Smoky Mountain Christmas

This is just a glimpse into the fun we had in Gatlinburg with Trevor's family over the week of Christmas. Sorry it all focuses on Grayson, but I had from over 100 pictures to choose from and the slideshow would only hold so many!

All Things Possible

We were blown away at the end of 2007, as God used His children to bless us beyond measure. I have never expereinced such an outpouring of love and a modern-day miracle!! Thanks to those of you who contributed to that through your generosity, but more so with your prayers and words of encouragement adn hugs!

As the new year has begun, we look forward to seeing how God is going to continue to reveal Himself to be mighty and powerful in our lives and in our business. We are anticipating growth and success both personally and in our business. We are going to continue to seek God's face and ask for His wisdom as we carry on in this New Year 2008.

It came up so many times while away over Christmas with Trevor's family, that I think we have all decided to adopt Matthew 19:26 as our verse to claim for the next few months if not the entire year. I was so surprised to come home and find that it is the very same verse inscribed in a plaque that I look at every day in the Office. "With God, all things are possible." If you don't believe, how can you hope to receive? We have believed and have seen that what God promised is true and He will carry through. So as the New Year continues, we hold to the promise and believe with all of our hearts that if we seek Him, we will be heard, if we knock the door will be opened unto us, and "With God, all things are possible"!!!

What an amazing God we serve. May each of you that reads this, beleive this to be true in your own lives, and trust in Him for everything. Not in our time, but in His, all things are possible!!!

A Smoky Mountain Christmas

For the sake of getting something down quickly before too much time passes...We had a marvelous time at our TN getaway for Christmas, with Trevor's whole family!. Grayson was ecstatic to know that Santa had a chimney to come down, although his quest for the perfect spot for the cookies, milk, and carrots proved to be quite comical!! A relaxing week with great family time, relaxing in the hot tub under the stars with my honey, a King-size bed, and great food and sweets.

Overwhelmed!!

So a lot has happened since I wrote about my 2 miralces. Grayson barely has a trickle coming from his nose and we are praying that it will totally clear up by the weekend when we will be travelling. As for the other miracle, it was tied in to our finances. God has been so gracious in His prvision. Over and above what I even asked for or imagined that would be! Yesterday we were able to pay so many bills and even begin to make Christmas giving lists. Giving is such at the heart of who Trevor and I both are, and we are proud to see Grayson developing that too! I don't even know all of the places where the money came in from, and honestly I don't need to know! I am so overcome with gratitude and thanksgiving. I have seen the Lord work in my life only a few times like this, and never in this kind of a need-it-now situation! What a difference a week has made. I began praying for these miracles last Wednesday, and before the week is up, I am blown away! May all of the granters of this miracle be blessed in unspeakable ways for allowing God to use them to touch our lives in great and mighty ways!!!

But the biggest surprise of all came today, just a little while ago. This kind of stuff just doesn't happen to people I know, let alone me. Trevor left to go to work and quickly returned with 2 wrapped gifts and an envelope addressed to our family! My cellphone began to ring which is random because we have had them turned off due to cost. It had a wierd ring, which means my phone didn't recognize the number, so I didn't pick it up. After it rang 3 times in a row, I finally answered and the person simply said, "An elf left you an early Christmas present on your front porch. May God bless your family" and then they hung up! We decided to open them up right away. The gifts were for Grayson. An addition to the growing GeoTrax train collection that he loves. And one of the new trains that go forward and backward--of course the fire truck! But when Trevor and I opened the card to see who it was from and what it said, a stack of bills came pouring out. Trevor and I just let them drop to the floor as we just stared at each other, began to cry, and whispered quiet thank yous to God!!

God has been so gracious and giving to us that we can't stand anymore! The family of God and other friends have blessed us beyond measure this Christmas. If you are reading this, and you know somehting about this secret elf, please pass this along to them. We have already begun to pray that blessings be rained upon those individuals who have touched our hearts. This has been a great opportunity for me to talk to Grayson above the love of God, and how He passed along the wish for us to receive these gifts and given us a great surprise.

Thank you for your prayers that have been lifted up. And thanks be to God for His unspeakable gifts! Thank you for hearing our cries and responding with quickness and abundance!!

Christmas Transformer: Madness into Gladness

Thus the title of our program in Kids Thang. It was amazing to see how God pulled everyone together to make this a really great drama for the kids and adults. And for those of us involved, we were blessed too! We were able to have almost our entire team together this past Sunday morning as we sent the message to the children that Christmas is not all about the lights, decorations, music, endless parties, gifts, etc. It's about that little baby in the manger. "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in the manger..."

God, thank you for all the individuals you called together to be a part of the K.Thang team. Thank you for the talents and gifts that you have given each of us and the medium by which we can be crazy and wacky and use them for You!! Thank you for the friendships that are shared between the members of this team. We hope that you were pleased with our production on Sunday, and that the children got the message loud and clear. We felt Your presence, and both hours went off with very few minor glitches.

Soon, all of our children will be able to benefit from this amazing team and the gift of K. Thang!! (Some of them are already reaping the benfits of the "Cove" upstairs!!)

"Cindy Lou Who" or so Natalie called me as she busted a gut after seeing me on Sunday!!

Christmas Blessings

This weekend we had our last few celebrations before Christmas Day. Friday night was our small group party. Natalie and Kevin opened up their home once again in what turned out to be a very busy weekend for them! Dinner was pot-luck style and the boys were all over the place as usual. A group of 9 boys, all between 1 and 6...you imagine! Our little Callie slept through most of it! There was an ornament exchange and dessert. What I will take away from the evening is the memory that in the last year since we met around that same table, our lives have all had joys and sorrows and shared memories and individual triumphs. And these families have become our family! The friendships we share, the times of bonding conversations and tears, the laughter and humor, the outings and playdates, the phone calls and e-mails and blog entries, the prayers and Bible study times...we love all of you guys very much! Merry Christmas to all of our dear friends!

Mini Miracles

So if you know it say it with me: "God is good...(all the time)... adn all the time...(God is good!)" Okay so that is from my LU days, but I loved it when the whole crowd reupts into this little chant. Trevor and I have been praying for 2 miracles this week, Grayson's health being one of them. We have yet to see these miracles granted and fulfilled, but we know that God in His sovereignty and perfect timing will answer and provide. We are already seeing the beginnings of God's hand and are very encouraged. The family of God, you our Christian brothers and sisters in Christ, have been encouraging and a blessing to us in more ways than you all know. It's one of those things, when you break down the little pride issue and share with people, you allow God to open up and use others in your lives in mighty ways. We will continue to trust God and know that these 2 miracles that we are praying for in theis next week will be granted fully!! We know God can and will do amazing things! We are His children seeking to do His will in our lives, and He promises to be right by our sides, guiding and providing for our needs! Lord, we give you priase in advance for what You are going to do in our lives this very week. And for all of our friends, please pour out extra blessings on them as well, as they have ministered to us greatly!!