"I do it Mommy!"

I am completely in awe of what a 2 year old and a 4 year old can do , if you let them.
We've been changing up the chore charts around here. Cade decided that he wanted "in" on the cleaning! Whenever I am cooking, cleaning, or picking up around the house I hear behind me, "I do it, Mommy!, Mommy, I do it!"
It just makes my heart melt. It truly amazes me that such little hands can do so much around the house and do it well, if given a chance. I didn't have the same frame of mind with my firstborn. He was not given any opportunities to do chores or clean until he was around 5. It took a lot more training than it did the younger two. Im so proud with the way they all clean and do their chores without much complaint. Even with joy on many days! Chesney wanted to learn how to wash the dishes and load the dishwasher instead of just unloading all of the time. Britton was so thankful that she did his chore, that he in turn did one of hers. Beautiful servant-hood in action. Another proud Momma moment!

The downstairs church and potatoes ...

So, I have decided to some how blog about our new church adventure. This way we will always have a place to look back at it and see where we started:)

Three weeks ago we signed over our church building to The Village, a prison ministry. We had to leave the building for a couple of reasons, the biggest one being that we could not afford it anymore. We left with no where to go and wasn't sure who or what we were to become.
We immediately began meeting in the basement of The Denard's house, affectionately known as "The downstairs church". We are digging in scripture together, praying, and seeking for God's direction for our church. Our church is growing in that basement and life giving relationships are forming. We still don't have the answers, to "what's next?" But the community, the worship and the hunger for God's word are everything that I need right now.
Keith and I recently watched the movie Faith like potatoes. That's what it feels like we are doing right now. Having faith like a potato. You may have to watch that movie to understand that concept, which I highly recommend. This doesn't look anything like traditional church, but the Holy Spirit is there and powerful. He is leading and we are following.

You can read Pastor Rodney's blog about the first service at
http://rodneycalfee.blogspot.com/2010/02/breaking-silencea-new-kind-of.html

His words describe it much better than mine could:)
So next week I get to hear Keith teach on hermeneutics and I can't wait! Yeah, really I can't wait. God has renewed my passion for his word! I do hunger for it and I am being renewed day by day because of it!
Where will be a year from now, 5 years from now, 10 years from now? I really don't know, but I am walking by faith and feeling God's presence as I do so.

Shewww!!!

" You know Mommy, sometimes when you wake up in the morning's, you are kind of stinky!" So, Mommy says,"me?". Chesney says, "No, Mommy. All of us. Sometimes I wake up stinky. Sometimes Daddy wakes up stinky. Sometimes you, sometimes Britton." Then she proceeds to take a big sniff of me right then. "Nope, your not stinky today Mommy." To which I give a great sigh of relief;) Then she says, "Daddy is stinky today, but not you Mommy!"

Where is Cade?

Oh there he is!

Priceless!

This is one of those moments that I just don't ever want to end.
A Friday at noon. The snow is falling. Daddy's get's off work early. We pile in the living room around the fire finishing up school, reading and enjoying each other. All you hear is the sound of pages turning and Daddy's voice reading. Thank you Lord Jesus for days like this!

Breadmaking 101

So last year I started on a homemade bread making adventure. I've been trying out different recipes all last year searching for the perfect sandwich recipe! I've had several friends give me tips, live tutorials and still I would come home and fail. So this year, we began praying the Lord would help Mommy figure out the bread! Every time I would talk about my bread failures, someone would mention an old friend Wendy Mckormick. SO, Mommy sent her an email asking her for some bread-making tips. She sent me many tips, I tried them and still... FAILED. SO, gracious Mrs. Wendy loaded up her 3 precious children and came over for a hands on demo with all my ingredients and kitchen tools. She showed me all her tips and walked me through step by step how to get the best results. Wow! My bread turned out like this:


Momma is doing the happy dance!! Daddy ate a sandwich with the sandwich loaf today!!Each child has gobbled up more bread than ever!! I have a new confidence and learned so much! Oh the possibilities now!! Thanks Jesus for hearing my cries for help and sending Wendy's hands to help me!

"When Jesus crashes in, out comes something beautiful"

So, a few years back Pastor Rodney wrote this song: When Jesus crashes in, out comes something beautiful. Seems like I remember Pastor Brandon having something to do with this song too. I really cant remember, but this song was written and we have come to love it as a church body.

Today at church pastor Rodney sang this song. I began to explain to her that Pastor Rodney had written this song, kind of like she likes to make up songs and write them. She began listening and asked what it means for Jesus to crash into your soul.
At the same time she began asking this great question, her little brother began a crying jealous fit for Mommy. I took Cade, and Chesney went to her Daddy.She began asking him to answer her questions. During worship they began discussing what it means for Jesus to crash into your soul. She told Keith that she wanted to do that, to ask Jesus to live in her heart. So, while all were singing, they bowed their heads and Keith lead her through a prayer of salvation. Our little girl asked Jesus into her heart, right in the middle of worship! She came and told me, then went to her big brother and told him. She walked over to him, hugged and him and whispered, " I asked Jesus into my heart, Britton." Britton say's, "You asked Jesus into your heart? right now?" "Yes, I did." Then you see Britton eyes light up.He leaned over and whispered in her ear, " I have been praying that you would do that. I prayed that during our fast." She looked at him with great surprise and they hugged again. Keith and Chesney went up to tell the church about the mornings events. Pastor Brandon had preached about salvation, and had prayed during prayer time that someone would get saved today.

This month our church had been participating in a 21 day fast. Britton and Chesney had been fasting one dessert a day and praying for a few specific things. I had secretly asked Britton to pray for Chesney's salvation and for her to grow closer to Jesus this year. Keith and I had been praying this as well over the past several months. Chesney had been asking many questions lately and her heart really began changing about a month ago. This Sunday was the day of feasting and the fast was over. It amazes me that this morning she made this decision. Only God could orchestrate such an event. It spoke volumes to my son's heart that the Lord had heard his prayers for his sister. I will never forget the look on his face when he realized that the Lord had answered his prayers.

When Pastor Rodney and Melinda told Claire(Chesney's side kick)that Chesney had decided to follow Jesus, Claire said, " Yeah, so now we are both Krystal's".(or christian).
So, yes our little girl is a Krystal :D It was such a wonderful day. Such joy fills my soul. I am overwhelmed with His love for us!!