ReCreate 2013

I cannot even begin to describe or explain my weekend.  I knew it would be amazing, but it exceeded my expectations tremendously!  I will never miss another year of the powerful women's conference, ReCreate.  ReCreate is held at our Grant's Mill campus of Church of the Highlands each year.  There are challenging speakers (woah), and we are just loved on for being daughters of our King.  It was a great time to be refreshed with worship and fellowship with some of the amazing women in my life.  It was extra fun for me because I brought 3 of my sweet friends from Columbus with me.  I got to spend some quality time with them and my Auburn ladies :)  I got the best of both worlds in one weekend...lucky me ;)

I will be chewing on the messages for weeks to come I think, but boy it was inspiring and motivating hearing from the women of God that were there.  I'm sure I'll be sharing as the Lord continues to reveal Himself through what we heard.

You can already register for next year's conference at Recreatewomen.com and at a discounted rate for a limited time!  You don't want to miss it!!

What a week!

This week has been so emotional for our country.  I cannot stop thinking about all the people in Boston and it's communities.  And this morning I found out about Texas.  How do you get past something so tragic?  I have never been in a situation like that but I hope they know Jesus b/c I know I couldn't do that without Him. I have been praying so hard for the families of victims, the victims, and for the weeks and months ahead of rebuilding what has been shattered. 

My Jesus Calling reading today was about the Peace we have through Jesus and His Presence.  It begins with "Peace is my continual gift to you" and goes on to explaining that He gives us "sufficient Peace for the present when you come to me by prayer and petition with thanksgiving". 

I pray that God will wrap His loving arms around all of those people.  I pray that they draw close(r) to Him.  I pray they receive His Peace...it is the constant in the chaos of this world.  We have Hope through Him that we can overcome these kinds of things if we stay continually connected to Him, to the One who gives us His Peace.  He is the Light in the darkness we face day after day.  I am thankful He is on my side, and that nothing is too big for my God!

Please join me in praying for Boston and also for Texas.  Pray for our country.  Pray for those who have selflessly cared for those wounded.  Pray for our President and all those who make important decisions.

Pray.

Philippians 4:6-7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Hebrews 4:16
"Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Things I'm excited about lately!

So I know I say this every time I write a new post, but I've been away a while...Life keeps me busy!  My two precious ones def keep me going and going, not to mention housework and spending time with the hubs, and staying involved with our church.  All things I love, but I do miss jotting down thoughts and keeping up with them and what's going on in our lives right at this particular season.  It's so fun to look back and see how things play out or just see all the abundant blessings we have!

Right now, I'm very into Jesus Calling.  You seriously need to read this one guys.  It will bless you immensely.  It's a short devotional for each day with a few verses of Scripture.  I love starting my day with a focused thought to keep me on track as I go about my daily activities.  I'm consumed right now with being in the Presence of God.  Just those words.  They send a peace throughout my heart and mind.  Sigh.  I'm so in love with my Savior.  I could just sit with Him all day, basking in His Presence! 
This song is one of my new favorites that we have started doing during worship at Highlands.


Your Presence is Heaven

Who is like You Lord in all the earth?
Matchless love and beauty, endless worth
Nothing in this world can satisfy
'Cause Jesus You're the cup that won't run dry

Your presence is heaven to me
Your presence is heaven to me

Treasure of my heart and of my soul
In my weakness you are merciful
Redeemer of my past and present wrongs
Holder of my future days to come

Your presence is heaven to me
Your presence is heaven to me

All my days on earth I will await
The moment that I see You face to face
Nothing in this world can satisfy
'Cause Jesus You're the cup that won't run dry

Your presence is heaven to me
Your presence is heaven to me

Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus
Your presence is heaven to me
Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus
Your presence is heaven to me

Listen here. You will love it :)

We are starting tball games this week!  We are supposed to have one tonight, if the rain holds off.  If not, we will have one Saturday, and it's going to be perfect weather!  I def have Spring fever right now.  Ready for the cold weather to be gone for good ;)  Mark is SO ready!  I just the age he is at right now (most days)!  He's so fun and just wants to know everything.  He's so sweet with his sister, even when she is annoying ;)  Some days he looks so grown, and I can't believe he's almost in Kindergarten.  He is starting to roll his eyes and huff when he doesn't like what I tell him and that is too much for me at 5.  What?!  A preview of teenage years, and I'm NOT ready for that.  Hehe!  I will update with tball pictures after the weekend.

My sweet Alyssah is still throwing tantrums, but they are getting better.  She is just stubborn and when she can't do what she wants, you know it ;)  Being 2 is pretty frustrating I guess.  She just can't quite say what's bothering her and she just wants to be so independent.  Her vocabulary is getting better though, and she is starting to let me help her more now that she realizes it's much easier with a little help sometimes.  That's true for us all though, at any age. :)

I will update on their stats from their check-ups soon.  I've been meaning to do that for about a month now...
They had a clean bill of health, and Mark got all of his shots for Kindergarten.  It went well considering.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter.  I will get caught up on that too.  I have a lot of blogging in store for me.  Hopefully Sunday afternoon I will get it done.  Our Easter was laid back and fun.  We had a wonderful Resurrection celebration at Church of the Highlands.  Amazing worship, power testimonies of God's redemptive power, and a great message.  It is available online at www.churchofthehighlands.com if you would like to check it out.  God is SO good!  I hope you know the One who cares for you and died for you.

Have a wonderful rest of the week and weekend.  I'll be back soon :)

Thankful moments

Hello November!  I just love November and December!  As a kid summer was my favorite time of the year, but it is most definitely this time of year that I adore!  I love looking back on the year and seeing its fruit and all of the many things/people I am blessed with.  I'll probably be posting several more of these kind of posts throughout November.  They will mostly be for me to remember but hopefully you will be touched by them as well.

As my husband and I tucked our sweet little 4 year old in bed last night, he began to pray.  We have been working on saying his prayers and most nights he still wants me to do it for him.  Last night, was by far the most precious one he has done.  He started thanking God for his school, toys, food, and then he just said thank you for everything! ;)  As he was ending his prayer, he said thank you for Jesus.  Thank you for Jesus who died so I can live.  I immediately started crying...wow!  Such sweet little words with huge meaning.  I am so thankful for his heart!  As a mother it is so comforting to know that things we teach Mark actually stay with him as he is beginning to form his thoughts about the Lord.  I know he will do amazing things for the Kingdom, and I can't wait to see where God takes him.

I hope all of you are reminded of all the good in your life throughout the month of November and always.  Have a blessed weekend :)

"The Lord is my strength and shield.  I will trust Him with all my heart.  He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.  I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."  Psalm 28:7 NLT

Lazenby Farm

Mark's class along with two or three others at the daycare went to the pumpkin patch last week.  I took the morning off so I could go :)  The kids had so much fun, and I loved being able to share the experience with Mark.  He is at such a fun age.  He enjoys everything about life.  I know I can learn a lot from him and Alyssah about loving life the way they do.  Why do we have to grow up? ;)

They went to a pumpkin patch that is actually at a local farm here in Auburn.  It was fun seeing more than just the pumpkins.  The kids rode a hayride to the patch and it through corn and cotton that is planted on the farmland.  They picked cotton and learned about what they do with it on the farm and once it leaves the farm.  They got to pet a bull calf and play on an awesome playground.

My most favorite part of the trip was the story the lady leading the field trip told about the pumpkins.  It sold me on Lazenby Farm and we will be back next year!

She was asking the kids about what they know about farms.  She saved the pumpkins for the end and told this story.

She said you know that you and this pumpkin are a lot alike. (Stay with me...I wasn't sure where she was going either!)  She said when you open up a pumpkin there is yucky stuff inside.  We feel yucky inside when we do bad things or are mean to our friends.  Right?  The kids said yes.  She then said well when we say we are sorry or do good things we feel better and the yucky feeling on the inside go away.  Right?  The kids said yes.  She said so when we carve the pumpkin we take the yucky stuff out, carve a face on him, and then put a light inside for the face to shine.  Well when we are good we shine like a light to others.  Then she said you know who my light is?  She said Jesus.  He came into my heart and cleaned out the yucky and placed a light inside of me to shine for Him.  And he can do the same for you if you ask Him.  WOW!  I teared up.  A simple little story but what an impact.  I guess we are a lot like pumpkins ;)

Thank goodness for Jesus, and His love for us.  He will come in our hearts and take all the bad, ugly parts of us and make us the way we should be.  He can redeem us to be the people we were created to be.  I just love it!

I hope you and your loved ones are enjoying the fall season.  I love the reflection that this time of year brings.
I will post pics of Mark and his friends at the patch soon :)

Blessings!
Karah