Music that moves me!

I think my friend Sarah and I are a lot alike. I have been meaning to post on a worship song that has truly touched my heart lately but I just haven't gotten around to doing so. Well, I was reading Sarah's blog this week and her latest post was titled "music that moves me!" She asks at the end of her post--"What music moves you?" It was the kick I needed to type in the words of this song. The song that moves me most right now is I Will Lift My Eyes by Bebo Norman. The words are:

God, my God, I cry out, Your beloved needs You now
God, be near. Calm my fear and take my doubt
Your kindness is what pulls me up. Your love is all that draws in

I will lift my eyes to the Maker of the mountains I can't climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

God, my God, let mercy sing
her melody over me
and God, right here all I bring
is all of me
Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in


I will lift my eyes to the Maker
of the mountains I can't climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You


'Cause You are and You were and You will be forever
the Lover I need to save me
'Cause You fashioned the earth and You hold it together, God
so hold me now

I will lift my eyes to the Maker
of the mountains I can't climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
of the hurt I hold inside
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

God, my God, I cry out
Your beloved needs You now

I believe that God speaks to us though music. I don't think I ever have a Sunday morning when I am not moved to tears by a song or two. I think when I am singing to God, although I am singing, I am truly quiet and focused enough to listen to what God wants me to hear.

Back to School!!!

As you can see by my background change, we are getting ready to go back to school. Nicholas and Caroline start back on Monday. They are both SO, SO EXCITED!!!! Nicholas will have the same teacher as last year (whom we love) but she is now Mrs. Johnson and not Miss Clark!! For the first week Caroline will be in the red group of "camp c" with Mrs. Miller. The first week of first grade, the kids will actually have all 3 first grade teachers for different activities. They teachers are getting to know the kids and at the end of the week the classes will be assigned. This helps the teachers put each child in the perfect environment for them to learn. So I will get back with you on who Caroline's teacher will be.......

Our Visit to Grammy & PaPa's

Last March, we had took a long vacation to see Nick's brother Martin get married in Florida, and we swung by to hang with Mickey & Shamu for a few days (see earlier posts). We put the finishing touches on an unforgettable trip by visiting Grammy & Papa in St. Marys, Georgia. While there, we got some extra special time to visit with Karen's brother Stan and his wife Adrienne (along with our niece Olivia and nephew Benjamin), and Karen's sister Theresa (and nephews Logan and Ethan).

I loved getting to ride PaPa's new scooter around the neighborhood, though it fueled an unhealthy "want" in my life, but my absolute most favorite part was getting to see our kids play with Olivia, Benjamin, Logan, and Ethan (this rarely gets to happen)! Please enjoy this slide show of our escapade in St. Marys...We love you all!

Sprinkler Fun in the Backyard...

We had neighbors (and Caroline's best friend) Jordan & Christian Hall over for a play date while their mom and dad caught a movie. After some inside-fun, the kids headed to the backyard for some good ol' fashioned fun in the sprinkler! Hours of entertainment for a slight increase in our water bill...We'll take it! Even Otis & Lexi got in on the act, though not very much. They just like to lick the water off of others, and not get in it themselves!

Happy Birthday America!

Our beautiful country turned 233 years old this year, and we celebrated in our usual fashion - LOTS OF FIREWORKS! A family tradition is to attend the fireworks at Bellevue Baptist every year, and this year we made a big deal out of it...almost our whole small group from our church joined us! AWESOME!

We are truly fireworks junkies, except for the local ones in our neighborhood...those guys are going to put someone's eye out. In past years, we've caught the fireworks at Shelby Farms (near our home in Cordova), in Bartlett (neighboring 'burb), every year in Germantown (I played with a concert band that is featured there every year), and Bellevue. This year, Shelby Farms didn't do them (money cutbacks), but we added the Collierville fireworks from the lawn of good friends David & Sheri English who are also members of our small group. Great great fun!

Here's a slide show of family and friends, but interesting no fireworks! Normally, I snap almost every kaboom, but this year, I simply laid back and enjoyed them immensely...with every explosion, I think about those that are on guard and alert protecting our country here and abroad, and those that are finally catching some rest before their next shift. I think about conducting the Mighty Sound of the South in our National Anthem on the first game after 9/11, and it brings me to tears still today. Gosh I love fireworks...

What I've been learning! AGAIN!!!

It all started with a quote that was on my friend Sarah's blog. The quote comes from Louie Giglio: "We haven't seen all that we want to from God in our lifetime. But we have seen enough to know we can trust him forever." When I read this several weeks ago it really spoke to me and I had to write it down. It has been on my desk for weeks and I have read it on a daily basis for more than a month now. It speaks to me because trusting God is one area I struggle with often. I have no problem trusting Him for others but when it comes to me personally or situations that I am dealing with, I struggle! I know it all comes back to control! I want to be in control, I want to know what is happening next, I want to clearly see the path I am walking on-- I don't like change and I don't like the unknown. Well, not long after I found this quote Rayden preached on Matthew 8-- and my heart cried out yet again! Jesus was in Capernaum and the centurion approached him about healing his servant. The centurion had such great faith!! Jesus told him simply because he believed it would be done!! In this same chapter Jesus calms the storm asking his disciples "you of little faith, why are you afraid?" Jesus then stood up and calmed the wind and the waves--the Bible says it was completely calm. In the days and weeks that have followed, I am asking myself daily-- Can I simply believe? Can I simply keep my eyes on Jesus and not on any storm (or circumstance) that surround me. My type-A personality self is working on letting go and allowing God to fully be in control, without my help!! I'm trying, really really trying.......

So Funny....

Caroline and I were driving somewhere about a week or so ago and we had a very funny conversation. It went like this:

"Mom, I don't ever want to grow up"
"Well, why not?" I ask, curious
"Because I am SO cute right now!!!!"
I am cracking up at this point. So then I say "Do you think you're not cute when you get older, like mommy?" She thinks about this for a few minutes then she says "Well, you have cute hair!!" Isn't that so funny? I don't think Caroline has a self-esteem issue!!

Our Becca is ENGAGED!!!!!

On June 22 our sweet Becca got engaged on a mountain in NC! (I think Aaron was trying to earn brownie points with Nick by proposing in NC). We are soooo, soooo, excited for Becca and are looking forward to her July 17th, 2010 wedding.

Nicholas' Baseball Season

Nicholas played baseball again this season, also again with the Trinity Cardinals from Trinity Baptist Church. Nicholas got to pitch again in a few games, and also spent some time at 3rd base, short-stop, and 2nd base. He had a great year at the plate, really becoming a solid, contact-hitter.












His fielding was much stronger this year as well, and he made several putouts.












His strongest development this year was by far his pitching. He had some rough innings, but one start in particular was tremendous. He started to refine his 4-seam fastball, and added a two-seam fastball and a basic curve ball this year.
























Check out this short movie of stealing third & home, and a strikeout. He had an awesome "Greg Maddux style" catch of a hot-shot liner right up the middle in this game, but I can't find it on video at the moment. It was truly AWESOME!

Go Nicholas!