Sweet Katie

Well my baby turned 24 today...I cannot believe how time flies! She has reached her goal of becoming a teach at McDonald County High School. I can't tell you how excited and proud that makes me...while none of my children are perfect...they all have a heart for the Lord...I think all the kids would agree that Katie was not afraid to be bold at times during her 4 years in high school...and now she goes back as an adult...and teacher that will have a hand in helping to influence our next generation of leaders...I trust God will once again use her in the halls of our high school...I believe she will do her very best to see each student through the blood stain eyes of our Savior... She is such a sweet person...beautiful inside and out...I am so thankful that God allowed...trusted me to be her momma...and that she chooses me to be a friend...Katie...have a fantastically amazing birthday weekend...I love you momma

Heros

I have a few people in my life that I would call my heros. For one reason or another they have impacted my life or I admire a strength I see in them! One would be my son...I have watched him overcome a few obstacles in his life that have truly been a battle for him...you might not think so or the world may not think so but Michael and I both know he has overcome...through Christ...in this moms eyes he IS one of my hero's...and to see him be the husband I always knew was in there...WOWO...he had...in my opinion...the greatest teacher/example living with him as he grew to be the man he is today...with that said...Scott and I would both say...all credit goes to The Lord and the grace He has lavished on our family over the years. My girls are each one a hero to me in different ways...while each one is different...I have no doubt that each one of them would rise to the occasion each faces on a daily basis in their lives...Cassie for her willingness to trust Jesus enough to follow Him to scary places (I am not just talking about moving!)...to Heather and Bekah who have both allowed us to see an upclose picture of what it means in the scripture when it says He will make beauty from ashes...Oh if we were all willing and trusting enough to allow The Lord the make beauty from our ashes...and my Katie...who at such a young age has taught me what a consuming fire for The Lord looks like...she had a passionate heart for her high school all 4 years...for people to know Christ...and now she returns as an adult/teacher with the same passion...may that passion be caught... My last hero...who teaches me everyday...Scott...I was thinking the other day for words that would discribe him...goofy...silly...funny....loving...true meaning of daddy/poppy...provider...friend...but the number one word that overall discribes him...joyful...Christ follower. Obviously my life is full of Christ followers and I do not mean to take from them or their walk/witness but I do not live with them...I live with Scott Griffith...I am the one person who can tell you if he lives it or not...he is just who he is...everywhere...everyday...you may like him...you may not but he is real...authentic... I have had a few young people cross my path as well that I am amazed at them and what they have overcome as well...however, with all this said..I am learning that I am blessed to have each of these precious people in my life...to be able to witness each of them overcome challenges through Christ...but...my eyes and my trust cannot be in them...they are human...they will let me down...just has I have let them down more times than I care to count...Christ must be my focus...my true understanding of hero...the One who willingly laid His life down...who willingly obeyed the Father even when it was hard and scary and lonely...the One who loves me more than anyone else even has the ability to!

I pray He will always speak...open my ears to hear and my eyes to see...

This morning as I was driving to church, I had a few people on my heart and I thought I should be praying for them...and I realized immediately that I had NOT been praying for them like I should have...and for some that came to mind, I hadn't prayed at all!!! The Lord very clearly spoke to my heart this morning...Lori...truly...who DO you pray for faithfully other than your own immediate family or yourself?...This MUST change! It is a choice...truth is, do I even care???? Do I believe He is the power-to help-to heal-to save-to overcome the things in our lives we struggle with and do I believe He gives answers to questions we seek? While I believe that as a wife, mother and Grammy I should be their #1 prayer warrior, I must start seeing outside my own little "world"...and as I was writing the notes for this post in church...all theses names came to my mind...families...individuals...loved ones...even people I hardly know...I could close my eyes and see each sweet face...some just need encouragement, others need healing...others need financial burdens met...while others need a relationship with Jesus Christ...the names went on and on...Lord open my eyes...break my heart...restore to me the joy of YOUR salvation...

Beauty from Ashes

Today is another anniversary...Harold...I would say has been gone...but truth is Harold has been HOME for 1 year today...I stopped by the cemetery last night because I had not seen his tombstone yet...I wasn't even thinking about today being August 7th...I cried a few more tears...because selfishly I miss him...oh but the thought of him and our sweet poppa in glory!!! I can't even find the words to describe what that must be like for either of those great men! The moment both of those great men left our presence to be in the presence of their Savior I have thought of them, missed them, cried over them...rejoiced for them...but over this last year I've found myself wondering what is it like...I know there are no more tears for them because Jesus promised to wipe them all away! Do you ever wonder what they see on a daily (does daily exist in eternity?) basis? The colors, the majesty...the glory...do they have a job or do they worship none stop at the throne...I trust and believe that they love us but wouldn't trade where they are for one more minute with us...and they long for us to join them...I know the angels in heaven rejoiced...heck they partied because of Adyson's decision to follow Christ a few weeks ago...but what was the look on poppa's face...oh the wonder of it all! I want to say we have survived this last year because of the men who have gone one before us because they did have a great impact on that...knowing they would want us to go on...to be OK...but may we never EVER forget the grace that abounds on a daily basis for our great God...as my Caleb and Rylee would say...the ONE TRUE GOD!!!...He has been the ONE who sustained us this year...given us the power to make it through the hard days...the "1st's" that we all have to walk through. God to me...the ONE who saved me who healed (healing) me who saved our family from utter destruction who gifted me with this man I walk beside each day who gave me and trusted me with Cassie Diane Heather Michelle Michael Scott and Katie Elizabeth who blessed me with Ayden, Landon, Rylee, Caleb, Camden, Laney Kate and now with **** and ***** who will bless me with more to come from others!!! who allows me to stand before students weekly and pour into them who allows me to stand before women once in a while and share who took me from what I was and is in the process of making me into who He desires who has taught me about forgiveness and trust who has allowed me to finally have true friendships in my life who blessed our lives with Amy and Gastao and now we will have the honor of Sofia and Sasha who amazes me with His creation...the beauty and the wonder of it all... who made this last year bearable... My list could go on and on... One thing I don't do well...is play like everything is OK when it is not...play the whole "church" game...and that carries over into worship for me as well...I truly want to mean the songs that I am singing...we were worshipping the last Sunday morning and singing the words to "Draw me Close"...as I was singing the chorus...it hit me...do I mean this...(quick answer is yes)...but truth...do I live this...just think about these words... Your all I want, Your all I ever needed Your all I want, help me know You are near it is REALLY true...is He all I want...until...the cravings start...cravings for ANYTHING OR ANYONE our flesh desires...whether that is a struggle with food, drugs, sex, alcohol...porn, social media, TV, video games, advancement in our career (even the career advancement in the ministry), our education, our children having everything they want...that special someone...our own sinful fleshly desires... True scripture today for me...Mark 9:24...Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” that is ME!!!! I say I believe out of one side of my mouth while the other side is saying...help my unbelief... truth is God loves us (thank YOU!!!!) and until we take our last breath we are a work in progress...we will work out our salvation with fear and trembling... I don't know about you but that all gives me hope...to see that I am not who I want to be BUT I am not who I once was either...to know that I am a work in progress and that I will be until my last breath...to know that God is real...I KNOW He is real because I KNOW what He has done in my life...I don't have to debate evolution or another argument because HE HAS DONE GREAT THINGS IN MY LIFE and that is enough proof for me! I want to close with the words of this song... We're singing you are holy great and mighty The moon and the stars declare who You are I’m so unworthy but still You love me Forever my heart will sing of how great You are

The difference a year makes!

Today is Michael's 28th birthday...this last year has been the largest of his life I would say! He has a year of marriage under his belt...he has 2 kids that he will pour Jesus into for as long as he can...he has grown as a man so much! I love to watch the way he loves Bekah...he loves her well...he makes her beautiful gifts...he protects her...he comforts her...he lights up still when she walks into the room... I want you to know Michael that I am so proud of the man you are...I'm thankful that you have found the grace to forgive a messed up mom and allowed me the honor of witnessing your journey through this life...I'm beyond happy that God brought Bekah into your life and our lives...I cannot wait to see what this next year holds for you! Always remember to serve the Lord above all else...then the rest is blessed from the overflow of that...I love you! Happy birthday!!!!

What's it like?

Well it's been a long year without you...we've all missed you in the chair...on the tractor...working hard...but I find myself asking some many questions that I know you can't answer...but one day when we see you again...you will! So here goes... What was Maw maw's first response when she saw you... Is there just one street of gold... What are the colors like... I know you've seen Jesus...but have you met Paul yet...or Jonah...or Abraham (you could tease him about being the father of many!!!) Is worship in heaven...traditional or contemporary???...one thing I'm sure of it is authentic and for an audience of One... What does your mansion look like? What is one thing you would want us all to know...from your perspective now??? What is a year in GLORY like... It must be amazing...because I do know Truth...and I do know you wouldn't choose any of us over it, so it must be amazing! For us...again we've missed you...but you left us so many things...you left your strength...and you taught us about Jesus...which means you left us HOPE...you left us a legacy of love...a couple of your greats that are in our home ALOT still speak of you...and once in a while they even tear up and say how much they miss you...which is hard but we rejoice in the memories they are still having of you... It has been along year...at times a very difficult year...but a year in GLORY for you...the joy...the majesty you must see...I can think of so many worship songs we sing today that MIGHT begin to give a slight glimpse... This song is the revelation song: Clothed in rainbows of living color Flashes of lighting rolls of thunder Blessing and honor strength and glory and power be To You the only wise King Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty Who was and is and is to come With all creation I sing praise to the King of kings You are my everything and I will adore You Filled with wonder awestruck wonder At the mention of Your name Jesus Your name is power, breath and living water Such a marvelous mystery Scott and I both love this song...but I know maybe it isn't your taste...so in closing...just for you pops... I feel like traveling on... My heav’nly home is bright and fair, I feel like traveling on; Nor pain nor death can enter there, I feel like traveling on. Refrain: Yes, I feel like traveling on, I feel like traveling on; My heav’nly home is bright and fair, I feel like traveling on. Know you are forever this side of Heaven missed...

Do overs...

Do you ever have those times that you wish you could have a do over...well I did...as we were worshipping the Lord through song yesterday morning...the Lord just filled my heart with words...things I wish I could do over...and I don't share them because I am down, but rather as an encouragement or a "learn from my mistakes" for those mommas out there who are having once again..."one of those days!!!!"... first and foremost I would have allowed God to fill me to overflowing so that I could have poured into my husband and my kids more of what they needed... I would have hungered and thirsted for righteousness more and less of self... I would have spent more time in the Word before I spent time in the world... I would have prayed more...and asked for prayer without being so "self reliant"... I would have hugged more and hit less...laughed more and ordered less baseboards washed...loved more through the lies and prayed for us all to learn the lessons needed during those times... I would have desired my children's characters to be more important than opinions of what others thought... I will say this...the Lord's mercies are new every morning and I am so thankful...thankful for the Lords mercy and the mercy shown to me by my children and my husband...in the end...I learned hard lessons and learned to appreciate the times together...the hard stuff and the funny stuff! Being a momma is hard...REAL hard...but it comes with a joy that is indescrible...be encouraged...know one piece of Truth...God have them to YOU...He trusted YOU...and...if you are willing to let Him...He will equip you with all you need to be their momma... in closing I want to share this from Angela Thomas...bible teacher and fellow momma: Kids need their mom: 1.To pray in secret with the door open. 2.To never stop touching them. 3.To hang hearts of love over their lives. 4.To watch them go out of sight. 5.To keep a date night with dad. 6.To make them sit around the table . . . and linger. 7.To let her yes be yes and her no be no. 8.To be delayed, rerouted and canceled with poise. 9.To make them wait to take a bite. 10.To take Christmas to people who have nothing. 11.To miss a few things they do wrong. 12.To put down the phone. 13.To learn their unique love language. 14.To occasionally be a supermom. 15.To turn their beds down at night. 16.To ride a roller coaster . . . for the first time. 17.To talk to them like they are fascinating. 18.To treat their friends like family. 19.To cheer wildly from the stands. 20.To give grace-filled consequences. 21.To be a passionate, alive, spiritual lover of God. 22.To indulge their silly. 23.To have a hallelujah party. 24.To keep a family blog. 25.To become physically and emotionally healthy. 26.To become spiritually healthy. 27.To believe they will not grunt forever. 28.To make a big deal out of God. 29.To keep her promise. 30.To wait on them hand and foot . . . when they are sick. 31.To tell them to buy another token and keep swinging. 32.To pray them home and for the will of God. 33.To be a “groovy” mom. 34.To teach them how to know the voice of God. 35.To believe in their strengths and speak life into their gifts. 36.To make a home where grace lives. 37.To throw down the “MOM card.” 38.To tell them what she’d do differently. 39.To make a big deal out of grandparents and extended family. 40.To teach them how to keep their money straight, in order, facing the same direction. 41.To be patient about things like thumb-sucking and pacifiers. 42.To let them make really dumb mistakes without condemnation. 43.To introduce them to her friend named Jesus. 44.To set the tone for the family. 45.To teach them to genuinely respect all people, cultures, denominations and creeds. 46.To teach the boys how to love a wife. 47.To teach the girls how to love a husband. 48.To identify the characteristics of a fool and tell them what to do when they meet one. 49.To train them to listen to her. 50.To teach them not to be easily offended. 51.To live as single moms with amazing lives. 52.To teach them a gracious and generous hospitality. One more...from me...be their biggest cheerleader...and encourager...be their momma and their friend...but momma comes first!!!!!