Big Red and Cover Girl

The girls and I took a little trip to Tennessee this last week to visit with my sister and her family and Dad and Lindi. We had such a great time and made some awesome memories. 

We went to the local Pigeon Forge pool.

 We were given complimentary tickets to Dollywood's Splash Country.

 We drove the Cade's Cove Loop and attempted to have a bbq picnic, but we were rained out.

 Each time we visit there is a "first without mom" memory too. As we drove through Cade's Cove, I realized the last time I was there I took mom while she was sick on Chemo. She slept most of the way, but at one stop we got out and sat in the chairs we had brought. I read Psalms to her. As we passed that meadow on this visit I could see her sitting there.

I can't believe it has been 4 years since mom has gone home to be with the Lord. Time flies. Children grow. Time just changes things. But some things never change. 

Like the smell of Big Red gum and Cover Girl Face Powder. These are the smells that my sister and I were reminiscing about. Mom's purse always carried these two essential things. I can still hear her laugh and see her crazy ways. My sister embodies many of them. Ha! So many of her mannerisms are moms. This made me happy.

After mom left us, my sister planted a tree and had a plaque made that still sits in her front yard.

 I've said this before, but I am so thankful for the legacy my mom left.

Happy 6th Birthday, Inger!

 Happy Birthday, our sweet little nature lover. You bring such joy to our home and lives. Everyday we thank God for the gift He has given us. You are such a beautiful little girl, with a precious heart for God's creation. Our prayer is that your heart will desire to know God, the Creator of all the things you love. He made you and loves you. Happy 6th Birthday.

Listening Big

Each morning my treasures and I have Bible around our kitchen table. We are reading through the book of John. We each take a verse and we read through one chapter a day. Each person, then, explains a verse that they took notice of, or an attribute of God. Today was no different.

John 10

"Mrs. Cartwright":

"John 10:28 reminds us that once we are God's sheep, nothing can change that. 'and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.' Nothing can take us out of the fold...but we must be part of the true fold to begin with. Does this mean we can live any way we want to and hold to this promise. NO! We must always be examining our lives to see if our fruit is in line with true conversion. Our hearts desires must be to relinquish all sin and strive for holiness. We will continue to sin until we are in heaven, but are we relying on Christ and wanting to please him?"

Then I reminded them of the interview of Tullian Tchividjian (part 1 and part 2) that we listened to on Sunday. He prayed a prayer at 6 years old, but wasn't saved until he was 21. Saying a prayer doesn't save you, trusting in Christ and bearing fruit is evidence of a change.

"Little Joe":

"Jesus says I am the Good Shepherd."

"Marie":

"The religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus, but it wasn't His time yet."

"Inger":

"Mommy, can I say something?" (Usually she has a hard time paying attention to the hard words, but today was something different.)"It was wintertime, Mommy."

I looked at her and wondered where in the world she got that from. Lo, and behold, there it was staring me in the face. John 10:23, "It was winter...." (Although, she is my nature lover...that word must have jumped out at her.)

Just a reminder to me of the little details that matter. One day, my prayer is that these little lambs will have a strong desire to inductively study the Word of God. One little fact that mattered to place the context of this passage.

Jesus, bend my lambs' hearts to you.

My Nature Lover

There are some children, when you ask to go out into nature to scavenger hunt, (especially in the 92 degree Florida heat) that argue and complain. Not "Little Joe". I gave him an assignment for Science to go explore and see what he could find.

He found 2 different leaves, a beautiful blue bird feather (you can't see the blue in the picture, but it is startling how blue it is), and a precious lavender wild flower.

The joy in this is seeing his joy in nature.

These items lying in our yard remind me that there is so much beauty around us and so often we are so busy to see the small things such as wildflowers, bird feathers, cocoons, etc. Take time today to look around you.

"Little Joe", thank you for this reminder. I love you.