a family who watches the Olympics together, stays together

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We are going to have warmer weather at the end of this week!  The winter in itself has truthfully not been bothering me much this year. What has been bothering me is the bone-chilling cold.  We typically do not have this kind of cold for this long.

We have been SO into the Olympics.  We are the kind of people who rarely turn on the TV if sports are not on. BUT, when the Olympics are on, are booties are planted right on the couch.  

Although I'm not actively enjoying the weather, I did go along with my family on Saturday for some sledding.  I figured I would try to make some family memories since we may not get to go sledding again until next year (if we even get snow next year.  That's how it works in Arkansas :-))

Yesterday after church, we had the opportunity to see Tim Hawkins at a local church.  He was incredibly funny!  I was so thankful to have a fun afternoon date with Tim (my Tim!)

Today is the first day of February intercession for my kids.  I had a hair appointment today and they got to come along.  I was a little worried about them getting bored, but we planned accordingly and brought coloring, books, and as a last resort, the iPad.

Tonight, I'm catching up on the IF: Gathering conference from this weekend. The videos are only up until midnight tonight, and I'm so thankful they gave an opportunity to watch them!

God has been working in me a LOT over the last year.  I've learned and grown and wrestled and everything in between.  I don't know what is happening, but I know it is something.

I shared this on Facebook Saturday:

Genuine repentance doesn't happen when people put us in a corner; it happens when we realize God chose us in spite of the fact that we would never have chosen Him.
Oftentimes people would rather force-feed guilt to those they disagree with than swallow the grace that declares them equally unworthy. --Angie Smith, Chasing God

It has taken me until the last few years to know the difference. I'm so humbled and thankful that I understand His grace in a way that I never did before. It has taken people sharing their stories and their weaknesses- things that we don't often want to share with others. I pray that no one ever sees me as self righteous, but always as a lady who is not perfect, but overwhelmed daily by His grace.

O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.