Pumpkin Chapel with 19 little pumpkins and the HOPE of Christ.

Tatum’s Kindergarten class was in charge of Chapel today. It was to be a Pumpkin Theme.

The 19 little pumpkins started it all out with the pledge, the Christian pledge, and then their pledge to the Bible. (These are all said daily).

Mrs. Holman did such a great job getting them altogether and prepared.

They sung all kinds of songs. My favorite was “Be Careful how you…..” Here are the lyrics:

O Be Careful, Little Eyes

O be careful little eyes what you see

There’s a Father up above

And He’s looking down in love

So, be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little ears what you hear

There’s a Father up above

And He’s looking down in love

So, be careful little ears what you hear

O be careful little hands what you do

There’s a Father up above

And He’s looking down in love

So, be careful little hands what you do

O be careful little feet where you go

There’s a Father up above

And He’s looking down in love

So, be careful little feet where you go

O be careful little mouth what you say

There’s a Father up above

And He’s looking down in love

So, be careful little mouth what you say

This song should be sung and memorized for ALL OF US.

After prayer and a few songs, they shared how God made them each special. (Just how pumpkins are all different!)

Tatum said, “God made me special to…….Help people.” I sure liked that answer!

All the kids shared how God made them special and for what cause.

THEN, the piece de’resistance.

Mrs. Holman shared the Gospel but using the parable of a pumpkin. She played the part of a farmer and how the farmer spreads seeds and then waits for his pumpkin crop. Then, the pumpkin is picked, but the insides are filled with YUK! Then He scoops out all the YUK, and carves it. Then He puts a LIGHT inside as to have it shine and give light to all. We are HIS creation, new and forgiven.

The parable was then explained.

The first pumpkin with the light is God’s work on us. This second pumpkin has a face and looks good on the outside, but still has the YUK inside. Much of the world is like this; still miserable and full of YUK. They need a Savior, but they first must recognize their sin and how it’s impossible to forgive ourselves. We need JESUS!

She then presented the GOSPEL:

Amazing and beautiful.

What a blessing the whole morning was, and thank you Mrs. Holman for being a light representing Jesus.

There she is with her buddy Charlotte.

And of course, Grandma. Thank you for coming!

We love you Jesus.

March 30, 2016April 5, 2016

Happy Birthday Grandmama

Tatum and I took Mama out to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. It made her feel so special, and we enjoyed every minute of it. Especially the yummy bread!XOXO

September 13, 2015September 14, 2015

WHO YOU ARE!

There is a battle brewing in the world. Some would say it’s war against nations. Some would say it’s a battle in the workplace. Others say it is among familiies. According to our Pastor, Terry Crist, he says the REAL issue is the issue of identity. We all struggle with the question, “WHO AM I? WHO WAS I CREATED TO BE?”

It makes sense that the common man wants to belong and be important somehow.

WE have a choice: One can listen to how the world defines him/her or one can listen to how GOD defines him/her. This is the message I want Tatum to hear. Her identity, our identity, is what GOD says about her and us.

So, Tatum here it is:

YOU ARE LOVED BY GOD; that is your identity. You will struggle with wanting to be affirmed by people. This is natural! But do you know what? A mistaken identity will lead to wrong behavior. This comes from Proverbs 23:7, As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he!”

Honey, spend time on your inner man. Spend time nurturing your soul and getting to know God. Know that He loves you with All that He is. You must understand who GOD made you to be. (too many people spend time on their bodies and minds and relationships and although VERY IMPORTANT, they can’t define you.)

Sure, you have your hard work. Some will say, “She is such hard worker.” Awesome! That may be true. But that is not WHO you are.

Others will say, “Oh, that Tatum…she is so smart and well read!” She keeps on the latest world news, reads the funnies, enjoys books.. Again, wonderful! But this is not WHO you are. And then others will try to define you by your relationships. You have many loved ones, and even in church, when others are running amok, you listen and are kind. This is all important and good. BUT your identity is being at the HEART of God and His HEART is Jesus, His gift to us. YOU are more than the identities the world gives you. Ephesians 1:11 says IN Christ, we found out who we are. As a follower of Jesus, your identity comes from your relationship with him. 2 Corinthians 5:15-17 “and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.…”

Tatum, you are a NEW creation. Not as a little beautiful girl (although true), but ONE LOVED AND ADORED BY GOD. He has GIVEN you Jesus. Jesus gave HIS life so you could not only have Him live in your heart but also to have a relationship with GOD!

1. It’s a complete transformation. AND now..We live with a GREAT expression of gratitude and great expectation. 1 Peter 1: 3-4″ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” WE ARE IN HIM!

2. We now live a resurrected life. HE CAME TO GIVE US LIFE! (A new one!) and He came to give us life abundant. You’re a new self, Tot. Colossians 3: 1-3 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.…”

3. SO this world gets tough and the people in it may disappoint, but know that your citizenship is in heaven and you’re a new citizen with a REAL Father. Jesus is your LORD (God is your FATHER!) Phil 3:8-10: “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;…”

Tatum, your identity is that of a child of THE Father. God. He gave us Jesus, His son, who died so that we may LIVE LIFE ABUNDANTLY and to HIS glory! Let’s do that. Let’s make the most of our life, loving others, being a light, leading others to the truth, and putting our FAITH in Jesus.

I love you darling, and may you always remember WHO YOU ARE.

August 31, 2015

Another resurrected dress

My mom told me I put it on backwards!
How could I have known since I wore this dress when I was 2. That was a wee bit long ago.

She looks much better than I ever did…the little Tot.

August 1, 2015August 2, 2015

A day with the MOMS!

And what a blessing it is. I’m part of a tremendous group called Mom’s of the City (MOTC). The joy of being part of this group last year as a SAHM enabled me to make a bunch of close mommy friends and friends for Tot. It’s also a group that believes that you just have to be REAL and show up. We all come twice a month for sharing, praying, encouraging, and laughing! Tot gets to be with her friends at the same time.

This next year, I have been asked to be a table leader. This means I’ll be loving on about 8 women as I help them build stronger bonds with not only each other but Jesus and His love. Being a part of the leadership also means I had to attend a meeting this Saturday all day. What was I to do with the Tot? Well, dear Janette had the same issue, so I brought Tatum over to play with her boy, Levi, and she hired a sitter, Jackie, for the whole day. They had a B..L..A..S..T!!! This calmed me and also made her so happy!
Jackie mentioned she was so kind and polite the whole time. This also made me smile!

Of course we had to start the day with a devotion and quick story as usual. This starts the day out with a positive spin and a calm mind!

April 19, 2015May 7, 2015

The Father to the fatherless

That is who HE is.

Comfort. The word of the day is COMFORT. I’m not only comforted by this truth, but TOT is comforted. How do I know? Psalm 68:5 “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.”

Psalm 10: 14 “to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless…..17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed.”

Knowing that Tatum may face fear in her life…or persecution…or struggle, I am comforted that she is to be covered with God’s protection. And….so are the 150 million orphans around the world. Step up. Do something.

I love you Tatum. Thank you Father God for being her Father and loving her beyond what any human

can comprehend. Your future is bright my darling.

April 3, 2015

It is good. Very good.

Good? Friday. No, there is no question after that word. It is good. Very good.

I was just reading a post (Put it to Rest) I wrote last year, and I was reminded of how death can be such a beautiful thing. It has no sting if it is recognized as a chance for a new beginning.

1 Cor 15: 55-57: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”; O death, where is your victory?; O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

That “sting” can be the part you put to rest and say, “NO MORE!!!” The rest (double entendre here..) is victory. What I put to rest, that is victorious because I can say goodbye to something and know that it will be redeemed for GOOD. What is leftover, the rest, is God’s beautiful redemption. A new creation. The rest may rest, but is redeemed.

Is your head spinning?

Yes, I overthink it, but truly, this is all about LETTING GO (sssssssubmitting) of whatever you want to control or HAVE and say, “I can no longer make all the balls in the air dance. I want to let them fall and know that you have them dancing without my hands in the way.”

Here is my list of the balls I have in the air. Let HIM make them dance.

Tatum (her future)

Dating and what the future holds for a cohesive family

My friendships

My career (whatever that may look like)

My finances

My health.

There’s probably more, but that is enough balls for one post.

I give them to you Jesus. I have no fear because you just took it ALL on the cross for me. YOU did it FOR ME. Your yolk is so heavy and mine can be so light. All I can do is all I can do.

Thank you for these three days to ponder the depth, breadth, height and weight of your love for me, Father. That you would give your son, YOU in a bod, up, knowing that we will be reunited with YOU through HIM.