Big picture faith

My little brother just found out today that he has been selected for an internship this summer between his sophomore and junior years of college. It is an internship in leading worship and video/graphic production at a church in South Carolina. I decided tonight to check the church out on line. Wow. It looks like an amazing place. They have a ton of videos and I have spent the past hour viewing a bunch, seeing a bit of what I imagine Tim will have a part in creating and producing. The following video really moved me. It's long, but so worth your time.

A Story | Big Picture Faith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

Blessings

I am really loving this new song by Laura Story- Blessings.

It really is speaking to me.

Have you heard it yet?

I forgot picture day!

Ugh! I forgot that it was spring picture day at school.

It's a bad habit.

I forgot last year too.

I remembered last week when I made hair cut appointments since the girlies hadn't had a trim since August. Piper got 8 inches cut off and Teagan opted for 5. They look so cute.

But...

today they went to school in not so great (just get dressed, we are running late) outfits.


Darn.

I'm going to have some upset girlies when I pick them up from the bus stop in a few minutes. All my fault. At least I'll have no desire to buy the extremely overpriced pictures.

Gotta look on the bright side.

Excited for my girlie!

Piper was selected last month to test for possible placement in the county gifted education program. While I have always thought that the way she learned and thought was above average and "out of the box," I know many parents think that they have really smart kids. We approached the entire experience very low key. I explained to her that some kids learn better in different environments with a different method of teaching, and her teacher thought that she might do well next year in the CBG (Center Based Gifted) program and would have to take a series of tests to find out. If the tests showed that the center was a good fit for her, well then great! If not, no big deal.

She took the six tests over the month of February and we received her scores this weekend. She scored in the 99% percentile across the board and has been invited to enroll in the center as a 3rd grader. Thankfully, the center is located in her current school building so she won't have to change schools and her best friend from preschool (who currently goes to another elementary school), well, he was invited too!

I'm very excited for her!

Fever

It's me. Ugh.

I had decided last night that I was going to set aside today, Monday, as a day of prayer and fasting. We are dealing with a lot right now and are asking God to make His ways known and, if it is in His will, to move a mighty mountain. I was worried that I'd be tempted to start my morning with my coffee- today was to be the last glorious cup of my all time favorite seasonal creamer. I stocked up a few months ago after I found it on sale with an expiration date of May. I got 6 bottles. Oh how I wish I had purchased them all!

But the coffee wasn't even tempting. I put the cup Paul had so lovingly made me in the fridge. My tummy was not feeling so well. I figured it was stress. By the time I arrived at work I knew something was a bit off. I drank my water all morning, but food would have been the farthest thing from my mind, even if I wasn't fasting. My assistant did most of the instruction today and we got everything ready for tomorrow, should I need a sub. I was still thinking I was off from daylight savings time and lack of sleep. But the thermometer at home painted a clearer picture- I'm sick. Just over 100, and considering my 'usual' is 97.something, that's high.

So I have a great sub tomorrow, the kids are outside playing so it's quiet. I have a cup of herbal tea and my Bible. I'm going to spend some alone time with God and add on some prayers that the fever goes away just as quickly as it came.

Happy Birthday!

Today we celebrate the birthday of two sweet girls we have had the honor and privilege of sponsoring. Both of our New Day girlies share March 10 as their birthday.

Our first sponsor child, Gracie, is turning 3 and has been with her forever family for almost two years. I wonder about her every day and she is always in my prayers. Her family is Chinese, and to the best of my knowledge, she is growing up in China. I wonder what she is doing on this special day? Has her hair grown in? Is she being taught about Jesus' love for her? I'll never know. I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to sponsor her, to love on her from afar and pray over her. She will always be the first orphan child who opened my eyes and my heart. We celebrate her today.



Gracie on her 1st Birthday


Our second sponsor child, Melody, is now known as Hannah and her forever family will be on their way in a few months to bring her home. She turns 2 today. When I learned in December that Melody was now Hannah and had a family waiting for her I began to pray that she was going home to a Christian family. I wished they had a blog and that I could somehow know she was OK. My heart desired peace about where the sweet girl I have loved from afar for the past 20 months would call home. Our amazing God answered my prayer that I could somehow know a bit of where she was going.


Melody, now Hannah in her February 2011 update

Two weeks ago her new momma found my email and sent me a note. We have exchanged a few emails and pictures. Hannah has an amazing Christian family (with brothers and sisters!) and I have a new friend. God is so good!

There is so much to celebrate, sweet girls! You both are now cherished and loved daughters. You will forever be in my heart.

Happy Birthday Gracie and Hannah!