Maubry is Number "1"!

James 1:17

English Standard Version (ESV)

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

 Me and Maezie Moo got an extra special gift straight from the real Gift giver. 

 We got to go and celebrate Maubry's first Birthday with her. 

 Lashae and Chaney had a great party for this little Love.  She is a treasure!!!

 Chaney's folks made the trip from Oregon as well to celebrate this child.  

Maubry is a blessing worth CELEBRATING!!!

 This is the story of Maubry's life.  She is on display.....she is doing her own thing, very independently, and we are all doing major acrobats to get her to pay attention to us. 

 She has A LOT of people loving on her, cheering her on,  and doting on her, and she is just content to do her own thing. 

 I love how much she is LOVED!!!! 

 This blesses me more than anything else.  This girl will never have to question what Love is...it is in her face and all around her ALL the time.  

She will know God from a very early age, because she knows

 LOVE.

  All these people that are LOVING on her....love the Lord, and they are just being the visible "hands and feet" of Jesus to show her and teach her and LOVE her and disciple her. 

Mark 10:13-16

The Message (MSG)

13-16 The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: “Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.

  Lashae and Chaney are surrounded by people that love them, and appreciate them and enjoy them right where they are in Montana. 

 As much as I miss these guys, I have such peace and joy and thanksgiving because I know they are exactly where God wants them.

Maddie, is one the of the biggest and best blessings of their Montana lives. 

 This girl is so much fun and so good to Lashae and Maubry, it just blesses me straight to my bones.

These girls are friends forever. 

  They are so much fun to watch together.  I can't get over that God would allow us to have these girls and let these girls have each other.  

The little girl's Mamas have a pretty good thing going too!!!!

God is GOOD and He gives good GIFTS!!!!!

I Am Loved

John 15:8-10

English Standard Version (ESV)

8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

We need to believe we are loved.  I get to see up close and personal how sad it is when someone doesn't believe they are

 "LOVED".

Whether we believe it or not, whether we act like it or not, whether we embrace it's power or not, we are LOVED by God.

1 John 4:9-11

English Standard Version (ESV)

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

We say we believe that, but do we REALLY truly believe that????

I have seen and lived and loved kids that have been hurt abandon and rejected and there are days when they can not bring themselves to believe they are loved.  You can see it in their eyes on the days they just can't
 RECEIVE the love.
 They remember hurt and rejection and react to that memory instead of reacting to
LOVE. 
 I get all frustrated with it, and then I look at myself.
 God's love is perfect and complete and never changes and never fails....and I still act unloved half the time.  When I act like a jerk or scared of my own shadow it's because I don't truly believe that I'm loved.
 I act like I have to make my own way in this world rather than trusting in the LOVE of my Heavenly Father to take care of everything and LOVE me. 

We get so caught up in how much "we love God".
 But even THAT comes from Him and we can't do any sort of
"LOVE"
 without Him...
He is LOVE
...and so we better start believing and acting like the loved children that we are.
  Children that truly believe and live in the TRUTH that they are LOVED act very different from children that are believing the lies and the hurt of the world of
 ABANDONMENT and REJECTION.

Also, if we believe there is one thing we can do as God's children to earn His LOVE then we aren't really believing we are LOVED.
We are LOVED no matter what we do....His LOVE is NOT dependent on US....His LOVE never changes....it's us that wakes up on some days and feels and acts UNLOVED.

 He is LOVE and He never CHANGES!

Deuteronomy 31:6

English Standard Version (ESV)

6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you.

 He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Broken Messes

Outside of Christ we are broken messes. 

 ALL of us. 

 Every person and every relationship.  

Marriage, ministry, adoption, parents, children, finances, business.

EVERYTHING and EVERYONE

BROKEN!

There has been a ton of controversy on adoption lately. 

 It's bad news many times.

 It's difficult stuff, on EVERY side.

Adoption gets an extra dose of "broken and hard" because you are dealing with
defenseless children.

I have been wrestling with aspects of this a lot lately.  Not because there
 IS
 controversy or difficult situations, but because there is no easy answer, no black and white
 FIX  to ANY of it.

I have been asking the Lord, "WHAT...WHAT....WHAT is a person to do?"
 I have just felt like He has said over and over....
JESUS!  JESUS!  JESUS!!!

He is the only answer. 

 He is the only healer.

He is the only defender.

He is the only provider.

  When you are trying to fix rules or institutions or governments...it's NEVER going to work...ONLY JESUS works.

  ONLY JESUS fixes things.

 I realize we have to live in this broken world, with broken people and broken rules all around us and we will have to until Jesus comes back...but that is why we must keep our EVERYTHING...

our voice our eyes our feet

 all LOOKING AND SPEAKING AND WALKING WITH JESUS 

and HE will do a mighty work. 

 It will be through these broken messy people and situations but it has to be

 IN CHRIST ALONE THROUGH GRACE ALONE.

We have to SPEAK and WALK everyday and every situation with JESUS through JESUS and NEVER lose sight of that.  

Yes....people will marry and adopt and have children and jobs and finances and businesses that do not have CHRIST, but that is why we have to be so bold and loud and  focused on Him, and SHARE HIM and HIS LOVE.

Yes, us CHRISTIANS will have trouble in this world too....the same troubles as everyone...if not MORE.  

We are promised "trials", but here's the fun part...we have our big awesome perfect 

FATHER

 who is our DEFENDER, PROVIDER, HEALER, and ANSWER to EVERYTHING, and if we introduce HIM to the world, then we all win, because

 HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US.

He is FAITHFUL.

So here's my challenge.....I want to try to only speak on something if I have spoken with my 

HEAVENLY FATHER about it FIRST,

 and only if I have talked to HIM as much and as passionately as I'm going to give my opinion to the world,
 then MAYBE the time spent with HIM will rub off on me and show

 JESUS

in the situation and THAT is the real  and ONLY answer anyway.  

Galatians 5:14-25

English Standard Version (ESV)

14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Keep in Step with the Spirit

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[a]drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, thatthose who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Moo's Wedding Birthday Party.

Happy Birthday Moo!!!  

"2"

I can't believe my baby is 2. 

 In some ways I can't remember life before her and in other ways it seems like she was born yesterday.

  Maezie is a big blessing and a gift to this family and to many others.

 I seriously can't get over this kid.  I'm so thankful to God for giving gifts when we don't even have the brains to ask for them. 

 I could have missed this one if we only got the "blessings" we asked for.  :)

 We had a wedding to go to this weekend and I'm pretty sure Maezie thought the whole

 "party" and "celebration"

 was in honor of her. 

 After all it was her birthday.  

 She LOVES to dress up and she loves for everyone to look pretty.

 (Esther has ruined her.....she is convinced she is a princess).  

 She was elated that everyone was so "pitee" just for her. 

 She also got to have her buddy "Sah-wah" with her all weekend.

 Sissy was there too looking pretty and celebrating and even let Moo hold her flowers a bit in between 

"wedding events".  

 Maezie even had fun friends and aunties to play with at her

 "wedding birthday party".

She loved playing with Auntie Squeeze because she had on a very "pitee necklace" to play with.

 Maezie was convinced the cake was for her and of course Esther led her to believe that, and fed her like the princess that she is.

She enjoyed her wedding birthday cake very much.  :)

It was a win for everyone.  

Charlie is the one who had the honor of performing the ceremony for his nephew and his darling bride.

  I have to say I couldn't be more proud of my man for standing up there "marrying" these two.  They had a beautiful wedding and they will make a beautiful family.  

They have a lot of love and support all around them.

These are Charlie's sisters, and what is a "wedding birthday party" without Aunties?  

I love these 2 sister in laws of mine. 

They are nutty and they are MINE.  

I'm in a Panic

Today.....is a day 

I JUST WANT TO GET PREGNANT!!!!

NOW!  RIGHT NOW!

The tall socks were his own personal touch.  :)

I just sent my baby boy off to Kindergarten. 

 I only have one left at home now and I am in

 full panic mode. 

 I see the writing on the wall....only one left to go. 

 Only one companion left.  :(  

So if I ......HURRY...

I can have the "next" one walking and talking by the time Moo leaves me for the

 big school days.  

Reece was so excited. 

 He talks MORE than any kid I have ever had...let alone any kid I have EVER KNOWN.  

I am not the greatest communicator, but Reece is. 

 He does it well, and he does it OFTEN.  

This morning he was a bit excited and nervous so he was

 ON A ROLL. 

 He must have asked the teacher 100 questions in the 4 minutes that I was there dropping him off.  

He exhausts my ears and NOW....I already miss his voice. 

5 minutes after he gets home I will be annoyed...but for this teary moment I MISS my communicator.

Ps....for those of you worried about that first statement.....don't worry....by the time evening comes the "urge" will pass.

sorry Charlie.  haha

Football Brotherhood

Football brothers!

I'm so excited for these boys.
They are brothers and teammates and schoolmates.

You can never judge a person or a family or a situation by how it "looks".
 It would be shocking to people to know all the dynamics packaged in this picture.

The boys are enjoying playing on the same team.
 It is just a GIFT from God is many ways.
 To all of us.

I am so thankful to the Lord for how He perfectly arranges people and experiences for us to know Him better and to learn more about  His GRACE and His GIFTS and His LOVE.

Romans 8:28-29

English Standard Version (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

School and Wives

Charsie had her first day of school LAST week.  She is now a Junior.

  I have NO idea where the time goes.

  As ya'll know Charsie has been my "wife" for years.

 Well, she has recently discovered there is life outside this 40 acres we live on.

 Ugh!!! 

 It was bound to happen.  I wouldn't say we are divorced but I would have to say she has taken a step back from her wifely duties, almost like a wife with a career.

  She is actually like a real teenager. 

 She has a new best friend and her driver's licence and she is flapping her wings a bit.

Here's the best part of the whole thing.....you would think my heart would be broken and I wouldn't know how to manage as a wife without a wife to help me.

But God knew this day was coming and when He brought Charsie a best friend, He brought her a sister-wife of sorts.  

YAY for me!!!!

I love this girl!!! 

 She is the oldest of 4 kids and she knows how to manage groups and be calm and effective in the chaos we call home.

Sarah is a dear girl with a heart for Jesus and for people.  She knows how to handle Reece.

SCORE!!!

 AND Maezie starts chanting, "Sa-Wah, Sa-Wah, Sa-Wah" as soon as we pull into the church property.  We all know if you get Moo's stamp of approval, you are as good as gold.

I may even get to sneak away for a little visit to Montana beings I have these girls to hold the fort down!!!!

 Here are my grade school kids.

 Mik is in the 5th grade and Luke and Esther are in 6th grade.

  They were nervous and excited and ecstatic about school this year...in that order from left to right.  haha  :)

Here is who they REALLY are.

  GOOF BALLS!!!!

I was excited to get these kiddos off  to school this morning. 

 We have had a great summer, but I NEED a schedule and maybe 5 minutes to think without hearing my favorite word,

"MOM!!!!!!"

I will be ready and excited to hear the full-on "Mom" word REPEATEDLY by 3:00pm.

 As for the moment though, Reece and Moo are watching a movie, and NOBODY IS using

 that word

 and I'm enjoying it.  

Quiet, is a beautiful sound sometimes.  

It's going to be a GREAT year!!!!