My little helper

Last Saturday, Justin and cleaned up the yard. We had not mowed the yard since we moved in, but it was pass due. It was a wonderful day, the sun was shining bright, but it wasn't too hot. I got Karis all dressed in her play clothes and pigtails so she could help mommy. We picked up pine cones, raked the "gumballs" in the front yard, swept the walkway and driveway, and just had a wonderful time. She got to watch mommy mow the yard, while she sat in the rocking chair. She was a big help. Watching BOZ has helped Karis see that she can be a Big helper no matter how small she is.

Children's Programs

We, at Christ Baptist Church, are about to start some type of children's program on Sunday nights. We are going to start meeting at the school for Sunday nights in a few weeks. I am very excited about this, but I am still trying to figure out what curriculum we are going to use with the children. Does anyone have any suggestions? Since I am the children's director, in theory, I need to figure out along with the help of some of our other members what would be the most beneficial as far as the children learning God's Word. Our children ages range from 2 and up. I really desire for this time to meaningful and fun.
I am open for suggestions. Thanks.

Spring is Here

Spring is here and out com the shorts and capri pants. I was very excited to pull out Karis' spring and summer clothes except to realize that the hand me downs are no more. I had to buy her some clothes, but God is good, and He always provides. Karis is continuing to grow and put more words together. Her sentences are getting longer, and she is always repeating everything I say. I am again a single mom this week, but I am looking forward to spending girl time with her.
How many toothbrushes can Karis put in her mouth?

Three! I am not sure why she has so many, I do know that I only bought her one.

Karis playing with her toys in her spring capris after BSF.

Reading Books

We all know how much Karis enjoys reading books. She has recently been reading books to me. This is how the book goes.

Noah's Ark

"Karis said, Noah, boat."

"Karis said, Noah ark, animals"

"Karis said, laughed, rain."

"Karis said, animals came."

"Karis said, animals."

"Karis said, animals in ark, God door."

"Karis said, plop, crash, boom, not afraid."

"Karis said, ark float, rained forty days."

"Karis said, Noah prayed."

"Karis said, rainbow."

"Karis said, I luv you."

This is Karis' version of Noah's Ark. It is so funny to listen to her mumble the words. She learned this from her friend Hannah. I enjoy this time with her very much.

Karis also really enjoys BSF. She came home last week singing, "Open them, shock them, open them, shock them, lap- Open them, shock them, open them, shock them, lap."

In translation means, "Open them, shut them, open them, shut them, give a little clap, Open them, shut them, open them, shut them, put them in your lap." This is talking about her hands.

Idols in our lives

Carol, Lisa, and I attended the Women's conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary last Friday and Saturday. One of the break out sessions that I went to was
What's Pouring Water on the Fire? Detecting and Destroying Idols of the Heart.
This session was lead by Dana Cordell. She is the wife of one of the pastors of another church plant of Open Door Baptist Church. It was a very convicting session and also a very hopeful one. Here is just a taste of what she said.

I. Definition of an Idol
An idol is something, other than God, that masters or motivates us. Idols are false or functional gods. - Ken Sande

John Calvin said that we are experts at inventing idols. He also said that our desire typically does not lie in what we want but that we want it too much.

II. The source of our idolatry is our heart.

Their heart is false;
now whey must bear their guilt.
The Lord will bread down their altars
and destroy their pillars. (Hosea 10:2)

Your heart becomes like the things you worship.

III. Idolatry's Behavior and Attitudes

James 4:1-4- the war of desires
Galatians 5:17-26
1 John 5:21-"Dear children, keep yourselves from idols."

"Who or what rules my behavior, the Lord or a substitute?" -David Powlison

Idolatry is an exchange: God + _______ = happiness

IV. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to detect if something is an idol.
1. What do you love? Hate?
2. What do you want, desire, crave, lust, and wish for? Whose desires do you obey?
3. What do you seek, aim for, pursue? What are your goals and expectations?
4. What do you fear? What do you want? What do you worry about?
5. What do you think you need?
6. Where do you find refuge, safety, comfort, escape, pleasure, security?

V. In order to fight these idols, we must:
A. Fight to know God.
B. Utilize the tools He has given you to kill idols:
1. The Word of God and the Spirit of God
2. Prayer
3. The people of God

I know that in my own life I have a lot of idols that I need to slay. Thank goodness that God does not deny us the grace to fight our idols. We serve a jealous and loving God. He desires to be first in our lives, and He will not let another take His glory. When we allow idols to take His place, after repenting, He generously offers His grace to forgive us and lead us back to Him, the only One that can truly satisfy all our desires.

Washing the Car

Yesterday was such a pretty day that I decided to wash the cars. Karis wanted to help, and she did a great job helping me.

First, Karis wants to make sure that it is okay to put her hands in the soap.

Second, she dips the sponge in the soap, while bending down.

Third, Karis pulls the wet sponge out and watches the water drip off the sponge.

Is that all there is to do? I like playing in the water.

Shopping, Bubbles, & Friends

Karis and I have had a wonderful time this week. We have stayed very busy, and she has been a great sport going along with me everywhere I wanted to go. Tuesday we went shopping after we dropped Justin off at the airport. We came home and after her nap, we went to the small mall her in Wilson because I couldn't find her an Easter dress. We found one here and a few other things that she needs for the summer. I dropped her off at the Brooks house and came home to get ready for the Women's Bible Study here.
Wednesday, we got up late, ate free breakfast at Chick-fil-A and then headed over to the Daniels' house for a play date. It was fun and after lunch, we came home for a nap. We went to the YMCA then to church on Wednesday night, which was great. I got to watch all the kiddos!! Thursday, we got up early for Bible Study Fellowship. Karis really loves BSF, and I am so glad that she does. She gets another opportunity to learn about our wonderful Savior. We went to lunch with Carol after we got home, and Sondra came over for dinner on Thursday night.
Friday we got up, went to the YMCA, then came home and got dressed. We headed to the outlet mall to shop some more. I didn't buy anything, but Karis is a trooper. Lori, Hannah, and Madeline came over after we got home and we took the girls to the park. Lisa came over for dinner and we watched Persuasion. I love those old British movies. Today, Karis and I are just hanging our getting things in order to go pick up Justin from the airport.

Karis loves playing with her bubbles outside, in fact she just loves being outside!!

First Women's Bible Study

We had our first Women's Bible Study on Tuesday. We are big enough to have two groups, so Carol Dale lead the morning group and I lead the evening group. We are doing a Bible study over friendships in the Bible. We talked about Ruth and Naomi on Tuesday. It is so refreshing to do a Bible study that the focus is simply the Bible and how to apply it to our lives. We know that the Bible is our guidebook and love letter from Christ, and it is so exciting for me to be teaching a study that simply relies on what God has said to us through His Word.
We discussed the importance of Ruth and Naomi's friendship, how it was rooted in God, how for a time Ruth cared for Naomi, how Naomi cared for Ruth, and how ultimately God was sovereign over all. Naomi and her family, her husband and two sons, went to Moab because of a famine. The sons married Moabite women. After Naomi's husband and sons died, Ruth went back to Bethlehem with Naomi to her people. Ruth was redeemed by Boaz, who was the son of Rahab (a Gentile). Ruth and Boaz were married and she had Jesse, who was the father of King David. God used all these circumstances to bring forth the Christ. He used a Moabite woman who had faith. What a blessing to know that from the very beginning God had plans to save the Gentiles along with the Jews. We serve a great and mighty God, full of mercy and justice.

Girl Time!!

Justin is heading to the Shepherd's Conference in California tomorrow. Karis and I are very excited about having girl time! I am not one who really likes to be alone, so I am very thankful that I now have a little girl to spend my time with. We will be really busy while Justin is away. I have my calendar full of play dates, Bible Study Fellowship, Women's Ministry Bible study at my house, a special dinner guest one night, and a girl's night on Friday. When Saturday roles around, I will be very excited to go pick up Justin from the airport, and I know that Karis will be ready to "wrestle daddy." She will say to me everyday, "Daddy goes." That is her way of saying someone or something is not here. It is so cute. Please pray for me while Justin is gone, and please pray for him as he soaks up Biblical truths to help shepherd Christ Baptist Church.

"Here Daddy-O you can take my monkey with you!"

Karis looks so cute in the dress her Grammie and Pop Pop gave her.

One of Mommy's Favorite Things!

How to brush Mommy's hair:

First, get the brush and have Mommy sit on the floor. Climb up on the couch so that I can reach Mommy's head.

Take the brush, while laying down, and make downward strokes on Mommy's hair. It is much more fun to brush Mommy's hair in an upward stroke, but she is tender headed.

You can't really tell by the picture, but Karis enjoyed brushing my hair. Having someone play with or brush my hair is one of my favorite things. I am so glad to have a little girl that will hopefully enjoy brushing mommy's hair. I know I enjoy brushing hers, when she lets me!