August. So my next favorite new purchase is this:

I had no idea I would like to read a commentary as much as John MacArthur's commentary on James. I told Bryan I could read this like I would a fiction book. It is not boring at all. And, it is completely fascinating and enlightening. I would recommend his commentary to anyone. Gaining knowledge into God's wonderful word is so exciting to me. I'm so grateful for this opportunity in my life where I can learn His word and I hope I can make good use of my time in study. Bryan and I hope to have the whole set of commentaries from John MacArthur.

I had debated on buying a MacArthur study bible, but after getting my wide margin and using the commentary, plus listening to sermons from here, I've just about turned my new bible into the MacArthur study bible!!

My last two Bible study tools:

I love to write in blue ink in my Bible and this pen does not bleed through the pages. The highlighter is almost like a crayon and doesn't bleed through either.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

What are some of the things you do in your Bible study?

Share with me some of the times you have experienced God's word come alive in your life.

Summer Time !!!!!

Here are some words that could describe my last 2 months....

B-U-S-Y

LIFE CHANGING

B-U-S-Y

EMOTIONAL

B-U-S-Y

DIVING DEEPER INTO GOD'S WORD THAN I HAVE IN A LONG TIME

B-U-S-Y

DECISION MAKING

B-U-S-Y

DYING TO THE FLESH

B-U-S-Y

TOTALLY DEPENDING ON GOD

B-U-S-Y
GRATEFUL FOR GOD'S WRITTEN WORD TO GUIDE BRYAN AND I SO CLEARLY

Can I be honest....Events, decisions, and commitments over the past 2 months have outweighed spending time blogging. There are several "things" that should not be blogged about. And there are some things that should not be discussed on the world wide web. And I am there now. So as my boss would say..."In a nutshell" maybe these pictures will help catch you and myself up with what we have done since June. And then, I can get back to shorter posts and eventually catching up with all of my friends in blog land!! I have missed you and I have thought of you. I hope my absence has not caused me to loose some of you. I'm hoping I can pick up where I left off.
But I have to tell you...I'm trying to keep my priorities more in line with the convictions I have experienced the past 3-4 months.

Here goes the catch ups to end all catch ups!!

Fourth of July in Ada

Bryan and I eating fried food from Butler's in Ada!!! We miss the hot bar, but our stomachs, thighs, and other body parts do not!! :-)

Visiting 1 Night at Falls Creek Church Camp

Nathan Isaac Young's 1st Falls Creek Experience

Swimming with the Gortons

Swimming with Jesse & Katie

Cooking Steaks for our Friends

Bryan is a mean grillin machine

Cutting Down the Tree in Our Front Yard

We've decided to stay "planted" where we are at for now. We are not selling the house.

Puttin' Up Corn

I felt countryfide!!!

Our friend Dustin Whitmore (he's single) and Bryan shuckin'

Spending an evening and into the early morning hours with my F.A.M.

Friends and Moms

Carla Young and Freddi Booth

Spending time with this little man and visiting with his parents

Nathan Isaac Young

My Cousin Eric's Homecoming from Kuwait

Eric made it to Oklahoma on Monday and then on Saturday we had a Welcome Home Party at our house and had over 30 people in our little house. I've decided when someone asks what they can bring my response will be "How about a 1ooo more square feet!!"
Sometimes I pretend Jesse & Katie are mine and Bryan's!! Shhhh!! Don't tell the others!! :-)

Bryan and Jesse "resting" after the entertaining!

My Cousin Scott & His Family Visiting from Arkansas

Scott and his wife Becky have 2 children; Sarah Beth & Brandon Scott.



I watched Jesse for a couple of hours while the guys went and hit some golf balls. This is the picture of the cousins. Cutie putooties!!



We ate at Jake's Ribs in Chickasha. Scott had not eaten there in probably 12-15 years!!

We took them on a tour of OU and Owen Field. They are huge Sooner fans and I think they loved it.

Redhawks game with my work

My boss Judy and grandchildren, Ava & Stella. You may recognize them as my sweet little friends.

My niece turned 16!!! What????!!!!



The girl can cut some cake!!

My grandma is visiting from Oregon and we got to see her at my sister's house. Grandma is moving to Austin, Texas! Yippee!!! That is so much closer for us. Sad that it is the Longhorn capital! Boomer Sooner!!
I hope to catch up with you soon!!!