Saturday, April 30, 2011

Easter Traditions?




Faghetaboutit!!!!

We think we have it all figured out. We think that just because it is a "traditional"  holiday that we can just go and make plans (not that I ever do) and they will get carried out rain or shine.


Don't get me wrong here. Easter is probably my favorite holiday. Not because of all the pastels, little cute farm animals of sheep, bunnies, lil' ducklings etc. But for the simple and life changing fact that "Christ rose from the dead." "He is risen" are the three most powerful words we experience when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.





Traditions are biblical. They are scattered all throughout the Bible. They are important because God said they were. There is something about establishing traditions that helps us to remember.

 Remember what?

Remember God's faithfulness to us.



These photos were taken from my iphone by Cassidy.  This is how you bring glory to God in a hospital room with limited resources.

 You take a pastel bowl that the "Easter Bunny" brought to you earlier that morning filled with peeps, and candy and silly puddy and who knows what else.

 Couple that with a neck scarf and a pretty little daisy that came on a hospital tray, and fix a cross on the side of it with said silly puddy and VOILA!




Easter celebrations!

Who knew? (rhetorical)

God knew- that's WHO knew.



He knew that we would be making an emergency vistit to Texas to be with Virginia (Granny, my mother-in-law). He knew that we would be spending Easter in a hospital room.

 Actually,  He planned it.

I know- I know, we don't like to admit that He plans our days and "determines our footsteps."

But His ways are higher than ours. He knows the plans He has for us.

He wanted US to serve Someone on this special day.

He wanted prayers going up from countless friends and family on this special weekend.




He healed someone.

 He chose to do that.

I praise Him for that.



                                   (this would be a diagram of the chemical structure for morphine
                                    that your son would draw...... if he were bored.)



We are truly blessed, and what a BLESSED Easter we had with those we love!





And what do you do for Easter lunch when your stomach starts to growl and your mother-in-law needs some peace and quiet and rest from being pricked and poked and cut on (sorry) and given large doses of morphine and pain pills?

  


Your son suggests "lets find a Buffalo Wild Wings!"

So you do.

Cause it sounds pretty good.

And chances are there won't be much of a wait (if you know what I mean).

(Easter and all)




And you thank God for his Easter plans He made for you.

And you eat chicken wings. or pulled pork sandwiches. or whatever.

And you praise Him. And you thank him again.



And then, when your on your way back home and you stop for gas, your daughter comments on how she is glad we don't always have the same traditions every year. Because if we had been home, she might have not focused her thoughts on the cross, and the Risen Christ. And the empty tomb.

Sometimes God has to take us out of our "normal" circumstances so that our eyes and ears can see and hear again.

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter as we did and that we will all continue to celebrate The Risen Christ each and everyday!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Prom Pics!



Im a little behind on posting prom pics so here goes!  Kelsey had the most beautiful dress! It was so feminine and flowy and flowery!! And the colors were so VIBRANT!





I was a little challenged with putting on Dalton's boutonniere ( I had to look that up!!)  but I finally got in on there!



(Photo editing provided by Cassidy !) Thanks Cass!!


Virginia (granny) was up for a visit and decided to stay a few extra days so she could see "her handsome grandson!!!" I have to admit..... I think he's pretty handsome myself!!



Kelsey is going to kill me for posting this picture but it was so cute to watch her try to get up in the "BIG TRUCK!" She kept saying "GO AWAY!" but obviously Cassidy didn't leave before she got a pic!



I love these kidoes!! Time is a flyin' and they are growing up too fast...........



Kelsey's sister Jessica and her friend Hannah did Kelsey's hair and make-up.... they did a wonderful job!
I will post more pics when I figure out what just happened to the rest of the pictures! Oh well!
Have a great day and hope you enjoyed the pics!

Natalee


A Promise For You (part 2)

Not long after Annalee (our 3rd) was born (2001) Randy and Diana moved away to Texas. We have kept in touch with them off and on over these past 10 years via Christmas cards and the occasional phone call.

Well, early last week Paul had to make a quick trip to Ft. Worth for some work related stuff and just happened to give them a call to see if they were home and if he could stop by and say hello. Sure enough they were BOTH home and he made the one hour detour over to their home. He ended up staying there pretty late and returned home later that evening.




Diana had sent home with Paul a red gift bag and a sweet note inside saying how she missed us. Also in the bag was a glass dish with the sweetest little promises inside that she had made.



She had put these little "promises" together by placing a fragrant little candle chip inside and writing scriptures of God's promises inside. These are wonderful little gifts to pass out to others! I even put some in Cassidy's lunch box to give out to her friends at lunch!



I am so thankful to God for his promises to us and for the friends he puts in our path along the way! He has been so gracious to us and so faithful to us. It is wonderful to know that when the Lord puts Christian  friends in your life that they are friends FOR ALL ETERNITY because we are brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus! What a GIFT! What a BLESSING!



So I want to take this time to thank Diana for her love and encouragement to me and for always thinking of others before herself. She is a wonderful wife to Randy and a godly example of a helpmeet. Thank you, Diana!! You are a treasure!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

A Promise For You



There are times in our lives when God crosses our paths with another person for reasons only He might know  at the time.  Sometimes it is years later that you look back and see His grace through someone else. I was reminded of such a person this week.
Her name is Diana.
 She was a mentor to me at a time in my life that was somewhat challenging. Paul and I had been married just a few years and about a year before we had found ourselves several hours away from our families in Texas, starting a new life in Oklahoma.
 At the time, we had Dalton and Cassidy both under 3 years old and Paul was working as a conductor at the time. My days were busy taking care of 2 children under 3 yrs but Paul was only home every 2 or 3 days and then would get called out again after being home for barely 24 hours. I was busy, yes, but also very lonely. I had not yet found a local church in our area and I only knew just a few people in the neighborhood. Our families were almost 4 hours away.
Paul came home one day and mentioned a guy at work who he had just learned lived only 10 min away from us. He said that him and his wife wanted to meet us and would love for us to stop by "anytime". Well, little did he know that I would take them up on their offer many times over! When I first met Randy and Diana they made us feel so welcomed in their home and absolutely loved our children. It was the closest thing to having family near us. They treated us like family. Also, it was nice knowing another "railroad wife" that could understand her husband being gone frequently. God is so good!
I remember calling her up and pretty much inviting myself and the kids over many times just to have someone to talk to. Someone who cared about what I had to say. Someone who would listen to me. Many times I would just watch her do things. She is a very industrious woman.
 I remember stopping by one day and she was out in the shop making a bed (YES a BED!) that she saw in a magazine that she really liked but didn't want to spend the money on. So what did she do? She made in herself!
So why was she on my mind this week?
To be continued...........................