Thanks for your prayers for the people of Jamaica. We have not heard from anyone, but Tommy did get an e-mail from Marc-Andrea before the storm hit that said they were preparing and that we probably would not hear from him until he returned to the states for college in September.
Sunday morning in church Tommy was praying for safety for the people of Jamaica and their salvation and praying that God would move the storm and it would not be a direct hit to the island of Jamaica. I have to admit to you I sat there and thought to myself, "I know God can do that, but I have have been watching and I just don't think that is going to happen". When we got home from church I turned on The Weather Channel and what had God done - He had moved the storm to the south and it was not going to be a direct it! What an amazing God!
The Lord reminded me of a verse; Psalm 135: 5-7 - For I know that the Lord is great, And our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries.
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Travis had his last training session of the season this past week-end and us wives were taken out to Chuck-e-Cheese to celebrate. Where else would we go with all the kids? We had a great time playing and fellowshiping. We are so blessed for Travis to work for a ministry that is concerned with his family too.
There was one stipulation to the fun night out for everyone, we had to be home and in front of the television by 8:00pm. Why, you ask? Well anyone with kids or grandkids, or really just anyone who has contact with the outside world knew that it was the world premiere of High School Musical 2. OK, maybe that is a stretch, but I do know even Caz thanked hundreds of adults for being at an Upward Training Conference instead of at home watching it - it was a big deal. It was funny most of the Daddies at the training session were asked by their kids if they would be somewhere where they could watch it Friday night. So here is our kids in the front of the TV ready and waiting. We had fun watching it and dancing along and I have to say, it was pretty good. It was on two more times over the week-end, which Samuel watched, including the sing along version on Sunday night. Daddy still has not seen the entire movie, and I know he just can't wait...
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Sunday morning was a great morning of worship. We were able to observe two ordinances of the church, Baptism and The Lord's Table. I love the way Tommy has the Lord Table; the bread and the juice are set up on table in the front of the church and we go to them instead of them being passed around. I love it because it make The Lord's Table more personal. Travis, Samuel, and I were able to take the Lord's Supper together - just the three of us together at The Table. It was a wonderful worshipful time and I believe the Lord allowed it for ME.
Travis and I have been praying for a couple of months about where the Lord would have our family worship and serve Him. We had talked with The Deacon's this past Tuesday night and given them our resignation. Because of the special services we were having, we agreed with them that we would wait until next Sunday to read it to the church. Things happened and it was best that we read it to the church this past Sunday night. So, in about a month Travis and I will doing something that we have not done since we have been married - we will be looking, visiting, and praying about where the Lord would have our family serve and worship Him. We are not sure where the Lord is going to lead us, but we pray that we allow Him to guide us and we step out of the way.
Whew, are you tired of reading yet?
Don't stop now.
This week is the first week of school. Samuel and Hannah Grace started yesterday and Faith began this morning. I can't believe it - all three of my kids are in school.
Samuel started at a new school this year. It has 1200 students! He was a little nervous when his Daddy dropped him off yesterday, but he ended up having a great day. We cleaned out his room last night to make way for a desk - a desk, in my little boy's room, I can't believe it. I know he is going to do great. I pray that he will continue to live for Christ in his new school.
Hannah Grace began 4K yesterday. She is an ideal student. She loves organization, lists, and projects, so she was ready to go. She walked in her classroom starting playing and never looked back. I had to go to her to give her a kiss good-bye.
Faith began 3K this morning. She has been looking forward to going to "Hannah's School" all summer. She did great. We walked Hannah Grace to her classroom - they hugged and kissed and then we walked on to her classroom. She found her cubby and she was off to play. Again, I had to go to her to give her a kiss good-bye. Not one tear, from her, there were tears from me.
As I walked to the van, I just couldn't believe my baby girl was in school. Every year that Samuel has been in school, Travis and I always have breakfast together. We were not able to do that this year, because of work schedules, but I called him this morning when I got to work and told him I now remember why we started that tradition. It was to comfort me as I sent my babies to school.
They will all do great and I am excited for them. It is great for them to be with other children, especially the girls to have time apart from each other, and to learn how to share and to get along with others (other than their siblings) and to learn things that I can't teach them, like German and Spanish.
I will finish telling you about the last days of our Disney vacation soon.
I think I told you in a post that I didn't feel like I could get caught up - I am getting caught up, finally. My great friend, Ginger, told me about FlyLady. It has given me ideas on how to organize the house cleaning. I have always planned our menu for two weeks, but it gave me tips on how to incorporate all my "chores" into this plan. The past nights I have not gone to bed worrying about what I did not get done, I could just go to bed and get the rest I needed. Travis and I did not have to move the unfolded clean cloths off our bed just to get in. It has been great for our family. I have had more time to spend with the kids once they get home from school. And I hope that it will allow me to be able to help Samuel with his homework more. It reminded me to do things like: lay out your cloths for the next day, make lunches the night before, empty (shine) your sink before your go go bed, things that I knew I needed to do, but somehow and somewhere had stopped doing. That way when the alarm goes off in he morning, I am not running around trying to find something to wear, fussing with the kids about their lunch and washing cups just so the kids can have something to drink. One great thing it has allowed us as a family to do is have breakfast together; we have been able to sit down and begin our morning together as a family praying and asking Him to be in control of our day, just the five of us.
So that's where we are; beginning school, beginning a new season of our spiritual journey, renewing our home so that we can use it for Him, and seeking His guidance in all that we do - our jobs, our schools, our church, and our home.
Have you ever seen the Brady Bunch episode where Marcia Brady gets hit in the nose with a football? We had a Marcia Brady moment in our house before school started.
Then Hannah Grace and I had a few minutes to spare before it was time for her to go to school and she wanted me to take her picture here, and over by this tree, and by this bush...
Apparently, these little bitty white beads stick to your hands like sand. We still had about 20 minutes to wait on Samuel and the girls (mostly Faith) passed the little bitty white beads back and forth drew "smiley faces" in the beads.
Two sweet sisters
Samuel at Animal Kingdom 
This is just a extra picture - I just think the girls are so cute!
