Like there is something at stake.....................

Hey gang, I haven't written in a bit because sometimes I have no clue where to start. Do I get on and put cute pictures of Cross and pretend (not intentionally) that everything is perfect or do I get on and vent like a crazy woman and depress you all?? So this is going to be a combo, a smorgasbord of sorts, but this my friends is for certain REAL LIFE! The title has absolutely nothing to do with what I am writing, well maybe a little. As I signed on I heard a guy on television that does a show called "Wretched" that covers Christian News per say. He made a comment that I couldn't agree with more, he said, "come on preachers, bring it, bring it like there is something at stake". I decided as I typed that I would attempt to live a life like there really is something at stake because there IS, eternity!!!!!!!!

Saturday was a great example of our reality, ups and downs. Some moments I am singing my new favorite song "Motions" by Matthew West at the top of my lungs. If you don't know the lyrics get on itunes right now and buy it! I am wildly singing "I don't want to go through the motions, take me all the way" and man do I mean it! Mediocer (who knows how to spell that word) Christian life, NO WAY, I want to go all the way. I want to see God do crazy miracles. I want to see His mighty power that I read about in the Bible. I want to do things on this earth to change it before I go to Heaven. Ok, so this is half of my split personality. The other half thinks, this is NEVER going to change, our life is the definition of pathetic. We are 2 basically 30 year old with college degrees and the Lord is saying NO to everything but a job that does not pay the bills. People keep asking us (in love for certain) "what are YOUR plans" and I want to scream at them. I want to scream, "we are not asking ourselves what OUR plans are, we are asking God what HIS plans are" and He keeps saying THIS. This is what My plan is for you for this season. We can look around and see crazy fruit from this season, but that fruit keeps getting eaten in our eyes by the gaping holes in our finances. Has God provided for us, YOU BET. Do we live like we trust Him to keep doing so and that we don't need "stuff", not remotely.

Ok, on to an awesome story, in 2 weeks, this gal is going on a cruise to the Bahamas. I know, I don't get it either. How is God so gracious to give this often times no faith gal a dream vacation smack dab in the middle of the largest financial crisis she has ever faced, well, second largest. The largest would still probably be when Jeremy had just started seminary and we found out we were pregnant, that one still ranks top. I don't understand, but frankly I am not arguing. Some days it takes everything in my power not to sin to mask the pressure of or to cope with this season so to get away and pretend for a few days like all is well, sign me up!!!!!! Remember, sinning is turning to anything besides God so whether I want to smoke, drink, or eat a pound of chocolate, it is all sin and I am fighting tooth and nail not to do it so pray for me!!!!!!

On a funny note, I also got a free hair cut this week (God bless you my dear friend Tracy) and colored my hair for the first time BY MYSELF!!!!!!! I am so proud and my sweet out of town friend has insisted that I post a picture so that will be soon to come. For all you women that are interested in attempting this yourself please email me and I will be thrilled to share exact instructions! I am now a highlighting expert (joke, that is a joke). So back to my haircut, I walked out of the salon looking like a total Rockstar. I looked in the mirror and thought, who are you? Well, no worries, when I fixed it myself it looked just like it always does which really works out fine because I don't have the wardrobe to keep up with the other do. To top it off, Saturday night at Jeremy's parents we all got a great laugh when Jeremy looked at me and said, "did you know your pants are on inside out". Well, NO I didn't know that my workout pants where inside out thus displaying the tag on my rear. We all laughed hysterically and I thought to myself "Kelly, you really aren't as cool as you would deep down like to be". It was great family fun at least! The worst part of it all is that I actually thought they were inside out when I got them out of the drawer so I switched them myself. The good part was I hadn't gone anywhere else like WAL-MART looking like that.............Some poor soul may have thought it was the "new in" and started doing it themselves!

On other good notes, I have a sweet friend that just moved back and we had a great (and free) trip to the zoo this past week. I watched Cross run and laugh with another kid for the first time and it warmed my soul. Cross really is doing great. He is so sweet (most of the time) and man does he somehow manage to make me never willing or available to give up even when it is ever so tempting. Oh and I almost forgot, our niece Adison came over for a wonderful spend the night party this week during her Spring Break. She wanted to do nails and facials and I was like PRAISE THE LORD, a break from trucks and balls. It was glorious to get my girl fix in and I refrained from taking pictures of myself with the mask to spare you all! She on the other hand looks beautiful regardless!

Finally, some of our dearest friends moved this week and I have included an adorable picture of their daughter in full princess attire giving Cross a flower. They will be so missed, but at least I am seeing God move, even if it is in someone else's situation. I also couldn't resist sharing (without my husband's consent) a few pictures of Cross living in girl land. It appears as though he is looking for just the right product and that a wand (which I am sure he thought was a bat) is good for waving!

I also should tell you that this past week I faced the greatest conviction and reality check that I have had in some time so, what the heck, I share everything else that is horribly embarrassing, why stop now. This week (before my hair success) I was pouting about not having the money to get my hair done. My regular girl is extremely cheap (and awesome by the way if anyone is looking) so I don't really feel guilty like I am paying an arm and a leg, but I still pout like it is the end of the world when I can't go. So anyway, a wonderful Christian television station was having a telethon and the pastor preaching kept saying all this awesome stuff about how Coke Inc. went into orbit because only like 700 million people drink a Coke everyday across the world and about how percentage wise that was horrible considering they find themselves to be "The real thing". His point was that we as Christians should totally panic because we have THE REAL THING and that in most of our towns a very small percentage of people even goes to church not counting what our panic should look like across the world. He went on to say "stop saying you wish someone would help spread the word, that someone is YOU". It hit me that I would babysit or dig a ditch for that matter to get $50 to get my hair done every few months, but give to this television station that I really do believe takes the gospel all over the world.........well, we are just broke, sorry! MAN........enough said!

I love you guys! I get in a better mood just saying hello! Forgive the long windedness. Hopefully one day I can write a book and get it out of my system! Just pray I am "panicked" enough to give the proceeds to the spread of Christ's saving grace instead of using it all on my obsession with ME!

K