Tuesday, January 24, 2012

It's A..........

If you didn't know.... It's a boy!!!

Brightson James Clay. Due to arrive June 16th.

Pictures form the party coming soon *cough, cough* Aunt Rachael *cough cough*. :)

In other news I am dead tired and going home early to take a nap.

Happy Tuesday!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

God's Leading in Our Life

‎"To change the world we must first change the way we see it; we must see it from a different perspective. A cultivated mind can see the universe in a falling leaf, an orchard in a seed, an ocean in a drop of water, eternity in a grain of sand. A cultivated mind produces more insight, possesses a richer sense of the world and enjoys a more attractive experience of reality." - Scripture By Heart - Joshua Choonmin Kang

Perspective.  Seeing things differently.

God has brought Britt and I on an incredible journey over the last 2 ½ years that we have been married. He has taken us places and we have looked around saying “God, why here?” only to see His perfect plan unfold, to see how he uses where we are to take us where He wants us. He is still doing that in our life and I don’t anticipate it stopping anytime soon.

Faithfulness.  Seeing God work through any circumstance.

The place God has brought us to for now is different than what I would have ever expected. If you asked me a year ago if we would be here I would look at you like you are crazy.

We are still, and continuing to, be at the OU BSU. That is a HUGE part of our life, and ministry. The biggest part in fact. But even through the big picture there are little details, circumstance, experience that truly make up the big picture. Without them the picture would be lacking.

Of course an obvious change to our BIG picture is parenthood. Wow! Will that change our lives? Truly I believe it will be only for the better. I cannot WAIT to hold my little man, my sweet Brightson James. A little guy that already amazes me and I have never even looked into his eyes. I cannot wait to look into those eye. Are they blue, brown, green, gray? I know they are beautiful.

Another change that many people don’t know about is our church. The body of saints that we are a part of. The place we go to be filled and to give equally.  God brought Britt and I to River Church when we were a little less than 2 months away from marriage. We joined right after we were married and we have loved it ever since. The people, the vision, the purpose of that church are incredible. God used River to bring us on staff at the BSU, He used River to give us dear friends for life, He used River to help us grow.

Over the past few months God has strongly laid on our heart the possibility of going somewhere else. We didn’t know why God was calling us here. In fact, we did not even anticipate it. But He was without a doubt calling and we could not ignore it. I love that we were able to leave River just as encouraged as when we came and just as much, if not more, in support of what they do. No hard feelings. No hurt. Just gratitude.

God has brought us to Western Hills Church. I grew up there. I honestly never thought I would go back. We hesitated as God was leading. Wondering if we were thinking these things just because our families go there. We were able to answer that our reason for going, although it is a perk, was not our families. Why then? Why would God lead us there?

In short, you should read the quote at the top of this page again. Over the last three years the way I see the world has changed. The way that this church, this body of beliers, sees the world has truly changed. People are coming to know the Lord, lives are forever being changed, discipleship is key.

 Those of you who are familiar with this church may know that at one time it was not always the most comfortable welcoming place. Now, I believe that anyone who walks through those doors is loved and not rejected. I brought a little girl from my neighborhood there last Sunday, she has hardly ever been in church, and she felt comfortable and loved. She was also taught truth. Truth from God’s word that I truly believe will not return void.  I anticipate what God will do in her life.

So now, we find ourselves in a place we did not think we would be, excited to be there and anticipating how God will use us. It has taught me to not quit. Don’t stop praying for the lost yes, but to not stop praying that we, the body of Christ, will truly catch the vision of disciple making and make it happen. Although in most cases it does not, it CAN happen in the local church.
River has this vision. Western Hills has this vision. I have this vision.

Do you?

Are you willing to change the way that you see the world? To see it the way that Jesus does? 

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Cast Your Vote


Britt and I will be going to the doctor tomorrow morning to find out if we are having a little boy or a little girl. The thing is that we won't actually find out then because the ultrasound technician will be writing it on a piece of paper and sealing it away in an envelope. We will then take said paper to my sister-in-love Rachael's house where she will make a cake. The inside will either be pink or blue depending on the result and we will cut into the cake Tuesday night with friends and family present to find out the gender!

The friends and family attending will come wearing pink or blue to cast their "vote" for the gender. Since all of the blogging world cannot come what is your vote?

The prize for guessing correctly? The pride of being right and my congratulations. :)

Happy voting!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

A real post coming soon.... or at least before 2013

When I try to think of what to update two things cross my min
1.) I have not pictures
2.) I have no news.

However, that will be changing in the near, near future. We found out if baby Clay is a boy or girls THIS Tuesday! We are having a gender reveal party and I am sure to have pictures form that event as well. So excited!

There is a lot that is about to happen in our lives and so we are soaking in the “not so much” at the moment. The things that are happening right now are plumbing problems at the house, work, and a VERY messy house. I feel busy and overwhelmed but not by anything that would interest the blogger reader type.

I ask myself… How does Pioneer Woman do it? That lady can write a blog post about anything and nothing at the same time and I am sucked right into the madness. That talent ship sailed right past this lady.

I have a post coming at some point on what God is doing in Britt and my life but I am still thinking about how to write it all out and share it. I am excited to share it for sure but it’s just one of those things that need thought.

Unlike this post, I am sure you can tell by now that there was no thought put into it, and it really doesn’t have any significance.

Like I said, the ship sailed on by.

I will however leave you with this because it made me laugh:

Do you see the "problem"? :)