We Have a New Baby!!!

It all started with a trip to drop off one of our youth to meet his family at the Humane Society. They were there to adopt a dog.

I knew as soon as we got out of the car there that we would not be leaving without a dog. I thought we were in the clear after walking through the entire place until right before we were going to leave. The lady said "Oh, you like Boxers?! We have 2puppies in the back!" I knew we were in trouble.

The two puppies had been rescued from Tropical storm Faye and both the mother and father had drowned. The two puppies were found floating near their dog house.

THAT WAS ALL IT TOOK.

Papers were signed, and we were on our way home with the newest addition to our family.

Brice immediately took to the puppy and vice versa. They quickly became buddies.

So, without further ado, please meet "EVANDER"

Yearbook

There are so many posts I have to catch up on, but I thought this was hilarious today. I saw this website on Facebook and just had to try it. It is www.yearbookyourself.com. Here's some of my "would be" yearbook pics :)











It's funny and scary all at the same time!

On the Fence . . .

Here's what I saw yesterday as I was letting the dogs our for some sun and fresh air. This fence is right beside our house. It's not very clear because this was as close as I was getting and I wasn't really concerned with the zoom or flash!


OH - but the good news is we saw CRUSH, the turtle again for the first time in quite a while and guess who was with him - SQUIRT! We have a new baby turtle that's roaming our yard now. He's a cutie and fast too :)

Consecration Begins

Yesterday (Sunday) began the consecration for our worship team and the worship choir kicked it off with a retreat on Saturday. It was a great time and I have such a fantastic group of people. We are becoming a close knit team, but more importantly - a family!

For our consecration we all have decided to abstain from certain things in our lives for a period of 4 weeks. We also have accountability/encouragment teams to help each other along the way and pray for one another.

I prayed on this consecration and decided in the area of "diet" to give up SUGAR, SODAS and FRIED FOODS. This will help my clarity of mind and body to focus more on my relationship with the Lord and be effective as a leader.

Already I can feel my body detoxing and it is just day 2. It's like breaking free all over again! Sometimes we don't realize just how much our physical habits are tied to the spiritual.

So I am posting this to ask for prayers not just for me, but for our entire team. Please pray that we would use this time to truly seek the heart of God and grow closer to Him.

"I don't scared, Mama. I don't scared."

That was the joyful exclamation from Brice yesterday when he finally let go of the death clutch around my (and Billy's) neck in the pool. The swimming lessons he had earlier in the summer didn't help him like I thought they would and he has since had this "fear" of the pool.
So yesterday, Billy and I were wanting to do something special since we had a whole day to ourselves as a family and we decided to take Brice swimming for the afternoon and work with him a little. Billy really has a knack for these things and I am just there for support, really. I am not the best swimmer (I have a lot to keep afloat, lol) but I am comfortable in the water.
After the first 30-45 minutes of "no! no! don't let go!", we finally got Brice to let go (he was wearing a Batman life vest) and he was so proud when he did! He swam over to me and the first thing he said was "I don't scared, Mama. I don't scared!" I laughed and clapped and we all celebrated the fact that he "don't scared."
All in all it was a great family day - no more fear of the water for Brice, Daddy got some sun and mommy got some much needed exercise :)

Deeper Level

This week our worship team (all 20 of us!) are beginning a study together from the book "Deeper Level," by Israel Houghton. I am excited about this study and how we are going to be challenged to dive deeper in our relationship with the Lord and focused as a leadership team.

I think about how this team has come together over the past year and 1/2 and I praise God for how His timinig is perfect and how each person has come to serve and brought their own unique style and personality to this family of believers.
Looking back on the start of Healing Waters, I had no idea how God was going to put this team together and who would be a part.

TRUST.

I learn a little bit more about that word daily. OH how I am thankful he doesn't let us see the big picture like He does. God knows exactly how much we can handle at a time. Stepping out in faith meant saying goodbye to all that was familiar and comfortable. In return He has blessed my life beyond compare and the freedom that comes with obedience is indescribable.

So as a team, we begin this season by setting ourselves apart and fasting from certain things in our daily lives to go deeper with God and consecrate ourselves for His purpose in our lives and in our church.

"I will search for You and I will find You with all my heart . . ."

Yes . . .he said it.

Tonight Billy, Brice and I went out for dinner after church and there was only one other couple in the restaurant besides us - at a table across from us.

So we are sitting at the table and looking at the menus. The other couple were finishing their meal. Both of them were older and the lady had long black hair and a patch over her eye. I didn't see it coming. I should have . . .but I didn't.

All of a sudden . . .Brice yells, "LOOK MOMMY -- A PIRATE!" "A PIRATE!" "RIGHT THERE - - A PIRATE!" Now, Billy and I both have a warped sense of humor and as soon as Brice said it I wanted to burst into laughter because he was so innnocent, and yet correct in his observation. That poor lady did look like a pirate to him and he wasn't meaning anything bad. He likes pirates. Argh.

Billy and I were completely embarrased and tried to calm him down and get him to understand that she was not a pirate and he shouldn't say those things. He didn't understand and began to point out even louder "BUT SHE IS A PIRATE, MOMMY!
LOOK!"

Billy then escorted Brice from the table and took him for a walk, so that Mrs. Pirate could finish her meal in peace and not be hounded by a 3 year old who was next going to start yelling "ARGH, MATEY!"
So, we have now reached a new phase in our family. There is no mute button. Brice is going to see things that we don't and he has no problem sharing them with the world. Oh the things we will hear...