Books

Those of you who know me well, know that I love to read. I thought I would share a couple of books that are my favorites, that I have read recently, or in the middle of reading. I'll have to start putting up a few every once in a while.

This is one of my all time favorites. I read and read and read this book.

Focus on Giants- you stumble.

Focus on God- your giants tumble.

I'm in the midst of reading this book right now. I really like Max Lucado...I was reading a Max Lucado book when I met David:-)

He was an arrow in our quiver,

Then we held him in our hand.

Soon the bowstring held the arrow,

And the aiming part began.

"High and Far"

This book I am so excited about. I have not finished it but am looking for every minute to continue reading it. I think this is going to top my list of parenting books. Here's a quote:

"Perhaps protection, preparation, and even Christian training and biblical knowledge are not the real keys. Maybe these valid and [very] essential things can monopolize too much of our time, distracting us from the real issue- the winning our child's heart...The Key to winning the hearts of our children is the often overlooked biblical concept of romance- not the world's concept, but God's. He sent Jesus Christ to earth not to storm our hearts but woo us and draw us to Himself, winning our uncompelled love. If we truly make Him our model, and pattern our approach to our children after His approach to us, we automatically begin to parent from the inside out instead of the outside in. We look past behavior to the heart; we look past symptoms to the cause; we turn isolated events into shared, romance-enhancing experiences that connect to something larger than ourselves...we parents are used as instruments of God in this process [of winning our child's heart for Christ]....."

I was watching a program the other day about teenagers and parents. There was a counselor there that said that he thought, through all his years of counseling and such, that the greatest cause of teenagers turning their hearts away from Christ was because their hearts were never won. I thought it was interesting and remembered my sister reading this book a while back. Although, I don't think such a hard question can be answered in just one sentence, the implications of that statement made me really think. I know that God has won my heart- He has used many instruments for this- one major component being my parents. Another my husband. A third my children. The list goes on. How wonderful it is to know just the tip of how much God truly loves me and over the pages of my life has romanced my heart.

This book has been clearanced in bookstores, but is available on Amazon.

This is a popular book that I have gone back to many times.

It took me a while to get into the "feel" of this book, but once I started understanding the writing it became one of my favorites.

This is an awesome book for raising children, but I learned so much from it to apply to my own life. I pray we would raise our kids for true greatness. The wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God.

** God has used these books in my life. I feel I need to explain though, that I do not agree with everything written in all of these books and I never just read a book taking in things as TRUTH. God's word is TRUTH. I read through the lens of God's Truth- what the Holy Spirit reveals to us through His Word.

It's all about Him

Alright, here’s a little story for you guys…I went to get some groceries one day w/ the boys…decided I might get a pregnancy test “just to make sure everything was okay”….well, we got home….I put the boys down for their nap….I looked in the mirror-cried… I was extremely nervous….took the test….God dried up the tears and replaced them with excitment (maybe I should call this nervous excitement).....called David and told him I was sick and he needed to come home…he told me to put the boys down for nap and lay down….I said no and for him to come home that I was really sick….he asked what the problem was….I said come home…..he insisted that he couldn’t…..I told him we were pregnant…..no noise……silence…..what? how do you know that?......what?.......

Well, that’s the story….isn’t it funny how God works sometimes? He can take the words right out of your mouth! This is a surprise for us….but I’m glad it wasn’t a surprise to our Lord. When I looked in the mirror that afternoon before I knew my future:-)…..I was filled with such…..well, I can’t even describe it…the best I can do is tell you a story to describe my emotions…..I was in the car one day w/ Seth and John David. We left Hudson w/ Mamaw and Papaw Ward. David was out of town. Seth and I were on the way to the emergency room with John David. He had stuck a wooden train wheel up his nose. I guess the little tire fell off and he wondered what would happen if he stuck it up his nose. Well, after some probing from mom’s tweezers I called the doctor who told me to take him to the ER. On the way there w/ Seth, all I could think about was how God was going to throw in a third one on top of this….so that’s how I felt at that moment….”what? God, are you for real?” Although we do have human feelings and emotions…I have to keep on trusting ….I’m just resting in the knowledge that even though I may plan my steps, the One who knows me better than I know myself has determined our course. I’ve said it over and over the last several years….In His will is the most amazing place to be, no matter where that takes you. No matter where that takes you. Whatever He wants…

Life’s not about me. It’s all about Him. Whatever He wants. He’s the Potter. I’m just the clay.

The Lord totally continues to amaze me…

The wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God….

It’s like I can hear Him whisper: I know you, Emily, and you need to stay very very close to me. All things are for your good. You love me and you’re my called. Trust me. My plans are much more than yours. Keep running after me. I love you.

I trust him. But learning to trust him more and more.

As I looked in the mirror that day I read some verses that I had taped up…..

"Trust in Him at all times: people pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." ps.62:8

"The Words of the Lord are flawless." Ps. 12:6

It’s still there….I don’t think I’ll be able to take it off :-)

How thankful we are for His peace that is so much more than our understanding!

Our hearts leap with joy….

Life with David....

...is always an adventure...

...all I saw was a flash of pink and polka dots...

...somehow John David seemed to relate to this scene....

...Hudson was a bit bewildered....

Love you, Dad.

Hudson

J, Hud, and Mom went to the park several weeks ago to play in the cool weather only to see that it was closed! There are soccer fields close by so we decided to see what we could do....you might wonder why there are no pics of J...well, that is simply b/c I couldn't hardly catch him...while I was taking these pics of Hud I saw that J was climbing up the net of the goal....yes, he really does think he is spiderman...he was climbing up and w/ mom's help he climbed all the way over the goal post and hung like his buddy, spiderman...he thought he was the coolest...so my hands were a bit busy... no pics of J.