Busy!

Are you busy?
I am busy!
Not busy enough to write about it, though. :) HA!
We had a get-together at our house last night...most of the pastoral staff came and some of our Sunday School leaders and then a few extra special friends that we have. It was great! Dessert and coffee all around and it was fun and homey in our little apartment. Boo has a little friend who came over and boy I tell ya, the two of them...they are so hilarious! She hugs him lots and he blows her off some of the time, but then always comes running back for more hugs and smoochies. The Pastor and the little girl's daddy commented that in about 10 years we are going to have to put a wall between them and no playing in the bedroom unsupervised. Seriously. She is a pretty special girl and I would love to have Gayle and Charley as David's in-laws! :) hee hee.
So, I am swamped at work, lots of paperwork to do and I have a class to attend today. The class should be good, but in the back of mind, I am thinking about Boo. He has his party at school today, Jeremy has his party at his office today, and Boo, well, he isn't feeling all that great. He's allergic to the holidays. Every major holiday he gets sick...think there is something "they" call that??? Maybe it's because we get so busy and his little body just doesn't adjust? Maybe it's because he hasn't had a decent night sleep in 4 days....I definately know that contributes to it. I hope he is okay today and that I can get my work done and manage to take Friday off.
I am not letting my busy-ness cloud my true thoughts I'll have you know...it's Christmas and I am looking forward to spending it with my family this weekend. My new nephew is home and I can't wait to hold that little boy and give him lots of smoochies...assuming I am not sick by Saturday! :)
I have more stuff to share, but like I said, I'm BUSY!

Never to busy for you, Lord-
Karen

Updates and Pictures

(In Other Words - see below)

Please bear with me over the next week, since I am in the process of having my blog changed over to Beta Blogger...same address, no worries there, but maybe different look and something seems up with my header, so I am getting my designer, the lovely and talented, Goofy Girl, to take a look at it. That girl is in the middle of finals in med school, so say a prayer for her when you get a chance. :)

I am going ahead and posting more pictures for people to look at of our Christmas pictures. I am still in the process of sorting through them and making sure all the grandparents have what they need...cause, it's all for them. :)

These boys look deep in thought and coversation! I love the way Boo looks at his daddy...it's with awe and excitement most times. It's a special bond these two men of mine have...one with purpose and guidance, with fun and adventure, and most importantly a love for Jesus. Boo doesn't even know how special he is to have such a great daddy, but I get the feeling he's starting to learn that. Jeremy-you are an incredible father. I am amazed at the way you love our son and nurture him.

Here we are! So cuteness!!! I hope my aunt Sheila thinks we did okay with the color scheme. :) HA! She is all about that most years, and my mom thought I did good. David was a dream, seriously...he did so great and that's why we ended up with a bazillion pictures. He's only 2 once, right?

I always love the before and after shots...they really show his true personality. Can you tell here that we are getting to the end and this may be the sign of a little hungry munchkin? Yeah, it definately is. It's the total Kernie face too. He gives me that look sometimes and I can't help but giggle knowing I most definately gave my mom and dad that same look when I was little.

And then...he gives the shot of his life. This screams and oozes "I am so cutie!" His teeth look nice (bonus for the dental assistant in his life - GRANDMA!) and look at his cute little cheeks...don't you just want to squeeze and pinch em!? My aunts will totally love this picture.


There you have it...the photo session in a nutshell. I have my new pictures on my desk today, and I am overjoyed to see my little Boo staring at me. It's a constant reminder of one of the purposes of my life.

Have a great Tuesday!
In Him-
Karen

In Other Words - The Atmosphere

"I am the one holding the keys to the atmosphere in my home."
Teri Maxwell

It's fun to hold the keys...at least that's what my Boo thinks. He knows the importance and symbolism for holding the keys. We are either going somewhere or coming home from somewhere, but there is great importance in having them if you are driving your car or trying to get into your house. So, you could say the price of holding the keys is, well, valuable.

The atmosphere in my own home is equally as valuable. The way we talk to one another. The way we discipline. The way we help each other. These are all very valuable things and can easily be distorted and torn down if not taken seriously. I woudn't say it's so much ALL of my job or responsibility to keep peace in our home, but I do play a vital role. My tone of voice, the way I speak to my husband, the way I hold my tongue...all of these things are addressed in the Bible (see Psalms, Proverbs, James), so God thinks they are of exceptional importance.

Women, as emotionally created beings that God so designed us to be...we can sometimes allow the emotions to control the atmosphere of our home. I want the emotions of joy, peace, and love to be the sweet fragrance that people see and smell and taste, but it's the other emotions of anger, bitterness, and chaos...those are the emotions I want no one to get a whiff of. This statement catapults me into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Apart from Him, I can do nothing (John 15:5). Apart from Him, I can't experience TRUE joy, TRUE peace, and TRUE love, which only comes from God above.

Father- may the atmosphere of my home be found pleasing in your sight.

--Karen

Portrait Innovations

I forgot to bring my CD with me this morning, but I do have one picture of Boo and I to post. It's on my desktop and it's just the cutest. Daddy-I think you will love it, and fear not, you are getting one in the mail soon. :)

Ain't he sweet??? Oh yes, he absolutely is!! I will post more tonight if I think about when I get home. Hope you enjoy the day the Lord has made. Rejoice!

In Him-

Karen

Tags: Portrait Innovations

Boo's First Basketball Game

Recently we got the opportunity to take Boo to a Georgia Tech Basketball Game...his first EVER! He had a great time! I honestly wasn't sure if he would really sit there through the whole game, but he shocked me and proved me all wrong. I think basketball is his new favorite sport. :)


Here he is...Basketball sweatshirt and all. The smile on his face tells the whole story, seriously.


Althought he comfy chair is nice, he really preferred the aisle walkway. Not a lot of people were around us, so he enjoyed sitting there and watching the game.


Boo enjoyed a hot dog, bun included, half of MY half of the pretzel and a Sprite! I was completely amazed!!


Boo got to meet Buzz for the first time also...as much as he followed the game, he also followed with his eyes, where Buzz was all through out the game. Right before we left, Daddy flagged him down and they got to High-5. He also told him "GO Jackets!, Sting Em!" Too bad this past weekend against Georgia they didn't sting them enough. hee hee

Karen

Because He's God!

"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God
whose ways you may not understand at the time."
~Oswald Chambers~

Can I get an AMEN? Deliberate - a synonym for PURPOSEFUL! That word deliberate is filled with purpose and my all time favorite word...intentional! I must be intentional in my faith, not just saying 'I have faith', but actually stepping out and trusting the Lord.

In my Sunday school class a few months back, we were discussing some deep issues about suffering and pain and loss, and my answer to all of that was this...Because God is God! He can do whatever He pleases. That is an answer many do not like to hear. It's hard to swallow that God is Love, yet children suffer through illness and death; that God is peace, and we battle in war over land; that God is Hope, and people die every day that don't know Him personally. The Lord says, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him..." Hebrews 11:6a, NASB The fact that having faith pleases the Lord blows my mind. People say it's not that simple...I have learned only recently that it is THAT simple. I have been reading Fresh Faith by Jim Cymbala and I was confronted by the lack of my faith. I agreed with people that having faith was simply "easier said than done." I don't agree with that any longer.

I have shared many times about the past year and I also have shared a story about a friend of mine who lost her baby earlier this year. Her statement to many was this... "If the Lord allowed all this to happen if for nothing else than for us to draw closer to Him, then wasn't it worth it?" In my book? Absolutely. I think a great deal of time is spent asking the Why? questions instead of having the faith to trust the Lord. I trust that when something happens that isn't in my plan (ha! my plan...as if I ever had a plan!), okay, let's say, in the realm of my thinking...and it seems to derail me, I know must cling to what I know...the scriptures :

Jeremiah 29:11b "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, but to give you hope and a future." NIV

2 Corinthians 13:11 "be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you." NASB

I Chronicles 28:20 "Then David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished." NASB

My purposeful faith is not based on the circumstance that the Lord brings into my life, it's based on trusting that the Lord is who He says He is in His Word. Be found faith filled today...

In Christ-

Karen

Tags: In Other Words, CWO

Give Thanks

With a grateful heart.
Give Thanks, to the Holy One.
Give Thanks, because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son...

I love making a statement and being reminded of a song that I sang as a youth in church. That was one of my favorites. I have been thinking lately of traditions and wanting to start one in our family. We have started several small ones for the three of us and hope they will continue on as the years do. I came across a cool thing today, though, that I just had to share. On the website Faith Lifts, Katrina wrote about something they do as a family and I think I am going to start it with Boo tonight. Now, we don't have a fire place, so that part will change, but the idea is still good as gold.
I think it's important to remind children to give thanks always. We have much more to be thankful for that we testify too, mainly because of the Cross. It's often that I go days without thanking the Lord for sending His Son, but that should always be on the forefront of my mind. What He did on the cross makes me who I am today. May I not let another day go by that I don't thank you Lord for what you did.

In Christ-
Karen

P.S. - This is my 100th POST!!!

Tags: Faith Lifts, Raising Kids, Thanksgiving

The Dreaded Note

Boo's attitude about obeying have been less than stellar lately. So, I kind of wasn't surprised when I received the note home from his teacher on Friday. Boo "has been disobedient and hitting his friends recently"...hm. I have noticed the change in him only recently, maybe about 2 weeks ago. He started putting up more of a fight at bedtime and just the constant statement of NO. It's been really tiring. So....
This weekend, we decided to change our habits. Friday after school, Jeremy and I had a long talk with him about the situation at school, we also decided that evening that no TV shows would be permitted for the rest of the day, and most importantly that we would pray about this. He agreed to the above and seemed to do better that evening. We also went back to something we used to do with bed time...straight from SuperNanny. It seems to help him more and although it takes time, it's worth it if it works. After we put him in his bed, I sit next to his bed for a few minutes. We can't talk to each other, so I take this time to pray silently for him and for our family, and depending on the amount of time, I pray for whatever the Lord brings to my mind. Every few minutes, I move closer to the door, until I finally say a final goodnight and leave. Every night the distance between him and me gets bigger as I move the starting point closer to the door. Now, I must say, this works MOST OF THE TIME, but there are the nights where honestly, nothing works, and you just have to leave and trust that he will learn to get in the bed and close his eyes. Last night proved to be that night. I did the sitting by the bed, then sitting by the door, then sitting outside and yet he still wouldn't stay in there, so after30-40 minutes, it was up to him. He cried at the door for a while and then....he went to his bed by himself.
I think I don't give him enough rope at times. He is only 2 1/2, but he is also a very smart 2 1/2. Boo has just always been the kid who needed to cry it out or figure it out himself. When he was little, he would cry for several hours at night and then just all of sudden stop. That would be it, and he would be happy and go to bed and Jeremy and I would just sit there and look at each other with wonder. He's just a kid who has to learn and do it himself at times.
I guess that's the prayer I think about the most....and pray the most often. Help me, Lord, to nurture him and direct him in the straight path, but help me also to allow him to learn and do things on his own. I think that's a huge deal in today's world...some parents let kids run crazy and others don't allow them to explore on their own. Finding that happy place is a huge prayer and responsibility to me.

I hope each of you is having a blessed day in Jesus!

--Karen

Tags: Raising Kids, Prayer

Looking forward

I am having a battle of the wills lately...Boo bear's will and my will. For some mysterious reason, bedtime has taken a turn for the worst. He so thinks he is going to miss something. I mean, I guess that's what it is... He doesn't need anything, he just wants to say my name a bazillion times over and over. I actually had to laugh at it, because I imagined the Lord laughing at the situation too. I wondered (and not long) about how many times the Lord says my name and I don't even flinch! It shouldn't be that way. My spirit should be more sensitive about hearing His voice and obeying. I sometimes feel Boo bear's ears need to be more sensitive to my voice also...hee hee. (That's the funny part.)
Our statement in the house to boo is this: Boo, if you can't learn to listen and obey Mommy and Daddy (whom you see), then it will be hard to listen and obey the Lord (whom you can't see). It's a good lesson and it keeps Jeremy and I in check probably more than Boo. I am following my Dr. Dobson notes and getting down on his level, touching and holding his arms and looking him in the eye, however, all he wants to do is hug me. I am grateful for the hugs, don't get me wrong, but I am having a time to get him to look me in the eyes.

I think it's one of the most amazing things that the Lord uses my child to make an extreme point in my life. My eyes desire to be focused on the Father at all times and yet the distractions of the world are many. It can be simple stuff or complex things, but most importantly it takes the focus off Him to the circumstance, and my soul needs to be in constant communication with the Father to avoid de-railing off the path. I enjoy remembering the past and from where the Lord has brought me, but today, for only reasons He knows, my eyes are looking forward. Looking ahead. Looking for the path. Looking to Him for guidance. Searching for His will and His way. Oh, Lord, may my eyes see your glory and desire your way - the straight path. May I focus on Your face instead of my own. May I focus on Your work, instead of the circumstance. Oh, Lord, may I have Your eyes to see others as you see them....this is my prayer.

In Christ-
Karen

Tags:Children, Prayer

Rest and Relaxation

Hey! I'm back!! We had a wonderful time, thank some of you for asking and thanks for the wonderful emails I received while I was away, taking a few days to spend with my sweet husband. Callaway Gardens was beautiful and I can only imgaine what it must look like during the Spring time! I can't wait to go back there and take Boo to see the butterflies. I honestly could have stayed all day at the Butterfly Garden. We toured the sites, enjoyed the Bed and Breakfast nearby, but most importantly talked. We do normally talk, but when we go away, we have an agenda. Agendas are awesome and it gives us the opportunity to focus and concentrate. We had some spiritual time talking and sharing and I believe the Lord was pleased by the time we spent. It's good to get away to put perspective on circumstances and to pray about how to handle certain issues when we return. I would recommend every married couple to do that once a year....just get away, go and pray together, and spend quality time with each other.

It's November! Where did October go? Did anyone else feel that way??? I am glad, because I love the holidays, so I am all ready right now to get a Christmas tree! I think Jeremy feels the same way. Oh! I completely forgot to tell you...I got the most amazing gift. I have wanted one for a long time, but never really had a place for one, but my in-laws brought over the China cabinet!!! It's the only piece of furniture that I have never had in my whole life, and I was thrilled to get my mother-in-law's cabinet. It currently sits in our dining room, and we have made room for it and need to get rid of the cabinet that was there, but I can't wait to put my dishes in it!! It's my first piece of family furniture that I have. Whenever the Lord gives us a house one day, I hope to get my mother's rocking chair too. It's one of Jeremy's favorites.
That's really the biggest news around here. Work is the same - busy, but good. Boo is doing well at school, but still needs prayer on the pottying. The GBC is next week and I am attending the Minister's Wives lunch. After that, well, it's Turkey Day!!!

Have a great day in our Lord!

Karen

Tags: Callaway Gardens, GBC, Marriage

Time Away

In three days my husband and I will be having some time away with each. This will actually make our second trip away this year for a weekend and leaving the Boo bear with his Nana and Papa. We are headed to Callaway Gardens. I have never been there, so I am actually very excited about the trip.
I gotta admit...we need the trip. It seems like right before we go on a trip away, the Lord starts working on us heavily about some things...this trip would be no different. We already keeping telling each other, 'we can talk about that this weekend...or let's address that this weekend'. I like knowing we can sit down, pray, not be interrupted and re-connect with each other. We feel the need to do that now more than ever. Please pray that as we enjoy each other's company this weekend, the Lord would speak to our hearts in a mighty way. I want more of you, Lord.

Enjoy Him today -

Karen

Closer to 100...

This post will be numbered as my 95th post! I can't really believe it!! I thought about doing a 101 in 1001* for my 101st post, but I honestly don't think I can come up with some specifics things that I want to do. Is that sad? I think I am afraid of failure. They would have to be God-inspired things and I don't know what He's going to have me do in the next 3 minutes, yet alone the next 3 years. I have some things on my heart that I would like to accomplish, and more importantly some things I want the Lord to accomplish in my life, but not some things I want to post to the whole world about. That's just my thoughts.

So, how is everyone? I tell you what...everyone is in a time of needing prayer right now. Do you feel that way? I sent out a prayer request to some of my dearest and closest friends and I got at least 6 emails back for them asking for prayer for their family and their needs. I had one friend of mine who commented at although we don't see each other often (she lives on the other side of the big city), we can still email each other and share our prayer concerns and trust that each other is lifting our family up to the Lord. That, my friends, is what I call, true friendship. I think the Lord is honored by that kind of friendship and I am even more honored that the Lord chose those women and I to be friends. It has been a true blessing.

If you are looking for a daily devotional online, you should check out Laced with Grace. The ladies on this website are incredible women of God and only want to give you the opportunity to allow God's word to transform your mind. Check them out!

Have a great Thursday!

Karen

*If you want to know more about 101 in 1001, you can Google it and you will find all sorts of people who have done a list and how it originated.

Tags: 101 in 1001, Devotional, Prayer

Pictures

I know. I know. It's been a while since I posted some pictures, so in an effort to appease my fan base, I now present to you...the boo on vacation.

This is Boo and Emma Grace at the mall about a month ago. Emma Grace's mommy is my friend Mandy at Mickey's Girls. Mandy and I have been friends since 1998 and some of the first memories I have of her are participating in Flags All Night at Six Flags. We later made a small group together with 3 other girls where my life grew with the Lord and changed drastically. We got married the same year and she moved to Texas right before my wedding. I got to visit her on Memorial Day weekend the following year in Austin. The next year Mandy got pregnant and as she was still waiting for Emma Grace to arrive I called to tell her I was expecting a little one as well. The day I found out I was going to have a C-section, I called Mandy, since she was already experienced and she helped walk me through an unknown time. Emma Grace and my boo are just under 8 months apart. I don't get to see Mandy that often, but when I do, it's like picking up right where we left off. This past weekend I got to see her again as we enjoyed the wedding of Jeremy's cousin, who is also the daughter of Mandy's parents best friends, and Mandy's daddy performed the ceremony. Did you all get all that???


READY FOR DISNEY! Here we are at my aunt's house and this kid is so ready for Disney World! He packed his own bag and wheeled it around till we left. He did the same thing at home before we left on the trip, but I didn't manage to capture it because I was too busy reasoning with him of why we could not leave at night, after his bag was packed, and why we had to wait till the morning to leave.


Greer Family at Disney! Here we are at the Magic Kingdom. The sky was so beautiful out that morning and that picture was taken approximately around 8:30 AM. I was up at 6:15 and started waking Jeremy, Boo and my mom a little after that. I couldn't sleep, so I figured no one else should either. hee hee. I think I was the most excited...although, after seeing some of the characters, maybe Boo was.


I DON'T WANT TO RIDE DUMBO! Yeah, too bad. I know, I probably should not have chose Dumbo for his first ride, but we were right there and he was so excited...and then, we had to stand in line for a few minutes and he got to watch it work, and then, he didn't want to ride it. Well, again, too bad...he pretty much cried the whole ride and then when we got off, he pulled a Kernie and said, That was fun! ARE YOU KIDDING? Fun for who is what I was thinking... Seriously, I didn't torture him or anything. He loved every ride after that.


EEYORE! Boo likes Eeyore and he was about the only character that he would take a picture with. The day before this when we were at Magic Kingdom, our camera stopped working right as we got to meet Mickey Mouse. Fear not, we have a picture taken by the professionals.


The vacation did not end at Disney...we spent some good time with family and Papaw came to see us!!! We all went out on my grandfather's boat and my dad (Papaw) is showing Boo about fishing. Jeremy is overseeing.

We had a really wonderful time on vacation. It's hard to believe a month has almost passed since we were down there. Boo is changing so much and learning masses amount of information at a time. Everyday he comes home with more statements and questions that sometimes I don't have answers for! :) I love that his little brain is soaking up lots of information.

Hope everyone is enjoying the day today, whether rainy or sunny, it's always a great day in the Lord!

In Him-

Karen

Hear My Praise, Oh Lord!

From the mountains to the valleys
Hear our Praises
Rise to You
From the heavens to the nations
Hear our Singing
Fill the air

Hear Our Praises by Hillsong United

Sunday night was a time of reflection and worship by the choir at our church. It was an amazing experience and as always, the Lord did not disappoint. The choir was full and the testimonies were filled with richness of the Lord. "Somebody's Praying Me Through" was the title of the night and as I sat and listened to the songs, to the testimonies of God's great power and love, I was in awe yet again. I lifted my hands to worship during the song above because I wanted my praise to rise to Him. I got the image of me standing on a mountain and raising my hands in reverance to Him.
Keeping in the spirit of song and worship, we got Chris Tomlin's new CD, See the Morning on Friday night. It's been less than a week, and I think I already have overplayed it...well, maybe not overplayed, but it sure is getting used. We got the Special Edition, since we wanted to extra songs and oh my...so worth it! In fact, songs 11-14 are my new favorites. To give you an idea of how much I have listened to them...the boo bear knows the words to Song 12, Enough. He says, with much joy, "God is more than enough for us!" I agree whole heartedly. The Lord is absolutely more than enough for me. Whatever He gives me in life, well, it's more than enough. I don't really deserve anything, none of us do...we are sinners; but the grace and love of Jesus Christ and most importanly His blood on the cross, that's enough...it's more than enough. It's the ultimate in enough.
It's been a wild year for us...and I predict the Lord has more great things in store in the coming year. It was a year ago this week that I came home from a week long hospital stay for complications with my gallbladder. I sometimes can re-live the absolute pain and recovery that I made. I honestly thought I was dying. I went a whole week without seeing my son and it was the most heartbreaking thing ever when I came home and he still wasn't too sure about me. It took him quite a few days to allow me to do things for him again. The months following that I began losing my hair because of the trauma to my body and all the medications I had taken. My hair was the one thing I really loved and it was gone. I cried once over it. After that, I gave it to Him. After all, God knew the number I had on my head, so He obviously knew the number I didn't have. :) I lost 50% of my hair by the time it was all over. My dermatologist assured me it would come back over time, and a year later, it is mostly all back and all curly again. It is truly a gift from the Lord. See, all during those months, the Lord was assuring me that He was in control, and I was learning to trust Him step by step to bring fruition to those things He started in me.
Around that same time, the Lord called me back to work. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I knew I needed to do it for my family. I felt Him telling me to locate a center for David first and then He would provide the job. As I sent my resume out, I looked at places to keep David around the places to work. I found a great church that has a full-time program and I just knew that was going to be the place for us. The job I got allows me to drop David off there and pick him up on my way home. It was not easy to leave him each day. I missed him, but I didn't let it show at work. I am in a position that I never thought I would be in and they hired be because of my faith. Because I am a pastor's wife. On the retreat I took with my office in August, it confirmed to me that God allowed me to be in this position for a reason. They had interviewed for months for this job and all that time, God was working on my heart, renewing my strength in Him, and getting me ready for these tasks. I don't know how long God will keep me here, but I do know that I am forever changed by the people I have met.
When I was little, the Lord created in me a desire for music. Now, I am not musically inclined, and I don't think I sing all that well (I can keep beat and on key, but that's about it). But all those years ago, he instilled that purpose in me...when I accepted Christ, He began working on that purpose of worshipping Him. The Lord can speak to me through a song in a matter of seconds. My hearts enjoys worshipping and singing praises to Him. I am so amazed at how worshipping Him can change my outlook and attitude on something so quickly.

Hear my praise, Oh Lord! Hear the cry of your child. I love you. Thank you for instilling in me a purpose to worship You and the reason why I worship You. May my life sing the praises of Your name and Your renown.

Over at Faith Lifts the girls are talking about Purpose this month. If you get a chance and you want to chat about Purpose in Life, What is God's Purpose?, What is my own Purpose?, etc., you should click on over there. I promise it will inspire you to dig deeper in your life and pursue all God has to offer you.

In Christ-
Karen

Tags: Chris Tomlin, Faith Lifts, Purpose, Worship

Faith Builder

The girls at 5 Minutes for Mom came up with an idea of building our faith and I have been an active reader for the weeks since it started and today I decided to participate. The discussion question is a great one, plus I had the most incredible worship experience last night, so I want to share share share!

Discussion: What does it mean for our hearts to start beating more and more like God’s? How could this change the way the world sees Christianity?
And then the big one:
When it comes to church, what do you think God has in mind?

My heart to beat more like the Lord's? Oh, I have said those words a hundred times in the last few days. Lord, you truly are more than enough for me. The Pastor posed a great question yesterday during his sermon. "How can I love the Lord and be a follower of Him and not be concerned for the lost?" WOW! That opened my eyes just a little wider. What have I done lately for the lost? What lost person have I loved, talked with, shared Christ with? I believe the Lord absolutely wants us to be concerened over the lost. That was the heart of His ministry. He came to seek and save the lost. My heart needs to be more aligned with Him in that facet. On Saturday, my family and I got up to go work at the local school planting flowers and helping clean up their outside classroom. It was an incredible experience for the three of us and yes, even the little boo-bear got his hands dirty helping Jeremy and I plant some flowers. His allergies were acting up all over the place, but he was a trooper getting down in the dirt, planting and shoveling...it was really a sight. One lady I worked with pulling weeds asked me if we had children there at the school. I said No. She asked, "So you just came out here to work and volunteer." I kindly replied, "Yes". She was amazed. Praise be to God! I enjoyed pulling those weeds, and I know my dad is reading this thinking...she kills plants for a living, don't let her near your flowers!! :) HA! Later that night when David was reciting His verse about loving our neighbors as ourselves, we explained to him that working at the school was just a small part of loving your neighbors. It was a hands on experience that we could teach our son. It was showing Him just a small glimpse of God's heart. It certainly challenged me to desire the Lord's heart more and to open my eyes more to the opportunities we have to be serving.

I would like to think in my finite mind that if the world saw the compassion and love of Christians that it would shake their world, but the fact is they see more Christians not acting Christ-like than anything else. Jesus never gave up doing the will of His father, so we, as followers of Him, should not give up either. If you can show one person God's Love, then isn't it worth it?

The last question is a tough one. I think the Lord wants His bride (the church) to honor Him. I see lots of ways the church does not honor Him, but that's only my perspective and my view. The church absolutely has to adopt the heart of Christ to function well. If the church isn't on their knees, seeking how to be more like Him and serve Him, then the pursuit is after our own agenda. I don't have a lot of answers on how to combat pride and how to make the people tithe and how to please everyone in regards to worship, but I do know that the Lord is pleased by the worship of His people. He blesses those who are obedient. He pursues the hearts of those who are not in His flock. He challenges the weak to be strong. And He loves. He loved us with His life and we ought to fall on our faces on just that fact alone. The church won't run perfectly until the Lord comes back, so we should entrust the men God has called to pastor and lead the church and go from there. Our former pastor said, "Trust God, and leave all the consequences to Him." I love that!

I hope you enjoy the others at Faith Builders today!

In Christ-

Karen

P.S. - I will write later about my worship experience. :)

Tags: Faith Builders

I'm BACK!

I AM BACK! I HAVE RETURNED!
Did you miss me? Awww, come on, be honest. You did! :) ha. I was on vacation last week and this week, what's my excuse? Well, actually, sickness. The kind where you think your body is actually going to explode from all the pressure building in your head, yeah. That kind of sickness. Both Jeremy and I had it and we suspect Boo had it before us, while we were on vacation and then gave it to us on vacation and so we could come home and finish it out. Thanks boo. No, really, thanks. hee hee.
Oh my goodness...so, where do I begin? Disney? Okay, good, that's my favorite part of last week.
Disney - It rocked. The Magic Kingdom was awesome and we enjoyed two other days at MGM. Why MGM you ask? Well, my bosses' gave me 6 tickets and we didn't know what we were able to use them on until we checked in to our hotel. So, on Tuesday when we checked in we threw our stuff in the hotel room and headed to MGM, the only place the tickets were good for. David, who was running a slight fever by this time, managed to take it all in and enjoy himself. Disney Playhouse was our savior and he could have watched that all day. We saw some characters and he even ate some pizza and played games. I was amazed at him. He did such a good job. On Wednesday, we took in the sights and sounds and rides of the Magic Kingdom. It. Was. AWESOME!!!! No lines. No waiting. Just FUN. We all had a great time. He rode Dumbo with me. We all rode the Teacups. He met Mickey at his house, which was so nice and Mickey even kissed me on the cheek. :) He drove the Race cars, shot the green men on Buzz Lightyear, watched the parade with all the characters, ate wonderfully, sang "It's a Small World" when we got off the ride (priceless, I tell ya, just priceless!!!), saw Peter Pan and Pirates, Pooh and all his friends, and so much more. One word? AWESOME. We can't wait for next year, as Jeremy is already planning.
Vacation with the family - Always an Adventure. We got to see a lot of my family while down in Orlando. My dad came over for the day. My grandfather got to see David and do lots of high-fives with him. We got to ride on the boat (although, by then, I was sick and didn't feel great at all). I got to see my grandmother in the nursing home, which was hard, but definately needed for me. The family has a lot of stuff going on right now. If you get a chance and the Lord reminds you, say a prayer for my family, from grandparents and their health, to all my aunts and uncles and dad, to all the grandchildren.

In Christ-
Karen

On Vacation

As of tonight, around 7:30 PM, we will be on vacation. Jeremy is normally done with his duties by 7:30 and at the rate I am going, it will be hours before I accomplish everything that needs to get done around here. Lots to do, not enough time. I have a meeting at 4:30 that I should be at and then Discipleship class at 5:30 that Jeremy and I lead...I am pretty sure I can get most of my stuff done before then, but I want David to get enough time to rest too. He hasn't felt good the past few days and needs his rest for sure. He had some goopy eyes the past few days, but the Lord answered my prayers overnight and his eyes were clean this AM. I was thrilled and believe absolutely that God took care of him. His nose is still a little runny, but nothing we can't control.
If you have ever seen the Disney commercial where the little boy runs to his big sister's room and they are talking about Disney and the mom walks in. She asks what the two of them are doing and the little boy exclaims, "I'm too excited to sleep" (although it sounds like sweep). They advertise Disney and then you see the mom go back to her bed, lay down next to her husband and the mother says, "Are you sleeping?" and the father opens his eyes and says, "No, I'm too excited to sleep." That commercial is so cute and ever since we have seen it, Jeremy and I have always laughed and said "THAT'S US!" That reality is coming true this week as we embark on Disney World mid-week. We will spend some time with family in the early week and then in the later week. We are so excited and cannot believe the time is finally here.
I have only recently got off the phone with my family and all I can say is the Lord knows it all. He knew exactly when we would be making this trip, He knew exactly the details that would surround my family during this time. So, with that said, please say a prayer for us as we travel. Pray for my family and the circumstances surrounding them right now. Pray we would bring comfort and joy during the midst of these circumstances. Pray most importantly that pain and sickness would subside and that God, in all His wisdom and knowledge, would pour it out on my family.
Talk to you all when I return.
Love in Christ-
Karen

Tags: Family, Vacation

Thursday Thirteen #16

Graphic courtesy of Emily

Thirteen Things I love about the Fall...

1. Well, if you haven't heard yet, we are going on VACATION! We leave on Monday and so, this year, we are having a fall trip and I am EXCITED! We are headed to see the family and embark on Disney World for a few days. Boo is already thrilled and counting days.
2. Like my header? Yeah, baseball season comes to an end, and although that's kind of sad, dude, it's the World Series! Mr. October will be crowned and it won't be here in Atlanta. Regardless of who is there, I enjoy it.
3. It was 55 yesterday AM! That's awesome!!!! It may have been too chilly for the flood pants I was wearing, but I didn't care! Boo Bear liked the chilly wind. No need for a jacket yet, but oh, it's getting close.
4. The Leaves! They are everywhere. It was much more fun when we lived in a house and you could rake the leaves and then flop down in them.
5. College Football Game Day. Need I say more? Go JACKETS!
6. Sunday afternoon Football. Again, need I say more? I cheer for several teams, mainly the Falcons and of course, anyone who plays the Cowboys. Nothing against Texas, just don't care for the Cowboys.
7. The Festivals. I have already attended my first festival and am anxious to attend more. I love arts and crafts and began my Christmas shopping while at one a few weeks ago.
8. Consignment Sales. I get into these in the Spring and Summer when they are Hot Hot Hot! I have racked up this fall for David's clothes and am content with my purchases.
9. Pumpkin Farm. This year we are going to try and get to the Pumpkin Farm to take some pictures of David there. We have a big farm near us, only about an hour away, so hopefully we will venture up there and let David pick out a pumpkin.
10. Weddings. We are filled with weddings for the month of October. We have three in a row and it was a shame to have to say No to one of them.
11. One year anniversary. It will be one year next week since I had my gallbladder surgery and in October it will be one year since my recovery.
12. Christmas shopping and decorating. Before Fall is up, we will start shopping even more and decorate the house with a tree. Yippie!
13. It's Fall. Love is in the air. Pumpkins are waiting to be carved. Shopping is ready to begin. I am excited about vacation...but I bet you already knew that! :) HA!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
Thursday Thirteen
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Thoughts

It's Wednesday! FIVE MORE DAYS till vacation!! WOO HOO! I am not excited or anything...can you tell? It being Wednesday also means that I don't have to cook tonight. Yippie!
I hope the weather is changing for all of you as it is here. It was a crisp 55 degrees out this morning. I suppose it's time to pack up the capri/flood pants, although, I am waiting till we return from Florida. My dad said it was still in the 90's there.
Yesterday Boo Bear had his school pictures taken. I won't know for a few weeks how they turned out, but his teacher said he did a great job and the dolphin made him laugh. I guess the photographer had a stuffed animal with him. Hm.
Speaking of photographer...I won a free photo session!!! The photographer's assistant called me the other night and reminded me that I filled out a little card to win the photo session and they drew my name. Yippie! :) I was thinking of just doing Boo Bear, but have changed my mind and would like to do the three of us. We will see what happens...we are set up for October. Nice, crisp weather...it should be grand.
In the past 24 hours, God has absolutely, with out a doubt, wrapped his arms around me and gently nudged me to tell me how IN CONTROL He is. He's not a glory hog. He's not all puffed up. He is God and there is absolutely NO ONE like Him. I stand in awe at His Love and how much He cares about the little things. The most awesome thing about what has been going on with me is the fact that the Lord had surrounded me with such great friends that I hadn't really worried and had been very calm about things. Only the Lord can do that and only He can grant me true friends who take this scripture to a whole new level...

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his
friends." John 15:13

Have a great Wednesday!

Love,
Karen

Tags: Friends

A Song in my Heart

I don't go long without the Lord giving me a song for my heart. He did it again yesterday at church! The first praise song my heart lifted up was Hallelujah, Your Love Makes Me Sing, words and music by Brenton Brown and Brian Doerksen. It's a great song and the words just flow from my mouth. It was a joyful moment between me and the Lord and He spoke volumes to me as I stood there. Worshipping. Loving. Accepting His unique plan for us, even though I don't know the next step or all the answers. I trust You, Lord.
The church had the Deacon Ordination Service last night and I gotta tell you it was a moving experience. The only other ordination service I have ever sat in was when Jeremy was ordained and that was a particularly special moment that we celebrated and were able to celebrate with some of our dearest and closest friends, who were also serving at FBA with us. It was a joyful time, but filled with tears. It's humbling watching men of God bow and place their hands over your husband and pray for him. And pray for me. And pray for our marriage. And pray for our ministry. It was an amazing experience and last night I got to share that with one of my dear friends at Duluth. Her husband was ordained as a deacon in our church and they are such an awesome couple. She stood by him as each man came by to bow and pray over them and she would stand up after each one and smile and pat her husband on the back. She was a rock. His best friend, and already ordained deacon, came and knelt and the three of them lost it. She was strong, but her tears were tears of pull joy and elation. These are people who have walked some tough roads together and the Lord has been faithful. They are grown men who care about one another. Who say I love you to each other. It's a precious site.
May the Lord continue to call people to Know Him, Love Him and Serve Him.

In Christ's Love-

Karen

Tags: Church, Friends, Ministry

10 more days...

In just about a week and a half, we are headed to FLORIDA! WOO HOO! I am so excited. It hasn't been that long since I saw my family...some of them were here in July and my daddy was here in April, but it's been over a year since we last stepped foot in the state. David was a mere 1 year old and if you can believe this, he wasn't even walking yet!!! HA! That makes me laugh. So, it's off to visit the fam. My gut tells me I am going to want to stay, but I always feel that way when I visit my family. We are taking David to Disney, so that will probably the highlight of his year. I am so thrilled!! Can you tell I am excited? NO? Just teasing...I think it's pretty evident.
My friend Michelle is going to have her baby while I am enjoying Disney. I don't mind that her doctor decided it, but it will be weird not going to the hospital to see her! No one knows if it's a boy or a girl. So, I am excited to find that out as well. :) Ahhh, vacation. YIPPIE!!!
I am not doing a TT today, because I just could not think of 13 things to chat about. I have something on my mind too, and until I can get that squared away, I won't be able to fully concentrate. It hasn't consumed my brain yet, but it could, and I am determind to not let it. Maybe that's why I SHOULD do a TT! :) ha.
I hope all is well in your world.

In Love-
Karen

Honoring Michael Montesi

Honoring Michael G. Montesi

Rescue Company 1-Manhattan

World Trade Center North Tower

They say you never forget where you were....

5 years ago I was a newlywed. My husband and I had been married for 6 weeks. We were living in Fort Worth, Texas and I was sitting in our small seminary apartment. I had only just accepted a job the day before. Jeremy was in class, but was getting ready to go to chapel. I ran to him..."we had just honeymooned in New York City five weeks ago!!!" We have some of the last pictures of the Trade Center Towers, standing so tall from the Empire State Building. Sadness and shock settled in to our lives and that day our world changed even more.

Michael Montesi, 39 years old, from Highland Mills, NY, was meant to be a firefighter! He spent 13 years with the Fire Department and was a member of Rescue Company 1 in Manhattan. At age 5, he already owned a fire helmet and waited for years for the call from the Fire Department that sent him to a ladder company in 1988. His sister said "It was in his blood." As a firefighter on duty, he met his wife Nancy, who had stopped by the firehouse to ask for directions. They had three children, Matthew, Ian and Ryan who adored their father. The oldest two were involved in learning to play hockey and Michael was their assistant coach. In fact, he was set to leave work early on Sept 11th...the boys had a game and he promised to be there.

On the day of Michael's memorial service, they remembered a man who strived for excellence and the way he lifted and energized those around him. Many distant relatives honored Michael on the Legacy site. Their words spoke volumes about the kind of man, husband, father, and firefighter that he was.

To Michael's family - Oh I pray that you would find that your son, husband, and father has been honored in the most loving way on this day; the five year anniversary. It is only by God's divine way that I was set to honor Michael. I had prayed for a firefighter to honor, since my father-in-law is a retired firefighter. I have prayed and thought much about your family over the past 2 months, ever since receiving his name. I pray that the peace that only God can give settles over you today and every day after. May his legacy live on in the lives of his children. I would have been honored to know such a man as Michael. I won't forget. We MUST never forget. May God Bless You all!

In Christ-

Karen

My Thoughts

For those who are keeping up...I did really intend to post this evening, but Jeremy needed to tell me some important things going on, so I am late, but none the less, better late than never. hee hee
FOCUS! FOCUS! no, not you. ME! I have had the worst time focusing lately. My brain is in a hundred places and I must admit, my anxiety is getting the best of me...or should I say the worst of me. Anywho, it's getting me. I guess it doesn't really matter what part it gets of me, it's the fact that it is. I was asked last week to help out in Children's Choir on Wednesday night. Any woman can handle helping and a few 2 year olds for 45 minutes right? Well, not me. Boo is in that class and I would love the time to spend with him, but seriously, after waking up at 5:45 AM, by 6 PM, the last thing on my mind is 2-year old children's choir. I reluctantly told my dear friend Gayle that I would help her...she's so sweet, you can't help but tell her YES. That was on a Sunday night. By Monday (the next day), I was already having anxiety about it...and it wasn't for another 2 days. I called Gayle that night and told her I just couldn't do it. We talked and after that, I didn't feel the pressure anymore.
Now onto work. Work is sometimes a cuss word for me...although I love the people and the job (most days), the traffic getting here and back home borderlines on nightmarish. The other week I actually cried all the way to work and Jeremy threatened for me to just turn around and drive home. It was horrific. I had never felt so awful in my whole life. I just think it's the most absurd thing to drive over an hour to get to your job...yes, I am one of those idiots. I know. It's partly my fault, since I could have NOT accepted the job, but in my small defense, it was the holidays when I interviewed and I had no idea how bad the drive would be. Plus, the pay was right. The timing was right, so I trusted the Lord that this was His plan. The summer was great, by the way. :) Anyway, the drive sometimes gets me worked up, but I am used to it most days....now, it's the work. We had an instance in which one of my co-workers no longer works here...see this post for a refresher and it took a few weeks for everything to get back to some order, but when it did, holy moses!! That meant a lot more work for me. I think I remember how that happened, but was in a gung-ho, everyone chip in mood, and now I am reeling the affects of it. I literally cannot add another thing to my agenda each day and yet, every day I get asked to do so. It's been tough not to get bitter and I must say, since that point, I was pleasantly pleased with my workload...sometimes it was rough, most times not, and I love a good challenge, so it surprises me that I am not thriving through this...but only gaining more anxiety over it. We recently got a huge project. One that caused me to come in at 6 AM last Friday and work till 4:15 to work on the contract. I find out this week that I will be ordering all the materials. Material that I have never ordered in my life, material from people whom I do not have a relationship with, and material that someone else has done all the legwork on. Wouldn't you think she should order the material? Yeah, that was my thinking too, because my point here is...what if I order it wrong? Who is the boss going to blame? I must say my boss is pretty forgiving. I have messed up a few times and he isn't much of "what were you thinking" kind of guy. It's probably more me than it is him...I tend to be a perfectionist at work. I hate not doing something correctly the first time, and I am my own worst critic. I will beat myself up way more than anyone else could. That's just the kind of worker bee that I am. I am definately an approval worker too. I need to hear "you are doing great", "well done", "that's great" a good portion of the time. I think the major thing is this...most of the time if I have all the information I need, then I can complete something with no issues or problems. For some reason, in which I know the reason, these people don't give you all the pieces to the puzzle when doing something. It comes from the fact everyone has worked here 5 plus years, and sometimes it's hard to recall all the steps you took when completing something. So, I am forced to make them spell it out several times, after the item has either been completed or returned with errors. ugh. It's a vicious cycle sometimes. I am pretty known from all my past employers of organizing things, and I have created Procedure Manuals for all my previous jobs, however, with this, I can't even write a procedure without revising it every month, because we don't have a set way of doing things each time. I must point out that I did know some of that in my interview phase. They told me sometimes they have weird ways of doing things, but they have found that's the system that works for them...unfortunately, it's not a system that works everytime for everything. With this family company, it's great because I feel part of the family and that's a great feeling. The Christian aspect is awesome and for that I am so thankful. With that comes the fact that when things come up, there is sometimes no set person that handles an issue...it's not like a company when one person handles the payroll, hiring, receipts and all related to human resources; then another handles the phone, new project jobs, and supporting the VP, etc. etc. Something comes up and no one can remember who did it last year and what the procedure is. I think for someone like me, who likes things orderly and neat in the office, it's troubling. It pushes me to a point where I can't get anything done and then it gives me the anxiety.
Whew. Are you okay? If you withstood that, praise the Lord. My thoughts about all of that are only exasperated more when it comes to boo bear. Dropping him off each day at his school...missing his milestones each day...it's enough to make any mommy lose it. :)
My mom worked when I was little. I went to the church preschool and then to a daycare center later. Let's be clear...I am not worried about the care he receives. I just horribly miss him most days.
Ahh...that's my soapbox. I will get down now. I have work to do! :) HA!

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." I Peter 5:6-7

In His Love-
Karen

Tags: Anxiety, Family, Work

Where Am I?

I know. I know. I have been distant. It's not you...it's ME! It's always Me. It will forever be Me. Life has spun me around and spit me out the last few days...well, since we had a meeting on Thursday at work. It's been non-stop since then. I would like to tell you I rested this weekend, but not really. :) The meeting Thursday dictated the 1 hour I worked after it and the whole Friday. I left early Thursday for a dentist appointment...bad idea. It was yucky raining and I just knew it was going to take me forever to get the boo-bear. None the less, I perservered and made it to Boo and home in decent time. I had about an hour to spare and then back on the road I went to my friend Michelle's diaper shower. It's her second pregnancy, so we honored her with oodles of diapers and food. :) It rocked. I got to see some girls from the "other" side of Atlanta, and I haven't seen them in like a year! It was so much fun to catch up. Kila and Heather-I miss you!
So, being the good little worker bee that I am, I said I would be at work at 6 AM. I was so glad I did, because 9.5 hours later is when I finished the huge contract and was able to leave my office. Ugh. It was definately a day for the history books and I might be able to write a contract now with my eyes closed. I have practically memorized every part of it, since I read it a hundred times. The day ended with boo and I eating pizza and watching movies...just the two of us and I was thrilled!
We did venture to the Biscuit Barn on the weekend, so that was nice and of course, great food! Labor Day was spent with my Jeremy working on my mom's kitchen and boo bear and I coming along for the sheer joy of it. Boo loves Grandma's house and Buzzy, the doggie. It's fun to go there, she has toys, books, and most importantly a TV so he can watch movies all he wants.
So, that was two days ago, and honestly, I was going to write yesterday and time slipped away. Speaking of time, it's time for lunch.
I promise to write tonight when I get home from church. My mind is full of things that I have not yet conveyed on my blog. Are you ready? Probably not, but you will be.

In Him-
Karen

Tags: Family, Work

Thursday Thirteen #15

Graphic from Yellow Rose's Garden

Thirteen Things...All I need to know I learned from my Girlfriends

Adapted from the book/email

1. Good times are even better when they're shared. Oh, so true...bad times are better too when we can share them together.
2. A long talk can cure almost anything. Amen! And we sisters can talk, ya know. A friend of mine believes a hot Krispy Kreme and some chocolate milk can cure all the worlds problems. Anyone want to take that bet? :)
3. Everyone needs someone with whom to share their secrets. It might take a long while to find that person/those people whom know all about you and love you just the same, but it can happen. I am so thankful everyday for the girls that the Lord gave me.
4. Listening is just as important as talking. That's a key point in marriage too!!
5. An understanding friend is better than a therapist and cheaper too! HAHA! Now, that's just funny!
6. Laughter makes the world a happier place. It sure does...a smile can change the person's apperance and feelings in a moment.
7. Sometimes you just need a shoulder to cry on. Enough said.
8. Great minds think alike...
9. You are never too old for a slumber party! I wish we had them more often, but our children will start having them soon. :)
10. It's important to make time to do "girl things". My husband is so good about giving me that time to do "girl things". I am so grateful for that!!
11. Calories don't count when you are having lunch (or any other food) with your girlfriends. No one really believes that, because our waistlines show it.
12. Gems may be precious, but friendship is priceless!
13. I thank my God in all my rememberance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you...(Philippians 1:3-4)

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted! Thursday Thirteen
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The Birthday Weekend...

I know you all are just dying to know what I did since Thursday, right?? :) HA! I did enjoy some good Mexican food on my birthday, so need I say more...you know I love Mexican, so it's no big surprise we ended up there. hee hee. I did get to sleep in a little on Friday, okay, not really, but it felt like I did. Jeremy was working on Friday, and Boo was trying out his "potential" new school, and so I was off for some girl time. I enjoyed a massage at the best spa place in Atl, and followed that up with some shopping. Now, I must preface to say the shopping was not for me, although I did try on some stuff, but only because my mom made me. :0 Oh, yes, she joined me after the spa treatment and we did lunch together at J.Alexanders. Fabulous place, and my mom says it's her new favorite place. Rock on! The waitress even gave us the recipe for the Orzo and Wild Rice (served cold), although she can't share the amounts, she still told us the ingredients. After that, we endured more shopping, mainly not for me, and walked away with everything we needed from Target. I was satisfied.
I went home, did a few extra things and then picked Boo up from the new "potential" school. He told me how much fun he had and he went potty in the potty TWICE! WOO HOO! He didn't nap though...guess too much excitement! When Jeremy got home, we all went and ate some chicago-style pizza, had ice cream, and then came home. It was great!!!
The next day proved to be packed with three parties, and I managed to hit them all...come on, aren't you impressed???? Two parties is like my maximum!!! We had the twins birthday party, which was absolutely fun and nice to catch up with Michelle and John and see my friend Jae's kids...her hubby brought them since she was out of town. The ultimate catch-up party was my second event, a wedding shower for my friend Debbie. I haven't seen that girl and most of my single friends, and most of my friends from FBA in sooooo long!!! It was so enjoyable! I had a great time catching up and honoring Debbie. The last party was with my Sunday School care group and it was fun too! We got to chat while the kids played and I think Boo and I were exhausted!! :) He hadn't really had a nap in two days and the effects were starting to take place. Jeremy was working on my mom's house all day, and I was sad not to spend the day with him, but when he helps my mom, it ultimately helps us. When he got home, we got caught up on our day and then Sunday, well, it's Sunday...so off to church we go! :) It's been awesome the last two weeks, since we changed to one Sunday School and the blended worship service. My face is warm when I leave there from visiting the Lord and the people we call family.
It was a great birthday weekend. Thank you Lord!

In Christ-
Karen

Tags: Birthday, Family

Thursday Thirteen # 14

Graphic courtesy of Emily
Thirteen things about Karen on August 24th!

1. It's my Birthday! It's my Birthday! It's my Birthday! Hey, y'all, did you hear, it's my BIRTHDAY??!!
2. I love this graphic of the purse! It's so totally a purse that I would own! Maybe. For. My BIRTHDAY!
3. I love birthdays! Not just my own, although, you already know that. But I love other's birthdays too. They are the BEST reason for a party! Speaking of parties...
4. I LOVE Parties!!! I have in my mind of what I want my big birthday next year to look like. It probably won't be anything like it, but I have already warned Jeremy that I want a huge party. Got it girls?
5. I was born 8 days after Elvis died. Sad, huh? My mom said she was laying on the couch waiting for me to come when she heard the news. She kept the newspaper from that day which had a tribute to him.
6. I was named Karen since that was the only name my dad liked during the nine months. My middle name is a combination of my grandparents.
7. I am going to work today, even though I think it should be a rule that you don't have to work on your birthday. However, I am taking Friday off.
8. I remember my 8th birthday party like it was yesterday. I had a spend the night party and some of the girls from my neighborhood came, as well as some of the girls from school.
9. I also remember my 16th birthday party! It was completely an all about me party and just about everyone I knew showed up for that party! It was incredible.
10. I celebrated my 24th birthday at Turner Field. My grandfather got inducted to the Braves Hall of Fame on that day! Awesome, huh?
11. Jeremy and I celebrated our birthdays a few years ago at the rotating restaurant in Atlanta, known as the Sundial.
12. So, in honor of my birthday, are you going to sign and leave a comment for me? Isn't that selfish? Yep, but who cares, because...
13. IT's MY BIRTHDAY! IT's MY BIRTHDAY! IT's MY BIRTHDAY! IT's MY BIRTHDAY!

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
Thursday Thirteen
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I'm so excited!

"I'm so excited! I'm so excited" said the boo bear this morning...why? He had a fruit bar and a pancake! Each on a different plate and all at the table they sat. The boo bear is too funny. The fact that he got excited over breakfast makes Jeremy and I laugh till we cry. I think he gets that from his Papaw. hee hee. My dad always loved breakfast when I was growing up. He still makes killer pork tenderloin and biscuits and, on Christmas, eggs benedict. Dad, are you coming up this year for Christmas??? :)
I hope everyone has a great day. It's muggy and very cloudy today, and I have no gel for my hair, which means frizz central. Although, my hair is long enough now to pin up, so I have a cute little do today.

--Karen

It's Birthday WEEK!!

It's my birthday week! It's my birthday week! (Picture dancing and raising hands in the air. Got the image? Okay! :))
We celebrated Jeremy's birthday this past weekend...pretty much all weekend. I mean, you only turn 30 once ya know! hee hee. Friday night we went to a Japanese Steak House with his parents. David enjoyed the guy cooking in front of us and even scarfed his tempura chicken! I was in amazement. We headed to the mall after that and shopped a little, and a good time was had by all, I must say. David was all about Nana and Papa and insisted on holding both their hands while walking in the mall. It was adorable.
Saturday we headed to a local favorite in Cumming, called the Biscuit Barn. It's a fabulous place for breakfast and I hear their lunch isnt' bad either. :) My female boss...her niece owns the place, and I gotta say, the biscuits are the best! Jeremy then enjoyed a little fun at the PGA Superstore with his friend Anthony and then we had dinner with some friends at Up the Creek, where you get a free meal on your birthday! WOO HOO! He said he had a great weekend and I believe it. Sunday was a busy one, with the church moving to one Sunday School hour and adding a service at 8:30, plus Discipleship classes started and that means work work work for Jeremy. He still enjoyed the day with some friends and our class was great that night. So, the birthday weekend is over for Jeremy...and NOW, it's All About Me! :) Wha? It's not all about me? No, seriously, it really isn't all about me...it's about the Lord. You know what? My dad called to wish Jeremy a happy birthday and didn't even want to chat with me. What is that all about?? Just teasing (dad, really, I am teasing!)...he can call me on my my actual day. :)
Hey, does anyone know what I am going to write about for my Thursday Thirteen this week? Um, I'll give you 3 guesses and the first two don't count. :) HA!
August is slowly coming to an end, and I gotta say, I am kind of glad. This month was packed with things, a great deal of them happening this week and next, and I will be glad when September hits. Although, at my staff meeting this morning, my boss proceeded to tell us about 14 jobs we are going to bid between now and October 10th. huh? My eyes glazed over. I don't do the bidding, but none the less, it's the paperwork. That's all good though. Bidding jobs mean we normally get a percentage of those jobs, which equals money in the bank and hopefully money in my bank account/pocket. :)
So, what's new with all y'all???

In Him-
Karen

Tags: Birthday, Thursday Thirteen, Work

Thursday Thirteen #13

Graphic Courtesy of Novelist in Training
Thirteen Things about my husband...

In honor of his birthday this weekend!

1. He is SMART! He graduated from Georgia Tech in Engineering and also from seminary with a Masters of Divinity with Biblical Languages. I predict he will get his Ph.D years from now. Uh, that means the wedding invitations for all our kids will be Dr. and Mrs. hee hee
2. He is a man who serves the Lord. I am grateful for that and feel the Lord blessed me beyond measure regarding that part.
3. He challenges me! He pushes my buttons sometimes, but it's only because he loves me. (I tend to forget the love part sometimes when he is pushing and challenging me, but the Lord always reminds me.)
4. He loves baseball. That was like a requirement to date me...you have to love the game!!
5. He loves our boo bear...now, how could anyone not love the boo?? Seriously, Jeremy loves having that boy and his life was rocked when boo entered our lives. It was incredible watching him take care of him and even more incredible watching him now help him grow into a godly man.
6. He is a lover of books. I love books too, but he has at least twice as much as I do...so, together we have our own library. We have more boxes of books than we do for the rest of the whole house. I pray every day for a house with a den/library, with built in book cases.
7. He is a cautious driver. Way more than me!! He drives in the right lane and only uses the left to pass...I am serious...he is a great driver. :)
8. He is good at the details. He keeps good logs and memories and is very good at the details for his job. In the ministry, the details are important.
9. He dresses well. He is a clean dresser. Always smells good. Always has his shirt tucked in...although he has been known to wear it un-tucked, which by the way, I find cute.
10. Jeans! He has only 1 pair of jeans, and I must say...HE LOOKS HOT in them. Oh, his dad would cringe that I just said that. :)
11. He does the dishes!!! Again, very grateful for that. I normally do the cooking and he always does the cleaning. I love that about him.
12. He has an opinion. I don't mean that sarcastically, but seriously. He did care what china we had and what glasses and silverware we chose. I like that about him...because honestly, I wasn't all that decisive on things. When he did engineering work, one of his clients was Wedgewood China. So, he knew his stuff.
13. He is my husband. The Lord gave him to me and for that, I am forever grateful. I was changed by the Lord's love, but the love Jeremy shows me through Christ, in our marriage, will touch my life deeply. I wouldn't walk this road with anyone else.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
Thursday Thirteen
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The Renewed Me!

Ahhh, yes. I am back from my trip, but I put up a fight kicking and screaming to NOT come home. It's my co-workers...and we all had to go to work...but honestly, no one really wanted to admit not wanting to come back to work. Alright, except me. I wasn't afraid to say...nope, I don't really want to go...can't you just come back and get me next week? Oh, and send the hubby and boo bear...I do kind of miss them. :) HA!
I did miss them, but not as in the overly obsessive missing. I actually took the time to really enjoy myself and the time away from work and home. I ate well, shopped well, and rested well. I let my hair go...which means I really didn't do anything with it...although one night I dried it out straight. I hadn't done that in a few months and it felt good...looked not so good, so it must be time for a cut, but none the less felt good. :) I know Boo and Jeremy had a great weekend, living the life at the Braves Hall of Fame game with my grandfather and enjoying each other's company on Saturday and Sunday.
This week is (drum roll please) BIRTHDAY WEEK for JEREMY! I predict a great week ahead and look forward to honoring him on his big day.
I can't believe it's the middle of August already! Time sure is flying this year. Is anyone Christmas shopping yet??

In Love-
Karen

Tags: Birthday, Summer, Vacation

Vacation!!

To my TT'ers...I am sorry, but I have elected not to post a Thursday Thirteen today. I really wanted to, but I knew I wouldn't have enough time to visit you all before I left on my trip, and I wouldn't be able to get comments back to you until Monday...I didn't think that was fair to you. I must admit, I am a little disappointed in the TT lately...I seem to visit many more people that don't return the visit. Although, that's a very selfish thought, it is starting to bother me. So, because I feel that I cannot be the timely one in return visits, I am not doing one this week...fear not, though, I will return. Just a heads up...two weeks from today is my birthday, so you can expect a BIG HUGE TT for that special day!!! Mark your calendars NOW! :) hee hee
Jeremy drove me to work this morning, since we are leaving from the office around lunch time. We dropped Boo off at school, whom, by the way, seems to be in a little mood. My gut tells me it's because momma is leaving for a few days. He saw me packing some stuff last night and had a breakdown, since he wanted to go to the beach too. He got his towel out and put his sandals on...all while being in his pj's! I assured him I would take him on a vacation next month, but boy was it tough this morning too. First, he got up at 5:30! And when we dropped him off at school, he had a slight meltdown. sigh. I am okay, I know he will be okay and that's the important thing. I warned his teacher that he will be exhausted by lunch.
My boys are headed to the Braves game tomorrow night! My grandfather will be in town and they will go down and see him. I hope Pepa enjoys it too...seeing the little man and all. I know Boo will love being there! He loves Jeff Francouer and Andrew Jones! :)
Happy Birthday to my father-in-law, and Boo's Papa and Happy Birthday to my sweet niece Maegan. Love you both!

In Him-
Karen

Tags: Atlanta Braves, Birthdays, Family, Thursday Thirteen

In "Other" Words

“Remember, we all stumble, every one of us.

That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.”

~ Emily Kimbrough ~

How true. We do all stumble, but I must admit, my realization upon reading this quote was that if you are hand in hand, wouldn't it be possible to make the person walking with you stumble? I would never want to do that, so how do I grasp this and make it a comfort instead of being a stumbling block? I am so glad you asked! I viewed the people walking hand in hand as me and Jeremy first. As a husband and wife it's important to be honest, walking side by side, accomplishing the same goal in the Lord...but there are times when one of us might be stronger than the other. When one of us needs a boost... When one of us is on our knees in a struggling time... That's when the positive outlook came regarding the stumbling. I think at first I was viewing the stumbling as a negative, because sometimes it is, but if I flip it and view it as a positive (a time to grow closer to the Lord, a time to trust Him even more than ever before) then I have renewed faith and strength by having someone there to physically comfort me and be there for me. That's the point I truly thank the Lord for putting Jeremy and I together. There is no one else I would rather walk this road of faith with.

The next image I got was of true friends. I have a friend who lost a set of twins just over three years ago. I have thought about those children and what their life would be like had God not sent her body into active labor. When my friend went through that, another friend and I got on board and walked that road with her. She didn't know it, but we weeped over hearing the news and days afterwards we contemplated how to approach and love her. We didn't have to contemplate long, because the Lord brought us together. During her healing, we tried to be there for as much as she needed us, and we rejoiced when the Lord allowed her and her husband to deliver a set of fraternal twins in August two years ago! It was an incredible sight. When the Lord allowed a deep and heavy time in her life when she stumbled and struggled, He allowed good friends with open arms to help pick her and up and walk with her during that time. That is the beautiful picture of having comfort in walking hand in hand.

The last image the Lord gave me was of Him and I! He would walk for days and miles with me all the while I stumbled. How could I not want to walk that road with others? Jesus doesn't care how much I stumble, He said He would never leave me nor forsake me (Dt. 31:6)! It was hard putting on the shoes of either of those people. When you stumble, you immediatly show that you are not immortal and you have faults and you aren't perfect. When you are there walking with someone who does stumble, it's not always easy to help pick them up...but with the Lord....He promised, "With God, all things are possible!" (Matthew 19:26)

In Christ-

Karen

Tags: Christian Women