With tradition of my blog's, I will start with the Head of our household and then go from Oldest child to youngest child, and then myself.
Chris........ He just preformed a wedding this past week for a long time friend, and he really enjoyed that. He is still working hard for Holston Gases and is putting in long days, but enjoys his work and the people that he works with. He hasn't preached a service at church for awhile, and I know that he misses that. He has spent a lot of quality time with the boys this summer. He really enjoys watching them have fun and do things they are passionate about. I tell him all the time that it is like he has three best buds! Chris has also been taking on more jobs with our lamp shade business. He is doing all of the shipping, maintaining all of our inventory sheets (that he has set up in excel), and spray painting all of the rings for our custom lamp shade orders. I have been telling him that he should also be writing this blog every once and awhile, so you won't have to only read my point of view on everything, but he is just so busy..... So, it is me writing this for now!
Jacob....... I ask him almost everyday if he has grown in his sleep. He looks like a grown man, and he is still growing. He eats all day... not 3 or 4 meals a day, but all day. He just finished his 2 week long trip to Florida where he stayed with his grandparents (Busson's), and they went to Disney World, fishing, golfing and he got to drive DaDa's (my mother) BMW (one of the highlights of the whole trip for him?!). He also got to visit, for a couple of days, with another set of grandparents (Pardue's), and with his Uncle's, Aunt's and cousins (Adam and Aulia's family & Steve and Janell's family). He had a great time with them as well even though the weather was bad, and the visit was too short. He would have liked to stay longer in Florida than for 2 weeks, but this momma bird likes all of her birdies in their nest!!
Jacob is also getting ready to turn 18 (August 10th) and he will be starting his Senior year in high school the very next week. We are getting things together for Senior pictures, ACT exams, future planning..........Well, I guess I should say that I am the one that is trying to organize and get all of this stuff together. Jacob has a different career plan every week. Oh, to be young with very little worries! He is looking for a job right now, but I am using him as my nanny and taxi driver right now, and I really like that! Seriously, pray that Jacob gets some type of direction in his life that will lead him into a path of growth, fulfilment and happiness.
Jonah....... He has some serious growing pains (that are more painful on his parents!!). These middle school years.. when they are beginning to go through puberty are some of the hardest years to go through. I personally wouldn't want to go through those years again, and trying to parent him with understanding, grace, patience and love, can be ddifficult! But we do love him!
With that said....Jonah is still one of the most caring kids I have ever been around. He feels others emotions and pains with a type of empathy that I have never seen a person so young be able to feel. He has just returned from Church Camp, and he had a blast. He loves all things God, and outdoors, and he got such a blessing from being there. He is getting ready to start a new football season with his middle school football team. He is one of the smallest on the team, but is known to take down a some of the largest middle school football players! While I am in the stands yelling "make him cry for his momma!" I know that is not nice, but football is not nice....man-up :) !!
Jonny......... Summer time is Jonny's favorite time of the year! He is out of school and he plays outside all day. He has had fun this summer visiting his grandparents (Mings), and he has spent almost 3 weeks this summer with his Uncle Carson (Carson is younger than Jonny by 7 months). They have had a lot of fun together. Jonny is such a happy child, and even when no one else is smiling... Jonny is smiling. He makes me laugh out loud sometimes when I just look at him. He loves to play his guitar and to sing, and I love to listen! He has had fun being a kid this summer!!
Bethany (Me)........ I am still working for the local pediatrician's office, and though my job can be emotional and physically exhausting... I love it! I am also working hard with our lamp shade business. I have worked everyday on it for the last 4 months. Our business Ella Dean Design, (http://elladeandesign.etsy.com/), doubled in sales for the month of June!! I am very excited about this, but no time to set back and just relax. We are averaging 25 orders per month now, and I am the only one that is making these shades. I sometimes wounder what made me think that I could do this, but then I remember who God intended to be. I know that I am passionate, determined, strong, able, and most of all committed! I have had a poem in my possession for about 15-20 years now, and I read it almost every day. This poem is not the original... I tweaked it a little, but I definitely didn't write it. I don't know who the author is. I wanted to share it with you all and I hope that you love it as much as I do!! And I will let this poem be the end of todays post on our blog.....
Commitment
When you have singleness of purpose you’ve got a sense of urgency – When you have got point of accountability, and you’ve got commitment, nothing can stand in your way!
Commitment is when you’ve inspired yourself into the brotherhood, the sisterhood of the unashamed – when you posses that spirit and desire - when your dye’s been cast – When you’ve chosen to step up over the line and stand up and be counted and become a disciple of the determined. When you won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. When your past has been redeemed – when your presence makes sense – when your future is secure – when your finished and done with low living, light walking, small planning, smooth knees, dull dreams, tamed visions, mudane talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals. When you live by faith, and when you lean on God – When you are lifted by prayer and labored by love. When your direction is set - When you walk with confidence, your gait is fast, your goal is real, your road is rough, your way is narrow, your companions are few, but your guide is reliable and your mission is clear – when you cannot be bought, compromised or detoured, lured away or delayed – when you will not flinch in the face of sacrifice – you will not pause in the presence of procrastination when you refuse to negotiate the label of fear, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity – when you won’t give up, let up or shut up until you have saved up, stored up, prayed up, paid up and became the person that God intended you to be. What you think about you bring about – when your committed that’s when you’ll stand out from all the rest. When your performance precedes your procrastination – when your desire dominates your doubts- when your purpose in life is greater than your problems – That’s when you’ll have commitment and that’s when you’ll be bountifully blessed.
