Because of Lainey's difficult summer, her lung doctor advised us to cancel our trip to Disney World and stay away from large groups of people for a while longer...so we brought the Princesses to them. And what a night it was as we celebrated Natalie's 5th birthday and Lainey's 3rd!
It was a night I will never forget. The horse-drawn Cinderella coach was the highlight...well, one of the highlights of the night. Seeing my girls' faces when they opened the door and saw Belle, Cinderella, and Ariel standing there was priceless. I cried a couple of times that night.
It was a beautiful cold night with the stars and moon shining bright, complete with knights, dragons, and even a pirate!
...No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne, - everything - to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!...There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.
And at the center of the Story, there is a baby...and this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child upon whom everything would depend..."
This is the baby whose birth we celebrate this Christmas season, "God's Great Rescue Plan" for the world. What powerful words we sing this time of year that proclaim the wonderful truth: "Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth." I've sung it a thousand times but this year is different...in part to this children's Bible and the picture it has painted of Jesus' love and His pursuit of us. I can say my soul has caught just a glimpse of it's worth. Really, what a love story.
May we prepare Him room this Christmas.
Almost every one of the girls' cousins came in for the party and the night was full of girly fun...and some macho fun for the boys too.
It was a night I will never forget. The horse-drawn Cinderella coach was the highlight...well, one of the highlights of the night. Seeing my girls' faces when they opened the door and saw Belle, Cinderella, and Ariel standing there was priceless. I cried a couple of times that night.
It was a beautiful cold night with the stars and moon shining bright, complete with knights, dragons, and even a pirate!
Now, with this being the "Year of the Princess" in our house, we talk a lot about the way princesses behave (they do NOT tee-tee outside like Ginger!), how Daddy is Mommy's prince, and the princes who will come one day for Natalie and Lainey. It's a topic that Natalie, the romantic, especially loves.
Well, my world has been flipped quite a bit since having kids (exactly God's plan I believe), especially over the past two years as Lainey's health troubles escalated. God has used some of the most unlikely tools to shape me, one of the latest ones being, "The Jesus Storybook Bible."
***
Thanks to the suggestion from one of my sweet mommy friends, Erica, I bought this children's Bible and our storytimes quickly began revolving around this beautifully told love story. A story about a Prince who was coming after His lost treasure. Kevin and I would often read ahead once the kids were asleep and most every story ended with tears streaming down my face (and Mr. Man fighting back the tears). Below is an excerpt from the introduction...
God wrote, "I love you" - he wrote it in the sky, and on the earth, and under the sea. He wrote his message everywhere!...And God put it into words, too, and wrote it in a book called "The Bible."
...No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne, - everything - to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!...There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.
And at the center of the Story, there is a baby...and this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child upon whom everything would depend..."
This is the baby whose birth we celebrate this Christmas season, "God's Great Rescue Plan" for the world. What powerful words we sing this time of year that proclaim the wonderful truth: "Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth." I've sung it a thousand times but this year is different...in part to this children's Bible and the picture it has painted of Jesus' love and His pursuit of us. I can say my soul has caught just a glimpse of it's worth. Really, what a love story.
I'm so grateful I'm learning I can trust this Prince with my little princesses.
May we prepare Him room this Christmas.
