Good Quote

Nothing is too great and nothing is too small to commit into the hands of the Lord.

-- A. W. Pink

Praise

Since Heston has been student teaching the past 7 weeks, his paychecks have been very small since he can only work about 10-15 hours per week instead of his usual 40. The Lord always provided for our needs, and we were able to get some extra money over Christmas since Heston was able to snow plow while we were in Colorado. But this past weekend we received a rather large check from the military in regards to Heston's schooling. The Lord is awesome and it is so neat to reflect back on how He has always provided for us, above and beyond what we can ever imagine. I praise the Lord for that!

By the way, Heston only has 9 more days of student teaching! Praise the Lord!

5 years ago today

Five years ago today, my wonderful husband and I began our relationship. I remember being in the library and my friendSharon Jordon pulled aside my other friend, Elisabeth Ashmore, and told her that Heston liked me. Of course, Elisabeth told me, but I didn't know what to do. You see, I knew that Sharon kind of liked Heston. Later that day, Sharon asked if we could go to the Grind. We sat down and she told me that there was a boy that she thought I should like. I was trying to evade the question because I knew where she was going and I kind of knew how she felt about it. She was adamant that she wanted me to like him and told me that he would be calling me later that night. I remember being in my room and then Heston called and asked if we could go to a basketball game. We then walked and talked and went over to the rec hall and talked some more.

There were alot of other things that happened and I am not 100% sure the order of everything, but previously, I had asked him to fix my headlight because I knew he was a "fix-it" kind of guy. He graciously went out in the freezing cold and fixed it. I offered to take him to coffee, but he politely declined. This was before I even knew he liked me. I remember another time we were in the rec hall playing Rook and my teammate left so I asked him if he would play on my team. Apparently he was xtremely nervous, but he did end up playing. It seems like such a long time ago, and it was, but I am forever grateful that the Lord brough the PERFECT man into my life in His own timing.

We got engaged 6 months later, on August 28, 2002 and we were married a year later on August 2, 2003.



Whenever Heston tells people how we met, he always talks about how he asked Shyla who I was, and she told him that he should get to know me. I met Heston the first day or so of class that we had with Dr. Zichterman, Guidance Counseling. I thought he was nice and all, but the guy never even talked to me. We would both get there early, he would wave to me, then sit 1 or 2 seats away from me for the whole entire semester. Apparently he liked me this whole time but never even said anything! Crazy guy! I laugh about this now. He pulls out details of that fall semester that I had no idea he was even paying attention.

Heston, I love you very much and thank you for being a wonderful husband. I have enjoyed these past 5 years with you so much and look forward to many many more! Thank you for all that you do for me and for loving me. You are a wonderful person and I am so proud to call you my husband, my best friend!

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Happy Birthday, Grandma! I hope that you have a special day. I miss you very much and wish we could see each other more often. Hopefully I will be coming home in June when Bri comes home from Zambia.

Thank you for being a wonderful Grandma. I think my favorite picture of you and I is when you made us matching shirts (the red ones with little flowers) and you also made me a jean skirt with white fringe on the bottom. I wish I had access to that photo because I would scan it in. Maybe I can find it and to that later.

Thanks for all of the letters and notes that you send and for the little things you send up with mom when she comes to visit.

I hope that you have a special day and that your surgery goes well tomorrow. I will be praying for you!
I love you and miss you very much!!

Grandma & Brianne


Grandma & Laura

Lord, Change us--Change Me

Here is a devotional that came in my inbox this morning and I thought I would share. It really encouraged me to make the changes that would reflect my relationship with Christ. I took a Grad Class with Dr. Zempel last week and one of the requirements was to do a project where you choose a topic(s) to work on in your life. I chose the topic of self-discipline and had 5 categories underneath: 1)Reading my Bible 2)Prayer 3)Eating healthy 4) Exercise 5) Cleaning my home. I am hoping that the accountablility of this project will help to make each of these things a habit in my life. I love practical projects such as this one! Anyways, here is the article:

Lord, Change Us -- Change Me!, by Tom Norvell


God said, "I will also put a new spirit in you and change your way
of thinking. I will take out the heart of stone from your body and
give you a tender, human heart. (Ezekiel 36:26 ERV)

Lord, change us. Change me.

How can I remain the same when I've seen what I've seen and heard what I've heard and experienced what I've experienced. I cannot remain the same. I am not the same person. You have changed me. You are working in me and around me to make me more like You. Lord, change us. Change me.

I have heard about children being neglected, abused, kidnapped, ignored, aborted and discarded. Because I have heard these stories I must change.

I scan the channels on my television, and I see the faces of children starving to death in a land far away. I hear of programs designed to help these children, your children, and help is being given. I want to do what I can to make sure they are not forgotten. Because I have seen and heard these stories, I have been changed. Lord, change us. Change me.

I heard that crime continues to rise. Robberies. Home invasions.
Abductions. Murders. Rapes. Some are considered almost acceptable. Some crimes are too horrendous to mention. Because I know these things I am not the same.

I am not the same!

I know that families are falling apart. A husband walks away from his wife and his children. A wife tells her children, "I just don't love your daddy any more." Somehow that is supposed to help them understand why she does not come home at night. Because I know these things happen, because I know some of these people, I have been changed.

Because I have stood with my brothers and sisters and poured out my heart in praise and honor to You, I am not the same. Because I have publicly committed my life to You, I am not the same. Because I have surrendered my heart to You, I have been changed. I am not the same.

Lord, change us. Change me. Continue to put these truths in my mind.
Put these experiences in my path. Put Your people in my life. Show me what it means to worship You. Continue to convict me that I must continue to change so that I can become more like Your Son. Help us to continue to change until we fully become Your people.

Lord, change us. Change me.