"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'" ~Jeremiah 29:11-13

Monday, June 13, 2011

Dear Logan

Dear Logan,
Congratulations! You are the newest member to the BEST family anyone could ask for! You were born May 10, 2011 and are the youngest of four boys.  Your three older brothers are the most adorable and rambunctious little things I have ever seen! Matthew is the oldest of 7 years and he is such a little stinker.  He is very smart and really quick witted.  He is very caring and affectionate and he is very helpful to your mommy.  Christopher is a year and a half behind Matthew and is almost 6.  He is the polar opposite of Matthew; very laid back and reserved.  He loves to take naps and sit quietly while watching a movie or reading a book.  He may not admit it, but he loves and admires his older brother and wants to do everything he does.  Noah is a typical third born and a perfect example of the “terrible twos”.  Actually, I wouldn’t necessarily call it terrible…more like adventurous or mischievous.  He is quite a pill!  He has a lot of energy like Matthew does and he is the loudest of the three…by far! Noah holds a special little place in my heart, I think mainly because he has taken to me.  He says my name and my heart just melts.  It sounds like “Kiwi” more than Keri but he always says it with a big smile on his face. 
And you, little one, are so precious! I met you for the first time this past weekend and you are such a wonderful baby!  You sleep a lot and when I talk to you I can tell you want to smile.  Don’t worry, you will any day now.  Unlike your brothers, you are darker skinned and have a head of dark hair.  My mom tells me that I looked just like that when I was born. 
And why do I say you were born into the best family anyone could ask for? Because this family has the best sense of humor I have ever seen.  Whenever we get together we pick up right where we left off.  We relive stories and laugh uncontrollably even though it might be the 11th time we’ve heard that story.  Your mommy, Joy, has some of the best stories I have ever heard.  She puts the wonder in wonderful. When you’re old enough, ask her about the time when she rode the roller coaster, or about the time when the bra rack at Wal-mart was stuck to her coat, or when toilet paper was stuck to her shoe and she dragged it all through the store without realizing it.  Believe me, she is full of them.  And now she is the mother of four boys so I know there are plenty more to come.  Matthew told his teacher the other day that the reason his mommy had another boy was because that was all she knew how to make.  So cute!
Well, I could go on for awhile, but since a picture is worth a thousand words I am going to share a few with you. 

Monday, June 6, 2011

Trusting God

I really think that Blogger should come up with a way for people to add music to their page.  That way a certain song starts playing whenever someone reads your blog.  As far as I know, there isn't that option.  So, if you're willing, grab your bible and a cup of coffee and play this song while you read :)
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzwd6JTaXPQ

Something that has been on my mind for the past month is putting my trust in God.  It is something I've always thought of and feel like I do, but through different circumstances in my life, I have been asking myself, "Do I really trust God?" A wise friend shared with me, "You can only trust God to the point at which you know God."  I started thinking about that....what do I know about God?
So, I started making a list of things I knew about God and where in scripture He tells me that.  But as I was writing these things down I realized that I could come up with a really long list of things.  So I started pondering over these verses and I challenged myself to not move on from them until I believed them to be true with my whole heart.  It has required me to take my time and read them over and over.  I started with a short list and it has grown a little since I first started it a week ago.  It has caused me to meditate and think about it before moving on.  I love how these verses, that I've heard my whole life, have really become alive to me!  I no longer view the words "Trusting God" as an expression, but as an action.  It is something that I am learning and putting into practice. 

Here is my list so far.  I hope these verses come alive for you as much as they have for me!

What do I know about God?

-He does not lie, He does not change His mind, He always keeps His promises.  ~Numbers 23:19
-He is faithful and just.  ~1 John 1:9
-He is sovereign.  ~Psalm 103:19, Isaiah 55:8-9
-He is a caring God. ~Nahum 1:7, 1 Peter 5:7
-He is a God of peace.  ~Isaiah 26:3
-He is a God of hope.  ~Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 39:7, Psalm 62:5

"...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." ~Philippians 4:11

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."  ~Jeremiah 29:13