Middle School {and a Book Winner}

First, thank you to all who shared our post about our book and our giveaway.  We have a winner!!!  Candy Kish….come on down!  Please send me your address so I can get you a book!

This week brings a new beginning in our family.  Our kids will be starting public schools for the very first time tomorrow.  This momma is a little nervous, because these schools are much larger than what we are used to.  They are both excited, and I’m sure I will have lots to tell after tomorrow.  But I wanted to share with you about Cade and his open house.

Keep in mind, we live in a small community, full of school pride like nothing I have ever seen.  It’s pretty exciting to join the Tiger Nation, and things are about to be hopping.

Cade will be changing classes 6 times a day.  Y’all!!!  That is scary!  We had open house Monday night, and what started as a nerve-wracking experience, God turned it into one with an awesome ending.

Their schedules are released on a computer program, and Cade got zero classes with any of his church friends.  Many of them are together, so I was worried he would feel left out.  As they were all comparing schedules, I felt a little like a fish out of water.  But, I knew God had orchestrated so many things for us to be there and it was going to end well.  As we went from class to class, we started with Ag.  He has a football friend in that class, so that made me feel a little better.  After discussion about FFA he started asking all kinds of questions about teams and officers.  He is his mother’s child when it comes to that!  He was ecstatic!  And it was just the first class

As we went on, he became more and more thrilled.  Many of the boys would call his name down the hall, since they knew him from football.  There was a child in a couple of his classes that he knows a little.  He said he was going to make sure to be a friend to him because he knew he needed one.  Be still my heart.  That is what it’s all about!

At the end of the night, I had such a peace about Cade and his 6th grade year.  He is as spiritually and mentally prepared as he can be for what this year may hold.  My prayer is that he is a light and a vessel in which the love of Jesus pours out to his classmates.  One thing about it, he doesn’t hold back!!! 

As we were leaving, I asked him what he thought and this is what he said: “This place is like Disney World!”  I would say he is excited!

On the way home, I couldn’t help but pray and thank the Lord for all He had done and is going to do this year.  I thought about Nanny and how excited she would have been to hear him tell about his new school, friends and classes.  When I mentioned how I wish he could call her and tell her about it, he said, “I wish we could too, Mom.  But we have something better…INSTAMAIL. Something happens and BOOM!  She knows about it.” 

I’m not sure how much she knows about what is going on here from Heaven, but one thing I do know is that my Heavenly Father knows.  He has my son in the palm of His hand, and has great plans for him.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord.  “Plans to prosper not to harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a future.”

Do you know who holds your future?  How about your children?  Let’s pray together over our schools, students and teachers that God would have His way with all of them!

What’s Going On?

This has been a different season in our lives.  Once I started working on the book, I found myself spending less time on social media and my blog in an effort to balance everything.  I have missed this blog, and I am determined to get it back up and going. 

As most of you know, I started college full time in May, and I am proud to say I am finishing the semester with all A’s.  I never thought it would be possible to do this, but God’s plans are always better than ours!!!  Our kids are getting ready to start new schools, and they are super excited.  Cade has joined the middle school football team, which means he has to be at the football field every day at 7 am.  This momma is a little tired!!!  And I would be lying if I said I wasn’t  a little nervous.  How do I have a middle schooler?

Emmy is busy as ever and she keeps us on our toes.  Life is exciting in our house, as there is never a dull moment.

As for the book, things are coming along.  I am still working on some things to get our story out to the world.  God has used Faith’s life to reach so many for Him, and we still continue to give Him all of the glory for all He is doing there.

As a kick-off of sorts for the blog, I want to do a book give-away!  I will do a random drawing, and here is how you can earn entries.  Share this blog post on your facebook and you get one entry.  Tweet it and get another entry.  Comment here to let me know that you have done these things and earn yet another entry.  The contest will end Monday, August 18th at midnight.  Please join us in sharing our story, and win yourself (or a friend) a copy of Our Faith Renewed.

Our story isn’t about a book.  It is about a life.  A life that God had planned since the beginning of time.  Our story is most importantly about Jesus Christ and His ability to take broken things and make them beautiful.  Our family has been broken, but God has made it beautiful.  Faith was born with a broken body, but she now has been given a beautiful body in Heaven with Him.

Thank you for loving our family and for sharing in our lives!  It’s good to be back!

When They Grow Up

When Rob and I told Tim, our youth pastor, that we would teach the High School Sunday School Class, I was a little upset with Rob.  I knew his heart for students, but teaching is not my gift.  I also knew it was a huge responsibility to shepherd the hearts of teenagers, because the world is pulling them in so many directions.  I was scared and didn’t know if I was up for the challenge.  But I also knew that God’s strength is most visible in our weakness. 

One thing that neither of us considered was the relationships that we would have with these students.  And days like today make this all too real.  All of our students hold a special place in our hearts, and we have been very fortunate that all of the graduating seniors are still home.  We still get to see them and hang out, which does my heart so good.  I love seeing how God is working in their lives, and I love catching up with them over lunch or Bible Study.  But today, our very first student is leaving for college.  Auburn, Alabama to be exact.  We won’t have the same opportunity to see her all of the time, except through Face Time and Skype (which I know not how to work either.)

Holly has been a constant in our group these last two years.  Because she was one of only two senior girls, she always called “shotgun” in my car for every road trip we made.  This meant she had to navigate because Mrs. SaraBeth can’t find her way out of a paper bag.  We have been to Night of Joy and Rock the Universe, where she loves to ride rides and get front row views of concerts, regardless how many people we have to push through to get there. 

She has helped with VBS music, helped teach Emmy to swim, and kept Cade in line on many occasions.  One of my fondest memories will always be our trip to NY.  Our group of girls, and one boy, had the time of our lives and haven’t quit talking about it since. 

When you are in the position of teacher, especially when you’re not comfortable with it, you become the student because teenagers have a lot to teach you.  One of the things Holly has taught me has been to love yourself and be confident in who you are.  As she competed for Miss U Co High, her motto was “Dare to be Different.”  While other contestants chose Disney princesses for their characters, Holly chose Cruella DeVil.  We still sing that crazy song over and over again.  While some told her she shouldn’t be in a pageant, she held true to herself and took home the crown.  She has really taught me to be comfortable with who I am, regardless of what others may say.  That is a lesson I will always carry with me and admire her for.

Holly,

As you leave on your next journey today, I want you to know that you carry a whole lot of love from Lake Butler with you.  I will miss our talks, our movie dates, our singing of obnoxious songs, and our kick-butt Cranium teams.  But I am so proud of you!  You are strong in the Lord, and I have full confidence that you will take that strength with you to Auburn, and change the world for Jesus.  Don’t ever lose sight of who you are, because you inspire people to be the best they can be.  I love you so much, and I will be counting down the days until I see you again.  Thank you for loving my family, and for loving me.  I will always hold you dear to my heart, and never forget the amazing memories we have made.  I will try to keep your Momma in line, but you know that is gonna be tough  I love you and can’t wait to hear all that is going on in Auburn!

Love always,

Mrs. SaraBeth