Happy Friday

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me". Erma Bombeck

Halloween

They may be a little old for pumpkin carving, but we had a lot of fun.

I am roasting pumpkin seeds in the oven as we speak, yum.

Happy 22nd Anniversary

October 25, 1986

Our dusty rose invitation, what can I say, it was the 80's.

"Do not marry the person you can just live with, marry the person you can't live without."

22 years ago I married the most wonderful man in the world. We learned a long time ago that a successful marriage was not going to exist because of a lack of problems, but in how we worked through the problems. Neither of us is perfect, just perfect for each other. We can't take any credit, however, but give all the glory and honour to God. He is the center of our marriage and our lives. He has shown us much grace and we try to exhibit that same grace to each other every day.

22 things I love about my husband:

• Godly - he walks out his faith before me every day
• Generous - with his time and his money
• Faithful - I know he only has eyes for me
• Selfless - he always, always, always puts my needs before his own
• Funny - but only when I'm not mad at him, of course
• Handsome - more today than ever, especially with those sexy highlights
• Forgiving - this one has been tested, a lot, trust me
• Great Dad - he's the "E" ticket ride, just ask our kids
• Hard Worker - so that he can always provide for the needs of our family
• Sensitive - he gets it when i cry
• Loud Breather - ask Kate Gosselin, she feels my pain
• Loving - even when I don't deserve it
• Compassionate - he truly "gets" me and then helps me
• Bad Driver - but great parallel parker
• Understanding - even when he doesn't really understand
• Patient - yes, this one has been tested a time or too as well
• Likes to bug me - he's super good at this one
• Kind - always diffuses a tense situation
• Good apologizer - even if he doesn't think he was wrong
• Great personal hygiene - lots of showers, deodorant and toothpaste go a long way, ha
• Positive thinker - his glass is always half-full
• Adores me - only because he is able to look at me through God's eyes

Thank you Pat-rick for the last 22 years, I love you. And yes, it is easier for me to love you than for you to love me, ha, I finally admit it. Thank you God for this gift that I will never deserve and for your constant love and patience.

Are you tired of my house updates yet?!

Notice the stacks of shingles on the top

View of my kitchen, does anyone know any good designers, ha?

I can't wait till these windows are where they belong.

laundry

"I am thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.... I am thankful for the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby." ~Nancie J. Carmody

Truth be told, I'm not that thankful for laundry, but it has to be done either way. I still do all the laundry in the house, probably not that good of a lesson for my adult, and nearly adult children, but it's one of the small ways I can still serve them I guess. Now, if they would only return the favor by putting it away in a timely fashion, that 's the real gift. And ironing, don't get me started. I love everything to be ironed, I just wish I had a maid to do it all. I had to laugh the other day and remember my grandma as I found myself ironing my pillowcases, I'm sure there's a 12-step program out there for this addiction! (My grandma used to iron sheets, and underwear, so I guess I'm not that bad-yet)

Happy Wednesday!

Through the Conflict

As we approach our 22nd wedding anniversary this weekend it is very appropriate that I have found such an awesome sermon on marriage. Several months ago I found a church in Charlotte NC, Elevation Church, and have since then faithfully watched pastor Steven Furtick's messages online weekly. They are currently in week 6 of a series called "Visionary Love, Dream Sex". It basically goes through Song of Solomon, in a way that I have never really heard preached before. Last week, week 5, was a message entitled "Through the Conflict". I would encourage anyone who is dating, engaged, newly married or married forever like us, to watch this online sermon, or download the podcast. I would say, with some confidence, that Pat and I have a strong, happy marriage, but that didn't happen overnight, and it sure takes some effort.

So, I am encouraging all of you to go to elevationchurch.org and watch these sermons. If you only have time for one, please watch the "conflict" message. I promise you will learn something, I know I did. And from a young 28 yr. old pastor who's only been married 6 years at that! He really is an annointed man of God.

Go on, go to the website and start learning! Thanks for listening.

~Lisa

P.S. So, I just watched week 6 of the marriage series entitled, "Do It When You're Old", and I was once again challenged by the Lord. If you get the time, watch it too, it's only 48 min, not the 97 min it says.

You are God

Proverbs 3: 5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Have you ever been in a situation that is absolutely out of your control? It is only then that you can truly trust God with the circumstances. Well, I am presently there, a place where praying is almost impossible, I don't even have the words anymore. Thankfully, the God that knows me intimately, knows my heart and knows my needs. I will continue to trust Him and allow Him to work in a way that only He can, and teach lessons that only He can teach.

I will be still and know that you are God!

Happy Birthday Colton

October 15, 1991

What a scene it was that day in the hospital!

I have a friend of many years who regularly on my children's birthdays calls me and asks what I was doing "x # of" years ago that day. Then we reminisce about the day they were born and how we can't believe they have gotten so old so fast. Well, today is Colton's day to remember. So, I will tell you the story of 17 years ago today. Colton was quite honestly, a surprise to us, but not to God. As you may or may not know, Jordyn and Colton are 10 months and 11 days apart, now you understand the surprise part. We were perfectly happy with our beautiful little girls and had put no real thought into having another baby, SURPRISE, God had another plan. When I found out I was pregnant with Colton, the doctor told me that my body was obviously not prepared to be pregnant again so fast and that is was likely I would not remain pregnant for long. As aniticipated, I started having problems and assumed I was losing him. But, God move in, and the problems moved out and much to the doctor's amazement, Colton arrived. It was a very fast labor and delivery, only about 2 hours, my doctor almost missed it. I went home from the hospital the very next day, that's when the real fun started. I now had a newborn, a 10 month old, and a 3 years old. I had dreaded that day for almost 9 months and had convinced myself I would never be able to handle it. Needless to say, the real experience could never have been as bad as I had convined myself, and we all survived it! If you ask the girls they would say they have barely survived, I think Colton's spiritual gift all these years has been pestering his sister, ha. I know they wouldn't trade him for anything in the world and he would do absolutely anything in the world for them. I am so thankful for Colton and the joy he has brought our family, God knew what He was doing! So, on this day 17 years ago, God gave me you, my baby boy. Thank you Lord for this awesome young man.

Colton's 17th Birthday Top Ten Countdown

10. Birthday week - Osaka & Olive Garden
9. Ava will sing her favorite birthday song to you
8. You can get married in the state of Ga (with parental consent, of course)
7. Driver's license
6. You're older than Miley Cyrus
5. Rated "R" movies (for violence only, not for language or sexual content)
4. 10 layer chocolate cake
3. Only 1 more year till you can buy cigarettes and lotto tickets, oh that's right, you don't smoke or gamble.
2. New computer

and the #1 best thing about your birthday .................

1. You're the same age as Jordyn

Happy Birthday CMoney!!! I love you lots ~ Mom

House update

Back of the house
the dormer comes out of the awesome bonus room

Front
it's coming together, finally

New bed, finally.

I know to most people this purchase does not constitute a blog, but in our family it does. Some history may bring this to light. When I went to purchase our new mattress I was told by the salesman that most mattresses last 5-10 years, imagine the shock he would have been in had I told him that we had ours for over 20 years, aghh! We purchased it when I was pregnant with Kaley (who will be 21 in March) to replace our old-school waterbed that I could no longer get in and out of. It served us well those 20+ years. ;-) We had the "if it aint broke, don't fix it" mentality. Well, it officially "broke". Pat was not not sleeping well, my back hurt, and I was ready for an upgrade, to a king size from a queen. We probably discussed it for 6 months, not whether we needed a new one, but were we ready for king size. Personally, I was ready, Pat however, not so much. While he does actually fit on the bed now, he doesn't like having that much room between us. I guess he thinks that you have to use the whole mattress, since he now rarely comes on "my" side. Not that I'm complaining, ha.

You've maybe heard Pat talk of how much he "loves" his bed, not that he actually has a fondness for the mattress itself, but for what it represents. Almost every night when we go to bed, we sigh and say how much we love our bed. Mostly because of what we accomplished in the day, how thankful we are to be able to be together at the end of the day, and I guess just how comfy and safe it is. So, that hasn't changed and it never will, no matter how old or uncomfortable the mattress becomes. So, there you go, a look into one of the simpler things in our life, but definetely one of our favorite.

P.S. and I love my new bedding too, with lots and lots of pillows.