Let's pretend -

one of my favorite pictures of the summer -

Lets pretend like we haven't missed nearly half a year of blogging & that life has been chronicled through instagram instead.

Let's just pick back up where we started. Like mentioning that the time bake on the oven actually worked tonight.

And everyone actually liked it.

That Chad woke up from an early nap with a common cold.

And the boys mowed the lawn all by themselves.

Tomorrow Amie comes!

And it's almost birthday week.

See there, just like we posted yesterday : )

Blog switching has proved to be a ridiculously big deal. Who knew layouts & templates & .coms could be so confusing.

Well I did : )
Which is why it took me forever to start one all those years ago.

We don't have emergency room stories, or so & so lost a tooth, or we're having a baby news to start off this new blog ....

but,

we are going to start off with the best news ever.

there is one thing we want most - we want Jesus most. we want to know Him. We want to be like Him. We want to love Him. We're so awe struck that He knows us.

That He loves us.

 So here we go - best story of the summer .... really of the year so far!

Last month the kids went to vacation bible school. I think I've mentioned before my love affair with vbs - how they love Jesus & my kids & pull out every stop to communicate His love to them.

I cry ...... every year .... I stand in the back and my eyes well up : ) they just do.

This year if you're catching on, the theme was all about the armor of God. Molly started the week off pretty rough. She was not in the mood for my 'hey guys, mom wants a picture' picture (the link to instagram on the right is proof of her mood) which she carried all the way with her to check in .... add she was the last kid dropped off, add she didn't want to go anymore - get crying child left with beautiful teacher.

But I picked her up later with a fabulous crown on her head & that beautiful teacher saying 'God bless you, Molly. See you tomorrow.'

I smiled and said thank you.
She told me on the way to the car she'd met a new friend. She didn't remember her name, but that was ok : ) 

 

Each day she added to her armor and her stories. She liked that she got to sit in the front row to watch them sing. She asked Sailor to help her remember about the missionaries and the snacks were good.

Day 5 I waited in line to sign her out and the beautiful teacher handed the dad in front of me a little bag saying it was a little gift for the children who accepted Jesus.  Sweet, I thought as I wrote my initials next to her name, holding Chad and making sure Regan didn't leave with whomever she was following.

Then she smiled & told me Molly got one too.

Molly walked through the little door & said 'I asked Jesus into my heart.'  And my eyes went blurry.

By the time I had initialed out the other kids, Jack was wondering why I had so many tears in my eyes over such a great thing.

Happy tears, Dude, happy tears. And, it's ok ..... I can buckle a car seat without looking :)


- - - -

I want Molly to remember 7.19.13, so I asked her to tell me again so I could write it down .... in her own words (I typed as she talked)

'first we went into the big room & we .... first we dressed a man, we put some tape on him so it could stick. the armor of God. then the teacher said 'raise your hand if we had not asked Jesus into your heart.' i did 'cause it was before i asked-ed. then she said do you want to ask Jesus into your heart and i said yes and so she said we are going to pray to asked-ed. then we prayed, then after that we went over to a table and we got a bag with a teddy bear & a necklace. and a big soldier that had the armor of God on it. and then i went in the line and said if you asked-ed Jesus into your heart & i said yes. and that's all.'

(and she smiled)

What's the armor of God? I asked.  the shield of faith, the belt of truth, the shoes of peace and the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit and then the breastplate of righteousness.

and i wanna say one more thing .... i liked it.

Why does Jesus live in your heart - to let you go to heaven & die for you.
Why did HE die for you - to save our sins, de-cause we're sinners.
What is sin? something that you disobey & you don't do what your mom or dad told you.
How much does Jesus love you? umm, alot.

What was your favorite part of vbs? the video. ... um, i like vbs.

Yay God. He love & He saves.

- - -

her eyes .... they slay me