HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL FATHERS! 

Now I know which father is the best but I won't debate with you all but I still have to say..... 

I LOVE YOU DADDY! YOU ARE THE BESTEST! :) 

Also, Thank you Heavenly Father for your love, mercy, and showing your love by sending your only son to die that we might have forgiveness of sin and be made your children. WE LOVE YOU!

Ah... a slow morning... woke, read my devo's and just had a nice time. Although, I am tired from this week it was good to work. 

I read Phillippians 3 this morning and something was pretty interesting. Paul was stating about how we don't need to go back to circumcision for our Salvation and then he goes on to say how, if we based our salvation off of works, he would have the most works! But he doesn't stop there, He quickly goes on to say that all that righteousness is counted for nothing. That can't get his salvation. It is only by Christ's mercy that he is saved... Wow. It was a good reminder for me. Even though I know that I am saved by grace, and am saved, how often do I "work" hard, almost as though my salvation is based on those works? Hm.... maybe I need to work on my trust factor. :)

Lately, I was able to have one of my best friends from AZ in for a short visit and we had a lot of fun! We played airsoft, Settlers of Catan, and took a trip to a Civil War battlefield! While at the battlefield OJ and Dad got some really good pictures and I thought I’d share them! 

As we walked past this statue OJ was trying to get a photo of it so I grabbed Z and we posed like the statue and there is the end product! 

Okay... Time to be serious.. :)

Provided by OJ

While these photos have my watermark on them, they were actually taken by OJ and one by Dad ( The one with the big monument in the background. ) They get the credit! 


Hey Z! Thanks for all the fun! We miss you already here! :)

As I browsed through my photo library looking for a picture of my family to send to a friend, I found this photo. 

I can't quite remember where I was when I took this photo but I believe it was in New Mexico. I just can't remember though. :) I thought I'd share it with you all! 

Enjoy your day in Christ!

Well, as I told a friend in an email, I think I am fighting a losing battle! For those who know, today my awesome big bro is leaving for a 10 week mission trip and I am feeling like I might just die. Okay, not that bad but I can't imagine life without my truest, bestest :), and overall, favorite friend! 

So, Brother, I love you and will miss you immensely but know that this is part of God's plan for you as you grow up into man-hood. Know that I am praying for you and will always be there if you need to unload over the phone. 

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

As I thought about this verse I know that Jesus Christ, my propitiation, is my closest friend and can always help me through a time like this, even though it is only 10 weeks. ( Which seems like a long time :) I know it is just a little selfish to want to hold him back but I just have to trust God. He created my brother, he can most definitely take care of him. This will be a great thing for him to experience and God will grow him through it, and that's important. 

Love you brother and be safe! We covet prayers for him as he travels!


Ps. Wow. This is post 60! 

Today was just packed full of things to do. After work we set to mulching the front flower-bed and I thought it would make a nice post. LJ just loved helping move the wheelbarrow and shoveling. BJ and Dad did the polishing touches of smoothing out and washing the sidewalk off. Here are the pictures of the job and the finished product.

After the work was done. I thought that I’d get some pictures of the flowers that are blooming and just ramble. Here is what I came up with. Some of these are unedited. Straight from the camera to you. Others... well. They are slightly edited. ;)

One of my personal favorite self portraits... :)

This ant was very determined to not let me get his picture. Well... after much stress I finally got him! :)

Tomorrow is another big work day. The mower at work is finally fixed so we have been mowing like crazy! Thankfully we have the vacuum running otherwise we could almost sell some hay! :)

By God's Grace, I Am Still In the Race!

Well as you can guess from the title, today, by God’s boundless grace, I am 16! What a joy my sixteen years on this earth have been. I am so thankful for my mom and dad being willing to raise me up in the, “ admonition of the Lord”! I truly have a wonderful family who I know will always be there for me. Thank you Dad, Mom, BJ, and LJ for always loving me ( not liking but loving, because I know, there have been times that I have not been likable. :) and always being there. I love you all and THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I also have an absolute wonderful God and I am so thankful that sixteen years ago he began creating me and molding me into his image. I am thankful that He has, and always will, love me, despite my unworthiness, and sent his only precious son to die, yes, die, for me so that I might live a life freed from the bondages of sin. While salvation does bring heaven, it also removes sin’s power in my life and I am so thankful that he has made it possible to live that victorious life! THANK YOU LORD!

Well, as for my plans for today, I wanted to do some kind of a construction project with LJ and BJ like a birdhouse. However, I got a call last night and the mower at work is fixed! YEAH! So, today I am going to work. What a reality birthday! I am so excited that the mower is fixed so I will not complain! Birthday and all! Tonight then I am going to have a Bible study with some young guys and their dads of which I have discovered that I need to work on planning just a wee bit.... such as not waiting until the day before the event to invite. :)

Well, I must run. I am off to work shortly! Maybe I'll put together a post of pics later!