Here We Go, Steelers!!

One of my friends from PA sent this song to me just this morning.  And in honor of the Superbowl tomorrow, I have to post it (One of her friends is the one who's singing the song!).  

Let's Go, Pittsburgh!!!

Since We're Being Honest

The rules of the award:

1) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.

2) Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with "Honest Scrap." Well, there's no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.

3) List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

The honest things about me:

1.  Sarcasm is my second language.

2. I'm not as quiet as I seem.

3. Missions is my heartbeat.

4. I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, sometimes to my own detriment.

5.  I like to eat my chips with ketchup (Don't knock it until you try it!).

6.  I have a purse fetish (Ask Frank).

7. I am very competitive.

8. Desserts are my weakness.

9. I struggle with patience.

10. I can't wait to be a mother.

Here are the 7 people I give this "award" to (I tried to pick those that hadn't "won" yet):

1. Cristy 

2. Megan

3. Jen

4. Elaine

5. Melody

6. Heather

7. Tricia

As One

A few months ago, Frank and I were coerced. . I mean, invited, to attend our youth's Winter Rush trip.=) This is a trip the middle schoolers and high schoolers take ever year around the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. The word around church was that it was a very enjoyable weekend. So Frank and I said, "Sure, we'll go!".

But what they didn't tell us was. . .

There would be no warm, sunny beach days (only cold 30 degree weather for us!).

There would be hungry teenagers in our midst who expected to have dinner!!!

There would be no 8 hours of sleep per night.

There would be a great chance for hearing loss.

There would be beach dashes at midnight!!!

But what we discovered was. . .

Hungry teenagers are wonderful helpers after the meal is over (Yes, the kids - well, at least the girls in my room - helped clean up afterwards.).

8 hours of sleep is overrated when it's compared to spending time talking, laughing and growing in the Lord.

Losing one's hearing isn't so bad when it's to the sweet, rockin' music of praising Jesus!=)

Beach dashes are crazy no matter the time of night - especially when the temperature is 30 degress outside and you know the ocean water isn't much warmer!!! (Sorry, girls, I just don't see the fun in this one!)=)

These are just some of the things we discovered on our time this past weekend to Myrtle Beach, SC. There are many, many more things in which I could talk about. Such as the day I found out we had a rock star in our midst (see picture below). Or the evening we had a boat making contest (again, see pictures below). Or the night that 2 teenagers made the awesome decision of accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior. There are also many things I won't ever be able to put into words. Like how much fun it is to hang out and spend time with teenagers (yes, you read that right). Or how much I learned (I know Frank can say the same) about unity and following Christ as one body. Or how much growing I have yet to do (I mean, I knew there was some, I just wasn't aware there was SO much!).

This past weekend was a great trip, not only for the teenagers, but also for Frank and I.

Not a single one of us is perfect, but thank goodness we serve a God who is and who understands us (every part). I am thankful to the One who doesn't allow us to stay stagnate and whose mercy and grace is unending. Blessed be His name.

"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord,
beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all
lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is
one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all,
and through all, and in you all."

Ephesians 4:1 - 6

(These were our core verses for the weekend and the ones on which our theme was based.)

The Rock Stars

First attempts at Boat Making

"B's" Attempt

"S's" Attempt

The Watchers

New Year's Fun

This holiday season, Frank and I travelled to PA to spend New Year's with my parents.  This was nice because we not only haven't done it in a long time, but I was able to actually be there for my Dad's birthday this year (He is a New Year's day baby.).  My parents also had a VERY full house this time around.  Thankfully, Frank and I arrived a couple days before everyone else and were able to soak up some quiet, one on one time with my parents before the craziness started (And when I say craziness, I mean craziness! - all good, of course.)!=)  We spent much of that time playing the Wii (We actually held a Wii Bowling tournament with everyone involved.  Frank won, so watch out my Wii Bowling League cohorts!!  He's on a roll!!) and playing card games (I actually beat Frank at the Lake Norman game - shocker, I know!).  It was fun.  We also got to spend a little extra time with my older brother and the best part, of course - sleep in!!=)  Then one day during our trip it all changed. . .we no longer had quiet in the house.  It was replaced by. . . are you ready for this?. . . . 16 people (5 of which were children aged 5 and younger) and 3 dogs!!  What a house hold!!=)  It was a lot of fun, though,  to be all together again.  You have to understand that this rarely occurs anymore, so anytime we all can get together, it's worth it.  We again spent much of our time playing the Wii (my niece, Arlington, is GREAT at bowling!!!), playing cards, playing board games and eating up all of the yummy food my Mom had made (She goes all out for us.  My favorite holiday food of all time, though, is her mom's persimmon pudding!  Yummmmmmm!!!).  It was a wonderful time and it snowed while we were there!!  It started snowing on New Year's Eve Day and by New Year's we had a nice mound of white out in our yard.  It was great!!  

I posted a lot of pictures, so please be patient (I just couldn't decide which ones to leave out!)!  I hope you enjoy them!  

Happy New Year!!