So, finding the word…As I spent the first few days listening to Passion 2012 online, I was moved to action.  Immediately I sensed the Lord just giving me this new hunger for His Word.  I cried, I laughed, I worshipped…it was so good, I shared time with my oldest son watching and listening with him…and he was taking it all in too.  As I spent time with God over the last few days, it was as if major overhaul was taking place. It wasn’t just me either. There were several college students we knew down there and major life changing was taking place with them…and then one of their parents was listening and she was saying she was feeling the Lord speaking to her as well in a new and different way.  To put myself out there and be honest, it’s been a rough couple of years.  I am vocal about things, but I am selective about who I am vocal too…I have seen way too many pastor wives not choose wisely in that manner.  But at the same time, I felt like maybe I had been silent long enough.  The continuous spinning of wheels and no forward progress was getting on my last nerve.  And then it came….the revelation that I was depending so much on the circumstances of our church to dictate how I was feeling about my relationship with my Lord.  UGH…that sinking feeling of stupidity.  I mean, duh. How not smart is that?  So, long story short, I confessed it and proclaimed that it will be no more…because we (me and God) are going to have an awesome year…regardless.  I also told Jeremy that we (him and I) were going to have one too.  I believe that…regardless.

One word kept coming to my mind….CRAVE. I wanted to be craving Jesus more than anything on earth.  And then, while reading, I came across one of my favorite verses…it actually came to me in song first.

Psalm 84: 1-2  ”How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul years, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

If the definition in the dictionary of craving is longing for, wanting more, begging for…then I want all those things as it pertains to the One who chose me long ago…who sent His son for me…who loves loves loves me…and who called me to serve Him all the days of my life.

Here’s to Craving more of Jesus!

Karen

Like I said in the previous post I did some reading last summer…Eat Pray Love was actually a Christmas gift to my mom. I bought her the book and the movie and she really only wanted the movie.  So, I gladly took the book back from her.  I started reading it after school ended in May and I finished it while we were in Hawaii.  It took me FOREVER to get through the Pray part…find that amusing, coming from a Pastor’s Wife, do ya??  Well, when I explain it, you’ll know why!

I will say I have not seen the movie still…so don’t ruin it by telling me the book isn’t anything like the movie or visa versa, okay?

I quickly devoured (pun intended) the first part of the book…you know, the EAT part.  Who wouldn’t love spending some time in Italy??  Eating their way through it… I say no one.  When I got to the PRAY part, it was hard to follow, since my belief didn’t coincide with what she was seeking…I pressed on through it though and learned a lot.  Brought me back to the World Religions class in College….I am all for seeking communion with the One True God.  During the reading of this, my husband and I were vacationing in Hawaii for our anniversary. Thanks to his prodding, well his pushing, to actually just sit and read, I made it through the rest of PRAY and headed into LOVE…my favorite chapter.  Had it been at the front, the whole plot and movie would have never happened!  The LOVE part was insanely juicy…I won’t lie about that.  And the overall conclusion is I really enjoyed the book.  I don’t have to agree with all the parts to say I like the book.  The God she talked about may not be the same God I believe in – the One True God who created the Heavens and the Earth, who sent his One and Only son to die on my behalf so the He could have a relationship with me – but I was encouraged by her words to pursue The Lover of My Soul even more.

Thanks Elizabeth Gilbert!

Karen

I started reading it late in the summer, since I was finishing up another book, and I finished it in a week…with many tears and prayers lifted up for this sweet person…I would grow to feel like we were friends. She could have been any one of us…newly married…now expecting their first child…when the unexpected happens – her husband, age 27, dies in a sports-related accident.   I cannot even begin to describe how I would feel, but her true, real, emotional rawness was mesmerizing.  I thought things like ‘yep, that’s exactly how I would feel’ or gracious ‘how in the world did she make it through this?’.  Her words, minus the cuss words, were riveting and kept me on the edge.  Although she uses language that will stop you in your tracks, you can’t help but see how difficult this journey is.  She uses affectionate words for members of her family…you can tell how close they all are.  She describes the navigating she must now do with her late husbands family.  Her humor is amusing and she makes me laugh A LOT throughout the whole book.  It’s a little warped humor at times, but given the situation, do you dare question it?

She teaches High School English, and she should be praised for that alone, but she compares and contrasts some of the greatest written books with her situation and I loved that about her!  Her favorite book, The Great Gatsby, is one of my faves too…so I enjoyed all the references to it.  She has a passion for teaching and it’s evident.

I wrote to Natalie after I read her book.  She responded too and I think and pray for her often.

She has a blog – Signs of (real) Life and her website is Natalie Taylor

Go and check her out!

Karen

In honor of that, I will post about my husband’s birthday!

Happy 35th Birthday Jeremy!!!

Where to start!?!??!?!?!

First, I planned a surprise party for Jeremy. I had never done that before and it turned out pretty well!!

Here are just a few pictures…Me and Jeremy

Gotta love the Japanese Steak House where they make you wear this wonderful hat!!! And sing to you!!
Friends!!! Leigh, Mike and Zulema

Leigh and Ian – aren’t they cute?  Their daughter and Noah could be married one day.

More friends…the Bryan’s, the Taylor’s and Glenda…I think Mary was talking, which is why they are all facing that way!

And the Williams’

It was a great night!!!

Karen

This year, my family came up to enjoy the luncheon and the game…and we got to spend a few innings with them! I had a shirt made which has my maiden name on it (Burdette) and our family number on it (33).  I haven’t had a Braves shirt in a few years, and since all the boys had one, I had to get one too!  We spent some time in the museum…

And running the bases in the SkyField…is he not the cutest thing EVER??

And then, in the box with the fam…my two aunts and uncles were there, along with Nolan and Lewis too.  I wished Danny and Alison could have come…they are engaged and cute as ever!  Nolan’s teammate, Hudson Randall, joined us too with his family and my boys were in heaven then! They like Huddy…he pitches for the Gators!

And speaking of Gators…

The boys got Gator hats straight from the College World Series.  Thanks Aunt Nene!!!

Go Braves!

Karen

He is so thrilled to be going to school! He just LOVES it and is really looking forward to a great year with some old friends from last year and making some new friends!

Here he is at the bus stop…and his little sidekick too!

Little totally is ready for school too, but sadly he has to wait another month.  EVERY day he asks me “I be 5 now to ride the bus?” Yes, buddy, 5. (insert looooonnnnggg mommy sigh. )

Karen

The next day we enjoyed the Aquarium!  It was a blast! The boys enjoyed all the animals we saw and the new Dolphin Show rocked!!  We made so many memories that weekend…it was truly amazing!! Now, if this isn’t the most priceless photo you have seen ever, you just let me know.

LOVE the Stingrays!

Karen

Happy 10 years J!

Karen

We headed in the other direction today…off to the North Shore!!! We stopped at a Lighthouse on the way and the visitor center wasn’t open yet, but I got this picture…completely looks like a postcard.

We then headed into Princeville where we toured around the hotels and time shares there.  We walked through the Westin, which was spectacular and I decided I could spend the summer here every year!  We went to Hanalei where we had breakfast.  We checked out the Hanalei Pier and drove all the way to the “End of the Road”, literally.  Ke’e Beach is the end of the road, with barely enough room to turn our car around.  It was very crowded, so we didn’t stay. We parked it at another beach (Anini Beach) and snorkeled some, but mainly just sat on the beach.  My husband does a great job at just making me relax, and that’s exactly what I did.  I made my way through my book and we had a great last full day of enjoying Kauai.  On the way home we enjoyed Bubba’s Burgers which we delicious!  And later that night we enjoyed a HUGE Shaved Ice almost the size of Noah.  I was mad we didn’t get a picture of it before we devoured it!

Karen

We were on our way to Kayak that morning.  We were with 2 other couples and our guide.  We paddled up the Wailua River and then we hiked a mile in to Secret Falls…

So beautiful…so peaceful… I remember hiking thinking I can see and hear the stream, but never the waterfall. And then we hiked up and over the cliffs, there it was. As beautiful and roaring as you can imagine.  We swam near it, but didn’t get too close…although we watched other people go right for it.  It was powerful you could feel the power long before you could reach the waterfall.  Completely amazing.

We dinner at the hotel that night…and my arms began killing me right about the time I went to bed.  Thankful for the Aleve we packed!

Karen