Update.....

So sorry I haven't posted in a couple of days. Getting home and settled in as proven to be a real feat.

I am 6 days post-operative and still running a low grade fever and have excessive swelling in my knee, ankle, and foot. The blisters on my knee are just disgusting. I thought about posting a pic of this knee of mine, but decided against. It looks really gross. Now if it helps to get a visual, just leave me a comment to e-mail it to you and I certainly will, but I think for the most part, none of y'all want to see that. It.is.gross.

I must just tell you, that God is so working in this situation, you see He knew what it would be and what we would need before we did. He is just cool like that. Even though we are having a difficult time right now, I know that God is good and He is for me and not against me. It is a beautiful thing!!! He knows the plans He has for me and my family, plans to prosper and not to harm, plans to give us hope and a future. He is SO great!!

I haven't downloaded the pics from Dak's last regulation CC Meet (Districts on Saturday), but G went and took such beautiful pics.

Dak called me right after the Meet and told me he ran it for me. This is the first Meet this year that Dak has metaled in, and he said he ran hard and thought of me, and when he hit the home stretch he said: "This is for you mom!!!!!" My heart is SO full!! When he came in last night from the Meet, with the only medal he has earned this year, he laid in on my night stand and said, "This is for you mom!!!" and gave me his medal.

He earned several medals last year, but this year our school has gone from a 1A to a 2A in CC, so we have had different kids from bigger schools we have competed against in our District now. It just melts my heart that this child was going to medal for his mama last night.

In-home PT started yesterday, and I will be having it 3-days a week for 2 weeks and then we'll start out-patient PT. My PT'ist yesterday Connie, said that she had never seen adema blisters quite like these. They are so icky. She thinks there is a possibility that someone got some latex on my skin, but it doesn't really look like it. It is isn't uniform in nature, just gross in nature =)

When Sir Cuteness got up this morning, he came over to where I was sitting and started rubbing my shin and ankle. It was SO sweet!!!

We would still appreciate your prayers. Please pray for this fever to dissipate, and these blisters will not get infected when they pop, or infect anything else. Please continue to pray that my body will still be able to process the pain and nausea medicine properly.

Thank you so much for you sweet comments and e-mails.

It means so much.....

Love you so,

Sir Cuteness wants his gaga home!!!!!

This morning my dear man and I were talking on the phone and Sir Cuteness says: "I talk"
Dick: You want to talk to gaga?
SC: Yeah!!
Me: Hi SC
SC: Hi Gaga. Have owie.
Me: Yes Gaga has a BIG owe.

SC: I want you....doctors got you....take her home now!!

He is so cute. He wants his gaga home!!! How cute is our Sir Cuteness? Adorable!!

Papa is going to bring him up with him today. I'm SO excited!!!

I'm not sure I'm going home today, but I sure hope so. Doc hasn't been in yet. They just took my vitals and my temp is at 99.8 degrees, which I know is not a real high temp, but I have been running a low grade temp the last 3 days of so. And I don't know if that will have to be completely gone before I can go home.

I still have blisters and had a lot of pain this morning, but had PT and am now icing, elevating and watching "The Price is Right". WOW TPIR is just not the same without Bob Barker. anyway..... =)

Would still really appreciate your prayers. Still have those blisters, and it appears they are going to be very sore.

But you know what? God is good.....SO good!!!

Hope you all are doing well.

Have a Blessed day,

Quick Update #2.....

Well, hello there!! Still updating from my hospital bed. Today was a rough day. My Hemoglobin was really low. Normal is 12.0. Mine was 7.5, and they told me there was a possibility I'd have to have a blood transfusion. Tonight they took my Hemoglobin, and it had come up .2 dregrees, so I'm now at 7.7. I haven't heard about what the doc has decided to do yet. We'd just really appreciate your prayers.

My sweet husband has spent all day here, and has been so funny. He is my love.

So I'm hanging out and just trying to rest.

Please say a prayer for us. We SO appreciate it!!!

Have a Blessed evening,

Update......

Hi everyone!! Just wanted to give you a quick update. The surgery went really well, but today they took my bandages off and I have blisters. Now that's not good!!!

Still waiting on Doc to come in see me, and maybe he can shed a little light on the blister thing. My leg hurts, but relaxing helps a lot, so that is just what I'm trying to do. Rest and Relax.

I would so appreciate your prayers for these blisters, and for a continued speedy recovery.

Love you,

Romans 12:12 (New International Version)
"12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Extreme Makeover: Knee Edition =)

Well, tomorrow is the BIG day!!! Out with the old knee and in with the new. WOW just typing that makes me a little.....whoa!! =)

So yesterday was my pre-op appointment, Dick and I arrived about 15 minutes early and it was a good thing, since I told us the wrong door =) my sense of direction stinks I tell ya.....
anyway..... Got to the right door and was still on time. They took my info and then we waited. After about 15 mins or so they called us back.

Okay, let me interject here, that I am a detailer. When I tell a story you get all the juicy details, but also the mundane, sorry just the way I roll =)

anyway......

So this VERY sweet lady, Cammi came and got us and took us back to her "office". I use the term loosely, because it looked like where they weigh you and do general stuff, ya know the room, door on each side and big open area. She said they are getting ready to remodel and she will get a "real" office =) Cammie was SO sweet and took such good care of us.

Well, she went through all the health history stuff and then the insurance. Now here is where it gets a little bit confusing. You see, we weren't sure if our insurance would cover this hospital in network or out-of-network, and out-of-network is just not very good on our insurance. Deductible and cap both higher, not even sure they have a cap, so this was a concern. Our Doctor is billing his services through his other office, that IS covered under our insurance, but since that hospital won't put in the Mac Daddy, Top 'O the Line, Young, Hip, Chic Knee, he sent us to the other hospital that he works at too. It's complicated. But God is SO good!!! Before we left, Cammie had called our insurance, talked to someone, and found out that if the other hospital that our insurance covers takes local Blue Cross & Blue Shield (ours is not local) then it is covered, and it does, and they also told Cammie that our deductible had been met for the year and it would be covered at the 80/20 rate. YAY!!! PRAISE THE LORD!! Such a Praise!!!!!

And then after we meet the out-of-pocket for the year, then it covers it at 100%!!! OH DOUBLE YAY AND PRAISE THE LORD!! But all that we found out toward the end of our appointment......

anyway..... back to the story.....

So Cammie told us the particulars of surgery tomorrow. We arrive at 6:00 AM and apparently I am the first surgery of the day. Surgery should start around 7:00-7:30. So happy about that!!! It's hard to sit around all day waiting for surgery, no eating, no drinking.....so we'll be up and at 'em and going as soon as I get there. She said they will take us right back and start an IV and get things going. YAY!!!

Then Anaesthia will come in and talk to us about my stomach issues and pain control, meds and the like, oh yeah and anestia. They'll prep my knee if they need to and then we'll be ready. Surgery should take around 1 1/2 - 2 hours, then recovery room for about 30 mins (I'm usually in there a little longer. Apparently I like a little extra beauty sleep after surgery =) then off to my room for a 3 night 4 day stay in the luxurious, all expense paid to rest and recoop and start the recovery process. I should get to go home Monday or Tuesday.

Well after all of that Cammie took us to another room for an EKG and blood work and then told us after the blood work we could go.

So the EKG lady came in, and it was so cute, because Dick was with me, ya know Dick....my husband.....and she said, "well, she's gonna need to take off her shirt." ackwardly looking at D and Me and I just laughed and said it was alright he was my husband, and she just smiled and said "Yeah, ya never know these days...." so sad and true.

I have a little SVT, oh yeah and I'm over 40, so they do an EKG before surgery. She said well you are not in SVT today. I said nope, nice and calm =) She took the EKG and then started unhooking me, and I asked her if everything was okay, and she said yeah except that you are in Bradycardia. huh? Low heart rate. Oh. Well this is something that I've had for a long time. My heart just kind of runs at a slower rate. I thought slower was better, but my sister (the nurse) said too much of a good thing is still bad. ahem. Isn't that the truth? =)

My heart was beating at 47 beats a minute. Well now, I was calm =) My blood pressure was fine...121/74. So they said that was fine.

After that, they drew 5 viles of blood to cross and type and then put a bracelet on me and told me SEVERAL times just in case I needed a blood transfusion and NOT to take the bracelet off. DON'T DO IT!!! DO NOT TAKE THAT BRACELET OFF!! Okay I assured her I'd leave it on.....poor thing.....she was VERY serious about this bracelet. So on it stays and anyway Sir Cuteness is quite intriqued with it =)

So after that, and we were free to go and all.....wait que Cammie.........she came back in and said she needed to speak with us again. She took us back into her "office" and asked if I was under the care of a cardiologist. I told her no, and she said they were concerned about the bradycardia. But since this is something I've had before, they cleared me for surgery, and let us go on home. They will be monitoring me.

So off we went!!!

So we are ready for surgery tomorrow morning!! It's all set. I am doing okay this morning. The nerves haven't set in to bad today. They do when I lay down to get some rest, but maybe tonight I'll be able to sleep a little better. Dick was so sweet last night, he curled up next to me and told me it was all going to be alright and I had nothing to worry about. Made me almost cry. You see, that last surgery on my right knee was the most intense pain that I'd ever experienced and one just doesn't look forward to that again, but Dick assured me that this time would go MUCH better. I agree. We are so much more informed and know how to communicate to them my pain med issues. So I'm feeling much better this morning, at least so far =)

And I am enjoying a REALLY good book. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. My sweet and beautiful friend Jacquie sent this to me the other day to read while I'm recovering. I started it a few days early, so I can know what's going on and can ease right back into reading it while I'm on meds. Thanks Jacquie, that was SO thoughtful of you. Love you friend!!!

So thought I'd leave you with a little somethin-somethin.....

Chase and Sir Cuteness on the Trampoline.....

How sweet are these two? I mean seriously!!!

Dak had a meet last night, but I had to miss it, because of Pre-op, but Brandi (coach's wife and friend) sent me some pics on FB last night. Here is my fav!!!

Dak had a GREAT run last night!! One more meet and then Districts a week from Saturday. WOW!!! How is it that CC season is almost over? And CC season his Senior Year?........let's not talk about it =)

He was really working hard. I love him so.

We would so appreciate your prayers over the next several days and few weeks. Recovery is serious business =)

I will try to get something on here post-surgery via a guest blogger =) but we'll see if I can talk a certain 18 year old Senior into it or not =) and if not, maybe my dear husband will bring me the computer, so I can do a little update.....we'll see. Yes RJ, I'll text =)

Have a Super Blessed and Beautiful Day,

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (New International Version)

"16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Love you so,

Calm in the Midst of the Storm.....

Okay so two days until the big surgery and I am doing okay. Still a little nervous, but not as bad as the weekend, so that is progress.



We all go through storms in life. We all go through tough times and sometimes those times are very intense, but I am reminded of Jesus in the storm. He was calm in the midst of the storm. He had it and has it all under control. He calls us to Trust Him in all things.

Today is my pre-op appointment for surgery. I've been to so many of these, as I have had many surgeries in my life, but each pre-op appointment is a little different. It always makes me a little nervous, but then also calms me, because afterwards I feel like things are ready to go. Until this point in the process, it is still all in process, but after pre-op it is a "Go Houston" =) and then my head takes a turn. Then I get in preperation mode.



Tomorrow I will be packing for the hospital and maybe cooking a little to freeze, but mostly just preparing my heart and head for the next several months. I will not be doing anything to crazy, just hanging out and taking it easy and preparing.



I want to give a shout-out to my Bible Study ladies. We finished up "Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted" by Priscilla Shirer, last Tuesday. This study was SO good. I'd love to write a review for this one. Many good things to say about it.



But with finishing that one up and our next one not starting until the first of the year, I was left with a dilemma. Do I do a study in the interim or read and take notes or what? Well, knowing me as a do =) I decided another study was in order. Since I will be down for several weeks, my mind needs to be heading in the right direction and not sit in the "I can't do that right now phase".



So I am doing a study by Mary A. Kassian "KNOWING GOD BY NAME". I am on day two and already this is a wonderfully, fasinating study. It is a study on different Names of God in the Bible.



There was an interesting assignment at the end of today's lesson. We just read I Kings 18:20-39, that depicts Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. And then we were instructed to complete this assignment at the end of this day:


"Imagine that you were a witness to the title match on Mount Carmel. Below write a prayer extolling Yahweh as El Elohim, the God of gods."


This was so interesting, because my prayer ended with "in Jesus' Name..." because we are on this side of the cross. I cannot say or write a prayer without that at the end. It is not a ritualistic thing, it is a matter of my heart. You see, we are to ask for all things in Jesus Name, but for me even when I am not asking for anything, I am still drawn to my Jesus. I want all that I do to be done in His Name and for His Glory.



So with that in mind, I'd like to leave you with this very powerful video from a church in our area. They are doing a weekend production called "Judgement House" and this is part of that. It is so powerful and moving. Yes sin can have such a hold on us, but when we give it all to Jesus, we are changed: POWERFULLY, WONDERFULLY CHANGED!!!!!






Thank you so much for thinking about us and praying for us. We've already had such sweet sentiments through cards and gifts and phone calls. Thank you so much!!! I'll let you know how my pre-op appointment goes.

Philippians 4:6-7 (New International Version)

"6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Love you ~~ have a Blessed day,

Random Friday.....

Well one week from yesterday is Total Knee Replacement Surgery. So the countdown is on. A week from today I will officially be in recovery mode. I remember this time last week thinking, "two weeks from today I will be in recovery mode....." Time certainly does fly by doesn't it?

I had a post (still in my edits) that I wrote yesterday, but for fear of sounding like a crazy woman -- what am I saying? I always sound like that....heehee -- anyway.....I decided to keep that one just for me for now. It isn't anything earth shaking, but as you can imagine the nerves are starting to set in a bit. I'm trying to process it all. I want to be calm, cool and collected by next Thursday. I'm ready to get this show on the road and get to the business of recovering, so by next Spring I am on the road again.....walking and staying up with my boys, instead of the.....go ahead I'll catch up mode, which I never really catch up they just end up waiting on me.

So I was looking through pics and thought I'd post a few "new" ones for you. New, relative to you haven't seen them before, so not actually new, but you know =)

Look at this adorable Sir Cuteness.........I love this kid so........Yep could just eat him up with a spoon.....so stinkin'sweet!!!






















I love this pic.....Dak and Cheyenne at Prom last school year. So cute..... Cheyenne is in Dak's class, but is graduating in December, and starting college in January. She is a sweet and smart cookie.










And here is another fav....
These two crack.me.up.


















Dak.....you make me happy. Really.Really.Happy. (This is some Senior year fun).
















Today I will be trying to get some things done to get ready for surgery next week, and will maybe try to get a pair of slippers. I keep looking, but haven't found just what I'm looking for, but I will keep looking =)

This song is on my heart right now. We sang it in church on Sunday and it is where I am in life right now....

"Nothing is too hard for you,
Nothing is too hard for you,
I know my God is able,
And I know His love never fails,
I know my God is able,
and I believe in You....."

Love this song.....






Hope you all have a beautiful weekend!!!

Do You Have.....

• ..... any recipes that I can make and freeze for us while I am laid up after surgery? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. This is not something I do a lot of, but would like to have some things in the freezer ready to be put in the oven, so we can have hot home-cooked meals the first couple of weeks after my surgery. After that I plan on cooking and cleaning and gardening and running a marathon (okay maybe just a 5K), I crack me up =)

• ..... a good easy read book to suggest? I have a lot of books I need to read while I'm sitting around taking it easy, but I'd like an easy, fun read to start. I don't generally read a lot of fiction, but since I'll be on a lot of meds initially, it will be good to have something that is easy and light to read....with a good message. I only read Christian books.

• ..... any suggestions on how to get scrapbook pages ready to scrap while I am sitting with my feet up. I have so much SB stuff that I'd love an easy way to put some pages together so I can just put it all together when I'm sitting around. I have some ready to put together and add pictures and that is what I'm wanting to do - have things ready to put pages together and add pictures, but I don't feel like it is very organized.

• .... also, do you have any good movies to watch while we're at home hanging out together? I don't do rated 'R' movies, and don't like bad language, so that limits choices I know, but it's just the way we roll.

Oh speaking of movies, Sir Cuteness went to his first movie yesterday with his daddy and momma went too. They went and saw Toy Story 2. He LOVED it!!! And was telling us last night that he wanted, "nother one".....hahahahahahahaha The boy cracks me up!!! =)

Daddy bought him a hot wheels track yesterday that he just LOVES. PaPa and Daddy put it together last night and Sir Cuteness just LOVES it. It goes SO FAST!! Of course that was the first thing he wanted to do this morning, but I told him he'd have to wait until breakfast was eaten and Daddy up. So far it has worked. I'm afraid if I let him go to it first thing it will be no breakfast and jammies all day. Which the jammies all day doesn't sound too bad....well, you know.

Thanks for all your help.

Have a Blessed day,

Fall Bible Study .... Jonah: NALI.... Weeks 5 & 6

Well, here we are....the end of our Fall Bible Study and WOW what a wonderful time in God's Word and with God's ladies.

I have so enjoyed my time through this study and with you all so much and really look forward to more study time together coming up.

Let's discuss that for just a moment shall we? With knee surgery coming up (next Thursday) and the recovery process that will be approximately 3 months in PT etc., and with the holidays coming up, we will be starting our next Bible Study after the first of the year. That seems like such a long time to me, but sometime between now and then we'll get on Chatzy and discuss some holiday things and catch up a little. I'll send out an e-mail on that a little later.

As far as what our next study will be, well that hasn't quite been decided yet. I mean God knows, but I don't.....not just yet. I have an idea =) and am so excited about it, but not sure, so I will be praying and doing a little research and will let you know so you can get your books well before our study begins just after the first of the year.

Okay, so now that business is out of the way....let's do some study!!

_____________________________________________________

I would love to hear your overall thoughts on weeks 5 & 6. In fact, we may just make that a question......to start. Not question #1, just an opening thought this week.

Now to week 5:

Day 2: Priscilla Shirer references a passage of Scripture that I have studied at some length at different times in my life.

II Corinthians 12:7-9 "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three time sI pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Page 112: "God could have removed Paul's ailment. He could have lightened the load....God could have done those things, but doing so would have annulled one of His primary purposes for His people; to teach them to tap into divine power to accomplish divine purposes."

Page 113: "instead of grumbling over the insurmountable odds, this time Jonah just moved forward in immediate obedience to God's commission. He "began to go through the city one day's walk and he cried out" the message that the Lord had given to declare to the lost pagans (Jonah 3:4).

In spite of the odds, both men made huge impacts that affected thousands. Both learned that: "my grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness" (II Cor. 12:9)."

Question #1: Give an example from your life where God's grace was sufficient for you in a particular season in your life....how God's power was perfected in your weakness in a specific way.

______________________________________

Week 5 - Day 4:

Page 119: "The story of Jonah testifies to the power of our willingness to yield to divine interruptions and leads us to consider two things: the effect the Word has on unbelievers and the effect our simple obedience has in our personal circumstances."

Question #2: That last sentence is very interesting. How do you believe the Word effects an unbeliever? What is your response to someone who doesn't know Christ, when it comes to the Word?

How does simple obedience effect our personal circumstances? Do you ever feel like you just make things too complicated sometimes?

______________________________________

On Day 5 Week 5: The whole discussion on "The Repenting God" was very interesting to me. I don't really have a question on this, just thought it was very interesting. Do you have any thoughts on this?

The Hebrew word to indicate man's repentance "shub" meaning 'to turn' from sin to God, and the word used for God's repentance 'nacham' which means "to be moved to pity" is very interesting.

_______________________________________

Week 6:

Question 3:

Just as God provided the fish in Chapter 1:17, He provided the worm that chewed the vine that was giving Jonah shade and God provided a scorching east wind and the sun to blaze on Jonah's head so that he grew faint.

If God provides something for you, it is something necessary for you to have for your growth. What do you think God was trying to get across to Jonah by providing these hardships in his life? What was it that Jonah was lacking or needed to get rid of in order to be all that God created him to be?

_______________________________

Day 3 - Page 141: "Today consider the sensitivity of your heart toward that which God is asking you to yield. Compare the things significant to you with those significant to God. If you find any disparity, He is able and willing to soften your heart to match His desires. Ask Him to cause you to line up with His purposes - not just in action but in the deep recesses of your soul as well."

Question 4: As we close, let's just take a minute to thank God for allowing us this time over the last several weeks to be in His Word, learning and growing from the very interesting life of Jonah and also to consider our own lives in the light of His love for us.

_____________________________________________

Bonus Question: If you were making a movie on the "Life of Jonah" how would it end? What would a couple of alternate endings look like?

_____________________________________________

Thanks so much for spending your time with me through the book of Jonah. I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It has been very convicting to me at times and very thought provoking.

I love you all so much....see you tonight on Chatzy.

Jonah 4:11 (New International Version)
"11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

Showboat Clever Belle 2010 and other happenings....

Friday was Dak's last Showboat Clever Belle performance. tear. He did SO well!!! I think it was his best performance to date. He was spot on!!

So of course, this post is FULL of Dak pics, but since they were in low lighting they are not the best quality....me and my picture ability. I need to be taking lessons from someone (hint, hint, cue RJ =)

Here is Dak and Alyssa in all their concert best, getting ready to sing their hearts out.
















Adam, Cody and Dak performing at their Showboat best.















This is Dak sitting at our table, getting ready to be ornery as part of the show....so fun.















Here is Alyssa singing her solo "I Can Hear the Bells" from Hairspray. So funny!! She did a GREAT job!!!
















The Chamber Choir and Choir Chicks (so cute).....































Dak and his mama.........I love this kid so!!!!!
















Dak being adorable after the performance. He was SO happy!!!

Here is a video for your listening and laughing enjoyment. This is part of a song the kid's did, "Make an Ugly Woman Your Wife"....Hilarious!!! Be sure and keep your eye on Dak....This child cracks.me.up.

I have another video of his duet that was the show stopper!!! It was absolutely terrific!! But it was taken aways back with no zoom. So I am hoping to get a copy from his teacher. I have sent out a plea. So I'm really hoping for a copy =)

Well in other news............one week from this Thursday is my knee replacement surgery. YAY!! Seems like since we made the decision, I have peace about it. I didn't want to do it just yet, but this knee is hard to deal with sometimes, and with insurance changing all the time, we thought this was probably a good time to do it. And so maybe by next Spring I will be up and running or at least fast walking again =) YAY!!!

I am continuing to go up and being prayed for at church and God is meeting me at every.single.service. no matter how I am feeling, they pray in accordance to that. It is truly amazing!!! We are trusting God and looking forward to pain-free and swelling-free days to run around with Dick, Dak, Chase and Sir Cuteness. And I am ready.

There are so many to pray for like Elizabeth and Karen and Kate, and so many others.

I thank you so much for remembering me and my family during this time. I will keep you posted on preparations and the like. I kind of took a little break last week....but I am back.

Have a Blessed Monday.....

Hebrews 12:1 (New International Version)

Hebrews 12
God Disciplines His Sons

"1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Be Glorified.....

I've been desperately wanting a vacation. We were suppose to take a week this fall, and it just isn't going to work out right now, but you know what?... It is okay. I mean really okay. God is giving me peace amidst the storm(s) right now.

I was praying this morning and the one prayer that kept slipping from my lips was a prayer of thankfulness and praise. God is AMAZING!!! I mean so much more than we can wrap our human minds around. He is God....Creator....Defender of the weak....Guide.......Peace Keeper.....the Lover of my soul..... He is ALL I need!!! It is amazing to know The One who created it all and sustains it all sees me. Me. Pitiful. Broken. Me. It is truly amazing.

This verse kept coming to my mind, so I looked it up in The Message and wanted to share it here with you this morning:

Psalm 27:4-6 (The Message)


4 I'm asking God for one thing,
only one thing:
To live with him in his house
my whole life long.
I'll contemplate his beauty;
I'll study at his feet.

5 That's the only quiet, secure place
in a noisy world,
The perfect getaway,
far from the buzz of traffic.

6 God holds me head and shoulders
above all who try to pull me down.
I'm headed for his place to offer anthems
that will raise the roof!
Already I'm singing God-songs;
I'm making music to God.

In verse 5 the Psalmist states "That's the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world...." What is? Verse 4...contemplating His beauty....Studying at His feet....

It is the perfect getaway for this tired soul: meditating on my Jesus and studying at His feet. It is so easy to get caught up in our circumstances that we miss The One in the midst of them that can truly give us the respite we need. I am finding that out. This is the verse that He brought to my mind last night:

Ephesians 1:3 (New International Version)

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

I marked that word "every" because that is what God was showing me last night. He didn't bless me with one or two Blessings in Christ, but EVERY Blessing in Christ. That is so huge!!! We make God very small sometimes. We put Him in our boxes of relativity and for so long that is where He stays. It is when we choose to step out in faith and take Him out of that box and let Him be God in our lives that things change.

The things that once seemed so big and loomy are tiny in the hands of God. He is able. He is willing. He is God!!!

Sunday when I went up for prayer, it is the first time that I got a couple that had already prayed with me. It was so nice to see them again. When she prayed this time, she prayed that I would see how miniscule these knee problems are in the big scope of things. It was just what I needed to hear. Sometimes we can get SO focused on our circumstances, that we miss site of our never-changing, always loving, Potter who is forming us into His likeness, glory by glory.

She also prayed that God would use me mightily for His glory. That we will see His glory revealed through my life. Such a beautiful thing!!! This knee is NOT going to slow me down in the long run, or define me. It will help me to bring more glory to my Father. She prayed that in weakness I will be strong. Can I get an Amen?

You see, God has a plan. God has a way. God is The Way!!!

Today I wanted to share with you a video from our church. This is the church that I attend: James River Assembly in Ozark, MO and this is a video of our Praise and Worship Team and Choir during our Prayer for the sick time on Sunday Mornings. The first part is a picture of our church and then the music starts like 30 or so seconds in. I hope you enjoy it. This is Scotty O (Obremski).



I am so Blessed to be a part of this church. Be Glorified Jesus!!! Be Glorified in my life Father. Creator, Sustainer, Defender of the Weak, You are my God and I will ever praise You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Kickin' it CC style....Lovin' me some youngin'

Well, Dak's CC season has really taken off. This weekend he had a meet at a place we had never been. Coach added a few new dates and places this year since we are now 2A. We went to Halfway, MO.....halfway between Buffalo and Bolivar.....no I am not kidding.....I COULD NOT make this stuff up!! =) It cracks me up. They must have been hurting for a name.

Well it may have a funny name, but it was a beautiful place to have a meet. The drive was really nice (about an hour and a half).

So just a few pics of my sweet boy....doing his sweet thing.....on chat......in a hay field.....and the home stretch, next to a ball field....

Ready...Set....GO..... !!!!!
















And you thought I was kidding about the hay field.....













Home stretching it.... Run Dak.....














RUN BABY!!!!!

My baby had his best time of the season and 2nd best time of his career...18:43 ~~ WOW!!! GREAT JOB SON!!














Stop it ~~ I know ~~ me and my sweet boy~~ I LOVE this kid so!!!

Okay so in this pic I have on a long sleeve shirt, a t-shirt over it, a jean jacket and Dak's jacket that you see here and I was just starting to get warm when he needed his jacket back. It was a little chilly =)

So let me leave you this video today. I saw this on FB early this morning. It was one of the most inspiring things ever. Please sit and enjoy a few moments with Nick...

Love you ~~

Psalm 27:1 (New International Version)

Psalm 27
Of David.
"1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?"

Have a Blessed day,

Random Friday ~~ Seriously All Over the Place Random ....

So I've got some major randomness to share with you today. Not unimportant or mundane, mind you, just random.....

Sir Cuteness has been sleeping in his pack-n-play when he's here, and it was high time he had his own bed. So PaPa and I bought him his very own toddler bed, but not just any toddler bed....it is a mini-sleigh bed. Oh.My.Stars. It is the cutest thing!!!

Oh look at that sweet thang on his new bed, sporting his Nebraska best!!! Go Huskers!!!!!
anyway....

Okay so if you are two, what exactly do you do with a new bed?

Yep you climb on it!!! It is SO cute. He gets at the bottom of the bed and hauls his cute self right on over. Cracks us up!!

See here he is getting ready to Geronimo!!!

Oh my stars ~~ can you even stand the cuteness?!!?! I know!!!

Oh and here is the full view of this adorable bed and totally adorable Sir Cuteness!!!

Okay, so switching gears..... Dak's SWCL Conference Meet was last Saturday and we hopped in the car, went and picked up G and off we went.

Here is Sir Cuteness on the way home putting this toy on his cheeks, and then he'd say....Ouch!!! Hahahaha!!

Here we are.....crutches in hand =) Just the way we are rolling too often now-a-days.

Dak finished 12th in Conference this year. Good job son!!!!!

Okay....stop the madness.....how incredibly,

adorable is this sweet thang?!!

Oh.my.stars.

For some reason, I love this pic...

That afternoon my neighbor had a surprise 50th birthday party for his sweet wife, Linda.

It was at Alice & Irene's in Marionville. I'd never been there, but oh wow, it was SO good!!!

Look how nice this banquet room is? And I mean this is in a REALLY small town.

Here is Linda....the Birthday girl!!

She was SO excited!!!

This is her husband Joe, who set this up for her. So Sweet!!!

Look at this cake ~~ it was just beautiful and made right there at the restaurant.

Really nice!!

This is Daphne, a three time cancer survivor.....ovarian, uterine and then last year, spinal cancer. God has touched this ladies life in such incredible ways. She is opening a cupcakery in our area to benefit her "Heaven's Door" non-profit organization that helps women going through cancer. I will be posting next week about the cupcakery opening so you can go and support this dear lady and her organization, if you are local.

Hope you all have a Blessed weekend ~~

Philippians 2:14-15 (New International Version)

"14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe....."

Love you ~~

Please visit my recipe blog: www.recipesbydawn.blogspot.com