Wedding Pictures!

These Pictures are for my dear friends who don't have Facebook and have been begging me to send them some to look at! I don't have many more than this as my photographer is still working on editing the rest! 

My Main Shot from my Bridal Session 3 weeks before the wedding

My Beautiful Bridesmaids! 

Mom giving me my last kiss as her unmarried daughter

Daddy giving me my last kiss as his unmarried daughter

The Groom and Bridesmaids! My photographer Brandie does a lot of cool effect pics like this! She was wonderful!

The Guys All Chillin'!

My Cake!

All smiles!

Building on The Foundation

Building on The Foundation is a devotional from my devotion book "Diamonds in the Dust" By Joni Eareckson Tada & really spoke to my heart. So think about it and search your heart. Are you building your life on the One true foundation that will last forever?


"1st Corinthians 3:10-15
"But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw. . . It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If he what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss.

Many years ago our old barn down by the creek was burned up in a roaring blaze that could be seen for miles. My father, who at that time was seventy-two years old, shuffled through the smoldering ash and rubble several days later. He overturned charred objects with a kick of his toe, searching for anything he might be able to salvage from the antique tools he had saved over the years. His only compensation was the barns foundation. Although everything else had been consumed, the foundation had withstood the fiery test.

I think of that story every time I read 1st Corinthians 3:10-15. Oh, how grateful I am that the foundation of my life is the Lord Jesus. No fiery trial, not even the fire of Judgement Day, will destroy the solid Rock on which I build my life.

What I build on that foundation, however, will be put to the test. Wood, hay and straw will be consumed in a flash; that is, the work I've done for selfish gain or out of pride. But when I build on the foundation work that is inspired by the Spirit, work done with a pure motive and with an eye to God's glory, I have confidence that it will last for all eternity.

Father, help me to lay up my treasures in heaven, the kind that are made of gold, sliver and costly stones. Make my life Golden with Patience. May my character Glow with the precious gems of Faith refined. Build in me, dear Lord, things that will last forever."

-April 24th, Building on the Foundation from "Diamonds in the Dust" by Joni Eareckson Tada

Finding True Happiness

True Happiness. Define it. Can you?
Have you experienced or are you experiencing true happiness in your life?

John Piper's book "Desiring God" is all about being happy IN God. Here is what he says about the book,

"(This book is) all about happiness, because that is what our Creator commands of us!"

"Delight yourself in the Lord" Psalm 37:4 Does that sound like a question? No! The psalmist commands us, saying "Delight yourself in the LORD!" Then he goes on to say, " and He shall give you the desires of your heart." Unfortunately most people misinterpret this by thinking "Wow God is going to give me whatever my heart desires! The mistake was in not adding the next verse. "Commit your way unto the Lord, Trust also in Him and He will bring it to pass." Psalm 37:5

What is he going to bring to pass? Well, if we are Committing our way to the Lord and trusting in Him, then we will Delight in Desiring His will for our lives! So when He brings His will to pass, He is also fulfilling the desire of our heart!

Sadly enough, most of the time in our society today people are constantly trying to fill their life with the earthly things that may bring pleasure for a moment, but tomorrow will mean nothing.

Blaise Pascal wrote this,

" All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves."
-from Pascal's Pensees, trans. W.F. Trotter (New York: E.P.Dutton, 1958),

He truly understood how earnestly men seek for Happiness, even some who are so miserable and they have tried everything but seeking the Lord, that they decide to end their lives.

I think C.S. Lewis made an astute observation on man and his longing for happiness. He remarked that,

"There once was in man a true happiness of which now remains to him only the mark and empty trace, which he in vain tries to fill from all his surroundings,seeking from things absent the help he does not obtain in things present. But these are all inadequate, because the infinite abyss can only be filled by an infinite and immutable object, that is to say, only by God Himself. "
-C.S. Lewis


There are so many things we try and fill our lives with that just aren't eternally gratifying to our souls that are searching for true happiness! The only True Happiness that comes from God!

So, where are you searching for your happiness?

Home Educators Capitol Day

On Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 With many other homeschooling families.

We are not sure quite yet the estimate number of people who attended but the last registered count on Monday was over 1,200!

It was good to see our Representative and Senator, and we went into the House of Representatives while they were in session, and they recognized the Homeschoolers, and the young people who were participating in the Future Statesmen program. The place was so packed that there was standing room only, and there was a constant flow of people coming in and out! It was a great time to be there and encourage our leaders to support homeschooling!

As we were getting on one of the elevators, a gentleman who we believe was either a Representative or Senator, asked our family if we were home-schoolers. We told him that we were, and he said that he believed in Homeschooling, and supports it, and said that he thinks it is great, because statistics are showing that home-schoolers, are better educated, more sociable and better prepared for living and working in society! So that was a great part of our trip!

It was also great because we were able to see quite a few of our home-schooling friends that we only get to see at Convention! So our day was very blessed!

If you have never participated in a Home Educators Capitol Day, I encourage you to attend! It is vitally important for us as home -schoolers to visit with our Representatives and Senators and let them know how important it is for them to continue fighting to maintain our freedom to home-school. But it is important to visit other days not only on Capitol day!

Lovely Winter Weather

Some of our our lovely Winter weather here in Lone Oak! Oklahoma is a beautiful place to be!




















It is still pretty cold, though thankfully most of the ice has melted. We were very blessed to not lose power through the whole storm!

Family

Today was a great day! I greatly enjoy the time I am blessed to spend with my family! :-)
After a wonderful worship service this morning, I watched "The Ultimate Gift" with Evan
and Joel. If you haven't watched the movie, I highly recommend it! Here is a little tid-bit about it

When his wealthy grandfather dies, trust fund baby Jason Stevens anticipates a big inheritance. Instead, his grandfather has devised a crash course on life with twelve tasks – or “gifts” – designed to challenge Jason in improbable ways, sending him on a journey of self-discovery and forcing him to determine what is most important in life: money or happiness

Be prepared! I cried! But it is so touching! So after a lot of laughs and a few tears, Joshua and I made cookies to send to Nathan & his new room-mates at College Plus! We had actually made
some last week and intended to save some to send, but since the winter storm hit, we ended
up eating them all! We are all missing him, but are doing well and it is nice to get to talk to him occasionally!

We had to call off church due to some more threatening winter weather coming in, so we finished our evening off with a very powerful sermon on " The Revelation of Jesus Christ" From a guest speaker at Jerry Falwell's church.

Now to end this glorious day with a verse the Lord placed on my heart!

James 1:17
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. ESV

So Blessed!

1st Corinthians 15:10

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me

This is an absolutely Amazing verse that was from the Chapter Dad used for his sermon today. It really spoke to me, because truly, if it were not for God's grace in my life, I would not be the person I am today. Yet still it is not me, but Christ In me!