Devotions for Luke & Mama

Luke is getting to such a cute age. He just turned 3 and has added so much to his vocabulary. I love to listen to him pray. At bedtime tonight we had the sweetest time. I got him "The Jesus Storybook Bible ~ Every Story Whispers His Name". Can you feel how precious this Bible is just by reading it's name? I LOVE this Bible. Let me just share my absolutely favorite line about God's love, it is:

Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking,

Always and Forever Love!

I love it!

So we are reading a story of how God makes a way. It is the Moses & the Red Sea story. At some point in the story I turned and asked Luke, do you think that sea can stop God? He came at me with such a ferocious "NO", that I was almost startled. When I asked the question I really didn't really expect an answer, but boy, he did not disappoint me! I loved it. We enjoyed our little devotion song and sweet prayers before tucking my little man in. I walked out of his room with my spirit re-energized.

Sweet times with Jesus!

My Girls & The Word

Tonight's bedtime was precious. Trust me, I can't always say that. But nights like tonight are what I pray for. As Abbie is getting ready for bed, she tells me just as casual as picking out her clothes, "Mama, Jesus died for MY sins. That just hit me again tonight. I love Him Mama." Of course this Mama is melting. I tell her, "Oh, I know what you mean, Baby! Mama realizes it all the time too, and I love Him more & more. You will realize more & more His great love for you, Baby." So we just loved talking about Jesus until she jumped into to bed. I left them to do their devotions for a few minutes and cleaned up in the kitchen. The Spirit was in that sweet room while I was in the kitchen. :) I went back to tuck them in and Abbie was so excited about her devotions for today. She said, "Mama, you have got to hear my devotions today. It is so me." She reads me part of James chapter 3, you know, the whole "taming the tongue part". *Note~there is little that melts me more than my babies reading the Word for themselves(and gettin' it).* So Abbie is asking good questions about the passage and then reads her devo to me. She reads the first three sentences and glances up at me; we both crack up. It begged the question, "Gee, who is that?" Abbie, "It is so me, Mama...it gets better!" She proceeds to read her devo with her attitude thrown in, which has me in stitches. She is getting it. She acknowledged things in her life that she wants to change because she loves Jesus. I can't stop praising Him for working in her life.

All this time precious Hope is listening, because they share a room, and is doing her thing in the Word. Hopie said she wanted to be like Mama one day and started underlining things in her Bible. She didn't really understand what she was doing, she is just copying her Mama. She has sat through sermons and just marked away. She marks all the words she can read. It is precious to me to watch & listen to her read the Word. This Bible will hold a very special place in this Mama's heart.

I love the Word of God!

CBS Leadership Retreat

• Laughter
• The Word
• Laughter
• Friendship
• Laughter
• Fellowship
• The Word
• Food
• Laughter
• Games
• The Word

It's Not About ME....It's all about Jesus!

This was our theme of our CBS Leadership retreat. We had a fabulous together growing in our love for Jesus, waistlines, laugh lines, and friendships. A very sweet time with some fabulous sisters in Christ!

Melissa Bloemhof, Amy Bloemhof, & I in the kitchen.

Why I can't wear the "fashionable" BIG glasses!

2009 CBS Leadership Team

Flood of His Love

Matthew 25:35-36, 40

35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, 40 ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

• Flood provides services designed to meet the physical, relational and spiritual needs of the homeless, sober living home residents, motel dwellers and those entrenched in generational poverty within inner-city Bakersfield.
• The ministry is dedicated to spreading the Good News and Love of Jesus Christ through worship, Bible instruction, fellowship and volunteerism. Flood meets individual physical needs, strives to build personal relationships with all who attend, and provides a vehicle for Bakersfield churches to serve, with the purpose of improving life circumstances in order to promote self worth and greater self sufficiency.

Heaven won't have empty bellies, jobless families, or hurting hearts. When we love & care for others, we have an opportunity to be His hands & feet until we get there. The smiling faces of those who receive a new pair of shoes, the tears of those who receive a warm embrace, the child who is played with while the worries of life disappear for the moment, these are precious to Jesus because He loves them. We want to be about our Father's work here on earth and people are priceless to Him.

Spread His love and flood our streets & towns with His love!

True Beauty ~ Horseback

This weekend I was able to visit Long Meadow one last time before winter. It was a beautiful weekend. We were gathering the last of the cattle. We had to find those critters in those mountains. What a beautiful time of year. All the trees were changing color and the air was crisp. Saturday was filled with a day of riding through some beautiful country looking for cows. We didn't find any that day but saw a lot of beauty. I never have my camera, which I often regret. I need to get a small camera that can fit in my vest. Sunday I got to go down the chute by myself. It was a great experience for both me & my mare. She is horse-sour, meaning she doesn't like to be alone. I had never ridden like that alone and was excited to be able to do so. We both did alright. We both have work to do but I couldn't have asked for a better partner. Pearl is fabulous. I look forward to many years and trails ahead of us!
I had a wonderful time with the Lord, my mare, & my friends. Even with all the beauty, my heart is never far from home. Aaron's favorite song for us is "My Front Porch Lookin' In". I understand that so much. My favorite view is from my front porch looking into our home. There is nothing to compare with when those you adore come running to you when you get home and grab your legs. They are so excited, and so am I, to see them, grab them into my arms, and hear their stories. It makes my heart swell at the recollection. I can't imagine what it will be like to run into my Abba's arms or grab His legs and tell Him how happy I am to be with Him. I can't wait! :)



Fall Colors in Sequoia National Park

Indestructible Hopie Continues......

The very first post on this blog was titled "Indestructible Hopie", that was almost 1 1/2 years ago. With our precious Hope we might be able to start a series under this title. Our new adventure last weekend was the ingestion of a watch battery.

As I was putting the girls to bed, we had extras that night; it got far too quiet far too quick. I should have known!! Unbeknownst to me the girls were passing around a watch battery that belonged to a lapel pin that lights up, and touching it to their tongues. Well the battery ended up in Hopie's mouth ~ surprise, surprise, surprise! So the girls erupt from the room telling me Hopie swallowed a part of her heart necklace. They made it sound like a very small part of her heart necklace. Upon inspection I couldn't find any sign of it and sent them back to bed letting them know that Hopie would be okay. Upon putting them to bed Abbie asks me, "Isn't it bad to swallow a battery?" I informed her that it was, "WHY???" :( That is when they show me what Hopie swallowed. That is when I kicked it into gear. Parents, Doctors, & poison control are called for direction! She was taken to the emergency room to confirm where the battery was. It was in a "good" spot, if there is such a thing. A "good" spot would NOT be inside Hopie, but that is neither here nor there. It had made it to her stomach. The critical area & timing was to pass the esophagus. So several hours later, a couple of scary moments, lots of prayers later she is discharged to go home & pass a battery at home. I love my job!

Upon farther investigating on why they were playing with a watch battery I was told, "It made my tongue tickle!" I still am wondering how I feel about having my own case number at poison control. I do hope that Hopie does not provide us with the material for a series under this title. BUT if she does, Jesus had let me know that I will be okay! He assures me I am equipped for the task before me! I praise Him for watching over Hope's body & spirit and being with me. His presence is my peace.

So continues the Adventures in AbshireLand!!!!

The Adventures of our 2009 Vacation

Our family vacation this year was full of discoveries, laughter, tight corridors, mileage, & FOOD! Rob has always talked about his time in northern California and how beautiful it is. Well the perfect opportunity arrived to visit this area. It all started with a wedding. Rob's Dad, Jim was getting married. We arrived the night before just in time for a fried chicken cook off. Oh my, how very yummy!

Hope is about to dive in!

We discovered how very funny yet sweet a wedding could be! The Bride in this picture gives you a glimpse of the fun that was involved.

We discovered some pretty good looking people in the wedding party.

Sorry Rob, no dashing picture of you!

We all had a good hard laugh about a red headed cowboy! :) And he never even knew! We (Aaron & Keri) are so childish sometimes!

On Sunday we got to visit with some friends in Redding and visit their church, The Stirring. We were so glad we got to visit and hear what Jesus is doing in our friends lives & in their area.

We can not visit a new area without checking out their pizza. We discovered a new fabulous pizza! Mary's Pizza Shack has pizza called The Napoletana
"Our legendary homemade pizza dough topped with diced fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil,
olive oil, and a light layer of mozzarella cheese. Authentic Italian pizza pie." Look for me to copy this one for our Friday Night ~ Pizza Nights!

On Monday we headed up to a cabin on the Klamath River.

Jim insured there was great food. Aaron & the girls got to go rafting and have a blast. Mama got to sit in her favorite spot on the porch and read & listen to the creek. It was so peaceful and quiet up there. It really was so good for the soul to just be away and in His creation. One of my favorite things was looking out my bedroom window at this:

I could totally get use to a horse grazing outside my bedroom window!

After a few days of rafting & swimming at the river we headed for the coast & the Redwoods.

We discovered that our children had never stayed in a hotel and were in awe of the experience. We had connected rooms with the Cobbs and had a blast. We also discovered how bad pizza can get!

We discovered how small we really are next to trees that wouldn't even be a splinter to God.

We discovered how good a lunch can get when the Abshires forget the peanut butter!

There were a ton more discoveries but I wanted to capture some of the best here so we wouldn't forget and share them with friends & family. We will close with two last discoveries. One is that Adventures In Odyssey are a great thing in a very long car trip. Second is discovery two of Luke's newest things!

His newest position he loves and his newest trick!

He is lucky he is so stinkin' cute!

Click here for all the pictures ~ Mom! :)

Visit the Cobbs

Hey God.....

The other day I received a gift from a couple friends that brought me to tears. Not just for a couple of minutes but the rest of the day. They shared that this was a gift from the Lord and that they wanted to obey. I couldn't put my finger on why I reacted the way I did. I don’t know that I really understand it today. I know I was humbled by the gift. I know I felt unworthy to receive it. But when I was all done trying to figure my messy, complicated self out, I came up with how tender God is to me. It blows my stinkin’ socks off at His love for me. I could tell Him ALL the reasons not to love me (as I did that afternoon) but He already knows all that and still loves me! There is something about being loved so unconditionally that strikes the very core of me. He moves me deeply. So I now have a sweet smile on my face as I think of the tenderness of my God and say ~ thank You.

Random Mayness

There were a couple things I don't want to forget, so since my blog serves as an electronic scrapbook, I want to record these memories. These are random but yet important to me. My poor brain forgets so many things that I think, "I won't ever forget that!" Silly woman, I know, hence the blog!

• Abbie loves to read. I love watching Abbie read! Probably because I am a reader and find such enjoyment in reading. I hoped my children would enjoy it too. So I caught this picture of her that I thought I'd keep in my mind's eye, but we have already established that that is not a reliable source for me. So here is Abbie reading a difficult but true story to our wonderful dog Bentley.

• Luke loves to be read too. My girlfriend got him these great Little Einstein books that he loves to flip up the tabs. I caught him in my chair reading them today WITHOUT me! Silly boy! But faithful Bentley shows up for all the good stories.

• More May Randomness, some friends of our traveled up north to celebrate their anniversary. When my girlfriend came home, she came bearing gifts. We had watched their puppy, Cupcake. This koala made of sourdough was one of the thoughtful and yummy gifts. I never thought a koala could taste so good. I have had parts of this bear the past several days for breakfast, with the best freezer jam I ever made! :)
  
• Today I worried my poor husband as I came down our bedroom stairs behind him. I was holding on to the banister and going very slowly. He turned and asked if I was okay. I said I would be if my calves would work! On Monday our aerobic teacher decided to change up things! Ouch! My body has been sore this week. I beleive the "burpies" put my calves over the edge. I have been moving better once the blood & coffee started flowing. I won't complain about the workouts since I am comsuming that great tasting koala bear.
• BUT it was what my friend shared with me after exercise that just blessed me. She was so excited about all that God was showing & teaching her. I really thought she might burst as she shared things with me. She is experiencing God's grace & love like she never has. She has been "set free" to live in this scandalous freedom that Jesus has given us. John 8:32 - "you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." It was fabulous to listen to her. I know what she is talking about! I have been there. Once you have been set free, you will never want to go back. As we were parting ways I told her, "You look great in freedom!" Thank you Jesus ~ You are so gracious! I pray He continues to workout this thing inside me though it may hurt. I want only Him.

Jammin' is good for the soul

Yesterday was a true blessing to me. I got to spend the day with a dear friend, doing one of my favorite things. We made strawberry freezer jam, from fresh, local strawberries. A day of busy hands, open hearts, and pure joy. We each did certain jobs and things went so fast & smooth. We got to share with each other what God is doing & teaching us both. It was a precious time for us.

Upon tasting the jam this morning on my toast, I believe it is the best jam I have ever made. Maybe it was all the love that was poured out of it!

It is yummy!

Psalm 34:8

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the person who takes refuge in him.

Celebrating Our 15th Anniversary

Fifteen years ago today we entered into our marriage covenant between God & us. It has been an amazing time. God has seen us through so many seasons on this journey of marriage. We have so much to be thankful for. As two young adults we entered into the most serious commitment you can enter into ~ marriage.

We have, in a sense, grown up together. We are a true testimony of God's grace in two messed up lives. Left to our own, we are a recipe for disaster, but left in His hands, our lives are a portrait of grace. It is an unfinished portrait ~ at that. We can't wait to see what the Lord will do in the next 15+ years of our marriage as we seek to glorify Him!

One of the best quotes we have heard on marriage is ~ "A good marriage is the union of two good forgivers". This is so very true. Some of the best moments in our marriage are when we extend the grace the other person needs. We pray we continue to grow in grace & love on this journey of marriage.


Ecclesiastes 4:12b
"A cord of three strands (Jesus & us) is not quickly torn apart."

Easter 2009

Luke 24:6 "He is not here, but He has risen."

We stand in awe at the cross and the work Jesus did there. Thank you Jesus! We are thankful for an empty tomb and a risen Savior.

The Abshires hope you had an Easter filled with the hope that our risen Lord & Savior brings!

We had a fun day of celebrating the resurrection with friends and family. The children had a visit from the Easter bunny.

Abbie had set out cookies and carrots for the Easter Bunny and a note that thanked him for sharing Jesus' love with other children. They found Easter eggs in the back yard and loved it. Easter service was filled with worship and fellowship that blessed our hearts.

Jesus has risen and lives today.

We also spent the rest of the day with Liz's family.

At the end of the day, Mama laid with Abbie, as she was going to sleep, and asked, "What was your favorite part of today Sweetheart?" Abbie's response brought tears to Mama's eyes. She replied, "When I lined up my Build-A-Bears and shared Jesus with them and they all asked Him to come live in their hearts."

That is the hope of Easter and she gets it! Thank you Jesus!

Love At First Spur

I had to show off my new pair of spurs. They are gorgeous! Benny brought these back to me from his recent trip to Oklahoma. I was in awe of them as I inspected them and then I turned them to check out the “emblem”. When I discovered it was a cross I was filled with emotion. My buddy went looking for a pair of spurs, for his partner, and made sure that they properly represented her. I love My Savior, Jesus, more than anything else, and my buddy knows this. I was so touched by this incredible gift. I proudly displayed them Sunday at a branding. Benny was tickled I was still wearing them, hours later, as we put our horses away.

Hebrews 10:24
Let us consider how to spur one another to love and good deeds

I did not just say that!

The Abshire home was having a tough day. Things were falling apart, children were falling apart, the house was falling apart, and homework time was falling apart. It just kept spiraling downhill. Mama tried to fix everything as it was coming at her, as this is her nature. For anyone who knows our Hopie, she can be very emotional. Upon being sassy to her Mama she was sent to her room until Mama could settle other things down and go talk to her. Abbie, meanwhile, is asking for food, dancing in the kitchen, whining for help with homework, and can't find a pencil, all at the same time. All the while, Luke is perched on Mama's hip taking it all in and whining for something too (but his excuse is he can't talk, so figure it out Mama). Hopie is trying to be patient for our talk and catches me at the wrong moment. She comes out of her room handing me Jesus and says "you need Jesus Mama"(see this post). In all the chaos, I take Jesus that she is handing me, which I took as an excuse to leave her room, and state, "that I don't need Jesus", referring to the statue that she is handing me. WHOA, that stopped Mama in her tracks, Hopie falls to even worse pieces because of how precious her statue is to her, and Mama falls to pieces because what just came out of her mouth is the farthest thing from the truth. Mama looked at Hopie and told her that yes, I did need Jesus. We all take a moment in an "Abshire huddle" and acknowledge our deep need for Jesus and forgiveness from one another. After many hugs and kisses and thank yous and love yous we regrouped by His grace. I was so thankful for Jesus gettin' in the middle of all this. The statue of Jesus sits in my kitchen now to keep an eye on me :), and remind me of my great need for Him in all things!