God is in CONTROL

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Holiday Haze

Headed home Tuesday  from a sweet and wonderful holiday. So many  memories of it all:  

 > going the longer route through KC to get a little extra time with Campbell and her mommy and daddy. . .  'such a gift to have  her with us this Christmas so wonderfully healthy. . .  witnessing a special moment between Bethany and her daddy
Reading a new book from Erica before we hit the road on Wed. am

C heading to the airport on Wed. night















> Enjoying girl's lunch out on Thurs. --what fun way to kick off the holiday before all the cooking and kitchen prep-- and yea!!! their lounging pants with the monogrammed pockets all fit.


> and lunch out on Friday
Lunch at the Cherry Cricket

Bell men competition: Marshall: 10 water buffalo / Terry: 2













Christmas Eve again this year at Marshall's house

> Getting in some great "Campbell" time
it was hard to get her  food to her quickly enough
holiday relaxing for both of us!

















 


>Enjoying such wonderful hospitality with Mat's parents. . . 



This gift was a hit with these 2 Bronco fans!










>Seeing these two dads/grandads always deep in conversation


learning fly-fishing from a PRO!




There's always so much for us two Jan's to catch up on






>Realizing Marshall is so happy in his transplant rotation -though it has such crazy hours.
>Getting to know his girlfriend, Katie and "dog-sit" Callie


Whenever he could join us, Marshall had  C
 

Everything was a photo op!



Yearly tradition:  Father / Daughter Fudge Pie

"Uncle Marshall see my swirly girly skirt!"

practicing her jumping reflex

>Watching Marshall savor the few hours he got to be with family . . . and making sure Campbell got to know her Uncle 

>Observing these two manage their holiday and baby schedule -- they did an awesome job -- keeping C rested and on schedule -- dividing her time with both families and even sharing a few moments with each other --
In all the holiday hub-bub - sometimes a little girl just needs her daddy
One tired teething baby






Monday, December 20, 2010

Searching for Jesus

"Please Lord, let YOUR kids tell YOUR story YOUR way."  - I was kind of proud of that prayer -- I thought that covers all the bases and would surely cover any unforseen problems.

Saturday's rehearshal had come off like a breeze -- Shouldn't be ANY problems.  We'd worked two Sundays and I was going to let the kids use their scripts. (MEMO to Jan:  Next year start earlier -- get more help - you know how crazy the last 5 weeks of school are --)

WELL - I got there early, moved in the props and thought I had it all good to go. 20 children showed up looking beautiful --
           then --some kids forgot their scripts -- thanks Fran for running off more.

                                   - the wisemen's headgear was too small (those cool whip cartons turbans had already been slit as much as I could cut them) -- good thing I brought  elastic -- we'd just strap them on -- NO WAY I could do that and manage kids -- thanks April --


                                      -----little ones needed costumes -- thanks Jenny

                               -----Two of my big kids were punching it out and a couple more got rowdy -- then one little one who was fussy from the waiting got an attitude about having to wear the turban.  .

An usher came to get me and tell me it was time for me to help with the communion message -- but I had a roomful of restless kids who needed to go over their lines one more time -- ENTER: Letha -- thanks you're a doll to take over --I left in a panic thinking this is never gonna come together -- this was going to be a Christmas presentation they'd surely remember. I wasn't sure what I was going to say as my part of the communion message -- but surely the Lord would provide!  He'd sent these wonderful women to help bail me out at the last minute.

God did provide and I finished my part of the message and went to get the children from their classroom.  As I rounded the corner I could see them  all lined up posing for a "family group" photo looking  beautiful and just like the little cherubchildren  they really are. I knew this year's presentation been saved!!!

We filled the back of the sanctuary and Keilah and Tyler started to play Silent Night on their trumpet / coronet -- it was awesome -- people got teary-eyed as the little ones (wisemen with paper telescopes -- and tiny angel girls)  took their places on the stage.





I told Terry, one of my favorites from the whole experience is watching their eyes as they sing give the Christmas story



It's not been THAT long since Kari was one of the little angels!

They spoke their lines beautifully -- the only one to mess up was me when I almost ended it before their concluding lines.    
Wise man deep in thought . . .
                                                                                                                                               
Jaylon enjoyed it much more with Aunt Jennie




.I reminded the church that just like the wise men who were searching for Jesus, we all too are looking for him -- some people don't really know it and this was the childrens' opportunity to help them see that HE is our only HOPE for while we're earth waiting for Him to come and get us some day.
Davin was such a big boy this year in his 2nd Christmas special.
 I had promised the children that in getting to tell God's story, people would be changed.  . 
Right now a couple of verses are in my head . . . out of the mouths of infants HE has ordained praise . . . a little child shall lead them . . . 

 click here to watch the utube video clip that was sent to me in a forward which helped to inspire our theme "Searching for Jesus"
 www.wheresthelinetoseeJesus.com

Sunday, December 12, 2010

My Two Favorites from the Week . . ..

Don't you want to pinch those chubby cheeks?

In the Countdown


Let's see -- I'm making a list and checking it twice -- is it really only 13 days until Christmas????

I have already bought  all of my  gifts except for Terry's.  What to get a man who says he has everything he needs???  I need to stuff the Christmas cards and ready them for mailing -- can't believe I'm getting them out before Christmas!!! Mine is usually the last card of the season to arrive Jan. 2nd or 3rd.'Think having Campbell Hope pictures to send was my push to get them out on time.

 --Never been a grandma on Christmas before -- We gave Campbell her gift early --  but I do HAVE to HAVE SOMETHING for her to unwrap (like at 6 mos. she'll really notice ).

Five more days of school --

The Mock Wedding was a success  on Friday -- .--- our gals were radiant and the guys were  "gussied up" great, as well. 


Terry preached his best wedding ceremony -- and it was only a fake wedding!

 -- the cakes turned out beautifully --As we put the finishing touches on the icing on Thursday in preparation for Friday's wedding, one student confided, "Mrs. Bell I have to admit, I didn't think it would turn out this nicely. I confessed -- I felt the same way -- and always have to pray, "Lord make this look better than I could."
--- the messy spare classroom decorated beautifully.  I had given the students several tubs of flowers, ribbon, lights and garlands and said, "make it look good".  They outdid themselves!!!



This week is the end of the semester and so that means review, final exams, grades and 70 students to help complete sewing projects.

Our Christmas Special . . .

--- A favorite for me --  helping  my Super Kids with  the Christmas presentation the Sunday before Christmas.  There's a few more tiny wise men to make head gear and costumes for -- and 13 kids to help learn their lines.  This year's message is Searching for Jesus.  Can't wait to see those little preschoolers with their telescope and outlandish velvet turbans I made. 

I'm so eager to head to Denver on the 22nd to be with our family . . . I enjoy the time in the car with my man -- we talk excitedly all the way out and then live in the afterglow of it all the whole trip home.
I got this pic on my phone Friday reminding me that in less than two weeks she'd be seeing me for the holidays!


'So many reasons I love this season
-- in all the preparations -- and the hustle and bustle -- I still feel God calling me back to the simplicity of it all . . . .a tiny baby -- born in an outback stable -- to two very poor parents -- it's kinda like finding the KING of the WORLD in a homeless shelter or to a couple sleeping in their car.  So much power, So much love, so much promise, so much HOPE came from God's baby. . .

Saturday, December 4, 2010

HOPE

It's been my word this year -- I'm sort of obsessed with it -- we're doing our Ladies' study on Sunday nights using the Women of Faith Conference "Irrepressible HOPE"- --  I kind of describe HOPE as that light that keeps burning inside -- in my mind's eye I'm seeing ET's finger when it would light up -- only HOPE is always lit -- it's always continues --

God used some key words on HOPE that gave me just that,  from Romans, "And HOPE does not disappoint us, because HE has poured out his love for us in Jesus Christ.

Now there abides three things:  faith, HOPE and love . . . I Cor. 13

I discovered my new favorite thing this year in Wal-Mart -- a coffee mug that simply says, "HOPE"


Jesus was called the HOPE of Israel.



I wanted this theme of HOPE to be all over our childrens' Christmas presentation.



Isn't that what keeps us going
   . . . . what fuels our efforts . . .
      .  .  .and what brings us through dark days?




 I believe that for this time in our lives the sending of HIS Baby is what brings HOPE to the world.

Friday, December 3, 2010

I Love This Job . . . #5

It's the end of the semester and that means that it's about time for my Marriage and Family Life Class's mock wedding.  As always a bride and groom and their attendants are selected by the other members in the class.
This year we had a new occurrence.  Unknown to me, one little gal who is challenged in her ability to learn  let it slip that she would really, really like to be this year's bride.  One of the other girls suggested we do this, talked among several in the class and decided that this  would be a special opportunity.  I was so proud of my students as I counted the ballots and then with much pomp and promotion announced the bridal party.  When this quiet and serious young lady heard her name -- she waved her arms wildly in the air and yelled, "THANK YOU, THANK YOU JESUS!!!" THANK YOU, JESUS, I've been praying for this"!!!!

The rest of the class didn't know quite what to think as this little gal, who'd never moved so much or been so loud, wildly thanked her sweet Jesus.  We all sat a little stunned, at first. 

I asked a small cluster of gals Thursday - "Did you have any doubts, after that, that you did the right thing?"
They giggled and  were overjoyed!!!

Her witness came back to me  the  next day -- when I received a "YES" to a prayer over something I had been stewing about and to which I could loudly shout in full volume, THANK YOU !!!!  THANK YOU, JESUS!!!!

It's a memory I'll keep . . . thanks girls, for helping us all witness a "God thing".

. . . . . .I love this job . . . .

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