And Now My Lifesong Sings...

Jase and I just got back from 2 days in Springfield. We are emotionally drained.
His Uncle Tom's visitation and funeral was just a really memorable time if that can be said. He was an amazing husband, father, brother, son, friend, co-worker, VP of bank. How many people show up to your wake and shed tears is a sign of how loved you were and missed you will be.
The people just kept coming to show their support and it was just awesome to hear all the great memories we all have of him. Last night, us nieces and nephews (that were adults) left to go check in to our hotel and eat supper as the visitation was going longer. We enjoyed a nice meal at O'Charleys and had alot of fun relaxing and telling stories. My parents kept the kids (thank you, thank you Mom....you are the best of the best...and I don't know what we'd do without you!) so even with the circumstances, Jason and I enjoyed some "us time". We don't have TV here at home, so we always enjoy watching the good stuff at the hotels ;) The breakfast this morning was amazing as was the coffee and selection of creamers!!!! I was sooooooo excited ;)

Today was a good mixture of laughter and tears as we reminiced (sp?) about Unlce Tom and what a great guy he was. Jase got chosen to read scripture so that was an honor for him. Tom was buried in the same cemetary as Lincoln so that was pretty neat too to make that drive past the war memorials and Lincoln Monument. Please keep his wife Debbie and their kids: Cameron, Kaitlyn, and Jacob in your prayers.

On the way home Jase and I talked about what we would want said at our funerals, what music we want played....you know, all the stuff you don't really want to talk about, but it needs to be done. Life has just really been put in perspective the last week. We are holding each other a little bit tighter and longer these days......and when our life here is done, what is it that people will say about us? What kind of legacy did we leave? How many lives did we touch? How much of the Gospel did we share? How well did we love and forgive? How evident was it Who we lived for? Who did our lifesong sing of?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUQib4RTan8

Love n Hugs...Laura

Monkey Business

Well....Gabe continues his daily activities of keeping me busy.
Tonite he kept climbing and hanging on the back of Ellie's swing...and I of course, kept
disciplining and saying no, you will break it. He listened finally...then awhile later he came
back again. This time, he had climbed onto the side of the swing, his rear was sitting on the back of her swing and hanging on the rail, his legs wrapped around the rail, and swinging back and forth....just like a monkey. I just wish I had the camera (it was in Jason's car and he was gone). He tried to sit very still but the weight of his body kept moving the swing and he would give a scared yelp as it moved then it would still...then the same thing again....I had to laugh so hard before I finally rescued him....his eyes were big as saucers and guess what?!?!?! He didn't climb or hang on it again tonite!

Much to my dismay, Gabe figured out how to hang on the entertainment center wooden door and swing back and forth today also.......I don't think it will handle many more of those happenings! It's a great piece of furniture but NOT that great!

He got himself stuck in Ellie's walker the other day....once again, I couldn't find the camera...but the kid was very traumitized!!

He has been a big tease to Ellie lately...He will take whatever he is eating for snack and set it in front of her, watch her, then grab it back.

He loves to say Wow! at very appropriate times....the other day we had a train of 39 motorcycles come past our house....he was wowed!

He pulled my curling iron out of the drawer today and acted like he was doing his hair....ha ha!

He figured out how to open the refridgerator door....uh oh.......

He had gotten into the cupboard with the box of garbage bags and pulled them out everywhere. I disciplined him and went on my way. A little later he came to me, took my hand, and led me to his bedroom. He had gotten the box of bags again and pulled them out onto his floor. He shook his finger at the box and said No! No! I just had to laugh....I've only realized lately how much I actually shake my finger ;)

Thru the Cycles

Guess I forgot to check all the jean pockets as I found a dollar bill in the washing machine this morning. It had made it thru in one piece....was very clean lookin'......and Washington was still halfway smiling and sitting tall. It made me think:

As we go thru all the purifying processes with the Lord in being made "white as snow"...do we still come out halfway smiling? Are we still sitting or standing tall? I look back at my life and many times I almost didn't make it thru the cycles. I almost slumped lower instead of focusing in on Jesus and standing up taller. Many times I haven't always come out smiling....But always, God has been faithful. Always His hand has guided me. Always His grace has been sufficient. And always, I have made it thru. It's all because of Jesus I'm alive. And because I'm alive...my empty hands are held high...and I'm letting my lifesong sing to Him. I will still mess up alot, may slump at times, and won't always have the brightest smile...but I'm not afraid of the cycles...for in Jesus, I will be washed as white as snow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaia32TsPq0

Love n Hugs...Laura

Motherhood

"I think that motherhood is the highest calling. All women are not mothers, but I believe every woman is called to mother, to nurture life, to call forth life in others. Mothering is a hidden life. You sometimes feel like life is passing you by when you lay aside your career, your education and your personal desires for what feels like an eternity. And sometimes those things never get raised up again. When I was in my 30s, I called it the "wiping decade" because I was always wiping something: tears, bottoms, runny noses, countertops. I felt like a walking napkin. But Jesus said to be the greatest is to be the servant of all. God does his best work in hiddenness. And when you encourage and love your children, it tells them they are so valuable. They are worth it. And you are doing it millions of times over again with all of the choices you make every day. "Read me a book, Mom." And you read your son a book when you wanted to go soak in the tub. Now, your kids probably won't recognize it until they are 30 years old, which is incredibly hard, too. Motherhood is a life of sacrifice given in the service of others. There is incredible value in laying yourself aside for a season as you nurture your child's life. Someone once told me when my kids were little that these are the longest days and the shortest years. At the moment, they were just the longest days. But now they feel like the shortest years. "

~Stasi Eldredge

To All the Mamas

To All the Mamas…

“I have heard it said that having a child is like having your heart walk around outside your body. How a mother aches to protect her child. And yet all the while, from infancy to adulthood, a good mother is training her child to move ever more away from her, to need her less and less. Mothers love and long for their children. Their hearts ache for them, over them. A woman bleeds when she gives birth, but that is only the beginning of the bleeding. A heart enlarged by all a mother endures with and through her child’s life, all a mother prays and works and hopes for on her child’s behalf bleeds too.

While our hearts drink deeply and rest in God’s good heart, he “mothers” us so that we continue to become ever more truly who he intends us and created us to be--the women we truly are. A woman who partners with God in bringing forth life in this damaged world---offering, loving, inviting others to become who they were meant to be---she is a mother indeed. She---like God---offers freedom and life.”
~Captivating--By John and Stasi Eldredge

May you be blessed today knowing you are so very beautiful…and a precious mama!
Love ya…Laura

Ground Beef Turnovers

Measure
Ingredient
4 cup
Flour
1 tablespoon
Sugar
2 teaspoon
Salt
1¾ cup
Shortening
½ cup
Ice water
1
Egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon
Vinegar
2 pounds
Lean ground beef, uncooked
1 cup
Diced carrots
2 medium
Potatoes cut in 1/4" cubes
1 medium
Onion, chopped
1 teaspoon
To 2 t. Salt
¼ teaspoon
Pepper
Half-and-half cream,optional

FILLING In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the water, egg and vinegar; mix well. Add to shortening mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly with a fork until mixture forms a ball. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the first 6 filling ingredients. Divide pastry into 15 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion into a 6 1/2" circle. Mound a heaping 1/3 cup filling on half of circle. Moisten edges with water; fold dough over filling and press edges with a fork to seal. Transfer to a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling. Cut 3 slits in the top of each turnover; brush with cream. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender and crust is golden brown. Country Woman magazine, Sept/Oct 1995. Recipe by Wendy Tomlinson. Typos by Sandi Cutright, 11-95.

Please Pray

Jason's uncle passed away very suddenly tonite. He left behind a wife and 3 young
children....please pray for the family that they would truly know the love and peace
of God thru this time.