Thursday, July 16, 2009

The last 4 weeks for us

Pa and Gammy visit us to give all us girls gifts!! Thank you! We love you!
Theresa and Ryan King's Wedding!! It was both a celebration and a reunion of old friends!


We got lots of cuddle times with kids while away...stew also set up his own office in the closet!








We got back early and got to have a small bday party for Sally! She is 3!





Our traditional birthday morning fun! Special place, gifts and poster! and of course, happy face pancakes!


We got to visit our dear friends, the Crawfords in Kansas City...they are amazing and it was an amazing time! They are a part of redeemer fellowship church....we love you crawfords!!



Resting in Idaho!


The girls got twin babydolls for their birthdays!



Old Faithful in Yellowstone national park!







Kids got to ride horses for the first time in Yellowstone! It was so fun!!










Karis's first birthday! We introduced her to our family tradition of "happy face pancakes"! She actually didn't like the whipped cream! crazy! and we painted karis' toes for the first time...she loved it...such a girl! that was sally's idea of course! =)






We have had an amazing time the last 4 weeks as we have travelled over 11 states. There are many stories and many lessons...but all in all in hind-sight, we have found places in our hearts that believe more that "Jesus Loves us, always, no matter what" And b/c He loves us, we can be who he has made us to be! We are so greatful to our friends and their family that let us use their cabin and all along the way across america who opened their home! We are refreshed and ready to keep going ahead as we continue here in Austin.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

The WORST GOSSIP from a friend

"It makes the hairs on the back of my neck bristle when I remember the worst rumor that anyone ever spread about me. It was so bad that I used to get sick to my stomach just thinking about it. I wanted to hide from it.

But there is another piece of gossip about me that frees me from shame. Nothing was more character-defaming than the news that was announced about me at the cross. That I am so full of sin and worse… that sin is my nature. That my self-righteousness is a theatre mask to cover my evil heart, that my good deeds are soiled rags that I use to wipe the guilt off of my conscience. That my murderous thoughts are just as bad as murder. That I am so far beyond rehabilitation that no behavior modification program could curb my appetite for vileness. That I need to be born again into a new creation. That to rescue me from the damnation I deserve it required the death of the perfect Son of God.

Truly this is the worst gossip– but gossip that turns shame on its head. Milton Vincent says about the cross, “With the worst facts about me thus exposed to the view of others, I find myself feeling that I truly have nothing left to hide (A Gospel Primer for Christians).” The cross of Jesus Christ liberates us from the heavy facade of self-righteousness."

Our friends Dave and Gloria posted this and it described what i have been discovering these last weeks away...we are home...will begin writing again soon...