Just "awe"some

Tonight I experienced something awesome.  I was in an arena with a thousand of my closest friends other people united in one goal- to glorify God.  Don't get me wrong, I have fellowshipped with others before and came away refreshed, but this was a little different.  This was a concert.

I have been to concerts before, I love concerts.  I posted about my last concert here.  It was a blast and the music also glorified God, but it was more of a show than what tonight was.  Tonight was not an audience watching and enjoying, but collectively being a part of something bigger than the concert itself.

This guy???  

He pretty much rocks the praise and worship music.  He has a gift that is unreal.  The bible says that "out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks."  I am in awe of the heart of this man.  If you aren't familiar with his face, I am pretty sure that you have heard his name- Chris Tomlin.

The concert was awesome, but not because the stage and lighting were fabulous.  Not because he danced and put on a great show.  No, it was awesome because he made sure that the focus of the night was put on the only one worthy.  At one point I looked around the arena to just take in the sight:  the gathering of so many different walks of life coming together as one- one faith, one heart, to give glory to the One.  I wondered if all of his concerts were just as moving and raw as this one.  Regardless- I felt the presence of God and I was in awe.

more dirty pictures

Just thought I would share!!

So dirty and thankful

On Saturday, I did something for the first time.  It was hard.  It was hot.  It was dirty.  I ran with 3 amazing women in the USMC Mud Run in Columbia, South Carolina.  There were 3115 teams made up of 14,000 people.  The course is 4.5 miles with 32 obstacles.  All along the way there are Marine's yelling at the participants to get moving, go faster and harder. 

Most people train for several months to get ready for this test of team work and physical endurance.  I, however, had 2 weeks~GASP!!  My friend called me literally 2 weeks before the Run and asked if I could step in for one of their team mates that had an injury.  I couldn't resist. 

Before

Getting pumped

And then.......

there was after!!!

Did I mention it was dirty??

I'm not gonna beat around the bush- it was hard.  After the first few obstacles I wondered if I had made a huge mistake.  By the time we made it half way, however, we were hooked!!  I have never worked so physically hard for a goal in my life, but it was sooooooo worth it!!  I hope to be able to train properly and do it again next year!

We finished #1945 overall out of 3115, and #164 of 438 all female teams.  Our time was 1:48:31 which was, we think, pretty good for a bunch of first timers that included a "last minute chick"!!

I just love the way things work.  The way the Lord made things to work.  The harder we work for something, the more we appreciate it, and are thankful for the outcome, or prize.  When things seem to come easy without effort, we tend to take them for granted, we are less thankful and appreciate less the reward.

While that last statement could take me into a whole other blog post, I will just end with this:  Today I am very thankful for the times in my life I had to get dirty and work hard for the rewards in my life, and this past Saturday I am thankful for the ladies with whom I was able to get dirty.

9.12.2010 - part 2

Watching my two oldest children getting baptized was a special moment for this mom.  It made me quite thankful for my own upbringing and the example of godly living from my own parents.  To be able to have this as a legacy to be passed on just leaves me with speechless praise to God.

As you may have noticed from the pictures from the last post, I too was baptized.  As a child, I was "sprinkled".  All these years later, it has never really crossed my mind that I had never been immersed.  While talking to my kids about baptism and what it is and means, "A" excitedly asked me how old I was when I was"dunked" (her words).  Guess what?  I couldn't answer her.  I explained how I was sprinkled and that some denominations practice this, but that just didn't feel right with me.  We do not practice this with our kids.  When they are babies they are dedicated to the Lord before the church, but not sprinkled.  So I decided that I would just join in the fun and "get dunked" as my kids say, right along with them!  I am so glad I waited until now, because it was truly special.

Want to hear what made this day sooooo super special??  This guy:

I have known this "gentle"man all my life.  He was the single biggest factor in my personal walk with the Lord.  He is godly, strong, humble, hard-working, full of mercy, fair, soft, smart, tough but gentle man that loves his wife and children and is thankful for everyday he is given.  This is the man that was gracious enough to baptize me, my children, and my nieces and nephews.  We think its pretty cool that he was able to do this, but I can only imagine what is was like for him.

You see, the man above is my DAD. 

I can only dream of what this was like for him to be able to baptize the ones that are so dear to him.  The ones that he has spent so much time praying for and over.  Not just as a dad to my brother and I, but as a grandfather watching his grandkids grow, teaching them, and loving them in a whole new way.  I am so thankful that we are able to share this day with him and that because I still have two other children that will one day be baptized- we will get to do it again!

                                                   

9.12.2010

                                             Can you guess

what made

September 12, 2010

 

so very, very

super special

for our family?

                                                         Romans 1:16


to be continued.............



A little slow

Yes, I know it has been quite some time since I posted, but I just wanted to pop in and say that I am working on it!!!  I have already changed the backround (again), and I am working on some new pics and names for my sweet, crazed, adorable, wack jobs.  hee hee.  But I have been putting off a post until something special around here took place, and it has.  Sooooo, with that- I am going to work on getting my rear in gear and get back to the blog world!

Still here enjoying life

I have been absent lately from writing, I know.  I have been reading and commenting on other blogs, but I just haven't had the urgency to write.  I  have been so busy since summer started, that I have been doing just what I am supposed to be doing- having fun with the family.
The girls still have gymnastics, A and T are on the swim team, and J is busy with camps (church, golf and basketball).  Its quite busy, but such fun.

Today we decided to take a slow down, spontaneous trip to my parents house.  Sounds funny, I know.  When we got here, I sat on the back patio with my mom and watched my girls catch lightening bugs and do gymnastics.  I loved watching them just be kids.  No pressure. No rush. Just playing.

I thought about running for the camera, but you know what?  I decided to just enjoy the moment.  I know that all to soon these days will pass and I will miss them dearly, so I decided not to miss one second.

The boys?  They ran to my brothers house to be with my nephews and play too.  Only they played Rock Band.

Hopefully I will get some pictures posted soon.  We have alot going on and alot still to do before summer is all too soon over.   I really want to update the pics of the kids on my sidebar anyway and give the kids nicknames.

Any suggestions?