LOOK!!! A new post =)

Well.....life is certainly busy! My days are filled with what has become "normal" for me. I have to be careful not to be lulled into complacency or driven into complaining. It is a season of change I think.....Chelsey is getting ready to graduate next month, so there are lots of things to do to finish up our homeschool in order to close it down....lots of things to do to prepare her for officially entering college.....graduation pictures....announcements.....preparing for the actual graduation at church on May 31st.....keeping up with her schedule, my parents schedule and my schedule and Gene's too. So it is also a time to really press into the Lord to see what He has for me next. I have plenty of ideas of my own, and it would be easy to run ahead, but I don't think that would be too wise! So I just want to be prayerful and diligent in seeking His will in this season.

Last weekend we went to The Rebelution conference in Hickory. It was a good time. I think it was really great for lots of the kids and many have changed lives because of the Lord working through this event. But I believe, there were a lot of adults who were also impacted by what was taught and what the Lord was doing in their hearts as well. I know that for me, there was one short phrase that brought clarity to an issue that I had been struggling over. I didn't think that it really had anything to do with "Do Hard Things", but as I spend more time thinking about it and searching Scripture and digging into my heart, I believe it is a hard thing for me. And soon, I think it is something the Lord will have me share with a few other specific people. It will be really interesting to see how it all works out.

Grace Community Church has started, and it is the kindness of God that He would send people to a new place to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It has been a great process. It is amazing how my sinful heart and mind can lead me places that I do not want to go and think things that are really untrue. I'm really excited for both churches because I know the Lord has great things to do in us and through us. I think one of the first things is experiencing His grace and growing in faith to trust that He knows our direction.

Last week Gene got an unusual phone call. When he was in the Marines and down at Goose Creek (SC), one of his buddies and his girl decided to get married on the spur of the moment, and he was the best man. Doug & Sandy were only married a short time before he was sent to Vietnam. She was pregnant, and from ultrasound/amnio process, they learned the baby had a heart defect. Doug was trying to get home before the baby was born, but was killed. Anyway, after 43 years, Sandy had searched and found him. Gene had been named the god father of the baby girl. So he finally got to see her through pictures at the age of 42. It was a good phone call for both Sandy and Gene. So we've shared some pictures and Gene has had quite a story to share with people. He has often wondered what had happened to Sandy and the baby and it is nice to now know.

Well...I guess you are all caught up for now. Maybe I'll try not to wait another month before I post again. I always have something to say it seems, but sitting down here and actually doing it is another thing......I just don't want to keep repeating myself.

I hope you are all experiencing God's grace in your lives in many ways.

Oh....one more thing.....we did find out that grandson #2 will arrive in late August. Can't wait! Check out the baby blues on Carter.