Memory Verse #8

Psalm 19:14
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

Since yesterday was April 15 I almost chose "Rend unto Caesar what is Caesar's " but I would have had a bad attitude about it and wasn't saying it with a very Christ-like spirit, so I chose this one in hopes He would help me be sweeter! Really I chose it because my mouth is my problem area. O how I desire to please Him in all things. Thank you Lord that you gave us instructions on how to do that and wisdom and guidance for the journey.

Presumption and Entitlement

I am delightfully immersed in the Esther bible study. Each week gets better and better, however I told my bible study peeps this week that I am tired of only relating to Haman – THE BAD GUY!!! I actually think Esther uses the word vile to describe him. I am ready for him to go. This week we studied about how Haman just assumed that Xerxes must have been referring to him when asking what should a king do for a man he desires to honor and Haman thought, “Who would he want to honor more than me.” As I read that I thought what a pompous, egotistical, narcissistic jerk Haman is! Then we were asked to think of a time we were ever presumptuous or felt a sense of entitlement over something. Well no, I never think I should be honored like a queen or first lady or anything like that. Oh wait, could that mean do I ever think I deserve something? Like at home, or in my workplace? Well……maybe sometimes. Oh please, what a pompous, egotistical, narcissistic jerk I am!!!! I hate when I have to admit to myself the thoughts I have that make me have to point the finger at myself.
How many times have I felt I deserved something. I don’t mean like a bubble bath or a date night with the hubby. I mean those things like “I don’t deserve for that co-worker to treat me that way. Therefore I am entitled to go and tell everyone about it. Garner some sympathy for myself.” Justification for gossip and a pity party. All those things Satan convinces me that I deserve something better. How many marriages end because people think they deserve to be happy. Or how many times do we just simply say “I don’t deserve this?”
Then I got to thinking about the reverse of that. Do I ever say, “I really shouldn't have treated that person that way. I deserve punishment. I deserve to be humiliated. I deserve ridicule. I deserve to be isolated. I deserve death. I did something yesterday I have never done before. I read the story of the Passion week in all four gospels. Asking God to reveal something new to me. He did. He showed me because He loves me so much and He sent His son to suffer punishment, to suffer humiliation, to suffer ridicule, to suffer isolation, and to suffer death that I will not get what I deserve. For what I deserve is death. Says so, right there in Romans 6:23. Did I not already know this before reading the gospel accounts. Sure, but I never stopped to think about throwing that term "What I deserve" around. Christ certainly didn't get what He deserved and you never see Him acting out of presumption or entitlement. No, we just see Him act out of love and giving. For the rest of Romans 6:23 says His gift is eternal life in Him.
Hallelujah we serve a LIVING savior who gave us what we needed and not what we deserved. Hallelujah He isn't in that tomb for He is risen!

Spring Break has finally arrived!

I thought this day would never get here! The day we get out for spring break! WhooHoo!!! I am going to stay in my PJ's all day tomorrow. Well at least until this precious thing gets here!

How adorable is he in his bunny onesie? Then on Easter Sunday our other precious one shows up for a few days with his Gigi and PawPaw. We are so excited!! PawPaw doesn't know why he can't be here already!
I really am looking forward to relaxing, playing and maybe cleaning out some closets and getting my yard presentable for Spring. How appropriate that our Spring Break kicks off with Easter. Spring, the archetypal time for rebirth and renewal. Easter, the symbol of the Christians reminder as to how we have rebirth, renewal but more importantly redemption. Thank you Jesus.

She's a TEENAGER!!!

She is growing up fast! She loves zebra and hot pink.

She is almost as tall as her Momma!

But a jokester like her Daddy!

Four generations. Aren't they all adorable?

Our baby of the four turned thirteen this past week!!!! Unbelievable. I cannot understand where the time goes. Life as my sweet baby girl has changed forever. Well she is still my sweet baby girl but “thirteen” invades her body sometimes. My dad summed it up best when he called to tell her happy birthday and informed her that she needed to be prepared – “When you are thirteen your brain just leaves your body sometimes!” He should know he was the only man in the house with my granny, my mama and my two sisters and me. It is any wonder his brain cells still work! He survived and we will too. We survived with the other three (two boys and one girl) and that all went by way too fast also.
Some days I just wish I could hold time still. I know that sounds like such a cliché especially when she is so anxious for everything ahead of her. Her daddy and I are too, I just wish the time past had not been so fleeting. I wish I had savored more of the moments that maybe I rushed through or that I didn’t truly appreciate until they were gone already. She is such an easy, enjoyable child – I know that can change in a nanosecond – but right now she is easy. I never have to tell her to get up in the morning because she sets her alarm for 5 and gets up without hesitation ever! Fixing her hair is important right now so she needs time – I can so relate. She does her homework, studys hard and is more organized than any other person in our house. With the exception of her dresser drawers – that is a constant battle – so I guess she is a normal teenager. I hate saying that - teenager. I already dread the day she leaves for college. When I left home my daddy says my mama lay on the bathroom floor and cried for two hours. I said, “Why the bathroom floor? That is ridiculous!” He said, “That is where you spent all your time!!” I have a feeling my bathroom days will be here much faster than I want them too. Until then I will try not to be so mad when I can’t find any of my stuff because she has taken it to her bathroom and for all my ranting I simply get, “Oh sorry mom” and out the door she goes. I will try to savor the moments that she gives me space to enjoy. She still likes her Momma being around but I sense that changing too.
It just seems like the blink of an eye that I was crying over our oldest moving to college. Now he is a daddy. It is never the same after they move away to school. I think I will enroll our baby at OLU. On-line University!!!!!

Siesta Memory Verse 6!!

Psalm 37:4



"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

There are many desires I have. Personal desires, family desires, monetary desires, relationship desires. I could easily rattle off the old cliche "Anything your heart desires....." as a justification for the things I desire. But then I am reminded that the Bible tells me the heart is deceitful. Could I be deceived by my own desires? Genesis tells us Eve was attracted to the forbidden fruit for to her it was good, pleasing, and desirable! As I commit this verse to memory and really ponder on what it means, I am asking the Lord to be my delight so that my desires will be His desires for me. What could be more delightful than that!

Birthdays, New Days, and The Ancient of Days

Really, could he be any sweeter!!! Today is my oldest grandson Connor's second birthday and my youngest grandson will be two weeks old tomorrow. It seems as though that gap flew by with Connor. Where did the time go from when he was this little? I was reminded today of all the thoughts I had when I looked at Connor at this age. What will his voice sound like? What kind of personality will he have? Will he look like his momma? Will he love us? (crazy, but don't tell me for a minute any other grandmas out there haven't thought it too!). Every day is new and they look different and you cherish every second of every minute as they change so rapidly. What will their future be like? What kind of men will they become? Will they love Jesus with a passion and lead their families to do the same? I hope so, oh I pray so. Like mad I do.

Then I am reminded that The Ancient of Days knows the answers to all these questions and even questions I haven't yet thought to ask. He numbered the hairs on these sweet little boys heads. He knows who they will become and what they will be. Yet I am still reminded of our responsibility to them. Teach them, nurture them, share what He has done for us so they will know How Great is our God. And more than anything, pray like crazy over them. I am beyond thankful to be a grandma to these precious ones that He has entrusted to our children. Grateful for the privilege of praying for them.

I look forward to many birthdays, new days and one day coming face to face to thank the Ancient of Days for how He worked in their lives.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Momma and Daddy were excited to be reunited at the hospital after the weekend.

Graham missed his momma!

Told you he was one suave and dapper dude!

So handsome!

Those are some cheeks created to be nibbled on.

Happy and content.