This Time of Year!

Oh, how I love the colors of the leaves this time of year. So beautiful!! RED,YELLOW,ORANGE!!! It is amazing! It reminds me of God's goodness and His promises. I look at the trees and I am filled with this emotion that I can't explain. It is like I am feeling the presence of God!

This season also brings with it a ball of emotions for me. I can remember riding through the mountians last year with mom and how she was so in AWE of the beauty. She had never seen such beauty in Lubbock (although, I find that Lubbock has some things that Tennessee doesn't). This year the leaves are more vibrant and I find myself wishing that mom could see this. Oh, how she would love it! But then I am reminded...she has the best seat in the house!

As I sort through all the emotions, I am reminded that seasons may change but our God is constant! So cling to Him!!! He is our rock and our refuge, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we do not fear..

Thank you God for being our constant rock in an ever changing world!

In the Word

I was able to spend some good time in the Word today and loving every minute of it. I wish so much that I could just spend hours just digging into God's Word. I have been doing a Kay Arthur study on my own on Ephesians. I have studied this Book in the Bible before but never have the truths come alive as they have over the course of this study. Here is a little peek at what I studied today..http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Precept/archives.asp?bcd=8/1/2008.

I love Kay Arthur! She is a woman of the Word and I love the hard truths that she sets before us. Today I was confronted with the Truth that I am to "walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind." And then to realize why the Gentiles are futile in their thinking is because their hearts have been hardened and they have become callous. (Eph. 4:17-18)

Oh, how I pray that I would not become callous but that I would be "renewed in the spirit of my mind." (Eph. 4:23).

Guard your mind!! Keep your mind under control! Think with the mind of Christ. We are to walk in Christ-likeness in every aspect of our lives.

I admit that lately I have allowed my mind to be more like the world than like Christ.

"I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Thy Word is Truth." John 17:15-17

Trick or Treat!

We had a blast last night going around our neighborhood with the kids! Tanner was Buzz Lightyear and Parker was a UT football player. We looked everywhere for a "weel helmet" for Parker to wear but to no avail. We found this one at Dicks's Sporting Goods and it has a sticker on the back that warns us not to use this as protective gear. Trying to explain this to Parker has been very hard. I am afraid he is going to really hurt himself...or his brother. That child can tackle...and so can Parker (Ha!).

Paul and I both were really into Trick or Treating as children so we kept the tradition going. We had our good friends the Utterback's over to trick or treat with us in our neighborhood then our neighbor's (3 of which go to our church) went out together in a big group. Then a few of us came over to our house to decorate cupcakes and watch The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. Parker and Sam Utterback both said that it was the "best Halloween ever!" I am so glad that our kids love being with other kids and look forward to sharing fun traditions every year. I have been looking for ways of reaching out to our neighborhood and as odd as it may seem, I felt that by inviting them into my home and loving on their kids, I was sharing the Love of Christ! I look forward to sharing more of Christ's love with them.

Paul, being Crazy!!!

First Time Blogger!

This is my first (ever) blog and I am somewhat excited to share my life with you. I am not sure that my life is as interesting as most of the blogs I have been keeping up with but unique nonetheless!

I guess I should start out by sharing my story and why I have decided to join the rest of the world in blogging!

Over the past year God has done some amazing things in my life! In June 2007 I traveled to Lubbock, Texas (my home town) to sale my mother's house and pack up all her belongings to moved her to Tennessee to live with me, my husband and two children. Let me take a minute to introduce my lovely family....Paul is my best friend and husband, Parker is my 5 year old and Tanner is my 2 year old. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY FAMILY! And a year ago "Maw Maw" joined our family. "The White Family Household."

The reason for my mom's arrival in Tennessee was because she was diagnosed with a lung disease (Pulmonary Fibrosis) and could no longer live by herself. I have 3 other siblings who all live in Texas but my mom chose to live with me. This was an answer to prayer for me because I had only lived with my mom up to the 5th grade (a crazy story I can share another time). I had always wanted and prayed for redeeming time with my mom. AND God delivered on June 14, 2007 (when we actually landed in Knoxville). The first couple of weeks were spent going from Doctor's appointment to Doctor's appointment. Each time we were reminded of the stark reality that, medically, Mom was only being given 1-2 years to live. I would try to hold it together for my mom and then when we would get home I would run to Paul and cry, sharing with him what the Doctor's had told me. Even then, I was holding fast to the sovereignty of God, knowing that He is the One that numbers our days. My mom's story was already written before the foundation of the world. There is nothing that will thwart his plan and purpose.

On July 5, 2008 I was able to hand my mom over to the Lord as He called her home to be with Him. It was a very tender moment and one I will never forget as I watched my mom drift away into a calm sleep. And then no breath!! Just like that...GONE! But to a much better place than I could ever imagine. I could not draw a blueprint for such a place as my mom is experiencing now. She battled her lung disease long enough. I would try to tell her when she would get so frustated with her quality of life..."Mom, it's not that bad. At least you can carry your oxygen around with you and still go places and enjoy your grandkids!" AND my mom did just that...she would carry her oxygen around pretending that she was feeling just fine. She was a trooper! And for pushing through a year with just 3% lung function...I have to say---"God, you were the one behind it all!" She was able to go to the pumpkin patch with us last year, go to Opryland Hotel to see the Christmas lights, we went to Pigeon Forge, and then our usual trips to Krispy Kreme, Wendy's for a shake, Starbucks for Caramel Frappicino, Mandrin House, El Charro and her favorite thing to do...grocery shopping at Kroger! And the thing I feared the most wasn't even a reality--I did not have to spend months watching her suffer. Praise God!! She went into the hospital on June 29th, into a Hospice facility on July 3rd and she went to be with the Lord on July 5th! She held out for Parker and Tanner. Once they were able to see her and she was able to talk with them she decided to take a nap and never woke up.

I realize everyday that it is not just me that is hurting. When mom first went to the hospital, I shared with Parker that Maw Maw was very sick and was probably not coming back to our house. He said, "is she going to die?" With tears in my eyes, I said, "it's a possiblity but we just need to keep praying to God." Which he responded with, "can we pray right now?" And he said the sweetest little prayer for Maw Maw! He asked me just the other day if MawMaw could come back and live with us. Oh how I wish she could! And Tanner still walks around mom's room in our house saying, "MoeMoe." Paul talks about her too! Oh Paul! What a Godsend!!! He served my mom well and His love was so evident in the gentle way he dealt with the whole situation. He stayed by her side at the Hospital watching FoodNetwork (and talking her ear off, but mom was used to it by then). Mom and Paul developed a sweet relationship over the year that she was with us. This was another answer to prayer!

So, you see, I could go on and on about God's rich blessings and the way he used my mom to develop character in both Paul and I. God's timing is inpecable! He knew exactly when Paul and I would need this encouragement in our own lives as well as in our marriage. I will never forget the lessons and values that God has shown us over the past year and a half. Everything was building up to that perfect moment when my mom called in May of '07 saying, "how soon can you come get me." And then again when she said in the hospital, "Kerry, am I going to be able to go back to your house, or am I going to die here?" Reality struck to the core of my being and I knew that I was going to have to come to grips with whatever the Lord willed for my mom. I think I knew deep down that He was already calling her home at that moment. I will never forget her words. I grabbed her hand and said, "I love you mom!" and she replied, "I love you too!" I had never heard those words from my mom before, but I believed her!. I knew that the reason she had chosen me to live with was because she desired a relationship with me. And I will NEVER regret moving her in with us! We will always have those sweet memories of mom walking around the house with her oxygen, cooking, cleaning, and drinking coffee together and watching Paula Dean.

So in sharing a bit of my life, my prayer is that someone might come to know the Lord...either for the first time or that their relationship with Him would become much richer and deeper and that you would be able to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the Love of Christ! He wants to wrap His loving arms around you in whatever circumstance you may be in right now! Trust Him!

I look forward to sharing more and only hope that I would be able to be a reflection of Christ as I walk with Him.




Mom on her Birthday
6-11-2008