To love...

I have been reading Crazy love by Francis Chan for a while now. It's one of those books that I keep reading over and over. I knew right away this wasn't a book I wanted or needed to rush through. It talks a lot about loving God and in return loving others. I can't get the needs of others off my mind. I just carry a heavy burden for others needs and situations and the more I read the word, the more I see that is what the Lord desires from us all. No I do not always drop what I am doing to seek others before myself, but the more I fall in love with Jesus and the more I learn about Him, the more I understand how the two go hand in hand.

...We show tangible love for God in how we care for the poor and those who are suffering. HE expects us to treat the poor and the desperate as though they were Christ Himself. If you actually saw Jesus starving, what would you do for Him?

Jesus said, the two greatest commands are to "love the LOrd your God with all your heart, soul, and mind" and to "love your neighbor as yourself." Christ connects the command to "love God" with the command to "love your neighbor." By loving "the least of these," we are loving God Himself.

As we love the "least of these" which are the people around us day to day, we are showing the true love that we have for our Saviour. If we fail to love on, minister to, and pour our lives into others, then how can we say we love God with everything? The Bible says we can't!

John tells us that "whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did" (1 John 2:6) Are you ready and willing to make yourself nothing? To take the very nature of a servant?

I know for myself I have moments where it is all about me. I want what I want. I need 'ME" time. I need this or that, but what I really need is to be nothing. I need to shrink so Christ can be seen as everything. I want to be there in my walk with the Lord. I'm not there yet and I have a long way to go, but I am seeking him daily and loving him more. It really is true that the more I seek him, the more I find him, the more I find him, the more I love him.

I want to be pleasing in the Lord's site. I don't want to stagger into heaven knowing I barely made it there. I want the LOrd to be proud of me. I want him to KNOW me. Not just my name, but by what I have done for his kingdom.

"it's impossible to please God in any way other than wholehearted surrender."

I don't want to just let life happen, I want to actively be running toward Christ.

"And now, little children, abide in him, so that when is appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming."

1 John 2:28

Don't forget...

Don't forget to hop over to Passys and Parties to enter in a giveaway that I am hosting.

Katie is super talented and you could spend hours looking at her amazing ideas!

She is drawing on Wednesday so don't miss out on this fun giveaway!

Another Giveaway!!!

I am hosting another giveway! YEs that's two in one week! Check out Katie at Passys and Parties to enter your name for an adorable pillowcase dress. This pattern is so super cute and great for all year! Even if you don't have a little girl, these make great shower gifts!!

Happy Thursday!

Razorback apparel giveaway!

I am hosting a giveaway on www.laurengraceboutique.blogspot.com

Head on over and check it out! You could be the winner of some new HOG apparel for you, child of yours,or someone else's!

GO HOGS!!

Too smart

Oh Bella Grace began a new adventure this week. The adventure was not so much for her but for her mom and dad . She is very intuitive. Always checking something out or seeing if she can figure something out. This week, Matt put her to bed and we walked outside to watch Alyssa swim for a few minutes. This is something we do most nights and I come back in and check on her often. So I walk in and don't hear anything so I go in the playroom to turn off the TV and there she is. Sitting on the couch in the playroom watching Barney. I gasped!! I could not believe what I was seeing. She had gotten out of her crib!!?!! I go outside to "make sure" Matt had really put her in the bed and he "really" had! So I put miss priss back in her bed and walk away. Less than 10 seconds she is back out of her room and in the living room. At this point I was a bit curious as to how she had mastered the art of getting out of her crib so I put her back in the crib and left the door cracked. Indeed she hiked her leg over the crib, hung on for dear life, and hiked the other leg over. She then slid down the crib till her feet hit the floor. I was a bit panicked. She is only 18 months and she can not have free rain over this house. I then go outside and tell Matt that she has done it again and I no more turn around and she is outside with me. WE were laughing so hard because it was more than cute that she had figured this out, but we were also a bit alarmed. Alarmed that our great little routine of putting Bella to bed at 7pm and her sleeping till almost 8am was about to be over! I didn't like the thought of her just getting out of her bed whenever she wished and roaming the house at all hours of the night. So, after a few love pats her daddy was able to get her to stay in the bed and get to sleep. Whew!! She only got up 1o times so no big deal right? She will wake up in the morning and forget she can do it!

NOT!! We here a little pitter patter at 6am coming into our room. She crawled up in bed with us for about another hour.

I brainstormed all day long as to what we could do to fix this problem . So, my wonderfully smart husband came up with the idea to take out the spring that the mattress lays on. So that is what we did. the mattress now lays on the floor and we attached her bumper pad just like normal. she has no idea that anything is different. Except for the fact that she can no longer climb out of her bed. Until she figures out another way!!:)

Our life is now back to bliss again! Whew I was one worried momma!! Oh what a mess we have on our hands. But we are so thankful she is ours:)

Crazy week!

This has been one wild week. We have been getting ready for a garage sale this whole week. Man where did all this stuff come from?!?! It is so much work . It is much more work getting a garage sale together with 2 little ones pulling everything out while I put it up! Oh and it has been hot! It's been real hot and real humid! Not so much fun!

All the hard work paid off but I have never been more ready to pack it all up and close this door.

Well I better go...I have another customer!!:)

I know this has been the most boring post ever. I just had to get it off my chest:)

For Sale

I have this brand new never before carried coach bag for sale. I am having a yard sale this weekend and this is the last bag that I have for sale. It comes with the dust bag too!

It is so cute for spring and summer!

$125.oo

Let me know if you are interested.

sarahmichelelleward@yahoo.com

or you can text me at 479-461-9255

Fashion Friday

You can never predict fashion from season to season.

Or what this little girl is going to put on each and every morning!

I'm pretty sure this morning topped it all. She had to have broke every fashion law possible!!

Those are silver hearts in the tights. Yep they are just as awesome as they look!

Happy Friday!!

Just for me!

This next post is really just for matt and I. I have several notebooks filled with the girls growth info and the things they have done since they were born, but since my sweet Alyssa loves to get those notebooks and write in them or tear out the pages, I decided I would just post their info on here!

I am going to address both of my sweeties in this one post since they share the day of their birthday. They are 2 1/2 years apart to the day! This age difference has worked out perfect for us!

Alyssa Lauren

4 years old

37 lbs.

you are growing like a weed

you LOVE:

to swim

geno's pizza

chick fil a

taco bell

steak

potatoes

fruit snacks

donuts

corn on the cob

french fries

salad

salsa

ice cream

popsicles

to sing

to dance

to talk about Jesus

others

to play pretend

to annoy your sister

to love on your sister

to wrestle daddy the second he walks in the door

to go anywhere

to fly

the lake

church

Jesus

your nana's and papa's

to make others laugh

craft projects

to shop with mommy

to go to the play area at the mall

the park

jewelry

clothes

shoes

purses

your trampoline

These last 4 years have been a blast with you, Alyssa. You have taught us so much and we love you more everyday. You are such a joy to be around and you have such a love of life. there is not a day that goes by that we do not thank the Lord for you. We know the Lord has great plans for you.

Jeremiah 29:22

Keep your eyes on the Lord and he will always direct you.

We are so proud of you and so proud to be your mom and dad!

Bella Grace

18 months

YOu weigh 21lbs. (little runt)

You wear 12-18 month clothes

you are in the 80th percent in your height.

You are very funny

so sweet

so loving

you love to just come sit in our lap and just hug on us. Oh how we love that! I pray you will always want to love on others.

You love:

chicken (you can put away some chick fil a nuggets)

yogurt

mashed potatoes

corn

grean beans

any fruit

most veggies ( you still love baby food for a snack or side)

fruit snacks

you LOVE suckers (yes she has had suckers...mom of the year)

chips

taco bell or any taco

spaghetti

you love shoes

to play

to jump on the trampoline

broccoli

coleslaw

Pretty much any food:)

baths

milk

juice

water

ice cream

to smile

to laugh

to be on the move

donuts

going to church

going to Mothers Day Out

YOu are not a fan of swimming. YOu love your nap and you sleep great at night. You still take about a 3 hour nap everyday (sometimes more) and you go to bed at 7pm and wake up between 7 and 8 am. YOu have always been a great sleeper and for that I am so thankful.

Bella Grace you have been such a blessing to daddy and I. You just keep smiling and keep loving on others and we know you will do great things for the kingdom.

“Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12