December 2010

Merry Christmas!

This I Believe...

Every person on this planet is God's child with God's beauty planted inside, sometimes dormant, sometimes in bloom.  Our journeys back to Him are individual.  We all fall short of His glory, and only by His grace are we worthy in His sight.  So in these truths lies God's demand that we love one another, tolerate one another, forgive one another.  We, who are unworthy of forgiveness ourselves, only condemn our hearts to darkness when we carry judgment for others.

Likewise, our understandings and perceptions of life are absolutely subjective.  We cannot see what another sees, hear what another hears, feel what another feels.  Two people living through the same event in what could be considered the exact same circumstances will be shaped differently.  The traumatic and hurtful pieces of our lives are equally human.  They are all dark.  None are of God.  All are of fallen man.  But that's where God's grace will redeem.  When those dark pieces are given to our merciful, compassionate Father, He takes what was ugly and gives it back as something beautiful...those redeemed pieces become our understanding of God's love.  They become our testimonies that let us be the Body...His arms reaching, feet going, voices telling.

This I Believe.

FOCUS!

Not doing very well keeping up with my blog...Not much down-time to catch up with some quiet time.  Still working on national boards (due March 31st!).  I need to spend LOTS more time getting that process in full swing.  Time management for me is HARD!  AND, it seems that I'm getting worse rather than better...I've really almost convinced myself that I have adult-onset ADD.  Seriously--I can't focus.

Kiddos are great.  Tori is doing well in 3rd.  Adrion will start pre-school in January.  Tomorrow is Halloween--Tori as Cleopatra and Adrion as Mr. Incredible.  :)

Fun times!

Reading...

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink.  It's about twins who hold the key to the apocalypse.  Young adult read.  Also reading poetry of Edgar Allen Poe.  Beautiful prose.  Tormented soul.  I feel sorry for him.

It's been awhile...

I've almost let September slip by without even one post.  So here it is.  I guess in reflection I could say that my absence has been due to the return of the school schedule.  Hmmm.  I'm actually pretty sure about that.  Since someday (with my track record lately, this "someday" will inevitably be sooner rather than later) I will forget all of the little happenings that made up these busy August and September weeks of my 2010, I feel compelled to make a list...


August 18th-Adrion had his tonsils and adenoids removed.

August 19th-Tori started 3rd grade.  Unbelievable.  So far the year has been absolutely without incident.  My sweet Tori is shining.

Early September...Mom and Tim went to Little Rock for comprehensive tests to determine treatment plans and options for his lymphoma.

September...School, work, school, work, visit LR w/ Candace, school, work, etc...

September 15th (I think)-Mom and Tim returned to Little Rock to begin mega-chemo, round 1.  They're still there.  He and Mom will be gone for probably 3 more weeks before a short trip home, then back for round 2....If all goes as planned, treatments should conclude around the end of the year.

September something...I got my box from the National Board certification program.  I received $2500 of funding from the state of Arkansas to participate, and it's due March 31st.  6 months.  They (these upcoming months) are going to be a little intense.

Today-Jaxon's 7th birthday.  Again, unbelievable.  The babies are big kids now.  Also, I returned home today from two days of Lit Lab in Fayetteville.  Bikes, Blues, and BBQ were going on while we were there (Nancy Green shared a room with me).  We gave up seeing those sights, however, in exchange for R&R and pizza delivery in our hotel.

That's all she wrote.  My deep-thinking, introspective self has not come out (or gone in(???)) to play for awhile.  Life is hectic, and it's keeping my mind on the mundane.  Speaking of, I shall now commence to make supper, feed the dogs, pick up the house, start some dishes and laundry, maybe mow a little (?), help with homework, bathe the kids, conduct "night-night-train" rituals, call my mom, .......and plan for a FABULOUS FRIDAY!!  (My favorite day of the week!)

PS--I can't wait to see my hubby!  Hurry home, G!

Leightyn's Lifesong

http://leightynslifesong.blogspot.com/

Faith

A few days ago, a teacher who I worked with during my student teaching days lost her 5-year-old unexpectedly to a bleed on her brain.  The little girl was put to rest today after a celebration of her life where 23 people came to Christ.  All of this information has come my way "through the grapevine", so all  may not be completely accurate, but the point I'm most impressed upon here is the testimony between the lines...

In a time where I have no doubt that I would have completely shut down, this mother showed her gift of God's Amazing Grace by giving her baby right back to Jesus.  That she stepped out in Faith so quickly after this tragedy absolutely overwhelms me.  I don't know if I've ever been so close to such an incredible example of "Follow me."  From what I understand, the family shared the testimony of their recent journey at the funeral...and from their story of Faith, 23 people were saved. 

Could my faith stand that test?  I don't know.  I don't think so.  I just have no more words right now...just wow. 

I do love my God with all my heart, and I will definitely be working on my journey of Faith.

Summer...

...is going fast.  I'm heavy into workshops, and the summer is pretty much over for me now, but this summer has been FUN!  Some highlights...

Whew!  My cup overflows.  I'm so thankful for family, friends, freedom, and time to decompress.  PS--I'm 31 today.

100th Blog

100th Psalm:

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.  Know that the Lord is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

Picture hodge podge...

Busy, busy, busy are we, we, we!  Pics of some of our "here and there" during the past month or so...

Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Greg with their great-nieces and nephews

Bonnie and Greg with David and Donna

G and his little sis

Our semi-nightly visitor of late...

 

Tori's 2nd grade field trip to the zoo

Eating lunch...

 

Riding the train...

Some of the cool animals...

First softball game...Score 6-5 against Paris...Tori scored 2 of the points!!  Yay, Tori!

Birthday Road Trip

For Tori's 8th, she got the choice of having a party or going on a trip to Branson to see the Dixie Stampede.  Obviously, she chose the latter...The contrast of the stormy sky and green trees on our way was really pretty.  I felt like I was in Ireland...

In the past two days, we Kernses have see four rainbows.  I can't remember ever seeing so many in a short time span.  Garon saw one on his way home on the 23rd; We saw the one I posted as "Tori's Rainbow" that same day; The picture below was on our way to Branson on the 24th; And THEN, while Tori and I were in the Dixie Stampede, Garon saw another full bow that he posted to facebook.  Amazing.

Two Southern belles....

Pre-show anticipation...

We ran in to some friends from County Line!  This is Madison from Tori's class...

"Happy Birthday to YOU!"

Quick trip...on our way home...

We took highway 7 through Jasper...This is the Arkansas I love... 

And some highway entertainment...

Happy birthday, my great big Tori-pants!