Happy New Years Eve! I am really excited about my post for tomorrow. I really can't wait! So it is the last day of 2011 and we are moving into 2012. A new year, new beginnings, maybe a new calling from God to you. We just spent the afternoon with some sweet friends that we moved away from quite a long time ago. Love you guys! Have a happy New Year, and let God be in it, I pray.

Love...

Joy...

Faith...

Obedience...

My 2012 study, starting on January 1st. Join me here on my blog, and study with me. I don't think you will be disappointed...

Christmas was great! We are so abundandly blessed. We spent Christmas day with our Grammy and Papa, and then the day after Christmas we went to my Mimi and Papa's house and spent the day with them and my cousins Ashley and Gage and my Uncle Chad and Aunt Sara. This weekend we are going to spend time with our Papa Jim Bob. Claire got a pocket knife. Our little tom boy! Ana got a trycicle,and I got an airplane ticket to go to one of my favorite places in the world! Can't wait to see you guys! (Emily, Ellie, Mrs.Ana...) I hope your Christmas was a good one and that you had a good time celibrating the birth of our savoir. I know I did!

Christmas Eve People!

"This is the day that the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalms 188:24

Tomorrow we celebrate the birth of our Savior! Last minuet things are being prepared.
Today is Christmas Eve People!
Is any one getting excited? Not for the presents, or the candy, but for celebrating the birth of our Savior! Our Prince, humbled himself, and came in to the world through a virgin, Mary. A little baby, helpless like our little Caleb Josiah. He had to depend on Mary for everything. Just like Caleb has to depend on every thing from Mom.

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Matthew 1:21

SAVE HIS PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!

Save us! He came just for us! Like a child running into their daddy's arms. The daddy saves. Abba! He is going to save his people! Save US!

It is fun to give, and I really enjoyed making almost all my presents this year. (Yes, I am blogging at 7:00 in the morning. So not a morning girl!) Grammy and Papa are on their way, and we meet them this morning! Can't wait to see Mimi and Papa too later in the week! And Papa Jim Bob!Don't forget the true meaning of Christmas.

"Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time IS near."
Revelation 1:3

Having internet problems, but in the mean time happy birthday to Claire! 9 years old! More updates coing soon!

Katy

Memorial Box Monday: Faith for a Friend

This is a story of faith and friendship, which only God can do


In 2007 we moved back to a little town in the south, where only almighty God would lead us back to. I remeber being lonley, and girl of 8, just moved into a big house which seemed empty. Preparing to go to a new school (we did not homeschool at the time). I was looking out a window in the dining room, watching the big yellow school drop off a girl about my age. A gleam of hope was in my heart. Maybe a friend...

For the next week I would rush to my bed room window to see the girl get off and walk home. One day I was doing just this when my Dad whispered behind me, "Why don't you go talk to her." I was lonley for a friend, as I had left mine behind, and sweet friends they still are. (I was just texting with one today)! How many days had it been since I had seen them? It seemed like years, when it was not yet a month.

So the first day of school came. I was starting in the middle of the year. So nautraly I would be nervous to start a new school, but even more so in the middle of the year. A couple days before I had met the school couseler, and my teacher, Mrs.Barker. One of our life long friends taught in teh same grade at the school, so it was comforting to have her near.

After lunch we drove to the school, Mrs.Barker led me down the hall to the music room, where the class was just finishing up. The class walked out of the room in a single file line, and one of the boys said, "hey is this the new girl you were telling us about?" I blushed and walked behind Mrs.Barker back to the class room. I got on pretty well.

Allot of nights I would cry for a friend. Mom and Dad would comfort me. I got to know my neighbor, and the other neighbor boy who I considered annoying at the time (sorry Sam). Now he is a very good friend.

The neighbor girl, well I'm just tell the short story. She hurt me very badly for breaking the forming friendship, and teasing, and other things I am not going to share. She was not the friend God intended for me. I have forgiven her, though it was very hard.

About a year later, after starting to homeschool after a not so good first few months in the third grade. I was still crying for a friend. Mom whispered, "pray." Dad whispered, "pray." God whispered, "pray."

So I started praying, and sure enough, two very dear friends, yes TWO, not one but TWO very, very dear friends came along. And our friendship is still strong today. They are christian girls, sisters. Hannah and Grace. My Mom invited the girls and there family to lunch one day and it went from there! I had faith that God would bring me friends. I had too, or I wouldn't of meant my prayers. My Mom and Dad had faith, and God was FAITHFUL!!!

Love you two! And all you:
Emily, Ellie, Sam, The Pauls, The Tuckers, and more...

We had Faith, and God was FAITHFUL!!!

Memorial Box Monday: after the rain

Before we moved the latest time, it rained a lot where we lived. You would see rubber boots, and umbrellas a lot. And as usually with rain, you get thunder and lightning too. The thunder was loud, and the lightning bright and big. At times it would just sprinkle on and off all week. Other times it would pour for a week non stop. And as we have moved I have noticed that I miss the rain. It's comforting pitter patter, and the big BOOM of the thunder that woke us in the night. After a particular big storm our neighbor, who has some acreage, had some tree's fall down. And her little boy of age ten played with us alot, and after these big storms we would go down to the pond, or the tree house, or go exploring. So after a rainy week when it finally decided to clear, we went down to the pond, rubber boot's and all. And as Ms.Robyn called after us, "don't get to close to the pond" we were off. There is a big log, about the size of two big men laying down right at the edge of the pond that Sam and Claire would sit on and throw rocks into the pond. And I, not wanting to get to close stood further back. So on that occasion we were following tracks right by the edge of the water, and after following for a while Sam and Claire went back to the log, and I just stayed standing, looking at the water for a while. So I, getting tired of that after a while, tried to walk back to the place where Claire and Sam were. I could not move. "Guys, um, I think I'm stuck." "Katy, your just kidding." "No I'm not, seriously, I can't move." Another tug at my feet. So they came over to examine while I loosed my feet a little, only to sink further into the mud. "Let's try to dig her out," suggested Sam. So Claire and Sam got there hands in and started to try to dig, which only made it worse, and I sinking in further. Another tug from me. "I can't get my feet out." "I guess you'll just have to take your feet out of the boots." "Okay." (with a sigh) So out came the feet and the socks being ruined my the mud. So after more tugging of the boots, Claire went to go get Ms.Robyn, who came back with a shovel, and dug, my boots out of the mud. And after her giving me grace, and Mom for the socks, I got a lot of grace that day, and now the story is funny, and it reminds me of the rain, that I love.

Memorial Box Monday

Today I start Memorial Box Monday. So on Mondays I will be sharing memories (which I love and hold dear). To see the person's blog who started this click on the button above.

Different Angles

Have you ever looked at the different angles of a person?


It's very interesting.

And as you look at the different angles of our Caleb Josiah, you will notice that the different angles, show you different things about that person.

These are just a couple of pictures, but when you get to know someone, you will know the different angles of them.

Inside and out.

Notice the different angles, even the toes.

We have a new member of the family...

She's a little hairier than usual...

It's a...

Puppy!

Sonya

FAITH... part two

(click the title and scroll down to the bottom of the page to read part one)

What is FAITH?

The other day my sister Claire was reciting the verse, and without faith it is impossible to please God. Ana was sitting right there in Mom's lap, and as little ones do they chose a word of your sentence to repeat and to ask what is it. So this is the word she chose,

FAITH.

She said, "Mommy, what is FAITH?" A TWO YEAR OLD! Asking what faith is. You might say it's just a coincidence that she choose that word, but we know it is not. And so Mom gave her the simple answer, "Believing God." Believing God? Just believing God that he will be faithful. Truly just believing God. That's having faith. Over the past week or so, faith has been popping in every corner of our life. We were out of town Thanksgiving weekend, we went to another church. Guess what the preacher taught about, faith! God says if you have just have faith as small as a mustard seed, and then it will grow. A mustard seed is pretty small. Tiny. If YOU have FAITH as small as a mustard seed.

"...I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small

as a mustard seed, you can say to the mountain,

move from here to there and it will move..."

Matthew 17:20

We just have to have Faith as small as a mustard seed. We just have to Believe God. What is FAITH? It's Believing God.

Growin Boy

If you haven't noticed how chubby I'm getting...

Like under the chin...

And the cheeks...

I'm a growin boy!

A Pot of Stew

Yesterday I chopped and peeled tons of carrots, while Claire and Ana played play dough, and Caleb just hung out.



Mom stirred the bubbling stew we were making for our home group. Peeling onions, cutting potatoes, making stew (that smelled so good if I do say so myself). But what I thought of as I was helping making this stew was, isn't the world, and God, kinda like a pot of stew? The chef, and the ingredients. The seasoning and the boiling water. God as the chef, making, and creating things that are good. The angels as his kitchen help. We as the ingredients, the enemy as the boiling water. The creation around us as the seasoning. As I love to cook, I think God showed me this as I was making this stew. And then, isn't God the baker and we the dough? Him kneading us into the shape he desires, but only if we allow him too. And then I thought. Isn't the pie crust our outer shell, and the pie filling our spiritual stuff inside. Not always sweet, but sometimes sour. Wow, it's amazing what God can show you through a pot of stew.

Thanksgiving Pictures!

We had a great Thanksgiving filled with family and joy. We had a wonderful time at Homestead Heritage and on Baylor Campus where my Mom and Dad went to college. We got together with our cousins, Uncle, Aunt, and Mimi and Papa. So I will let the pictures explain the rest...















Have a Blessed Week.
Emily, I loved your Thankful List!

We have so much to be thankful for...

Happy Thanksgiving!
I have so much to be thankful for.
I am blessed beyond mesure.
Here is my Thankful list, I encourage you to make one too...

1. My family
2. My friends
3. Clean water and food
4. A roof over my head
5.That Jesus is alive!

I have so many more than the five things I listed above. God has met my every need. My thankful list continues...

6. Books
7. That the seasons change
8. Wind
9. Fingers and toes
10. My Bible

God has blessed me beyond needs. I have one more thing on my list today.

11. Freedom in the Lord!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I would love to see your thankful lists on the comments! I will finish with a verse...

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with prase; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."
Psalm 100:4-5

Ruth

"Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go..."

...a little sneak peak of our day. (heehee) ...

...Today I finished the book Unshaken, by Francine Rivers. (finally old enough to read some of her books) It was about Ruth. I have always loved Ruth, a women of the bible. She had unshakable faith in God, unexplainable love for her mother in law. As I read her story I think, would I have the courage to leave my own country to care for an old widow? Would I be willing to leave behind the riches of my Father's household? Leave my family and friends? And if I did go would I do it with a good attitude? Work with joy and gratefulness? I think Ruth is a very good role model for girls and women. I ask myself would I be willing to do what Ruth did? Would I have joy while I did it? Through all the hardships Ruth stood strong, having faith in God that he would take care of her and her mother in law. She seeked God first. Over idols, riches, and much more. I want to be more like Ruth. Have her humility, her faith, her love, her thankfulness. She trusted her mother in law that what she said about the one, true living God. She Believed. She had courage. She had humility in coming as a foreigner. She had joy in her work and was thankful for it. She prayed, and when she prayed, she had faith that God would answer. It wasn't easy. Her life was far from comfortable, but God gave them everything they needed. He was watching over them, every second, hour, moment, of each, and every day. She allowed God to mold her, and change her. She trusted in God, she had faith in Him, and He was faithful. Her life was far from the riches of this world at the time, but she was rich in God. I want to be more like Ruth. She had,
Faith.
Love.
Joy.
She believed, she trusted, she gave up everything, She had FAITH, and God was FAITHFUL. Sounds easy reading it? It was far from easy. Don't belive me? Well let's try it for ourselves. Let's have faith, joy, humility. Ruth wasn't proud, but humble. Let's be more like Ruth.

Toddlers...

love to jump...

and shout hurray...

are not always obedient...

but hey...

what else is new?

Their smiles are cute...

and their giggles contagious...

we love them to pieces...

blessings from God...

Caleb Josiah Spencer

Sharin Some Sweetness...

Orphan Sunday

Don't miss this!!!!!!!!!!


"Join David Platt, Jedd Medefind, the Desperation Band’s Jon Egan, members of the IHOP team and Christian leaders from around the globe via LIVE from Kansas City! This one-hour webcast event will unite believers worldwide in GUIDED PRAYER for the fatherless and WORSHIP led by IHOP’s Jon Thurlow and Jon Egan. LIVE from Kansas City will be webcast live on this webpage on Orphan Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 6 PM Central Time."


http://orphansunday.org/live-event/
(copy/paste)


Learn more here: http://nogreaterjoymom.blogspot.com/
(copy/paste)

Dear Bloggy Friends,
I have one word to describe my life at the moment. Busy! Busy, busy, busy. That pretty much explains why I have not been posting recently, or if I have it has just been pictures! Home school, piano, running after the little ones, it all takes time and that make us super busy. Caleb is doing great! He has gained weight, so that is good. Ana... oh my! All I can say is she is keeping our hands full, but she is a blessing from the Lord. Claire, imaginative as always. Thinking up new games to play with her big sister! My Mom and Dad are doing good too. My Dad has a really bad cold though so keep him in your prayers. I seriously do not know how my Mom does what she does! Her secret weapon is the Lord! Mom, you work so hard for us kids, and Dad! How can we thank you? Me, well I'm doing good. Trying to have peace and Patience with my sibling is not always easy! We are studying Acts in the Bible. So this post was a little update on our family!
Blessings to all,
Katy

We are tickled pink! uh i mean blue...

Our little Caleb Josiah is doing great! He is growing. If you have ever had three girls, all you would be used to is pink, but now... Blue! The boxes we are reciving are full of blue! We are just tickled pink! uh i mean blue...

The things we take for granted...

Like little feet

Or a wind chime in the breeze
The moments we share together, as sister and brother

Or a simple smile

So treasure these moments. We take so many for granted.

FAITH... part one

Child Like Faith


If you've ever taken care, or been with a child, you will see that they believe almost anything you tell them. They have no doubts, their faith is not shaken.

What if we had faith like a child?

A little innocent child.

Is a child going to question weather or not they will be fed?

They have faith that you will feed them.

"Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Matthew 19:14

Click on the title of this post to see an example.

In His Presence... part three

Have you ever been in God's presence?

It is Amazing!

If you have, what was it like?

Sometimes the presence of God is so great that you fall on your knees speaking in tongues.

Or sometimes you just feel led to raise your arms to him.

God speaks to some of us when we are in his presence.


When we are in his presence and he tells us something, do we obey?

Do we bear fruit every day?

Do we do to others as we would do to ourselves?

In the first post I did on in his presence I asked this...

What is faith, joy, peace, hope, love?

To be in his presence, don't we have to have faith?

When we obey him we are supposed to have joy while doing it.

When I'm his his presence, I feel peaceful.

HOPE

That one word.

HOPE

Doesn't God give us hope?

"The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their HOPE in his unfailing LOVE."
Psalm 147:11

..."But LOVE your neighbor as yourself"...
Leviticus 19: ...18...

"But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, patience, kindness, goodness, FAITHfulness, gentleness, and self-control."...
Galatians 5:22...

Do we have Peace, Joy, Love, Hope, and Faith?

Have we been in his presence?

Are we in his presence?

If not, we need to be.

Let's get into HIS, meaning God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit's, Presence.

We live by faith, not by sight."
2 Corinthians 5:7





... the faith series coming soon

Did y'all like the verse thing we did in September? I did not post enough verses this week, crazy life with new baby and everything. So, I started the posts, In His presence... I have done
part 1 and 2. These are the special posts for October. Keep your eye out for more of these. Wow! Fall is almost here. The season for leaves, pumpkins, a beautiful season. Is anyone excited
that the weather is cooling off a bit? I am! This summer was a hot one and I am hearing
that it is supposed to be another hard winter. Oh well! One season at a time.

...No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him."
1 Corinthians 2:9