State Fair 2010

Our big day at the State Fair!  So much fun, so much food, so many calories!!

First, we did the kids hands on farm thing – the kids always love this – and they get that free snack at the end which is always a fun treat too!!

 

 

Then we went through the Ocean Spray booth and the V8 booth for some free juice samples – yummy & FREE!!  Fun too!!

Then we made sure to stop by for some free Floats – these are always a favorite!!

PJ had Big Red (which we thought was not so yummy) the rest of us had root beer – much yummier!!

 

 

We had to get our annual Turkey leg too – felt very carnivorous while eating that.  A year of less meat has changed how I feel about meat!

 

 

We enjoyed the Animal Kids barn – lots of fun stuff there like this friendly giraffe

 

Had to get a Big Tex pic – amazing how fast these kids are growing and how big too!!

 

Gotta get on some tractors – something about this just makes the kids love it!

 

 

 

 

On our way out, we saw this Bird Show – by far my favorite part!!  Not sure how we have missed this show for the past several years!!  So much fun to watch these majestic birds!!

If you look close enough you will see my 2 boys on the screen at the end seeing the birds close-up!

 

 

All in all – it was a fun day.  Free tickets to get in made it even better!  Can you tell we enjoy the State Fair on a small budget?  I think it makes it even more fun!!

Our new girls

 

Here are Polly and Lucy

(Lucy has the blue collar on – she is more black, Polly is plumper)

Lucy

 

  

They are sisters.  Blue Tick Coonhounds  - they are 4 months old and they are super sweet!!

where is the focus of your worship?

This week at Bible Study we listened to Priscilla Shirer speak about how our GOD is ABLE.  She did such a great job of using illustrations from her lift to demonstrate how God is able to do far more than we ever expect him to do.    She is using a verse in Ephesians to demonstrate just how ABLE God is.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Eph 3:20-21

 

But so often in the day to day, in the details, in the moments in an hour, we forget.  We forget how ABLE our God is.  We forget the promises he lays before us, and the blessings he wants to pour down on us.  We forget to live like we serve a victorious God and not a defeated one. 

And in those moments that we forget, we can sometimes start to worship our problems, instead of the God who can help us through those problems.  We dwell on the yucky stuff instead of asking why God has allowed that in our lives and living like it might be there for a reason.  The reason might be ME. 

Maybe my children are challenging my patience more these days because my patience muscle is weak!  Maybe  the problem is not my kids acting up, but it is really ME.  I need to get my focus off of my problems and turn to the ONE who can give me the patience I cannot find, the grace I do not have, and the strength I need to navigate those same problems.

So I have to ask myself in the moments of my day, after a morning of time with Him, why do I so quickly take the focus of my worship off a worthy God and put it onto my unworthy problems?  Why do I never fail to return to my sinful roots when trials rear their ugly heads?

These next days, and hopefully weeks, I plan to look my problem (aka : issue, trail, whatever) in the face and look for what God could be trying to teach me in the midst of it all.  And I hope to turn back to a heart of gratitude while I am at it.  I have more things to be grateful for these days, than I can count, and yet I can still get frustrated, envious, and many other things despite all the blessings pouring down on my family right now.  So I am going to try to focus my heart on the things that really matter.  On a God who so deserves ALL I can offer him, and more!

So, where is your worship?

Fun Day

Today, the kids and I went into Dallas and spent the day doing lots of fun things!!

We started at the Arboretum and enjoyed lots of colorful pumpkins and some other kids stuff

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then after some fun times playing and taking pictures, we headed to Central Market to pick up a few favorite things (we cannot find in the area by us)

Next, we headed out to the zoo – we have not been in a while, so we wanted to stop in the Nature Center and ask a number of questions, trade a few things in, and then see the new Giants of the Savannah exhibit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made it home after spending a few minutes with some friends in Arlington.  We are all beat, but it was a fun day!!

I love fall – no matter where we are, and going to the Arboretum for their Fall Celebration is a favorite now, thanks to Lisa for inviting us the first time!!