Her Future's So Bright!

We were making brownies for Karly's class treat for her birthday, but we weren't patient enough and we tried to remove them from the pan while they were still gooey to decorate them and they were breaking.  Savannah said, "Mom, this is not working well....they are all falling apart!"  So, Karly said, "Let's just make them into brownie balls!"......(GENIUS problem solver :)  So we did that for her birthday treat.

Today, when I picked her up after school, I asked, "How'd the brownie balls go over?"....she said, "Mom, everybody wants to make sure they are in my class next year!"

In Case You Donut Already Know.....

It's Karlayna's 9th Birthday today!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Karly!  We love you and are soooo proud of the young lady you are becoming!

But, DONUT grow up too fast, K?!!!!!

LOVE, 

Daddy, Mommy, Vannah, Kenna, Kassi, Danielle.....Kooper and Snickers too!

When you learn, "You REALLY ARE what you eat"!!!!! 

Here's a scrumptious morsel of historical hilarity for you...... Happy FAT TUESDAY!!!

It's worth recalling, again, President John F. Kennedy's use of a German phrase while standing before the Berlin Wall. It would be great, his wordsmiths thought, for him to declare himself a symbolic citizen of Berlin. Hence, ''Ich bin ein Berliner.''

What they did not know, but could easily have found out, was that such citizens never refer to themselves as ''Berliners.'' They reserve that term for a favorite confection often munched at breakfast. So, while they understood and appreciated the sentiments behind the President's impassioned declaration, the residents tittered among themselves when he exclaimed, literally, ''I am a jelly-filled doughnut.''

Rest In Peace, Chris Cardwell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_bHd2-QhuQ

When you bounce back, you might as well shoot for the moon, right?

In The Words Of Tigger....

"Life isn't about how fast you run or how high you climb, but how well you bounce!"

Feeling like Ninja Warriors after a fun time at District5

The awesome socks!

Ready to bounce....

Kenna and Brad trying their tightrope skills....

Brad and I agreed one of the hardest things was getting out of the foam after you fall :)

Karly's On Cloud Nine!!!

 We are celebrating Karlayna Suzanne Foster tonight!  Her 9th birthday is next Tuesday, so she is having a couple friends spend the night this weekend and we are having crazy fun!  Her sisters ROCK and went all out planning some silly games and decorating the basement!

They are ready for a taste challenge game :P  Then, musical nails.....

I had no part in this....they wouldn't even let me see it until they were done....

One of Karly's friends made her this taco card and I thought that was funny because today is National Tortilla Chip Day (I think I saw that somewhere) so I actually made Nachos for our dinner....as if I need any incentive for Mexican food :P

They had a fashion show for us, Kassi was the host, Vannah was the DJ and had a song for each time they walked down the stairs and Kenna helped with wardrobe changes....these are really fun years!

After the fashion show, they had a dance off in our living room.....

Looking forward to District 5 in the morning!  Absolutely love these girls!

The Bridge To God

 At about 1pm today we received an urgent email that our friend, Chris Cardwell, was not doing well and we should pray.  I called Brad to pray with him over the phone and then prayed for a little while after that call...after I prayed I kept thinking of the song Fix My Eyes, by For King and Country, so while I was working I pulled it up to listen to it.  I felt like God was wanting me to hear it...all I was thinking was....yep, that's a cool song remembering the verses and chorus.....but, I totally forgot about the bridge in that song.  Once the bridge started, I felt like God was letting me know, "I am bringing Chris home today"....I remembered my prayer time with Karly several days ago and our talk about how God will heal Chris either here or as he enters Heaven and "We know THE WAY"....and it hit me that Christ is the bridge to Chris's healing.

I hadn't heard any update as I finished work at around 2:30pm and I headed home.  As I arrived, my oldest three daughters were getting off the bus and coming up the driveway.  I told them about the situation with Chris, checked my email to see if we had any updates, and asked them to join me in prayer for him and his family.  We had such a good time of prayer together....I think I will always remember how sweetly and earnestly those three girls prayed for his healing, his family, and for God's will to be done.  After we were finished, I checked my email again and we had a message from Pastor Toyer that he had passed only 8 minutes before....so during our prayer time.   We cried and hugged and talked about how we know that he is healed.

Later, I received a message from a lady via Facebook....we were not Facebook friends and I had not posted Chris's name anywhere on Facebook, so I am not exactly sure how she found me (bridges....right?!), but she relayed an incredible story to me about Chris.  She said, "I only know Chris, not his family or other friends"....then she went on to tell me that Chris had befriended her husband in the hospital....her husband had the same disease as Chris.  Chris had been a tremendous support to him and Chris had even run in a 5K between his two rounds of treatments to support her husband.  Her husband passed away in September and Chris had still stayed in touch with her and helped her through some of her grief....she said, "he kept me sane!" and she said, "he told me when he got to heaven he would say hi to my hubby!"  I have been so blessed to be able to connect with her several times tonight and to learn more about how my friend ministered to others during his most difficult days!

This is Chris between his battles with leukemia....many of his friends thought he was crazy running this 5K.....but, he is doing it for a new brother, Tim Tobin....I have so enjoyed learning this story tonight and I thank GOD for the blessing!

The bridge in Fix My Eyes goes...

The things of Earth are dimming

In the light of Your glory and grace

I'll set my sights upon Heaven 

I'm fixing my eyes on you, on you....

Those are the lyrics I was not thinking of, but when I got to the bridge....
I felt a peace in my heart that Chris was at this place.

Our friend, Chris, is not well today....please pray for him and his family.
Fix My Eyes 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM-Bf9gE0gw

God brought that song to my mind and heart as I was praying and so I listened to it and I could not believe (well, I should believe) the lyrics to the bridge....I had forgotten that part was in the song....GOD is so amazing!  I don't know if this will be Chris's last day living on this earth, but I know that right now he is unresponsive....but, GOD is sooooo responsive to our prayers and our needs for affirmation that He hears and He cares.  

We might have more snow on the way :)  That's fine by me!

Brad is working for two funeral homes now, Patience-Montgomery and Burdens, in Jackson, MI.  He sells pre-need funeral packages and he is really enjoying his job.  I think his amiable personality and his experience in the ministry will allow him to be great at this kind of job.  Anyway, he was telling me that he lost his glasses yesterday somewhere at work and was looking all over for them.  The other employees asked him what he was looking for and when he told them....they pulled something like this out.......

....and told him he could take his pick.  

Yesterday Kassi asked me if she could make a cake.  I was starting not to feel well....(thought I could avoid all the junk going around since several of the girls have already had it, but it caught me).....so, I said, "I don't think we have a cake mix right now"....she said, "MOM, I want to make a cake by scratch"....so she and McKenna worked on this cake and Kassi wanted me to post a picture of it.....can you believe it required 3 sticks of butter?....haha!  It is really good!

And Karly decided to try to turn Brad into a unicorn.

Morning Launch

Think about it. When you truly love someone, what is involved? It begins to impact your whole life.  All of your actions take them into consideration.  You want to do whatever you can to have a real impact on their lives. Love like this is lived everyday. It does not simply remind people that they are loved. A true demonstration of love does not require a reminder, because it is clearly evident in actions and the impact on the lives of others.  This is the love described in James Rowe’s hymn, “Love Lifted Me.”

You see, love is not something that can be shown only now and then.  When I truly love someone it is demonstrated in all that I do.  I go out of my way to be involved in their lives.  When someone genuinely demonstrates their love for me, it effects my very life. It changes the direction I am heading. This is the love demonstrated by God.  As Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That is a demonstration of love.  One who gave it all, and so changed the course of our lives.

The first verse of the hymns says, “I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more, But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, now safe am I.” The image is taken from Matthew 14 where we find the account of Jesus walking on the water. When Peter calls out to Jesus saying, “If it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.” When Jesus does, Peter steps out onto the water to walk toward Jesus. But as he becomes distracted by wind and waves around him, he begins to sink and then to cry out for help.  Jesus then reaches out, takes him by the hand and lifts him to safety. Jesus looks at him and says, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Yet despite the doubt that Peter felt, Jesus’ love shines through as he lifts his disciple and friend to safety.

There are things around us that can and will distract us from seeing the love God has for us.  But God’s “love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:8) It is always there for us.  If we look, each day we can see it demonstrated.  And so we are compelled to respond His love.  The second verse of the hymn, presents our response, “All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling. In His blessèd presence live, ever His praises sing. Love so mighty and so true, merits my soul’s best songs. Faithful, loving service too, to Him belongs.” We respond to His incredible demonstration of love by living in His presence, by giving Him the praise and honor due His name and by serving Him in our lives.  A love that is lived out by serving Jesus in all that we do. This is what Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:23 – 24 when he writes, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.”

So the hymn reminds us in the third verse that God is there to lift us up.  Here we read “Souls in danger look above, Jesus completely saves, He will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves. He’s the Master of the sea, billows His will obey, He your Savior wants to be, be saved today.” Yes God’s love is clearly demonstrated to us, if we will take the time to look.  When we face sorrows and struggles we can turn to God to lift us up.  Psalm 40:1 – 3 tells us “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.” So when we turn to God, and embrace the love he extends to us we can sing with our hearts, “Love lifted me! Love lifted me! When nothing else could help Love lifted me!”

I think the whatcha-mccall-it thingy is SURRENDER....that my big idea for today.....to stop trying to fix the broken pieces and just let the light in.  That makes the brokenness meaningful.

Found In Translation

I have been so happy to start to get to know a Chinese Scholar who is currently at Spring Arbor University!  We met due to a hope to have her work on translating some of our web content into Chinese for Admissions purposes, but I have been delighted by our conversations.  It is fascinating to hear her explain her perspective to me about what she is experiencing in the U.S. and the differences in her culture.  Like, she is amazed by the amount of talking we can do while we eat and that we say "COOL" so often makes her laugh.  She says in China, you definitely have a social part of a meal, but when you start eating you are quiet and enjoy your food.  She asked me if I thought people think she is strange because she is quiet.  She said when she is in a group of people and there are multiple people talking she does not know what to say or how to enter the conversation....plus she kind-of goes into a trance just listening to Americans speak English because she thinks it is sooooo beautiful.  She asked me today if I thought she should interrupt the conversation to make a statement.   It's like she is trying to merge into a super busy on-ramp as a brand new driver :)  That makes me smile!

She is a sweetheart!  Our project is one where we could correspond via email to make corrections and translate, but she asked me today if she could just meet me at my office because she really enjoys the one-on-one conversation and not having to feel the anxiety of when she should start talking in a group.  I would definitely enjoy that....and I encouraged her to try to enter into a group conversation during a brief pause if she has a question or a statement, with "What do you think about this"....or "I have a question for you".....I told her the American conversational pause may be very brief, but take it....haha....and report back to me the next time we talk about how that worked out for you.

We both had a good laugh over the current translation for some of our content which was added to our website years ago.....our University name is listed in Chinese as Spring Shade at the University....she thought that was very funny when she had to tell me that. :)  Well, we have some work to do.

But, seriously....I am feeling sad.  Our friend, Chris Cardwell, is not doing well and hospice has been called.  I have mentioned him a couple times in previous blogs....he has leukemia.....was treated once before, but his leukemia returned and now they are telling him they have tried everything.  He is a good friend.... he has been through so much and I wish I could know the way to heal him....or have some wisdom into what could speak peace into his heart.  I am still praying earnestly for him and his physical healing, but I have been thinking more lately about what surrender really means.  Chris is a tough guy....as he has chronicled his battle with leukemia he has referred to himself as a warrior...and he really has given it a huge fight....and so, as I am confronted with the fact that he is at a point of surrender now....it feels wrong....it feels like giving up.

There is a statement people say sometimes like, "You don't know how strong you are until strong is the only option", but our strength can only last so long.....and that is why the battle is not ours to fight....we cannot rely on our own strength.  We have to see that our perceptions of our own strength or our ability to control our lives is very short-sighted. And, surrendering completely to God is WINNING....that is the ability to see through the current battle to the victory at the end of the WAR.

Karly came to talk to me the other night about Mr. Chris and she was crying and wishing God would heal him like we have been praying and we talked as we both cried about how God will do that....either He will do that now or He will do that  as Chris enters Heaven, but GOD WILL DO THAT.  We do know THE WAY to Chris's healing.

This Siri-ously Happened :P

I didn't fail!!!!

My emcee job today went very well....it would have been enough for me to feel accomplished that I had faced my fear of it and made it through, but God allowed for me to experience success to the level that I received a number of compliments.....please do not take this as bragging because I seriously felt very intimidated about this day.  I had to talk numerous times throughout the day and give information and instructions to move all our visitors to different locations with smooth transitions.  What I basically want to tell you is how wonderful it made me feel that God helped me overcome my fears.  Because I thought these compliments were funny, I will share them.... "You are a natural", "You missed your calling and should definitely do voice-overs", "when you step to the microphone you exude professionalism", "you could be the lady at the airport or the train station who gives all the announcements", "if they ever replace Siri....(pointed at me)".....these were all statements from different people at different times during the day, so it wasn't like they were all just standing around trying to one-up each other with crazy compliments....I was laughing so hard that God not only helped me overcome the fear and anxiety of it all, but He also prompted these statements to give me a huge boost of confidence....haha! If I do not say it enough, I LOVE GOD and I LOVE THE WAY HE LOVES ME!

At lunch, all my coworkers voted that I always emcee our Admissions events from now on.....what a strange, hilarious, and wonderful day!

Today I am thankful for my job....it is going to challenge me today as I have been assigned to emcee an event and I get nervous speaking in front of people.....but, I am also thankful for the opportunities to get outside of our comfort zones and build confidence by practicing these things that make us somewhat fearful and anxious.  I pray you are thankful today as well!

Can you fathom the mysteries of God?

Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?

They are higher than the heavens above - what can you do?

They are deeper than the depths below - what can you know?

Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

If he comes along and confines you in prison 

and convenes a court, who can oppose him?

Surely he recognizes deceivers; and when he sees evil,

does he not take note?

But the witless can no more become wise than a wild donkey's colt can be born human.

Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him,

if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,

then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;

you will stand firm and without fear.

You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.

Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning.

You will be secure because there is hope

Job 11:7-18

WHAT A WOW DAY!!!!  I worked until 2pm taking tours around Spring Arbor University.  I got to meet two families and a group of basketball recruits....there was an alumni in the mix and he had some very funny stories of his time at SAU.....then I got a chance to work outside in my yard this afternoon.....so beautiful!!!  

Our Village Hope Church youth had planned to go skiing/snowboarding at Timber Ridge today....I got the giggles about that a lot today since this is like the warmest February day ever, but they still went and had a great time.  This was Kassi's first time to ski and Brad said after 4 times down the bunny hill she was ready for the slopes....she did great! 

Where the snow ends :P

While I worked in the yard collecting fallen branches and raking leaves out of some flowerbeds, Karly took a nap.....I think it was one of those fresh air induced naps.....those are awesome!....Danielle and Kooper had another idea :P  Brad wondered why I asked for this for my birthday a couple years ago....one, you can send the kids out to jump when you need a little peace and two, you can lay out on it and read.....This is one of my favorite things to do....looks like I will be sharing the trampoline with Danielle (and Kooper) this year :)

Hope you enjoyed this fantastic day!

Don't Choo Know I'm LOCO?

I'm at work, but my email and my phone decided not to show up for work today....so trying to think of other things to do :)  Thought I would tell you a funny story from this morning.  So, I work recruiting students and there is a certain "funnel" to move students through in recruiting....prospective student to applied student to accepted student to deposited student (that is when they put a housing deposit down because they decide we are one of their top choices)...then registered student....then enrolled student.  This morning my boss expounded upon how our office and our teamwork is like a train and he went into a really lengthy talk about the comparisons.....then he presented us all with wooden train whistles that he wants us to blow when we receive a deposit.....haha!  

.....and then there's this....I have a coworker in the next office over whose name is Thomas and

 he is super excited about his whistle.....our boss even had to say to him, "Thomas, this whistle is only for deposits, not all the time!"

:)  Have a fun Friday!!! :)

Usually this is true....

However, today when I got home from work I knew I didn't have much time to get dinner ready and on the table before Brad needed to get home, eat and go to his School Board meeting, so I started asking the girls to take on a chore to get it done faster and the house picked up.....I had assigned three chores when Karly came out to the kitchen and said, "Do you have anything for Danielle and I to do?.....We are really quite capable!"  HAHA!  THAT IS A FIRST FOR ME.....one of my kids asking for a chore....LOVED THAT :P 

Later in the evening, we saw Danielle had drawn out the outline of her school.  She said she got online and found their school and she traced it out.....she plans to create her school in Minecraft....maybe I have an architect in Danielle?  It is so fun what they think of sometimes!

A simple statement from a devotional a coworker shared this morning stuck with me all day.....it was,"the fruit of the Spirit is not a personality trait".  I already know this, but I need to understand it.  It is so easy for me to look at other people and perceive them by their personality and think, "Oh, patience just comes easy to them or they just are a gentle, Teddy Bear kind of person" and totally relate their nature to their personality....however, the fruit of the Spirit is not natural to us.  It is supernatural.....we are not born with it but we choose to partake of it and to continue desiring it.  Because it is not in our DNA, it is only available to us through the Spirit....it is not really honest to say "I am not patient or I am not self-controlled".....assuming I cannot change.......because, though there may be little evidence of some of this fruit in us, it is an indication that we are not allowing the Spirit to work in us toward perfecting our image to be more like Christ.

I struggle sometimes with the connection between grace and justice or the unconditional love of Christ that says "Come as you are" and the working out and perfecting of our faith that happens while we will "be transformed by the renewing of our minds" and "be perfect (in love) as your Heavenly Father is perfect" and "work out your salvation with fear and trembling"....I was thinking about that the other day and I think it may relate to marriage in a way.  Upon our engagement and wedding, we commit to that person for a lifetime.....we are in love with them and we have singled them out from all others....hopefully not just for how they make us feel or what we have in common or goals and talents which compliment one another as these are mostly Ego related and can change with time or feelings, but also because we have a belief and peace that this is who God has chosen for us.  We accept them as they are.  Throughout a marriage, however, two people have to become one....still accepting each other's differences and unique qualities, but learning to give love and grace in ways the other needs it.....that is a difficult process because each individual person is naturally selfish and they have to learn to let go of some things or do things a little differently than what they have expected.....the marriage has to be worked out and perfected and the partners have to be willing and (hopefully) desiring to please the other and understand that so much of the blessings in life are from what you can give away and not what you can get.

It is interesting to me that the fruit of the Spirit are all good for us, but also good for us to give away as they can relate to relationships we have between ourselves and God or ourselves and others.  The fruit of the Spirit is an indication of a person who has chosen to feed their soul instead of their Ego and, in doing so, has realized the contentment and satisfaction in feeding others.

Celebrated Valentine's Day With Friends Tonight....

One awesome gift from God is that He created friends for us and us for friends....

friendship is incredible!

I'll Be There For You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-9kPks0IfE

....and we tried Lobster Tail tonight for the first time because there was a special Valentine's deal....not bad.....just seems so weird to me to see the little legs on it....then I just start imagining it walking off my plate :P

A couple of the girls got to record another radio spot with Dave Dawson and friends.....this is so fun!

And Kenna and her "special friend" exchanged their Valentines :)

Speaking Volumes

My Sweet Prince (A poem I wrote for our Wedding Day)

A penny to a well I did not toss, nor have I wished upon a star that crossed my darkened sky....

But I found from God in the simplest kiss.....a friend for life, my Sweet Prince.

It may not be a Fairy Tale, but we will find joy amidst some peril.  Life is silly and it will hand us straw for gold.  But I refuse to see straw as such when my heart has leaned love's "Midas Touch".  Each time at us a jagged rock is thrown, let's remember, with gentle hands it becomes a precious stone.

Together, let us save these gems.  For we may not know the where's and when's....only how and with whom to handle them.  Surely they will make our home a castle full of light.....steadfast, strong and fastened tight from attacks that will try the weakest points in the dark of night.

So, My Prince, let's laugh out loud!  We have a secret plan for when evil comes 'round.  Love will give us the strength to laugh and God will let this laughter abound.

Love Remains

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A93g1CNtXHs

Went To Market....

Danielle has Market Day today, so I challenged her last week to think of something unique to create that was not the typical "Valentine's Day" gift item.  She has a very creative and artistic mind and I was thrilled when she thought of this idea (it was super practical too)....she wanted to melt our old crayons and make heart crayons for her friends, so the girls broke up our old nasty crayons to use and we got to buy a new 96 crayon box for all the girls :)  Who doesn't love a brand new box of crayons for Valentine's Day?  Since I am home today, I am going to color :)

I thought these turned out soooo pretty :)

And Kenna and I went to market last night....

She is making a CANDY GRAM....and she has sooooo many sweet things she wants to say, ya know!  Our cart full of candy and poster board got a few comments....and we laughed so hard as we were trying to rewrite this love note with the candy that was available at Meijer since they didn't have some of the candy she needed.....haha!  She went on a little rant for a while...."WHERE'S THE FUN DIP?......WHY CAN'T I FIND FUN DIP WHEN I NEED IT?  WHO DOESN'T HAVE FUN DIP?"......I said, "Can't you say the same thing with Swedish Fish?" :P

And....this little piggy stayed home......

Kassi had a stomach bug through the night, so she has to miss school today.  I am waiting for her to wake up and see her Valentine....."You are my JAM!"

Favorite Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZAJM67idCs