Never a dull moment...

From the bathroom....

Sam: Mom! Come look at my poop.

Me: Samuel, please just flush the toilet. I don't need to see it.

Sam: But Mom, it's A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! (Emphasis on the amazing part)

Hmmm....

I need to do an update. I have lots to write about and nothing to write about at the same time.

It's cold in Texas. We're all freezing, but it could be worse. My parents just went almost a week without electricty.

I'm listening to my washing machine die. Literally die right now as I type this. I don't think it is suppose to sound like a 747 taking off in our house. We need to buy a new one. But we are in super saver mode...that's code for "we ain't spending no money right now." We may have to break down and buy one. Confession...I want a red one and, if possible, I'm going to get one.

Sam turns 3 this week. I don't want him to turn 3. That means he's not a baby. Time goes too fast. Tonight at dinner he said "so Dad, how was your day?" He's getting so big.

Reagan has started climbing. CLIMBING!!!! Sam told me the other day that I need to come to the kitchen. So...I went. Reagan was on top of the table. Dear God...I died for a second with fear. She lived though and now has become my constant shadow. I can't let her out of my sight for a second.

Scott is busy. He's got the annual DU banquet this week and huge project for the city starting. The Lord's favor has been on our business. We have work which is such a good, good thing.

I am offcially in private practice. Whew...that's a big thought. My colleague and I are offering several groups. One is going to be an infertility support group. I can't believe that this dream is actually becoming a reality. And I'm writing a book. A book about the church. Unbelievably fun and frustrating at the same time.

Until next time blog world....

Best Super Bowl Party EVER!!!

Reagan woke up sick this morning. The worst kind of sick...the throw up and other yucky stuff kind of sick.

We had plans to go to a Super Bowl party tonight. I was really excited because this is with a new group of friends and I'm just getting to know them. Anyway, I was looking forward to it.

But, then Reagan is sick.

So, Scott went and I stayed home with the kids. Sam and I just decided that we would have our own party.

We made a fun dinner and cheered for the Colts and the Saints depending on who had the ball. I know about as much about football as Sam does.

Reagan danced to the halftime show. Who were those performers? I have no idea. I couldn't really understand the words, which might have been a good thing.

Anyway...best super bowl party I've ever been to!

I should be sleeping...

...but I'm awake.

The kids went to bed on time tonight. I had a million things (okay 10) on my to-do list. But instead I turned on the fireplace (because that's how we roll in the Kenley Casa) and opened my laptop. I started reading.

I should have a read a good book. I should have surfed the latest drama surrounding Jay Leno. I could have even listened to the state of the union speech last night. All of those things (except maybe the union address) would have left me with less heartburn right now and probably even put me to sleep.

Instead I read about theology and baptist doctrine. I read the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message and compared it to the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. I read different views on the idea of covering. I listened to two sermons by Paige Patterson - one of which included a serious directive regarding whether or not we should carry a bible in book form or electronic form to church. The end message of that discussion was somehow you are more serious about Jesus if you actually carry a traditional bible to church. Interesting...I wonder what that means for the dyslexic who can't read the bible they are carrying. I'm not sure, but I think this is certainly worthy of debate among serious Christians. Not.

I have to stop this. I have to stop caring about these things. But I can't seem to help myself. I have this overwhelming need to sift through the density of these debates trying to find where Jesus is. Sometimes I get so lost, which if baffling to me because these are my people. I grew up in a traditional southern baptist church. I came out of my mothers womb asking questions and that didn't stop during my church education. And because of those traits and good teachers I learned scripture. Never enough...it's never enough...I want to know more, but I'm grateful for those people who helped me learn the Word.

And ideas like reformed movements, fundamentalism, patriachy, complementarians and so on....well...it's hard to work through these ideas. Each leader is teaching from the bible....using the same scriptures...and defining inerrant in multiple ways. What is legalism and where is it in church today? It's too much for my mind to absorb. I feel like I'm drowning and can't catch a breath of air.

And then...

I read that a friend has cancer.

And my world stops for a moment. It stops long enough for the words of Jesus to come to my mind.

Matthew 22:37-40
37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Love.

Love God and love others. That is what Jesus said is worthy of our time.

These debates and discussions might be useful, but love is more important. These debates are devisive to the people of God. Rather than edifying each position seems bent in some ways to wound the opposite view. Washington DC has nothing on the kind of politics that I have read tonight.

I'm not going to stop reading. I believe that God may be using all this energy I have in this area for something. I'm preparing for something that I can't even describe right now. I'm confident of that.

But just when I needed it...God sent some perspective.

My friend is one story. There are so many more. People who sit in our churches. People who are hurting because of the laws we have created to earn righteousness. We've missed the point.

I need to love. I need to love by asking the questions and telling the stories. I need to love by remembering Christ's ultimate love for us in that while we were still sinners he laid down His life.

Perspective.

Sam's version of John 3:16

In the fall we began doing scripture memory as a family. During the day I talk to Sam about our verse and we practice at dinner time. We've been amazed at how quickly he can learn the verses. It helps, I think, that we come up with hand motions and little songs to help him. It can be really funny to watch us doing them, but he's getting the idea and that's what matters.

Anyway...we are working on John 3:16 right now.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only son. Whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

I think I like Sam's version better:

"God so loves the world Him give Him only son. Whoever believes in Him...Him not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Christmas 2009

Playing in the sandbox on Christmas Day...


My boys...


Our annual Christmas Eve picture....

Sam told me what he wanted to write on the card to Santa and then he signed his name.

Christmas 2009 was so much fun. It was probably one of the best Decembers of our married life. We took things slow and said no to almost everything that was outside of direct family time. I didn't blog, Scott came home early from work, and we played so much! We made great memories. One of the things that helped was getting all of the shopping for Christmas done early. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to do it again, but it allowed us to focus on more on Jesus and less on the hustle of the season. Sweet, sweet memories. I wish we could go back and do it all over again and I'm already dreaming of what Christmas 2010 will be like!

Christmas Eve we went to the service at our church and then came home to celebrate with Nana and Pops. Scott made Hopkins County Stew and it was so yummy. The kids had a great time and it was special to share the holiday with Nana and Pops because it's the first time we have eer done that. After Nana and Pops left, we all put on our Christmas pjs and Sam set out cookies for Santa. We spent a lot of time talking about Santa this year...should we or shouldn't we. I love some of Noel Piper's thoughts on this. For us, we've chosen not to make it the focus of our celebration, but we are going to play along with Santa.

We woke up Christmas morning to share some sweet time as a family. We opened presents and ate breakfast. The kids had a blast and I can still feel how peaceful everything felt that day. We had planned to head to Oklahoma that day, but got delayed by the Great Blizzard of 2009 that hit Honey and Papa's house. We weren't sure what to do at first, but ultimately we ended up spending the whole day at home playing. The kids were outside almost all day. It was a perfect day!

An Oklahoma Christmas coming up next.....

Where do we even start?

I haven't done a post since December 16th. Wow...how did that happen? We have a lot of catching up to do. But we'll just start with the present for now.

It's almost time for birthdays around here. Samuel's is February 13th and cousin Tanner's is February 6th. They are only a year apart and it's a hoot to watch them play together. This weekend Tanner and his sister, Addison, got to come play at our house for a couple of days. The kids had a blast and we decided to take the opportunity to have a little birthday cake. Because every day is a little sweeter with cake.

Below are some pictures of the boys before they blew out the candles. The story these pictures don't tell is Sam choice to lick off one of the letters on the cake. Oh well...