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Come and shop at our Holiday Open House!
Good food, music, and great shopping!
November 18th from 5:30 to 8:30 (come-and-go)
Monique's house: 206 Azalea Court
Photography*Cards and Gift Tags*Monogrammed Gifts*Jewelry

wow...

My incredibly talented niece, Megan McGonagill, has her graphic design work on exhibit in France...I'm honored that she used my photo in her work of art! It's on exhibit at the Atelier Deux Mondes Art Gallery in Metz, France. Megan is a beautiful, talented, and extremely smart young woman. I have always known that she was destined for greatness. Seriously, God has blessed her with many gifts and talents. I'm so proud of her and for her!

Jordan...

Shelby...

Okay, so it's been a while since I've photographed Shelby. I'm way behind on my to-do list which happens to include turning in my ad photo of her for the yearbook. Now, I have to decide which one to turn in! Seriously...I must be getting old! I keep looking at my girls and wondering where the years have gone. Holy cow...next year, Shelby will hit double digits and Jordan will be a teenager!

my favorite things...

My little iPod speaker is one of my favorite things...I take it everywhere! Oh, and I recently had a THIRD GRADER tell me I was "old school" because my iPod doesn't have a color screen or play videos...nice....

is that me?

At least someone thinks I'm cool! Shelby gave this to me, and I did the usual..."thanks!" and kept on going. After taking a good look, I was slightly disturbed...do I look like that to her? Do I look like that to other people? Hmmm....oh, my...is that David in the background or just some random guy who's built like Gumby? I do like the hair and the purse...oh, and the fact that I'm "so cool"! Yeah, um... that's me!

hope now...

I love this song...Hope Now by Addison Road. It might be playing now...it's on my player to the right. Lately, I've been singing it in my head all throughout the day, and the lyrics speak to me...

When I call out your name, something inside awakes in my soul...

I’m not my own, I’ve been carried by you all my life...

When the world has broken me down, this love set me free...

You define my heart’s desires. I will sing your praises higher. Your love sets me free...

One more thing...I was reading the blog post for the Life Journal tonight, and I must say, over and over again I feel inadequate as a witness in this world. Self-doubt is the biggest battle I fight. It's the devil...literally. When I read David Hardin's prayer tonight, it confirmed what I already knew...satan breathes his lies into my mind on a daily basis. When I start to believe him and doubt myself, he's winning the battle.

Prayer:
God, help me to learn to pray continually and to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Take away any fears, doubts or shame that might creep into my thoughts about being your witness to a lost world. Teach me to listen for and hear your voice when it speaks and be willing to act, no matter what the cost.

— David Hardin, community missions pastor

Jordan...

A few new photos of Jordan...

fall...

Did you think I had fallen off the face of the earth? I know it's been a while since I've blogged, but...I'm addicted to Facebook! Yikes! It has taken me away from blogging...shame on me...I'll do better...in fact, I'll post again tomorrow to prove it! Hey, if you're on Facebook, be my friend!

Cougar Volleyball...

Jordan, front and center


Do you know what this look is? It's the "stop-mom-you're-embarrassing-me" look...

blessings...

Look what was nesting in the bush...a dove! It's beautiful. Well, both of my dad's cancer doctors say that they don't think the spot on his spine is cancer. I'm sure my medical terminology is lame, but it's the best I can do. They are going to watch it closely. He goes back in two months for another MRI. Every prayer lifted up on his behalf is greatly appreciated. It means more to me that you'll ever know. Even if I've never met you. Keep praying, and if I can pray for you, let me know.

prayer for healing...

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases." Matthew 8:17

Have you ever been shaken to the core? So much so, that it physically hurts? The kind of hurt that makes you cry…really cry…an ugly cry. You know, like Diane Keaton in Something’s Gotta Give. That was me today. My mom called and said the doctors found a spot on my dad’s spine. I went to the prayer room at church. Mostly, just to have time to think and talk to God in a quiet place. On the way there, no sooner than the car door shut, it was on. The tears came, and they wouldn’t stop. I wailed a few times. I cried out to my Heavenly Father and asked him to heal my earthly father. He’s done it before. Two years ago, my dad was diagnosed with stage four head and neck cancer. God brought him through it.

In the prayer room, instrumental music plays softly. During my prayer, the words to the song that was playing came to me. I started whispering them.

He knows my name
He knows my every thought,
He sees each tear that falls
and hears me when I call

It was comfort when I needed it most. Please pray for him.

Confession: I've Got Skinny Legs...

You've got to listen to this! We had a guest speaker at church today, Wayne Cordeiro, a pastor from Hawaii. I had to keep wiping at my face to keep the tears away during the sermon. Finally, I couldn't fight them back any longer. I just bowed my head a bit so it wasn't quite so obvious tears were streaming down my cheeks. I've been running away from God lately. I justify it by telling myself I'm too busy to keep up with my daily devotional and Bible reading. I say I'll volunteer for another missions day the next time it comes around, and so on, and so on... I'm telling you, He was speaking to me today. And no, I'm not talking about Wayne Cordeiro. Click the link below and then click on the yellow circle with the picture of the t.v. When the media player pops up, it should start playing. If not, click on "The Divine Mentor" July 27, 2008. How do you use your pockets of energy? Today, I decided that I don't want skinny legs any more...

"The Divine Mentor"

If you don't live in the Jackson area, click here to get your Life Journal. If you do, stop by The Source at Pinelake and pick one up. We can start together! Also, check out the Life Journal blog for info on what we're doing. Look at the column on the right side of the blog. And by we, I mean you, too! It doesn't matter where you live or where you are in your spiritual life...

a little cajun fun...

A few months ago, we went to visit my sister and celebrate Alex's birthday. After the pool party, Seth had a crawfish boil at his house. It was sooo good...I love crawfish.


While the crawfish were boiling, we played a game...David says it must be a cajun thing. Have you ever played this game before? I don't even know what it's called! It consists of six washers and two homemade wooden boxes connected by a piece of rope. Whatever it is, it's fun!





Just add a little bit of Zataran's...


This is how you do it if you're not in the mood for a facial...


Guess what he got for his birthday? He's chasing Shelby around the yard and laughing so hard, he's about to pop a vein...




Look at the steam coming off that pile of crawfish! You can barely see Alex...

Francesca Battistelli...

This is the best...go to iTunes and listen to this girl. I love the songs Free To Be Me, I'm Letting Go, and My Paper Heart. And I thought my name was hard to spell...

summer...

We have spent several summer weekends doing this...pure, simple, no-frills fun!