East To West

I heard this song the other day for the first time and I loved its message. God's forgiveness is so hard for us to understand because it is so GREAT!

East To West
by Casting Crowns

Here I am, Lord, and I'm drowning in your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me
I yearn for peace and rest
I don't want to end up where You found me
And it echoes in my mind, keeps me awake tonight
I know You've cast my sin as far as the east is from the west
And I stand before You now as though I've never sinned
But today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west
'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
'cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other

I start the day, the war begins, endless reminding of my sin
Time and time again Your truth is drowned out by the storm I'm in
Today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

I know You've washed me white, turned my darkness into light
I need Your peace to get me through, to get me through this night
I can't live by what I feel, but by the truth Your word reveals
I'm not holding on to You, but You're holding on to me
You're holding on to me

Jesus, You know just how far the east is from the west
I don't have to see the man I've been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
'cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other
One scarred hand to the other
From one scarred hand to the other

Easter Eve

The afternoon/evening before Easter we had some friends invite us over for grilling out, playing, hiding and dying Easter eggs.

(We forgot our camera so I had to "steal" these from Alaina - thank you Alaina!)Thank You, Alaina and Phillip for inviting us over for all the fun!
What is a little sentimental about these moments is that the wives of all three families that were there (me, Alaina, and Sara Jo) have all been friends since elementary school. Seeing all of our children play together was very fun, odd, wonderful, surreal, beautiful, and sweet. It was quite a lovely evening! :-)

Leaving My Mark

My Grandmom and Grandpop gave me a devotional journal that I read pretty regularly. I could not help but to be moved by this one...

I Want to Leave My Mark for You
by Anita Corrine Donihue

Scripture:
Philippians 3:14
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Devotional:
I know not what each day holds or what time I have left to serve. This I do know, dear Lord, I want to leave my mark for You.
Help me to make every day count. Remind me to lay aside my own wants, to be willingly inconvenienced and used for You. Let me not put anything before You, no matter how good it seems. Help me shed bad habits that slow me down from doing Your will.
I can only leave my mark for You by replacing idle time with purposeful movement. When I rest, I open my heart that You may fill me with Your strength and spirit.
Teach me to let go of yesterday, live fully today, and look with excitement toward tomorrow. I am awed as I daily come to know You more. I feel You shower love upon me like a refreshing summer rain.
Even though I am unworthy, I long to reach the end of life's journey and see You face-to-face. In the meantime, Lord may I use each day, each hour, each moment to leave my mark for You. Amen.

Easter Eggs

Do you like Chris' Easter egg that he made?

I love it!

:-)
<3

Our Sunday Pictures

A Little Secret

In this picture Justus has on big boy underwear.

In this picture it is his 3rd day in big boy underwear.

Is he really going to be a big boy?

How Great Thou Art

Easter Afternoon

Our very wonderful friends Matthew and Jennifer invited us over for lunch and Easter fun Sunday afternoon. We had SO SO much fun and appreciate their family's hospitality.

Here is Justus wanting to get his Easter basket and go hunt eggs even though we had not even eaten lunch yet.
Here is Hannah showing off all the eggs she found in the Easter egg hunt.

THE GIRLS!
THE BOYS!

We are starting to keep an eye on these two! :-)

Easter Morning

Easter morning hugs.
Yes, those are their "pajamas" which is the play dress Hannah wore the day before and the shirt Justus wore the day before. Who needs official pajamas!??

Looking thru their baskets. We stuck with the tradition we started last year and stole from some friends. Bathing suits in the Easter basket. They loved them and their candy too!

Hannah excited about gum.
Justus excited about chocolate!
Sweet Smiles!

Surprise Family Fun Night