Stir It Up and Lay It Down!!

Have you ever heard this older worship song?

 

Rise Up

"There's a stirring deep within me.  Could it be my time has come?  When I'll see my gracious Savior.  Face to face when all is done.  Is that His voice I am hearing?  

'Come away, my precious one.'  Is He calling me? Is He calling me?  

I will rise up!  Rise up!  And bow down, and lay my crowns, at His wounded feet."

Ok, so you might not have ever heard it, but have you ever felt it?  Do you ever wake up and feel that stirring in your gut, and you're not sure why?  All you know is that your heart wants to burst inside of you, and if you just open your mouth and speak His Name, He might very well overwhelm you!  All you know is that if you bow down and lay YOUR crowns at His feet, He is going to download some seriously incredible agenda right into you!  

Do you realize the role that is at your fingertips to play in His plan?  Do you know that the aspects of your personality, the ones that touch the heart of others, were put there by your Maker for a purpose?

If there is one thing that really "stirs" my heart, it is that "one"....the individual....the lady who is sadly walking through the store with loneliness and insecurity written all over her.  See, it's not always about the 300 that could be spoken to at once, at least it's not for me.  It's about the hurting heart that He can restore one conversation at a time. 

The stirring in my heart today is to encourage you to focus on the ministry right smack-dab in front of your face.  The one that probably no one, besides your King, will ever know you did,  but it's the one that stirs your heart to bursting....the one you KNOW you are called to for such a time as this. 

Lay your crown down, sister, and take HIS!

"You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God." (Isaiah 62:3)

A little chunk of LOVE....

....sliced right out of the love cake!

Happy Birthday, Bubba!

Sweet 'Tater-

I can't believe you are already 4!! What a wonderful man you are turning out to be....a carbon copy of your daddy. Everyday you amaze us with the love that literally gushes out of you. For as long as I can remember, you have been our little bear cub. You love to wrap your little arms around me and daddy and just cuddle on our chest for as long as possible. I love watching the process of the Lord growing you into a little gentleman. He is so faithful, Bryce, and He already uses you more than you will ever know. There is nothing sweeter than hearing you whisper promises of protecting me in my ear when daddy is not here, and feeling your tiny arm hanging around our neck as we lay with you at night. Your concept of being filled with the love of Jesus, and generously giving it away, just blows our minds! You are more than we could have ever imagined, and you epitomize the fact that every good and perfect gift comes from Him. I can't begin to imagine how He will use you as you grow older in Him, and for the simple fact that He trusted me and daddy to shepherd you, overwhelms us. You are an athlete to the core, and have the heart of a gentle warrior....just like your daddy. We are so proud of you, buddy....what a gift you are to this world.

New York....NEW YORK!!!

Soooooo......I WENT TO NEW YORK!!! It was just me and my baby and it was a blast! We were blessed with this trip from the wonderful company, Paycom, that Monty works for and it was fantastic. They packed in just about as much as they possibly could and we were literally exhausted after our 5 day adventure. Here are a ridiculous amount of pictures for one blog.....but be glad, this is only a THIRD of them:):)

Bless you as you seek His face in all you do....He is faithful, He is precious, He IS.

The dinner cruise/awards ceremony
Dinner cruise

Monty receiving his award
Really bad Statue of Liberty pic....sorry, moving ship! HA

We got to see Mamma Mia.....so good!

Yankee's game at the new stadium

Our new friends Tammy and Greg

Taking the subway during our ELEVEN MILE big apple tour walk....this mama was tired!
Ground Zero and the space where the towers once stood
Brooklyn Bridge
The first theatre in New York
Tour stop in SOHO
Oldest Jazz club in New York
Central Park

Central Park
Grand Central Station
Our fabulous room in the New York Palace

View from our room

First night out
Takin' it all in:)

What Have We Been Up To?

A little bit of tackling...

A little bit of Bryce's salvation celebrating...

A little bit of putt-putting....

A little bit of messy playing....

And a whole 'lotta loving!

Happy Birthday, Pumpkin!

Princess-

You are literally a breath of fresh air to everyone you meet! Your daddy and I will never be able to put into words how much you mean to us and how much you melt our hearts. Every night, we sneak into your room and just stare at your beauty and whisper prayers of gratefulness that God entrusted you to us. I have never met another person, much less a child, who cares for others the way you do. I'll never forget the time you chose to not have cheese on your burger just because you knew your Grammie didn't like cheese and you didn't want her to feel left out:) Now, that's precious:) Your heart belongs to your Jesus, and it is evident in all you do, even at such a young age. I look forward to watching Him raise you with grace, integrity and compassion and I cannot fathom the lives that you will touch for His Name. So, Happy Birthday, Babydoll!

In true Mayce fashion, you have given more to others than we could ever give you.

Your life, in itself, is a gift to this world.

We love you, baby!

Walk The Line

So, this morning my kids come running in from outside, screaming for me to come and see their "line." Now, you must know that with Mayce and Bryce together...outside...alone.....just about anything is possible. I would not be surprised if they constructed a rocket out of dirt that would actually fly! So, when I heard they had made a "line," I figured it was probably worth viewing:) And....bottom line, this was the most creative "line" I have ever seen;)

The beginning was balls, a microphone, shoes and a broom

Next, we have all of the tools from his tool box along with their two chairs and a truck
We then have bats, the tool box, a tee-ball, a basketball goal, little shovels and rakes, golf balls, and mini airplanes

Moving on, we have a grocery cart, tiny buckets, the car, a coffee maker, a play kitchen (on its side, of course) and a tri-fold chair

Lastly, the sprinkler, two swings, a tent tunnel and a slide

The cowboy and his little lady posing proudly at the end of their "line":)

Revere His Glory

"He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.

He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due.

From the west, men will fear the name of the LORD, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the LORD drives along.

'The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,' declares the LORD.

'As for me, this is my covenant with them,' says the LORD. 'My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever,' says the LORD."

(Isaiah 59:16-21)

You overwhelm all of my senses, melt my heart and blow my mind.

Thank you, my Lord....it is my honor to serve you.

Who has Grace?!?

A few weeks ago, Bryce got in trouble for something, and after discipline and discussion, I told him I loved him and reminded him, as we always do, that grace was here for him.

I guess he had never really payed much attention to our little grace reminder until now,

because he quickly perked up and asked "Oh, where is she?!?"

(referring to his little friend from church named Grace).

I said "No, honey, Jesus has grace for us."

Then he got the funniest look on his face and proclaimed

"Well, why does HE have her!?"

I laughed so hard, and realized that having friends named after beautiful principles of the bible sometimes backfires on you! HA!!

Back Up, Mama:)

So we are having rest time, and I can hear Bryce just chatting away in his room. I can't exactly make out what he is saying, but he typically goes to sleep pretty fast, so I decide to go and tell him to stop talkin' and start sleepin':) I peek in and see him sitting up on his bed looking towards his closet area. I say "hey buddy, let's go ahead and lay down and get some sleep, okay?" Then, he gently responds, "mom, I'm talking to God. Can I sleep when we are finished?" I quickly excused myself and apologized to the Lord for my rude interruption! HA!

Talk away, little warrior, talk away.
There is much to be discussed and much to be heard about the mighty call on your life!

Seriously?!!....

.....who came up with push-up pops!! It's been a while since we've had them and once these little puppies hit my kids hands, they totally reverted to eating like a 6 month old:) As soon as I realized that we were going to add these frozen friends to our attire, my OCD nerve was hit, and we finished those bad boys over the sink:)

DAY 1:

DAY 2: (smarter mama!)

Just had to throw in a little bit of my dumplin' for your viewing pleasure;) Playing patty cake with sissy just about sends him over the happy edge! We belly laugh, get the hiccups and spit up everywhere....it's good times.

Let's not pretend....

....that life is always easy, or remotely close to it. Lately, when I go to pray for those close to me, my heart is swollen with pain, and there are truly only "groans and moans" from the Spirit being expressed. Words don't seem to touch it...my words, that is. "And then....God." His Spirit swarms in, as if He were a bee and the situation were honey. He moves on our behalf in a way that is indescribable, and He executes a plan that is incomparable...and we are forever changed. Day by day, minute by minute, second by second, He offers these life changing scenarios if we will just ask. The beauty of His design is that we play such a massive role....you might say, we connect the Beekeeper, via the Queen bee, with the hive.

Dutch Sheets explains it this way: "We, through prayers of intercession, meet the powers of darkness, enforcing the victory Christ accomplished when He met them in His work of intercession."

Christ created, captured and confirmed all the power we ever need and He simply asks us to believe and open our mouth. Believe and open our mouth....He then calls the meeting into order and takes care of business!

What's my heart for today?.....that your prayers may be a little different than they were yesterday. That there will be a stirring deep within you to go beyond the circumstance and seek the Source. For truly "we are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5: 20-21)

Catching Up!

Here's what's been going on at the Durham Casa over the last few weeks:)

OH HAPPY DAY:

Here are just a few pictures of our mornings!! It's a little bit of madness and a whole lotta' happy combined into one! HA!

SURPRISE VISIT:
My Uncle Ronnie, Aunt Frances, and cousins Katelyn and Carson, from Odessa, made a surprise visit for the day :) It had been awhile since we saw them, so the kids really enjoyed each other!

SUPER BOWL SWEETS:
The kids will use ANY occasion to make a cupcake, and the Super Bowl was certainly no exception:)

KRESS TRIP:
We also took a wonderful trip to Kress and had ourselves a little V-Day party:) Thanks Meme!


Mayce and her twin (Aunt Jamie)

The King and Queen in their Royal Bath:) Thanks Nanny!

Ok, your eyes are not deceiving you.....Cousin Drew is 7 1/2 months and Blake is 2 1/2 months. Put him on the line, coach!!

CRASH COURSE IN CREATION:

Last week we had "Creation Week" at home and learned a new day of God's great creation each day of the week. We got to color a creation picture, read our story and do a craft:) We decorated some creation cookies, but they didn't stick around long enough to get a picture:)