On the way

We are on the way to the beach. The one that was supposed to sleep is playing peek a boo. The other two are out!  

Trying to get the picture...

Attempting to get a cute picture at bedtime doesn't always work. 

Run and prayer time

At beautiful ocean Isle Beach this morning!  I just love this place!

Helpers

I had two little helpers making bread with me from our new 100 Days of Real Food cookbook we are just loving!

List to do on an empty day...priceless!

Citadel vs USC with great friends!

Ebinport Thanksgiving lunch

Pizza and movie night!

Kevin was gone to Memphis so the kids and I made some memories!

These girls...

...love them!!

We have weekly playdates now, the kids, and moms, love them!

Friday fun

We had all the QCPeeps over this afternoon and I watched all 10 outside while the ladies went too peek at the Collins' new house across the street!  We are so excited to be getting them!

Glencarin Gardens with friends

It was s beautiful day in the park for a Thursday afternoon play date!

Sleeping girls

These girls crack me up when I check on them after they are asleep sometimes. You never know where you will find Delaney.

USC vs FL game

Date night!

I just love date nights with Kevin!  We try to get out about 1-2 a month at least, sometimes it ends up being more, or a date night at home with kids in bed.  Tonight we went out to the Oak Room in downtown Columbia while the kids stayed at Nanny and Grandpa's house.  We love their food and speciality drinks here!  We went back to the condo afterwards and had wonderful conversation.  It was a great date night as always!

Lilli Jane's field trip to nature

She and Gabe are showing off their Owl bags full of leaves, nuts, and sticks.
Her friend Reece that talks about her all the time.

Speaking in church

As a part of Dr. Shrum's transition to leave Nov 22 several of us are speaking on this phrase...here is what I said this morning.  I felt honored to be chosen to speak.

I hope that you all have seen the most beautiful tree in Rock Hill, it sits on Ebenezer at the corner of the main parking lot.  VERY soon you will see the gorgeous colors it will turn, or will you?  I am already anticipating hearing my children say, like they do every year …

“Mama, look at God’s beautiful artwork!”

Do you ever stop and take in his Masterpieces He paints daily?  I didn’t, not daily at least, until I had kids to remind me of it all the time. They are grateful to God for it and Gratefulness is a life changer! 

I have been a part of OBC since before I was born 35 years ago…literally, my dad was writing down my mom’s contractions right back there during a Christmas service, so I grew up here and always had a definite belief in God.  So, for all that was…Thanks.  Not only did Dr. Shrum teach me how to love and believe in God but so did the Weeks, The Youngs, Miss Lila, Sheldon, and many other Sunday School teachers, GA leaders, choir directors, VBS volunteers, youth ministers, like Christy, my parent’s close friends that are like aunts and uncles to me…PLUS …a majority of my friends were in youth group with me.  So the same beliefs surrounded me during my whole childhood…which I’m grateful for!

But, I left my routine of attending Oakland weekly when I left for college.  I stated to have conversations with other believers that didn’t grow up at Oakland and some that didn’t even grow up in church at all.  I started to “think”…to doubt…and want concrete answers to questions that are only answered by faith.  That Old Testament Professors really challenged me to think deeper and leave my simple childhood faith behind. 

We are all challenged at some point, which leaves an impact on us.  As life continued into young adulthood I met more people that challenged my faith.  Then, I married my wonderful husband Kevin.  Together…we encountered bigger things that challenged our faith together, like years of desiring to carrying a child.  BUT even when faith seemed thin, God was still there and knew what we needed…and it was through adoption He blessed us with our first child, Blake.  The best gift we ever received was from Vegas, so remember, what happens Vegas, doesn’t always stay in Vegas!

But it wasn’t until our children were growing up that I realized how to see God through the eyes of a child again and just have simple faith like Jesus told his disciples to in the book of Matthew.

Jesus said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. “

We should aim to be more childlike the older we get, so why do we doubt when trials come our way? 

My children see things with a trusting and grateful heart, which helps to have more peace and joy in life!  I teach them about God and faith through simple STORIES and simple VERSES and in turn it has brought ME back to a richer and more trusting faith because mine too is much more simple.

I find HOPE while looking at God through my children’s eyes. 

Can you picture it from when you were a child? 

Mom, I think God sits right there on top of that cloud in the sky.

Mom, I know God is with me, I prayed last night when I thought there were monsters in my room and they went away.

Mom, God is real and loves me so much and I know because He tells me he does in the Bible.

God sent me three reminders to help ground me and bring me back to that childhood like faith (Blake and Delaney are right there, we left Lilli Jane in the nursery).  They remind me there are simple answers when it comes to faith.  Yes, God is very real and Yes, he is with me everywhere I go (it says it right there in the book of Joshua).  So… there is nothing to doubt.

Why am I trying to take us back to our childhood faith?  Because it’s easier for me to say, For all that will be, Yes!  I am lucky that I am reminded of my childhood each time I walk through the doors here at OBC … It fills me with childhood memories reminding me of that childhood faith I once had. 

Most of you did not grow up here at Oakland and your faith may not have even come until later in life.  But try to reminder and hold onto a child  like simple faith.

God should be the chair of every committee that is leading us into our future here at Oakland, and I know He’s willing…those severing on those committees, remember the answers are simple and God will give you the answer, you just have to ask and listen like a child and not try to pick it apart and answer it yourself. Like we tend to do as adults.  This simple child like faith will assure us all… our special place in heaven for eternal life.  And assure us a beautiful future at OBC.

In 1st Corinthians 2:9, Paul reminds us that the Scriptures say,

“No one has ever seen,
    no one has ever heard,
no one has ever imagined
    what God has prepared for those who love him.”

God can arrange all sorts of provisions, power, and blessings on our behalf whenever we look at him with the innocent faith of a child.

I hope 35 years from now, that tree will still be here and continue to remind me to use my child like faith to simply say “For all that will be…YES”!

Chocolate Festival

Great time helping to raise money for Keystone by eating lots of Chocolate!

Baby Lucy

Baby Lucy came for a quick visit today!  We were so excited to see her!