Today Chris brought Joey and Xofia with him to work. Xofia ended up in my office playing with some toys that I stash under my desk specifically for her and her brothers. At one point she wanted me to pick her up and began crawling towards me, then stopped, and slowly stood up on her feet. I figured she might actually start walking (she has been at the stage where she has the ability but not the nerve for quite some time now) so I backed up. She dropped back down onto all fours and crawled closer, then stopped, and stood up again...I backed up again...about the third time into this routine she went for it and took 3 very uncertain but pretty steady steps and then was in my arms all smiles!

I must have missed something...did she start walking and I didn't know it?

I grabbed her and went into Chris' office. "Is Xofie walking yet?" "no, not yet" "Are you sure because she just took a few steps for me!" So we tried again. I put her down and faced her towards her father. She got the most ornery grin I have seen on her face and promptly crawled over to him. She refused to even stand up for him! I couldn't believe it.

Back into my office I went, sad that I had witnessed a first and couldn't even allow her dad the privilege of seeing it! Later, she was back in my office and she walked for me two other times! I was so blessed to be witnessing this but sad that her parents were missing it!

Finally, later in the day I was in Chris' office asking him a question, walking Xofie while she held onto my fingers and I was able to pry my hands out of hers and she took about 5-6 steps on her own. Chris saw it and from that point on she just wanted to show off her new trick.

Tatum came later and saw her walking, then Pastor Pat, and anyone else that came in that day. She is now walking very surely and quite enjoying all the attention.

There seems to be a fine line between praying believing and the "name it and claim" it extreme. Where is that line drawn? How can you tell the difference between praying believing something and demanding your own will?

I believe it all comes down to heart. Are you humbly approaching God? Are you fearfully seeking his face? Are you awestruck by Him? Do you desire His will to reign over your own? If so then you are probably on the right track, or at least able to be guided to the right track by God.

However, when we approach God with the attitude that its either our way or no way at all I suppose that is when we begin to be filled with our own pride. We also put God in a box thinking that our way is the only and best way when He is so much more creative than us! Perhaps I should keep this personal, so much more than ME!

I appreciate really good literature. One of my favorite books is The Count Of Monte Cristo. The book is 100 times better than the movie because the book has about a dozen more plot lines running through it. Each plot line interweaves beautifully with the rest of the story that it is difficult to believe that it is fiction! This is how I view God's working in our lives. He has a masterful way of weaving so many different things together so that they all create a beautiful piece of art.

So back to my original question. How do we pray believing as it says in James, how do we ask knowing, when His will is so much more intelligent than our own?

What does the Bible say? Like little children. I suppose a little child approaching a parent asking a request is still lovingly considered by the parent. Perhaps its already a part of their plan. Perhaps they say no, but they still treasure the request.

Oh Lord let me be like a child coming to You humbly but trusting that Your plan is the best.

Finding time to put these pictures in my computer was difficult, but I have worked it out all for your viewing pleasure. This first clip is a video of my dad on the Ferris Wheel at California Adventure. There are two things you need to understand prior to viewing this video. The first is that my dad is only scared of heights when he does not feel secure. The second is that this Ferris Wheel is not your ordinary Ferris Wheel. The baskets are on a track, not fixed in on spot. So as the Ferris Wheel turns the basket slides down the track and swings like crazy! It is very scary unless you have something like this to distract you:




This next picture is a heart rock that I found for Kelly. Its actually part of a ride but it looked really cool to me!

Perhaps you have noticed on the right hand side of my blog under "Seeing Spots" a link named "Paulz Blog." Paul is an elderly...ahem...exuse me...middle aged man who has a style of writing that I find fascinating. I think anyone over the age of...well...whatever...are my favorite story tellers because they have experienced so much. I do not necessarily share the same views and he does but I like hearing his thoughts. Plus he is witty, I mean true wit with style and cleverness. There is so little of that in this world. Humor we have in abundance, but true wit...not thats a rare commodity.

So Paul, if you are reading this, my hats off to you (metaphorically speaking of course. Hats look cute in the store but once they are home they look so silly that I never wear them).

Cali adven was fabulous!!! Alicia came with us and apparently she doesnt like roller coasters. We went on the little kiddie roller coaster which turned out to be more of an extreme ride. Alicia was grabbing my arm and hitting me and screaming for every drop. It was hilarious!!! Then she started considering the big roller coaster. I recognized the look in her eyes as the same look that i had four years ago when i first considered going on that ride. We got in line and she was surprisingly calm. As we neared the entrance she said that even if she hates it at least its over quick. We climbed in the coaster and pulled up to the launching pad and if there had been an exit there i think she would have taken it. Then we were off!!! She screamed and clawed my leg with every drop but she lived (and so did i). And she didnt hate us afterward. I think, with the right encouragement, she would do it again :) we were blessed to be there with her through it (even if i had to get bruises all over me)!!!

An eight hour drive is not so bad when you have Family to look forward to. The drive back might not be as much not fun.

We arrived at Aunt Bev's on Friday night (actually Saturday morning) and were treated to wonderful hospitality and a very soft bed.

Saturday was a nice family day of visiting and lazing about. When the heat died down we played Nation Ball in the front yard:
Then on Sunday we went to Jerry's church and listened to an awesome teaching. Jerry asked my dad to share a few words and he did an great job. We didn't realize it until that morning but it was Jerry's 4th anniversary of Pastoring Living Water. After church we spent some time with Jerry and Kim.


We ate at the Rainforest Cafe for dinner:


We were tired so we went to our hotel and pampered ourselves:
Then on Monday: DISNEYLAND!!!



Okay that is it for now. I will post more tomorrow!

We are here. The start of our vacation. Please keep us in prayer, we are visiting our crazy relatives!

Okay, seriously, I am praying that this trip I can rest and unplug and regain some perspective. I have been stressing about the silliest things. I am trying very hard to get back to taking my thoughts captive and not overreacting to silly things.

I am so excited to see my little CC's (thats our word for second cousin)!!! I miss them all so much! Especially Alissa because we don't get pictures of her online (HINT HINT)!!!

I will keep you posted!

I have never experienced anything like Sunday morning's service. It was absolutely amazing, overwhelming, exciting and so much more! We had one service, rather than our regular two. The kids stayed in the service so it was packed. The worship team always goes and prays prior to going on the stage and we did this. In the prayer room Pastor Pat explained how it would start and we ended up singing together and then cheering (sounds silly but it wasn't). Then we went out into the sanctuary.

You have to understand what was happening. Prior to this we had had the ribbon cutting ceremony and people had been milling about and visiting. It was fun. But when we came out of the prayer room and started up the stages of the platform for the first time...I can't even explain the emotions.

The crowd actually started cheering. We started cheering too as it was not an applause for us but simply to praise God for what He has done.

Pastor Pat opened us up with a few words and Kelly started us off in a song. Then we worshipped. It was amazing.

Pastor Pat taught a short teaching and then we closed in worship as well. It was the most awesome service I have ever had the honor of being a part of.

We are in. It seems so unreal but we finally have our own place. It means so much to our little congregation but even more so to those of us in leadership who have been working so hard to get it done.

Praise God for His awesome provision!!!

You can always check out the pics on our website www.calvarychapelcarsoncity.com. It will be a bit before I can update the pics, but I will!

We have an unofficial C of O for our new building. Praise the Lord!

There are many tears and much laughter.

Relief.

Pictures to come.
*****
Posted the above and about an hour later got a call from the Pastor. We are official! PRAISE GOD!

Baby Love is what I call her! She is so very precious to me. I feel so blessed to be so close to my little Xofia girl! Recently I was holding her and it sounded like she said "Bri" but I figured that was wishful thinking. She doesn't talk much just yet. Dada, Mama and such but thats about it. She imitates. Tatum (her mom) says, "Xofia say thank you" and she says "tay tuu." She's so cute! Well I just put it down to baby babble and didn't get too excited.

However!

I came in to work one morning and Chris had Joey and Xofia with him (Isaiah was at work with Tatum). I heard Joey say, "I hear Bweena!" and he came running down the hall to hug me (I LOVE that!!!) Then Xofia came crawling around the corner and got so excited to see me and very clearly said, "BRI!" She has said it several times since.

I am in love with these kids. I think because I have been blessed to spend enough time with them that they know me back.

My heart is captured. I am gone.

Tonight I watched How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. I think the most amazing part of this movie is the fact that she walks into a club and walks out with a guy. Hollywood makes it seem so simple to find and meet a guy that is not only available, handsome, and amazing but also interested in you as well.

This doesn't really happen.

I have met some handsome guys that aren't available, amazing guys that aren't interested and available guys that are not amazing or handsome. All this makes me ask God, "When is it my turn?"

Some people have solutions to this, "God is still working on you..." "Don't worry you are still young..." "God has someone great for you..." and so on and so forth. But honestly, thats not very comforting. First of all, if God is still working on me that is just saying that I am flawed and no wonder no one wants me. Plus it makes it my fault that there is a hold up. If I could just be more perfect then I will get a guy. Secondly, the fact that I am young doesn't help. It just means I haven't developed the patience I need to be an old maid. Besides, I want children, in that light I am not that young anymore. The last one is my least favorite. Nobody knows God's will for me. Nobody knows for sure that He has marriage in my future. Nobody knows if He has chosen to keep me single or not. Some people say that if I have the gift of singleness I would not have a desire to be married. I disagree with that as well. Some gifts are difficult to accept but they are for our benefit. For example, someone who has the gift of exhortation has the awesome times of getting to encourage and help people but along with that comes the times to lovingly rebuke people. Thats a gift, but its not fun.

I'm really just venting a little. I hope you don't mind. My cousin would always tell me honestly. I love her for that. She wouldn't mince words. Even when I was dating. She would tell me "I do not envy you. That is the hard part, the not knowing." Others tell me "enjoy this time." Yeah...well...if they think that why didn't they stay single since they enjoyed it so much?

Okay, I need to get to bed now. I think I should go back to watching sci-fi comedy and stay away from the romances for a while. You think?