Ready For Some Football?

Okay, so my Justin has been wanting to play in the Kingwood Football League for about a year now. We finally signed him up for this season. He tried out, was chosen in the draft and is extremely excited!

I'm very confused with much of the equipment though. Yesterday, Johnny was getting Justin's mouthpiece fitted correctly. See, that is where I would have messed up. I would have taken out of the package and put it in his mouth and sent him on his way. But no, there are actually directions on how to use this thing. You have to cut it to the correct size, and then place it in boiling water to soften the plastic (I guess even in football, there is cooking). Then it goes in Justin's mouth, much like an impression plate at the dentist. This is when I'm really wishing they had done this before dinner, because I'm quite sure what is going to happen won't be pretty and I will be called to clean up duty. So, I leave the room. I happy to report, that other than a few threatening gagging coughs, there was no clean up to be done.

Then it is off to League Night, where parents and players get all the information they need for the season. I should have worried when I found out the Information meeting lasted an hour. How much could they need to tell? This is little league! After that, Justin got to meet his coaches and players, and happily, there is a boy he knows from our homeschooling group on his team.

During this time, I've texted Johnny, reminding him NOT to sign me up for any volunteering. See, long before I had children, I attended the baseball game of a Pre-K student of mine, and there, my aversion for volunteering for a children's sports team, was born. I saw this poor mom, in a dugout with a bunch of preschoolers who were hanging from the side of the dugout. I decided then and there that I would never reveal the fact that I have a teacher's certificate to any of my future children's coaches, because I knew that was a sure ticket into the madness of the dugout. Now, if a need arises, will I help out? Of course!

So, they get home, and Justin has his fundraiser order forms and another booklet. I look closer at the booklet, and it is a playbook. Now, I have a college degree, but I can't understand anything in this playbook. I told Johnny, that was all on him this season. I can teach reading and math, but that stuff looked like Greek to me. I guess we have PE taken care of for Justin this semester!

So we are entering a season of learning for me. I really don't know much of what to do or expect. It reminds me so much of when I first started to really dig into God's Word and desire a relationship with Him. It started with me feeling very overwhelmed, and doing a little at a time. The first Bible Study I attended covered the book of Joshua, in the Old Testament. There were many fact
questions: who, what, when, where, why, easy fill in the blank stuff. Just read the text and find the answer. Every once in awhile, there was a "what does this mean to you" type question. The study after that was Ephesians. That one was filled with less "fact" and more "heart", I really had to think and look at my own heart to answer the questions. That was so much harder for me! Much easier to just fill in a blank. The next study I did didn't have any fill in the blank questions, there were simply scriptures to look up and I had to search my own heart for the answers. I really struggled with that one. But I found that the more I studied God's Word, the more I wanted to see how to apply it to my own heart and life. And the only way to do that was to move past the fill in the blank and take an honest look at myself and my relationship with God.

It has been, and continues to be, such a great journey! Not always happy, and sometimes downright painful, But as I learn more about God and myself, I'm excited to continue on and see what lies ahead!

Justin's first practice is tonight, Johnny is in charge of getting his practice stuff together, after I asked him if he was to wear the pads with shorts or his football pants. I wonder what adventures we will have this season? My hope is that we can use this to be a light to others.

Creative Arts Camp

What a great week we had at Creative Arts Camp at church last week! All three kids participated, I volunteered, and Johnny even stopped by for a couple of days to take pictures. I just love having activities where we can all be involved.

Ryan was able to take pictures some throughout the week. He also helped with lights for the performance at the end of the week. He really enjoyed spending time with "the best teen helper he has ever had", his quote. So much fun to see him growing and becoming ready to join the youth group as well.

Justin got to be "Mr. Drama Guy" once again. We had fun learning his line, and I found myself saying it along with him the night of the performance. He also had a great time in his Pottery Class.

And my Madison. It was so nice to hear her retell the stories she learned. We had many discussions, retellings and pictures drawn of Daniel and the Lion's Den and Jonah and the Big Fish. She also entertained us with songs this week as well. And she stayed on the stage and sang every song with her group!

I got to work with some children in the afternoon doing Creative Writing. What a joy that was!

As I look over the past couple of weeks of activity at our church, I'm so thankful for that church home and family we have. The effects I see in my children are lasting, the impact the members of the church have on our lives is priceless.

A Year of Firsts

I remember when my children were babies, their "firsts" were so exciting: first words, first steps, first teeth. This year, will be a different kind of firsts for me, first holidays, special times, without my sister.

I had one of those this past week - our birthdays. Brenda's birthday is July 16th, mine is July 20th. As children, my mom would also plan elaborate parties for both of us separately. As the mom of two close in age, with birthdays 4 days apart, I now have a new appreciation for what she did. But as adults, we would always celebrate together.

So this was the first year to celebrate my birthday, and Brenda's birthday, without her.

But God knew, and made plans this week for me. I had no idea when I signed up to help with Creative Arts Camp this week, that my sister would be gone. But God knew, and He put that there for me. I spent the week with my children, experiencing God in so many ways. I also was blessed to be with about 150 other children through the week. On my birthday, everywhere I went in that church, some little voice was telling me Happy Birthday. I got hugs from my friends.

God also gave me a very special gift, a visit from one of my very best friends, who doesn't live in Texas anymore. God very much orchestrated her schedule, so that she would be here for several days and we were able to spend some time together.

The day was complete when I spent time with my parents eating a yummy ice cream cake, that Johnny, Ryan and Justin served and cleaned up. Then Johnny, the kids, and I went to Joe's Crab Shack for a yummy dinner. I ordered more than I was able to eat, knowing that I was going to be sharing with my boys. Madison slept in my lap most of the time. Chrystal called from Arkansas to wish me Happy Birthday, what a blessing she is! I finished my evening ordering and reading books on my new Nook, a gift from Johnny and the kids, a gift that I've always said "I don't need" but have found that I LOVE it!

So God has taken what was going to be a tough time for me, and put some special gifts in there. Was this past week easy? No. I shed many tears. But I got to see God at work in my life, through songs, skits, art, friends, children, and my own family. I can trust God with this next year, knowing that there will be much sadness, but that He will be there to walk me through it.

Lessons from VBS

So, it has been way too long since I've blogged, so I'm back! :)

This week at our church is Vacation Bible School, a week that myself and my children look forward to each year. Johnny has even gotten involved for a couple of days and done some photography. (Which means I made the "Big Screen" this year, thank you honey. Not!!)

Anyway, my Madison has been hearing some Bible stories and enjoys telling me about them and drawing pictures. Yesterday was "The Good Samaritan". Her take on it was that a man took Jesus, who was hurt, put him on a donkey and took him to Samaricho. I've looked and looked but can not find Samaricho on a map in my Bible. Madison got parts of the story correct, but mixed up others.

How many times to I do that with God's Word? Today's story was of Forgiveness, the woman who was about to be stoned. Jesus asks the one who is without sin to throw the first stone, and one by one, the people drop their stones and walk away, until Jesus is the only one left. And what does He do? He tells her to "go and sin no more". Jesus, the only one who could have thrown a stone, didn't.

I hear that story and think how amazing it must have been to be that woman and have Jesus do that for me. And then I realize, He did do that for me. Sometimes I have to remind myself that He DID do that for me as well. It isn't just something for everybody else, it was for me too. My sins are forgiven, the choices that I made that were not in line with God's will for my life, are forgiven. I can rise up just like that woman so many years ago with Jesus, and determine to live my life as a follower of Christ.

One of the activities we did today was take some rocks, and put them at the foot of the Cross. That was symbolic of not carrying unforgiveness around with us. The lesson today encouraged us to forgive others and not hold a grudge. But for me, it also served as a reminder that I am forgiven as well.