A Baby is Born... and Amy was there!

I just received the following photo of Amy who is still at the hospital with our friends who are now the proud parents of their ninth child, fourth son.

A covenant child is born... and a faithful friend is there!

What a blessing it is for me to be able to work from home, so that she can minister to others like this!

--Jim Bob, for...

I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!

I'm off this morning to help a friend who is in labor with her ninth child! May God bless this precious family and this new covenant child!

Please pray for a healthy and safe labor and delivery for this sweet friend and sister in the Lord.

Thank you!

Make New Friends, But Keep The Old.....

I recently have had the blessing of getting in contact (again) with some very old and dear friends (well, the friends aren't very old, but our friendship is).

A few years ago, when we moved across the country, we left behind some friends who had been there with us through some of the roughest times of our lives. They stood by us through it all. It was very, very hard to leave them behind, but we knew that the Lord had called us away at that time, so we pressed forward.

Over the weekend, I had the privilege to reconnect with a few of these friends, and what sweet fellowship it was to sit and talk with them and feel like hardly a day had passed since I last talked with them. They know me well, and I them. There is always such comfort in that.

There is something special about the people the Lord brings into your life when your children are so young, and you are a new parent. You grow together, you hold each other up in prayer, and yes, you disagree on some things. But in the end, you know that if you ever really needed each other, you would do whatever you could to help.

The Lord is like that to us. He provides those iron-sharpening-iron friends in our lives for a reason: it makes us grow and understand more about ourselves and how to love the way He loves us.

And learn, I have.

No matter what twists and turns life takes (like a hurricane coming to destroy your home, and then coming a few years later and doing it all over again), God does provide... He always does and always will. And those old friends come together to hold one another up in His name; to give strength, encouragement, and material needs, if necessary.

I am truly blessed by these wonderful friends. How many times in one single life can one expect to see these kinds of friendships develop? I've heard statistics that say the average person will have, in the course of his/her lifetime, two to three good friendships that can really be strong enough to stand. I am abundantly rich, for I have been blessed with many more than that.

So, to M. A., L. R., L. D., and R. P., thank you for being the Lord's gift to me! I only hope that I can be as much of a blessing to you as you have been in my life. We have truly been through an enormous amount together. Through it all, you have been more than conquerors in Christ and godly examples to me. I love you dearly!

The Waiting Game

So, I got a call from my best friend in Texas last night telling me that she was on her way to the hospital to have her baby. We were all excited because it means that this baby will be born on my mother's birthday, which is today. Happy birthday, Mom!

I still haven't heard anything from my friend. She said she would call me as soon as she could, but we are going on twelve hours now, and I'm getting a little anxious for her.

This is her eighth baby, fourth boy. Her children are precious and I love them dearly.

Please be in prayer for my friend and her new baby. I was with her for the birth of her sixth baby, a precious little girl who is just like her mama! I wish I could be there with her right now also.

I'll leave an update as soon as I hear something. Thank you for praying!

EDIT: My dear friend in Texas has FINALLY had her baby!!!! After a very long 24 hours (maybe more) of labor, she ended up with a C-section this evening. Both mommy and baby are doing well and in recovery as I write this! Praise Jesus!!!!

Thank you for joining me in prayer for my sweet friend and her new baby boy!

Amy

P.S. My next post will be on budgeting for the decor of your home, stay tuned...

Ahhh, But It Is Good To Be Home

"How many many friendships life's path has let me see; I've kept a scrap of each to make the whole of me." —Anon.

We have arrived home after an almost two-week journey throughout the Midwest to do some business and see friends. This trip was very last-minute, so much so that I didn't have time to think about what to post while we were gone. But, now that we are back and I've had some time to think it over, I will begin posting some pictures of our trip.

We were able to see our friends, the Carpenters again. Our time with them is always so sweet. We also saw the Servens again. Why is our time with them always so short? And finally, we spent a number of days with James and Stacy McDonald and their beautiful family.

"Some people come into our lives, make footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same." —Anon.

It is truly amazing what time away from home with godly friends can do for a tired soul! We are so refreshed, relaxed and revived! We came home with a new outlook toward all of life's daily struggles, and we know fully the refreshment of being with the Saints. Thank you to all of our dear friends who made our family so comfortable and welcome in your lovely homes.

"The beauty of the house is order, the blessing of the house is contentment; the glory of the house is hospitality." —Anon.

One thread we have noticed that all of these dear friends have in common is their love of hospitality. It is rare indeed to enter a house and find that you have instead entered a HOME. We ate sumptuous meals, laughed long and loud, engaged in deep, satiating conversation, and experienced the satisfaction of worship with sweet friends. It is a rare find, that truest of all measures of God's love, to feel His hand stretched out to you through the tender care and mercy of His people. We have been blessed through these friends, these precious brothers and sisters in the Lord.

I have come home with a sharper vision of what it means to make a house a home. The Lord has challenged me, through some of His own, to be even more the heart and keeper of my home. To Him be the glory and praise for this time of rest and refreshment!

"But every house where Love abides
       and friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home;
       for there the heart can rest."
           —Henry Van Dyke

Sweet Friends...

I received, in the mail today, a package from a dear friend in Tennessee. What a sweet surprise to end a rather stressful week! Since she knows that I am an avid collector of all things Cherry, there were all manner of things Cherry in that package, from cherry bon bons, chocolate cherry truffles, cherry embroidered tea towels, to (o.k., so this part has nothing to do with cherries... but who cares!) a Starbucks gift card so that I can go have a nice hot cup of cafe au lait and some time to myself! How thoughtful a gift!

I praise God for my dear friends, and for His faithfulness to bring them into my life and allow me to grow through their example to me and (hopefully) mine to them. We are to encourage, edify, and charge each other with the high stance of looking heavenward to our Heavenly Father for His provision, grace, and love. This is the love of Christ.... to love as He first loved us. My friend could not have known the week I have had... all manner of stress and strain. But God provided her gift to me at the perfect time—His time—to show me that He is answering my prayers and is faithful. "His mercy endures forever," as the psalmist states, and sometimes that mercy is through our friends—without them being aware of it.

Never take for granted that God gave you your friends. Thank Him today for them. He has provided one of His best gifts to you through them. Take the time to tell them so!

My dear friend in Tennessee, (you know who you are ;) ) thank you for your love, encouragement, and for the joy the Lord brought into my life today through you! You are a dear sister, and your kindness is a Christ-like, loving, and generous blessing to me!

PS: I posted this because I figured I'd never get the "Thank You" in the mail to you! ;D

"The" Wedding!

My family and I were so blessed this past weekend to be allowed the privilege and honor to attend the wedding of Peter Bradrick and Kelly Brown (now Mrs. Peter Bradrick!).

What a wedding! This is one that I will remember for a very long time. I truly think this was the best wedding I have ever attended. This is saying a lot considering that I was a wedding consultant in my earlier years.

What made this wedding so great was that EVERYTHING was biblical, and not only that, but it was truly meant by the bride, the groom, and their families.

After Kelly came down the aisle and was presented to Peter by her father, Scott Brown, they went to kneel facing each other. Peter was saying some wonderful things to Kelly that no one but Kelly could hear... it was obviously a precious moment between the two of them. Then, the groomsmen and the bridesmaids sang a hymn while the bride and groom's parents prayed over them.... so, so special. It was very hard not to cry - for just about everyone there.

To hear Scott say, "This is my daughter..... she has never caused me grief.... I present her to you now..." Was such a testimony to what the Lord can do in a family to raise up godly seed!

Many people would balk, I think, to know that Kelly was prayed over to be blessed, like Rebekah, to be "the mother of hundreds of thousands," but if those who might balk could have seen her face as I could when that was prayed over her, they would only know that this is the fervent desire of her heart. May God truly bless them, and, yes, may they "contend with their enemies in the gates!"

Doug's blog, and Scott's blog both have tremendous pictures that I think just about everyone has seen, but just in case you haven't seen them yet, go look! Also, we have one picture of our own that turned out OK. This picture, although not of the kind of quality that Doug and Scott have on their blogs, shows the intimacy of Christ in this couple's relationship. Although these two had never kissed before their wedding (as Doug said, their first kiss was just that, "a genuine first kiss" because they had kept themselves completely for their future spouse) one can easily see the closeness they feel as a result of Christ being the defining factor in their relationship. Look closely at their body language in this picture. They are comfortable with one another. They know they are within the Lord's will in their relationship. They have honored Him, their parents and one another by keeping themselves pure before marriage. And now, so soon after their vows were taken, they are bonded in the unity of the love of Christ. It is a beautiful thing indeed! Peter and Kelly sought Christ first and His righteousness BEFORE their own physical pleasure, and it is obvious to anyone who attended the wedding that Christ will add that also unto them. Please feel free to gape and wonder! I know that Peter and Kelly will be pleased to know that their union has brought such joy, inspiration, the gospel message, and refreshment to so many souls!

And the two shall become one...

Peter and Kelly, God bless your union, God bless your offspring, God bless you two as you begin your life as a new family! Jim Bob and I will be here to support you every step of the way however we can. It will be an honor to support you! Thank you so much for inviting us to your wedding! I am still reeling from everything I saw and heard. I have been praying for you for a long time, and I will continue to do so. May you be richly blessed in your life together!

May your parents also be richly blessed for the investment they put into your lives! Thank you also to the Browns who blessed us with food and fellowship and lodging the day after the wedding when our car broke down when trying to drive home. Your hospitality will never be forgotten. You were a refreshment to our souls also. Thank you for setting such a godly example for us in raising your children unto the Lord. It can be done with the Lord's strength! God bless you, Browns and Bradricks!

Learning

As I have been enduring a loss in my life, I have seen the incredible goodness of the Lord at the same time. Many of you have either emailed me or commented and I want to thank you for your encouragement and prayers. It means much to me that you are so thoughtful as to pray for me even when some of you have never met me. You are evidence of Jesus' continuing grace in my life.

I have endeavored to fill my time and my thinking with things that are "noble, just, pure, lovely, good, and praiseworthy" as Philipians 4:8 says to do. I have been thinking about what I will be studying with my children for the upcoming year, and planning out their lessons and reading. I have also been busy with reorganizing the house to make things run more smoothly, not only for school, but to make our entire family more comfortable and so that it is easier to find things when we need them. And, finally, I've been piddling around a lot in my garden. I think I'll plant a few more perennials to add beauty and loveliness to my home. I think I will also script out some of my favorite passages of scripture to keep me constantly aware of the Lord's presence and good work in my life.

I wonder, what else do you all do to keep your focus on the things of the Lord and on His goodness in your life during times of trial? I mean, I read scripture and I pray a lot... that is first and foremost, without that nothing else will help. But I want to know what others do in addition to that. I'm looking forward to hearing your feedback.

My List of Five...

I was recently tagged to do a list of five, so here goes:

Five things always in my purse:

Lipstick
Pen
Pencils/crayons for my children to doodle with
Diapers
Wipes

Five things I love to eat:

Chocolate
Cherries
Blueberries
Croissants
A good steak

Five things I love to hear:

"Wow! Your children are so well behaved!" (doesn't happen as often as I'd like ;) )
Birds chirping
The sound of snow falling
Classical Music playing in my home (especially DeBussey, Mozart, Bach, Handel, or Salas)
My children laughing

Five ages I've really enjoyed being:

Five
twenty-eight
thirty-one
thirty-four
thirty-six

Five women who have influenced me greatly (How I wish this one could be longer!):

My Mom (of course!)
Shirley Gipson
Noël Adams
Rachele Powell
Devon Carpenter
This one I'll have to leave open because no matter which way I try to list this last one, there are too many others I want to mention who have mentored me either knowingly or unknowingly... Thank you to you all!!!)

The Two Blogging Amys

My family and I were given such a wonderful blessing over the weekend. We were blessed to meet the Scott family while they were visiting friends here in Virginia.

Amy Scott and I have talked through email over the last few months. For those of you who have seen her blog (and chances are that's most of you as her readership is far, far greater than mine!), you know that she is one great writer and a very funny gal. But there is more to her than that; she is just a regular girl, striving to please the Lord with her service as a wife and mother. It just so happens that she has been gifted with the ability to write well and speak to us in a very real, very genuine way.

We met the Scotts at a mutual friend's house for dessert on Sunday evening, and then shared a lunch together before they left town on Monday. We had a good discussion time of getting to know each other better and then (too soon!) it was time to part.

I will say this: It's always strange meeting someone whose writings have spoken to you. I was actually very nervous to meet Amy. I'm not sure why except for the fact that I respect her. Meeting her threw all that nervousness away. She is very down-to-earth, and very willing to talk of things of substance, not just gloss over things in the usual way of small talk which inevitably drives me mad. No, I think (hope) that we will be friends from here on. She and her lovely family are quality people. True genuineness of character is a gem to find. For those of you who have never met Amy Scott, she is one of those gems.

Inspiring Visitors

Over the last two weeks, we've had a couple of visitors to the Treehouse. Isn't it great to enjoy fellowship with the saints?

The Serven Adios™ (again)

Our first visitors were the Serven Clan (again), or at least five of the eleven Servens, who were on their way to the History of the World Mega Conference here in Virginia. We had a lovely evening and early morning with them before they left making tracks to Hampton. We enjoyed sharing food and more time building a friendship with this lovely family. Check out their blog:

The Serven Clan

While the Servens were here, we discussed a very important issue—the Howards need a bigger table! ;) Cheryl and I also had some time to discuss heart issues regarding parenting. Our time was too short, however. We hope to make a trip to visit the Servens in their home some day soon. Hopefully Cheryl and I will have ample time then to pick up where we left off. I feel I could learn volumes from this godly wife and mother. (Cheryl, you ARE an inspiration!)

Then, last weekend, we had the privilege of opening our home to the Waller family. The Wallers are the subjects of the film A Journey Home. We had the joy of meeting the Wallers last month at the Carpenters' home. We were thrilled when Tommy Waller asked if they could park their bus, yes, I said BUS, in our driveway for the night. We were more than ready to have them come to stay with us since we enjoyed their fellowship so much last month.

The Wallers' Blue Bird Conversion Bus
(They're practicing the Serven Adios™!)

The Waller family lives in Israel part-time, helping the settlers in the West Bank tend their gardens and, in the process, sharing the love of Christ with them. While they were here, the current fighting in Israel broke out affecting many they know. Please pray for all those affected in this current crisis. To know more aptly how to pray, please visit their website:

Ha Yovel - The Jubilee

Tommy Waller and a few of his children talk to a friend in Israel affected by the war

Here are some pictures of our time with the Wallers and their beautiful family of eleven children (now you know why they need a bus! ;0) )

Several of our friends came out to meet the Wallers

Tommy Waller explains their work in Israel
while the older boys get ready to play for us

My children's eyes light up when the time comes for
Davidic dancing with Daddy and the Wallers

They've converted all the seats to aisle-facing and the seat backs fold up to make bunkbeds.

The Wallers and Howards gather in front of the Treehouse