Lord, please equip me with the answers.

Jeff Foxworthy is host of "Are You Smarter Than a 2nd Grader". Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'm even smarter than a 1st grader. She doesn't want me to read to her anymore, she wants to do it.

On one hand this is great because she can entertain her sister.

On another hand it is frustrating because if she wants to read to me, it takes a little longer than if I read it. Selfish? Yes. Will I be pleading for these moments back soon, of course!

Finally, I feel so blessed to know she is in a Christ centered school and is learning so much. This is the same smart little girl that when I apologized for saying an inappropriate word (it was only "crap" by the way) last week, she asked if it started with "sh". Yikes....maybe she was thinking shoot? I will just think so.

So, last night on our way home from basketball we have this conversation:

Princess: "Mama, why does God make sick stuff?"
Mama: "Ummm...like what?"
Princess: "Like fever and colds and swine flu?"
Mama: "Ummm...good question. I think sometimes we get sick because God wants us to slow
down and listen to him. He wants us to depend on Him and spend time with Him. I also, think He wants to show us that only He can make us feel better."
Princess: "But God doesn't want us to be sick?"
Mama: "Ummm...you are right."
Princess: "So, I don't understand."
Mama: "Baby, there are so many things that we don't understand and that we never will. We just have to know that God is going to always love us and take care of us."
Princess: "Mama, they have a snow globe in their yard."

One hour later at the dinner table:
Princess: "Mama, did you tell Daddy what I asked you?"
Daddy: "Yes, she did." (Of course, I had to give him a heads up on a good response)
Princess: "Well, Daddy what did you say. Why does God make sick stuff?"
Daddy: "Your Mama was right and there are a lot of things we will never understand we just have to trust that God loves us."
Princess: "Can we put the lights and decorations on the tree now?"

Their minds are like sponges and it scares me to death. We are responsible for loving and training these girls to know, love and fear the Lord. Wow! Lord, please equip me with the answers to make sure these babies grow closer to You and develop their own sweet and precious relationships with You!

By the way, "Mama's right" are some awesomely sweet words to my ears!

The Trip to Starkville...worth it!

Saturday afternoon, I headed to Starkville with friends. Arrived in time to head to the Sigma Chi House for the precious Memorial Dedication to Jennifer & Jon Steckler. I was able to hold Steck's sweet 1 year old nephew, one of Sherman's girls sat quietly in my life and my favorite part was hugging Mrs. Steckler's sweet, precious neck! There were definitely some memories shared and my favorite was Steck dressed in a Super T tshirt hanging off the old balcony at a party one night.

Mrs. Steckler is a tower of strength that even in my wildest dreams, I could never compare. I surely do not even want to experience 1/3 of what she has. She has the strongest faith of anyone that I have ever known. The quietest and most genuine ways. It is so obvious by spending any amount of time with her that her priorities are in the order all of ours should be.

1. God First.
2. Family Second.

The mother of 11 children, her job in life was to raise her family to love God, others and then maybe themselves. Thank you, Mrs. Steckler. You are a beautiful woman on the inside and out and you shared with many of us one of the most precious gifts in my life...your 5th child/3rd daughter-Jennifer Dale.