I was reading

It's funny how sometimes the simplest of messages strike you. I was reading today in Matthew 18 how in the Parable of the Lost sheep, "not to despise one of these little ones." I thought about how simple a message that is and how it shouldn't be hard to apply it. He goes on to say "unless, you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Here again, a simple message, or so it seems.

Today I appreciated the comparison since spending the day with my children has proved that they totally and completely rely on ME. I am here for safety if something should happen like Ava Grace falling and hurting her head. I am here for food when they get hungry and Kate wants more milk in her sippy cup. I am here for comfort since Ava needs cream on her diaper rash. I am here for hugs and giggles as we played airplane. (where they "fly" on my feet) I am even here for the harder part of parenting....discipline as I had to spank Kate for disobeying mommy for the "umpteenth" time.

God is asking us to rely on HIM and live freely just as our kids do each and every day. I don't see Kate running around worried about her morning snack or Ava Grace stressed over her diaper rash. They play, run, giggle, and they know WHERE to go when it's time for comfort, food, love, and even where the discipline comes from. We can do that, can't we? Trust in Him as our Father, who is a better stay at home parent than we'll ever be.

It's almost over...soak it up!!!!!

All of our families birthdays are now over for the year, Jen's wedding too and Christmas is in a few days, and then what? There is all of this preparation for birthdays and Christmas between parties and church activities and then we are left with cleaning up afterwards.

On top of all of the regular festivities, my sister-in-law got married last week which topped off this season with another dose running around. After all is said and done it was better to have been busy with it all than to have nothing. I am tired and I have been a little stressed but in two weeks when the new year begins, I will have a lot to look back on and appreciate. It was in those busy stressful times that I got to spend with family and friends, to get out of my comfort zone and rely on the Lord, and to experience new things that I normally wouldn't be a part of.

So, it is almost over, but I am going to sing the heck out of some Christmas songs for the next few days, my tree will stay lit 14 out of the 24 hours in a day, and most importantly I am going to soak up every sweet minute with my family because that has been such a gift to me.

Again, Merry Christmas to our dear friends in other states and countries and to whoever is reading this.

A Christmas Update!

I do apologize to my sweet friends who have visited our blog time and time again only to find the same things.  Josh and I just spent the sweetest evening as a family and it made me think of how I needed  to update all of you on what's going on in our lives these days.

Ava Grace turned one almost a month ago and she's such a blessing to us.  She is loving just as we prayed for but it is ALWAYS on HER terms.  She is growing well according to her pediatrician.  She'll follow in her Daddy's footsteps and be tall, skinny with a large head.  (We won't tell her so that she doesn't develop a complex or anything)

Kate just turned three a week ago.  She is so articulate and loves to dance, read, and play dress up. She has asked for Sleeping Beauty from Santa and a microphone.  She's still a little leary of him, but she's warming up slowly.

Josh is working hard as usual.  He is staying busy helping out around the house too.  With all three of his girls Birthdays within a month of each other, he has had to stay on his toes.  He is still at Little Mountain Baptist Church, and yes I am his wife, but lately God has really led him to preach some amazing sermons.  OH, and he celebrated his birthday in November too!

My birthday is quickly approaching and I will be the sassy 30 this year!  I am busy being mom, but I love it so much.  I have started to tutor students after school and have found a new favorite occupation.  I am also very busy with AWANA at our church.  I am the commander and Trek leader in AWANA which is a new children's program at our church.  God has been so good!  We have (children and workers) anywhere between 40 - 50 people just in AWANA on Sunday nights.  Thank you LORD!!!!

I had planned to send out a newsletter as a Christmas Card, but Josh reminded me of the newfangled internet :) and how I should utilize it!  So to all of you in different countries, states, and cities that we love so dearly.....Merry Christmas.  Amidst all of this craziness of a "poor" economy, bailout talks, and going green.......  We know that we serve a risen Savior and celebrate with you the birth of sweet Jesus.

Love in HIM,

The Phillips

Pink Ice Cream

Kate can count to twenty and sort of knows her abc's, but when it comes to colors she just guesses. Tonight we had an ice cream social after church and it was so wonderful. It kind of felt like a big family getting together in the fellowship hall to snack on sweets and catch up. All night Kate had one thing on her mind..........ice cream. Not just any ice cream, but PINK ICE CREAM. They had chocolate, banana, peanut butter, peanut butter with chocolate, walnut, and I must add these are all in homemade churns - YUM. She could care less, she wanted pink ice cream and that was all there was to it. This simple experience with our 2 year old made me think of something quite serious.

Needless to say Randy found her some pink ice cream in the freezer. It's so funny how children get their mind on things and just won't deviate. I wish we as adults would be just as "sold out" for things that really count in the world. (without variableness) This is how James describes God and how He is unchangeable. Kate wouldn't change her mind, she was SET on pink ice cream. I hope that I can be just as SET on living like Jesus and not settle for some cheap imitation or substitute.

Have a blessed week!

As Promised...............

As Promised I have included a picture of our family at its best.......RELAXED.  We are enjoying every moment with our children and each other.  I am so thankful for my husband and children and parents.  There is nothing quite like family.  Here is a moment that we want to remember !

What Does God Do in His Office and other Memorable Vacation Quotes

We're trying to capture some of the funny things Kate has said while we're on vacation.  She picks things up now so incredibly quickly, and it's impossible to capture everything.  Here are just a few of the more amusing things.  She's learned the difference between the word "elevator" and "alligator" with one simple phrase; "Don't feed the alligators on the elevator."  This morning she woke up, crawled into bed with her mom-mom and pop-pop, and they talked.  She looked at mom-mom and said, "Mom-mom, what does God do in his office?"  They said he helps people.  I thought that was just as good an answer as any.  She's becoming a little planner too, like her mom.  While we were riding through the resort, we heard her in the back seat say, "Mom-mom said we would go to the beach.  That's the options.  Yep, that's the options."  She's a sponge, and if we stop for a second, we'll miss it.  That's all for now.

What is to come.......

Our last post was in March.  Yes, quite a long time ago.  Ironically, this post is about the same subject - vacations. 

 It's funny how during the summer, "we" talk as if, we can barely make it to the weekend or week of our vacation.  What is it?  Do we have less stamina in the summer or is it that we push ourselves through the fall, winter, and spring, and when summer gets here, we are barely crawling.  It makes us sound weak, but nevertheless, it "feels" to be true.

Our vacation is next week and it feels as if the days are slowly passing.  I am so excited and I know Josh is even more so.  Kate has been talking about her floaties (the arm floats) for two weeks now.  Pictures will come to capture our vacation for your sake and ours.  If the ideas mentioned earlier are true, we'll need these pictures to hold on to until next summer's vacation.