Sara and Josh's Wedding Flowers

My job for my sweet cousin's wedding was to be the florist and decorator.  I wanted to share the finished product!
If you know anyone interested in a florist, send them this way!

Taco Casa: You complete Dylan...

Well,  what we had already suspected of Taco Casa is true.  They pretty much rock and absolutely love their patrons.  Jim and I really wanted to get Dylan a Taco Casa T-shirt for her birthday this year, but surprisingly they are hard to find!  So, I just thought I would email them and see if they would lend me a jpg of their logo to have one made in Dylan's size to surprise her.  The sweet peeps at Taco Casa did better than that:  They asked for her size and our address and sent us one free of charge!  We <3 Taco Casa.

Now, if you are newish to this blog and are  wondering what the big deal with Taco Casa and Dylan might be, you should go back to my archives and read the hilarity of it all here.  Her party is next weekend, so I will take a cute picture in her shirt with bean burrito in hand and post it here soon!

They really are way better than the other guys!  Their food is deeelish!  If you have never had Taco Casa (gasp!), go try them today.  If you live outside of Texas, personally I think they are worth the drive!  Tell 'em Dylan sent ya!

Spicy!

I love nice things.  I love cute things.  I adore when those things are mine.  They make me happy, and as a Mom, I tend to set the tone in our home, thus they make my home happy.  I was inspired by  The Farm Chicks' post found here.   I found the spice jars with awesome dual flip-top shaker lids at Spice Barn and the labels I used were absolutely adorable and I found them at Amazon. They were fun to make!

Cooking with pretty things makes you feel good.  Presentation is not everything,but it's huge!  When I cook for my family and I have a smile on my face, it shows in the meal, it shows in the service and I think it helps create beautiful, tangible memories for my children.

I had to throw in one of my other crafty projects:  my stab at embroidery.

I'm not talented, but I think it's cute!

Life is Changing!

Wow. We are just a few weeks from our lives changing forever. We are soon to be licensed as foster-to-adopt parents. That means as soon as we are licensed, we could receive a call to welcome a child into our home. We will be foster parents for the State of Texas first, and if the parents of the child(ren) cannot complete a service plan to be reunified with their child(ren), we will be able to adopt them. It is the most exciting, scariest place I have probably ever been in my life. We are so excited of the possibility of enlarging our family by these means and also somewhat scared to greet a child that could likely have a myriad of issues from abuse and/or neglect into our home and also anxious about the possibility of having to bid them farewell after we’ve fallen in love. But, our God is faithful and his will is perfect.


We do not have to be afraid. Every child that comes into our home will be there because of God’s will, and every child that leaves our home will not leave apart from his will. We will have each day as a gift with this child, no matter what tomorrow holds. We have the high calling of sharing the gospel of Christ with children that may not ever hear his name otherwise. We are called to be reverse missionaries. We will train them up in the way they should go however many days we are blessed with them. If God so chooses, they will be our son(s) or daughter(s) forever. God uses feeble men to save souls. We pray he would use our feeble, little family for his Kingdom’s advancement as well.

Caring for orphans is biblical and it’s the Christian’s duty. (James 1:27) Not everyone is called to be adoptive parents, but all Christians are called to care for orphans. You may not be called to adopt a child into your family, but you may be called to pray for someone who is, give financially to a couple who are willing to travel down the road or across the world to bring an unreached person into their family as an heir, and to your church to hear the Gospel.

Adoption is the Gospel. It is taking someone without a home or a name and giving them a hope and a future. It is what God did for you, if you are his. The King not only pardoned the slave, but he made him a son. He not only made a way for you to live outside the gate without fear of death, but he has brought you into the palace to sit at his table, not as a guest, but as his son. Praise God!

Maybe you have never thought of adoption before. Maybe you have but never realized it is a spiritual matter. Maybe you are called to pray for someone adopting, or maybe you are called to do the adopting. Either way, it is biblical and we are all called as Christians to care for orphans. May you glorify your Father by your service to those who cannot give back to you. It is a glorious Gospel. Ponder the wonder of your adoption today.

Pure and Undefiled Religion

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:

 to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, 

and to keep oneself unstained from the world. 

James 1:27

The Glory of God

I caught a little glimpse of the glory of God while the snow softly fell on us our last full day in Colorado just before the New Year.   That snowflake was no bigger than a single stitch on my winter coat, but ponder the detail-the God that knows and created every detail of that very snowflake-  and thousands upon millions just like that most assuredly knows your every need and every longing in your heart.  When you trust in him and seek to know him more and delight in him fully- you can reflect his glory just like that snowflake.  And  people will more easily notice his glory in you because you are much bigger and more noticable that a tiny snowflake.  He is worthy to be praised.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others,

so that they may see your good works

and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

 Matthew 5:16

Counselor

In our memory verse for December, Isaiah 9:6 says this:

"For to us a child is born,

 to us a son is given; 

and the government shall be upon his shoulder, 

and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, 

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

The 1828 Webster's Dictionary lists these definitions for "counselor":

1. Any person who gives advice; but properly one who is authorized by natural relationship, or by birth, office or profession, to advise another in regard to his future conduct and measures. Ahithophel was Davids counselor. His mother was his counselor to do wickedly. 2 Chronicles 22. In Great Britain, the peers of the realm are hereditary counselor of the crown.

2. The members of a counsel; one appointed to advise a king or chief magistrate, in regard to the administration of the government.

3. One who is consulted by a client in a law case; one who gives advice in relation to a question of law; one whose profession is to give advice in law, and manage causes for clients.

Privy Counselor, a member of a privy counsel.

What does it mean to you, Reader, to have Christ the very Son of God as your, not just counselor, but Wonderful Counselor?

Please leave me a comment; I would love to hear what that means to you!