Awww... 18 years ago my baby girl was born.. everyone go to her site and tell her Happy birthday will you!

http://www.xanga.com/FreakinNicci

Happy Birthday Nicci!

We love you,

James & Mom!

Currently Listening Amos Lee By Amos Lee see related

He Loves Me......

Quit putting God in a box... know that He loves you all the time no matter what you do. I tend to forget that. He also loves those that we feel that we love so much.. He loves them more than we ever could. When that person fails you and you are upset at them.. He still loves them the same. When we fail the people we love He still loves us just the same.. There isn't this score board... "He loves me more because I didn't fail as bad as she/he did today"... or oh my gosh... "He can't love me after I did that!"  We put ourselves and others on these judgmental scales most of the time and we are trying to do this incredible balancing act... just know He loves you and everyone more than you can fathom.

I am reading "He Loves Me!" by Wayne Jacobson... wow it is awesome... here is the free download of the book... Please take the time to read ..

http://lifestream.org/pdf/HeLovesMe.pdf

Currently Reading He Loves Me! The Relationship God Has Always Wanted with You By Wayne Jacobsen see related

I decided this week that I really needed some alone time with God…not just a little devotion time but some hours of it. Well, Nicci went to visit Mom in Rolla and James had a work retreat tonight in Branson. So when I finally got off work I came home to have my time of rest, worship, reading His word and journaling. The coolest thing is after 3 hours I realized the phone didn’t ring one time and now going onto 4 hours it still has not. That never happens in this house. God you are awesome.

During this time of worship, one of the songs I listened to was, “At the foot of the Cross”. What a beautiful song. It never struck me so before…  In this song it says “trade these ashes in for beauty”.  I feel as if I traded beauty in for ashes and just now realized it. Over the last few weeks I have been dealing with some things and I have let them turn into the ashes… I needed to have that beauty back.  Ashes to me are the worthless stuff of the world. Rather it is people’s cruelty, jobs, style of church gatherings, or worthless items as in cars, money etc… things we think are so important, not saying that some of these things are not important.. but Jesus’ will for us is the beauty that overshadows it all! Why do we try and fight that? Why do we not want to surrender to His beauty? His peace? His LOVE? What is wrong with us?

Lord  …heal me…heal us all

I have also been reading Hebrews this week…

Lord you are shaking the order of things as you have done so many times before so that we can have our feet on solid foundations not the scaffolding that will fall away. You will shake us until only Your Word will be our confidence. Lord you want us to be established with grace. Established~ to be solidly grounded, to stand firm on your feet. We can be secure while everything else is falling apart… As I stand as a child on the tops of Jesus’ feet now I feel His strength, comfort and loving grace.

Man I know I am going deep, but I just wanted to share the peace I have with Him right now... with you.

I love you guys..get established…look for His beauty..be confident in Him

Surprise Party for MEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Ok, last night was really sweet.. Nicci & James surprised me with a 40th birthday party! Too bad we didn't get any pictures because I was REALLY surprised! Nicci also made all these sweet things (as in great not sugar) to eat that I was looking at in a cooking magazine.... and she did a GREAT job at it! Like Chicken in this awesome marinade, dip for chips, a key lime pie and an awesome potato salad... you are great Nicci!

Thank you Nicci for all the work you did.. I am sure you were quite stressed! Thank you friends for coming and surprising me! Thank you James for not spilling the beans! 

It was really great.... Oh and if you are reading this and you were not invited.. don't get mad.. I am sure Nicci couldn't think of everyone and she was stressed because we had a lot going on this week!!

Luv you guys! 

Currently Reading House By Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker see related

Ok I need to post.. we went to Brady and Stacie's wedding this weekend in Kansas.. here are some pictures...

aww they are so cute! Look at that dress!

I guess she was surprised we made it! and Brady is pointing to James as proof we made it there! Ha... It was a very pretty wedding!

Currently Listening Amos Lee By Amos Lee see related