This past weekend the girls and I visited my family in Georgia. It was great to see my niece and nephew. I miss them so. Audrey, my niece, turned 1yr old and we celebrated at a beautiful park with burgers and cake, playground for the kids, fishing for the men, eating and chasing the kids for the women. It was fun! Afterwards, we went back to my brothers (for more eating) and played "Are you smarter than a 5th grader?".....well, let me just say, I have a new found respect for 5th graders.
Sunday was a very girly girl day! Me, McClain, Macy and Emma went to lunch with my mom, sister-in-law (Jill) and my nephew (baby Cole). That's what the girls call him...."baby Cole" as if it is his first and middle name. Lunch at Olive Garden was delicious.....I don't care to know the calories. After lunch, we went to North Pointe mall in Alpharetta where one of the few American Girl Doll stores are located. McClain was beside herself. They have a bistro where you and your doll can have lunch and ice cream. The dolls have a chair that clamps onto the table so she can sit right beside you. In the bathroom, they have doll holders right beside the toilet paper. They also have a salon so you and your doll can have matching do's. Very girly.
Later we rode the carousel and then Emma got her other ear pierced. Long story short, about 6-8 months ago Emma wanted to have her ears pierced, like her sisters. So I took her and after the first one she decided she didn't want to have her other ear pierced. I tried several times since but she wasn't having it. Well, Sunday while in Claire's boutique (appropriate given Emma's name is Emma Claire, anyway) I'm helping McClain and Macy spend some money they had saved up when Jill tells me that Emma wants to get her ear pierced. I said, "Sure she does, see if she'll even come in the store". Well, next thing I know she's sitting in the chair waiting to get her ear pierced. So we took out the one pink one and she chose a set of blue sapphires, her birthstone. She did not even cry...she did not shed one tear. She told me right before the lady did it...."Mommy, I know it's going to hurt just a little bit". I love her so much! God has blessed me with three wonderful girls.
So on the way home, I pass an 18 wheeler....very dirty, you know what I'm talking about. It usually says, "Wash Me" or something. Well, on the back of this truck someone had drawn a hill with three crosses. Under the hill it said, GRACE. Beneath GRACE, it read Eph. 2:8-9. I thought to myself, "Huh, wonder what that verse is? Eph. 2:8-9, Eph. 2:8-9...I can remember that until we get home and then I'll look it up." Then I remembered that McClain's bible was in the backseat. I got the bible and as I'm driving with one knee, I'm looking for the verse. There it is.....
It is my new favorite bible verse.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.
I got home and was later telling Jason about it and he said, "You're not going to believe this but we read that verse in Sunday school today." So I guess being away in Atlanta this weekend, I didn't really miss my lesson. I think of it as God's way of keeping me in the loop!
7 comments:
O wow, I love that story of the 18 wheeler and the verse. So cool. I like that verse too. Sounds like a lovely time you had with your family. Hope you are doing well! I haven't seen you in a while, though Paige has said you've been busy. See you soon!
I really never saw the beauty of the Bible until lately. It was always a source of guilt because I didn't read it enough now I read it because I want to it is totally different. P.S. I need to go with you sometimes on your all girl outings, we go to places like Bass Pro all boys can be rough on a girl.
wow! that gave me chills! God has been sending me so many messages in creative ways lately and im glad to see that He did it for you also!
and im pretty sure i would of acted just like mcclain in the american girl store. those got big right around the time when i was her age. i read all the books and would even pack my lunch like i was one of them. i wanted a pail with a cloth napkin to cover it so i could be like them. but i never got one of the dolls :(
When I realized it was the same verse we had discussed in Sunday school, It was WILD. I had to sit there and let you finish the story before I told you (frantically flipping through Ephesians).
It is neat when some of God's "mysetrious ways" are revealed to us. Sometimes His ways are not so mysterious, rather they are right in front of us and we fail to acknowledge them. I'm glad you noticed.
Love you!
Neat story. That is one of my favorite verses! Love the slide show.
glad that yall had a great trip.. i was looking for yall that sunday and poor Jason had to wait on the pool and wasnt able to come.. oh well, looks like i need to come and try out that new pool!
OK, OK, so "Spring has Sprung"...time for another blog. Don't say you don't have time. I saw you sitting by your pool chatting on the phone.
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