Easter memories

We started off Saturday night making these for family bible time:




Ressurection rolls!! The tomb is empty!
Thanks Gretchen for sharing this idea with me on FB!

Sunday morning we spent some time worshiping Jesus outside at the park! We had a great time of celebrating our risen savior together on a beautiful day in Crestwood park:





Then we went to eat with Gramaw and Papaw and went on our 20th easter egg hunt:







Lastly, we dyed eggs Sunday night, here are this year's creations:
Britton's eggs


Chesney's eggs:


Cade's eggs




What a great Easter!

White as snow

Today was what I call a doozy of a day, bad from the get go. By this I mean a lot of tears, spanks and timeouts. As a Momma, I don't really enjoy this part of motherhood. I know its character building and life training, but it's just hard as a parent, for me anyway...
So, after spending a lot of time praying and seeking the Lord for help. He answered through an 8yo little boy. As I came down the stairs, clearly shaken and upset, my son say's, "Mommy can you come here please?" I went into the living room and found Britton gazing out the window at the beautiful tree in our front yard. He says, "sit down Momma and tell me what that tree tells you about God." He goes on to say, " I see 3 things that, that tree tells me about God and I want to see if you see it too." So, I look at this beautiful tree that is blooming white flowers and green leaves. It is breathtaking to just sit and stare at it's beauty. So, I say, "I see it's beauty and that reminds me of God's beauty and His creation." Britton says, "Yes, Mommy, that's right, that's one of them. What else do you see?" So, I look at the tree again, and I say, "I see a lot of white." " Britton says, " Yes, Momma, like the white bead of purity. White as snow. Just like we are when we are saved! So, Momma what else do you see?" To which I reply, "Well, Britton, I see some new green leaves that are just beginning to grow." He says, " Well, Momma you are right. I had not thought of that one. That's a good one Momma. But, I still see one more.Look right there at that red bird. It reminds me of Jesus' blood that was shed for me." He then goes on to say, " I know you are having a rough day Momma, so I stopped and prayed for you. God showed me this tree and about Him in this tree and He told me I should tell you about it too." At this point I was crying happy tears and got a great big hug from my not so little boy! God's grace just used an 8yo little boy to show me HIS GLORY in a very powerful way. A moment I will treasure forever!

It's RISEN!

So, I have been playing around with my bread recipe to get a bigger loaf. I've also been letting my bread machine do all of the kneading for me! Today I added some wheat gluten and lecithin. I think it worked :D

She speaks!

On our way to dance class Monday afternoon Chesney says,"Momma, this looks like a funness kind of day!" To which I reply, "What does that mean Chesney?" She says, "You know, Momma, like the kind of day where you and Daddy and me and Britton and Cade go outside and play at the playground or something like that. That's what I call a funness kind of day!"

A conversation at bed time:
"Chesney, why do you have a pickle jar top in your bed?" "Oh Momma! Because I'm recycling. See its now a hat.(she places it on her head to demonstrate) "You know, Momma, we need to be recycling more often! Like glass and paper and cans.Thats what they say on Sprout!"

A conversation the next night at bedtime:
"Chesney, why do you have a milk jug in your room?" "Because, Momma, I'm recycling all of those things and making fun stuff out of them!"
Here's a pic of the bedroom recycling collection:


Confessions:
On a more serious note, she really has Jesus in her heart! She has begun confessing her sin to me during the day, without prompting. It goes something like this:

"Momma, you know today when I told you that I helped clean the play room with Britton?" "Yes, Chesney, I remember that." Well, Momma, I didn't help him. I watched him instead. I'm sorry Momma for saying that I did."
(this is just one of 3 confessions for that day) something she never did before Jesus crashed into her soul.
It is truly beautiful to see the changes that Jesus makes even in the life of a 4 year old!

Sleeping beauty

So today Britton, Chesney and I were downstairs cleaning up lunch and finishing up our school. One of us noticed that Cade had slipped away and was "too quiet". I sent up Chesney to check on him and make sure he wasn't getting into something he's not supposed to be getting into, which is usually the case when there is such quietness:)
This is what Chesney found to all of our surprise:




Little booger went and got his night,night blanket and crawled in his sister's bed to go to sleep! He has never done anything like this before! Chesney tucked him in with her favorite pink blanket complete with a kiss on the cheek. Such sweetness!

"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.