Currently my favorite song....

And my second favorite musical artist.... (second only to his daddy)

My God is so BIG
So STRONG and so MIGHTY
There is NOTHING my God CAN NOT DO!

Reading a righteously convicting book that has brought me to my knees in prayer several times since I began it. I want my children's minds to be filled with truth about God and His mighty power to save, His holiness, and His wrath against sin apart from Christ....

"And all this is one of God's merciful arrangements. He gives your children a mind that will receive impressions like moist clay. He gives them a disposition at the starting-point of life to believe what you tell them, and to take for granted what you advise them, and to trust your word rather than a stranger's. He gives you, in short, a golden opportunity of doing them good. See that the opportunity be not neglected, and thrown away. Once let slip, it is gone for ever."
-J.C. Ryle The Duties of Parents

Davidsons run on Dunkin'...

We dropped Ryan off at the airport this morning. He is headed to Southern Seminary for a class/conference. Since it was early and we hadn't had breakfast yet, we thought it necessary to go to Dunkin' Donuts. We got some donut holes, orange juice, and hot chocolate. Although I do not like coffee, I love the smell of it, particularly Dunkin' Donuts coffee. So it was sad because Ryan wasn't there and it just seemed wrong not to buy some... but not wrong enough to get one myself. I miss my husband already and his coffee drinking self.

But while I was there, a man dressed in casual clothes, mid thirties, with a stocking cap on came in, handed me something, and said "have one." At first glance it was a comic strip, but with further examination I realized it was a Salvation tract. I smiled at him, kindly told him I wouldn't need it, and that my husband was a Baptist pastor. He smiled, asked what church it was. I told him and then he told me he was not from around here. I encouraged him in his efforts. The encounter made me realize how easy it could be to engage someone about the gospel. My hope would be that he is engaging those he encounters in conversation, but nonetheless, the gospel was being proclaimed. Something for me to ponder....

Teaching grace with a piece of chocolate...

Each night at dinner we require Micah to eat a certain amount of green vegetables. If we are honest, the amount he has to eat really can not be contributing to his health, so with each passing year (uhh... I mean meal), we are increasing the amount he has to eat. Tonight we asked him to eat a healthy sized piece of broccoli. I know, what kid (or adult) really likes to eat that stuff? With dinner being over and 10 minutes having already past, I told Micah he could have the chocolate he asked for if he ate his broccoli before I counted to 10. When I got to nine and delayed about 30 seconds before I finished getting to 10, the broccoli was still on the plate... so no chocolate for Micah.
As I finished feeding Lydia her last bite of chocolate, my heart desired to give Micah his piece even though he didn't deserve it. So, a light bulb went off in my head and I realized that I had a teaching moment on my hands.

Me: Micah, do you know what grace is?
Micah: ummm... nope
Me: grace is when you are given something that you don't deserve
Micah (silly voice): oh... grace
Me: Micah, do you know who gives us grace?
Micah: God
Me (with excitement because he knew the answer to the last question): do you deserve to have a piece of chocolate?
Micah: no
Me: why?
Micah (quietly under his breath): I didn't obey and eat broccoli
Me: That's right. But because you finally obeyed daddy, even though you lost the chance to have your chocolate, mommy is going to give you this chocolate. God gives us his grace even though we have done nothing to deserve it because he loves us. So we should thank God for His grace when we eat our chocolate
Micah (yelling): Thank you GOD for grace!!!

I had been struggling with helping Micah understand God's grace. When I show him grace in everyday situations, I'm not sure he always understands. A piece of chocolate is nothing to be compared to God's grace. But it was a good tangible example for Micah to understand favor that is not deserved. It was a good reminder for me too!

And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace John 1:16

** Side note: Micah did eat his broccoli before he had the chocolate, just not before the chocolate privilege was taken away! So yeah for getting something green in him before the chocolate!

Raising Baptists!

I realized this morning that we are raising a couple of Baptists. They have learned early that food and fellowship go hand in hand... I see nothing wrong with that!
They sure know how to pack a pew! During the fellowship time you can have the priviledge of meeting(from left to right): Beebee (Baby in Lydia talk), Beebee Mon, Boy, and Boy Monkey... I know I know... the creativity of these names is astounding! But what can you do? =) At least they get credit for a full pew!

Prayer is necessary... and good

Prayer has been hard to reconcile in my mind. If God is sovereign over everything, how then do my prayers have an impact on what he will or will not do. If Psalm 134:16, "...in your book were written, everyone of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them," is true, then why pray?

This is my conclusion: Jesus assumes it, scripture commands it, and I am within God's will when I do pray. If I am in Christ, then I have to take scripture as a whole and believe, apply, and practice what is says.

"5 And when you pray... 7 And when you pray...10 your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:5, 6, 10

"16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18


"16 ...the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." James 5:16b

"14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he heard us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the request that we have asked him." 1 John 3:14-15

(1) Jesus, when teaching the disciples to pray, says "and when you pray." He doesn't say, "and if you pray", he says "and when you pray"... so I am concluding that Jesus assumes, if you are in Him, that you will pray.

(2) Paul commands us to pray. He say rejoice, pray, and give thanks. Paul, also assuming that we are praying, says to do it without ceasing. That means all the time communication with God.

(3) Paul also says it is the will of God for us to pray without ceasing. Jesus says that while we are in prayer we should pray for the will of God to be done. And John tells us that when we are asking, according to God's will, and he answer our request, that we can have the confidence that we are in Christ; therefore, we are within the will of God.

I watched a sermon yesterday about the disaster in Haiti and I realized I can't afford to neglect prayer. I have to much on my heart to pour out to God. Praise and adoration, thanksgiving, and supplication. I will have to pray without ceasing in order to have enough time to say it all....

Prayer although a mystery to me... is necessary and good!

Temporary Addition to our family... and a snowball fight!

Here is Hump-fa-ry! The newest addition to our family (as long as the weather stays cool that is)!! Ryan and I helped Micah put this guy together. He has lost his face already due to the sun, but he's still pretty cute!

And nothing like a friendly little snowball fight. I think Micah is trying to use some special snowball fighting tactics by going into the woods!


Seven Reasons I really enjoyed the snow:
1. Uninterrupted time with my family
2. Worship was sweet and simple
3. We had 6 home cooked meals together
4. Fires in the fireplace brought relaxation and sweet family time
5. We didn't get out of our pjs for a whole day
6. I got to see the joy of a snow day through the eyes of a child
7. I was able to really enjoy my husband because there were no time demands, work to do, or schedules to meet.

I thank God for snow, not only because it is beautiful, but because for our home it brought rest, appreciation, worship, and delight!

No hugs for your Hump-fa-ry... no hugs for you!