A BLESSING FOR YOU

MAKE SURE THAT YOU TURN OFF THE JUKEBOX TO THE RIGHT!!!

One of my most favorite songs sung by one of my most favorite musical groups of all time. I hope it encourages you.

Below is another sample of their worship.

God is so good. Praise Him that Jesus DOES loves us.

HE GETS IT!

In a rare exchange of words yesterday, I realized that Benjamin is really understanding some things about life. Things that, for some of us, take years to understand---IF we ever understand it at all.

We happened to catch the start of "An Adoption Story" on TLC. Normally, we don't have the tv on during the day (unless it's for Blue's Clues or Sesame Street), but for some reason, it was on and was on this particular channel (we have NEVER watched a show on this channel before!). OK, so when we found out that the adoption story was about a little boy from Guatemala, we call gathered into the living room for a little break. When they first showed the sweet little guy, Benjamin exclaimed, "He looks like me! Look! Bwack hawr (black hair) and bwrown stin (brown skin)! Him from Manya-manya (Guatemala) too!". My heart just melted. It brought back so many memories!

Afterwards, I was cutting canteloupe in the kitchen and Ben was "helping". It was quiet and Ben was on the countertop beside of me. Without any prompting, he said, "Mommy, Mama Rosa took care of me in Manya-manya." I responded with, "Yes, she did. And she did a good job, too." His reply? "Yeah, her did. Jesus took care of me, too." My knife stopped. My heart stopped. My eyes teared.
"Yeah, baby..... He did. He sure does love you."
"Yeah, Mommy. Me know. Mommy?"
"What, Ben?"
"Someday me see Mamaw." (Mamaw is my mother who stepped into Heaven just weeks before Ben's homecoming).
"I know. Me too. I want to see Mamaw. She sure will be glad to finally give you a hug!"
"Someday me see Mia, too. Mamaw and Mia both in Heaven with Jesus." (Mia, our St. Bernard got hit right before we moved. Ben LOVED Mia.).
"I wonder if your Mamaw likes Mia?"
"Me don't know. But me take Jack-jack (our bassett) to see Mia. I guess him have to get hit by a car first."

Yeah. He gets it. He gets it.

BLESSED ARE.....

.....THOSE WHO THIRST AND HUNGER FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR THEY WILL BE FILLED. (Matt. 5:6)

Meet my friend Kim and her daughter, Ashley. Kim is a few years younger than myself and Ashley is exactly 6 days younger than Katie. They, and their family, are invaluable friends to us. Recently, their house has seen this hunger and thirsting for righteousness, and I'm here to tell you: They have been filled!!!! Their church in King, NC baptized 18 yesterday, and the two of them decided that they wanted to get in on the action and publicly acknowledge what God is doing in their lives. The photos below are so sweet and you can see His presence all over their faces.

This is Ashley. Her daddy is on the right.

This is Kim. Her husband and head of their home is on the right, holding their 4th child and Ben's best friend, Olivia. What a joy Randy experienced in helping to baptize his wife and daughter!

VBS AT CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP IN SPARTA, NC

And, as for us, our church also baptized 18 yesterday. Many were from VBS this past week, but several were from recent salvations. It is so refreshing to see God moving and people responding to His call. Below are a few photos from our Vacation Bible School (courtesy of KT!).

This is my brother-in-law and pastor, Brian. And yes, he DOES look like that quite a lot!!!

Here is Jackie, enjoying some good praise and worship.

Every night the girls and boys had a contest to see who could be the loudest on "Hallelujah! Praise Ye the Lord". KT got a good shot of the girls who won in a final championship on the last night!

And, saving the best for last, meet Allie. She is a friend of Jackie's and she gave her heart to the Lord on the last night. I don't think that there could ever be anything more beautiful.

The older three kids are all off at camps this week. Jackie and Joe are in Roanoke, VA at music camp and having the times of their lives (I know, because I called--yes, I was a little concerned about Joe going off for the first time without his Mommy--and he was like, "Mama, do you need something, because I've got to go. My friends are waiting on me....). Katie is in Elon at NBC Basketball Camp (http://www.nbccamps.com/). Ben and I dropped her off today. I can't wait to hear about that one as one of the coaches informed us parents today that they would be in the gym at 7:15 a.m. --before breakfast!!--each morning for ball handling! So, it's just me and Ben this week as Barry will be as work most of the rest of the week. I hope to post each day so that the older ones can get a glimpse of what went on at the house while they were gone.