Because the story of Jesus is so impressive- God among us! God speaking a language we can understand! God acting in ways that heal and help and save us!- there is a danger that we will be impressed, but only be impressed. As the spectacular dimensions of this slowly (or suddenly) dawn upon us, we could easily become enthusiastic spectators, and let it go at that- become admirers of Jesus, gererous with our oohs and ahs, and in our better moments inspired to imitate him.

Eugene Peterson, The Message

God, please help me imitate Him not only in my better moments but also in my weakest!



Love from above,

Dana

Easter

Mom and Dad came to visit for Easter and we had a wonderful time. I tried to go light on the easter basket but with the basket that my mom gave her, the package Nana and Papa sent, the package Aunt Denise sent, the bunny that Aunt Nancy sent, and the card with money that Grandma sent, Emma was pretty spoiled. I guess it's not too bad since they all live so far away. You got to do something to make up for that missed time.

Anyway, we had a great time and I was sad to see mom and dad go back home. We made the most of our time while they were here though. The good thing about being so far away is that we never take our time together for granted. We are going to meet our families in Gatlinburg (all except Jan) in May and then Jan will come up in June so it won't be real long until we see them.

I found out yesterday that Emma has imaginary friends. Their names are, Trinka Falon, Hamni Cup, and Helen Cake. Don't ask because I don't know LOL. She was talking to them in the car on the way home from the grocery store yesterday. Emma has also started using the phrases, "Well that's interesting" and "Oh, I get it" quite often. Well, I'm going to have me a little sunday afternoon nap. So until I get another free minute, Best Wishes to all.

Love,

Dana

Here's my secret

Ok, here we go. Time for a big update. My computer is fixed, finally. This past weekend was our "Happily Ever After" girls retreat. It went extremely well. Everyone had great attitudes and I really felt like we accomplished our goal and that was that we left loving each other and most importantly, God more than we did when we got there. I think we all really needed it. The girls needed some time together away from the guys and I needed something where I could see some immediate results. I think that is the hardest thing about ministry to me. Most of the time, you don't get immediate results. I know that it's not about that but, it's really nice to be able to see a work in progress. To know this stuff we're doing is making a difference. Well, I saw that this weekend. It was like, ok, this why we do youth ministry. That was nice.

So Adam kept Emma over night for the first time. I have to say, he did a fabulous job. Not that I doubted that he would. He's a great daddy. Emma is really starting to get attached to him. It's bittersweet. No offense Adam. I'm so glad she's got such a strong relationship with him. Girls need their daddys to adore them. And he does. But, it's still a little sad that it's not me that she prefers 100% of the time. Tonight when we were saying her prayer, she wanted to sit in Adam's lap. She wanted Adam to brush her teeth. She walks around the house yelling "Daaaadddy" it's really sweet. Anyway, I think they had a good weekend together. However, last night as we were going to bed, Adam said, "she's really sweet and funny and lots of fun but, I'm exhausted. I'm really going to try to help you more". That was nice.

This morning, she came and got in bed with me and we snuggled for quite a while. That was nice. I can't wait to see the woman she becomes. At almost three she is already so passionate about everything. She loves hard, she plays hard, she sleeps hard and she hurts hard.

I finally shared something with some of the girls at the girls retreat that I had only shared with a few people. I guess it's kind of silly that I kept it all to myself so here it is for the whole world to see... When I first had her, I was soo overwhelmed with the responsibility that God had gave me. I felt so inadequate. I still do. Anyway, I pretty much came to the conclusion that Adam and I couldn't possibly do everything perfect and that there was no way we could raise her to be the woman that God wants her to be on her own. So, I got this book of prayers for mothers to say for their children but, there were a whole lot of prayers and none of them seemed quite right. So, I came up with my own, and here it is:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I want to thank you for the wonderful blessing you have brought into my life by given me Emma. She has brought me so much joy! Having a child has taught me so much about the love and happiness you want to bless your children with. I know that Emma is your special creation, anticipated by you from before the beginning of time, now given on loan to me, for me to help grow and nourish into a child who will carry out your perfect will.

God, please call Emma to you by name as you have called me. Thank you that you promise to knock patiently on the door of each heart in this family. Thank you that you pursue us. You did it for me--- please do the same for Emma.

I pray that she will love your word. I pray that by loving your word, she will receive important warnings about life and be blessed with great personal reward. Help her to be obedient to you. Please help her to know that you discipline us and give us guidelines for our own good and because of your great love for us. Help me to share in this motivation of yours when I ask her to obey. Lord, let her see that I obey you because I love you. Help her to have an honest heart. Help her feel your delight when she speaks the truth and to remember that you hate it when we lie. And when she perseveres toward truth, let her feel great freedom of spirit so much that the passing reward of a lie looks as cheap and fleeting as it really is. Help her not to value the material things that the world values but the things that you value. Most of all, I pray that her character would bring praise to you. May your light shine so brightly in her that it will be obvious to everyone that she loves you, and people will have no choice but to praise you and give you all the credit for her goodness. I pray that she will put a high priority on love and faithfulness, exhibiting them like beautiful clothing or jewelry. Bless her with a beautiful strength, a wise innocence, and a shielded vulnerability.

I pray that Emma will develop a passion for purity. May she always think of her body as your dwelling place and want to keep it pure for you. Help Emma to feel she can bring her questions to her dad and me. Please give us the right words in awkward moments. Nudge me when it’s the right time to pass on an important attitude or piece of information even if she isn’t asking for it. Fill her with a genuine and enthusiastic desire to save sex for marriage. Thank you that you not only created the abiding love of marriage, but you also understand crushes, puppy love, and the storms of teen romance. God please protect her heart. I pray that you would help her develop healthy relationships with members of the opposite sex throughout her life. I pray for a husband that will help her grow towards you that she will spend her life with. Bring them together in your perfect way. Have your hand on them even now. And, may their eventual commitment to marriage be strong enough to stand up against any trouble or testing life brings. While she is growing up, please help Adam and I to be a good example of how beautiful marriage is meant to be. Please introduce her to other couples that will do the same.

God, sometimes I wake in the night and feel how helpless I am, ultimately, to make life turn out okay for my little one, to keep accidents, evil , and disease from touching her. Thank you Lord that when I’m afraid, I can turn to you. Help me to remember that your spiritual warriors can shut the mouths of lions and defeat the agents of Satan. Thank you that even when she is out of my sight, she is never out of your sight. Please watch over all that she does and every encounter that she has with the world. Thank you that I can surrender her to you and place her in the dangerous river of life, knowing that you will be watching over her, not from afar off but from very nearby.

Finally, father, help me to pray faithfully for Emma, being a good example of the importance of confession and worship. May I be a witness morning and night of your love and faithfulness.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen

Now tell the truth, did you read all of that because you wanted to hear my thoughts or because you wanted to know my secret? Sorry you were looking for something more juicy :).


Please pray for the three of us and our ministry.

Love from above,

Dana

Computer problems

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm having major computer problems. As in, my computer won't come on. I'm having to use Adam's when he comes home in the evening. As soon as a get a chance to sit down, I will update. I will tell you this: My parents called today and are coming to visit for Easter!! Yea! I'm so excited! Be back soon.

Love from above,

Dana

Baby Saturn

TWO COMMENTS? TWO COMMENTS? All you people give me is two comments? Well, Emma said something really funny tonight so I'm going to share it with you even though you only left TWO COMMENTS. Ok, a couple of girls from the youth group were here and I was trying to get Emma to show off the recent things she had learned. I asked her what planet we lived on and Emma said "The Earth". I asked her what planet had a ring around it and she said, "Saturn" Then, Sam asked her what planet was the smallest and she said, "I don't know, Baby Saturn?". Also, she has started using the word "properly" all the time. I had put a movie in for her to watch during small groups and she came in the living room telling me, "it isn't working properly". Also, after she went to the bathroom, I asked her if she wiped and she said, "not properly". I don't know where she got that from. Well, it's short but sweet. Got to get some homework done.

Love from Above,

Dana

PS: Need more COMMENTS

Update on School

So I was just reading over my blog and saw that my last update on school was that I had made a 72 on my lit test. So I wanted to give an update on my progress.

First, I wanted to share a poem we read yesterday:

The Red Wheelbarrow

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens

That was in my literature book!! Oh my goodness I never imagined how higher education would stretch my mind and make me such a deep thinker LOL.

Seriously, when I took this class, I was a little nervous because I've said before, English is not my genre. And, everyone told me that the teacher was incredibly tough. If I have to be honest, aside from it taking up a whole lot of time, I've really enjoyed it. As for the teacher, I think she's actually very good (no I'm not brown nosing, she doesn't know anything about this blog) So anyway, I took another test, did a paper and a project and a presentation in class and made A's on all of them. My teacher is trying hard to talk me into becoming an English teacher. That's probably not going to happen since I have this intense fear of being up in front of people but it's nice to be wanted. History is going well too. I've also enjoyed it. My teacher in there really knows his stuff and someone asked who the president was in 1941 the other day and I was able to actually tell them that it was FDR.

Ok, now for the grandparents and Aunts, we'll go to someone much more interesting than myself. Emma is doing well. She has mastered the art of flattery. Every so often she will say, "momma, you're so pretty, you're wonderful". I'll say, "you're so pretty and wonderful" and we'll go back and forth with this for a while until she finally says, "ok, we're both so pretty and wonderful". It's really cute. I don't think I have to worry about this kid having a lack of self esteem at least at this point. She has started bringing up the grandparents every so often so I know she's starting to miss them (hint hint). Her momma is too!

I will try to get a picture today and add it to this post. I got up early to try to get some house work done so I better get to that. Hope you all have a wonderful day.

Love from Above,

Dana

The Bible Song

Picture: Emma and her friend Anna playing dress up
Hey There,

Sorry for the long lapse of time between updates. I've got something good for you though. Emma has reached a big milestone. She asked Adam last night if he knew the bible song. He said, "you mean, B-I-B-L-E, she said no and proceded to sing a song that she had learned at Sunday school and Adam caught it on video. This is the first time she has learned something that we didn't teach her and brought it home to us. She's growing up! And we know a really cute new song.

Click here for Emma's Bible Song

Also, the other night at Powell, Ryan asked them who the little guy was that climbed up in the tree to see Jesus and she said, "Zachaeus".

We went to the couples retreat in Amish Country. Can I just say that I totally don't get it? Like how they can have lights on their buggies but they are um, buggies? Or how they can have cell phones but not phones with cords. Anyway... We had a good time but I came home with a stomach virus. YUCK. I'm over it now and finally coming back to life. My house looks like a cyclone hit. But, I'm on spring break this week so guess we all know what I'll be doing. Anyway, I've got a bible study date with Anna on IM here in a minute so better get this video posted and get to it. Hope you all have a wonderful week.

Love from Above,

Dana

Winterfest

Edit: 2/25/06 Thanks for the picture Papa!

So I'm back at home after a weekend of Winterfest. It was a really good trip. The lessons were excellent and the kids had a great attitude and got along very well. It was different for us and for them. I've been glad to get the firsts out of the way. I think with everything we've done, there is the memory of last year, we were with someone else for both us and for them. Anyway, transition is usually somewhat painful. We miss those that we love and it wouldn't be normal if we didn't. We're coming up on a year here. I can't believe it's been that long. I will be glad when we can say, "hey remember last year". Anyway, enough about that.

Well, my wonderful parents came up to Gatlinburg and kept Emma in Pegion Forge while we were at Winterfest. Afterwards, we stayed an extra day with my parents and sister's family. It was really nice to be able to relax after Winterfest and to spend some time with them. But, I wish we could have had more than one day. I have to see them again soon. I miss them so much.

Well, Emma and I had a sweet little conversation this morning. She asked me if her daddy used to be a little boy. I told her yes and she said she wanted to see a picture of him when he was a little boy. I told her that she would have to ask Nana and Papa because I didn't have any. Then I explained to her that Daddy used to live with Nana and Papa and I used to live with Nonna and Paw Paw and they were our momma's and daddy's and we didn't live together until we grew up and got married. And then I told her that one day, she would grow up and get married and have her own house and she would be a mother. She got very excited about being a mother. She said, "I get to be a mother?" I told her yes and she said, "I get to be a mother but I'm going to live with you". Obviously, I don't want that to happen but for now, I'm so glad that she can't imagine being with anyone but her daddy and me. Could I possibly love another one this much?

Nana and Papa, could we get a picture please?

Well, I need to study, have a test tomorrow. I'll try to put a picture up soon.

Love from above,

Dana

Quick Update

So it turns out that I'm not as much as of multitasker as I had once thought. Turns out that college student, mother, and youth minister's wife is quite a role to fill. Anyway, I don't have much time. I have class in an hour. But my mother keeps telling me to make sure that I record all of the cute and funny things that Emma says because though it seems like I will remember forever, it is inevitable that I will forget. So, I didn't want these to slip by.

Yesterday, she woke up and looked at the window and said, "oh no, it's snowing". Adam said, "I thought you liked snow". Emma said, "I like princesses".

Today, as she was strutting around in her Cinderella costume, I told her to put something up in her room. She then with quite a little attitude, went into the bathroom and shut the door. I opened the door and gave her a little smack on the bottom and she then informed me that she was Cinderella and Cinderella doesn't get spankings. Oh goodness she's sassy.

Well Happy Valentine's Day!

Love from above,

Dana

Introducing: Baylor Payne Necessary

My best friend Kristen is a mommy again! He's so adorable! Congratulations Brian, Kristen and Camden. We love you guys.