*Gardening & Flowers*

Rance and I both share a love for gardening & flowers, etc. in our yard!  In fact, we have a secret dream of having a HUGE garden at some point in life but we are grateful for the small gardens we get to plant and thoroughly enjoy watching them grow.  This year has been extra fun because Jayden is understanding the concept of planting and watering and watching it all GROW!

These pictures start when we initially planted some flowers and our garden...


....so maybe you will enjoy watching it grow as we have!

 

 

my Mother's Day gift - quality time AND 2 hanging baskets!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The rose bushes pictured below were these two TINY potted plants when we planted them a few years ago and they have blown my mind!

 

 

 

*Mother's Day*

Mother's Day may have been over a month ago BUT it was a gift to my heart and a SWEET time with my men!  Rance had asked me a few weeks prior to Mother's Day if I had any requests.  My love language, as in the way I feel MOST loved, is through quality time and acts of service.  As much as gifts are fun, I would pick quality time with Rance and Jayden over gifts any day!  While most would probably think that quality time would be easier being in ministry, that is exactly opposite of the case.  Maybe that is why I cherish quality time in an entirely new way when it does happen these days!?!?!

 

We spent the morning in Bryson City on Deep Creek enjoying the creek, hiking to waterfalls, and letting Jayden run wild! 

 

Then we enjoyed lunch and a TREAT as Jayden would say!

 

We also got to spend time with Rance's mom, sister, and her family!

 



Sunday after church, we attempted to get a family photo (but Jayden almost always falls asleep on the way home from church!)...

 

 

 

Jayden made his first craft/handprint at church for me that morning and I may have got teary!

Being a mom is one of the hardest jobs I have ever had yet one of the jobs I love the absolute most!  Rance wood burned Proverbs 6:20-22 on a block of wood for me just as an encouragement from day to day!

 

We hit up the pool Sunday afternoon for a couple of hours after Jayden's nap (his first time in the pool this year) and we quickly realized he has absolutely no fear of water!  

 

Quality time - best gift I could have received!



*Prayer Update June 5, 2016*

 

 

Rance and I have been on this journey of life together as one for almost 6 years now.  From the beginning of our relationship/marriage, our desire has been to continue to learn how to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  We were both spiritually invested in greatly in college but it is so interesting how our paradigm has shifted and continues to shift over time in what it looks like to really love God.  For both of us, seeing a real life model has been key in this paradigm shift.  That should not be too surprising since Jesus came in the flesh so that He could model perfectly how to love the Father and make Him known to the world.

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men ~ John 1:4

It was not Jesus preaching or words that changed lives, it was His life that was the LIGHT of men.  His disciples watched the perfect Son of God day in and day out and they later followed His model and turned the world upside down for Jesus.

There is one person that comes to mind when I think of this living model on earth.   This person has modeled a life that is in awe of the Father in a way that leaves me wanting more of HIM each time.  This person would never want credit or acknowledged but to have the great gift of watching someone in the flesh model such great intimacy and love for the Father, passion/love for people, faithfulness to God, and commitment to making disciples just like Jesus did ... is astounding.  There is a depth that is clearly seen in this persons relationship with the Father by how he lives his life for Father's glory each day that does not go unnoticed.  He has no doubt experienced a dimension of Father that I have not.  He is no perfect person but he has simply chosen to trust God at His word and to follow Him no matter the cost.  He spends his days with a mission to know God more and make Him known but this is not a draining burden to him but a GREAT DELIGHT!  He enjoys rocking in his swing drinking from the cup of blessing each day which ALL believers have access to.  He is experiencing the abundant life Jesus offers!  Do you know anyone like this?

Rance and I are continually encouraged and thankful for such a faithful model in our lives because this gift of GRACE is worth more than all the riches of this world.  Our hope and desire is to be that model for others every day as we pursue after the perfect model, Jesus, who's supreme goal is bringing Father GLORY.  We want to drink from the cup of blessing and enjoy abundance here and now (and we want YOU to as well) because regardless of the harsh reality of this world, God is unchanging and in Him we have access to unlimited riches and treasures that the world cannot offer.

Paul experienced this great mystery of knowing God and modeled this LIFE for others as he deeply desired for the church to experience this life of abundance as well..... "That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." -Colossians 2:2-3

Have you ever thought there is something missing in your life or perhaps a depth or dimension of God that you do not know???? If so, KNOW THIS, God longs to reveal Himself to you....

What do you say?!?!

And here are a few snapshots to capture a few highlights of this past month...       The hard work and labor may have increased on the property the past couple of months but the blessing of watching our ETM team work together and a number of volunteers give of their time to assist in the completion of the office building has been such a beautiful gift to my heart personally.       Huge shout out to the teamwork involved in cleaning the office building from top to bottom.  So blessed by all of these friendships...       ...and BLESSED by the awesome cooperation of our children (all 14 of them) as we cleaned!     Jeff's visit to Robbinsville from Indiana was a delight! We are thankful for his friendship, care, support, and carpentry skills!     This guy never ceases to make me laugh at his JOY no matter what he is doing. His daily selfies never get old.       This group of men finished up the models a couple of weeks ago and we already miss seeing them at our house on Tuesday nights!       Super thankful to have Corey (Rance's best man in our wedding) stay with us this past month, to catch up on life, and to know how to better pray for him personally!       Our hearts are blessed as we have been given the opportunity to fellowship and serve (through Rance filling in for Pastor Scott) alongside the Body at Church of the Lamb.       Walking through life with these two, Lindy & Eli, is a JOY!  We are continually encouraged as we get to know Eli and his pursuit of the Lord.         Everyday is a celebration of LIFE but Mother's Day was very a special time of singing praises to God for the one in my arms, the one in my womb, and the one in heaven.  It was also a special time of praying for new moms, long-time moms, those that long to be a mom, and those that have lost a mom or child.  I think and pray for you all continually.       *Meet Elijah Canup, Josh Lane, & Cody Carpenter* Pray for this new discipleship group and these men as they desire to grow and know God more!       *Campers for Christ 2016 follow up & get-together* The afternoon/evening was filled with games, a campfire, lots of food, brats on the fire, catching up and time in the Word!     On the side, Rance, Jayden and I find great enjoyment in watching our garden grow day by day...             ...and Jayden is a HUGE help in this process as he LOVES to water it all!     Prayer Requests:         Our ETM team's strength, endurance, unity, and focus as all have been juggling multiple tasks, especially in the last several weeks in preparation for our annual board meeting. ETM Board Meeting on June 6 and 7 - pray for a sweet time of reflecting, reconnecting, and sharing in God's faithfulness with our teammates, colleagues, and board members from around the world. Pray for direction and difficult decisions being made New discipleship groups beginning and relationships being built. Continued pursuit of knowing our Father and not missing THY Glory each day. Wisdom & consistency in training Jayden well