Life with my sister

This photo popped up on Instagram last week and it has consumed me ever since. Shocker, huh? Jesus laughs. Who knew? If you think this is irreverent than you need to click off here right now because your holy toes are about to get stepped on. We always see the stoic Jesus or the wounded Jesus.  I don't think He wants to be seen that way and I am pretty certain he does not want His children to be seen that way. Serious and wounded is how we are taught to see Him in pictures. I like to think this is the true picture of who Jesus is. Love is all over this face. I can't help but smile while looking at it. None of us know what He really looks like and we all see Him differently. The Bible tells us to count it all joy through trials of many kinds. I am no Bible scholar. I have a degree in communications and a minor in home economics. I took an old testament course in college and made a C. But, I have been washed in the blood, raised in the Bible belt as a Southern Baptist who...

I just love to do fun crafty things. I also love to focus on blessings when and if possible...we all know those times can be hard though. So, a few years ago I started a blessing jar for the year. I cut some paper into strips and put it in the jar with a pen. My goal is for those in my home to stop and jot down a blessing throughout the year. Fold it up and throw it in to the jar. Easy, peasy and fun.   On New Years Eve we get out the jar and read what was in it. It is comical to recap it all and it is also so cool to see what little things made an impact on us throughout the year. My guys are something else and love to leave things like this in the jar at times. What are some fun, interactive ways you get your family focused on their blessings? we would love to hear! Abby Jo

http://ordinaryfamilies.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/lee3/ This is a link to the blog our preschool ministry has just started. Its purpose is to introduce several families in our church as an encouragement to others in their walk with the Lord. We are the first family to be featured. It thrills my heart to serve in this church and have them serve us the way they do. If you do not have a church family, I encourage you to find one. If you live in our neck of the woods we would love to have you come to NBC with us. Abby

Today we are eating it up and giving thanks for the blessings we so often take for granted . It makes me think of this sweet song that my girl Paige sang at our wedding in 2003. What a wonderful memory and beautiful lyrics. I hope your day is full of gratitude and blessings. There's nothing like the warmth of a summer afternoon Waking to the sunlight, and being cradled by the moon Catching fireflies at night Building castles in the sand Kissing Mama's face goodnight Holding Daddy's hand Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more Running barefoot through the grass A little hide and go seek Being so in love, that you can hardly eat Dancing in the dark, when there's no one else around Being bundled 'neath the covers, watching snow Fall to the ground Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more So many things I thought would bring me happiness Some dreams that are realities today Such an irony the things that mean the most to me Are the memories that I've made along the ...

Henry and I headed to Memphis this week to see the fam and for me to shop my friend's fall/winter consignment sale at the Agricenter. She is such a peach and lets me in for the first preview sale each season. It is so good to know sweet people...I am blessed by her. I get the first pick with a handful of other parents and it is so much fun! Lots of my old work buddies/friends are there each time and it is like a social outing and a bargain hunt all at once. SCORE! Randall usually goes with me but he was in Indiana this week, so I ventured out alone....while Henry played and ate at the Piccadilly with the fam (I know Wilma ate her veggie plate in heaven smiling down on that meal. Sweet memories at that place). Preparing for this sale is like an all out mission. close family and friends are all wishing me luck...like I am competing in a championship or something. It is serious stuff. I get siked up for days, checking online for costs on things I will be looking for so I can compare...

My weekend started in Leachville with a visit to one of my dearest friends. Mrs. O was my confidante, cook, friend, mentor, counselor, and hostess. I was able to spend about 2 hours with her. Catching up on our lives over the past years. She sent me home with cookies. I love her! Next I went to Abby’s. We went shopping and ate supper. We love to eat. It will be our downfall! After kicking her out of my room, we both got a good nights sleep. We woke up way to early but I had a big day ahead. Abby fixed me coffee and cinnamon rolls. I wrote in her guest book (it kinda reminds me of something you would do at a funeral home) and I hid something from her. ( I hid a picture frame at Christmas and she never found it. I took it out of hiding this weekend and put something else in hiding! Sisters are such fun!) I then met Jill in West Memphis. I left my car at Walmart there and picked it up the next day. I thought that would be the safest place to leave it since they are open 24 hours and ther...

This morning I was finishing up my run and this song came on my ipod. I have heard it a zillion times, but this morning it was rather refreshing. It IS so wonderful to be here now. I hope your Friday feels wonderful! Abby

I debated sharing my heart about this, but I just have to. I want all of you (whoever you are…we know we have lots of lurkers and we are thrilled you like us!) to feel my heartbeat at this amazing, scary, fun, life-altering, God-given and stressful time in my life. Tomorrow is my last day of work at ECS. My Mama and I were talking via cellphone during our commutes home this afternoon and she asked me if it would be an emotional day for me and I said "Nah, it shouldn't. I cried all the way home one day last week and got it out of my system". I actually believed those words until I sat down to type my boss, Rex, a good-bye letter. The past year has been an unexpected Gift from God. From the day my Aunt Babs emailed me while I was sitting miserably at the very worst job in THE world to tell me of the job opportunity at ECS, and until this very moment. I have become stronger, confident, sharper in my God-given talents, and rich in friendship because of (as Rex always says), ...

Here is one last blessing for the week. It is a little deeper than the three previous ones I have posted. I am blessed to have the life I have. I know, it sounds silly and a little crazy coming from the girl who has been a basket case these past few weeks, but yesterday I realized that I am truly blessed to have this life. Yesterday I sat in my car and rationalized with myself: I need to sell my house, buy a new one and find a job. I can choose to get overwhelmed or I can place it in the palm of my Provider's hands and let Him handle it. I am now choosing to hand it off to Him each morning, it works better that way! So, now you ask why I all the sudden feel so blessed to have all this pressure? Let me tell you. Last night I was working late at school. Mrs. Carolyn and I were walking to the parking lot when we noticed a middle school student sitting on a bench. (It was 7:30pm, school gets out at 2:45 ish ) We found out that he stays this late most everyday waiting on his ride. Th...

I am trying to finish the week out by listing a few blessings and I am coming up short today, as you can see! :) I think it is okay to have big and little blessings. Today it is a little one. I have found a good eat that I want to rave about. It is the Morning Star Ginger Teriyaki Veggie Cake. I am so thankful to have a new lowfat protein staple in my freezer. Yum! The biggest blessing is that they were on sale for $1.50 and it is a box of 4! It has made heat and eat meals I have been making for myself these past few weeks much more enjoyable than the old, tired Lean Cuisines. Now, if only it would pay off in the waist band of my capri pants! I hope to have another blessing for you tomorrow....hopefully it won't be food related. P.S. Pray for my Jules (she is a HUGE blessing to me). Her bowling injury really is more serious than she let on in her last post. She is going to the doctor today. She really needs not bowl ever again. It is funny, yet so sad. She is in more pain than sh...

Today I am counting my blessings again (it helps keep me sane right now). I am thanking God for my Mama today. (She is Julie's Mother too...I just wish not to share her in this post!)I am not going to get all mushy with this post (I could, but I won’t). I just want to introduce you to the great lady I call “Mama”. I was three weeks late and determined not to come out when I was forced to arrive here on earth in 1978. I think Mama knew then that I was going to be high maintenance. I was nothing like my older sister and Mama had to learn how to manage two girls that were total opposites. I hated school. Mama had to walk me to school for a while because I would not get out of the car at the crosswalk. So, we walked instead. She would walk me the back way to the playground where I was forced to cross a small ditch into the playground. She made me cross the ditch alone and I was not allowed to re-cross it once I got over it. I would usually cry like a fat child as I watched her on the ...

Today I have decided to count my blessings and name them one by one (are you singing it with me?). One of those blessings is my BFF , Melissa (A.K.A. “ Licca Lou”, “Lissy” or “ MJ ” – I use all these names. It is a bit insane, I know). She is going to be embarrassed that I am writing a post about her, but she will get over it! Melissa became my friend when I was 4 years old. We lived in Sutton Estates together. We lived behind one another. She was in Kindergarten at FSC and I thought her uniform was really cool. She had the best play kitchen. It was very modern for the early 1980’s and I loved playing house with her. I was very shy (hard to imagine, I know) when I was a little girl. Her family has laughed many times remembering me knocking on their back door with my head down whispering, “Can Melissa play?” Fast Forward 5 years: Melissa had moved out of the neighborhood and I had moved onto another street in the neighborhood (We lived in 3 different houses in the same neighborhood w...