IRRESISTIBLE REVOLUTION by Shane Claiborne

One of my mentor's gave me this book. This is another "fork in the road" of my walk with Jesus. There have been times in my walk where God puts something in my life to give me such a clear picture of Himself that it causes me to say again, "YES! I will follow YOU!" and this is one of those books. It is a must read. But beware...it will mess you up!! It is all about believers needing to be followers of Christ, not religious people...and how God is found in the poor, the oppressed, the dying and outcasts...It tells his story of what God is doing in His life and the life of others. He serves in an innercity in Philly. the simple way ministries

Stew and I's heart has been absolutely wrecked with God's truth and call to serve the poor in the last 3 months. We are seeking to adjust our lives to reflect that...We want to stop talking and meeting about being Christians and start being followers of Christ! Their is a stirring going on in our body at the Austin Stone....who knows what God is doing in Austin! It may not be safe, but we know it will be good!

"We can admire and worship Jesus without doing what he did. We can applaud what he preached and stood for without caring about the same things. We can adore his cross without taking up ours....I had come to see that the great tragedy in the chruch is not that rich Christains do not care about the poor but that rich Christians do not know the poor." pg. 113

Growing in Motherhood

This summer has been a real growing time as a mother to my 2 little ones...I couldn't possibly write about all i have learned, but i wanted to share that i am learning and it has been hard and delightful all at the same time! I get scared and anxious at times....feeling so inadequate for the job. I don't have my mother to call or to show me how things should go....Yet, God reminds me of her example in life to me of who God is and I am able to come to Him and find my way. God says in Psalm 32:8 says, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you." I love that God "teaches" us the way in which we should go. And that His counsel is found with His eye upon us!! That has given life to my parenting and dependance on Him to show me how to teach and love my children.

I'm learning (slowly) that my children's behavior is not the "enemy" or the "judgement" on my parenting skills. As stew puts it..."we are just curbing evil until Jesus takes their hearts". I'm slowly starting to see this and believe it and not parent out of my own insecurity or messed up beliefs.

We always want our children to behave "rightly" and especially before others....but that is a fruit that develops over time and if it weren't for the "bad fruit" how could we parent them to what is indeed, real fruit. I'm learning to embrace the disobedience, temper tantrums or selfishness in my children. They are opportunities to parent my child through their own behavior, not stop their behavior or feel guilty that i have not taught them what behavior should look like. (i mean, come on! we mothers have told our kids a thousand times! what they should be doing!) but it is that waiting for the fruit and trusting the Lord to work with us that grows fruit in us and our children. We can never stop the behavior of our children....it is their own out of their sinful nature...but we can parent them through it and trust God to do work in them what we cannot.

Thank you God, for my children who are teaching me your ways and not my own!!

Trust God to guide you with your children
....and if you don't believe in God and His work....I pray you will find Him and the truth of His ways...for their is none like God, no one besides Him. He is God and there is no other. And truth is what our children need to be taught in....

Radi Jazz Playnasium

There is a huge Volcanic scene that is super fun. It is sally's favorite thing to climb the steep wall....if you can tell in the pic...she is our climber...very strong!
Wesley Grant in the "playground house" as he calls it
Jami and Sally

Our Friend, Jami Sall hung out with us last week as the kiddos played their heart out at Radi Jazz here in Austin. It is a new found favorite place for us these hot days...

Our Friends from Saudi Arabia

Rama, Sally and Meshal
We met a family from Saudi Arabia from our friend, Hilary Pepper. Fauzy, Eman, Rama (2yrs), and Meshal (1 yr). Fauzy is a student of Hilary's. Hilary asked us if we would meet them one evening...that evening began a friendship. I have never spent time with a family that within a matter of a few hours, i felt as if they were people i had known for so long. We are so very different, but so much alike. We have had many fun times with them all over Austin. They are leaving for Oklahoma next week and will be there in school for 3 yrs. We are very sad, but hope to visit them.

Our kids play so well together. Rama and Meshal only know a little bit of english, but that didn't interupt them playing. They know the abc's, barney "i love you" song and "happy birthday!!"...so one night we were at Starbucks and WesleyGrant and Rama were standing on the chairs holding hands and singing the Barney song so everyone could hear it!! Quite the entertainment!

Tonight they brought dinner to our apartment and we ate "Arabic style". It was an incredible meal. Eman is a great cook in her country...and we tasted why! Fauzy and Eman, we are so thankful to have met you and for all you have shared with us! We will look forward to knowing you more and visiting with you! Eman, I will never forget our picnic with the bats! ha!!!

Donnie!!!

Donnie has been visiting us from Memphis all week. We have had so much fun!! Donnie, we love you so much!! We will miss you so much!! We will be looking for a big enough house so that you can come live with us when you come to UT!!! =)

The Cupcake Surprise!!!

We got home to a big box from The Albrecht Family. Anna, their 5 yr. old had sent Sally a gift. It was the most creative thing! Angel cupcakes with edible fairy dust and all! And Anna made this plate just for Sally! She drew Sally's picture. How precious!! We made the cupcakes and ate them immediately!! as you can tell, we were a happy household!! Thank you Anna and Albrecht Family!! We miss you and love you so much!

Eating Cherrios and Playing Peek a Boo....

We made it home Monday night and have had a good week adjusting...we have been slow, but truly feeling restful and glad to be back home after a wonderful time! Although we miss the california weather! Since i didn't drive out with the kids, i enjoyed the drive home...everyone did great! Including me!