Archives for February 2008

The Church Triumphant

*Sorry, this post is a little long.*
So I got a CD I ordered in the mail yesterday and I am THRILLED! It’s the TRUTH 25th Anniversary album, which is my all time favorite CD. I lost it several months ago and have been so bummed because it’s out of print and is nowhere to be found…or so I thought. After some stealth internet searching, I finally found a website that sells old, out of print music and low and behold, they had my CD! Today, I gladly popped it into the CD player and sighed with contentment. I love this CD for several reasons. First, it takes me back to my college days as the first two songs are songs that I sang 500 hundred times with a travelling group I was in at Baylor. As I hear those notes, I remember the days that were filled with so much fun as we travelled all over Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and, well, the world, singing and performing. We went to Spain, British Columbia and Taiwan on two week long tours and I’ve never had so much fun in my life. Second, the singing on this CD is just phenomenal. Finally, the words of the songs are so powerful. They are deep and filled with such meaning. It’s just great music. Anyway, while driving Sloan to speech therapy, a song called The Church Triumphant came on. This song was never really of my favorites for some reason. I tended to skip over it, but today I really listened to it and I got chills. What a powerful song! By the time it was over, I had tears in my eyes and was blinking profusely (can you blink profusely?) so I wouldn’t drive off the road. Sometimes I get so discouraged as a believer. I feel like there are so many people out there who are led astray by people claiming to know Christ, but who are indeed spreading lies. I get discouraged by the many religious leaders who fall so publicly due to blinding sin and therefore make a mockery out of the faith that I hold so dear. I feel like so many people misunderstand Christianity because of groups like the one that protests the funerals of fallen war heroes. These radical people who are entrenched in hateful slander and are anything but loving. My point in this post is not to preach. I just share how I was encouraged today. I was reminded that the Church, God’s Church, is still alive and well, despite those who have tried to destroy it. Here are the words of the song. Roger Breland, the founder of TRUTH is speaking these words while the singers are in the background. Just reading it doesn’t do it justice. You should buy the album to really get the effect! I just checked the site and they are currently sold out but keep checking if you’re interested to see if you can get a copy. Anyway, I hope you are blessed by these words:

“God has always had a people. Many a foolish conquerer has made the mistake of thinking that because he has forced the Church of Jesus Christ out that he has stilled its voice and snuffed out it’s life, but God has alwasy had a people. The powerful current of a rushing river cannot be diminished because it is forced to flow underground. The purest waters are the stream that’s burst crystal clear into the sunlight after it’s fought it’s way through solid rock. There have been charliatains (sp?) who, like Simon the Magician, sought to barter on the open market that power which cannot be bought or sold, but God has always had a people. Men who could not be bought and women who were beyond purchase. Yes, God has always had a people. There have been times of affluence and prosperity when the Church’s message has been nearly diluted into oblivion by those who sought to make it solcially attractive, neatly organized and financially profitable. It has been gold plated, clothed in purple and crusted with jewels. It has been misrepresented, ridiculed, lauded and scorned. These followers of Jesus Christ have been, according to the whim of the times, elevated as sacred leaders and matyred as heretics. Yet through it all there marches on that powerful army of the peak. God’s chosen people that cannot be bought, flattered, murdered or stilled. On through the ages they march – the Church, God’s Church Triumphant, alive and well. Now listen child of God, it’s alive. Discouraged pastor, it’s His Church and it’s alive. Lonely missionary, sow the seed with confidence. It’s alive my broken hearted friend. Old saint, you’re not alone and forgotten, the Church is alive. Busy lover, cast your cares on Jesus. It’s alive young student, you’re not alone in serving the Lord. Faithful father, there’s rest in the Lord and the Church is alive. Cynical skeptic, you haven’t killed God with your noisy unbelief, He’s alive. So family of God, raise your hands and praise the Lord for the Church, God’s Church Triumphant, is alive and well!”

So far so good

So, we put Tia in a big girl bed tonight. She went right to sleep. She seemed a little perplexed by it and kept looking at her crib like she didn’t understand why she had to sleep in this bed when there was obviously a perfectly good bed right there. But, she did not get up so we’ll see how it goes. I fully anticipate her waking up and traipsing into our room early in the morning.

In other kid news (because really, what other news is there?), Sloan is absolutely petrified of thunder. It all stems from last year when we had a big, nasty ice storm and had a lot of damage to our house. A limb came through the roof, lots came down in the driveway and yard so that we couldn’t back out and we lost power for five days. We still have a visual reminder of a tarp on the roof because we’re lazy and haven’t gotten it fixed yet. It didn’t actually come into the house so it’s been easy to ignore. Anyway, since then Sloan has been a basket case anytime he sees a flicker of lightening or a rumble of thunder. Tonight we told him that lightening was just the angels taking pictures from heaven and thunder was them clapping at how beautiful the earth is. Yeah, it wasn’t that effective, though we did notice him grinning really big when he looked out the window. The boy can never resist the chance to ham it up for the camera. Now he’s asleep with his sound machine turned up so loud it sounds like Niagara Falls in the next room. We’ll probably all have to pee all night…

Yahoo! My first award…

My dear friend Nicole gave me the Excellent award for my blog. And I’m honored. But, I’m not cool, nor am I tech savvy because I can’t figure out how to paste the picture on my blog. So, you’ll just have to take my word for it. Or go check out her blog and Here’s the Diehl to see what I mean. Thanks, Nicole! You’re the reason I’m blogging and this blog has helped me keep my sanity over the last month. I’m now officially addicted.

Snow day

Sledding rules!!! Lee and I agreed that if we lived in Florida we couldn’t have good fun like this! Of course, down there we could water ski… Tia and daddy went down first, and Tia did not have fun. She watched from the top of the hill the rest of the time.
Mommy getting a push from Sloan.
Mommy flying off the jump.
This is Sloan catching some serious air, just before he landed on his head. It’s all fun and games…
Daddy going off the jump. Graceful isn’t he?

Happy Birthday, Katya Rose!

To my precious little girl,

Happy 2nd birthday. Oh, how much I love you. You move my heart in so many different ways and I am honored and blessed to be called your mom. Two years is not very long, but somehow I feel I’ve known you my whole life. When I look back to the years when daddy and I were married before kids, I still see you and Sloan and Landon in those memories. It’s as if you’ve always been here.

My darling daughter, I love you in so many ways. I love your zest for life. I love the way that you will do anything you want out of sheer determination. Your indepence, while frightening at times, is amazing to me. Very few things frighten you. You’re so brave and free and happy. I love the way you get to laughing so hard that the laughter comes out in one long stream, with hardly any break in the sound. I love watching you smile, your chubby little cheeks drawing up and your big, blue eyes twinkling in delight. You are infectious and joyful.

Over the past few months, you have become your brother’s shadow. No matter what he does, you will follow him and you will do the exact same thing. You watch him closely, and despite the fact that you two seem to fight like cats and dogs, I know you desperately love one another. When he leaves for school in the morning, you get the most pitiful look on your face as you know you’ve lost your playmate for the next few hours.

You are a master mimic and mime. You communicate through charades as you just refuse to talk. There is no need, though, because we always know exactly what you are saying. Your eyes light up as you point and gesture until we guess what it is you are trying to tell us. “Uh-huh,” and “uh-uh,” are your words of choice. Sometimes it can be frustrating to us, but most of the time it is so adorable watching you “talk.” Even Sloan has learned your language and sometimes you two have whole conversations without saying a real word.

You’ve done so well with your new baby brother. You’ve been sweet and patient with him as he’s taken mommy away from you from time to time. You give him kisses and love to hold him. You also love to dig your nails into his head from time to time…we’re working on that.

You’ve become quite the daddy’s girl lately. You save your best snuggles and hugs for him and it melts him to his very core. You smack your lips for a kiss in his direction and no matter how late he may be walking out the door, he’ll always turn around and give you one more kiss. How precious you are to him.

My hopes and dreams for you, Tia, are that you one day grow up to know how treasured you are, not just by me and daddy, but also by God. I pray you know Jesus, baby. I pray that you grow up to be a young woman of grace and peace, of virtue and strength, of wisdom and gentleness. Those are my greatest desires for you.

My sweet Tia Rose. You were a much prayed for little girl. For nearly a year, mommy and daddy longed and prayed for a child and could not get pregnant. Then, all of the sudden, it happened. And for nine months, we prepared ourselves for another little boy, though deep in my heart, I knew you were going to be my little girl. The day you were born was shocking for us all. The Stuart family had not seen a little girl for many, many years. And now, here you are. Growing up. You’re not my baby anymore. S Dyen Razjdyenya, moya Katinka. Ya tebya tak ochen lyiublyiu.

Love, Mama