The Carpenters

Home from Sudan with a Grateful Heart!

2010-11-21T12:59:00.001-06:00

We've made it safely home and had an incredible journey! I hope to share more very soon, but until then, I wanted to share this video. Daniel Phillips, our photographer and videographer, did an amazing job at capturing our week in pictures. The need is so great in Sudan, but we serve a compassionate God who will not forsake His people! More to come...

**Not sure why it's cutting off some of the screen. You can also visit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_LA5OVuLhI to view the video.**

Dead End

2010-11-07T16:01:00.003-06:00

Does God ever lead us to a dead end? In our perspective, yes... but in His perspective, no! We studied Moses this morning in Sunday school and how God used him to save the Israelites form Pharaoh and the Egyptians. (Read Exodus 14 for the complete story. It's really good!) In verse 2, God tells Moses exactly where to set up camp... by the Red Sea. So why if you're trying to get away from someone would God put you right at a dead end? Why would He want you to camp where there's no where to run? So HE ALONE can get the glory when you are saved! What often looks like a dead end to us is an opportunity for God to receive glory. Exodus 29-31 says,

"But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground with a wall of water on their right and on their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses his servant."

So this "dead end" story has brought new perspective to me on our journey to have a family. We have felt like we've been at a dead end for a very long time. For a while, the word 'acceptance' has been on my heart. I think God wants me to completely accept His will for us. That's been kinda hard because we felt like we had been very obedient in what God asked us to do and we just haven't seen anything come of it... a dead end. But I learned today that God has brought us to the "dead end" so that He can be glorified. I don't know what our "wall of water" or "dry ground" will be, but I'm excited to see what God is going to do. He may have babies in our future and He may have something else for us, but no matter what, He just wants (and deserves!) to be glorified!

One last thought... Exodus 14 says,"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." I've wondered many times over the last few years if we've done the right thing. And most recently, I've felt like we need to quit the pursuit, accept (there's that word again!) where we are and leave it up to God. And God confirmed to me today that we are to do just that. He's got us in a season of being still. He will fight for us. He is sovereign and nothing we do or don't do will thwart His plan for us. He is fully capable of fulfilling His plan for us without our help... or manipulation! So on the day before we leave for Africa (woo hoo!), I'm very thankful that God has confirmed that our "dead end" is right where He wants us to be! HE IS GOOD!

It's Here!

2010-11-06T09:09:00.003-05:00

After lots of planning, praying, and packing, it's here! Monday we'll be on a plane to Africa! I never thought I would go to Africa, but God has a way of changing our desires, doesn't He?! It's neat to look back over the last 5 years and see how God has put people and circumstances in our lives to give us a heart for Sudan... and now we're going to experience it firsthand! Even though I have moments of nervousness, Yancy and I both CAN NOT wait to be there and we can't wait to be back and tell you all about it! Please continue to remember us in your prayers, along with all of the team's families who will be staying behind. It seems like such a huge task, but God has been encouraging me with Philippians 2:13, "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order fulfill his good purpose." I'm glad it's not up to me!! Thank you again for your support and prayers! I can't wait to share this experience with you!

I Love Fringe!

2010-10-18T09:23:00.000-05:00

New York City... Good

Free trip to New York City... Better

Free trip to NYC with 2 of my favorite girls... THE BEST!

For those of you not from Opelika/Auburn, Fringe is an awesome consignment shop. They have great clothes, purses, shoes, and accessories all for really great prices. It has completely spoiled me; I don't want to shop anywhere else! Rebecca and Apryl love Fringe as much as I do, so on Thursday nights when they're open til 8, we like to shop together. It's like a little girls getaway. The beginning of September, Stacie (the owner of Fringe) announced that she was giving away a trip to NYC for 2. So that Thursday night as we were shopping, we filled out entry forms for the trip and talked about how much fun it would be to win and go together... not really thinking we would actually win! Well, long story short, Rebecca won!!! And she chose to give the trip to me and Apryl and pay her own way to go. What an awesome friend! It was all so much fun! From finding out we won and talking about NYC and planning what we would wear to actually being there and experiencing it together... amazing! We had THE BEST time! I still can't believe it all happened! Enjoy the pictures!

Magnolia Bakery in Greenwich Village

The best and prettiest cupcakes ever!

Ready to see Martha!

Somewhere in Central Park

Times Square!

I'm a workin' girl now!

2010-10-07T21:40:00.001-05:00

I know a lot of people work A LOT harder than I do, but I am working 2 jobs now... 3 if you count baking, 4 if you count being Yancy's personal editor/assistant! :) I'm still at Bright Beginnings at FBCO which I absolutely love! I love the children and their parents, I love the other teachers, I love my boss... It's a perfect fit for me! And now I'm also working with Four Corners Ministries (the ministry that we're going to Sudan with) helping them out with their Uganda Child Sponsorship program. In a nutshell, I'm just keeping all the children and sponsor information current and organized. While we're in Uganda before heading into Sudan, we'll make a stop at the orphanage to meet some of the children there, as well as some of the workers that I've been communicating with. I'm really looking forward to that! If you are interested in sponsoring a child, it's very simple and convenient. For $30 a month, you can give a child in Uganda the opportunities they need to grow and thrive... clean water, clothing, 3 meals a day, education, etc. Most importantly, they will hear the Good News of Jesus Christ!! You can visit http://www.4cornersministries.org/sponsor-a-child/ to sign up or if you have any questions about FCM's sponsorship program, I'd LOVE to talk to you about it!

Too Much to Say

2010-10-05T19:44:00.018-05:00

Because I haven't blogged in almost 3 months...

Because I've been super busy, working 4 jobs (ha!ha!) and doing some traveling...

Because I really appreciate anyone who's still interested in reading my blog...

I have a lot to say! Let's get to it...

In August, we went to the Bristol night race! The week before the race, we had a friend call and say he had 4 free- yes, FREE- tickets to the night race and wanted to know if we'd like them. Hmmmm.... let me think about that for 2 seconds.... YES!!! So off we went with Tommy and Rebecca and we all had a great time. We actually stayed in Boone, NC- a quaint little town with beautiful mountain views- and enjoyed perfect weather while we were there. Good times! JJ- as Yancy and I affectionately call Jimmie Johnson- didn't do so well at Bristol, but we're cheering him on to his 5th championship! Go 48!

Next on to New Orleans. Yancy tried for years and years to get me to go to NOLA and I was not interested. Last year I gave in and went... and loved it. It's a fun city with awesome restaurants, and since eating is one of our favorite hobbies, it's a great city for us! And of course, there's great music too! Here are a few pics...

Arnaud's Jazz Bistro (the humidity does wonders for my hair!)

Preservation Hall- Our favorite place to hear live jazz in NOLA.
Our dentist, who is originally from NOLA, recommended a restaurant called Jacques Imo's. When we got there, we saw crazy costumes and floats. We had stumbled upon Midsummer Mardi Gras, and let's just say that we were very entertained! Jacques Imo's, by the way, was our favorite restaurant in NOLA. It's similar in feel to The Red Bar in Grayton Beach. We highly recommend it!

Galatoire's

Much more to come... New York, new job, Sudan, and living radically!

Look What Yancy Did!

2010-07-29T13:31:00.005-05:00

He built a pergola with a lot of help! (BIG THANKS to Darryl and Tommy!) They all did an excellent job and worked very hard out in the scorching heat! Our new pergola provides lots of shade and is covered so we'll be able to stay out if it rains. Yancy even thought about lights and a ceiling fan! And even as hot as it's been lately, we've been sitting out there in the evenings and it's been so nice. I think it's really going to be awesome when the weather cools off a bit. It's like having another room on the house and I just love it! I'm so proud! Here's some before and after pictures...

Weekend Full of Fun

2010-07-20T22:26:00.009-05:00

We had a much needed fun weekend! Andrew and Bullen were able to come and hang out with us and they are always such a blessing! Their love for God and their faith in Him is truly infectious!! Every time I spend time with them, my heart is so encouraged and it was definitely just what I needed! I love them!! Friday night, we had friends over to visit- Tommy and Rebecca, and Kevin, Apryl, Connor and Presley. We ate and laughed and sang praise songs... such a sweet time of fellowship!

Saturday, Yancy's parents and Aunt Renee came up and we celebrated Yancy's Mom's birthday. (Happy Birthday, Cynthia!!!) We had another great day of eating and laughing and rejoicing in the Lord!

Bullen and Andrew were able to share their testimonies on Sunday morning with some youth from our church. I wasn't there for it, but I hear that it was amazing (as always!). It was a spur of the moment thing, but they are always ready to give a reason for the hope that they have! (1 Peter 3:15) What a great weekend! :)

At the Top of My Lungs

2010-07-14T10:44:00.008-05:00

The past few days have been a roller coaster ride for us to say the least. I don't really feel like I can talk about all the details, but let's just say that it involves major disappointment! I feel like there were wounds in our hearts that were starting to heal and they've just been ripped wide open. Honestly, I'm really starting to relate to Job (not that I have suffered nearly as much as Job, but you know what I mean!) But like Job, I'm declaring that "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him." (Job 13:15) I DO NOT understand the things of this world, but I am choosing to completely trust God, my Savior. I heard this song this morning and I think it might be my new theme song for awhile. Instead of screaming Why and I don't understand and even What do I do now, I'll just sing at the top of my lungs, Hallelujah! I am His and HE IS GOOD... all the time!

I'm a Bad Blogger!

2010-06-22T09:07:00.007-05:00

I cannot believe that I last blogged in February! Where did the time go? I had lots of things I wanted to share about Experiencing God (such a great study!), and some other highs and lows over the past few months, but I just never got around to it. Maybe I can still post those at some point. But for now, I'll just catch you up on the weekend...

our 11th anniversary weekend!! We decided to just hang out in Birmingham for a couple of days. The Wood Brothers played at WorkPlay Theater Saturday night and we love them, so that's how the planning got started. Joel and Allison went with us and we had a fun time! It was a great show!

Saturday afternoon before the concert, Yancy and I went to see Toy Story 3. I loved it and highly recommend it!! (We actually went to see the first Toy Story on our first date!)

But I'd have to say the highlight of the weekend was eating at Highlands Bar and Grill. What a great restaurant experience! The service was perfect, the food was delicious, and they even wrote "Happy Anniversary" on our dessert plate! I wanna go back... right now!!

Happy Anniversary, Yancy! I love you bunches! :)

More About Sudan!

2010-02-27T16:25:00.000-06:00

We had our first planning meeting Thursday night for our Sudan trip. Hmmm... anybody notice I said our?! That's right... I'm going too!!! I'm really excited about it- kinda scared, but so excited. I've been praying about it for a while now and God just kept confirming to me that I should go. My small group has been doing Experiencing God (which is AWESOME and should be a whole other post!) and God used several things in that book to lead me to commit to go. Here's a picture from Thursday of our team. Please be praying for us... Tripp Skipper, Tommy and Rebecca Cummings, Kevin Mullins, me and Yancy, and Eric Robinson.

Since both of us are going now, I really need to get busy baking some more cakes!! Here's the newest flyer for Spring. (I'm not sure if you can tell or not, but it has tulips in the background! Great job, Rebecca!) Please feel free to pass it along! Thanks for your support and prayers!

Happy Hearts Day!

2010-02-14T20:20:00.009-06:00

I've written about this before, but Yancy and I have a tradition of celebrating Valentine's Day at Waffle House. Nothing says "I love you" like waffles and a double order of hashbrowns!!! Tonight, our waitress Donna said, "I was wondering if you were going to come in tonight!" She remembered us from last year and said she had been telling the other employees about us. I guess we're kinda famous at the Bent Creek Waffle House! See ya next year, Donna!

Snow Day!

2010-02-14T19:57:00.005-06:00

Here's a few pictures from our snow on Friday. It was beautiful!

Charlie loved it! :)

Duke hated it! :( Isn't that face pitiful?!

TGIF...

2010-02-01T08:30:00.003-06:00

Thank God it's FEBRUARY!!! I'm sure it's psychological, but I'm so happy to be done with January. I'm hopeful and lookin' ahead to a great month! :)

Pastor Steve reminded us yesterday of who we are in Christ from Romans 1:7. (You can go to www.fbc.opelika.com for the sermon transcript.) It was so encouraging!

1. We are God's loved ones.
2. We are people who have received a call by God.
3. We are God's saints.
4. We are recipients of grace and peace. Hallelujah!
5. We are people who have God as our Father.
6. We are people who have Jesus as our Lord.

It was good to be reminded of God's love for me and how He sees me. I think I can make it! :)

Sweets for Your Sweetie for Sudan

2010-01-30T14:25:00.002-06:00

Guest Postess With the Mostest...

2010-01-28T19:22:00.003-06:00

Trips to Crazyville!!!!

Ever been there?! Wanna go?? Don't worry...WE KNOW THE WAY!!!!!! My friend Rebecca is back on the blog as your personal travel agent. :)

Hello, fellow travelers!
I feel honored that I have been specially selected to help facilitate your trip to Crazyville! My past experience will be beneficial to you as you think about your trip. Maybe you too are a frequent flyer...if that's the case, we value your insight that will surely enhance the experience for others!

To prepare for the trip, well, you won't need to prepare, because these trips always sneak up on you! So if you are in to spontaneity - good news! - you are prepared!

What to pack:
1) Tissues
2) A really good friend (a traveling companion and will also be needed to assist in the return trip)
3) A shoulder (for in between tissues)
4) Baggage (don't worry, you aren't charged extra for exceeding 50 pounds!)
5) A very small circumstance that recently became not so small OR
6) Several small circumstances that recently became not so small OR
7) No circumstance at all
8) Irrational thoughts
9) Hormones...or a lack thereof
10) Sanity (for the return trip)

Attire:
1) It doesn't matter...you won't be caring what you have on.

Itinerary:
- Most inconvenient time possible: Arrive in Crazyville (the more inconvenient the time, the longer the trip)
- Tour of City
- Excursion with really good friend to edge of reason
- Dinner (it doesn't matter where...as long as it includes LOTS of food!!)
- Post-dinner Discussion with really good friend who will assist in packing for trip home

Upon return, you may experience lag...not of the jet variety...just lag.
No worries!...if you brought your traveling companion back, they will be able to assist during the readjustment period. :)

Safe travels!
Rebecca

So long, January!

2010-01-26T03:48:00.003-06:00

I'll be glad when January is over. It's been a rough month for me... lots of dates that are just depressing! This month makes 8 years since we first started on our journey to have a baby. I know... 8 years!! Pretty unbelievable. This month also included the date our baby was to be born, the 21st. This one hit me hard, very hard. I miss our baby. And I think I wasn't expecting the date to get to me so much and just wasn't prepared for the onslaught of emotions. It's been rough, hard, sad, depressing and discouraging. I think I cried multiple times every day last week... and I'm not really a crier. To add to my heap of emotions, I've just been feeling like God has been absent from my life, like He just wasn't showing up anymore, like I'm in this all on my own. Now I know that's not at all true, but haven't you felt that way before? I kept saying, "God, where are you and what are you doing?" and kept getting no response. I don't really have an answer to why I felt that -maybe because I was being distant, not Him. I say all of this not to make you feel sorry for me (I know a lot of people have bigger trials and issues than me!) but just to show you where I was last week and prove that God is faithful to come through even when we can't see a way out. God did show up yesterday in a big, personal way. He gave me a fresh word straight from His heart, and I am so thankful!

I love to listen to James MacDonald from Walk in the Word. I don't hear him often, but I'm thankful when I do. He's very down to earth and has a great way of explaining scripture in its proper context. So yesterday, his message was entitled Why Trials? It's actually the 3rd part of a series, but it's just the one I needed to hear. He was preaching from James 1:2-8...

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

Consider it joy... huh, what?! That's hard to do! But God doesn't want us to think of our trial as joyful. He wants us to be joyful about the outcome of our trial... what we're going to have learned on the other side of it... how we'll be changed to look more like Him. He (James MacDonald) went on to say that the Greek word for steadfastness here means to "remain under". Who wants to remain under a trial? Our first reaction to trials is to get out of it, to be done with it. But if we can "remain under" it, God has amazing things in store for us. Job 23:10 says, "But he knows the way that I take, and when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold." Praise the Lord! I love that! He knows the trial I'm facing. He knows the pain I'm in. He knows the outcome. He knows! But when I come out on the other side, I will be like gold! :) And His Word says that I'll be "perfect and complete, lacking nothing." I want to be that! If I don't "remain under" this trial, I will never know the purposes God has for it. I'll never learn what He wanted to teach me. Oh, I pray for a teachable spirit!

I know this is getting long, but one more point. God doesn't want it to be a mystery to us what He's trying to teach us. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach..." All we have to do is ask in faith what God is wanting us to learn or how he wants us to grow through our trials, and He will answer us- generously! He won't respond with agitation. He's not that kind of god. He's not going to leave me hanging or be absent like I felt last week. He just wants me to seek Him, to ask with faith for wisdom to get through this hard time. And He will answer!

Oh, if I can just "remain under!" Sure, it still hurts. Sure, my heart is still sad. Sure, it's not easy. BUT God is refining me as gold, working the process to make me perfect and complete, lacking nothing. That's good stuff, good enough to get me through!

I pray that God would speak to your heart today if you're struggling with a tough trial. May He give you the ability to "remain under" and wisdom to know the lesson He's teaching you so that you'll come out on the other side as gold!

Love y'all!

ps... if you want to hear the message that all of this is from- which i highly recommend- go to http://www.walkintheword.com/. go to broadcast and you'll see the previous messages, why trials part 3. you may have to sign in.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

Sweets for Sudan Update!

2009-12-24T11:26:00.004-06:00

I'd like to thank you for your amazing support for my baking and Yancy's mission trip! In the last 6 weeks, I've baked 36 cakes! Can you believe that?! So together, we've raised over $1000 just from cake baking! (If you're doing the math, I had many people donate more than $25.) Yancy is that much closer to paying for his trip! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I can't say it enough! I've loved baking for you and I'm thinking I might just keep it up! So if you need a cake for a special occasion or just because you've got a sweet tooth (I fall into that category!), give me a call or send me an email. I'd love to make your life a little sweeter! :)

Way to go, Fisher-Price!

2009-12-17T14:57:00.005-06:00

Our preschool (Bright Beginnings @ First Baptist Church Opelika) got these awesome nativity sets this year for each room. It's Little People by Fisher-Price, and can I just tell you how much I love it?! Well, I love it a lot! Our sweet 4-year-olds have loved playing with it too! I have enjoyed so much watching them play and hearing them recite the parts of the Christmas story that they know, like... "a Saviour has been born!" and "here's Mary riding on a donkey." And I think my favorite is that they call the angel "the angel of the Lord", not just "the angel." They're right! It was an angel sent straight from God to share of the great news of Jesus' birth! It almost makes me want to cry I love it so much! I pray that Jesus will use this to draw their little hearts to Him!

Soakin' up Christmas

2009-12-14T14:12:00.002-06:00

We had another fun weekend full of Christmas celebrations! I am lovin' it all! Friday we went with Tommy and Rebecca to Christmas in a Railroad Town in downtown Opelika. All the shops were open, Santa was there, and of course, the train came by! It's such a fun, small-town thing to do!

Saturday night, we headed over to Callaway Gardens to Fantasy in Lights with Heath, Jerri, Dylan and Matthew. I didn't take many pictures... it was freezing cold and rainy. I really enjoyed seeing the lights through Dylan and Matthew's eyes! Here's Dylan reaching for the stars!

The Nativity- my favorite!

And to wrap up the weekend, we went to Keyboards, Carols and Classics at our church. This might just be my favorite holiday tradition! The stage is decorated beautifully and the pianists are awesome! They play all 4 grand pianos at once and it's amazing!

I hope you all are enjoying Christmas as much as I am this year!

Christmas Fun

2009-12-06T17:08:00.004-06:00

My Mom and I went to Atlanta yesterday to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at the Fox Theatre. We had so much fun together and it was such a Christmas-y thing to do! We stopped first at South City Kitchen to have brunch. It doesn't look like anything special from the outside, but, oh, it is! Our food was delicious with big portions (always a plus in my book!) and our service was excellent! I highly recommend it!

Next, on to the show... how could you not love the Rockettes?!?! It was a great show filled with something for everyone. There was Santa and stuffed animals, Christmas trees and presents, wooden soldiers and rag dolls. And the best part was the ending... a nativity with live camels and sheep, and the real reason for the season read from Luke 2. They focused on the wise men bringing their gifts to the King of Kings! What a great and powerful way to wrap up the fun! Oh, I loved every minute of it! And it was a fun time for me and Mom to spend together! I'm definitely in the Christmas spirit now!

Lots of Cake

2009-11-18T18:41:00.007-06:00

As Rebecca said, you've brought me lots of joy because next week I'll baking, baking, baking... and then more baking! Sounds like fun to me! Thanks for the Thanksgiving cake orders! I think I'm all booked for the week. As much as I'd like to, I don't think I can squeeze anymore in. But I'm already taking orders for December, so get your order in quickly! Well, I'm off to find a place for 10 pounds of flour and sugar... do you think that will be enough?!

By the way, didn't you love Rebecca's guest post? She was too kind about my cakes, but I'm thankful that she was willing to share her thoughts with you. I think she'll be back very soon, so be looking out for her next post. I know you'll enjoy it!

Guest Postest With the Mostest...

2009-11-14T19:14:00.002-06:00

LOVE FOR JOY'S CAKES!!!

Here's a guest post from Rebecca...

Hi Everyone!
I am the biggest fan ever of Joy and her baking! I am so excited she has chosen to share her gift with us to allow us help support Yancy's Sudan trip! Since I have tasted all of her baking (and consider myself to be an expert food critic...Food Network should be calling any minute!), I volunteered to report on each of the cakes:
1) Peanut butter cake - Oh my Lord! This is one of the first of Joy's cakes I remember tasting, and it is one of my all-time favorites. Joy says that it is a consistent cake...that it always comes out the same every time she bakes it. I also say it is consistent - CONSISTENTLY INCREDIBLE! Moist and so rich, if you and your family are not allergic to peanuts, you should purchase this cake!!
2) Toasted coconut cake - This cake is Yancy's favorite, and I love it too! I know people are either for or against coconut, but I say be for it!! It is multi-layered and fluffy, and the icing is so good. Plus, this is a classic for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Try it out!!
3) Red Velvet Cake - Another CLASSIC! You know how the icing of red velvet cake has pecans in it? The thing I love about Joy's version is that she chops her pecans very finely. It makes for a great icing consistency...there's that word again! Yum! Bring it on!
4) Chocolate cake - Okay. So if you were questionable about peanut butter or coconut, who doesn't love chocolate?! This cake is an incredible white cake with a yummy chocolate icing. Excuse me...I just had to wipe drool off my mouth.
5) Caramel apple cake - I just had the pleasure of trying this newest of Joy's creation, and it may be overtaking peanut butter!! Seriously y'all, it is 2 layers of moist, dense apple cake (made with red and green apples to provide wonderfully balanced flavors) and iced with caramel icing that is perfect! It is another wonderfully Fall cake. I am about to go get my second piece for the evening! (Notice I did not say my last!)

As I close my food analysis for the evening, let me remind you that Joy is only charging $25 for these made-from-scratch, delicious, made-with-love cakes! After you taste yours, you may want to pay more. (Remember all proceeds go to Yancy's trip!) And what is so crazy to me is that Joy LOVES to bake these cakes!! So if you place an order, you will not only be contributing to a great cause, you will be bringing JOY to JOY!

Thanks for allowing me to make you really hungry...I'm going to close and go get my second piece of caramel apple cake!

Good evening!
Rebecca

Cakes for Sudan!

2009-11-12T18:13:00.002-06:00

As most of you know, God has given Yancy a heart for the people of Sudan. He's been thinking about going on a mission trip there for a while and has finally decided to go in March! I'm so excited for him because I know that he's wanted to go for so long. Yancy will be a part of a team of 6-8 and they will do discipleship training and hopefully some medical work too. As you can imagine, this will be an expensive trip. So since I love to bake, I am going to start selling some cakes to contribute to his trip. Anything I make over the cost of the ingredients will go directly to Four Corners Ministries for his trip. I've been debating the best way to do this and I've settled on just taking orders. I'll need about a week's notice and I'll have a few cakes to choose from. All cakes will be $25. And if you need some persuading, I have some references on standby! Call me!

PS... A big shout-out to Rebecca for helping me with the flyer! I'm terrible at that kind of thing and she's terrific! I'm not sure if you can tell or not, but it has cakes in the background! :) Thanks, Rebecca!

What a Weekend!

2009-11-02T13:06:00.017-06:00

*This is a LONG post*
From the first time that we met Bullen and Andrew, we've been telling them about the National Peanut Festival. And this weekend we got to share that experience with them! I don't think they had any idea what to expect, but I know they had a great time! On our way into town Friday night, we stopped and had dinner with my family. It was hectic, as always, with 3 busy little boys, but I'm very thankful that my family got to meet our dear friends. My Dad asked them what their favorite thing about being in America was and they both said, "school!" Can you believe that?! They are so grateful to be getting an education.

We left my parents' house and went to Yancy's parents' house where Yancy's Dad had been smoking pork butts all day. Bullen and Andrew got to "shoot the bull" and wait for the pork. (They think that saying is so funny!) We also had boiled and raw peanuts while we waited. They prefer them raw. Saturday, we relaxed and ate A LOT! In between the eating, my Mom helped them with their math homework. They were so kind to her and kept saying that she is "the smartest one." I thought that was so nice. And Mom said they they are doing great with their algebra, just needed some guidance. Cynthia and Harold were the perfect hosts, as always. They both worked hard preparing all the food. We had bbq, brunswick stew, corn, beans, and veggies. Jerri made a delicious mac n cheese with crushed Cheez-Its on top... my favorite! I was full all weekend. And then we sat around the fire, telling stories and visiting.Then on to the excitement... the fair! Even with all the talk about the fair, they still didn't know what to expect. I think they were expecting a show, but they were not disappointed. We got them on the farris wheel and bumper cars. And Yancy finally talked Andrew into riding the Indy 500, a little roller coaster.
And who can go to the fair and not eat?!?! We had the best corn dogs ever from The Corn Dog Man and, of course, I had to have an elephant ear. It's not the fair to me without one!

Sunday, they had the opportunity to speak at my home church in Dothan and then at AUMC here in Auburn. They did an awesome job! Their testimonies are so powerful! I meant to take pictures, but I was listening and forgot. Oh, well... I think I took enough pictures... I told you this was a long post! It was a really great weekend!

Come hear Andrew & Bullen!

2009-10-30T12:59:00.011-05:00

Hey, Dothan Friends! Our Sudanese friends, Andrew and Bullen, are going to be sharing their testimonies on Sunday morning at my home church. You can read about them here and here. They are such a blessing and are so good at helping me keep things in perspective. I know you'll be blessed by their stories and their faith in God! Come out at 9:30 to First Free Will Baptist Church on the corner of Honeysuckle and Hwy 52. Hope to see you there! :)

A COLD, But Fun Weekend!

2009-10-20T16:45:00.000-05:00

We had a great weekend! Yancy's aunt and uncle came to visit and we always enjoy our time together! Friday afternoon, we went to the raptor center. They do a presentation on Friday before every home. All of you Auburn folks should check it out!! We even got to see Spirit up close and personal. I didn't have my camera, so no pics of it, but it was fun. Saturday, we spent the day debating how many layers of clothing we were going to need to keep warm for the game. We were almost right! We pretty much froze the whole game, even with lots of layers and blankets. By the time the game was over, my legs were frozen from the knees down!! The game was awful, but at least we were with great company!

Livin' on the Plains

2009-10-07T16:53:00.002-05:00

Well, I can't believe I haven't announced this yet, but... we're staying in Auburn! Praise the Lord! Yancy found out a couple of weeks ago that they're going to let him stay here and work. YAY! We took the sign out of the yard that day! It's such an answer to prayer, just not the answer we thought we'd get. We have loved living in Auburn and are so thankful to be able to stay! We have such great friends, great neighbors, a great church, and on and on and on. To be honest, I was shocked that God answered our prayer. I know that sounds awful, but we had been praying for so long and it just was not the answer I expected. Anyway, we are thrilled and look forward to many more happy times on the plains!!

I'm Still Here!

2009-09-17T21:23:00.002-05:00

I'm not exactly sure why I've taken an almost 6 week break from blogging. That was never my intention. I guess we just haven't had much news to share, so I haven't had much to talk about. But I will say that I've missed journaling on here. You know, I started this to keep everybody up to speed on our baby coming and it has really turned into so much more. I'm very thankful to have this to reflect back on, to have proof of what God's been doing and what He's been teaching me. And I trust that one day I'll have a big, exciting announcement to make! In the meantime, I'll just continue to share what's happening while we wait.

So this week my friend shared Psalm 40 with me. It's so good! There are lots of truths about God in it, like how He hears our cries, rescues us, and puts a new song in our hearts. But I think what spoke to my heart the most this week is verse 8.

"I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart."

His instructions are written on my heart! I love that! It has given me such reassurance this week that if there's something that God wants me to do, He will make it clear. He'll write it on my heart! (I'd also really like a billboard in bold letters!) But how great to know that God's will is not a mystery or puzzle. It's not a trick or game that God is playing with us. He makes His will clear to us-He writes it on our hearts- in His time. I'm counting on it! If there's something that He desires for me and Yancy to do, He'll make it very clear and that is such a comfort to me.

One more thing... I love reading Lysa Terkeurst's blog. She's very open and honest and convicting. She wrote this week about life's gaps and it was such an encouragement. I think you'll like it! http://lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com/2009/09/gaps.html

I'm glad to be back! :)

Where We Are

2009-08-10T21:45:00.002-05:00

So, after all that's happened, where are we in the process of having a family? I still don't exactly know. I am more hopeful now than I ever have been that God is going to give us a child, but I just don't know how He's gonna do it. We've decided to continue in the process of adoption. God has given us a heart for adoption and we feel like it's what He wants us to do for now. God may choose to bless us with another pregnancy (and we welcome that and would totally rejoice over it!!!) but at this point, I just feel like we need to continue on the path that we were on before. Lifeline has been so good to work with us and I cannot say enough good things about them. There have been times when I questioned whether or not we were doing the right thing by narrowing our options down to just them. But over and over again, as we have researched other alternatives, our hearts have only been at peace with Lifeline. And I've recently been reminded that it's only because of God's plan that we don't have children yet, not because we didn't use another agency. So I ask that you all be in prayer for us... whether God chooses to bless us through a pregnancy or through an adoption, we only want His plan, His best for us. Someone shared with me recently a quote that I really like. "Sometimes we have to praise God on credit!" I'm praising God now for how He will create our family! I trust it will be amazing!

On a side note, I'm employed again! I'm gonna be back at Bright Beginnings teaching 4-year-olds. I'm so excited about it and very thankful that God worked it out for me to be there! I start on Monday. :)

Good Times with Great Friends

2009-07-28T11:20:00.002-05:00

Oh, the beach. I love it! And I love my girlfriends! So I really love time with my girlfriends at the beach! What a fun weekend we had!! We did picnic lunches both days and that was so great! We didn't have to track in and out and got to enjoy the beautiful weather all day. I'm not sure why we haven't done this before, but it worked out perfect. And no trip to Destin is complete without a visit to Red Bar for key lime pie. It was delicious and so fun (minus the sand trap)! Anyway, we really did have a great time and I'm so thankful for these sweet girls that God has placed in my life. I'm so blessed and so grateful! Let's do it again next year, Girls!

Quick Update

2009-07-24T11:14:00.002-05:00

Yancy and I are really doing well!! God has been good and given us quick healing. We've been super busy the past couple of weeks and I'm so thankful for that. We've spent lots of time with friends and family and it's been really nice... a great distraction. Please be in prayer about what our next step is. We're seeking the Lord and waiting for His answer.

This afternoon, I'm headed to Destin with my 3 best girlfriends and I just know we're gonna have an awesome time together! Great friends, the beach and good food... how could we go wrong?! Don't worry about Yancy. He'll be at the lake with his best buddies- noodling, tubing, fishing, grilling... all the things that boys love to do.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Desert Song

2009-07-08T17:40:00.002-05:00

I know I've already talked about how this song has minstered to my heart, but I'm talking about it again today! My Momma just sent me this great video. It's Jill McCloghry giving her testimony about what she went through just before recording this song. Hope it blesses you! (The whole video is almost 9 minutes long, but her testimony is only about 4 minutes.)

ps... remember to pause the playlist on the right!

His Word is Alive!

2009-07-07T22:35:00.003-05:00

God's Word has been very precious to me this last week and a half. I've tried to spend a lot of time in it because it's so comforting and it's truth. Many of you have sent scripture that has blessed us so much. But I have to tell you about a passage that I read this morning because it spoke directly to my heart, almost jumped off the page at me! I've been struggling a little bit with getting better, feeling better and moving on. I do feel better, but Satan wants me to think I shouldn't be better. And from a worldly perspective, I should be depressed and bitter and angry. But, praise God, I'm not! The Lord used these verses today to reassure me that He is healing my heart, it's ok to be getting better and that blessings do come in hard times.

Psalm 84:5-7
"What joy comes from those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem."

Oh my goodness! That just sums up this struggle for us! Our strength has come from the Lord. There's no way on our own strength that we could have endured this trial! It has been a time of weeping for us, but it has also been a time of great blessings. As we have walked through the "valley of weeping", the Lord has refreshed our faith and trust in Him. He has renewed our hope in Him and for our future... "a place of refreshing springs". He has also clothed us with blessings. I cannot begin to count the blessings that God has poured out on us through all of this. And we have appeared before God. We have felt His presence like never before.

I'm so very grateful for His Word!!

Hebrews 4:12
"For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow."

On the Mend

2009-07-06T10:57:00.000-05:00

I'm beginning to feel 'normal' again. Everyday has it's ups and downs, but for the most part, each day gets a little better. I know that God is in the process of healing my heart. I feel it on the mend! I'm finding great comfort in knowing that Baby Carpenter will be loved perfectly and completely- forever- by our Heavenly Father. I would have let our sweet baby down, failed him or her many times over. But they will never know that disappointment now. Baby Carpenter is safe in the arms of Jesus. We will miss this baby and what could have been terribly, but we trust that God has worked this all out for His glory. We continue to press on and serve Him and love Him.

Psalm 16:11
"In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Broken but not bitter

2009-07-01T12:12:00.000-05:00

I think I've felt more pain the past few days than I ever have. My heart is broken and I've been overwhelmed by sadness. To be completely honest, I feel like it was kinda mean of God to take away the gift He had just given us, the gift we'd prayed for and desired for SO long. But I KNOW God is not mean! HE IS GOOD and His actions are never anything but good. And I don't want to become bitter, so I'm clinging to the truth that God works in all things to bring about good.

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28

But even in the pain and sadness, we have so much to be thankful for. God's presence has covered and surrounded us. It has been so real and so sweet. He has poured out His love on us and I have never felt more sure of His love for me. It's been a great comfort to know that He sees each tear we cry (Psalm 56:8) and that He hurts along with us. And He has used you, our sweet friends and family, to minister to us, encourage us and love on us. It's such a comfort to know that you all are praying for us! And the physical needs you have met for us (like really good food!) have been such a blessing! You have been the hands and feet of Jesus to us this week. Oh, how we thank you!

I am also thankful for God's protection over us. He has graciously protected us from anger and bitterness. And He has blessed and protected our marriage. It has been a sweet time for me and Yancy as we have hurt together and loved each other.

Again, we really cannot thank you enough for all you have done for us. We are so grateful and so humbled!

"Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." Psalm 106:1

"For everything there is a season...

2009-06-25T20:44:00.005-05:00

a time to dance and a time to mourn." (Ecclesiastes 3:4) For the last 3 weeks, Yancy and I- along with all of you- have been dancing, celebrating the miracle of our baby. Today we mourn. We went to the doctor today and they found no heartbeat. To say the least, we are heartbroken and we hurt so badly. But we know that God is still good. He is still in control. He still loves us more than we can imagine. He has a plan and a purpose that we cannot see at the moment. We choose to trust Him and praise Him that even in this tragedy, He knows best. I've been thinking about the song "Blessed Be Your Name". Whether He's giving or taking away, blessed be His name! Please continue to lift us up in prayer, especially over the next few days. I know they will be difficult. We love you all!

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

Overwhelmed!

2009-06-16T07:54:00.003-05:00

Yancy and I have been overwhelmed by your love and support for us! We can't thank you enough for sharing in the joy!! It's all just so exciting!

I wanted to give a little update about our weekend and fill in some blanks that I missed in my last post. I will be 9 weeks on Thursday and our due date is January 21. I'm feeling great, other than being just a little tired. I've been taking it easy and napping if I feel like it! Yancy has been so sweet to me; I already feel a little spoiled!

So on to the big announcement weekend... I wanted to share just a couple of things about it. It was so fun to see how everyone reacted so differently. Yancy's Mom cried, my Dad laughed, and my sister-in-law, Katherine, went off like a firecracker. And when we told Yancy's Mamaw, she didn't believe us! She said, "You ought not do me like that!" Of course, everyone is very excited! It truly is a miracle.

One more little story... Friday after we told Yancy's family, we ate dinner, the excitement had calmed down just a bit, and we had moved on to other topics. Our nephew, Dylan- who's 4, cute as a button with big, brown eyes- came over to me and put his arm around me and said, "I prayed for you to have a baby!" How sweet is that! I've mentioned him before and how he has prayed every night for us to have a baby. I cannot wait for him to actually see this baby that he has faithfully prayed for! I know his faith has already grown!

Again, thank you so much for all the messages and phone calls! We are so blessed to have you all share in this with us! And more importantly, thank you for continuing to lift us up in prayer!

"O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." Isaiah 25:1

A BABY IS ON THE WAY!!!

2009-06-13T17:35:00.000-05:00

TO GOD BE THE GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE! After trying and not trying, after lots of medicines and shots and a 5-day hospital stay, after tons and tons of paperwork trying to adopt, after waiting for 7 YEARS, God has answered our prayers! And He answered them in a way I didn't believe would ever happen! We found out last week that I'm pregnant!! Praise the Lord!!! What a miracle! Now, I have to say that it's not that I thought God couldn't open my womb, I just didn't think that it was in His plan for us. (I mean, we have been waiting to adopt for 2 years! We thought that was God's plan for our family!) But I've been reminded of some verses that I loved while I was waiting and now still treasure...

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

AND

"For I know the plans I have for you", says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

I can't continue without mentioning that as I was doubtful that I would ever get pregnant, Yancy never quit believing that it would happen. He held on to God's promise in Malachi 2:15 that says, "Didn't the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union."

Who knows why God chose this time or this way, but He is God and in control and we just praise Him for this wonderful gift. He knew all along that this would be the time. We are humbled by His love and faithfulness- as we have been all along this journey. He proved Himself faithful to us, even when He wasn't answering our prayers the way we desired. He has always met our needs and now has blessed us beyond what we could have imagined. Our hearts are so full of joy and so very grateful for this unbelievable gift. To say the least, we are COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED!!!

Y'all have been so faithful to pray for us, love us and encourage us, and we can never thank you enough! It's so exciting to me that you all get to share in this joy because it's not just our prayers that have been answered, your prayers have been answered too! So thank you, thank you, thank you for being great friends and prayer warriors for us! We love you! And we have to ask that you please continue to pray for us! Pray that this baby will be healthy and whole and that most of all, he or she grow up to love Jesus with all their hearts!

"Now all GLORY TO GOD, who is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." Ephesians 3:20

A New Song in My Heart!

2009-05-29T11:22:00.007-05:00

I've been feeling so blue the last couple of weeks- just sad that I'm still waiting for our sweet baby. Waiting is so difficult!!! I've been talking to God about my feelings and asking Him for some encouragement. Well, we can always count on God to answer our prayers, can't we?!! This morning, my sweet friend Aly told me about a song that I needed to hear. Boy, did I ever need to hear it! It was so encouraging, but also VERY convicting! In this season of waiting- no matter how long it lasts- I DO have a reason to sing! God is STILL God! Oh, how I love this song! I hope it encourages your heart today!!!

All of my life,
In every season,
You are still God!
I have a reason to sing!
I have a reason to worship!

PS... You'll have to pause the Playlist on the right! :)

This is really good!

2009-05-13T22:35:00.002-05:00

From James MacDonald
Who You Are

You ought to live . . . to please God . . . For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3

As a pastor, I often hear questions about God's will. "What does God want me to do?" is the most common, but there are others: "Where does God want me to live?" "Who does God want me to marry?" "What job does God want me to take?"

This may come as a surprise to you, but the Bible doesn't spend any time on that stuff. God's focus isn't so much on the externals; He wants to change the inner you.

God's will is 98 percent about who you are. Need evidence? Check out 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3: "You ought to live . . . to please God. . . . For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification."

The word "sanctification" comes from a root word that means "to make holy." Sanctification is the process by which God takes sinful people and makes them holy. (It's not really as churchy as it sounds.) Holy is a great word; it means "set apart" or "distinct." It means "different from the sinful world around us." It means being like God.

Next time you are struggling to know what God could be doing, just say to yourself, "He's changing me," and you'll be right. Next time disappointments or heartaches come, try to recognize that God Himself is holding the hammer and chisel.

But why? Here's the hard truth that sets people free: God does not exist to fulfill our purposes; we exist to fulfill His purposes. You and I are here because God wants to demonstrate His power and splendor through our lives, and if you realize that you are not doing that very well, then you truly understand why He wants to change you. He wants to get you to the place where no matter what happens to you or what you go through, you trust Him and follow Him and are committed wholly to His goodness. And so He's coming after you, and He's trying to change you. Let Him do His work in you, and watch Him display His awesomeness through you.

31 and Having Fun!

2009-05-05T12:29:00.012-05:00

Yancy has been begging me to go to New Orleans for years now. I didn't really want to go, so I kept putting him off. Well, we finally made the trip down there this weekend for his 31st birthday. Yancy was right after all! It was a really fun trip! We ate A LOT of great food (I came home 5 pounds heavier!) and saw some live jazz- Dr. John and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Happy Birthday, Yancy!!!

Acme Oyster House

Preservation Hall Jazz Band... They were so good and lots of fun!

Central Grocery for a muffuletta... surprisingly delicious!

Antoine's- the oldest family-run restaurant in the country

Cafe Du Monde... I wish I had some beignets right now!

Celebrity Sighting! We ran into Aaron Neville! Yancy walked right up to him like he'd known him all his life. He was really nice and didn't seem to mind. We actually saw him 2 more times after this! (The picture's kinda blurry cuz I was nervous!)

I Have Pictures!

2009-04-29T17:53:00.006-05:00

Here are a few of my favorite pics from our ladies conference weekend. Thanks, Stephanie, for sharing them!

The Leadership Team

My Fun Roomies... Kelley, Jamie, Chandra, Me, Rebecca, Stephanie, Brandi, Katie, and Stacy

Silly girls!

Me and Chandra... I was her hostess for the weekend which was lots of fun! We really enjoyed getting to know one another!

And I saved the best for last... Rebecca as "Randra" during our Survivor game! Too funny!

What? I Won an Award?!

2009-04-27T14:53:00.006-05:00

My sweet, fun friend, Stephanie, just gave me an award! How fun! Thanks, Stephanie! Here are the rules... I have to tell about 7 things that I love and then pass on the award to 7 other bloggy friends. Here goes...

1. I love, love, love Yancy. I know it's so cheesy, but he really does complete me. God knew what He was doing when He put us together. We balance each other out in so many ways. I'm so proud to be his wife! I'm thankful for the man that he's grown to be and for his willingness to be used by God... plus he's really cute and he makes me laugh a lot! :)

2. I love caffeine. Sadly, I can't go a day without it.

3. I love to bake... cookies, cakes, muffins, brownies, etc. Basically anything that has lots of butter and lots of sugar. And along with this, I love my Kitchen-Aid mixer! It was a surprise Christmas present a few years back from my sweet hubby! It's my favorite thing in my kitchen.

4. I love my family. They have been such encouragers and prayer warriors for me. Their love is unconditional and I don't know where I'd be without them. My Mom and Dad taught me about Jesus as early as I could learn and I respect them so much for being such faithful followers. I know my Mom and Cynthia, my mother-in-law, lift me up daily to the Lord and it just encourages my heart so much!

5. I love my doggies, Charlie and Duke. They really are our first family. They bring me such joy! And I'm so glad that they were here to keep me company while Yancy was working in Huntsville.

6. I love my bestest friend, Rebecca. It's been fun over the years to realize how alike we are. We love food, we love Jesus, we love vacations, we love our girls (see previous post), we love the Fringe, we love The Office. :) You get the point; we just think alike. And she's a great listener. No matter how many times I want to talk about the same ol' thing, she never gets tired of listening! God was so good to send her to me! She, too, lifts me up in prayer daily. Basically, my life would stink without her.

7. I saved the best for last... I love Jesus! How can I not after all He has done for me? As hard as the past few years have been for me, I can say that I love and trust Him more now than I ever have. He is so rich in loving-kindness towards me and His mercies are new everyday. I have found Him perfectly faithful!

So, these are just a few of the things I love. And of course, love is a relative word. I really don't love caffeine and my Kitchen-Aid mixer as much as I love Yancy or Jesus. You all know that, right? Anyway, I'm supposed to tag 7 others, so...

Paula
Maggie
Melissa
Cathy
Kelly
Amy
Katie
Tipi
Jennifer
Allison
Summer

...you're IT! Well, that's more than 7, but I couldn't choose! I want to hear from you all! :)

My Sweet Girls

2009-04-22T00:01:00.007-05:00

I love these girls!!! Aren't they beautiful? And, more importantly, they're just as beautiful on the inside! They are all graduating in just a few weeks, so last night was our last night together. :( For the past 3 years, we've been together 1 night a week, studying God's Word and sharing our hearts. How sweet it's been! And now, it's so hard to believe it's over. I'm going to miss them SO MUCH! I love you, sweet girls!

I Knew It!

2009-04-21T15:29:00.009-05:00

That is... I knew that God would show up this weekend- and He did!! But before I give an update about the women's conference, can I just say that God is so good?!?! We got great news on Friday! Sysco has made a few changes and even though I don't understand it all, they are going to let Yancy work in this area until our house sells! Praise the Lord! No more Tuesday morning good-byes. No more separation. No more nights at the Holiday Inn for Yancy! No more pressure to sell the house! Hallelujah! God is so good and just encouraged my heart so much with this news! We still will be moving eventually, but we can remain settled here in Auburn until our house sells. Yancy will be up there this week and maybe 1 night next week to tie up some loose ends, but come May, he's gonna be here with me! We are definitely better together! God is just reminding me that through all of this, He is in control. His answer to this prayer was a way that we didn't even know was an option. He's good like that, you know... providing a way when we don't see a way! Thank you, Lord!!!

So onto the women's conference... what a great weekend! Our speaker was Chandra Peele and she was so great! I had the privilege of being her hostess for the weekend, and I so enjoyed getting to know her and her heart for ministry. She is an amazing speaker, full of joy, and so passionate about what she does. God is doing big things through her! She challenged us this weekend to be church ladies that are...

~non-judgemental. "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7
~loving. "Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them... Love each other with genuine affection." Romans 12:9-11
~influential. "For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved." 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

She asked us to think about church ladies that have influenced us and I'm blessed to have so many! I've had different ladies for different seasons of my life. I pray that, like them, I might be the aroma of Christ to those around me. What a challenge!

I also had such a fun time with all my girlfriends- new and old! We had opportunities to share our hearts, enjoy some beach time, to laugh hysterically and uncontrollably, and just enjoy being together. It was so much fun! And it was so encouraging to be surrounded by women who are wanting to please God with their lives. These sweet girls have faithfully lifted me up in prayer too and I am so thankful!

So that's it. I counted on God to show up and meet the needs of my heart this weekend and He did just that. He is good!

A few prayer requests...

2009-04-15T09:26:00.005-05:00

I can't believe it has been so long since I've posted anything! We've had a pretty uneventful month I guess. We're still in between Auburn and Huntsville and still praying fervently for God to sell our house! It has almost been a year since we put our house on the market!!! Unbelievable! I don't know what God is up to, but I'm trying so hard to trust Him.

We're also researching some other adoption options. It's been 2 years since we started all this and we had NO idea it would take this long! We feel like we have done what God has asked us to do and followed up on every lead we've gotten over the past 2 years, but things just haven't worked out yet. For whatever reason, God is delaying in this, too. Again, unbelievable! We have started doing a little more research on some other adoption agencies just to make sure we've got all the bases covered. Please pray for us that we will have wisdom in making all these decisions. We don't want to make a mistake! I know I've prayed so many times over the past few years that I wouldn't be like Sarah (Genesis 15-17) and make a mess of things! As hard as it is, we want to hold out for the perfect child that God has for us. Again, I don't know what God is up to, but I'm trying so hard to trust Him!

Our church is having a ladies conference this weekend in Orange Beach and I am SO excited about it!!! I feel like I'm at a point where I need the Lord to minister to me and I am believing He will! He is enough for every need of my heart! I have such great expectations and I can't wait to see how God shows up- not just for me, but for every lady who's attending!

Thanks for caring for us and lifting us up in prayer! We definitely need it!

I Will Be Joyful!

2009-03-13T08:46:00.004-05:00

Well, we've wrapped up our study, Calm My Anxious Heart. It was so good and I'm sad that it's over. It's one of those books that I know I will return to as a reference guide over and over again. I wanted to share our memory verse this week; it's great!

Habakkuk 3:17-19
"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights."

We talked about how applicable this verse is to our lives. We all have our own "even thoughs" we can insert into this scripture. Some are big life issues and some may be small things that we have to deal with.

Even though... we're still waiting for our baby,
Even though... our house hasn't sold yet,
Even though... Yancy spends 3 days a week in Huntsville, and I miss him terribly when he's gone,
Even though... my air conditioner in my car is broken,
Even though... what's yours?

Our problems/situations/"even thoughs" are real and maybe even painful (Habakkuk's was that he didn't have any food!), but we can still choose to rejoice in who God is. I think this is a great scripture to pray back to the Lord. "God, even though... yet I WILL rejoice in you! You alone are my strength and my salvation!" Again it brings our focus back to God and not our situation. Will you choose to rejoice in whatever your situation? It will be such a testimony of trusting Him!

Some Little Nuggets of Truth

2009-03-05T12:39:00.005-06:00

We're still studying Calm My Anxious Heart and it's still so good! I highly recommend it to y'all! This week had a quote from Andrew Murray that I love. It's just a good reminder that God has us all right where we are for a purpose and He's gonna use it for His glory- no matter what our situation is.

In times of trouble, say, "First, he brought me here. It is by his will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest." Next, "He will keep me here in his love, and give grace in this trial to behave as his child." Then say, "He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to learn, and working in me the grace he means to bestow." And last, say, "In his good time he can bring me out again. How and when, he knows." Therefore, say, "I am here (1)by God's appointment, (2)in his keeping, (3)under his training, (4)for his time."

I'm trying to keep my focus not on my situation, but on God and His purposes.

One other thing that I love is that this week reminded us to remember who God is and what he has done for us in the past.

Remember who God is. What is His character? It's good, loving, kind, merciful, sovereign, wise, just, and faithful!!!

And remember what he has done in the past. He sure has been good to me! He has provided and meet needs that I didn't even know I had. He has encouraged me through His Word, through special friends, through spending time with Him. He has been faithful to me and has never let me down. He has walked beside me through very difficult times. He has given me strength to endure when I thought I wouldn't make it. I will remember what he has done for me! He will surely not abandon me now!

Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Sunday's Blizzard

2009-03-03T09:44:00.002-06:00

My friend and neighbor, Lisa, took this picture of our house Sunday morning. I love it!

Snow Day

2009-03-01T09:55:00.003-06:00

Here's what Yancy and I woke up to this morning. Isn't it pretty?

My New Favorite Hymn

2009-02-19T20:27:00.003-06:00

Thanks, Trawick, for sharing this with me! I love it!

Not so in haste, my heart!
Have faith in God, and wait;
Although He linger long,
He never comes too late.

He never cometh late;
He knoweth what is best;
Vex not thyself in vain;
Until He cometh, rest.

Until He cometh, rest,
Nor grudge the hours that roll;
The feet that wait for God
Are soonest at the goal.

Are soonest at the goal
That is not gained with speed;
Then hold thee still, my heart,
For I shall wait His lead.

For Sale

2009-02-17T15:26:00.004-06:00

Hey, everyone! Yancy and I set a date of sell/rent by date of March 1st, which is right here upon us. For our own sanity, we had to put a deadline on this back and forth stuff. Someone is coming to look at the house tomorrow and we're having an open house this Saturday from 1-4. Please pray that God will send us a buyer soon!!! If we end up having to rent it (which we really don't want to do!) I know it will be worth it for us to be together again. Thanks for your prayers and concern for us!!! I'll keep you updated.

A Belated Birthday Shout-out

2009-02-13T21:11:00.005-06:00

Oh my goodness... what in the world would I do without you, Rebecca?!?! Happy late birthday to my sweet, dear, precious friend! What a blessing you are! I pray you have an awesome year!

Down on the Farm

2009-02-09T08:23:00.007-06:00

Yancy and I had such a fun day on Saturday! We drove down to Gary and Suzanne's farm and spent the day hanging out with great friends. We celebrted Suzanne's birthday, too. First thing we did was get lost in the woods. Yancy loved it! The briars ate us up, but we made it out alive with only minor scrapes. Our friends Stacy and Eric and their girls came over and we all roasted hot dogs and smores. It was so much fun! I tell Suzanne that it's like therapy for me, like a mini-vacation. It's so relaxing. And when we're all together, there's always lots of laughs, too! Hope you had a good birthday, Suzanne! We enjoyed it!

All of the girls...

Suzanne riding Holly Grace's scooter... too funny!

Yancy on the DEERE...

I had to join in on the scooter fun...

Suzanne, me, Stacy, and Trawick

Trawick was a great shot!

Rest for the Weary

2009-02-02T12:18:00.004-06:00

I've always liked the verses in Matthew that say "Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest." Have you ever felt weary? What does that even mean, weary? And how does Jesus give us rest when we come to Him? I've been thinking about this scripture for about a week, pondering the answer to those questions, mainly because I think that's what I'm feeling. I looked up "weary" and one definition is "having one's patience exhausted." I'm definitely there! So how do I get rest? According to Jesus, all I have to do is come to Him. He wants me to come to Him, not when I have it all figured out, but because I'll never have it all figured out. He wants me to come to Him- bringing my weariness, my burdens, my sadness, my hopes, my sin- and He promises to give me rest. How can He promise rest? Because He can't lie. Because He is full of grace. Because He paid my sin debt. Because He loves me so much. Because He is kind. Because He is humble and gentle. Because He wants to carry my burdens for me. Because His patience never ends. I can rest in Jesus because of who He is- perfect, holy, sovereign... God. Feeling weary like me? Come to Jesus and find rest!

Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light. Matthew 11:28-30

from the weekend

2009-01-28T12:35:00.006-06:00

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear Momma! Happy Birthday to you!!! "He seldom reflects on the days of his life, for God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart." Ecclesiastes 5:20

So obviously, we celebrated my Mom's birthday over the weekend. Mom's favorite is chocolate, so I made a devil's food cake. She told me not to post a picture, but I couldn't resist. I thought it was a good one!

I love this picture of Yancy with Mason! He's gonna be such a good daddy one day!

We also got to visit with Yancy's Grandmother, DeDe. She fried up some cornbread and it was delicious! We enjoyed seeing everyone!

Here she is after the frying was over! Very funny, DeDe!

Amazing!

2009-01-21T09:07:00.005-06:00

Yancy and I have been watching Planet Earth on the Discovery Channel. It's an awesome documentary about our world and its inhabitants- mountains, seas, plains, deserts. As we've been watching it, I've been awed by God and His creation. Of course, the series gives no credit to God for His creation, but we know that He spoke and all of this came into existence. It's amazing how He provides exactly what each animal and system needs to survive. It truly is amazing! You must see it!

"Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!"
Genesis 1:31

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth... and he holds all creation together."
Colossians 1:15-17

Here's a preview. You might want to pause the music player.

Waiting For God's Answer

2009-01-08T21:17:00.004-06:00

Here's another great devotion from James MacDonald. It's so good!

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. - Romans 5:3-5

The Christian life would be easy if the space in time was small between when you first believe God's promises and when you receive what He promised. If you could read about it one day and get it the next, Wow - wouldn't that be great!?

But life's not like that.

The hard part is in the waiting between God's promise and His answer; and even harder, when the waiting comes with uncertainties.

Where's this going? Where am I going to end up? What's my future look like?

The reality is, we just don't know how circumstances will play out and it's this not-knowing that crushes us. We doubt because we don't know. We worry and despair because we don't know. We falter and sometimes fail - all because we don't know. If only we knew how this trial was going to end, we would be okay. But we don't.

We all have areas of uncertainty where we need to hold tightly onto what God has said while we wait for Him to work. I couldn't go forward another day if I didn't believe what He told me. So here's what we each must do: We must review His promises all the time. We must remind ourselves that our faith is in God and not in what He does for us. He knows what He has promised, He can't lie, and He can't forget. He will deliver on time, all the time. Who else can make promises like that?

God knows that it's hard for us to walk by faith. So He assures us, I'm not going to leave you wondering what I'm going to do. I don't want you to be overcome by fear. So I'm going to make some promises to you so that you can get through the difficult days. You don't have to take your view of life only from what you can see happening right in front of you. You're not imprisoned by the crazy talk someone is putting into your head that you know isn't true. Hang onto the things that I told you.

And while we wait, God builds our faith.

Merry Christmas...

2008-12-24T22:02:00.003-06:00

...from the Carpenters! We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Day celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Praise God for His perfect Christmas gift!

"The Savior- yes, the Messiah, the Lord- has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!"

Luke 2:11

Joy To The World...

2008-12-17T08:58:00.016-06:00

...and joy on our Christmas tree! My sweet Mom has bought me a new ornament every year. (She started out buying one for me and Garrett, and now she still buys one for us, as well as Yancy and Katherine, and the grandkids!) She tries hard to find one for me that says "joy" and most years she's able to find one. So our Christmas tree is covered in over 30 "joy" ornaments and I LOVE IT! Thank you, Momma! I thought I would share a few of my favorites...

Just in case you're wondering, here's Yancy's favorite...

Opelika-Auburn News

2008-12-13T08:58:00.002-06:00

It's amazing that Bullen and Andrew are in the paper at all. We still don't know how the newspaper found out they were going to speak. God is definitely at work in their lives! Here's the link...

http://www.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/oms_greets_special_visitors/50907/

Bullen and Andrew are here!

2008-12-12T14:52:00.004-06:00

Yea! I'm so glad that Bullen and Andrew are spending the weekend with us! I've had a bad week, and I'm feeling better already just spending the day with them. They have a way of helping me keep things in perspective. Our friend, Adam Massey, invited them to speak to his classes at Opelika Middle School this morning. They did a great job! I never get tired of hearing their story; God has done such amazing things in their lives. The newspaper was there, so we've told them they're gonna be famous! The article should be in tomorrow's Opelika-Auburn News. I'll try to remember to post a link to it.

Christmas Party

2008-12-05T17:50:00.004-06:00

Monday night we celebrated Christmas with our Bible Study girls. We had breakfast foods on our menu since it was so close to Thanksgiving. Rebecca and I finally got to give our gifts that we worked so hard on. We made the girls- and ourselves!- a cookbook on Shutterfly. We included pictures of all of us and all the yummy recipes that we've enjoyed together. It was fun to see their reaction. Merry Christmas, Girls, and Happy Cooking!

Thanksgiving... again and again!

2008-12-02T17:26:00.020-06:00

Thanksgiving is Yancy's favorite holiday and we got to celebrate it 3 days in a row this year! On Thanksgiving Day, we drove over to Thomaston for lunch with Yancy's grandmother- and aunts and uncles and cousins. It was a very eventful day! Yancy's grandmother, DeDe, as we like to call her, turned 83 on Thanksgiving Day. We sang happy birthday and had a yummy caramel cake, her favorite, along with lots of other delicious food. That afternoon, there was a calf born! It was so exciting and I was surprised how quickly it got up and going! Yancy was disgusted because he has a weak stomach, but I thought it was a neat experience. I think it was the 9th calf born in just a week, so it was sweet to see all the babies in the pasture. (I don't get out much!)

Happy Birthday, DeDe!

Yancy with his Uncle Paul and Aunt Cindy

Lots of baby cows!

Thanksgiving day 2 was also my birthday. I'm technically "in" my 30s now at 31. I really can't believe that! I still feel like I should be 20! Anyway, we celebrated with my parents and my brother's family. Garrett has 3 boys, so there is always lots of activity when we're together! They are definitely all boy! We all had a great time...

and here's the activity!

Yancy taught Garrison about the "atomic elbow"

I had a little help blowing out my candles!

Mmmmmm... yummy cake!

Thanksgiving day 3 was held at Yancy's Mom's house and it was Iron Bowl Saturday. We had SO much food; we could have fed 20 more people! We got to visit with lots of Yancy's family that we don't get to see very often. I enjoyed visiting with them so much, but I will have to say that I did not enjoy watching the game with a roomful of Auburn fans. I'll have to find a different venue for next year! Roll Tide! Anyway, we had a great day and we are still full from our 3-day feast!

Strategizing before the game...

Matthew and Papaw

Yancy refereeing the little football stars... they were hard-hittin'!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We all have SO MUCH to be thankful for!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." Psalm 107:1

Charlie and Duke's Day Out

2008-11-26T10:39:00.008-06:00

Yancy has been off this week, so we actually get to spend a whole week together! Yesterday we took Charlie and Duke to Chewacla Park here in Auburn. We've lived here 4 1/2 years and I'm ashamed to say we've never been! It's really beautiful! I was afraid of how the dogs would act because they don't really get out much, but they did so good. They had a great time in the water and never tried to run off. Yancy and I had a fun time too. We ate a little picnic lunch and enjoyed the scenery, especially the waterfall. This is our attempt at a "family" photo.

My new favorite picture of Charlie...

Catching Up

2008-11-20T08:23:00.008-06:00

I've been absent from the blogging world lately! I'll try to catch you up on what's been going on. First, we went home to Dothan the weekend of Halloween, and I took this sweet picture of my nephews. This was right after them trick-or-treating and they continued to eat candy all night long! They were dressed as a ninja turtle, power ranger and Jeff Gordon. (Garrison, the oldest, wore the Jeff Gordon costume when he was younger. He would say he was "deff dordon." It was so cute!)

We love them so much and wish we could see them more. We always have a great time playing together; they always wear Yancy out! We tried to get a picture of me with them and this is as good as it gets...

Last week, while Yancy was working in Huntsville, I went to Greenville to visit my great friends, Stacy and Suzanne. I hate that I didn't take any pictures. You wouldn't believe the things I learned to do with a sledgehammer!!! (Actually I helped Suzanne tear down an old shed on their land! Told you you wouldn't believe it!) We had a fun time and it was great catching up. We always laugh so much when we're together. I love you and miss you both!

This past Monday night we had Thanksgiving with our college girls. It was a delicious feast and such a fun time. I'm so thankful for them! Again, I took no pictures. I've got to do better!

Last night, my best friend Rebecca came over for dinner (leftover dinner, but dinner just the same). We worked on our Christmas gifts to our girls because we'll be having our Christmas party with them on Dec. 1. They get out for Christmas break early, so we have to party early. I can't wait to tell you what we made them! Anyway, it's always good to have time with Rebecca. When it comes to our time together, too much is never enough!

Well, you're all caught up now. I'm on my way to Birmingham today to see Yancy. He's camping this weekend with some friends. (What are they thinking? They're gonna freeze!) I'm having dinner tomorrow night in B'ham with some girlfriends and I'll be back on Saturday to see Mannheim Steamroller with my friend Teri. It should be a lot of fun. And then next week is the big week of Thanksgiving and my birthday. I'm really looking forward to it...good food, friends and family!

Start asking, "What Now?"

2008-10-31T09:26:00.004-05:00

I read this today, and it blessed me so. I know it will encourage you, too!
http://lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com/2008/10/has-god-ever-hurt-your-feelings.html

Fun Fall Festival

2008-10-31T07:07:00.007-05:00

Last Friday night, we had a fall festival with our Bible study girls. Rebecca was our host- thanks, Rebecca- and it was so much fun! We ate alot of delicious foods including taco soup, mexican cornbread, corn pudding, and fruit salad. Oh, and how could I forget all the candy corn I ate?! The girls taught me and Rebecca how to carve pumpkins, since neither of us had done it before. I think that will be a fall tradition from now on. It was alot of fun! Tommy and Yancy built us an awesome bonfire, so we made yummy smores and wondered if anyone was waiting in the woods for us! :) Thanks, guys, for the fire! We stayed up late, of course, laughing and having a great time together. Rebecca and I say this all the time, but we really do have the best girls ever!!!

Good Times

2008-10-28T17:17:00.010-05:00

Yancy and I had a great time last week on our trip. We had never before been on a cruise and it was so much fun. I was a little worried about feeling claustrophobic and getting motion sickness, but a balcony and Dramamine cured that! Sysco was so generous and they chartered the whole ship just for Sysco award winners. There was about 1 crew member for each passenger. We felt very special! And I cannot begin to tell you how much food we ate! I'm sure it falls under the category of "gluttony"! It was all so good! After the cruise, Yancy and I stayed a little longer in Pompano Beach and were able to tour the Everglades on an air boat (something Yancy has always wanted to do) and we actually saw several alligators! We also drove down to Key West for the day. It's not really a day trip from Pompano Beach, but we were committed and made it happen! We didn't get many good pictures of us together, but here's a few from the trip.

Yancy's favorite spot

Horseback riding on Half Moon Cay- Don't you love the helmet?!

Touring the Everglades

I can't believe I held that thing, but when else will I be able to hold a baby alligator?!

Eating key lime pie in Key West... YUM!

Short Term Memory Loss and A Cruise

2008-10-13T23:24:00.004-05:00

OK... so I've already forgotten all my wonderful lessons on waiting! I had a roller coaster of a week last week and it has just left me feeling very sad. I so long for a baby and I'm so sad that I have to keep waiting. Yesterday at church, I cried a lot. I had the lip-quivering cry, you know, the kind you can't control no matter how hard you try. The special music was a song called "Our Hope Endures" by Natalie Grant. It goes something like, "Sometimes the sun stays hidden for years, Sometimes the sky rains night after night... But our hope endures." That was how I was feeling at the moment, like the sun had been hidden for years. Sometimes I get down on myself for feeling sad (and Satan likes to tell me that if I were a "good" Christian I would be able to handle it), but I shouldn't feel that way because Jesus understands my feelings. He created my feelings. He knows my pain and each tear I cry. Jesus felt sad at times too. Anyway, I love the ending of the song, "our hope endures." Even though I am feeling sad, my hope- in Jesus Christ alone- endures!

I am slowly coming out of my sadness though. Number one, Jesus is my hope. Number two, Yancy and I are going on a cruise Thursday! Yancy found out in August that he had won the Pacesetter Award this year! The Pacesetter Award is a recognition given out by Sysco corporate and it's very hard to earn. Basically it means that Yancy is a superstar!!! I'm so very proud of him! His reward for being a Pacesetter is corporate recognition and a trip. This year the trip is a cruise to the Bahamas. I'm so excited about going on vacation, but I think I'm more excited about spending a whole week with Yancy. The timing of the trip could not have been more perfect! You think God had something to do with that? I do! God has been so good to us and blessed us so much! Pray that we'll have a safe trip and come back rested, with renewed hearts... and maybe a tan!

Lessons on Waiting

2008-10-09T10:42:00.005-05:00

This is a long post! I had a lot to say!
Our college girls' Bible study had a lesson one day a couple of weeks ago about waiting on God. Well, since I'm kinda an expert (if you can call it that) on waiting, I put together a few things that God has taught me- and is still trying to teach me!- about why He wants us to wait sometimes.
1. To grow us, teach us perseverance. There's so much we have to learn!
Romans 6:3-4 "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation."
2. To test our faithfulness. Am I going to be faithful? Am I committed to Him? It please God when we wait with faith.
Hebrews 11:6 "And it is imposible to please God without faith."
3. To change our desires. I believe that God doesn't just give us the desires of our heart (He doesn't just give us what we want). But He is the one who actually places certain desires in our hearts. He has definitely used our waiting time to change my desires. When Yancy and I were first trying to have a baby, I so wanted to experience pregnancy and childbirth. But God has used this time to refine my desire to just wanting to be a mom.
Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."
4. To work out His will somewhere else. I think waiting sometimes has nothing to do with me! God has pieces of my life that He is working out that I have nothing to do with. That's pretty amazing, huh?
Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them."
5. To trust Him more. He wants us to just believe Him and take Him at His Word. He is worthy of our trust!
Psalm 9:10 "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."
Jeremiah 17:7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him."
6. To be persistant. There is something about persistance that God honors. I think that when we are persistant with God, it proves our faith in Him. You all are proving your faithfulness as you continue to lift us up in prayer! I think about our nephew, Dylan, who prays for us and our baby every night. It's gonna be an awesome day when we introduce him to his cousin and say, "This is the baby you've been praying for!" Oh, how that will increase His faith!
Luke 11:5-10
Luke 18:1-7
7. To bring God glory. When we wait for something and have no control over the outcome, I think it brings God such glory. I think of the day when Yancy and I get our baby, what glory God will receive from that! It will not have been because of anything that we have done, but completely the work of the Lord.
Psalm 40:1-3 "I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry... Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord."
John 11:1-44 It's long, but worth the read. It's the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead. God got even more glory by raising Lazarus from the dead than He would have if He had just healed him. It was hard for the family to wait for Jesus to act, but so worth it.
8. To remember our reward is in heaven. When I get to heaven, I'm not gonna be bitter or angry about having to wait for our baby. Our suffering and waiting can't compare to our reward in heaven.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."
Romans 8:18 "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."
9. To trust in God's perfect timing. I've heard it said that God's never early and never late; He's always right on time. His time frame may not be my time frame, but I believe His is better. And in the light of etenity, what's a few years?
2 Peter 3:8 "A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day."

I hope that this is as encouraging to you as it is to me. But I don't want to sound like I've got it all together, because believe me, I don't! Just this week, God challenged my faith and made me question whether or not we are doing the right thing. I think more than anything, God wants to know that we desire Him more than whatever we are waiting for. That's a hard thing sometimes, but I know that God will honor and reward our desire for more of Him! I'll end with my favorite quote. "If I could see things from God's perspective, I would change nothing!"

ps...Next time I'm depressed and discouraged, will someone remind me of all of this? I have such a short memory!

It's Back Tonight!!!

2008-09-25T09:00:00.006-05:00

I LOVE THE OFFICE!!! I think it's the only show that makes me laugh out loud, sometimes to the point of tears. It's irreverant and inappropriate, but oh so funny!

Just What I Needed

2008-09-15T12:55:00.006-05:00

Our friends, Andrew and Bullen, from Sudan came and spent this weekend with us. Yancy's family was able to be here with us to meet them too. Bullen and Andrew are such an encouragement to be around. They have suffered much in their lives, but they are filled with the joy of the Lord. You can't help but have a smile on your face when they're around. They have come to America to go to school and are attending Southern Union in Wadley, AL. If you are interested in helping support them while they're here, go to http://www.4cornersministries.org/get%20involved/donate.html. Make sure to write "Andrew and Bullen" in the comments section.

Wow... Still Waiting!

2008-09-11T10:23:00.002-05:00

It seems like the answer to all of my prayers over the last year (really over the last 6 1/2 years) is wait. Wait?! I don't really want to wait! I'm tired of waiting! I feel like I have waited, and tried to do so with patience and joy and contentment. So, I'm not really happy about the fact that God's answer is still wait. I know that God has great plans for our family. I know He's going to bring us a precious, perfect baby. I know that He will sell our house. I know that He will provide a house for us in Huntsville. I know that Yancy and I will live under the same roof again for more than 3 days at a time. I know that God will provide a church and friends in Huntsville. I know, I know, I know. But sometimes I just don't feel it. But just as I'm writing this, I'm reminded of something I learned in a Bible Study once. I may have even posted about it before. (Maybe God's trying to teach me something, huh?)

God's Word is truer than anything I feel.
God's Word is truer than anything I experience.
God's Word is truer than any circumstance I will ever face.

I have to go back to what I know to be true about God in His Word because 1 Peter 1:25 says, "The Word of the Lord stands forever." So, what does God's Word say?

Jeremiah 29:11 "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."
Isaiah 55:8 "My thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine."
Psalm 37:4 "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desires."
Psalm 113:9 "He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the Lord!"
Romans 8:35-39 "...For I am convinced that nothing... will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:28-29 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him..."
Zephaniah 3:17 "...With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song."
Nahum 1:7 "The Lord is good. When trouble comes, He is a strong refuge. And He knows everyone who trusts in Him."
Jeremiah 32:17 "O Sovereign Lord! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you!"
Psalm 33:4 "For the word of the Lord holds true, and everything he does is worthy of our trust."
Psalm 24:18 "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted."

Well, I'm feeling better already! I'm so thankful for His Word. The Lord does have a plan for me. He does love me abundantly and unconditionally. He is good. And He is worthy of my trust. I choose to trust Him... and wait!

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength!" Habakkuk 3:17-19

Bath Time

2008-09-09T09:00:00.005-05:00

Charlie and Duke get a bath once a year- whether they need it or not! (Believe me, they need it!!!) They were actually very good for their baths, especially Charlie, and I'm wondering why I don't bathe them more often. They smell so good and look so shiny. Maybe I'll change the tradition from once a year to once a month. We'll see how that goes! Here's Charlie's pictures. Duke was not avaliable for photos, as he was hiding in an azalea bush, afraid he might have to get another bath.

BEFORE...
AFTER... I know I'm biased, but I think Charlie is such a pretty dog!

1st Birthday

2008-08-18T18:25:00.006-05:00

Madeline turned 1 last week and we got to help her celebrate on Saturday. How cute is she?! Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl!

Proud Mommy and Daddy...

Yancy with the birthday girl...

Another Reminder to Trust God

2008-08-11T21:05:00.004-05:00

Trusting God seems to be a theme in my life lately. This is a great reminder from James MacDonald.

I Choose to Trust

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
Trust is the antidote to anxiety; it's the resolution of worry and the destruction of fear. Trust is the act of my will to give my burdens to God. It's like a muscle--as you exercise it, trust gets stronger.
Trust is walking forward moment by moment, having rolled your burden onto God. You've no doubt said, "I gave it to God once, but here it is again in my grip." When you sense that you've taken it back again, get back on your knees, get the burden back on God, get on your feet again, and continue to trust.
When you off-load your burden on God, you can pick up a promise from His Word. Second Peter 1:4 tells us that "he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world." There are literally hundreds of promises that apply to your specific burden. God's Word is filled with treasure.
I'm claiming Isaiah 41:10 right now for a burden I leaving at God's feet. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." There it is! God is doing this whole thing with one hand tied behind His back. He's not stressed or strained. He's not worried about what to do. He has absolutely no capacity limits!
Isaiah continues, "Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you'" (vv. 11-13).
Take a moment to read that awesome promise again. Trust means you anchor your heart in the reality of God's awareness of your situation. He sees more than you can ever see. God, who loves you and is committed to you, will not disappoint you now or in the future if you put your weight fully on Him.

Baby Presley is here!

2008-08-11T20:34:00.005-05:00

Kevin, Apryl and big brother Connor welcomed their baby girl, Presley Suzanne, into the world last Saturday. She is so precious and beautiful and tiny, just 5 lbs and some odd ounces (I can't remember exactly!). Congratulations, Kevin and Apryl! We're rejoicing with you!

God's Delays

2008-07-28T16:54:00.005-05:00

We had an awesome church service yesterday. The music really spoke to my heart- including one of my all time favorites, Blessed Be Your Name. This song has been my prayer more times than I can count. Also, it seemed like Pastor Steve's message was just for me and Yancy. His title was "Why is God so slow?". I love that title! God never works on our timetable. He's got His own and it's perfect... never early, never late. Anyway I thought I would share some of what meant so much to me. His message was from Mark 5:35-43 when Jairus' daughter dies as they are waiting for Jesus to get there.

1. Delays are a part of God's plan for our lives.
a. Sometimes His delays have nothing to do with us. (This was a great reminder for me!)
b. Sometimes He has much more work to do in our lives first- like building our faith in Him.
2. Our job is to keep believing even when things get worse, not better.
3. In every trial we face, keep in mind the great victory- that Jesus has conquered death.

This was so encouraging to me as God delays in bringing us our baby, as well as moving us to Huntsville. I hope this is encouraging to you, too! God's working in His own time. Keep on believing! After all, He raised Jairus' daughter from death. What an awesome God! If you want to hear the whole message, go to http://www.podcasting.fbcopelika.com/.

Another Birthday

2008-07-26T16:11:00.004-05:00

Today is my Daddy's birthday. He's been celebrating all week on vacation in San Antonio, but today we celebrated with toasted coconut cake. It was so yummy! Happy Birthday, Daddy! You always know how to put a smile on my face. I love you bunches!

Atlanta Date Night

2008-07-26T15:51:00.006-05:00

My parents have been on vacation this week and we went to pick them up in Atlanta last night. So before heading to the airport, Yancy and I had dinner at a really great restaurant called Canoe. It's right on the Chatahootchee River with very beautiful scenery. We had terrific service and delicious food. My favorite was the fried Georgia peach pie. YUM! I would highly recommend it!

Happy Belated Birthday To You!

2008-07-23T10:53:00.005-05:00

We celebrated Yancy's Mom's birthday this weekend. She is a wonderful mother and the perfect mother-in-law... always encouraging, loving, kind, and generous. Happy Birthday, Cynthia! We love you!

Lovin' her new jacket!

Can't have a birthday without cake!

Family Time

2008-07-13T22:38:00.010-05:00

Yancy and I headed south for the weekend to spend some time with his brother and his family. We had a really good time together- eating, shopping, sunning at the beach, playing Wii (a first for me and Yancy) and just being together. We are blessed to have such a wonderful family!

Hangin' out at The Hangout (a really fun restaurant in Gulf Shores!)

A beautiful sunset...

Hunting seashells... I love this picture!

Summer Swing

2008-07-08T21:48:00.006-05:00

Rebecca and I got together tonight with our Bible study girls who we haven't seen all summer long. It was a fun night at Opelika's Summer Swing concert series. We brought a picnic and relaxed to the music. It was fun to catch up with everyone, but just reminded me of how much I'm gonna miss them once we leave! Anyway, here's the crew...

Jessica, Jordan (Jess's sister), and Rebecca

Me, Jessica, Rebecca, and Tori

Thanks for a fun night, girls! :)

Cupcake Bites

2008-07-08T14:31:00.004-05:00

How cute are these? Well, not as cute as Bakerella's, but pretty good for my first try. You can find out how to make them at her website. www.bakerella.blogspot.com She also makes cupcake pops. They're all very cute. Sorry my pictures are not very good. I'm not sure what's up with my camera. It doesn't like close-ups!

Read This!

2008-07-07T08:04:00.004-05:00

For the readers out there... I just finished this book yesterday, and wanted to encourage y'all to read it too. I'm usually a slow reader, but I breezed through this one because I couldn't wait to see how it would end. It's a true story about a wealthy art dealer and a modern-day slave and how God weaves their lives together. It's told from both of their perspectives, which I really enjoyed. You'll see the great things that God can do with ordinary people if we will only be obedient. Ultimately, it was an encouragement to me that God has a plan for everyone and everyone can be used by Him- rich or poor. I loved it! Here's a link to find out more... www.samekindofdifferentasme.com

Fireworks!

2008-07-03T22:19:00.009-05:00

We celebrated the 4th tonight with our good friends Kevin, Apryl and Connor. We had dinner at Laredo's (why not eat Mexican food to celebrate America's birthday?!), and then went to watch Opelika's fireworks. We had a great time together and it was a lot of fun to watch Connor's reaction to the fireworks.

I love this picture! It looks like Yancy's laughing at Connor, but they had been pointing at each other all night. Connor was lovin' it!

If you look closely, you can see Apryl's baby bump in this one! It won't be long before Connor's little sister is here! We can't wait to see her!

YEA!!! FIREWORKS!!!

Connor loved the fireworks. I'm not sure what we enjoyed more- the fireworks or Connor watching the fireworks. He's so sweet!

Yum! Yum!

2008-07-03T17:22:00.007-05:00

This is one of my favorite cakes to make, and perfect for July 4th. The cake is a doctored-up cake mix, so it's easy to make. The frosting is a lot of butter and a lot of sugar- can't go wrong with that! I got the recipe from Southern Living. Enjoy!

TRIPLE-DECKER STRAWBERRY CAKE

1 package of white cake mix

1 (3oz) package strawberry gelatin

4 large eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup milk

Beat the cake mix and next 7 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute. Scrape down the sides, and beat at medium speed for 2 more minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides, if needed.

Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch cakepans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 23 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly pressed with a finger.

Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Starwberry Buttercream Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Serve immediately or chill up to 1 week.

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1 cup butter, softened

2 (16 oz) packages powdered sugar, sifted

1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 20 seconds or until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and chopped strawberries, beating at low speed until creamy.

Sips n Strokes

2008-06-27T13:28:00.004-05:00

I am not an artist. So when Allison asked me to go to Sips n Strokes with her and a few friends Wednesday night, I was very excited but anxious. Allison assured me that you don't have to have any artistic ability and she promised it would be a lot of fun. Well, she was right. I'm hooked! It was so much fun and I can't wait to go again! Here's our artwork...

Dirt Track Saturday Night

2008-06-22T16:31:00.009-05:00

We actually had a Sunday School social at the East AL Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL on Saturday night. How awesome is that?! We only had 7 brave people to go (Rebecca and I were the only girls!), but we had such a good time! The cars are loud, they drive faster than you'd think, and there were several wrecks that added to the excitement (noboby was hurt!). We're already planning a trip back, maybe on the 4th of July. They're having a big fireworks show AND a demolition derby! Who wouldn't want to see that? Here's a few pictures. And, yes, I realize that we are rednecks!!! :)

Sunday School Crew

This was Yancy's favorite car- the dirt track Cadillac! The driver never came around without a cigarette in his mouth and we think a cold beer in his hand. Yancy is applying for a part-time position.

Wanna Walk?

2008-06-20T16:07:00.005-05:00

I wish I could get this excited about exercising!

Trusting God

2008-06-18T16:43:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to share something that I hope is as encouraging to you as it has been to me. We have so much going on right now and I have been wondering (sometimes worrying) how all of this will work out. When will we sell our house- this week, next month? Will we be able to find a house in north AL? How much longer will Yancy have to work away from home? Is our sweet baby ever going to get here? Well, our Bible study last night was about what God promises when we trust Him and put our confidence in Him alone. Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It DOES NOT FEAR when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It HAS NO WORRIES in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Wow! Don't we all want that- no fear and no worry?! Well, we have to put our complete trust in Christ and Him alone. I can't sell my house, but God can. I don't know for sure where we're supposed to live, but God does. I have no idea when our baby will come and how they'll get here, but God already has that special child picked out for us and He knows the second that we will see him or her. We can trust Him because He is trustworthy like no other. I have a quote in my Bible that says "If I could see things from God's perspective, I would change nothing." How true that is! He is working it all out for our good and His glory. I hope this encourages you. God loves you and wants the best for your life. Trust Him!!!

A Must See!

2008-06-05T12:19:00.003-05:00

I don't want to say too much about this movie because I don't want to ruin it for any of you. But I can say that it is definitely a movie you should see. It's a beautiful story, the best film I've seen in a long time. Rent it and let me know what you think. I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

Who wants a pear?

2008-05-22T19:51:00.006-05:00

Charlie has discovered the pears on the tree. He walks around the tree sniffing until he finds one, then jumps up and snatches it off. Even though they're not ripe yet, he loves to eat them. Poor Duke just gets the leftovers. (I usually end up picking one for him!)

How could I forget...

2008-05-22T13:26:00.004-05:00

Chicago deep dish pizza? Sorry the picture is blurry, but it was definitely the best pizza we've ever eaten!

The Windy City

2008-05-20T20:30:00.017-05:00

Sysco had a meat and seafood promotion for a few months and the reward was a trip to Chicago. Yancy's district worked very hard and won! (I kept a Chicago postcard on the refrigerator for months, just a gentle reminder of how much I wanted to go!) It was such a fun trip and we fell in love with Chicago. Here's a few pictures...

Four Seasons Hotel

On the way to Broadway in Chicago

Jersey Boys was fantastic!!!

Cubs Win!

Yancy's Chicago Dog

This is one of my favorites from Chicago.

God has been so great to us in allowing us to travel to so many great places. I always come back wth a new appreciation for how big the world is and how much bigger our God is to be able to hold it all in the palm of his hand.

We Love Our Moms!

2008-05-11T21:55:00.004-05:00

Here's My Reward!

2008-05-06T15:14:00.006-05:00

A lot of you wonder how I can stay in a room with 16 3-year-olds as much as I do. This is how...

How sweet is that?!