Saturday, September 27, 2008

What a week!

I know our year is by no means coming to a complete stop, but I feel like breathing a huge sigh of relief now that the debate has come and gone in Oxford. There has been a lot of excitement around here for a while. There were so many patriotic performances all around the city. I saw Benjamin's performance earlier this week and then Matthew's band and the Oxford band played together outside on the square Thursday afternoon. It was great. I tried to get into all of the politicians' speeches, but I don't have a lot of faith in them too much nowadays. They all say good things, but I am not one to put my faith in what men and women can do. Have I become cynical? I will be nicely surprised if we do get leaders who really have a clue, but anyway...I won't get all into that now. We are so blessed as a country and I pray that we will wake up and see where those blessings come from. We can't keep spitting in God's face and expect for Him to just keep enduring it. He could and can do anything He wants to do about us, but I am so burdened for our country when I see so much depravity and people just wandering around blindly.
Thank goodness for His mercy.

OK....I got off track just a little.

Last night we thought the traffic was going to be crazy in town because of the debate. There were two big screens in the grove for people to watch the debate, and I think the whole town must have been there. Matt and I went to see Fireproof and saw some of the debate after it was over. I thought the movie would sell out because it was opening night so I bought our tickets online the night before. There were about 12 people in the entire theater.

Oxford was a ghost town even though in one little corner of it we had Katie Couric, Obama, McCain, and who knows who else. It was a pretty strange feeling to be driving the same way home from the movies that we always drive and to know that about a block over were the two men who are running for president. Kind of like the Twilight Zone. Weird.

Today was like a marathon. The kids had fun day at Avent park, mom and I went and bought a birthday present for Claire's friend, we dropped Matthew off to go on a bus to a competition with his band, Claire went to her party, Matt lead the choir for a funeral of one of their former students (so very sad), I got Claire and then went to the Clay Canvas for Amber's birthday, I painted a plate of our kids, we came home and then Nana, Claire and I went to Kroger to get a movie and shopped hungry so we bought really nutritious food like White Castle burgers, potato skins, and cream cheese stuffed jalapenos.......now the movie is over and we are waiting to get Matthew from their trip. I am looking forward to a boring Sunday, maybe.

Well, God bless you. Have a wonderful week!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Google Pic game

I am a little under-the-weather right now and am home from Sunday night church as well as missing this morning. This feels so strange. I got tired of sleeping for now and told John Robert that I would do this game for him. I had mentioned it to him and told him I would put it on my blog.

I found this on someone’s blog, tried to copy and save it, but somehow it got deleted. This is about like what I found. Here is how you play it. You type the answers to these questions into Google search, then you take the first picture that comes up and put it under your answer. Have fun. Here are mine:


1. Age you will be on your next birthday____38_______




















2. Your favorite color____green___________























3. Your favorite place to be ______on my porch ______________


























4. Your favorite vacation _______to the mountains__________














5. Place you want to go in your life time _________Israel_____________
























6. Your first job ________The Balcony_____________



























7. Your current job _________music teacher_____________
















8. Your dream job ____Christian _performer_















9. The name of your spouse or special someone ____________Matt_____________
























10. Your pet’s name _________Coltrane__________________




















11. Your favorite food _________Gyros__________________




















12. Your favorite thing to do __________hanging out with my family_______________










13. The number of kids you have _____4______________













14. Your place of birth __________Tupelo, MS__________________














15. Your favorite kind of music ___________Christian Alternative Folk_________________












That's it. If you think of some good things to add, just comment and let me know.

Take care and have a good week.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Grace of God

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society




If I weren't a believer and haven't really lived this verse very much lately, I would think that it sounds pretty strange. I am so thankful that we have a heavenly Father that is there to battle for us. I just need to be smart and know that and look to Him before doing or saying anything stupid to those I love. This is so hard to remember when you are in the heat of an argument. The enemy would so love for my family to fall apart. By the grace of God, that is not going to happen if I have anything to do with it.

This year has been kind of tough. Matt and I have really been trying to put first things first, but it seems like we are always chasing something. I need to remember to just be still and know that God is God and He is in control. I know this makes no sense for people who don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, but it makes complete sense to those who do. This is the peace that keeps a family together in these times. That makes it possible to forgive each other. To love each other even when the other (or you, yourself...or me, myself) is being a turd. (I can't believe I said turd on the internet.)

Thank you, God for not giving me what I deserve and for giving me what I so don't deserve.

I love you!!! As for my people....I love them too. Because you have given me this kind of love. Unconditional love. Even though I may be mad now. I am thankful that God offers me forgiveness.

Thank you, God, for helping us get up one more time than we fall down.

OK....now you are probably wondering what is going on in our family. We're good. We're just like you...we need prayer.

Take care,

Friday, September 12, 2008

king of hearts


king of hearts
Originally uploaded by FeetToFaith
Here is the drama the kids are doing. It is about how we wear masks on the outside, but have something different inside. Jesus knows who we are behind our masks and He wants to give us a heart like His. Praise God!

Friday Night Lights

It is Friday night and I am staring at the light from my computer screen. The kids are in bed and Matthew is still at his game. We HAVE to go see his band play next week. Just because we are teachers and want to fall asleep on the couch at 7:00 Friday nights is no excuse for missing our son. He is a junior this year. Only one more year and he will be just about to go to college.

School is pretty tough for him right now. He has so many things on his plate. We want him to be involved in things, but he almost has too much. There doesn't seem to be anything to cut out, though. It is all good. Church, leading worship for the youth, FCA at school, band, work at Oby's, not to mention homework that is supposedly the most important, right. I mean outside of his quite time, etc. He really wants to be working on his own music with his friends. I wish he had more time to just be young. We will have to see if he can find a balance.

He is a little stressed out. I think we are going to be OK, though. Sometimes I feel like the worst parent. Especially when I loose my temper with him. This morning taking him to school early for FCA was great, though. I think he knows that we will be there for him and that we love him.

Having kids is so wild. I just pray that God will take over, because I am so human. They are precious gifts from Him and I want to do everything so right. I want them all to love God and to want to never walk away from Him. This world is so stinking nasty, though. I get angry when I know what is out there. I try to protect my kids and wonder if I am protecting them too much. God is in control, though. I know this and count on it every day. I can't believe that He puts up with me.

Matt is playing some beautiful music. He got several volumes of music from the Texas list (it's a choir thing) and he and I have been playing through it. There is so much incredible music out there. This is the part of my job that I love. I love that my high school kids really appreciate good music. Even the ones that aren't fast and hip-hop sounding.

Today was a good day in a stressful week. Last week with my 6th graders was horrible. I felt like the worst teacher. Well...I did put two classes together because I had to go to my elementary school for Grandparent's Day. So there were 5o instead of about 25 6th graders at one time. I think that may have had something to do with it. But...today was really good with them. We did the rhythm band...only about 10 times faster than the CD for younger kids. They really liked it.

Tomorrow the kids all have birthday parties to go to and our friend gave us Ole Miss tickets for tomorrow night. We are kind of trying to figure out who is going to go. Matt and I always opt for the less stressful of everything. Maybe because we are lazy or pretty worn out from school.
Anyway, we'll see. I have to finish the masks for the kids' drama for Sunday night. They are doing the "King of Hearts". It is very moving. I hope they will get the message for themselves while they are sharing it. Our drama group is young. Matthew and our pastor's son are the oldest ones there.

Matt had one of his first potential recording jobs referred to him by his fellow teacher friend. When the family got there they needed an accompaniment without back-ground vocals. When they looked a little closer at what they had Matt put the CD on track 5 and there was an acc. without vocals. :) Oh well. He told them that it did get him to get our kids to clean up on a Friday afternoon because they were coming. :)

Can't wait for our family to all get together again. Mamaw went to take care of Grandpa this weekend. Please pray for him. He had an allergic reaction to something and isn't doing well. We used to see family just about every weekend. Mamaw's ritual was ordering pizza for the kids from Domino's. I do miss those times. Now we just have to try a little harder to get together. I really feel like God brought us here so Matthew could grow in his youth group and graduate and that maybe when he does graduate that we will move again. The kids would love to move back to Jackson.

God knows what is going to happen. It is our job to trust Him and walk with Him. Have an awesome weekend!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Long time no see

Hi there. I can't believe I have neglected my friendly blog. Well, here I am. Things are going fine here. Matt and I are heavily into school and getting our music planned for the year, ordering music, setting performances, etc.

His kids are going to get to sing "The Preamble" from America Rocks during the presidential debate that is coming to Oxford. I can't wait. That was my major influence musically growing up. I loved those groovy songs.

My kids are getting ready for a fall festival. Several of them are singing for the kiddie pageant that day and then the whole choir is singing later that day. Should be fun.

We had a great time Labor Day with Mom, Mamaw, Chris and the kids at Cossar State Park. Mamaw rented two cabins for three nights. The kids got to fish, swim, play disc golf, putt-putt golf and make lots of s'mores. It was awesome. We celebrated Benny's 11th birthday there. I think I overheard him saying that it was the best ever. Thanks, Mamaw, for getting the cabins. We also had some massive Rook games with Mom and Uncle Chris. Matt and Chris against Mom and me. My first night I had a streak going, but it fizzled out night 2. I think I just started going nuts and bidding whatever just to get the pot. Needless to say we lost.....by about 500 points. We were laughing our heads off, though.

Matthew's youth director gave him tickets to the Ole Miss game this weekend. Matthew has to work so I'm not sure who is going.

Claire starts gymnastics this week. I think the Olympics have inspired her.

I am just randomly writing off the top of my head. I converted our website the other day because I can't get Frontpage to open my website anymore. Not sure why. I have to say that the company's software is so much better. Check it out. jonesrestoration.com

Well, I hope that you all have a very blessed week. Please pray about the elections. Sheeeesh. I know God is in control, but I pray that America doesn't get what we deserve. I pray for God to have mercy on us. If you know what I mean. I think any of my friends reading this understand perfectly.

Take care,
Laurie

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