Good morning!!

A great friend of mine gave me a little book, My Utmost for His Highest, and I've really been struck by all the nuggets of wisdom and insight by this guy, Oswald Chambers. I actually was given it once before right out of highschool, but I don't remember reading it much then, and most of it would have gone straight over my head. Some of it still goes over my head, but alot of it has been speaking straight to my heart.

I was catching up this morning and read the page from yesterday. The title of it is "Nothing of the Old Life". I want to just include an excerpt from his thoughts.

"When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begins to work His new creation in us, and there will come a time when there is nothing remaining of the old life. Our old gloomy outlook disappears, as does our old attitude toward things, and "all things are of God" (2 Cor. 5:18). How are we going to get a life that has no lust, no self-interest, and is not sensitive to the ridicule of others? How will we have the type of love that "is kind....is not provoked, and thinks no evil"? The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God--such a trust that we no longer want God's blessings, but only want God Himself. Have we come to the point where God can withdraw His blessings from us without our trust in Him being affected? Once we truly see God at work, we will never be concerned again about the things that happen, because we are actually trusting in our Father in heaven, whom the world cannot see."

In the last couple of years, I've really struggled with my trust in God. I mean, who hasn't really. I know I'm not unique in this. But really. I want to trust God to the point that he speaks about. This idea of "not wanting God's blessings" is so counter cultural; even in the church. We all want God's blessings. And I don't think he's saying we shouldn't pray for certain things to be blessed. But to get to the point in my walk where all I really want is God Himself, and nothing more. Wow. And doesn't that feel so out of reach somtimes? Like only the great men and women of the Bible had that kind of trust. Oh I know they struggled too; but sometimes I feel like they were/are on a whole different level. It seems like we have so much more competing for our attention, time, effort here and now than they did. I'm thankful that He is getting me there. I may be kicking and screaming some days, but He's getting me there.

Father, thank you for your gentle knudges and whispers, and for your firm hand when necessary. I don't doubt that you love me. Help me to trust you more and more. Help me to surrender all of me to you. Thank you for the many ways you speak today. I love you Father.

In Jesus' name,
amen

Lifehouse's Everything Skit

Saw this on my friend Heather's blog; it's powerful. Some may pick up on other themes present, but the message is really about being passionately pursued by Almighty God.

OH Good grief.....

Alright, alright....I don't like these things too terribly much, but I'll do it because my two teammates keep ganging up on me. And I love them. So...here goes:

Here are the rules. 1)Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves. (2) People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules. (3) At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. (4) Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

1. I like to watch UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships)! I admit it, I know it's barbaric, but I like to watch it. I even have a few favorites! It's probably from years of watching karate movies with my brother, who is older than me, and such.

2. As I commented on a friends blog the other day, when I go grocery shopping, I like to put things in a certain order in the basket so that they go in order on the conveyor belt, so the bags can be put back into the basket in the right order, so the bags can be placed into my van in the right order. Call it what you want people, but it is the only way to do it.

3. Sometimes I put my ipod on to wash dishes or pick up around the house when the kids are home, and when Todd is home. I inform him that I will be "checking out for a bit." Some days I don't think I can hear "mommmmmeeeeee" one more time. I love my ipod by the way. My favorite new song is "Everything" by Lifehouse. There is the coolest video on youtube right now of that song. Check it out. You'll have to google it because I don't know how to put links in.

4. I want to be a nurse when I grow up. I'm going to do it too.

5. I LOVE to eat toast for breakfast with my coffee. It's just the best.

6. I'm not the best housekeeper in the world, I admit it. If you have any tips on how to keep up with little people getting in your way and needing you, please email me.

7. My favorite Starbucks drink is a java chip frapp....but I only drink them every so often because it's like eating a meal calorie wise. But I LOVE them. I don't like the light version either because it isn't the same.

8. I own an antique shotgun that belonged to Todd's grandfather. It's a 410 and I like shooting it. Yes, we are adjusting to the ways of Arkansas. But I'll always be Texan.

Ok..I'm done. I tag Donna, Regina, Theresa, Desiree, Amy, Rachel and Shauna.

Anybody out there???

Wow....look at all these cobwebs....oh how I have negelected this little blog!

Well...let me do some dusting and give this thing some TLC...

Hello! My name is Felicia Patten in case anyone still reads....I had a busy summer and yes, I survived it! Todd was gone the whole summer practically. I have new respect for single moms. We made it thru though and so far, have had a good start to the school year. Sienna also turned 5, and I didn't get to post about it. We had a HS Musical 2 watch/birthday party! Yes, my 5 year old is a HS musical fan. It was pretty fun. We didn't do a whole lot this summer, which, in retrospect, was nice. It kinda reminded me of my summers growing up. Don't you remember the days of just playing outside all day, until the sun went down, riding your bike, running around the neighborhood? I did go to basketball camp when I got older quite a bit, but nowadays, kids are as busy in the summer as they are during the school year. It's a little over the top in my opinion. Here in Searcy, one is not lacking for things to do in the summer. There is a camp or something like camp EVERY week in the summer. I guess that's nice for folks who work and need babysitting. I'm not dogging it, just thankful I have the option to be home with mine. We missed Todd alot, but we all made it thru in one piece. And, he made an "A" in both stat classes he was taking!!!

WOW!!

The previous post was a very brief update on baby Ethan. God is obviously doing a great thing in this baby's life. Truly a miracle. Please look at their website. They are at day 160, and they've updated everyday, so that's alot of reading. But if you just read from a few days back you can get the gist of it. My faith is being renewed from following this story.

Take a look: www.ethanpowell.com

INCREDIBLE!

PRAY!!!!!!!!!

Take a look at this website when you have some time. This little guy is fighting for his life. He's in TN right now at St. Jude's. Just to get you up to speed, he was diagnosed at his two month check up with Leukemia. He's now about 7 or 8 months old. He received stem cells from his dad and they are waiting to see if they engraft. This is a very young couple and they need, and Ethan, need all the prayers they can get. Pray for Ethan!

www.ethanpowell.com

Thanks!

Asher turned 7!!!!!!

I can't believe that my baby boy is now 7 years old. He is really growing up though. We had a great time celebrating his birthday. He wanted to go rock climbing, so we had his party at Zion Rock Climbing Gym. It was a lot of fun and the kids all seemed to really enjoy it. I even made the cake! The pictures don't do it justice though! Enjoy the pictures.

8 Years!!!!!

Todd and I have been married for 8 years TODAY!!!

We met at the Children's Home of Lubbock in May of 98. He was working as a Unit Director/Therapist of the Therapeutic Program when I started working there. I was very excited about working there as it was a new chapter in my life. Up to that point, I had only known AIM and SIBI. CHOL really stretched me and I loved it! Well...some days I didn't, but most of the time I did. While Todd and I were dating, I would always be so intrigued by the way he handled the kids there. He was really good at what he did and most of the kids really loved and respected Mr. Todd. Sometimes, it would shock me at how "tough" he would be, always doing it with love. He loved those kids. Really. And they loved him back. I knew that he was a keeper and that he would be a great dad someday. I wish my Searcy friends could have seen him in that place. It really was humbling to watch.

So we dated. I really love thinking of those days. We had so much fun together. We had many things in common and really enjoyed getting to know each other better. I knew that he was the one for me after probably 2 weeks of dating and talking. That summer, I spent about 5 weeks in Mexico City with some friends, reaching out to people in that city. It was a great experience. Todd came down the last week we were there. We had only been dating a couple of months. I knew that he was serious about me at that point. If you don't know me well, I'll tell you this: I love people! I love getting to know people. But at a certain point, I kinda pull back a bit. I felt like he was getting too close and I tried to run him off. This was customary for me with guys that actually liked me. But it didn't work. He didn't quit. I'm so thankful for that. When we returned to the States together, he came to my house for a few days to spend some time with my family. We continued to date and it was getting serious. Then, on December 19, Todd's birthday, he asked me to marry him. It was the coolest day for me. I sang in a wedding that day with my peeps(shout out to Unshackled!!! haa haa) and most everyone around me knew about this evening that would unfold. After we sang, I just sat around talking to friends and Todd hung out by himself. I thought this strange at the time, but now I know he was killing time. Also, a friend of mine told me it would be a good idea to plan a surprise party for him, so I did. So I had this in the back of my mind. So, he takes me home to change because we are going out for his birthday. Or maybe we were going to meet up later, I don't remember exactly. Anyway...he comes back in this limo with a rose. I'm surprised since it's his birthday and all. He said his parents paid for the limo for both of us for his birthday, and I'm thinking, "cool...", so we're off! As we are driving, Todd gets a 911 page from the Children's Home. This is not a strange occurence as it happened often. I thought it was terrible timing, but, it happens. So we end up having to go out there. It was about 15 min. outside of town. On the way out there, I'm preparing my mind for something really bad! I'm also ready to do some restraining of kids and all that fun stuff. So we get out there, to Cottage 3, and we walk in, and there's a lot of people inside. Kids are sitting on the floor, and they immediately start singing, "You are my Sunshine" and I'm thinking, "how sweet, they are singing to Todd on his birthday." I didn't get it....until Todd started talking. It seems like a blur, like someone put me into slow motion from that point on. He asked me in front of all of those kids and people (his family was there, and alot of our friends)! It was a time I will never forget. I said yes and after alot of hugs, and kids asking Todd for money to buy shoes and such, we left. We were going to eat at one of my fav places. I'm still thinking about this party too. So we eat. It was great. And we finally get to the party and everyone we love is there. Actually, the joke was on me because Todd had planned this as well. He had my friend plant that idea in my mind, so that we could share our moment with the rest of our friends. So he knew all along. It was great. He put alot of thought into that night.

We got married 4 months later. It was a beautiful day that was FULL!!! After our evening wedding, we ran out of food at the reception, so we ordered pizza at the hotel. We got up early the next day to catch a plane to Houston. I didn't know where we were going. And later found out that we were doing a 7 night cruise to Cancun, Cozumel and Roatan, Honduras. It was WONDERFUL!!!!!

8 years later, we are happier than ever and loving how God has amazed us! '

Thank you God for Todd. I wouldn't be who I am today if I had never found him. Thank you!

In Christ Alone.....

Well..here is the latest song that is currently at the top of my list. If you haven't ever heard this song, you need to. I would put it on here, but can't figure out how to do it. If I figure out how to do that, I'll share it with you. But this is a powerful, life changing song. Avalon did a version of it that is just unbelievable. So for now, here are the lyrics. I can't add anything to this. May it encourage and speak to your heart, as it is mine.


In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light my strength my song
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled when strivings cease!
My Comforter my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone! - who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This Gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till he returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand!

Tender Heart.........

Hey friends....glad you stopped by here. This post is more for me to remember than anything, but feel free to add your thoughts here.

Tonight, Asher stayed home from church because he wasn't feeling too good. His stomach has been bothering him for a day or so now. Todd stayed home with him. Also today, we received two boxes in the mail from grandma....she just totally loves us! She sent the new sensation, Cinderella III; (how many more will there be?) Anyway...Asher wanted to watch it tonight, so Todd put it on for him. I think he caught the end of it earlier when he came home from school because Sienna was watching it. So when we got home from church tonight he was watching it and it was almost over. I was trying to get things picked up from the day and I came walking by in the living room where he was visibly upset:

Me: "Asher what is the matter?"
A: (no answer)
Me: Asher what is wrong with you?
A: (he turned around to face me with a tear on his cheek) "I like this part"
Me: (very shocked to see him balling) "Hey Todd, look"
Todd: (smiling) It's ok buddy.
(the part in the movie is where the prince's dad is giving one of Cinderella's step sisters something special....no clue what it is...just caught that much)
I reach over the couch to pat and rub his back because he was so moved by that. We told him we loved him. And he was ok.

This isn't the first time he has displayed such sensivity. Here's a little background to this story in a nutshell. One summer we went to Mexico and took asher and sienna with us....to a children's home. It was awesome. Sienna was about 18 months old I think. She would not lye down to take a nap and was running all over the place. I was getting pretty frustrated with her and was trying to catch her. She went to jump on this couch that had hard wood armrests and as she did, I spanked her. When I spanked her she kinda jolted forward a bit and hit her head on the armrest. She was crying then and I picked her up to comfort her. When I pulled her back from me and saw her face, her cheek had split open a bit. I lost it. I freaked. I couldn't believe that had happened...totally an accident. We ended up patching her up ourselves with a butterfly stitch and got home to have the Dr. say we did a pretty good job. Anyway...that is the background to that. I have a picture of Sienna on my fridge from that trip and in it, she is wearing the stitch. Not too long ago, Asher had just returned home from school. I was standing in the kitchen starting supper. He was looking at the fridge and just out of nowhere started balling. I said, "what in the world asher, what is wrong son?" He said, "momma, I know you didn't mean to do that to Sienna." I grabbed him, of course, and hugged him and told him he was right. After a minute or two, he was ok and went on his way. Very random.

There have been other times. If someone is hurt, or sick, or having surgery, he has said to me, "momma, i wish that was me and not them."

Someone recently told me that Todd and I are going to have to help him learn how to protect that part of himself from people...where they can't use it against him. I hate that thought. You know, that people could be cruel to him for the way God made him. He is such a sweet boy and I hate to think of anyone hurting him in any way. But more than that, I hate the thought that maybe somehow, I could hurt him or squash his little spirit. I have not done the best job thus far. I have at times, punished him for this sensivity, and didn't really know I was doing it. This same friend that I mentioned earlier gave me some great advice. She said to pray for God to give me wisdom to appropriately discipline in the moment. Well Duh?? I never thought about doing that before, but I sure have since. I'm seeing a difference. Praise God!!

I'm very excited to see what God does in Asher's life. I'm very thankful that he made him so tenderhearted and compassionate. It is the most heartbreaking and exhilirating ride I have ever been on....this parenting roller coaster....and I wouldn't trade my lot for nothing!

I'm going to do a post on Sienna and Sydney, respectively, soon.

TULSA ROCKED!

Hey people...wow....Tulsa came and went. Too fast, in my opinion. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, here's a quick update. At the Tulsa Workshop this past week, many ex-AIMers got together for a sort of reunion. AIM (Adventures in Missions) is a missionary apprentice program that I was privelaged to be a part of. I lived in Kosice, Slovakia for 18 months with a group of missionaries and a team of young people (6 of us). I was blessed with a life changing experience there. So many ex-AIMers and current ones too were together for a few hours on Friday night. We sang and sang and sang some more. It was for me, in a word, overwhelming. My heart was so full, I thought it would burst. I'm thankful for the time I got to catch up with so many. There were so many more that I didn't get to talk to as much as I had intended to. Heather Winter, another time girl! I was really looking forward to seeing you and catching up, but another time. It was good to see your face and hug your neck! Amy G, you are fresh on my mind and I prayed lots of prayers for you and your family on my way home. Please keep me posted on your life!! I love you! Wow...there were so many...I'm thinking of Claire right now. Claire..it would have been so great to see you there! Angie and Selandra..you have no idea how blessed I felt to be able to see you both and to talk and catch up...and to SING! Thank you, again, Angie, for pushing me to come and for taking care of me! Doug...I really enjoyed catching up and am praying for you brother. I could keep going, but I'll stop dropping names. If I got to see you face to face, I loved every minute of it!

I just want you guys to know that I felt so blessed, we all did, I'm sure. I can't understand why God has blessd me so much. It is too much for my mind sometimes to ponder. So...I won't. I receive it, and thank him for it, and allow it to empower me to paying it forward.

Also...some of you may not know this, but I only was able to come because of a very dear friend of mine. My friend, Donna, offered to keep my kids on Friday. She did it because she loves me and she knew how badly I wanted to be there with you all. If you don't know her, someday you will, and you will be blessed for knowing her too.

So...next year, same time, same place. We have to do it again...and make it bigger in number! Thanks Jason and Heather for spearheading that. You guys are awesome and your kids are precious and I love you both!

flee

Branson...

Hey everybody...we had a great time in Branson. Here are a few pics from our trip. We had a full couple of days...from miniature golf, go karts, swimming, walking around a new shopping area (way cool outdoor mall), to a day and a half at Silver Doller City. This place was perfect for kids because they could ride most all of the rides...even the big coasters! Asher and Todd rode a pretty fast coaster, which was impressive, since Asher tends to be very cautious. We are all still pretty worn out, but still talking about the memories we made. We also got to spend a little time with our friends, Andrew and Amy Baker and their kids, Julianne, Maryella and Baby Isaac. We really enjoyed hanging with the Bake's!

Todd....

Heather...here is a picture of Todd. I don't have one of him by himself and he wouldn't let me take one anyway! He had blonde hair as a kid so that is probably where Asher gets it. I was a honey blonde. So...everyone, this is Todd. Todd, everyone. Although those of you that read this thing already know him, most of you anyway.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. We are going to Branson for part of Spring Break this next week. Much love to you all....flee

Asher Thomas Patten...

I just wanted to post some recent pictures of Asher.

The top one is of him with his teacher, Mrs. Barden. He was giving her the Christmas present he made for her: a coffee mug that he painted and decorated himself. I know, I know, you're not supposed to give teachers coffee mugs, but this is our first year. We're all learning. I wanted to say something about Mrs. Barden on here too. It really has been a huge blessing for him to be with her. She really loves him alot. The cool thing about her is she feels that way about all of her kids. She is a great teacher and has been so great with him this year. He enjoys school and works hard. He is reading chapter books now and does so without much hesitation. His confidence has grown alot this year. Thank you Mrs. Barden for all that you do for Asher! We all love you!

The middle one is of him at the Kindergarten box car derby. He won his heat. And of course, he wanted it to be Lightening McQueen! That was a fun day.

The bottom one is just cute. His hair is growing per his request. I don't know how much longer I can hold out though. He is such a good boy. He has his moments like any other boy, but he makes us very proud. I wish I had a picture of him with his dad from this weekend. They ran/walked a 5K race in Little Rock. At first, Asher was not happy about it. It was cold and early in the morning and he was tired. But Todd said that after the first mile, he warmed up and saw how so many people out there were having fun. It was like a party. He really got into it then and would sprint to get ahead of different groups. In the end, he got a medal for finishing which was a BIG deal to him. I'm so proud of him for doing it. They are going to make that a tradition the two of them do. Maybe we'll all join them next year.

I love you Asher buddy!

Rested and Recharged..........

I just returned from being away for a night and a couple of days, without my family......I have to say that all mothers should be allowed and forced to do this at least once every few months or once a year. I LOVE my crew..anybody that knows me and has been around me knows this. But I needed to get away for a bit, just to relax. All I did was read my book, my bible, watch a couple of movies, eat when I wanted, had some good chats. It was one of the biggest blessings I've received. This place was breathtaking. The house was called the "Serendipity House" and I don't know that I've ever known what that word actually meant.....until yesterday. The owners have a book with different bits of info and on the front was the definition of serendipity......."unexpected pleasure"............and it truly was. My heart was so full I thought it would burst with gratitude. And I came back with some new resolve, some rest behind me, more gratitude for what God has given me.

Thank you God for giving me some time to be still. Thank you for loving me. I love you so much! amen.

I hope you people out there in blogland are experiencing overwhelming blessing in your life. I know that God has his hands in each one of your lives.....I know this because I read what you write about on your blogs and can see clearly the hand of the Father at work in your lives. Thank you guys for remaining faithful all these years.........you are a part of my life that I love to reflect on........Tim and Kim, Amy and Jeff, Angie, Heather and Jason, Heather W., Jason and Michelle, Carolyn, Claire, Sarah, Lisa, Doug, and the list could go on and on and on! Sorry if you're reading this and I didn't mention you by name. I only know these for sure because they have a commented before. If you are lurking....come on out and join the party. Actually, the party is usually over at Angie's blog or Sarah's at present. Anyway...much love to you all. It's good to be home.

flee

Praise God!!

Well, the appt today went really well. She does have thalassemia minor (a type of anemia), which is what I have. We were thinking it probably was that, but her Dr. wanted to be sure. So...it is not life changing or anything. She will need to be taking vitamins and he also strongly encouraged me to be taking mine too! We will have to watch her. If she gets jaundiced or really run down, we'll need to have her levels checked. Worst case...she'd have to have a blood transfusion. So...all is well. Thank you so much for your prayers. We really appreciate it.

I wanted to mention to you all that we were in the oncology clinic at this children's hospital. There were so many sick kids there...at least a dozen or so coming and going...receiving treatment I'm sure. Most of them were smiling. I felt such hope from them.....and they are the ones fighting to stay alive. Amazing. It humbled me and made me very thankful for the blessing today, that I found out that I don't have to bear that burden at this time in my life. I also felt sad thinking of all that they are going through, their families probably turned upside down. It also made me aware of how easily I get "hung up" on the dumb things in my own life. It will be hard to complain about anything without some of their faces coming to mind.

Anyway...thank you again for your prayers and words of encouragement. Sydney is also FINALLY feeling better. So for now, I am at peace.

Hope you all are too....count your blessings!

OK People.....

You know how when you are doing really good, and sensing the Spirit working in your life, and you are hearing the Father more clearly? Yeah, well, I was having a few weeks of that....feeling good....obeying the Father's leading....things were just easy. Well...that has all come crashing back down to reality. The reality? That life happens. Good and bad. And yet through it all, God is not far away. I was reading in Lamentations 3 of all places this week, about how GOD causes the good and the ill (NAS). He doesn't take pleasure in seeing us suffer, but he causes it. What? Did I read that right? I always thought Satan was behind most of the "bad" stuff in our lives. I am still chewing on that one. But right in the middle of all of that was the verse that "Great is thy Faithfulness" is taken from.

"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness."

Like a gentle spring breeze, on a sunny day, was this verse to my soul. I am committing it to memory.

We've had a tough few days. Sydney is sick again and it just drains me. She is so fussy and unhappy and just wants to lay or sit on me. I've also been sick the last couple of days. Asher and Sienna are saying they don't feel good either. Todd's mom was having a very invasive biopsy this week to determine if there was more cancer. It's also been 7 years since Todd's dad passed away this week. And yet, in the middle of all of this "stuff", I know that God is still near. Does this "stuff" change what I know to be true? No. But it still stinks.

So, I would appreciate prayers for me and my family. Tuesday we take Sydney to Little Rock, as I mentioned in an earlier post, and we would really appreciate your prayers for her. We just need to get some answers.

Nothing special here...just venting. Thanks in advance.

Asher and Sienna...

My kids are funny. Last night, as I was tucking Asher in bed, he told me that sometimes he wakes up a little early before Sienna (she sleeps in his room) and does pushups. I told him that was good and it would make him really strong. So this morning, I woke him up, and without hesitation, he plopped down on the ground and started doing his pushups. I asked him who told him he should do that, and he said, no one, just thought of it on my own. He said, "I want to do them so that I will live longer." I just smiled and then I frowned a bit thinking of how short life is. When you are young, you think you are immortal.

And then just a Sienna thing. Last night, I was doing something on the computer for a minute, and Sienna was right behind me, like a shadow. She really does follow me around everywhere. I finally asked her, "Sienna, why do you have to be right next to me all the time?" To which she casually replied, "because I love you mommy." I was SO humbled!!! I hugged her and told her I loved her too.

I love my kids!!!

Blessings to you all!

Friends...

This is Sydney's friend, Abby. We see Abby alot and Sydney loves her. Sienna loves her too. We all do. I like that Sydney is learning the "ropes" with Abby. They are typical toddlers....they have a love/hate relationship! One minute they are hugging, the next they are fighting over a silly thing. But most of the time, Sydney is calling Abby's name anytime we get within viewing distance of Abby's house.

I've been reminded recently about the importance of friends. These girls may grow up together....I don't know. I wonder sometimes about what they will be like, even if they will still be friends. When I was growing up, I had friends, but no one that I still keep in touch with. I have a few friends from college days that I keep up with, but really no on from childhood days. My mom has a childhood best friend that she talks to weekly. Another friend of mine keeps up with her childhood friends. It's interesting to me because some people just stick, you know?

I wonder if Jesus saw childhood friends as an adult? I wonder if those people stuck? Seems like his closest relationships came later in life. It was important to Jesus to have his safe place. On another blog, a friend wrote about the "discipline of spiritual friendship" and I had never thought of that as a discipline before. Neat concept though. Jesus entrusted himself, his heart, to few. They were better for it too.

My kids are blessed as they get to share life with some great kids. I'm blessed knowing their parents. I am very grateful for the people God has put in my life here and now, and in the past. I have been fortunate to cross paths with some amazing people that reflect the Father so clearly, it's humbling. Thank you Father, for blessing my family with people that love you and love us. Thank you for the opportunities you give me to nurture and grow in those relationships, over coffee and over the internet. I know that you are a God who gives and takes away. For now, God, I thank you for allowing my cup to overflow. Thank you for giving me another glimpse of you and of heaven through the relationships you allow me to share in. Bless them all as you know them better than me, wherever they may be all over the world. Amen.

If you haven't taken them time to tell someone that has been a blessing to you how much you appreciate them, do so. Hey, it's almost Valentines Day anyway...the month o love!!!!

Spread the love!

Flee

Sorry folks....

No pictures yet. I will soon though. The kids haven't changed much from the last pics so all is good. Except Sydney got her ears pierced over the holidays and she looks like such a big girl. So I will post some pics as soon as I get a chance.

Just a quick update for you peoples that want to know:

We had a good Christmas. It was very busy, but good. We spent about a week in Dallas with my family. My parents are in the process of moving to KY to care for my mema. She is 86 and has alzheimer's and has been living alone. The situation was getting more and more dangerous for her to be alone, so my parents, after MUCH prayer and discussion, made the decision to move in with her rather than replant her in Dallas. My parents are tired of "big city" life anyway. So...my dad is there now. We missed him at Christmas, but still had a good time. My mom is totally out of her house and living with my brother and his family. She is finishing out the school year and will go to KY at the end of May. They are happy with their decision and I'm looking forward to spending more time at my Mema's house.

While in Dallas, Sydney was sick the whole time with some flu virus...and on our way to Lubbock, Todd and I caught it. We spent almost a week in Lubbock as well. It was good to see everyone, but not fun being sick. Sienna caught it at the end of our trip there, then Asher on the way back home. So the trip was not relaxing at all, but always good to see family and friends.

So we are back into the swing of things...kinda. School is starting for Todd this week. Asher and Sienna have been back for a couple of weeks now. Asher was "superstar" last week and enjoyed that. I'll post pics of that too later. He got to dress up and share pictures of family, and we took snacks that began with the letter "R". It's all a part of being in Kindergarten. It really has been a good year for him so far. He is reading now and enjoys his Gameboy he got from Grandma. Sienna was going to school all day three days a week, but I dropped her down to three half days. She will start Kinder next year. She is trying to read some short vowel words now, all on her own, and picking it up quickly. Sydney is just Ms. Independent. She enjoys playing with shapes and blocks and babies and dress up, of course. Todd is gearing up for his semester. I'd like to ask for you to remember him this next few months. This is going to be a taxing semester for him. It's been so great having him home, we are all going to have to adjust to his new schedule once again. It is nice to know it is temporary. But please, if you think about it, pray for Todd's endurance, patience, health, and safety on the road.

I've been thinking about some things lately. I won't go into much detail here, but want to share something very encouraging to me lately. The other day I had an opportunity to spend some very much needed time alone, and in that time, I asked God why do people suffer much? And the Holy Spirit, I believe, brought these verses to mind immediately:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are PROTECTED by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. IN THIS you GREATLY REJOICE, even though now for a little while, if NECESSARY, you have been distressed by various trials or temptations (NIV), SO THAT the proof of your faith, being MORE PRECIOUS than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to RESULT in PRAISE and GLORY and HONOR at the revelation of Jesus Christ;"
1 Peter 1:3-7

He goes on in that section to talk about loving Him even though we have not seen him and having joy that is beyond our ability to express.

I'm not a scholar and never have been. I don't know all the background to this letter right off the bat, but I know I could look it up in a book. But I didn't want to be distracted by that. I simply felt the peaceful whisper in my ear of why people suffer, I meant myself really. Mind you, I know all typical answers to this question, but this came straight to my soul from the H.S. If you don't believe that, don't say it here because I'm not trying to stir the pot, I am just sharing how God ministered to ME.

There is so much said in those few verses, I'm still chewing on it. But here's what I was reminded of : there is nothing in this world, no amount of money, greater than my faith. My faith is what sustains me daily, not money, not friends, not family, not "stuff", not anything. My bible says so that the "geuineness" of your faith may be found to result in praise in v. 7. As a daughter of the King, this empowers me to face my day head on, come what may, with a certain resolve. Sounds good on a blog, but living it is another deal. I've loved God all of my life, and I do not doubt that he has saved me, but there are still so many set backs in my life. See, I think Satan loves to whisper those lies to us...ALL of us........

"you are the only one who feels that way"
"you are a terrible wife, mother and friend"
"God doesn't love you, look at your life"
"you are the only one struggling like that"
"don't say anything to anybody, hide out, they'll think you're crazy"
"keep it to yourself, nobody wants to hear about your garbage"
"you're so stupid"

and on and on and on.........
but, we must replace those lies with truth. What truth? God has had great mercy on us, he caused us to be saved, we can obtain in inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, will not fade away that is reserved in heaven for YOU! You are protected by the POWER of God through FAITH. You have something more valuable than any amount of riches on the earth.....FAITH. And what is the outcome of our faith? Salvation of our souls. God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but a spirit of POWER, LOVE, and SOUND JUDGMENT! The testing of our faith produces ENDURANCE or steadfastness.
And on and on the truth goes. I am thankful today, for another chance to live better, more faithful, realizing that it's a good thing to be tested and challenged. God is working on me still and I'm very thankful for that.

I hope that you are being challenged as well.

Let me hear from you!

Happy New Year!

Hello to all and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Just wanted to let you all know that I'm still alive, and will soon create a proper post with pictures and all.

God is good...today and everyday.

Blessings...flee