Enjoy! "I Need Thee"

Shelter In The Storm

The Lyrics to this song really touched my heart today.  I know so many people who are hurting.  It has been a difficult month for me personally, and this song ministered to my own heart today.
           I pray that it ministers to your heart too.

Shelter In The Storm
VERSE 1
I have a shelter in the storm
When troubles pour upon me
Though fears are rising like a flood
My soul can rest securely
O Jesus, I will hide in You
My place of peace and solace
No trial is deeper than Your love
That comforts all my sorrows

VERSE 2
I have a shelter in the storm
When all my sins accuse me
Though justice charges me with guilt
Your grace will not refuse me
O Jesus, I will hide in You
Who bore my condemnation
I find my refuge in Your wounds
For there I find salvation

VERSE 3
I have a shelter in the storm
When constant winds would break me
For in my weakness, I have learned
Your strength will not forsake me
O Jesus, I will hide in You
The One who bears my burdens
With faithful hands that cannot fail
You’ll bring me home to heaven

Wylie Blue Grass Festival

We had a lot of fun at our towns Blue Grass Festival today.  There was also a car show, and we brought our Electric Leopard for display. :)
I love it that this was a community event and it was just so fun.  The girls could run around with friends and look at the cars and craft booths together, or just listen to the music.  There were some fantastic bands there.   One cracked me up.  "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Blue Grass Band".....

 The Pastor of the Local Lutheran Church was giving out water.   (he's the guy in the blue shirt)

 We saw may friends from our own church too!

 A Purple Charger

 The girls liked this one.

 The Shriners were there too giving out lemonade!

 There's my little leopard. :)

More friends playing blue grass.. :)

We had a fine time! Thank you Wylie Texas!

The Perfect Wisdom Of Our God

WONDERFUL WORDS..... Enjoy this beautiful song this week.   We are off to camp!


"Oh Grant Me Wisdom From Above! To Pray for Peace and Cling to Love!  And teach me Humbly to recieve the sun and rain of your Sovreignty!     Each strand of sorrow has a place, within this tapestry of grace. So through the trials I choose to say,  Your perfect will in your perfect way!   Amen!

The Power of the Cross...

The gospel is powerful. 

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath-
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev'ry bitter thought,
Ev'ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:
This, the pow'r of the cross:
Son of God-slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross. 

Getting ready for Easter.

Happy Anniversary Sweet Alli! Part 2....

 I posted<<--- link   about Alli's anniversary earlier today before we went shopping.... I left several links to last years anniversary.

We have had a wonderful day.  I am amazed about HOW MUCH ALLI HAS GROWN, INSIDE and OUT!
She and Sarah have grown nearly 8 inches in the last 2 years.  Alli is tied for the tallest.  I was the tallest and youngest girl in my family too. :)

She has been wanting new boots as her old ones are too small. Guess who now wears the same sized shoes as Mama!  Yep...Miss Alli!  She decided to wear her new boots shopping. :)

ISarah found a pair of Converse 50% off!  So she was a happy girl too!

Anna, Sarah and I went shopping while Erika stayed home for some coveted blogging time. :)
We headed to World Market to get some spices and cooking supplies.  Alli asked to go to the Bible book store and I found an amazing bargain myself!  The ESV Study bible for 25 dollars! Wow!
After that, we headed home and took some pictures..... and tonight, we will be with dear friends and continue our celebration!

 Alli asked for a redo of this picture..... Daddy put her on his shoulders a long time ago.
She is much bigger now! :)

 My sweet baby girl.

All my sweet baby girls!

When we passed our one year anniversary, it was like a peace came over our sweet girl and she began to rest and not be so hypervigilant.    She has continued on a path to success with ups and downs, moving forward and backwards, but always on a path of moving forward!  I like the diagram of what success looks like....
I think this diagram is so accurate for all of us!
This child, has OVERCOME..... and she is not wasting any time in enjoying her life!
She LOVES being a kid, but has relaxed abit about growing up, because we have made it very clear that life doesn't end at 18. 
I cannot stress how important this is to our kids, whether they are BIO or Adopted.  They need to know we will be there for them AFTER 18....
Our girls know that their brothers are cared about and loved and they are all adults, and that has helped prove to them the truth..... "We LOVE YOU FOREVER!" PERIOD.

One of the delights of our lives has been bringing Miss Alli into our home and watching her transform. 
I am in AWE of what the Lord has done.

Merry Christmas!

"For Unto You Is Born This Day, In the City of David, A Savior, Christ the Lord...And You Shall Find the Babe Wrapped in Swaddling Cloths, Lying in a Manger." 
From The Gospel Of Luke

Simeon's Lullaby:

Les Miserables

We watched the 25th anniversary edition of the musical tonight.  SO amazing!
We edit some of it out for the girlies, but what a wonderful musical overall.
This song always makes me cry.  Alfie is an AMAZING singer!

Holy Spirit Breathe New Life In Me

Amen

"Your Perfect Will, Your Perfect Way"

I am really going to love this song...

The Perfect Wisdom of Our God
 Words & Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
 © 2011 Thankyou Music and Gettymusic

The perfect wisdom of our God,
Revealed in all the universe:
All things created by His hand,
And held together at His command.
He knows the mysteries of the seas,
The secrets of the stars are His;
He guides the planets on their way,
And turns the earth through another day.

The matchless wisdom of His ways,
That mark the path of righteousness;
His word a lamp unto my feet,
His Spirit teaching and guiding me.
And oh, the mystery of the cross,
That God should suffer for the lost
So that the fool might shame the wise,
And all the glory might go to Christ!

Oh grant me wisdom from above,
To pray for peace and cling to love,
And teach me humbly to receive
The sun and rain of Your sovereignty.
Each strand of sorrow has a place
Within this tapestry of grace;
So through the trials I choose to say:
“Your perfect will in your perfect way.”



That last verse rings such a chord with my heart.  God's perfect will and perfect way, many times I do not comprehend or understand, but I know that I KNOW, there is a perfect will and a perfect plan.  And I rest in it. 

Just Come In

What an awesome God we serve. We cannot out love Him. 

Anna Scores a Guitar!

Anna has been looking for a guitar for a few months.  She was wanting to buy one online but before we did, I decided to stop at the local pawn shoppe.  I have driven by that place a million times and never stopped.  It is really a nice, family run business.  They had several musical instruments including this Mitchell Guitar!  It was a great price and better yet, it sounded really nice.  It is really easy to play the chords and make them sound good. :)
YEA!  I love good deals!

I think she likes it! :)

Erika Plays Guitar

 

Today she was practicing outside and the cat helped himself into her guitar case to listen to the music. :)

Erika's arms don't bend because of her arthrogryposis. An operation in Ukraine put them in a permanent bent position so she could learn how to feed herself and have more use of them.  Now they are in the perfect position for guitar! :) 

Cleaning the Room.... A Big Surprise

Miss Alli has longed for a mandolin for over a year.  She left her mandolin behind when she came.  After looking for quite some time, daddy found one online that was a great deal.  So we bought it.
Just YESTERDAY she said, "It is going to take a long time to save for a mandolin....maybe 2 years!" LOL
I told her, "You know, miracles can happen." 
She said, "I'm not so sure".... rather drolly.
Then today happened.  While we were on our play date, the mandolin arrived 3 days early!  Dad called and said, "What should we do?"  He decided to open the box and put it on her bed.

When we arrived home, she was hot and sweaty and a little tired, and was not real excited about cleaning her room.  She didn't know I was following her with the camera until she turned around in her room..... then we asked her if she had made her bed yet...... :)  All the rest is in picture. :)

 

There is a very happy little Mandolin Player around here. :)

Secret Ambition

A VERY Descriptive Song

Read the words to this song.  Heather Forbes played it at her recent BCI Live in Charlotte.
It is like the theme song for the hurting child. I never saw the song that way..... but wow. How powerful!
This song perfectly describes the hurting child. The child labeled RAD.
Thank you JJ for sharing this with me. :)

Oh Lord You're Beautiful

OH MY! SOMETHING FUN!

I played banjo when I was younger. When I was 19, my banjo was stolen in a robbery. I got it back the next year, and then it got broken.  Life had its twists and turns and I never replaced it. 
I started feeling like I wanted to play it again.....35 years later. LOL
So, I looked on EBAY and found this lonely old banjo that somebody had purchased from a Pawn Shoppe and had sitting in their closet the last few years.  I bid on it. CHEAP.... and I was the only bidder.
I WON!
So..... my Banjo arrived today!!!!

 Oh the Anticipation!

 WHAT A MESS!

And there it is, in all its oldness! :)

I took it to Guitar Center and had it restrung... he said the head is in good shape and I didn't even need a new bridge. :)
So, with new strings and a new pick, Erika and I headed home.....

So here I am.... ready to try:
And here is my try:  I have a LOT of catching up to do!

And somehow..... I think I am going to have dueling banjos here soon....... :)

Guitar Girls

And Can It Be

This is one of my all time favorite hymns.  It was written by Charles Wesley.....
 

"My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose went forth and followed Thee."