Wordless Wednesday

My friend Susan "tagged" me in "Picture Me" for this "Wordless Wednesday." I chose this picture because it's one of my favorites. It's my favorite because it's one of the last that was made with our BEAUTIFUL BRENT, AND because I was about TEN POUNDS LIGHTER!! Yes, I have AGED A LOT over the past two years!

Well, since I explained why I chose THIS picture.. it's not quite a "Wordless Wednesday" now is it? He he...

Now, I'm supposed to choose someone else to "tag?" I think I'll choose Amy. I was told about this sweet lady by my friend Susan. I've visited her blog and LOVE IT! I hope you don't mind being tagged, Amy!

Pictures of our boys...

I've let another whole day pass by without signing in. I thought that since it's late, instead of updating I'd just share a few recent pictures of the boys. They are such a BLESSING. They've got the cutest sense of humor and are so much FUN! I hope they bring a smile to your face too!

Zachary-



Gabe-



Handsome boys...




Silly boys....






Okay... so much for that! Our internet is TERRIBLY SLOW and I've been "rambling" (typing) while I've been waiting for the pictures to load. If you've got a minute, kick up your feet... and I'll share my thoughts from the night with you. =-)


Zach and Gabe finished up another season of flag football tonight. This is the first year they've played with our homeschool league and I must admit it's been SO MUCH FUN! (They have played with the town league before.. some of the things are a little different) They're just so cute at these ages. Tonight was the Super Bowl! (Too funny!) Our Zachary got a flag (or two, or three - I'm sorry to say I only saw ONE of them) and GABE ran in a touch down! I wish I had video footage of it all. I'm sure you can identify. =-)

Yes, each of these stages they grow through are just PRICELESS! Our children TRULY ARE a GIFT from GOD. They carry on what we're teaching them now. It's really funny at times how our little ones will repeat EVERYTHING we do... whether we want them to or not! (He he) Well, it's the same thing with our values. If they don't see Daddy & Mama "live out" what we're telling them about how GOD expects us to live, then what we "say" will never matter. Have you ever heard the old saying, "You're living so loud I can HARDLY hear what you're saying?" I know that's been my testimony with our boys from time to time. We've been SO BLESSED to have made new friends who ARE "living it out" the RIGHT WAY! Their children are UNBELIEVABLE!

Have you ever been around families that have like TWELVE or more children and you don't HEAR any of them?? If Mom asks one of them to do something they smile sweetly and do it... IMMEDIATELY???? Have you ever walked right up on a large family like that in Walmart and you NEVER heard a peep out of their children?? Well, that IS NOT the case with us. (Ha!!) You could pick us out of any large crowd just by listening for our boys. (This is funny, but not really) Anyway... this young couple has 4 children and they are one of those families that I was just telling you about. She's been sharing passages with me on child rearing and what GOD has to say about disciplining our children. Take for instance, did you know that the Bible DOES NOT say, "Spare the rod, spoil the child?" I DID NOT KNOW THIS!! I'd have PROMISED you that this WAS SCRIPTURE! What I've recently learned is that it says, He who spares the rod - HATES his son, but he who LOVES him disciplines him PROMPTLY! (That's in Proverbs) We've learned a lot... but have SO FAR STILL TO GO!

Whoops! I didn't mean to go off rambling. I tend to do that when I get excited about something and our children are DEFINITELY something I'm PASSIONATE about! I suppose I'll wrap this up. Until next time........

Remembering our PRECIOUS Brent on his birthday..

Isaiah 6:5

Woe Is Me!

So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts." '(Isaiah 6:5)
An exalted view of God brings a clear view of sin and a realistic view of self. A diminished view of God brings a reduced concern for sin and an inflated view of self. Isaiah may have been satisfied with his personal holiness until he saw the Lord in His unspeakable glory. Isaiah’s encounter with holy God made him immediately and keenly aware of his own unholiness and the sinfulness of those around him. It is impossible to worship God and remain unchanged. The best indication that we have truly worshiped is a changed heart.
Have we so conformed ourselves to a sinful world that we are satisfied with unholy living? Have we sunk so far below God’s standard that when someone does live as God intended, we consider that person “superspiritual”? If we only compare our personal holiness to those around us, we may be deceived into believing that we are living a consecrated life. Yet when we encounter holy God, our only response can be “Woe is me!”
You will not see those around you trusting Jesus until they recognize a clear difference between you and the rest of the world. God wants to sanctify you as He is holy. When God deals with you, there will be a radical degree of purity about your life that is absolutely different from what the world can produce. The world, including those closest to you, will be convinced you serve a holy God by your consecrated life.

Devotion taken from blackaby.org




I shared in my last update about Brent's last days, and how I wondered how we would react when WE stand in GOD'S presence. My thoughts have been of Brent all day today. (Tomorrow would be his 12th birthday) I was looking for a devotion to share here and I thought the one above was so fitting! It's also REALLY NEAT how it lined up with the post from yesterday. It's so COOL when GOD works like this!

I've been trying to keep busy today so that I didn't think too much. GOD has ALWAYS been our strength and is pouring out HIS MERCY AND GRACE in ABUNDANCE! I CANNOT imagine how people deal with life without JESUS! My heart REJOICES in the fact that not only will we see our SAVIOR one day... we will also be reunited with our loved one who've gone before us! We may not always understand GOD'S thoughts and HIS ways, but we CAN rest in KNOWING that HE KNOWS BEST. How amazing is it that HE LOVES US SO MUCH MORE than any love we've ever experienced here on earth? I can't even wrap my little mind around it!


1 Corinthians 2:9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love HIM" —

I can only imagine...

1 John 2:17-24 (New American Standard Bible)

17(A)The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who (B)does the will of God lives forever.
18Children, (C)it is the last hour; and just as you heard that (D)antichrist is coming, (E)even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.
19(F)They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, (G)so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.
20But you have an (H)anointing from (I)the Holy One, and (J)you all know.
21I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but (K)because you do know it, and because no lie is (L)of the truth.
22Who is the liar but (M)the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is (N)the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.
23(O)Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.
24As for you, let that abide in you which you heard (P)from the beginning If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also (Q)will abide in the Son and in the Father.

I chose to share this passage today because it's one we've recently studied with our Wednesday night Bible study group. The discussion at one point was if there was an antichrist among US would WE recognize him? (Or her) Do WE look like the world? Have we become that "peculiar people" that GOD'S WORD says we should be? Do we look any different when we're not with our "church friends?" I'm afraid to say that on many occasions I've been a different person. It's my heart's desire to stand out - to be the LIGHT in our dark world! I've stood out, but not always in a godly way. I PRAISE GOD that HIS mercies are NEW EVERY MORNING! Amen?

I recently shared some things with my cousin that we witnessed during our son's last days here on earth. As we were able to listen in on his CONVERSATIONS with GOD, I became VERY AWARE of how being in GOD'S presence will reveal a STARK CONTRAST of HIS HOLINESS and that of sin! Brent was saying things like, "LORD, Your Word doesn't even tell how BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE!" If we are living in the "beauty" of a sin stained-world, just imagine how BEAUTIFUL it would be WITHOUT sin! I'm reminded of the the lyrics to the song "I Can Only Imagine."

I Can Only Imagine,

by Mercy Me

"I can only imagine what it will be like, when I walk by Your side...I can only imagine, what my eyes will see, when Your Face is before me!I can only imagine. I can only imagine.
Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'? Will I be able to speak at all?I can only imagine! I can only imagine!

I can only imagine, when that day comes, when I find myself standing in the Son!I can only imagine, when all I will do, is forever, forever worship You!I can only imagine! I can only imagine!

Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'? Will I be able to speak at all?I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine!

Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'? Will I be able to speak at all?I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine!

I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine!! Only imagine!!!I can only imagine.
I can only imagine, when all I do is forever, forever worship You!I can only imagine."

Keep looking towards HEAVEN... where our "treasures" cannot be stolen and moth and rust cannot destroy! (Matthew 16:20)