What have you been doing lately?

Our church is just finishing a study of the Purpose Driven Life... it's been a great experience for me... one that has been very life changing... as it's intended to be. One that I didn't think would be as life changing or challenging as it has been. Good - but challenging. The last 2 weeks have been great. I have been able to do a lot of thinking.

Here are some of the questions I am stewing on now:

• What has God taught me from failure?
• What has God taught me from a lack of money?
• What has God taught me from pain or sorrow or depression?
• What has God taught me through waiting?
• What has God taught me through disappointments?

Phewie... not easy ones to sit and think through - but as I wrote the questions in my journal... all of them have an answer. How about you?

This is the funniest Mom thing I've seen in a while...

A friend of mine sent this video of Anita Renfroe (Women of Faith Speaker and writer) doing a version of the William Tell Overature. Pretty funny! Enjoy! And be encouraged that you aren't the only mom who says these things!

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1197846&fr=&cache=1

Church

wiring the church for new sound, projector, av stuff that i can't even name - cuz I don't know!
The Blue Zone in Kidz Own - good thing these picts don't register the time they were taken...
The finishing touches to the cafe' - stay tuned for the most recent changes...
Pastor Joe doin' blinds in the Blue Zone... yes he's got the color right!
Evelyn, my fearless, un-ending amounts of energy to share with God for His Glory, kind of Friend - who also happens to be Pastor Joe's wife!
"Sarah, did you remember those puppet cabinet keys?! ...." Thanks Evelyn, my friend, and keeper of Girl Twanda! Read the book by Joanna Weaver, called Having a Mary Spirit, and you'll learn all about Twanda!



OK HERE'S THE BRIEF SYNOPSIS!
A few weeks ago my sister in law blogged me and asked if there were more updates... since I hadn't posted since the first day of school... I have been trying to post for weeks... I'm not sure if that is an adequate response, but it will have to work... OK, T?


So, what have I been doing? Well... We launched the "new" education wing at church... that's a cafe' and 2 classsrooms re-decorated for Kidz Own... plus the programming to go with these new ministries and re-arranging the rooms to coinside with the kick-off (oh, yes of which I was a major part of being the planner of...) for the 40 Days of Purpose. I didn't do it alone, and hopefully these pictures do justice to the major amounts of time and energy and ... did I mention time that lots of other people gave to make this work. So far in the past 3 weeks our numbers have grown by one in Kidz Own... and the Cafe' has had in-numerable cups of coffee and great conversations shared in it already. "Look what God is doing, all across the Land... " and I'm sure that if someone were to ask you what God is doing in your life, you'd be able to list numerous things too. If not, just ask Him to show you!

The Confident wink... the coy wait... Ah, Kindergarten here I come!

She winks...
She waits...

Olivia's First Day of School...

Our first one is off and on her way into the halls of academia. I can't believe that she is old enough to be in kindergarten already... In many ways yesterday was a day of introspection for me. I think that I mentioned that in my last post. But it really was.

Have I done all that I could to help prepare her sufficiently for the next big adventure of 12 years... stop there chick... one year/ one day at a time is all that I have been asked to take care of. So, here is my first one off and on her way with a confident wink and a few funny faces... we're off.

She made sure that she knew what was packed for her snack and what was for lunch. Did she have her special kindergarten blankie... and did she have her summer scrapbook? We had our morning routine down pat this morning... the only glitch in the plan was her brother who wasn't too sure that he wanted to go along with this plan. She did great in the classroom - just a little nervous, but then again so were half the others in her class.

We made it! I can't wait to hear the stories of her first day of school. :-)

Blue Gable

In what has become almost a family tradition... yikes... we gathered again this year at Marble Lake in Michigan for time to close the summer! It was fun to see family (we missed Texas Duo) but kept tabs with them via the cell phones that worked this year around the lake!

My tribe camped out in a tent borrowed and initiated for the maiden voyage of tentage from some dear friends. We had a blast setting up and playing Canasta Caliente! late into the night trying to help dad stay awake until the clock struck 11! Pretty late for a "Mathew Niner!"

Though something kicked us all in the patuties - and the puick fest began, we still managed to get the cottage and tent back into running order ... It was amazing to watch the majority of 16 family members get sick... not a recommended for viewing pleasure movie though. At last count 13 have "gotten the whatever it is" crud...

Here are some shots of the cousins playing in the sand and then a few shots of the kids in the tent that we borrowed.

Happy end of summer tradition! We love Blue Gable!

Girlfriends in life are necessary!

OK - so for the past 5 years of my life most every Wednesday morning I have had a cup of coffee in my hand and spent my mornings with these wonderful friends and all of our children. We have cried together, been frustrated together and shared many thoughts, dreams and secrets together all in the name of friendship. Last week we gathered for the last time... April's house for Mom's group has been a highlight of my adventure in being a Mom. Here are some fun snapshots... if I looked further back in the electronic archives that have now become my photo album... I would find many snapshots of my kids as they have come and of other children as they have been added in. All in all this group of ladies represents about 10 families and about 20 children. What a blessing to have girlfriends - Thanks April.