Laugh and play now, for this is your day.

Dream your bright and happy dreams...and aspire to your lofty heights.

Girlhood is the time of making ready...maturity and independence come later.

So laugh and play and rejoice in your youth...

 Be pure.

Be true.

Be sincere.

Be earnest.

~Adapted from Beautiful Girlhood~

 

My sweet Amy...we delight in the beautiful young woman you are growing into.

We are catching glimpses of the gifts God has given you and marvel as you start to use them to serve others.

You are a blessing to those who know you and a treasure to your family.

As you enter into this next year...rejoice in this time that God has given you.

Enjoy the adventures...explore your horizons...but continue to guard your heart.

Jesus is your first love...and we pray...will be always.

You are His passionate defender and follower.

You are quick and zealous to affirm His truth.

Your transparency and honesty is beautiful to us, as your parents...and we pray that as you grow in Him...you will continue to shine brightly as His child.

We love you, precious daughter!!!

Happy Ninth Birthday!!!!

Most of the day was spent creating...imagining...building forts...laughing...and playing hard!!

Just as quickly the temps dropped below freezing...and we desert rats were forced to find some fun INSIDE!!!

So we headed out to Discovery Place Kids for one last day of play before our membership ran out.

The kids had a blast...especially because Daddy came with and played right alongside with them!

After being cooped up inside again for several weeks...this last week had one or two days of warmer temps.

The kids wanted to take advantage of every minute of sunshine so we headed to the park.

Whenever Daddy comes to the park with us...the playground takes on a whole new meaning.

It either becomes a pirate ship...a space ship...or anything else that happens upon his imagination.

We have had several days of non-stop rain...so the creek was full to the brim and the woods were begging to be explored. The older two spent the entire time traipsing through and making up all sorts of imaginary games.  Daddy was close by to help the little ones "cross-the-river"...although there were a couple of little feet that landed in the mud! :)

Inside or out...playtime is always more fun when Daddy is with us!!!

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
I Peter 4:7

Here we are at the beginning of a new year. 
A fresh start. A slate unmarked. A full 365-days that are untouched.
But we cannot escape the reality that follows us from the previous years combined.
We live amongst a generation that claims to know God but neglects sound teaching and accumulates for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.
We are watching as some depart from the faith by 
devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.
 For many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, 
with minds set on earthly things. 
We are surrounded by lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. 
Those that have an appearance of godliness, but deny its power.
And it seems apparent that our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 

When we turn on the news...when we converse with a friend...when we read a blog or listen to a podcast...
all around us it seems the night is drawing closer to its end.
The god of this age is creeping into many households...
blinding those to salvation and the glory of God.

What do we do with this? Is it enough to simply be watchful?
 To take note of the changing tides of spiritual allegiance?
How do we combat this sweeping sense of darkness...the oppressing blanket of deceit?

Peter answers by telling us to be serious and watchful...in our prayers.
Prayer is one of the most powerful weapons given to Christians...yet left woefully untouched.
It is oft traded in for the loudness of worship music...or the noise of a downloaded sermon.
It is cast aside for the latest Christian book.
Forgotten because we are pursuing a form of godliness that lacks significant power.

We live in a complex world. We are up against a deceiver that masquerades as an angel of light.
But, Christian, we have access to the holy, almighty God of the Universe.
Communion is accessible to us...we are able to approach the throne of grace.
Peter warns us that we are to filter all that we see going on around us through prayer.
We must become serious...clear-minded...sober...vigilant.
Our enemy is prowling around...waiting for our slumber...our lazy acquiesce to idleness.

As hard as it seems...we are to shine even brighter as the days get darker.
Our love is to be even more fervent...our service all the more genuine...our gifts constantly in use...rather than following the example of the world around us.
How can we live these counter-cultural lives without the intense power of prayer fueling us?

2014
May it be the year of watchful prayers.
May the bride of Christ be unceasing in her intercession...bold in her proclamation of truth...unwavering in her theology...and boundless in her love.