THE BEST BIRTHDAY SURPRISE!!!

Me, Rachel and Shanda at Selah Inn

So, as many of you know, Stew and the kids and I were due for California...We had a long week of car trouble and preparing to go. We loaded the car the night before and were ready to head out for the 20 hour drive and excited about fun, as Stew said he had many birthday fun surprises on our way out there! Well, we left Austin at 8:30am and stew gave me my first birthday envelope of the weekend. I opened it and my whole perspective on the next 3 days changed in an instant! It was a plane ticket bound for Dallas, TX and I was to leave in one hour!! WHAT?! "Yes, my sweet." Stew said..."This is long overdue and much longed for, for you..the kids and i will be fine...you just go and don't ask questions." I didn't know whether to cry or laugh...i did a bit of both...he was going to drive to california without me?! with the kids?!! So i packed a small bag in the parking lot of the airport, gave a few instructions for the kids and got on the plane...i knew nothing more, but had a few more envelopes and instructions. Two precious friends met me at the airport and we were off for my birthday weekend all planned by my husband!! WOW! I never knew what was coming next, but all of us got pampered unbelievably well!! From dinners, to shopping sprees and Starbucks in between, it was incredible! And we got to stay in the greatest bed-n- breakfast suite in east texas, "Selah Inn". You all must visit it once in a lifetime! =) So, I am 30! My birthday was actually Sunday July, 15th.

I arrived to meet stew and the kids in pasadena, california late Sunday night...and stew started school this morning. Stew has more energy than i and he and the kids had a GREAT trip! WOW! I am still overwhelmed! We are all here in California and i am still pondering the deep love of my husband, children, friends....and it all has pointed me to one thing...the deep deep love of my God.

A week ago, I read a comment a friend of mine had left on a blog regarding our friend who was just diagnosed with cancer...and Melody, who left this comment has been going through cancer herself for a year now....It was from the Message, Ephesians 3:14-21 and i longed to truly do as the prayer prayed, not only for others but for my own life...

My husband is so great....my friends are so great....but still God and God's love is greater....this post is to give thanks to my husband and friends, of course, but never to turn you, the reader, into comparing your week with mine...celebrate with me, yes, but i want you to consider God's love...how deep it runs...how great it is for His children and my prayer for you is this verse...i pray that all of you will experience God's love....from a husband, friends, but perhaps in some other way....and know the great and Almighty God. I got to talk to a little boy on the airplane last night as i was coming to california...a 5 yr. old...and he said, "See those clouds...is God bigger than that?" "Yes, sweet Sebastian, God is bigger." The child's question is often my question.....is God bigger...Big enough? Yes, He is!! Wherever you are this is my response.....I leave you with the Message passage:


"My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit--not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength--that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all the Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know--far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! . . . Glory to God . . ." (Ephesians 3:14-21, The Message).

My darling beloved...Michael...I love you so much and cannot thank you enough for the continued reminder you give to me of God's great and unconditional love...I love you! You are my hero!!

Rachel and Shanda, I had such a blast and love you ladies so much!! You too are wind in my sails!! You made turning 30 the best!! Thank you for everything!!

Melody, thank you for your living example to me of God's love and the challenge to look at that through all things! I love you, friend!