I Have A Teenager!

My sweet daughter turned 13 today.  She is too funny.  She was so exited about today, that she even counted down the days.  We are finally here... the day has come, she is officially a teenager!

For her birthday dinner, she requested ribs, corn on the cob, chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, and ice cream.  What a great yummy dinner, thanks to Sweet Baby Rays and Duncan Hines!  

Our gift for our daughter was a ring.  My hubby took her out last night for a special birthday dinner date.  He shared with her that the most important thing in life is for her to love Jesus with all her heart.  This ring is a symbol of that love that she has.  It is also a promise from us that we will do everything in our power to encourage that relationship with Christ.  

We loved this blog and it played a big part in all of this.  

We put a lot of care into this ring.  We had it specially designed for her.  We melted down two rings that belonged to John and I.  John came up with the what elements he wanted in the ring and I designed it.  Her birthstone, the diamond came from one of her Great Grandmothers necklaces and the other two birthstones are her dad's and mine.  It turned out beautiful and she loved it.  

We are so proud of her.  Not just because of all the amazing things she does; but because of who she is becoming.  She is a pretty cool kid.  She is smart, witty, weird, and just plain fun.  But she just loves Jesus... 

And we just love her.  

Happy Birthday, my dear sweet teenager.  

I am so excited about what God has planned for you!

I love you, you amaze me!

GET JOY!

My sister wrote a great blog in honor of her birthday as well.  I love it!  Go check it out.  

The Fine Lines and Gray Areas

Hope in Grace

Hope in Grace

By Christina Johnson

Lost, blind, confused, trapped,

I am bound.

My chains weigh me down.

Helpless, weak, afraid, twisted,

I long to escape

From this prison I shape.

All the wrong I have done.

All my scars for the world to see,

My shame so far gone,

Sins too many for me to ever be free.

But then a tiny light

Begins to peel back the darkness.

Hope begins to fight

Love strengthens my weakness.

Deep within a Presence I face.

He came humbled, despised, and rejected.

God as man, died in my place

Such love unexpected.

How could I refuse such Hope in Grace?

As sin stained as I stand,

Grace undeservingly embrace.

Freely given as He planned.

Forever my chains broken free

Forever my soul made new

Forever my sin in the sea

Forever "Hope in Grace" for me and you.


GET JOY!

Hebrews 2:9-11

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁹ What we do see is Jesus, who was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. ¹⁰ God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.

¹¹ So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.