Crazy hair

A couple of weeks ago it was Crazy Hair Night at AWANA.  And this is what we came up with thanks to the crazy/fun Jackie G. from CBU.  Isn't this crazy?!?

The secret:  a water bottle.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a smaller water bottle and being that Sofia's hair is fine, it just wouldn't stay put.  So the plans changed and Sofia came up with this:  side ponytail with a braid and hair glitter.

Rub-a-dub-dub

Three kids in a tub!

A couple of weeks ago Isaiah took his first big boy bath.

Of course, the girls think it is so fun for everyone to take a bath together.

The classic sibling bathtub pictures.

1-11-11...a most significant day for our family.

Hi, everyone!  It’s Kevin.  I was asked by Keri to write about a really neat experience this week. 

On Tuesday night, Keri, Sofia and Selah were watching a funeral service that was streaming online for a boy who was only 12 years old.  The boy, Nathan, is the son of a married couple who are friends of Keri’s, whom she met in Turkey.  Nathan was an incredible little boy, who died from Burkitt’s Lymphoma after an eight month battle. 

As devastating as it is for a boy to die so young, Nathan’s funeral was really a celebration.  There was clear testimony that Nathan belonged to Jesus.  Although death is always terrible, the blessed hope of everlasting life, through faith in Jesus Christ, enables one to say, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”  “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:54b-55). 

During the time that Keri and the girls were viewing the service, Sofia walked away and sat down on the stairsteps and began weeping.  Sofia was crying because, being the oldest child, she thinks she is going to die before Selah, and she does not want to be separated from Selah.  Those, of course, were really sweet words to hear.  Later, after a conversation with Keri, Sofia went to her room and was overheard praying and asking God to help her to be like Jesus.  Keri and I learned that Sofia’s desire “to be like Jesus” was really a desire to live obediently like Jesus.

When I came home, Keri said to me, “I think Sofia’s ready.”  Previously, we have had conversations with Sofia about the gospel and even prayed with her, but we were never really sure that Sofia’s heart was ready, even though all the right words were often present.  I sought to explain to Sofia that to “be like Jesus” is only possible if Jesus lives in and through us, and this can only happen if we trust in him alone for salvation.

Later, in my conversation with Sofia, she admitted her sin (Rom. 3:23), realized that death [separation from God] is sin’s penalty (Rom 6:23), that Christ paid the penalty (1 Pet 3:18) and salvation, which cannot be earned, is graciously given by God through faith (Eph 2:8-9), and saving faith leads from death to life (John 5:24).  I then asked Sofia if she was ready to receive the gift of life that Jesus offers (John 1:12) and she said yes.  So, together we prayed, and Sofia put her trust in Jesus to be her Savior!  Keri and I are well aware that salvation is the work of God, and we acknowledge that if Sofia’s faith is genuine it will produce in her the qualities (e.g. Gal. 5:22-23) that will truly make her like Jesus to others.

We give thanks and rejoice with many of you who have joined us in praying for Sofia’s salvation.  Please continue to join us in praying that Sofia will be “rooted and built up in [Jesus] and established in the faith” (Col. 2:7).

Sofia’s faith is only made possible because Jesus was willing to die on the cross for her, and for all those who God has graciously called to himself.  But we also know that God, whose ways are unsearchable and inscrutable, used the death of a special young boy named, Nathan, whose testimony will always live in our hearts, to soften Sofia’s heart to receive the absolutely best “good news” that anyone could possibly ever receive.

This picture was taken back in December one night after AWANA.  Daddy shared with Sofia the bridge illustration and helped answer some of Sofia's questions.

This picture was taken 1-11-11 after she prayed to receive Jesus Christ as her Savior.  What a smile!!!!

A sweet sound.

I'm at the computer downloading my coupons.  A very mundane thing to do.  But in the background I hear this sweet sound....the sound of my six year old singing to God.

Her song:


O God, I love you.  O God, I trust you.
I pray this prayer, I think this thought, I want to be like you.


O God, I love you.  I really do.  O God, I trust you.  I really do.
I want to be like YOU!!!!!!!!! (sung at a couple octaves higher).

Christmas at Grandpa Sheck's

On January 6 we headed over to Michigan for the weekend to celebrate Christmas with the Sheckler side of the family.  That Friday night all of Kevin's siblings, along with many of their kids, came over to Grandpa Sheck's for a potluck and games.  It was great hanging out together.  

Here are our kiddos in front of Grandpa's tree.

Isaiah is the youngest Sheckler grandkid and Christina is the eldest.  A mere 34 years difference.:)

The girl cousins enjoyed laying on their pillow pets that Aunt Kerri and Uncle Todd gave to them.

Grandpa Sheck with Stella (7), Sofia (6) and Selah (3)

And Isaiah (7 mos) hanging out with Grandpa.

It's never to late to enjoy celebrating Christmas with family.  

Trip to OK.

We had planned to visit family in OK this year over the winter break but as Christmas crept up and we had no vehicle that would transport our family of five, we didn't think it was going to be possible.  But on December 17th our six month prayer and vehicle search came to an end.  We were able to trade in the Kia Rio and pay the remaining balance in cash for this minivan.   This was a great Christmas present to ourselves and allowed us to make the 1700 mile roundtrip to Tecumseh, OK.

The girls got to snuggle with their Gramma.

 Isaiah showed Gramma his top four teeth that he got for Christmas.

Papa Bill gave the girls a mini lesson on how to play a trumpet.

My stepdad, Bill, took Kevin and I to an OU women's basketball game.

Isaiah got to meet his Gigi (my beautiful 87 year old Gramma) for the first time.

And of course there was many a game of Scrabble.

A bonus to this trip was that because we have a van, Aunt Kelli was able to make the trip with us.

A special side trip to Oklahoma City allowed for us to meet up with my dear friend from Turkey, Ryan and his family.  Sadly I don't have a pic of Ryan and Adriane but I did manage to get one of their kids and ours (and big kid, Kevin).  

And my other dear friend from Turkey, Bobby, who recently moved back to the States was able to join us as well!

We had a great week in OK relaxing and hanging out with family as well as thawing out (the temps ranged from 50-70 degrees).  The girls went on a movie date with Gramma and Papa Bill to see "Tangled".  The entire family enjoyed some time at the Seminole Children's Museum.  And of course we enjoyed eating at Braum's and Sonic.

The long trip (13 1/2 hours) was well worth it.  And the smartest thing we did was drive through the night.  

Add minister to the list, please.

Parenting no doubt has been both challenging and rewarding.  Parenting involves love, time, love, sacrifice, love, discipline, and love.  The role of mommy can be subtitled with housekeeper, cook, playmate, teacher, referee, parole officer, chauffeur, dictator, etc.

Yesterday morning I received a prayer request from a dear family whose 11 year old son was in the final hours of his life due to cancer.  What struck me to the core was their request that the dad would have strength as he ministered to their son.  MINISTERED!!!  Wow!!!!

Our children need us in every sense.  They need us to meet their physical needs of food, clothing and shelter.  They need us to meet their emotional needs of love and security.  And they need us to meet their spiritual needs in encouraging, teaching, and guiding them in their relationship with Jesus Christ.  They need us to minister to them.

I have been completely sobered by this reminder of ministering to my children.  We throw around the phrase, "my family is my ministry" but it goes beyond just teaching them about God and  Scripture.  It is a purposeful action to meet the needs of my children.

So to the list of what mommy does...please add minister.  This is my desire.

Frostia

Christmas afternoon the girls and daddy enjoyed making a snowman.  This year the girls were especially excited to build one because they received their own shovels for Christmas.:)

Meet Frostia (because after all she is a girl and needed a girl name).

Christmas night we received a good amount of snow.  This is what Frostia looked like when we awoke the next morning.

We went to Oklahoma for a few days.  Upon our return on January 1, this is how we found Frostia.

Jesus' Birthday Cake

This year our birthday cake for Jesus was not only a display of celebration but a teaching tool as well.   Our family loved it and I am quite impressed that a week later the girls still remember what they learned.

My friend Sheryl shared this wonderful idea.  The idea was what I call making the cake a "gospel cake".  

The bottom layer brown --- 

represents the darkness of our lives due to sin.

The middle layer red ----     

represents the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for our sin.

The top layer green ---        

represents the newness of life that we have when we believe and accept Jesus as our Saviour.

The white frosting ---         

represents the purity of Christ.  Only he could take our place on the cross because of his sinlessness.

AND THAT IS WHY WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS!!!  Because God sent His son to earth to die on the cross for our sins.   WHAT A GIFT!!!!

Here is Sofia enjoying the cake.  She and Selah were the cake decorators.

Singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.

The inside of the cake.

Baby's first Christmas.

Snowflake Ice Skating Lessons

The local ice arena has special snowflake lessons ($10/30 min.) during the school winter break to help promote the learning of ice skating.  This is a fantastic deal.  I was so thankful that one of my mom friends shared this with me.

And I was so thankful that a couple in our church generously gave us $20 in their Christmas card so we could afford to do this.

Selah mostly enjoyed it this way...sitting on the ice.

She did manage to stand still on the ice without falling for a few minutes.

But once she fell three or four times, she was done.

Sofia fell a few times herself (she is the one in the middle with a pink beanie).

 But really for the most part she held her own and enjoyed skating around the rink.

I never thought I could afford to give my girls ice skating lessons.   But thanks to a special and special people, the girls were able to have this experience.  We are so grateful.

Snow bunny.

Selah just loves the snow.  Of course, she is one of my Illinois babies so I tease that her blood is a little thicker than her momma's.  The other day she was a little impatient and thought she would head outdoors before mommy could put on her snowclothes.  

Of course, there's a lot more fun to be had with your sister when you dress properly.  You can plop yourself down in the snow; or better yet, have your sister push you in the snow saucer.

2011 New Year's Resolution

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."

Deuteronomy 6:5

This is our prayer.  This is our desire.  This is our resolution.  And in doing so, may all glory be given to HIM!