Jesus Club

On our car ride home today, Addie proceeds to tell me that she had her feelings hurt today. Great, the conversations that as a mommy you begin to squirm on the inside and get the feathers ruffled. Well, she said a friend at school was acting "sassy" and being rude. Avery chimes in as we are getting out of the car and says, "what does sassy mean?" Addie gets her hip out to the side with one hand on it and puts up the number 1 finger on the other hand and says, " o no you didn't" and begins to show Avery what sassy looks and sounds like. As I wanted to laugh and I did a little, I begin the conversation of trying to inform the girls that you kindly and politely tell the friends that you don't like the way they are acting or behaving and tell them to either leave you alone or simple go play with someone else. Addie tells me how clubs are being formed and this one friend started the sassy club. RED ALERT...... I then had to switch gears and inform Addie how you wouldn't want to part of the sassy club and that maybe clubs are not the best thing to have as so many different people could have their feelings hurt. So we talked more and then she begin to tell me that she had started the club of God. (Not word for word but I'll type as much as I can remember)..... here is what Addie tells me with the sweetest most innocent tone, "You know mom, something like the Jesus club where I know about Him and God because my dad is a pastor and he has taught me so much about God."

I have to hand it to her that opportunity arose and she stood for a better belief, a better heart felt choice, a chance to tell friends about God because her dad is a pastor and "she knows more."
A sweet and sincere girl who I hope will always know her parents will be her primary discipler and help her gain more wisdom of God.
But most importantly, the girl who I hope will always be in the Jesus Club. :)

A Loved, Respected, & Honored Dad

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A 3 year old's entertainment

Its never good to leave a three year old alone for a quick shower! I got out and found that Annalise had pulled all the cushions off the couch and was eating an old pack of 100 calorie chocolate chip cookies she found in the couch and had the t.v. on watching Tom and Jerry. :)

Oh well, I got my shower!

Why I love Cats

They ignore you....

Because they can squeeze into small places.....

Or hide so no one finds them....

Enjoying the Read

I have become quite the reader the older I get. As a child, I never really picked up a book and read for pure enjoyment just usually the basic required reads for school. Now, I wouldn't call myself a book junkie its just I am really loving books these days. I find myself getting frustrated because I have 2 more sitting on my dresser waiting to be read but I have convinced myself that reading one book and the bible is plenty to digest.
I decided to take our church's challenge and read the bible all the way through in a year. I have to admit that it has been really more enjoyable than I gave it credit for and I look forward to my daily reading. The daily readings are not taking us straight from Genesis to Revelation but it is broken up strategically for a more pleasurable read. For example, each reading is from the old testament, a psalm, and a new testament reading. Its been inspirational as God is using His living word and allowing me to take away daily application for myself. Yesterday in my reading God really used a verse in Psalm 16 to reveal once again God's provision for my life.
Read here and find the beauty of His promise.

"I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." vs. 2

"The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods." vs 4

"Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure
because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
You have made known to me the path of life, you will fill me with joy in your presence with eternal pleasures at your right hand." vs 9-11

WOW!! What reassurance I have all over again of His glorious one and only Love.
I am amazed and grateful to you my Lord for your Living Word.

Laughter to Tears

I love Sundays.
It seems the day always gets started off right by worshiping God with the local body and then, absolutely nothing!!! I love how I might do a little house work, a little lounging, a little playing with the kids, or absolutely nothing accept hang with the family all afternoon.
Well, one ritual we do have at our house on Sunday evenings begins at 6:00 pm. You got it, Funniest Home Videos baby and then Extreme Home Makeover! I love it! I so love that one hour of the evening you are laughing your head off at someones stupidity or silliness and then the next hour you are crying your eyes out for a family who has been granted a dream living expense paid for. :) Its so joyous and therapeutic for my soul. I think they made Sunday nights for women who have constant mood changes.
Seriously..... Its so refreshing, to have laughed and cried back to back.
So come on, confess.
What do you love about Sundays?

Buster and Me

The famous movie Marley and Me has been number one for the past 2 weeks. As I have a small desire to see the movie, my animal lover heart and loss of my 15 year cattle dog just doesn't want to experience the story line quite yet. Well, due to the movie and a friends blog about her sweet lab, I felt it was time to post something on my sweet cattle dog, Buster. (Hop on over to cruson crew-look at my blog roll and read an amazing life experience with her dog. )

OK, so when I started this blog I had just lost Buster about 6 months prior so I could never really bring myself to write a blog about him. He was my sweet cattle dog of 15 years and I missed him dearly! 15 years, my friends! I had experienced much life with him that it was just not the same to have him not here. Yes, I already made my trip to the SPCA and rescued another male, cattle dog in honor of Buster but still, it was different.

You see, Buster entered my life my junior year in high school when I was working at a country club at the pool. He and his sister came to the club and were babies, thirsty, hungry, and burnt paws as it was over 100 degrees that summer-West Texas. I, the animal lover, took the male cattle dog and my best friend took the girl. So, our story begins. :)
Buster became the 70 lb brown and white cattle dog that stole our hearts and soon became nicked name Buster Brown. Boy did he love his walks and often would pull and lean to one side of the street to NOT have to make his final lap of walking. During college years, he was the one who kept mom and dad company until the day arrived that I was married and the parents were moving off. I remember how I came home to help mom and dad move and pick up Buster as he would start his next 10 years of life with me and Ryan.
That dog experienced 4 homes and an apartment, 3 baby girls entering into the family, walks, car rides, playing in the snow, jumping into marinas swimming as fast as he could do catch ducks. He was such a fun, loving, playful, sweet, sweet dog that loved kids, flat footballs, and dirt.
So, as the new movie Marley and Me highlights a family dog that experiences so much life, love, and companionship, its hard for me to bring myself to read the book yet alone go see the movie. My sweet Buster has been gone a little over a year and I still think of him and miss him. He was my Marley! So, here is to you my Buster Brown, I still miss you and I am grateful for the adventure you brought to my life.

(These pictures were taken in August just before he passed away in Sept.)

how happy he was to be with his girls :)

Where does the Time Go?

Christmas 2007

Christmas 2008

O how they have grown!

Apple in a Tree

Last night was the official last standing decoration in our home, the Christmas tree. I even had the the Christmas tree lights on all day yesterday to get the whole enjoy the last day of the Christmas decoration before putting away it away in the attic feeling.

Well, as we had the Fiesta bowl on t.v.-Go Texas Longhorns- so Ryan and I brought ourselves to gather around the tree and start taking down the Christmas ornaments. It seems the yearly tradition of how you begin to talk which ones are exactly your favorite and which ones you got here or there, or the home-made full of memories one. Anyway, in an instant I heard Ryan start laughing hard, out loud and his exact words were, "Kara, come over here on this side and look." Hmmm... to my surprise,

a half chewed apple was sitting nicely arranged on a limb in the Christmas tree! Friends, it was hysterical! Here is proof...

So our little Tinkerbell Annalise got the blame as she is sneaking like that.

Oh, how I love little kid, friendly surprises like that. It makes for memorable laughter and joy of having a child.

New Beginnings

Well, a new year, 2009 is already upon us and in full swing. I experienced that this morning as 2 of the girls our back into the hustle and bustle that school brings. I like routines and schedules as it helps me stay focused and on task with certain duties so it was nice to do that this morning.

As the new year begins, so do new beginnings, new dreams, new adventures, new growth, new ideas, new commitments, new, new, new.... my list could continue. I am excited to see what 2009 will bring. Its been an incredible year as I have felt God move me, tug at my heart, bring ideas to my head, or maybe its just simply the uneasiness I feel inside as I try to seek what exactly He wants with my life.
So, whats different about 2009? I pray for a more committed spirit of truly seeking God for guidance of my life. Truly surrendering my selfish desires and wants back at his feet and open my heart and mind to what He wants.
New beginnings await or really have always been there...
its just 2009 will be the year I truly want to listen.