PRAY!!!

*Update~Harper is doing a lot better. They haven't had to do the bypass yet. Thank you, Lord!

I have been following Kelly's blog since she found out she was pregnant after a bout with infertility.

She gave birth to Little Harper today and the baby is in VERY critical condition.

PLEASE, PLEASE pray for Kelly, Scott, and precious baby Harper.

I don't know what else to say.

Jesus, help her.

PLEASE, PLEASE PRAY!!

Little Stellan isn't doing very well today.

He is such a miracle.

Please stop and pray for MckMama, Prince Charming, and Little Stellan.

PRAYER

There have been many, many people that have asked over the past month if there was anything they could do for us. And~really~ there wasn't a whole lot that could be done. Family was taking care of the kids, Mike was in the hospital and I was with him around the clock.

People came to visit and as they were leaving they slipped money in my hand. Those gifts were appreciated and I ate with that money til the last day Mike was in the hospital. Mike and I would cry after people left because they were so generous and thoughtful.

BUT~~ I believe prayer was what sustained us for that 3 week hospital stay. We know there were hundreds of people sending up prayers in our behalf. WE FELT EACH ONE!!! There were times we were too tired to pray, too busy to pray, too stressed to pray, too sad to pray~~ but we knew we were being lifted up. The Lord was answering the prayers of His people and He still is.

Mike and I are extremely thankful for every prayer uttered for us during this difficult time. We are fully aware that without the prayers of saints we would not have been able to endure these past weeks AND the weeks ahead would look bleak and foreboding.

We are trusting and leaning on Jesus and feeling the support of His people. He in His infinite wisdom allowed this to come into our lives and we are stretching and growing because of it. We will endure~not on our own strength but on His. We are weak~~I am talking limp as a dishrag. It is overwhelming at times. He is strong and nothing overwhelms Him. We will endure because of Him.

MY CONVICTIONS ARE MY OWN

I have been thinking a lot about writing this post. Probably too much. After I read a post about it at one of my favorite blogs, I felt like the Lord was nudging me to write it. I have typed it up on Word and left it there to see if the nudging would go away.

It hasn’t.

Mike and I made a decision that we would let the Lord decide the size of our family~ a “quiverfull family”. Some of my family and friends know this but most don’t.

I have felt the Holy Spirit prompting since I read a book by Vickie and Jayme Farris, “A Mom like you”. My former pastor’s wife lent me the book and I read it twice before giving it back. That was almost 6 years ago. Mike thought I was crazy and said, “No”.

I said, “Okay!!” I felt like I had been absolved from having to worry about it. Mike was the head of our household right? And if he said no that was what I had to live with. Still, the Holy Spirit kept bringing it to my mind.

When we moved so Mike could go to college for pastoral training I thought that I wouldn’t be bothered by this anymore. The Lord knew we had no extra money. He also knew we had no health insurance and we would ‘unwise’ to have a baby at this time.

Mike had not changed his mind either. UNTIL~ he had a professor at the college that talked about letting the Lord decide the size of your family. He came home and we talked about it. Still he wasn’t fully convinced. I was more convinced but not sold on the idea.

We mulled over it for a long time, reading scripture, praying about it, talking about it, and reading about it.

Needless to say, in March of 2006, I threw my BC pills away.

I know that the Lord opens and closes the womb because I have evidence in my own life. I know that whether we have 5 more, no more, or adopt, God is in control of our family size.

I know that some people get defensive when this is discussed. I am only telling our story and feel you should really seek the Lord on this decision. I know that I was thinking selfishly before the Holy Spirit convicted me on this subject.

I kept thinking that I wanted to be done with raising children. In fact, in my early twenties I had told people that if I didn’t get pregnant before I turned 25 I didn’t want anymore.

My girls were born when I was 27 and 29 respectively. I am sure the Lord chuckled at that one.

We lost a baby this past November and I know how real that heartache is. If we have more or not we know that our hearts are ‘quiverfull’ and that we are allowing God to have His will with the size of our family.

I THINK I HAVE PASSED IT ON

The kids and I went to Goodwill today because we had an hour or so to kill before picking Mike up from school.

I was disappointed in the book selection and I didn't find anything worth buying~~~but Trevor did. He bought another Samsonite suitcase and a framed U2 poster that came from Deck the Walls in the mall.

The suitcase was for his friend Sarah because she loved the one he has.

I think the frame is worth more than the poster but it was half priced and something he wanted.

I like looking for good deals and I know that when I can't find one I should just walk away. That is exactly what I did today:~)

A note for myself~My friend Ginger conquered her fear this weekend~an answer to prayer!!!

ALL NIGHTER

We had tornadoes ALL night last night.

I was up and down all night with tornado sirens and checking the weather. I talked to Mike at least 5 times because he has to go outside to get samples and because he is watching the weather.

Thankfully, we are all okay but our neighboring counties are not. You can read here about the closest devastation to us.

We are praying that everyone we go to Tutorial with is okay. Trevor goes to the orthodontist in Sumner County, that is how close we are. This county was just hit in '06 with a tornado and this one seems to be even worse than that one.

Please pray for the people from Memphis to East Tennessee. A lot of people have lost their loved ones. A lot of people lost their homes.

SORRY TO LEAVE YA'LL HANGIN'

I am so excited about this Biggest Loser stuff. Not only do we compete for money but Isabeau (the runner up from last season of Biggest Loser) will be our trainer for the duration of the contest!

I will be going to the work out with her tomorrow so I will let you know how it goes and if I like her or not:~)

We have been busy, busy, busy this week with all kinds of stuff and Mike went back to school Tuesday. His schedule is so crazy this semester that I had to write it on the memo board to keep it straight. I HAD to do that cause everyday this week I have asked him, "What is your schedule??" He was getting fed up with me asking him a dozen times a day:~)

We had our homeschool prayer group last night and it was such a good time. We started by writing down reasons why we homeschool. We shared our thoughts with each other and it was refreshing to hear people's reasons. When I leave our little group, I walk away feeling more determined to finish this course that we are on and finish strong.

I am reminded of II Corinthians 12:9- But He said to me,"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I feel very weak most of the time. When I think of teaching my kids I feel weak. Not up to the task. With my strength I am not but with God's strength and power I am more than able to accomplish the course set before me.

Have a great weekend, ya'll!!!!!

WE'LL MEET IN HEAVEN

I have been reading Ellie's blog for some time now and her and her mother have really touched my soul.

Ellie went to be with the Lord last night. She is completely healed and sitting at the feet of sweet Jesus.

Pray for her mom, dad, little brother, and the rest of the family. They will need it over the coming days.

IS THAT WHAT I THINK IT IS???

My 10 year old nephew had emergency surgery in the middle of the night last night. Apparently his appendix decided it no longer wanted to be a part of his body and wanted out.

My brother and his wife got to sleep in the oh so comfy chairs at the hospital and I am sure they got the best night's sleep of their life.

We just talked to him on the phone and he sounds tired but good. He has been playing Playstation. That is one of the advantages of being at a children's hospital. My SIL said that the nurses have come in and asked if he wants pain medication and he has told them no. That is, until he got up and walked around. He decided morphine wouldn't be so bad after all.

He is a real trooper!! That boy is a BIG ball of energy. He gets that from his Daddy. Believe me! When my brother was little you couldn't tie him down with steel chains!! He was ALWAYS doing something! That boy couldn't sit still to save his life.

I, of course, was the complete opposite. I didn't like to run because I didn't like exerting all that energy and I hated to sweat. Yes, I was a true little southern miss. I didn't like sports. I didn't like to get dirty and I didn't care for anything that made me break a sweat.

I am thankful the Lord has answered our prayers. Steven seems to be on the mend and I am grateful that my SIL was able to act quickly before it got worse.

AMY IS VICTORIOUS TODAY!

Yesterday, Amy Wilhoite went home to be with the Lord. She has had the ultimate healing.

I am sad on one hand, but rejoicing on the other. She was suffering so much and she had fought a good fight.

Please pray for her husband, Brandon and baby Gary.

Making a Hard Decision

We are in the process of making a hard decision and doing what the Lord would have us to do. Matthew 26:41 says"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak."

This decision may be silly to some but we are taking it very seriously. I will explain more later after we have talked to the kids about it. Sometimes taking a stand means not doing what you want to do.

Dear Lord, Help us to do what is right in Your eyes, not what we want but what You want for us. It is hard to take a stand sometimes when the world is doing the opposite. Make us strong and fill us with your wisdom. We love You, Lord

Pray for Litte Addison

My nephew, Samuel, just had a bout with RSV.
This was a message on her Grammy's blog.

Addison is in my prayers!

New Year's Day

There are so many things I could look back on and lament. I am a person who analyzes things way too much! Did I say the right thing? Do the right thing? Was I the ______ to the person who needed me? I am ready for this year to look different. I can't be all to everyone and I need to reflect on what I can be and not what I can't be!


Enough philosophy!!! We went to O'Charley's for lunch today and as much as I like eating out I knew it would not be a great earth shattering experience! Why? Because I have 2 girls who eat like birds, a hubby with a stomach ache, and a teenage son whose eyes are too big for his stomach. Well, I was right! We spent $45 on a meal that we could have made at home and been much happier! Geesh!!


Hubby and I went through our junk drawers today and reorganized them. I like finding extra space for stuff!! It's like finding something we didn't know we had.


As the holiday season comes to a close and all the hub bub has died down, I am thankful for what I have and that God knows what I need and what I don't. I know that I am loved especially by the one that matters most! When things get rough in 2007, my prayer is that I will climb up in the lap of the One that knows ever single solitary thing about me and loves me anyway. What I am and what I will become is known by the Father who made me!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!