My Son

Today is my son's ninth birthday. I cannot believe how fast the time is passing. Nine years ago today, I was in California and he did not want to come out. Eight years ago he was playing with the ice in the ice chest and ignoring all of his party (the Pooh cake, balloons and friends) except the ice and his AhBaBa. Seven years ago he was active and chubby boy who loved to play (especially with trains). Six years ago he wanted a real baby sister and a ride on the construction truck. Five years ago he got the sister he prayed for and a Star Wars party with "yots of Yegos" to play with. Four years ago he was more excited about starting kindergarten and living close to Nanny and AhBaBa than he was about his birthday. Three years ago, he had his first "boys only" party at the park. Two years ago, he was reading, playing and wanted to spend the day at the zoo. Last year CP celebrated his birthday early by a long awaited trip to Yellowstone and his first real horseback ride. Today he is playing with his sister, eating his favorite breakfast (Daddy's waffles) and still loves to snuggles. He also enjoys swimming, playing his new Game Cube, Star Wars, Legos and playing with his friends. He worries about doing well in school (he is great at school), trying new things and when people are hurt (physically and emotionally. He is a great brother, mathematician, and example to others. I am proud of my son!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the wonderful gift of Christopher Paul. Please guide, gaurd and direct his precious soul. I know you have plans for him, please help him do your will.

Amen

P.S. to Squirt: I will try not to have nine days between posts.

Father's Day

What a day! Our family spent the morning worshipping our Heavenly Father, then we was time to celebrate the men in our lives then ended it with prayer.

Yesterday it was a great glimpse into the future as I watched four generations of men play and pray together. It is incredible to see my PaPa, my dad, my husband and brother in law, and my son and nephew all together. Playing in the pool, I realized how blessed we are to be able to spend time together and enjoy one another. To the men in my life THANK YOU! To the ladies--we are truly blessed to have such wonderful guys!

Dear God,

Thank you for being our father and for giving our family men who follow your example of what a father should be. Please be with our little boys as they become fathers and help them to keep your legacy as a priority in their lives.

Amen

Birthday Parties and Lessons Learned

Yesterday we hosted two birthday parties--"Wertheim Water War" for CP and "Tye Dye Oh My" for Lauren. It was a great day!! Here are a few life lessons I was reminded of after my two children's birthday parties:

1. It is great to visit the house of a friend.
2. It is better to give than to recieve (as evidenced by the excitement in each child's face as their gift was openned and thank yous were received).
3. You should only eat the part of the cake you like best or just eat the ice cream if you don't like the cake (the rest is just extra calories).
4. Old fashion toys are the best (swings are water balloons are more fun than the most up to date gizmos).
5. Everyone deserves to have a special day just for them every once and a while.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for my beautiful children and the wonderful friends you have surrounded them with. Please guide, guard and direct these special little ones! Amen

Chain E-mails

Usually I abhor anything that says please forward or send this to four people, but this is an exception. Here is a prayer sent to me by one of my former students, Elena. It is different to me because it is such a well written prayer and because it is from a woman whose faith I see growing as our friendship continues to unfold. Enjoy!

Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and those I care deeply for, who are reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings. In Jesus' precious name. Amen.

Congratulations on the Job!

I am proud of my friend Sunny! She just got her first full time permanent job in years! You see Sunny was blind sided by life a couple of years ago--but she never quit--just kept on no matter how difficult things got. Today wrote to say she had gotten a wonderful job, this after years of raising her son, a year and a half of training and several temporary positions and very few opportunities. God is faithful! Sunny is living proof of that!

Dear God,

Thank you for your faithfulness and goodness! Thank you for friends like Sunny who provide us testimony to your unending love!

Amen

Little Things

Ten "Little Things" I enjoyed today

1. Christopher Paul hugging me and telling me he was glad we got to spend the morning together--just the two of us.

2. Paul calling twice from his trip.

3. Lauren's sense of accomplishment at swimming from the diving board to the side of the pool all by herself.

4. Karene returning from vacation.

5. New friends at the swimming pool.

6. Catching up with a friend whom I haven't seen in three weeks.

7. A letter about honoring a dear friend from Pepperdine.

8. My mom who was willing to pick up Lauren from art camp so I could attend a luncheon.

9. Dinner with my kids and no tv.

10. Psalms 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD ,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you-
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm-
he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Dear Father,

Thank you for all your wonderful gifts. Thanks for your words, help me to learn to be more grateful and to learn to lean on you and to not worry.

Amen

My Daughter

Yesterday was Lauren's 5th birthday. We had a great day! I am out for a few days for a little vacation! RLW

Forever or Whatever?!

Well-J Lo has done it again--gotten married! Normally I would not pay much attention to this, but lately it seems that marriage is becoming more disposable. Celebs are marrying and divorcing at rapid pace, people I know are divorcing and my children are noticing and asking questions about people "splitting up." Now I am not crazy enough to think I can understand anyone else's marriage. I do know a small amount about marriage--Paul and I just celebrated sixteen years of marriage last month--but not enough to diagnose other people solutions to marital strife. I do know that too many people are willing to throw away marriages and commitments and this is not what I want my children to do. We have marriages made on tv program (The Bachelor), marriages that are called "starter marriages," and marriages that are open. What children need to see are marriages that are loving, marriages that are teamwork and marriages that are not perfect, but committed.

Dear Father,
Thank you for your examples of how marriage is supposed to work. Please provide protection over marriages. Please help us all to be true to our commitments. Amen

Thank you for the RAIN

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the rain! It brought us the water we needed in here in West Texas and the day off we needed from all of our planned activities. Thank you for reminding my children that you do hear their prayers for rain. You give us what we need! You are awesome!

Amen

Praise for My Help Mate

Dear God,

Thank you for my sweet husband. It is incredible to have a partner who is a true help mate! He knew today was going to be hectic because of the family portrait scheduled at 5:00. He came home an hour earlier than I asked him to...Just knowing how these things go.

Sure enough, the dry cleaners had lost the flower off Lauren's dress..Christopher Paul did not like the shirt I had chosen for him to wear...and the heat was detrimental to any hair styling. But because he was thoughtful enough to come home early, I was able to find a replacement flower, buy a new shirt (still not CP's favorite, but livable) and we were dropped at the door to keep hair dos looking good and almost unmoved by the West Texas wind!

I give you the glory for providing me with a thoughtful husband!
Amen
P. S. The photos turned out well. We had our eyes open and smiles on our faces despite the rush to get there on time!