new friends and old ones...

isn't it funny how many people you meet and the impact that you have on each other...
i actually call my friends new ones and old ones...you know, old friends are the ones where you skip "hey, how are you..." and get right to the good stuff.
i look back and see the path that each friendship has taken (yes, i am learning to be more analytical, ha ha! old friends)- and which friends stick around and which ones find "new friends"...
i am grateful for every single kind of friend and especially when you get to change for the better... and the ones that really teach you something that you know you would not have learned if it wasn't for them...
a relationship used to be that way - Even though you leave a piece behind - what if it wasn't that way and you were not changed along the way? i am so grateful for that part of God's plan...what a wonderful author he is..

i guess i have thought alot about all of this especially this week -i have had to dig deep for the drive and gumption this week...just "to do" today. in a good way and a bad way.

i found myself on the floor of my laundry room tuesday night, completely helpless-no phone, 2 kids (wanting snacks) ...muscle spasm- understatement, back pain at it's finest. stress-complete understatement...satan attacking me in my weakest points. i could do nothing but pray that God would have mercy on me and teach me...i knew it was a directly related to serving the week before and trying to recover...satan's best work...

so i am grateful for the friends that would understand without any explanation...and their response would be so flavorful...i love you precious friends...

on a lighter note...
VBS at our house started this morning and i hope you will pray for all of the littles that attend..this year our church is taking VBS on the road...to a bunch of backyards all over Birmingham...i will share pictures later this week...

even lighter...you folks are so funny...countless emails about my crazy chairs that you can see in my kitchen next to the fort...funny enough i wrestled with whether or not to "do it" and i have enjoyed them so much!! thanks for the confirmation. hilarious!!

love to all and pictures next time!


Psalm 63

1 O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.

3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.

4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.

5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.

7 Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.

8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

9 They who seek my life will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.

10 They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.

11 But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God's name will praise him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

fort st. our house...

hilarious day...
we named our fort "st. our house" no real reason other than...it's friday in the middle of the summer...nuff said right? has anybody ever wondered why mother's day out SAYS they are on the school system schedule and they don't start until 6 weeks after the fact? mmmm....
so until then we'll make forts and eat popsicles on the porch...hope you are all having a fun summer...

God showed himself...

finally getting to post after countless laundry piles, diet coke, ice, salad, and enjoying my kids...oh and the orders from BBTN- thank you for your support so far this season...
what a wonderful week we had in Mexico...God certainly was paving our way and showing himself mighty, Holy, and invested. we had a fantastic time in the Lord serving the churches of Mexico city...that said i think my world view is different writing to you...i didn't feel a huge "mountaintop" experience because i think God calls us to abide in him daily and my work is just different here. making disciples does not involve going somewhere else...just a different mindset. who can i share Christ's love with today...i am praying that my life will be different because of God love and mercy.
we can't fix the poverty and conditions there, the lack of cleanliness for the kids and families, the dynamics of money issues, or even the cultural issues...we can however, fix their church so that they can use it to bring more people in to learn about Christ. We can paint it bright orange so that the whole village can see it...we can encourage those that are discouraged by lack of financial resources to minister to the kids of the community...
what a fabulous thing...short term missions. i am encouraged to be here and be in easier conditions to share God's love...the playground- even clean benches and grass with a bathroom...there dirt, no food and nothing to play with and these women are keeping their kids completely happy all day every day and serving Christ with a wonderful attitude in their circumstance.
glory be the God for his plan, his desire to include us all in it, the mercy he shows each one of us in our circumstances and how wonderful they are...
God keep my vision narrow to your cause, your Holiness and your neverending love for each of us...God give us the nations in such a way that only you get the glory...give us the vantage point to understand our mission in all of our circumstances...God thank you for our children and the love that you give them through us...continue to bless our families and help us to use our resources to love the nations and the easiest part -our neighbors and friends....God may you be glorified in me...

blessings until later...pictures coming soon!

packing...

hey to all
we are packing to leave...i cannot believe it...one of the busiest times of the business and summer with the kids and we are LEAVING...off we go to mexico...not for vacation but for service through our church.

The Great Commission
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in [1] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

God didn't say..go if it is convenient...or if you have a really easy place for your kids to go...or even if you have tons of time and money...he says go in the imperitive...

so...i tell you so that you can pray for our work in mexico city ... satellite churches training them in spanish to lead their own vacation Bible schools, carnivals, and children's events...so i am asking for these specific prayers..
safety of those who are traveling
safety for our kids we are leaving behind
ease of communication through interpreters and details of accomodations and food
health for us while we are gone
that we can help these churches through training them to make disciples as well
the children we will come in contact with
customs etc for the large amount of tubs of things we are taking..that they will not be taken from us for no reason...
all of the extra things that i cannot even think of...

thanks in advance for your faithfulness through prayer...
amelia is in charge of BBTN while i am gone...thanks amelia!! blessings!

nice to meet you...

hello to all...
whew!! we (the girls and I) are finished tagging, packing, etc...the boxes are made the clothes are in them and they all ship tomorrow! my husband and i were just talking...today marks the end of a really long, detail intensive process....designing, manufacturer meetings, fabric phone calls, many delegations..and tons of help!! again...whew!!
i am so grateful for different seasons of this business (not fall/spring...but phases/changes in tasks) because it also gives renewal and new opportunities for God to show his hand. God has constantly found ways to daily encourage and demonstrate grace and the business is no exception....it is so encouraging to be finished with a large project but i always know that there are more but they are just different... just like my spiritual life, God has a ton of work to do on me!

Thank you Lord for being patient with me as i learn...thank you that you love me enough to extend grace and mercy to me in new amounts every day- you are my portion, my strength, and source of great reward. blessings are mine because you are Holy, and righteous, and the giver of everything..thank you Lord for including me in your plan...use me, use this business for your glory and let everything I do honor you...

i thought you all would like to meet "the girls"- several of you have asked to "meet Amelia" and would love to put a name with a face...i am visual like that too and i/we will oblige!

ok so for introductions...
left to right:

me: you know about me...

shelley: newest to BBTN, married, mother of Bryleigh 3, and Jackson 5...stay at home mom (new thing) and working with us on orders,packing, and co-owner of the company that is supplying bows this season (a new thing for us)...yes, custom bows, yeah!!

Kimberly: has been working with us for about 9 months, married to a local football coach stays at home with girl 2 year-old Carsyn and pregnant with girl(we think??) Cameron...helps with tons of things in the workroom and computer things as well...

amelia: "marketing coordinator" we decided because she handles lots more than trunk shows and hostesses, married, stay at home mom plus two- Kate 4, and Jackson 2 -mmm she does everything else that i or one of the other girls does not do...which is a whole lot...

all three girls are precious sisters in Christ and absolutely necessary to everything we do...thanks girls!! love you all!




we took these pictures today on my porch- aka 213 ledge circle...the first picture is not really indicative of who we are but it is what i should put here..the second is the real deal-




it is nice to meet you all officially...we look forward to working with you...

closing comment: please watch this video and laugh as hard as we did (amelia and i that is)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZkdcYlOn5M
blessings until next time!

to the beach...

we just returned from the beach and really enjoyed the relaxation before the craziness here in birmingham...i am so grateful for the rest - i didn't check email or even pull out the laptop for 4 days and although i paid for it this week so far (so sorry to those of you that i owe phone calls)...it was a great break..












sharing pictures is always so much fun....but funny enough we drove past the state park on the beach and i think we counted probably 25 or 30 couples combined nights that were out there in their white shirts trying to get the "family beach picture"- we tried and didn't succeed once again...my husband had worn his clothes the night before...i took stinky laundry (little too long in the washer) and was limited on clothes once we got there (however, it was meticulously dried, folded, and packed...ugh)...and the kids just flat didn't match -owell- and here they are....also, mia in her bikini, logan on the best $25 we have ever spent (boogie board), and tutu pictures again from our new friend frilly frances....so here is what we got perfect for pictures to frame but my hiney looked huge in the other pictures....






on the business side...a couple more pictures of new things coming at the last minute of course....a rundown? those who are emailing with questions...ok FAQs from my inbox...

parties start? parties start next wed, july 9th...please feel free to call any one of our reps/hostesses on the show schedule on the website...

website products? we are loading them as quickly as possible (takes forever) hopefully in about a week...loading daily

order if not in a city where there is a rep/hostess? we have a new trick, virtual rep - Kimberly (our BBTN team member, here in birmingham) is going to handle all of you would like to custom order and there is not a party or you missed a party in your area...new place on the website coming soon for that...

matching sibling outfits? TONS this time..heard you loud and clear on the match siblings thing...me too!!

new tees? YES!! same great pima cotton just that it is pre-shrunk!! same great fit just a little better on the shrinkage...we switched countries for the better!! yeah!!

email me with any more questions!! blessings until next time!!

p.s. song on the website is from tree 63, font on the invitation is wendy-bold...(to answer some emails)