Maybe? Baby?

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we see your face.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we smell your skin.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we squish your chubby legs.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we hear your wimpy cries.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we burrito your blanket.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we make the drive to Lewis Gale with butterflies of excitement.

Just a LITTLE bit longer until we can stop praying for safe delivery and start praying for your growth in Christ.

We love you already baby girl. Looking forward to spending the rest of the winter snuggling with the new babe in town.

Praying for Kevin, Regina, Macy, Laurie, Maddie, and Jude Tucker. Hang in there just a LITTLE bit longer! God makes everything beautiful in His time.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. Ecclesiastes 3: 1-14 NIV

Good intentions

I think that God looks at my intentions like I look at my yarn stash. There is the potential for good works, but right now they are just sitting there looking pretty. I've done the research, watched Youtube videos to learn new stitches, printed out patterns, and I know the lingo (k1, p2, yo, bind off) but every time I sit down to start a project I choke. "What if I run out of yarn? My circular needles are too long. Is this what I want to do with this color? What if it doesn't fit? I know, I'll make a hat for the new baby. No, I really want to make a sweater for the new baby. But wool is itchy and I don't have cotton."

I found notes on a sermon that said it better than I could... the only changes I made was to put in the current year.

I’m sure many of us have made New Years resolutions for 2011 with good intentions. Yet, how many of us have started on them? Or, failed in the first week of this year? Good intentions are good because it’s in our hearts; however, there’s more to just having good intentions. In fact it’s important to God for us to move beyond our intentions. And, He was pretty serious about them.

“'What do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, “Son, go work today in the vineyard.” And he answered, “I will not”; but afterward he regretted it and went. The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, “I will, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.’” (Mat. 21:28-31)

Isn’t this interesting? This scripture shows us a contrast between good intentions and moving beyond good intentions. In this scripture Jesus was conversing with the Pharisees. As it goes, the first son said he’d go, but didn’t. Later, he felt bad and moved beyond good intentions. Whereas, the second son said he’d go and then didn’t. Most importantly, the one who did the will of the father was the defining difference. This teaches us was about bridging the gap between intentions and action.

This also tells us the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before the Pharisees. Why? Well although the Pharisees were filled with good intentions, they did nothing with their intentions. The same goes for us in 2011. How many of us are serious about getting beyond good intentions? If you are, you are well on your way.

I've hesitated making resolutions this year, because why should I set myself up to fail? I do it every year, I make the list and then by the time I've flipped to my February calendar I have already forgotten them. I pray that when 2012 arrives, Lord willing, I will be able to look back and see that I have acted on my good intentions...

study DAILY. pray HARDER. give WILLINGLY. eat LESS. get STRONGER. knit MORE. blog WEEKLY. clean BETTER. sew FASTER.

Why does this sound so much like Daft Hands?

Kicking it old school.

amazon.com has used books.
christianaudio.com has downloadable audio versions.
ebay.com has first editions that have been signed.
barnesandnoble.com has all the bestsellers.
itunes is at my fingertips every second of the day.

No fancy website can compete with standing in front of the books at Goodwill for thirty minutes and laughing at what is tucked in between a college textbook and a harlequin romance.

It's my new thing. If I have your name for stocking gift, you just might get one.

Not So Subtle

I have been finding pictures on my camera.

And links bookmarked on my computer.

And prayer requests for an "open door" in getting a new dog.

And wishlists taped to my refrigerator. (The ONLY thing I want is a puppy. And a 22. Oh yeah, and a laptop. But that's IT, Mom, I promise!)

The countdown for Christmas is on, folks. Two months and {blue} ticking.

Fall Cleanup

The weather has been awesome. I love no humidity. We've (I should say, THEY'VE) been taking full advantage of our weather to get our cleaning done.

Cleaning out cages...

Tearing up the garden...

Riding four wheeler and dirt bike...

Cleaning Nate's eye with toothpaste...

You know, the normal fall stuff.

John 21:20

Saturday morning, the woman who Jesus loves was determined that she would stand in line for coffee no matter how long it took. The woman who Jesus loves had gotten less than five hours of sleep and checked out of the hotel at 6:45 am without any coffee. The woman who Jesus loves took a walk around the coliseum to find the shortest coffee line and check out the resource tables on the way. The woman who Jesus loves turned a corner and almost ran into the woman who Beth Moore loves.

One of the funny things that Beth Moore talked about was how John refers to himself as "the disciple who Jesus loves." She said, "Oh, John. He's so humble he never calls himself by name. He just says that he's the one that Jesus loves." Well, that's exactly how I feel about Big Mama. She doesn't shout it from the rooftops that she sat in the front row in between Beth's assistant and Travis and the praise and worship team and Beth called her daughter by name. I was so excited that I got to meet her although I stammered out a dorky greeting and my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Oh yeah, one more thing. She's not "big" at all.

Return to Middle C.... Beth Moore

I didn't want to return back from my weekend in Richmond with nothing to share with others. My scribbled notes are all I have to offer. I figured you probably weren't interested in my damp wads of tissues. If you read my blog, you know I have a big, tender spot in my soul for Beth Moore and her bible studies. They are what got me into God's Word in some of the darkest times in my life. Her studies showed me the excitement of learning and studying and finding what God's will is in my life. I will always appreciate what she has taught me. In other news, she is the cutest little Bible Cheerleader that you have ever seen. She has little stick legs, (not so big) blond hair, and big love flowing out from her. She praises God wholeheartedly, prays humbly, and appeals to the hearts of everyone in her audience. Go to a conference if you ever have a chance. Just to be clear, I don't worship HER, I just worship the same God and Savior as she does!



After determining how many women in the audience had been raised in church and had been studying the bible for many years, Beth Moore decided that we needed to return to an old, familiar chapter. She lead us to John 1. Her desire was to bring new life to an old chapter and bring forth a revival in Richmond. One of the main themes in the gospel of John is BELIEVE. He uses the word 98 times where Mark uses it 11 times and Matthew uses it 14 times. "We don't have abundant life until we have abundant belief."

The theme of the weekend revolved around Travis Cottrell's keyboard in which she walked over to and hit the middle C several times. To get from one octave to another (middle c to high c) there are eight notes. Middle C is Christ. All things point back to Jesus. In the first chapter of John there are eight titles to Jesus.

Middle C: The Word ( verse 1)
D: The Life (verse 4)
E: The Light (verse 9)
F: The Only Begotten Son (verse 18)
G: The Lamb (verse 29)
A: The Messiah (verse 41)
B: The King (verse 49)
High C: The Son of Man (verse 51)

To find Jesus, (High C) we have to go back to God's Word. (Middle C)
The way to do this you must go:

1) Back to the Word

Starts with eternity... before time began. Word = logos, which means divine speech, expression of God before all men and creation.

2) Back to the genesis (beginning)

John 1 and Genesis 1 begin at the beginning. We don't have to prove God's existence, the burden of proof falls on the atheists. Our beginning begins with the Word of God and begins again with Jesus Christ.

3) Back to the exodus

God came to make His dwelling with us, literally, pitch His tent among us. All of us need a mass exodus from something. We have a stumbling block that needs to be left behind. Christians are meant to be as contagious as a virus in spreading God's Word.

4) Back to the ultimate exegesis

The goal of Biblical exegesis is to explore the meaning of the text which then leads to discovering its significance or relevance. (Wikipedia) If you and I want to know theology, KNOW JESUS! No one has seen God at any time, but His Son will exegete Him to you.

5) Back to grace and truth

There are two camps in Christianity. The Grace camp forgets the truth, believes that they are already saved so they have the license to do anything. The Truth camp is the religious police, the ones who "share the Good News in a bad mood." The balance between the two camps is JESUS. One camp without the other cuts off an arm of Jesus and makes no reason for his death on the cross. For every truth there is ample grace to cover it! A truth doesn't become THE TRUTH until His word is applied. THE TRUTH takes a truth and turns it into a testimony! The only time that you cannot handle the truth is when you detach it from His grace!

6) Back to the gospel

We would be in error to assume that everyone who cracks open a bible or sings a praise and worship song is saved. She did an invitation at this point.

7) Back to one blessing after another

It is not our job to be Jesus. It is our job to be examples of His love. We need to regain our wonderment for his Word.

8) Back to the future

Now it is time to go back home and jump into our jobs as wives and mothers and daughters. We need to return back as a people that have rediscovered the Word!

P.S. Travis Cottrell is an awesome praise and worship leader. Go to iTunes and download Victory in Jesus, In Christ Alone, and In the Sanctuary. That's an order.