God's Lavish Love

I have been going to a Bible study on Tuesday nights. It has been really good. One of the last lessons we had was on God's lavish love. How we don't have to do anything to earn His love, He just gives it to us because it pleases Him. And there are many ways He loves us. I have been a recipient of His lavish love lately and am completely overwhelmed!!

You see, things have been awfully tight around here if you know what I mean. I had applied for a 2nd job because we needed the money. The car needed tire, brakes, etc and Christmas was coming. I got my Christmas savings acct money from the bank but HAD to use it to fix the car so I told the kids we weren't having much for presents at Christmas. But we all know that presents aren't what Christmas is all about anyway. So the kids were all ok with that. But then...

It started around Thanksgiving. We started getting things in the mail with no return address. Once we got money just as the boys needed it for their One Act trip, meals and shirts when I didn't have the money at the time for it. There was no signature with it. We received money a couple times. We received Pizza Hut gift cards and Wal-Mart gift cards. Some of it I used to buy some things we needed and then I started buying just a few things for Christmas.

Then I got a call from Wal-Mart Friday evening saying that someone had bought a gift card for me and they had it at the service desk. I started crying when they said how much it was for! The kids actually have things under the tree that are things they had on their Christmas lists. I was able to buy some stuff to make goodies!

And then when I went to clock out at work today, someone had left 2 bags of gifts for my family and me from Santa. And this person must be a christian! There were several christian books in the bags. I was overwhelmed!

We were all set to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, the story of Jesus' birth and what it means to the world. How much God loves us and what He does for us and look what happens! Some one else shows us God's love. I think when we are truly content with what God does or doesn't give us, He rewards us. Maybe with things, maybe with friends, I don't know but I do know this...God loves us with a lavish love, as has been shown to us this Christmas season by all the anonymous things we have received. And even though I don't know any names of the people down here who did all this, I do believe they all acted on God's prompting.

And so, during this most precious season, my prayer is that you all would know and experience God's lavish love. that is truly the most wonderful gift any of us could receive.

Finals

Finals week for Jenn!! I wonder if this is how she feels!!!

Goodbye dear Emma Jean

Emma and Matt grew up together! They really loved each other!


The kids and Emma and another dog we had for a little while.

What a little angel face!!
Emma loved laying under the kitchen table when she was little. I think all the noise and action in the house sometimes scared her and she felt a little safer under there.
Emma was Jenn's 4-H dog! They won a purple ribbon at Hayes County. Here she was giving her a bath so she would be even more beautiful before the contest.
Jennifer and Emma. Jenn is watching TV but Emma was watching her plate!!

Emma and Peter. Emma would sleep in Pete's room lots of times.

I know many people don't get attached to animals, they are for work or whatever. But we had had Emma Jean since Matt was maybe 2 and he is 15 now. She was the sweetest dog ever. She wasn't mean, she loved people. She hated the 4th of July and thunderstorms! She would hide during each one until all the noise was over! I remember one summer the tornado sirens were going off and we were gathering up to go to the cellar. Matt had Emma and when we got out to the cellar door, she was scared and jumped out of his arms and took off running. Matt started running after her. I yelled at him to come back while trying to get the others down the cellar steps. He came back with Emma, crying, saying he couldn't just let her die. That was how we all felt about Emma. She was the our pet, cuddler, playmate, confidante, family.

Emma had surgery 2 years ago because we found a lump. Steve Pollman sent it in and it was cancerous. He didn't think she would last long. But she kept on going. She stayed with us another 2 years. Still playing with us, "helping" me in the garden, loving us unconditionally even as life got busier and less time was spent with her. Wednesday night we came home from Awana's and knew she didn't have long left. Pete and I cuddled with her for quite a while. Matt kept saying that she was just cold and once she warmed up she would be fine (denial). It was very late and Emma was lying on Pete's coat. We all needed to get to bed. Pete carried Emma to his room on his coat and laid her down in her favorite spot to sleep. The next morning I went in to wake him up and check on her and she was gone. I had to call Jenn and tell her over the phone. She tried not to cry on the phone when I told her. Neither of the boys went to school that day. They said they didn't feel good, but I think they were mourning the loss of a dear loved one. I believe that God will have dogs in heaven and so we will see you again Emma, but until then we will miss you very much.

One Act

The boys are both in One Act this year. The name of the play is Law and Order: Fairy Tale Unit. Peter is Peter, Peter,Pumpkin Eater (how's that for original, lol) Matt is B B Wolf. Here Matt is on trial as a suspect of blowing down 2 of the 3 pigs houses.


Peter is on the jury. He stayed in character through the whole play.


Matt on trial still...Hope this is the only time I see him on trial for something!!



A couple of the pictures are blurry. Jenn took them and we were sitting pretty far back so it wasn't easy.




Here is a close-up of BB Wolf and his Attorney. All the kids had make-up on. The girls who did the makeup and the costumes did great!



They had dinner and theater this night. The kids (in their costumes) were the waiters and waitresses. Jenn and my mom both came down to watch. The kids all did great.

Matt's tests in Aurora

This was Matt's first test in Aurora. They taped up his gym shorts and video taped him walking and jogging. The lady at the end is the Physical Therapist that worked with Matt. She had a lot of stories to tell!


Here the Physical Therapist and her aid are attaching all the sensors to Matt. Tough job for a young man to sit there in his gym shorts and have two women sticking things on him!! They were very nice there.



After they had all the sensors and things on, they had to wrap him up in two colors of coban. He picked pink and purple. Only a real man can wear pink and purple!!!


This is the "brain" he had to wear. All of the sensors plugged into here where they got power and sent the transmissions through.


Here he is after he is all hooked up. He had to walk up and down the red line several times. Partway down the line was a black section that when he walked on it took imprints of his feet, how they touch the ground, pressure and I'm not sure what all. But they had to keep the cords out of the way. Doesn't he remind you of a Christmas tree with the lights on him!




Here is the tired boy on the way home. I wasn't driving and taking pictures!! Teresa drove us out there. Thank you so much Teresa!
It will take about a month to get the results back. There are a lot of doctors who get together every so often to look at all of the tests that have been done. They each review all the data, give their results and it is all compiled to give to our doctor.
After being Aurora it reminded me of one thing in particular, the city is nice to visit, but I am glad I live in Southwest Nebraska!!

Homecoming Week

For Homecoming Week on Monday each class had to wear a different color. Do you think you can guess what colors the freshman and juniors had to wear?





























Pete had on my slippers and Jenn's skirt. Matt had on my capri's and one of my tops. Pete didn't wear the skirt to school, though. Too bad!!