Good Saturday morning everyone! Everything always seems so peaceful after a storm. Im sitting here in my kitchen looking out the back porch and everything is so green. The sun keeps trying to peek through the clouds. Mostly the clouds win the battle. That reminds me of our lives. You know there are just so many clouds(things to bring us down) in our lives. So many times when we just can't seem to see the sun. Why is it that we forget that the sun is right behind those clouds just trying to shine through. The sun is always there, just covered by the clouds sometimes. I wish I could always remember that. God is always there for us, trying to shine through the stuff. The stuff can seem so overwhelming if we concentrate only on the negative. My prayer today is that as I watch the sun and the clouds fighting for first place today, I will remember that I have already won the fight through Christ. He won it for me. I don't have to dwell on the clouds of life when I know that I have the Son on my side!!

Rhonda:)

Last morning at the beach....

Well...can't believe today is our last day at the beach.  It sure flew by. But it always does, especially when you are enjoying yourselves. This week has been amazing: we have met alot of funny new people.  Seems that everywhere we went we met someone new and got to start up conversations and get to know them better.  Last night we met a bunch of law school students from Jackson, Mississippi. They were on their spring break trip and were definitely enjoying themselves. The world is just full of interesting people.  They all have a story to tell if we will only listen.  If we sit back and be quiet we might definitely miss an opportunity to share our joy with other people.  We never know when God might be setting us up with a divine appointment.  Obviously, every situation might not be that divine appointment; but at the least we get to meet some really neat people. You know, God really is a "verb" not a "noun".  Through God we are not the expectation and responsibility but we are able to expect and respond to people and situations around us.  As we were sitting out on the balcony this morning taking in the beauty before we left, God(the verb) was shining His rays of sunlight on the water, the beach and all of us that were there.  God, help us to never forget that You are sooooo much more than a person, place or thing.(Noun) Remind us everyday that You want us to be part of Your action!  RobertnRhonda

Tuesday morning at the beach. March 17, 2009

The sun is shining beautifully this morning. If I close my eyes and just listen to the different sounds, I remember the message from God last Sunday morning.  Every creation of God has the ability and command to praise Him.  The waves are praising Him as they crash against the shore, the gulls are praising Him as they swoop and call out to each other.  The air even seems to praise Him as it blows so gently on my face.  Why would I not choose to praise Him as they all do? I want my life to be a constant praise to my maker and the lover of my soul. 

Robert just finished reading "The Shack" and has been so moved by it that I have absolutely decided to read it. I haven't had time to read anything except nursing textbooks for the last year and a half, but like all other hard times in our lives, this time of constant studying and no time for anything but nursing is about to come to an end.  All I can say is "thank you Lord". Thank you Lord, not only that it is over but that You allowed me to even go through it. Your plans for all of our lives amazes me everyday. I never could have made it this far without You or my husband(thanks Robert). I have already begun to see why I am here and why You worked it all out.  Thanks for believing in me...I owe all I have to You God! 

Can't wait to see what else God has in store for us...willing to go or do whatever He directs.  --Rhonda

Spring break '09 at the beach...

Today we are in Gulf Shores...first time ever at the beach without the kids, or at least first time since we had kids.  We are just laying around reading, relaxing, eating and catching up on some stuff. It is actually raining at the moment but it is still gorgeous and peaceful.  Our condo's balcony is overlooking the beach, which is empty right now and it seems so untouched by people.  Only God's images...like I said, peaceful.  As the waves crash and the gulls fly by our screen door, it reminds us of how amazing God is.  He created and knows each creature on earth and controls it all.  Wow, yet He loved us enough to make a plan for us because He knew how weak we are and how much we needed Him.  That kind of love is beyond understanding...too much to wrap our minds around.