Reason to Rejoice

Forty years almost seems like a lifetime to me...it almost is an entire lifetime for me.  For forty years women have been having legalized abortions in the United States.  Approximately 40 million babies are aborted each year.  That represents A LOT of babies but it also represents A LOT of women. It is horrific if you really think about what abortion is. Let me tell you what it is not.... *It is not "the easy way out" *It is not something you can just forget about *It (the baby) is not "just a ball of cells" *It is not a decision that only affects the mother It is murder. It is, in many ways, a permanent solution to a temporary "problem." It is heart breaking to think of what happened to an innocent baby. It is also heart breaking for many years for the mother (and many times father) who chose the procedure. It is physically, emotionally, and often times spiritually difficult...and let me just say, that's putting it mildly. Jane Roe (Norma Mc

She makes me smile!!!  And I have to make a disclaimer...I know I do not post many pictures of Lauren (my middle child). Would you like to know why?  Because she refuses to have her picture made!!!!  She's a stinker! :)

One of the greatest blessings that God has ever bestowed upon me is the gift of being a Mommy.  I love that job!!  It is stressful, never boring and the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life, but I would not trade it for anything in the entire world.  It is simply my favorite thing.  When I was pregnant with Rachel, my first born, I prayed that she would someday know the love that her daddy and I have for her...that we truly love her.  I think that she understands a fraction of that because we talk about how much we love her and that is why we have to punish her.  She is a very smart little girl.  More importantly, I have always prayed that she know the love that the Father have for her ~ her Heavenly Father.  As much as I love my children and I love them more than life itself, God loves them so much more!!  That is so hard for me to fathom because I can't imagine anyone loving them more.  But, He does!  I have prayed that one day, when they are ready, that my children

I love this baby!!!  I PROMISE I will post things of more "substance" soon but I had to share a picture of my favorite one year old!!!! Love to you all!!!  :)  

Well, my new year goal of blogging more was off to great start and then....well, I haven't blogged in a week!!  BOO!!!  BUT....I keep telling myself that it doesn't make me a failure!! :)  We have had an uneventful weekend around here.  I folded a lot of laundry.  Brice did some camera stuff for the church.  I got my hair cut....like A LOT.  It is quite a bit shorter than before and a little shorter than I wanted but, hey, it's hair.  It will grow, huh?!  My husband says...."I don't like change."  I would upload a picture but for some reason, my computer is not letting me right now. ?????  I will try later with my phone. Work is still work.  Everyone is well at my home KNOCK ON WOOD!!!!  The flu is going around like crazy around here and I am just PRAYING that my house does not catch it!!! Our pastor preached an AMAZING message yesterday on what a church should stand for....and against and I will likely blog about that in the next couple of days.  Sunday

I think someone really described how I feel and think really well yesterday when she said that I have the “desire to be better than I was the day before.” I do not think I could have said it better myself. I struggle so much with who I am, who I want to be, and who God wants me to be. To add in the mix…who I used to be. I am not who I used to be, Praise God! I talk a lot about wishing I were kinder, more gentle, sweeter spirited, etc. and while I don’t think that there is anything wrong with wanting to be more of those things I also struggle with being okay with who I am. My new year’s resolution this year is to exhibit more of the fruits of the spirit. I want so bad to be more like Christ! I LONG to be like Christ. I want people to see Christ when they look at me. I want people to think about Rikki and think about how I exude Jesus. I would think that would not be the case at this point in my life’s journey. I am NOT asking for a million (who am I kidding….only 5 of you read this t

I went to graduate school with a beautiful (inside and out) girl named  Carissa   She is now the editor for an online magazine called  My Journey of Faith Magazine and she has asked me to start writing for the magazine.  This month the theme was "Transformed."  The following is my entry.... When I think of the word transformation, so many times in my life and circumstances start running through my head. I really have to slow myself down because I feel like I am really having an attention deficit moment. I have been changed and shaped by many things and people at different twists and turns, some good and some bad but I can honestly say that Christ has done a major work in my life at two pivotal times. I pray that as you reflect on these with me that you too will remember a time of transformation in your life. Perhaps you have not had one of those times. My prayer, if that is you, is that you will be transformed today. At an early age, I knew that God would do something b

I know you are tired of my "I'm behind" posts but I will catch up....I'm working on it!  :) Sooo....when we had children, I was VERY adamant that our children would spend Christmas morning at home.  We have stuck with this.  We leave the day after Christmas for Arkansas to see family.  This year it started snowing on Christmas morning in Texas and Arkansas got weather even worse.  They had, in some parts up to a foot of snow!! In Little Rock, they had 10 inches and lost power with down trees.  Brice's parents lost power and did not have it for several days.  We ended up staying at my mom's house for an extra day and then we spent the night in a hotel in Arkadelphia and did Christmas there with Brice's parents and his brother!  It was quite an adventure.  Several times I didn't even know what day it was!  Hannah did not sleep well, my kids were crazy, it was cold and it just was....an adventure! :) The girls loved spending the night in a hotel and s

We normally have our family Christmas at our house on Christmas Eve every year....that was until this year when I had to work on Christmas Eve.  As many of you know, I started a new job on December 4th and Christmas Eve is a normal working day.  It was not really a normal working day....my co-worker and I drove to Central Market and shopped, ate lunch (on a doctor's dime) and then went home at 2:00 but hey, nice way to make a $$.  Anyway, all of that say, we had family Christmas on Saturday the 22nd and then Christmas Eve was FANTASTIC, low-key and low stress!!!  We were able to attend our church's Christmas Eve service and it was just nice. After the service we came home and got on our Christmas pajamas because Hannah was getting sleepy and ready to go down for the night.  The following picture is hands down one of my very favorite from the entire year, even though it was taken with my phone...I think I got a good one on the camera too! :)  My sweet baby girls! 

This is going to be a very scattered and generic Christmas post. I will do a separate post for Christmas Eve,  Christmas morning and our Christmas travel plans.  I am so behind on blogging but I just ordered a planner and want to schedule blogs for this year.  I have always wanted to blog so that I can remember times with my children.  I have never had a huge blog following and secretly (or not so secretly) I have always wanted one but even if I don't ever have many people that read, I will continue blogging.  I love my blog background and I just...well, I just need/want to blog more. Okay...first...Christmas decor....(by the way, sorry for the fuzzy, low quality pictures....most are taken on the fly with my phone) This is my dining room table with my Lenox Christmas china.  The little Christmas trees in the middle are gold and sparkly. They were wedding gifts when we got married from a fancy store in Little Rock. This is my mantle and I HATE that the picture is f

I will go back and post about Christmas later but I wanted to do a quick New Year's post!  We have been gone for a week to Arkansas and that was an adventure I will tell about later!!! I try to do some kind of goals (resolutions) for the new year each year and it ALWAYS includes losing weight.  This year is no exception but I am not including that in my 5 goals for the year.  They are as follows (in no particular order although I would say that the last one is the most important). 1.  Blog more regularly (every day or at least every other day) 2.  Eat at home more/plan meals more 3.  Organize my home 4.  Consistent daily quiet time 5.  Exhibit the fruits of the spirit more towards those around me so that they may see Christ in me. Happy New Year and may you all be blessed!!! :)