For C-Man!

So, I was reminded today that I haven't posted in a while....Do you hear me sighing? I don't mean to sigh, but I'm sighing none the less. I love writing, really, I do, and it's not that I don't have anything to say, just not enough time to get it out. And that in itself causes me to do the sighing.

Life here has been crazy the past few months. We've been on vacation, gotten both kids back in the school swing, have completed a whole season of Carlisle JV soccer, almost completed a whole season of travel soccer, had a daughter who got perfect scores on her SOL's, I've already completed 2 classes this fall, been to a BYOP party and we are now in the process of painting part of our house. Crazy, I told you! Are you tired yet?

But more than that, I've been in a different kind of place. I don't know if it's because I just had a birthday (and it was a great one, thank you very much!), but God is doing such a work in me right now that it's really hard to put into words. And right now, I don't think that I'm supposed too. I think for this time and place that I'm in now, it's a time for ponderings and time for me to let it saturate, soak, and change me on the inside before I can share it with the outside. I'll let you know when that happens....

However, I'll try to get you updated on a more regular basis!

Do you know what I just realized? I turned 36 yesterday. That in itself is uneventful ~ but it does mean that I've now been out of my parents home for the same amount of time that I was there -- 18 years! Just another one of those things for me to ponder! My brain is getting really crowded. :-)

C-Man - this one's just for you. I love ya!

Blessings!
Joy

Happy Birthday!

Well, this is it. The day that Joel has been anticipating and I have been dreading! My wonderful boy, my son, turns thirteen years old today. It's hardly possible to think about, but it's here and I have no choice but to put on a happy face and not dwell on the fact that he is no longer my baby boy, but now a young man.

In September of 1993, Joel was nothing but a grain of faith. He was a dream, a longing of this mother's heart, promised to me by God through our Pastor at the time, Tim Hill. Two months later, he was being formed and created, and he was faith realized. Seven months after that, in June of 1994, my son became my dream come true. At that moment, holding a 3 lb, 14 oz little boy, my world took on a different dimension, and if I never accomplished anything else in life, I know that I had fulfilled my greatest purpose.

Only God knew the path he carved out for us and for Joel, and only He has been able to help us with each and every aspect of his life, from his premature birth, to some of the difficulties that came along with it. And it is only every other minute or so that I realize how truly great He is.

I am not one of those mother's who thinks her child can do no wrong....I know he can, and he does. I know that there are still many, many things for him to learn about the choices he makes and how they will affect the rest of his life. However, I also know what kind of person he is at the core of himself. He has a drive and determination that can't be described. He is a pleaser and would go out of his way to make sure that you are pleased with him. He wants to help, and he wants to give. He brings joy to us, and to those around him. He is so different from me in that he is just a friend magnet. He meets new ones everywhere he goes and thrives being surrounded by people.

It has been so pleasing to watch as certain loves in his life are coming forth. He absolutely loves to fish...well, that's in his genes....from his grandfathers. There are other things that he loves, too, and they would seem to come from loves that are handed down from generation to generation. He is competitive and loves to win, and when his team looses, he takes the loss personally, on his shoulders and bears the weight of it. It is troubling sometimes to watch, but also very revealing about his character. He is the first to help someone up, pick-up something a stranger has dropped for them, or hold the door open for a stranger....and he is also the one who will hold the door shut for a friend to bring a laugh. He tries to lie, but he can't. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

I have so many hopes and dreams for him and his future, however, I know that they are nothing compared to the plans and will of our Father for his life. From the time he was born, he has been favored by God. His hand upon his life has been so evident through these past 13 years, sometimes invisible to anyone but us, and other times visible by many(baseball Allstars, baby!). It is with much joy and anticipation that I look forward to watching him become the young man I know he will. I pray for so many things for him, but I also am praying that God helps me be the Mom to him that he needs, to help guide and steer him in the right directions, to help him when he stumbles, and to help him know that he is always loved unconditionally, not only by God, but by his parents, too, because that's the way that Jesus loves us....unconditionally.

So, if you happen to see my blue-eyed, blond haired young man this week, give him a hug and tell him Happy Birthday, then say a silent prayer for his teenage years. And when you've done that, say a silent prayer for his mom, she will probably need it more than him!

On Seeking God

I thought I would share the devotion I am meditating on this week. It comes from my "Busy Mom's Guide to Wisdom" journal by Lisa Whelchel. In this book, you are given a different proverb each week, and a short insight to pray and think over during the week. Here's where I'm at:

You have to want to KNOW God

more than anything else in the

world. Worship Him and actually

look for Him, and you WILL find Him.

Proverbs 2:4-5, paraphrased.

"If I offered you a parenting book that had all the answers you've ever wanted regarding how to raise the healthiest, happiest, and godliest children ever, would you devour that book, or would you leave it on the nightstand for days on end without picking it up? What if I gave you a map and told you that all you had to do was follow the directions on the map, grab a shovel, and dig deep, then you would surely find untold wealth; what would you do? I doubt you'd be too busy or think the map was too old to pay attention to or decide it wasn't worth the time and energy necessary to dig for it. And yet, too often, that's how we respond to the offer to know God and to find the wealth of wisdom He promises. Do we not think the opportunity to personally know the Creator of the universe is worth a little effort? I would think that having infinite wisdom available to us would be pretty valuable. You do too? Great -- then pick up the nearest Bible and dig. There's treasure just waiting to be found."

There is something just so exciting about scripture coming alive to me. I still marvel at how I can be feeling a certain way, or needing reassurances, and open the Word and start reading and the words just leap off of the page to my heart, giving me that calm reassurance that I need to keep on going. And I am at the place in my life where I just want to know Him more than anything. I want Him, and His knowledge, and His ways, because I've tried it on my own, and Lord knows that my ways only work for a little while. But His ways and thoughts are so much higher than mine. So in my meditating this week, I am praying and planning how I can get more of Him. It may sound weird to say I'm planning to get more of God, but I have found that in my crazy, busy, schedule jam-packed filled life, if I don't plan to spend time with God, I miss out on that special time with Him.

So I'm worshipping, and looking for Him. The best part of all is that He is just waiting to be found.

Joy

A diamond in the dirt

The past few weeks, our lives have seemingly been overtaken by a diamond in the dirt. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, it's a baseball diamond. You know...that square patch of dirt with white boxes in each corner...where everyone from children to grown men spend countless amounts of time trying to hit a little ball with a stick and run from points A to B to C to make getting to D count. This spring, both of my children signed up to play, and on one hand it's been very rewarding and on the other it has proven to be a very frustrating experience.

Greg. loves. baseball. It's his sport, his thing. It's what he spent the majority of his youth involved in. Whether he played for the local pony league, for Hargrave, or for the Martinsville Oilers, he loved to play. It's a game he knows, and stepping back into baseball after being gone from it for so long has been a seamless transition for him. His heart is overflowing once again with love for the game and all of this baseball has taken him back to the glory of his youth. (Lord, help me!)

However, for one young son who has spent uncountable hours practicing, playing, and perfecting the game of soccer, the move to baseball has not been so easy. We're learning so much through this, and believe you me....it's not always been an enjoyable experience. Going from a team where you are a leader and anchor to playing on a team where you just want to get off the bench has been a humbling experience for my soon to be teenager. Joel has learned that the game is not quite as easy as it looks. It has taken many, many weeks, and much practice and last night he finally came home triumphant because he got a hit! Too bad this was only practice....if he ever does it in a game, he just might get so excited he won't make it around the bases. Not only is the hitting hard to get used to, but the pace of the game is really different as well. So as much as I don't like the everyday practices, two and a half hour games, frustrations and "discussions", it has already ended up being a good learning experience for him. And we're finding so many teaching opportunities in it.


Julia loves her girls softball team. She likes it so much better than soccer. It's non-contact (for the most part). It doesn't require too much running, and it doesn't seem to interfere with the other things she loves to do. We'll see how she does.


For me, baseball is an opportunity to just sit back and relax while watching my children play. It doesn't involve the same amount of emotion and adrenaline as soccer. It's something that I played, so I can get out and play with them, and it's one more thing that we can spend time doing together.


And isn't that the point of it all, anyway?


Blessings!

Overwhelming

Dear Father in heaven,

-- hear the song of my heart today --

The more I seek You--

the more I find You--

the more I find You--

the more I love You--

I want to sit at your feet

drink from the cup in Your hand

lay back against you and breath

feel Your heartbeat

this love is so deep

it's more than I can stand

I melt in Your peace

it's overwhelming

Update on Life

It's been awhile, and during that time, my life has went from one extreme to another.

The first extreme was sheer joy that I finished my classes for the semester so I can get some much needed things done around my house. Even with a three day extension on one class, I didn't know if I was going to make it or not! So Wednesday evening when I finished my last test, I was so praising the Lord that I'm sure the Angels joined in my Hallelujah chorus. :-) I am so looking forward to the summer off. After a year and a half of non-stop full time college and work and home, I almost can't contain the excitement. I have so many things to catch up on and do that the list may seem endless, but it's one that I tackle with excitement. And hopefully, this break will give me the energy I need to finish up in the fall. The the real party will begin.

This extreme feeling for happiness was immediately followed the next day by extreme sorrow as Greg called to tell me his Grandmother Gladys had passed away. This threw me into several days of being contantly on the go and not one moment to myself (more on this another day). I know that the only way I made it through some of those moments is that God literally come and moved my feet. He is so good to me that words fail to describe how much He truly means to me.

So, this has been a crazy time, but really, when is my life not crazy!

Blessings!

A Legacy of Friendship

I have been working on this post for the past two weeks. That's how long it's been since Ms. Dot went to be with Jesus. I know that she is in a much better place, with no pain or sorrow. She's with her mom again (whom she took so much care of) and I wouldn't want her back in this world for anything. However, that doesn't take the sting out of the loss that we here left behind feel. Thank you so much for praying for her and her church. God truly has shown himself strong during this time.

Dot was one of my mother's best friends. I don't remember when they met for the first time. I don't know if it was sisterhood at first meeting, but I do know that it was God appointed. I can't remember anything big that ever happened in my life that she wasn't there for in some way, shape, or form. I guess after her two boys were grown and gone, she just kept right on going with my brother and I.

The thing that she has left with me, and the word that rolls around in my mind when I hear her name is Legacy. In particular, the legacy of friendship. I know of no other friendship that I have had the honor of witnessing that has taught me more than the friendship of my mother and Dot.

Several months ago, I taught a lesson about girlfriends and the gift that they are from God, using examples of Mary and Elizabeth, Ruth and Naomi, and the soul friendship of Jonathan and David. Not everyday friendships, but God designed friendships. The examples and the lessons that we learn in the Word from their lives is easily reflected in the lives of my Mom and Mrs. Dot. I always remember them together, and what I have learned during the past few weeks is that not only was their friendship witnessed by me, it was witnessed by people from the rest of the state of Virginia. I saw many who not only came to the viewing/funeral to offer comfort and support to her husband and family, but after they spoke to them, they moved on and sought out my mother to offer her support and comfort as well, knowing that she, too, had lost someone very special.

I remember traveling with Dot, and shopping with Dot. I remember trying to stay awake so I could hear the adult conversations that I probably didn't need to between my parents and the Collins. There were serious conversations about God, the Church and winning the lost, about boating and fishing between my Dad and Pastor Bobby, but the conversations between my Mom and Mrs. Dot were about family and people and shopping and support for ministry. There were conversations about hair styles and fashion colors and a shared love of animal print. I remember the way they used to play cards and try and send signals to each other. I remember that they always saved each other a seat. But more than anything, I can still hear in my mind the mischievous way that Dot would say "Now, Janice" and her deep laugh when they were being just ever so naughty.

During this past year, God has illuminated for me some friendships that I have that are much like these. These friendships have become special treasures to me. My prayer is that my daughter will grow up with the same examples of God-given friendships that I had the privilege to witness and aspire to. And may I recognize the special gift that they are now, while on earth, so that I can enjoy them, and nurture them and take care of them so when the storms of life do come my way, I will have some people there to lean on and help carry me through the storm.

My mother has some other very special friends, and I am so thankful that she has those to lean on during this time. I imagine now that she has lost this special treasure, it will enable her to hold more closely the treasures she still has in her possession. What a gift!

So Mrs. Dot, dance with Jesus for me until I get there and it's my turn.

A big building

Julia came home from school the other day devastated. She was upset because she had a bad day at school. I asked her what was wrong and she said this boy told everyone that she liked him.

I said, "Julia, did you tell him that you liked him?"

She said, "No, mommy. I did not!! He's a big tall building with feet!!"

Then I lost it! :-)

Thank you Lord for the joy my children bring me!

Please Pray

This post is to ask you to pray for a very special Lady, Mrs. Dot.

When I think of Mrs. Dot, I think of a true lady. One you don't see very often these days. Someone I aspire to be like. In everything she does, whether in her home, when she was the director of the daycare, or out somewhere else, she always carries herself with dignity and class, confident in her relationship with God and her place in His kingdom.

I cannot ever remember a time that I didn't know Rev. Bobby and Dot Collins. See, they some of my parents very best friends, so they have always been apart of our extended family. There wasn't a trip to the coast or a time that they came to the mountains we weren't together. Nor do I ever remember a Church of God General Assembly without them.

There is so much I love about this couple. Their contagious joy, the friendship they have so lovingly given to my parents and our family, but more than that, I love the work they have done for the Kingdom of God. They started a new church ministry in a side room of their home with 18 people. Today, that congregation has grown to one of the biggest in our state. You can check out their church at www.wowcenter.org. But their ministry does not end there, it is only the beginning because their ministry has extended to many different countries in their support of World Missions and the love they have for all God's people. It is awesome and inspiring to see what God has done through their lives, and I feel so honored and privileged to know them both.

Mrs. Dot has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's and is not doing so well these days. I ask that you pray especially for her and Rev. Bobby. Pray for the ones helping to take care of her, for their family, the Doctors providing her care, and their church family. Pray for a mighty touch of the Savior's hand.

I love you Mrs. Dot!

Joy

Girls gone wild!!!

Well, no, not really, but for us four gals, it was about as close as it gets!!

God is so good to me! He allowed me to take a few days and go to the mountains with my four best gals. We would like to thank Greg, Chad, Troy and John for allowing us to be gone, for taking care of the kids (thank you especially, Chad - even IF Savannah was run over by a 4-wheeler!!!!), for making sure you all were fed, and keeping our homes standing while we were gone. We appreciate that you made the sacrifice for us.

But we know why you did. See we know, that you know, that if you allow us our little trips like this, we always come back better than ever. Refreshed and recharged to take better care of all of those things we left in your hands. So thank you again. And while we're at it, we would also like to thank Joel, Julia, Christian, Savannah, Hunter and Easton for allowing their mommies to have a few days off from mommy duty (well, not really, but physically).

We had such a great time! Holly and Tasha had never been to Gatlinburg - I couldn't believe that, but then I discovered during our little trip that Tasha has not been to a lot of places. She experienced her very first time to Cracker Barrel as well. Can you imagine living in the south and not having been to a Cracker Barrel?? Well, we took care of that right off the bat!

We have a wonderful chalet up above Gatlinburg almost to the Ober Gatlinburg Ski resort. The hill to get to our cabin was so steep, that I had to drive the Expedition up the STEEP mountain, pull into another cabin's driveway and turn around so I could get going in the right direction to get up our hill because I could not turn the big ol' vehicle up the driveway!! That was not so fun in the dark, let me tell you. The name of our Chalet was Quiet Times, and we loved it. Here's a picture of it sitting up on the side of the mountain.

It was so comforting to see evidence that the owner of the Chalet loved the Lord when we got there. Through a book on the table and pictures on the wall, we knew we were in the right place.

We got some shopping done, drank some mocha's, watched a few movies, enjoyed the hot tub, went to the very top of the mountains, ate at some great places (see Holly's chicken pot pie? it was the biggest one I had ever seen in my life!), conquered some fears, got to know each other so much better, laughed like crazy, and spent some awesome time with the King of Kings.

It was such a sweet, sweet time, and I am so thankful that the Lord brought such special friends in my life. They are one of those gifts that you always want, but never really expect to get. I have a lot of friends, but I began praying for God to send some really special people my way -- and boy did he answer that one way beyond my expectations!

We're already talking about when we get to go back -- and how we need to stay just a little bit longer. We decided we wanted at least one day where we never left the cabin. There is much going on in each of our lives...beyond our everyday responsibilities...Melodie and I are both taking classes, Holly is going to have another baby, and Tasha is not waiting for, but preparing and anticipating a beautiful baby girl from China who will be named Emma Grace (we just can't wait until she gets here!!).

So dear Father, we thank you most of all. For your protection, for your provision, and for the love you have for us, your daughters, to give us such a special time with you and each other.

Proverbs 27:9 in the Message Bible says this: Just as lotions and fragrance gives sensual delight, a sweet friendship refreshes the soul.

Thank you guys, for the refreshing!

Blessings!
Joy

Health Challenge 2007

For the new year, our Church began a health challenge, our very own Biggest Loser of sorts, and Greg and I are team captains...sounds like fun, huh? So, for the first week in January, everyone who signed up ate like pigs, and now we're all in withdrawals because it started this week. As captains, it is our job to encourage, motivate, and help those members of our team, and this is something that Greg loves to do. I decided to send out encouraging messages to our team each week and I thought I would include them here as well.

So, if one of your resolutions was to live a healthier lifestyle, why don't you join us? We have 10 weeks to loose some weight, get into shape, and develop healthy habits for a lifetime!

Here's this week's encouragement:

I just wanted to send you guys a little something to encourage you on our health challenge journey this week.

I was reading in Proverbs this morning, and Proverbs 3:5-9 in the message Bible says "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life!"

There is so much that God is saying to me in these verses - here are a few things:
#1 - You can't do it in yourself, but I can enable you - Trust me!
#2 - When evil (this week it's name is COKE!) comes my way - RUN to GOD! He'll help me overcome! (and He has)
#3 - He wants our very bones to vibrate with life!

Now you may think that your very bones vibrating with life is ok, however you really don't understand how that's going to help you fit into smaller size pants - but let's remember what bones do: they support our flesh and provide a frame for which we are created, but most importantly, they are where the blood comes from! If our blood is full of sickness and disease, then our bodies feel that...the sluggishness when our white blood cells are fighting infection, the rate at which our heart has to pump our blood, and we're probably even feeling it if our veins are full of cholesterol that keeps the blood from flowing smoothly. If our blood is full of muck and junk, we don't feel like working out!

BUT, If we trust in God from the depth of who we are, not just with the words coming out of our mouths, then he is going to infuse our bones with new, fresh, cleansed blood that will make an inner change in our hearts and lives but will produce an outward result!

So, keep up the good work! I know it's a pain to have to take a break once an hour to go to the bathroom because of all of the water we're drinking, but in the end, it's worth it! When your body is screaming for sugar, salt, and unhealthy food, keep your eye on the end result. When your muscles are screaming from the way you are working them and forcing them to move in a way they are unaccustomed too, think on how much stronger you will be and the new testimony you will be able to give! And think of the potential new people beyond our walls you will be able to touch because of it.

I love you all and I'm so glad we're on this journey together!

Bunches of Blessings!
Joy

Happy Birthday Sweetheart

Saturday, my baby turned 9 years old. That's so hard for me to get ahold of. One more year, and she will be sprinting towards becoming a teenager - that's a thought I just can't handle at this point.

Julia is such a special girl, and I don't say that only because she's mine. If everyone was really able to get to know her the way I do...her laughter, her sense of humor, her quick witt....to watch her play, and imagine, and dream, you would think she is special, too.

It is suprising to me to see doubts about herself in her at such a young age. Being self-conscious about her freckles, wanting to please, wearing her heart on her sleeve and being upset if you don't take it and accept the love she's offering, I worry about her.

However, I have been noticing lately that she has learned to do something really special at such a young age. She has learned how to pray....to really talk to God. Not like He's some big, bad King sitting on his throne ready to give out punishment, or like He's some genie in a bottle there to fulfill her every wish, but to really talk to Him like He's sitting next to her in the chair beside her and they're having a conversation. Her prayers never cease to amaze me, especially the depth of them sometime.

This year when I wrote her birthday letter, I reminded her of her ability to pray, and how important it will be to her later in life as she has to deal with things that require us to run to the Savior for help. She will already know how to touch Him by simply saying His name and knowing He's right there.

I also reminded her of how happy I was when she was born, because she made our family complete, and she still makes it complete today.

I am so thankful for this special little girl that God gave us, and I cherish her everyday. How blessed I am to be her Mom!

Blessings!
Joy

Late but still Thankful

It's been a while since I've posted. There are no words to say how crazy life has been the past few weeks, but I will try.

Let's start back at Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my Mom and Dad. Just being together, sharing a meal, getting up at 4:30 to go shopping (thanks Mom!). There's just something about getting out into the crowds that really gets the spirit of the season going. One of the highlights of the weekend for me was getting to see my Grandma Hagee. This was her 96th Thanksgiving! And though she looked small and frail laying there in her bed, there was still her bright smile on her face. I'm not sure if she really realizes how much her life has changed, however it really doesn't seem to matter much to her. She just smiles and enjoys the sunshine. Seeing her and my children with her made me so thankful to still have her in my life.

I had planned to put up my Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend, but we bought a new couch which we weren't going to pick up until the next week, so I really didn't see the need to get all of the Christmas stuff out when we were getting ready to change everything around. This did NOT sit so well with Julia. I think she had been dreaming about putting the Christmas tree up! I promised her when the new couch was in, we would put it up. But then our Christmas play happened, and life got really crazy. This past Friday night we were at church for dress rehersal so we decided to put it up on Saturday afternoon. I had errands to run and school work to do before being at the Church for our first performance on Saturday night so we decided to put it up when we got home Saturday evening because Greg and Joel would be there to help but when we got home, Joel was already in the bed asleep and Greg was asleep on the couch. So no tree. I went downstairs to work on my classes and here comes my wonderful daughter with a contract for me to sign - a mother-daughter contract - that said that we would put up the tree the next day. What was I supposed to do? I knew that with two preformances on Sunday, and with my parents and Eric's kids coming I would be pressed for time, but I HAD to sign it! So Mom was signed on my line, therefore committing me to putting up the tree the next day.

God is so good, though. Joel was looking for something to do Sunday afternoon, and I let him put the tree together. He likes doing stuff like that, and the Lord knew I really didn't have the strength to do it. It was late Sunday night when we got home, and Julia wanted to decorate the tree, but I just didn't have it in me, so we decided that we would all work on in Monday evening. And we did! And thus I fullfilled my contractual duties! :-) Now if I could just snap my fingers and all of my gifts be bought, wrapped, and sitting under the tree, I would be doing great!

The Christmas production we did at Church is an entirely different story. I was in the play part, playing the part of Abigail, the wife to Jonas, the Innkeeper. The story told is such a special one, and I can honestly say that there have been times during the past weeks that I was at my wits end because of everything that was going on in my life, but when we practiced, there was always something to laugh about. So much so that I'm sure the director wondered if we could get through it without laughing! God knew everything going on in my life, and He also knew it would be a tight fit for me to fit this in there, too. However, He knew that He was going to use it to bless me, and refresh me, and to bring me joy when I wasn't really in the mood to be joyous. The Lord has blessed our church with such talented people, and it was a priviledge to be apart of something so awesome!

I hope that you, too, had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I will try to get up pictures next time -- until then...

Bunches of Blessings!
Joy

Run, Baby, Run!

This past weekend was full and wonderful for several reasons. Let me share --


The first was that I went with some of the girlfriends from church to see the new movie "One Night with the King". AWESOME! Yes, I just yelled that at you! It was so good -- my favorite kind of movie. You know, the ones with good looking guys with swords and shields, beautiful women, action, passion, suspense with lots of history in there too. So anyway - I loved it! I also loved being with the girls. A great movie, great company at dinner, and a cup of Mocha on the way home is just what the Savior wanted for me.

Greg and Joel also had a little adventure Saturday night when they were invited to the VA Tech football game against Southern Miss. Joel had never been to a college game before, and he had such a great time. They tailgated (which neither of them had ever done) and had just great seats at the game. It helped that Tech won - and that they were in company of a good friend. It sounded just like what the Savior wanted for them, too.

However, something extra special happened to my Julia! She ran in her very first 5K. When Greg first started talking to her about it, you could tell she was really hesitant, but wanted to do it to simply please her Father. Joel was 8 when he ran in this same race with Greg, so it was going to be special time for just Greg and Julia. Now, my Julia is Athletic -- she's just not quite as competitive as Joel. She loves to run, play, and climb trees. But while Joel does it to see how fast, how quick, and how much better he can do it than you, she does it for the mere joy of doing it.

So on a chilly October morning, we all go up to go and support Julia and Greg in their run. Greg had set a goal for them to finish the 5k in 30 minutes, which would be about 10 minute miles. Julia, having never run a distance race before set her pace way too fast for the first mile, causing her to have to stop and break stride. Because she did this, Greg said she was never able to get back into a good pace of running - too much starting and stopping. (We could talk a lot on that, couldn't we?)

Julia finished her race with two police cars giving her an escort - cheering her on -- in just over 32 minutes. Pretty awesome, huh? I am so proud of her for so many reasons. Not that she finished the race so well, but that she attempted to do something so huge for her young life. I am so glad that she had a moment at this age to just shine.

Her Dad is hoping that this will be the birth of a track star - so just get used to hearing the phrase Run, Baby, Run!

Blessings!
Joy

P.S. I coudn't go without posting some pictures of Joel. Here are some of him from his last Carlisle game. Enjoy!

A moment of joy

Have you ever been in a moment and known that it was a perfect moment - while you were in it? I had that happen to me a couple of weeks ago.

It happened a couple of Saturdays ago when we had planned a family outing with Joel's travel soccer team to go to watch the UNCG men's soccer team play at their homecoming game against Elon. My friend Laura and her husband David were unable to go, so I offered to let their son Corey go with us so he wouldn't have to miss out. Then while I was at a wedding on Saturday afternoon, Joel asked his girlfriend of the moment Peyton and their friend that lived down the street from us, Kacie, to go as well since we had two extra tickets.

So here the seven of us pack up and go (it's a good thing we just upgraded to a bigger vehicle!) to dinner, a fast ride to Greensboro, a great soccer game (UNCG won!) and ice cream at McDonald's afterward with me wondering just what I had gotten myself into. However, I couldn't have asked for more than the night we had. The kids behaved perfectly (yes, even mine) and had such a great time.

My moment of joy happened on the way home. We had turned the radio to Saturday night at the Disco (the only station we could all agree on) and as soon as we did, "Carwash" filled the vehicle and before you know it there were 5 kids in the back singing and laughing, dancing as much as they could in their seats. Greg looked over at me and smiled and grabbed my hand, and all of a sudden I knew I was in a perfect moment. A moment when all of the rest of the world faded away and there was nothing else but what was immediately around me. A moment of joy.

I am so thankful for that moment. But more than that, I am thankful that I recognized the moment while I was in it and was able to give thanks to the Lord for allowing me such a special gift. When it seems like my life is topsy-turvy and that I've given out until there's nothing left to give, I am given a most special gift that no amount of money could buy.

Lord, may I be so blessed as to have many, many more such moments and never forget to thank You for each one.

Blessings!
Joy

My New Space!

So, I've taken another crazy pill and thought I would start a blog. Why? Well, for many reasons, but mainly for a soon-to-be teenage boy and a beautiful young lady who live in my home who I want to record some memories for. I've tried to scrapbook, but really, I'm already 12 years behind -- I'll never catch up if I keep on adding to that stack! So this is a way to just jump in and get some sort of journal going. It's also a way the family that we have scattered all across the world can see what's going on in our household each and every week.

You may have been wondering why I titled it "A Spacious Place". That comes straight from one of my favorite Bible verses (who can have just one?) that has been with me for the past few years.

He brought me into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. Psalm 18:19.

That He brought me to where I am today is truly mind altering, but that He did it because He delighted in me is more than I can comprehend. When I look at myself and what I see, I am not able to understand why - I don't even delight in myself most of the time. I always see all of the hundreds and thousands of things that I have going on and that I am working on in my life that I need to improve before I ever get to the state of being delightful - but none of that stuff matters to Him! He looks past all of the "stuff" in my life and sees through to the me at the core and He is delighted! That's just one of the billion reasons I love Him so much.

So I am in a spacious place - a place of growing. A place of learning. Not a place of being shut in or closed all around me, but a place of being free from the shadows. A place where I can experience all that God has for me. It's also a place of exposure, but it's O.K. because He is my guard and protection.

I'll leave you today with this same passage (v. 16-18) from the Message Bible which just really lays it out there for me.

But me he caught—reached all the way

from sky to sea; he pulled me out

Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,

the void in which I was drowning.

They hit me when I was down,

but God stuck by me.

He stood me up on a wide-open field;

I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!

Psalm 18:16-19 - The Message

Today, I hope you, too, realize that He delights in you. He reached all the way from the sky to the sea to pull you out -- just because He loves you.

I hope you come visit with me often.....

Until then - Bunches of Blessings!
Joy