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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Story of the Day

I like telling stories so I want to incorporate this here on my blog. This is an oldie:

I used to have a nickname. I have a feeling if I ran into this old school mate to this day he'd call me it but I haven't heard it in years. I was 15 and in Driver's Ed. I had told my grandma that I would be getting my driver's permit this particular day and she had determined in her mind to let me drive home when she picked me up. Somehow I was mistaken or something changed and we weren't actually going to get them until the next class. Grandma was sitting in the passenger seat when I came to the van after class let out. She explained that she was going to let me drive because I had gotten my permit. I might've hung my head down a little and said, "Oh, well...we're actually not getting them until next time. She didn't want me to be disappointed so she said, "That's okay. You can go ahead and drive us home anyway." Thrilled, I got behind the wheel! I drove to the exit and put my right blinker on. The next thing I knew my grandma was saying, "Amber...! Suddenly sideways, I was looking down at her and she was looking up at me. "What?!" "You're driving in a ditch!!!" She told me to put the van in park so I did. Then she understood her dilemma because I didn't actually have my driver's permit. She said, "Trade me seats!" We traded and somehow got out. I no longer had to deal with the humiliation because it looked like my grandma had done it. My friend, Dennis, and his parents had been behind us so they said we could sit in their van until the wrecker arrived to pull ours out of the ditch. Sitting in the back seat with Dennis he said, "Amber?" "Mmhmm?" He looked at me with knowing eyes and a smile and said, "You did this, didn't you?" "Mmhmm." The next day at school there he was in the hallway and here came my new nickname that I would hear echoed most any time I saw him through the years, "Hey, Ditch!" ;-)
My grandma and I hooted and hollered all the way home, all the while the back bumper hanging sideways from the car. Grandma had tears in her eyes. All the way until we got home to face my grandpa's furtowed eyebrows. Grandma stopped laughing. And so did I.

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Fun at Grandma Joys

We went to Kansas for some time with Grandma Joy with Aunt Kay Kay, Uncle Jaared, Aunt Steph, Sophie, and Sadie! We had Fatires (how do you spell that?), Grape Leaves, Baklava, Coobie (how do you spell that?), pizza, potato salad, jello, and more. It was a sweet time!

Spirit Come Crucify

We sang this song this morning at church and it really struck me. Minutes before I had been having thoughts that matched the words. This was the first time I've ever heard this song. It's called Spirit Come Crucify and I'm not sure yet who it's by:
"I've been crucified to sin So why do I go back again To the things that put me far from Your throne Come and kill that part of me That won't lay down upon the tree So spirit come crucify"

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-true-story-of-thanksgiving

Jesus, the Author of Life

I love that name for Him!! I was reading it in Acts 3:15 this morning. My John MacArthur study bible says, "The Greek word for 'author' means originator, pioneer, or beginner of something. It describes Jesus as the Divine Originator of life."
The Greatest Story Ever Told that God, Himself, would humbly come down from heaven as a baby to be like one of us, yet without sin, to live a perfect life that we never could so that He could take the punishment we deserve for our sin and rescue us and make a way for us to be with Him and be called His children.

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-most-repeated-command-in-the-bible

Monday, November 20, 2017

http://www.cooks.com/recipe/uf1w155k/chocolate-million-dollar-pie.html

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Thursday, November 16, 2017

The Kids ~ 2017~

This is the second year Derrick's taken the kids to Tractor Days. They all picked their colors and made ropes. Derrick  is a pretty good photographer! That doesn't come as a surprise because, well, he's good at a lot of things!

Berry's

We came here on our way home from our Florida trip with Gigi and the cousins. It's in Mississippi and I absolutely love this place! You walk into a wonderful atmosphere with Christian music and videos playing (at least on the Sunday we came). They even have a sign above their entrance that says something like, "If you feel the Lord's Presence here, it's because It is!" They serve lots of gluten free food, including the best catfish, sweet tea in oversized metal mugs, and they sold handmade and wooden gifts. We brought home a wooden Lazy Susan that says, "As for me and my House, we will Serve the Lord." It is on our dining table. It is my hope that we come through there again!

After Derrick's Triathlon

We enjoy Toby Keith's restaurant. We had stayed in OKC for Derrick's Redman Triathlon and finished our day there. It was a fun-filled trip!

Bella and Cam's Birthday Party

This was such a special day!

Monday, November 13, 2017

http://annvoskamp.com/2017/10/when-youre-tired-your-heart-getting-hurt-the-secret-to-the-good-life/

Saturday, November 11, 2017

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/don-t-leave-your-husband-for-her

Shepherd's Cross 2017

We love going to Shepherd's Cross for different events throughout the year!


The Fragility of Life



My uncle just died. So suddenly. None of us got to give a proper goodbye. I remember him laughing and having such joy that I honestly believe he'd have no regret over the kind of goodbye he gave us all. He went to sleep and he didn't wake up. None of us have any guarantee of tomorrow. At least not here on this earth. So many people said the same things about him- his joy, his teasing, his laughter, his gentleness. He was a teddy bear of a good ol' boy. I last saw him on Easter and we actually snapped a picture of it! You see we sometimes don't know when it'll be the last sentence we ever said to a loved one. So unpredictable, so out of our hands. Marriages break. Twin towers get crashed into by terrorists. Hurricanes go way beyond the bounds of the waters. The beautiful rose I grabbed from my Uncle's funeral faded and died. People stop being your friend. We hurt even those we love the most. We get rejected. The grass fades and the flower withers. Get over insecurity by serving others. My friend said to serve others so hard that you fall into bed "too tired to take your makeup off tired." What is wrong with this world? Something isn't right. You look around and you can see remnants. Lots of remnants but mixed with ugliness, evil, loss, pain, suffering. We live in a fallen world. This is not my home. I took a friend's idea of writing 100 things about my husband as she had done for hers. Then I carried this onto writing 100 things about a loved one and reading it at their funerals. I actually got to read one to my grandpa but he was dying and could only half-heartedly enjoy it. And I got to thinking, "Why in the world don't I write these things when they are still living? When they can hear or read these words and enjoy them?!" It's like they say- We must hold each other tighter. Tell each other we love each other. So it means read that book or play that game that the child asked you to. Even if you're bone tired. Sometimes choose that last minute run to the park with friends instead of vacuuming that carpet. Linger long over the scent of a freshly bathed babe. Look your 9- year old in the eye and give your full attention when she's telling that funny story and laugh too. A real laugh that communicates you've listened. It means listening to that teenager's heart when its late at night and you really would rather be laying your head on that pillow. Make normal things just a bit fancier and special. Send the sweet letter or text when it comes to your mind or give a quick phone call to let someone know you're thinking of them. Say your sorry just as quick as you can when you're wrong. Forgive ridiculously. But anyway- how'd we get in this mess? Why does our coffee grow cold, our fruit of our own womb scowl and cross their arms at us, why is life so stinking hard sometimes? Why do we have to hear of children starving to death, the unspeakable evils that happen to some, and why do the family over there (or we) have a child die of leukemia? Maybe it's something on a small daily level. There's mold that grows too soon on our raspberries and a floor that has to be swept for the 3rd time of the day... Or suddenly our own mood sours and we yell at a dear one of ours because of our own impatience.  And then there's the good- that day your kid makes you real proud, the cream in your coffee just hitting the spot, the cottony, comfy bed that allows you that much needed rest, the peaks that come in marriage when you're not down in the valley, sitting and savoring God's word in your comfy chair... To be continued...