Happy Spring!!!

Today is the first day of Spring! Adios Winter...

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Today's Bible Verse:

The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. - Habakkuk 3:19

An Afternoon With Aunt Jackie

Zachary and Allison spent the afternoon hanging out with Allison's family. Aunt Jackie came over to Grandma's house for a couple of hours and spent most of that time playing with Zachary. They played football in the backyard, hide and go seek and read some books among their many activities.

Zachary loves it when Aunt Jackie comes to visit. He has her undivided attention and can get her to play most any game he comes up with. Thanks, Aunt Jackie!

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Today's Bible Verse:

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalm 13:4-6

Play Ball

Finally, today is the first day of baseball season for Zachary. We awoke bright and early this morning - before 6:00 - to a huge lightning storm. We had some serious doubts as to how the day would go. BUT - we were told that the opening day parade was rain or shine. So we started to get dressed. By 9:00, parade time, the weather had taken a break. Every team in the league participated in the parade and all of the kids threw candy out at the crowd from the back of their team's pickup truck. Here's a couple of pictures.

After that, we went over to the ball park for the first ballgame of the day - Zachary's. It was to begin at 11:00. Unfortunately, the fields were practically under water. The coaches worked on the fields for over an hour and a half. All of the fields were deemed too wet to play except the t-ball field. So, as the only folks at the ballpark, we began the game. With 15 minutes left in the game, we found out that we had spend the entire game under a tornado warning and that severe storms were all around us. We started to get rained on, also. Here's a couple of pictures of the game.

Zachary didn't notice the mud, or the wet weather. He was so excited, he could hardly contain himself. He talked the rest of the day about how much fun he was having playing ball this season. The team lost the game, but I don't think any of the kids even noticed.

We spent the rest of the afternoon today avoiding the storms in the area. There were severe storms all over Atlanta today and even some tornadoes that led to a few fatalities. Last night, we prayed that God would give us good weather for the ballgame today. He did. Thanks, God.

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Today's Bible Verse:

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. - Habakkuk 2:14

Hello Spring!

Sunday afternoon, we went to Little Mulberry Park for an hour or so before church. It was our first time going to this park. Wow! It was everything you could ever want in a park. We didn't go to the playground because of the crowds, but we did enjoy some of the walking paths and went to the pond to see what was going on there. Zachary got to watch some folks fishing. That was way cool to him. We also got to watch a family feed the ducks. Then we went over to some of the docks to see what was going on over there. Here's some of the pictures we took.

Ok, so the weather today isn't so warm (it's 55 degrees today), but I am posting these pics to remind us that Spring is on the way and we welcome it with open arms!

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Today's Bible Verse:

The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. - Psalm 145:8-10

10:48 and sick as a dog

Well, I did it. I ran my first race. I was feeling bad all last week and woke up Saturday morning with a 101.4 fever. I knew I was coming down with the flu. But...I was so determined to run the race, that I went anyways. When I got there, I decided it was best that I only run the 1 mile fun run rather than try the 5k. 10 minutes and 48 seconds later, I realized that was a good idea. It was fun to run with others and see where I stacked up in the bunch. Unfortunately, there were about 5 kids under the age of 12 that beat me. Oh well. I had fun and plan to do it again. The guy that won the 5k ran the entire thing in just over 17 minutes. Now I feel really out of shape. I spent the rest of the weekend in bed recovering and feel much better today. Here's a picture of the runner number, completion ribbon and tshirt I received for running the race.

I hope to receive lots more.

Tonight, Zachary's Granny came over and played with him for a little while. He's been begging for her to come over and see him. They spent the evening playing Rescue Heroes. He's got her wrapped around his little fingers. It's fun to watch them play together. Here's a quick pic...

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Today's Bible verse:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. - 1 Corinthians 9:24

Happy Valentine's Day!

We want to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day! Hope your day was filled with lots of love. Take a gander at this video. It's too cute!

http://www.snapfishecard.com/Projects/view/197001/197006

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Today's verse:
1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
- 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13

Your lessons on love are better than any textbook or self-help book, Father. Thank you for the love our family shares. Amen.

Cowboys, Painters and Runners...Oh My!

Zachary went to Grandma's house last weekend and found a bandana and developed sticky fingers. The bandana is now at our house - and has been worn everyday for the past week. It is too cute, though. He now thinks he is a real cowboy. Complete with the cowboy hat and everything. He is so much fur to just watch.

While Zachary has been playing cowboy, Marty has been painting the dining room. He is pretty stressed because we have a party at our house next weekend, so he is frantically trimming out windows and doors. This picture will show just how much fun he is having.

Allison, on the other hand, is trying to work up to running a 5k at some point in the next 6 months. In December, she set a goal to run one in 2008. On February 23, she will run her first road race at the Mall of Georgia. It is a fun run, but a huge first step. No pics to post just yet, but will for sure once it comes around. For some reason, she seem to be the one always behind the camera...

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Today's Bible Verse:

"but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." - John 4:14

Thank you, Lord for your sustaining well. Please use our family to draw others to your Spring of Life. Amen.