Under the Water

I've been teaching swim lessons for a few weeks now.  Every week is different.  Every group is different.  Every kid is different.  I love them all.  They have the sweetest thoughts and ideas.  On day one they are thrilled to be there.  On day two they are feeling a little unsure.  On day three they often walk into swim lessons  saying things like:

"I don't wanna go under the water."

"Please don't let me go under the water."

"I don't want to go in the deep."

"Mrs. Alisa, are we going under the water today?"

I usually respond with something like, "I know you don't want to go under the water." in a very kind and gentle voice.  But since they are LEARNING to swim, being "under the water" is a necessary thing.

Yeah, well, in this here "life pool" I thought I was swimming good until God decided to take me a little deeper and then I got a little anxious and said things to Him like: 

"I don't like the deep."

"This is scary."

"Can we go back to the shallow.  It feels safe there...and comfortable.  I like comfortable."

But as long as I've been walking with Him, I know that God likes the deep water.  He likes to keep us at a place where we desperately cling to Him for dear life so we don't drown.  And pretty soon we realize, "You know this deep water isn't so bad.  I can do this."

Until He decides to take us deeper. 

What if you jump  

Just close your eyes  

What if the arms that catch you  

Catch you by surprise  

What if He's more than enough 

What if it's love

(Nichole Nordeman)

"Pull!"

I recently overheard my daughter talking to a friend who had been given his grandfather's gun.  She proceeded to tell him all the animals he could shoot with it and what kind of shells to use for which animals.

Last night we had a little shin dig at McConnell Hall with Andy's guys and their families.  It was nice to have the fellowship with them all... a happy evening.

 

 We shot some skeet ("We" being Andy and the girls) and I admired their skills.  My two dainty girly-girls were popping skeet left and right.  And their father hit a few too.

 "Pull!"~ Shoot!~ (Drop the Shell.)  and again and again.

 This chick shot three in a row...more than once.

 I'm glad they are growing up with a variety of skills.  

And I'm glad they like to go hunting and fishing with him...

 

 ...cause then I don't have to.

 It was a fun-filled evening.

Grateful for the gift of it!

Fourteen Years of Gratitude

  1.  Grateful for her birth...it was LONG, it was hard, but it was all worth it.

 
2.  Grateful for her delight in others... it is genuine and kind and truly seeks the good.

 3.  Grateful for her friendships.... for how she likes to have lots of them, and how she enjoys people- their thoughts, and ways, and ideas.

 4.  Grateful for how she loves her sister, for their beautiful friendship, for how God chose to make them close in age and close in spirit.  Caroline's birthday card to Rebecca:  "Thank you for being a great friend, for loving me and always looking out for me."  She is that kind of sister.

 5.  Grateful for her wit and smarts.

 6.   Grateful that she is not only my daughter, but my sister in Christ.  Praise God for her salvation.

7.  Grateful for the gifts God gave her and how she sharpens me and encourages me.

  8.  Grateful for her weaknesses and watching His power made perfect in them.

 9.  Grateful for how she makes me belly laugh... for our "car talks" about life and being at a place in her little life where she "gets it" and can laugh at the days to come.

 10.  Grateful for how she likes to antique shop, and fabric shop, and clothes shop, and get some Starbucks.

11.  Grateful for how easy it is for her to say, "I'm sorry."

 12.  Grateful for her delight in the little ones, her joy in the things they say, and how God is shaping her nurturing skills through the cutest of  munchkins.

 13.  Grateful for how she doesn't mind leaving her clothes on the floor and her bed unmade...because I am nothing like that and, in a small way, wish I could be at peace in a mess.

14.  Grateful for FOURTEEN years with her.  She is a precious part of our family.... a joy to have as a daughter and a sister and a friend.  I'm glad God chose me to be her momma.

Happy Birthday, Rebecca!

Unexpected Birthday Surprise

She turns fourteen today.  About a week ago, a sweet friend of mine read this post and sent Rebecca a little facebook message that read:

Rebecca, Steve read your mom's blog and he has a Canon AE1 with a couple of lens that you can get for a "steal!" He will give it to you if you are interested. Hope you can still buy film! Freda

A day later she arrived with the camera.  It thrilled Rebecca's soul.  We went for film and a battery and that sweet camera was good to go.  

She has been snapping to her hearts content.   We've already dropped off two rolls of film.  (Can you believe CVS still develops in house???)  I reckon she'll be more selective about her shots when she sees the price tag she has to pay for those two rolls.

So grateful for this girl, her joy in this sweet act of kindness, 

and dear friends who delight to share.

Happy Birthday, Rebecca!

 

Father's Day Fishing

Here's the thing... my husband loves the outdoors.  

He works outdoors and he plays outdoors.

His only request for Father's Day...

... was that we all go fishing with him for an hour.

We left after two and a half....

... but that's just because it got dark.

It was a glorious evening...

...full of sunshine, and mosquitoes, and a frog that sounded like a goat.  

(I called it a "goatfrog.")

Andy and Rebecca caught all the fish.

And Andy caught a snapping Turtle.... that snapped his line... and pole.

Another Lamb family outing for the memory book.

Happy Father's Day to our favorite outdoorsman.

We love you, Andy Lamb.