Thursday, January 26, 2012

wOoD cHuCk PuP...


emily and i had to go out of town on saturday night

it was a girls trip

we left the boys at home

when we left



pup looked like this...



when we got home

she looked like this...


do you notice anything different?

like the fact that her head now resembles bozo the clown...

{grateful for}
006.  morning walks with the pup
007. praise music on the ipod
008. menus planned
009. grace

Thursday, January 19, 2012

jUsT aNoThEr MaNiC mOnDaY....


what do you do
when there is no school
on a misty foggy monday morning
you take your fourteen year old out for a photo shoot...
 

we had so much fun


 
im trying hard to figure out my camera



so...
there aren't a lot of great pictures
 
 
 
 
but...
 there are a few

 


i love this girl to death

 
 
 
mmmmmmwah...

ps... these are straight outta the camera... no editing...
 
 
{grateful for...}
001. the fort
002. time with emily
003. things resolved in my head
004. starting to feel a sense of belonging
005. crazy mornings with kids 


 

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

2012

Lately...

I've been in kind of a funk

Christmas was great

But, totally different than years past

We had moved

The kids were in school

We didn't have a church to call home


Now...

A church is not a place

It's not a building with beautiful stained glass windows

It's not necessary that it even have a steeple

It doesn't have to have pews or a center isle


A church IS people!!!


People who love Jesus

People who understand the Bible to be TRUTH

People who love people

People who believe there is power in prayer

People who love to worship with hearts and voices lifted in song

People who understand extending grace to one another


There is not a perfect church

Because

We as people are not perfect

But

Part of being a church is knowing there is ONE who is perfect


Living in a speck in the road

Has its drawbacks...


One of which could be finding one such church


But, not here

I think we found our church

Our place to be


I'm trusting that God has something special for the Ford's in 2012

It's part of finding Truth

His Truth

The Truth I'm working hard to build my house on

 

Thursday, January 5, 2012

tHe GeTtY...aNd PiCtUrEs


no one really likes a post without pictures
but thats just the way it has had to be lately


last night i went through my gabillion pictures


and found lots of house pictures


the plan is to sign the listing to sell today
i am so proud of this house


lots of blood, sweat, and many tears
have gone into her


shes beautiful


someday, i will post the kitchen rebuild


today, i want to remember how she was


and hold onto how she is today


i have prayed for the new owners


that they will be happy here


that they will love her


after buying and selling 8 houses


i am most proud of her


god has moved us on
he is doing something new with us
my hope is that he brings great new owners to getty

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

wHoA... dEcEmBeR wAs PaCkEd

the holidays have come and gone
it's time to get back to "normal"
all the guests have gone home
big daddy went back to work this morning
the tree and lights need to be taken down and put away
the house and laundry need some love
okay... a lot of love
the kids will go back to school next tuesday

what a holiday it was
almost every member of my family was in this house this year
it was wonderful...
we ate...
we drank...
we exchanged some pretty awesome gifts...
i have always loved having people in my house
i'm pretty sure it makes a house happy to have lots of happy people in it

normally...
i can not wait to take down all the tinsel and lights
somehow, this year,
i have fully enjoyed having them up
and
honestly, it makes me sad to be done with it all

this year we were in a new place
doing new things
and
it.felt.good.

things are slower here
there is more a sense of community
more like its the people that matter

there was a parade
anyone could be included
lots of decorated golf carts

the same night of the parade
was big daddy's work christmas party
we have never gone before
but this year...
it was literally right down the street
we had a very fun night
getting dressed up...
eating...
drinking...
dancing...

there was the tour of homes
totally up my alley
got to go into some really amazing homes
and ate some really great food
so fun

the third weekend, was the play
my emily was a part of that
such a surprising treat
i loved it 

on thursday before christmas, there was caroling at the gazebo
we live across the street from the gazebo
so...
naturally, we sat on our front porch
under the gas heater
drank cider and hot chocolate
and enjoyed the carols and people

it's really nice to have access to the hotel here on the fort
as much as i would love to host all our guests, it's really just not practical
at the hotel, they have their own private space
and they are just on the other side of the golf course
i think it makes everyone happy

i love it here
when life gets to heavy
one only needs to
load up the golf cart...
pull out a bicycle...
or
put on some running shoes...
and
hit the trails

enjoy creation
breathe some fresh air
notice the beauty

taste and see that HE is good...
all.the.time!!!








Sunday, January 1, 2012

tRuTh...


its 2012
and
time for a new word

my word for 2012 
is

TRUTH

the bible says...

John 8:32 (NIV)

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”


dictionary dot com defines TRUTH as...

truth
noun, plural truths [troothz, trooths]
*the true or actual state of a matter: He tried to find out the truth.
*conformity with fact or reality; verity: the truth of a statement
*a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like:  mathematical truths.
*the state or character of being true.
*actuality or actual existence.


i know a couple of things about truth...
the truth may surprise you
and
it doesn't always set you free the way you think it will

BUT

ive been listening to a voice that's not HIS for far to long and it's time to find and accept the truth...

HIS truth

i can not wait to see what he shows me!!!

may the truth of his love blanket you throughout 2012

Saturday, December 31, 2011

gOoDbYe 2011

dontcha just love new beginnings???
i do...

tonight is the last night of 2011
we have been through so much this year...

we have moved to a new community
our children have started public school for the first time in four years
we bought a golf cart
we have truly slowed down
we are beginning to savor life a bit

god is so good
he is...
forever faithful
always soooo patient
here
present
with us

i am so grateful that he is all of those things
where would I be without him
he is the creator of new beginnings

how lucky we are
he created 
a new minute
a new hour
a new day

none of us is promised anything
we only have this moment
embrace it
cherish it
live it

but this evening, i am looking forward to a new year
i want to take some of the good things from 2011
i want to leave some of the not so good things in 2011
i want to make some improvements in 2012

thank you god for new beginnings

may he bless and keep you thoughout 2012

Isaiah 43:18-19
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.