Family Fun

I have not posted in a while, been sick. Feeling better and having some good moments with my kids. They are starting to get easier and I think Emme is liking me a bit more everyday! For those of you who don't know, she is obsessed with her daddy and rarely wants to be with me. But, I have taken some extra steps to ensure that the relationship with her is a priority and I think it is paying off!

I have also blogged about not knowing exactly what she likes and I have learned a lot about her in the past few months... and she is also getting older, which helps, because she is able to express what she likes. The other day just out of the blue, she said "I like Chicken Nuggets, Candy and Crayons." It was just one of those cute moments that I had been dying to see from her!!

The last couple of weekends have been fantastic with the family, we are all having so much fun together!

Here they are before their Valentines party at School.

Scooting around the neighborhood to drop off Birthday party invites

Hadley came over on Saturday to play. I thought this was a cute picture

Here are some photos of Tommy. I think these are so great!

"What?"

I love tying to figure out what babies are saying/thinking

Community with a little "c"

I heard a great sermon this past Sunday on "Community" -- with a little "c".

Community with a big "C" is your local church that you attend on a weekly basis. It offers so much (a place to come worship with music and a message that helps us get through the week).

Community with a little "c" is your circle of friends. Our pastor was encouraging each of us to invest in a community with a "little c". I loved how he didn't use this message as a "calling for volunteers," because I am sure our church needs all of the help on the weekends it can get -- No, he was challenging us to get involved with a group that we can do life with. Joe and I looked at each other and had that "Praise God" for our Life group look -- we have been involved with our Home Team for just about 7 years now.

Now, he did give examples of ways to find groups to belong to and I will go into that here in a second.

But, let's talk for bit about what to do if you already find yourself a part of a group of people who you share your greatest and saddest moments with. Andy (our pastor) said first and foremost Jesus has commanded us to "Love one another just as I have loved you" (John 13:34). In the verse, it actually says "A New Command I give you" when he was talking to his 12 disciples -- notice how He had 12 close friends he was doing life with?? Kind of gives you chills to think Jesus had his own life group. Are you loving your friends just as Christ loved us. Wow, that was huge wake up call! I love my friends so much, but what I am doing specifically to let them know?

Andy then started a challenge -- to use our God-given gifts in combination with our life groups to help further the Kingdom of God!! Romans 12:4 -8 says " Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."

So, if you are a part of a small group, then I challenge you (along with me and Joe) to use our different gifts in not only helping each other - but in helping build the Kingdom! I think of the group I am in -- and I could sit down and write a list of things that I need, I then could easily put a name by each need. and, I think for my next Blog, I will do that -- it would be a fun exercise.

If you are in a Life group, Home Team, Home Group, Bible Study, etc… How are you using your unique gifts to help each other and to help Christ?

If you are not in a group, what is stopping you from joining one? When Joe and I walked into Lisa and Mike Mathis's house for the first time in 2002, I walked behind Joe because I didn't want to talk to anyone. There was no way that I would have anything in common with these people. I didn't know that I would walk with them as their parents passed away. I didn't know that I would be able to make dinner as each of us when our 24 children were born. I didn't know that they would eventually relate to me as a working mom… etc… the stories are endless! So, why have you not gotten involved?

Andy ended the sermon with a few examples of how the various people in our church found their "Life Groups." Some were through the "official" path of signing up for a Home Team / but many were simply by finding a passion within the church - like working with the children's ministry and before they knew it, they were in a life group of their own!

I would love to hear how influence your life groups have been in your life. I would also like to hear ideas of how you are going to Love one another and encourage one another by using your gifts!!

Here is our Home Team at our annual Retreat! On our 10th annual, we plan to go on a Cruise, do you think the boat will let us all on?

Hanging out a local buger joint on a Friday night.

Life is good!