Why did we go to the beach over Christmas?

Not even to the condo...STOP THE CAR NOW!

Why did we decide to go to the beach this year for Christmas?? Let me tell you why my heart was aching for this...

10 months ago, a beloved sister in Christ and dear friend lost her son in a tragic car wreck. His name is Dylan. He was only 18 years old and life was truly just beginning. His sweet momma, Cindy and her husband Scott also have 3 boys just like we do. From the moment Cindy and I met 10 years ago, my heart immediately connected with hers. She was just far enough ahead of me in the parenting thing that I hung on every word she said. I still do. I lean in and listen when Cindy has something to say. There is great wisdom in her heart and words. We were also in church together and began praying together once a week in her living room....a living room that is full of beautiful family history and heirlooms. Its a place to sit and you instantly feel at peace, you are loved deeply and you are welcome to sit for days. Cindy and her home is love to me.

When Cindy's first born was called home to Jesus a piece of my heart died that morning. I can't explain the emotions, the sights, the sounds, the feelings that come over you as a friend and a mother when you walk through this.  I am forever changed.

God has shown me more than I could ever share through Dylan's life and death. One thing I am completely sure of is this....Our Father in Heaven gives us the gift of family and time. My family of 5 and the time with them is truly a gift each and every day. I have no idea how long I have with them. I learned this year that so much of my time was spent on things that were absolutely not necessary. I have learned how to balance time between the things of this world and eternal things....for example, do I really need to sit and scroll on that phone for the 7 millionth time when a child is right there and we can actually talk about something...possibly something of great significance?  This was a big step for me. This was eye opening.

Where am I investing my time daily? I was reminded quickly with Dylan's death....deep into my soul type of reminder......that time is not a promise nor do we get it back.  Time is precious.

I feel as if time is moving at lightning speed these days with my children. Now that Christmas is over, we only have 2 more Christmas's with my oldest, Clay, living under this roof. Time is precious.

My children, probably like yours, have everything they could want. Why buy more of the same or buy them things for the sake of buying them more things. I can't buy back time lost. Time is precious.

If I asked Cindy what she would want more than anything right now....my guess would be that she would want more time with her beloved Dylan. 

"Oh Lord, I never want to take for granted the gift of time with my precious children. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Let me savor every moment, conversation, sight, and sound with these precious sons of ours."

We wanted our Christmas to be about time together as a family. Time is precious.

Here are a few shots from our time together. This was my favorite Christmas to date. My hope for all of us in 2013 is to be very intentional with our time and spend it wisely in the things and people that truly matter.    


 Seriously God...this is the 1st sunset you give us??  Be still my heart. Tell me...is there anything more beautiful? Not to me. This place. My family. This is my heaven on earth.

We are never too old to laugh and put on silly balloon creations that the waitress makes for us. No...never too old for time to laugh together.

Time in a hot tub together. Notice momma decided against this. I prefer a tan when a swimsuit is on. ;)

Starbucks was first up and then we saw a movie together...Parental Guidance...I have no idea when the last time all 5 of us went to a movie together. Sweet time together.

Time in Seaside is so peaceful and happy for us. We would move to Seaside in a New York minute. Or I could play the lottery simply to buy a place down there and go once a month. None of this seems unrealistic to me. ;)

There is absolutely nothing more beautiful than seeing God paint His sunset over the ocean.

This is the place our family goes to when we need that time a family needs. Life is full and busy of wonderful things, but time can also move so quickly that you stop and ask yourself, "when were we really together?" Time is truly a gift. We never know how much we have. The older I get, I cherish each moment of time.

Would you take a moment and pray for the Kirk family and anyone that you know who lost a family member this past year? Keep them tucked close to your heart always. I love you Kirk family. Not a day goes by that I don't give you to the Lord asking Him to be your love and your strength. I'm honored to call you friend. 

A few Christmas pix!

Ho Ho Ho!!! Merry Christmas!!! Happy Birthday Jesus!! Christmas 2011 is a wrap! All things were happy and grand for the ole Thomas family and momma Claus is pooped out. :) Here are a few snippets inside the fun. Enjoy!

This picture is actually my favorite. This is at my inlaws house and each of the grandchildren went around the circle and said a favorite bible verse and/or part of the Christmas story. Huddling is in the Christmas story, right?! It was so sweet though. These 5 kiddos really do love one another.

This is the gift to my parents. It was the picture we used in our Christmas card and the fabulous Erin Condren turned it into this!

This is my 70+ year old momma listening to some "beats!" She has no idea who or what she is listening to. Cute, huh?!

This guy got the Tim Tebow book.....kids version. I'll be reading this.

These are the infamous beats. Its the hot cool thing. Expensive cool thing I might add.

Here is stud with his new bat for the year! Watch out!

And then here we are Christmas morning by the tree. I'm still in pj's and therefore hiding in the back. ;)

It was really a great few days as a family. The kids are getting older so the Christmas fun and dynamics are seriously changing and after 15 years I'm truly ok with it. I'm now spending some time really really really thinking about this new year and what needs to be done.

I pray you use these days to thank God for where you have been and really seek Him this next year like no other time in your life. Its a comforting feeling and a crazy, hold on tight feeling all at the same time!

Happy 2012!! Hope your Christmas was oh-so merry!

Baptism Day!

Mercy.

What a journey we have been on as a family! We left our church after 10 years in August of 2009 and began months and months of trying to find us a new home. We all know or can imagine the emotions that are experienced when you go through something like this. It was especially hard for me because I was our Children's Ministry Director as well. I was experiencing a death almost when we left. However, God called us to leave and we left.

In January of 2010, we began visiting Englewood Baptist Church and visited for 9 months until we joined. However, when you go from Methodist to Baptist there is a small bump in the road that you must be willing to step over for you to be a full blown member into the church. This is NOT where we need to get into "but you were baptized as a baby or went through confirmation and why are you being baptized again" kind of thing. Ok? Thanks.

This is what I do know about the Baptist church and this whole "becoming a member thing." (And I stole this right from the EBC bulletin so I wouldn't say something wrong)

HOW DO I BECOME A MEMBER?

1. Present yourself for membership during any worship service when
the invitation is given.

2. Express your desire for membership through one of the following means:

Profession of faith: If you have never received Jesus as Savior
and Lord and/or never publicly confessed Him, you will be given
the opportunity to do so.

Transfer of membership from another Southern Baptist Church

By statement of faith: If you have previously made a public decision,
acknowledging that you have received Christ as your Savior and
Lord, we will be happy to receive you. It will be necessary for you to
be baptized at Englewood if you have never been baptized
Scripturally (as a believer, by immersion, in the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, and as a symbol of your salvation).

3. Attend the Discover Englewood Class See inside for more info.

Soooooo....long story short, we were never baptized by immersion and so that was the small bump we had to overcome. Four of us have received Christ and baptized as babies, one of us, had not received Christ but was baptized as a baby.

Gosh...are you confused yet???

We discussed all this a lot and realized that we were simply saying before EBC that we publically confess Christ as our Savior and we will be baptized as Jesus was and we have the privilege of experiencing this as a family.....minus little man at 10 years old.

Well, as God would see fit, little guy started asking me questions and talking about how you become a Christian. He is in every church service at EBC and has heard the "Baptist language" which is different than the Methodist language that we had been exposed to for 10 years and he is also in a Christian school. He has been hearing about salvation for quite some time on a very regular basis. So, we get to this week and he is ready to take the plunge!!!! Being a momma who has never had this privilege before (because the older two had been in the Methodist church) of leading her youngest to Christ was the highlight of my life. :) Dad, momma, and little guy prayed and talked and talked and he asked the Lord into his heart on March 11, 2011!

Celebrate good times come on!!!! (KC and the Sunshine Band insert)

So...not wanting to go outside the logistics of what to do when a child is saved and the family is being baptized on Sunday....you hunt down your precious pastor on a Saturday at the zoo FOR CRYING OUT LOUD PEOPLE!!!! (felt so horrible about this, but what a wired woman to do?)

We talked on the phone and Pastor Ben was so kind and saw the unique situation and just asked us to send Dylan to their "Stepping Stones" class after he was baptized and allow the knowledge and further instruction about becoming a christian after the fact instead of on the front end.

"I PROMISE I PROMISE I PROMISE BEN!!!!" And, then I screamed a bunch of "thank you's" into the phone.

Bless.

So.....we had the opportunity for us ALL to be baptized on Sunday morning, March 13, 2011.

Praise Jesus what a day.

However, momma was a nervous wreck and running off of some kind of holy adrenaline that day. I was a mess. I felt sure I would be the first to die of a heart attack in the baptistry.

Mercy.

So, here we go....the precious little guy went first. I totally teared up. I watched the entire family be baptized as I was "in line" to go last. It was sight for this momma to take it all in. WOW!!! I saw all of their sweet faces go under the water and I saw the "new" come up with big ole fat grins attached. The Spirit was at work yesterday. Oh, yes He was.



























So, there ya have it!!! It was indeed a special day for us. I cannot wait to see the video that the church will provide because I have NO MEMORY WHATSOEVER of what sweet Ben said over each of us. ;)

I'm going out on a limb here, but not really, and I shall say this.....

Regardless of denomination I pray you are in a bible teaching church and hearing the truth Sunday after Sunday and people are coming to know Christ. The end. Hell is real. Jesus is real. I choose Him.

Love y'all to pieces!
Fran and family

My peeps in Nashville!

Last Sunday we skipped church....WHICH ABSOLUTELY KILLS ME.....and headed over to Nashvegas to catch the beloved Titans game. It was a fabulously cool day and felt just like football weather. Here are a few of the pix from the day.

Here we are before we split up as a family. Hubs and oldest had seats on the 5 yard line, 3 rows up. NOT FAIR. Me and the other two had seats on the....not 5 yard line 3 rows up.


If you look closely you can see the super stud himself who didn't play a single minute....
TIM TEBOW!!!!! He is 315 right beside the coach in the khaki pants. He is to the right of him.


This guy totally cracked me up!!! He jumped up no less than 623 times to yell something at someone. He was clean and sober and fine, but totally loving the game and thinking he could be heard. Great entertainment!



How about an upclose picture of a kid drinking hot chocolate. You may thank the 9 year old for this.


This is me and the funniest kid on the planet. He is the infamous 9 year old who thinks he is it on a stick. I love him to pieces. He did have a sweatshirt on. That is why you see the belt that is driving me crazy. ;)


Oh, and here is too cool for school nearly 13 year old. You can see him fighting the smile if you look closely.


And then here is the oldest. He is precious and ever so kind and will be a pastor one day. Maybe. I hope. Or a coach. Or on ESPN.


Crazy kid.


"I can't take it any more mom!"


My fabulous family of 5. I love these guys so much!

Hope y'all are well. Tell me how you are. I really do care.
Hugs and blessings~

We went and got all Baptist on ya!

Well, we did it.

It's been almost one year and it was time.

For those of you who may remember a little bit of our church story you know that we have been on the hunt since early last September to find us a new home. This year has definitely been the most difficult for me personally, but also the most rewarding. I don't want to go back. I want to move forward. Funny how we wouldn't trade all that hurt and disappointment for one single minute. God has brought us to a beautiful place of healing and growth, but most of all a flat out love for Him like never before!

God is faithful to move you forward when you are willing to move slowly and diligently. The last year has been more of a slow and steady pace with me and God. That is a true test for someone that has to constantly work on patience.

Soooooo......this is a little bit about our new home. Yep...it's a brand new denomination....Methodist to Baptist for anyone interested or may have a question or ten about that. And, yep....we know a whopping 15 people there. And yep....I may or may not be having issues with "fitting in." But that is what women do. We worry about fitting in and it's completely ridiculous isn't it? Geeez....that is a totally different post called "Why do women still battle insecurity at the age of 40? And in church for cryin' out loud!"

So, if you are a Baptist or have moved churches....I would love for you to share some beautiful words of "welcome" or something funny or something I may need to watch out for. ;)

Thank you Englewood Baptist Church for being our new home. I CANNOT wait to see what God has in store for me and my family. We are here to learn, love, grow and serve!!

Hang in there if you are in the search for a new church home. Having walked the road, I keep you tucked in close to my heart. He'll show you the way.

Now, excuse me while I dance my way down the Baptist aisle!! ;)
Hugs and blessings,
Fran

Teenage years.....pray a lot and love your hair wizard!

Well, detox is complete. And, I'm referring to the post vacation detox. Trying to get myself and these kiddos back on some kind of track, but I'm realizing they are having "end of the summer blues." Bless 'em. I think I hear a school bell ringing. ;)

I wanted to share a few pix of celebrating my oldest turning 14. Did you hear that? He is 14. Oh geez. How did I manage to have a child at 15? Oh, I kid. I'm 30 and not 29.

A few things to note when you have two teenagers that have really stopped me dead in my tracks...

*Not a shocker on this one, but parents do not parent the same. This gets especially interesting when you hit these teenage years. I'm learning just how conservative I am.

*This world is NUTS and you must know how to parents these teens. If you don't know what you are doing, find a friend or mentor who has walked the road and parents similar to you!

*I'm sick of beer and alcohol being "normal." I don't want my kids growing up in a bubble, but man we are competing against some pretty clever marketers. Movies and tv are just as bad. We gotta stay on top of what our kids are watching.

*GREATEST lesson at this stage....these kids are watching your every move. They are watching IT ALL. They are taking it all in. They want to see if things "line up" like you've been saying all these years.

*Talk, talk, talk, talk to your kids about EVERYTHING...and I mean everything. And not just the one time talk about sex, alcohol, drugs, bullying, mean kids, etc. Keep the conversation going and going and going. Find great resources for your area that can help you. It's a must!

Would you like to see some pix of the birthday celebration? Some are at my inlaws house and their pool. Some pix are here at our house with my mom and dad. Some pix are at Outback because the boy gets to pick the place.

Here is dad and birthday boy Clay and Dylan!

Me and Tyler!

The gang!

Swimming at the inlaws.......someone must be weird and mess up the cute pic. ;)

Playing some made up game that last FOREVAH!

His hair is like a porcupine when wet.

Handsome 14 year old

Oh great mom....this is stupid!

The homemade birthday cake!

Everyone but me and my dad :(

This makes me laugh because they are laughing. Awwwww!

I'll be writing a book on surviving the teen years. I need some distraction because I think all we do is pray every other minute, and sit in the hair wizard chair to cover all the grey that comes in by the day. ;)

Happy August!
Hugs and blessings~