25 Days and counting...

I am sure the elves are already pretty busy, so maybe it is time for a little break (dance). I am a little early for this, I know, but I had an email from JibJab and couldn't resist...here is this year's Fosterrific Elf Yourself dance.

http://videos.jibjab.com/gpb/q5z/p27/9a1/hxm/086/cl3/led.mpg

Hope you enjoy it!

The Main Things

My last post was focused mainly on the "side trips" Brad and I went on while in NYC for the "Be Encouraged" conference...but, I also wanted to write a little bit about why we were really there and what God spoke to my heart as I took part in this few days of speakers and break out sessions.

As I have now been home for a couple weeks and have had time to think about the conference and look over my notes...these are some main thoughts I feel as though God wanted me to hear. 

Rest in HIM...I get so caught up in everything going on and my agenda for life and I am always so busy...I started wondering at the conference how much of what I do is actually worth while...you know, when all the chaff has burned away...what will be left of my life to show that I have been an effective Christian?  Good question, right?  So, I started thinking about this along with all the stories Jim Cymbala shared about the beginnings of the Brooklyn Tabernacle.  (Side note: It is always good to know the whole story because what we see right now when we look at the Brooklyn Tabernacle looks so glorious, but their beginnings were meager and there were many moments of hopelessness along the way.)  Anyway, through these stories, the Lord kept reinforcing to me that if I will just rest in Him I will be effective and it won't be difficult...because a lot of my difficulties and stress are a result of me not resting in Him...Matthew 11:29 says, Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Surrender All...don't we hear about this all the time?  But, for me it is so easy to take things back over.  I am even tempted now to not write this one because I am a pastor's wife and I am not supposed to have trouble in this area, but I do.  Just because we are Christians doesn't mean the devil is done trying to tempt us to sin, right?  Ravi Z spoke about this in a story about a doctor who was working to save the life of a young lady...after the emergency surgery the doctor realized his own blood (because of a small cut on his finger) had come in contact with her diseased blood as he worked to try to save her life....Ravi took that further to talk about the paper thin cuts we can make to our souls when we do not guard our hearts and our minds...when we do not draw a distinct boundaries for ourselves...things like pride, jealousy, lust…etc can gradually make paper thin cuts to us as we entertain the thoughts and before we know it we have a soul disease.  He talked about the boundaries Daniel set for himself and how he had to train himself to be obedient to these boundaries.  I appreciated Ravi's speaking to these issues as leaders in the church are not exempt from these attacks.  We cannot live in the power of the Spirit unless we surrender everything and learn to be disciplined…training ourselves to live by these boundaries.

Step Out In Faith…for His Glory.  This was the main message my heart heard as I listened to Francis Chan.  For me this has so much to do with surrendering my fear and doubt and living in faith and boldness.  Boldness does not come naturally to me, but I am praying for it…I believe it really is an exciting spiritual life when you are living in the spirit, can recognize its promptings and act on them.  There are certain moments in my life that I know beyond any doubt have been a word from God just for me and I want more moments like that.  For me this means I need to humble myself in prayer, so He can raise me up.  There is a direct correlation between the times I have spent in serious prayer (the kind that is likened to a woman in labor) and the opportunities He has given me to do His will.  We have to pray for miracles…God wants to reveal himself to His children and we can expect Him to do this when we pray for others.  We cannot be scared away from praying for things that seem impossible.

This is a lot…sorry…there was much more, but I will just end with one story.  I am so thankful for God’s affirmation…as I alluded to in my third point (haha) there are moments when you know He is speaking to you and I had one of those at the conference.  On the last night we were at a powerful prayer meeting and everyone had spread out all over the auditorium and was praying and crying out.  I was in an aisle with one hand lifted up and was praying for the three issues above when I felt someone grab my arm that was still at my side.  She lifted it up it up with my other arm (which was very symbolic to me) and said these three things as a prayer for me, “Surrender all, surrender all, surrender all…then she went on to pray for me to hear the promptings of the Spirit in my life and to act on them in boldness.”  Then she walked away leaving me speechless in awe of God!

Brad and Heather take a bite of the Big Apple

We recently were privileged to attend the "Be Encouraged" conference at the Brooklyn Tabernacle with our friends JT and Lindsay Shaw.  Our wonderful church family treated us to the conference and trip as a gift for Clergy Appreciation.  Having never been to New York City, we decided to take in some famous NYC hot spots as well as some (not so famous, but truly NYC style) eateries like "Big Nick's" on Broadway and 77th St.  In addition to the conference we walked Central Park, went down to Time Square, visited the 9/11 Memorial site/fountains, saw Mary Poppins on Broadway, went to see the Statue of Liberty, and woke up early the last day before our flight left to catch a taping of the Today Show and a number by the Rockettes from their Christmas Spectacular show.  It was a very full few days, but we enjoyed tons of interesting things to see and do.  And these were just the "in our spare time" escapades.  I will include some pictures of these adventures.

Central Park is absolutely beautiful!  If I lived in NYC I think I would have to be there all the time for my sanity.

I couldn't get that song, "Danke Shoen"  out of my head...I kept thinking (and singing) the lines, "I recall...Central Park in fall" Brad was probably annoyed :-) Did you know he almost didn't take me out for a second date because I sing too much?..la la la...this is a true story.

Ah, but love conquers all...I think there is even a song or two about that :-) Here we are almost 10 years later.

We visited Central Park during that perfect time of evening when the sun hits the tops of the trees and shows them in their brilliance!  Love that! Then, later that evening, we headed to Time Square to see it all lit up and check out some shops.  It was extremely crowded as many tourists were Christmas shopping.

Our friends, JT and Lindsay...it was such a blessing to have them with us on the trip.

Sunday morning we took a little trip out to see the Statue of Liberty.  On the boat ride over I went out to the front of the boat to try to get some good pictures of Lady Liberty as we approached from the harbor and it was so windy my eyes started watering...when I went back in to join Brad and our friends they thought I had become emotional over seeing the Statue.  I admit I am extremely emotional, but at that moment it was just the wind in my face making me tear up. I promise.  I had a good laugh over that, but later, true to form, I had a good cry on Ellis Island while listening to the audio stories of the Immigrants who came to America and how they felt when they finally saw Lady Liberty and could just about taste their freedom.  Here are a few pictures from that excursion.

I was worried that with my little camera I wouldn't get a great picture of Lady Liberty, but she is so photogenic :-)  I had a hard time picking my favorite pic because I liked them all!

I loved the detail in the architecture on Ellis Island, so I had to take this picture out a window on the staircase.

This was the registration room for the Immigrants that arrived to Ellis Island.

After this, we attended a powerful worship service at the Brooklyn Tabernacle.  Their choir had a mini-concert for all the attendees of the conference.  Later that evening, we went to see Mary Poppins on Broadway.

The other "side trip" we had planned was to visit the 9/11 Memorial Fountains.  We did that on Monday evening.  I knew that would be quite a sobering and deeply moving experience. The fountains encompass the whole foundation of where each tower used to stand, so they are enormous and all the way around each fountain are inscribed the names of the individuals who perished in the attacks.  Here are a couple photos of Brad and I at the fountains. 

To sum up...We are so thankful we had the opportunity to go...to be so uplifted by the conference, to hear from God through Ravi Z, Francis Chan, and Jim Cymbala, and to have some great experiences as a couple and with our good friends JT and Lindsay.  I am still processing some things I heard at the conference and asking God to use these things to transform me, energize me, and use me for His glory.  Thank you again, Village Hope Church, for sending us to this conference!

Toothfairy Beware

Kenna is totally on to you.  She lost a tooth at school today and was given a little blue box for it.  She brought the tooth home and then forgot about it until bedtime.  I was tucking her in and praying with her and suddenly she realized she had forgotten to put the tooth under her pillow...she gasped, "Oh, I need to get my tooth!"  So I said, "why do you think the toothfairy will bring you money if you don't believe in the toothfairy?"  To this she responded, "because I believe (long pause) I will get the money" and winked at me.  We laughed and the whole family bounded in to see why we were laughing.  She told the story to her sisters while carefully leaving out the parts about not believing since her sisters still believe.  She is such a superb oldest child.  Then daddy said, "well, better put that tooth under your pillow so you can get your penny"...and she looked at him and said emphatically, "or more!"

Cherished Moments

Yesterday I had the privilege of staying home with Karly because she got sick on Tuesday at her Daycare.  I use the word privilege because it is not very often that the routine is altered and will provide me with down time to have a sweet little girl sleeping the day away in my arms.  Karly is now three, four in February, so she is not much of a cuddlebug anymore unless she is sick.  I guess you take what you can get as they get older, even if you have to risk contracting whatever ailment lands them in your arms, those are cherished moments for me.

A story on Karly:  She is learning to be quite dramatic!  Even though she was sleepy yesterday, her stomach problems and fever from the previous day seemed to have passed.  She was still, however, carrying around the "puke bucket" just in case...(I know, this is a pleasant story...but, you are still reading it..I am not forcing you.)  At one point, she came to find me and, holding out the little bucket, she said in her best "have pity on me voice", "I frowed up" and held the bucket toward me...I am sure my face then shifted to that of concern because I had thought she was doing better.  As I reached out to take the bucket from her, she started laughing uncontrollably and said, "I just kidding, mommy".  I live with such drama! What a STINKER!  Brad is definitely a bad influence :-)

Halloween 2011

The girls dressed as three Disney Princesses this Halloween...I thought we could just go simple and we had the princess costumes already...so, bippetty, boppetty, booo, we had Belle, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty (or as Kassi used to call them...Sleeping Booty and Booty and the Beast...haha!  Had to do some work with her speech :-).  We are hoping we can tote these costumes to Florida very soon and enjoy our first Disney vacation as a family.  I think the girls are the perfect age for the thrill factor!  I giggle just thinking about them seeing the Magic Castle and wearing their gowns on the Princess Breakfast Boat...whatever it is called, we're there.

Brad and I went to a costume party as well and dressed as Sarah Palin (that was me in case you are wondering :-) and her trophy moose.  We came in 2nd place for our costumes, but how do you compete with a 6' 4", 280 lbs, Toothfairy.....in tights?  Fun times! Here's a picture of us from the party.  This is a picture of a picture, so it is a little blurry, but you get the idea.

Here we are....

I'm finally starting a little blog about our fosterrific happenings.  Enjoy keeping up with us!  Mommy had a fun time with the girls a couple weeks ago taking a bunch of pictures along a walking trail in Jackson. Here is my favorite photo of all the girls.  They struck this sassy little pose and it made me think of Charlie's Angels.