How God Works

Since I have had kids my exercise and daily reading routine has been non-existent. Pre-kids I read the Bible everyday and worked out during my lunch at work, running 3-4 miles a day. With two toddlers romping around I have had a hard time fitting these two essentials in. My dusty Bible and belly fat can prove it. In December I decided that it was time for a new day - a renewed physical and spiritual health. I started waking up at 5:30, reading and then working out. I was fairly committed although my reading was just kind of going through the motions and my weight was all over the place. Then in February I went to try dresses on for my brother's upcoming wedding - I had to get real. So - for a month and a half, I have been working out religiously, eating healthy and instead of reading I have been listening to sermons on my "shuffle" while I exercise. I have lost 6 pounds, I feel great, and I am thinking about God more than 10 minutes in the morning.

I have been listening to sermons from three churches Mars Hill Bible Church, Southland Christian Church, and Quest Community Church. The sermons God has lead me to have been powerful and have really got me thinking throughout the day about God, my place in his will, and the need to really get serious about my faith in Christ. In two weeks or so I am speaking at a ladies group on Financial Management, so this morning I wanted to find a sermon on money - and between the three podcasts I subscribe to I couldn't find anything. So I choose an hour long sermon by Pete Hise (Quest Community Church) entitled - "The Power of Everybody - To Change a Culture". I mean how can you go wrong with a title like that. The first 30 minutes blew me away and I was trying to hold it together on the treadmil listening to the life of Christ and how we radically changed the world every where he went and how he passed the torch to his disciples, and through God's word the torch is passed to us. The second half was on posessions. I about fell off the treadmil. Pete transitioned by showing the commercial of the guy on the lawn mower that has it all but "is in debt up to his eyeballs", and then goes into a discussion about how money and possessions drive us away from the cross and away from opening our heart to the world. We are so busy trying to gain stuff that we miss our true calling on earth - to love God and people and to radically change the world with the message of the cross. And I have been missing it.

It amazes me that despite three years of church attendance (and that is about it) God still shows up, he still opens my eyes, and he still leads and guides me where I need to be. He still talks, he still moves powerfully. God is there - he just needs me to show up every once in a while. No - He is waiting for me to show up. It is time that I say "I am here".

If you have the time listen to this sermon. You can subscribe on itunes or here: http://questcommunity.com/media/celebration-series

Wrestling

The boys like to wrestle - here is some footage.



We like how they say "that's enouth" and then tackle the other one as soon as they let their guard down.

Take me out to the ballgame..

Pops has been singing this to the boys since they were newborns...




Music first, numbers next...

A Comfy Night Night

Now that Eli is taller he can turn the light on in his room. Over the past week he has been waking up at 5 AM!!! He turns his light on, sneezes three times, opens his blinds (so he can let the "shunshine in"), and then plays until we wake up. Occasionally he will open his door and walk around the house to see what we are doing, but not too often as he usually gets in trouble for that one. He has interrupted me on the treadmill twice.
Anyway, John and I always check on the boys and tuck them in before we go to bed at night. We are always amused at the positions we find them in. Last night we found Eli asleep in the floor, with his light on, on top of all of his stuffed animals and blankets. What is on top of him you ask? A diaper bad insert with a package of pull-ups in it. Maybe he is trying to potty train by osmosis.

Eli's Busy Day

Too Cute

Isaac woke up from his nap today. He isn't the happiest camper when he wakes up, he always wakes up crying. I went in to get him out of bed and rocked with him while he snuggled himself awake. I said "I love you little Isaac, Do you love mommy?" And he said "a little bit."

Pops (my dad) was strapping Eli into his car seat after a visit to Mamaw's house. Eli said, "Pops, I have a question for you." Attentively we all tuned in, "I just don't know what it is...."

The Chocolates

I have this lovely bag of chocolates that John gave me for Valentines day. I am proud they have lasted this long. The bag has sat in my floor for the past few weeks and I raid it whenever I need a fix. Dark, wonderful chocolate. I have always loved chocolate, but since having the boys I find that I NEED it. This afternoon while I was fixing lunch Eli came in, his teeth were brown. "Mommy I ate a chocolate." He sat on the floor, looking pretty pitiful, I think he felt kind of bad. I was more concerned about what he had gotten chocolate on in the process and how many he had eaten. I went back to the room and asked where he put the paper that was on it and he said back in the "prize bag" - I saw two wrappers in there. I came out and said that this was mommy's present from daddy and that he should have eaten it. He said, "I'm sorry momma, but I just had to, and it was so tasty." At least I have raised him to appreciate the "good stuff".