The Tee Shirt Makes It Official

Carson and I have been going to the Animal Control Shelter every Monday for over a month now. We have enjoyed every visit and are getting more comfortable around the animals as well as learning more about how to care for them. This past Monday, the Shelter Director made us "official", he gave us each an Animal Control Shelter Volunteer Tee Shirt. Very exciting for Carson especially. He was proud to sport his yellow shirt which just happens to be his favorite color. The shirt is a little big since it is an adult size small, but he didn't care. The director said, it wouldn't take long for him to grow into it and he expected to see Carson for many years to come. Carson just beamed.

What a difference a volunteer tee shirt can make!

Some Things Just Take Getting Used To...

"Some things just take getting used to. Right Mama?" Ephraim proclaimed to his cousin Lisa and to me. "Like our Target" he said triumphantly. Our Target is being rearranged to make room for a more expanded grocery area. We won't be a Super Target, but we will have some fresh produce and meats. Because of this, our trips to Target recently have taken some getting used to, we don't have a true feel for the layout yet. What used to be the cereal aisle is now paper towel and toilet paper. Very discombobulating for a four year old and his mother.

But Ephraim, wasn't just referring to his adjustment to our Target. His cousin Lisa and I went to get manicures and pedicures today while he was at Children's Morning Out. This was my niece's first experience with the world of professional nail care and she was quite pleased with the results. When we picked Ephraim up, she asked him if he liked her nails. He very matter of factly said "No, I like my Mama's". Later on she asked him again, and he said "I still don't like your nails".

After picking Carson up from school, Lisa asked Carson what he thought of her nails and the ever charming Carson replied "Yes". Carson always knows how to make his Mama feel good and he wants very much to make other people feel loved too. Ephraim, well, it just takes him a while to get to that point.

He finally conceded as we exited the car in the garage that he liked her nails, hence, Ephraim's statement "Somethings just take a little getting used to". Perhaps he finally warmed up to her nails or maybe he realized his brother had the right angle on this one.

We are encouraged in the Bible to build one another up. Not with false platitudes, but with love and spiritual uplifting.


Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

As the body of Christ we must see it as our call to build one another up. To speak words that encourage and offer reassurance. God offers us words of encouragement and reassurance in His WORD. He wants us to be confident in His love for us. I need to be constantly asking myself, "Am I building up or tearing down with my comments?". I want to do what God would have me do. I guess doing it "just takes some getting used to".

A Motivating Visitor...

This week my fifteen year old niece: Lisa is visiting us for her Spring Break. We picked her up on Saturday in Lafayette. We are glad to have her and the boys are very excited to have her too. She will have the opporotunity to volunteer at Carson's school and my sister in law: Lisa's reading program at Richards.

Her visit has been a good motivator for me to not sit around in my pajamas frittering away the day. I was able to rise early, dress and do my devotion/prayer/Bible study time with no interruptions. Imagine if I acted like a responsible adult all the time. I even took care of some dishes while they ate breakfast. We spent the rest of the day running errands which mostly included gathering the supplies for our meals this week. Yeah, I actually am planning ahead. Maybe, I should have visitors more often.

Mini Indy Spring Break

Just a quick note to let you know we are enjoying a mini vacation in Fishers, Indiana. The boys are in love with our Columbus Hotel Indigo. We had trouble justifying an overnight in Columbus so we decided to stay at the HI in Fishers. Troy has training this week on Monday & Tuesday in Indy. So this is the perfect time to take in the zoo, Children's Museum, and swim in the pool. The boys also love the little hotel dog: Fibi. She is cute.

Our room gets five stars. Very chic and trendy. Extra marks for the Aveda bath products and free wifi. Check it out on www.hotelindigo.com .

The Note From My Mother

This note was written on August 18, 1992 by my mother in response to a request from my sorority for parents to write notes of encouragement to their daughters during the week of rush.

"Dear Sara,
What a great idea to share a surprise love note so you'll be reminded how much I love you.

Precious Sara, you are soft, deep feeling, dear and caring. Many times I've hurt you. I am sorry afterwards for my angry insensitive words and attacks. Caring about you so much doesn't excuse me; so I ask your forgiveness in Christ.

Here's hoping we will grow in understanding and love. You are tender, talented, and just a (the right) touch tenacious. Have a wonderful year, learn and enjoy each day. I love you, your mama."

What a treasure I have in this note written so many years ago. I haven't framed it yet, as I did with my dad's after he passed. But, I will. Words from my parents are something to cherish. I think that is why I cherish my Bible so much. Words from my Heavenly Father. The Father that always keeps His promises and has the Words I need to hear. Words for teaching, encouraging, challenging and comforting. Words to help me grow. Words to give me strength. Words to help me face the challenges of life.

His Arm Is Not Too Short!

Many of you have already gotten the email, so this will not be new to you, but I wanted to post our joy and celebration that Ephraim's follow up with the cardiologist this weekend went very well. He received a great report. She anticipates that after one more six month appointment that we can return to a once a year schedule.

Thank you for your prayers these past few months. We are so humbled to know that so many have been praying including people who have never met us. We have had the privilege of meeting some of you recently and is such a blessing to put a face with a name.

God is so good. Our study of the Life of Moses has given us insight into God's power. One of my favorite verses so far has been from Numbers 11:23

The LORD answered Moses, "Is the LORD's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you."


Indeed God kept His promise to Moses and the Israelites. When I read that verse, I think of all God has done to care for my family. Our trust is in The One, whose arm is not too short! He can do all things, nothing is impossible for Him. Not the healing of a little boy's heart or the economic downturn. God will weather the storm with us. We are confident in Him. Our trust is in the LORD, not men. Where will you trust Him today? Believe us, His arm is long enough and He always keeps His promises.

Appearances Can Be Deceiving...

Troy took Harrison Ford to breakfast this morning. Today is celebrity day at St. Peter's as part of National Lutheran Schools Week. Carson knew right away who he wanted to be. He dressed as Harrison Ford/Indiana Jones. He came up with the idea a while back and was excited to be able to dress this way for school complete with a five o'clock shadow (mascara). The pictures reveal what a handsome Indiana Jones he makes. Appearances can be deceiving...



As the pictures on my blog have shown, Ephraim has been into dressing up too. It started with a green striped shirt that made him Steve from Blues Clues. Then it developed into him dressing as Buzz Lightyear. He pretty much wants to wear the costume 24/7. We allow him to wear it pretty much when he wants to with the exception of church and Bible Study Fellowship. He wants to be called Buzz and his teachers at CMO indulged him by even putting Buzz on his art project instead of Ephraim. He isn't Buzz, but appearances can be deceiving...

Appearances can be deceiving. A relatively new friend of mine said that she had seen a picture of me in the Columbus North High School Athletic "Hall of Fame". I almost burst out laughing. What was she thinking? She said "You were in the gymnastics picture, you were a gymnast." Oh my... time has blocked this from my memory. "Yes" I said, "I was on the gymnastics team, but I was the manager". Appearances can be deceiving. I can't even do a cart wheel.



Carson's memory verse for this week is from Ephesians 4:24 "Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness". We are to put off our old self, so we can put on the new self. We are created to be like someone greater than ourselves and it isn't Indiana Jones or Buzz Lightyear. We are created to be like God. An incredibly high standard, only achieved when we are covered by the blood of Christ and join Him for eternity one day. I am astonished that I am in a picture hanging in the athletic hall of fame, that couldn't be farther from the truth. I am not surprised however, that my name is recorded in the Book of Life, and it is there not because of anything I have done, but what Christ has done for me.

Visit Three To The Animal Shelter

Another fun trip to the Animal Shelter. The animals and the staff seemed to enjoy Carson's "bad hair day" hairdo. We were able to feed snacks to all the dogs. Carson was a little timid at first, but he warmed up to it. I think it is really great for him to get this exposure. He is becoming more sure of himself around animals each time we visit. But, he is also learning a healthy respect for the animals as well.

We played especially with to very adorable dogs. One younger dog named Fritz who is waiting to be adopted and a very sweet puppy they are calling Butterball that has come in as a stray in the last week. I could be made into a dog fan by Butterball. Good thing, Troy has allergies or I could lose all my good sense and be persuaded to get this dog. Of course as I had to remind Carson, Butterball is a stray so his owner may be looking for him. It is likely that he will not be there when we return next week. Still a lot of fun to play with and love on!

Hope you are enjoying the pictures.

A Day to Remember .. Even a Bad Hair Day!

Every day is a day to remember God's promises. Each day is full of many opportunities to trust in the LORD! Yesterday, was a day to remember the passing of my father from earthly life into eternal life thirteen years ago! While mixed with sorrow, it is a still a day to celebrate what God did for my Dad and for each one of us in sending His Son Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross and rise victorious over death and the devil!

I began yesterday praising the LORD for what He had done in giving me Christian parents. I helped get the boys ready for church and found time to unearth some photo albums with pictures of my Dad in them. Sadly, my boys never got to meet "Poppy". As I have shared before, Poppy is what my oldest niece Lisa called my Dad. Lisa was the only grandchild that had the privilege of knowing my Dad.

The photos served as visual clues as to who my Dad was. Pictures of him driving, serving and loving his family. As with all people, my Dad wasn't perfect, but he surely did love his family. While work may have kept him away from us more often than not, we still knew him and could see his quiet strength. I don't know that I realized where that quiet strength came from until I was an adult, but I could sense his trust in the LORD.

The LORD often gives us tangible reminders of how much the people we love cared for us. I have only a few things that do that for me when it comes to my Dad. One of the things, I do have is a framed post card. My senior year of college, (shortly after my Dad was diagnosed with cancer), my sorority asked each of the parents to write an encouraging note for their daughters. My Dad was a man of few words, but for this occasion he penned "Dear Sara, Your pop loves you very much & hopes everything in your life goes as you wish. Love, Dad".

The note is fading, but you can still read it. The love with which it was penned is still close to my heart. My mom also wrote a note to me and I will share that with you in the coming days as the anniversary of her death is also approaching on March 11th. What my sorority meant for encouragement for the week, has remained as a testimony of love in my life and will so for a lifetime. I believe God gave that idea to them, so that I might have these tangible reminders of my parents. Something to remember.

On a lighter note, most people would want to forget a bad hair day rather than take pictures so they can remember it. But, that is what makes Carson special. He has been looking forward to "bad hair day" at school since the last one was preempted by a snow day. This morning, I took a variety of hair products and tools and gave Carson a bad hairdo. He wanted a mo hawk and since he wasn't going to get one in the truest sense, we settled on making a row of hair down the middle standing up. That soon became most of his hair standing on end. Fine with me, this is one of the special days that the kids are using to celebrate National Lutheran Schools Week. Strange way to celebrate, but who am I too judge. It made Carson's day, one to remember. Check out the pictures of this smiling boy!