New Playset

Our children have benefited from their Gigi and Mike big time this week! Kate has a way to shmooze her way and melt her Gigi's heart...not sure how it happens but she has Gigi and Mike wrapped around her finger...too cute. Well, Kate decided she wanted a new swingset and Gigi took her seriously...and my are we thankful for them! It's absolutely beautiful! It will last us a long time as Will will benefit from it when he gets older and Kate will definitely use it for a long time. 

It brings me great joy when my daughter is this happy....she was so giddy that she couldn't decide what to do because she wanted to do everything at the same time!

Appreciation

Whew! It's been a while since I've posted but such is life...Having 2 kids definitely makes the world go by in a blink. One minute I'm changing diapers, the next wiping puke off of my shirt, then I turn around and my wife and I are discussing what preschool we want Kate enrolled in next September! I wake up Monday morning and turn around on Friday morning wondering what happened that week. 

Sometimes appreciating life (especially with little kids) can be harder than trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. It's a noble pursuit that I try everyday to implement but something always seems to get in the way....dishes...laundry...bath time...feeding..dinner...crying.  It's only those times when I force myself to stop and say  that there will never be another December 1, 2008 again. Make the most of it because today may be the last time this pursuit will ever pass my way again.

On the flip-side I think I have every cause for cheer. My wife and kids are happy and healthy. I have a job I love, I'm developing a hobby! Well, at least I think I am, but more on that at another post. I have a wonderful, warm home. I've never went to bed without the opportunity to eat. I have a full closet of clothes and plenty laughter in my life. Maybe I'm not doing so bad after all??? Wow...was I taking time to appreciate?

Here are some pics of recent moments. Enjoy.

Halloween

Here are some pics of Halloween. Kate loved the Burleson Boo Bash...too many people for our taste though! All in all my little cowgirl and cowboy collected loads of candy and were quick to go to sleep that night! Yipppeeee!

Willow Creek

I (Josh) recently went to a conference for my work in Chicago. It was an unbelievable time of worship, refreshment, refocus, and growth both professionally and personally. Here are some pics of where I went. The guy in the pic with me is one of my leaders, Mark Smith.

Can't see much but there's the stage.
The coffee shop. Woman in center holding coffee was one of the conference main speakers and is at a mega chuch in DC.
The book store.
 A wonderful depiction of what color all of the trees are in Illinois.
Me and Mark with about half of the Willow Creek campus in the background
Oops duplicate
Worship leader.....incredible! Right up there with Tomlin, Hall, and Crowder

 

Here are some pics of what's been going on.

For Breleigh

A video for Breleigh.

'Reset' button

Wow! My kids are growing up. Adjusting to life with 2 kids has been hard but we're making it through and will carry on as we have. I got a call this week letting me know that the wife of a former boss of mine died unexpectedly. Of course this was a shock and since I'm a minister, I guess people assume there's some protocol ministers follow when someone dies. Well, I'm not aware of any protocol I'm supposed to follow except to make sure the bereaved know the they are being prayed for and to, if necessary, sit in the "ashes" with them.

What this news did cause me to do is wonder what the woman was thinking before she died. She had 3 grown children and I wonder how many times she thought back to when her kids were small and she was doing everything she could just to make it through the day. Yet, despite the all of the struggling, and all of craziness, she found a way to be mommy to these little kids. The grit, determination, fortitude, and stamina it takes to raise a child in the world of yesterday was found in the fabric of her being. I've never met the woman in my whole life but she raised 3 kids which in my book makes her worthy of remembrance. 

This entire situation immediately focuses my attention on my 2 blessings from heaven. How many moments have I let slip by because I was too "busy"? How much time have I wasted be "doing" things in life? We are not guaranteed tomorrow and the one thing that we can take with us when we cross death's doorstep is our relationships. What a wake-up call! 

Lastly, a great way to sum up what this woman's death has meant to me is it has hit my 'reset' button. Tomorrow is a new day, tomorrow we can start anew, tomorrow our lives can touch others in a positive way. May God be with me as the things that are important to me come to the forefront of my life and the things that will fade in eternity pass away.

In memory of Talula Hawk 8-26-08