that pile can preach

My goal is to promote encouragement and transparency within the gospel loving, blog-reading community. This right here is grand evidence that something has gone HORRIBLY wrong. I love a clean house, ya'll. What is going on?! How can I have victory over the evil principalities when I can't seem to prevail over these piles?

Bring on the gutsy guilt. Amazingly, my acceptance is not based on my best effort. In fact, my best efforts are Biblically speaking filthy rags. Piles of them. No room for pride today. This humble house is the perfect staging ground for fresh grace.

Best get busy.

Tell me you love me.

blog block is a terrible thing

I must get some of it out.

- I took my FIRST two yoga classes ever last week. Totally soaked in the culture. Loved the eye pillow, the ohming, the whole deal. I'm so over making fun of people who are trying to relax. Seriously, people, embrace them. I am one of them. I need child's pose in my life.

It should be noted that my female instructor is a non-shaver in racer back tanks. I did not embrace any of that nonsense.

- We sold out house. Wha? Yeah. Madness. Praise the Lord!

- I have encountered a new dillemma. Snortangus is too big for the infant bucket seat, right? Well, he is also too small to sit unattended...like in a shopping cart for example. Disaster. Please, someone tell me how to maneuver through Tuesday morning with a rickety ancient of days cart, with Snortangus in the bjorn, while holding Grace's hand?! This is a problem. I fear I may need to remain housebound.

- John is now 20lbs. He refuses rice cereal. I feel like I am nursing a warthog. His days are numbered. As soon as that boy can hold a bottle himself he is being cut off.

- Mark is preaching in the morning. If you are in Cville, head to Portico and get you a Word.

- Grace's reading is coming along SO WELL!! I'm so proud of her. She recognizes so many words already and her phonics is great. I'm all about having an early reader.

- Mark and I recently started going to counseling every other week. We absolutely LOVE it. Every couple should be in counseling in my opinion. It is like having a personal trainer, or a personal chef. I've never had either of those, but I can imagine that the experience is similar. DO IT! You won't regret it.

Here is the winning pic! Totally sickeningly staged.



- I won Petunia Pickle Bottom's fall Have Bag Will Travel Facebook Contest. Lucky Pastor Pickle Bottom will be receiving his Rubicon Rucksack in a week or so. Wasn't that generous of me to share my $200 gift cert?

Some more pics from our stage-o-rama photo shoot. Me, myself, and my hoop earrings.







And now...the face only a mother could love. Both of us, really. We decided to paint our pumpkins this year instead of carve them. Thankfully, I got my roots painted shortly after this picture was taken. Grace had eaten something blue, and her hair was pulled out of pig tails from soccer practice, hence the heinousness. I love her.






That's all for now. Marriage life, ministry, family life, and fitness. No online shopping. Done.

peppermint Kinz

When Mark and I were first married, I talked him into allowing us to get a dog. Mark was waiting tables at Outback and was often home after midnight. I wanted a little guard dog to bark at the random drunk college students who were shooting paintball guns outside. The moment I walked into the Harrisonburg SPCA and saw Schotzie I knew she was the one. Schotzie means sweetheart in German. She is an Iranian Wimeriner. It's a very rare breed indeed.

She also goes by Schot-kinz, Kinz, z, zb3, zb3-kinz, v for kinz, and bee-kinz, and peppermint Kinz. The last name is used when she is getting a bath. I recommend Whole Foods 365 brand peppermint dog shampoo.





This picture is somewhat alarming. I promise I was not yanking her tail. What on earth?!

wicked good times

Marta, Tina and I busted out a 10K over the weekend. Wicked good times were had by all.



7am. Pre-race pic.




Post-race pics.



We made it back to cville for trick-or-treating!

my kitchen table

My soul finds rest in GOD ALONE...

Any question you have right now? Answer: God alone. Anxiety? God Alone. Doubt? God Alone. Healing? God Alone.

There you have it. God Alone. Just Him. Stop right there. He is enough. He is all you need. For rest, relaxation, refreshment, rejuvenation, restoration, refinement, release, regaining, rebuilding, returning. God alone. God alone.

When anything or anyone else enters the picture things go crazy. Stay your heart on Him this day. Seek to find Him. No one else will do. Nothing else will satisfy. All sufficient. All sustaining. He is our One and Only!!

Verse 5. Never expect from anyone else what GOD ALONE can deliver.

What is it that you are expecting from someone else? Care? Compassion? Camaraderie? God Alone.

I was so pleased that we sang this song on Sunday. Reminded me again, CHRIST ALONE.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

P.S. I'm almost positive that Jen Atwell does not read my blog. She is a far more dedicated wife and mother than I am and probably never wastes time reading dumb blogs. But, Jen, if you happen to stroll upon campbellcrazies, I'd like to say that I am LOVING my new Anthropologie mug!! You're the best!