Free Keens?!?!

I am so excited. Jubal and I got keen shoes last week for a really good deal....FREE!!!!

Thanks to lost and found at Camp. This summer was my introduction to the Lost and Found at camp. After the campers leave, the stuff that is left over gets taken to Goodwill after the staff goes through it. I had so much fun going through everything. It was like Christmas. Granted most of the stuff is too big for Jubal but I got a few things for him that he will grow into in the next couple years. It's a great feeling when I can find such a good bargain ;).

Some wise advice from a young friend

Last weekend Jubal and I had the privilege of travelling to VA and spend some time with my folks. While I was there I met with a dear dear friend that I have known for a long time and I would do anything for her. We had not seen each other in a little over a year but we have the kind of friendship where we just pick up where we left off. Not going into much detail, she is going through a lot of hard stuff. She is a few years younger than me but I always learn so much when I am with her. Her maturity is far beyond her years to say the least. As we were sitting on her couch, she was sharing some things that God is teaching her through her earthly pain. One thing she told me was no matter what, don't believe the lies that Satan throws at us on a daily basis. But dive into the Truth of Christ and hang onto it. Don't let go even though it gets painful sometimes. This life is a learning process and God is using it to help us get to know Him better.
This advice is really settling in my heart. I think so many times that I let things bring me down, big or small, and I focus on the hurt that it brings me. Instead, it takes a lot of courage to rise above and hold onto the truth of God's word and His unconditional love. One powerful way to practice this is to memorize verses in the Bible and make them a part of your everyday life. Recite it, meditate on it, and believe it. It has the power to set us free from so much bondage. It may not always make our circumstances better but I know it helps our perspectives become eternal instead of temporary. I want to close with a passage that has been so dear to me in recent days and I hope it encourages you as well. It's from Psalm 25:1-7.

" To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God.

Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.

No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame,

But they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.

Show me your ways, O Lord,

Teach me your paths;

Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love,

for they are from old.

Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

For you are good, O Lord."

Slacker

So I am officially calling myself the Blog Slacker. I am sorry to my diligent readers for not posting in so long. Hopefully I will once again get on a roll soon. I hope everyone is well and having a good close to your summer.

There's a sale

My boss at Quilt Baby decided to have an end of season sale. There are some really cute things for pretty decent prices posted. If you have a little extra dough and want to buy a special gift check out this wesite: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=39825. Click on Sale Items and browse away. She will be adding more items in the next few days. Enjoy!!!

Omnipresence and Truth

"God is not somewhere else. God is right here. It is God's world and God made it and God owns it and God is present everwhere in it."

"Truth is everwhere, and it is available to everyone."

"If it is true, if it is beautiful, if it is honorable, if it is right, then claim it. Because it is from God. And you belong to God."

"So as Christians, we are free to claim the good, the true, the holy, wherever and whenever I find it. We live with the understanding that truth is bigger than any religion and the world is God's and everything in it.... Why would we ever be surprised when truth turns up in strange places?"

*(Quoted from author Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis. Chapter 3)

Velvet Elvis

I just finished reading Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. I had never heard of this author/pastor until just a few weeks ago. I was a little hesitant going into it but after reading the first chapter, I was really captured by the words in the book. It was a refreshing book for me in my journey as a believer in Christ. So over the next few days, I would like to share some of the things that really made an impression on me. I highly encourage you to read this book if you can.

It's okay to ask questions.

This is the first thing that encouraged and challenged me so much. Sometimes I feel like I have to have the answer to every question in my faith and life. I have even felt guilty sometimes when I had questions to things that I didn't understand. Questions bring freedom and they allow us to draw closer to God. After all, many people that are mentioned in scripture asked God questions. Mary, David, even Jesus, to name a few. It's okay. That's one way we can grow more intimate with someone, specifically Christ.

Beware...lots of pictures!

We had such a fun weekend as a family. Saturday we went out to camp to go sailing. This was Jubal's first sailing trip. He was so cute. He even decided he wanted to sit on the front of the boat. Stephen said he did that as a child too...how sweet ;).

Like father, like son

Sunday after church, we headed down the Blue Ridge Parkway to a little spot with some fresh cold, really cold, mountain waterfalls and swimming holes. Stephen and Jubal caught a salamander and watched some peep out of their homes while I tried to brave the cold water.

One of the waterfalls


Awww.....

Our cold feet

Mariposa!!!

Cool tree on the trail

We are so blessed to live in such a beautiful area.