Oh the lessons kids will teach us....

This weekend has been a bit crazy! We took our students to the Rock and Worship Roadshow in Tulsa...it was amazing! The longest concert we've ever witnessed! 4 hours long....needless to say...with a late night and just a bit of some van troubles we didn't get home until about 3 a.m....then I wanted to spend the day alone...trying on some clothes just to see if I can really wear a smaller size...and yep I can! Not sharing just yet but smaller so I was excited...think I'll wait a little longer before I start the purchases though!

Saturday night our twin grandkiddos spent the night with us while their momma and daddy had a much needed date! We had as much fun as two...old and VERY tired poppy and grammy's could have with them...they helped me cook dinner...watched a movie with poppy and ate popsicles!

Sunday morning...OH my...I forgot what it was like to get two little ones ready for church by myself...(was a little late)...anyway...the lesson I learned...the kids were in the tub playing while I fixed my hair...and Caleb thru water in Rylee's face...Rylee HATES water in her face...so she was crying and I said be sweet to each other and don't do that anymore...and then...I hear her sweet little voice....say ever so...Rylee...."how you like THAT!!!!!" yep you guessed it...she got even...I got tickled and then I thought...oh that is so us...isn't it...don't we want to say...there how do YOU like that...we so want people to feel the pain and or fear they've caused us...to hurt the way we hurt...after all it's only fair right?

But God doesn't desire that from us....Exodus 14:14 says..."the Lord will fight for you...you need only to be still"...

If only we could learn this...or learn to trust this truth...He so desires to be our biggest hero...and yet we think we can defend ourselves or our loved ones better ourselves...

Oh Lord my I be found...being still and KNOWING you are God...

Thankful....

I have so many things to be thankful in my life...things and people that I take for granted on a daily basis!

I just want to say thank you for a few...
Cassie-my oldest...and my friend...a picture of sacrifical living...
Heather-my next...my unexpected gift...and also my friend...something that means very much to this momma and that girl!...a woman who loves Jesus...and loves to pour that into her babies...
Michael...although he is rough around the edges at times...he too I can call my friend....and with that "man" gene...my protector...a man I am witnessing first hand who is learning to love Jesus more and more!
Katie...my baby...who was loved Jesus longer that I have!...she is my hero...
My mom...who loves me even when I'm so unloveable...guess that is what us mommas are there for!!!
Tucker...who has been there for so many years now...I'd be lost without him...
Kevin...as children I thought we'd hate each other for life...we both would say that is so far from the truth now...the big brother I had all along and never appreciated it!
Steve and Patti...I'm so thankful for you, your sweet girls and their extended families...and the picture of sacrifice you paint for us...
Karen...I love you so much...wish I told you that more often
Betty Jo...my sister who I love so much...always been there for me...always...hope you know I'll be there for you too!!!
my neices and  nephews: Megan, Samantha, Cory, Amy, Chris, Hannah, Molly, Michal, Bethany, Mendi, Nikki, Kayla, Kyle, Ethan, Kendra, Garrett, Megan G., Kolby, Reagan, Tyler, Colten, Isaac, Chance, Blaine, Adyson and Sydnie...for that just right amount of spice you each add to the flavor of our family...
Scott's family...who again have loved me like their own...and I know I belong there now and forever...
Ayden Parker...my sweet oldest grandson who amazes me with his outlook on life...he has the most amazing stories!
Landon Ryan...my sweet little boy...my tiny one who is so sweet...he can melt this grammy's heart!
Camden Isaiah...my baby grand baby...for a little while longer anyways...the one I was afraid I'd never know really...never have "that" relationship with...the one I DO have it with...
Rylee Belle...our girl all by herself for a few more months until the princess jr joins us in Florida...she can smile and say grammy and it is like butter....
Caleb Michael...such a sweet boy...who loves to tell me...grammy, Jesus died on the cross and he is in our hearts...nothing better in life than hearing that from a baby's mouth!
my Dad...so thankful we realized we need each other in our lives...
Scott...my rock, my love...by best friend...my partner in this thing we call life...
Jesus...my Savior...who gave me each of the gifts above...

Why all this tonight....I've witnessed 3 lives changed this week for the kingdom...they will NEVER be the same again...Why God allows us to be a part of this and witness I'll never understand but I'm humbled by it and so very, very....thankful...

disappointed...

Well I gained this week and I'm very disappointed but not surprised...I bombed last week...I think in my sub-consensus...I sabatoged myself...that is my habit after all...however...this time I will win because I'm working on this for the Lord, with the Lord and will beat it through the Lord...the battle is His...I just need to remember to die to self...surrender to Him...I'll keep you posted...thanks for letting me share...helps to hold me accountable...

Here's to 30 years!

Well, I'm setting at my computer with just 2 more hours before my 30th wedding anniversary begins! Scott and I had a date last night and today spent the day with 11 of our students at a conference...as we drove to Springfield today for the conference my mind has reminiscing over our life together. I told him this morning that the day before our anniversary never, ever passes that I don't remember how ugly I was to him at our rehearsal and think...every year...buddy that was your chance...that SHOULD have opened your eyes to the life you had in front of you! But I must confess, I'm so thankful he stuck it out with me!

My memories today really started with the birth of each of our children....we were so young when Cassie and Heather were both born...with Cassie, Scott was much more relaxed with her than I was...he has been around lots of kids in his family while, I on the other hand, had not...we stayed with my mom for 2 weeks..and then we went home and I cried the entire way home thinking...well...she's dead...I'll kill her...she'll choke and that will be that...I'll panic...my mom won't be there and I'll have no baby!!! (29 years later she is still alive and kicking!) Then very quickly came Heather...I wanted to name her Courtney and Scott said no...fine then..Heather Michelle but I'm NOT calling her Heather...so he called her Michelle all day long after she was born and well...I had changed my mind...pre-cell phone time...so he didn't know...he like to have never broken himself of calling her Michelle...maybe just maybe that is how she got the nickname "Sis"...we had a 2 year break and we had Michael...a few months before he was born...I dreamed it was a boy and the first thing out of my mouth was...now I don't have to have anymore! True story...the minute he was born and we saw that it indeed was a boy...the first thing out of my mouth was...you guessed it...NOW I don't have to have anymore...and we were done...complete family and working on the younger years...Cassie the little mommy Jr., Heather the quiet one that you might want to keep and eye on and Michael...the BOY...Scott worked so hard during these years to provide and I worked so hard at spending every dime he made...oh how I wish I could have a redo...and yet he loved me thru those years...then we thought maybe we did need one more...or I thought he wanted one...he thought I did...when we realized we were neither real sure we did...you guessed it again...TO LATE...and along came Katie...now she is unique in the fact that she is the first child we had at the hospital all by ourselves...that is a cherished time I hold in my heart...and not to be gross but we started her together and we completed it together...and now our family was complete...we would in future years have others come in and out of our lives...but these 4 are the ones God gave us to nurture...it was a good life with lots and lots of hurdles to get over...most hurdles we have gotten over I built and put up myself...but because Scott loves the Lord way more than he does me...we survived! He has been such a witness to the "Truth" of love...gently leading and sometimes dragging me kicking and screaming to the true source of Love...Jesus Christ...I have witnessed up close and personal this man fall more and more in love with Jesus...and I'll always believe because of that he has fallen more and more in love with me...God has been good to us both and healed me and Scott from the inside out...

So with many memories...such as...
-at the alter...talking while we were kneeling for the prayer...
-our first 2 weeks of married live...most of them in the hospital...
-when I has frowning...which back then was ALOT...tickle, tickle under chin...if you love me, you will grin...
-the way he calls me Beth
-the way he holds my hand during the worship service
-the way he has loved our children like a father should
-the way he loved me when everyone would have understood if he'd said no more!
-the way he works so hard even now for me
-the way he loves others
-the way he finds joy and laughter in everything!
-the way he asked me to knock the wind off of him!
-the way he looked at me when we renewed our vows at year 20
-the way he looked at me tonight just before he blessed our dinner!

I love you Scott Griffith...to another 30 years!

losing

Well tomorrow will start week 3 on WW for me....I've lost a total of 9.8 lbs so far and for that I'm so thankful! This is an easy program to follow and yet one of the hardest things I've had to do because it is taking so much prayer and determination to make better and healthier choices. I must admit it still scares the daylight out of me because I FINALLY understand this is a lifestyle change that must take place and then STAY in place for the rest of my life...

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

1 Cor. 10:31

I CAN do all things (even lose weight) through Him who gives me strength...

Phillippians 4:13

Rylee and Caleb are 3!!!

Happy Birthday to our sweet twins!!! I can not believe you guys are 3 years old! Your personalities have really blossomed this year! You are both so funny! Caleb is definately the tenderhearted of the 2! And Rylee is the Princess and if you forget she WILL tell you that she is!

You both are such a blessing to poppy and grammy's lives...and know that now that we understand what it is like to have grandbabies living so far away...we will never take for granted the precious gift each of you are to us!!!! We love you both so much and pray that God, Dad and Momma will grow you into adults who will hunger and thirst after Jesus...running your entire lives hard and fast after him!!!!

Love you both,
Grammy

Cassie

Well another year has gone by and it is my sweet Cassie's birthday...we've all had days that are the hard ones for each of us with her moved so far away...but for this momma I'd say it is always her birthday for me...I love to have a girls day out and take my girls to lunch to the resturant of their choosing...and just enjoy each other...I miss that with her so much...I will confess today could be a very weepy day...but this morning...as the tears well up inside God...brought to my minds eye faces....of sweet people there in JAX who love her so much...I'd venture to say...some of them love her almost as much as her family does! I'd name you all but I'd leave someone out and hurt someones feelings...but those faces range from very young to some of the sweet older people in her church God has called her and Jesse to serve in.

I'd say this past Christmas has been our best yet...just appreciating our time together...laughing and sometimes crying together...encouraging each other and spurring one anther on with the Lord's Words! What a blessing that is in our lives!

She had grown into an amazing wife and mother...she loves those boys (all 4 of them) with every ounce of her being...I love seeing that! And now as May approaches we have another little one to look forward too! God really only knows...but at this point, her last little one she plans to have and we are all so excited...ready for another HEALTHY baby to love and to spoil...and we will confess excited for yet another girl in the family too! I keep a baby girl right now and those 2 little boys looooooooooooved her so I'm excited to see how they do with the new little one...

I've also witnessed growth in Cassie as her heart expands more and more for the teens God places in her and Jesses lives...she truly loves them and cares about their future with the Lord...

I love you so much sweet girl...I say it every year...but I can still close my eyes and see our first morning together....just you and me...sorry I failed you and your siblings so much over the years but so grateful that you got to witness God's grace in my life first hand...b/c know each of you can say...and testify...that you KNOW HE is real and you KNOW HE heals...

Have a fantastic day...know we are thinking of you today and missing you like crazy but looking forward to the time we see each other again!

I love you,
mom and friend!