We all love it when Mike plays softball! He's a great player and to me sitting at a park with the kids playing and cheering and watching the game, it's one definition of "fun" for us! Mike suited up for the Gators Fall Ball game on Thursday night. Then on Friday afternoon - Saturday night, he played ball at the Gospel Express Tournament. This time the team was a mix of the "Rebels" and "Gators". I have come to really enjoy the Gators and so putting them together with my "all time favorite team of the Rebels" ... it was great!!! A mix of the young and the slightly older guys. :)
Not the best picture ... but it's proof that he played the game! :)
The team did good! I knew they would. They got to the semi finals. South Side from Ohio won their last game and put them out Saturday night. By now the weather was chilly. We went from HOT weather in the beginning of the week to chilly on Friday. I had to go dig into the 'winter tubbie' and look for warm jackets and hats! After the Rebels/Gators last game, the little children were playing in one of the ball fields when Ashlyn came up crying and holding the back of her head. She kept saying something of a stone hitting the back of her head. I tried to look but saw nothing. I decided to just head home and not watch the final game. It was time for baths and beds. Our little toddler was exhausted and hurt. When we got home, I took another look at her head and sure enough, she had three small bruises. I still don't know if it was really a stone or a ball that hit her or if she fell. After a bath, some kisses and extra lovin', she was sleeping peacefully!
Here's our little cheerleader all bundled up on the chilly day at the park!
I think it's safe to say that now our ball playing will be at rest. :)
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Yesterday, we had a full day! It was church with a visiting minister, Nelson Coblentz. He brought us a great message from the Lord! He titled his message "Giving Up to Move Up". I was encouraged and I'll share some of my sermon notes with you ...
*** Sometimes giving up means to move others up. Deny myself. To be a follower of Christ costs us everything. We need to take up our cross. Jesus said, "Follow Me." If I want to be the greatest in God's kingdom ... I must be the least of all. The best servant! And when we go through tough times, God might be thinking of someone else.
(Nelson talked about when Joseph was in prison for two years for doing nothing wrong. He was wrongly accused. It hit me yesterday that Joseph's coat seemed to be such a trouble maker for him. First, his father made him a nice coat and his brother's got jealous and that all lead to actually selling him to foreigners. Then later in life, the kings wife took Joseph's coat and lied about him again.)
God was thinking of someone else in the story of Joseph. His family. His brothers. Generations. He also talked about when Paul and Silas were in prison. They were singing and praising God in a dark time in their life. That night when the doors and locks were all loosened by God, the jailer panicked and was about to take his own life, when he was stopped. None of the prisoners ran away to freedom. The presence of God was real there! When the jailer realized the power of God, the Bible says that HE and ALL HIS FAMILY were saved.
Are we willing to take some beatings? Rough bumps? Things we call tribulation for the sake of others? I'm not being real if I say life is always fun and easy. Really it's not. It's not fair. It's hard. Really hard at times. We need to remain faithful! God just might have other people in mind!
Another comment made was "we are entering a valley, in a valley, or coming out of a valley". Enjoy the highs and learn in the lows. God uses broken people. Don't let our past be our future. God turns our past of ashes into beauty! He restores our past! We need to look at everything in the light of eternity! God does have something good to restore! ***
All my notes are easy to write. It's much harder to live out and apply in my life. I am challenged with this sermon!
We were invited to Dave's for an awesome, yummy lunch! Thanks Suz for the delicious foods!!! We then relaxed at home. Mike was in the basement fighting against his allergies. They really got stirred up again this weekend. What would be blooming now??? Hadassah had a friend over and they played dress up and had fun all afternoon. Ashlyn and Matthew hung out in the living room while I tried to do a homework lesson from the new study I am doing at Ladies Bible Study. Another great session and I am so eager to do yet another Bible study with Beth Moore! A short nap was exactly the energy boast I need too!
We attended evening service last night. We voted for a new elder couple to join the leadership team and new Sunday School Teachers. Matthew is all smiles now that I am his new teacher!!! :) After all the voting, we went with Dave's to make a quick stop in at Matt Lapps. Suz had a little bit of her famous cheesecake leftover from lunch and Matt's supplied the coffee! The small campfire felt good because the nights just get chilly now. It was so much fun to see them again even if it was a short stay. The children always have fun too! Matthew counted at least 13 sneezes from Mike on the way home!!! Sigh!
Now, it's raining outside and the two oldest are in school. Mike's got a full day at the office. Ashlyn is sleeping in and the washer and dryer are busy! Rainy days sometimes mean lazy days. I think the low key day will be just what I need!!!
Enjoy the rain drops and according to the weather forecast, the sunshine later on!!! Our new seeded lawn is drinking up the moisture and it's just what it needs!!!
We will be thinking wedding this week!!! My youngest brother is getting married! How awesome!!! :)
~ Don't grow weary of sharing the gospel! Trudge on solider of God! Be blessed today!
