"Behold The Lamb"

Tonight, our Church performed their first out of two Christmas performances.  Gretchen, our choir leader/pastor's wife, begins planning months and months in advance for this "musical".  Both the children and the adults begin practicing in mid-August.  Gretchen is "no holds bar" and expects precise, clear, well vocalized music out of children and adults of all ages.  She certainly received that tonight.  I have been to at least four of our performances since being a member at West Salem Baptist Church, and by far, this show ranks as the BEST/TOP musical to date.  It was completely FLAWLESS.  

I was so proud of Tyson.  He did so well!!
He played the role of one of the many slaves.

We would love for YOU to join us tomorrow night for the last performance:

Where: West Salem Baptist Church
When:  December 16th @ 6:30 pm
Cost: FREE

The message is quite clear.... A Holy God, sinful people (us), and the shedding of a spotless lamb's blood (Jesus).  Our need for a savior.  A way into Heaven IF we have FAITH and REPENT (turn away from our sin).  It's a message of TRUTH, LOVE, MERCY, and GRACE.  It's a message that comes with good news.  

Grandad and Grandnee, thanks for joining us. I am so glad you enjoyed the show!!!! How could you not, right?

This MESSAGE will CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!!!!!

I'm speechless!!!! I love this man's deliverance.  He is realllllly talented.  Please watch this video.  PLEASE.  What an upmost GRACE and an abundance of TRUTH!  I am so thankful for it!

Poor Judgement Call

Every day I put Jax and Lilah down for a nap, I allow them to pick one or THREE books to bring into their crib with them (it's hard to believe they are almost 3 and still in a crib!). On Friday, I made a HORRIBLE judgement call. I allowed Jax to "sleep" with "bro-bro's" most prized possession... his 1st YEARBOOK! By far, this is Tyson's favorite thing he owns even above and beyond his Nintendo DS. I entered the twins' room, about 15 minutes after laying them down, because I heard some raucous and to much shock and disappointment, this is what I found when I entered.

(The Old Year Book!)

Needless to say, Jax was in deep trouble. As I was reprimanding him, Darren walked in and was livid. Jax got a good, three hard spankings from Daddy AND let's just say, I, too, got yelled at. "What in the world were you thinking? Do you realize how devastated Tyson is going to be?" YIKES. It's never fun being the one on the receiving end of daddy's wrath.

We hid the torn yearbook from Tyson until I was certain that it could be replaced. Ty's teacher saved the day, really the year, by finding a new yearbook that we could purchase.

(The new year book!)

Will I ever feel worthy?

Lately, I feel so disconnected. It's amazing how blessed I am, in MORE WAYS THAN 4, and yet I look right passed it. Small trials lately have added up and it's tearing me down little by little. I find myself thinking about how unworthy I am to call myself a Christian. I recognize that no good deed will allow me to gain merit in the Kingdom of Heaven, but it's hard to let that stick. I believe it, but it goes against ALL the ways this world fights for freedom, success, and peace. Our God is so holy, so honorable, so loving, and so worthy of glory that it just feels right to "work your way to Heaven." When I sin or when I fail DAILY, I just feel like throwing in the towel. I'm tired of disappointing my Father. I'm tired of being a witness to others sin as well as my own. I hate it. Different things have transpired this week and I have found myself in a pinch of self-pity. I looked to my family in Christ and they have given me such a great amount of encouragement and not encouragement that comes from their own wisdom, but from the Lord. As I sit here eating lunch alone, I decided to grab the bible and daily devotional book by Max Lucado. The devotional book doesn't have any DATES, so I just scrolled through the pages until I felt lead to STOP and read one. I'm sure ALL OF THE DEVOTIONALS would have really hit home and been so powerful, but I am so grateful for this one...

Let's Talk to Jesus

What do you do when you run out of gas? You don't exhaust your petroleum perhaps, but all of us run out of something. You need kindness, but the gauge is on empty. You need hope, but the needle is in the red. You want five gallons of solutions but can only muster a few drops. When you run out of steam before you run out of day, what do you do? Stare at the gauge? Blame your upbringing? Deny the problem?

NO. Pity won't start the car. Complaints don't fuel an engine. Denial doesn't bump the needle. In the case of an empty tank, we've learned: get the car to a gas pump ASAP.

My first thought when I run out of fuel is, How can I get this car to a gas pump? Your first thought when you have a problem should be, How can I get this problem to Jesus?

Let's get practical. You and your spouse are about to battle it out again. The thunderstorm looms on the horizon. The temperature is dropping, and lightning bolts are flashing. Both of you need patience, but both tanks are empty. What if one of you calls, "Time Out"? What if one of you says, "Let's talk to Jesus before we talk to each other. In fact, let's talk to Jesus until we can talk to each other'?

I just thought this was such an appropriate devotional for me today! I am so thankful that no matter what my deeds are, good or bad, the Lord is not dependent on them. The good deeds are only done in obedience and to glorify His name, and the bad deeds are forgiven, if true, Godly repentance takes place and belief in Jesus Christ has been professed. What a grace it is to know that I'm not technically worthy, none of us are, but through his work on the cross and my acknowledgement of him and repentance, I am HIS and will meet him one day in Heaven.

Today a VERY DEAR FRIEND shared this quote with me, "Don't tell God how big your storm is, but tell your storm how big your God is!" AH, I love that quote. I really do.

Lord, you are the answer to our questions and the solution to our problems. We don't have the wisdom to work through the storms of life, but you do. In your presence we find help and hope and healing, amen.

"They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses." Psalm 107:19

NO ONE Really Looks As Good As Matthew Mcconaughey, Not Even Matthew Mcconaughey HIMSELF!

As our family prepares to participate in the much anticipated wedding of the year, Kaitlyn & Shawn's, we are experiencing some angst. What will we wear to the rehearsal? Who will watch the kids during the rehearsal dinner? Will Lilah's flower girl shoes arrive in the mail on time? Will my bridesmaids dress fit? Who's wedding attire needs ironing? What time are our hair appointments? Will Lilah sit still and allow the hair dresser to do an updo on her? Will the twins get to nap before the wedding? Will Tyson, Lilah, and Jax actually perform and fulfill their tasks as ring bearers and flower girl? Will my husband remember all of his dance moves during the groomsmen's dance to "Dirty Pop"? All of these things are miniscule compared to the bride and groom's stresses, I am sure, but still, all is relative to each individuals circumstances, right?

Well... HERE IS MY BIGGEST STRESS for this WEDDING, as superficial as it may seem...

How can something so cute be so ugly sometimes?

WILL MY SON'S RUG BURN DISAPPEAR BEFORE HE WALKS DOWN THE AISLE? WILL MAKE-UP COVER IT, IF NOT! Rug burn???? YOU ASK??? Yes. Rug burn ON HIS FACE. On Monday, Tyson asked if he could have some fruit loops. I said "no". Unbeknownst to me, he rubbed his forehead all the way down the hallway because he didn't like the answer that I gave him. Hours later, his forehead had two harsh abrasions. We spoke to him about how it happened and he told us. But we failed to realize, until a day later, that he is due to be in a wedding and we would like him to be FREE of blemishes on the only part of his entire body that will show flesh. AAAAAHHHHH! NOW WHAT? We are treating it with neosporin, but I doubt it's going to heal before the wedding. Praise God for good photo editing programs. Our family will certainly need some touch ups, but everyone does. "No one really looks as good as Matthew Mcconaughey, not even Matthew Mcconaughey himself." ~ Nick Shaffer.

Truthful Tuesday Part 2

I wouldn't normally do (2) Truthful Tuesdays, but I could not let this one slip.... and I didn't want to wait until NEXT Tuesday, because this story would be OLD NEWS by then.

This bag is my returns bag. It sits in the back of my car and when I have something to return, the item goes in it, so that it's not just laying around the house or all over the car. The bag goes everywhere I go.

Today, inside the bag are two really nice shirts from BUCKLE. You know the store that sells jeans for $150.00 per pair?

Well, the shirts are in the bag because they have to be returned. WHY? The alarm tags are on them AND NOT because we bought them and the store clerks forgot to remove the alarm tags, but because my sweet, innocent, 2-year-old daughter stole them without our knowledge. I noticed them as I was unloading the car on Saturday while shopping at Valley View Mall with Darren, for his Spring attire. We had NO time to run back into the mall and return them, so I called the store and told them what happened. Needless to say, I will be returning the two shirts on Wednesday. Each shirt cost $42.50 a piece. Do you think they will get her for grand larceny?

"There are starving people in this world..."

Tonight, I made a homemade marinara sauce, meatballs, and whole wheat rigatoni for dinner. Tyson is anything but Italian (unless it comes to pizza). What the heck? Who in the world doesn't like Italian food? He's not right.

At dinner tonight, I served the meal to the kids first. As I turned around to begin making Darren and I's plate, I hear,

Tyson: "Ewe!"

Daddy: "What's ewe?"

Ty: "What is this on my plate?"

Mommy: "I don't ever want to hear ewe at the dinner table again. There are starving people in this world who would love to eat what's been served to you."

O how I cringed every time my mother would say that to me and now I say it too!

Tyson: "Well, then they can have my food."

Darren and I about died. We had to contain ourselves from busting out laughing. It was certainly a very intelligent reply if I must say so, not to mention fairly hilarious as well as SERIOUS. He was all ready to pass off his "ewe" food to the starving people in this world.

Oh kids! They sure do say the darndest things.

Have you ever heard that response before from your child?

What God Has Done for US!

Often times, as I analyze my day, I find myself dissatisfied in my spiritual walk. Please let me clarify. My dissatisfaction is not because Christ is not all sufficient. I'm dissatisfied in my spiritual walk because of the sins that I commit daily. There is NO comfort in knowing that "we are sinners" and that sin is "just going to happen". I want my life motto to be better than that. I want to strive for righteousness AND daily. I am guilt ridden with the thoughts of thinking, "I deserve hell, not heaven, and I prefer to go there because I am not worthy of such a gift." The reality is, we all deserve hell, but I am reminded in Colossians 2:13-15 what God has done for me, and repent for dimishing the work on the cross by saying or thinking the above.

"When you were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self, God made you alive with Christ, and he forgave all of our sins. He cancelled the debt, which listed all the rules we failed to follow. He took away that record with it's rules and nailed it to the cross, he won the victory and showed the world that they were powerless."

Amen! I am powerless. Christ paid the price. There is no work to be done on my end. Christ did the saving, not me. He has forgiven my sins, as far as the East is from the West. What a grace! What an amazing grace!

Thank you GOD!

Never Satisfied....

What I'd give for a small tidbit of chaos right now. All three of my children are home sick. Not sure exactly with what, but Tyson is on day 2 of missing school. I am trusting in the Lord. Between their illnesses (being homebound) and the passing of our sweet doggy, this week has been trying to say the least. All of them are so solemn. In a sense, the calmness is so nice, but it's never easy seeing your babies suffer. WHO'D ever think I would miss the CRAZINESS (okay, maybe just briefly). Enjoy the photos below which were taken on a really, really, really, really hairy day in the Bolling home - - no not today. This was weeks ago. Today, my kids are lifeless, especially Ty.

Good thing I keep my children's noses clean, right? You can see all the way up Ty's nose.

Ahhhhhhh, those finger prints. They sure do stress me out.

Jax on "Did you poop?"

Mommy: "Jax, did you poop?"

Jax: "Nooo-mm!"

Mommy: "Jax did you poop?"

Jax: "Uh-uh!"

Mommy: "Jax, did you poop?"

Jax: "Nooo-mm. Lilah poo-poo!"

Talk about blame shifting!!! He pooped, not Lilah. Even at the ripe old age of two, they are dead in their trespasses. Depraved as ever. I didn't teach him how to lie.