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Monday, December 16, 2013

Slowing Down...

Last week kept us on the go! The kids played three nights of basketball and they had their youth group Christmas Party on Wednesday night. And I want to say I love a game of "Dirty Santa", especially with 45 youth!!

The kids started the week off with a rough basketball game where all teams got beat but the boys bounced back winning the rest of their games for the week and Kamdyn's team won a big game on Friday night. The boys are undefeated in district which was one of their goals going into the season. We still have a tough team on the schedule in January to play twice so we aren't counting on the district champion trophy yet! Kamdyn's team continues to improve and they were so excited about winning this week!

She is learning a lesson about turning the other cheek, literally. This week in a heated game a girl from the other team gave Kamdyn a big slap on the cheek after she had already been very physical. The slap got her a tech and thankfully Kamdyn showed patience and didn't retaliate! Her coach has also told them if you get a tech you run two miles so that might have contributed to Kamdyn not saying/doing anything back to the girl. I worry about this happening to our boys but not to Kamdyn!

So all of that to say tonight I am sitting at home in front of the fire with our Christmas trees all glowing because after last week I need some PEACE!!! Our choir performed their annual Christmas program Sunday and the theme was peace. I think I needed to be reminded peace comes from God our Father and we need to live in it. I don't think He calls us to a life of chaos and activities that so easily distract families, tearing down communication and relationships. I think we need to slow down and walk in peace!

Tonight we all five at supper together, which is very rare for us. We are used to more than five at our supper table!  The kids have all gone on to study for their semester exams and here I sit typing and Brian is reading TexAgs and checking out Ebay and I will just say in this moment, life is good!

We also had some company this weekend....


....and our house seemed to be more like a fraternity than anything else. These boys played unlimited playstation and ate all kinds of food and laughed and joked and talked about love and life. Our boys have been so blessed to have some great Christian friends, and this weekend I realized these guys were an answer to my prayers. I have always asked God to provide them with friends who are faithful, who love God, who want to live life for Him. I think so many kids today think you can't live a life of faith and have fun. Our boys and these boys are far from perfect but they all are trying to live out faith and life. I took this picture after lunch Sunday before Thomas headed back to Auburn and I just wonder if they realize they are standing on the edge of the rest of their life with a journey ahead of them that only the Lord knows.

Along with the basketball games and Christmas party last week we also had a Christmas party for the women at our local mission. I am more than thankful to serve in church with such compassionate women who want to serve others! We had this party last year and I was so excited to offer it again. I will share more about it later but I did want to tell you about one of the things we did with the women - we made these super cute little chocolate covered marshmallows! It was so easy and I think I may do some more for teacher gifts. Just take the largest marshmallows and put the candy cane in the end of them. Dip the end of the marshmallow in the chocolate almond bark and the sprinkle crushed peppermint on the end or you could even use red sprinkles. The women loved doing this and I think you would, too. {Also, special thanks to Pintrest because of course that is where I found this cute idea!}



So there you go....as our life slows down a little yours may be speeding up. We are on half days at school through Thursday and my kids will be done taking semester finals Wednesday. Brendan will be going to see Ellie at the end of the week and I will be cleaning house, catching up on everything I didn't get done last week!! {If you haven't gotten a Christmas card from us that's in my catching up plan!}

I hope peace finds you or rather that you find it through the One who provides it. Just slow down..

2 comments:

  1. Those candy canes look so cute - know they enjoyed making them. Glad you get to slow down a little bit. see you soon!!

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  2. Ok, I ain't no pintresteer, but I do recognize a Pioneer Woman recipe, and I know her and Paige did those marshmeller thingies on her show not long ago

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