I don't know what it is, but puppy feet are so stinkin' cute.  Kooper is usually cute, but he has this funky smell ever since he got skunked....we can't quite get it off of him.  He is still cute from the right "this is close enough, skunk dog" distance.  Awwww...

These are lyrics from one of my favorite records as a kid:

Bloom Where You’re Planted 

Bloom Where You’re Planted
Show what you’re worth
God has his flowers
All over the earth
Bloom Where You’re Planted
And if you’re sincere
You can get anywhere on earth from here

Bloom Where You’re Planted
And become a part
Of God’s lovely garden
The pride of his heart
Bloom Where You’re Planted
And if you’re sincere
You can get anywhere on earth from here
 
© 1982 Sparrow Song/Cherry River Music Co

Some days you get a little perspective into what your kids are facing at school and you realize how proud you are of them for choosing to do right and be witnesses for Christ even when it isn't easy.

Karly encountered a teacher who was sad about her mom's illness and worried that she may pass away soon.  We had just been to see Miracles From Heaven and Karly decided to give her teacher some encouragement and tell her that God does miracles.  Karly cried while she shared what she believes with her teacher and told her a little about the movie we saw....then the teacher said, "Here come the tears" and gave Karly a big hug for sharing that with her.

And.....Kassi has a situation with one of her classmates that is challenging.  I don't want to get into all the details, but we had a great discussion with her about how to love others even when they are not making decisions that are honoring to God....how to love God above everything else and allow His love to flow from you into the challenges you face and the situations where you can be a witness for Him.

Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow

Anyone else gobbling up an awful lot of Easter candy?

Thanks, Uncle Steve, this is a cute cartoon!

Meanwhile, On The Road To Emmaus....

I love the account of the road to Emmaus....travelers having a conversation about all they have experienced and seen pertaining to Jesus' life and the events surrounding his death ....trying to process it all and wondering...doubting....considering...TOTALLY unaware that the man who approached them and is now traveling with them is actually Jesus.  He asks them what they are talking about and what they have seen :)....they are dumbfounded that he has not heard these things....ha!  Who can ever say God does not have a great sense of humor? :)

As they proceed toward Emmaus, we realize through the scripture that they have lost hope....they say, "we had hoped He would redeem Israel..." Jesus points out their lack of faith and then opens the scriptures to them...showing all the prophecies Jesus fulfilled and that he had to suffer to enter into glory.

He stays with them through their entire journey and then they persuade him to dine with them when they reach Emmaus....it is not until He breaks bread with them that they recognize Him as Christ.

The way for a king to take his throne doesn't seem to be the way of the cross....that is why so many people don't see Jesus for who He really is.  Only through the Word and with the understanding the Spirit gives can one truly believe and see what is beyond the natural and take up their own cross to follow Him.

Make A Way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiTMPWG3C4M

Happy Easter!

We had a wonderful day celebrating the hope we have through Christ's resurrection!  It is always enjoyable to worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ at Village Hope Church and share a meal with our family!

On the steps of Grandma and Grandpa Foster's house

All the Foster cousins.....can't believe how much they are growing and that some of our funny family conversations center around driving experiences for two of them now!

The Son Is Risen!

You know how in white light really every color of light is present?  Rainbows are actually proof of that....showing us a grand spectrum of all the colors we don't see when we see the sunlight.

Have you ever wondered if music could be the same way?  Days like Easter make me think of all the praise songs ever created....there are so many wonderful choices to make.  Being married to a Worship Pastor, I know how much thought and effort he puts into planning each service and wanting  all the words and songs and keys to flow together seamlessly so that we can eliminate distractions from times of worship.  But what if God can hear them all layered on top of each other in one incredible anthem of praise even though we have to sing them and hear them all separately?

Because there are too many beautiful words and melodies to choose just one today....

I will give you a rainbow of praise....enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUHcofV1tLo

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

that were an offering far too small.

Love so amazing, so divine, 

demands my soul, my life, my all.

I chose a wheat field on purpose because there is still so much work to do for God's glory....every person my life touches can be impacted by my faith if I am faithful.  I could have said a lot more about my personal journey regarding the foot washing in my last blog because I didn't start out with a very good attitude about that when Brad mentioned he might want me to work in that area....there were other jobs or roles in the experience that seemed a lot more attractive to me.  I even made up a song called "Hammer Toe"...."Don't touch this!" in my resistance of it....HOWEVER, God knows what we need and when we need it and how to teach us....so I am thankful for those teaching moments even if I am resistant to them.  Karly's attitude and comment to me yesterday about wanting to wash people's feet was a perfect exclamation mark to what God was working on with me.  It is always amusing to me the times God uses my kid's words to amplify His own voice.

Easter is time to reflect of what Christ has done for us....we think on the physical sacrifice He made and the amazing redemptive plan He accomplished, but what is the point of knowing God's amazing love ?  Part of it is knowing He belongs to me, He is my Savior, Redeemer, Friend....BUT, the other part is the giving of myself to HIM...submitting and committing my ways, thoughts, and plans to HIS will.  Allowing my life to be an offering.

Our involvement in the Good Friday experience in Jackson was awesome.  Five churches came together and turned the Commonwealth Commerce Center banquet facility into 1st Century Jerusalem and led people through guided tours of scenes similar to the Upper Room, a foot washing experience, the Garden of Gethsemane, an implements of torture room with a Roman Centurion, a room with opportunities to nail sins to the cross and a gospel presentation.

I was able to serve in the foot washing room.  People were encourage to wash the feet of their loved ones and I assisted with towels and bowls of water for each group.  I actually washed a lot of feet too because there were many people who came through by themselves or with other people who did not want to or could not participate for physical reasons.  It was an interesting (humbling) and yet, blessed experience at the same time to be able to serve people in that way.  I had some senior citizens come in who could not serve one another in that way, people from mental health facilities who needed assistance and a lot of single people who were thankful to have someone do that for them.  One single woman was probably my favorite to serve.....she was telling me while I was washing her feet that she had just read the scripture about Jesus doing that for his disciples and she could not believe how He would kneel before them to serve them in this way....she was a little emotional about the experience.  

My girls were so helpful all day.  We had planned that they would be in the city scene as little kids playing games in the street while people came in and they could invite visiting kids to play games with them while they waited for their tour, but after a little while Karly came in to the room I was in and said, "I like to play, but I really want to wash people's feet!" :)  So, after that, the girls took turns rotating from the city to the foot washing room to help assist with that.  They invited people into the room and helped to wash the feet of other children who didn't come with others who wanted to participate....it was pretty sweet. 

Overall, we had 784 people come through the experience.  I pray God used it to bless the lives of many people who visited with us and to make Himself known to them.

Did E'er Such Love...

See from His head, His hands, His feet

Sorrow and love flow mingled down!

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zev5tHjCB_s

"Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast

save in the death of Christ, my God!

All the vain things that charm me most,

I sacrifice them through His blood."

I am looking forward to the Good Friday Experience tomorrow...five churches in Jackson are hosting this experience at the Commonwealth Commerce Center...it's a come and go event from 1pm-7pm.  I pray that God will be completely glorified through it.

I like having fun with Easter Bunnies, Tooth Fairies, and Santa Claus, but I never want to get so caught up in those silly things that I am not aware and intentional about celebrating HOLY days for the right reasons.  I do think sometimes we can get OFF the mark...like last night I was made aware that we are actually celebrating Christ's resurrection with our Easter Service about 25 days too early this year...(I was feeling like Easter was sneaking up on me too fast).  We have to remember that our Savior was crucified during Passover....which begins Friday, April 22nd this year.  Sure, we can celebrate our hope, redemption, and salvation in Christ anytime....and should, but I do think when we understand the significance of the correct timing of his death, burial, and resurrection....we understand more clearly our history in HIM and our future through HIM.

It is of utmost importance that Jesus became the PASSOVER lamb for us.

"The Jewish people celebrate Passover as a commemoration of their liberation by God from the slavery in Egypt and their freedom as a nation under the leadership of Moses."

There are so many powerful prophetic fulfillments in the timing and way that Jesus died to become our ONCE...FOR ALL....sacrificial lamb.

Even The Easter Bunny?

YES.

:P

Kyrie Eleison

Looking at the cross we are reminded of our sinful state and our need for God's mercy.

Thankfully, 

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.

~Titus 3:5~

Rockin' the disposable sunglasses after my vision exam :P

I am getting some reading glasses....had to choose from the kid's frames because my face is so small. I tried to pick something that was not SOOOO bedazzled.  Mine do have words scribbled on the sides for decoration.  I was looking closely at them and they say, "Say something pretty" and "Talk pretty to me"...haha!  Oh well, no one will really be able to see those words.

These are the ones....they are called Kensie Quote frames

If You Think About It, It Makes Scents

When Brad let Kooper out one last time last night, Kooper got sprayed by a skunk.  I was on my way home from the store and pulled into the garage and thought, "WHAT IS THAT SMELL?"  I thought maybe there was actually a skunk in the garage with me.  After checking with Brad, I realized Kooper had been sprayed and they were all watching him and trying to keep him on the back porch until we could mix the special solution you are supposed to use to wash the skunk oil from your pets.....SO....I went back to the store because we didn't have everything we needed for that.

It was a long night, but we finally got Kooper cleaned up.  The garage and house still smell pretty pungent....and I am not super confident of my own smell....haha!

Here's a funny twist....McKenna had been selling candles for this fundraiser at school, so we just got the order delivery yesterday and we have all these candles at our house....BTW: Jamaica Me Crazy is the best.....I wish it really was a flavor and not a scent....ANYWAY, we got this email from her choir director this morning saying, "I hope you all received your candles and everything smells great!"  HILARIOUS!

Let's Test Your Sleuthing Sense

I am at the store....it's nearly 11pm....this is what I have in my cart....

What happened?

It can be hard to see things this way, but believing is not always seeing.  Everything our enemy steals from us will be restored by GOD in HIS time...joy, health, dreams, peace.  He will restore and renew.

Love Him....and Trust Him.

Unity IN CHRIST is strength.

And Praise Thee...

...as long as Thou lendest me breath.

I laughed when I checked my NCAA brackets a couple days ago because when Michigan State lost, I lost a lot of points and when West Virginia lost, my brackets were broken enough I don't think I can win now.  Well, ESPN had one of those banners at the top of the screen that said something like..."Busted Bracket?....take another shot at perfection, pick the winners starting at the Sweet 16"....thank you ESPN :P

Here's one thing I know about brokenness....

Vannah got to go to NYC this week to compete in a band competition with the Western High School's Symphonic and Concert bands....she is having a great time!  I am thrilled for her!

They received their scoring information today and Western High School won the Grand Champion Award....pretty awesome trophies....this is going to be an experience she will NEVER forget :)

They got to go to Medieval Times tonight....she said she would get to wear a crown....so I texted her and said, "How's Medieval Times, Princess Buttercup?"  She texted back...."It's great Queen Oreo".....hmmmmm.... :P....Tomorrow she gets to experience a Broadway Show, Aladdin.

Kenna and I got to go on a date tonight to the Jackson Symphony with Grandpa and Grandma Foster.

We got to watch (and listen to) Uncle Steve play his French Horn and the rest of the symphony with him...Kenna got his autograph for extra credit in her band class :)  We also got to meet one of the candidates for the new JSO director. 

Here's lookin' at you!  Grandma brought the fancy opera glasses :) 

 Makes me think of Pretty Woman.

What Can I Give You? What Can I Say?

Sometimes we just need some amazing news....

Your Grace Still Amazes Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6F_ZeQJ1z8

I have a co-worker who really gets into bracketology.  He is the one in the office who always organizes a NCAA tournament group on ESPN.com.  Last year, he finished second to last :(  This year he actually created a username, March Sadness.  He didn't win any of the first three games and I could hear him lamenting in his office next door to mine.

[HAPPY FRIDAY]

[SAD FRIDAY]

That's a sure winner!

Leprechaun Traps

Karly could not stop talking about catching a leprechaun today....how they set the trap, what the leprechaun looked like (not AT ALL unlike Merida from BRAVE....strange!), how old she was....

You know this isn't the end of it, right?  

Lucky got his revenge.....ever heard of a lucky rabbit's foot?

:P

This Never Runs Out

From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.

~John 1:16~

Must Be In My Blind Spot

I took a trip to Detroit today to pick up a young lady from the airport who is visiting Spring Arbor University from California.  I had never met her, so we were doing the whole calling and texting thing to try to find each other at the airport.  We were describing what we were wearing and where we were.....I texted her, "I am wearing a gray and black polka-dot sweater....hopefully that will help you spot me"....wasn't even trying to be funny. :P

I was explaining where I was in the second lane of traffic slowing moving through to pick up arrivals....but she didn't see me anywhere and I wasn't spotting her either.  I made the mistake of using a person wearing a brightly tie dyed shirt as a landmark and then he moved....doh, he had been standing there leaning on a pole for a long time.  I heard the same announcement barked out through our phone conversation as through my car window, so I thought we had to be close (that made me feel like I was on a CSI show listening to the background noises).  Finally, we discovered that she had exited and was waiting for me at departures and I was waiting for her at arrivals....she was right above me....so I circled around and up a level to locate her.

A Slice Of Spice Would Be Nice

We took the girls out for dinner to Slice Of Spice in Spring Arbor and sampled a BLT pizza and a Chicken Cordon Bleu pizza....both were yummy, but I am not hard to please where pizza is concerned....haven't you ever met a concerned pizza?....that one is concerned it is too close to the fire.

Time for a family selfie....

Kassi wanted to stop by Hutch's on the way home and pick a dessert...I guess pi r squared :)

Today was gorgeous!  I was so happy to have the time while Karly practices gymnastics to sneak away to Falling Waters Trail for a while.  

It was so quiet and calming....

:)  I think these flowers are called Snowdrops.....and I LOVE THAT THEY AREN'T SNOW....it's like they want to be the first to mock winter....so long, winter!  I am probably saying that way too soon...probably should take that back.

It's Gotcha Day!!!

We're celebrating the day Danielle and Savannah's adoption was finalized....three years ago.  We're so happy that was a part of God's plan for our family!

But, God promises all of us...

I added one of Savannah's favorite songs below because I love how God pursues us and how He shows Himself in all the details!

Jesus, "Ain't no limit to the way you love!"

Alone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpk9PfOVFQk&index=1&list=PLqop-NZAD_UIn8L-Eca4NMObcgwHTZPKf

Pi Goes Great With Coffee

(Just watch out for the vicious circle)

Coincidence? I think not. :) Happy Pi day!

Maybe we can find that hour we lost somewhere in Pi....I hear the whole universe is in there. :P

Thanks to my friend, Chrissy, for all these action shots of my girls at the AWANA games :)  Technology has come a long way to be able to capture something SO FAST!

I love Karly's form....especially her lips during this bean bag race.

Danielle, ready for the bean bag relay...

With her lucky socks :)

They practiced this around the house....unfortunately, they fell right before the last turn to knock over their cone, but they crawled in sync so they could knock it down and take second place :)

Danielle and her partner for the tug-a-war game

Kassi racing in the 6-lap marathon run

Pigtails flying :)

They did a terrific job and had a lot of fun!  The AWANA's games always give me a good opportunity to talk with them all about good sportsmanship....and it teaches them how to gracefully take victory and defeat.  Plus, I am so happy that they have been hiding God's Word in their hearts throughout all the years they have worked on their AWANA's lessons and scripture memorization.