Summer in The D

We love DETROIT!
Jesus has a plan & for whatever reason
He's called us to be a part of it.
It's been over 5 years since we moved
here... and we have fallen in love with
The D!

This summer we're taking in the
sites & fun. Here's a few things we've
done in the last couple of weeks!
(Not in order!)





















Chilly & I celebrated our 20th Ann.
at Comerica Park and even saw the
huge fireworks over the city that night!



















I love this man! xoxox


















Took my youngest 3 kids & visiting niece to
the Detroit Science Center! So fun!
(That membership Mom bought us has been
used over & over. We love it!)


















Dance party at home! Always fun!
Always Free! and always funny!

















HUGE playground at Belle Isle - have you
ever seen a double-decker merry-go-round?
Free Fun!


















A round swing? They loved it.
















Swimming in the Detroit River at Belle Isle.
(Hey, it's clean... well, I mean.. um COLD!..
just ask Zoe!) Free.
Freezing Water. But Free!




















Free Fun! Playing in the fountains behind the
GM buildings! (Those buildings behind
the fountains & across the river
are in CANADA! Weird, huh?)
















This kids inside the GM RenCen

And, below...
a little impromptu hide-N-seek at Old Navy!
(also free... not the clothes, but the hiding!)

Helplessness

Since my list of "Summer Projects" is much longer
than any normal (or perhaps even super-human)
can possibly conquer in one summer, I was
encouraged by the quote that Chilly had written down
back in 1989 or 1990 (yeah, I'm old).
I found it today in an old organizer notebook
(that I was cleaning out... check that off the list!)

Here it is...

"The Power of Helplessness"
Individuals can find strength within,
ONLY after they acknowledge the limits
to what they can accomplish alone."
by
Catherine Marshall

This summer's a great reminder that I really
can't EVER do anything of worth without the
power & direction of JESUS!

Lord Jesus...
My summer belongs to You!
Change, rearrange, do whatever You
want to my "to-do-list."
I'm Your's!

Twenty Years!

This is Chilly... and
I'm in love with this man!



















In honor of Father's Day (2 days ago)
&
our 20th Anniversary (tomorrow)
I am happily listing (in no particular order)
some of the many things I love & admire
about My Man!

Chilly...

- Wrestles our little boys every morning

- Spends his day off with all of us

- Never complains about our meals

- Never complains about the condition of our house

- Never really complains about anything, actually

- Loves being with our family

- Willingly rearranges his schedule to help the
family schedule run more smoothly

- Takes care of projects around the house;
he's never needed a "honey-do" list!

- Puts God first, our marriage second

- Has late-night conversations with our teenagers

- Prays... EVERYDAY
(well, it's during the night, really)

- Actually OBEYS what God speaks to him

- Plays video games with the kids

- Teases me & keeps me laughing!

- Willing to take the risks that real faith requires!

- Knows & continually studies The WORD!

- Wants me to get more sleep

- Lives what he preaches

- Likes hanging out with me! :)

- Invests in other peoples' lives

- Gets a kick outa the fact that I can still kick
over my head!

- Isn't all wrapped up in "having stuff" & happily
lives on less

- Gives more

- Lets me have the closet in our room

- Lets me talk... and talk... when I need to

- Lets me cry... and cry... when I need to

- Makes me laugh, even when I think I don't
want to, but REALLY do need to!

- Is the leader of our family

- Isn't swayed by fads or peer pressure

- Is blazing new trails

- Has gorgeous eyes

- Listens to & considers my opinions

- Sets high standards & lives up to them

- Rejoices in the success of others

- Is committed to God, me & our family-
for LIFE!

- Is more than a blog could list!
----------------------------------------------------
Chilly, it's a joy to be married to you!
I'm so, SO thankful that 7,300 days ago
you said, "I DO!"

I love you!
Happy 20th Anniversary!!!

xoxoxox
"I do"

Gotta think

The more we REALLY know Jesus
the more we really know ourselves.

And consequently, the more we see
ourselves for who we really are &
we'll desire and pursue change,
holiness and the
likeness of Jesus.

I gotta think that if we... You... Me...
really have an on-going relationship
with Jesus then we won't be the same
person we used to be....
last year
last month
last week
yesterday!

35 Ways to Save Money

Hey, it's a full week here in the D.
Chilly's big brother, Vic & wife, Carole and
our niece, Annalyn are here. Their youth
ministry is here on a missions trip....
doing outreach in the city. Cool.

The kids and I are hanging out with Annalyn
and doing lotsa fun cousin stuff, and enjoying
some free stuff that Detroit has to offer
.... which will make a nice little picture post
for another day.















(Hart Plaza, downtown)

Speaking of FREE, and saving money...
here's a link to a GREAT site that
I read often. She's posted 35 ways to cut down
on your grocery bill, with links to all sorts of
info explaining each suggestion.

It's good stuff!

Happy Thursday!

In Florida with My Man!!!

Chilly & I returned on Sunday evening from a 5 day
trip to St. Pete Beach, Florida! We were part of a
church planter's conference and Chilly spoke on
the closing night. Being away was great & I could
write paragraphs on it all. But I won't... just a
bullet list with a few pics.


Wonderful things about our trip...
(in no particular order)

- Seeing the new airport
terminal in Detroit

- Flying in a airplane...
it's been 3 years!



- Getting 5 straight days with Chilly
all to MYSELF!!
(it's been.... years?)

- Only having to get myself
ready each day

- Eating out... translation-
"Not cooking"

- Actually enjoying seafood...
(it's been... never BEFORE!)

- Had a great time hanging out with friends

- Staying RIGHT on the beach & spending time
with Jesus out on the little patio each morning!











- Riding in the convertible in the sunshine!

- Meeting other church planter's and future
church planter's & hearing their stories

- Not having to set an
alarm for
several days!

- Taking pictures,
continually!

- A tiny frig full of
Diet Coke!

- Knowing that our friends & oldest daughters were
lovingly caring for our kids

- Meeting other woman in ministry

- Hearing my husband share the vision God gave us
for Detroit... and being a part of the prayer time
when the Holy Spirit rocked the house!


- The feeling of the sunshine
on our pasty white
Michigan bodies...
and getting a tan!

- Not having to "get used"
to the ocean water...
it was 82 degrees!


-Driving along the shore, laughing, praising, singing,
enjoying the wind in my hair, driving over a ton of
really beautiful bridges


(This is Sunshine Skyway)






- Going to a cute little area
called John's Pass, enjoying
the boardwalk, shops & even saw dolphins


- Celebrating 20 years
of marriage
(a couple weeks early!)




- Falling even MORE in love
with Chilly!






- Feeling the sand between my toes



- Loving the time away and
having God continue
to grow a strong love of home
- DETROIT-
in our hearts!







- Knowing that
God is putting
a miracle together
and we get to
be a part of it!



- Falling even MORE in love with JESUS!

- Realizing that we will ALWAYS remember this week!

Even on a Trip

Obedience is energy producing!


Even though I'm going along with My husband
on a ministry trip...

and my responsibilities include...
resting,
laying on the beach and/or poolside,
not cooking,
not cleaning and
not being responsible for anyone else...

God reminded me this morning
that His plans are BETTER!
and that I must be alert... and obey!

We don't take vacations for HIM!

and..

Obeying God produces even more
energy that a takin' a nap!

(and this is comin' from the lady who,
for weeks, has been looking forward
to sleeping and resting on this trip)

Finally! (sheesh)

Finally!

Months & months ago... dare I admit it was
probably over a year ago that I started cutting
old pairs of jeans into squares.

First, large squares.
Then I sewed them into rows & attached
the rows into a quilt front.

Then proceeded to line it and put a soft
flannel backing on it with an opening
at the bottom... and.. all
those squares became a Duvet cover!


















I proudly stuffed in a used comforter that once
belonged to my daughters and presented it my
oldest son. He was thrilled.










I quickly promised my younger son the same
warm, lovingly crafted "quilt" before the
winter time came.

opps... it came & went! (I'm not complaining!)

BUT... today!
TODAY is FINALLY happened.

All those smaller squares I'd cut out of old jeans
from Chilly, our girls and even a few friends
(thanks, Zach & Adam)
have FINALLY become a duvet cover for our
littlest little man!











Things that last are worth sticking with.
(yes, I ended that sentence with a preposition)

Things that really mean something to us
are worth continuing!

You may need some inspiration to finish a
meaningful but undone project...
be inspired!

We all need to be reminded that we run a race
that has eternal worth & lasting value...
so be encouraged!

Someday we will Finish!
Finally!

Heb. 12:1 "Do you see what this means -
all these pioneers who blazed the way,
all these veterans cheering us on?
It means we'd better get on with it.
Strip down, start running - and never quit!
No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins."

(The Message)