My Father's World

"This is my Father's world: I rest in me the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought." Maltbie D. Babcock

 

These photos reminded me of this quote.  We live in our Father's world.  His creations are beautiful beyond belief.  It is a joy to watch humans interact (especially your own family), and to see the amazing landscapes at the beach and in our backyard.  The alligator was photographed by Daniel just the other day.  The gators thankfully stay in the water so far and cruise on by.  A black snake surprised my friend in our front bushes yesterday though...glad he was gone when we went outside!  

Daniel's Uncle Myron called on Tuesday night to inquire about our beach picture (above).  He is commissioning the same artist in New York to paint a window beach scene for his wall in Utah.  It was great to talk with him and be reminded of the gifts that surround us.  Daniel and I bought that picture in Melbourne Beach, FL at an art show before we had children.  Now, our children enjoy the beach life of Florida.  The picture has hung on the wall of four homes...two in Georgia, one in Kansas, and now in our Florida home.  Funny story came back to mind this week when I was talking with Myron.  We overlooked the picture in our second GA home when we moved to KS.  Thankfully when we contacted the buyers they still had the picture, and our sweet neighbor, Len Severson drove it from GA to KS when he came to visit family in KS.  Thankfully we got the picture back and didn't have to pay for shipping!  

God takes care of the little and big things!  Hope you see his face today!  Another good quote by Babcock is below.  Found it online and worth sharing as well.--JKC

"Good habits are not made on birthdays, nor Christian character at the new year. The workshop of character is everyday life. The uneventful and commonplace hour is where the battle is won or lost. – Maltbie D. Babcock", pictured is C.S. Lewis at his writing desk.

My God...

My God is supplying all of our needs, and his riches are bountiful!  We are thankful for his many blessings.  Today we will go to worship him at church as a family, and enjoy this day of rest.  God is glorious, ever loving, and filling our lives with his Grace.

Wholeness

I'm thankful to be whole again.  Life in 2011 was rocky.  I know that I have seen the pit and with God's help climbed out.  It is a joy to be smiling and happy with my husband by my side.  I really enjoy life, and I am thankful to see it through optimistic versus anxious and pessimistic glasses of the past.  I pray that you see some glimmers today.  We are rejoicing that it is Friday, football practice was cancelled for tonight (we can rest up for Saturday's game), and Bryan and I will go to a lady's house today to work on crafts for Community Bible Study which kicks off in a few weeks.  Thank God It's Friday!

An Altar to the Lord

Sitting at my desk, my altar to the Lord, I am reminded of Abraham this morning.  I'm re-reading Genesis.  Abraham moved a lot also, but he always set up an altar to the Lord for worship and prayer.  I consider my desk to be that place.  I wake up early, and I like to read online, in my Bible, drink hot tea, and listen to calming music on Spotify.  It is heavenly!

Today I lit a candle in addition to turning on my lamp.  Lovely!  I am leading a group on Facebook for women called "Hello Mornings."  There are 13 of us women studying the Bible, encouraging each other to wake up early to do so...an online fellowship so to speak.  It's great!  I really enjoy reading what other women do in the early morning hours too!  Some are mothers, wives, and others are single women.  A few work outside the home, and others of us are stay at home mom's.  It is a nice blend of young and older women.  I am thankful that I have a quiet space to read, write, and worship.

Prayers this week go out to Jackie, Adam, and Jackson Shaw as they move from the West to the Southwest from AZ to TX.  Look forward to seeing Jackie and Jackson soon in September when they come to Florida for a visit!  Time flies, and it's nice to pause and see family when you are able to.  Glad it is the end of the week...looking forward to a restful weekend with the family!

"God fills my life with good things." Psalm 103:5

Stickers...

Yesterday at football practice, Bryan, Daniel, and I sat and watched big brother, Addison, play.  We were playing too on the sidelines.  Bryan used his Lightening McQueen/Cars sticker book to sticker himself, friends, and his parents!  I had stickers on my cheek, knees, legs, and it was great...kind of.  Being uncomfortable as a mom is something I've learned to accept.  We rejoice in uncomfortable moments because our children are happiest when we go along with their little games.  Bryan was excited to share his stickers and place them in funny places!  It was a brief "glimmer of God's Grace."  He too bares with us when we make silly decisions and accepts us and loves us unconditionally.  Day in and day out we place stickers on others.  How does it make us and God feel when we make our marks?

Today, Addison will also get stickers of a different kind.  The football helmet stickers are being distributed today.  He will sport a stripe and an LB on each side of his little helmet.  Red, white, and navy blue are the team colors and it is precious.  A reminder that our home team is called the "Patriots."  We are lucky to be in a country where where are children can play sports vs. hunt for food or fresh water.  I tell our children often how lucky we are, and God has given us many blessings to be thankful for.  I think our children are getting the message.  Last night Addison picked out his hat for Friday's "hat day" assignment from school.  They are to select a hat to wear on Friday to inspire them to write a story about it.  He quickly ran to the dress up box, and I thought for sure he would return with his police hat or his Clone Trooper Star Wars helmet...no...he came back to me proudly wearing a bright neon orange cap that has inscribed on it "Walk with Jesus."  Wow!  My heart melted.  His heart is where it should be, and I look forward to seeing what he writes about this Friday!  Our sons are growing up, and they each play in different ways.  However, they both are so sweet, and I rejoice in their love of others.

I see our family rule in action..."Love One Another."  I ordered this sign to sit on our mantle, and I love it!  Someone else was creative with stencils to create this work of art!  May you see His art in your life today!
Love,
Jennifer



http://www.etsy.com/listing/91387928/love-one-another?ref=sr_gallery_2&ga_search_query=love+one+another&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_search_type=all

Winning

Yesterday, the Tiny Mite Lake Brantley Patriots defeated the Apopka team in their pre-season opening game!  It was exciting to watch the teams in action...they are tiny and mighty!  Addison held his own on defense, and the defense did a great job holding a tough team back from scoring too much.  The parents and coaches were more excited than the kids!  It was fun to watch the little boys and girls in action.  Cheerleaders were precious, and the boys were so cute!  We were proud parents.  Daniel took just under 500 pictures.  Here are a few...

Addison is number 40.  He plays on defense, and his coach above, Dale, is great!  Look forward to this week's practice and another game next week!  Thank you to Grandpa Dan Cook for driving over for the game too!  We will enjoy many more games this fall and see other grandparents on the side lines which is a treasure for the memory books! Love being back in Florida!

Football is Fun!

Football update...
Addison has been moved from Offensive Tight End to Defense.  Not sure what position he is in there?!  Daniel watched the end of practice each night, and Bryan and I start out watching the beginning.  At the beginning of yesterday's evening practice Addison was off to the side learning the ins and outs of defense.  He was slow in his movement and needed lots of instruction.  However, his coach's are great!  Daniel is also trying to encourage Addison.  Daniel told Addison last night, "remember when we have tackle time at home...do you ever hold back?"  Addison's reply, "yes?!"  Daniel's response, "here you can do not have to hold back!"

By the end of practice Daniel said he was smiling ear to ear and gave him a big thumbs up!  It warms my heart to know that Addison is happy trying a new sport.  It is a joy of the journey of growing up!  I remember all the ballet classes, piano lessons, gymnastics at the YMCA and Gym Rompers, choir at church, flute in middles school band, and tennis lessons.  It wasn't until middle school that I feel like I found my true calling...running.  It truly makes me smile!  I loved trying all the many activities that my parents encouraged me through and paid for!  When we try new things we meet new people, discover inner strength, and learn to broaden are horizons!  I pray our children will find their favorite hobbies as they grow as children in God's vast world of choices!

 

They do a lot of running (pic 1)

Addison is the 2nd smallest & likely youngest person on the team (pic 2)

Simplicity

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. --Leonaro Da Vinci

The Mona Lisa...a simple painting by Da Vinci, but it is world famous!  How are we making our own lives simple...yet works of art?  I pray God will transform my every day happenings into His masterpiece!  Another week of school, work, practice, and daily life...I hope we can pause along the way to simply stare at the glimmers of grace revealed to us.

Bits of Bryan

These photos reveal "Bits of Bryan."  This has been a sweet month with Bryan.  He is growing!  His little legs are getting longer, and his feet are growing out of the size 6 shoes and on to size 7!  His vocabulary continues to grow as well.  He says the funniest things, and I love some of his developmental speech errors..."cash can" (trash can), "foofall" (football), and many more that are just precious to this speech therapist mommy!

On Monday we sent big brother to school, and we enjoyed our morning walk home from the bus stop.  He loves the little gate we get to go through in and out of our neighborhood.  He continues to suck his thumb, and we are working on discontinuing the habit.  We went to the park to play after her open house at his preschool.  He calls his school the "green roof school" and his "batist" (Baptist) school.  Again, precious!  He liked his new classroom, and on Tuesday he started his first day of two days of Mother's Morning Out.  He reluctantly left my side, but there were no tears so that was good.  I enjoyed my first day of work with both boys at school, and I managed to squeeze in a special date lunch with Daniel at Macaroni Grill up in Lake Mary.  It was a rare treat that may occur again due to our new routine!  Praise God for the little things.  We are blessed.  "Add to your joy by counting your blessings."--unknown

Football

Rise...Football season has arrived!  The pre-season practices have begun.  There is a sense of excitement in the air as the students return to school and the fall calendar is full of Saturday football games!  So thrilled that we have season tickets for the first time in our ten years of marriage!  We'll join the fellow Seminole fans in the stands at Doak Campbell for some amazing football this fall.  It will be great to share in the fun with our family, friends, and fellow alumni!  I look forward to it! 

Also, we are looking forward to watching our son Addison play football.  He is going to play on the offensive line as a tight end.  He is number 40 so watch out for his blocks and as an eligible receiver perhaps he'll score a touchdown?!  So fun to watch him and his coaches, teammates, and his dad interact about football!  We are learning a lot and meeting some interesting parents on the side lines!  Football attracts all walks of life.  It is a sport that is American and full of toughness!  Go NOLES and Go Patriots!

A New Day...

Today is a new day, and I greet the dawn with an empty space in bed.  My sweet husband went to lay with Bryan who was crying in his sleep last night.  They fell back asleep together.  I love it!

Jeremy Taylor says, "The private and personal blessings we enjoy deserve the thanksgiving of a whole life."  This is a great quote in that we do have a mountain of praise that needs to be offered up by the lives we live.  God gives us such amazing individual gifts, and we live in a place where we can glorify him.

Today I've enjoyed my hot tea, time on my favorite web-sites: pinterest, facebook, and twitter, and soon I'll drive to Crane's Roost to embark on a three mile morning run around the lake with my dear friend Christine.  God gave us each other, and for that I rejoice! 

Later today we will rejoice in getting to "meet the teacher" for Addison's 1st grade year.  So fun!  I remember the "meet the teacher" excitement when I attended Audubon Park Elementary like it was yesterday.  Now it is his turn to meet a new mentor and new friends!  We'll see how today unfolds, and I expect it will be a terrific Friday!  Hope yours is too!  Love, JKC

Lessons of Yesterday...

Learning as I go.  Parenting is like that.  I learned some valuable lessons yesterday...

Boys unattended will destroy things in the garage...sidewalk chalk smashed to bits with hammers seemed to be a good idea for our boys while I was inside prepping for my first day of work for the year!  Sidewalk chalk placed out of reach for supervised play next time.

Leaving early for football practice goes a lot smoother...every one is happier and all the gear makes it to practice.

You put the shoulder pads into the practice jersey first then put it on the kid.  Lesson from a veteran mom in the parking lot as we prepped for first practice with pads.  We were struggling with pads first then jersey?!  It doesn't fit?!  Now we know!

Sticker books are a three year old boy's dream.  Bryan was entertained for nearly an hour with stickers on paper, me, and loved showing me his finds in an old book that belonged to Addison...so glad I keep some stuff!

"Seeing our Father in everything makes life one long thanksgiving and gives a rest of heart."
--Hannah Whitall Smith

Hi Ho Hi Hi It's Off to Work I Go!

I'm heading back to work today for a new company.  I will be seeing children in their homes and daycare/preschool settings.  We'll see how it goes?!  I have a four year old girl to see today.  I'm excited to get out of the house for a bit and work with little ones that need some help with their speech and language development.  I feel blessed to be able to work part time.  My boys are excited to have a babysitter they love coming this morning.  So that makes me feel good about leaving too!  I hope your day is good...

Let us acknowledge all good, all delight the world holds, and be content.  George McDonald

Also, a link to the article I wrote this week for Seminole Magazine...http://seminolemagazine.com/2012/08/06/early-speech-and-language-development

The Gift of Life

The gift of life unwraps itself through time; all we need to do is sit back and enjoy its contents. unknown

This quote sits on my desk this morning.  I love it!  I have enjoyed unwrapping each early morning to see what gifts arrive later in the day when my husband and children wake.  It is a joy to be back in Florida closer to my parents and father-in-law.  We also have special friends in the state too.  This fall we will return to Tallahassee for many football games to "our place."  

The Florida State University is where Daniel and I met.  Back in 1999 we started years of dating, a break up, and a more peace filled reunion that continued with an engagement, wedding, and nearly 10 years of marriage.  Two children, four houses, three states, and many jobs later we have grown up together.  Daniel and I are blessed beyond measure.

To measure the days is futile.  To measure the years is memorable.  Unwrapping the gift of time is at times painful but at other times exuberant.  I love to see what it happening in our lives now, and I hope we will continue to see God's grace each day in the months and years ahead.  May we enjoy the contents!

Striver...

http://personality.visualdna.com/attempts/4b2e376c-e31c-42df-82a0-fc7bb78287ee/feedback

This is a really neat link to what my personality is...A Striver.  Not a big surprise there!  Click Redo quiz on the bottom right if you want to take the quiz also.  Intriguing, quick, and easy!

First Day of Football Practice

Today marks the first day of football practice for Addison.  He is growing up a little bit every day, and this marks a milestone.  He has been waiting to play football since he was 3 years old.  I can remember him saying that he wanted to play football for years.  We would watch FSU football games as a family, and he watches for a bit.  However, he prefers to play "tackle time" with Daniel.  Watching the boys play this father and son game is so fun!  They love it!  Tickles, tackles, and pillows abound.  Now, Addison will don a helmet and try out conditioning, experience coaching in a whole new realm, and meet other little boys who also love to tackle!

The parent meeting this week enlightened me, and I know this is going to be a commitment.  They will practice 5 days a week for 3 weeks then 3 times a week during the fall season with games every Saturday from August-October.  Daniel and I didn't realize how serious Pop Warner football was until we really enrolled and learned more about it.  Having practiced heavily for volleyball, tennis, track, and cross country over the years I am excited!  I love the thrill of athletics.  The Olympics inspire as do even the every day athletic feats we normal humans perform on a daily basis.  I'm thankful Daniel and I have children that are interested in sports.  Being healthy is a lifestyle.  We'll see how football goes...I'll keep you posted!

The key to happiness belongs to everyone on Earth who recognizes simple things as treasures of great worth. --Unknown, "Simplicity" by Daymaker