I have a heap of jumbled thoughts in my head so today is going to be all over the place and crazy.  Join me on this crazy Friday!

My girls, Kim, Laura & Maris and I have been going through the book of Ephesians together and we just finished this week.  We read a chapter a week.  So, it's not a fast journey, but we are hopeful that reading the same chapter all week will surely allow God to truly point out what he wants us to get out of it!  We email each other 3x a week to flesh out what God is saying to us and then we try to meet on Friday's.  Gosh I love these girls so much.
Just this morning I was telling them about this family that I've been following their blog and they are slowly losing their daughter to cancer.  It is heartbreaking and challenging all at the same time to read b/c their words are so poetic.  They are truly clinging to God throughout this whole thing.  I read this on his blog recently:

But here’s what I do know:  He is good!  His love endures forever.  Being called home to glory is the Christians final victory!  He is using this to bring great glory to His name.  Its certainly not the way that I would have chosen, but I’m not God.  He is.  And I am so thankful that He is.  For His power has overcome the grave.  My daughter will not be laid to rest.  She will rise and meet Jesus and be more alive than she ever has been.  How could any person who knows and truly loves Jesus ever stay angry at such a glorious truth?  He has purchased us by His blood.  He has made a home for us forever with Him where we will be made perfect.

Knowing these things does not lessen the anguish and pain that we feel at the reality of being temporarily separated from our precious daughter.  But knowing these things gives our pain purpose, and that makes all the difference in the world.  Knowing these things enables us to continue to testify of His goodness and grace even in our heart’s greatest anguish.

And that’s why, amidst our climb up Mount Moriah, amidst our anguish, grief, and tears, we can also worship Him and sing of His glory.  And that’s what we did tonight.  As we were told by the nurse that she may not last here much longer, I had a special time kneeling by her bedside and saying my goodbyes.  I asked her if she was ready to see Jesus and she nodded her head yes.  I held her hand and told her how privileged I am to be her Daddy and how now Jesus will be her Daddy who will love her and cherish her forever.  And then I picked up my guitar and worshiped.  Through great sobbing and tears, I sang to my little girl.  And this is what I sang over and over:  ”Oh no, You never let go, through the calm and through the storm.  Oh no, You never let go, every high and every low. Oh no, You never let go, Lord, You never let go of me.  And I can see the light that is coming for the heart that holds on.  And there will be an end to these struggles, but until that day comes…Still I will praise You.  Still, I will praise You Lord.”  Yes, my voice sounded terrible through my wailing and sobbing, but I worshiped.  I gave God my heart and surrendered.  I declared His goodness even while seeing my daughter dying.  For I am ONLY able to do this knowing for certain that she will not die.  She will rise into glory, into the presence of the One whom we love and worship.  What grace He has given to His children.

Do you see this man's faith like I do?  He is literally clinging to HIS GOD.  The healing God.  The perfect God.  The God that is in charge.  I could easily type all those words he just did and proclaim them, but I also don't have a dying child.  In the midst of his struggle and pain he is saying them.  I have been more challenged by this lately than anything else.  A parents WORST nightmare is losing a child and this family is enduring this and allowing us to see inside it.  Sometimes I feel guilty for intruding in their own struggle, but they have allowed it and honestly God is using it.

Today I have a blog post up on Noel Piper's blog.  Go check it out and you can submit your story about black history month as well.  I've loved all the guests posts that have been up and look forward to the ones she'll provide us with all month.

I will try really hard not to talk about this silly KVET audition all week long, but if you would be so kind and vote for me once a day until they say it's over I would truly appreciate it.  I am number 32! The deadline for entries was supposed to be until today at noon, but looks as though people can still send in entries up until Tuesday.  Anyhow.  I am just super proud of myself for doing something that I was so scared of.

You all know I'm a vegetarian, but do you know that my downfall is Chick-Fil-A.  About four times a year I go through the drive-thru and get a #1, on wheat bread of course, diet coke and sometimes tell them to “make it a large!” and then I eat it alone in my car so no one can see me.  Yes I clearly have a problem.  Well, the other day I tried the spicy chicken breakfast biscuit and loved it.  OH it was worth the stomach cramps throughout the day!

I'm reading the book Interrupted again and it is just as good as I remembered it being.  I encourage all Christians to read it and just try to forget about the suffering world (physically and spiritually) all around us.  I just realized that I think this might be the first book I've chosen to read twice.  I usually read it once and move on.  This one is that good!

I love these kids and can't wait for Wyatt to join in the mix!  What a crew we have!

My brother-in-law, Tim and his wife, JoAnna have a photography business and let me tell you Tim is GOOD!  For real.  If you live in DFW area, Houston, Waco or Austin you can have him do some photos for you.  You will not regret it.  Head on over to his blog/website and see the goodness that he creates!

He did this for us last year:

If I was a new mom I would want this pampering kit.

I've wanted to get my family into memorizing scripture together.  I've tried before, but like a lot of things in my life I do it for a while and then move on.  Kristen over at WE ARE THAT FAMILY just wrote about how to make this easier.  Maybe I'll try this soon.

I just added homemade sugar scrub to my list of things to give to teachers.  I'm gonna go out on a limb and say I'll never make this because of what I said before, but I will add it to my to do list!

I'm pretty sure I'm about to order some TABLE TRUTHS for my kids.  Aren't those the cutest place mats for kids you've ever seen.  Great discussion starters too!

I do believe that was the longest post full of random stuff I've ever written.  So HAPPY FRIDAY to you all.  Aaron's leaving town for the first time in a long time, so I'll catch up on BIG LOVE and read lots and play lots and cook lots as well.  I hope your weekend is blessed and full of time with loved ones.  Enjoy your kids.  Enjoy your spouse.  Enjoy your friends.  Have fun!