A Good Busy and a Not So Good Busy . . .

Just about everyday for about the last two years my hubby and I have shared a VOTD (Verse-of-the-Day). I write it out and put it in his lunch. Prior to that we worked together and saw each other all day (we worked side-by-side in the same office). When that season ended, I needed some way to feel connected to him through the day. We missed each other greatly.

So I just really felt God laid on my heart to start a VOTD. So every morning I get up and fix lunch for him and write out the VOTD. Well, since Dick bought me The Message Bible for my birthday I've been doing our verse out of that version, and today's verse spoke to me especially.
Before I give it to ya and how it spoke to me this morning, a little background. I have been extremely busy lately doing things that I feel are COMPLETELY from God!! I've been very busy with my mom and getting her to appt's and helping her with other things she has need of, and we finished our summer Bible study, but I've started another study with a neighbor that came to SBS because I just really felt from the Lord that we needed to continue her and I. She had expressed how close she felt to God during SBS and felt that she might not stay with it if she didn't have a study to do, so I asked her if she'd like to continue just her and I and she did, so we're doing "The Frazzled Female" by Cindi Wood -- Great Title HuH?!?!!!! on Tuesdays. And then of course school as started back with all it's own brand of craziness and our CYC group is up and running again and so, yes we're very busy right now. Well, after an extremely hectic day, I was sitting on the couch looking especially pitiful when my husband looked at me and said, "but it's a good kind of busy, right?" OH YES IT IS HONEY -- OH YES IT IS!!

That question got me to thinkin' about being a good kind of busy, and how that feels, compared to a bad kind of busy. Because you know there are both kinds!!!!

Yesterday was a hard day for me. Oddly enough I wasn't really busy at all except for housework (yep it's own brand of busy :0) and I had a lot of time to think, which it is becoming very apparent that will be the case over the next five weeks.

Five weeks from today is when we leave for Mayo, and Dick and I have decided, given my current knee pain and swelling, knee cap tightness etc., that I'd best take it easy. Huh yeah I AM TERRIBLE AT TAKING IT EASY!!!!! I MEAN LIKE REALLY BAD AT IT!!!!!!!!!!!! But we both agreed that the more I could stay off of it the better we'd both feel. So yesterday was my first pitiful attempt -- let me just stress PITIFUL attempt!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't get how I needed to stay off of my legs off of my mind. Isn't that weird. The more I thought about it, the more I did the opposite of stay down. The more laundry I started doing and the more house cleaning I did, all the while knowing I agreed on the days I could, I'd be parked on the couch. Well, needless to say that by evening time I was pooped and my knee was swollen and tight and throbbing. YUCK!!!!!!! Lesson learned?!? We'll see :0)



So we've established the good kind of busy, doing the things that God is calling me to in this season, and doing it to the absolute BEST of my ability. Now let's talk about the bad busy, and that would be what happened yesterday. The busyness of yesterday left me exhausted and feeling helpless, not exhausted yet smiling.

You see the worst part of the bad busyness from yesterday took on the form of worry. I got to sitting around thinking about the next five weeks and all that wouldn't get done, and all the ways I was about to fail my family (no they do not at all feel that way -- I put all that on myself), and I worried about not getting my packet of info in the mail yesterday, and I worried about how it would all work out and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and on and on. . . . . . . . . .

And then this is where the Lord led me this morning for the VOTD (no we don't follow a book, just our hearts on VOTD)

Philippians 4:5-6 (The Message) "Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns."

And then I read on and it says this: "Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

Wow that is exactly what I needed!!!! Why worry when you can pray? This passage out of the Message Bible was my scripture prayer in quiet time this morning. God is so ministering to my heart as I type this and I'm late getting ready to pick up mom for yet another appt. But I feel so overjoyed in my heart that He allows me the priviledge to minister to others including my mom in moments like these.

If you are worrying about something today, I encourage you to pray this passage and release the worry to God. He is all-knowing and all-capable, He loves you child, beyond measure!!!!

Have a blessed and peaceful day in Him,
Dawn

21 Again and Traveling . . .

What does 21 + 21 = yep my 42nd b-day!! I've had such a GREAT last few days!!! Really it started on Saturday. Dick took me to town (Springfield) and got my b-day present ~~ yep The Message Bible. I've wanted one for a while, and even had it picked out, and at a GREAT price!! Love that!! So then after we did that we stopped and got a soda on the way home. Now you may be wondering why I even mention that, but my man and I do not get to spend a lot of quality alone time right now. Which is really okay, because of the season we are in in life ~~ we wouldn't trade it ~~ so when we get a few minutes to our selves we definitely take advantage of it. Sodas from a gas station fountain ~~ delish ~~ time spent with hub drinking said monster fountain drinks ~~ PRICELESS!!!!!!!!

Well on the way home I got a very strange phone call from Dakota. He wanted to know how close we were to being home and which door we'd be going through. Yep very suspicious!! I asked him why and he said cause he'd been sweeping and he had the broom in front of the door leading to the garage. What?!? So I asked him what he spilled and he said nothing he just wanted to sweep the floor!! Yeah sure you did, oh 16 year old ~~ you're not foolin' ol mom ~~ oh no you're not :0)

So I told him we'd come in the front door, but then when we got home Dick put the garage door up so I actually ended up going through the garage door, fully expecting to have to move a broom and finish cleaning a mess.

Well, I came through the door and this is what I found on my floor ~~

Yep flowers and sock feet!!

And then more flowers . . .
Hey the flowers are making a path . . .
To what you might ask? . . .
Only my favorite chic flic ever !! ~~ Ever After ~~ and the sweetest card ~~

seriously THE SWEETEST!! from my boy!!

OH YES YOU DO ROCK, MY BOY!!

So let me just tell you what the child had to do to get said movie. I used to have it on VHS, but we do not have a VCR that works right anymore, so I couldn't watch it. Well, Dakota got birthday money on his birthday a couple of weeks ago, and so he went to WM to get this movie for me, but they didn't have it. So what's a child to do? Yep he ordered it!! What?!? You can do that? Well apparently you can!! So it came in on Saturday, but I had no idea!! He hid it from me, so I'd be surprised and then he did all this!! He is too good to his mama ~~ let me tell ya!!!!!!!!!! It was just GREAT!!!!

So I have really had a weekend of birthday fun!! I think I love extended birthdays :0)

Well now to the traveling part. I got a call from my doc's nurse and Mayo accepted our case!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!! We will be going to Mayo on October 3rd. I don't have any other info right now except that we are to be there on this date and there is a packet of info on its way to us, even as I type this!! Hallelujah!! I will let you know info when I have it and can process it in this 42 year old brain of mine :0)

Thank you for your continued prayers for us. I will keep you informed.

"I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1

Praise His Name!!!!!

Love, Dawn

Prayers Avail Much

Update: The meeting went so well!! The students just blow me completely away!! There willingness is so uplifting!! We will be doing a human video to the song "True Love" by Phil Wickham at a youth rally on Friday night. Of course today is Monday so we just have a few days to get everything worked out, but I know we'll be ready!! The students are coming over tomorrow night at 7:00 pm, Wednesday 9:00 pm, Thursday 8:00 pm and Friday 7:30 am ~~ are they not the best!! What a crazy schedule!! Thank you for praying for us!! Love you, Dawn

Good Morning all!! Please pray this morning. God is doing a work in our CYC group and we have a great opportunity coming up Friday night, but it will take commitment on the part of our group this week and they are all extremely busy!! But this opportunity is so important!! We have an opportunity to minister at a Youth Rally coming up this weekend and we are just thrilled!! But in order for this to happen it will take a lot of work this week!!

Carrie called this morning and asked that I meet them at school at 11:00 am to go over the details. Which hopefully I'll be able to reveal to you all soon. Just pray that God would fill my mouth as we talk to them and that God would open hearts, minds and doors for us as a group.

I just love teenagers and want to see God just start a revival in our teens that will last for generations!! And I believe it will happen!!! We must be faithful to pray for them!!!

Thank you all for praying~~

I'll post more later, Dawn

Boundaries . . .

Today was our first CYC meeting for the year, and it always makes my heart swell with joy when I see how God allows us to be in the schools the way that He does.

We handed out the devotional for the students today, and just to see their eagerness to get started just makes me want to cry and PRAISE Jesus!!! They are ready to go!!

I almost sensed relief in some of them, just having something to keep them in the Word everyday, and people who care about them to hold them accountable. So often in our society we think that kids do not want limits or boundaries, but I don't think this is true at all.

I remember Dakota coming home one day and thanking us for our rules. He had not felt safe, because where he had been for the weekend really had no boundaries. Interesting huh? He could do basically anything that he wanted, but he didn't want too.

Often times I am like that with God. I pray for Godly boundaries and the wisdom to stay within them. There is a verse in the Bible that I quote to my son often. (Oh yes I do quote scripture to the boy :0)

I Corinthians 10:23 "Everything is permissible - but not everything is beneficial."

What is this saying? Can we do whatever we want? Well, it says here that everything is permissible, but lets look at the last half - not every thing is going to be beneficial. There are consequences to our actions!!

Limits - boundaries, these are almost curse words in our society, but I tell ya it is one of the biggest blessings in my life to know that Jesus loves me so much to make sure that there are boundaries in my life. Dawn you can go this far but no farther. Unfortunately there have been times when I've crossed that line and that is when things start going terribly wrong!!

The Lord places boundaries in our lives for a reason. In I Corinthians 10, Paul goes on to say in verse 23 last part of the verse:

"Everything is permissible - but not everything is constructive.

And then in verse 24:

Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

I firmly believe that the boundaries that God sets in my life do not just benefit me, but they also benefit those with whom I do life. It makes all of life better, and I am so thankful!!

When Dakota and I pray I often pray that God will not let us get by with stuff ~~ I want Him to call me out on my ridiculousness!! I do not want to get by with things that are displeasing to Him.

Thank you Jesus that You love me so much that You'll say no and set boundaries in order to keep me pure. Help me to seek You for the BEST in my life and not settle for anything less. Praise Your Name, Amen!!

Tagged for the first time!!

Well, yesterday I was tagged by Heather Lass (Life at Sonic Speed) with this tag.
List six quirky things about yourself. So here goes (hide the children this may be scary :0)

1. I DO NOT LIKE REVOLVING DOORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO I DO NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why you might ask? Yeah I get stuck in them and go round and round. Yes it is sad and more than a little scary, and today, yeah I had to go through one THREE times!!! I think I have revolvaphobia hahahahahahaha:0)

2. I DO NOT LIKE CABINET DOORS LEFT OPEN -- I'M OBSESSED WITH MAKING SURE MY CABINETS ARE CLOSED!! Unfortunately for me my sister's know of this problem, so when their over for the holidays I have to watch them or they'll leave the cabinets open ON PURPOSE!! Can you imagine? Yep fun times watching me close them all immediately upon finding them open. Yep it's a sickness :0)

3. MY SHOES HAVE TO BE TOGETHER -- LIKE STRAIGHT TOGETHER - LEFT SHOE LEFT SIDE, RIGHT SHOE RIGHT SIDE -- LINED UP PERFECTLY STRAIGHT!! Yeah this was a source of all kinds of problems as a kid, because my sisters and brother would see them straight and purposely kick them so they were crooked -- yep real prolem for me. I JUST CAN'T TAKE IT PEOPLE!! Yep again I have issues :0)

4. I HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS AND I STILL SIT RIGHT NEXT TO MY HUSBAND IN THE PICK-UP -- YEP JUST LIKE A TEENAGER!! You know the girls you see plastered next to their boyfriends pulling into school -- yep that is me and my man anywhere we go in the truck!! Now that is just cute I tell ya -- no sickness there :0)

5. I LOVE TO PLAY CARDS AND DOMINOES WITH DAKOTA!! Like in the middle of the day when I should be doing laundry or dishes!! Yep love that kid!!!!!!!!!

6. I LOVE TO MOW MY LAWN WITH A PUSH MOWER!! Not with one of those manual mowers Caroline -- no my dear please give me a motor on my mower !! hahahahahahaha
And since all the knee problems I'm unable to right now, but it is a quirk that makes me very happy when I can do it. Love the sense of accomplishment and it is great alone time with the Father and praise music!!!

So there are just 6 of a vast array of quirky things about me.

I actually have many things going on in my life right now. And I will posting about some of them in the next few days, but this was a lot of fun. Thanks Heather for tagging me. Now if your reading this consider yourself tagged :0) Go on let's hear about your quirkiness!!

Dawn

The Difference

What a difference a year makes in a kid's life. Just think from the time their born to their first birthday, all the milestones they hit in such a short period of time: learning to live outside of mama, learning to eat, learning to open their eyes, learning to hold their head up, learning to sit up, learning to crawl, learning to hold their own bottle, learning to walk and really the list could go on and on; and that is just in the first year. The common thread being learning!! As I think back on the last 16 years how my son has grown nothing strikes me as profound as how he has grown spiritually.

Dakota was saved at the age of 6 (almost 7) in the parking lot of Hobby Lobby. (Yes you read that right and yes that is some story and maybe I'll ya that one some time, but for now it is in that place in my heart reserved for the most special of memories :0) It was one of the greatest moments of my life, getting to lead my son to Christ. Since that time there has been moments of spiritual bliss and success and moments of failure and defeat, but through it all I have seen differences occur in Dakota far beyond his young years would normally allow.

One of those differences lately has been in his attitude and willingness. Last year it was such a fight (literally) to get him up early for practices. In fact most days he would get up just in time to skirt out the door (never early) and with me hot on his tail, it was not a good thing :( Well this year I'm seeing a different kid; what a difference a year has made yet again.

We had a talk on Sunday evening because early practices started this week and I think we both were dreading it a little (seriously last year ~~ yeah blahhhhhh on early morning practices !! ), so we were sharing a chair (yep now that is great thing to do with your teen ~~ go on get in their space it's okay ~~ they really like it most of the time :-) and he was talking about wanting to go in his room and watch a new movie he'd gotten. Well, I reminded him that it was a little late to be starting a movie (it was after 8:00 pm) when he had early CC practices starting the next day. Well he rolled his eyes, but agreed. And then I seized the opportunity, oh yes I did!!

I started rubbing his head and just telling him that sometimes in life we must make sacrifices of the things we want to do for the greater good of the things we have committed to, in this case CC. Well, at first he was resistant, but he was listening. So that just kind of started a dialogue between us, and he shared openly about how he just wanted to watch a movie no big deal, (no attitude, just saying), but I just reminded him that he had commitments and he would feel so good when his times got down and his energy was up because he chose to go to bed early and get up early and make practices and eat right and not go hang out with his friends because he had made a commitment to the team. (Listen I had my best cheerleader pom-poms shaking ~~ okay in my heart, but still they were shakin' and I was a yelling GO DAKOTA!! - again in my heart - can you imagine me on a Sunday night doing a cheer to my teen - mortifying for him oh yes it would be ) anyway . . . I digress . . .

And then it happened, I'm not sure how, but it did. Something clicked, he was in bed on time (not early, mind you, but on time ~~ I'll take it :) and then when his alarm went off at 5:30 am he got up. Yep, I didn't even have to go in there. He was up before I was!! Wow I was seriously impressed!! So I was expecting an attitude, but nope, no attitude. He got dressed and did his study and was ready to go by 6:10; amazing!! What a difference!!

Then last night, he went to a friends after school and was home 10 mins earlier than he had to be, and then after supper he came outside to where I was and said he was going to run a mile. And with that off he went. Then (yep there's more) he got home and showered and was in bed by 9:30, yes a teen!! And this morning up at around 5:45 and early to practice. What a difference!!

So, why do I tell ya all this? Because I want to encourage you parents out there and the ones who want to be parents but it hasn't come to fruition yet. Hang in there with your kids through every stage. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the HS years and on into college and beyond. I love seeing the differences Christ is making on a daily basis in my child. Now let me just tell ya, it is not always easy. You definitely have to pick your battles, but it is soooooooo worth it!! Some things you have to just let go, and other things you have to fight for, but pray. God will give you wisdom; He WILL show you the way, and your child will benefit from your time spent with Jesus!!

Thank you for all the comments on my last post. I wanted to just let you know what Dakota and I are doing the first part of school this year. We are reading Psalm 119 together, 5 verses at a time before school. We read our 5 verses and pray ~~ yes it is a GREAT thing to do with your kids. 5 verses may not sound like much, but believe me, sometimes our kids can digest 5 verses at a time much better than 5 chapters!!

Well, please remember my husband he is REALLY down in his back right now. In fact he didn't work yesterday. I took him to urgent care and he has a something-er-nother out of place in his back. They put it back in place and then adjusted him, and that helped for about 10 hours and by the time we went to bed he was barely moving again, and this morning it was not good!! So please remember him. He will be calling his doctor again this morning. I hate seeing him in pain!!

So give your kids that little extra squeeze at the end of a hug and make eye contact with them when you say "I love you"!! It is often the little things that make the biggest difference!!

Have a Blessed day,
Dawn

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!!

Today is the first day of Dakota's Sophomore year of High School. I thought that I was ready for this day; yeah until it arrived. I've been thinking in my head about all the things I can get done after he started back to school, and how the house could get back in order etc., and this morning all I can think is: he's going back to school and it's going to be so quiet around here and I just want him home (and I just dropped him off!!)

Yes it is very hard for me when he goes back to school. I've just never been one of those parents that said, "I can't wait until school starts back!!" Nope, not me. I'm always the one clinging to his pant leg begging him to come back home with his mother!! Not quite, but if I could oh yeah I'd be hanging on for dear life!!!!! I guess it's because he's the only child I was able to have. (Yeah I tell myself that to, but if I had 6 kids I'd probably be the same way ~~ just the way I am ~~ a whole lot of crazy :0 )

So let me just share a couple of 1st day back pics.

Here he is on our back porch ~~ not thrilled to have to be taking pics so early,

but humoring his mother none-the-less :0)

How darling is he? This is one of the finds on our back-to-school shopping day that was so fun.

I wanted to have him try them all on one evening and take pics and post them and tell you all our great and funny stories from that day, but alas, he is a boy, and taking clothes off and putting them on all so his mother can take pics to be posted on her blog is just going to far, to far I tell you people. Yep the humoring stops there :0) !!!!!

But anyway this is what he got at Hollister. This is the first time I've let him shop there, because let's face it, it is expensive and oh so annoying to go in that store. If you are middle-aged you can't see anything it is so dark in there, so you really don't know what your buying, and by the time you get out of there you're nearly deaf. As we were standing in line to buy his clothes I'm yelling at him, just in conversation and then all the sudden the music stops, yep and I keep on with the yelling conversation ~~ it was hilarious!!

Seriously Hollister turn on the lights and turn down the music, just saying :0)

Okay so here is the VERY CUTE outfit (do they still call them outfits anymore?) we purchased at Hollister!! Too cute son ~~ TOO CUTE!!!!

___________________________________________________________________


So I just dropped him off at school and it was sensory overload; sensory overload I tell ya!! The principal was standing at the road (a very busy highway) directing the students, some this way some that; I was so confused. Then I asked Dakota if he wanted me to go in with him, yes I know PATHETIC, and he looked at me like I just grew a third eye; yes I am pathetic and silly, but I was holding onto his pant leg in my head people ~~ come back Koda ~~ okay I'm done :0)



So since his first day of school his Kindergarten year we have read Psalm 139. It is a very wonderful thing to read and pray with your children; no matter the age. So this morning we sat down and read this chapter and prayed. Hearing my child pray is just the best thing to a mother's heart. He prayed for boldness in his walk with the Lord and that he'd be able to stand up to his friends when that time came. He prayed that even though this would be an anxious and hectic day and that things would be all bumbly jumbly (love that, that is just truth; sometimes things are just bumbly and jumbly), that he would have a good day and be able to find all his classes in the new building and that things would go well. My heart just about burst I tell ya!! He is the sweetest kid ever!! Okay I'm done (again)!! :0)

Let me just encourage you. If you have children that are in school or just starting school, pray with them and read the Scriptures with them. Dakota and I pray every morning together before school and we try to read as well. Some mornings that is harder than others, but we do try. It has been one of the biggest blessings of my life to do this with him, and I've found out many times where his heart is at on certain things because of these prayer and study times. It is a gift, truly a gift to take everything to God in prayer, and to do that with your child ~~ priceless!!

So here we go with another school year!! Dakota will be driving on his own in a few weeks now that he is 16. He has his sites set on a medal in CC and he starts Academic Team and Speech and Debate ~~ we've hit the ground running and it's only the first day of school!!! So GREAT!!

God you are good all the time!! Your mercies are new EVERY morning; Great is Your faithfulness!! Thank you that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made. Search me, O God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Know the anxious thoughts of our children that are starting another school year and lead them Lord, lead. You are good and You are God!! Praise Your Name!! Amen

Happy Birthday Dakota ~~ You Rock My Boy!!

So sit back and enjoy some pics (okay like a lot) from our wonderfully, awesome, terrific, beautiful, fun-filled day !! :0)

Here they are (Dakota and Alyssa) before we left, playing video games!!

~~ And again with the video games ~~
Now the lunch !!

Enjoying some sammy's at McAlister's ~~
Kentucky Pie ~~ yep at McAlister's

Yes we made a scene!!
Yes and still making a scene!!
And just in case we weren't obnoxious enough ~~ let's wear our food on our mouths ~~
Dakota and Alyssa at Putt Putt ~~

Alyssa swinging the golf club like a baseball ~~ yeah we don't know why!!
Alyssa sizing up the hole ~~
Dakota getting his game on !!
AHHH They are soooooooo cute!!
This has been such a GREAT day!!

Yep here we are ~~ too sweet!!
Glamming it up ~~ yay I don't know what to do with my eyes!! :0)
She is a sweetie!! Love this girl!!
Totally love this boy ~~ oh yeah is he still a boy at 16 ~~ yep he's my boy!!
Okay so thanks for looking at all our pics of a REALLY FUN DAY!!

Dakota - Savvy 16

When did it happen,

Where did it go,

Time, it's gone anything but slow.

You're 16 today, my heart leaps for joy,

and yet it is sad because you are no longer a little boy.

You're growing up into such a wonderful young man,

Right before my eyes, a strong man stands.

With trepidation in your heart,

But hope in your eyes,

You march forward in life,

Run it strong son, to win the prize.

Never slow down, persevere and be strong,

God loves you sweet one.

So on this, your special day,

your mom is shouting out,

LOVE YOU MY BOY,

YOU TOTALLY ROCK MY WORLD!!

As you've guessed today is Dakota's 16th birthday!! He is so terrific, really and truly. He has such a sweet heart. We will be enjoying a day of fun and fun oh yeah and some more FUN!! Because yes, he is ALL THAT!!! I'll be posting lots of pics, so stay tuned (it may be tomorrow - but hopefully later today)!! Love you all, Dawn

You have a Choice . . .

So yesterday was one of those days that go down in the mental log of GREAT DAYS!!! As you know, I am involved with a group of young people at our local school, CYC (Clever Youth for Christ). This organization was borne in the heart of a great friend of mine and teacher at our school. She went to school at our High School back in her day and now teaches there, by totally an act of God. That in itself is an amazing story. Anyway, a year ago last May she called and said that she really felt led of God to start a Christian organization in our school, and she asked me to pray. Well almost immediately God started speaking to my heart and telling me to "Come along side" so that is what I did. I told CC what ever she needed I would do. And then at the beginning of last school season CYC had it's first official meeting.

I cannot express to you the blessing that CYC is to my life. Seeing these students on a weekly basis work through the peer pressure (and it is unreal), the school work (very hard), the extra curricular activities (some of our students do it ALL), and to see them still come into CYC on Fridays wanting to learn about our Jesus and make a difference in their world is truly remarkable.

Well, this year we received a unique honor. Our community passed a bond issue to build a new high school, and it has come to fruition. The students begin classes in the new HS this Thursday and they are SO excited!! Yesterday was the ribbon cutting ceremony and after that our CYC students were asked if they would like to do a prayer walk through the new building, and not just the new building, but they opened up all the school buildings and let anyone that wanted to, could walk through and pray for our schools. Get out ~~ How exciting is that? The only stipulation (as in all CYC activities), it has to be student led. And our students stepped up to the plate. It was absolutely amazing to watch their willingness. And as a parent this was an amazing opportunity to get to go into our schools and pray; what a blessing!!!

As I was just checking on the kids and making sure they didn't need anything, I ran across a lady who goes to my church that I'd never met, (JRA is a REALLY big church), and she asked if I'd pray with her for her little ones and their teachers. What an opportunity!! Her oldest is in the 4th grade this year and her baby starts Kindergarten. I'm telling you GOD IS GOOD!!!! Praying with her and our students was a wonderful experience!!

After the prayer walk in the different buildings, we got back together at the new HS and prayed as a group. This was one of the most moving ministry opportunities I have ever had. To hold hands in a circle with HS students, and pray was truly remarkable. To hear them cry out to God on behalf of their school was truly a HUGE BLESSING to me that I will not forget!!

As I sat down to type this God reminded me of a verse in Joshua 24:15 "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

So why would God bring this verse to mind? Because we have a choice ~~ our young people have a choice. And who they serve is very often influenced by the adults in their lives. Be a role model to the young people in your life. Let them see you serving God. Let them see what a totally sold out to God life looks like. Live it out!! Our young people face such opposition, such peer pressure. One of our CYC students told me yesterday that socially she was really boring because she didn't go to parties or hang out with people who do. This young lady is on fire for the Lord, she went on a missions trip to Peru this summer and in one service over 500 were saved and on their trip over 5,000 were saved. She was so Pumped!! Listen our young people will make a choice, let's help them make choices that change lives for Christ like my young friend did who went to Peru. She is also changing lives right here in her home town.

I want to be a catalyst for real change in our young people's lives.

Use me Lord to be that catalyst. When students walk into CYC may they feel your presence and know that YOU ARE THE GOD WHO LOVES THEM. Help CC and I to come alongside and be what these students need to see in adults, help us Lord to be what you have called us to be. God get all the glory from our lives Father!! May we never get over You!! I love you Jesus, AMEN

Let the Games Begin . . .

I LOVE THE OLYMPICS!!! The pomp and circumstance of the opening ceremonies, watching all of the athletes in their outfits just makes me smile with glee ~~ yes it does!! And the sports ~~ get out of town!! I love ALL of them. Even the little known ones like the trampoline thing and the jousting, fencing whatever you call it thing. About the only one that really doesn't float my boat in the summer Olympics is soccer ~~ oh the horror I know. But it just has never really done it for me ~~ I get bored with it I guess. But I'll probably watch at least part of it, as I know it takes a lot of athlectism to do what they do, so I am impressed with them.

For those of you wondering which sport would be the one I would participate in (yes I know your all on pins and needles right now wondering :0) it would be the long distance running. Yep no 100M for me, I am not fast, but I can endure. When I got into running a few years ago, my first run was a 9 mile run for the MS Society. I came in 7th out of like 250 runners. Now before you get all excited for me, it wasn't competitive and not everyone ran there were a lot of walkers, but even with that, there were of course some that did run, and I never dreamed of coming in 7th. When that happened I was hooked!!

I love to run. I feel so strong when running and feel like I can take on the world. Yes I've had running incidents because on the graceful bar I'm about a 2. Bull in a china shop comes to mind :-) but I love to run anyway. I've had numerous blisters of course, toes turning black, (yep lots of runners get that), and I fell once and ended up injuring the tendon in my thumb and had to have 2 surgeries, but none of that has stopped me. Unfortunately I am not running right now. The knees have definitely halted my running days, but I have not given up hope. Maybe if they can figure out what can be done for my knees I'll be back on the track walking anyway.

And on the what can they do for my knees front we still haven't heard anything. Should hear something next week. I talked to my local doc's office last week and the nurse told me that they have like 40 doc's in the Ortho dept at Mayo and my chart was making the rounds because it was a special case. But they said it would take 2 to 3 weeks to find out anything, so hopefully we'll hear something next week. Thank you all for your continued prayers for us. This has been a difficult season.


I'd like to take a moment and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! Today is my mom's 69th birthday. We went over this morning and spent some time with her and gave her this teeny tiny cake. It was probably the smallest cake I have ever seen. Now no I was not being cheap, my mom doesn't like things like a lot of cake laying around. So when Dakota picked this out for his grammy I knew it was perfect. So we had a "little" piece of cake and a really good time visiting with mom.

Yes I know. There always seems to be a pic like this when Dakota and Grammy are together.

Just thought I'd share :0) They are sooooo cute together!!

I love this pic!! Yes that is a school outfit Dakota has on, and I'd really like to show you all things school shopping right about now, but we are having a difficult time getting pics taken of his school clothes. Hopefully Monday I'll be able to post about that it was sooooooo fun!!
Me and my mom!! She is a woman of GREAT faith!!! Mom I love you Happy Birthday!!!
Well, I have lots of things to get done. Tomorrow is a very busy but great day for the little city we live in. It is the day that they will be dedicating our new high school building. I have so much to post about this as well, and hopefully will include it in Monday's post with pics!!

Okay so I'm off to study!! Have a GREAT weekend, Dawn

This is the Day the Lord Hath Made . . .

UPDATE: Hey, just wanted to let everyone know that mom is doing good. My sis came at about 6:30pm and I am now home. Mom's tired, but so far no headache which is GREAT!! We won't get test results until the end of August. Thank you so much for praying, it means more than you know.

I will rejoice and be glad in it !!

As I sat down to type that is the verse that came to mind. I just have a minute, but I wanted to just let you know that today is the day my mom is having the Mylegram done. So it will be a very busy day. We have to be at the place for the test at about 7:15 and then we can't leave until about 11:00 and then once we get her home, she'll have to lay flat for 8 hours so she doesn't develop a really bad headache. Please pray for mom, that the test will go well and she will not get a headache (that can last for days !! ) and pray that the doc's will have wisdom and will know how to best treat my mom if that becomes necessary.

Mom is such a fighter!! She told me the other day when we talked about all the things she's going through right now, she said "It's just another test of my faith." And that is how she has looked at it for years, and her faith stands!! Let me just tell ya. She has been through more in her life than anyone one person that I know at least personally. She is one tough cookie, and I love her so much. Thank you for remembering her today.

Well, I have another post I started yesterday that hopefully I'll maybe get completed tomorrow, it's about our fun, fun day yesterday. Dakota and I went school shopping and it was the MOST fun school shopping experience we have had to date!! TOO FUN!! Here is a preview, Hollister, Aeropostle, Old Navy, Target (I heart Target), yep you talk about fun!!!!!! I'm hoping to get pics of him later in his new duds ~~ so stay tuned, because seriously he is the cutest ~~ JUST THE CUTEST!! When did he grow up, seriously when did that happen? Some little girl is going to come steal his heart, isn't she? Say it isn't so!!

Well, have a blessed and beautiful day. I'll try to update later if I can.

Thank you so much for praying!! Dawn

Trust Even When . . .

This area of trust has been a huge one in my life. I've had such issues with it. When I was little I was probably trusting to a fault. Thankfully it never played out in the really bad ways it could have, but at times, it did play out.

I went to a very rough school starting out: K-2nd grade. And there was a girl in my school, for whatever reason didn't like me. And she was BIG!! I was not. And alas she picked up on that, and probably the fact that I was shy and very timid. Well, she made it her mission to pick on me, embarrass me and just all around be mean to me.

We (there were 5 of us kids; 3 or 4 of us in school at that time, don't remember) walked 8 blocks (1 mile) to school and back every day (yes up hills both ways, hahahaha). And on this particularly cold day after school my brother decided we would stop at the laundry mat and get a hot chocolate for the cold walk home. Well, I was thrilled. But, yep there is definitely a but here, as I was walking down the sidewalk with my hot drink, here she came. She ran right into me and spilled the VERY hot chocolate on my favorite yellow sweater!! Well, I did what any little pigtailed 1st grader would do, I cried and then my brother did what every big brother would do, he took off after her. Running like I've never seen him run. Apparently he caught up to her, and guess what? She never bothered me again, but every time I would see her or hear her, I'd be scared if my brother wasn't around, but she never posed a threat to me again after that. I trusted my brother. I knew he'd take care of me. He was great like that!!

Now why do I tell you this story. Well a couple of things really jump out to me when I think of this story, because what you don't know is that I was always a really sickly child. I was always catching something or hurting myself or just all around not feeling good. And around this time in my life was when my knee problems started. Yep really young. My first knee surgery was when I was seven, so because of that it made my brother even more aware that he needed to protect his little sis. And he did. And I trusted him, although he'd bug me and I'd get really mad at him and lock myself in the bathroom (another story for another day :0)

So trusting in the early years, I really didn't find difficult, but like I said I trusted to a fault at times. I would trust people I really had no business trusting!! But this issue of trust would take a turn in my teen years. Through a series of events, yes involving a boy, I decided that trusting might not be such a good idea, since it hurt so much to trust and be rejected, and thus the cycle began. I would trust and be hurt and would stop trusting and this would play out over and over again.

Well in 1986 when tragedy happened in our lives, I trusted no body at all, and this included God. Even as I type this my heart is sad. But I remember standing at David's graveside on what should have been a very happy day in a newly weds life, our first anniversary, and was crying and screaming out to God and telling Him that I was angry and this was so unfair and how could He do this, and on and on. Now please know that God has so healed my heart on this. He knew the pain that I felt and still today feel to a degree and He feels it right along with me, and through this pain ironically, trust started to rebuild, albeit many years later, but this was a catalyst. You see God never left me, never. Even when I was being ugly and couldn't see past the unrelenting grieve and pain I felt in those days. Even when I walked the other direction for so long, He was ALWAYS there. Loving me, drawing me, wooing me back unto Himself. I just love that!!

The issue of trust in our lives is HUGE!! And if you are like me and have issues with it, it can be a heavy cloud that is over your life. On Sunday our Associate Pastor preached and he said this on trust; trust does not equal understanding. You need to trust God even when you don't understand what He is doing. WOW!! I got it. God has been dealing with my heart on this issue of trust for sometime. I am a fixer, I want to fix everything. I don't want anyone to hurt or feel pain. But I must trust God to work and move even when I don't understand the how or the why or the anything, I just need to trust. He is God and He is ALWAYS GOOD AND ALWAYS GOD!!!!!!!!!

Over the last several months when something would come up God would tell me to trust Him, or more recently He has started pointing out to me when I'm not trusting. I didn't understand for so long why this was so difficult, but I've been trying to figure it all out instead of just trusting God to work it all out. He will, you know, He so will!!!

I don't know who needed to hear this today, but I really feel this is for someone today. If you are like me and have issues in this area, please let me encourage you. Get in the Word and get on your knees (or face down, in my case). A realtionship with Jesus is the beginning to trust. You can trust Him child, but you need to know Him, and the closer your relationship is with Him, the more you will trust.

I want to leave you today with Psalm 138:3,8:

"When I called, You answered me; You made me bold and stouthearted.

8 The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love, O LORD endures forever - do not abandon the works of Your hands."

Let me encourage you to pick up the Word and find help in your time of need. God is with you dear one, and He will fulfill His purpose for you, just trust. If you cannot see past your current circumstance God loves you. If you are in a time of grief and pain, God loves you. Even if you are in a season of sin, yes, God loves you. He is altogether Good and loving and cares for your EVERY need!! Reach out to Him today, you will find Him always faithful. Trust Him, He will help you and show you the way.

Lovin' you much,

Dawn

Things Unspoken. . .

So I have much to say today, but how much of that will actually be spoken , well as my fingers type, is still yet to be seen.

I have much to say about the events of the last few days, but a lump in the throat of my Spirit may prevent me from saying all that needs to be said. So maybe over the course of the next few days, weeks or years I'll be able to express the love of the last few days in my life.

This little boy has evoked such emotion in my heart. In an earlier post I asked what you thought I should be called: MiMi, NaNa etc. Well, when I was driving that day I felt Gigi come up in me, but it didn't make sense because I thought GG - Great-Grandma. While I hope I'm a Great Grandma to baby Skyler, I am not his Great-Grandma (clear as mud right :0) So I didn't even put that as an option. And then Martha in her comment said she thought Gigi would be a good name for me, and I'd never even mentioned it to her. She had no clue of my thoughts as I drove that day. Well, now so you'd think Gigi it would be. This is what I've decided, he can call me whatever he likes. I'm cool with anything little baby S decides. He is the sweetest, I'm telling ya the sweetest and I'm smitten. But until he decides I think for all blogging purposes Gigi it will be. I'm so cool with that ~~ so cool :0)

Well now on to some pics shall we?

I love this pic ~~ look at his little leg. He didn't want to put it down. His mama even tried to move it and he'd put it right back up ~~ too cute little S ~~ too cute indeed!!
My fav pic so far!! The kids and baby S!! Are they not the sweetest!!

And totally taken by baby S ~~ totally!!

Well, like I said earlier, so much more to say, but must start the day. I'm going to go get Dakota and then we have a very, very busy week.

I'll be posting more on my recipe blog as well, hopefully, so be sure and check it out too!!

Have a GREAT day,

Dawn

Introducing .. . .

Skylar Lancen Clyde ~~ A.K.A. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GRANDBABY EVER!!!!

The very first time PaPa has gotten to hold him. Be still my heart!!

Isn't he precious?!? Oh I could go on and on and would, but he and his mama are a goin' home today, and just so happens ~~ wink, wink ~~ we will be over that way later, so thought we might as well drop by and check in on the little fellow. So not a lot of time to write ~~ just wanted to give you some of the first glimpses into our lives as GP's!! THE BEST!!

Thank you for your kind words and prayers ~~ we soooooooooooooooooooooooooo appreciate them all!!!!!!!! We're concerned about the heat on the little one. It is like a roaster oven out there!! OKay seriously gotta run!! We'll be back tonight or tomorrow with more pics (hopefully)!!

Love and hugs to all,
Dawn