200th Post!

I realized the other day I was about to hit 200, and I thought that might need a more meaningful post than my favorite things, which I have been working on this week and will post another day. But what to write about that would warrant this momentous occasion? My children, my husband, baseball, my continuous struggle with dishes, laundry and dirty bathrooms? While all of those things would indeed be important since they are important parts of my life, I think I just want to be thankful. I went back to look at my very first post, made on 3/18/06, and I was overwhelmed reading it with thankfulness for my Daddy who has held on to me so tightly the past 5 years. Here is a portion of it.

"We took Cooper a few weeks ago to get retested for his allergies. It was the first time he was able to be skin tested, so Jason sat in a recliner and Cooper sat in his lap, chest to chest, while they did 84 pricks on his back. Not so bad. Cooper did great. But then they had to do 9 shots on his arms and take two viles of blood. Very bad! We were all holding him down while he is crying and screaming at the top of his lungs, "STOP DADDY! STOP!" And he's looking at me with a look I hope no other parent has to see, a look that said, "Why are you letting them do this to me!" It was horrible. So keep that picture in mind...

The next morning I was meeting with a friend and I was telling her how God and I are right now. I love God, I trust Him, I know He has a wonderful plan for me and my family, I know years from now I'll be able to look back and see that plan, and I am excited about it. But right now, I don't like Him much. I really don't want to talk to Him because I'm mad about where we are in the plan right now. And I was wondering if He minds that attitude or not. And while I'm talking to my friend, God hit me with "You are Cooper."

I am being tested (in a sense), but He is holding me chest to chest while I'm crying and screaming and its ok. Jason and I knew the big picture for Cooper, how this testing was going to help him feel better in the long run, but he couldn't understand that. We didn't love him any less for his behavior, we expected it. We didn't expect him to act more mature than he is. We understood why he was hurting and it was ok. And when it was all over we took him for a toy! God told me that its ok for me to be upset. He loves me anyway, He doesn't expect me to act more spiritually mature than I am, He knows I can't see the big picture, and when this is all over He'll bless me with something wonderful. That has been carrying me through the last few weeks. It didn't change the situation we are in, waiting for the next part of God's plan, but it comforts me to know that He is holding me through it. I hope that encourages someone else too."

That just makes me cry reading it. Only a month later did God begin the process of moving us to Houston. Not that everything is perfect here, perfection is only in heaven. But He already knew the next part of His plan for us. He has brought us on another five years of our journey, safely. He has held on to me even when I wanted to run away from Him. He has loved me even when I was unlovable. He gave me another sweet baby boy that I wouldn't trade for anything. He let me rest and heal from my past and now has me more in love with Him and spending time in His Word than I have since college, only now I see it in a whole new mature, mother and wife way. I understand what a parent's love means. I understand in part what deep love Christ has for his bride, the church. I couldn't grasp that when I was reading His word in college. But now when I sit down to read His love letter to me, I understand things in a whole new way. I want to sit at His feet and hear His voice clearly, and I want to learn more and more about His heart.

Two hundred blogs later, there has been a lot in the middle worth sharing, and some not worth the letters typed on the screen. But I am feeling more and more creative and called to share the message of hope that Christ has given me, so stay tuned for more blogs in the future. 201 will be there soon!

A few of my favorite things...

Cinnamon Chex - Had a coupon the other day for it, and it is YUMMY! And gluten free for those who might need that.







Ikea plastic bowls and tumblers for kids! They are the perfect size for little Campbell hands, and the bowls are great for my night time bowl of cereal. And they stack really nice in the cabinets and are pretty colors. And cheap!













This one I'm a little embarrassed of, but I love the newer show on the Disney channel, "Good Luck Charlie." So cute. I love the mom, totally relate, only she's really funny. It does have a little bit of girl/boy dating thing, but not as much as some of the other Disney shows I won't let the boys watch. The boys and I love to watch it together, and I'm not bored to death like their other shows. The little baby Charlie is adorable. Highly recommend it, and yes, I will watch it even when the boys are not around. Its better than the adult sit coms with entirely too many inappropriate jokes!




My All-Stars! For those not following on facebook, Cade's team, that Jason coaches, is 9-0! Cooper's team is... trying really hard, but not having a good season. If you could please be praying for his attitude. Its some hard life lessons to learn so young. He's turning in to a really good pitcher though. I am so proud of them both.

What's in my CD player? #2

Got lots of new CD's in the past few weeks. Some girls like shoes, I like CD's. I never pay more than $10, usually less than that. And yes, I know I could download it all, but I am old fashioned and like having a case with lyrics.


Josh Wilson See You - I have already posted the lyrics of my favorite song on here, "I Refuse", but there are a few other good ones too. It was really on sale at Lifeway one day, and I had heard that song on the radio and wanted it, and am pretty happy with my purchase. My other favorite song is "Know by Now": "Here I go again, Why do I forget, You're always faithful, How many times have I seen you give me just what I need, Here I go again, I forget, You're gonna work it out somehow, You think that I'd know by now."



My newest purchase, Mandisa What if We Were Real - Mandisa makes me thank God for American Idol. She is amazing! I am a fan on facebook and love hearing about her life, how real she is! She has lost 120 lbs in the last year and is a new woman, but her voice is still unbelievable. My favorite song is "The Truth About Me": "If only I could see me as You see me/And understand the way that I am loved/Would it give a whole new meaning to my purpose/Change the way I see the world/Would I sparkle like a star in the night sky/Would I give a little more instead of take
If I understood I'm precious like the diamond/Of a worth no one could estimate/I'm a worth no one could estimate/You say lovely/I say broken/I say guilty/You say forgiven
I feel lonely/You say You're with me/We both know it would change everything/If I only believed the truth about me." Its a beautiful song, but the lyrics speak such truth to me. Highly recommend it!



Jonny Diaz - More Beautiful You. This is actually his older album and he just put out a new one last week. But I really loved the song "More Beautiful You" and I got it really cheap at Lifeway. He's pretty acoustic, and I look forward to hearing his new album too.



Passion - Here for You. Unbelievable worship album! Christy Nockels sang a new song from it at the Chris Tomlin concert in February and I was so excited when it came out last month. My first listen through I knew it was good, but each time I listen, I hear more truth in the lyrics and they settle in my soul, and I find myself singing at the top of my lungs with my hands raised. (One raised, one on the steering wheel.) My have a new favorite everyday, but today its a remake of the hymn "I Need You". Gets me through those tough afternoons of being a mom of three.



Kutless - It is Well I've never been a Kutless fan, but this was on sale on christianbook.com awhile back and I am always on the lookout for good worship, and it fit the bill. Great remakes of some old favorites like "Hungry" and "It is Well", and some good originals like "What Faith Can Do." I'm becoming a Kutless fan!



And I still have Matthew West Story of Your Life. Still one of the best CD's ever. There are a few songs on there that when I'm having a bad day, I can pull them up and it just makes it all ok.

My part, part 3

I haven't blogged in a while, and really shouldn't be right now. I should be working on VBS, or reading my Bible, or matching socks, or since its 9:39, going to bed. I have a lot of blogs in my head, so maybe this weekend I'll knock some out. But here is a real quick update on the obedience journey I'm on.

I went to the Collide young adult retreat this weekend, and Steve preached a series about how we are all ministers. Friday night's talk went right along with all that God has been telling me. We are all made uniquely, with certain talents and gifts. And we are all placed in unique places where no one else is placed. And so when God calls us to do something, then who is to say that if we say no, someone else who is as uniquely made as we are will fill in the gap? If we say no, then chances are, it won't get done. We were made for a purpose and if we don't fulfill it, then no one else will. I told Steve that he just added to my month long series about being obedient. He apologized, but not really.

So I came home from the retreat excited about my task I thought God had placed before me. But, the thing that I was willing to be obedient to didn't happen. I didn't have to follow through. I wasn't needed. That was confusing to me. Did I really hear God call me to this task? I know I did. So I guess it was God just seeing if I was really serious about being obedient. The same day that fell through though, another opportunity presented itself. I accepted the opportunity with kind of a bad attitude, and didn't even realize at first it was a test of obedience. But it is something that is taking me out of my comfort zone, and is putting me somewhere when I would really rather be somewhere else. Again, it wouldn't seem like a big deal to most of you, but I think God is showing me how even the little things take a big amount of obedience, and one day there may be bigger opportunities that I need to be ready for. I'm practicing the act of obedience. Getting better I hope.

If this makes no sense, then that is what happens when I blog when I should be going to bed. I may reread this tomorrow and completely rewrite it.