Sunday Beach Trip

This past Sunday, we took the kids to the beach.  In our three years of living in Houston, we've only made the hour-long drive a handful of times.  I don't really know why, other than the fact that Drew and I aren't that into beaches.  (Seriously, we went snow-skiing on our honeymoon.)

The kids, on the other hand, absolutely love the beach.  And I found myself enjoying it a whole lot more through their eyes and experiences!  I can't wait to go again! 

Building sandcastles with Daddy was a highlight!

This kid is a fish.

She's not afraid to get a little dirty. ;)

Last time we were at the beach, he wasn't walking.  This time, he was running.

Mr. Independence.

Everything is more fun with a giant shovel.

Beach princess.

Daddy's devoted little helper.

My heart!

Favorite shot of the day.  I love the adventurous spirit that Drew is cultivating in our son.

Lessons from Galilee

Lately, the Lord has been speaking to me about stepping out of my comfort zone, out of the "boat" where I feel I am safe.  

I don't know where (or to what) He's calling me yet, but I know the call is coming!  He's been using practically everything to speak to me!

I began to hear this message while I was in Israel, standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  As I stood there, wind tugging at my hair and my clothes, I tried to picture a terrifying storm over the peaceful lake, to imagine the fear of the disciples as they struggled to keep their little boat afloat.  And then, to see Him, walking across the tumultuous waves... wow!

As I stood in the gentle surf, I prayed that God would give me Peter's faith.  I know that if I'd been in his sandals, I would have clung to that flimsy boat helplessly, begging Jesus to calm the storm with His words like He'd done before.  But get out?! Yeah, right!  I'm staying right here, where I feel safe!

But fortunately I wasn't on that boat.  And I have the advantage of having read the story.  I know what happens when Peter decides to get out.  He walks on the water, too.  Yeah, he gets scared, takes his eyes off of Jesus, and begins to sink.  But he walked on water, y'all.  

And I have the power to choose that outcome for myself...

if I choose to follow where my Savior calls.

Over Independence Day weekend, I devoured the book Water Walker, by Ted Dekker.  (First part is free for download here.)  Without giving too much of the book away, Water Walker draws a parallel between physical storms and the storms of life.  We live in our little boats, thinking we're safe from drowning in the water, but in reality, the boat creates a false sense of safety.  

I am no more safe in a canoe than I am actually in the water during a storm.  In fact, I am less safe there if I have specifically been called out of the boat.

And then, this week in my devotional, I'm reading about Jonah and how sometimes storms are used to get our attention.  This one part stuck out to me:  God is flushing you out of hiding from behind the perceived protection of your flimsy umbrella.  And then: We are more fearful of the task itself than of the consequences of our disobedience.

What.  

Yeah, basically the same thing He'd been speaking to me about the boat.  Only now there were consequences to disobedience.  I was stricken, convicted.  I immediately wrote in the margin, "I am Jonah!"  But I don't want to be a Jonah.  I want to be a Peter.  

I want to be the one who discounts the fear, the boat's safety, the impossibility of the task.  I want to be the one who boldly says, "Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you on the water!" (Matthew 14:28 MSG)

So that's been my prayer the last couple of days, that God would give me the courage to accept His call when it comes, that I would look above the rising waves and see His hand held out to me.  

I want to trust that He has prepared me for what He's called me to do.

(And yes, if you were wondering, all these pictures are ones I took of Galilee.  It's just that beautiful!)

Summer Time

It's been a busy, busy summer, y'all.  Picture-heavy post coming through!

Around the middle of June, we packed up our minivan of awesomeness and made the 22-hour drive to Williamsburg, Virginia, for VACATION!  First up was my little sister's bridal shower and my little brother's graduation. Woo!

Matron of honor with the bride-to-be!

Four of the five!

Handsome grad!

Both events were kind of unreal.  I can't believe that my first sister is now married and my first brother is a high school graduate.  Where has the time gone?!

Anyway, after the shower, Drew and I drove our kids down to Myrtle Beach for a week for our first ever family vacation!  We took one of my sisters with us; she was a HUGE help watching the kids so Mom and Dad could actually get some vacay time of our own.

Here are some of the highlights of our beach trip...

Krispy Kreme -- a luxury we do not get in Houston.  Shipley's sucks. :p

All by himself on the big slide!

Keepin' cool in the shade.

Beach Babe.

"Look, Mama, it's a 'G' for Gabriel!"
I was amazed.

The week was amazing, full of water slides, swimming, date nights, sleeping in, sand, and rain.  When it was over, Whitney and I dropped Drew off at the airport and trekked back up to Williamsburg for wedding preparations and family time!

Uncle & Nephew.  Best buds.

Hanging out at Bounce House.

Hallie's first haircut!

And a long-overdue haircut for Mom!

The five sisters.

Independence Day in Colonial Williamsburg!

Papaw dedicating Hallie and Asher to the Lord.

And then Gabriel lost my phone.  (And it's still missing.  In my parents' house.  In Virginia.  And yes, it's an iPhone 5.)  It died before I realized it was missing, so I couldn't call it or even utilize Find My iPhone.

So, needless to say, I got zero pictures of the wedding festivities.  I somehow forgot that I have a digital camera in my diaper bag.  I'm so used to using my phone that I don't even think about the camera anymore. Sigh.

But anyway.  There's my summer update in (mostly) pictures.

And if you think of it, please pray that my family will find my phone.  I feel like I've lost a limb.  Haha.