Sweet Shot Tuesday

If you could see the look on Child #1's face as he rares back to throw that snowball, you would be able to visualize the amazing snowball wrestling match that took place in our yard yesterday. Back yard, side yard, front yard....everywhere. They had a glorious time rolling around in the snow! Join me at Darcy's for more fun pictures today!


With a new year upon us, many of you have made New Year's Resolutions. I chose not to! I am
instead looking at one word to be my goal this year. So many of you had a "word" for the year weeks ago. I didn't! Why didn't God give me a word? Well, you have to ask, which I did. But you also have to listen! And that means being quiet enough to hear Him! Last week while running, I received my word!



Pursue.



Not pursuing food or exercise or great shopping deals. Nope, pursuing Him! I have been chasing after Him for some time now. Chasing was not exactly the word that best described how I felt. It was pursue. I am pursuing His Word so that I can better know Him and try to be more like Him in my days to come. I want to have the joy and compassion and peace and self control and love that we hear about in Galatians. It is not something that I can do alone. I need to rely on His strength moment by moment. Staying in His Word with Bible Studies is a wonderful way to be connected. I am again reading through the Word with Wendy Pope this year and loving it! Also, I will be starting a study next Tuesday on Ephesians at church. We sorta got snowed out today!


So, how are you going to pursue the LORD this year? Bible Studies, retreats, mission work...share with me!


Sweet Blessings,

Happy Birthday, Edie!

Those of us who have been around bloggyland for awhile see names and blogs on a daily basis. Although we may never have the opportunity to meet these precious people on this side of heaven, we can reach out to them via the internet 24/7.

Through online Bible studies, decorating ideas, cooking, crafting, and photography tips, I have truly been blessed! I mentioned the other day that my friend's husband became a new Christian right before Christmas to my Hubby. He asked me, "Now how do you know each other?" Well, it's through blogging! When you connect with others and develop relationships, you want to spend time with those friends just as you do your real next door neighbors.

Sometime back, I was reading a blog and the writer mentioned a great kitchen re-do that we just had to visit! So, I joined the other bloggers and went directly to Edie's blog--Life in Grace. I fell in love with the decorating ideas and most importantly, with Edie's heart! She is such a busy mama! She's another of you all that home school--bless your hearts! Y'all are on a pedestal in my book!

So, another friendship blossomed. Right before Christmas, I was horrified to read that Edie's home had burned to the ground. But praise the Lord, the entire family (including the dogs!) escaped unharmed. My heart just wanted to be in Tennessee with them and help! I felt helpless! I'm here, and she's there! So, after reading this post this morning and learning that it's Edie's birthday, I wanted to send hugs and love to her via my blog. I hope that you'll hop over and visit a while with her. Some of her friends "hijacked" her blog so we can send her birthday wishes. Pretty cool!

Edie, praying that the Lord will bless you today! That you will feel His warmth and love all around you. You have touched the hearts of so many women in bloggyland by showing them how to be the hands and feet of Christ. You are a gift to us! I hope that one day, we can meet and do lunch! Preferably here in the south. If not, there's a place down the streets of gold that holds a table for friends. Happy birthday, sweet friend!

Love ,

2010---The good, the bad, the lovely!

Happy New Year's Eve everyone! In just a few hours, we'll be headed to a party to watch Carolina play in a bowl game and ring in the new year. Actually, we probably won't make it to midnight....I'm tired from a long run this morning, and Hubby went for a long bike ride. Sad when you get old!!!

Just visited Facebook to see how my friends in cyberspace are doing. One of my sweet peeps, Leah, had a great question on her wall. She asked what was the most memorable thing about 2010. I would love to hear your answers to this! So, get comfy and spend a few minutes reflecting on the moments that have made an impact in your life this year. (Leah, if you have the same question on your blog, please forgive me! I really liked it!!!)

My memorable moments (is that redundant?) include reading through the Bible for the first time ever (see Wendy Pope, for tomorrow we start again!), attending an awesome ladies' retreat (gIRL gathering at Black Mtn.), speaking to a lovely group of ladies at a nearby church, and seeing my photography business grow according to God's plan.

The other is going through the first year without my Daddy. It was a year ago last week that he passed away. But, glory! He's celebrating Christmas again in Heaven.

Share your memories with us! And, have a blessed New Year!

Sweet Blessings,

Merry Christmas, Y'all!

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of hosting a Christmas dinner for some precious friends. One of these darling gals lives way up in Virginia, and I haven't seen her since last year. Even though my week was very hectic, I slowed down and made time for these wonderful women of faith. We laughed, ate....and ate some more, and simply sat in the presence of each other for hours talking and planning our next marathons. We never did decide on one that we could all run together. One is planning her daughters' weddings (yes, 2!). Another is busy teaching high school. One is very involved in her church work. And another is working around her son's senior year in high school--prom, graduation, etc.

Everyone is in a busy season it seems these days. How many errands can you run before lunch? How quickly can you get in and out of the grocery store? How many loads of laundry did you wash and dry today (folding them up doesn't count!!)?

How many times did you talk to Jesus today? How many phone calls did you make? How many prayers did you lift up to the Lord before bedtime? How many texts did you respond to?

As Christmas approaches (and I am NOT done with my shopping or baking, thank you!)
I encourage you to stop. Sit. Pray. Listen. Take out that Bible and turn to Luke 1. Slowly read the words, one at the time. This is not the time to speed read! Let the meaning sink in. Ponder the words that God has placed before you. What does He want you to see, to hear, to remember? Enjoy this Christmas time. He has given us the most wonderful Gift ever. The gift of Jesus...who loved us so much that He died for our sins so that we might spend eternity with Him. Now that, my friends, is the best Christmas present ever.

Sending all of you hugs and love from my little corner of SC.
Merry Christmas!

Sweet Blessings,

Christmas Gift Ideas!!!

Hey, y'all! Is it cold enough for you? Mercy! It's freezing down here in the south! I don't do this kind of weather!

Hope that some of you have thought about Christmas presents by now! There are only 19 days left until Christmas. I should be in a panic because I only have a few purchased. But, I refuse to let it get to me ( call me on the 24th, and we'll see if a panic attack has set in or not!)

Ok, time to share some fun gift giving ideas for those of us on a Bu-Jay. You have less than a week to find something really cute and fun and special for some of your closest girlfriends. You have wracked your brains out trying to come up with an original idea...you have done the Bath and Body Works lotions (which I LOVE!!!), candles, ornaments, etc. You need something new...vibrant...exciting. Are y'all getting the picture? I need some ideas!! Quickly! But this is something that we can all benefit from!

List two or three items under 20$ and the store where they can be purchased (online stores/etsy are great options!) Let's see what we can come up with that will relieve a little stress. On your mark...get ready... go!!!

1) Half of a pound cake on a nice plate from Target, Marshalls, etc.
2) A plug- in from Scentsy and some bricks to go with it in a cute drawstring pouch (Contact your nearest Scentsy rep.)
3) A new cookbook (You know where to get these! Church ones are the BEST!) and a cute Christmas spatula( Cracker Barrel, Target)

Ok--your turn! Impress all of us with some really cool ideas...quickly!


Sweet Blessings!

Sweet Shot Tuesday--Fall and Thanksgiving!

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it..." Psalm 24:1

Ok, I promised a few fall pictures from sunny South Carolina! The two shots of the leaves....mercy! I just wish that I could truly figure out how to enlarge these photos for you to get a better glimpse! But.....I will focus on the blog post at hand and not dwell on my limited computer skills. God amazes me with His beautiful colors! The last one is not one of my favorites! We are on a suspension bridge above a waterfall at Raven Cliff Falls....way far up,and I do NOT do heights! Yes, Hubby and the boys were making it swing with me on it prior to this shot! You see that I am the only one hanging on!

We arrived at the falls at noon, so the sun was perfectly overhead and gorgeous...but with not the best photo shooting opportunities. But, I was with my boys, and that's what mattered.

It's going to be a busy week and a half ahead, so I won't be posting again until after Thanksgiving....I know myself!!! We will be celebrating at our house this year with my side of the family. This will be the first Thanksgiving without Daddy, and he will be greatly missed. The peace that we all have with where he is gets us through each day. Praise the Lord! It's one of the many blessings that God has given us.

So, bloggyland friends, what are you most thankful for? I would love to hear. And, what are your plans for Thanksgiving? A precious friend of mine and her family are going to serve Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless. How wonderful to be the hands of Christ!

Join me at Darcy's for Sweet Shot Tuesday for more great photos! And, Happy Thanksgiving, my sweet friends!

Hugs!

A Chapter Closed

Child #2 getting "painted up" at State!

Last Saturday's temps were in the 30's when this picture was taken! Mercy! Cold JV kids!


Child #2 and Child #1--both of which are taller than me!!

Both varsity teams placed well in the top ten in South Carolina 4A teams (4A schools have over 1500 students and more. Our high school is around 2500.)

I am alive, people! I have been away from my computer--which had a virus a few weeks ago! It is healed! Mercy, it was a pain though!

Thanks for your great recipes!! And, Sassy, I appreciate all of those websites!

Cross country season is over. Another chapter in Child #1's senior year has been completed. As he crossed the finish line at the State Championships last Saturday, I felt my heartstrings pop a little! I was walking to the area where the team was after they finished, and I felt the tears start. I looked at another mom walking beside me. I told this sweet girl, "I'm having a moment here!" She gave me a hug. As I got closer to the team, I saw my child and his smile through the sweat and dirt on his face. I had to smile right back at him. Hugs and kisses--even though he was pretty nasty--were given he bid farewell to this sport that he absolutely adores. Track is around the corner, but XC is where his passion lies.

My passion has also been with running, as most of you know! And, of course, my precious family! But, when the Holy Spirit nudges you in a different direction, you follow. My passion is for Him. I look forward to spending time first thing in the morning with Him as I snuggle under a blanket in my Jesus chair! After getting the kids out the door for school, laundry started and the breakfast dishes loaded in the dishwasher, I'm out the door to get my run in for the day. If I don't spend time with my Lord first though, it makes a difference!

So, what's your passion? It may be one thing or several. I would love to hear what's on your heart!

Y'all have a great weekend! Our family spent last Sunday as our worship time hiking the beautiful trails of SC. God was right there with us in His sanctuary, and His palette of fall colors was awesome! I'll post some of the pics next week!

Sweet Blessings!