Happy Birthday Johnny!

I give you my love and friendship....

I give you my laughter....

I give you my kisses....

I give you my hand to hold as we walk together!

Trust and Obey = Happy in Jesus

"Trust and Obey, for there is no other way to happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey..." that is how the hymn goes that I learned as a child. I of course back then as a child wanted to be "Happy in Jesus!" And maybe more importantly, "I wanted Jesus to be Happy with me!" So I quickly learned I needed to be obedient! Thankfully over the years as I have grown, I have learned to trust Jesus, and my obedience has changed to be a result of that trusting relationship, not just a striving to be obedient to get the result of happiness!

I love to hear stories of how God's children are obedient to what He is asking them to do! I get excited to know that God gives the equipping, or see the answers to prayers! I love to think over the times He has asked me to do something and I look back over and am so thankful I trusted Him and with His strength obeyed!

I often think obedience should be easy. I get stuck on that word "happy" again and think surely if I am "happy" then what I am being asked will be easy! Yet, obedience comes with a cost. A cost of giving up time and schedules, wrestling the doubt that comes, and maybe fear of what is being asked! Obedience usually requires a step of faith, an action! Whether its being asked to be obedient in waiting (that can be the hardest) or to "go" or "do". I often need to keep in check comparing what God is asking me to do compared to others! I just really need to focus on myself of what God is asking of me!

The 2 verse of the hymn, I don't remembering learning as a child...
"But we never can prove, the delights of His love until all on the altar we lay, For the favor He shows and the joy He bestows, Are for them who will Trust and Obey"!

Lunch Bag's

For years I have been using my kids old lunch bags when I have needed to pack my lunch! I have used Rachel's old girly ones and Josiah's old boyish ones! Barely visable, are the kids names and room #'s they were in when they used that particular bag in Sharpie. For my birthday my Mom bought me a new lunch bag! A bag of my very own. I can't wait to have the need to pack my lunch! Now to get my very own water bottle/thermos...I am using my kids old ones too!!!

And what do you do with the paper lunch bags you don't need anymore...well, scrapbook of course! I love creating Paper Bag Scrapbooks! One, they are inexpenisive! Two, you can use all your leftover bits of paper, ribbons, hardware. etc. Three, you are not limited by page protectors so you can use tabs, paper clips, pull outs, and create "outside the box"! Four, you can make a whole book fairly quickly! And five, they are just too cute!!!

What I Did on my Summer Vacation

As the Caprine Family headed back to school today we assigned the kids the age old assignment, “What I did on My Summer Vacation” Essay! I just had to join in.
And I decided to do my assignment in a list form…because I love lists!!!!
1. Spent 2 weeks alone, by ourselves, with my best friend and husband in Hawaii paradise. (Thanks Mom and Dad for having the kids!!!)
2. Ate a picnic breakfast under the palm tree on a Hawaiian Beach
3. Visited Pearl Harbor and USS Missouri (in pouring down rain!)
4. Read numerous books a few, in a cabana on the sand!
5. Went to my first Luau…loved it!
6. Spent time praying, vision casting and listen to the Lord as he spoke to our hearts.
7. Made a quick trip from Hawaii, to Glendale,AZ to pick up said kids in #1. Arriving in AZ at Midnight and flying out to the East Coast at 10am the following day, with a “spasming” back muscle, (ouch!)
8. Flew to Washington DC with two excited kids! With fresh baked chocolate chip cookies on the flights I might add!
9. Went to Arlington National Cemetery, White House, Washington Mall and Monument, Lincoln Memorial, WWII Memorial, Vietnam Wall and Korean Memorial (all in one day…whew!)

10. Saw Iwo Jima Statue, American History Museum, Air and Space and could of missed the Natural History Museum.
11. Got to be pretty good on the Metro…just like locals, ok…maybe not that good!
12. Went to Gettysburg, PA; then on to visit family in Broomhall, PA!
13. Celebrated Josiah’s 11th birthday in PA with Robert Cousin’s!
14. Ate our way through Philadephia; enjoying Philly Cheesesteaks, TastyKakes, Rita’s Water Ice, Wawa Hoogies and Franklin Fountian!
15. Saw the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the original ground of Tun Tavern (USMC starting place), and of course, the Rocky Steps!
16. Watched Papa John (aka John) and Uncle Bob (aka Scott) run in the Mud! (Caroline and I even kissed the muddy men!)
17. Saw Fireflies and the greenest neighborhoods my kids have ever seen.
18. Saw Capital Bldg, Library of Congress, FDR Memorial, and Jefferson Memorial.
19. Went to Mt. Vernon and National Marine Corp Museum!
20. Went back into time to Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown!
21. Returned to Vegas… but not for long!
22. Celebrate 4th of July with 2nd Annual Parade, fireworks, friends from church and the Lundberg’s (plus Lauren)
23. Traveled to Premier Designs 25th Anniversary Rally! (With John!!!!)
24. Saw good friends in Texas, the Wittwers, who graciously cared for and entertained Rachel and Josiah, while we were at Rally.
25. Saw where JFK was shot and the 6th Floor Museum
26. Spent time with more 2nd cousins Tommy and John!
27. Celebrated my birthday with my Mom and Dad, and the Turners in Carlsbad on the beach.
28. Camped at the First Annual SRC Family Camp in Duck Creek, Utah!
29. Spent time with Caroline (in # 12-17) whom I hadn’t seen in almost 18 yrs; saw my cousin Shannon (#26) who I hadn’t seen since her wedding, 7 yrs ago, and enjoyed visiting with a long time family friend Christine (#27) who, I hadn’t seen since high school! (Priceless!!!)
30. Praising God for every blessing and gift; “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights with whom there is not variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17