BST's Blog

I woke up Sunday morning and felt like I'd been hit by a bus. I have gone a long 10 days or so with no break at all. I was hoping I'd have a voice and the Lord really provided for me Sunday morning. It turned out to be a very special day at the Creek. Thomas Griffith was there at first service and Tim had people surround them during the family prayer. Thomas was beaming. I've missed his smile. Praise God for Thomas's health!!

Tim's message on Jesus breaking through any situation--even a wedding feast--was POWERFUL. I loved what he said. I tend to shy from health/wealth gospel preaching and a lot of them use that passage to go there. He didn't and I really loved what he said. I so need Jesus to break into my world too. The big and the small stuff.

After second service the girls came in and I was talking to Katherine (Wood) Miller. Katherine and I both grew up in Abilene. Her husband, Matt, and she have been at Otter for a while now and they are such a blessing to me. I was holding Ella while Katherine and I were talking and Ella was patting me. All of a sudden she stuck her hand in between the buttons on my shirt and as I was trying to get her hand out, she was struck by the humor in this as Katherine and I were both laughing. Ella proceeded to reach all the way in and pinched my nipple as hard as possible. For the love! What in the world? Anyway--it was one of those moments. I was just glad it was Katherine there and not someone else.

Last night we had another great life group meeting. I am so grateful for what God is doing in our group. He's really building something and I am blessed to be with those people.

PRAISE THE LORD for days off. Today was my first day off in about 10 days. I was thrilled to be home and with my girls. We ran some errands, got some paint for the nursery, went to Ryan and Sarah Williamson's for lunch and had a nice visit. Naps were so welcomed today. Ella slept in her old room in "Baby Sam's" crib. Ella says..."baby Saaaaaaaahm". I put Maddie in bed and almost went to sleep next to her. The room was so nice and dark. (Because I hung a huge, dark beach towel over their window to try and get them to sleep in later--to no avail.) I ended up crawling into Ella's bed and slept for 2 hours...in the dark...with the fan blowing perfectly volumed "white noise". Ahhhh! I can't tell you how long it's been since I napped like that.

I love being with Sheryl and the girls. I love hearing them laugh. I love hearing Sheryl singing around the house (can you even imagine? It is to die for). I love it when the girls ask me to "get them"--meaning tickle or chase. The "tickle fox" is one of their favorite ways for me to "get" them. I love night time kisses and hugs before bed. I love the smell of their hair after it's been washed. I love that Ella has gone pee-pee and poo-poo in the potty all day long. PRAISE GOD! I love that Sheryl is to that place in her pregnancy where we can see the alien in there moving around with legs and arms and who knows what else. I look at my life and think how blessed I am. Thank you, Lord, for giving me what I did not deserve. What a blessing!

PS: 2 things.
1. Does anyone watch 24? We don't much. I was struck tonight at how completely ridiculous it would be to live that life. The premise of the show is that the entire season is a day and each episode is one hour in that day. Can you imagine if every hour of your day were as stressful and dramatic as Jack what's-his-name's? Oh wait. I'm in ministry. Never mind.

2. Regarding Day's of Elijah--hilarious how that became the major blog commenting thing. Everyone read the link that Katherine provided. That's what I always think about when we sing that song--people think waaaaaay too literally when it comes to music and art. The imagery of what he's saying is so great. And...the issue people have had with it isn't really the bridge itself. I should have clarified (although the 10 Commandments thing was PERFECT). The issue has been more grammatical. They want us to sing "There's no God BUT Jehovah" instead of "like". Literalists. Love em.