Lessons I've Learned on Love

Love abounds in the subtle gestures
It reveals itself in the extravagant outpourings
Love requires growth and demands truth
It conquers an insurmountable task
Yet flourishes in the routine

Love examines motive while extending grace
It is strong, needy, painful, joyous intertwined in a meticulous balance
Love encourages stability and relishes in the spontaneous
It delights in victory and conquers defeat

Love grounds itself in faith
While nurturing itself in community
Love accomplishes what is promised
It leaves no room for gray

Love barters pain for peace
Love fights with an unbridled passion
Silently screaming
Love multiplies through a smile
It overcomes with action

Love shields and protects
It welcomes with extended arms

Love shifts a mood
It calms the emotional twitch
It generously forgives and acknowledges the best
Love reveals the heart and directs the soul

Love is a calling.
Love is a movement.
Love is a choice.
Love is a lifestyle.

God is Love.
Love God. Love others.
Love never fails.

At Home With Amanda

Just made these yummy sticky buns. (Yes, I made sticky buns for dinner!)

I got the recipe from my recent edition of Real Simple. Only 5 ingredients and SO simple! (My kind of recipe!) Hope you enjoy...

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter thinly sliced into 10 pieces
1 medium banana, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons dk. brown sugar
1/2 c. pecans, chopped (about 2 ounces)
1 (7.5 ounce) tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Heat oven to 375 degrees

Drop a piece of butter in the bottom of each of 10 compartments of a muffin tin. Arrange the banana slices on top. Sprinkle with pecans and brown sugar over the bananas. Top each compartment with a biscuit.

Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven.

Place a baking sheet on top of the tin while the buns are still hot. Carefully flip the tin over, tapping the bottom to release the buns.

Enjoy!

Loving the Rain

Most days I don't like rain. I don't like the overcast weather. I don't like how frizzy my hair gets when it's raining outside. I don't like the overall dreary feeling of rainy days.

Today was different. I was outside pulling some weeds in our front yard and our girls were playing soccer in the grass. All of a sudden HUGE raindrops started falling from the sky. The girls screamed and ran into the garage and yelled for me to come in so I wouldn't get wet. I stayed, continuing the dreaded task of pulling the weeds. After they saw I wasn't melting, I told them they could join me in the rain. They looked at me like I had a third eyeball. Emma, our practical one, said, "Mom, are you serious? We're going to get all wet." After I assured them that it was fine, they came out in the POURING down rain.

We ran around in our driveway, chasing each other, jumping in the puddles for the next 15 minutes. They kept saying things like, "This is so much fun!" "This is better than Sea World!" and "This is the best day ever!"

After we came in from the rain and dried off, I realized how much fun a simple thing like playing in the rain can be. I was also reminded to appreciate the "rain" in my life. This year I've learned a lot about walking through the storms of life. I've learned that even though it's not always fun to be stuck in the rain or in the middle of a storm, God NEVER lets go of me. He carries me through and the storms help mold me more into the person God wants me to be.

I can truly say I am thankful for the rain: the rain I played in today with my daughters and the rain in life that God brings my way!

Back to Blogland

Wow! It's been a while since I've posted. Thought I would update everyone on what's been going on in my life. Our family passed around a nasty stomach bug last week and I think everyone is finally over it. Now we're on to coughs and colds. I'll take that ANYDAY over the stomach bug! As Ansley put it, "That bug is MEAN! I do not want it in my belly EH-VAH!"

Jackson has had to begin breathing treatments with a nebulizer for this nasty cough he's had for over a month. I thought I would share a picture of him...he has to do this twice a day for the next month. I thought it was going to be a horrible experience, but he actually LOVES it...he thinks its a new toy! (And now he doesn't sound like a 9 month old smoker!)

We headed to Tallahassee for the FSU/Miami game and had a great time with friends and family. We had to drive up in two separate cars due to a small accident that happened in our driveway. For those of you who have known me for a while know that I have a history of hitting stationary objects. It's a long story, but because of MY stupidity, Barry got to drive a nice sports car up to Tallahassee. He was knocked down a few notches back to reality when he had to drive his Corolla back home! (Or as I have affectionately labeled it, the "ghetto-rolla".) Here is a cute picture of the girls before the game.

I'm training for a 1/2 marathon on December 1. This is my second 1/2 marathon, so after I run this, can I say that I've run a full marathon? Training has been time-consuming and I'm looking forward to race day!

It's been a busy and fun-filled fall. I can't believe the holidays are just around the corner...I love this time of year and the cooler weather makes the fact that it's fall a little more believable!

It's good to be back in blogland!

A Delicate Weave

A couple of blogs back I told you about my friend Miss Amy. Today was the day I brought her the peaches. Something divine happened. There was a knock on her door. Miss Amy asked me to get it... so I did. There were 2 pastors from another church in our community there. One of them I know very well. He is an older gentleman that pastors a senior adult ministry. He's known me and my family since I was 2 years old. Imagine the stories he has about me! I love this man and his family very much. He truly has a heart for the seniors in our community and works his tail off to reach just one more. He serves in a very different church environment than ours at C3 but he is flat out getting it done for Christ in his community. He told me that he met Miss Amy just recently and that she had just prayed to receive Christ. I was almost in tears! This is what ministry is all about! I knew God had put Miss Amy in my life for a reason and today it all became clear. I may not have been there when she prayed her prayer of faith but I know God has used me to plant some seeds of love. Furthermore her nurse told us that right before Bill got really sick he gave his life to Christ as well. Her nurse is a Christ-follower and led Bill to the Lord. I am so thankful for these people in Miss Amy's life. These are the moments where life really matters. God places us around certain people for a very specific purpose. We all have different stories and different backgrounds. God uses many methods to reach those around us. I'm so grateful for the methods of C3. We are tirelessly devoted. I'm also grateful for the methods of my pastor friend and Miss Amy's nurse. It was a delicate weave that God knit together to bring Miss Amy to a relationship with Him. I love Miss Amy and I know that she would NEVER feel comfortable with the worship environment at C3 as an 89 year old woman. That's okay! I'm not insulted. My immediate circle of unchurched friends would probably NEVER feel comfortable in the worship environment of traditional churches. That okay too! We all serve a purpose for those who need hope. Thank you for your prayers for Miss Amy... God really does answer. His will is to always answer in a way that brings us together not tears us apart. This is something I've always known but needed to be reminded of.