Tim Hawkins on Church

This guy is so funny.

His name is Tim Hawkins, he is a Christian comedian.

I was over at the Freeman's last night and Ken was watching him, so I went to his website at www.timhawkins.net to watch more.

Like I said...too funny!!!

He will be in The Woodlands February 14th at Stonebridge Church...hmmm

What is a Foundry?

Totally random, I know.

But this was the question we were asking today...what is a foundry?

So I came home and Googled it...don't you love technology...and then further technology, I can answer everyone at once by blogging the answer.

Not yet...

I had the honor to watch Katy Fuller and David McAngus get married today.

Beautiful God-centered wedding.

They got married in Franklin and then the reception was in Calvert...at the Foundry.

So all day we are asking each other "what is a foundry"

We had many answers.

I believed that because it had the word "found" in it, it had something to do with the founding of the town...that was the intelligent answer.

Another answer was restraunt...and then tavern or pub.

We even thought it had something to do with the train, since three went by while we were there and we could watch them out the open back windows...so cool.

We were all wrong.

A foundry...for all those waiting...Michele, Nellie, Tim, Jenn Crouse, Nathaniel and Tara and Ashley Baldrige...my co-thinkers.

is

A foundry is a factory which produces metal castings from either ferrous or non-ferrous alloys. Metals are turned into parts by melting the metal into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and then removing the mold material or casting. The most common metal alloys produced are aluminum and cast iron. However, other metals, such as steel, magnesium ,copper, tin, and zinc, can be processed.

And to think, those big old fashioned car hoods on the wall didn't give it away!!

Learn something new every day!!

Think Outside the Box

Let us think outside the box.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Let us remember that Christmas is not about shopping or presents.

It is about the birth of Jesus, our Savior, who came to earth, put on skin, lived a sinless life and then died for us.

Thank You Jesus that You are the perfect gift!!

Persistance Pays

Alex is nothing if not persistant. Sometimes this does not seem so good...like when he tries to wear you down for something he wants...but today his persistance was very good. Every morning we travel the same way to school and we come to a stop sign where a little boy about eleven years old is waiting for the bus. One morning a couple of months ago, Alex being Alex waves at the little boy. Michael being Michael says "don't wave at him, he is a stranger" Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:1-2 Alex quickly says "The Bible says that we are supposed to love everyone, right momma" By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35 I said yes, and we had a discusssion on the difference between witnessing and talking to strangers. When Alex waved at the little boy, he just stared at him. This has gone on for several months. Every morning at 7:30 we drive by him and Alex waves frantically at him and the boy would stare at him or look away. I guess he was either embarrassed or too cool to wave back. Until today. We drive by...Alex waves and the boy WAVES BACK!!! Alex was so excited...he waved at me momma!!! Alex never gave up. Even when he would get upset or discouraged, the very next morning he would wave again. We can learn something from that. How often do we give up on something or someone after just a couple of tries. How often do we say "oh, he'll never wave at me." How often do we let satan get a foothold and tell us that perseverance is not worth it. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 I hope that as I am faced with situations and people that I will keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfector of my faith and know that perseverance is worth it. I hope that I know this race is worth a little heartache and discouragement...I hope that I will see the big picture... I hope that I will remember that Jesus did not give up...He did not just take a couple of beatings and change His mind or decide that we are not worth it. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 He persevered all the way to the grave and then rose victoriously. Thank You Jesus and thank You that once again I learn such a valuable lesson from one of my children. He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:2-4

Alvin and the Chipmunks Movie

Just a few more days...I can not wait!!!

We have been walking around singing Boom Chicka Wah Wah for a week now.

I know this will be funny. And even if it is not, I still have Boom Chicka Wah Wah Chicka Wah Wah and to watch Alex do that is priceless!!

Seeing People Through God's Eyes

I love seeing people through God's eyes.

When you do that, you see past the skin and into the heart.

On Sunday night I was having a conversation with two dear friends Kaylene and Kyle.

It was a conversation about kids of course.

We were talking about Kyle's daughters wearing skirts and being lady like, it then turned into all kids (since Kay and I have boys) disrobing in public...Alex has been known to do that.

Kyle said that if it were hers or Kay's they might not say anything because it might be "the culture" either black or hispanic...if Alex did it, they might.

Later I thought "wow, I don't even think of Kay as hispanic or Kyle as black...they are just people...my friends.

I don't even see it.

How sad that so many people do.

In another conversation with a girl at work, we started talking about inter racial relationships and she felt like each "kind" should stay with their own.

I was floored.

She said it was easier on the kids.

It led to a conversation about how we needed to be the generation to stop that and how God loves us all.

She didn't get it.

I started thinking about Kyle again and that if we didn't have inter racial relationships, we wouldn't have Peyton, Parker and Pearson.

Precious girls.

Then I thought about Parker's hair...I love her hair...I love to play with it when she sits on my lap in Cubbies, usually after she has colored all over herself with markers, in many different colors!!

Then I thought it feels just like Miranda Greene's hair...only Miranda's is blond... not brown.

God really did make us all the same!!!

A Day in Space

This weekend was an exciting weekend for Michael and Daddy.

They went camping.

Not the kind of camping that I had to do with tents and bugs and poison ivy, but camping at NASA.

The scouts got to go and have an exciting adventure, inside mind you, and learn what it is like to be an astronaut.

He looks pretty good, doesn't he?



Look at that playground, they got to play in these and bungy cord and all kinds of great things.



I want one of these in our house...

Look at the determination on his face...he was serious about the flight simulation.

They got to spend the night and sleep in sleeping bags (or play in sleeping bags)...still inside...

So they had a blast, they got souveneir water rockets and this monkey that makes a horrific noise...thanks dad!!!

Alex was a little sad that he didn't get to go, but has decided that is where he wants to go for his birthday in January!!

But on the homefront Alex had a great time seeing his old buddy Kevin and his bride Lisa who came in for the Christmas play.

It was like old times when he yelled KEVIN and hugged on him and sat in his lap...only he is getting a little heavy for Kevin to carry for any length of time!!!

That seems like a lifetime ago...how young they both were...some things never change!!

Rearranging the Furniture

I love to rearrange the furniture.

Ever since I was eighteen (almost twenty...ugh...years ago) in my first apartment, I have loved to rearrange furniture. Just about every couple of weeks I would rearrange the living room or a bedroom or something.

I loved sitting in the same chair in the same room but facing a different direction.

It really was a sickness.

I remember a few years ago in our old house, the boys room had a sliding glass door that looked out onto the backyard and all the neighborhood kids played in our yard because we had a swingset. I was moving the furniture around and one of the little boys asked Michael "is your mom moving furniture?" and Michael said "yeah, she does that a lot"

Wow.

I never really thought much about it until yesterday.

When I moved into the house I am in now at the first of the year, I was extremely blessed to be given new living room furniture by Cindy's brother.

It is a gorgeous leather couch and love seat recliners and a stone coffee table.

I couldn't move them if I tried. Literally, if you held a gun to my head and said "move" I would die because it ain't happening.

Same with the bedrooms, there really is no other way to rearrange the furniture.

But really I had not thought about it much until yesterday. Will and I were talking and the subject came up and I said "yeah it kills me, I can't believe I can't move the furniture"

Then the thought came into my head again last night and it was "no, I really am ok" I am at a point in my walk with the Lord that I don't need to move furniture.

God showed me that hole that was there that I thought I could fill by moving things around is gone.

Moving things and rearranging things does not fix them...it is only a bandaid...an escape if you will.

When God brings you to the point that you are addressing issues and allowing Him to work in you and heal you, then you do not need those distractions.

I found that moving things was a way to take my mind off of things in my life that needed to be fixed...not just moved.

This year has been a year of growth and healing.

A time for me to really look inside my self and see things that I didn't like...selfishness...fear...anxiety. It has been a time for God to show me how I handled these things before I knew him and how to handle them now.

I haven't done it all right...it hasn't been easy.

But it is good.

God is faithful and I am thankful.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24